Listening Post – July 2020

Words: Andy Hughes

That’s June out of the way then? It’s been a mad couple of months and an even stranger year. To help ease matters somewhat and perhaps take your mind off things for an hour, we’ve put together another NEW monthly playlist for your aural pleasure. 20 tunes, old and new – Listen to it here or via that handy little playlist below. Why not give it a like and a share too!

One thing to note before you tuck in. As we’ve seen posted elsewhere, remember: Black lives still matter even if your feed is back to normal. There’s more learning to be done.

*UPDATE – Our playlist only sticks about for ONE MONTH before we move on. No regrets. You can listen to the latest playlist below!*

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Jockstrap – The City
(Wicked City)

I was drawn into this by the artwork and given the name of the band, one wouldn’t be too off the mark to think this would be some hardcore or metal release, right? Way off. Very much a tale of two halves, the song starts on a stop you in your tracks solo vocal performance from Georgia Ellery with just a piano backing, before the eccie kicks in and you’re sent completely off track into harsh, headspinning electronics with warped voices coming from each direction. Maybe you’re on a bad one? We had this on the other morning and my partner had to turn it off, having forgotten about the second half…

Max Bloom – To Be Alone
(Perfume)

When we spoke with Max Bloom about his debut solo album, he talked of ‘Mind Games‘ and post-Beatles solo efforts as listening points and influences. Funnily enough, first listen to ‘Perfume‘ and my thoughts went right to the solo work of John Lennon – opener ‘To Be Alone‘ sounds very Lennon in its grand style and instrumentation.

Public Practice – Compromised
(Gentle Grip)

In all the excitement of COVID-19, I completely forgot cucumber cool NYC outfit Public Practice were releasing their debut album! We were all over ‘Distance is a Mirror‘ at the start of last year, so it was a more than welcome discovery. ‘Compromised‘ is hella catchy and loads of fun, with a rock hard chorus.

Priests – Appropriate
(Nothing Feels Natural)

More on COVID-19 and i’ve been leafing through the record collection a lot as of late (and adding to it at a worrying rate…) ‘Nothing Feels Natural‘ was given another spin and mate, it more than stands up. ‘Appropriate‘ is just as thrilling as the first time I heard it, with a pulverising rhythm and a no-fucks-given vocal performance from vocalist Katie Alice Greer. Solid.

(Photo Credit: Chan Kim)

Caroline – Dark Blue
(Dark Blue)

New Rough Trade signees Caroline are still a bit of a mystery, with ‘Dark Blue‘ out at the start of this year being the first I heard of them with not much movement since (though more is apparently on the way). Starting out as a trio, the London based band – having spent a year and a half playing in private without a name – soon evolved and expanded their numbers before playing their debut show as Caroline in 2018. ‘Dark Blue‘ is an incredibly moving piece of music, citing influences from classical to midwestern emo.

Clarence Carter – Slip Away
(This Is Clarence Carter)

Full disclosure, I first discovered Clarence Carter via the hilarious and incredibly NSFW song ‘Strokin‘ (I suggest you give that a listen, whilst we’re here…) Having worked my way back to find the good stuff, ‘Slip Away‘ is a fantastic 60’s cut, featuring his delectably soulful voice that is enough to tug at the heartstrings.

Steve Lacy – Playground
(Apollo XXI)

Mesmerising, sun-soaked drop of hypnotic goodness from Steve Lacy. I kept seeing Lacy’s name pop up again and again – a Thundercat collab here, a Vampire Weekend collab there – but only recently got onto his solo debut. It’s no surprise to learn he’s Thundercat’s mate and that definitely comes across on ‘Playground‘, a proper funky bop.

POZI – The Nightmare
(176)

More on point unhinged post-punk from LDN trio POZI, with violinist Rosa Brook stealing the show with her infectious ‘ooh-ooh’s. Taken from an EP out this month named after a London bus route. Like it.

Cafe Racer – Zenith
(Shadow Talk)

A new discovery for us from the label that brought us the Stuck debut we talked about last month. On ‘Zenith‘, fellow Chicago bods Cafe Racer remind us of Corridor and Rolling Blackouts Coastal Fever in that sort of sun-soaked, jangly post-punk that moves at a clip.

XTC – Love At First Sight
(Black Sea)

No word of a lie, i’ve been smashing this album relentlessly over the past few months. Loved putting together a catchy chorus those XTC lads.

Fucked Up – Dose Your Dreams
(Dose Your Dreams)

As highlighted in our recent interview, Jade Hairpins (Jonah Falco and Mike Haliechuk of Fucked Up) “evolved from an impulse” during the creation of the ‘Dose Your Dreams‘ album. Listening back to the title track, it definitely comes across. Love the video on this one too, Falco and Haliechuk bopping about in various guises.

Gang Of Four – Love Like Anthrax
(Entertainment!)

B-Side to ‘Damaged Goods‘ and closer from their seminal debut album, ‘Love Like Anthrax‘ comes into being following a lengthy stab of screeching and whirring feedback, the late Andy Gill working his guitar chops against that hypnotic bass part.

(Photo Credit: Guy Bolongaro)

Falle Nioke/Ghost Culture – Loneliness
(Youkounkoun)

Mega dance effort from Falle Nioke and Ghost Culture. At times it sounds like the soundtrack to Tekken 2, at others it calls to mind that amazing Goatman album on Rocket Recordings we were so fond of a few years back. Nioke is a singer/percussionist from Guinea Conakry, West Africa, mixing it up with Ghost Culture, whose self titled LP was received very favourably back in 2015.

LA Priest – Rubber Sky
(GENE)

More in the dance stakes here from LA Priest, with ‘Rubber Sky‘ wasting little time moving from hazy, bleary-eyed wonky-pop to arse-shaking funk and anthemic dance, similar in a way to that last Unknown Mortal Orchestra record.

