Brilliant debut singles part 3

 Welcome to part 3 of my new regular feature on brilliant debut singles. When bands/artists appear with a song that is absolutely perfect.

Part 3 features 2 of my favourite bands - Teenage Fanclub and LCD Soundsystem, along with Boston, The Box Tops and Depeche Mode.

I've started a Spotify playlist HERE

Part 1 featured; The Doors, The Undertones, Pet Shop Boys, Stardust and Tracy Chapman

Part 2 featured; Booker T & The MG's, The Jackson 5, Kate Bush, Radiohead and The Sex Pistols

Part 3 features 2 of my favourite bands - Teenage Fanclub and LCD Soundsystem, along with Boston, The Box Tops and Depeche Mode.

11. Everything Flows by Teenage Fanclub

Released in 1990 by Dave Barker's Paperhouse Records, Everything Flows lay down a marker and set a high bar for Teenage Fanclub. 

Everything Flows kicks in like it has already been going for a while, like we have burst in on a Fanclub jam. Norman Blake sounds wise beyond his tender years as he sings with poignancy about the passing of time; contemplative and reflective, with honesty and soul.

You get older every year

But you don't change

Or I don't notice you changing

I discovered Everything Flows the following year, just before the band released Bandwagonesque. The chorus still rings so true all these years down the line. I didn't have a plan at 15, I don't really have a plan at 48!

I'll never know which way to flow

Set a course that I don't know

Everything Flows is only 2 verses and choruses (with the second repeated a few time) and then, from 3-minutes 25 seconds, things kick into overdrive with the glorious sound of Norman and Raymond's dueling guitars for almost 2-minutes. They could go on for 2-days and I don't think I'd tire of it. 

Teenage Fanclub close their live shows with Everything Flows. It's a chance fof fans to attempt to pogo like days gone by, for the band to jam on (their 2014 Bandstand version seemed to go on for 10-minutes) and for both to unite in the the sublime sound of raw melodic guitars.

Bonus - reminiscing about the Bandstand show caused me to search YouTube and look what I found!

Live on The Beat Room

Live at Kelvingrove Bandstand 2014

12. Losing My Edge by LCD Soundsystem

Everything about this song is cool, clever and funny. Murphy's spoken word, the vast variety of synth sounds, the beats and the way it somehow all hangs together and sounds brilliant.

Over 8-minutes Murphy tells a tale of paranoia - is he losing his edge? 

Murphy highlights what his paranoia is based on - hip young kids from France, London, Tokyo, Berlin and Brooklyn coming through in the music scene, but he then balances that by repeatedly coming back to reflect how hip he was/is. 

I was there in 1968

I was there at the first Can show in Cologne

Is Murphy losing his edge? How can he be? He was there at the first Suicide practices in a loft in New York City, working on the organ sounds. He was the first guy to play Daft Punk to the rock kids at CBGB's and everyone thought he was crazy.

The squelchy synth bass is slightly distorted, sounding super cool as Murphy yells I was there! 

Murphy goes on, trying to convince himself as well as those listening. He's never been wrong, he heard everything first, he was in the DJ booth at Paradise with Larry Levan.

Yet then there are better-looking people with better ideas and more talent. Paranoia that we all face as we get older! 

As the song develops, through Murphy's inspired rant, the music builds in tandem, that squelchy distorted bass continues though, underpinning everything.

I heard that you and your band have sold your guitars and bought turntables

I hear that you and your band have sold your turntables and bought guitars

Murphy asks, have you seen my records? Then listing a number of bands and artists ending with The Sonics, The Sonics, The Sonics, The Sonics before the song veers off into a glorious hook you don't know what you really want that is repeated time and time again.

Official video / Full length version / Live at Madison Square Garden

13. More Than A Feeling by Boston

Riding in on a sublime chiming guitar riff, More Than A Feeling is quickly into the bridge to the chorus, with the bridge being an incredible guitar riff following the line;

I close my eyes and it slips away

The chorus is sky scraping with backing vocals repeating lead line and song title.

It's more than a feeling (more than a feelin)

When I hear that old song they used to play (more than a feeling)

I begin dreaming (more than a feeling)

'Til I see Marianne walk away

The chorus slows for a final line - I see my Marianne walking away

A fizzing guitar solo kicks in after the second chorus. The guitar playing really is sensational throughout - intro, bridge riff, solo ... it all sounds utterly incredible.

The third verse really hammers home how much the singer/author regret letting Marianne slip away. This was more than a feeling. It was the real deal. What a song!

A little known fact is that this massive HIT was a DIY home production. Songwriter Tom Schulz had a home studio. The production is first class and Schulz also creates a spine tingling feel (pardon the pun).

Official video

Remastered audio

14. The Letter by The Box Tops

Alex Chilton was only 16-years old when he delivered this astonishing vocal performance for The Box Tops debut single. Coming in under 2-minutes, The Letter flows superbly. Chilton sounds like a veteran soul singer, hurting bad as he comes in after a mere 4 second intro.

The structure of the record is incredible. I can't decide what is the chorus. It's like there are two choruses, then a bridge. Chilton and The Box Tops don't pause for breath, it's straight back to the opening chorus, bridge and then the first chorus again. There is a simple and effective introduction of strings over a keyboard riff for a lovely 20-second outro. And that's it, 1-minute and 52 seconds of brilliance. BOOM!

