Q#128 - October to November 2019

Please note that the zip file has a password: QCOMPS.BLOGSPOT  

Download mix from  https://www.mediafire.com/file/2qkhgx40bxzv2tp/Q%23128.zip/file

Now with added Spotify playlist at end of notes.

Q's Compilations

Vol #128 – October to November 2019

Well here we are again, pretty much three weeks late. October and November were pretty busy, I got my show count up to a more respectable number (though I don’t think I’ll quite hit the 50-mark I had modestly set) and had a holiday in Oxford/London/Paris. Not shabby.

01) Superchunk - Driveway to Driveway (acoustic): To celebrate the 25^th anniversary of their best album, Superchunk decided to re-record the entire record acoustically, and it’s unsurprisingly good! I managed to catch them on tour in this setup and though I’d have preferred seeing it performed in its original state, it was a treat nonetheless.

02) Lux Prima - Turn the Light: Danger Mouse and Karen O put out a collaboration as Lux Prima back in March, which I didn’t really listen to at the time but they played a show at Kings Theatre just around the corner from my apartment so it was rude not to go. It’s an effortlessly slick record.

03) Torres - Good Scare: It has been a while since Torres released anything (record company woes I think) but she recently signed to Merge records and will have a new album out next year. She opened for Superchunk at the show I mentioned above, albeit solo-acoustic so it was hard to get a feel for the new songs like this one.

04) Tool – Pneuma: Thirteen years after 10,000 Days was released, you’d have been forgiven for thinking Tool might not release another record, but here we are. I have to admit, Fear Inoculum can sound a little boring at times and I haven’t been wowed by it yet, but I did catch them live (for the first time in twelve years) and the record did come to life in an arena.

05) Maneka - Never Nowhere: You might recognise Devin McKnight as the guitarist in Grass is Green and formerly of Speedy Ortiz, his latest project is Maneka, who just released debut album Devin on Exploding in Sound Records and it’s a genre-bending record that deserves to get some traction.

06) Sheer Mag - The Killer: Philly quartet Sheer Mag put out their excellent new album, A Distant Call in August and those with a hankering for Thin Lizzy-esque rock should listen to it at your nearest convenience (or inconvenience, even). Produced by Arthur Rizk, the record nails a classic sound and captures the band at their most accomplished to date, while their previous efforts were somewhat endearingly lo-fi in places, A Distant Call captures the band at their peak that .

07) Psychedelic Porn Crumpets - Hymn for a Droid: You might form a decent idea about what Psychedelic Porn Crumpets sound like just by the name. The Australian (Perth) quartet’s brand of psych is heavier on the BPM than most with plenty of riffs and a bit more treble in the mix, and they nail it. Their latest album, And Now For The Whatchamacallit, was released back in May.

08) Follakzoid – II: My love for Chilean psychedelic rock will hopefully never end, and one of the heavyweights, Follakzoid, put out their latest record I in August. The previous record went off in more of a trance direction and the live tour went further that way, and I takes it to the extreme. A double-record with one song per side, the songs were stitched together from a series of single takes, by a producer who was not present during the recording. It ends up having a remix-album type of feel, and it’s good, though I wonder how much further the band can stretch the direction.

09) Michael Stipe - Your Capricious Soul: REM nerds were treated to a Michael Stipe solo track recently which feels a bit like an UP b-side, but I’ll take anything I can get these days and it does leave you wanting more.

10) Julia Jacklin - Don't Know How to Keep Loving You: February was so long ago now it’s easy to forget that Julia Jacklin released the quite superb Crushing, she seems so effortlessly at the top of her game. Steering away from the more traditional folk of her debut album, Crushing reminds me a little of Sharon Van Etten circa Tramp/Are We There with a few more BPM.

11) Mikal Cronin - Show Me: Mikal Cronin released three near-perfect garage-rock albums every two years between 2011 and 2015, so 2017 seemed like a cruel joke when the run didn't continue. That's not to say the four years since III were unproductive, Cronin is one of the busiest artists around and must have played on a dozen albums in the last four years. Thankfully, 2019 has given the world a little more balance with another of his solo albums, and this time he's leaned into his inner-Neil Young (if you had to pick a record this is closest to, it would be Neil's best - On the Beach). Trying to get over a bout of writer's block, he turned to the tried-and-true approach of retreating to a cabin in the woods to write, unfortunately that only lasted a month due to forest fires, and the record does come ablaze more than most, but there's certainly an earthy quality to it. Indeed the only song that screams cabin-in-the-woods is the solo-acoustic closer On the Shelf.

12) Big Thief – Not: The rise of Big Thief seems incredibly satisfying and it’s hard to think of a band who have made their ascent so seamless. A second record of 2019, Two Hands, was released on the 11th via 4AD, it’s a more rock/band-orientated album than U.F.O.F‘s more traditional folk. While most people don’t seem to think so, I think Two Hands is the stronger of the two.

13) Remember Sports - Tiny Planets: Philly act Remember Sports celebrated the 5th anniversary of debut album Sunchokes (back when the band were just called Sports) with an expanded re-issue, and this is just one of the no-frills fun indie-pop tunes from it.

14) Dude York – Falling: Seattle trio Dude York put out their second album, Falling, back in July on Hardly Art records, and it is smack in the middle of the Hardly Art venn diagram with pop harmonies and fuzzy guitars aplenty.

