Still recovering from the heatwave? Still reeling from Murray’s defeat? Well no matter, because here are ten more tunes to soothe those summertime blues:
Apostle Of Hustle has to be one of the best band names ever and luckily they’ve got the music to back it up. ‘Eazy Speaks’ is frenetic catchy Indie with plenty of sharp lyrics like “Keep your friends close, enemy closer, kiss on the cheek from a punk ass poser”.
Chicks On Speed are back again with brand new album ‘Cutting The Edge’. ‘Art Rules’ features their trademark witty rapping with a shiny Dance-Pop production worthy of Chris Lowe.
‘Helpmesaveme’ is from Father Abraham’s excellent and totally free to download ‘I Am Not A Sailor I Am The Captain’ LP. It was a toss up between this and ‘Spacemarch’ but really the whole album is genius (Thanks to MusicLikeDirt for the tip).
Generationals have cunningly blended Arcade Fire style Epic Indie with a glorious Motown-esque production sound. ‘When They Fight They Fight’ is drenched with Brass, Bass-Guitar, hand-claps and sunshine.
The Grizzly Owls have kindly made their new ‘I Am A Shootist’ EP available for free. All four tracks feature shimmering, beautiful, Americana-Folk but for me, the title track is the best one.
‘Sixteen’ is the latest track I’m hearing from The Heavy’s eagerly anticipated new album. It combines the raw Soul power of the vocals with a darkly Funky fairground waltz.
After thirty-odd years, Nashville singer Larry Jon Wilson has just made the album of his career, and has appropriately called it simply ‘Larry Jon Wilson’. The majestic ‘Shoulders’ is so intimate and quietly powerful that your lip may be wobbling by the end.
The Lemonheads ninth album is a collection of covers called ‘Varshons’. They deliver a cracking version of Townes Van Zandt’s mournful Country-Blues song ‘Waiting Around To Die’.
‘Cotopaxi’ is from The Mars Volta’s fifth and possibly best LP ‘Octahedron’. Refreshingly, it’s tighter and rocks allot harder than some of their indulgent “Jazz-Odyssey” material while retaining their superb apocalyptic lyrics.
Southside Steppers new double A-side single is the latest essential release on Soul Jazz. The second cut ‘Super Storm Decay’ is like the best thing Tricky never made. It has to be my tune of the week.
CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD A ZIP CONTAINING ALL TEN MP3s
Apostle Of Hustle MySpace / Purchase
Chicks On Speed MySpace / Purchase
Father Abraham MySpace / Download
Generationals MySpace / Purchase
Larry Jon Wilson MySpace / Purchase
Southside Steppers MySpace / Purchase
The Grizzly Owls MySpace / Download
The Heavy MySpace / Purchase
The Lemonheads MySpace / Purchase
The Mars Volta MySpace / Purchase
Here is the video for The Heavy’s ‘Sixteen’:
There probably aren’t many bands that would think of writing a delightful Pop-Folk song touching on the subject of cum (Except maybe The Hidden Cameras). Well, Avi Buffalo did and ‘Summer Cum’ is a music box ditty with some truly strange yet charming lyrics.
‘Dimestore Diamond’ is the explosive opener to Gossip’s superb new ‘Music For Men’ LP. It’s got the meaty power of an Ali right-hook with sizzling Bass and Beth Ditto’s vocals are like velvet.
One of the best things I saw on this weekend’s Glasto coverage was Jason Mraz’s performance of ‘I’m Yours’. It’s a Pop song filled to the brim with good vibes and sunshine
‘International Broadcaster’ is from Lee ‘Scratch’ Perry’s latest album. It brings to mind a Hip-Hop remix of The Special’s ‘Ghost Town’ with Roots Manuva and L.S.K contributing fantastic guest spots.
