3-20-2012 show

This week brings new stuff from The Shins, Andrew Bird and High Highs, old stuff from Psychic TV, The Cure and Can, with a special highlight of box sets from Simple Minds and The Blackeyed Susans! Unfortunately a brown-out means I couldn't record the show, so here's the music sans DJ banter and insight.

Notes:
The new Shins album is a mixed bag after a couple of listens - James Mercer fired the entire band after the last album and there's something missing in the rhythm section on the new one.

I picked up a new wave compilation called "New Wave Club Class*x - Sinners Day 2011" and was pleasantly surprised by a bunch of bands I hadn't heard much from before.

I highlighted two box sets I recently bought. The first is Simple Minds first 6 albums - fantastic stuff, overlooked due to their later awful sell-out years. The other is from The Blackeyed Susans, a wonderful folk-rock band from Australia which imbues their music with something ineffable from where they live.

You can download this podcast by clicking here.

Playlist:
The Shins - The Rifle's Spiral (Port Of Morrow, 2012)
Andrew Bird - Orpheo Looks Back (Break It Yourself, 2012)
High Highs - Horses (High Highs EP, 2011)
Psychic TV - Godstar (single version) (Godstar 7", 1985)
Visage - Fade To Grey (single version) (Fade To Grey 7", 1980)
Severed Heads - Petrol (Petrol 7", 1985)
Sex Gang Children - Deiche (Dieche 7", 1984)
The Leather Nun - Gimme Gimme Gimme (Gimme Gimme Gimme! 7", 1986)
The Cure - A Forest (Peel session) (Digital distribution, 1980)
BT - Always (feat. Rob Dickinson) (These Hopeful Machines, 2010)
Janet LaValley - Love To Hear You Cry (Digital distribution, 1995?)
Stephen Hero - Welcome Home! (57 Stars Of The Air Almanac, 2007)
Lois - Northern Soul (Snapshot Radio EP, 1996)
The Housemartins - Happy Hour (London 0 Hull 4, 1986)
Street Chant - Yr Philosophy (Means, 2010)
Cinematic - Aqua Baby (Cinematic, 1994)
David Yetton - Stars Without Make-Up (Blow Out Your Candles, 2005)
Lard - War Pimp Renaissance (Pure Chewing Satisfaction, 1997)
Michal Kahan - Chevere!! (Baby Escapo EP, 2003)
Juniper Moon - No Te Pongas El Sombrero (El Resto De Mi Vida, 2002)
Monstrance - The Floating World (Monstrance, 2007)
23 Skidoo - Last Words (The Gospel Comes To New Guinea, 2002 - originally released in 1981)
Can - Mushroom (Tago Mago, 1971)
Simple Minds - Changeling (Real To Real Cacophony, 1979)
Simple Minds - Thirty Frames A Second (Empires And Dance, 1980)
Simple Minds - The American (Sister Feelings Call, 1981)
(all part of X5 box set, 2012)
The Blackeyed Susans - Mary Mac (Mouth To Mouth, 1996)
The Blackeyed Susans - Smokin' Johnny Cash (Spin The Bottle, 1997)
The Blackeyed Susans - Private Dancer (Dedicated To The Ones We Love, 2001)
(all part of Reveal Yourself box set, 2009)

Rockabilly Show

This week's show is a bit outside our normal focus: 1950s rockabilly! This is the motherland, the wellspring and inspiration for all the music I love. Some of it emphasizes the 'rock', some the 'billy' but it's all ridiculously catchy and fun! You'll hear big names like Carl Perkins, Roy Orbison and The King as well as lesser known artists like Buck Griffin, Malcolm Yelvington and Barbara Pittman. I managed to fit 50 tracks into 2 hours, join the fun!

Normally, I try to list the original source release but almost all of these tracks came out on singles and are now conveniently compiled somewhere. I've listed the release year after the title.

You can listen to this podcast by clicking here.