15) Screaming Females - No More I Love Yous: Screaming Females recently put out a compilation of non-album tracks, which I managed to snag on vinyl, the download and CD versions came with a few extra covers tacked onto the end, one of which is this Annie Lennox classic.

16) Michael Nau - On Ice: Sometimes you just want a smooth, perfectly executed set of melodic singer-songwriter tunes and Michael Nau & The Mighty Thread‘s 2018 album self-titled album is the middle of that venn diagram; like cruising in the middle lane of a deserted highway, there’s something deeply satisfying about how easy it is.

Phew, done, see you in 2020!

As always, Peace and Love - Q

Please note that the zip file has a password: QCOMPS.BLOGSPOT  

Download mix from  https://www.mediafire.com/file/2qkhgx40bxzv2tp/Q%23128.zip/file

Q#113 April - May 2017

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Download mix from: http://www.mediafire.com/file/1v446a3c64a9yqt/Q%23113.zip

Q's Compilations

Vol #113 - April to May 2017

Greetings once again. This is the first time I have ever missed a deadline which would have been the 31st of May (my own fault as I didn't bring the files with me on holiday so couldn't package it all together until I got back). Having spent just shy of three weeks back home (with a short jaunt in Lisbon), I'd like to say I'm pretty refreshed, but I spent a fair chunk of time wishing I was in New York still. This collection was thrown together pretty quickly just before I did go away but it has mostly new stuff on it and I'm very happy with how it turned out, aside from not paying attention to the levels in any of the songs, there are some fairly unforgivable moments in that regard.

01) Wyatt Blair - Pop Your Heart Out: Wyatt Blair is one of those people you think should be playing to 1000s of people, writer of infectious sugary pop hits, this tune is particularly reminiscent of the best bubble-gum 80s rock.

02) Rips -Break: You could probably be forgiven for thinking this was Parquet Courts if you just heard it without any context. Indeed, the record was actually recorded by Austin Brown of Parquet Courts.

03) Guided By Voices - Overloaded: The ever prolific Robert Pollard just released his 100th album, which is pretty staggering. Another milestone is Guided By Voices first double-album, August By Cake, the current line-up includes "Mark II" GBV legend Doug Gillard. “The situation has me I’ve gotta grab it”

04) Priests - Nothing Feels Natural: Priests' debut full length (this is the title track) departs from their punkier eps and has more of a post-punk sheen to it, it's a great fit and change of direction although on ocassion one does miss Katie Alice Greer's snarl.

05) Matt Kivel - Velveteen: I somehow snoozed on knowing Matt Kivel released two records last year, I'd acted just in time to pick up the vinyl for Fires in the Plain, but missed out on XXXX. This track is from Fires in the Plain, and while double albums are generally hard to digest initially, the record seems an instant winner.

06) Terry Malts - Gentle Eyes:  There's something about this song that reminds me of Modern English, and that's clearly not a bad thing. Terry Malts have gone for a shinier sound on their latest album although when I saw them at the Mercury Lounge in April they still play with the same garage rock fervor of the first album. “I hate to see you cry, it broke my heart to find pain in those gentle eyes. What can I do? All my thoughts and my dreams I see gentle eyes”

07) Ryan Adams - Prisoner: Ryan Adams is one of those people I've known about for many years and just never gotten round to listening to. He was playing a show at the Beacon Theatre and so I got day-of Stubhub tickets to go with a friend, he was fantastic and this has, became somewhat of an anthem for me recently. The title track of his latest record, I've also since purchased Gold and Heartbreaker. “Free my heart, Somebody locked it up, Still waiting on parole, I can taste the freedom just outside that door, Same grey walls, Same grey clothes, I know my friends all know, Can't keep it under control. I know our love is wrong, I am a criminal, Mmm, I am a prisoner, Mmm, I am a prisoner, For your love”

08) Snail Mail - Slug: I hadn't heard of Snail Mail until it was announced that they are supporting Waxahatchee in Brooklyn in July so I went through their bandcamp releases and they are obviously a very appropriate fit. “And oh is it easiest to hide? Under covered rocks, Or would you rather cut it all down? Just to keep it from dragging you around”

09) Aimee Mann - Goose Snow Cone: Aimee's latest record, Mental Illness, seems like a response to everyone thinking all she does is write slow, sad, acoustic songs, as if she has double-downed on what people expect, it's arguably her slowest and saddest record to date. I just saw her play at the Town Hall and hadn't realised it was 12 years since I had last seen her, I certainly hope it isn't another 12. “Gotta keep it together when your friends come by, Always checking the weather but they wanna know why, Even birds of a feather find it hard to fly”

10) Justin Currie - This Is My Kingdom Now: Del Amitri will always be my first love and Justin Currie has just released his fourth solo record (this is the title track), though this is his first self-release. It took me a couple of listens for it to gel but as usual it is filled with unmatched prose and is closer to his first solo release, What Is Love For. I was lucky enough to catch him live on the 3rd of June during my recent trip home. Still the greatest. “I was sure that I could hear applause, And that I should take a bow, But no-one seems to care in here, That this is my kingdom now”

11) Digable Planets - Where I'm From: 90s hip hop greats Digable Planets got back together last year, and I’m excited to hopefully see them at a free show in Red Hook in June. Their two records (1993’s Reachin’ and 1994’s Blowout Comb, this song is from the former) aren’t really talked about with such heady frequency as say, De La Soul or A Tribe Called Quest, but they’re definitely in the same league, perhaps this reunion will call for further evaluation.