Lord Cut-Glass’ Folk delight ‘Holy Fuck’ features sublime lines like “The truth to me seems fair, a Faustian despair, that I love you much more than you can bare”. It’s like a beautiful summer meadow… with razorblades hidden in the grass.
The Patrick Alavi Remix of ‘Faites Vos Jeux’ ditches the Electronica of Modernaire’s original in favour of distinctive Tribal minimalism. It retains the incredible Indie-Rap vocal which features some of the best sounding lyrics I’ve heard all year. like “Apparently murder is out of fashion, so I got put away for a crime of passion”.
Naomi Shelton & The Gospel Queens deliver pure vintage Gospel on the Daptone label. You can hear the church Organ, see the pulpit and smell the prayer books on their heavenly version of The Swan Silvertones’ ‘Trouble In My Way’.
Regina Spektor keeps coming up with goods year after year. Her own brand of quirky and thoughful Piano ballads just keep getting better and ‘Laughing With’ is no exception.
Robert Pollard featured in last week’s TEN4SE7EN with his Cosmos project. This week I’m adoring a solo cut called ‘It’s Easy’ that channels the best of sun drenched 60s Psychedelic Pop.
‘Don’t Know What Love Is’ is the first thing I’ve heard by We Rock Like Girls Don’t since the legendary sonic assault of 2005 single ‘I Just Wanna Stick My Head In The Bass Drum’. It’s got the same Grunge fury and sneering feline vocals that I loved in the first place.
Alela Diane’s voice is like Joni Mitchell singing a lament from a porch on the prairie in the chill of the moonlight. The powerful strings on ‘White As Diamonds’ underline the graceful clarity of the vocals.
‘Time I Was Gone’ is as intimate and warm as the reassuring sibling’s shoulder that the lyrics describe. Antony Harding (aka Ant) is like a wonderful Swedish version of Stickboy.
Bloc Party’s last album ‘Intimacy’ was too clinical for my tastes and it never really grabbed my attention. New single ‘One More Chance’ is the polar opposite, employing a super danceable House Piano line to not only grab my attention, but to wrestle me onto the Indie dance floor.
Cosmos’ ‘Nude Metropolis’ has a trippy Prog vibe cunningly tempered with an irresistible Pop beat. Cosmos is just the latest band featuring Robert Pollard of Guided by Voices and Boston Spaceships.
The Duckworth Lewis Method is the new cricket based project from Neil Hannon and Thomas Walsh. If you are a fan of The Divine Comedy and The Real Tuesday Weld (So basically if you enjoy music full stop!) then like me, you’re gonna have ‘The Age Of Revolution’ on a loop. Quite why the subject of Cricket should inspire a mix of skankin’ Hip-Hop and 20’s Jazz… I don’t know.
Major Lazer’s ‘Hold The Line’ is another of those partly annoying records that samples phone sounds, but is once again so damn good that you love it anyway. Mr. Lexx’s deep Dancehall vocals are complemented by Santigold’s backing lines.
‘Box ‘n’ Locks’ employs a timeless sample of the riff from Martha & the Muffins’ ‘Echo Beach’. Just by creating a new mix with that sample would be enough for me to certify this track as genius but then you’ve got MPHO’s superb vocals and lyrics too.
Since the sad demise of Larrikin Love, Edward Larrikin has been busy creating music under the new title The Pan I Am (I had an early demo on this site back in 2007). After much anticipation his debut release proper is a double A-side single of brilliant Indie/Electronica/Folk for fans of Patrick Wolf. My pick has to be the second cut ‘O.R.L.D’.
Thecocknbullkid’s ‘I’m Not Sorry’ is a delightful mix of Soul and Eghties Synth-Pop. Thecocknbullkid is London’s Anita Blay and her debut single ‘On My Own’ is also available.
Willie Isz is a Rap duo comprised of Jneiro Jarel and Goodie Mob’s Khujo Goodie. ‘Gawn Jet’ fuses fuzz Guitars, pounding beats, crunching Synths and fantastic rhymes.
