Thursday 31 December 2020

30 From 20

A selection of music that made 2020 that little bit brighter...

Scars III: The Affectionate Punch ft. The Vinyl Villain & The Additions

Whole New Mess: Angel Olsen 

Maker (Acoustic Version): Anjimile 

Mariana Trench: Bright Eyes 

The Patron Saint Of The Lost Cause: Catherine Anne Davies & Bernard Butler 

Party 4 U: Charli XCX

Conquer Virus: David Harrow

Music Shall Live: Denise Sherwood ft. Lee 'Scratch' Perry

Boogie Removal Machine (The Cult vs. Earth, Wind & Fire vs. Madonna): Go Home Productions

Wishing Well: Green Gartside

The Crack: Goat Girl

That Ain't No Way To Make A Million: Julian Cope 

Remembering: Kaitlyn Aurelia Smith

Crystallise: Keleketla! ft. Yugen Blakrok & Tamar Osborn

Corner Of My Sky: Kelly Lee Owens ft. John Cale & Michael Sheen

Hydroharmonia (Episode 1): Kelsey Lu 

Song For Our Daughter (Tiny Desk (Home) Concert): Laura Marling 

Bittersweet (Tiny Desk (Home) Concert): Lianne La Havas

Flux: Luke Abbott 

Witness: Lyra Pramuk

Trust Fades: Nine Inch Nails

90% Of Me Is You: Prince Fatty ft. Shniece McMenamin & Monkey Jhayam

Don't Believe: The Psychedelic Furs 

Sudden Awareness Of Now: Rival Consoles

Murphy's Law (Acoustic) (Live @ Home): Róisín Murphy

 
And here's a hour long slipshod mix featuring 20 of 'em:

Wednesday 23 December 2020

Bad Santa III (2020)

1) The Now Sound Of Christmas: The U.S. Air Force Dance Band ft. The Free Design
2) Get Behind Me, Santa!: Sufjan Stevens
3) Ain't No Chimneys In The Project: Sharon Jones & The Dap-Kings
4) Let's Get It Together This Christmas: Harvey Averne Band
5) Silent Night: Bootsy Collins
6) All I Need Is Love: Cee-Lo Green & The Muppets
7) Step Into Christmas: The Wedding Present
8) Christmas In Vegas (Single Version): Marc Almond
9) Auld Lang Syne: Billy Idol
10) Holiday Takeout: Anni Rossi
11) Don't Believe In Christmas: The Sonics
12) Merry Merry Christmas: Alton Ellis ft. The Lipsticks
13) Cold Chillin’ Christmas: Cold Chillin' Juice Crew
14) Hot Club Of Christ: Aztec Camera
15) It Came Upon The Midnight Clear: Sufjan Stevens
16) Just Like Christmas: Kill It Kid
17) The Little Drummer Boy: Dengue Fever
18) Let's Unite The Whole World At Christmas: James Brown
19) R2-D2 We Wish You A Merry Christmas: Meco
20) Christmas (Baby Please Come Home): R.E.M.
21) Jesus Christ: Teenage Fanclub
22) Christmas Was Better In The 80s: The Futureheads
23) Christmas In Boston: Go Home Productions
24) Winter Wonderland: Ella Fitzgerald
25) A Christmas Message: Billy Idol

Bad Santa III (2020) (56:34) (KF) (Mega)

Bad Santa II (2017)

1) Christmas Message 1963: The Beatles
2) Deck The Halls: Carmen Dragon & The Hollywood Bowl Symphony Orchestra
3) Christmas Message 1982: Simon Le Bon
4) Holiday I.D. 1988: Lou Reed
5) Don't Drink And Drive, Duh: Pee Wee Herman
6) (It's Gonna Be A) Punk Rock Christmas!: The Ravers
7) What A Wonderful World: Joey Ramone
8) Mambo Santa Mambo: The Enchanters
9) Christmas In Hollis: Run-D.M.C.
10) Jingle Bells (2006 Version): Sufjan Stevens
11) Space Christmas: Shonen Knife
12) A Knight Rider Christmas: KITT The Amazing Car Of Tomorrow
13) Nine Inch Noels: Bad Gods
14) Celebration: Morgan Fisher
15) Hooray For Santa Claus: Milton DeLugg & The Little Eskimos
16) Santa Claus Go Straight To The Ghetto: James Brown
17) Zat You, Santa Claus? (The Heavy Remix): Louis Armstrong
18) Bells, Bells, Bells: Meco ft. Anthony Daniels
19) Come On Christmas: Saint Etienne
20) Carpenters Christmas (Karen Meets Roots Radics Uptown): Go Home Productions
21) Silent Night: The White Stripes
22) Silent Night: Music Box
23) Winter Wonderland: Cocteau Twins
24) Santa’s Beard: The Beach Boys
25) Apocalypso (Wiping The Smile Off Santa's Face): Mental As Anything
26) Wonderful Christmastime: The Shins
27) Santa, Bring My Baby Back To Me: Belle & Sebastian
28) Christmas Feeling Ska: Toots & The Maytals
29) I'm A Christmas Tree: Wild Man Fischer
30) Driving Home For Christmas: Pony Club
31) The Christmas Song (Chestnuts Roasting On An Open Fire): Aimee Mann
32) Sheila E.'s Christmas Message: Sheila E.