Primo! – Perfect Paper
(Sogni)

From a record put together across various home studios throughout Melbourne, Primo! are relatively new to me, though their numbers include 2/4 of Aussie favourites Terry and you can find them on tastemaker label Upset The Rhythm. That’s a thumbs up from us even before hearing their bright and breezy take on post-punk.

Vintage Crop – Gridlock
(Serve To Serve Again)

More from Australia and Upset The Rhythm now with the introduction of Vintage Crop. Snarling rapid paced post-punk similar to another new discovery this year – our favourites, Aussie post-punk outfit GONZO. As GONZO haven’t had an album out since 2019, this will do for the foreseeable!

Narrow Head – Night Tryst
(12th House Rock)

Alright cool, so maybe Narrow Head have been listening to a lot of early Smashing Pumpkins (hammering ‘Jellybelly‘ again and again), but ‘Night Tryst‘ still makes for an absolute ripper of a throwback. New LP out on Holy Roar later this year!

Widowspeak – Money
(Plum)

Hypnotising stuff from songwriting pair Molly Hamilton and Robert Earl Thomas, a.k.a. Widowspeak. Take one look at the duo and you’ll get a flavour for why ‘Money‘, latest single from their forthcoming fifth album, sounds so warm and throwback in its production.

Fenne Lily – Alapathy
(BREACH)

A new discovery following our recent review of the new Phoebe Bridgers record. Fenne Lily’s second album comes out on the same label (Dead Oceans), similar in that moving at a pace vibe expertly executed by Rolling Blackouts/Cafe Racer, completed with that vocal that raises hairs on the back of your neck. Proper catchy.

Lianne La Havas – Bittersweet
(Lianne La Havas)

Having popped back up on our radar via her recently released Radiohead cover (‘Weird Fishes‘), ‘Bittersweet‘ is the first new material in five years from La Havas and the opener from her forthcoming record. A delight to have her back, the single showcases that powerful soulful voice we fell for way back when.

Like what you see? Why not stick around and check out the other articles and interviews!
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Listening Post – May 2020

Words: Andy Hughes

Another month is it? Such lines are becoming blurred – one bank holiday after another, shambolic government briefings on heavy rotation… Familiarity can have its upsides however, and with a new month comes a new Birthday Cake For Breakfast playlist! Heavy and hard, light and soft, with everything in between. Get it listened to, kid!

*UPDATE – Our playlist only sticks about for ONE MONTH before we move on. No regrets. You can listen to the latest playlist below!*

Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs – World Crust
(Viscerals)

MAKE ENDS MEET! Mega riff-fest off the new album from our favourite hogs, ‘World Crust‘ is a brutal thrash effort that gets the heart pumping. Top performance from vocalist Baty.

Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs recently talked us through influences and inspirations – From Oh Sees to The Stooges – Check it out here!

Thundercat – I Love Louis Cole
(It Is What It Is)

I remember actually laughing out loud when I first heard the drumming on this. It’s the same reaction I had when I first heard ‘Raw Optics’ from Oh Sees ‘Orc‘, with its mid-song drum-off that seemed to last forever. More wonderful stuff from the mind of Thundercat.

Anna Burch – Keep It Warm
(If You’re Dreaming)

2018 debut ‘Quit The Curse‘ was (and still is) a personal favourite and I love the work of Anna Burch. Lead single ‘Not So Bad‘ off her latest album was a wonderful return, but it’s this angelic mid-album instrumental that struck a chord. A heart-stopping delight.

Jade Hairpins – (Don’t Break My) Devotion
(Harmony Avenue)

Another smasher of a single from LDN quartet Jade Hairpins, featuring two bods from Canadian punks Fucked Up! Very much giving us LCD Soundsystem vibes on the regular, this is a sun-soaked danc-a-thon, make no mistake.

Jade Hairpins recently talked us through influences and inspirations – From Miles Davis to Toy Love – Check it out here!

Prince – Mountains
(Parade – Music from the Motion Picture Under the Cherry Moon)

I find with artists like Prince, Bowie, Dylan and the like, they have so much in their back catalogues that even if you’re a fan of their work, there’s so much uncovered material. That being said, I can’t believe i’d not heard ‘Mountains‘ until recently… Thanks to Jon-Lee of Then Thickens, i’m absolutely hooked on this record. ‘Mountains‘ is a total bop!

SAVAK – Vis-A-Vis
(Rotting Teeth in the Horse’s Mouth)

Opener from the new SAVAK record – as rightly pointed out by our Nate in reviewing the record, there are harsh moments throughout, “but above all there’s a strong pop sensibility, lots of warmth and sweetness“. ‘Vis-A-Vis‘ was an unexpected treat having heard the jagged post-punk hit of ‘It’s Mutual‘, a really good, infectious bit of kit.

SAVAK recently talked us through influences and inspirations – From One Last Wish to Young Marble Giants – Check it out here!

Public Body – Naughty On My Bike

Another anthemic delight from one of our favourite rising post-punk outfits, waxing on about getting about without public transport. No choice now anyhoo, lads (unless you want to get caught up with Coronavirus…)

The Beta Band – Dry The Rain
(The Three E.P.’s)

On more than one occasion this lockdown, my partner has unknowingly recreated the Beta Band scene from ‘High Fidelity’. The soundtrack to many an afternoon getting absolutely melted in the back garden.

(Photo Credit: Kevin Cummins)

New Order – Your Silent Face
(Power Corruption and Lies)

Picked up on as part of the wonderful listening parties taking over on Twitter from that Tim Burgess, this early New Order number never registered much for me as I could never get much further than ‘We All Stand‘ on this album, which knocks your enjoyment west somewhat. ‘Your Silent Face‘ is completely different however, with an incredibly captivating instrumental throughout. Love ’em.

