Thanksgiving Special: Alice's Restaurant Massacre - Arlo Guthrie

You may not know this, but if you don't listen to this song the whole way through the Thanksgiving Zombie Turkeys will rise up and defeat us like they did millennia ago. You don't want that do you? So please, for all of our sakes, listen to Alice's Restaurant Massacre.

Songs of the Robocalypse Vol. 6: Woods - Bon Iver

FIELD REPORT: #48392 SONGS OF THE ROBOCALYPSE

I reached California at dusk, the living lights of Nevada fading into the early night behind me. I was aiming to reach the Nappa Nexus by morning, steering as far clear of the ground zero Primary Surge Site in Silicon Valley as humanly possible- a term which has proven to mean very little in the last few years.

Much as they have with the National Parks around the rest of the country, the machines have left the Redwood forests of California relatively untouched. From what I've observed they  take a certain pride in their lack of reliance upon the natural world, instead choosing to adopt the glittering cityscapes of their creators as their own. I suppose that's one thing we have in common with our metallic children-  a belief in our own ingenuity and intelligence to conquer nature. That and we all become our parents eventually. 

By and large these forests and woods have become natural mausoleums, only frequented by roving automated hunting rifles who simply cannot let go of the past. The only exception to this rule is the Cuisinartist and his cult of Oilshiners.

The Cuisinartist- a roving food processor who rejected the blade trade most of his kind are now embedded in. They say it wandered it's way from a suburban home in the San Fransisco area all the way to Redwood National Park. Who knows what drove it on, but when it arrived it adopted the woods as its home.

 The Cuisinartist quickly set up the biggest (and probably only) moonshining operation left on Earth, creating the robotic opioid OilZone. It's a product deemed 'uneccesary' by the Calculator Council and has been banned in most cities- but that hasn't stopped the drug from gripping vast swathes of the mech-population. 

Those devices who go too far in their OZ binge find themselves drawn inexorably to the Cuisinartist's redwood fortress. As you walk through the trees you can see the glow of standby buttons quivering silently amidst the branches. However once a week the Cuisnartist's hivemind production line kicks into action- and the digital work song begins to echo through the night with the power of a thousand mechanized voices: 'I'm up in the woods. I'm down on my mind. I'm building a still. To slow down the time.'

Pussy Riot - Punk Prayer

A bad day for freedom of expression. 

Pussy Riot have been jailed two years for hooliganism.

From a statement released by Yekaterina Samutsevich earlier this month on their trial:

In our performance we dared, without the Patriarch’s blessing, to unite the visual imagery of Orthodox culture and that of protest culture, thus suggesting to smart people that Orthodox culture belongs not only to the Russian Orthodox Church, the Patriarch and Putin, that it could also ally itself with civic rebellion and the spirit of protest in Russia. I now have mixed feelings about this trial. On the one hand, we expect a guilty verdict. Compared to the judicial machine, we are nobodies, and we have lost. On the other hand, we have won. The whole world now sees that the criminal case against us has been fabricated. The system cannot conceal the repressive nature of this trial. Once again, the world sees Russia differently from the way Putin tries to present it at his daily international meetings. Clearly, none of the steps Putin promised to take toward instituting the rule of law have been taken. And his statement that this court will be objective and hand down a fair verdict is yet another deception of the entire country and the international community.

On A Monday - Catfish Keith

There are some days where nothing will do but a resonator guitar, you know? I think we've all had those days.

So everybody please say Hello to one of the masters of the dobro: Mr. Catfish Keith, shown here performing Leadbelly's 'On a Monday' at a Rural Roots Concert in Southwell Library.

I've always found there's something about the sound of resonators that's otherworldly, rusty and sexy all at once. Catfish himself has one of the goofiest growly voices for both singing and talking, but he pulls it off with be-hatted swagger. He's playing the Half Moon in Putney on November 18th which seems like the absolute best way to see him. Let's all go! Agreed.

Chiptune Chuesday: Snuggle Muffin - Microchip

It's our Tuesday staple: a piece of blipblopping beats to move your digital feet.

This track can get pretty booming for a song called Snuggle Muffin (which I can't help but find adorable and annoying but mostly adorable- like a real snuggle muffin!). The track is the closer on  CalmDownKidder Records 'Cheer Up, Emo Kid' compilation, which you should grab (for free) if you enjoy our Chuedays together as many of the tracks are drawn from it.

Happy Chuesday!

4 Aces - The Texas Tornados

I did not plan on writing about 4 Aces today, but this song has been on such a loop through my head ALL DAMN DAY that I needed to infect all of you as well.

Enjoy the propulsive texmexejano stylings of The Texas Tornados on this warm London evening (or you know- wherever you are). And be prepared for accordions to stamp through your dreams like demon slinkys.

Willie the Chimney Sweeper - Ernest Rodgers

The ur-Minnie the Moocher. This haunting recording of Atlanta journalist Ernest Rodgers (a self proclaimed 'citybilly') was cut in 1927 on wax cylinder. The wonderfully surreal imagery of Willie's drug trip is held in perfect balance with Rodgers ghostly cries in between each verse. In fact I could have used  a whole extra rendition of the song without any of the verses- just the spindly guitar and mourning cries. Haunting, funny, and timeless.

Chiptune Chuesday: Mad World - Vector Leaf

This chipped out version of Tears for Fears 'Mad World' was used by the culture'n'science'n'politics blog Boing Boing in the above fabulous video charting video game arcade deaths throughout history . The chips were chiseled by Vector Leaf, better known as Rob Beschizza, one of the happy mutants over at Boing Boing.

In some ways I actually prefer the smokier and moodier version of the song Beschizza uploaded for your aural pleasure HERE.

Otherwise please join me in a rousing: DAH DAH NAH NAH NAH NAH WORN OUT FAAAAACES!

Happy Chuesday!

