Never Ending Mixtape part 73

Welcome to part 73 of my Never Ending Mixtape. Now approaching 2,700 songs! 

Thanks so much if you check it out and special thanks to my 294 followers! 

These days, I have to admit that I mostly listen to music via Spotify. I've been talking of buying a new record player for almost 3-years! But then the ability to listen to music via my Bluetooth speaker in my kitchen, living room, garden, bedroom or summer house really suits my lifestyle.

With 2 kids and a busy life, the opportunity to get the living room to myself, rifle through my record collection and stick on a record or 3 is one that I haven't had the time for properly in ... too many years to mention!

To think, pre kids I had a music room! Of course I wouldn't swap them for the world!

I add songs to my Never Ending Mixtape at random and catch up with a monthly blog.

This month begins with a classic from Deacon Blue, a few from The Streets who I hadn't listened to in ages - Mike Skinner sounded so urgent, different and energetic when he broke and these songs still have all these qualities and more after all this time.

We have dirty raw rock n roll, soul, electro, indie and plenty to get stuck into. Check Soul At Sunrise by Juggy Murray, a stunning soul instrumental.

If you visit the playlist you can then type in Dignity to start playing the latest additions. Or you can press shuffle, or dive in wherever you want. 

Search for Everything Flows Never Ending Mixtape on Spotify or CLICK HERE

As always, I hope you find something you've never heard before that you fall in love with, or that you rediscover an old favourite.

Dignity - Deacon Blue

You Don't Have To Cry - Crosby, Stills & Nash

I Need A Connection - Jane Weaver

Ice Cream - New Young Pony Club

I Told Her on Alderaan - Neon Neon

Ready 2 Wear - Felix Da Housecat

It's Too Late - The Streets

Weak Become Heroes - The Streets

Blinded by the Lights - The Streets

Dry Your Eyes - The Streets

What Kind Of Fool - The Tams

Love & Hate - Michael Kiwanuka

Black Man In A White World - Michael Kiwanuka

Summer Girl - HAIM

The Steps - HAIM

Torn and Frayed - The Rolling Stones

Stop Breaking Down - The Rolling Stones

Shine A Light - The Rolling Stones

You Are Wrong - The Altered Hours

Change Will Come - mauv, Pixx

Second Time - The Goa Express

Fireworks - TeenCanteen

Friends - TeenCanteen

You Can Hide Your Love Forever - Comet Gain

Forever - The Charlatans

Go Where You Wanna Go - The Mamas & the Papas

It Won't Be Wrong - The Byrds

Questions - Buffalo Springfield

California Stars - Billy Bragg & Wilco

Everything Counts - Depeche Mode

Dreaming of Me - Depeche Mode

Situation - Yazoo

Only You - Yazoo

Doves (Vince Clarke remix) - Future Islands

I've Got The Music In Me - Thelma Houston

Dirty Blvd - Lou Reed

Coney Island Baby - Lou Reed

Sad Song - Lou Reed

Blood Orange - Poster Paints

Into Your Arms -  Poster Paints

Let Love Live (A Little Bit Longer) - The Velvettes

What Have You Done For Me Lately? - Sharon Jones and the Dap-Kings

Hangin' Out - Betty Davis

Everlasting Love - David Ruffin

Take Me For A Little While - Evie Sands

Come On Train - Don Thomas

Sweet Harmony - The Beloved

Getting Away With It (instrumental) - Electronic

Shoot You Down (Soul Hooligan remix) - The Stone Roses

Perfect Motion - Sunscreem

Valium Jazz - Sub Sub

Shock And Awe - Teenage Fanclub

Soul At Sunrise - Juggy Murray

He Ain't No Angel - The Ad Libs

Judge Not (Ray Mang Disco Mix) - The Phenomenal Handclap Band

Groove It Out - Lonelady

Trying To Live My Life Without You - Otis Clay

Never Ending Mixtape part 70

The Delfonics

Karen O

The Left Banke

Welcome to part 70 of my Never Ending Mixtape.

Firstly, it's always important to buy music/merch/tickets for bands & artists that you love. I think it's important to state this on the back of Spotify announcing a sponsorship deal with Barcelona to the sum of $310 million. Money that could easily have gone into better streaming deals for artists using their platform.