Pottery – Hot Like Jungle
(Welcome to Bobby’s Motel)

No strangers to being a real bunch of smoothies, Canadian outfit Pottery tug at the heartstrings with this swell wonky love song from their forthcoming album ‘Welcome to Bobby’s Motel‘. I’ve got it on good authority that the album is a ripper – Keep an ear out.

Squid – Sludge

New single from SQUID having signed to WARP, it took a minute for us to get on board with it following the likes of instant smashers ‘The Cleaner‘ and ‘Match Bet‘, but it’s now stuck entirely in my head. Leaning heavily into their various influences, it’s another indicator that there’s something special cooking up with this lot.

Viagra Boys – Lick The Bag
(Common Sense)

“…BAG!” Viagra Boys surprised us recently with the release of a new EP, particularly with the title track – an “anthemic 80’s sounding pop jam“. ‘Lick The Bag‘ is more like it – grim tales of debauchery and being a bit of a scuzz ball. We’ve all been there though, right?

The Modern Lovers – I’m Straight
(The Modern Lovers)

Absolutely love the vocal of Jonathan Richman on this, tossing and turning between angst and confidence, completely lovelorn and green with jealous rage. “I’m certainly not stoned“.

Jeffrey Lewis – LPs
(Bad Wiring)

One that used to be all over Marc Riley’s show on 6 Music late last year, this very telling tale of devotion from NYC anti-folk artist Jeffrey Lewis is super infectious and slightly concerning if you’ve fallen into a vinyl buying habit like myself…

Tall Ships – Murmurations
(Everything Touching)

Caught me out a few times when i’ve been out and about – Do not adjust your set! I’ve been picking out records from the past during this lockdown and very much enjoyed working through ‘Everything Touching‘ again, having been mildly obsessed with Tall Ships a number of years back. Euphoric ending.

(Photo Credit: Andy Watson)

God Damn – Wattershed

“F*ck it, anything (musically) goes in these mad times.” So said one of our favourite noisy outfits, GOD DAMN, on releasing a cover of Foo Fighters at their gnarliest. ‘Wattershed‘ suits the Black Country outfit down to the ground, with them coming at it rough and ready from their lock-up. It also celebrates the record being 25 years old (what!)

Ian Dury – Razzle In My Pocket
(Sex & Drugs & Rock & Roll)

Listening to a lot of Ian Dury this lockdown. It still seems odd to cotton onto an artist having gotten into them via their kid (maybe i’ll start listening to Albert Hammond next?) If you like the idea of Baxter Dury in a pub-rock, cheeky-chappie role, his Dad is the best bet. ‘Razzle In My Pocket‘ is a great little wink-to-the-camera story.

Andy Shauf – Things I Do
(The Neon Skyline)

From an exceedingly pleasant album out earlier this year, Shauf and his Paul Simon-esque vocals hit on incredibly catchy territory with ‘Things I Do‘. This record perfectly paired with an evening where we had the fire blazing in the garden recently (no way of writing that without sounding like a fudd).

Ganser – Bad Form
(Just Look at That Sky)

Stonking bit of scratchy guitar post-punk out of Chicago, reminding us very much of D.C. band PRIESTS. From their forthcoming new album ‘Just Look at That Sky‘, we’ve been really digging ‘Bad Form‘ and new single ‘Lucky‘, very much whetting our appetite for this kind of thing.

MAITA – Can’t Blame A Kid
(Best Wishes)

Another new discovery for us, MAITA hypnotised us with this heart-swelling single from their debut album ‘Best Wishes‘. Based out of Portland, Oregon, their debut LP arrived this month via Kill Rock Stars – Once home to the likes of Elliott Smith and ‪Sleater-Kinney. Great company indeed and the label have clearly got a knack for picking ’em, with ‘Can’t Blame A Kid‘ being an instant favourite.

MAITA recently talked us through influences and inspirations – From Big Thief to Nirvana – Check it out here!

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Hey, have you heard about…Ganser

Words: Andy Hughes

Whilst at all times we try our damndest here at Birthday Cake For Breakfast to avoid sounding like a broken record, we have found on occasion that we fall into familiar territory – if we’re not bigging up bands from Leeds here in the UK, we’re bigging up bands from Chicago over there in the US of America.

Today we’re drifting through familiar territory, shining the spotlight on another Chicago outfit – post-punk quartet Ganser – new to us this past week with the announcement of their forthcoming second album.

New single ‘Lucky‘ – the video of which is below, directed by the band – pricked up our ears with its post-punk stomp, scratchy guitars and the bite of its vocals, shared between Nadia Garofalo (keyboards) and Alicia Gaines (bass). There’s a bit of Romeo Void in there, but most of all they remind us of Brooklyn’s PILL (RIP) and DC no-wave outfit Priests (before they went a bit shit…)

Off the back of their 2018 debut LP ‘Odd Talk‘ and having previously shared stages with the likes of Daughters and Oh Sees, the future sees them release new album ‘Just Look at That Sky‘ (out July 31st), following the news that they’ve just signed to Felte Records! If you’re eager to hear more, you can also hear ‘Bad Form‘ in our latest monthly playlist – newly remastered by Barry Grint (Buzzcocks, King Krule) to appear on their new record!

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Editor’s Picks: Top 50 songs of 2019 – Part One

2019 eh? You’d laugh if you weren’t too busy crying… Bloody good year for music though.

Throughout the past 12 months we’ve been cracking on with uncovering new music, a keen ear amongst our contributors for anything and everything new and exciting. From a personal standpoint, I’ve probably purchased more new vinyl this year than any other (just the ticket when you’re about to move house…)

With it being the end of the year, we’ve joined the long list of your other favourite websites to compile the best songs released this year. 50 songs sounds like a lot to work with until you have to compile said list. With that in mind, honourable mentions and shout outs must go to a number of artists and singles that have been on our radar and in our playlists throughout the year.

