Q#115 - August to September 2017

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Q's Compilations

Vol #115 – August to September 2017

Hi! No time to waste on these last-minute notes. I seemed to have very little inspiration before setting down to put this mix together late-on, but it turns out I’m pretty happy with the results once I got down to it. You’ve got the usual mix of brand-new stuff mixed with context-based additions, some of which will be explained!

01) Honey - Dream Come Now: Brooklyn trio Honey released their debut album, Love Is Hard, last year and have already followed it up with New Moody Judy. As this track suggests, it’s a rip-roaring set of psych rockers, much in keeping with their debut, though the songs seem a little more focused this time around (that’s certainly not meant in a bad way).

02) METZ - Drain Lake: It’s sometimes hard to remember that METZ actually record music, such is the justified stature the trio have as a live act. Indeed, I’ll be seeing them on the 4^th of October at Music Hall of Williamsburg and cannot wait. They just released their third album, Strange Peace, and it has all the classic METZ characteristics, though it’s different enough from the first two records to stop them hitting an artistic rut.

03) Wand - Bee Karma: One band who never seem in danger of staying in the same place is Wand, who are going in a far more psych direction with an expanded line up than before. There’s somewhat of a classic rock vibe to the main riff in the song and that’s certainly not a bad thing either!

04) Lee Bains III & the Glory Fires - Had to Laugh: A lot of bands struggle with their second records, but Lee Bains III & the Glory Fires probably rank as “most improved” that I can think of in recent years. Youth Detention is perhaps the finest dose of radio-friendly rock and roll that I can think of this year, the songs are sharp, melodic and catchy as hell. Possibly best experienced in a car. “When I told you that I'd never fall in love, I know you had to laugh”

05) Male Gaze - Tell Me How It Is: My buddy Felix sent me a raft of recommendations recently (thanks!) and though I enjoyed most of them, I found it hard to find the right ebb and flow for this mix with any of them, that was until I got to Male Gaze and they immediately hit the spot. Thanks Felix! I’m sure those other tunes will worm their way in sometime.

06) Thurston Moore - Smoke of Dreams: It’s probably not terribly surprising that Thurston Moore is releasing material closest to Sonic Youth, and having realised it had been many years since I saw him play, made a fairly impromptu decision to catch a recent show at Bowery Ballroom.

07) The Pharacyde - Oh Shit: In a recent “hmmm, wonder what classic hip-hop records I haven’t listened to in years” mood I was in, this was one! The South Central fourpiece from LA (though now a duo in present day form) released debut album Bizarre Ride II the Pharcyde in 1992 and it’s often considered one of the all-time greats.

08) Epmd - You Gots to Chill: In a recent “hmmm, wonder what classic hip-hop records I haven’t listened to in years” mood I was in, this was another one! This is also another debut record, Strictly Business was released in 1988 and is rightly considered a classic.

09) Andrew Hung – Animal: One half of Fuck Buttons, Andrew Hung, is about to release his debut solo record, Realisationship, on the 6^th of October. It’s a bit odd hearing him singing, having been pummelled relentlessly (and joyously) with the wall of noise that Fuck Buttons unleash, but after doing a double-take on the vocals initially, I think it works really well.

10) Curtis Harding - On and On: If you’ve been paying attention, you’ll know that I think Curtis Harding is just about the best new artist of the last few years. Soul Power was a complete triumph and having heard three new tracks from his new album, Face Your Fear, which is out at the end of October, he’s done it yet again. Produced by Sam Cohen, the new songs have more emphasis on keyboards and groove than the guitar and horns of his debut and I think the smoother direction compliments his vocals perfectly. I can’t wait to catch him at Rough Trade on the 2^nd of November. “No more wasting time, I gotta get into this groove”

11) Screaming Females - Black Moon: Two years on since last album, Rose Mountain, the New Jersey trio put this track out just a few days before I put this mix together. Screaming Females are never going to change and that is a great comfort.