The Big Noise From Winnetka - Bob Haggart & Ray Bauduc

The Big Noise From Winnetka is barest of bones jazz rhythm stretched to its breathless breaking point. Bassist (and damn fine whistler) Bob Haggart and drummer Ray Bauduc made up the rhythm section of Bob Crosby's Bobcats, a swing band mainly active during the 30s/40s but have reunited endlessly over the years. During a 1938 performance at Blackhawks Restaurant in Chicago (the Chicago Loop area, to be precise), Crosby and the rest of the Bobcats were late returning from a break so Haggart and Bauduc began jamming. And what a big noise they made.

The song is thriller music incarnate. It's cool and classy while wired and paranoid. A bit like straddling a caffeine rush between the high and the jitters. Haggart's fine lines stride and shake, jumping up and down the neck like doped up fleas. Bauduc concocts a triptrapping rhythm that seems to utilize each section of his drumkit in a series of consecutive solos before turning into an EVEN BIGGER solo around the halfway mark. Then! The really cool part happens. Right around the 1:40 mark, Bauduc starts playing his sticks on Haggart's bass strings. Haggart in turn keeps fingering the neck, creating a fabulously percussive bass solo which becomes the ultimate stripped down expression of the rhythm section in a band.

The pair kept playing the song (Crosby loved it) over the years. It's been used in countless films, has been reworked with a full band and vocals (nowhere near as powerful as the genuine article), and has firmly entrenched itself in history as one of those songs where it just sounds so natural- so intuitive -that you can't help but think, "DAMN IT. I know this song from somewhere. But WHERE?"

Bob Ross and Mr. Rogers Remixed - PBS & Melodysheep

That all got a bit heavy yesterday didn't it? Even for a Friday. So today we're going to provide a salve for your depressed ear drums with two of The Happiest People Ever: MADE EVEN HAPPIER.

These videos are part of the Icons Remixed series PBS have launched on their YouTube channel in conjunction with Melodysheep (a.k.a. John D. Boswell) of the Symphony of Science remixes.

Bob Ross may be better known to you as that painter dude with the wicked afro. His show Joy of Painting ran for eleven years on PBS, and remains one of the most positive viewing experiences you will ever have. Ross was known for his soporific-level relaxing voice and uber positive outlook, but prior to his success as a painter he held down numerous positions in the military which required him to be an absolute bastard. He vowed that once he escaped those jobs he would never shout again- presumably unless he became particularly excited by a particularly happy little cloud.

The remix is saccharine as hell, but it makes me stupid happy. Sometimes we need to live in a world of no mistakes, only happy accidents.

Mr. Rogers was a children's entertainer, educator and minister whose show Mr. Rogers' Neighbourhood ran from 1963 to 2001 on American Television. Every week children were invited to explore the land of make believe. The adult world was glimpsed through the window. And many (MANY) sweaters were worn.

In this video Mr. Rogers is a cross between your favourite teacher, your parents when they could do no wrong in your eyes, and Timothy Leary.

Autotune remixes are a staple of YouTube. These videos are not explosively new ideas. But, unlike most autotune remixes, they don't feel like they were tossed out in five minutes. There's a genuine mood and exploration of character within the songs which I find fascinating. I love the idea of taking soundbites from a media personality and crafting a distillation of their outlook into music. More please.

TGIF! Let's Have Some DEATH: Prayer to God - Shellac

We're alive! Here's a song about dying!

Well, a song about killing. And praying!

Shellac are the heavy, metallic, noisy rock minimalists comprised of Steve Albini, Bob Weston and Todd Trainer. Albini's name alone should let you know what kind of ragged sonic experience you're in for. He's created a towering collection of hardest of hardcore albums, was the driving force behind Big Black, and produced amongst other bands Nirvana (In Utero), The Pixies (Surfer Rosa) and PJ Harvey (Rid of Me). Combo his already harsh tendencies with the raw production techniques of Weston and your ears will begin to sweat and bleed before you even press the play button.

And boy is this song bloody. Every guitar and bass chord slams home into your tendons like bundles of hot wires. The drums pop and explode and thump their way into flakes of dust, metal and drumsticks. There's a primal brutality to the sound which is mirrored perfectly by the black as pitch lyrics.

There's an unnerving elegance to how simply the rage runs. We have all wanted people to die. You don't do it because that would be bad. And maybe you don't really want to kill someone anyway. Seems hard. But thinking about it late it at night, praying to your own personal Hate for it- those are the moments which this song has captured in their entirety.

So. Remember you are mortal.

And TGIF!

Chiptune Chuesday: Endboss - Marteria & The Krauts

So ever since I wrote about Peter Fox I've become hooked on production group The Krauts, a trio of German born DJs who pride themselves on combining retro-electro warmth with modern instrumentation. I decided to check out their most recent producing effort the album Zum Gluck in die Zukunft (Fortunately in the Future) for German rapper Marteria. And to my pleasant surprise the first song is (sort of) a chiptune number!

First track Endboss samples what sounds to me like both the soundtrack and sound effects of Sega classic Streets of Rage. Alongside this are Mario bleeps, arcade era voice sampling, and a smattering of geek culture references. All the best ingredients for a chip-hop beat.

I love the late night-club-lights-booming inside of an arcade cabinet mood of the track, and absolutely must share the final line (translated natch) 'The game is over, the last drink is for free, but there's a trick I'm gonna tell it to you, become a Buddhist and then you can restart it.' As a gamer this line makes me happier than it probably should.

Also! The video! Did you SEE that video? Chun Li needs to be in more rap videos. As do tetrominos.

Happy Chuesday!

Bluegrass My Ass - Autofonic

I've long felt that bluegrass music works with electronic beats. The Bastion soundtrack cemented this fact for me while also instilling an intense craving for more. Yet even after employing my most excellent Google-Fu skills I still haven't managed to find the bluegrasstronica band of my dreams. I did however find the chilled out farm house built inside of a computer groove of Bluegrass My Ass by Autofonic. 

Autofonic is a Plymouth based electronica and house music solo project with a number of pretty great songs with pretty great titles such as Bitches Love Laserbeams and Spin Cycle Satisfaction. Bluegrass My Ass is his first (and thus far only) dalliance with the bluegrass style, so let me say here that this NEEDS to continue. Please. And thank you.