Playlist:
Bill Haley With Haley's Comets - Crazy Man, Crazy (1953) (V/A - Loud, Fast & Out Of Control, 1999)
Carl Perkins - Dixie Fried (1956) (V/A - Essential Rockabilly - The Sun Story, 2011)
Eddie Cochran - Somethin' Else (1959) (V/A - Loud, Fast & Out Of Control, 1999)
Gene Vincent - Cat Man (1957) (V/A - Rockin' Bones, 2006)
Johnny Burnette Trio - The Train Kept A-Rollin' (1956) (V/A - Loud, Fast & Out Of Control, 1999)
Buck Griffin - Stutterin' Papa (1956) (V/A - Essential Rockabilly - The MGM Story, 2011)
Bob Gallion - My Square Dancin' Mama (1957) (V/A - Essential Rockabilly - The MGM Story, 2011)
Arthur Smith - Who Shot Willie? (1951) (V/A - Essential Rockabilly - The MGM Story, 2011)
Billy Jack Wills - All She Wants To Do Is Rock (1956) (V/A - Essential Rockabilly - The MGM Story, 2011)
Don Gibson - I Ain't A Studying You Baby (1958) (V/A - Essential Rockabilly - The MGM Story, 2011)
Simon Crum - Stand Up, Sit Down, Shut Your Mouth (1958) (V/A - Essential Rockabilly - The Capitol Story, 2011)
Rudy Grayzell - There's Gonna Be A Ball (1955) (V/A - Essential Rockabilly - The Capitol Story, 2011)
Lew Williams - Bop Bop Ba Doo Bop (1956) (V/A - Essential Rockabilly - The Imperial Story, 2011)
Dennis Herrold - Hip Hip Baby (1957) (V/A - Essential Rockabilly - The Imperial Story, 2011)
Weldon Rogers - So Long, Good Luck And Goodbye (1957) (V/A - Essential Rockabilly - The Imperial Story, 2011)
Malcolm Yelvington & The Star Rhythm Boys - Drinkin' Wine Spo-Dee-O-Dee (1954) (V/A - Essential Rockabilly - The Sun Story, 2011)
Ray Smith - Right Behind You Baby (1958) (V/A - Essential Rockabilly - The Sun Story, 2011)
Sonny Burgess - Red Headed Woman (1956) (V/A - Essential Rockabilly - The Decca Story, 2011)
Johnny Bell - Flip Flop And Fly (1959) (V/A - Essential Rockabilly - The Decca Story, 2011)
Jackie Lee Cochran - Ruby Pearl (1957) (V/A - Essential Rockabilly - The Decca Story, 2011)
Jerry Kennedy - Teenage Love Is Misery (1958) (V/A - Essential Rockabilly - The Decca Story, 2011)
Terry Noland - Come Marry Me (1958) (V/A - Essential Rockabilly - The Decca Story, 2011)
Johnny Caroll - Tryin' To Get To You (1956) (V/A - Essential Rockabilly - The Decca Story, 2011)
Billy Harlan - School House Rock (1958) (V/A - Essential Rockabilly - The Decca Story, 2011)
Justin Tubb - Rock It On Down To My House Baby (1958) (V/A - Essential Rockabilly - The Decca Story, 2011)
Ben Hewitt - I Want A New Girl Now (1960) (V/A - Essential Rockabilly - The Mercury Story, 2011)
Connie Dycus - Rock-A-Bye Baby Rock (1958) (V/A - Essential Rockabilly - The Mercury Story, 2011)
Eddie Bond - Slip, Slip, Slippin' In (1956) (V/A - Essential Rockabilly - The Mercury Story, 2011)
Ronnie Dawson - Rockin' Bones (1959) (V/A - Rockin' Bones, 2006)
John & Jackie - Little Girl (1958) (V/A - Rockin' Bones, 2006)
Hasil Adkins - Chicken Walk (1958) (V/A - Rockin' Bones, 2006)
Johnny Kidd & The Pirates - Shakin' All Over (1960) (V/A - Rockin' Bones, 2006)
Tom Tall - Stack-A-Records (1958) (V/A - Rockin' Bones, 2006)
Johnny Dollar - Action Packed (1958) (V/A - Rockin' Bones, 2006)
The Collins Kids - Hoy Hoy (1958) (V/A - Rockabilly Essentials, 1998)
Janis Martin - My Boy Elvis (1956) (V/A - Loud, Fast & Out Of Control, 1999)
The Miller Sisters - Ten Cats Down (1956) (V/A - Essential Rockabilly - The Sun Story, 2011)
Barbara Pittman - I Need A Man (1956) (V/A - Rockin' Bones, 2006)
Laura Lee Perkins - Kiss Me Baby (1958) (V/A - Essential Rockabilly - The Imperial Story, 2011)
Wanda Jackson - Honey Bop (1958) (V/A - Essential Rockabilly - The Capitol Story, 2011)
George Jones - Who Shot Sam (1959) (V/A - Essential Rockabilly - The Mercury Story, 2011)
Rock-A-Teens - Woo-Hoo (1959) (V/A - Loud, Fast & Out Of Control, 1999)
Warren Smith - Ubangi Stomp (1956) (V/A - Rockin' Bones, 2006)
Billy Riley & The Little Green Men - Red Hot (1957) (V/A - Loud, Fast & Out Of Control, 1999)
Ricky Nelson - Stood Up (1958) (V/A - Essential Rockabilly - The Imperial Story, 2011)
Little Richard - The Girl Can't Help It (1956) (V/A - Loud, Fast & Out Of Control, 1999)
Jerry Lee Lewis - High School Confidential (1958) (V/A - Essential Rockabilly - The Sun Story, 2011)
Roy Orbison & Teen Kings - Ooby Dooby (1956) (V/A - Loud, Fast & Out Of Control, 1999)
Buddy Holly - Love Me (1956) (V/A - Essential Rockabilly - The Decca Story, 2011)
Elvis Presley - That's All Right (1954) (V/A - Essential Rockabilly - The Sun Story, 2011)