From the METZ reissue of ‘Pure Auto‘ to various songs from Mac DeMarco’s latest album ‘Here Comes The Cowboy‘, Show Me The Body’s raging ‘Camp Orchestra‘ to the mega dance number from Stealing Sheep in ‘Jokin’ Me‘. Then there’s Demob Happy’s ‘Less Is More’, False Advertising’s ‘You Won’t Feel Love‘, Grey Hairs‘ ‘Hydropona‘, Claw The Thin Ice’s ‘Tropic of Cancer‘ and ‘Looking For The Cure‘ from William The Conqueror. All great tunes, not enough space.

Here’s the first of two parts featuring a list of the 50 best songs released this year – in my personal opinion, the person who puts all this together. In alphabetical order mind you, as things are complicated enough as it is don’t you think?

Aiming For Enrike – Hard Dance Brainia
(Music For Working Out)

Where else to start than with experimental instrumental duo Aiming For Enrike out of Norway. An invigorating burst of dance-floor ready math-rock that builds and builds to a joyful climax. Almost as good as their live show.

Aiming For Enrike talked us through their 2019 musical highlights as part of our What’s On Michael Portillo’s iPod feature – Check out their picks here.

B Boys – Pressure Inside
(Dudu)

A song that’s been on constant rotation from an album that has been listened to at least once a week since release (and then a month or two prior to that thanks to our review stream!) This trio of New Yorkers gripped me like no others this year – potential contender for best single of 2019!

Bike Thiefs – Hockey Dad

Toronto trio Bike Thiefs came new to us this year with the captivating ‘Hockey Dad‘ and its stream of consciousness vocals against scrappy instrumentation. At the time we suggested it’s in the ballpark of Flat Worms and Parquet Courts and we’re still feeling that comparison.

Blood Wizard – Carcrash

The solo project of Cai from Kagoule, it’s no surprise that he hits the ground running with a song that already sounds like a bit of a classic. A sun-soaked jam out in November, but still one to enjoy in the colder months.

BODEGA – Domesticated Animal
(Shiny New Model)

Another cucumber cool bopper from NY art-punks BODEGA. A chorus that reminds me of the sort of team spirit mantra you might hear from a cheerleader outfit, it continues the great BODEGA tradition of being ludicrously catchy (as is everything else this lot put out).

Vocalist Ben talked us through his 2019 musical highlights as part of our What’s On Michael Portillo’s iPod feature – Check out his picks here.

Alex Cameron – Stepdad
(Miami Memory)

There were shades of it on last album ‘Forced Witness‘ and now with ‘Miami Memory’, Aussie songwriter Alex Cameron is blurring the line of comedic artist who pens a good tune to bona fide pop star. ‘Stepdad‘ is bleak at times but the bombastic instrumentation and Cameron’s knack for an earworm chorus mean it’s one to triumphantly sing along to.

We had the pleasure of interviewing Alex Cameron earlier this year – Check it out for yourself here.

The Chats – Pub Feed

“MEDIUM WELL!” Snotty Aussie punk that’s as catchy as it is daft. A song about smashing your tea at the local pub, what’s wrong with that?

Corridor – Domino
(Junior)

From their Sub Pop debut (the first francophone act for the prestigious label), Montreal outfit Corridor put out this sun-soaked 60’s sounding jam in the second half of the year and we’ve been hooked ever since. Following a lengthy hypnotising stretch in the middle, they expertly drop you back in with that swell hook in head-spinning fashion.

Crack Cloud – The Next Fix
(Pain Olympics)

In typical Crack Cloud fashion, fuck knows what’s happening with this (is it on an album coming out?!) They get weirder and more engaging as they go on and latest single ‘The Next Fix‘ is no exception. Follow up, Part Two of the Pain Olympics series (‘Crackin Up‘) is just as brilliant; the Canadian ‘multimedia collective’ remain one of the most exciting acts knocking about today.

Richard Dawson – Two Halves
(2020)

‘Jogging‘ first grabbed our attention back in August, a hilariously bleak lengthy saga of someone struggling with anxiety from the little moments in life. It would have been included here had it not been for follow up single ‘Two Halves‘. A wonderfully captivating tale of what one assumes is a children’s football match and all its highs and lows and levels of incompetence. I laugh every time I hear a defeated Dawson sing “I am inconsolable” but the line “Stop fannying around, keep it nice and simple. You’re not Lionel Messi, just pass the bloody ball” is one of the best from an album full of terrific lines.

Deliluh – Lickspittle (A Nut In The Paste)
(Beneath The Floors)

I’ve been listening to this record a lot while walking round the local park – big fan. First single ‘Lickspittle (A Nut In The Paste)‘ packs in a lot of influences but all at once sounds fresh and new.

Vocalist Kyle talked us through his 2019 musical highlights as part of our What’s On Michael Portillo’s iPod feature – Check out his picks here.

Die! Die! Die! – Casualties of Decades
(O)

Crunchy as hell new single out mid-year from New Zealand punk leg-ends Die! Die! Die! From a new four-track EP, the first new material written with returning bassist Lachlan Anderson, ‘Casualties of Decades‘ is absolutely pummelling and the band sound as vital now as they might have ten years ago.

We spoke with 2/3 of Die! Die! Die! around the release of their new EP, which you can read here and here.

Dinosaur Pile-Up – Thrash Metal Cassette
(Celebrity Mansions)

Dinosaur Pile-Up sure know how to write a raging lead single don’t they? A few year’s back they did it via the crushing ‘11:11‘ for the album (get this) ‘Eleven Eleven‘ and in 2019 they’ve once again knocked it out of the park with ‘Celebrity Mansions‘ lead single ‘Thrash Metal Cassette‘. Bigland and co. give a nod to their thrash heroes in throat-shredding fashion whilst still sticking to the DPU hallmarks of a dynamite singalong chorus.