12) Main Source - Just a Friendly Game of Baseball: Speaking of great 90s hip hop, Main Source released Breaking Atoms in 1991 which was reissued this year and is also of note for containing Nas’ first recorded delivery (on Live at the BBQ), the group have played a couple of reunion shows this year (including opening for George Clinton, which sadly I missed), “Instead of innings, we have endings, What a fine way to win things, And hot-dog vendors have fun, Sellin you the cat rat and dog on a bun, And when you ask what is all of this called? It's just a friendly game of baseball”

13) Follakzoid feat. J Spaceman - Electric: After spending some time in London, Chilean psych/kraut masters Follakzoid collaborated with J Spacemen for a 2-song remix of tracks from the third album (strangely enough, called III). The trance-like nature of the tracks from that record were ripe for a remix treatment and the results are not disappointing.

14) The New Pornographers - Whiteout Conditions: I saw The New Pornographers recently at Terminal 5, and this was the first time I'd seen them with Neko Case. They started off on fire, playing my favourites songs within a 5-song opening, but the new material sounded like long-term favourites too.

15) Future Islands - Aladdin:  New album, The Far Field, certainly isn't breaking any ground for the Baltimore band, and that's ok, for a band that's on the cusp of being majorly succesful, they just need to keep doing what they're doing.

16) Laura Stevenson - Life is Long: I saw Laura supporting Juliana Hatfield in April and her solo set really blew me away (I had drank many, many margaritas before the show), her recorded output is a little more punky and she is on the wonderful Don Giovanni label.

17) Cayetana - Mesa: I saw Cayetana at the Northside Festival a year or two ago and despite enjoying their set a lot didn’t give the band a whole lot of thought until hearing their new album, New Kind of Normal, which came out in May via Plum Records. Like Snail Mail, the trio are supporting Waxahatchee on upcoming dates. “we can only hurt ourselves for so long”

18) Anna Calvi - Love Won't Be Leaving (live): A "record store day" release, supposedly (I'm sure all these end up with regular distribution), Anna Calvi played the Meltdown Festival backed by a choir and the results are stunning. She doesn't rush things when it comes to new material so this document is an excellent stop gap. “I hope this letter finds you well, Been in the desert for so long, Sometimes I see faces, Comin' out of the dark”

Apologies once again for the hastily put together notes, but as I said earlier, I’m really happy with the selection and I hope you find something to enjoy too.

As always, Peace and Love

Q

Please note that the zip file has a password: QCOMPS.BLOGSPOT

Download mix from: http://www.mediafire.com/file/1v446a3c64a9yqt/Q%23113.zip

Q#105 - December 2015 to January 2016

Please note that the zip file has a password: Q105

Download mix from: http://www.mediafire.com/download/2c86yq12xhqx7oq/Q105.zip

Q’s Compilations

Volume #105 December 2015 – January 2016

Newsflash – survived 2015. I hope everyone had a nice time over the “holidays”, speaking of which I actually managed to have one and went back to the UK for three weeks (with a short jaunt to Amsterdam for a change of scenery). 2015 might have been fairly barren of joy but it was relatively fertile when it came to music I enjoyed, so I’ll get right to it and give you some of my favourites.

01) Young Guv - Crawling Back to You: Keen listeners may remember Kelly, I’m Not a Creep from Q#103, one of the most infectious songs of 2015. I almost used the Ripe 4 Luv, the title track of the record, but plumped for this anthemic power-pop gem. The record was released on Slumberland Records back in March and is the project of Fucked Up guitarist Ben Cook.

02) Slonk Donkerson - Watching Every Channel at Once: At this stage I’m not sure what else I can say about Slonk Donkerson that I haven’t said already. However, I’ll just copy/paste what I wrote for Free Williamsburg’s Top 25 albums of 2015 post: What’s in a name? Slonk Donkerson go against the grain where most guitar bands around New York in recent years have concentrated on punk/hardcore/garage rock, the now four-piece align to a more classic rock sound, with hints of Moving Pictures-era Rush sprinkled on top of their initial early-REM/Husker Du/Meat Puppets influence. The band’s keen sense of melody and thoughtful compositions really stand out in today’s climate. These songs would sound equally at home played to a crowd of 50 or 50,000 people. We’re clearly fans of the band, having featured them frequently throughout the year.

03) Tenement - I'm Your Super Glue: Another entry from Free Willy’s to 25 albums post: If “punk” means doing whatever you want, then Tenement are the punks of 2015. Releasing an epic 23-song, 74-minute double LP; the band deserves a medal for the sheer number of hooks on this album alone. It’s not all about fist-pumping anthems, however, the Wisconsin trio have crafted a flowing album that also includes piano ballads, a little folk interlude and the downright bizarre 9-minute instrumental “A Frightening Place For Normal People.” Ultimately, Predatory Headlights is an album to just hit play, sit back, and be taken on a ride. If there is a better example of a record showing off pop-songwriting with a fuck-you attitude I have yet to hear it this year. “And the things you never say to me are so sweet”

04) Screaming Females - Criminal Image: And another Free Willy entry! After 2014’s Live at the Hideout, the New Brunswick trio returned with their 6th studio album; their first in three years with Rose Mountain. Upon release, remarks were made about how this was a more “commercial” Screaming Females record, with Wishing Well leading the album’s promotion, and while that one track (and perhaps the second single, “Hopeless”) might possibly have some mainstream appeal, it doesn’t smack of a band trying to sound popular, they are just good songs. Regardless, the album itself is choc-full of the band’s signature riffs and guitar solos. As an aside, they remain the best live band you can see at the moment, in my opinion.