Flying Nun show

My favorite label ever, Flying Nun, is back in the saddle and has two new compilations out. While people may be familiar with the top tier bands such as The Chills, The Clean, The Bats, The Verlaines, etc, I decided to showcase the lesser bands over the 30 years the label has been putting out the best indie rock from New Zealand - which stands against anywhere else in the world! Everything from voice-and-guitar to pop to noise-rock gets an airing here and I am quite looking forward to their new signings.

You can listen to this podcast by clicking here.

Playlist:
25 Cents - The Witch (Don't Deceive Me 7", 1981)
Naked Spots Dance - Governed By You (New EP, 1982)
Fetus Productions - State To Be In (Fetalmania EP, 1983)
Marie And The Atom - Isol (Yellow Read Aloud EP, 1983)
The Victor Dimisich Band - Native Waiter (The Victor Dimisich Band EP, 1983)
Bill Direen - Alligator Song (C0NCH3, 1985)
Sneaky Feelings - Husband House (Take Sides, 1985)
The Weeds - Wheatfields (Wheatfields 7", 1985)
Axemen - The Wharf With No Name (Derry Legend, 1987)
The Dead C - I Was Here (Eusa Kills, 1989)
The Sombretones - Good Evening Listeners (The Sombretones EP, 1990)
The Terminals - Uncoffined (Uncoffined, 1990)
Chainsaw Masochist - Thrashing Around (Periphery, 1991)
Olla - Septic Hagfish (Septic Hagfish 7", 1991)
Queen Meanie Puss - Contracts (The Beauty Of Dogs 7", 1991)
The Strange Loves - Turn Your Lights On (See Your Colours, 1991)
Dribbling Darts - Hey Judith (Present Perfect, 1993)
The Renderers - A Touch Of Evil (A Touch Of Evil 7", 1993)
Solid Gold Hell - Bitter Nest (Swingin' Hot Murder, 1994)
Celia Mancini - Kiasu (Kiasu 7", 1996)
David Mitchell & Denise Roughan - Crying Room (The Ghost Club 7", 1996)
Garageland - Fingerpops (Last Exit To Garageland, 1996)
Superette - Touch Me (Tiger, 1996)
Betchadupa - Spill The Light (Betchadupa, 2000)
The Subliminals - United State (United State, 2000)
The D4 - Get Loose (6Twenty, 2001)
High Dependency Unit - Schallblute (Fire Works, 2001)
Gerling - The Deer In You (When Young Terrorists Chase The Sun, 2001)
PanAm - Interstate Boy (PanAm, 2003)
The Phoenix Foundation - 40 Years (Happy Ending, 2007)
Shocking Pinks - Emily (Shocking Pinks, 2007)
The Mint Chicks - Life Will Get Better Some Day (Screens, 2009)
Die! Die! Die! - Howye (Form, 2010)
Grayson Gilmour - I Am A Light! (No Constellation, 2010)

