Weekly Last FM Chart
As a follow up to last weeks TEN4SE7EN I got my copy of The Real Tuesday Weld’s new album ‘The London Book Of The Dead’ through the post. It comes as an ornate hardback complete with poetry, pages of artwork and a beautiful dust-jacket. It’s a snip at fourteen English pounds from the Antique Beat Website. Now on to this week’s ten songs including Indie, Rap, Jazz, Soul, Pop and Electronica. Variety is the spice of life don’tchakno:
The relentless grinding Electro beats of Akala’s last album ‘Freedom Lasso’ occasionally made me long for the more organic sounds of his brilliant debut LP ‘It’s Not A Rmour’ (I still loved ‘Freedom Lasso’ by the way). So it’s exciting to discover that his new ‘Acoustic Remixes EP’ (While not actually being purely acoustic) is the best thing he’s yet done. The new version of ‘Bit By Bit’ is the stand-out track, with the more laid back Acoustic-flavoured backing serving to highlight just how good a rapper Akala is. Hopefully this new sound will be further explored on a future LP.
‘Williams’ Blood’ is from Grace Jones’ new record ‘Hurricane’ (Her first new LP to hit the streets in almost two decades!) which will be in the shops next week. It’s Gospel-Disco with soaring backing vocals and an effecting story recounted in the lyrics. The “Let me fly” bits half-way through really do take flight and I’m couldn’t agree more with the closing snatches of ‘Amazing Grace’.
Kelpe’s own Remix of ‘Shipwreck Glue’ is an inventive six-minute instrumental with a crunching Bass sound that could snap a shot putter’s neck muscles. Plus, any record that uses the sounds of a ping-pong game as percussion, has got to be good.
The Harpsicord on Mister Modo & Ugly Mac Beer’s ‘Not Afraid’ gives it a Sixties Phychedelic vibe which has been contrasted with modern Hip-Hop and sweet Soul vocals from Jessica Fitoussi. You know you’re gonna love it (The rest of the new LP sounds totally different by the way, check it out).
Nikolaj Grandjean’s ‘The First Picture’ is gently strummed acoustic Indie with a subtle Spanish flavour. Listen in the dark for a haunting intimate music experience.
From the screech of “Aaaiiyyy-yeah!” at the start you know Of Montreal are out to have fun. ‘Id Engager’ is funky Indie-Dance with hilarious lyrics and the hookiest of Pop hooks. The “Play with you, play with you” backing vocals are also rather wonderful.
‘On A Letter’ is shimmering and beautiful Indie Guitar music from The Sea & Cake. It’s from their seventh album ‘Car Alarm’, so they’re a band worth further investigation. The blissful Guitars at the end are like tranquil waves lapping on the shore.
Stressed Out bring Jazz meets Rap on this masterful cut from back in 1995. ‘Jazzy Wit Da Joint’ is like the mellow sound of House Of Pain after a whole week smoking Cheeba (Unfortunately the mp3 included below is only a sanitisied radio version, if you’ve got the Diirrrty version Email it please!).
Wild Beasts make wonderfully eccentric Pop music proving once again that Domino is a label with great taste. On ‘The Devil’s Crayon’ the sharp campy vocals bring to mind Antony Hegarty and the Calypso/Indie music is reminiscent of the glorious oddity of a great Sparks single.
Here’s a sumptuous Soul number to round out the ten tracks from Aussie singer Kylie Auldist. It’s on the always reliable Tru Thoughts and label mates The Bamboos are on production/backing-band duties. ‘Make Me Want More’ reminds me of the sublime ‘I Think I’ll Call It Morning’ by Gil Scott-Heron (No bad thing).
CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD A ZIP FILE WITH THE TEN SONGS.