I struggle with this deal on 2 levels. Firstly, Spotify really don't need to advertise. Secondly, it wasn't so long ago that Barcelona proudly didn't sport a shirt sponsor and the thought of selling the naming rights to Camp Nou wouldn't have crossed their minds. It sadly highlights what a money driven world top level football has become.

I own many of the songs listed below. I've also just discovered many of them. I have Spotify to thank for that. It bugs me that I really like the platform, but hate the way they are spending money.

Hopefully, they will realise that their strategy could drive artists and music fans away from their platform if they don't improve.

So just to re-iterate. Streaming is fine, but please support the artists you particularly love. It's not easy for them.

Here are this months additions that take my Never Ending Mixtape beyond 2,500 songs.

Search for Everything Flows Never Ending Mixtape on Spotify or CLICK HERE

Love Is A Hurtin' Thing - Gloria Ann Taylor

She Calls The Tune - Andy Bell

The Kids Are Alright - The Who

I Can't Explain - The Who

Didn't I (Blow Your Mind This Time) - The Delfonics

Groove Me - King Floyd

Listen To The Band - The Monkees

The Kind Of Girl I Could Love - The Monkees

She May Call You Up Tonight - The Left Banke

Pretty Ballerina - The Left Banke

Galveston - Glen Campbell

Times Like These - Glen Campbell

I Fought The Law - The Bobby Fuller Four

It's Over, If We Run Out Of Love - David Holmes & Raven Violet

Let's Dance - M Ward

I Never Asked To Be Your Mountain - The Chemical Brothers w/ Beth Orton

Where Do I Begin - The Chemical Brothers

Tunnel - The Dining Rooms

How Far - Beth Orton 

Pass In Time - Beth Orton

It's Not The Spotlight - Beth Orton

Building All Is Love - Karen O

All Is Love - Karen O

Anthems For a 17 Year old Girl - Broken Social Scene

Someday, Someway - Marshall crenshaw

Till I Found You - JAMC

Where I Find My Heaven - Gigolo Aunts

Nearly Lost You - Screaming Trees

Dollar Bill - Screaming Trees

Anemone - The Brian Jonestown Massacre

Waterfall - Wendy & Lisa

Faces - Clio

Big Me - Foo Fighters

All Apologies (demo) - Nirvana

Turn It On - The Flaming Lips

Sick Of Goodbyes - Sparklehorse

Impossible - Royksopp w/ Alison Goldfrapp

Listening Man - The Bees

We Can Be Strong - Willy Mason

Cigarettes & Alcohol (demo) - Oasis

Sad Song - Oasis 

Fade Away (demo) - Oasis

Turn! Turn! Turn! - The Byrds

It's All Over Now, Baby Blue - The Byrds

The Times They Are A-Changing - The Byrds

Introduction - Nick Drake

Here but I'm Gone - Curtis Mayfield

Blue Monday People - Curtis Mayfield

Bloomsday - Samantha Crain

New Direction - Echo and the Bunnymen

Us V Them - LCD Soundsystem

Great Release - LCD Soundsystem

Winter - James Grant

Does It All Add Up To Nothing - James Grant

Love Street - The Doors

How We Met (Cherry Pie) - TeenCanteen

Impossible Stuff - Carla J Easton

Acrid - The Beths

Newby Street (instrumental) - Michael Head and the Red Elastic Band

Never Ending Mixtape part 57

Welcome to the latest additions to my Never Ending Mixtape. Where The KLF and Sylvester sit next to Suicide and The Raincoats. There are Beatles demos, a rip roaring take on Day Tripper by Otis Redding, comedown beauties from Beth Orton, raw garage punk pop by 13th Floor Elevators and gems from Stevie Wonder. And a few more things besides.

There are now 1,852 songs (over 122 hours of music) on the Never Ending Mixtape. A far cry from the C90's I used to use! So dig in, I hope you find something you've never heard before that you fall for, or rediscover and old favourite.

