I’ve done quite well on listening to new stuff lately, even had a day working from home when I got to use Spotify to check out a few artists. However, it seems I’m overly influenced by a band’s name or album name when it comes with picking what new music to try listening to. I should know better by now, as 90% of the stuff I try I think is pants however raving the reviews, but I guess you’ve got to filter things down somehow.

The interesting ones have been:

  • Yuck - Yuck. I loved Cajun Dance Party, but didn’t realise Yuck were borne out of them until ages after having my interested piqued by the articles on them on TLOBF. I like the whole album, but Georgia is ACE. Soundtrack to my summer.
  • LCMDF - Love & Nature. The first time around I didn’t think much of them. Then I heard them again on one of Huw Stephen’s podcasts so thought I’d have another listen. This album is pretty good, especially Future Me.
  • The Shoes - Crack My Bones. An Eclectic album. Especially on Spotify where an advert break between songs had me double checking I wasn’t accidentally listening to a completely different album. I really want to get this so I can give it another listen, I think it might be fantastic. And also, how could I not like something called Shoes though?
  • Cut Copy -Zonoscope - Ok, but no standouts. Gets off to a crap start, but the second track, “Take Me Over” is better. The mega-long track at the end would be great to drifiting off to sleep to (useless fact: when I was a teenager I used to fall asleep listening to music with my headphones on and my parents were always concerned I might strangle myself in my sleep).
  • Keep Shelly in Athens - What a fantastic name for a band! Hauntin’ me is really quite good. Listened to a couple of other tracks, all seems quite chilled out, but good the same.
  • Martha’s and Arthurs - Apes in Aeroplanes - I liked the name! I don’t know about this though. It’s ok for a chill out time, but is a bit folksy for my liking.
  • Oh Canada 15 - (I’ve skipped straight to this from No.6, but I found someone has compiled a list of all of series that will make it easier for me to go back and fill in the gaps) None of it bad, but some passes me by. Standouts; MisterE, Slow Down Molasses, Bear Trees and No Gold (very good!).
  • Harry’s Gym - What Was Ours Can’t Be Yours - Another fabulous name (the album). Unfortunately the name is better than the album. Sailing Home is very good. but the rest I’m just not sure about, have listened a few times, but just can’t seem to pay attention
  • PJ Harvey - Let England Shake - Interesting just because it’s PJ Harvey! I’m still back at the clingfilm days of the 4-Track Demos. Oddly, “The words that Maketh Murder is quite jolly”. Probably the best track for me. The rest I doubt I’ll be listening to much again.
  • Senser - How to do Battle - (I know it has been around for awhile, but only recently got to listen). Hmm, if this had been released in 1995 I would have loved it and jumped all over it. Stacked Up was awesome (and I still love it), but now this just feels a bit dated. I guess we all hate it when our favourite bands evolve too much and the next album is a radical departure from what we were expecting/hoping for, but then also disappointed when it’s exactly the same. It’s me, not you (Senser): I’ve been waited since Stacked Up for exactly this album, but then when it came it wasn’t actually what I was waiting for.
  • Young Galaxy - Cover your Tracks - Free EP from Paperbag records. Got it because of the Teen Daze mix and it is very good, which reminds me that I really could do with getting some Teen Daze stuff.

And not really worth much of a mention:

Stricken City, Treefight for Sunlight (Some falsetto stuff is awesome - Passion Pit - this just sounds like a load of hippies that have been kicked in the balls; great name though), Discodeine, Echo Lake, Esben and the witch (not as good as the hype. An bit too ethereal), Superhumanoids, Teengirl fantasy, LA Vampires (my god, no! That’s just noise. Freak), Two Bicycles (I’m not Afraid to Wait For You / Alone At Sea - I waited for 4 mins for it to get going and then it ended.)