With a new album from Teenage Fanclub on the horizon I've been immersing myself in the surprising amount of records of theirs that I own. LPs, CD & 7" singles along with appearances on compilation LPs and magazine freebies. With this in mind I present you with a Spotify playlist of songs they've covered. Some are on LPs, some on B-sides, some on tribute albums, but all given the Fanclub makeover and all an insight into their likes and influences. There were also a couple of Neil Young tracks ('Burned' and 'Don't Cry No Tears'), but they aren't on Spotify so I couldn't tag them on. Anyways, I'll stop prattling. Long live the Fanclub!
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Wednesday, 31 August 2016
Is This Music? - Teenage Fanclub Uncovered - A Spotify Playlist
With a new album from Teenage Fanclub on the horizon I've been immersing myself in the surprising amount of records of theirs that I own. LPs, CD & 7" singles along with appearances on compilation LPs and magazine freebies. With this in mind I present you with a Spotify playlist of songs they've covered. Some are on LPs, some on B-sides, some on tribute albums, but all given the Fanclub makeover and all an insight into their likes and influences. There were also a couple of Neil Young tracks ('Burned' and 'Don't Cry No Tears'), but they aren't on Spotify so I couldn't tag them on. Anyways, I'll stop prattling. Long live the Fanclub!
Saturday, 27 August 2016
The Embrooks – Nightmare / Helen (Ltd 7”)
The
Embrooks first recordings in over 10 years! Out now on State Records!
It may be over a decade
since The Embrooks committed any music to ½-inch tape but this brand
new 7” single shows they can still come up with the goods. They've
kept their hand in during the intervening years with drummer Lois
bashing the skins for garage-y pub-rockers Thee Jezebels, and bassist
Mole playing for numerous acts as well as setting up State Records
and Sandgate Studios, a facility that ranks alongside the
legendary Toe Rag for capturing an authentically vintage sound.
Where The Embrooks are
concerned this sound is all about that mid-'60s “pop goes weird”
moment, crucially pre-concept album, when 7” singles ruled. It's
beat-driven art-rock still with still enough “pop” in it to care
about melody and hooks. 'Nightmare' is the darker side of this single
with pilled-up guitar motifs and scattershot drums. It owes much to
The Creation, The Who and The Yardbirds et al whereas the flip
'Helen' shows the band's lighter, poppier side, albeit with a guitar
sound nasty enough for Dave Davies. A cracking record, get it while
it's hot!
Limited to 500 copies
in front-laminated flipback sleeve.
The Embrooks are -
Mole—bass guitar,
vocals
Alessandro
Cozzi-Lepri—guitar, vocals
Lois Tozer—drums
Click here for The
Embrooks on Facebook.
Click here for the
State Records website.
Sunday, 14 August 2016
The Luck of Eden Hall – The End of the Lane (Ltd. Edition 7”)
Limited
edition 7” from long-serving Chicago psych band!
For a band that's been
around since the '90s TLOEH still come up with the goods. This very
limited release on Mega Dodo Records contains two tracks of top notch
neo psychedelia and comes complete with a cover illustration that
will have book and art lovers wetting their pants. Author Neil Gaiman
(yes that one!) has kindly donated a drawing for the front cover of
the single. So frame the sleeve on the walls by all means but do play
the record!
'The End of the Lane'
is inspired by Gaiman's book The Ocean at the End of the Lane.
It fades in gently with guitar motifs and softly sung vocals. With
tasteful use of echo it's a soothing balm that builds into a more
manic segment underpinned by frantic drums and guitar shreds.
The flipside 'Blown to
Kingdom Come' is taken from the band's recent long-player The
Acceleration of Time. A
Bowie-esque full band stomper and a nice contrast to the gentle side
of the band displayed on the lead track.
This 7” single is
released on 15th of August and is available on two colours
-
Blue vinyl edition
limited to 150 numbered copies (Singles Club members only).
Black vinyl edition
limited to 150 numbered copies (general release).
Click here for more on
The Luck of Eden Hall.
Click here for The Luck
of Eden Hall on Twitter.
Click here for The Luck
of Eden Hall on Facebook.
Click here for Mega
Dodo Records.
Thursday, 11 August 2016
Sideways Society – 4-track EP of Bowie / The Action covers (Ltd. Col 7”)
Californian
band's discerning tribute to '60s UK modernism!
A true gem this one.
Following on from the appearance on the recent Fruits de Mer freebie
Bowie compilation, Sidewalk Society have recorded a couple less
obvious tracks by the artist formerly known as David Jones. And well
worth your pocket money they are too! A great tribute to a great man,
and a reminder that there's plenty of Bowie tracks worth
investigating pre-Hunky and Ziggy.
In keeping with the
mod-nugget theme are a couple of tracks originally recorded by The
Action. An art-school mod frenzy vibe for those who dig that kind of
thing (hell, who doesn't?!) A platter that's sure to have you heading
for the dance floor, but packed with a heft of latent psychedelia to
keep the Heads satisfied too.
Released as a limited
edition colour vinyl 7”. (OUT NOW!)
Tracklisting
- Can't Help Thinking About Me (David Bowie & The Lower Third)
- Look At The View (The Action)
- Let Me Sleep Beside You (David Bowie)
- Strange Roads (The Action)
Click here for more on
Sidewalk Society.
Click here for Fruits
de Mer Records.
Sunday, 7 August 2016
San Antonio Kid - San Antonio Kid
Swabian
tumbleweed and twang!
With the horrendous
battle for the White House currently raging, perhaps it's time to
remind ourselves that the USA is not all bad. It has after all given
us so much in cultural terms. And especially where music is
concerned. The broad umbrella widely known as Americana has taken
hold everywhere. In the Swabian town of Augsburg, Germany lives a
quartet of urban cowboys who go by the collective name of San Antonio
Kid, their name taken from a 1941 cult western movie.
Their self titled
eight track album re-imagines Ennio Morricone's paeans to wide-open
deserts but via a traditional guitar band set-up. Kind of like a surf
band that's got sick of the ocean and re-located 500 miles inland.
It's a gem of an album for anyone who loves a bit of Lee Hazelwood,
Spindrift or Alt-country in general. On top of that it may contain
the best whistling solo ever committed to tape (or Pro-Tools for that
matter!) on 'Strangers', a track that would have made the Kill Bill
soundtrack had they got round to recording it fifteen years ago.
Anyway it's not just
me that digs 'em. Their brand of tumbleweed twang has garnered them
recent tours with like-minded Brits The Hanging Stars. Check out this
album and watch out for them bursting through a saloon door near you
soon!
Click here for more on
San Antonio Kid.
Click here for San
Antonio Kid on Facebook.
Click here for Off Label Records.