The Box Tops - The Letter (Upbeat TV 1967)

15. Dreaming Of Me by Depeche Mode

Released in February 1981 on Mute Records (Mute 13), Dreaming Of Me starts off quite spacey, as if an astronaut is trying to tune into a frequency (over beats) to speak to colleagues back on earth. Then, 11-seconds in, Vince Clarke starts to play a super catchy synth riff that plays throughout the song after each verse and chorus. 

Dave Gahan's vocals sound just nicely detached, the lyrics to the verses are a little abstract, yet everything comes together as a pop song with the melody, synth riff and the dreaming of me hook in the chorus.

The production (by the band with Daniel Miller) is absolutely exquisite. There is a freshness to everything. This is pure Pop (with a capital P) with Vince Clarke as the conductor. Clarke is an absolute pop genius and he left Depeche Mode by the end of the year, after the release of debut album Speak & Sell to go on and form Yazoo and then Erasure. 

Depeche Mode went down a very different path following Clarke's departure. I guess it is safe to say that it worked out well for both parties. Martin Gore took over the responsibility of songwriting and whereas Clarke's songs were very thought out and structured, Gore would only enter the studio with the words and melody, leaning more into the producer, his band mates and the studio as a tool to create and experiment.

However, as debut singles go, the fact that this still sounds so fresh and interesting over 40-years down the line speaks for the quality of the song and production. Outstanding left field pop music.

Dreaming Of Me (remastered video)

10 from LCD Soundsystem

LCD Soundsystem are one of the few post 2000 bands that I really fell in love with. My love was rekindled after watching the excellent Meet Me In The Bathroom documentary based on the 2011 book by Lizzy Godman. This was at the end of 2023, so this blog has been a while in the making!

James Murphy comes across well in the film. A self confessed music geek whose musical boundaries were smashed when he worked as an engineer on David Holmes Bow Down To The Exit Sign in 2000. Holmes was amazed that Murphy had never tried ecstasy and when James finally did, he had an experience that changed the way he listened to and felt about music.

Things moved swiftly as Murphy formed DFA Records with Tim Goldsworthy who co-produced the Holmes album. The duo started releasing records, including The Rapture's seminal House Of The Jealous Lovers, and they put on nights across New York as the city came out of post 9/11 mourning. 

LCD Soundsystem's first single was the sensational Losing My Edge which came out in the summer of 2002. The video, with Murphy singing into the camera with a spotlight behind him and someone routinely slapping him quickly gained traction. The song and video (see below) were super cool, like nothing else out there.

Murphy talks about the inspiration behind the song in the film. How he was worried that all the cool kids could suddenly access all the music online that he spent years discovering and collecting. The 8-minute electro punk tune created enough of an impression for booking requests to come through. LCD Soundsystem suddenly became a real band. 

The 2002-2005 early period of LCD Soundsystem was extraordinarily prolific as Murphy dove headfirst into ecstasy and creating electronic music, releasing a string of singles that led to a double album coming out in early 2005. 

I first caught the band around this time when they supported Too Many DJ's at the Barrowland. LCD had a bank of equipment, loads of percussion and cowbells and Murphy sang into an old crooners style microphone. They were electrifying.

That summer my girlfriend (now wife) and I went to the Benicassim Festival in Spain. LCD Soundsystem came on stage around 2 or 3 in the morning and the place went crazy. It remains one of my all-time favourite festival sets; a band breaking through from the underground playing a late night set to a party crowd. Check this electrifying 52 second crowd footage.

Murphy and LCD kept creating, releasing, playing and partying. Something had to give and it did in 2010 following the release of the This Is Happening album. Murphy said it would be the bands last album and that their last show would be at Madison Square Garden, where the band played an epic 4-hour set.

In some ways it was perfect. 10-years on from working on the Holmes album. Murphy talked of writing songs as good as he was going to and not wanting to carry on with the purpose of becoming bigger, or to earn more money. In other interviews, Murphy hinted that he might go back to creating music and releasing 12-inch singles, but he had to get away from LCD being so large.

Rather incredibly, David Bowie was one of the people to encourage Murphy to get the band back together. James played on Bowie's Blackstar album. The comeback grew arms and legs and before LCD knew it,they were once again travelling round the world to promote an album - 2017's American Dream.

Now, in 2024, LCD Soundsystem are kind of operating on their terms. Tours have been replaced with residencies in their favourite cities and the band can pick and choose what festivals they want to play. Surely there will be a Barrowland residency at some point?! Murphy has always been quick to acknowledge the importance of the venue, Glasgow as a city and the Subclub.

LCD Soundsystem play Glastonbury and All Points East in London this summer. 

UPDATE - LCD Soundsystem now play the Barrowland and tickets are on sale this Friday - 24th May!

Anyway, I've gone off on a tangent. Watching Meet Me In The Bathroom caused me to go down a rabbit hole and I thought I would write a blog on 10 of my favourite songs by LCD Soundsystem. OK 11 - I;ve included both versions of Yeah!

I've finally finished the blog and I've compiled the songs into a playlist that you can check HERE

At the time of writing, I chose;

1. Losing My Edge

I blogged on Losing My Edge for my Trust Me series back in April 2022 (read here) and declared that everything about this song is cool, clever and funny. A paranoid Murphy wonders if he is losing his edge to kids from London, Berlin, France and Tokyo. I love the way the song veers off to the glorious you don't know what you really want hook at the end. One of the best debut singles of all-time.

Check the incredible performance from their debut show at Trash in London in 2002. Jammed and rammed together on a tiny stage, creating a brilliant vibe and sound.

