Merry Christmas gang.
Okay so this one is a bit leftfield but stay with me. You know how punk music took over the UK in the late 70s? Well why not Christmas music too?
I found this while rooting through my dad’s 45s (7 inch) vinyl collection. Some gems in there (mixed in with a lot of… peculiarities).
Jagwar Ma aren’t afraid of a long track. In fact, I might even describe them as The Kings of the long track. The three-piece Aussie outfit come in a couple of guises. A lot of their solo work is quite down-the-line in a Tame Impala kind of mould. But I think they are at their best when they focus on vibe-building, especially when that vibe is chuggy, atmospheric and vaguely psychedelic. Check out 3 of my favourites below.
Throwing it back to 2005 for some indie-rock goodness. Editors bring that broody, angsty vibe that sometimes makes so much sense. Lights, Munich, All Sparks, Someone Says, all very good. Having said that, the album is way too long. Swerve the slower balad-like efforts unless you really have nothing better to do.
All the way back to the 1998 Mercury Music Prize winner for this Sunday’s listen. Gomez are a 5-piece band hailing from Southport (the North West’s eleventh most populous settlement in the North West for those of you who were wondering). Their music sits somewhere between blues, indie and rock. Anyway, it’s a classic, and if you don’t know, then at least check out tracks #1 and #2. Classics.
The last real proper gig I went to was on the 14th March, to see these guys, and it was fucking awesome. (God I miss it so much). Since then Diva and Alex have been busy, and last week they came out with their second full album, Hyper Romance.
Since Melt Away a lot has changed. They have moved from London to Bristol. Gone are the masks and the alter egos – in comes stripped-back intimate honesty. Gone is the electro-pop sound they became known for – in comes a grungy style that occasionally borders on shoe-gaze. They built up their new sound in their basement studio, using cheap amps and distortion pedals. If nothing else, the album is a showcase of their enormous potential as a duo. Plenty of promise to keep developing and growing.
But are they living up to this potential in Hyper Romance? There are some notable highlights – Metal Violets and Burning Hour are up there with my favourite JD tracks – but in general I think the release falls short on spark. The creativity and originality of their former releases aren’t quite hit with the same regularity. Granted I’ve set them a high bar, but hey, I think they are good enough. Looking forward to the next one. Also I hope they don’t read this because I would like to be their friend.
Notable mention to the title track Hyper Romance which samples the 1984 documentary Streetwise (about homeless kids in Seattle) in a subtly beautiful and incredibly emotional way. Definitely worth a listen.
Ah oh oh. Ah oh oh. Ah ah oh. Ah ah oh. Ah ah oh. Ah ah oh. Ah ah oh.
It’s indie banger par excellence from 2004, Hounds of Love. Sure to get the party rocking. Is it already stuck in your head?
Everyone has a dream-pop mood right?
Still Corners are a British/American duo that make the kind of indie that transports you through time and space – embracing you, picking you up and taking you on a journey. Here is my favourite album (their second) from 2013.
They have a lovely back-story too – the duo (Greg Hughes and Tessa Murray) met by accident on a random train platform in London. If its possible, I think you can kind of hear it in their music…
Like what you hear? They are on tour right now.
Photo credit: Bernard Bur
I’m growing a moustache to raise money for the Movember Foundation. So this month I will be honouring some of the best moustaches in music. You can donate to my mo here: https://mobro.co/harry-mo
If I could transport myself back to any concert in history, I’d go to 1969 Woodstock. Jimi Hendrix played one of the longest sets of his career and the festival itself is a part of counter-cultural folklore. There are some moments in history when music wraps itself into the social consciousness – this was one of them.
I’m growing a moustache to raise money for the Movember Foundation. So this month I will be honouring some of the best moustaches in music. You can donate to my mo here: https://mobro.co/harry-mo
Something rocky for you this Sunday. Not many people do anthemic indie-rock better than Mumford & Sons, and boy is Little Lion Man a classic. If you want more Mumford they have a new album out, Delta, and they are on tour too.
Bonus track: hey, I’m posting Mumford & Sons today. Have a bit of this.
Sitting somewhere between dream-pop, shoegaze and indie-rock, you’ll find Beach House. 7 is the duo’s seventh album (clever). My highlights are the tense and foreboding Lemon Glow, and Black Car. I’m off to see them for the first time at The Troxy tonight. Very excited.
Bonus track: Sparks is my favourite. Guitar comes screeching through some chanting and takes you on a magical ride before you know what’s happening. It’s good, trust me. Try the album Depression Cherry for more of the same.
harrysmusicalemporium.com 