Compiling Simple Minds

Ah, Simple Minds, what a long, strange journey - for both the band and my own fandom. I imagine I heard some early tracks while hanging around WMUA in the fall of 1984, but I don't remember anything until, like the rest of America, I saw the video for "Don't You Forget About Me" on MTV. I thought it was a great song, and I still do. I picked up "New Gold Dream" and "Sparkle In The Rain" and loved them to pieces. But when "Once Upon A Time" came out, I was appalled - what happened here? I consigned them to the back of my mind, appreciating what I had (_New Gold Dream_ and _Sparkle In The Rain_) but didn't give them another thought. By 2007, enough chatter on my favorite music forum inspired me to sample those early albums - and what great slices of post-punk they turned out to be! I put together this compilation and figured I had the best bits. But a new box set, _X5_, has just been released which reissues their first 5 albums plus most of the b-sides, and it's less than $25 - an irresistible deal. Spinning it last night, it all sounds brilliant. That's one of the things I love about being a music obsessive - great music is always there, waiting for you, whenever you're ready for it.

Disc 1:
1. Someone (Life In A Day)
2. Life In A Day (Life In A Day)
3. No Cure (Life In A Day)
4. Chelsea Girl (Life In A Day)
5. Real To Real (Reel To Real)
6. Naked Eye (Reel To Real)
7. Citizen (Dance Of Youth (Reel To Real)
8. Carnival (Shelter In Suitcase) (Reel To Real)
9. Factory (Reel To Real)
10. Premonition (Reel To Real)
11. Changeling (Reel To Real)
12. Calling Your Name (Reel To Real)
13. I Travel (Empires And Dance)
14. Today I Died Again (Empires And Dance)
15. Celebrate (Empires And Dance)
16. This Fear Of Gods (Empires And Dance)
17. Twist/Run/Repulsion (Empires And Dance)
18. Thirty Frames A Second (Empires And Dance)

Disc 2:
1. Kaleidoscope (Celebration)
2. In Trance As Mission (Sons And Fascination)
3. Sweat In Bullet (Sons And Fascination)
4. 70 Cities As Love Brings The Fall (Sons And Fascination)
5. Love Song (Sons And Fascination)
6. Seeing Out The Angel (Sons And Fascination)
7. Theme For Great Cities (Sister Feelings Call)
8. The American (Sister Feelings Call)
9. 20th Century Promised Land (Sister Feelings Call)
10. Someone, Somewhere In Summertime (New Gold Dream)
11. Promised You A Miracle (New Gold Dream)
12. New Gold Dream (New Gold Dream)
13. Glittering Prize (New Gold Dream)
14. Up On The Catwalk (Sparkle In The Rain)
15. Speed Your Love To Me (Sparkle In The Rain)
16. Waterfront (Sparkle In The Rain)

New Acquisitions Show

I've been on a buying spree (and a bit of downloading as well) so this week is a review of my new acquisitions with some old favorites filling in the rest. New stuff from The Twilight Sad and Bap Kennedy, new to me stuff from 15-60-75 (aka the Numbers Band), the Triffids and more! Apologies for the lost first minute, still sorting out the new studio recording options.