12) Ryan Adams - Gimme Something Good: Considering that his album from this year, Prisoner, is my most played record of 2017, I had to go back through the discography somewhat. This opens his self-titled album from 2014 and is very similar to his latest effort (which I’m glad I heard first). This track always gets stuck in my head when I ask a friend what we should have for lunch and I’m met with a simple reply of “something good”. “All my life, Been shaking, Wanting something, Holding everything I have like it was broken. Gimme something good”

13) Alvvays - In Undertow: Doesn’t seem like three years since Alvvways self-titled debut album, but it has been fun seeing the band grow in the last few years and new album Antisocialites is definitely a triumph. “There’s no turning back”

14) Kyle Forester - Won't Go Crazy: I recently saw Ken Stringfellow play a rare solo set in Brooklyn and Kyle Forester opened. I’ve seen him in other bands (including Crystal Stilts) but did not know he had his own music too. “So I won't go crazy tonight, Having you here right by my side”

15) Nick Lowe - So it Goes: I’d only previously seen Nick Lowe perform a few songs as part of a benefit show with about a dozen other acts, so it was a treat to see him perform at a free show recently, with Los Straightjackets as his backing band. He played this song, of course, and you forget just how great a pop songwriter he is sometimes.

16) The Jayhawks - I'm Gonna Make You Love Me: Another free show at Lincoln Center recently, I’d heard the name over the years but did not know their music at all. They opened with this track, which I could say a lot about, but it’s a great song. “Your hair's long and black, as it lays 'cross my pillow, when I stare in your eyes, I get lost in your glory”

17) Creeper Lagoon - Under the Tracks: A few weekends ago I was lamenting how slow August was for shows, when NYC Taper mentioned Creeper Lagoon were playing their first show in NYC in many a year. I didn’t know of them but liked the tracks enough to see them since I was gagging to go to a show. This is very much a typical 90s rock track but I’m a sucker for that sometimes.

18) Ultimate Painting - Central Park Blues: I saw Ultimate Painting open for Yo La Tengo in Central Park recently and unsurprisingly they played this tune. It comes over better live since the Velvet Underground influence is maybe to the point of parody here, but what can you do. “I want to be alone with you, I want to do the things you do, You always do”

19) Daniel Johnston - True Love Will Find You in the End: The mercurial Daniel Johnston just announced his final ever tour, which includes a stop at New York’s Town Hall and I’m quite excited to see him since I never thought I would. I hope this track is true. “True love will find you in the end, you'll find out just who was your friend”

20) Julie Byrne – Sleepwalker: When Mark Kozelek can’t seem to write an actual fucking song anymore your ears start to prick up at the sound of any finger-picked folk song. That’s not to downplay the beauty of Julie Byrne’s music, but it’s definitely filling a requirement I need right now. “Before you, had I ever known love? Or had I only known misuse of the power another had over me?”

21) Vagabon - Fear & Force: Another free Lincoln Centre show recently was Vagabon, who I’d been hoping to see for about 6 months and kept missing. A large outdoor show was perhaps not the best format for such intimate material, but her record is well worth checking out.

22) Kevin Morby - Downtown Lights: I was randomly going through some press releases the other day and realised I hadn’t ever listened to a full Kevin Morby solo record. I tend to favour drifting off with a lullaby on mixes and  this track seemed to fit the bill. “You know I've gone to live one thousand lives, and to die one thousand deaths, But lately baby, got me scared, Ain't got too much left. But the ones that I had spent with you, Were the best that I ever had”

And there we have it, another mix down, another couple of months down, hopefully there were things to like on this mix, and I hope there are many things for you all to like in life right now.

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/18suak61rcam41s/Q%23115.zip

Q#108 June – July 2016

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

Download mix from: http://www.mediafire.com/download/x6awk3toikyeswn/Q108.zip 

Q’s Compilations

Volume #108 June – July 2016

Happy excruciating summer, everyone! Here is another hastily thrown together mix. I managed to survive another orbit around the sun with a birthday in June, managed to fit in a long weekend in Montreal, and am somehow still alive just in general. Onwards and upwards!

