SPOTIFY PICK #7: MONKEY PICKS OF 2013

I didn’t think 2013 had been a vintage year for new music but in compiling the now traditional end of year playlist I failed to whittle it down to the intended 20 tracks, eventually settling on 22, so it couldn't have been that bad.

They aren’t necessarily the best 22 as I’ve stuck to songs available on Spotify. Therefore, “I’ve Never Been To California” by Bronco Bullfrog misses out as do the Hidden Masters and Paul Messis, both who would have seen something from their albums included. Kurt Vile’s wonderful “Wakin’ On A Pretty Day” is omitted due to being nine and a half minutes long and as much as I love the Manics’ Rewind The Film album those songs sound better taken as a whole rather than pulling one out to sit alongside the work of others.

The coveted Album of the Year Award goes to Daniel Romano for his country masterpiece Come Cry With Me and Single of the Year is taken by The Higher State who just pip Baby Strange, with a honourable mention to the great comeback 45 by Suede.

Those with Spotify can listen here. Enjoy.

Barrence Whitfield and the Savages – The Corner Man

Suede – It Starts And Ends With You

The Primitives – Lose The Reason

Alfa 9 – Green Grass Grows

Unknown Mortal Orchestra – Swim And Sleep (Like A Shark)

The Sufis – No Expression

Baby Strange – Pure Evil

The Higher State – Potentially (Everyone Is Your Enemy)

The Junipers – And In My Dreams

Camera Obscura – Break It To You Gently

Triptides – Night Owl

Bleached – Looking For A Fight

Charlie Boyer and the Voyeurs – Things We Be

The Lucid Dream – Glue (Song For Irvine Welsh)

Foxygen – No Destruction

Babyshambles – Picture Me In A Hospital

Midlake – Antiphon

Mary Epworth – September

The See See – Featherman

Daniel Romano – He Lets Her Memory Go (Wild)

The Monks Kitchen – Shake

Mavis Staples – What Are They Doing In Heaven Today

SEPTEMBER PLAYLIST

Paul Court & Tracy Tracy of The Primitives, 100 Club, 28 September 2013

More than a few of my favourite artists crop up in this month's playlist. Here goes...

1.  Chubby Parker and His Old Time Banjo – “King Kong Kitchie Kitchie Ki-Me-O” (1928)

There aren’t enough songs about frogs marrying mice performed by fat men playing a 5-string banjo and whistling.

2.  Dick Justice – “Henry Lee” (1932)

A boarding house lady tries to tempt Henry Lee with her cheap lodgings but he’s not having any of it, remaining loyal to his true love. His reward is a pen knife plunged into his chest before being chucked down a deep, deep well, where he lies until the flesh drops off his bones.

3.  Eddie Kirk – “Hog Killin’ Time” (1964)

This was the way to record a blues harp – down, dirty and distorted.

4.  Arthur Alexander – “Where Have You Been All My Life?”  (1962)

Love everything about this record (tucked away as the flip of “Soldier of Love”) - the production, the arrangement and Arthur’s beautifully passionate vocal.

5.  Smokey Robinson & The Miracles – “Ooh Baby Baby” (1965)

Stripped of the Funk Brothers, this accapella version from Studio A of Hitsville is truly hairs-on-the-back-of-the-neck stuff. Listen here.

6.  Curtis Mayfield – “Back To The World” (1973)

Governer Pat Quinn has declared today (29^th September) as Curtis Mayfield Day in Illinois. Every day is Curtis Mayfield Day in Monkey Mansions.

7.  The Primitives – “Dreamwalk Baby” (1987)

It was great to hear the Primitives perform the whole of Lovely last night at the 100 Club. It’s an album so packed with goodies it’s difficult to single out one track but this got the head bobbing somewhat frantically. If that wasn't enough for a memorable Saturday night out, dancing with Mike Joyce to "This Charming Man" made it slightly surreal one too.   

8.  Baby Strange – “Friend” (2013)

Fiery Glaswegian young uns follow debut single (“Pure Evil”) with another raucous blast on white vinyl as thick a dinner plate. 

9.  Manic Street Preachers – “This Sullen Welsh Heart (featuring Lucy Rose)” (2013)

Their 100 Club gig this month was good this but the Shepherd’s Bush Empire one two weeks later was even better with nearly two thirds of rustic folk/Welsh soul Rewind The Film getting an airing; a fair greater amount than they usually afford new albums which says much about how pleased they are with it. “This Sullen Welsh Heart” sets the mood in breath-taking fashion.    

10.  Mary Epworth – “September” (2013)

This is more than a bit bonkers. A short stomping glittery glam rocker about hiding under a leaf instead of going back to school. I think.

BABY STRANGE at the HOXTON SQUARE BAR & KITCHEN

My gig list for 2012 resembled the invited guests to a Darby and Joan Club tea dance so I've vowed to make a greater effort to see younger bands on an upward trajectory rather than those whose peak has long since passed. Glaswegians Baby Strange meet the criteria perfectly. The combined age of Johnny Madden (lead vocals and guitar), Aidan McCann (bass) and Connaire McCann (drums) is less than one member of The Who and they only played their first proper gig in October. Their one release was 50 copies of a cassette (a cassette! How brilliantly contrary) but with the minimum of fuss they’ve made and uploaded three videos to YouTube. Those, along with sharing a name with a T.Rex song, were enough to drag me out on a chilly Tuesday night to witness their first London gig.

“Pure Evil” is the song that grabbed me first from those videos and is their standout song tonight. A blast of pulsating and sinister rock and roll. “Ooh! Ahh!” it punches to the ribs, “I’m tired of my generation,” they complain. Remember those first three minutes when the Black Rebel Motorcycle Club released "Whatever Happened To My Rock 'n' Roll?" and seemed exciting? It’s a bit like that. “Want It/Need It” is a frantic wash of distortion with the equally dismissive sentiment, “I don’t want it” snarled out. I’d expected the whole set to sound similar but other songs unexpectedly echo the punk Class of ’77: short sharp snaps – “Never Understand” only a minute long – delivered with hooks and the bristling energy of a young Joe Strummer or Wilko-infatuated Weller. “Violate Me” is as dark as the title suggests but if they’re still finding their feet stylistically they’d do well to avoid the slower lighters-in-the-air blandness of “Mess” (watch that become a big hit now). My only other slight criticism is Aidan’s newly shaved head. Come on son, you’re a young lad, plenty of time for a slaphead – ask Pete Townshend. Hair is important in rock 'n' roll. Remember what James Brown said, "Hair and teeth. A man got those two things, he's got it all".

It isn’t easy or a lot of fun travelling 400 miles to play 25 minutes to 50 people as a support act but bands starting out have to do it and in Baby Strange’s case it won’t be for long, especially when “Pure Evil” gets a vinyl release in April and makes all the Best Single of the Year lists come December. During “Want It/Need It” they claim, “It’s all right, it’s okay, we’re not gonna make it anyway” – I wouldn’t bet on it.