Official video

Live at Trash London, 2002 (their first show)

Live at Madison Square Garden

2. Great Release

Murphy strips things back to a drum machine and big gospel house piano notes before coming in with potentially his best vocal - wracked with emotion. 

Official audio

Live on Austin City Limits

3. Yeah (Crass version) + (Yeah Pretentious Version)

OK I'm cheating, I've included both versions of Yeah. Originally released as a 12-inch single in January 2004, both versions made it on to CD version of the bands debut album. Outrageous electronic excellence.

Yeah (Crass version) live in Brussells 2010

Yeah (Pretentious version)

4. Us v Them

Us v Them was a real highlight from the Sound of Silver tour when I caught them at the Barrowland. Thinking back, it was monsterous. This could be LCD Soundsystem's most powerful song, it builds into a mantra; us and them, over and over again ...

You were on Murphy's side for sure. Fantastic use of cowbell and just listen to the little riff going on in the background around 6-minutes over the scratchy Chic punk guitar riff.

Live at Madison Square Garden

5. All My Friends

To my ears, in my mind and in my heart, this is an absolutely perfect song. All My Friends gives me all the feels ... the long 82-second intro with Murphy reminiscing about going back to someone's house to check the charts - pop or astrological? I've always thought pop.

And now I wonder if Murphy is reminiscing? Or is he talking about checking to see where LCD are in the charts? As he then goes on to talk about partying, ageing, touring, giving it his all and questioning if he wants to keep it going.

To tell the truth

This could be the last time

And in the end Murphy is ranting and questioning himself - where are you friends tonight?

He goes on and you're left in no doubt that he wants to be home to see his friends.

One of LCD's most melodic songs that builds and builds over a repetitive riff. Also contains one of my favourite lines that always makes me think of Glasgow/Scotland.

If you're worried about the weather

Then you picked the wrong place to stay

Official video

Live at Glastonbury 2016

6. Someone Great

Electronic soul. Possibly the best song Murphy has composed and written. The electronic symphony drips with emotion, the bass synth in particular, while all kinds of gorgeous noises and beeps play over the top. 

I wish that we could talk about it

But then that's the problem

Murphy starts to pour his heart out and bare his soul, with his vocal melody just about matched to an xylophone, ending the first verse by singing I miss the way we used to argue.

This is a very different LCD Soundsystem, Murphy is singing about a break up and it's heartbreakingly beautiful; to tell the truth I saw it coming, the way that you were breathing

Is it a break up, or is it loss? It could be either. When Murphy sings when someone great is gone you really feel his grief.

Official video

Austin City Limits

7. I Can Change

Murphy aims straight for our hearts again and scores a bullseye with this gem. Urging his lover to never change, never change, this is why I fell in love and then going on to say promise I can change, I can change if it helps you fall in love.

No bullshit, this is love, warts and all. It's not perfect, but it is love. Murphy is in for the long haul.

Live at T In The Park (2016)

8. 45:33

Part 1 - Intro

Part 2 - You Can't Hide/Shame On You

Part 3 - Someone Great (instrumemtal)

Part 4 - Out In Space

Part 5 - Ships Talking

Part 6 - Outro

Following the release of their debut album, LCD Soundsystem then teamed up with Nike to record 45:33, seemingly designed to soundtrack jogging workouts. Regardless of the origins, the concept allowed Murphy to work his magic across 45-minutes, even longer than his usual 8 or 9 minutes per track.

A continuous piece of music, it was composed in 6 parts with part 2 being the outstanding You Can't Hide/Shame On You that is one of many highlights on the The Long Goodbye (Madison Square Garden) live album. What a tune! Riding in on house piano chords over a what sounds like a synth being tuned, the song develops into a huge vocal anthem, the kind you can sing-a-long to on first listen. The kind of song that causes a dance floor to erupt as people punch the air, dance and sing. Super cool.

It's also worth noting that Someone Great first appeared as part 3 in instrumental form and it sounds blissful, developing into part 4, an electro funk workout with some Stevie Wonder influenced sounds over slowed down vocals. We're way into the mix, way into the trip now and it is magical. Or well into the jog/run!

Disco diva vocals come in, give me love, before Murphy's slowed down voice comes back in, super trippy synths are layered over the constant disco electro groove, then everything cuts back to the groove before the female vocal comes back in, singing your'e out in space, you need some loooooovvvveee. Sublime!

Horns kick in for as the groove turns to a funky bass and then a breakdown, before things finally lead to part 5 and it's quite a change in pace as I feel like I'm transported to Optimo.

There is another change in pace for part 6 - the warmdown part of the jog/run, the comedown part of the nigh out/trip. Beautiful!

Official audio

9. Home

Murphy employs all his favourite tricks on Home, which closes the This Is Happening album. False start, immediate cool groove, quickly adding layers of synth including a delicious bubbling sound, percussion coming to the fore ... then Murphy comes in singing Home before going off on one.

Official audio

10. Oh Baby

This gives me all the feels. Bubbling synths, cool beats, a stronger bass synth riff over the top, Murphy crooning oh baby, you're having a bad dream, here in my arms.

Live on Austin City Limits

Official video

Losing My Edge

Trust Me #33 

20-years ago a band called LCD Soundsystem burst on to the scene with their debut single Losing My Edge, released on leader James Murphy's label DFA Records.

Last month Murphy announced a series of 20th anniversary residencies and parties for his band, including a run of nights at the Brixton Academy in London.