Claire Hux is not a lady but a trio who’ve scored big by getting none other than Thom Yorke to produce and guest on their new track. ‘Fucked Up’ sounds like a classic Soul tune, it also sounds like a classic Radiohead song… not sure how it manages to be both at the same time.
After hearing a less than impressive free demo called ‘Fire Fire’ that Jamie T recently made available, I was worried about his new album. So I breathed a sigh of relief when I heard ‘Sticks ‘n’ Stones’, the title track from his new EP. It already sounds just as catchy and lyrically tricksy as anything off his wonderful debut LP (I adore the acapella bit in the middle).
Naturally I loved 2004’s ‘Float On’ and it’s parent album but that’s as far as I’ve gone into Modest Moue’s discography. The manic vocals of their brand new single ‘Satellite Skin’ reminds me why I loved that album (I’m digging it out now).
‘Supernova’ is the latest track I’m hearing from Mr. Hudson’s eagerly anticipated second album. Kanye West is producing and he even steps up to the mike for a verse on this magnificent Robo-Soul cut.
Rachelle Garniez’s ‘My House Of Peace’ has the honour of being one of the first four releases on Jack White’s highly collectible Third Man Records label (Jack’s also producing). It’s a bit like Patti Smith covering Cockney Rebel which of course means it’s amazing.
I’ve no idea how I’ve got this far without hearing the undeniable talent of future star MC Skilf. ‘Slow Me Down’ has the funky beats of Run-DMC, soulful guest vocals from Michelle Ericsson and so many great rhymes you’ll still be spotting them after after a dozen listens. Go check out his two MySpace pages ’cause I swear every track is genius.
I adore the dreamy Jazz sound and fruity Oboes of Speech Debelle’s ‘The Key’. It’s Hip-Hop like the last rays on a summers evening from the ever reliable Big Dada Label. I could listen all day to the way she sings “Your need for attention, makes you attract the bee”. My tune of the week!
David Shah is giving away another double A-side single under his The Melting Ice Caps moniker and guess what… it’s a sublime Indie ballad (What else did you expect?). ‘Night School’ is my pick of the two but you can get both (And much more) by 
Rap/Dance star Tittsworth featured on TEN4SE7EN back in January with his brilliant ‘WTF’ single. Now he’s back, enhanced with rhymes from The Federation and more bad-language-choruses on new track ‘Drunk As Fuck’. Check out all the mixes, but my fave is the hard biting Funk of Meterhead’s Dark Disco Mix.
While Absentee’s Dan Michaelson has been doing his own solo thing the rest of the band have released their ‘It Rots’ album under the name ‘Wet Paint’. The title track has the charm of both The Vaselines and those early singles by The Cribs.
The Bewitched Hands On The Top Of Our Heads is the long winded name of the latest addition to April 77 Record’s roster. ‘Work’ is wonderfully hummable and as good as anything Arcade Fire have done.
‘The DJ’ is the best track on DJ Hell’s new ‘Teufelswerk’ LP and it sounds like a lost House-Music classic. It’s got none other than P. Diddy laying down one of those “This is my house…” style vocals declaring things like “This goes out to all the muthafucka’s who like 15-20 minute versions of a motherfuckin’ record!”. If you don’t jump out of your seat and start jacking your body about 8 seconds into this record, then there is clearly something wrong.
‘Oh No! Not You Again!’ is from The Heavy’s forthcoming new album and channels the recently departed ghost of Lux Interior to stunning effect. If you’re wondering where the ace schlock vocal sample is from, it’s taken from a 
Mr Day manages to bring two previous stars of TEN4SE7EN together on the Remix of his new single ‘If I Can’t Love You’. DJ Vadim maximises the sweet Soul vibes on the Remix while Yarah Bravo sings some equally sweet backing vocals.