Baxter Dury – Slumlord
(The Night Chancers)

Very much a continuation of the sounds heard on last album ‘Prince of Tears‘ (a firm favourite following its 2017 release), Dury thrives in his character based showboating, bigging ones self up with a horrid, dingy undercurrent. As ever, the female vocal is the key here and sounds splendid in contrast to the crumbling bravado of Baxter.

Field Music – Money Is A Memory
(Making A New World)

From the album ‘Making A New World’ due out in early January – one which evolved from two very special live performances at Imperial War Museum’s Salford and London – ‘Money Is A Memory‘ is a funky romp that tells the tale of an office worker in the German Treasury working on the final instalment of reparation debts made in 2010, some 91 years after the Treaty of Versailles was signed… The brothers Brewis strike gold once again.

Flat Worms – Into The Iris
(Into The Iris)

Fuzz attack from California trio Flat Worms – That deadpan vocal still tickles our fancy and the raging closing stretch is perfect. What else would you expect from these three?

The Futureheads – Electric Shock
(Powers)

A favourite band returned in 2019, recharged and revitalised following a hiatus. A new album followed and was everything we’d hoped for, with ‘Electric Shock‘ being a delight tucked into the middle of the record. I’m a huge Barry Hyde fan and his vocal performance here is superb – filled with such emotion (for what was apparently a mishap in the kitchen!) The shouts of bassist Jaff and guitarist Ross in the chorus get the hairs standing to attention every time it’s played. Rager!

We had the pleasure of interviewing The Futureheads after all these years away – read that here.

Gauche – Flash
(A People’s History of Gauche)

Genius move from Gauche – combining my favourite aspects from two great post-punk bands (Daniele Yandel of Priests and Mary Jane Regalado of Downtown Boys) and forming a DC supergroup of sorts. In ‘Flash‘ we have a really vibrant, groovy dance-a-thon with arse-shaking in mind.

Girl Band – Shoulderblades
(The Talkies)

I remember hearing this for the first time and being completely stuck to the spot for its six minute duration. I then had it on whilst I was cycling and was so hypnotised I’m surprised I didn’t come off… An incredibly energising yet unsettling piece of music from Irish noise outfit Girl Band.

Grotbags – Big Baby
(Grotbags)

From the best Manchester boy band (with a female member), ‘Big Baby‘ tells the tale of a black pudding eating, triple-XL sized infant and is absolutely hilarious. The only issue is that i’ve lisened to it so much that it’s almost gone past the point of ‘hahaha, this is dead funny, this‘ to unconsciously singing it during the day. The new album is a peach and is already my favourite album of 2020.

Guest Singer – New Experience
(I’m Irrelevant Now)

Guest Singer a.k.a. Jake Cope really reminds me of Alex Cameron. Not so much in appearance or the Aussie’s treading the ‘is this a piss-take?’ line, more-so in producing moody 80’s sounding synth-pop ragers that sound timeless. ‘New Experience‘ was the debut Guest Singer single released at the start of the year and was very much a hit the ground running moment for Jake and co.

Guest Singer answered a host of daft questions for us as part of our a/s/l feature – Get your chops round that here!

The Hecks – Flash
(My Star)

More 80’s vibes from Chicago outfit The Hecks, a band whose new album ‘My Star‘ has wormed its way into one of our favourites released this year. At the time of first hearing them, we described The Hecks sound as “quirky pop in an accessible, ludicrously catchy way similar to the likes of Flasher and Trouble In Mind alumni OMNI“. Listen to the closing stretch of ‘Flash‘ – A stroke of throwback, prog-y genius.

International Teachers of Pop – I Stole Yer Plimsoles

Featuring the great Jason Williamson of Sleaford Mods, ‘I Stole Yer Plimsoles‘ is the latest arse-shaker from International Teachers of Pop, following the release of their debut album earlier this year. A massive pop tune, it sounds like the sort of thing you might have heard on the radio between the likes of ‘I’m Horny‘ or something from Madison Avenue back in the day.

ITOP Button-presser and knob-twitcher Adrian Flanagan talked us through his 2019 musical highlights as part of our What’s On Michael Portillo’s iPod feature – Check out his picks here.

Julia Jacklin – Pressure To Party
(Crushing)

Australian artist Julia Jacklin captured my heart earlier this year with the release of the wonderful ‘Pressure To Party‘ and the album that followed is a delight. Joyous instrumentation contrasts an almost cracking vocal as she sings of things one might be forced to do post-break up.

KAPUTT – Accordion
(Carnage Hall)

In our End of Year ‘What’s on Michael Portillo’s iPod‘ feature, Freddy of Leeds noise outfit THANK mentioned David Byrne when talking about Glaswegian outfit KAPUTT and I’ve not been able to shift it when listening to them. “FORWARD, FORWARD, I’m always looking FORWARD” sounds like something you might’ve heard during any Talking Heads period. ‘Accordion‘ is a banging little post-punk number from their debut on tastemaking label Upset The Rhythm.

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For those sorts who don’t read, you can listen to all of the above (and the forthcoming PART TWO) in our handy Spotify playlist here!

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Album Review: Priests – The Seduction of Kansas

Words: Patrick Glen

The press bumf for this album makes it seem like Priests are an isolated anomaly that undermines how they are an important node in a network of DIY ethics and practice. The D.C. post-punk band have been around a while and on this album, Daniele Daniele, Katie Alice Greer and G.L. Jaguar are joined by Janel Leppin, John Congleton (the album’s producer) and Alexandra Tyson. This is maybe their best album and it is timely in terms of its political stance.

