Mixtape April 2019

Running two weeks late this month - been very busy but finally got around to compiling my monthly playlist.  Highly influenced by 90s techno, New York cool and Australian psychedelic rock.

1) Firestarter (Alviin Risk Remix) by The Prodigy
A modern remix of the Prodigy classic that is as in your face as the original was when it was first released back in 1996.  R.I.P. Keith Flint

2) We've Got To Try by The Chemical Brothers
Taken from the new album No Geography out on the 12th April which is shaping up to be a storming record.

3) In Degrees by Foals 
Hailing from Oxford and releasing two albums this year - very dance-able and clearly influenced by Cut Copy.

4) Patience by Tame Impala 
The welcome return of Perth's best band.  There is competition so they had better come up with the goods when their new album comes out.

5) Ray Of Light by Pond
Another challenger for Perth's best band - here performing a cover version of a Madonna song.

6) Real Tight by Methyl Ethel
The other contender for Perth's best band.  I love them all so long may they make interesting trippy sounds.

7) Boogieman Sam by King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard
Could be the best Australian band from outside the Perth area? A bit of a T.Rex vibe on this track. 

8) Lux Prima by Karen O & Danger Mouse
This is nine minutes of lush quality music from producer Danger Mouse with vocals from the Yeah Yeah Yeahs' singer.  It is the opening track of an album that deserves a listen.

9) Gummy Bear by Mini Mansions
Mini Mansions appear to be treading the same ground as Tame Impala's Currents.  It is fertile ground so who could blame them.

10) Before The Water Gets Too High by Parquet Courts 
This must be The Beta Band??? 

11) Salt Eyes by Middle Kids 
Aussie slacker indie pop.

12) Don't Be So Hard On Yourself by Alex Lahey 
More Aussie indie pop but with a saxophone solo.

13) Off My Mind by Richard Hawley 
A real rocker from the old Northern Crooner but check the similarity with Pretty Vegas by INXS.

14) Hot Pink by Cousin Tony's Brand New Firebird
Another Melbourne band who produce off kilter pop songs.

15) Face The Facts by Foxygen 
NYC hipsters reminiscing on life in the 70's that they are clearly too young to remember.

16) Steal The Show by The Allergies ft Andy Cooper
Allergies and Andy Cooper are always welcome on this blog and this track is a blinder.

17) Silver Lining by Sons Of The East
Melancholy guitar strumming building to a huge singalong chorus which never arrives...

18) 626 Bedford Avenue by The Drums
The Drums have now been around for ten years and this is their best work since the early days.

19) The Sun Also Rises by Sleeper
This was a surprise - I had heard that Britpop also-runs Sleeper were reforming but never expected I would enjoy their new material.  I hear they are touring the nostalgia circuit along with Embrace, Shed Seven and a host of other 90s bands. 

20) Rapture (Matt Darey Remix) by Erasure
A mental 90s trance remix of Erasure's cover of Blondie's 1981 rap hit.  This isn't new but its new to me.

Mixtape August 2017

The Soundtrack to August is here featuring both new uncovered bands and seasoned campaigners supplying a mixture of the tastiest indie pop rock dance and trip hop nuggets available.    

Minidiscs - Format of the Future

1) The System Only Dreams In Total Darkness by The National - Perfect!

2) We Were Beautiful by Belle and Sebastian - An unexpected new drum and bass direction from Belle and Sebastian.  The slide guitars are unnerving but once the horn section kicks in you start to accept it.

3) Head of the Horse by The Drums - The Drums are now reduced to a one man band who plays jangling indie laments.  Taken from the new album Abysmal Thoughts.

4) The Way You Used To Do by Queens of the Stone Age  - Hard rock veterans are about to release their seventh album Villains in August, their first in four years.

5) Slam by Way Out West -  It is fantastic to see these 90's trancers producing tunes to rival their glory years.  This is a banger.

6) Can't Do by Everything Everything - Manchester, once again, deliver the goods.

7) Avant Gardener by Gordi - One Aussie artists covers another.  Gordi's cover somehow enhances Courtney Barnett's original version.

8) Humongous by Declan McKenna - Talented Brit who has just release his debut album.

9) Signs of Life by Arcade Fire - The new Arcade Fire album is out now and it's restored order to the cosmos.  I may have oversold it - it doesn't suck.



 10) Less Than by Nine Inch Nails - Trent Reznor returns to expand the influence of the Audio-Industrial Complex.

11) I Wanna Be Like You by Black Grape -  Shaun Ryder and Kermit bring the disposable good time vibes.  But will Bez rejoin them or release his own tambourine solo album?

12) Entitled to That by The Allergies - Like a cross between Big Beat and Motown.  The Allergies can't do wrong in my book.

13) All The Pretty Girls by The Darkness - The debate rages as to whether The Darkness are cheesy because they are ironic or just because they are cheesy.  I tell myself it is the former which is how I live with myself.

14) Don't Delete The Kisses by Wolf Alice - A hypnotic swirling storm of bliss.

15) Oh Lord by Club Sport - Great Aussie band with a gospel number.

16) Leave (Alternative Version) by R.E.M - The original version appeared on 1996's New Adventures In Hi-Fi album and was sung over a loud siren.  It was a pleasure to find this alternative arrangement of a personal favourite - enhanced by not having that bloody siren ringing throughout.

17) Cowboys or Indians by UNKLE - Creepy trip hop from UNKLE's sixth album.

18) Groove Is In The Heart/Californian Girls by Crocodiles - I stumbled over this wonderful cover of Dee-Lite and The Beach Boys recently and can't get enough of it.

19) Spook City by Moses Gunn Collective - Psychedelic pop from Queensland. 

20) Flash by The Belligerents - More infectious indie pop from Brisbane.