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Welcome back to another installment of Friday Music!

This week’s entries all come from discoveries made via the appropriately-named and individually-tailored Discover Weekly playlist on Spotify, which really hit it out of the park this time around, aside from, strangely, suggesting that I “discover” The Who’s “You Better You Bet.”

“Like A Version” is a weekly show on Australian radio station Triple J, where they bring a group in to perform in-studio — to play one of their own songs, and then play a cover (A version, get it?). This is a track from Aussie psychedelic-rock outfit Tame Impala, who have taken a song from Kylie Minogue and given it this sorta louche indie Bond Theme kinda vibe. Tame Impala – “Confide In Me (Triple J Like A Version).”

Staying in an antipodean vein for a bit, Kimbra is a singer from New Zealand, most famous on these shores for being the duet vocalist on Gotye’s “Somebody That I Used To Know.” Her third album, Primal Heart is being released this month, and this is a single from it, produced by John Congleton (who has worked with dozens of artists including Laurie Anderson, Blondie, Nelly Furtado and St. Vincent) and EDM superstar Skrillex. Kimbra – “Top Of The World.”

Founding member, guitarist and secondary vocalist of Blur, Graham Coxon, has recently written & recorded the soundtrack to the Netflix series The End of the F***ing World. This track from the soundtrack definitely has that Blur vibe all over it, and I dig it quite a bit. Graham Coxon – “Bus Stop.”

I’m a big fan of the synthwave movement, a retro revival of the synth-heavy sounds of the 80s — but my biggest problem with it is that the majority of folks recording in that space are focusing on the instrumental, drawing their inspiration from the film soundtracks of the era. I yearn for one of them to add vocals, and finally drift over the line into genuine New Wave Synthpop — and now a group has. From their official press: “Night Drive is the type of music you would hear on a car stereo if Giorgio Moroder and Ray Bradbury were driving late at night through a buzzing metropolis. Inspired by bygone era of glamour and excess, kalioscopic neon lights, Studio 54 and Tony Wilson’s Hacienda, the band pulls influence from acts such as Brian Eno, New Order, OMD, The Drums and LCD Soundsystem to name a few. Night Drive rides a nu-wave of fast-tempoed, synth-based electronic sounds driven by rich guitar melodies and arresting vocal hooks.” This is SO FUCKING GOOD. I’m hooked. Night Drive – “Trapeze Artist Regrets.”

Apple has a tradition of choosing great music for their ads. This track features in their iPhone X “unlock” ad — a glorious bit of breakbeat, based around samples from a late-70s Bollywood soundtrack piece, “Meri Nazar Hai Tujhpe,” by the legendary Asha Bhosle. Pete Cannon – “Bang Bang.”

Lastly, the political environment in the world right now has given rise to a punk revival. I was a bit stunned to discover that this was, in fact, a new song. Hell, the lead singer sounds nearly exactly like John Lydon. But no, this is Vile Assembly, and when a song features lyrics like “We’re going to burn your Rolls Royce,” I’m down. Vile Assembly – “Division of Labour.”

So there you go, kids. Another week.

Do me a favor — if you’re enjoying what I’m doing here, drop me a comment, or a tweet, or a FB post. Let me know. It’s too easy to imagine that I’m by myself here, talking to the void. I’d like to know that folks are listening.

 
 

I am falling down on the “regular blogging” thing — I need to remind myself to get better about that. This week was difficult, though — I was sidelined last weekend and the early part of this week with my traditional Living-in-Kansas, Springtime Sudden-Pressure-Change-Triggered Migraines. Which, y’know, was fun.

But: Better now, and I’ve had time to listen to some music, and so: On with the Friday Music!

First up: As the album cover over there will tell you, HOLY SHIT does Dhani Harrison look like his Dad, George. And honestly, he sounds quite a bit like him to — he’s a talented multi-instrumentalist in his own right, but he does sort of steer into the comparisons a bit in some of his arrangements, so you end up with an electronic-influenced Indie with Cosmic-Harrison undertones. He’d been knocking around in a few bands for a while, but he recently released his solo debut, IN///PARALLELS, and I’ve been listening to it and loving it. Check this out: Dhani Harrison – “All About Waiting (feat. Camila Grey).”

One of the benefits of doing Friday Music again is that I’m back to paying more attention to releases, so I’ve discovered that bands that I like have recently released new albums that I’d previously missed. One such band is UNKLE, who released The Road, Part 1 last year. The whole thing is excellent, but I’m especially digging the Middle-Eastern note progressions of this track, with vocals by ex-Queens Of The Stone Age gravelly baritone Mark Lanegan. UNKLE – “Looking For The Rain.”

Some new music that I discovered this week via one of my old favorite sources, the music blog Hypem. This is a track from the debut album by Sarah Howells, who records under the name Bryde. Originally from Wales, she’s currently based out of London and released her album, Like An Island, on her own label, Seahorse Music. I’m digging the sort of 90s-alternative vibe I get from this. Bryde – “Peace.”

Speaking of 90s alternative, one of my favorite soundtracks within that genre was the one that accompanied the dark comedy, JAWBREAKER. I can’t hear this track without picturing Rose McGowan, Rebecca Gayheart, and Julie Benz walking in slow-motion down the hallway of a high school. Imperial Teen – “Yoo Hoo.”

Once I go down the rabbit hole of movie soundtracks with 90s-alternative tracks, it’s hard for me to find my way back. This was one of my favorite songs from the time, from one of my favorite musical genres (trip hop), which started getting a lot of radio play here in the US after it appeared on the soundtrack to THE SAINT (a not-great movie that I wholeheartedly love). Sneaker Pimps – “6 Underground.”

For me, the late 80s to mid 90s was marked by my heavy interest in cyberpunk — the literary genre, the RPG, and the general subcultural vibe. Seems like now that we’re living in the dystopian future we feared, cyberpunk is having a bit of a nostalgia-fueled comeback. The Netflix series ALTERED CARBON is an example, and this is a track from it’s excellent soundtrack album:Sune Rose Wagner – “Let My Baby Ride.”

So there ya go, folks. I’ll see you back here again next week.

 
 
 

Welcome back to another weekly edition of Friday Music here on the blog.

I’m afraid it’s a bit shorter than usual this week — it’s been a busy one, and I haven’t had as much time as I usually do to listen to music and prep a post. But I’ve still got some gems for you, and so here we go…

The image over there is the cover to a single which was included in my Spotify-curated “Your Discover Weekly” playlist. I was blown away the moment I heard it. The group is called Ten Fé (Spanish for “Have Faith”), and are a London-based duo of former buskers. Give a listen to this, and you won’t be able to get it out of your head. Ten Fé – “Single, No Return.”

Got finished watching BABYLON BERLIN on Netflix this week — I cannot recommend it highly enough. Gorgeous and compelling political/crime thriller set in late 1920s Berlin (basically, as the shit was hitting the fan). So good. Anyway, one of the centerpieces of the show was this track, which appeared a couple of times as a number performed in a Berlin cabaret, as well as featuring as end credits music from time to time. In the show, the song is performed by a Russian Countess in her male alter-ego of “Nikoros.” The Lithuanian actress playing the Countess is a model and singer as well, who records under her first name, Severija, and she has the perfect voice for this. Severija – “Zu Asche, Zu Staub (Psycho Nikoros).”

Another find from Spotify’s “Your Discover Weekly”, Superet is an L.A.-based indie act who currently have a debut self-titled EP available. The synth hook was the first thing to grab me about this track, but when the chorus hit, I was sold. There are elements of this which struck me as almost Bowie-esque, but I can’t quite put my finger on why, exactly. Give it a go, and tell me what you think: Superet – “Loving The Animal.”

A discussion with friends about the 90s film The Crow reminded me of the soundtrack, and put this song in a loop in my brain, so I had to dig it out and listen. At the time, I was annoyed that the version of this track on the soundtrack was NOT the one featured in the film — the vinyl single that was supposed to have been recorded by Eric and his band. That track had more of a post-punk sound, with a male vocalist, and I was disappointed that the album version made it this alt-90s ethereal dream-girl thing. Now, though, it’s one of my favorite tracks on the entire album. Jane Siberry – “It Can’t Rain All The Time.”

We’ll close out this short edition with a throwback track, from (OH JESUS CHRIST) 30 years ago. Yes, kids — this one is three decades old. Don’t mind me. I’ll be over here, in the corner, sobbing. The Primitives – “Crash.”

Enjoy, and I’ll see you back here next week (Assuming anybody is actually reading, that is)…

 
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