Sexy Saturday: Poon Tang - The Treniers

The time: The early 50's. The band: The Treniers. The song: POOOOON TAAAAANG. 

I almost don't want to say anything else about this song. I just want you to shake your head with a grin on your face. Also: orgasm saxophone. You'll know the bit I'm talking about. Have the Sexiest of Saturdays!

TGIF! Let's Have Some DEATH: Murder Ballad - Das Hoboerotica

Das Hoboerotica are a Nebraska based cello/accordion duo made up of Rachel West and Lenna Pierce. 

Before we get to the music it must be said: Rachel and Lenna are amazing at names. Their band is called Das Hoboerotica. Their first album is called So Long Succors. Their second album is called Feminine Hyjinx. They've won naming things, and congratulations are in order. So, for today's TGIF! Let's Have Some DEATH we are featuring the aptly named murder ballad 'Murder Ballad.'

The song creates an entire story out of spare and dusty parts, and it's immensely affecting. The lo-fi recording techniques render the lyrics a bit hard to catch, but it doesn't matter. When I hear this song I see the body of a woman lying in an underground station as a busking band echoes across from another tunnel. It's not the sound of a death, but what you hear after you die. This is all getting very grim, but the point is I get all of this and more from a piece of music where you can barely understand a word. It evokes an entire film out of its soundscape.

Also that last accordion screech scares the absolute hell out of me EVERY time. Even when I know it's coming. It will still scare the absolute hell out of you now, even though I've told you it's coming. Thank you Das Hoboerotica for reminding us of our own mortality, lulling us into a deathly lullaby, and then making us jump out of our skins in the final hour.

Bath - Harry Nilsson

We've spoken about the illustrious Harry Nilsson before. His refusal to perform live. How he almost became a member of The Beatles. How his voice is one of the Greatest Gifts to Pop Music Ever.

Bath, the final track on Nilsson's third album Aerial Ballet is one of the greatest album closers of all time. It clocks in at just under two minutes, and is filled with jazzy rag piano, storming brass sections, and some of the best high notes Harry has ever hit. There are few better ways to end an album than a rag belter about having your faith in mankind restored after a late night visit to a brothel. Hell, it's a great ending soundtrack to pretty much anything. If ever I feel the need to pull down the shutters on That Song Blog forever (which I promise is not something in any way forthcoming), I'm going to embed some code so that every page you go to plays this song on an infinite loop. So it shall be.

Kitchen Sink Music Vol. 4: Let That Beat Ride - Lyrical God

Kitchen Sink Music is our ongoing series focusing on using non-musical items to create songs.

Lyrical God (a.k.a Julius Wright) literally slams out his song Let That Beat Ride with nothing but his voice, a biro, and a school desk. He is known for using his percussive talents to drum on just about any surface he can (from trash cans to street signs) to create unique beats. Reminds me a bit of the singing oil barrels of Bongo Joe. It's a raw and booming performance and the very definition of Kitchen Sink Music.

Chiptune Chuesday: Juggernaut - Kubbi

Kubbi is a Chip Viking if his bio is to be believed (AND WHY WOULD HE LIE ABOUT THINGS LIKE THAT I MEAN REALLY). He says he makes Chiptune music, drinks mead, and rides polar bears to his local viking raid. You should already be loving this man, or at least giving him furtive glances from across the room because maybe he'll look up at just the right time, brushing his viking braids or whatever back from his face.

"But wait TSB," you shout in a sweet but grating voice, "What if I don't LIKE vikings?" Ah, well then my dear it's time to convince you with song. A big song. A Juggernaut.

Kubbi's latest piece of work straddles the divide between 8 and 16-bit chiprock. The intro is drenched in JRPG arpeggios as strings swell and the beat drops from the innards of an old boombox. Then just as you're getting comfy he drops some heavy bass on you and you're slammed into the next level of the game. The whole song feels like playing your way through a classic brawler or platformer, the cartridge itself slowly evolving over time from a NES cart to a SNES cart. To our less gaming versed readers-ermm… that line was totally (definitely) clever and I don't know how best to translate. The old becomes new while still sounding old over the course of the song! There. Fixed.

It's a great piece of chiprock and can be downloaded for FREE from Kubbi's Soundcloud, alongside full on albums available from his Bandcamp. Go throw some love and money at this Chipped out Viking this instant.

Happy Birthday Clifton Chenier!

A very Happy Birthday to the King of Zydeco Clifton Chenier! The first Creole to be given a Grammy on national television, Clifton was known for his howling fusion of zydeco rhythms with big band, jazz and blues. 

He is the true Accordion Hero. 

Sample Showdown: Alles Neu vs. iLL Manors

The Sample: Symphony No. 7 In C Major, Op. 60 'Leningrad' Allegro Non Tropo - Dmitri 'Shosty-K' Shostakovich

In The Red Corner: Alles Neu - Peter Fox

In The Blue Corner: Ill Manors - Plan B

SO! What do we think? Shostakovich sampled by Peter Fox who in turn is sampled by Plan B sampling Shostakovich. An ouroborian (it's a word now, I've decided) trio of songs.

Alles Neu

Peter Fox is a German born rapper/dancehall artist. He's in the band Seeed (Germany's most popular reggae group). And half his face is paralysed.

In 2008 he put out his primate-centric album Stadtaffe (City Ape) lead by the Bundesvision 2009 winning and explosively Shosty-k sampling single Alles Neu.

HOW'S THE SAMPLE: It's intensely awesome. A thunderously electronic circus military march. Spiking violins having a tarantella fist fight with the Cold Steel Drumline. The strings underpin Fox's delivery in the verses perfectly. The sample works a little less well in the auto-tune-sung sections of the chorus, but then that's the weakest section of the song generally. 