New York Dolls are back for their second record since their re-formation, employing original producer Todd Rundgren. Title track ”Cause I Sez So’ is as sneery and glam as anything they recorded back in the day.
The Paper Chase’s new ‘Someday This Could All Be Yours Vol.1′ LP is a mysterious, meandering and wonderful record. My highlight has to be ‘I’m Going To Heaven With Or Without You (The Forest Fire)’, sounding like Modest Mouse at their best.
The return of Peaches is always a cause for celebration especially when her new LP includes tracks as good as ‘Billionaire’. Over head-crunching Synths Peaches drops some superb Raps and Shunda K’s (From Yo Majesty) guest rhymes are the cherry on the top.
I really liked Rye Rye’s 2008 single ‘Hardcore Girls’ but I absolutely adore her new track ‘Bang’. It features the ubiquitous talents of M.I.A. and the music isn’t dissimilar from her own work.
The Wave Pictures’ ‘Canary Wharf’ starts of like a delicate Herman Dune song and then goes all rolling Country half way through. Check out the rest of their new ‘If You Leave It Alone’ album for more tracks just as good.
S.M.O.V’s (aka Smoove) latest slick mashup on his own Wack Records label is called ‘Devil’s Cat’. It seamlessly blends the vocal from D’Angelo’s ‘Devil’s Pie’ with the music from The Cure’s ‘Love Cats’ and spices it up with some extra Bossa-Nova Drums.
To kick off, here is a far-too-short and appropriately-titled track called ‘A Minute’. Alex Gladwell’s free to download ‘Fantasia’ album is one of the weirdest (In a good way) I’ve heard in a while, so check out it’s combination of Hip-Hop, Indie and Jazz.
Chain & The Gang’s new album is already one of my favourite so far this year. It rudely mashes together some of my favourite genres like Rock ‘a’ Billy, Hip-Hop and Garage into one whole than sounds nothing like anything I’ve ever heard before. However, ‘Chain Gang Theme (I See Progress)’ is closest to sounding like Dan Sartain (Who I adore)… only even crazier!
Thanks go to 
Again thanks to MusicLikeDirt (And my birthday!), I’ve finally got my hands on Jack White’s new 7″ to add to my ever expanding collection. The Dead Weather features Jack on producing and drumming duties, while Alison Mosshart (Of The Kills) is on the vocals. Here is their skull-crushingly powerful Blues take on Tubeway Army’s classic ‘Are Friends Electric?’.
Depeche Mode are back and still creating some awesome dark Electronic cuts. ‘Oh Well’ has the ominous Synth feel of a John Carpenter score.
Ilija Rudman’s ‘Two Faced Love (Extended Mix)’ is driven by some delectably retro Slap-Bass. It’s like Trevor Horn or Nile Rodgers at their best with every instrument coming over clear and funky in the mix.
If you can’t wait patiently for a new LCD Soundsystem album then The Juan MacLean might have just saved the day. ‘One Day’ from their new ‘The Future Will Come’ album is all minimal Beats, Strings and icy vocals.
God bless Nathan Haines for giving Ty a guest spot on his ‘Right Now’ LP. Every time Ty steps up to the mike magic happens and ‘Pick It Up’ is no exception, blending his wonderful rhymes with smooth Jazzy Hip-Hop.
For some reason, I wasn’t totally convinced by The Prodigy’s ‘Warrior’s Dance’ (It wouldn’t have been their first duff record!) when I first heard it a while back. But the radio has been playing it on a loop and now I love it’s violent beats and retro Acid-House stylings. It’s got the feel (And pedigree) of their earliest material.
To me, ‘Keep The Lights On’ sounds like; if the newly reformed Police had decided to take their new material in a new Avant-Garde/Electro/Disco direction. Wave Machines have created a brilliant Pop track that delights the senses.
The Broken Family Band’s vocals have tinges of Bowie in the way they pronounce “We could drink booze or Tea” and have the good humour to rhyme it with “Eat cake on your Settee”. It’s the combination of this great way with a rhyme and the invitingly chilled Rock sound that makes ‘Mimi’ such a great record.