You can list to this podcast by clicking here.

Playlist:
Icewater - All I See Is You (Keep An Eye On The Sky, 2009)
Alex Chilton - Every Day As We Grow Closer (original mix) (Keep An Eye On The Sky, 2009)
Big Star - Thank You Friends (demo) (Keep An Eye On The Sky, 2009)
Chris Bell - You And Your Sister (Keep An Eye On The Sky, 2009 - originally released in 1978)
Dimmer - Seed (I Believe You Are A Star, 2001)
The Twilight Sad - Dead City (No One Can Ever Know, 2012)
Wire - Moreover (live) (The Black Session, 2012)
15-60-75 - It's In Imagination (Datapanik In The Year Zero, 1996 - originally released in 1979)
Tripod Jimmie - Autumn Leaves (Datapanik In The Year Zero, 1996 - originally released in 1982)
The Teardrop Explodes - Strange House In The Snow (Everybody Wants To Shag... The Teardrop Explodes, 1990 - originally released in 1981?)
The Triffids - Field Of Glass (Beautiful Waste And Other Songs, 2008 - originally released in 1985)
Richard Thompson - Let It Blow (radio session) (Live At The BBC, 2011)
Bap Kennedy - Lonely No More (The Sailor's Revenge, 2012)
Pete Townshend - Save It For Later (White City reissue, 2006)
Jason Ringenberg - Hard Luck Boy (One Foot In The Honky Tonk, 1992)
The Long Ryders - Looking For Lewis And Clark (long version) (Anthology, 1998 - originally released in 1985)
The Psychedelic Furs - Watchtower (House EP, 1989)
British Sea Power - Machineries Of Joy (EP2, 2012)
Radiohead - Little By Little (live) (The King Of Limbs Live From The Basement DVD, 2011)
Virgin Prunes - Decline And Fall (...If I Die, I Die, 1982)
Cabaret Voltaire - Sensoria (12" mix) (Microphonies, 1984)
Annie Christian - Transmission (The Other Way EP, 1998)
Danielle Dax - Fizzing Human-Bomb (Inky Bloaters, 1987)
Chimera - Tiago (Earth Loop, 1996)
The Flaming Stars - The Dead Don't Care (London After Midnight, 2006)
Max Eider - Her Life (Hotel Figueroa, 2001)

Midwest Show

At long last, two hours of Midwestern bands! From Chicago to Milwaukee, from Minneapolis to Omaha, it's underground rock from America's heartland! It was great fun and quite enlightening to do the research and come up with this show. Doubtless I missed some very worthy bands, please post a comment.

You can listen to this podcast by clicking here.

Playlist:
The Stooges - Down On The Street (Fun House, 1970)
Devo - Through Being Cool (New Traditionalists, 1981)
Pere Ubu - Navvy (Dub Housing, 1978)
Dow Jones And The Industrials - Can't Stand The Midwest (Let's Go Steady 7", 1980)
Destroy All Monsters - You're Gonna Die (Bored 7", 1978)
The Embarrassment - Patio Set (Sex Drive 7", 1980)
The Suicide Commandos - Mosquito Crucifixion (Make A Record, 1978)
Husker Du - These Important Years (Warehouse: Songs And Stories, 1987)
The Replacements - Anywhere's Better Than Here (live) (Inconcerated Live promo EP, 1989)
Blue Ash - Abracadabra (Have You Seen Her) (No More No Less, 1973)
Raspberries - Overnight Sensation (Hit Record) (Starting Over, 1974)
The Bears - Veneer (Eureka!, 2007)
Big Black - Bad Houses (Atomizer, 1986)
The Effigies - No Progress (We're Da Machine EP, 1983)
Naked Raygun - Strange Days (Raygun...Naked Raygun, 1990)
Zero Boys - Civilizations Dying (Vicious Circle, 1982)
Uncle Tupelo - We've Been Had (Anodyne, 1993)
The Detroit Cobras - Cha Cha Twist (Baby, 2004)
The Bottle Rockets - A Living Hell (V/A - For A Decade Of Sin, 2005)
Son Volt - Drown (Trace, 1995)
The Coctails - Working Holiday (V/A - Working Holiday, 1994)
Low - July (Things We Lost In The Fire, 2001)
Tortoise & Colin Newman - Untitled 2 (radio session) (Digital distribution, 2009)
Poster Children - Where We Live (Daisychain Reaction, 1991)
The Moon Seven Times - My Medicine (The Moon Seven Times, 1993)
Lanterna - Silent Hills (Lanterna, 1992)
Violent Femmes - Kiss Off (Violent Femmes, 1983)
Scrawl - Your Mother Wants To Know (Velvet Hammer, 1993)
Guided By Voices - Teenage FBI (Do The Collapse, 1999)
The Libertines (US) - Bad Memories Burn (Tilt-A-Whirl, 1988)
Ministry - Jesus Built My Hotrod (short version) (Jesus Built My Hotrod EP, 1991)
The Faint - Sex Is Personal (Blank Wave Arcade, 1999)