01) Royal Headache – My Own Fantasy: Australia’s Royal Headache released one of my favourite records of 2015 with High, and I saw them this month at Music Hall Williamsburg. It took them a few songs to get going but once they hit their stride they reached heights many bands can’t these days, and most of that is down to frontman Shogun, who barely stops moving and his Otis Redding-ish soulful croak really sets them apart from most other garage-rock bands these days. “I used to dream of love but I never dreamed I’d be all alone in my own fantasy”

02) Honey – Monk: NYC psyche trio Honey released their debut album, Love is Hard, via Wharf Cat Records in May. I’ve seen the band numerous times in the last couple of years and the album captures their sound very well, as I write this, the weather is featuring 90% humidity and this song sounds like how I feel.

03) Girl Band – Paul: I was surprised to find out I’ve only used a track by Dublin’s Girl Band once, and that was the June/July mix of 2015. Since then the band have released their rather excellent debut full length, Holding Hands With Jamie, via Rough Trade Records. Some bands end up reigning in the sound of their early Eps by the time they release a full length, but thankfully Girl Band have kept that abrasive quality, it’s a fearless record.

04) Del Amitri – Hammering Heart: Del Amitri’s self-titled debut album from 1985 is the sound of a completely different band, one obsessed with Orange Juice and The Smiths (Morrissey loved this album and the band opened for The Smiths), there is so much melody on this record it’s hard to keep track. Alas, after early promising press, Chrysalis delayed the release and no-one cared by the time it came out. Anyway, I suppose if they had blown up they probably wouldn’t have turned into the band that changed my life, but there’s always that “what if…” feeling when I listen to this wonderful, wonderful album. If a band came out with this today they’d be adored. “I suppose love lives in a dustbin behind the garden wall, You have to grovel on the ground and be pretty disgusting to find it at all”

05) Guided By Voices – Please Be Honest: Calling Robert Pollard prolific is one of the most understated things one can say, and having broken up Guided By Voices (again…) in 2014, it almost seemed inevitable that they’d get back together, though few would have thought it would only take 18 months. After reforming with a completely new lineup and releasing Please Be Honest, Pollard has since recalled former GBV and all round indie-legend Doug Gillard into the lineup. The future of GBV is hopefully bright…

06) The Nils – Daylight: My friend Herb frequently gives me bargain CDs, the most recent of which is 80s Montreal act The Nils. The band only recorded one full length LP, but Green Fields In Daylight includes that and connects the dots in the discography of a few Eps and live tracks. It’s a fine collection of pop-punk tunes and you can see why they’re heralded in cult circles (as well as some of my favourite bands, Superchunk, Meat Puppets, Bob Mould, etc). It seems like the band had a pretty raw deal during their active years to say the least, but actually released their 2^nd album (after 28 years) last year.

07) Lush – Untogether: I have to confess that Lush were a band that I always heard of but barely listened to when they were active first time around. The band reunited this year and I have tickets to see them in September, having given their best of, Ciao, regular spins in the last 6 months (which feels about how long I’ve had tickets for), the show can’t come around soon enough. “I'm sorry it's come to this but why are we here, bothering?

08) Eagulls – Velvet: Leeds has a decent reputation for goth/post-punk bands with the likes of Red Lorry Yellow Lorry, Sisters of Mercy, etc, and Eagulls are the latest, formed in 2010 the quintet have two albums under the belt, the latest of which, Ullages, came out in May. The record should appeal to any fan of The Cure!

09) The Cure – Prayers for Rain: Speaking of The Cure… I felt like I couldn’t not follow up Eagulls with anything else. I also just saw The Cure at Madison Square Garden (the third time I’ve seen the band), where they played almost all of Disintegration, so this seemed appropriate.

