It’s time to rock. A lot of the time on deh sleepstreeeaaammm you’re hearing all this whispy melodic minimal ambient stuff, or funky grooves, or whatever. This time it’s all about the dirty guitars, pounding drums and err… machismo? (though not much screaming, not really my bag). After some of the last 5 years rockingest offerings, I have a sex change (ah modern technology) and travel back to the 90s and get to know some of the mainstays of the riot grrrl movement. I’ll explore my feminine side even deeper by travelling back to the end of the 70s for some original woman-at-the-helm proto-punk, punk and post-punk etc. Remember like 3 or 4 episodes when I said I should play more non-current music? This is where I finally take my own advice. Hope you like it! (Note: This episode has some cussin’ so you might not want to blast it at work. or by that same token, you might!)

Manic Street Preachers / Marlon J.D. / Journal For Plague Lovers (2009)
Boris / Pink / Pink (2005)
Future Of The Left / Arming Eritrea / Travels With Myself And Another (2009)

Art Brut / The Passenger / Art Brut Vs. Satan (2009)
Dinosaur Jr / Pieces / Farm (2009)
The Drones / Baby² / Wait Long By the River And The Bodies Of Your Enemies Will Float By (2005)

PJ Harvey / Rid Of Me / Rid Of Me (1993)
Sleater-Kinney / Words And Guitar / Dig Me Out (1997)
The Gits / Another Shot Of Whiskey / Frenching The Bully (1992)
Bikini Kill / Rebel Girl / Pussy Whipped (1993)

Patti Smith Group / Rock n Roll Nigger / Easter (1978)
The Slits / Typical Girls / Cut (1979)
Au Pairs / Headache for Michelle / Playing With a Different Sex (1981)
Pylon / Cool / Pylon!! (1980)
Black Tambourine / For Ex-Lovers Only / Throw Aggi Off the Bridge (1992)
Siouxsie and the Banshees / Happy House / Kaleidoscope (1980)

So maybe ‘world’ music would be more descriptive, but what comparably lame puns could be made with that? … I rest my case. And anyway, why would the traditional music of British and Americans be called folk and that of Nicaraguans be called worldbeat? That’s not exactly fair. That may all be beside the point, though, because while all the music this episode is infused with the musical traditions of cultures all around the world, it’s not necessarily the traditional sort of stuff. Some of it with the modern production and arrangement. Call it worldly folk. And give it a listen, because there are some real gems here.

A. R. Rahman / Mausam & Escape / Slumdog Millionaire OST (2008) / India
Les Negresses Vertes / Face à la mer (Massive Attack Remix) / 10 Remixes (1993) / France

Lô Borges / Não Se Apague Esta Noite / Lô Borges (1972) / Brazil
Jorge Ben / O Plebeu / África Brasil (1976) / Brazil
Femi Kuti / Tension Grip Africa / Day by Day (2008) / Nigeria
Umalali / Anaha Ya (Here I Am) / The Garifuna Womens Project (2008) / Belize

Tinariwen / Matadjem yinmixan / Aman Iman: Water Is Life (2006) / Mali
Justin Adams & Juldeh Camara / Yo Lay Lay / Soul Science (2007) / The Gambia
The Very Best (Esau Mwamwaya & Radioclit) / Get It Up (feat. M.I.A.) / ‘The Very Best’ Mixtape (2008) / Malawi

Taraf de Haidouks / Carolina / Band of Gypsies (2001) / Romania
Astor Piazzolla / Michelangelo / Tango: Zero Hour (1986) / Argentina
Crucible / Three Maidens / Love & Money (2008) / UK

Lúnasa / The Miller of Drohan / Otherworld (1999) / Ireland
Yat-Kha / Oy Adym (My Gray Horse) / Aldyn Dashka (2000) / Tuva (Russia)

Oumou Sangare / Saa Magni (Death Is Terrible) / Oumou (2004) / Mali
Mari Boine / Gula Gula / Gula Gula (1989) / Sámi (Norway)

This one: much less with the jibber jabber as it’s a 2 hour nonstop electronic dancing music experience! House, techno, breaks, some hip hop and pop, and a whole lot of goodness. Watch in astonishment as the songs flow together like orange juice and grape juice swirling in a river of fruity bliss!! Marvel at the sweetness of the beatness!!! OH! DEAR! GOD! YES!

