Young Rebel Set - “If I Was”
“But I wasted so much time writing songs and playing on my guitar; I wasted so much love, now I wish I never learned to play a note…”.
The UK strikes again with this genius of a folk song, the lament of an ordinary guy that just wants to keep his girl. As if we can’t all relate. Enjoy.
Young Rebel Set - “If I Was”.
Local Natives - “Careful” (Television Cover)
“I used to have such sweet dreams, now it’s more like an air raid”.
You can thank the wonderful Aquarium Drunkard for bringing this one to light via the project to cover Television’s 2nd LP “Adventure” (available here). Local Natives in fine form here noodling their way through Television’s “Careful” and completely making it their own. Gorgeous version.
Local Natives - “Careful” (Television cover) via “L’Adventure”.
Best Coast - “Crazy For You”
This song is ridiculously catchy and is easily my favorite song off their upcoming debut album (get it here). People like to glamorize the past, but I lived through the past and this tune is up there with the classic early Primitives singles (“Really Stupid” video). Best Coast deserve their own page in girl-driven-noisy-pop-tunes history.
Best Coast - “Crazy For You” (Purchase).
Yuck
If you liked that Kendal Johansson Big Star cover, you will dig these two tunes from the UK’s Yuck, slated for a coming tape release on Mirror Universe. “Weakend” and “Automatic” both sound like they could have easily been penned by Alex Chilton during the “Third/Sister Lovers” sessions. And that’s a major compliment. The rest of Yuck’s output thus far sounds rather impressively lo-fi/shoegaze early 90s. This is a gang worth watching. Enjoy.
Yuck - “Weakend” (Mirror Universe Tapes).
Yuck - “Automatic” (Mirror Universe Tapes).
Rubik - “Wasteland”
I’ve loved this song for a while now, but it took a recent remix (courtesy of the RAC) to remind me. If you still harbor a love for those early Killers singles, imagine Sir Flowers hanging out with Jonsi and you’ve got a feel for this huge tune (from Helsinki, no less). Enjoy.
Rubik - “Wasteland”. Free EP here.
Rubik - “Wasteland” (RAC Mix).
So, I’ve always been a sucker for the old “pure pop”/”blue-eyed pop soul” sound of the 80s (yes, those were my formative years…). The Sonnets sound like the best bits of The Style Council, Prefab Sprout (sigh), and mid-to-late period Dexy’s. I’m really looking forward to hearing more from this band (album due late summer). And thanks to “None More Twee” for the tip.
PS - Check out the great Northern Soul dancing in this video. Cheers. :)
Kendal Johansson - “Blue Moon” (Big Star Cover)
“Let me be your one light…”
If you are looking for a beautifully bummed out album, then look no further than “Third/Sister Lovers” by Big Star. Gorgeously simple moody tunes including “Blue Moon”. I don’t know much about this cover of “Blue Moon” other than that it completely does the original justice. I love that droning piano riff and echo’d out percussion. Enjoy.
Kendal Johansson - “Blue Moon” (Big Star Cover) (video).
Big Star - “Blue Moon”.