Search for Everything Flows Never Ending Mixtape on Spotify or CLICK HERE

The latest additions are;

Harvest Moon - Neil Young

I Wish - Stevie Wonder

Tuesday Heartbreak - Stevie Wonder

So Far Gone - Teenage Fanclub

Something I'll Have To Remember - 2nd Grade

About You - The Jesus and Mary Chain

bdrmm - Momo

Justified & Ancient - The KLF

You Make Me Feel (Mighty Real) - Sylvester

Magic Fly - Space

Dreaming Of Me - Depeche Mode

Everything's Gone Green - New Order

Last Time - Suicide

Lola - The Raincoats

I Know My Rider ( I Know Your Ride Her) - The Byrds

Nowhere Man - The Beatles

Droge CX9 - Vampire Sound Inc

Place Unknown - Quintron

Holiday Inn - Stereo Total

Hot Topic - Le Tigre

Heartbeats - The Knife

Try Some, Buy Some - Ronnie Spector

Leave My Kitten Alone - The Beatles

My Love Is Your Love (Forever) - The Isley Brothers

Micro-Organisms Will Take These Instruments - International Airport

Be My Baby - The Ronettes

Walking In The Rain - The Ronettes

Here Comes The Sun - Charles Wright

Day Tripper - Otis Redding

You're Gonna Miss Me - 13th Floor Elevators

Catholic Education 2- Teenage Fanclub

Flying - The Beatles

I've Got A Feeling (Anthology 3 version) - The Beatles

She Cries Your Name - Beth Orton

Central Reservation (The Then Again version) - Beth Orton

Never Ending Mixtape Part 33

Artwork by Brian Cannon, a Microdot production

As the Never Ending Mixtape flies through the 900 song mark, this month has some stunning songs, including 5 from the latest Lemonheads album, stunning electro pop from Robyn, gems from the soundtrack to Netflix show Russian Dolls, a beautiful psychedelic acoustic number from The Verve's often overlooked debut A Storm In Heaven, the epic Sprawl II by Arcade Fire, super cool stuff by The Avalanches, the still mind blowing Tomorrow Never Knows by The Beatles, pure pop from Marshall Crenshaw and this must be the only mixtape where The Pastels sit next to Womack and Womack.

There is much, much more to enjoy. Search for Everything Flows Never Ending Mixtape on Spotify and you'll need to scroll way down to find these songs, or dig in from the start, press shuffle orzo what you choose.

I hope you find some songs you'd forgotten about or some songs you've never heard that you fall for. Read on for the full list of the latest additions.

Missing U - Robyn
Girls - Death In Vegas
Tears - Stone Roses
Settled Down Like Rain - The Lemonheads
Speed of The Sound of Loneliness - The Lemonheads
Magnet - The Lemonheads
Round Here - The Lemonheads
Things - The Lemonheads
Reflections - Diana Ross and The Supremes
If You're Ready (Come Go With Me) - The Staple Singers
Do It Again - The Beach Boys
Reach Out, I'll Be There - Four Tops
Gotta Get Up - Harry Nilsson
Dreams-Come-True-Girl - Cass McCombs
Sprawl II (Mountains Beyond Mountains) - Arcade Fire
Love Is In The Air - John Paul Young
See You In The Next One (Have A Good Time) - The Verve
Tomorrow Never Knows - The Beatles
In My Life - The Beatles

Waiting for the Sun - Sister John
Sky Is All We Had - J Mascis
If I Was A Folkstar - The Avalanches
Truck Train Tractor - The Pastels
Teardrops - Womack and Womack
Gepetto - Belly
It's A Hit - Rilo Kiley
Bad Weather - The Supremes
You're My Favourite Waste of Time - Marshall Crenshaw

Never Ending Mixtape part 30

Welcome to the latest additions to my Never Ending Mixtape playlist on Spotify. I've listened to a lot of music since the last update, so there is actually more on the playlist, but I'll save some of them for the next blog.

We begin with an epic from Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds, we have (relative) newbies from J Mascis and Bill Ryder-Jones, we travel back with The Creation, Love, Flying Burrito Brothers and Gene Clark, we have some beautiful indie guitar songs, new discoveries like Sam Evian (pictured below), and plenty of older tunes I have enjoyed discovering.

Check the sublime instrumental by The Byrds and the blissful Should I Take You Home by Sunny and the Sunliners, while The Pastels tune with Make Up is absolutely stunning.