Valentine's Day 2012 Show

This week's show falls on Valentine's Day and it's a big gift to my wife! She has to put up with listening to quite a bit of "spouse-inappropriate" music over the years so I've picked artists she likes and love songs that won't make you cringe! Thanks to the vagaries of college radio technology, the mike wasn't working very well today, apologies for the hollow sounding back announcing.

You can download this podcast by clicking here.

Playlist:
Peter Gabriel - In Your Eyes (new version) (New Blood, 2011)
Roxy Music - More Than This (Avalon, 1982)
The Go-Betweens - Finding You (Oceans Apart, 2005)
Hem - Valentine's Day (I'm Talking With My Mouth EP, 2002)
The Innocence Mission - Since I Tell You My Every Day (We Walked In Song, 2007)
Kelly Hogan - I'll Go To My Grave Loving You (Because It Feel Good, 2001)
The Lilac Time - I Want To Be Your Man (Lilac6, 2001)
XTC - Then She Appeared (Nonsuch, 1992)
Lloyd Cole - What's Wrong With This Picture? (The Negatives, 2001)
The Sound - Hand Of Love (Thunder Up, 1987)
Nick Cave - (Are You) The One That I've Been Waiting For? (The Boatman's Call, 1997)
Stan Ridgway - Anything For You (The Complete Epilogues, 2011)
Mick Karn - When Love Walks In (feat. David Sylvian) (Dreams Of Reason Produce Monsters, 1986)
Snow Patrol - You Are My Joy (live) (Live At Somerset House, 2005)
Astrid Williamson - To Love You (Never Enough, 2003)
Kate Bush - The Sensual World (The Sensual World, 1989)
Boh Runga - Not Given Lightly (V/A - Stroke: Songs For Chris Knox, 2009)
The Frank And Walters - I'm A Believer (After All EP, 1992)
The La's - There She Goes (radio session) (BBC In Session, 2006 - originally released in 1988)
Thomas Dolby - I Scare Myself (The Flat Earth, 1984)
The Magnetic Fields - The Book Of Love (69 Love Songs, 1999)
The Real Tuesday Weld - Battery-Powered Flowered Love (The Valentine EP, 2000)
Syd Straw - Marry Me (Pink Velour, 2008)
Bram Tchaikovsky - Girl Of My Dreams (Strange Man, Charmed Man, 1979)
The Lemonheads - Into Your Arms (Come On Feel The Lemonheads, 1993)
R.E.M. - Arms Of Love (Man On The Moon EP, 1992)
Del Amitri - More Than You'd Ever Know (Move Away Jimmy Blue EP, 1990)
Wilco - I Got You (At The End Of The Century) (Being There, 1997)
Robyn Hitchcock - I Feel Beautiful (Jewels For Sophia, 1999)