Phil’s torrent of songs is here (his 2006 one gave me the idea to do my own), and I’d also like to mention that this episode includes the 1000th (and 1001st!) unique artist to be featured on Radio Slipstream.

Prosumer and Murat Tepeli / Serenity / Serenity (2008)
Plej / Lay Of The Land / Electronic Music From The Swedish Left Coast (2003)
Thomas Brinkmann / Meadow / When Horses Die (2008)
PM Dawn / Set Adrift (Tittsworth Neutron Dance Remix) (2007)
M.I.A. / World Town / Kala (2007)
Subtle / Unlikely Rock Shock / ExitingARM (2008)
Clark / Volcan Veins / Turning Dragon (2008)
Klute / Learning Curve / The Emperor’s New Clothes (2007)
Hot Chip / Shake A Fist (.d. edit) / Made In The Dark (2008)
Kelley Polar / Entropy Reigns (in the Celestial City) / I Need You to Hold On While the Sky Is Falling (2008)
Hercules & Love Affair / Blind / Hercules & Love Affair (2008)
Portable / Albatros / Powers Of Ten (2007)
Georges Vert / Electric Bird / Milky Disco (2007)
Zoo Brazil / Face / Face (2007)
Stephan Bodzin / Kerosene / Liebe Ist … (2007)
Gebr. Teichmann / Whateverman / The Number Of The Beat (2007)
Mu / Out Of Breach / Out Of Breach (Manchester’s Revenge) (2005)
Jackson And His Computer Band / Utopia / Smash (2005)
Mouse on Mars / Bib / Iaora Tahiti (1995)
Boxcutter / Fieldtrip / Glyphic (2007)
Luke Vibert / Comphex / Chicago, Detroit, Redruth (2007)
Stendeck / Like Falling Crystals / Faces (2007)
Ricardo Villalobos / Enfants (Chants) (2008)
Mr. Raoul K / Le Cercle Peul (Original Mix) (2008)
Kenge Kenge / Kenge Kenge / Introducing Kenge Kenge (2007)

.cue

Radio Slipstream counts down what it sees as the best albums of 2007! The tip top of my top albums of 2007 list that was fiddled with constantly throughout the year (and in its entirety went up to 280…uhps). Sure it’s a bit late, but that just means it’s more accurate a list than everyone else’s, right? Yeahuh.

Read on for the results

25: Curses (Future of the Left)

24: You Follow Me (Nina Nastasia and Jim White)

23: 23 (Blonde Redhead)

22: Armchair Apocrypha (Andrew Bird)

21: The Stage Names (Okkervil River)

20: Five Roses (Miracle Fortress)

19: I’ll Sleep When You’re Dead (El-P)

18: Dirty Acres (Cunninlynguists)

17: Emotionalism (The Avett Brothers)

16: Night Falls Over Kortedala (Jens Lekman)

15: Sole and the Skyrider Band (Sole and the Skyrider Band)

As with anything released on the Anticon label, this disc explores a (non)brand of hip hop that’s likely to rough up your understanding of the genre a bit (broad as that genre might be). Sole spits the lyrics in a rapid, arrhythmic staccato stream that’s not particularly musical but suits his rough voice and irritable mood. The beats from Skyrider are murky, drenched in back alleys and samples of violins, rock, ye oldies, and even opera; layered together it sounds not unlike DJ Shadow or Amon Tobin united with Current 93. Between pounding and sparse, angry and bemoaning, the sound is processed to be raw and the meaning only dimly aware of hope.

14: Spiderman of the Rings (Dan Deacon)

This album is particularly defined by the character of its creator. If I hadn’t seen this video, I might not have put in the effort to see it as pure unadulterated glee rather than something cheap and/or annoying. So he seems all kinds of zany DIY madness, with possible overtones of insanity. In reality, Dan’s got a Masters in musical composition; he’s just coming at things from a unique angle and has quite a wonderful sense of humour. There’s something so unpretentious about this that it can’t help but get me grinning. And championing fun and innocence so honestly without coming off like a self involved ass is pretty awesome. Catchy, in-your-face, retro futuristic absurdist fantasy techno for 6-year-olds. Or something.