10) Fear of Men – Trauma: Brighton trio Fear of Men just released their second album, Fall Forever, and it sounds like a band really pushing themselves. Rather than rehashing their rather excellent debut, Loom, the group have crafted a record that demands attention, there are barely any chords on the record for a start, while singer Jess Weiss’ seemingly ultra-personal lyrics can strike a few chords of their own. “Just my words repeat I don't need you to see I'm beyond good and evil today I'm a force to fear, you're a void to be killed Now there's nothing to keep me here”

11) Codeine – Tom: I feel like I’ve talked about Codeine a lot recently but I’ve never actually used any of their tracks before, which may be my biggest oversight in this series. While most fans might gravitate towards Frigid Stars, there’s something that makes me gravitate to the follow-up album, The White Birch. One of the pioneers of the slowcore genre! “I'll throw sand in your eye, You need a reason to cry, I'll throw sand in your eye, I need a reason to smile”

12) Yowler – Bedroom Wall: I saw Maryn Jones fronting her indie band, All Dogs, opening for Superchunk last year, who I liked but her solo project, Yowler, seems to hit more buttons for me. There’s a definite sad/singer songwriter vibe on the album, which seemed a little at odds when I saw her live in the blistering heat outside during the Northside festival, but I enjoyed it all same!

13) Smog – Dress Sexy at my Funeral: Sadly, all good things in New York have an end, and my favourite record store, Other Music, closed recently. They went out with a bang by hosting a show at Bowery Ballroom with 12 acts playing including Bill Callahan, he played this song and I was instantly won over by the cheekiness of it. “And when it comes your turn to speak, Before the crowd, Tell them about the time we did it, On the beach with fireworks above us”

14) Red House Painters – Mistress: Since I’m in the sad part of the compilation, I was listening to Red House Painters recently, and I’ve always preferred the piano version Mistress but something really resonated the last time I listened to Rollercoaster (as it always does) and I just felt like putting this onto a mix. “I've had enough of the, Brutal beatings and name callings, To lose me to this bed, Bruised internally, eternally”

15) Black Hearted Brother – (I Don’t Mean to) Wonder: Neil Halstead will probably always be best known as the singer in Slowdive, but as well as Mojave 3 and a blossoming solo career, he formed Black Hearted Brother in 2013 and released Stars Are Our Home on Slumberland Records. It’s a fairly indulgent album which twists and turns all over the place, but all the better for it.

16) Sleep – Holy Mountain: I saw stoner/doom le`gends Sleep at House of Vans recently and it was inevitably an incredible show. Since I couldn’t exactly put Dopesmoker on a mix (itself clocking in at an hour), I’ve used the title track from the classic Holy Mountain. While the band broke up in 1998, they reformed to play sporadic shows since 2009, and may well release a new album at some point.

17) White Zombie – Pig Heaven: The best re-issue label in the business, Numero Group, gave White Zombie their customary excellent treatment this year, compiling their long out of print early Eps and LPs in a package called It Came From NYC. This track is originally from their 1987 EP of the same name.  

18) Menehan Street Band – The Contender: I mentioned the Other Music farewell show at Bowery Ballroom earlier, and it was the first time I’d seen Menehan Street Band play. The instrumental soul/funk band tap into an old school sound, as anyone on Daptone records does, it was pretty easy to convert me. The bass playing in particular is on point.

19) Future Islands – A Dream of You and Me: To continue the Other Music theme, I went the day before it closed, and inevitably left with a few things, one of which was Future Islands’ Singles album. It’s a record I should probably have owned for years but always just listened to it on Spotify. Anyway, it seemed to be an appropriate record to be my last purchase for some reason, this song resonates pretty strongly these days. “All that glitters is gold, Don't believe what you've been told, People lie, people love, people go, But beauty lies, in every soul”

Yeah, I guess there are some sad and angry songs on this one…

Until next time

Peace and love - Q 

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

Download mix from: http://www.mediafire.com/download/x6awk3toikyeswn/Q108.zip