Mixtape May 2018

I'm back again with twenty new songs that have tickled my fancy over the last few weeks.
I don't appear to have personally uncovered any new bands this month but there is a high supply of great new music from established artists. 

1) Tracers by Johnny Marr
Guitar-fest heralding the return of Johnny Marr and his third solo album since striking out under his own name.  Actually his real name is John Maher but he adopted his stage moniker to avoid confusion with the drummer of The Buzzcocks.

2) The Lovecats (TC & Benny Remix) by The Cure
The Cure's 1990 remix album Mixed Up was my first introduction to this seminal band and I quickly hovered up their back catalogue (except Faith /Carnage Visors (1981) which I couldn't stand).  Twenty eight years later The Cure are preparing a special edition of Mixed Up and this previously unreleased remix of their 1983 pop single is a welcome discovery.

3) Fascination by Confidence Man
Funky Australian electro taken from their debut album Confident Music for Confident People.

4) Surfing In The Sky by The Vaccines
High tempo crashing drums and guitars with soaring melodies and chipper vocals make this an infectious slab of punk pop rock n roll.

5) I Am A Dog by Ball Park Music
This song is on high rotation in our household and it's my wife's new favourite song. The dog likes it as well.

6) Burn It by Sunflower Bean
New York band have released their second album produced by Jacob Portrait of Unknown Mortal Orchestra.  Thankfully this record has avoided the weirdness that has spun Unknown Mortal Orchestra into their current unlistenable experimental direction.

7) Into My Arms by Band Of Horses
A cover of the classic 1997 love song by Nick Cave and The Bad Seeds.

8) Bad Got Me Good by Gin Wigmore
This is a timeless breakup anthem which I can't listen to without imagining it's being sung in a 1930's Speakeasy.  Maybe it isn't timeless if I think it has a specific time?  It's great anyway.

9) Sundials (976-DUB) by Django Django
A dub remix of Django Django - I'm in blissed out heaven!

10) Serotonin by GUM
Keeping things on the calmer side GUM's latest single sounds like Spiritualized playing Screamadelica.  Relax, Man.

11) When You're Ready (Karizma Remix) by Winston Surfshirt
Winston Surfshirt's debut album has been given the remix treatment and Sponge Cake Rebaked has been released.  This track was remixed by Karizma - an artist on Spotify who had one follower.    I'm now number two in the Karizma fanclub so I'll let you know how their career develops!

12) Blaze Away by Morcheeba & Roots Manuva
This collaboration sounds good on paper and happily it doesn't disappoint on wax.

13) Better Than That by James
Manchester survivalists James are back with an upbeat single, top vocals and drum n bass rhythms.

14) Right Here, Right Now (Friction One In The Jungle Remix) by Fatboy Slim
Keeping it Massive - a tasty d&b remix of the Fatboy Slim track that was turns 20 this year! 

15) Pablo Picasso by Jack White
Ex White Stripes man covers one of my favourite songs originally recorded by the Modern Lovers in the early 1970s.  I prefer the original but this cover is a fun re-interpretation.  In Jack White's mind he is Jimi Hendrix.

16) TiedUpRightNow by Parcels
Berlin based Australian group specialising in five piece harmonies and funky disco.  Beloved by Daft Punk who co-wrote their previous single.

17) Loaded by Miles Kane
Miles Kane is one half of The Lost Shadow Puppets.  The other half is Alex Turner who will release the Arctic Monkeys long awaited sixth album next month. 

18) For Now (Confidence Man Remix) by DMA's
The Oasis fixated Sydneysiders have released a second album and this baggy inspired track is remixed by fellow Aussies, Confidence Man. 

19) Everything's Gone Green (live) by Peter Hook & The Light
I'm currently reading Peter Hook's book Substance - Inside New Order which is a gripping read about the music, the tour antidotes and the inter-band rivalry. I often wondered why Hooky left New Order but after a few chapters of this book I'm surprised they lasted so long.  This is a live recording of New Order's first programmed tracked.  It was the forerunner to the dance hits Temptation and Blue Monday.

