SINGLES
SPRINTS - Literary Mind (Nice Swan)
by Katherine Pargeter
It's as if Sprints singer Karla Chubb and co, know that we're going to need something to keep us excited, defiant and full of love as we head towards the worst winter we've ever known. This song has so much to give. With an exceptional video that proves, yet again, that there are fewer places more sexy that a truly great bookshop, this is a powerful song about falling in love and, in particular, queer love in a world that still (yes, still), tries to oppress that. It is a glorious, swaggering f-you of a record. Adorable.
VALERIE JUNE - Into My Arms (Junes Tunes)
by Ancient Champion
I always loved that dabbling with the mystical spiritual and melding that with love. "I don't believe in an interventionist God, But I know darling that you do." Valerie June's voice wraps around the Nick Cave's perennial (aren't they all) precisely because whenever I hear her, I hear a damaged soul. There's a lot of hope for all damaged souls here.
ANNA OF THE NORTH - Bird Sing (Honeymoon)
by Tim London
Coming to a thirty minute wait to speak to a human on the tellingbone, soon!
THE LUKA STATE - Stick Around (None)
by Tim Sparks
Hailing from around Manchester UK, this is guitar based 4 piece is giving us a Pop / Rock vibe we can identify with. This track "Stick Around" has a great intro riff before the double time kick really gets the motor going, the chorus leaps out at you in way that stadium rockers love with a sing along crowd pleaser. It's a sort of Killers / Foo fighters mix and Air guitarist dream which never slows down, with vocalist Conrad Ellis projecting the lyrics at us from across the room and hitting you in the face, but you just want more.
TOM WAITS - God's Away on Business (Live) (Anti)
by LamontPaul
A particularly unreconstructed Tom Waits track and I'm buying it. It's a kind of relief to hear. If for whatever reason Tom's particular idiosyncratic genius passes you by, maybe listen ten times or something. You'll get there.
JULIA JACKLIN - Be Careful With Yourself (Polyvinyl)
by Toon Traveller
SUGAR LAKES - Meteorites ()
by Tim Sparks
I found Sugar Lakes through their producer Adam Fiasco, so Im checking out their single Meteorites written Damian Caruthers and I have to say this is awesome, from the opening acoustic chords and the vocal of Faye Moss...well....this girl has some talent , she absolutely nails this one.
The whole track, backing vocals, instrumentation, arrangement, I can't fault it at all, Adams done a superb job here, Im sure this collaboration will go far.
Theres not too many song these days that I wish were a bit longer, but this could handle another few minutes no problem.
DEVIN TOWNSEND - Moonpeople (HevyDevy Records)
by Tim London
Oh, it’s alright. Bit of a light-psych chugger that turns into a military stomp. You know, when the lovely hippy showing you the way home flashes a knife and mugs you. And then tells you to, ‘like, breath man, it’s all over.’
MATT KIVEL - Blackbirds (Pedro Y El Lobo)
by Toon Traveller
Hmmm... Strong echoes of Neil Young in his Harvest phase. Morphs into a worldly wise tale of love and hope. Love Matt's voice. Pleading and plaintiff, some great piano and guitar. Might have trimmed a little of the top end out of the mix. Maybe that is an older ears thing. This is music stripped bare, and simple, but not simplistic. Music that is a delight to listen to. There's a talent all over this tune.
THE NATIONAL - Weird Goodbyes ft. Bon Iver ()
by Ancient Champion
The National and Bon Iver combine to show just how talented Taylor is if you heard all the Taylor Bon Iver stuff a while back that was listenable and entertaining. Of course I need to rake up the quote from Lake's friend about the National - a band I have enjoyed, "Like U2 without the hooks." I think I could apply that to so much. This is D I R E.
JEAN MICHEL JARRE - Brutalism (Colombia)
by Tim London
Apparently an homage to Pierre Henry, who was responsible for the very groovy tubular bell-heavy break used by, oh I forget. Some rapper. Anyway, Pierre is from the 1960s and Jean Michel is from the 1970s. And now! Seems to have sampled his creaky kitchen door and fed it into the soundtrack for a German thriller, circa 1995. That's 4 eras in one! You don't get that with Marcus Mumford.
