Hello and welcome to the thirty second blog and what will very probably be the last one of the year!
It has been quite a while since my last entry, the inexplicably popular, covers mix, six weeks or so I think. Sorry about that, blame The Punisher.
It's back to a themeless mix this time, with a reasonably eclectic collection of songs that I have enjoyed and would also like you to enjoy. I would also like it if you read the banal drivel I've written about each track too, but don't feel you have to or anything.
As I mentioned in the Facebook group, the next mix will be my top albums of 2017 and I'm aiming to have it done and published at some point in January but if I get it done earlier then there's no point hanging about and I'll stick it up.
In the meantime, them songs to enjoy, look.
Tracklisting
Porcupine Tree - The Start Of Something Beautiful
Senser - Resistance Now
The Bombpops - Fomo
Monster Magnet - Radiation Day
Jim'll's Brain - My Bad Smell
Cockney Rejects - I'm Not A Fool
Wayward Sons - Be Still
Kris Drever - When The Shouting Is Over
Red Storm Rising - Fortnight Thing
KXM - Big Sky Country
This Year's Girl - Get Off My Radio
Stept In Dogshit - Gimme Viagra
Random Jon Poole - I Know You
Adam Ant - Goody Two-Shoes
Strapping Young Lad - Aftermath
Jim Bob - My New Walk
The Dreaming - Empty Promises
I Found God - Disarray
Jason & The Scorchers - Moonshine Guy
The Stone Roses - Waterfall
You can download the mix
HERE
Porcupine Tree - The Start Of Something Beautiful
Taken from the 2005 album Deadwing
Stephen Wilson seems to be doing pretty well, with his latest solo album reaching the Top 5 of the Pop Charts. Unfortunately, that seems to mean that Porcupine Tree has been put on indefinite hiatus for now which is sad. This song is an impressive wave of atmosphere and beauty. Singing its peculiar grammatical structure in the voice of Yoda amuses me a lot. "Always in my thoughts you are"
Senser - Resistance Now
Taken from the 2008 album How To Do Battle
I guess most people would have thought Senser were long split up and are only familiar with their first or second albums. In truth though, after a long break, they've sporadically released a few excellent albums and are still alive and well. They've always been one of a small group who play Rap Metal and manage to make it sound organic and natural. After the gentle atmospherics of Porcupine Tree, Resistance Now kicks in with a jolt. I've no idea what he's saying in it but there's a nice little verse halfway through where Heitham raps in French that's pretty cool. Vive la Révolution.
The Bombpops - Fomo
Taken from the 2017 album Fear Of Missing Out
The Bombpops are a Pop Punk band from San Diego fronted by co-vocalist/guitarists Poli and Jen. They're bright, cheery and influenced by the lighter end of the 90's Punk scene. They sound pretty similar to bands like The Dollyrots or Bad Cop/Bad Cop etc. Fear Of Missing Out is their debut album, even though they have been on the go for 7 or 8 years now, and Fomo is kind of the title track. Fear Of Missing Out is a fun listen and hopefully it won't be another 8 years before the next one.
Monster Magnet - Radiation Day
Taken from the 2004 album Monolithic Baby!
Monster Magnet have a long and drug-filled career with both critical and commercial success. Their sound has varied over the years; from Psychedelia through to Stoner and then, around the time of this album, Hard Rock. These days they've gone full circle and are back to the Psychedlia. I wasn't particularly fond of Monolithic Baby! but there are a few good tracks on it and this one is more in keeping with their Stoner Rock period and is built around a memorable riff
Jim'll's Brain - My Bad Smell
Taken from the 2011 album Brain Damage
This one harks back to the Myspace days, poor old Myspace. I wonder what Tom's up to these days? Anyway, Jim is a twee, Indie Pop singer based in London who mainly dabbles in lighthearted love songs, usually f the unrequited kind. A lot of them unabashedly stray into stalking territory. My Bad Smell, for example, is quite the creeper.