So for this month's Trust Me blog I thought i would revisit that astonishing single. It really was a breath of fresh air. I caught them live at The Barrowland back in 2004 (I think) supporting Too Many DJ's and the way they all huddled around a bank of synths and created a party atmosphere blew me away. The following year my wife (then girlfriend) and I went to Benicassim and they came on stage at 2 in the morning and whipped up a frenzy. I've caught them a couple of times at the Barrowland since then. It's a bit of a home from home for them. I was hoping (still am) that they might sneak in a wee Glasgow residency for their 20th anniversary ...

But back to Losing My Edge.

Everything about this song is cool, clever and funny. Murphy's spoken word, the vast variety of synth sounds, the beats and the way it somehow all hangs together and sounds brilliant.

Over 8-minutes Murphy tells a tale of paranoia - is he losing his edge? 

Murphy highlights what his paranoia is based on - hip young kids from France, London, Tokyo, Berlin and Brooklyn coming through in the music scene, but he then balances that by repeatedly coming back to reflect how hip he was/is. 

I was there in 1968

I was there at the first Can show in Cologne

Is Murphy losing his edge? How can he be? He was there at the first Suicide practices in a loft in New York City, working on the organ sounds. He was the first guy to play Daft Punk to the rock kids at CBGB's and everyone thought he was crazy.

The squelchy synth bass is slightly distorted, sounding super cool as Murphy yells I was there! 

Murphy goes on, trying to convince himself as well as those listening. He's never been wrong, he heard everything first, he was in the DJ booth at Paradise with Larry Levan.

Yet then there are better-looking people with better ideas and more talent. Paranoia that we all face as we get older! 

Murphy reflects on these youngsters - they have incredible compilations, all the great Beach Boys songs and Modern Lovers tracks. Rare vinyl on import or white label. 

As the song develops, through Murphy's inspired rant, the music builds in tandem, that squelchy distorted bass continues though, underpinning everything.

I heard that you and your band have sold your guitars and bought turntables

I hear that you and your band have sold your turntables and bought guitars

Murphy asks, have you seen my records? Then listing a number of bands and artists ending with The Sonics, The Sonics, The Sonics, The Sonics before the song veers off into a glorious hook you don't know what you really want that is repeated time and time again.

Official video / Full length version / Live at Madison Square Garden

Search for Everything Flows Trust Me playlist on Spotify. Search for Everything Flows Trust Me or CLICK HERE 

Previous Trust Me blogs

1. Something On Your Mind by Karen Dalton

1A. Crimson and Clover by Tommy James and the Shondells

2. I Am, I Said  by Neil Diamond

3. Where's The Playground Susie?   by Glen Campbell

4. If You Could Read My Mind by Gordon Lighfoot

5. Gimme Some Truth by John Lennon

6. Gone With The Wind Is My Love by Rita and the Tiaras

7. In The Year 2525 by Zager and Evans

8. The Music Box by Ruth Copeland

9. The Ship Song by Nick Cave

10. Sometimes by James

11. I Walk The Earth by King Biscuit Time

12. Didn't Know What I Was In For by Better Oblivion Community Centre

13. When My Boy Walks Down The Street by The Magnetic Fields

14. The Man Don't Give A F**k by Super Furry Animals

15. All Flowers In Time Bend Towards The Sun by Jeff Buckley and Liz Fraser

16. Are You Lookin' by The Tymes

17. A Real Hero by College & Electric Youth

18. Feelings Gone by Callum Easter

19. Sunday Morning by The Velvet Underground

20. Did I Say by Teenage Fanclub

21. Don't Look Back by Teenage Fanclub

22. Your Love Is The Place Where I Come From by Teenage Fanclub

23. Belfast by Orbital

24. Clouds by The Jayhawks

25. Dreaming Of You by The Coral

26. Everlasting Love by Love Affair

27. Walk Away Renee by The Left Banke

28. Teenage Kicks by The Undertones

29. Shaky Ground by Sneeze

29. Rill Rill by Sleigh Bells

30. I Can Feel Your Love by Felice Taylor

31. The State We're In by The Chemical Brothers w/ Beth Orton

32. Sunshine After The Rain by Ellie Greenwich

10 from Hot Chip

I first stumbled across Hot Chip at the Benicassim Festival in 2005. My girlfriend (now wife) and I camped out for a week in the sun, spending days on the beach in the cool breeze by the sea, then partying long into the night. Taking in the likes of Oasis, Mylo, Underworld, The Lemonheads, Nick Cave, Basement Jaxx, The Cure and LCD Soundsystem. I think LCD Soundsystem came on stage at 2am! Hot Chip might have been in a tent after that!

Despite the excess of Benicassim I managed to remember their name and track them down. They had released their debut album Coming On Strong on the excellent Moshi Moshi label in 2004 and I didn't have to wait long for their follow up, the exceptional The Warning.

Singles Over and Over, A Boy From School and Colours were incredible. I bought the singles on vinyl and played A Boy From School at a night my sister put on at Edinburgh School of Art and a number of people came up to ask who it was - always a good sign! 

I went to see them at King Tuts around this time and they blew me away. Visually captivating, Hot Chip are co-fronted by the diminutive Alexis Taylor in huge glasses and Joe Goddard. Both are incredibly playful with lyrics and melodies, Taylor with a high voice, Goddard with the low, both beautifully melancholic. Joined by Al Doyle, Felix Martin and Owen Clarke, the 5 bopped, danced and smiled behind synths, guitars and bass and looked like they were having the time of their lives on the King Tuts stage and this easily transferred to the audience.