You can search for the playlist on Spotify by typing in Everything Flows Never Ending Mixtape. Play from the start, the middle or scroll towards the end for the latest additions. Or do what I love to do - press shuffle and enjoy.

There She Goes, My Beautiful World - Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds
On The Roof - The Feelies
O My Soul - Big Star
Elastic Days - J Mascis
One - Carole King
Recover - Bill Ryder-Jones
Home and Dry - Tracyanne and Danny
Hey! How Does Everybody Know - Arthur Russell
Try And Stop Me - The Creation

Older Guys - Flying Burrito Brothers
Easy Come, Easy Go - Grant McLennan
Dying Day - Orange Juice
Near You - Teenage Fanclub
Sugarcube - Yo La Tengo
Tiny Spark - Brendan Benson
Love Lots Of Lovin' - Lee Dorsey
Now It's On - Grandaddy
Easy - Mesadorm
Tell Me When It's Over - The Dream Syndicate
On Her Own - Gene Clark
Stranger in a Strange Land (instrumental) - The Byrds
I Really Love You - Dee Dee Sharp
Should I Take You Home - Sunny and the Sunliners
I'm Begging You - Chicago Pete
Heartaches - Art Neville
Nowhere Near - Yo La Tengo
Need You - Sam Evian
The Train - Los Brincos
CUENTAME COSAS YUYAS - Los Ros
One Step Ahead - Aretha Franklin
That's How Heartaches Are Made - Baby Washington
Gather 'Round - Love
Handle With Care - Traveling Wilbur's

End Of The Line - Traveling Wilbur's
Silver Lining - Rilo Kiley
Beat Control - Tilly and the Wall
Do the Whirlwind - Architecture in Helsinki
Crawl Babies - The Pastels
Rough Riders (Make Up Remix) - The Pastels and Make Up

Never Ending Mixtape Part 29

Welcome to the latest additions to my Never Ending Mixtape playlist on Spotify. There is a double dose as a hefty amount of songs are added to take the total songs up to over 750. I missed blogging on my additions last month due to a bit of a Teenage Fanclub fixation, so here we go ....

As always, search for Everything Flows Never Ending Mixtape on Spotify, or CLICK HERE,  scroll to the end for the latest additions that are listed below, play from the start, anywhere in between, or click on shuffle.

Thanks to those of you that follow the playlist and thanks for checking it out.

Autobahn 66 - Primal Scream
In the Year 2525 - Zager and Evans
Here Comes My Baby - The Tremeloes
The Mighty Quinn - Manfredd Mann
Do You Believe In Magic? - The Lovin' Spoonful
Summer in the City - The Lovin' Spoonful
I Think We're Alone Now - Tommy James and The Shondells
(I'm Not Your) Steppin' Stone - The Monkees
Look Out (Here Comes Tomorrow) - The Monkees
She Hangs Out - The Monkees
Is It A Dream? - Miaoux Miaoux
24-Hour Party People - Happy Mondays

Hallelujah (Oakenfold club mix) Happy Mondays
1979 - Smashing Pumpkins
Vanishing Point - New Order
The Killing Moon - Echo and the Bunnymen
Rust - Echo and the Bunnymen
Sometimes - Jesus and Mary Chain
Don't Come Down - Jesus and Mary Chain
Why'd You Want Me - Jesus and Mary Chain
New York City - Jesus and Mary Chain
El Presidente - Drugstore
Slippin' and Slidin' (Peepin' and Hedin') - Little Richard
All Things Must Pass - George Harrison
Duffed Up - Primal Scream
If The Move Kill 'Em (12 inch disco mix) - Primal Scream
Not Enough - J Mascis
Wide Awake - J Mascis
All My Friends - LCD Soundsystem
Losing My Edge - LCD Soundsystem
Bang Your Drum - Dead Man Fall
On The Roof - The Feelies
Don't Falter - Mint Royale w/ Lauren Laverne
You Got The Love (Now Voyager mix) - The Source and Candi Staton

Behold the Miracle - Jad Fair and Teenage Fanclub
Call Me - Emmitt Long
Don't Take My Mind - Bettye Swann
Grunewald - Tess Parks and Anton Newcombe
You're A Big Girl Now (take 2) - Bob Dylan
Why Did You Take Your Love Away From Me - James Brown
Love Slipped Through My Fingers - Ohio Players
Purples - Sebastian Piano
My Heart Needs A Break - Linda Jones
Indian Summer - Beat Happening
Tangled Up In Blue (take 3, remake 3) - Bob Dylan
My Little Girl - Bobby Garrett

Never Ending Mixtape Part 25

There are quite a lot of new songs (for a change) added to my Never Ending Mixtape this month.

