JUNE PLAYLIST

Daniel Romano - Mosey

These have provided some shelter from the storm that has been June.

1.  Robert Johnson – ‘Hellhound On My Trail’ (1937)

“Blues fallin' down like hail, blues fallin' down like hail,

And the day keeps on worrin’ me,

There's a hellhound on my trail, hellhound on my trail, hellhound on my trail…”

2.  Miles Davis – ‘Dig?’ (1951)

From Davis’s first complete LP as bandleader, The New Sounds. Now available as part of Miles Davis: The Complete Prestige 10-Inch LP Collection.

3.  The Kinks – ‘Where Have All The Good Times Gone’ (1965)

Mark Hamill attempted to prod Ray Davies for his thoughts on the referendum vote during their conversation on Sunday at Hornsey Town Hall but Ray made a point of saying he’s always avoided talking politics. He then played this.

4.  Nita Rossi – ‘Something To Give’ (1966)

An exuberant Rossi more than holds her own on top of this thunderous chuck-in-the-kitchen-sink Brit-Soul production.

5.  Gene Harris & The Three Sounds – ‘Black Gold’ (1973)

Gene tinkles the ivories in an almost Mick Talbotesque manner on this stylish splash of summer produced by Monk Higgins. Now there’s a name.

6.  Hollywood Brats – ‘Sick On You’ (1973)

One of the greatest recordings in the whole history of rock ‘n’ roll – singer Andrew Matheson may quibble with “one of” – rings with ever louder resonance. “I’m sick to death of everything you do, yeah, and if I run to up to you, I bet I’m gonna puke on you”. Look out for new deluxe Cherry Red reissue on 6 July of Sick On You with a second disc of previously unheard outtakes, rarities, live tracks and curios.

7.  McCarthy – ‘Governing Takes Brains’ (1989)

“So let me assure you it's no picnic to be in charge of this land

You scruffy people, the lower orders, just know your place

Don't ever you try at governing you might find out how difficult it is

Stupid fools say it's not hard to do what I do

But let me tell you, it's hard, you couldn't do what I do

Don't even dream of it, you would never succeed

People as clever as me are very few and far between...”

8.  Teenage Fanclub – ‘I’m In Love’ (2016)

Rejoice, the Fanclub (I can’t bring myself to call them Fannies) are back. A very welcome shot of loveliness.

9.  Daniel Romano – ‘I’m Alone Now’ (2016)

Highlight of recent weeks was catching Daniel Romano twice in one evening: an acoustic in-store set at Rough Trade and a plugged rocking show at the Lexington. New album, Mosey, on first couple of plays appears startlingly different from previous straight(ish) country releases but once the ears adjust Romano has taken his core sound and cleverly stretches it into new directions.

10.  Ancient Shapes – ‘Navigator’ (2016)

As if to underscore how Daniel Romano isn’t for pigeonholing, he quietly released an album as Ancient Shapes on the same day as Mosey. A speeding pop-punk romp as if Bob Dylan had teamed up with Buzzcocks in 1978.