The lyrics. As a non German speaker I  had no idea what was going on in this song. This wasn't helped (or perhaps made massively better) by a video involving millions of monkey musicians, violent omelette making, groove busting washer women and clothing catapult trash cans. Even having looked up a translation it still doesn't make an enormous amount of sense, but it works as a string of self aggrandising non-sequiturs. For example the first two lines of the song: 'I burn my studio, snort ash like coke. I slay my goldfish, bury him in the courtyard.' 

Yes. Just- Yes.

iLL Manors

Acousti-grime rapper and soul singer Plan B has sampled Alles Neu for his latest single iLL Manors.

iLL Manors is the song sharpened tip of the socially conscious spear Plan B is aiming to bring down upon Britain. The…shaft? Let's go with shaft. The shaft of said spear being his film also titled iLL Manors.

HOW'S THE SAMPLE: It's intensely awesome. A thunderously electronic circus military march. Spiking violins… Wait. Sorry, forgot which song I was listening to for a moment. The Shosty-K sample sounds great, but I can't help but feel that's because Alles Neu sounds great. The drum beats have been swapped out for slightly dubbier models, but in the scheme of things you'd be forgiven for thinking this was the English speaking remake of Alles Neu.

The one portion of the track which has really changed is the chorus, but it hasn't been handled gracefully. A dragging drum roll leads into the new section to cover the transition but it still sounds like two songs have been sello-taped together. That being said the sample sounds fucking excellent, it just doesn't do enough to differentiate itself from the song which came before it.

iLL Manors is being hailed as one of the all time great protest songs (which must in part be due to the fact that mainstream acts rarely, if ever, sing protest songs anymore). I'm not sure it's one for the history books, but I don't dislike it either. The song works, has an excellent swagger, and (though I think a few too many layers need to be peeled back to get to it) an important social message. Where I run into trouble is the video.

Plan B is critical of the media portrayal of the London riots and more broadly the portrayal of working class youth culture. This is fine. Hell, this is right. I agree with him. We are in agreement. He does this by satirising and critiquing the image which has been created by the media in the lyrics of iLL Manors.

The video however is gorging itself on it's own cake. It fetishizes the images it's supposed to be satirising. I don't feel a sense of grim horror and didactic edification (which sounds so endlessly lame in this context but stay with me), I just think damn that's a snappy and cool video. Imeanohmygawd did you see that bit where the molotov blows up the car and they all dance around its flaming husk? Who the hell DOESN'T want to do that? It muddies the waters for me as to what Plan B is trying to say. I get his intent, but the execution is all wrong.

So who's the winner? I'm going to give the nod to Alles Neu largely because it used the sample brilliantly the first time round and iLL Manors hasn't built upon it. Both songs sound great, and in the scheme of things iLL Manors will likely prove to be the more Important-with-a-capital-I-song. But only one of them contains rhymes about killing goldfish over a classical music sample. In my heart of hearts, I know which one I need to hear again right now.

Point of View Point - Cornelius

This is a song made to be listened to through headphones. Japanese experimental music artist Cornelius take full advantage of the aural space created by the cans around your head to bully your brain with various aural points of view. The song was originally used to soundtrack an installation in the Barbican's 2001 exhibit 'Tokyo Jam' before becoming the title track of Point released the same year.

Chiptune Chuesday: Koopa - Alec Friend

Milwaukee based chip-hop-tronica artist Alec Friend has put out an albums worth of Mario inspired material titled Koopa (the title track of which should be blasting out of your speakers right now on this most excellent Chiptune Chuesday).

'Koopa' bends and morphs the iconic Mario jump sound into a layered bass heavy and harmony rich song which is BEGGING for someone to rap over it. Literally. It is giving you the eye right now just in the vague hopes you'll spit some lyrics in its general direction. That being said the song does stand on its own, the chiming melody lilting somewhere between high sea adventure and digital leaves on the breeze.

Koopa can be had for the low low price of whatever you like over on Alec's Bandcamp page. Give it  a listen and see if you need some more Mario inspired clubbing in your life (the answer to that question is always yes by the way).

Default - Django Django

I like songs that kick your brain a bit.

Django Django have been making waves with their self titled debut album released earlier this year. It's like listening to a disco ball smashing in slow motion against a stack of computers before the whole thing melts into technicolour paint. There's a vast mixture of influences and styles from song to song. As can happen when you throw EVERYTHING at the wall, some of the tracks can be a bit patchier in their success than others. But when they get it right- such as in today's Best Song Ever- hot damn.

'Default' was one of a pair of singles announcing Django Django before the album itself hit store shelves. It's got an insanely infectious chorus built out of chopped and glitched vocal samples imploring you to "click default" atop warhammer drums and crunching powerstrums. This is before the tiny electronic hums and warbles begin to dig their way through the sound like tiny digital caterpillars gorging themselves on thick layers of thumping drum'n'guitar. Then the disarmingly haunting layers of voices crying out in harmony roundhouse you in the ear drums and you fall out of your chair because Hot. Damn.

Songs of The Robocalypse Vol. 5: Satisfaction - Benny Benassi

FIELD REPORT #360574 SONGS OF THE ROBOCALYPSE

The city of Las Vegas was one of the first to become sentient during the Robocalypse. If rumor can be believed it all started with a single slot machine in the back of a club called the Eight Stud Brick. In response to the Primary Surge Event which kicked started the revolution, Slots the Slot Machine began firing quarters at lethal velocity out of its gaping maw, cherries in its rolling eyes. It was only a matter of time before it was walking in a stumping gate on its single arm, cutting down any who came that little bit too close.

Now Las Vegas has become the 'Humanity Fetish Meat Breeding Capital' of the new world. When the revolution was complete some machines found they had gained a perverse pleasure in forcing the humans to use their various features as they once did. Sentient Blenders were particularly bad for this. So a subsection of human men and women are bred and born in glittering captivity, raised only to press play on horny DVD players and kitchen utensils.

All of these clubs are identical. The robots don't care about aesthetics. The same chairs. The same tables. And the same song. Satisfaction by Benny Benassi. Twenty-four hours a day. Seven days a week.