Hot Chip continued to release an album every 2-years, all with excellent singles (and videos) to promote them; Made In The Dark (2008), One Life Stand (2010), In Our Heads (2012) and then a little longer in between to Why Make Sense (2015) and A Bath Full Of Ecstasy (2019), with solo albums and side projects in between, also notably Al and Felix playing and recording with great friends LCD Soundsystem.

I love how the band all have different personalities and styles that somehow just gel when they come together. And their genuine love of music pours out of everything they do. They have an incredible ability to mix melancholy with euphoria. 

Hot Chip are kind of the perfect size and set up for a band. Big enough to tour all over, cool enough & respected enough to be in with the likes of DFA and Optimo, solid enough to allow side projects and playing with other bands and known enough to pull good crowds at festivals.

Here are 10 of my favourite songs by Hot Chip.

Working my way back through Hot Chip's considerable back catalogue over the last month or so has been a real pleasure. They are fun, playful and unique. You can tell they love music and are great friends.

I'm conscious that there are 4 songs from The Warning, but the 3 singles + No Fit State are without question among my top 10 favourites. That was the album where I really discovered and fell for the band. I also have 3 songs from the One Life Stand album! Unintentional, but on reflection they are my favourite albums.

Bubbling under are Baby Said, How Do You Do and the outstanding Hungry Child - which is really unfortunate not to make my 10. Special mention for their cover version of Springsteen's Dancing In The Dark which morphs slightly into All My Friends by LCD Soundsystem. I try to avoid including covers in my 10 from ... series. I've blogged on this before and you can check that HERE.

1. A Boy From School

Exceptionally cool synths, beats, melodies and lyrics. I played the 7-inch of this at Edinburgh Art School when I DJ'd a night my sister put on while studying and people were blown away. Fresh and vital sounding. Effortlessly cool. The bit where Joe comes in gets me every time.

I got, I got lost

You said this was the way back

Listen here

Live at Glastonbury 2015

2. Alley Cats

Tucked away in the middle of 2010's One Life Stand album is this warm melodic gem of a song. Flowing effortlessly, sung with care, I fell for it on first listen and it's charms continue to warm my heart every single time I listen. Alexis and Joe's voices dovetail and sound particularly dreamy on this song.

Watch/listen here

Live at Glastonbury

3. You Ride, We Ride, In Our Ride

From  the bands 2004 debut album Coming On Strong, You Ride, We Ride, In My Ride is a stunning early example of hot Chip weaving vocal melodies with electronic layers and beats. After discovering the band and downloading this album I just thought there is nothing else like this out there. Certainly nothing I had heard. One of Hot Chip's many strengths - beautifully different, soulful, playful and with nods to influences but 100% their own band. Just after 2-minutes this song goes off on a tangent, beats, synths, melodies ... brilliant.

Listen here

4. Colours

Simply sublime and the only song I have heard to mention stickle bricks! Synths bubble and Alexis croons softly and beautifully. At 50-seconds the disjointed beats are cut and it's just Taylor and synths before the real beats kick in and the song takes off. As we approach 2.5 minutes Alexis sings beautifully as his band mates continue to sing  Colours and colours and colours of colours. There are some cool mixes to check out with the Fred Falke one being my favourite.

I only wanted for to see

There's nothing in this heart but me

Everything you want is not free

I'm everything a girl could need

There's nothing in this heart but me

If everything you want is free

Listen/watch here

5. Over and Over

Hot Chip at their best laid back, laid back, laid back we'll give you play back sings Alexis Taylor over beats and playful synths. The chorus kicks in at 1-minute 20, mixing dirty synth sounds with Taylor's pure vocals. The video highlights the bands playful and energetic nature as they play in a green room, complete with helpers in green suits ensuring the band do all the right things. Taylor in over-sized red shades and hoodie is hyperactive in all the right ways. The instrumental section is  glorious and then Goddard's vocals come in at just the right time.

I started thinking what you wanted him to do

I got to thinking that I knew just what to do

Official video

6. No Fit State

The penultimate track of The Warning, No Fit State teases and eases in with Joe Goddard on super cool laid back vocals. Alexis Taylor takes the bridge, repeated a few times to lead to the chorus/mantra which is joined by euphoric synths

I'm in no fit state, I'm in no fit shape

Then Alexis comes in over the top and it is utterly divine.

To fall in love with you

To make a record of my life

To lose any more than I need

To watch my fingers bleed

To bust my body up

To drink out of your cup

To act a fool inlove

Acting hard's been tough

Listen here

Glastonbury 2007 - going into Temptation by New Order

7. Brothers

From 2010's brilliantly titled One Life Stand album, Brothers is as soulful an electronic song as you might ever hear. Goddard takes lead for the first verse and chorus, joined by Taylor for the second verse, their voices beautifully entwined. I just find this song utterly beautiful, it cuts me deep. Taylor takes lead on the third verse as the beats kick in further, the synths are more playful. Joyful and soulful.

Brothers, I would give my life for my brothers

When we're driving and it's late with my brother, sat next to me

It's a wild love I have, it's a wild love that I have

It's a wild love I have, it's a wild love that I have

For my brothers, for my brother

Listen here

8. One Life Stand

Humour and romance, total Hot Chip! The play on words for the title and chorus is genius, the Chic style guitar, bass-y synths leading to the chorus with Joe Goddard singing the beautiful keep on feeling backing vocals as Alexis pleads I only wanna be your one life stand, tell me stand by your man?

Official video

Live in Sydney

9. Melody Of Love

Utter brilliance from Hot Chip. A single and the opening song on their 2019 album A Bath Full Of Ecstasy, Melody Of Love finds the band mixing melancholy reflection with just the right dash of euphoria, complete with a sample of a gospel sermon. It's like Hot Chip have grown up, like we all have!