Bad Santa II (2017) (53:34) (KF) (Mega)

Bad Santa (2016)

1) A Visit! (Part 1): Santa Claus
2) Here Comes Santa Claus: Ramsey Lewis Trio
3) Christmas Rappin’: Kurtis Blow
4) The Little Drummer Boy: The Salsoul Orchestra
5) Post Apocalypse Christmas: Gruff Rhys
6) What Can You Get A Wookiee For Christmas (When He Already Owns A Comb?): Meco
7) Yellin’ At The Christmas Tree: Billy Idol
8) I Hate Christmas: Oscar The Grouch
9) Santa Claus: They Might Be Giants
10) Don’t Lose My Funky Sledge: TBC Poundsystem
11) Dear Santa (Bring Me A Man This Christmas): The Weather Girls
12) Kung-Fu Christmas: National Lampoon
13) Just Like Christmas: Low
14) Holiday ID: Randy Travis
15) I Wish It Was Christmas Today: Julian Casablancas
16) I Want A Hippopotamus For Christmas: Gayla Peevey
17) Christmas Wrapping: Kylie Minogue & Iggy Pop
18) Disco Santa Claus: Raindolls
19) Come On! Let’s Boogey To The Elf Dance!: Sufjan Stevens
20) Christmas Music: Daniel Johnston
21) Christmas Day (I Wish I Was Surfing): Emmy The Great & Tim Wheeler
22) Hey Santa!: Hannah Peel & Tunng
23) Jingle Bell Rock: Herb Alpert & The Tijuana Brass
24) Christmas Medley: Pee Wee Herman
25) Christmas On The Block: Go Home Productions
26) Peace On Earth / Little Drummer Boy: David Bowie & Bing Crosby 
 
Bad Santa (2016) (55:30) (KF) (Mega)

Friday 11 December 2020

5(1)@50: 50 Revolutions Per Minute: 1970-2020

1970 - Double Barrel: Dave & Ansel Collins
1971 - Move On Up (Full Length Version): Curtis Mayfield
1972 - Satellite Of Love (Album Version By David Bowie & Mick Ronson): Lou Reed
1973 - Dance With The Devil: Cozy Powell
1974 - Emma: Hot Chocolate

1975 - Fight The Power (Part 1 & 2) (Album Version): The Isley Brothers
1976 - Disco Inferno (Edit By Khayem): Trammps
1977 - I Feel Love (12" Version By Giorgio Moroder & Pete Bellotte): Donna Summer
1978 - Shot By Both Sides (Single Version): Magazine
1979 - Twat (Live): John Cooper Clarke

1980 - Twist And Crawl (12" Version): The Beat
1981 - The Sound Of The Crowd (Complete) (12" Version): The Human League
1982 - Forever Now (Album Version By Todd Rundgren): The Psychedelic Furs
1983 - Rip It Up (The Intermediate Edit): Orange Juice
1984 - "It's One Louder, Isn't It?”: Spinal Tap

1985 - Raspberry Beret (LP Version): Prince & The Revolution
1986 - Summer Of Love (Single Edit By Shep Pettibone): The B-52’s
1987 - Just Like Heaven (Remix By Bob Clearmountain): The Cure
1988 - Voodoo Ray (Original Mix): A Guy Called Gerald
1989 - W.F.L. (The Vince Clarke Mix): Happy Mondays

1990 - Loaded (Andrew Weatherall Mix): Primal Scream
1991 - 101 (Sonic Shuffle) (Remix By Andrew Weatherall & Hugo Nicholson): Finitribe
1992 - Fallen (Nancy & Lee Mix By Andrew Weatherall & One Dove): One Dove
1993 - What Godzilla Said To God When His Name Wasn't Found In The Book Of Life (Home Demo): American Music Club
1994 - Becoming More Like God (Radio Edit): Jah Wobble's Invaders Of The Heart ft. Anneli Drecker

1995 - Planet Telex (Album Version): Radiohead
1996 - Les Yper-Sound (Album Version): Stereolab
1997 - Dry The Rain (Single Version): The Beta Band
1998 - Feelings: Leila ft. Donna Paul
1999 - Les Nuits (Album Version): Nightmares On Wax

2000 - The Time Is Now (Full Length Version): Moloko
2001 - Paths (Future Sound Of London 'Cosmic Jukebox' Remix Edit): Robert Miles ft. Nina Miranda
2002 - Lessons Learned From Rocky I To Rocky III (Album Version): Cornershop
2003 - New New York: Tes
2004 - Shut Up, Let's Hook Up (GHP Pink Gees Unclean Mix By Go Home Productions): Jason Downs
2005 - No Reason To Cry: The Go-Betweens

