Another big, eclectic mix of music this week.
“Summer Drive” – Dragon Turtle
For those moody, nighttime drives when summer’s hold begins to slip.
“mangetout” – Wet Leg
It took a minute, but a song from the new WL album finally jumped out at me. This track has all the cheek of their first album – so many sly lyrics! – with a slight edge that, to my ear, recalls the Yeah Yeah Yeahs.
“Alright Alright Alright” – Westside Cowboy
My records indicate that I’ve not shared this song before. My brain keep telling me that I have, though. Oh well, it’s a fun enough song that it’s worth including again if my records are suspect. I’m not sure I believe this group is from Manchester, either. They sound very West Coast to me.
“Willow” – she’s green
This sounds a lot like Hatchie, both in vocals and music. The group is from Minneapolis, which is about as opposite of Hatchie’s native Australia as you can get.
“Punch Drunk” – Broken Fires
BF’s “East London Hotel” is one of my favorite songs of the summer. I finally checked and they indeed have an album coming out in November and this is another pre-release from it.
“Pay Per View” – Georgia Maq
The wonderful Camp Cope officially broke up two years ago. Maq had already released music on her own before, so this is not really her solo debut. The music takes a different path, but her voice remains magnificent.
“Quiet Life” – shame
Man, I’m not sure how to categorize this song. At first it seems like it’s taking a run at the Lord Huron sound. Then it picks up the pace and its Britishness presents itself, falling closer to bands like Fontaines D.C. or The Clockworks, with just a hint of rockabilly in there. I think it slaps.
“Ain’t Quite Right” – Still Blank
Stereogum described this band as “folk-grunge.” That’s a new one on me. I guess it fits.
“Can’t Do Nuttin’ For Ya, Man!” – Public Enemy
My brother-in-law, Mahk in Bahston, shared a wonderful blurb with me a few weeks back. Responding to the notion that the United States would deport immigrants from nations like Venezuela to Nigeria, the Nigerian foreign minister said, honest to God, “…you’ll remember a line from Flavor Flav, ‘Flavor Flav has problems of his own, I can’t do nothing for you, man.’” Nigeria is my new favorite country.
“Huddle Formation” – The Go! Team
I heard this one night this week while making dinner. Let me tell you, that dinner tasted a little better than normal thanks to my bopping around to this jam!
“Boys on the Radio” – Hole
Maybe a stretch to call this a summer song, although the word summer is in it. And, hell, it is a perfect song for cranking up while driving around with the windows down at night. Which, honestly, I haven’t done in about 30 years, but it is one of those core summer experiences I can never shake and can’t help but reference often.
“Hey Ladies” – Beastie Boys
Over the weekend I came across a great YouTube vid breaking down Paul’s Boutique. All the excuse I needed to listen to that classic album and then share this amazing video with you. Free James Brown.