I am really getting into Courtney Barnett who has a wonderful way of telling tales and making observations. Her raw guitar work and honest voice are hugely appealing and her songs are sprinkled with humour and soul. I'll be blogging on her soon.

Rolling Blackouts Coastal Fever, Parquet Courts, Snail Mail, Spiritualized, Hinds and GospelbeacH all have new songs out and featuring on the playlist. Snail Mail play Glasgow later in the year and their debut album is beautiful.

Elsewhere we have the three closing tracks from the Stone Roses eponymous debut, a stunning track from Brendan Benson, Car Seat Headrest, The Pastels, Flaming Lips, Mick Jagger and The Charlatans.

Search for Everything Flows Never Ending Mixtape on Spotify or CLICK HERE

Dig in and enjoy the wonderful weather.

Charity - Courtney Barnett
Drunk Drivers/Killer Whales - Car Seat Headrest
Berlin Got Blurry - Parquet Courts
San Francisco - Foxygen
French Press - Rolling Backouts Coastal Fever
Canned Tomatoes (Whole) - Courtney Barnett
Basement Scam - The Pastels

Memo From Turner - Mick Jagger
She Don't Use Jelly - The Flaming Lips
Shoot You Down - Stone Roses
This Is The One - Stone Roses
I Am The Resurrection - Stone Roses
Deee-Lite Theme - Deee-Lite
Harry Flowers - Jack Nitzsche
Metarie - Brendan Benson
Tellin' Stories - The Charlatans
Heat Wave - Snail Mail
Habit - Snail Mail
The Club - Hinds
I'm Your Man - Spiritualized
Now That I'm A River - Charles Watson
Dreamin' - GospelbeacH
Elevator Operator - Courtney Barnett

Never Ending Mixtape Part 24

My Never Ending Mixtape now has over 600 songs! Welcome to the 24th installment.

Welcome to the latest additions where we kick off with a euphoric house/trance remix of Moby, I discover songs from Pan Amsterdam, King Khan and the Shrines, a new one by Eleanor Friedberger and dig into Norman Blake's extra curricular activities from Teenage Fanclub with some beautiful tunes from Jonny and a great song with Jad Fair.

Elsewhere we have two psychedelic classics from The Beatles, Stuart David's post Belle and Sebastian outfit Looper with the glorious Mondo 77, there is plenty of soul including the euphoric Higher and Higher, a brilliant pop single from Shocking Blue and glorious 90's indie from Madder Rose. Oh and what about Prince with Nothing Compares To You!? Not to mention Wichita Lineman!

Search for Everything Flows Never Ending Mixtape on Spotify and dig in to some of my favourite songs and tunes and artists I discover as I go. Or CLICK HERE.

I hope you find something you haven't heard before that you love.

This Wild Darkness (CYA remix) - Moby
The Lotion Song - Pan Amsterdam
Nothing Compares To You - Prince
Mondo 77 - Looper
I Want To Be Around You - Jonny
Never Alone - Jonny
Add Your Name - Jad Fair and Norman Blake
Is It Like Today - World Party
Welfare Bread - King Khan and the Shrines
Make Me A Song - Eleanor Friedberger
Time Is Tight - Booker T and the M.G's

I Am The Walrus - The Beatles
Respect Yourself - The Staple Singers
Israelites - Desmond Dekker and the Aces
The Clapping Song - Shirley Ellis
My World Is Empty Without You - The Supremes
A Horse with No Name - America
Mellow Yellow - Donovan
Venus - Shocking Blue
Tumbling Dice - The Rolling Stones
Band On The Run - Paul McCartney
(Your Love Keeps Lifting Me) Higher and Higher - Jackie Wilson

Wichita Lineman - Gen Campbell
Ain't Got No Life - Nina Simone
Love's Theme - The Love Unlimited Orchestra
Stronger Than Her Love - The Flirtations
Swim - Madder Rose
What Holly Sees - Madder Rose
When Your Smile - Madder Rose
For What It's Worth - Buffalo Springfield
A Day In The Life - The Beatles

David Bowie Never Had To

One of the most pleasing things I have noticed in the Scottish music scene over the last few weeks has been a little bit of recognition for Pii 2, the second album by Stephen Solo, an artist I am incredibly fond of.