20) She Taught Me How To Fly by Noel Gallagher's High Flying Birds
This song is so catchy I had to included it so it can be stuck in your heads as well.

Mixtape January 2018

Happy New Year - this is the first playlist of 2018 and rounds up the newest tracks that have piqued my interest in the last month and a few monster hits that I missed the first time around.

1)  Letter Down by Theo Verney
Theo is a masively talented musician from Brighton in the UK.  His debut album One Small Piece was released in July and includes this prime example of 60's influenced heavy rock.

2) Get By by Diane Coffee
Diane Coffee is the former drummer in Foxygen who has gone on to produce classic camp indie pop records.  This is too catchy to resist.

3) Mourning Sound by Grizzly Bear
This was a single released earlier in 2017 by these US rockers taken from their Painted Ruins album.

4) Give Me A Minute (Stickybuds Remix) by Fort Knox Five
Funky hip hop fresh out of Washington DC.  Their are only four members of the Fort Knox Five but they thought Five was more hip hop than Four.

5) Feel It Still by Portugal. The Man
Alaskan rock band who released this excellent track from their Woodstock album and it was well received all over the world.

6) Holy Mountain by Noel Gallagher & The High Flying Birds
The most joyful tunes ever penned by Noel - he may as well have screamed "It's Christmas" in a Noddy Holder impression.  I'm hoping he avoids an Oasis reunion when his solo career is producing such gems.



7) International Blue by Manic Street Preachers
This sounds like it could have come straight off their most commercial album Everything Must Go which indicates the Manics might be heading back to the mainstream again. in 2018.

8) Monkey Disco (Jono Ma Dub Remix) by The Babe Rainbow
Australia's The Babe Rainbow with a track from their debut album remixed by the man behind Jagwar Ma - taking the lunacy further back into the primeval jungle.

9) Juice (Purple Disco MachineRemix) by Chromeo
Canadian Funk outfit continue the grooves with their Juice single.  The remix is provided by equally funky German house producer Purple Disco Machine.

10) Cabrona by Gin Wigmore
New Zealand singer who released four singles in 2017 so a new album must be incoming shortly.

11) The Priest by Johnny Marr
Former Smith produces the backing track for this tale of homelessness voiced by Shameless actress Maxine Peake.



12) Shasta (acoustic) by Blonde Ambition
American artist whose latest single is backed by a collection of acoustic versions from his debut album.

13) Your Light by Total Giovanni
Laidback groovy track from the Melbourne band.

14) Cast In Stone by Winston Surfshirt
A track that demonstrates the creative genius that flows from this Sydney band.  Tempo changes, wild mood swings and over eight minutes of quality music, lyrics and raps that hints at a fantastic career to come.

15) All Is Known by King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard
Gumboot Soup was the fifth album released by KG&LW in 2017.  It is a varied collection of songs that didn't fit with the themes of their last four albums.  Gumboot Soup is their twelfth album in five years.  The mad bastards!

16) Delusion by Stonefield
The Heaviness continues with the spaced out soundscapes and hypnotic riffs from these Australian sisters.

17) Time by Lee Fields & The Expressions
Classic soul musician with another brilliant song.  If you like this then check out his 2012 album Faithful Man which remains a firm favourite of mine.

18) Come As You Are by Big Scary 
Triple J's Like A Version cover sessions have recently been made available via Spotify and they contain a host of amazing live covers including this one of the Nirvana original. 

19)  Galvanize by Pete Tong with The Heritage Orchestra
It's all gone a bit Pete Tong, the Superstar DJ has teamed up with an orchestra to release his second collection of Ibiza Classics recorded with guest vocals and a full orchestra.  The Chemical Brothers released the original electronic version of Galvanize back in 2004.

20) California by The Growlers
Playing out with The Growlers and their feel good indie rock ode to their home state of California.