Akala MySpace / Purchase
Grace Jones MySpace / Purchase
Kelpe MySpace / Purchase
Kylie Auldist MySpace / Purchase
Mister Modo MySpace / Purchase
Sonar Kollektiv (Nikolaj Grandjean’s Label) Website
Of Montreal MySpace / Purchase
Stressed Out at Vinyl-Addicts / Purchase
The Sea & Cake MySpace / Purchase
Wild Beasts MySpace / Purchase
It was nearly ten years ago when I purchased the first remastered version of ‘Who’s Next’ (The Who’s 1971 masterpiece). I instantly loved it, Keith’s furiously inventive Drumming, John’s peerless Bass playing, Roger’s exhilarating Vocals and of course Pete’s explosive Guitar playing. It documents a band at the peak of their powers and perhaps Rocks finest moment. I was also fascinated by Pete Townshend and John Atkins’ liner notes talking about the aborted ‘Lifehouse’ project/double-LP/film/Rock-Opera/live-show that had been the basis for the truncated ‘Who’s Next’ LP. In brief, Pete was forced to abandon this grand multimedia project when it became to unwieldy to finish to his satisfaction. It became Pete’s version of ‘Smile’, though thankfully he emerged out the other side with his sanity relatively intact (Unlike poor Brian Wilson). When I listened to the generous selection of bonus tracks (From the same sessions) I was struck by how good they were and crucially that they were not half formed demos or partly recorded instrumentals but infact fully functioning Rock ‘n’ Roll beasts that were sonically cohesive with the other tracks. I yearned to hear the ‘Lifehouse’ album “As the artist originally intended” but I thought no more about it, content to listen to the existing album while playing windmill air-Guitar to ‘Baba O’Riley’ (Incidentally, if you’ve never done this, I suggest you’ve never truly lived – 
Fast forward and I’ve spent the best part of the last year idly trying to put my attempt at ‘Lifehouse’ together. The chief difficulty lies in the fact that unlike Pete’s earlier 
In a distopian/totalitarian future Britain pollution/radiation is everywhere so the population of Britain sit plugged into ‘Lifesuits’ that simulate life (Like ‘Virtual-Reality’) so that no one need leave their homes. The suits are all connected to ‘The Grid’ (Like the internet) and they provide food/water/entertainment to the user. Up in the Scottish countryside the pollution isn’t as bad, so the food that sustains the Lifesuit users is grown there (‘Baba O’Riley’). One oppressed farming family (‘Water’) hears about a secret concert/festival in London called ‘Lifehouse’ (‘The Relay’) designed to bring back Rock music and awake the masses (‘I Don’t Even Know Myself’). They and others travel to this gig (‘Let’s See Action’, ‘Going Mobile’). Along the way there are various subplots involving romances starting/ending (‘Bargain’, ‘Love Ain’t For Keeping’, ‘Baby Don’t You Do It’, ‘Naked Eye’). At the concert the band (The Who themselves are the group) take vital-statistics from the people and feed them into a computer/synthesiser to generate music in the hope of generating the perfect transcendental note (‘Join Together’). Most embrace this new philosophy (‘Time Is Passing’, ‘Pure & Easy’, ‘Getting In Tune’) but some become disillusioned with the movement the band are starting (‘Too Much Of Anything’, ‘Put The Money Down’). Eventually the authorities surround the “Lifehouse” and try to shut it down. The Leader of the authorities takes to the stage and appeals for the concert goers to leave (‘Behind Blue Eyes’). The band grab the microphone back and defy the Leader (‘Won’t Get Fooled Again’) and when the concert reaches it’s crescendo they succeed in playing the perfect note (Because the people have become at one with the music and the band themselves) and everyone at the concert ascends to a higher plane and escapes the authorities (‘The Song Is Over’).
Once I’d got the plot fixed in my head it was a lengthy but enjoyable task of placing the songs in the correct order within the narrative. I can’t tell you how many times I’d come to a track listing I’d called “Finished” only to re-order it a week later after spotting a lyric that seemed out of place. Here is the running order that I feel holds together best:
The original tracks have been retained (With the obvious exception of the John Entwistle penned 
Here are some notable links:
‘Love, Hugs & Hip-Hop’ has a heaven sent chorus backed up by a delicious concoction of Kraftwerk and Jazz. Carlos Nino & Lil’ Sci (aka What’s The Science?) have created a brilliantly original sound with quivering Strings conjuring up the first sparkling rays of spring in a secret leafy glade, rather than the mean streets of New York or Baltimore brought to mind by other abrasive Hip-Hop productions.
Don Cavalli’s ‘Aggression’ is a dusty old Blues song with a youthful spring in it’s step. Like an old pensioner who’s just called bingo! You’ve gotta love those Jon Lee Hooker style “How, how, how” bits.
‘Sardines For Dinner’ has a funky, echoey, almost skiffle backing with Fella Vaughn’s ear-catches rhymes about what sounds like a well spent youth. It’s a crime against humanity that a track this good is only 53 seconds long.
Ghostface Killah’s ‘Daytona 500’ is hardly brand new (It’s from 2003’s ‘Shaolin’s Finest’ LP) but it’s new to my ears. A great repetitive groove with relentlessly inventive raps, what more do you need.
On ‘Make Love That Lasts’, Karl Blau’s voice sounds laid back and seductive while his lyrics paint beautiful strange pictures “Face like a TV, food is my DVD, want to see a scary movie, just feed some soy to me”. A song so lo-fi and delicate that a gentle breeze could blow it away.
The second song of the ten that’s from a while back is Max Romeo’s ‘Birth Of Reggae Music’ from 1985. I love the staccato rhythm of his voice on the chorus and the New-Orleans-Funeral vibe.
Here’s just one superb track from The Real Tuesday Weld’s fantastic new LP with an intoxicating American-Deep-South-Banjo, meets European-Clarinet sound. ‘The Decline & Fall Of The Clerkenwell Kid’ could have sound-tracked some wonderful forgotten Orson Welles film he made between ‘The Third Man’ and ‘Othello’. It has to be my pick of the week by a long chalk. If you’ve got any sense whatsover, go get a copy of their album.
‘Oh Katrina’ is like a glorious lost Kim Deal song that Frank Black probably suppressed in favour of one of his own songs about being molested by an Alien in Mexico. If only Blondie were still making music as fun as this Pop nugget from Tender Trap’s 2002 ‘Film Molecules’ album.
Those Dancing Days’ music doesn’t sound dis-similar to The Ting Tings (No Bad Thing). ‘Shuffle’ is a clever song that’s lyrics are entirely comprised of the titles of other songs. A Joy for geeky music-spotters everywhere.