Cockney Rejects - I'm Not A Fool
Taken from the 1980 album Greatest Hits Vol. 1
Cockney Rejects are very Cockney, from Jeff Geggus' heavily accented vocals to their songs about football hooligans and fighting in general. I'm Not A Fool is about robbing a store, getting caught by the police and, in my opinion, something of a forgotten classic. I especially love the surprisingly buoyant guitar line that runs through the whole thing.
Wayward Sons - Be Still
Taken from the 2017 album Ghosts Of Yet To Come
Toby Jepson has fronted a variety of Hard Rock bands over the last couple of decades or so, most notably, certainly from my perspective, Little Angels. Wayward Sons are his latest venture and their debut album, Ghosts Of Yet To Come is a solid and enjoyable one. Given that they're playing Hard Rock and Toby has such a recognisable voice, it's interesting how they don't sound instantly like Little Angels 2.0. Be Still is a catchy song and one of my favourites from it.
Ooh, as an uninteresting side note; they feature Nic Wastell on bass, who used to (is currently?) in a band called Chrome Molly. Way back in the late 80's when I was 15/16, I'd just discovered Rock through the medium of Sweet Child O' Mine and was taking timid steps into that musical genre. One day my Dad came home from work with a couple of cassettes that someone had thrown out. He gave them to me on the off chance I might like them. One of them was Stick It Out by Chrome Molly and I did like it. Very much, So yeah, there's that.
Kris Drever - When The Shouting Is Over
Taken from the 2016 album If Wishes Were Horses
Recommended to me by a friend, Kris is a Folk singer from Scotland, the Orkney Islands to be exact. He's got a few solo albums but is also the frontman for the band Lau and has featured in the bands of Kate Rusby and Roddy Woomble (off of Idlewild). He has a distinctive, soothing voice that sounds like it belongs someone much older. This track is, I think, about how whatever bad crap is going on in your life you've always got family to fall back on. Unless the bad crap is with your family then you're probably on your own, pal.
Red Storm Rising - Fortnight Thing
Taken from the 2007 album No Excuses
I don't know a huge amount about Red Storm Rising other than they're a defunct band based in London. They split in 2012 following the tragic death of their guitarist, Spence. Last year some time, their vocalist, Jon, posted a few tracks in a Wildhearts group on Facebook, I thought they sounded alright and investigated further. Red Storm Rising are kind of in the vein of 90's Melodic Punk bands and likely wouldn't have gone amiss on Fat Wreck Chords and the like. They've got a few things uploaded on their Bandcamp page HERE I've been listening to No Excuses quite a bit lately and Fortnight Thing is one of the highlights
KXM - Big Sky Country
Taken from the 2017 album Scatterbrain
Scatterbrain is the second album by this supergroup featuring members of Lynch Mob, King's X and Korn. They sound pretty much as you'd expect if you're familiar with the source bands, a mix of Hard Rock, Alternative and Progressive Metal. This album gels a lot better than the first and feels like they've settled as a band, there are some really great songs on it, Big Sky Country being one of them. I love that stompy, buzzing riff that it's built on.
This Year's Girl - Get Off My Radio
Taken from the 1998 album Mondo
I bought this CD online on a whim 17/18 years ago without having heard the band. It turned out to be a quality purchase. They're an Indie Rock/Pop Punk band very typical of the time but also had a New Wave feel to them. I don't want to say like Blondie but, well, like Blondie. Get Off My Radio was the opening track on what was, as far as I'm aware, their only album and it sounds like it should have been a massive single.
Stept In Dogshit - Gimme Viagra
Taken from the 2014 album Off The Streets
Another band recommended to me, this time by someone on a Punk forum. They're an irreverent, puerile trio from Pittsburgh. They play short, breakneck Punk songs with a few Ska and Hardcore influences chucked in for good measure. I'm not normally on board with misspelt words in band names but I'll let this one slide. As it were.
Random Jon Poole - I Know You
Taken from the 2012 album Random Jon Poole
Jon crops up in a variety of excellent bands such as Cardiacs, The Wildhearts, Lifesigns, The Dowling Poole and his own Art Punk band, The God Damn Whores. This solo album is quite different to all of his other projects, being more synth than guitar based. His personality and sense of humour shine through the whole thing though making it a weird but entertaining listen. This particular song is incredibly catchy and sounds like a proper 80's classic. Apart from all the profanity.