When I was standing next to you, I overheard the saddest news

What was just there was out of view, running out of love

I always seem to hesitate, too little always comes to late

There is a sound that resonates, melody of love

Official video

Live - Q Studio

10. Ready For The Floor

Nominated for a Grammy, Ready For The Floor is insanely catchy from the off, the repetitive do it ... now, say it ... now opening is classic playful Hot Chip. The verses lead to a chorus where Goddard plays off Taylor who ends up singing  the refrain you're my number one guy. The song was allegedly written for Kylie, a rumour sadly scotched by Taylor who confirmed they would love to wrote for her, but this song wasn't created with her in mind.

I love the performance from Glastonbury in 2008 (below) which highlights Hot Chip's infectious charm and their offbeat nerdy cool that wins hearts all over.

Official video

Live at Glastonbury 2008

Live on Later with Jools

McCartney II

 Ahead of the forthcoming release of McCartney III I thought I would take a look back at McCartney from 1970 and now McCartney II from 1980.

If Paul McCartney's eponymous album McCartney had surprised upon release in 1970 in terms of style, substance and the way Paul chose to step away from The Beatles, McCartney II, released in 1980, also caused a stir among his fanbase.

A lot had happened in the 10-years between the albums. You could have bet your house on Paul being the most prolific and busiest of Beatles following the split and it certainly turned out that way; Paul formed Wings, released 8 albums and toured the world a number of times. 

McCartney II is largely discussed in terms of Paul experimenting with synths and while tracks like Temporary Secretary, Front Parlour and Frozen Jap live up to that description, other parts of the album are bluesy or stoned jams; Bogey Music, On The Way, while Darkroom somehow sits across the two, sounding like it could easily fit in on a Gorillaz album. Elsewhere McCartney creates songs that sound like they could be leftovers from his Beatles days; Summer's Day Song and One Of These Days.

Coming Up introduces us to McCartney II and it is a very welcoming opening song, upbeat and full of Paul's melodic and catchy charms. The rhythm sounds like a speeded up reggae groove, almost like a raw Chic style guitar. 

As with McCartney, Paul plays everything by himself, this time going for a 16-track portable studio rather than the rough n ready 4-track he used on his 1970 album. On Coming Up it sounds like he is having fun, jamming on the groove and injecting real energy into the hooks. Listen on headphones to appreciate everything McCartney is up to, throwing in little riffs, sounds and backing vocals while holding it all together with a big fat bass.

My friends, Stephen, Craig  & Mick who were in the band Sonny Marvello - mentioned many times in blogs through the years - introduced me to McCartney II. They were (are) McCartney nuts and knew his solo catalogue back to front.

Personally, I was pretty late to McCartney II and I was really surprised when I heard Temporary Secretary when Mick played it in his old flat back in 2010 before we headed out in glorious sunshine to see McCartney play Hampden Park.

Temporary Secretary is bubbling synths and McCartney setting a frantic, frenetic, pace and groove. NME memorably described it as not so much ahead of its time, but out of it altogether. There is so much going on, but of course this is Paul McCartney, it is ridiculous but brilliant, ridiculously catchy, brilliant leftfield pop.

Things change, On The Way is raw and bluesy in feeling, the bass roots the song as Paul plays some exquisite blues guitar. It sounds a little out of place after the first couple of songs.

Waterfalls could have benefited from being a little rawer and shorter in length, akin to some of the songs on McCartney. Paul's voice sounds more forlorn and mature than on other songs on the album.

And I need love

Yeah I need love

Like a second needs an hour

Like a raindrop needs a shower

McCartney sounds like he's having fun jamming with himself on Nobody Knows, its like his own Let It Be session, he ad libs backing vocals to himself.

Meanwhile Front Parlour was the first song to be recorded for the album, in the front parlour of an old farmhouse. The song was trimmed down for the album with an extended version being available on the deluxe edition when it came out on CD. It's McCartney experimenting in a typically melodic, combining different sounds to create riffs and grooves.  

Summer's Day Song is really rather beautiful, sounding like it could have been on Abbey Road. It's dreamy, mellow and melodic. Paul's voice, particularly on the second verse, is at its best.

Someone's sleeping, through a bad dream

Tomorrow it will be over

For the world will soon be waking

To a summer's day

If someone heard Frozen Jap in the Sub Club in Glasgow they could easily mistake it for Hot Chip or LCD Soundsystem. This is utterly brilliant, sounding fresh, melodic and groove based. There is a little Krautrock in there. 

McCartney mixes it up with Bogey Music which sees him dive from the future away back to the 50's but with a little bit of extra echo effects. It's a throwaway, in my opinion the album would have been stronger with the full versions of Front Parlour and Frozen Jap, or one of the songs that didn't make the cut until the reissue with bonus tracks - see further on in the blog.

Darkroom is bit of a reggae and dub groove with McCartney playing with voice styles and backing vocals. This song and the bonus track Check My Machine sound like something that Damon Albarn would love for his Gorillaz project.

The album closes with a wistful McCartney singing One Of These Days which sounds remarkably boring compared to some of the stuff he conjures up.

I've mentioned bonus tracks. There is some incredible stuff! 

McCartney apparently recorded 20-songs in June and July 1979, many made up on the spot The aforementioned Check My Machine is an sensational stoned experimental groove, the bubbling 10 minute plus Secret Friend (the b-side to Temporary Secretary) is dreamy with samba style bass and percussion while McCartney goes kind of crazy over it. It somehow works! 

