Muxtape: A little Different.

I have been diligently updating my Muxtape the last few weeks every so often and this week I decided on a theme. This week’s muxtape is slightly more esoteric, a little more unique as it goes to the extremes of the genres and the songs that I like. In here you will find post rock, noise rock, dance electro, some funk dance and regular epic prog rock. Should be an interesting indicator of what I listen to in my more unique moments.

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The Following is a run down of the bands on the Muxtape.

Lightening Bolt are a recent discovery thanks to the Drowned In Sound weekly album club, it blew me away with the amazing use of noise, guitar work, and the fact that it sounds like nothing else I had heard before.

Muse are one of my older loves Muse have fallen out of favour with me recently since they entered proper epic stadium rock. The track I have chosen, from the Hullabaloo soundtrack, is more interesting, with sprinklings of piano and no lyrics.

Metronomes is Al Paxton’s solo work (he of Stapleton “fame”) and is some very chilled out post rock. He plays every instrument and the albums have a charm like no other record I own. I really love driving down the road, with the windows down listening to his record.


Mogwai are the true Scottish stars of Post Rock, and this track is taken from the recent sound track to the Zidane film of 2006m which is a truly mesmerising watch of a football match perfectly linked to the rather bleak and epic meanderings of guitar drum and distortion.

Aereogramme are a band I found just too late, discovering them in early 2007, months before their split. I missed out seeing them live twice, though I doubt they would have played this, my favourite (and the longest track on the muxtape) track of theirs. The name is a good description of the track, as it wanders on a path through 11 minutes, revealing a warped narrative and mastery of sonic landscapes.

A Sunny Day In Glasgow are an enigma to me, but this track needs to be on this list as it is so different and infectious.

I know Sigur Ros and so do you – they became rather famous due to a little programme called Planet Earth. This, from their newest album, Með suð í eyrum við spilum endalaust, is a good starter for 10 of their material.

Radiohead’s Kid A was the commercial suicide album that is one of my favourite albums of all time. This, the title track, is a great experiment in vocalization and piano work over an unusual drum beat, which is the formula for most of the albums and even their more recent work. True Marmite music.

St. Germian are funk soul dance music, and that is all I need to say. Have a listen, and I bet you that your foot is tapping.

Remember Jose Gonzalez? Well, this is the original version of his hit Heartbeats, albeit recorded live, this is The Knife. Notice it gets a large cheer… I recently heard someone recount a story that said that he over heard someone ask who had covered Jose Gonzalez… philistines! Consider yourself educated.

Discovery: Try These Three

Discovery: Try These Three

Every so often I will find a band or an artist that I think someone else should be listening to. Also, every so often I will randomly mention it to a friend to find that they have already found them previously or in some cases, seen them live by accident. In my head I have a running total of bands that various friends have recommended to me and the other way round, when I have impressed a band onto a friend. I have an altogether different music taste from most of my friends, but these three are in vogue at the moment.

The Safe Bet: Broken Records
Edinburgh band that seem to have the whole of the indie scene looing their way with a glance at both their potential and also with envious eyes. Their EP was released earlier in the year but these days it is better to Myspace them and you can get a good idea from the what kind of ban they are but these guys are probably going to be huge. There is Arcade Fire, there is Modest Mouse, there is Dylan, but alos there is a smattering of what gives young Scottish bands that little kick up the arse – there is the Travis, Idlewild and Franz Ferdinand effect where success is only a short leap away. Without a contract an album is probably a while off, but I suggest you try them and try to see them live. Very exciting times indeed.
Myspace.


The Outside Chance: The Knife
This brother sister duo from Sweden are not only compelling but mystical; they are rarely seen live, preferring to hide behind wondrous and magical visual screens, with lights shot complementing the music. It is all part of the feeling and the album Silent Shout is one of the most amazing records I have heard in a very long time. It is not what I expect to be everyone’s taste – it is nothing like Broken Records for a start, but the techno-electronic melodies are so artfully constructed and the vocals affected with nods to Bjork, you feel not only is the lyrics not that important, but they are used as an instrument. Listening to this album with headphones might be one of the most cathartic experiences on record. This album is essential. Try “We Share Our Mothers Health”, “Heartbeats (that one made famous by Jose Gonzalez and Sony)” and “Marble House”
Myspace.

The Old School: The Smiths
I cannot talk highly enough of this band who last year I found, wrapped in critical rapture, and they have became my favroutie band of all time, no question. I can listen to any album from any point in their career and not skip one track ever, they songs are that interesting and the guitar work is that intricate. I truly would love them to reform, but at the same time would love them to not reform, keeping what they did 1983 – 1987 as a testament to the late 80s Britain and the Thatcher years. This is what makes it great to be a indie fan – and whilst they might have become the band that most love to hate (because of the actions of Morissey, like my father) I would implore anyone who has indie credentials to get The Queen is Dead and Strangeways, Here We Come, the two seminal albums.
Last.fm