All three songs on DJ Vadim’s new ‘Hidden Treasure’ EP are essential and stylistically varied. But I had to pick one, so I went for the lightning-fast Rap and soothing beats of ‘Soldier’ featuring Big Red and 5Nizza.
Those endearing Rock-’n'-Roll-throwback-Aussies Jet have got a new album called ‘Shaka Rock’ on the way later in the year. The hard rockin’ sonic-assault of ‘K.I.A. (Killed In Action)’ makes for a tantalising taste with it’s marching Drums and waves of squealing feedback. Unlike Oasis before them, they are three albums in and can still remember why we liked them in the first place.
‘Nothing Rings True’ is a mournful cut from King Creosote’s predictably excellent new album. The ghostly samples swirling round the central acoustic performance create a gorgeous dream like atmosphere.
It’s the Harpsichord that I love on Rohan Lee’s ‘No Easy Way Out’. It makes a dainty counterpoint to the hazy Dub sounds.
If you follow his blog you’d have noticed that I’m a big fan of producer Smoove (aka Smov). I’ve been meaning to put Smoove & Turrell’s ‘I Can’t Give You Up’ in a TEN4SE7EN for ages now… I can’t explain why, because it’s a flavoursome Soul cut that any sane person would have been shouting about from the first second they heard it.
Again I’ve liked The Sweet Vandals’ ‘Too Much’ for a long while and it’s only this week I’ve decided that I truly love it. If you dig The Bellrays raucous take on Soul (And who doesn’t?) then you’ll adore it.
The Tallest Man On Earth’s wonderfully intimate ‘Shallow Grave’ album is pure Lo-Fi-Acoustic magic from start to finish. I could’ve picked any track to recommend but I went for the Country tinged sorrow of ‘Pistol Dreams’.
With the bouncy rhythm provided by a nice chunky Bassline ‘Angel Of Death’ could be a huge Indie/Pop single. Slow Down Tallahassee have all the charm of late-Eighties Lo-Fi Popsters The Vaselines.
Alasdair Roberts’ ‘You Muses Assist’ features the delightful couplet of “You muses, you muses assist, all down-trodden spirits uplift”. This is beautiful Scottish Folk adorned with ‘Bryter Layter’ style production flourishes.
Ben Kweller’s latest album ‘Changing Horses’ is a gorgeously warm Country affair. ‘Gypsy Rose’ is like a brilliant outtake from ‘The White Album’ recorded in Nashville (Cos Abbey Road was all booked up!).
If you like Lambchop or Magnolia Electric Co. it’s a cert that you’re gonna fall head-over-heals in love with Bill Callahan’s ‘Sometimes I Wish We Were An Eagle’ LP. ‘Jim Cain’ has a vocal so deep and rich that Bill Gates’ pocket’s ain’t got nothing on it!
Searing Lo-Fi Bluesman Billy Childish’s band The Chatham Singers make searing Lo-Fi Blues (No surprise there). The title track from their latest album ‘Juju Claudius’ wails like a Hurricane ripping through the Mississippi Delta.
Provocatively named Fagget Fairys are (To quote their profile) “An explosive cocktail of Islam, lesbianism, true love, and relentless beats!” and really I couldn’t say it any better. The chorus of incredible pounding Electro cut ‘Feed The Horse (Extended Dub)’ sounds hilariously like “Feed the whores, yum yum” (Which I suspect is no accident).
You might be forgiven for being unaware that Mike Skinner ever released last year’s super low-key ‘Everything Is Borrowed’ LP. But anyway, The Streets are back with three new harder edged productions delivered free (With more on the way). My pick has to be the modern-life-destructing ‘Trust Me’ which brilliantly employs a sample of Giuseppe Verdi’s ‘Dies Irae’.