‘Little Fucker’ is a smouldering Fuzz-Guitar blues song from Vic Chesnutt, Elf Power & The Amorphous Strums. I adore the venom drenched way the title is spat out.
Blitzen Trapper’s ‘Furr’ is a bit like Donovan singing a bizarre Stephen Merritt style acoustic campfire song about literally becoming a wolf. The wailing Dylan Harmonica solo is rather wonderful.
I was initially put off by the slick production on Bruce Springsteen’s ‘Radio Nowhere’ when it came out last year, but this week it’s grabbed me by my ears and won’t let go. Starting off with bleak lines like “Crushing the last lone American night”, then building towards catharsis with lines like “I want a thousand guitars, I want pounding drums, I want a million different voices speaking in tongues!”
The wonky blues of ‘Ain’t No Rest For The Wicked’ brings to mind the sound Arctic Monkeys if they’d just took a sojourn in the Mississippi Delta to soak up the atmosphere. Cage The Elephant’s album brings in other influences (Not just Blues) like Pop, Rap, Indie and Punk.
Next up is a Remix (Courtesy of Speaker Killer) of Grannie’s favourites Frankie Valli & The Four Seasons. The incendiary House-Piano on ‘Beggin” is straight from ‘Going Back To My Roots’.
You’ll love ‘Kriss Kross’ from the first instant when the piercing Echo & The Bunnymen strings come in. Guillemots are clearly a band of grand ambitions.
On ‘Connection’, Hawney Troof Raps over a woozy Jazz backing. Slightly disorientating, lyrically dense and tragically short.
I’m just discovering the odd Daniel-Johnston-like world of Jay Reatard. The shambolic Pop-Rock of ‘All Over Again’ is just the tip of his talent. Check out his Matador singles compilation (If only for the ace 45 destroying artwork).
‘A Hold Of You’ is a simple love song from Lambchop’s brand new album. Unsurprisingly (Given Kurt Wagner’s voice), it’s unspeakably gorgeous.
‘Circles ‘Round The Moon’ is a nursery-rhyme style sing-along from Nana Grizol. Absolutely charming, hummable and at 1.29 it’s far too brief. A simple remedy can be found by listening to the whole of their ‘Love It Love It’ album.
I was never totally convinced by Tilly & The Wall’s last album. However, ‘Beat Control’ is the first track I’m hearing from new record. If this sprightly Electronic-Pop single is anything to go by, I’m going to be falling head over heals in love with the LP.
The opening line “Remember when we we’re young” sets the tone for this wistful Country inflected Indie single from Dawn Landes. Take a stroll down down memory line on ‘Straight Lines’.
Down The Tiny Steps bring to mind one of my favourite song writers Malcolm Middleton. Just like some of his finest songs, ‘Summer Is For Going Places’ is quirky Indie-Pop and it’s got some beautiful Banjo work.
‘Tenen No Neu’ is a mad flurry of clattering Drums, pulsing Bass and Electronics from Duchess Says. Instead of the normal lyrics you might expect, singer A-Claude opts to set the tempo by shouting things like “Chicka chika chang” and “Cha Cha Cha”.
Next up is an irresistible Indie-Pop gem from 1989 by Frazier Chorus. ‘Dream Kitchen’ has joyous vocals, distinctive production flourishes and celebratory strings, plus there’s even time for a sparkling Xylophone solo. Why, oh why am I only hearing this two decades late, I’m now addicted.
‘The Sons Of Your Funk Mother’ begins with a gravel-raw Captain Beefheart style declaration of “It’s time for some raw, rare, greasy, sleazy, slimy, sexed up Funk”. The Grits then proceed to deliver just that (And a bit more besides).
John Hill’s ‘Europa’ is the lead track from his 1971 ‘6 Moons Of Jupiter’ album. Susan Christie reads poetry over haunting cosmic Jazz in a Patti Smith style (It’ll take you on a journey).
It was a wrench to choose just one track to highlight from Madlib’s new album. ‘Gamble On Ya Boy’ features some relentless rhymes mining the familiar bragging theme (With more style and wit than most).
If the Cool Kids album has left you hungry for more I can highly recommend Restiform Bodies’ ‘TV Loves You Back’ LP. ‘Panic Shopper’ is my highlight, featuring a non-stop tag-team Rap.
‘Make Dance’ is a bit of a mystery, it’s a track from the new Golf Channel Recordings 12″. Beyond that I couldn’t give you any more details. It’s got one of those awesome Eighties bass-lines and soulful vocals. It’s a slow burning and sexy House number with a hint of gospel and a smouldering Dave Gilmore style Guitar solo. Unquestionably my track of the week, so many thanks to the genius that created it (Whoever they may be). (Eureeka! 
Last up is a creepy, dark, moody and absolutely intoxicating Dubstep sound-scape from King Cannibal. I’ve been listening to ‘Flower Of Flesh & Blood’ for a while and it’s been slowly and surely working it’s way into my heart. The kind of record that The Prodigy should be making.
Stop Me If You Think You\'ve Heard This One Before 