13: From Here We Go Sublime (The Field)

Track 7, The Deal, is ten minutes long and essentially repeats the same 15 second phrase over its entire length with minor variation (after a one minute build). It’s also one of the most compelling songs I heard this year. The base sample is so utterly beautiful it becomes enchanting and the minor variations are effortless, but exciting. The other songs follow a similar pattern, though they’re all a bit more active about it. Combining multitudes of bright samples cut down and glitched up over steady backbeats and dripping with airy, ethereal synths, or are those samples, too? You could define it as microhouse, glitch, techno, or even look toward the subtle trance-like epic builds for categorization inspiration. It sounds to me like the brightest sun in the clearest sky shining warmth on the coldest winter ice.

12: Foley Room (Amon Tobin)

A concept album in the vaguest sense, Foley Room sees Amon Tobin setting aside the samples that defined his first four albums and setting out with a mic to record all manner of natural sounds from a variety of sources. The album ends up as a channelled cacophony, drilling itself even deeper into paranoid atmospherics than its predecessors, but occasionally dipping into the melodies of dusty gramophone music. Foley Room is not entirely comprised of conceptually themed samples in the style of Matthew Herbert, rather, it’s a broad exploration and celebration of the varied noisemakers all over our world and how they relate to music. As a collection of music, though, the album is equally successful, sounding almost like a soundtrack for some hundred year old steampunk industrial revolution.

11: Rumpelzirkus (Kalabrese)

Minimal house is a big thing these days. Long, repetitive sleepy dance tunes with little clicks and a light hint of melody. It can be good, even awesome, but no one can ever be blamed for not liking it. Kalabrese (Zurich-based producer Sascha Winkler) takes the template of spaced out house music and decorates it with ample touches of funk, a smattering of dub and techno and some wtf that makes semiminimal music much more fun. He opines about (among other things) chicken farms and the pain of losing his chair, and the tone is irreverent but serious. There are some downright danceable grooves, mixed with quirky experiments and even some compelling melodic swells to satiate most people’s need for purebred enjoyment.

10: Untrue (Burial)

A steady clacking beat carries most of this record by anonymous dubstep producer Burial through the scary, uneasy side of squalid urban nightlife. Ghostly voices of manufactured radio passion fall against the murky thuds and strains of eerie darkness. The songs here often flow together, often seem not too different one from another, but throughout they build on the same compelling atmosphere. It is cold, lonely and somewhat uneasy. Possibly meant for dancing, to me it could only soundtrack a trip onto the dancefloor if it was lost in a hazy, slow motion stupor. The album sounds more like it’s heard from outside the club on the way back home, the cheesepop R&B samples muffled like a fragment of a memory.

9: Andorra (Caribou)

Andorra was carefully constructed entirely on the computer of Hamilton, Ontario native Dan Snaith, who now lives in Britain and has a master’s degree in mathematics. His live shows, and aspects of previous albums, are basically an orgy of frantic drumming and not overly concerned with melody. On Andorra, though, that spastic madness is dipped in a gloopy coat of sunshine and glee—giving us a bright pop record that sounds like it might have come out of a drug trip in the swingin’ 60s. And it’s great! Layers and layers of carefully arranged sounds: catchy, immense, grandiose, sparkling joy. Definitely a record for the summer.

8: Kala (M.I.A.)

Arular, Maya Arulpragasam’s first album, was a miniature sensation. It fused the rhythms of her homeland (Sri Lanka) with the electronics of modern dance clubs while sounding ultra-chic instead of like an awkward experiment in worldbeat. That her father is a Tamil Tiger and her incisive lyrics reflected a view of the world unfamiliar to many also certainly helped to draw attention. Kala continues in much the same way, perhaps moving slightly toward a more Western sound (there’s even almost a Pixies cover). But it’s still heavily informed by musics made to make you move your body, and perfected over centuries (that is, non-western). It can be noticeably repetitive, but if you concentrate on shakin’ that thang you really shouldn’t mind. Maya’s confidence and the swagger in her lyrical delivery is almost as infectious as the lively backing tracks.