05) Swervedriver - Deep Wound: I Wasn’t Born to Lose You is the band’s first album since 1997, and the Oxford legends have not lost any magic at all. As I wrote for Q#101, not all reunions are just cash cows. Deep Wound was actually released as a single in 2012, but it fits on the album perfectly.

06) Royal Headache - Wouldn't You Know: Another copy/paste from FW - Melbourne’s Royal Headache have not hidden from the fact that following up 2012’s self-titled album was hard. The number of times the band have broken up, or claimed to have broken up, is numerous. Indeed, they have even said this will probably be their last (although they sounded much more positive in a recent interview in The Big Takeover), all that can be done is see every album or show as a gift. What elevates Royal Headache from just being another good garage-punk band is Shogun’s soulful vocal masterclass, which at times croons, and often punches with a hurt that can’t be faked. While the band are known for their high-energy songs and particularly their hurricane-like live shows, it’s the mournful, “Wouldn’t You Know” and downright infectious, anthemic “Carolina,” that captures the heart of the album. “So what would you know, what a little love can do?”

07) Courtney Barnett – Depreston: Sometimes I Sit and Think, Sometimes I Just Sit is the quintessential indie (in the all-encompassing sense of the word) album of the year. The record is a literate success, taking you to places you haven’t been or experiences you haven’t had and yet feeling like you have, made even more personable with a masterful take on various universal themes; a line like “I don’t know quite who I am, oh but man I am trying. I make mistakes until I get it right” could sound all a bit too emo in lesser hands. The music itself is no slouch either, with driving rockers like “Pedestrian at Best” and “Nobody Really Cares If You Don’t Go to the Party” mixed up with the slow folk-jangle of “Depreston” and the epic blues of “Small Poppies.” I was enthralled the power-trio live show at Bowery, and I’d make an argument that you only come away with a deeper appreciation for the record after seeing her perform.

08) Jim O'Rourke - Friends with Benefits: Rather embarrassingly I didn’t even know Jim O’Rourke had a solo career outside of his production/mixing duties, but all it took was hearing this song (which opens Simple Songs) to get hooked on the record. I’ve read that it’s not as strong as some of his other albums, and if that’s the case then bring it on. “It's been quite a long, long time, But not enough to find a line, To get me going once again. Just one word I could respect, But then what do I expect? You missed that boat a long time ago”

09) Sufjan Stevens - All of Me Wants All of You: One of the highlights of the year was the re-opening of Kings Theatre, possibly the most beautiful concert venue I have been to, and it’s a short walk from my apartment. I mention this because Sufjan was the first person I saw play there. Carrie and Lowell is certainly one of the darlings choice this year, but it’s an album that deserves the heady praise.

10) Earl Sweatshirt - DNA (feat. Nakel): It’s fair to say that an album called I Don’t Like Shit, I Don’t Go Outside is not going to get your pulses racing, but I often find the saddest, depressing albums have more beauty. Sparse arrangements are the key to this album, which is also lyrically pretty bleak.

11) Follakzoid – Earth: Another FW entry - Chile, and in particular, Santiago’s blossoming psyche scene has spawned numerous bands that are producing some of the best music of the last decade. Along with The Holydrug Couple, the other premier-league band is the krautrock-influenced Föllakzoid, they wowed me at Rough Trade earlier in the year, and the band’s third album (helpfully titled III) is my personal #1 release of 2015. If you just want to get into an involuntary groove, III will do that; most the songs are long and repetitive pieces that have a pulse. While previous material has had more of a straight-up krautrock 4/4 snare-driven rhythm, III concentrates on the bass drum and toms to create a deeper trance, the bass guitar is like a lullaby that plunges you in deeper, while the guitars and keyboards float in and out, delivering the odd jab. You don’t listen to Föllakzoid, you are a slave to them.

12) Viet Cong - Bunker Buster: Too much has been said about the band’s name, which is a pretty boring topic if you ask me (the band are set to change it at some point), as Salman Rushdie said “'Nobody has the right to not be offended”. The unfortunate side issue has taken away discussion about what is one of the strongest albums of the year, which also has one of the best songs I have heard in years, Death, which featured on Q#101. Bunker Buster is one for people to nerd out to a little bit with its 6/4 beat.

13) Deerhunter – Breaker: Fading Frontier seems like a bit more of a low-key album after 2013’s glam-tinged Monomania, but it does get under your skin just like any Deerhunter album can. Breaker is just a downright beautiful song. “I'm alive, I don't credit the source, I just drive, And then the fog rolls in And then they're blind. My enemies, They're just trying, Trying to kill me”

14) Mac McCaughan - Lost Again: Superchunk frontman Mac McCAughan released his first “solo” album (discounting his Portastatic albums…) and Non-Believers veers more towards the melodic side of early 80s post-punk rather than the darker, more angular sounds that the genre seems exclusively wedded to these days. “All these houses are split in two, I'm driving down your street, I'm kind of looking for you, But I'm kind of looking for me”

15) The Holydrug Couple – Concorde: Plagiarising myself again - Chile’s grip as psych-rock leaders strengthened this year with a slew of releases, mostly from Blow Your Mind records and their two flagship bands, The Holydrug Couple and Follakzoid, both put out stellar records. Moonlust is the duo’s third album, and their second via New York label, Sacred Bones. There is more focus on texture and keyboards than Pink-Floyd-esque guitars of earlier material, but it’s a move they take in their stride. If you want to relax and bliss out for 40-minutes I can’t recommend a better option than Moonlust.