The latest in a series of covers by Their Hearts Were Full Of Spring is The Pogues’ ‘Lullaby Of London’. They turn Shane MacGowan’s sozzled barroom lament into a delicate Indie gem.
Apart from the sensational music, I was always gonna love Brooklyn MC Theophilus London’s new mixtape because of it’s brilliantly executed Elvis Costello tribute artwork. The whole thing is utter genius but I picked the all to brief ‘Hum Drum Town’ as the best cut. The rest of the Mix takes in samples of Kraftwerk, Amadou & Miriam, Whitney Houston and Bill Withers and it ends with a celebratory rendition of The Edwin Hawkins Singers’ Gospel classic ‘Oh Happy Day’.
It’s not the first time I’ve featured Thunderheist on TEN4SE7EN, but their brand new album is so magnificent I thought they were worth mentioning again. ‘Sweet 16′ is Electronic Hip-Hop that’s so sleazy it should come endorsed by Gorden Brown’s cabinet.
The Weight’s new album is full of straight up Rockin’ tunes and should delight fans of The Hold Steady. ‘Had It Made’ has all the reckless Pop abandon of a lost Chuck Berry single.
Yo Majesty have the spirit of Late Eighties Lady Hip-Hoppers like Queen Latifah or Salt-n-Pepa. ‘Don’t Let Go’ is a highlight from their superb ‘Futuristically Speaking… Never Be Afraid’ LP.
Akron/Family’s ‘River’ is like a gorgeous response to the Neo-Prog of Manchester’s Elbow from the other side of the Atlantic. The plethora of odd instrumentation, military Drums, distinctive lyrics and it’s Jazzy air make for something refreshingly new.
Mark Everett has been firing out books, documentaries, live albums and compilations since his last magnificent opus ‘Blinking Lights & Other Revelations’. But ‘Fresh Blood’ (From his new LP ‘Hombre Lobo : 12 Songs Of Desire’) is his first new material under his celebrated Eels moniker in four years. It’s unmistakably Eels yet also unlike anything he’s done yet, combining head crushing Drums and sinister Bass Guitar.
The excitingly named Ezra Bang & Hot Machine!!! bring a bit of schizophrenic Rap called ‘We On Top Of This’. They chuck a load of Public Enemy and Simian samples in a blender while Ezra spits political fury.
Nashville MC Future’s new ‘The Sci Fly EP’ is great from start to finish. But I had to pick one track, so I plumed for the catchy and witty rhymes of ‘Cleaning Out My Hard Drive’. It’s an ode to the little ways that all these modern life-enhancing devices and websites actually make all our lives impossibly complicated.
Kasabian kindly made new track ‘Vlad The Impaler’ available for free as a taster of their bizarrely titled new album ‘West Ryder Pauper Lunatic Asylum’. It’s got all the elements you’d expect; crunching Electronics and pounding Drums, delivered with all the aggression of the Gallagher brothers declaring war on Transylvania.
The news that Manic Street Preachers’ forthcoming album would be entirely based on left-over lyrics by Richie had me (And probably the rest of the world) apoplectic with excitement. So it’s a massive relief that the first track I’m hearing ‘Jackie Collins Existential Question Time’ is an exhilarating slice of them at their vitriolic best.
Neil Young’s latest superb album ‘Fork In The Road’ has an overarching automotive theme. The title track is a swampy highlight, spitting fiery Blues at the Politicians and the Bankers. I’m duty bound to love the line “Keep on bloging ’til the power goes out, the batteries dead… twist and shout!”.
Portal’s ‘Options’ brings to mind New Order at their melancholy best. The lyrics are full of superb ear-pricking lines like “All I want is a place to dream, a velvet rope round my self-esteem”.
‘Black Star’ is the best cut from Tokyo Black Star’s new ‘Black Ships’ album (That’s allot o’ black!). The addition of Rich Medina’s vocals make for a song not unlike Barry White getting all spiritual over a hypnotic House track.