Adam Ant - Goody Two-Shoes
Taken from the 1982 album Friend Or Foe
I used to love this song when I were a lad and remember watching Top Of The Pops each week, around the time it was released, hoping they'd show it. They didn't and I'm still bitter about it. A couple of years ago Eureka Machines did a cover of it which prompted me to track down the original again. It's such a great catchy song, and I love those drums! It's a lot brassier than I remember too.
Strapping Young Lad - Aftermath
Taken from the 2003 album SYL
Aftermath is one of the more restrained songs from this Industrial Metal band from Canada but it's still crushingly heavy. You always know a song has a good riff when that's what you find yourself singing instead of the chorus, such as is the case with Aftermath. It's a juddering, mammoth riff that'll have you mumbling "...dudda-dudda-dudda-doopydedoop-doopydedoop..." to yourself all day.
Jim Bob - My New Walk
Taken from the 2013 album What I Think About When I Think About You
You might remember Jim Bob from his days in Carter The Unstoppable Sex Machine. If you don't then there's a band you should probably be listening to if you want your world rocking. His solo stuff is less brash and dayglo than Carter USM were but his talent for songwriting and lyricism remains. My New Walk is an observation of a variety of folks, all told through the medium of gait. it features a selection of enjoyable lyrics, with my favourite possibly being "The sway of my hips is all chicken and chips, and loveless, unprotected sex"
The Dreaming - Empty Promises
Taken from the 2015 album Rise Again
The Dreaming were formed by Christopher Hall following the dissolution of Stabbing Westward. They're sonically similar to SW's Industrial Rock but with more of a modern, Emo approach.
Rise Again was their third album and is actually much better than my description might make it sound. There's a ton of anthems on it and, these days, they also feature Walter Flakus and Johnny Haro, both formerly of Stabbing Westward so it's almost a full reunion.
Empty Promises starts off with some cool synths that morph into a big emotive riff. It's got a huge, hooky chorus and that mid-song break could have been lifted straight off any track on Darkest Days, SW's biggest album
I Found God - Disarray
Taken from the 1999 album What Now?
I Found God were a US Grunge/Stoner Rock band that released four albums in the late 90's. As far as I'm aware they weren't remotely Christian so I Found God seems a peculiar name to choose, so much so that they changed it to simply I.F.G on their last album, the Punk influenced Hellhound On My Trail. What Now? was the album I listened to most and probably their best. Disarray is a good example of their combination of stoner riffs and hoarse, female vocals.
Jason & The Scorchers - Moonshine Guy
Taken from the 2010 album Halcyon Times
Cowpunk seems to be a largely forgotten genre, there should be more bands playing this sort of stuff. Jason Ringenberg and his revolving collection of Scorchers are the quintessential Cowpunk band; Rockin' high paced, twangy guitar riffs topped off with Jason's distinctive, cheery drawl. Moonshine Guy is the opening track from their last album and tells the tale of a stuck-in-his-ways Redneck. It's a perfect introduction to this great band if you're unfamiliar with them.
The Stone Roses - Waterfall
Taken from the 1989 album The Stone Roses
This one is a last minute addition to the mix, as my friend and work colleague Wayne died last night after four months in hospital, struggling with liver failure. One of many things we had in common was a love for these pioneering Mancunians so I thought I'd include one of my favourites of theirs as a mini-tribute to him. RIP Mate.
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Waterfall is probably their most famous song, possibly, Love Spreads, and features what must be up there as one of the greatest guitar lines ever recorded, especially in a non-Metal song. I especially love the bit towards the end where the solo gradually builds up into it kicking back in Perfect.
Ian Brown isn't the greatest singer you've ever heard but he fits the Britpop/Madchester founders trippy, Psychedelic Rock well.
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| Dedicated to the memory of Wayne Pink 1972-2017 |
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