16) Sheer Agony - I Have a Dream: These Canadians (they are from Montreal) might win an award for most inappropriate name, because Sheer Agony are anything but to hear. Sticking to a somewhat tongue-in-cheek approach, their record is called Masterpiece. The band identify as Soft Boys Worship, and it’s as good a reference as any. I Have a Dream is one of the singles from the album (whatever that means these days), and while I would have used a different track but for time constraints, it’s a short jab of delightful jangle-pop.

17) Twerps – Stranger: There does seem to be an almost quintessential sound to Aussie (and Kiwi) indie-rock, and Twerps nail it. Range Anxiety seems to have been somewhat unfairly left off many end of year lists, which might be due to it being released so early in the year that people forget, or maybe they just don’t have great taste, who knows.

18) Mikal Cronin - Made My Mind Up: I think Mikal Cronin should be a bit of a superstar, with three fantastic albums in his discography, his live shows are also consistently impressive. Released on Merge, the helpfully titled III, continues to show off his songwriting hooks.

19) John Carpenter – Vortex: Yes, horror director John Carpenter released one of the most compelling records of 2015, via New York’s Sacred Bones label. Very much a cult icon for his soundtrack work as much as his direction, Lost Themes is strictly speaking his debut “album”.

20) Jessica Pratt - On Your Own Love Again: This is the title-track to Jessica’s second album, released on Drag City. If you want a folky/finger-picked record of 2015, most people will steer you towards Sufjan Stevens, but Jessica’s album is a real hidden gem. “I guess I'll try to keep on believing, You're just someone out there in chains, You're just here on your own love again”

And there you have it. My gig-going was down a little bit, I made it to 125 shows (down from 147 and 155 of the two previous years), but still a pretty respectable score! Anyway, here is hoping 2016 is a good year for everyone, it hasn’t started terribly well with the tragic loss of David Bowie!

Until next time

Peace and love - Q 

Please note that the zip file has a password: Q105

Download mix from: http://www.mediafire.com/download/2c86yq12xhqx7oq/Q105.zip

Q#101 - April - May 2015

Please note that the zip file has a password: Q101

Download mix from: http://www.mediafire.com/download/rn9negvfvun7wuh/Q#101.zip

Q’s Compilations

Volume #101 April – May 2015

I guess this is the first “normal” mix since September, as I’ve had my Death By Audio mix, best of 2014 and then #100’s favourite songs of all time. That means there has been a bit of a backlog, songs I have wanted to use for months, and others that have fallen by the wayside. I went to Austin in May for Levitation (fka Austin Psych Fest) and had a great time, obviously I had to visit the Daniel Johnston mural that is on the front cover of this mix. I also won all my fantasy football (aka soccer to the great unwashed) which makes me ridiculously happy. Maybe, just maybe, I can enjoy this summer.

01) Pop Zeus & Wyatt Blair - I've Never Been More Alive: My Death By Audio mix of #Q98 opened with Pop Zeus’ Dead in the Water, Mikey Hodges tragically died shortly after I uploaded that mix after being hit by a car. Mikey was one of the first musicians in NYC I plucked up the courage to talk to and he was an incredibly nice guy, it’s such a shame I can barely articulate. Another nice guy is Wyatt Blair and the pair were beginning to record songs together, this is sadly the only finished song we’ll hear.

02) Mercury Girls - Golden (demo): Sometimes bands wear their influences on their sleeves and it just does not matter one iota. That’s certainly the case for the C86-infused Mercury Girls, who feature two members of the band Literature (guitarist Kevin Attics & drummer Chris Schackerman). Mercury Girls only have two demos uploaded at the time of writing, but I caught their second ever show recently and they played a great set, I am eagerly waiting more.

03) Mikal Cronin - Turn Around: Although he has been mostly known as a touring guitarist in Ty Segall’s band, Mikal Cronin has now released three utterly delectable garage-rock records, that might just be better than Ty anyway. His third record, helpfully titled MCIII, just came out on Merge Records. I caught his recent show at Bowery Ballroom which I reviewed here: http://freewilliamsburg.com/live-review-mikal-cronin-played-bowery-ballroom/

04) Twerps - Back to You: Australia’s Twerps released their second album, Range Anxiety, recently and it is a rather lovely collection of jangle-pop tunes that the Aussies (and neighbouring Kiwis) seem to excel at. I caught the band live and reviewed here: http://freewilliamsburg.com/live-review-twerps-and-ultimate-painting-played-rough-trade/ “Somebody out there is doin’ better than me”

05) Courtney Barnett - Nobody Really Cares if you Don't Go to the Party: Speaking of Aussies, here is another one! Courtney Barnett has had a somewhat meteoric rise this year which saw her sell out three nights at the Bowery. Her album, Sometimes I Sit and Think, Sometimes I Just Sit, is filled with rockers and singer-songwriter ballads, filing somewhere between The Lemonheads and The Breeders. Yet another artist I had the pleasure of seeing and reviewing: http://freewilliamsburg.com/live-review-courtney-barnett-played-bowery-ballroom/

06) The Proper Ornaments - Now I Understand: Slumberland records had a bit of a fire sale recently, with some releases so cheap I just bought many on a whim, one of which was The Proper Ornaments’ record, Wooden Head, which is a lovely jangly and catchy release.