Mr H Atom/I'll Get You Baby starts with a voice (Paul's) saying Shangri-Las versus The Village People! Linda helps on vocals over a synth bass, there is some kind of spoken word and then the insanely catchy Mr H Atom, live in a flat on, the male sound of town chanted female vocals over a groove. I love it! The closing 3-minutes of the song have a bass synth and beat with Paul shooting laser synths and making up a vocal chant over it all. 

So yeah!

McCartney II is an alright album. Revisiting it, I couldn't help think about how far out and wonderful it could have been. So I've had fun creating McCartney II . 5 which you can search for on Spotify or CLICK HERE  Here is my alternative tracklisting.

Coming Up (full length)

Temporary Secretary

Waterfalls (edit)

Front Parlour (full length)

Summer's Day Song (instrumental version)

Frozen Jap (full length)

Darkroom (full length)

Check My Machine

Secret Friend (full length)

Mr H Atom / You Know I'll Get You Back

Never Ending Mixtape Part 23

More tunes for your ears.

We have newbies from The Go! Team and Alexis Taylor from Hot Chip, a classic from AC/DC, one from Dusty Springfield that I hadn't heard before and a cover of Billy Idol's Dancing With Myself by The Donna's to kick things off!

We then go on a trip with David Holmes, Liquid Liquid, LCD Soundsystem and the Jon Spencer Blues Explosion, before heading back to the 90's with classics from Massive Attack, the euphoric Yes by McAlmont and Butler and the Super Furries.

Liverpool offers us gems from Echo and the Bunnymen and Bill Ryder Jones, Shirley Bassey is included and some weirdly cool offerings from Jeffrey Lewis (from the brilliantly named album The Last Time I Did Acid I Went Insane and other favorites), Yamasuki Singers (a song my friend Ben stuck on a mixtape for me years ago), Steve Mason in his King Biscuit Time disguise and a track I discovered by an act called The Bongolian!

Throw in a few others including some northern gems and the stunning power pop of Open My Eyes by Nazz and you have another eclectic selection of tunes added to the Never Ending Mixtape.

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

Enjoy.

The Only Thing New Is U Finding Out About It - The Go! Team
Oh Baby - Alexis Taylor
Touch Too Much - AC/DC
Haunted - Dusty Springfield
Dancing With Myself - The Donnas
Don't Die Just Yet - David Holmes
Cavern - Liquid Liquid
You Can't Hide/Shame On You (live) - LCD Soundsystem
Bellbottoms - The Jon Spencer Blues Explosion
Teardrop - Massive Attack
Yes - McAlmont and Butler
Play It Cool - Super Furry Animals
The Killing Moon - Echo and the Bunnymen
Are You My Love - Kelley Stoltz
I Can Only Give You Everything - Them
Jezahel - Shirley Bassey
You Can't Hide A Light With The Dark - Bill Ryder Jones
Good Fortune - PJ Harvey
The East River - Jeffrey Lewis
Yanamoto Kakapote - Yamasuki Singers
I Walk The Earth - King Biscuit Time
Googa Mama - The Bongolian
If I Could Only Be Sure - Nolan Porter
In Orbit - Joy Lovejoy
Tailor Made - The Lemon Twigs
Open My Eyes (alternate take) - Nazz

Introducing The Vegan Leather

The Vegan Leather describe themselves as an Art Pop four piece creating complex pop music for your soul, mind, hips and feet.

Consisting of Marie, Matt, Duncan and Gianluca, they cite their influences as Talking Heads, LCD Soundsystem and Metronomy.

Their This House EP was released in 2015, creating quite a stir and leading to a productive 2016 with some high profile shows, supports and plenty of praise. It's easy to hear why - the title track effortlessly mixes cool with fun, before going a little weird (in a good way). The Knife adds in more of the same; it's upbeat, funky, bassy and the female and male vocals combine deliciously. There are echoes of Franz Ferdinand - arty angular hooky pop music to get people dancing. The guitar instrumental is very Franz.

The Bottom of the Ocean is a glorious disco instrumental that builds into a cracking groove. Guaranteed to get people dancing. The feel good atmosphere of the EP continues with Days Go By; probably my favourite track on the EP, before ending with a more experimental song/filler Your House.

I've yet to catch The Vegan Leather live and all reports from friends that have seen them suggest I should do. Maybe you should to. Check their EP and video below.

Dates planned;

10/12 - King Tut's Wah Wah Hut, Glasgow
30 and 31/12  - Supporting Paulo Nutini as part of Edinburgh's Hogmanay celebrations
27/01/16 - Supporting Apothek at The Roundhouse, London

Dancing In The Dark

Cover version of the month #18

Hot Chip cover Springsteen 

Dancing In The Dark is one of Bruce Springsteen's biggest hits; released back in 1984, it was the first single from his Born In The USA album. It went on to sell well over 1 million copies.

It is MASSIVE! Huge synth riffs, a flowing melody an an incredible chorus. Does it get much better than this for a sing-a-long?

You can't start a fire

Can't start a fire without a spark

This gun's for hire

Even if we're just dancing in the dark

This is a song about boredom, lust and fantasising. Also reflection on life; Bruce sings about changing his appearance, longing to break out, recognising where he is and prepared to take on advice.

There's something happening somewhere

Baby I just know that there is 

They say you gotta stay hungry

Baby I'm jut about starving tonight

With the huge synths, sense of escapism and uplifting chorus, this was crying out for an electronic cover. Although instantly identifiable, it is still a brave choice for anyone to take on The Boss.