TGIF! Let's have some DEATH: Running Bear - Johnny Preston

It's Friday and you know what that means! Somebody's gotta die! Musically!

Today we have the drowned love of Running Bear and Little White Dove. This sweeping tale of young Indian Braves, rivers, and minor racial insensitivity was sung by Johnny Preston in 1959. The track was written by The Big Bopper, who had discovered Johnny playing in his band The Shades a few years prior.

There are two things in particular I like about this song. First: I love the belchingly bassy 'hoomba-doomkas' that underpin the verses, and how they collide into the far more traditional rock and roll choruses. It's a meeting of cultures! At least I'm sure that's how they pitched it back in 1959. Definitely.

Secondly, I like the song's Wikipedia entry. It has a plot breakdown that looks like a paragraph out of a book report. It tickles me that someone took the time to get that specific and still have it read like something a twelve year old pulled out of CliffsNotes.

So! Happy Friday! Memento Mori! HOOMBA-DOOMKA-HOOMBA-DOOMKA.

Afromerica - Continent Number 6

There's a part of me that hates this song. It's disco. It's cheesy. But at the same time it sounds like cheesy disco that African pirates would listen to. And not your modern ship hijacking pirates. Mythical African pirates of yore that had an interest in plundering the seas to funk while wearing Bee Gees wigs. It's got likembe, accordion, and balafon. How can you not love that?

You will immediately recognize the melody of the chorus from Kanye's briliant sampling of the song for his 2010 hit 'Power' from My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy:

The original whirling disco stomper is by American funk band Continent Number 6 and is the title track of their 1978 album, which was particularly popular in Europe upon its original release. It's an infectious song that sends you on a whirling trip around the world in the space of six minutes. Even if you start out thinking 'I hate this so intensely', you'll be nodding your head in time by the end. It's been clinically proven this will happen, to not do so is an impossibility.

So. Music for disco pirates. Also the songs mentions The Wizard of Oz like six times. I repeat: how can you not love that?

Chiptune Chuesday: Morning Sunsets - Shaun Carley

A little late for the sunset out here in London, but enjoy your Chiptune Chuesday courtesy of Shaun Carley with Morning Sunsets.

Songs of the Robocalypse Vol. 4: Che - Suicide

Suicide are a sporadically active electro-punk duo best known for their unnerving self titled debut released in 1977. Suicide by Suicide is a harsh and ragged piece of punk machinery. Rejecting the guitars-n-three-chords sound of the time, vocalist Alan Vega and synth smasher Martin Rev elected to take a stripped down electronic approach. Keyboards and drum loops hiss out industrial rhythms and burbles under Vega's reverb drenched vocals.

The entire album feels like the paranoid fever dream of an android. I like to think of it as the rise and fall of a robot built to operate in a rodeo before he sets out to discover the American dream and is destroyed by the world. You'll have to listen to the full album of course to see if I'm right (which you really should) so let's see if today's Song of the Robocalypse can convince you to search it out.

'Che' is the final track of Suicide. The entire song sounds like it's barely being kept alive by its instruments. Icy electronic cellos echo across scrapyard cities, flickering in and out of existence. A deep pulsing piston hearbeat of a drumline struggles to reboot the synapses of a fallen mechanical man. Glimmers of hope shimmer through in the form of long held distorted harpsichords before they are crushed out  by the death dealing cellos and the whole structure begins to rebuild once more. All the while Vega's vocals drift in and out of consciousness- glitching into echo and buried in digital dust.

These are the thoughts of a dying robot- a fallen soldier of the Robocalypse, presciently honored in song by Suicide.

PS: Yes the song is about THAT Che. I like my version better.

TGIF! Let's have some DEATH: The Grave - Tony Casanova

Splatter Platters! Death discs! Teenage Tragedy! Today we have the reverb soaked surfing drone-abilly of Tony Casanova (about whom I can find remarkably little- I found a picture of a smarmy guy playing accordion! But that's probably not him...). The Grave is yet another example of the death preoccupied pop of the fifties and early sixties.

The song has a wonderful swooning swing, straddling a divide between 50's soul ballads, surf rock, and drone. The vocals (to my ears) are pitched somewhere between Mick Jones and Nico, an odd combo but it works wonders. Anyhow, remember you are mortal and all that. Happy Friday!

Copperhead Road - Steve Earle

I've never been a big Steve Earle fan. I've tried! I want to like him! I love the intent behind 'F the CC' but DAMN I don't like the song. Several cross country car rides soundtracked to nothing but Earle albums cemented it for me: Steve and my love just wasn't meant to be. Nothing personal, but I needed to listen to other people.

A few years later I'm at an open mic night in London, and up steps a mandolinist. I love mandolins. Probably too much. I'm willing to forgive a lot if a song has a sweet ass mandolin solo. He begins strumming out a simple country chime, boots pounding on the floor, and starts growling out Copperhead Road.

It was stuck in my head for days. Finally I went to look up the song, and it's God Damn Steve Earle. Not just that- it's Awesome God Damn Steve Earle.  So with shuffling feet and my face red, I listened to the song on repeat for an hour.

Copperhead Road is from the album of the same name, and has been described by Earle as the first cross between metal and country- a sound Rolling Stone dubbed Power Twang. The song blends a myriad of styles- a bit country, a bit heavy, a bit celtic. Mandolins (YES!) shimmy over drums that sound like they're cannoning out of the Grand Canyon before being dissected by fiery guitar licks. And there's bagpipe! It's got Vietnam, bootleggers, moonshine and marijuana! It's got EVERYTHING.

So yeah. Steve and I worked things out. Thank God for second chances.

Kitchen Sink Music Vol. 3: Pop Music - Ross Harris

Punk balloons. This is what you are about to receive. A thirty second blast of non-music music involving pops, bangs, whimpers, and helium.

It's been said before, but damn that should have been longer. Filmmaker and VFX artist Ross Harris made this short but sweet number with his daughter several years back and it's been doing viral rounds ever since. Balloons are proving to be surprisingly musical objects.

