This New Record Is Literally Quite Good

It Hugs Back: Now + Again (4AD, 2009)
You see, this is the sort of thing I just like as soon as I hear it. Whistleable Tune + Drone + Hair-Shakingly Wispy Vocal + Loony Bit In The Middle. Come on other, more rubbish bands! It's not that difficult, is it? People have been making records that sound a little like this for years, so it can't be that hard, can it? Anyway, the Back are from Kent and they are young pups keen to get on and make a racket. Their album isn't quite on the intersquizz yet - it's out in April - but this is a good place to start.

Hello Old Thing, Hello New Thing: 36

Steinski: Jazz (Tommy Boy promo, 1998)
Originally planned as a tribute remix of Afrika Bambaata's Jazzy Sensation, Steinski - and pal Double D (who got back together after ten years for this, reunion fans) - basically rebuilt the whole thing from the ground up and produced this cut 'n' paste masterpiece. But then, Steinski is the original go-to guy for cut 'n' paste masterpieces, so perhaps that's not too much of a surprise. Whatever - much more Steinski business on this brilliant compilation.


Peter Broderick: Games (Bella Union, 2008)
If there was a users guide to getting yourself deeply nestled in my good books then describing your music as "Acoustic / Folk / Classical" on your Myspace, um, thing would appear at the very top of the first page. Broderick's only 21 and recently moved from his home town of Portland to Copenhagen so he can join his Danish heroes Efterklang. Well, that's the sort of thing you can do when you have youth on your side, isn't it? Anyway, Games is so lovely it makes my legs ache (or maybe they already were aching, I can't remember), it is a little bit Arvo Part and a little bit Fleet Foxes and, frankly, that's good enough for me. Great album too...

This New Record Is Literally Quite Good

Pete Greenwood: Sirens (Heavenly, 2008)
Guitarist with The Loose Salute and Mojave 3 - one of my most favourite pop groups of, oh dear, all time - Pete Greenwood not only writes nice songs, he also has precisely the sort of hair I'd like to have if I could grow my hair like that (though, tbh, I might wash it a bit more). These things are important, I feel. Anyway, this is, literally, quite good (if you like gently thrummed acousto gripe-a-thons anything like as much as I do). I imagine Pete living in a farmhouse somewhere, smoking Golden Virginia (or perhaps Drum), drinking cider and sitting round open fires a lot contemplating stuff. Nice "work" if you can get it. Anyway, his album is also called Sirens and it's out in July. It doesn't exist on the internet yet, so here's some Homeric sirens and here's some more Pete.

At Last! Some New Music...

Brendan Campbell: Comets (Everybody's Records, 2008)
He's from Glasgow, he has nice hair (this would be a good look for Scrap, I think) and his voice belongs in the small box marked: Literally, Quite Good. This isn't the single - I wasn't much taken with that - but sits, with a resigned look on its face, somewhere on what used to be known as "the b-side", but is now, actually, just the same side. It's out in June, but it doesn't really exist on the intertwonk yet. Sorry.


Lord Skywave: Slow Movement (From Trio For Oboe, Piano And Flute) (This Is Music, 2008)
Simon Lord used to be in Simian. His new record is rather good. He uses a synth his Dad built in the 70s and samples some (rather beautiful) music his grandmother recorded (I'm guessing) in the 50s. This sort of inter-generational creativity makes me feel good inside. It's out in June too - and also doesn't figure much on the 'tweb yet. Ahead of the pop-cultural curve, that's Landcroft House.

Hello Old Thing, Hello New Thing: 28

Eddie Bo: Check Your Bucket (Bo Sound, 1970)
The record reveals its beauty in many ways. It starts out like a fairly standard - if supernaturally heavy - funk 7" of 1970, but then, within moments, it's shifting melodic gears and transplanting a whole new bridge right there before the chorus. This is brave and unusual. Then Bo starts singing and this incredible thing emerges. "Everybody needs a love-bucket like mine," he exclaims. And he's right. I'd never even considered my needs vis-à-vis the whole love-bucket thing before, but now it's utterly plain and simple and wonderful. "For the goody love bucket is so doggone hard to find..." It is though, isn't it? I think there's a vaguely sexist undercurrent to this whole "love-bucket" concept, but this is neither the time - nor the place - to go into it. Suffice to say, this is a brilliant record that sits neatly among many, many other brilliant records (and a couple of not so brilliant ones) on this.


Attack In Black: Young Leaves (Hassle, 2008)
Oh yeah, you know me, I love a bit of pank rack, innit? I like this for the following reasons. It has a nice "tune". It sounds a bit like Buffalo Tom. And Lemonheads. And - oh dear - it reminds me a trifle of this, a fact which doesn't say a lot for my emotional development or popular music in general. But there you go. Anyway, Ver 'Tack are from Canada and are signed to the same label as - *gulps* - Cancer Bats. I stole this from their new record (word to the wise - this is the best track)

This Record Is Quite Nice, Actually: 8

Vetivier: Road To Ronderlin (Fat Cat Records, 2008)
This is ripped wholesale from Ver Ver's new album (WARNING: Pitchfork link) which landed on my desk yesterday and has been played four times already. All the details you'll ever need are in that link - but what's really important is how great it is. And it's really great. I was going to post their cover of Hawkwind's Hurry On Sundown which is from the very top of the top drawer, but then I plumped for this, a cover of Iain Matthews Out Of Fairport Convention's song what he wrote for Matthews' Southern Comfort. Basically, it's a lovely song and Vetiver do it with the requisite amazingness. Which is good of them, isn't it?