Posting Oasis last week got me to thinking about Britpop. Those happy 90’s! Supergrass were a band who knew how to make a radio friendly pop song and this is a perfect example. A pretty good video too here, is the intro a little homage to Queen?
Have a great weekend. This is something to help it come a little quicker and help run out the clock this afternoon.
Can you hear us pumping on your stereo?…
/RjK
I spent all weekend listening to this track from Gardens and Villa, a bunch of five college friends hailing from Santa Barbara, CA. Their name is taken from the street on which they reside and the washed out, lo-fi music they make also reflects this setting. It reminds me a little of a long, sunny day at the beach (not that I get to enjoy many of those in Dublin).
Gardens and Villa:
/RjK
*Artist #593
My choices have taken a rather esoteric turn of late so I wanted to return to something slightly more recognisable, for a day anyway!
I was reminded of this track after stumbling across a YouTube playlist compiled by 6music (the best radio station ever). It celebrates their 10th birthday by compiling “100 of the greatest tracks to have been released in their lifetime”. It still has an all time great intro and such a catchy guitar riff, it’s a dancefloor classic and the stuff that indie dreams are made of…
/RjK
*Artist #591
There are two reasons why Oasis have been on my mind recently. Firstly, I was at a pub quiz and one of the questions was “what were the band Oasis originally known as?” The answer is at the bottom, kudos if you know it, it was news to me.
Secondly, someone referred to the Wonderwall Generation in my company (I am kicking myself that I can’t remember the exact context, I think it was sporting). It made me smile initially and then I realised it was a pretty apt way to think of the mid-90’s and probably that I am not far off being a part of said generation.
I have somehow only featured Oasis once so far, posting the peerless Slide Away what is now nearly two year ago! Champagne Supernova is also a classic and perhaps a slightly unappreciated one compared to Don’t look back in anger and Wonderwall, the two biggest hits off the seminal 1995 album (What’s the story) Morning Glory. True story – it was the first ever CD that I owned.
Someday you will find me, caught beneath the landslide in a champagne supernova in the sky…
There is the added bonus of a pretty epically 90’s video here too…
/RjK
**Oasis were originally know as The Rain
I have been reading about Oxford’s Hugo Manuel AKA Chad Valley for a while now. He seems to have been featured by just about every website I look to for ideas on new music. He also seemed to included in every “Best of 2012…” list I read over recent weeks. Sometimes you just have to accept that the universe is telling you something.
While I am not wholly convinced just yet by his sound (Depending on the reviewer “chill wave”, “dream pop” or any number of other banal monikers…), I really like this track. The vocals and synthesiser (not to mention the video) give it an 80’s feel that I am always a sucker for. A friend suggested he has a little of the Rick Astley’s about him, in both sound and look. But don’t hold that against him…
/RjK
*Artist #586
I don’t know about these ladies – look how hard they’re trying. They’re 3 sisters from California and the band name is their surname. I’m switching off already. They’re booked to support Florence on her tour next year and have played with Mumford and Sons and Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros. I’ve pretty much walked away by now.
But then, this song. Oh man, this song is just right up my street. The melody is pure ’90s pop presented in beautiful wrapping paper that you don’t want to tear. Most likely, what you’ll find inside is that the song borrows too much to be very original and the lyrics are a bit weak. I’m ignoring all that though and singing along, at the top of my voice. This is going on all of my morning playlists for the foreseeable future – it makes me feel bouncy. I rarely feel bouncy.
FIDLAR* – West Coast
I have to give it up to the S//S//N blog for introducing me to LA band FIDLAR. The youthful vigour here is really refreshing, it’s been stuck in my head for the past few days (helpfully drowning out all the Christmas tunes that seem to be inescapable).
/RjK
*Artist #581
Twigs* – Breath (NAT)
I have heard varying reports about UK artists Twigs. Some places I read she is portrayed as an unknown, mysterious female version of James Blake. But DJ/Rupture, one of my music oracles, suggested otherwise and I quote “top-down industry product masquerading as white label single. but its good.”
I certainly agree with the last sentiment anyway, and that’s all that really matters. I like the songs quiet intensity. Somehow it was the right song to be listening to on a horrible grey winters day.
/RjK
*Artist #578
Local Natives* – Breakers (NAT) | (Helen Chandler guest post)
Another stellar tune from 2011 blog favourites Best Coast, who checked in at number 21 in my Top 30 of 2011 with Sun was high (so was I).
I really like their sunny, washed out sound. It’s just a pity Monday morning in Dublin doesn’t have the weather to match! Not sure what the faux-Ronald McDonald is all about in the video but it kind of works in a strange way I suppose!
/RjK