Two general points before we get in to the meaty business of me writing leaden descriptions of the songs with spurious comparisons to acts in the post-punk canon to entice you to investigate. First, this is a highly intelligent, conceptually sophisticated and well-thought out response to the current political situation in the US. It’s a droll expose of both the structural and personal dynamics of the problems that Priests face from, I imagine, both real, imagined and fantastic or poetically embellished perspectives. Priests show how some of the most perceptive political commentary from across the North Atlantic comes from its musical underground. With American politics hamstrung by economic inequality, fascism, vested interest, institutional sexism and racism, and fear, ‘The Seduction of Kansas’ could be the danceable soundtrack of the resistance – the Bernies and the AOCs with synths and guitars.

You could say it is a story of power, corruption and lies… which leads me to my second point… the influence of New Order is all over this – in a good way and maybe it wasn’t intentional. As a Mancunian, it brings up an interesting quandary, at least interesting to me: having encountered more ardent New Order fans and musicians outside of Manchester/Britain or at least coming from places overseas, what is it that ensures their enduring worldwide influence over fans and creators of post-punk and indie music? My theory has been that New Order sound great but their lyrics were often so embarrassing and boring that they play better to those not exposed to frequent interactions with (or local knowledge of) Barney and Hooky, non-native English speakers or those who can’t readily understand the Manchester monotone.

To borrow from the sentence structure of 1950s advertising: Priests have provided the solution for the thinking New Order fan! And I am not diminishing their originality here, they are just part of a broader post-punk with electronic inflections musical formation on which New Order weigh heavily. So now why the fuck would you, cash-strapped reader, spend a chunk of your hard-earned wages – or if you are one of our capitalist overlords, misappropriated cash from gambling on priced but priceless art or extorting people who need the medicines that you bought the rights to – to see live or purchase a recording of the almost-corpse of New Order (+ a bassist and maybe celebrity egg, Billy Corgan) or that career arsehole Hooky (+ a band) spray aural diarrhoea when you can hear the real thing but with significantly more interesting content? Hooky, your days in the Cheshire set are numbered. I hope. Dick.

It’s rare to mention the last song on an album first, but ‘Texas Instruments’ (yeah, they made your calculator for GCSE maths) is a prime cut of ‘Power, Corruption & Lies‘-era New Order and could be the best album-closer that I’ve heard in ages. Behind the Barney-like nonsense refrain of ‘give us the sound and give us the silence’, it’s an expose and exploration of the racial politics and history of Texas with one eye on the birth of the military-industrial complex: the continuum of westward expansion to Chaney. In a perfect world this would be huge. ‘Good Time Charlie’ is another The Seduction of Kansas track that would not be out of place on a classic New Order album.

‘Jesus’ Son’ has a similar sense of foreboding and paranoia – mixing the psychological (psychotic delusion) and the social (the effects of political nihilism). While cryptic, it seems to be about a character with a dangerous God-complex. He sports a ‘mushroom cloud tattoo’ which within the context of the American religious right’s faustian pact with the alt-right is chilling. While writing this review, I have spent the last week in Tennessee, Mississippi and Louisiana. It’s slowly dawned on me that this topic is not just artistic fancy or a resonance to empty rhetoric: I have been told, mainly by taxi drivers, that the NHS takes my freedom (to what? To die in abject misery? I’m fine with losing that) Germans are leaving for Russia due to Muslims, that Chemtrails are real, that I will be “murdered by blacks” if I do not carry a gun and that, through 5G networks, China are going to control my brain. They often then boast of owning assault rifles. The song has slightly more dissonant guitar than others have on the album and evokes Au Pairs or Delta 5 a little. ‘YouTube Sartre’ is a more low-key exploration and song, if with some similarities. Capitalism and/is schizophrenia, it’s part of its arsenal of exploitation.

The back-end of what would, I expect, be Side A of the 12” is another significant and sustained highlight. ‘The Seduction of Kansas’ is philosophical and perhaps psephological dancefloor post-punk. It takes a descending bassline, maybe a note’s difference from the ESG classic ‘UFO’, and adds a more pop 80s synth, drum machine and swirling stereo-panned delay-modulated guitar. The song lists restaurants and interrogates the culture of the electorally-vital bellwether states. ‘I’m Clean’ sounds like a coldwave Bowie, with the guitars from the Joy Division song ‘Shadowplay’ through the Runaways’ ‘Cherry Bomb’ attitude. The song surveys desire and the divisions between normative and alternative femininities like Joan Jett with a PhD in Gender Studies. It makes inroads into the politics of women’s personal agency under the patriarchy’s simultaneously dirty and judgemental gaze. ‘Tempting you with Turkish delight just to make you see the difference inside’, is the type of tongue-in-cheek, high risk of being wanky lyric that they pull off with wit and levity. Then ‘Ice Cream’ is a tasty revamp of the Raincoats and Delta 5-style gang vocals that swells with the type of vocal effects that were the domain of experimental music until about ten years.

Listen to the album and see them on their upcoming tour. They’re playing YES on May 13th. If you did not get the gist: I rate this album.

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Flasher share fourth wall breaking video for ‘Material’ ahead of EU Tour

(Photo credit: Amy Breesman)

Having discovered that Washington, DC, outfit Flasher featured former Priests bod Taylor Mulitz on guitar, I knew right away we were in good hands. Not quite the often in-your-face punk output from his former band, along with drummer Emma Baker and bassist Daniel Saperstein, Flasher offers up a slightly cleaner sound, riding a groovy post-punk wave with the occasional dip into shoegaze.

Ahead of a run of shows over here – their first ever UK shows (including a support slot for Parquet Courts in London – Full list of dates here) – they’ve just put out a fourth wall breaking new video for the wunderbar single ‘Material’. Directed by Nick Roney, it feels like a softer Tim and Eric on occasion, taking a humorous stance on all the pimple popping videos, Illuminati theories and other laborious shite that Youtube and other streaming sites have become. Tune is a ripper though!

‘Material’ is taken from their debut LP ‘Constant Image’ released a few months back, produced by Nicolas Vernhes (Animal Collective, Deerhunter, War On Drugs). A cracking bit of kit, it’s one we’ve played to death the past couple of months!

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Live Review: Priests and Downtown Boys at The Deaf Institute in Manchester 20 October 2017

The last time Priests were up North, their headline show at Gullivers in Manchester’s Northern Quarter was overshadowed somewhat. Tragic events the night before at Manchester Arena had the whole city shook, but there was perseverance amongst the locals that meant life moved on and shows throughout the city the night after – including Priests – went ahead. They announced back then that a return to Manchester was on the cards and, true to their word, a date was set for October.

Kicking off their big night at The Deaf Institute, Priests had enlisted solo artist No Home, who I’d been told to arrive early for. With a number of small releases under her belt, what we have in No Home is someone up on stage on her tod, letting it all hang out. The type of thing that stops you in your tracks. She extended her gratitude to both Priests and Downtown Boys for allowing her out on shows with them, and for getting her out to perform in front of the Mancunian audience. All the way from Darn Sarf (which she mentioned with a nod to maybe grabbing some merch because of the fact), her room filling vocal was captivating for the early punters in attendance.

Out with the Brits and on with our friends from over the pond, Downtown Boys arrived on a brilliantly arse kicking, thunderous intro. Second song in and the bass player asked for the giant disco ball above our heads to be switched on (the opposite of the drummer in Viet Cong requesting it be turned off when they played many years ago!) With the room in full disco glory, they were joined by Priests guitarist GL Jaguar on their second track as he shouted along into a nearby mic.

Theirs was a tremendously energetic, crowd-pleasing punk sound, with a set full to the brim with super energetic grin-enducers. A particular highlight came in the form of the occasional Roxy Music-esque sax wigouts! In between every song, we were treated to nothing but posi-vibes from vocalist Victoria Ruiz, touching on everything from mental health to, unexpectedly, Manchester’s People’s History Museum, before the quintet launched into another furious, joyous punk banger. Golden boot to them lot.

The introduction for Priests came in the form of a new song, being played for the first time in front of an actual audience we’re told. “Keep it on the DL”. It was soon followed up by the storming, chaotic ‘Appropriate’, album opener from their debut ‘Nothing Feels Natural’ released earlier this year. People were suitably mad for it, particularly the biting, winding outro. Unfortunately, it was around this point that an over-egged GL Jaguar whipped the cable out of his guitar and caused some issues with his setup. Thankfully, intermittent guitar issues were no big deal, given the rock hard rhythm section. In our review back in May, we praised the drumming of Daniele Daniele and she was on strong form once again.

Up front is vocalist KAG, who never seemed to stop, looking likely to jump into the crowd at any minute but halting at the last second every time. Playing a number of belters from that aforementioned debut LP, the stupidly infectious, super funky ‘Suck’ was prematurely halted due to one of those pesky guitar mishaps, much to the chagrin of the bloke behind who loudly announced it as his favourite song. Elsewhere, the blistering, 100mph ‘No Big Bang’ will forever be a highlight of any Priests show, drummer Daniele battering her kit whilst rapid-firing her way through a spoken vocal.

Aside from some awkwardness with a cretin up front who complained he was unable to hear KAG (as she tried to speak in between songs about something quite personal), the congregation gathered for the evening did not let up once, taking on everything the three acts had on offer and wanting more, more more. Priests and Downtown Boys are a better pairing than pizza and beer, so here’s hoping we saw these two mega powers back on these shores together sooner rather than later.

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Top 50 of 2K17 #11 – 20: From Fleet Foxes to The Moonlandingz

If you can Adam-and-believe-it, 2017 is almost a distant memory. We’re flying through the year as the world crumbles to bits. Thank Christ then that there’s been some good music on our journey into destruction! 

Over the past 24 hours, we’ve been painstakingly choosing our favourite singles of the year and after much consideration, here’s our TOP 50 OF 2K17 (but it’s not in order, obviously…)

Mac DeMarco – ‘My Old Man’ (This Old Dog, Captured Tracks)

He’s done it again folks – Mac DeMarco’s gone away, had a think, and come back with a proper winner of a record. One of two lead singles from his latest LP ‘This Old Dog’, this is stripped back, subdued and reflective Mac, retaining that charm of our favourite late 20’s Canadian. Slip this on and slip off your kecks, lads.

Priests – ‘Jj’ (Nothing Feels Natural, Sister Polygon Records)

A sure fire contender for album of the year with their debut LP ‘Nothing Feels Natural’, the cooler-than-cool Washington, DC quartet Priests let loose on ‘Jj’. It’s hard not to get caught up in the wildcat vocal of Katie Alice Greer and the surf-pop swagger of the tune itself. Recommended.

The Moonlandingz – ‘The Strangle Of Anna’ (Interplanetary Class Classics, Transgressive)

Dirtbox Johnny Rocket is up to his old tricks again – complete with fried egg corset (obvs) in this Velvet Underground-esque love song dripping with sleaze. Everyone’s raving about The Moonlandingz these days and with good reason – the tunes are there and the live show is untouchable. Consider ‘The Strangle Of Anna’ as a breather from the chaos (almost…)

The Physics House Band – ‘Calypso‘ (Mercury Fountain, Small Pond)

Taken from their mind-bending new release ‘Mercury Fountain’, The Physics House Band amp up the funky, tripped out math-rock that fans have become accustomed to – and then turn it up to 11. Proper gurning shit this, folks. Brighton’s finest at it again.

Fleet Foxes – ‘Third Of May/Odaigahara’ (Crack-Up, Nonesuch Records Inc.)

Within seconds of hearing this for the first time, I could feel my heart swelling and the hairs rising on the back of my neck. Swept up entirely by the heartbreaking delivery on the vocals, against the luscious sounds created by the quintet. Then it hits that halfway point!

