Kicker’s Monthly Mix – November 2015

Remember, remember, the first of November, Woodentops, T. Rex and Goat.

guy rawkes

Yes, it’s time for the penultimate mix of the year and this time we head off down to the south coast for our opening track, which comes from leaders of the East Sussex Surf Scene, The Sinewaves – their Into The Syntax Era EP has been on heavy rotation in these parts recently. It’s not on Spotify, so do yourselves a favour and tune into the video below.

How about some American culture next? OK, then. Here’s, er, American Culture with one of their tracks on a split single with the legendary Boyracer that came out last year. Bringing a bit of Cambodian pop into the mix, inevitably takes us to Dengue Fever and, for me, the stand out track from this year’s The Deepest Lake collection. Going back in time a little, and we have a track from, to date, the final instalment of Fuzzy Warbles from wizard favourite, Andy Partridge. Not available on Spotify, enjoy the puntastic track below. Also, if you happen to have a spare copy of Warbles #7, please let me know as I’m sure we could come to a mutually beneficial agreement.

Over the last few weeks I have literally not been inundated by requests for more doo-wop on these monthly mixes, but still, you’ve got to love The Blenders, right? This foul-mouthed ditty came to my attention via the impressive, and very literally titled, 60 Songs From the Cramps Crazy Collection compilation. I have a feeling the song has been censored on Spotify, so you might want to check out the original f-bomb laden version elsewhere on the Interweb. Those boys were from New York (and not the Chicagoan imposters of the same name), but The Colorblind James Experience weren’t interested in visiting either of those fine cities on the next track. A track, incidentally, that as well as being the centrepiece of their self-titled debut rather incongruously appeared in John Peel’s Festive Fifty in 1987. Goat have a new single out and it’s more of the same, which is to say it is really rather wonderful. The same might be said of Sheffield poptarts, Faerground Accidents, who have followed up last year’s brilliant We Hate The Same Things 7″ with the fantastic Woeful Small Town single, the second track of which is helpfully on Spotify, the lead track of which you can experience in a live setting below. What a shame a bout of flu forced the band to drop out of supporting The Nightingales in Manchester early this year when all 3 wizards were in anticipatory attendance. We must catch them in the next 12 months.

Australian punk next, but this time from the town of Geelong with Living Eyes and a track from their Living Large LP that, quite honestly, I have no recollection of getting hold of. It’s pretty neat though. No problem recalling where the marvellous Marvin Rainwater track that follows it comes from though because it’s another tip top track from that Cramps collection that doesn’t feature anything by the Cramps. Don’t cry. Back up-to-date next with my favourite track from the new début Owl & Mouse LP – Departures – another hit from the partially Australian band on the ever-reliable Fika Recordings label following last year’s Somewhere To Go EP. This is followed by a track from those noisy blighters, Luxurious Bags, taken from the wonderfully titled album Voluntary Lifelong Quarantine. An album that, I should point out, will set you back more than 5p. Oh, and it’s not on Spotify either.

We’d all rather Earl Vince & The Valiants than Fleetwood Mac, right? But better still, let’s have The Rezillos doing that B-side from the still tremendous Can’t Stand The Rezillos. You could imagine the likes of Fay Fife, future ‘League member, Luke Warm and Gail Warning getting up to no good back in the day, perhaps even Cow Tipping, eh? Well, that particular (mythical?) stunt is neatly documented by Stoke-on-Trent troubadour, Merrym’n on the track of the same name on his Black Over Bill’s Mothers collection. Bob Moston, for it is he, does a very fine line in oddball folky pop songs and is well worth checking out. As, of course, is the T. Rex back catalogue, ahem. That neat link takes us to yet another underrated gem from the elfin-faced one. This time a killer track from the Tanx album is just the job. Bristol based label, Art Is Hard, have popped up on these mixes before offering up tracks from the likes of Radstewart and Best Friends. Here they are again with an excellent effort from the New Zealand based band Shunkan that appears on the An A-Z Of Art Is Hard compilation (yes, another one, Chorizo!). It goes like this…

I ummed and erred about getting hold of the new Modest Mouse LP, having been fairly underwhelmed by the most recent efforts. Eventually, the completist in me one again won over and I got hold of Strangers To Ourselves. And whilst, not an immediate classic, there seems to be plenty here to enjoy. I guess, I’ll just have to Give It Time. And so say The Woodentops on the next track, a winner from their third album, Giant. An album everyone I knew in 1986 seemed to own. Something everyone reading this blog should definitely consider owning is the fourth Suitcase coming from the vaults of Robert Pollard. These 4 x CD, 100 track collections will keep you going for months. The latest box set comes out at the end of this month, so I have gone back to the first, the Suitcase subtitled Failed Experiment & Trashed Aircraft and plumped for the song recorded under the guise of God’s Brother, which all things considered, is an excellent thing. As is lead-Nightingale, Robert Lloyd, who back in the late 80s put out a couple of singles with The New Four Seasons that it’s fair to say you may have missed. Here’s your chance to catch up and for us to finish the mix with something nice.

Those all important tracks in full:

1. The Sinewaves – Moon Computer
2. American Culture – Actual Alien
3. Dengue Fever – No Sudden Moves
4. Andy Partridge – The Bland Leading The Bland
5. The Blenders – Don’t Fuck Around With Love
6. Colourblind James Experience – Considering A Move To Memphis
7. Goat – It’s Time For Fun
8. Faerground Accidents – Woeful Small Town
9. Living Eyes – Dry Spell
10. Marvin Rainwater – Boo Hoo
11. Owl & Mouse – Rapunzel
12. Luxurious Bags – Bury My Heart
13. The Rezillos – Somebody’s Gonna Get Their Head Kicked In Tonight
14. Merrym’n – Cow Tipping
15. T. Rex – Rapids
16. Shunkan – Our Names
17. Modest Mouse – Sugar Boats
18. The Woodentops – Give It Time
19. God’s Brother – Excellent Things
20. Robert Lloyd & The New Four Seasons – Something Nice

With Colourful Capsules

Playlist

Previous monthly mixes

All twenty-eight previous mixes are still available for free! Why not follow us on Spotify to avoid missing out?