2006 - Petrococadollar: Scritti Politti
2007 - Revival: Soulsavers ft. Mark Lanegan
2008 - I Heard Wonders (Album Version): David Holmes
2009 - Sunlamp Show (Disco Bloodbath Effect): The Aliens
2010 - Kiss Kiss Kiss (Acoustic Version): Martina Topley-Bird

2011 - Pure Imagination Part 1: Darwin Deez
2012 - Picking Up The Pieces (Khayem's Lonely In Your Nightmare Remix): Paloma Faith
2013 - Golden Years (Luxxury Edit): David Bowie
2014 - GMF (Live In Concert): John Grant ft. The BBC Philharmonic Orchestra
2015 - Ding Ding Sa: Sa Dingding

2016 - Lush Life (Dancehall Remix)Zara Larsson ft. Tinie Tempah
2017 - Edith Piaf (Said It Better Than Me) (Album Version): Sparks
2018 - Curse Of The Contemporary: LUMP
2019 - The Return: Sampa The Great ft. Alien, Jace XL, Thando Sikwila & Whosane
2020 - La Bande A Papa: Vanessa Contenay-Quiñones
 

Thursday 10 December 2020

50@50, Part Five: 2011-2020


Side One (25:35)
42) Pure Imagination Part 1: Darwin Deez (2011)
43) Picking Up The Pieces (Khayem's Lonely In Your Nightmare Remix): Paloma Faith (2012)
44) Golden Years (Luxxury Edit): David Bowie (2013)
45) GMF (Live In Concert): John Grant ft. The BBC Philharmonic Orchestra (2014)
46) Ding Ding Sa: Sa Dingding (2015)

Side Two (25:54)
47) Lush Life (Dancehall Remix): Zara Larsson ft. Tinie Tempah (2016)
48) Edith Piaf (Said It Better Than Me) (Album Version): Sparks (2017)
49) Curse Of The Contemporary: LUMP (2018)
50) The Return: Sampa The Great ft. Alien, Jace XL, Thando Sikwila & Whosane (2019)
51) La Bande A Papa: Vanessa Contenay-Quiñones (2020)
 

Wednesday 9 December 2020

50@50, Part Four: 2000-2010

Side One (25:24)
31) The Time Is Now (Full Length Version): Moloko (2000)
32) Paths (Future Sound Of London 'Cosmic Jukebox' Remix Edit): Robert Miles ft. Nina Miranda (2001)
33) Lessons Learned From Rocky I To Rocky III (Album Version): Cornershop (2002)
34) New New York: Tes (2003)
35) Shut Up, Let's Hook Up (GHP Pink Gees Unclean Mix By Go Home Productions): Jason Downs (2004)
36) No Reason To Cry: The Go-Betweens (2005)

Side Two (23:29)
37) Petrococadollar: Scritti Politti (2006)
38) Revival: Soulsavers ft. Mark Lanegan (2007)
39) I Heard Wonders (Album Version): David Holmes (2008)
40) Sunlamp Show (Disco Bloodbath Effect): The Aliens (2009)
41) Kiss Kiss Kiss (Acoustic Version): Martina Topley-Bird (2010)

These days, I absolutely love Róisín Murphy, but I found it harder to love Moloko to begin with as they initially seemed to be jumping on the coat-tails of the trip hop movement. Sing It Back was the big hit, but The Time Is Now is the song that really changed it all for me. A fabulous slo-mo video and fantastic song. My then-girlfriend now-wife had the album and I was clearly thought it was better than she did as I insisted on sticking it on the CD player whenever I visited. I hated Robert Miles' big hit Children, but was blown away by FSOL's remix of Paths, which was effectively the transition to their current psychedelic incarnation of Amorphous Androgynous. Jockey Slut was an essential music mag in the 1990s and early 2000s and whilst the advent of cover-mounted CDs was a sign of the end, they introduced me to some great music, including Tes career high, sampling disco classic Shadow Dancing, written by the Bee Gees but given away to their brother Andy. And who would have thought that mash-ups would be so addictive? I never thought I needed to hear the Bee Gees spliced with Pink Floyd until Mark Vidler did it with his remix of one-hit wonder Jason Downs. Having belatedly discovered The Go-Betweens in 1990, after they had split, I was overjoyed when they reformed in the early 2000s and devastated when Grant McLennan's untimely death brought about their premature end. No Reason To Cry appeared on a mixtape CD that I compiled for my wife that Christmas. I have loved Scritti Politti since the early 1980s, was fortunate to see Green Gartside and band perform in 2007 and am looking forward to seeing Scritti Politti in 2021, performing Cupid + Psyche 85 in its entirety for the first time live. I've seen David Holmes many times, both DJing and with The Free Association, and his soundtrack work has been amazing, but The Holy Pictures was an incredible album in its own right. The Aliens are essentially The Beta Band minus Steve Mason, so (apart from Andrew Weatherall) the only artists to make multiple appearances in the 50@50 but this track is all about Disco Bloodbath aka Ben Rymer. And a wonderful closer from Martina Topley-Bird, who provided a critical counterpoint to Tricky on his early landmark albums, but who went on to create some incredible music in her own right.