Readers of Is This Music? (another blog with a nod to Teenage Fanclub) voted Pii 2 second best album of 2017, The Herald highlighted Internet Song in their top 100 (17) songs of 2017, while Jock Rock also found Pii 2 to be second best album of the year.

Nothing crazy, but I know that it means a lot to Solo, an artist who recorded his debut album simply because he had found out how to use his iPhone and didn't need to limit himself to acoustic demos.

Solo hasn't even played two handfuls of shows in that time, so word of mouth is the way that his music gets known.

I've blogged about Solo a few times over the last couple of years;

Introduction and interview
The Pii 2 album launch at La Chunky
Pii 2 album review

Stephen is unique, using easily accessible and relatively cheap modern technology (his iPhone) to capture the songs, melodies and ideas that pour out of him on a regular basis.

The songs range from the gorgeous fragile Crying Because, to cinematic Soundtrack to Unfilmed, to Albarn-esque moments of beauty mixed with craziness, plenty of Beatles-y moments of homemade psychedelic wonder like Think Strange and LocoCoco and nods to Bowie, the harmonies of The Beach Boys, electronica via Kraftwerk to Hot Chip and even Scots comedian Limmy.

His 2 albums to date contain genuinely jaw dropping moments of sheer raw talent and imagination. No Pill For What I've Got and Secrets You Keep are spine tingling. And it is worth remembering that Solo no only wrote and played everything on these 2 albums, he recorded, mixed and produced it all as well - sometimes in his car, sometimes under the stairs and sometimes in the bathroom - even in the bath! Internet Song is so funny, captivating and catchy that is has recently prompted one fan to make a video for it.

There is one song on Pii2 that I listened to about half a dozen times in a row on first listen to the album. The talent, humour, cheek, imagination, stark reality and heartfelt plea to the artist who inspired it, the twist at the end, the little riffs.... David Bowie Never Had To is a quite incredible song, in fact it is more of a work of art.

As Glasgow celebrates the life of Bowie this weekend ahead of his birthday and anniversary of his passing, I thought I'd highlight this song that the great artist inspired. Stephen is a real Bowie fan and introduced me to Bowie's 80's classics Modern Love and Lets Dance.

Back to the song, that you can stream below. Pulsing electro synth and beats back Stephen Solo as he lists things that David Bowie Never Had To do;

Change kitty litter at 5am

Take out the bona after a gig still wearing his gig clothes

Switch to store brand breakfast serial for financial reasons

Carry a washing machine up 4 flights of stairs

Downgrade his home entertainment package because he is on a zero hours contract

Consider using his house keys as a makeshift weapon at a dodgy bus stop

Provide evidence of job searching for a job he doesn't want

Solo breaks off between verses for a glorious melodic and melancholic snapshot of his mind;

Don't want my own universe

But I'd be happy in my own little world

There is a lovely twist at the end as Solo finds himself having a conversation with Bowie from beyond his grave. I'll leave you to check that out yourself. Please do so and please check Solo's albums. He plays the Hug and Pint supporting The Gracious Losers at their single launch and I'm led to believe some friends will be joining him on stage to help recreate his incredible songs.

Never Ending Mixtape part 8

I've had a great month of discovering all kinds of music/artists that I previously hadn't heard, as well as rediscovering some old faves. So this is the largest monthly addition to the Never Ending Playlist yet!

The Never Ending Mixtape began in October 2016 when I finally discovered Spotify after years of saying I would never use it. Watch The Sunrise by Big Star kicked things off, joined by the Velvets, Spiritualized, Tricky, Massive Attack, Belly, Mazzy Star, The Orb, The Smiths.....all kinds of things.