07) Gateway Drugs - Fridays are for Suckers: Gateway Drugs rolled in from the west coast supporting my hometown boys, Swervedriver, recently and I enjoyed their neo-psych, which sometimes hit hard, and other times had some bubblegum pop going on. This song is one of the latter examples.

08) Swervedriver – Autodidact: As mentioned above, I saw Oxford legends Swervedriver recently, who just released their first album since 1997! I Wasn’t Born to Lose You proves that not all reunions are just cash cows, sometimes bands get together and still release great music! Here’s my show review from their Music Hall of Williamsburg performance: http://freewilliamsburg.com/live-review-swervedriver-played-music-hall-of-williamsburg/ “you make me lose my head, dream of what might be”

09) Screaming Females – Triumph: Screaming Females released their latest album, Rose Mountain, in February on the ever reliable Don Giovanni records. The record is a bit more streamlined, I’m hesitant to say radio friendly because it’s still full of chunky riffs like this song and Marissa Paternoster’s fantastic guitar solos.

10) Multicult – Jaws: I saw this Baltimore band at the unfortunately soon to be closed Brooklyn Night Bazaar, and their unabashed 90s grunge sound went down so well I picked up both of their records at the merch table.  

11) Unwound - New Energy: Everyone finds out about bands they love long after they’ve disbanded and it seems like Unwound is another one of those bands for me. Reissue specialists The Numero Group have been doing a great job repackaging their discography in lavish vinyl box sets and I’ve been devouring them. “desperate kicks, faster still, what about the future of what it is?”

12) The Marbles - Fire and Smoke: I heard this tune at a Highland Park tasting event, The Marbles were a “lost” band from the early CBGBs scene. That guitar solo is absolutely from that time and you wonder why they didn’t blow up like Television. “I’ve been watching bombs exploding, between you and me”

13) Föllakzoid - Electric: Regular readers/listeners will know I’m a huge fan of the Chilean psych rock scene down in Santiago, and Follakzoid are one of the big hitters. They just released their third album (imaginatively titled III), which is a little more trance-influenced than the more krautrock-led previous album, and it’s great to see the band leaning in different directions. Just let yourself fall into the groove with this one. The band just played my favourite show of the year so far by some distance and I’ll be amazed if anyone beats it!

14) Lower Dens – Brains: I’m probably a bit late to the party on this band but I picked up Nootropics on vinyl in a sale and like it a lot. I actually played half the album at the wrong speed and it still sounded good. I think they have a new one out now which I’ll have to check out.

15) Sufjan Stevens - The Only Thing: I recently went to see Sufjan Stevens at the recently renovated Kings Theatre, which was incredibly exciting for me because it was the first time in my life I could walk to and from a concert! It’s a stunning venue and they have done an amazing job on it, the venue upstaged the event itself. Carrie and Lowell sees Sufjan go back to his folk roots and it’s a nice return to form. “Should I tear my eyes out now, before I see too much? Should I tear my arms out now, I wanna feel your touch”

16) Notations - A New Day: Chicago’s The Notations are just another in a long line of brilliant-but-forgotten smoother soul groups from the 60s and 70s. There’s not really much else I can say about this, I just love it.

17) Syl Johnson - I Can Take Care of Business: Taken from Syl’s debut album, Dresses Too Short, released in 1969, why he wasn’t as huge and long-lasting as someone like Al Green I’m just not sure. Syl has that perfect blend of optimism and heartache in his voice.

18) Jacobites - Only Children Sleeping: This might be one of the saddest songs I’ve heard, and I guess that’s why I plumped for it as I’m always drawn to sad songs, and this one is strangely prescient. Nikki Sudden formed Jacobites alongside his solo career after Swell Maps broke up. He died from a heart attack performing at The Knitting Factory in 2006. 

19) Viet Cong – Death: This was/is first song to really blow me away in 2015, and I was delighted to catch them at the Mercury Lounge earlier in the year (and of course, they played this song, I reviewed the show here: http://freewilliamsburg.com/live-review-viet-cong-played-mercury-lounge/). The whole 12 minutes is just an aural workout, those glistening guitars, the sounds-like-but-isn’t-odd-timing, the pained vocals, it’s all rather marvellous. Everything about this song just rips out my heart, chews it up, and puts it back in. Staggering.

And there you have it! It’s officially summer now, which at least here means outdoor shows, outdoor films, outdoor drinking, all while it’s too hot!

Until next time

Peace and love - Q 

Q#93 – December 2013 - January 2014

Please note that the zip file has a password: Q93

Download mix from:  https://www.mediafire.com/?11q6w4tn3ub58wo

Q’s Compilations

Volume #93 December 2013 / January 2014

Happy new year! As usual, this mix is a roundup of my favourite music of the previous year (unless I already used a track or couldn’t fit on due to time constraints blah blah, etc, etc). 2013 was a really great year for music, both recorded and live (I went to 154 shows in 2013!), and I started writing for My Social List which is definitely a highlight!