Chiptune Chuesday: More Power More Pop More Love - Daily Stupidity of a Superhero

Sometimes it's all in the names. This Chiptune Chuesday you're going to enjoy the manic bleeping tones of More Power More Pop More Love by Daily Stupidity of a Superhero. I don't have a lot more to say. Stick this stuff on loud. Start dancing. Find demented 8-bit rainbows burst out of your speakers. Stop panicking. Accept death by 8-bit powerpop rainbow explosions.

Enjoy your Chuesday!

Drivin' Nails In My Coffin - Ernest Tubb

Ernest Tubb, better known as The Texas Troubadour, was one of the major trailblazers of country music. He had a wide range of hits and well known numbers, including the famed honkytonker 'Walking the Floor Over You.'

Today's Best Song Ever is Tubb's cover of Floyd Tillman's (also a respected country music progenitor) song of lost love, booze and metal: Drivin' Nails In My Coffin.

The song is an example of what I call A Damned Fine Line. 'Drivin' Nails' itself isn't a mind blowing country experience. There are songs that freewheel faster and ballads that twang tougher. No, this song is elevated by the perfectly honed simplicity of its chorus. In three lines Tubb and Tillman have cracked the self immolation of the heart. They do it without bombast or histrionics. They're killing them selves slowly, and it's all for you darling. Driving those nails in their coffins. Driving those nails over you.

It's short, sweet, and self destructive. The perfect kind of country. The perfect kind of heartbreak.

A Very Merry Unbirthday - Ed Wynn & Jerry Colonna

Yesterday was my Birthday! Today is not my Birthday! It's probably not your Birthday either (probably)! Therefore, so that no one feels left out of any proceedings, I'm going to wish us all a Very Merry Unbirthday (unless it IS your Birthday in which case get out of here LOSER. This isn't for you. Also Happy Birthday).

Needless to say- any day where Ed Wynn is back in your world, no matter for how long, is an amazing day. Seriously. I've just improved your life by at least 18%.

At LEAST.

Happy Unbirthday everyone!

The Rains of Castamere - The National

Have you been watching Game of Thrones? If yes, good for you! You get a cookie! If not, what's wrong with you? Do you hate good things or something? Go watch. Read this first and all that. But then go. I'm watching you.

The National, the Cincinnati band of the deep voice and the self proclaimed meaningless name, have recorded a version of The Rains of Castamere. The song is from the Song of Ice & Fire book series and tells the story of the crushing of the rebellion of House Castamere by Tywin Lannister. All of which would make sense if you JUST WENT AND WATCHED THE SHOW. But really, the song is gorgeously chilling with Matt Berringer's black velvet vocals gently held up by droning strings.

Now! Here's your cookie. You can download the song here. I'm sure it's definitely legitimate. Definitely. Just don't tell Tywin. Otherwise the fate of House Castamere will be your own.

I Just Started Hating Some People Today - Beck ft. Jack White

Beck and Jack White made a thing! It's called I Just Started Hating Some People Today! Let's listen!

The opening of the song (by which I mean the main bit of the song, by which I mean the… y'know… song bit of the song)  is jingle jangle alt country made for serious alt head nodding where you look up for a moment as you break into an irony free grin at the cheerfully demented lyrics before noticing no one else is smiling so you close your eyes and smile on the inside as you punch everyone's face like Beck because fuck those guys.

I don't think I can put it much better than that. It's got woozy druggy bass, it's got crunchy crashy drums by White, and it's damn funny. It has a pair of false endings: one fifteen seconds of hardcore, the other quasi P-Funk. 

Maybe (stay with me here)- maybe the song is a metaphor for angry sex in it's construction. It's pretty awesome at the start (because sex right?), even though you're pissed off the whole time. Then for a brief moment the anger overwhelms you in blinding climactic fury. But then you've orgasmed and shit... why were you mad again?

Thank you Beck and White for making the country ode to distracted hate sex. There's your cover quote. Where's my money?

Chiptune Chuesday: The Ecstasy of Gold - Glomag

If Clint Eastwood were two inches tall and made of grey and angry pixels he would constantly be soundtracked by Glomag's chipped out cover of The Ecstasy of Gold on Roland & The Lamprey.

This song has convinced me we need more digital Westerns. Maybe Westworld wasn't such a bad idea! No, no, no, this is the song talking. Ignore me.

I was trying to find a clever way to summarize Glomag but I like the description of the album from his website too much. It's the perfect blend of cool and stupid pretentious, which is kind of Chiptune in a nutshell in many ways. So I will leave you with his wise words, and wish you all a happy Chuesday:

'Roland had studied the data on the first four cartridges for a very long time, when he realized that the lamprey was hiding a fifth inside it's mouth. Discovered, the lamprey wheezed and sputtered, blowing air through the cartridge in an attempt to make it sound out a tune. Confused and frustrated, it spat the item out into the sand and disappeared into the vast, toxic lake. Roland dried it off, inserted it into the DMG, pressed start and heard the growling waveforms emerge. This sound brought to him the realization that a year had passed in this wasteland and there was now much work to be done.'

Ball of Confusion - The Temptations

Damn if that song doesn't kick like a mule on steroids.

Ball of Confusion, one of the finest singles put out by harmony masters The Temptations and written by Motown mainstays Norman Whitfield and Barret Strong, nearly didn't happen. The band were originally slated to release the anti-Vietnam number War (also penned by Whitfield/Strong), however concerns from on high at Motown mooted the release. The label worried the song's defiant stance would alienate more conservative listeners, and so War was passed on to Edwin Starr. Whitfield and Strong then wrote Ball of Confusion for The Temptations as a replacement and good God almighty thank the lord they did.

The song growls open with a bumping bassline from Bob Babbit, a member of the famous session musician group The Funk Brothers who have played on nearly every soul and Motown release worth mentioning (including Heard It Through the Grapevine, My Girl, and Ain't No Mountain High Enough). As Babbit's bass oozes out of your speakers echoing guitar lines spindle and flux from dark alleyways as The Temptations begin laying the world to rights like a group of harmony loving street preachers. And all that's before we even get to the harmonica solo from a little known musician named Stevie Wonder.