Tom Middleton’s ‘Return To Atlantis’ is a big, bold, cinematic Instrumental. The sound-effects, tranquil Strings and humming Bass are truly intoxicating. I’d love to hear somebody like Ty lay some rhymes over the top.
First off, Bitter:Sweet deliver a slinky Electronic Soul cut called ‘Waking Up’. It’s got hints of Moloko and Portishead all wrapped up in velvet and gorgeous strings.
‘Beyond Here Lies Nothin” is the first track I’ve heard off Bob Dylan’s latest album (He gave it away gratis from his website!). If it’s anything to go by, the new LP is going to be another fantastic entry in his recent chain of great records going back to 1997’s ‘Time Out Of Mind’.
‘Moonage Daydream (Leo Zero Electric Eye Dub)’ is from Leo Zero’s new ‘Dub Psychedelic Series’ and it is of course a reworking of David Bowie’s 1971 single. As it says on the tin, Leo Zero takes the Glam original into fabulous cosmic Psychedelic and hazy Dub territories.
Check out Found’s new EP ‘The Fidelities’ to delight in six tracks, with six different sounds, from Electro to Punk-Funk and Folk to country. My pick is the smooth Eighties-Electro-Funk of ‘Now We’ll Never Make The Playlist’ which sounds not unlike StopMe favourite Malcolm Middleton.
Golden Silvers’ ‘True Romance (True No. 9 Blues)’ is Beat-Psychedelia seen through the prism of Eighties-Funk. The twisty half-rapped vocals add that extra dimension to this great track.
Although I’m well aware of them, Gomez are a band who’ve I’ve never actually listened to. Based on the sexy Double-Bass and catchy rhythms of new track ‘If I Ask You Nicely’ this is an oversight I should probably correct in the near future.
‘A Sucker For Your Sound’ has a wonderfully disconcerting merry-go-round vibe. I Monster mix in all the weird sounds you’d expect to create some more of their awesome brand of bizarro Pop.
I imagine Peter Bjorn & John will never be able to top ‘Young Folks’ but then again (To paraphrase Joseph Heller) neither will anyone else. That aside, ‘Just The Past’ is a mournful, yet richly romantic track from their brand new LP ‘Living Thing’.
You can probably guess from the title that ‘Hip Rave Anthem’ is a gloriously retro Dance cut. Rico Tubbs mixes in all those tried and tested Rave staples for a track that can’t fail to brighten your day.
‘Gravity’ is just one of the many reasons to buy The Whitest Boy Alive’s second album. As always, Erlend Øye’s dreamy vocals are naturally superb and the music envelopes your ears with rich Bass and beautiful Guitars.
‘Tongana’ is the fantastic B-side to AfroZen Orchestra’s new single. The Afrobeat rhythms are enhanced by some awesome twangin’ Slap-Bass, heavenly vocals and a generally sun-drenched carnival sound.
‘Slingshot Boogie’ is so retro it’s hard to believe it’s not a genuine slice of Eighties Hip-Hop. All Good Funk Alliance lay down some Funky Bass, some glittering Synthesisers and of course some vintage rhymes to start the party like it was 1989.
‘Don’t Send Your Child To War’ is a wonderful Banjo-pickin’ Country-Blues song. You’d swear this had been unearthed on an old Civil-War era Wax-Cylinder instead of recorded last year by Charlie Parr.
‘Death & Taxes 2′ is from Johnny Walker’s (Of the dearly missed Soledad Brothers) new LP under the name Cut In The Hill Gang. Naturally, it’s a rough and ready cut with nothing whatsoever to do with modernity and everything to do with the raw power of the Blues.
The original of Fort Knox Five’s ‘Funk 4 Peace’ was very close to being included in a past TEN4SE7EN. This week I heard Nick Thayer’s superior Remix and knew it was the time to recommend it’s crunching Electronics and (Political) party starting rhythms.