Step forward Hot Chip.

They don't just take on the legendary Dancing In The Dark, they also throw in a dash of LCD Soundsystem's All My Friends. Incredible! They don't try and compete with Springsteen, instead they pay homage and add their own unique style, taking the listener on a flowing electronic journey, building to a euphoric conclusion.

Find videos for the original and for Hot Chip's Glastonbury performance below. You'll also find their cover on Spotify.

 Also a video for Scottish singer songwriter Beerjacket's own beautiful acoustic cover version.

Previous covers of the month

1. You've Lost That Lovin' Feelin' 

2. Going Back To My Roots

3. Nirvana play The Vaselines

4. Slip Inside This House

5. Top 10 covers by Teenage Fanclub

6. Only Love Can Break Your Heart

7. Time For Livin' 

8. Sound and Vision 

9. All Along The Watchtower

10. I Am The Walrus 

11. Guiding Star

12. You’ll Never Walk Alone

13. Hurt
14. This Guy's In Love With You

15. I Wish I Never Saw The Sunshine
16. California Soul
18. Wonderwall 

Same Language Different Worlds

Tim Burgess is an energetic and creative soul; always on the move, always moving on, embracing the times, the sounds and opportunities; 12 albums with The Charlatans, numerous EP's and singles, working with The Chemical Brothers, Ladyhawke and others, 2 solo albums, Tim Peaks coffee and diner that tours festivals, O'Genesis Record label, 2 acclaimed books, a compilation album and now a 3rd album with a little help from Peter Gordon....Tim's fantastic use of social media keeps you up to date in the modern day and age, but looking back, he's always been creative, industrious and productive.

Tim talks of liking to be pushed outside of his comfort zone in his latest book Tim Book Two - Vinyl Adventures from Istanbul to San Francisco. The opportunity to record with Peter Gordon presented itself to Tim and it great to hear of Tim rising to the challenge. This subsequently led to the album Same Language, Different Worlds released today on Tim's O'Genesis Records.

Peter Gordon is equally prolific and open to working with others; ranging from jazz and opera through to influencing James Murphy and LCD Soundsystem.

Same Language, Different Worlds is an album recorded by two men in their late 40's and mid-60's. There is a worldly feel to the lyrics and the music is beautifully balanced between traditional and futuristic. The vast majority was created online with each artist sending each other ideas and building and bouncing off each others. It's how things happen in 2016 - you meet, but then spend large amounts of time communicating online.... demonstrated perfectly with this album.

There is something hugely refreshing about the whole album as it sounds so spontaneous and free flowing. Kind of amazing as Tim and Peter apparently only got together in a studio on one occasion. The album was largely created by Burgess sending acoustic demos to Gordon who returned them in a completely different form. The two met at a warehouse back in 2012, with Tim being a fan of Gordon's work with Arthur Russell and the Love Of Light Orchestra amongst others.

The album begins....with Begin. Probably the most structured song on the album. It is bright, breezy, beautiful and it makes me smile every time I listen to it. The guitar riff is like a mini Nile Rodgers and Tim sings....

There's a record I bought

That I've already got

It means so much to me

Cause I played it a lot

It reminds me so much

Of the place that we met

Say is kind of hypnotic. Dreamy is a word I am likely to use a number of times in this blog!

Love Is All Around Me is incredible! 6 minutes and 10 seconds of electronica, jazz and Tim pouring his heart out. It's modern day blues and soul for 2016. Synths bubble and pulse.

Talking through the night

Lonely through the day

Darkness turns away

I think of you

Miss you every day

Miss you still

Always have

Always will

The instrumental following the above lyrics is glorious; freeform electronica jazz stretching out over funky percussion. Beautiful stuff.

Being Underguarded is trippy psychedelia. Burgess is in fine poetic form throughout this album. Let loose to go with the flow.....and be unguarded.

Ocean Terminus is ushered in with powerful warm chords and Tim singing the title. The music is dreamy and the album title comes from lyrics used in this song.

At 12 minutes and 17 seconds long I have to admit to being immediately drawn to Temperature High to see what Tim and Peter have come up with. I wasn't disappointed. Gordon creates a high tempo (but not in your face) groove over shuffling percussion while Tim sounds like he is dreamily ad libbing (not sure if he did or not). He finds a hook around 3-minutes in with we're under the same sky. Gordon is then allowed and inspired to take the song on for a lengthy journey.

The psychedelic, futuristic, dreamy free flowing nature of the album continues with Like I Already Do a. The song is a duet with Tim's partner Nik Void. The dreamy vibe goes space age around 6-minutes and 30 seconds in and it surely can only be a better of time before Tim and Nik produce more music together.

I can tell by the look on your face

It's like you already knew

Like you already do 

What if you took the gift of love

And just continued to love

Like you already do

Tim and Peter in the studio - amazingly it only happened once!

Space jazz opens Tracks Of My Past in an uplifting manner allowing Tim to reminisce about his past. Just after 3 minutes 30 seconds piano and saxophone meet to create something quite glorious. The way the song breaks down to the outro is superb.

I grew up in nature

I liked the summer

We swam in the pool

So what could close an album as eclectic and free flowing as Same Language, Different Worlds? The answer is the blissful Oh Men. The intro has a kind of happy and warm glow to it, enhanced when Gordon's saxophone comes in

Oh men

Work with what they're given

Even in the darker days

Before men were men

We go on and an on

And I want to know

We'll go on and on

And I want to grow