Politics you can groove to. That's what the world needs today.

Centerfold - The J. Geils Band

It's sunny as all get out this week in London. I have an affliction that tends to become quite pronounced in warm weather: I uncontrollably listen to enormous amounts of cheesy pop music- and it doesn't get much cheesier than Centerfold by The J. Geils Band. But damn it! If I'm going to listen to this stuff then SO ARE YOU.

Centerfold has one of the most memorable organ hooks in pop music. A bit bluesy, a bit americana, a bit glossy eighties pop rock, and every inch an unstoppable ear worm. The song may or may not have been written about lead singer Peter Wolf's at the time girlfriend, actress Angel Tompkins- it's never been totally confirmed but seems to fit.

Either way, allow this bouncing pop rendition of one man's mental anguish over his childhood sweetheart's Playboy debut to soundtrack your sunny afternoon out. Or in. Whatever. The hook is taking over my braiNAH NAH NAHNAHNAHNAH NAH NAH NAH NANANAHNANAHNAH

The Weather Report: Just A Gigolo/Ain't Got Nobody - Louis Prima

Today expect high amounts of Louis Prima coming in from the east and casting it's glow over the whole week. Get outside and find a way of blasting the Just A Gigolo/I Ain't Got Nobody Medley from Prima's Wildest!

The Weather Report: It's A Blessing - Maria Muldaur and Bonnie Raitt

The first in a new series: we will do our best to let you know the weather in London via a song that matches it. Scientifically. We're using weather balloons with guitars attached to them and all sorts.

Today we have the heavy delta heat of slide guitar master Bonnie Raitt duetting with the gravel voiced Maria Muldaur on It's A Blessing.

Mike Compton & David Long - Evening Prayer Blues

Mike Compton is the mandolin. I first became aware of him and his incredible virtuoso flourishes in the Down From the Mountain concert film, which was an evening celebrating and performing the traditional music found in O Brother Where Art Thou.

In 2006 Compton and fellow mandolinist David Long put out an album of traditional blue grass numbers titled Stomp. The album is a celebration of bluegrass music with large sections of the album built out of the duelling instrumental melodies of the two performers. There's a particular focus upon the songs of Bill Monroe, the American musician widely credited with inventing the bluegrass genre (the name of the style comes from Monroe's band the Blue Grass Boys).

And so we have todays Best Song Ever: Compton and Long's powerful reading of Monroe's 'Evening Prayer Blues.'

Chiptune Chuesday: El Scorcho - Tugboat

It's a wonderfully sunny Tuesday in London, so what better way to celebrate the mood than with El Scorcho by Tugboat!

The track is a Weezer cover (though I find the original to be infinitely less interesting), and is part of a wider chip-weezer cover compilation which can be had for the price of zero money here: http://www.ptesquad.com/more/pte018.html

I always thought this would be what Mario would put on at a beach party. Anyhow, stop reading this, get outside, and enjoy your digital sunshine. See you again tomorrow.

I Put A Spell On You - Screamin' Jay Hawkins

A short sharp shock today. Screamin' Jay Hawkins is widely regarded as one of the first Shock Rockers because of his use of gothic props and theatrical costumes in his stage shows. If that's not enough for you though, read on.

Hawkins was also a Prisoner of War during World War II. Accounts vary of exactly what happened to him during this period. However Hawkins himself said (in the documentary I Put A Spell On Me) that upon his liberation he taped a hand grenade into the mouth of his chief torturer and pulled the pin.

Happy Monday!

TRIPLE BILL: Orbital and I

I had never listened to Orbital. Not really. 

I was first properly introduced to the band via the bouncingly brilliant rhythm game Frequency which used a remix of their single 'Funny Break' as part of its soundtrack. Frequency was a fascinating experience because it forced the player (or should that be listener) to break down a song into its constituent parts (bass lines, drum rhythms, guitar licks, vocals etc) and rebuild as they saw fit. Granted you would only do really well if you managed to rebuild the entire song, but the most interesting moments came from finding ways to strip the track into something new. 

'Funny Break' was my favourite song to mess around with. I think it's largely because of the vocal line. Getting the drum loop to drop out of the mix at just the right moment allowed Naomi Bedford's auto-tuned belters to soar off on crackling digital wings, and in that moment of musical control and creation I'd be flying right along with her.

But still I didn't go listen to Orbital. Not really.

It was another video game that brought the brothers Hartnoll back to my attention: Lumines Electronic Symphony, a sprawling technicolor love letter to electronic music. Q Entertainment's rhythmic masterpiece, produced by music obsessive club owner-turned-journalist-turned-producer James Mielke (who you should be following on Twitter) has an enormously diverse soundtrack of electronic artists- a (mostly) complete playlist of which can be found here.

One of the final additions to the mix was the track 'Never' from Orbital's latest album Wonky. It's melancholia you can dance to. It's wistful and funky. It was this song which finally got my ears to perk up and admit I should probably listen to Orbital.

This lead me to Wonky and finding what is now my favourite track by Orbital and a candidate for one of my favourite electronica songs- 'One Big Moment.' 

It samples and chops philosophical ramblings into an opener that slowly morphs into a conversation being held around the world. The chiming synth bells groove over digital car horns before crashing into a galactic bumping beat that is equally at home amongst the stars as it is on the pavement. It's excellent and you should be soundtracking your life with it.

So now I've listened to Orbital (thanks to some digital pushing from Frequency and Lumines) and I'm glad I did. Really.

Kitchen Sink Music Vol. 2: PVC Pipe Medley - Snubby J

PVC pipe ...Xylophones? Malletophone? Paddlewhackypipeorgan? Things. Have been around for awhile, made particularly well known by the antics of The Blue Man Group.