01) Purling Hiss – Lolita: A latecomer to the mix (though this album, Water on Mars, was released in March), I saw Purling Hiss at Brooklyn Bazaar in December and their fuzzed up Crazy-Horse-esque guitar wigouts blew my mind.

02) Roomrunner – Weird: Ideal Cities is my favourite album of 2013, I shouldn’t really need to say any more than that (I also used Bait Car on Q#91).

03) Crocodiles – I Like it in the Dark: One of the surprises of the year for me, Crocodiles have upped their game with recent release Crimes of Passion, and this song is a wonderful atheist-call-to-arms anthem. “there’s no shining heaven, there are no fires of hell but those of our creation. When I’m crawling away from hell, storm the gates of heaven and be your own god”

04) Anna Calvi – Eliza: Clearly Anna was not going to suffer second album syndrome with the release of One Breath, which is a great follow-up to her exquisite debut album. “So priceless and godless I wait, To leave this soul behind, Untangle the jangle of bells, They ring my fear through the night”

05) Deerhunter – Back to the Middle: I finally got to see Deerhunter this year (which was my favourite show of the year - http://someothersuckersparade.blogspot.com/2013/12/my-favourite-shows-of-2013-and-my-list.html). They played an incredible setlist but didn’t skimp on the new stuff either, Monomania is their attempt at a glam rock record. “Back in the middle, Everyone knows your name now, It's all accidental, Your love is such a sick, sick game”

06) Sisu – Electronic: Another act I can’t really say anything new about, having featured in Q#92, #90 and #88. Light Eyes made my albums of 2013 and it’s no surprise to see them on this mix. Electronic is a moody, slower track than some of the other ones I’ve used previously.

07) bEEdEEgEE – Like Rain Man: Brian DeGraw is a member of Gang Gang Dance, and released his first solo album under the moniker of bEEdEEgEE, I saw him do a set at Union Pool in the summer and it was mesmerising.

08) Follakzoid – Trees: The best thing of 2013 in a music sense was my discovery of Chilean psychedelic bands (see Q#89), and Follakzoid’s album, II, was my second favourite release of the year.

09) The Holydrug Couple – Follow Your Way: Where Follakzoid are, The Holydrug Couple are not often far behind, I saw the two bands at the Mercury Lounge in February for one of the best shows I have seen in a long time. They come from different sides of the psyche spectrum and complement each other perfectly.

10) Blood Orange – You’re Not Good Enough: Dev Hynes has had a topsy turvy year, his second Blood Orange album, Cupid Deluxe won rave reviews though sadly his apartment building just burned down with all his possessions. Tough break!

11) John Grant – GMF: Although this record was released earlier in the year I didn’t get round to appreciating it until almost the very end. I saw him play an incredible show at the Music Hall Williamsburg in December and he gave one of the best vocal performances I’ve ever heard. The album, Pale Green Ghosts, is a lyrical masterpiece, bitingly sarcastic yet open and vulnerable. GMF is a sort-of counterpoint to all those moments of self-doubt and hatred. “You could probably say I'm difficult, I probably talk too much. I over analyze and overthink things.
Yes, it's a nasty crutch. I'm usually only waiting for you to stop talking, So that I can.”

12) Justin Currie – Every Song’s the Same: Hero worship is something I try to shy away from, but Del Amitri’s influence on my formative years is substantial, Justin released his third solo album, Lower Reaches this year, recorded in Nashville it has a slightly more country flavour than his previous work and it took a few listens for things to seep in. However, his sense of melody and songwriting prowess meant it didn’t take all that long.

13) The Men – I Saw Her Face: Another record that made my best of 2013 list, New Moon is a fantastic record and this is probably the most obvious example of the Neil Young influence on it, you could plonk this record onto Zuma and I doubt anyone would notice!

14) Wymond Miles – Anniversary Song: A man who seemingly can’t write a bad song, Wymo is best known for his work as the guitarist in Fresh and Onlys, but his solo work is even better IMO. Cut Yourself Free is his second album, following on from the resplendent Under the Pale Moon.

15) Weekend – Scream Queen: You should be familiar with, Jinx as I used Oubliette on the last mix, but it really is one of the best records of the year so it had to feature again. “You fell in love with a fragrance in a magazine. A scream queen, pleading at the door to a dream”

16) Veronica Falls – Teenage: Another band that said “fuck you” to the idea of second album syndrome, Waiting for Something to Happen is a massive step up from their charming self-titled debut, with a punchier sound and more confident performance, it was hard to pick a track to use. “Driving late at night I’ll let you listen to the music you like. Then I’ll drop you home”

17) Mikal Cronin – Shout it Out: Another double whammy in that Mikal Cronin made both my lists for best albums and shows of 2013 with his Bowery show that also featured Roomrunner and Shannon and the Clams. It is hard to pick a highlight from II because it is consistently strong. “I'm pretty good of making things out of the scene, and turning problems back to me“

18) Liquor Store – Midnight Walker: I saw Liquor Store live 4 times in 2013 and their second album, In the Garden is a fun romp of unashamed classic rock, this tune features some ripping guitar work to boot.

19) Fuck Buttons – Brain Freeze: I featured Stalker on Q#91 and Slow Focus sees Fuck Buttons in fine form after a few years of little activity. After seeing them live I noted that “when our robot overlords take over they will march to this”, and I can’t think of a better way to describe this song.

