#195 – Just A Few Songs

There’s nothing groundbreaking here today, just a few songs I’ve been enjoying this week that you really ought to listen to. The first is from R Stevie Moore, the madly prolific Lo Fi artist. This is the first song on his latest album, called Lo Fi Hi Fives. ‘Pop Music’ isn’t all that Lo Fi to be honest with you: it’s got a classic vintage pop sound, albeit with some Nashville influences (listen out for the slide guitar and honky-tonk piano). It’s a feel-good number for a Friday evening. You may know him for this cover of The Vaccines’ ‘Post Break Up Sex’, or their cover of his song ‘Why Should I Love You?’. If you like what you hear you can get his new album now.

#179 – Anchorsong Told Me To

If you’ve visited the site recently you may have heard us – specifically our newest contributor Max – raving about Anchorsong. Max saw Anchorsong supporting Belleruche last month and was blow away. Some people apparently describe the show “like watching a painter drawing on a white canvas”; Max said he’s pretty sure the guy uses some kind of black magic to make his live show work. Whatever it is, you’ve got the chance to see him touring his awesome debut Chapters, starting in London’s Cargo on March 22nd.

In support of this Masaaki (that’s what his mum calls him. Well, she almost certainly doesn’t call him Anchorsong!) was good enough to contribute to this regular feature, picking a few of his favourite songs and explaining why. It’s enlightening and his choices are thoroughly enjoyable (I’m a particular fan of the Pumpkins song he’s chosen). If you want to hear a little more of his music, then read Max’s previous post. And if you want to buy tickets for the 22nd March, then you can get them here. I’ll be there at the front and hopefully some of you will join me. If you’re quick you can get your tickets for a fiver too…

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Fiona Apple – The First Taste [Buy]

#163 – The Kills Cover ‘Pale Blue Eyes’

This song has been on the internet for three days and it’s had coming on 40,000 hits. It’s no Rebecca Black, but pretty impressive nonetheless. The Kills have covered The Velvet Underground’s classic ‘Pale Blue Eyes’. It’s harsher, lacking the just-woke-up vibe that a lot of The Velvet Underground’s slower songs a slathered with, it’s good. Alison Mosshart’s vocals are predictably great, adding a little edginess where Lou Reed deal in a smooth, chocolate-coated delivery. Listen to the two below and compare them…

Review: Tribes – Baby

The current trend in ‘Indie’ music is to write songs that sound like they’ve stepped out of a Delorean from the 80’s. Knowing this (expecting it, even) makes the opening of Tribes’ debut rather surprising, as they draw influence from bands of the following decade like Nirvana and Pixies rather than Huey Lewis and Steve Winwood.

#148 – Mr Fogg Told Me To

Mr Fogg is good. Not only is his song ‘Stay Out Of The Sun’ superb, it’s got a great video (as seen above) and you can get it for free from his website. I asked him to choose a few songs that he likes to listen to and these are the ones he came up with. Listening to them gives you an insight into how Mr Fogg has come to sound the way he does. It’s enlightening and thoroughly enjoyable. So without further ado, here is Mr Fogg’s selection…

#132 – Happy Birrrrthday

Yup, that guy up there is hilarious. And at the end of tonight I’d expect my little brother to be in a similarly compromising position. It is, as the title suggests, his birthday. It’s also his twin sister’s birthday (funny that, them being twins) so I thought I’d put up a song that each of them likes. To start with, my sister. We were talking about songs that remind us of family holidays and for some reason we ended up talking about Craig David. Yup, that Craig David. So here’s one of the songs we were talking about.

12 Days Of Christmas – 5th December

Well, it’s finally the end of Christmas. Or maybe tomorrow is. I honestly couldn’t care less, if I’m being honest with you. This does give me the opportunity to post one final song in this feature though. Sleigh Bells, one of the multitude of good bands to have come out of Brooklyn over the past five years or so, are releasing a new album in February. It is going to be called Reign Of Terror and judging by the hype this song kicked up when it was released at the start of December people are looking forward to it. I know I am. Here’s hoping they tour the UK soon or somebody pays for me to go out and see them in Florida (I’d like that please, wealthy benefactor).

12 Days Of Christmas – 3rd December

Hello again. A short post for you today. You may know a version of this song thanks to an advert for a certain DVD by post advert. That cover is done by a very talented Irishman called James Vincent McMorrow, who’s falsetto is remarkable. The original song is actually from 1986 by a certain Steve Winwood. The album Back In The High Life came a little out of the blue, as he hadn’t seen much success in the 80’s. It went on to get to reach the top ten both sides of the Atlantic and the song ‘Higher Love’ won him a Grammy. Click on the ‘read more’ link below to listen to the song, a great example of a really good 80’s song.

12 Days Of Christmas – 29th December

After yesterday’s song by The Black Keys and the good reception it’s had, I thought I’d keep things similar. The Calimocho Club are a two man garage/blues rock duo from Salford. They make an absolute racket, and from what I hear their live shows are something to be seen. I spoke to guitarist/singer Gary L Hope about one gig they played…

“We once unwittingly played a show in an establishment ran by militants. All had The Red Hand of Ulster stitched into their jackets – now there’s an argument that says this symbol has been misappropriated, but in this case…you’ve seen the scene in The Blues Brothers where they play behind chicken-wire fencing? Yeah, like that.”

12 Days Of Christmas – 28th December

Good afternoon. If you’re lucky like me, you’ve got another week off until you’re back at work again. Which is great, but it also feels like a countdown now. Before you think I’m going to post that classic by Europe, I’m not. Instead it’s the forthcoming second single from The Black Keys’ 2011 release, called ‘Run Right Back’. Much has been made of the way that they’ve moved away from the blues influences a little and are sliding towards the 60’s and 70’s, so I shan’t go on about it. This song has got a riff that crunches its way through the uptempo song, with their distinctively compressed voices occasionally breaking into a fun falsetto on the chorus. It’s a song that I can’t wait to see live.