Each month I make some additions to the Never Ending Mixtape and the blog allows me to either reminisce about old favourites, seeing acts live or where and when I bought/heard the song, or to talk about recent discoveries.

You can check the Never Ending Mixtape below and then read on to find out the latest additions.

Look Up In The Sky (Negro Nature) - Francis The Great
I heard this on the Lauren Laverne show last year - what a tune!

I Feel Like I've Been Living (On The Dark Side Of The Moon) - Gene Page
I was looking for another song by Gene Page (All Our Dreams Are Coming True - the song my wife walked down the aisle to, it's not on Spotify) when I discovered this. It was the title that attracted me.

Love's Theme (instrumental)/Under The Influence of Love (vocal) - Love Unlimited
Sensationally uplifting and gorgeous string led instrumental changes into something completely different but just as good. Enjoy this one.

Found A Cure (Tom Moulton mix) - Ashford and Simpson
I discovered this while browsing for Greg Wilson mixes or re-edits on Spotify. Brilliant!

Summer Came My Way - Greg Wilson edit
I first heard this a few years ago when Greg Wilson played Melting Pot at The Admiral. Just sublime and uplifting.

Cocaine Blues (Greg Wilson mix) - Escort
Insanely good, the mix and production are spot on.

Jumpin' Jack Flash - Ananda Shankar
First heard on an old David Holmes mix, this guy sure knows how to dig out a gem

You're So Vain - Carly Simon
So who is/was this song about? Warren Beatty? Mick Jagger? I read an article recently where Carly Simon confirmed that Jagger sings backing vocals. Listen on headphones and it is all too clear. He was certainly vain! A gem of a song.

Tired Of Being Alone - Al Green
There have already been a few times on the Never Ending Playlist where I have simply said that it doesn't get much better than this. This is another one of those times.

Roadrunner - The Modern Lovers
I have this LP on delicious red vinyl. Brilliant guitar pop punk song.

Free Again - Alex Chilton
One of the rarest Teenage Fanclub records I own is a 7-inch import of rip roaring version of Free Again. It instantly became a favourite song of mine.

Stop And Smell The Roses - Television Personalities
One of the best names for a band ever, this song came on randomly when I had spotify on recently.

Anything Could Happen - The Clean
Another Spotify discovery at random. Love the raw vocals over acoustic and electric guitars and a simple beat. Rock n roll.

Streets Of Your Town - The Go Betweens
I caught The Go Betweens at the Renfrew Ferry a number of years ago. They were astonishingly good. I didn't know much of their music, my friend Ian bought me a ticket and I fell for their melodic guitar pop and charm instantly. This is a good example of why.

Black and White - The dB's
Another random Spotify discovery that I really enjoyed. There is such an urgency about this from the vocals all the way to the handclaps. I love the line we are finished, as of a lifetime ago

I Am The Cosmos - Chris Bell
Norman Blake, Bobby Gillespie and Tim Burgess have all highlighted this song in interviews over the years. Listen to find out why.

The Concept - Teenage Fanclub
Is this the first Fannies song on the playlist?! Well it is back to where it all started with the Fanclub for me, discovering them in 1991 through Bandwagonesque and this sublime chiming guitar pop and harmony driven beauty.

Echoes - Gene Clarke
Another guy that Norman, Bobby and co hold up in awe. I can never walk into Monorail Records in Glasgow and come away empty handed. One time i bought this after reading a review in Uncut or Mojo and i was not disappointed. How clever, amazing and wonderful this song is!

Clouds - The Jayhawks
Wichita - The Jayhawks
I caught a program on BBC Scotland from Cottiers Theatre in my mid-late teens and i was transfixed by The Jayhawks. What a band! Hollywood Town Hall is an incredible album. I fell for that perfect mix of acoustic rhythm and electric lead. Here are the 2-songs that were broadcast.

Wish You Were Here - Ryan Adams
I thought I was going to be listening to a Pink Floyd cover when I stumbled across this on YouTube. Listen for the superb use of swearing!

Never Ending Mixtape Part 5

There's not a British artist in sight for this months additions to the Never Ending Mixtape.