I have of course missed many great bands/songs/albums in this “best of” mix, many will crop up in the next volume. Brain mush dictates that these notes can’t be any longer…

Until next time

Peace and love - Q 

Q#89 – April – May 2013

Please note that the zip file has a password: Q89
Download mix from: http://www.mediafire.com/?avz9cc0yb6b31mc

Q’s Compilations

Volume #89 – April – May 2013

Hola! I have recently become obsessed with music from Chile, and so I had little choice but to put together a mix of Chilean bands (almost exclusively from Santiago), I have found some phenomenal bands so please enjoy!

01) Vuelveteloca – Paramount: I’m kicking off with probably my favourite song (and record) from Chile, Jinete Galáctico , the second album form the band (who are just about to release their third). I just love the driving rhythm and that guitar sound, wow! Please go to http://vuelveteloca.bandcamp.com/ and check them out further.

02) The Ganjas – Motoqueiro: Formed in 1999, The Ganjas have 5 records and a few EPs to their name, this song comes from Loose which was released in 2009. They are equally at home with Swervedriver-esque rock anthems like this, as well as long sprawling psychedelic clocking in at 15 minutes. With regards to singing (almost all) their songs in English, drummer Aldo Benincasa said “Most of us are "English singers." We can read it easily, but speaking and listening is an exercise that needs more practice. I think we speak "music English" or "movie English," because we watch movies with subtitles and listen to music. We chose English because it is the language used in the kind of music we like and have listened to since we were kids”

03) Pontiacs - Slow Motion: I found this band on bandcamp, details are a little sketchy and in slightly broken English (better than my Spanish!), but you can download this album (called Bursting) for free on their bandcamp page: http://pontiacs.bandcamp.com/

04) Watch Out! - Wish You Know: This song is taken from their new album, Flashbacker, which is set for a US release soon on record store day (20^th of April) via Permanent Records, this is one of the more straightforward songs on the record. Debut album To Live and Leave is also recommended. http://watchout.bandcamp.com/

05) La Hell Gang - Just What Is Real: This is the title track to the band’s only record to date (though after speaking with the drummer recently, they have many unreleased songs), singer and guitarist Francisco Cabala also formed Chicos de Nazca (and releases Boards of Canada-type electronic music as KB Cabala), hopefully the band will record and release more material soon. https://soundcloud.com/lahellgang

06) Yajaira - Hacia El Sol: A great slice of stoner rock, Yajaira released 6 records between 1998 and 2005, and after a 5-year hiatus, released a further album in 2011. This song is on their 1998 self-titled debut. Hear more at http://www.myspace.com/yajaira666

07) Casino – Cura: This song is taken from the band’s second album, Volcanoes, I also have their third, called Million Days, which is nice but I haven’t quite gotten into yet (the sound is a bit more poppy with English vocals). Singer Paul Giadach is currently in The Ganjas (and produced their record, Loose).

08) Kayros – Maldecidos: Another stoner/desert rock band, you can get the band’s three records at a name-your-own-price download on their bandcamp page: http://kayros1.bandcamp.com/ fans of Kyuss and Monster Magnet should dig this.

09) Föllakzoid – 99: This is the band that started off my obsession, second album, II was recently put out by the Sacred Bones label in New York and when I noticed they also put out an album by The Holydrug Couple (featured next…) I started to wonder if there were any other Chilean bands worth listening to, and here we are. I loved the Föllakzoid album immediately and reviewed it on my blog (so just read it!): http://someothersuckersparade.blogspot.com/2013/02/follakzoid-ii-album-review.html I just saw them play a show at the Mercury Lounge and they were brilliant!

10) The Holydrug Couple - Out of Sight: Also had the pleasure of seeing this band play with Föllakzoid, they have two albums and a smattering of EPs and singles, hear all at their bandcamp page: http://theholydrugcouple.bandcamp.com/ their latest album, Noctuary (on which this song appears) has just been put out by Sacred Bones. Ives Sepulveda is certainly one of the most interesting guitar players out there right now.

11) Chicos de Nazca - Crushing in my Head: This band features members of La Hell Gang and Föllakzoid, I have one of their albums which has a bit more of an electronic influence, but found this song on their soundcloud page: https://soundcloud.com/chicos-de-nazca

12) Tsunamis - Rosita Queen: Tsunamis have three releases, the debut EP (where I’ve taken this track) is a very raw and passionate rock and roll record with some long jams, highly recommended. The full length album and recent EP, Crac! From 2012 are a bit more polished but feature some excellent songs. I bought all three releases from http://portaldisc.com/ which has almost every Chilean band you can hope to find and has proved invaluable (it’s a legitimate service, and you can get 10 download codes for $42).

13) Aguaturbia – EVOL: The only band that pre-dates Pinochet’s regime, during which he essentially banned or heavily censored rock music, hence the gap in time from the 70s until the 90s. Formed in 1968, the band caused controversy by appearing naked on their album covers, and also featuring the singer being crucified on the second record cover. The band moved to New York in 1970 and returned in 1973, just before Pinochet’s dictatorship began.

I sincerely hope you like this mix and that it will cause you to explore further, and if I have missed any bands out please let me know! I should also mention Blow Your Mind Records http://www.bymrecords.com/home/ which feature many of the bands on this mix on their roster.

Until next time

Peace and love - Q