‘Idle Forest Of Chit Chat’ is yet another incredible track on possibly the finest Record-Label out there, Tru-Thoughts. Kinny delivers a gorgeous uplifting Soul song with the help of producer duo Souldrop.
The music of Patrick Pleau’s superb ‘Hype-Moi’ LP is the sound of a (More) French-Canadian Rufus Wainwright covering Paul McCartney. Gorgeous album closer ‘Dispute Entre Âmes Soeurs Et Frères’ (Rough translation: Dispute Between Soulmates & Brothers) combines shimmering Piano, warm Brass and dreamy “La la la la la” vocals.
‘Can’t Pay The Bill’ is insistent Bluegrass-Blues from a three-piece with the brilliant name of The Reverend Peyton’s Big Damn Band. It’s a foot-stompin’, washboard-scraping, credit-crunching delight.
The Rumble Strips have kindly made newly recorded track ‘London’ (It was previously only heard on 2007’s NME Live Tour EP) available for free to wet our appetites for their forthcoming LP. It’s still got the familiar Dexys sound from the boy’s first album with an extra spot of faded seaside-glamour.
‘Working Woman’ is a full on Feminist Soul anthem to make Aretha Franklin proud. Gizelle Smith’s vocals are powerful and The Mighty Mocambos kick out some strident Funk grooves.
Bat For Lashes’ ‘Sleep Alone’ has organic Guitars, industrial humming and shiny Synths for a ‘Kate Bush covering The Velvet Underground with the Pet Shop Boys producing’ kinda sound. It’s from Natasha Khan’s brand new album following on from her last Mercury-Prize nominated LP.
The music to Dan Bull’s ‘Summer’ has the tranquil groove of Robert Wyatt while his chilled rhymes recall the best of Mike Skinner. Go get his new ‘Safe’ LP for more tracks to delight the ears.
On ‘The Daddy’, Gripper brings some squelching Electro-Funk enhanced with the sugar-sweet Soul of Niko’s vocals. Prepare to do some booty shakin’.
‘Bootsy Bootsy’ feels like Magic Arm’s modern drum-heavy computer-music take on Donovan’s brand of English Psychedelia. Manchester has given birth to one more band to be proud of.
I’ve been following and loving the music of Anti-Folk stars Milk Kan for over four years so it’s exciting that they’ve finally dropped their first eponymous album. If you’re itching for the new Jamie-T LP then it’ll be right up your street. The mega singles aside, ’21st Century Love’ is a definite highlight.
Mongrel were first featured on this site in September when I got hold of a killer track called ‘The Menace’. Since then they’ve recorded their debut album packed with supreme Rap/Rock hybrids. ‘Lies’ proves that they are by far, the superior Arctic Monkeys related group.
Neal Casal is a guitarist in Ryan Adam’s band The Cardinals but he’s got another trick up his sleeve. ‘Back To Haunt You’ from his solo album, has the classy velvet-smooth Country-Soul of Chris Isaac’s best work.
‘Vulture’ is the first taste from Patrick Wolf’s two new albums. If it’s anything to go by he’s jettisoned the celebratory Folk-Pop of his last magnificent LP and gone in for more of an Electroclash direction. But as always, whatever weird and wonderful sounds Patrick uses he always manages to mould them into appealing shapes.
‘Cherrytree’ has an infectious campfire-sing-along vibe that makes you wanna clap your hands and stamp your feet. Sam McCarthy’s music makes me want to listen again and again and then possibly dig out that old Cosmic Rough Riders LP.
The Acid-Jazz label have released a brilliant cover of Duffy’s inescapable hit single ‘Mercy’. The Third Degree imagine if Duffy’s recording was the cover and that their version was the original, little known and raucous Northern-Soul version. It sounds so very, very believable.
Me'Shell NdegéOcello – Call Me
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