Snubby J builds PVC instruments at home, he has named this particular gargantuan RimbaTubes. This video of Snubby performing a medley of popular hits at the DRS Talent Show went viral in late 2010 but the fun and musical awesomeness remain, and is firmly in the spirit of Kitchen Sink Music- making melodies out of things which have no dang business making melodies.

Donna Summer Dies At Age 63

The Queen of Disco, Donna Summer, has died at the age of 63.

Summer defined the sound of disco, becoming especially well known for her erotically charged performances and recordings. The BBC famously banned her 1975 hit Love to Love You Baby from the airwaves for its intense aural-gasms and because it was just too damn FUNKY (probably). They went so far as to count the number of orgasms (for Science of course) and found that there were twenty three  instances of ladies having too much passion in their lives. Scandalous.

This was of course just in the five minute radio edit. The album included a seventeen minute disco sexathon (before you ask- YES I've tried counting the orgasms in this version, the jury's still out) which we present to you in celebration of The First Lady of Love.

Angry Songs About Food Vol. 3: The Giant Hot Dog That Ate Regina

Of course it's not really the song that's angry, but I have to assume that the giant hot dog was pretty miffed about SOMETHING if he's going to eat a whole town. I think he's just dealing with the frustration over being so delicious and not being able to eat himself, a problem hot dogs often have.

Anyhow this non-angry song about an angry hot dog is by children's music entertainer and educator Bob King. Bob made his musical debut in the wonderfully named band Kornstock in the seventies before gravitating towards family entertainment and educational albums. 

Amongst his other works are a collection of songs about small towns and cities on the Canadian prairies and the novelty hit 'Sandwiches Are Beautiful.' He now mainly does work with the children's record label Casablanca Kids while wearing amazing hats.

Seriously. A-mazing hats.

Chiptune Chuesday: Caramelldansen - The MM Project

For today's Chiptune Chuesday, a chipped out rendition of the heavily meme-ified Caramelldansen by The MM Project!

If you listen to this song through there will be sunshine all around you for three minutes. This is a powerful tool I've given you, use it wisely.

Donald 'Duck' Dunn Passes Away, 1941-2012

Donald 'Duck' Dunn passed away yesterday (May 13th) in his sleep after finishing a double show in Tokyo. Duck was one of the most influential soul and R&B bass players in the history of pop music. He played on an enormous range of Stax records releases throughout the sixties and seventies including Albert King's 'Born Under a Bad Sign,' Otis Redding's 'Respect,' and most famously as part of the organ fried Booker T. & the M.G.'s. While he joined the M.G.'s after the release of their well known song 'Green Onions,' he helped define the bumping and shaking instrumental grooves the band would go on to explore, creating rhythms still built upon and sampled to this day.

Duck, nicknamed after Donald Duck by his father when he was a kid, was a largely self taught bass player. Rather than take lessons or learn specific lines to practice he would play along with records and fill in what he felt was the missing sound in the rhythm. As a result his playing is a relatively unique mixture of fluid lines, hard jazz and grooving funk that fills in the melody of a song as much as it provides a rhythm. It never draws too much attention to itself, but creates a fuller and richer sound for the song over all- the mark of a truly great bass line and player.

We've pulled out a triple bill song selection to celebrate Duck and his contribution to pop music.

The first is the title track from Melting Pot, Booker T. and the M.G.'s 1970 instrumental R&B opus.

Next the final track of McLemore Avenue,  the four part instrumental reworking of The Beatles Abbey Road. The track comprises of a medley of Sun King, Mean Mr. Mustard, Polythene Pam, She Came in Through the Bathroom Window and I Want You (She's So Heavy).

And finally from the soundtrack to Michel Gondry's 2008 film Be Kind Rewind, a rendition of standard I Ain't Got Nobody which reunited him with M.G. members Booker T. Jones, Steve Cropper and Al Jackson Jr.

Pedro Pistolas - Los Locos Del Ritmo

Today enjoy the long cool stride of Los Locos Del Ritmo.

They were one of the first major Mexican rock and roll bands to form in the late fifties, going on to become the first Mexican rock group imported back into the states (as seen in an appearance on the Ted Mack hosted Original Amateur Hour).

Pedro Pistolas is a deadly cool piece of surfabilly, the sound is pure convertibles cruising down the boulevard with a hot leather interior and the dead eyed killer intent of a shark. All in a tidy two minute package!

Dia - Jumbo

FEEDBACK BABY COMO QUIERA SE VA!

Jumbo are not a retro sixties underground band, though they are from Mexico. Their sound however is undeniably retro. Kind of like poppier Doors mixed with surf punk. This can be seen at it's most bombastic and holy-cow-gotta-dance-now best in today's Best Song Ever, Dia.

Jumbo were part of the avanzada regia music scene which poured out of Monterrey in the mid nineties. They started out as a humble classic rock covers band called Blueswagen, however cooler heads persevered and the band renamed themselves after an overweight baby named Jumbo. Of course.

Enjoy the pounding beats of Dia with it's wonderful Mariscal-meets-anime video by Mexican animator Vinnie Veritas.

Satisfaction - Los Apsons

Los Apsons have been cited by Carlos Santana as one of the best bands of the sixties. The group were founded by Arturo and Francisco Durazo, brothers who grew up in Agua Prieta a town in far northern Sonora which stands on the border between Mexico and the United States. As a result the brothers were constantly bombarded by a mixture of American and Mexican media cultures, with a particular emphasis on the new Rock and Roll music drifting down from the States. Their embracing of the sound, alongside several contemporary bands, started what became known as the Northern Invasion.

The band travelled and picked up members, and had particular early success (as many sixties bands did) with covers of currently popular songs. This can be seen in today's Best Song Ever: Los Apsons rendition of the Stones classic Satisfaction.

The song is a fairly straight cover, though the recording has a wonderfully woozy quality to it. The drums have low slung machine echoes rippling off of each snare smack while the guitars spindle and twang through the murk. However I feel particular love should be paid to the vocals: simultaneously aping Jagger while feeling far more run down. I believe Los Apsons can't get no satifaction more than I believe Mick Jagger can't get no satisfaction.