Kicker’s Quarterly – April 2017

Well, Spring has sprung and Britain has brexited, but surely what you all are really interested in is what Kicker has been listening to recently.

Here, with reduced comment (because, frankly, who wants to read all that shite), is the latest Quarterly collection from the wizard least likely to attend a Crowded House concert.

Father – Dancing Major (from my prized 7″ single from Stoke’s finest, but now available on an excellent compilation on Emotional Response called Pop Chops – see what they did there)

Cavern Of Anti-Matter – Phototones (Stereolab bloke’s side project)

Au Pairs – We’re So Cool (Brummie post-punk of the highest order)

The Astounds – Objectivity Is So What Was (from a download only release last year from Dean Wells out of off of Capstan Shafts.)

The Bordellos – Vinyl Record Stamp Collector (everyone’s favourite St Helens’ band, just in time for RSD. From the wonderfully named How To Lose Friends And Influence No-One collection.)

Johnny Burnette & The Rock ‘n’ Roll Trio – Honey Hush (from 1956. Nineteen fifty-six!)

Robert Pollard – Instrument Beetle (100 LPs to choose from… this is from 2001’s Choreographed Man Of War. You should own them all.)

Tall Dwarfs – Meet The Beatle (the genius that is Chris Knox)

Car Seat Headrest – (Joe Gets Kicked Out Of School For Using) Drugs With Friends (But Says This Isn’t a Problem) (from last year’s Teens Of Denial and (a) song (title to be proud of).)

Chook Race – At Your Door (great new Brisbane band who may have heard the Go-Betweens.)

Kim Deal – Dirty Hessians (one of those KD singles that came out a few years ago, this is the B-side of the great Walking With A Killer.)

Happy Front – Weekend Away (from the ever-reliable Liquid Library stable)

Connections – John From Cincinnati (a highlight from last year’s Midnight Run album. Yet another Ohio band to die for.)

Doubting Thomas Cruise Control – Early Mortuary Behavior (from an old tape, a casseepee, in fact, called Moonchild/Jailface. All of their stuff is worth a listen despite the poor effort at spelling.)

Eric Gaffney – Phil Spectre Mask (co-founder of Sebadoh and, er, Jesus Christ. There’s A LOT to catch up on if you’ve not been paying attention.)

Skip Manning – Ham ‘n’ Eggs (from the 60 Songs From The Cramps Crazy Collection CD that is a treasure trove of goodness.)

The Third Bardo – I’m Five Years Ahead Of My Time (Nuggets. That’s all there is to it. Nuggets.)

Slushies – Sun Lion (This is on the same Moonchild/Jailface release as DTCC, but on the other side. It is also great.)

Mark Eitzel – In My Role As A Professional Singer And Ham (from the new LP, Hey Mr Ferryman.)

The Wyrd Interactions – Jonah Slide & His Suicide (Rob Hillfield is also in The Hillfields and the rather fantastic Rapid Results College, but this is his solo stuff. It’s all worth checking out.)

Question Mark Six Degrees

Most of those tracks are available here: