Our Week In Music 27/07/2009

This weeks playlist comes courtesy of myself again due to my colleague’s continuing absence from mainland UK, no doubt his ears would wither at the thought of some of the tracks making the list buy hey, my show my rules; so without further ado here’s my Week In Music

Roxy Music – In Every Dream Home a Heartache

Bryan Ferry, what to say that hasn’t already been said, huge eyebrows, bad Dylan covers album, but unequivocal genius, immortalised in ridiculous manner on the Mighty Boosh. He’s had a pretty interesting career these past few years and this is by far more favourite track he’s ever been involved with, moody with an epic change of tone halfway through it’s undoubtedly one of the greatest Roxy Music tracks ever written, and a perfect way to start of this week’s festivities.

Freemasons ft Sophie Ellis Bextor – Heartbreak (Make Me A Dancer)

The inclusion of this song has almost nothing to do with my continuing crush on Bextor, none at all, nope, who’re you to accuse me of such sexism? Seriously though, that plays a pretty big role, but equally i’ve not liked a mainstream dance song so much in ages, the phrase ‘killer chorus’ comes to mind. If you listen closely you might be able to hear my writing partner screaming all the way from his holiday destination.

Regina Spektor – Blue Lips

The lead single from her new album Far and included not only because of my continuing crush upon her, but also because of her quite obvious genius and ability to continuosly send shivers down my spine. It has me everytime the guitar cascades in for the first full-band verse, shiver i tell you, shivers.

The Walkmen – In The New Year

Potentially my favourite NYC band of all time (high praise i know). I found it hard to pick a track by these, mainly because Spotify only has two albums and one of those is an album of covers, fortunately it also has this, the best track from their newest album You & Me. If i could do anything with half as much passion as vocalist Hamilton Leithauser (coincidentally one of my favourite names of all time) i’d be a very happy man indeed.

Mark Lanegan – Methaphetamine Blues

The coolest motherfucker to ever walk the planet, a voice like incoming thunder and an attitude unparalleled in all of the rock universe. I’m not going to attempt to give you a reason to listen to this track, i’m gonna give you a quote from an interview that should make you want to listen to anything that the guy has to say:

‘Interviewer – Did you do Yoga whilst on tour [with QOTSA]?

Lanegan – Three quarters of the band did. Three fifths. A couple of us did not. I did not do yoga. Me and Oliveri did not do yoga, we smoked cigarettes.’

Just go listen.

Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds – Red Right Hand

I was going to put an Arctic Monkeys track in this spot until i realised you couldn’t get their stunning version of this track on Spotify, so settled for the original. It’s Nick Cave folks what more do you need to know? It’s music for dirty bars, dusty town squares, trips to graveyards, evocative of sex, death and everything else you just love to hear in a track; six minutes of brilliance doesn’t even begin to describe how i feel about this track.

And you thought i’d fucked the playlist up with Freemasons, come on, have a little bit more faith than that.

Ray Charles – What’d I Say [Part I & II]

Continuing our decent into the murky depths of blues we have potentially the greatest piano player of all time, Clint Eastwood likes him, so by rights so should you.

Son House – Empire State Express

I will struggle to do justice to just how important Son House was to the contuining existance of blues music, Jack White certainly understood something in it. Allen Ginsberg once said about Bob Dylan that when he performed he became like ‘column of air’ at one with his words and his audience, more than just a performer a link to a different time. Everytime i hear that quote my thoughts immediately go to Son House and his grating, jarring style of guitar playing; truly an icon and somebody we’ll not see the likes of again and a fitting way to end this weeks playlist.

This weeks playlist can be found here

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Expect a lot more to come from me this week,

Soft Skeleton