A lot of the songs on the mixtape relate to my teenage years when I was discovering all kinds of music - new and old. I remember buying a 7-inch in the old Missing Records in Glasgow cause I liked the cover of a beat up old car and the song title Babe Come Down. I've loved this song for over half my life but really don't know much about the band Sammy at all. Slacker indie guitar that just sounded glorious to a young teenager living in a small town 20-miles from Glasgow that might just as well have been 1 million miles.

Sammy split up way in 1996, way before the era of the internet. So there's not much about them online at all. Just a few references to their debut album and Babe Come Down from other people who happened to discover them.

It was such a different time back then. For independent bands from America the thought and fact that teenage kids in Glasgow were somehow picking up one of their limited edition 7-inch singles must have been slightly mind blowing.

I never got round to buying the Sammy album, or maybe it never for around to arriving in Glasgow. But it is now on Spotify and their slacker style indie guitar music is filling me with teen spirit.

And on that note; I've added in Sappy by Nirvana, a song my friend Craig and I discovered on a bootleg Nirvana CD over 20-years ago following Kurt's sad passing. He would have been 50 today,

Check the Never Ending Playlist from the start here. All of this months songs are listed below.

Walk On The Wild Side - Lou Reed
Lou Reed was known for his experimentation; I like his experimentation with pop and melody more than his noisier material. This is perfect; the groove, flow, stories, hook, backing vocals...

Here Comes Your Man - Pixies
Like Lou Reed's stuff, it is the copier stuff of Pixies that I like. Some of my friends are Pixies daft (as is half of Glasgow) - this is by far my favourite song of theirs.

Start Choppin' - Dinosaur Jr
Ah J Mascis playing guitar - what a sound. I had some guitar lessons when I was 18 and I asked if I could be taught this riff!

Soul and Fire - Sebadoh
Lou Barlow aches over the sound of chiming guitars. One of the singles I fell for so much that I own on multiple formats.

If I Can't Change Your Mind - Sugar
Bob Mould knew that his Sugar project was a good one and that Copper Blue would open doors. It certainly opened mine. This is power guitar pop perfection.

Cut Your Hair - Pavement
Crazy, fun, clever and sounding great. Slacker indie pop perfection.

Cannonball - The Breeders
See above for crazy and fun. The groove and flow, rises and falls in this song, the hook.....ooohh so good that 2ManyDj's dropped it into their sets.

Sugar Kane - Sonic Youth
Blistering guitar - just superb to hear.

Babe Come Down - Sammy
See opening paragraphs. Slacker indie guitar pop heaven.

Web in Front - Archers of Loaf
More American guitar indie brilliance. The mid-90's was an amazing time for discovering music from across the ocean.

Sappy - Nirvana
Ah yeah - what could have been. The demo's that Kurt left behind and the amazing Unplugged performance....what would Nirvana have done next.....

Introducing Parcels

WOW - sometimes you take a chance on something and that chance is repaid tenfold and more. Earlier on today I was flicking through the new releases on Spotify - not something I usually do. I liked the title of an EP and band so checked it out. I then spent the next 20 odd minutes pottering about my kitchen enjoying some fine crafted electronic pop music - checking the name of each song and vowing to write a blog on it.

So it was the Hideout EP by a band called Parcels that I discovered, released via exceptionally hip French label Kitsune. The band (all under 22) list their hometowns as Berlin and Byron Bay. 

Think Prince, Royksopp, Daft Punk, Chic and Erland Oye and you have an idea of the polished pop with wah wah guitar and crystal clear vocals. 

Myenemy opens proceedings; the synths and keys underpin a bass groove and the vocals have a soulful and uplifting feel to them.

Gamesofluck immediately draws you in; the groove just continues effortlessly from the opener they build it up, take it down, bring in the beats, throw in some funky guitar and generally make it all sound ridiculously easy to create brilliant pop music. Far too many artists have songs that last far too long these days, I'm still left wanting more after 5 minutes 48 seconds - a good sign.

The title track is pure bliss, the vocals are so clear and true, the melodies are thoughtful and hooky. The beat kicks in and just takes things higher - brilliant stuff.

Older is playful guitar pop, harmonies and a sense of urgency. Allaround has a real Royksopp Melody AM feel to it - lazy sublime vocals and melodies but they have the ability to increase the pace when required.

All in all this is a gorgeous EP.