STOP ME’S: January & February Round Up

Hopefully this will be business as usual here at ‘Stop Me If You’ve Heard This One Before’. Here’s a small selection of the wonderful things I’ve been listening to in the past two months. If You like these guys then dig out a few quid from your wallet and buy their records.

I haven’t totally got into the British Sea Power album yet, but riff-tastic, chugging rocker ‘A Trip Out’ knocked me for six on the first listen.
British Sea Power – A Trip Out mp3
(Buy the new album) (YouTube) (MySpace)

As with David E. Sugar’s last single the better track is on the B-side. Check out the twitching electronics of instrumental ‘The Big H’.
David E. Sugar – The Big H mp3
(Buy the 12”) (MySpace)

One of the better promos I’ve been sent in the post featured this inspired cover of The Maccabees single ‘First Love’ from NiTasha Jackson. She sounds like a female Sufjan Stevens to me. She’s turned an average Indie-Pop single into 3 and a half minutes of shimmering wonderment.
NiTasha Jackson – First Love mp3
(Buy the 7”) (MySpace)

I picked up a copy of Dylan Donkin’s ‘Make A Choice’ single based on the cool artwork. I was rewarded by the discovery of this Arthur Lee influenced track from the B-side.
Dylan Donkin – Depression Yesterdays (Demo) mp3
(Buy Dylan Donkin EP) (YouTube) (MySpace)

The new Nitin Sawhney produced Get Cape. Wear Cape. Fly album is nearly upon us. Sam was kind enough to give ‘Waiting For The Monster To Drown’ away free to wet our appetites. I’m still mopping up the saliva.
Get Cape. Wear Cape. Fly – Waiting For The Monster To Drown mp3
(Pre-Order the new album) (MySpace)

After being starved of new songs on the B-side of The White Stripes’ last single Jack came back with 3 brand new gems on their latest release. The best of the three was this super fun song about celebrity madness recorded in Beck’s living room.
The White Stripes – It’s My Fault For Being Famous mp3
(Buy the 7”) (MySpace)

It’s not just new stuff I’ve been hooked on.

Firstly, I’ve been listening to allot of Springsteen as usual, especially 7 minute epic ‘Rosalita (Come Out Tonight)’. Saxophone legend Clarence Clemens’ playing makes me leap around and punch the air. Check out the vid below, which has to rate as one of the most exhilarating performances ever captured on film.
Bruce Springsteen – Rosalita (Come Out Tonight) mp3
(Buy Bruce’s album) (YouTube) (MySpace)

I picked up a copy of the deluxe remaster of Jona Lewie’s brilliantly titled 1978 album ‘On The Other Hand There’s A Fist’. Apparently this bonus track was a huge indie hit but it was new to me.
Jona Lewie – You’ll Always Find Me In The Kitchen At Parties mp3
(Buy Jona’s album) (YouTube) (MySpace)

I’ve been getting into Nilsson after I was blown away by the unbelievably modern sounding Punk-Funk delight that is 1971’s ‘Jump Into The Fire’. It could’ve been a track from LCD Soundsystem’s new album (In fact James Murphy has covered it before).
Nilsson – Jump Into The Fire mp3
(Buy the album) (YouTube) (MySpace)

Gangsta-Rap isn’t exactly my favourite genre, but after immersing myself in all 5 seasons of the acclaimed cop-show The Wire, this tale of gang-bangin’ and police corruption from Snoop & Dre makes so much sense.
Dr. Dre & Snoop Dogg – Deep Cover mp3
(Buy the 12”) (YouTube) (MySpace)

Speaking of The Wire, here’s the latest version of the theme song from, guest star Steve Earle (Incidentally Clarence Clemens has also made a couple of guest appearances on the show).
Steve Earle – Way Down In The Hole mp3
(Buy the new album) (Buy The Wire DVDs) (YouTube) (MySpace)