STEREOLAB - Cybele's Reverie - Live at the Hollywood Bowl (Warp)
by Toon Traveller
MURKAGE DAVE - Every Statue Must Come Down (Zed Bias Remix) (None)
by Ancient Champion
Contemplative electronica from Murkage Dave and Zed Bias. So very, very cool. It ends with the refrain, "We still want justice for Grenfell." Sometimes, with every new degradation foisted into the lives of people here who live beyond the gated communities, I'll think, this is it, the lowest point, the people will rise up, will maybe respond... Grenfell is one of those I can't believe it's happening here ongoing events. Read Tim London's Murkage Dave interview that accompanied his LP release A Hero For Our Times. here.
CONFORMIST AND HORSES - Heddiw (Youtube)
by Toon Traveller
GRENTPEREZ - Ego (YouTube)
by Tim Sparks
Today I checked out Grentperez and his single Ego, which I have to say was quite enjoyable, I'm sitting here, the sun's out and this up beat foot tapper hits the spot. The intro drums kick it off then were straight into guitars and super smooth vocal for the verse, an added sprinkling of keys and percussion take it through the bridge and into the chorus all within the first 40 seconds, this is how to see our attention... I like this guy already! I must say his vocal style is really nice, a cool vibrato compliments the warm tone which sits on top of the mix perfectly, and and a little over 2.30s well worth a listen.
MARCUS MUMFORD AND ALISSIC - Better Off High & Bugfood (Special, double review in one) (Universal-Island/Ministry of Sound)
ZERO s
by Tim London
Mumford. Hmmm. When not yawning at ‘Prince’ Harry’s wedding or forgiving his bandmates for feeling the need to hang out with the professionally sexually diminished Morgan Peterson it seems he is appearing in record reviews with someone who sings about bugfood. As I’m not sure if the food is for bugs or actually is bugs I find it hard to have an opinion on whether we should all be joining Alissic on her passionate adventure. But I do know that I don’t like Mumford food. Mumfood? It rots the gut and brings on the kind of gout that Princes get. There’s too much posh taking up space in pop. Not enough… bugs.
3 for Alissic.
Watch it here:
NOAH CYRUS AND BENJAMIN GIBBARD - Every Beginning Ends (Colombia)
by Tim London
Wish these buskers would stop busking outside my bedroom window. Heard this song ten times already. Oi! Fuck off!
LA FEMME - Sacatela ()
by Toon Traveller
Always love cool latin jazz-lite, especially on them grime grimy days we have here in the UK. Delightful semi-salsa beat, and butterfly flute, clap along, sip the sangria, dance if you can, shuffle your feet if you can't. The singing is gorgeous. So 60s, so Sandpiper-y. Play this, revive those summer beach, bar evening memories, as the sun sets, orange skies, and birds song. Streets fill with the Spanish on parade strolling arm in arm, table set for food and wine, music oozing out of half filled bars, Tapas Jamon, Queso, Cerversas, laughter, and fun in the streets. Love this for the memories and inspiration for another Toon Trav Trip.
ISABELLA LOVESTORY - Sexo Amor Dinero (Isabella Lovestory)
by Tim London
Close your eyes. Now listen to this twerking slice of obviousness and imagine a woman in a thong that extends from her shoulders to in between her legs and then up the crack of her ass. Sitting on the back of a moped driven by an embarrassed deliveroo-ist. Now you don’t need to watch the video. Don’t believe me? OK, well go ahead and hurt your eyes.
LPs
FATLIP - Sccit & Siavash the Grouch Present... Torpor (Labcabin Records)
by Lee Paul
The featured track, My Bad, features all four members of Pharcyde... Is this is a reunion, is a reunion on the cards, one listen and you'll wish it were true.
SATIN JACKETS - Reunion (Eskimo Records)
by Toon Traveller
Love the cool ambience, the just 'being'. This is a piece of music you need to commit to, and feel its tender embrace. Here is a delight. Relaxed, relaxing music. Love this.
Essential Info
Main image from Fatlip's Bandcamp page here