Post War Glamour Girls – ‘Pollyanna Cowgirl’ (Swan Songs, Hide & Seek Records)

A live favourite for sure, ‘Pollyanna Cowgirl’ marks the first appearance from Post War Glamour Girls in this list. A pulsing, enthralling piece of work from the cult Leeds quartet. Favourite part? The backing vocal of drummer Ben Clyde on the chorus. Spine-tingling.

Shaking Chains – ‘Midnight Oil’ 

A hip-shaking, head-bobber of a debut for definite, the song is a sparking wick on a dynamite stick, verging on a chaotic ending at any second. The first single from London/Manchester’s Shaking Chains picked up a lot of attention on its release a few months back. It’s certainly done the trick – they’re supporting cult favourites James this July!

Pulled Apart By Horses – ‘The Big What If’ (The Haze, Caroline International)

A foot-stomping return from our favourites Pulled Apart By Horses is absolutely what the doctor ordered. Taken from their storming new LP ‘The Haze’, it sees the Leeds quartet back at their gnarly, riff-y best. Undeniably catchy chorus on this fucker!

Sweet Baboo – ‘Badminton’ (Wild Imagination, Moshi Moshi Records)

Who knew a song about losing at badminton could evoke such sadness? The luscious, captivating ‘Badminton’ is taken from Sweet Baboo’s latest record ‘Wild Imagination’, one which we called “An ode to the little things and starry eyed views, making a break for it and swollen hearts.”
(You can read all about that here!)

Dutch Uncles – ‘Oh Yeah’ (Big Balloon, Memphis Industries)

Potentially the single of the year, this is Dutch Uncles at their Duncan-dancing best. We called it a 100% dick straightener when it came out, and we stand by that statement still.

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Live Review: Priests at Gullivers in Manchester 23 May 2017

It’s been a funny old week.

There’s no doubt you’ve already heard of the recent tragedy in Manchester, so we won’t press on with the details any further. Whilst it’s not unusual to hear of bombings and terror attacks on a daily basis in our current climate, for us it’s been a bit too close for comfort.

Terror on the doorstep, but with an illogical, heart-wrenching target.

People will tell you that ‘you can’t let them win’ and that ‘you have to live your life’, but it’s difficult when people are being hit in concert venues and places bringing so much joy to so many people, as we’ve seen recently in France and earlier this week with the atrocities at Manchester Arena.

What’s been incredible to see though, in the wake of such a tragedy, is the city of Manchester (and beyond) coming together, not only to honour the fallen but to show a sense of community spirit. There’s been a city wide feeling of not backing down in the face of adversity.

Music has never been so important to Manchester than it is now, which is a bold statement given its hallowed history. Less than 48 hours after the event, promoters across the city made it known that shows would be taking place as scheduled. Broken Social Scene still went ahead at The Albert Hall (with an appearance from local lad Johnny Marr), Homeshake still showed up at Gorilla and even Simple Minds cracked on at Bridgewater Hall.
Up the road at Gullivers in the Northern Quarter, Washington D.C’s Priests made their scheduled stop in Manchester without interruptions.

On arrival at Gullivers, it seemed like any other day of the week. The folk behind the bar were their usual pleasant selves and punters were out in abundance. Upstairs was no different, and it was relieving to know that a lot of people had gotten the memo.

Three quarters of Priests were already on stage as I walked in, with vocalist Katie Alice Greer not far behind. A few premature whoops and hollers were made for her arrival, though she cooly waved them away, commenting “We’re not started yet. Talk among yourselves.”

‘Appropriate’, the opener from their storming debut LP ‘Nothing Feels Natural’ released earlier this year, kicks things off with its heart-pounding opening from drummer Daniele Daniele and aggressive, snarled vocal of KAG. Within seconds, the events of the past 24 hours are pushed to the side as the congregation get lost in the unwavering power of the quartet. There’s a smattering of applause just prior to the song teetering into insanity; the focused, crazed stare of drummer Daniele directed at bassist Taylor Mulitz as the pace picks up, before KAG brings their Mancunian initiation coming to a howling halt. That’s the first song out of the way then!

It was announced earlier in the day that Priests would still be honouring their Manchester date (their first time here), and following the surf-rock swagger of second track ‘JJ’, they announce that it simply didn’t occur to them not to do the show. There’s that community spirit.

Big single from the album ‘Pink White House’ comes out early on. A bloke in front gets utterly lost in the beat, his missus desperately trying to catch up. Guitarist GL Jaguar is all over the stage for the hypnotising ‘No Big Bang’, smashing it about the stage. But he’s overshadowed somewhat by the rapid-fire drumming and constant stream of vocab from drummer Daniele. Fuck knows how she manages it, but it’s hard to look away. To look at Priests, this is the exact sort of song you might imagine they’d play (not a slight on them), all wrapped up in nostalgia. It’s surprisingly greeted with lots of shout backs during the spine-tingling chorus. A cool as fuck bunch, no doubt.

The chops of bassist Taylor really come out on the stupidly good ‘Puff’, providing an unnerving kraut-esque vibe alongside the scratchy, shrieking guitar of GL and the mind-warping vocal of KAG. It’s soon followed up with the equally funky, sped up funk of ‘Suck’, closer from their debut LP. It’s around this time when everyone in the audience seemingly realises how fucking warm the venue has become (especially yours truly), and coincidentally it’s not long before early favourite ‘And Breeding’ puts an end to the evening.

An undoubtedly strong showing from Priests was a welcome distraction on Tuesday evening. Whilst the events that put a dark cloud over the beginning of the week will never be forgotten, it was good to see Manchester move back into business mode and return to its usual self, doing what it does best in showcasing bands of all sizes throughout the city. Priests played a part in that.
The quartet said they would be definitely making a return. Here’s hoping it’s under better circumstances.

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