7: For Emma, Forever Ago (Bon Iver)

Justin Vernon’s self-released solo record (which he mostly wrote and recorded over four months hidden away in a remote cabin) is a delicate, haunting beauty. It takes the common palette of a guitar-toting folk balladeer (Will Oldham is an obvious point of reference) and spreads it lightly toward soul and gospel, wearing its emotion proud and poignant. Vernon’s voice is raw, even shrill; the melodies, his ardent wails and occasional layers of overdub render it remarkably affecting. Even if the obtuse lyrics leave few clues about many of the songs’ subject matter, the album title itself succinctly conveys the loss and longing contained in the ragged guitar swells, fragile melodies, and straight-up beauty found within.

6: Hissing Fauna, You are the Destroyer (Of Montreal)

The third Of Montreal album since they went ‘hi-fi’ by adding liberal dabbling in synthesized sound to their palette (and 8th overall), Hissing Fauna is a psychedelic and deceivingly upbeat collection of bubbling and catchy tunes. Under that, though, is a starkly engaging retelling of Kevin Barnes’ break-up and trip to Norway, “trying to restructure my character, because it had become vile to its creator.” He speaks with eloquent forthrightness about his emotional turmoil, leaving the listener alternating between empathy, pity, amazement and amusement. Happily, the album isn’t a wallowing, sorry-for-itself tearfest, but rather a celebration of life with all its inherent scratches and scars intact. The hopeful tone only hinted at by the lyrics is reflected in the lilting, squelching arrangements and infectious melodies.

5: The Shepherd’s Dog (Iron and Wine)

Sam Beam’s voice is like cedar smoke from a campfire buried somewhere in the Ozarks. On his last albums that voice combined with gentle swooshes of acoustic guitar, like the song of crickets and warblers. Then it did it again. And again. It was beautiful, but a bit too repetitive. This time around (following stylistically on 05’s Woman King EP), he diversifies the backing band, and to great effect: getting us out of that faraway forest and taking us through households and wilderness, city and country. It all still sounds very rustic and dusty, but with a real drive and energy to get us from one place to the next. The arrangements (lots of pedal steel, organs, accordion, quiet drumming, piano, and still those acoustic strums) give the songs a perfect bed as they lilt, swell and sway through open fields, natural aromas, breezes and candlelight. Shepherd’s Dog gently carries you into another world, one I sometimes wish I could stay in.

4: Random Spirit Lover (Sunset Rubdown)

These songs are unconventionally orchestrated, paced and sung; my brother actually thought it was meant to be funny when I played it for him. It’s a bit like a twisted carnival somehow exploding into music. If you can get past the potentially off-putting uniqueness, though, there are intricate and surprisingly catchy songs with lyrics that are very much worth paying attention to. It’s a bit hard to describe why I like this album so much, but I think it’s mainly the energy, the wild abandon with which the band approaches the strangely epic songs, even through the quiet moments. The grunts, squeals and yelps from instruments and voices alike are touching and invigorating; a display of beauty from an organized caterwaul and a meditation on humanity and society laced with complex metaphor and mythological imagery.

3: Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga (Spoon)

Spoon has a singular sound, but they’re always able to find a slightly new angle to explore those punchy, syncopated beats from. Gax5 (reportedly named for the sound of staccato piano chords) shows Brit Daniel and friends at the top of their game, sticking to their signature sound but expanding it significantly. It’s more direct than Gimme Fiction and more varied – giving us some nice bouncy horns and also recalling the raw sound of their earlier albums. Discarding any silly comparisons, what GaGaGaGaGa’s really all about is catchy as hell, fun funky piano guitar pop with a deliciously rough edge hiding out below. It’s both a succinct summary of Spoon’s talent and possibly their best album yet—and that’s no mean feat.

2: In Rainbows (Radiohead)

Put simply, In Rainbows is full of great songs. There’s a revelatory joy and soulfulness not traditionally associated with the band flowing through most of the tracks. It is an album by a band who is comfortable with their sound, not trying to shock or surprise us, just playing naturally. The songs are diverse yet contained, rambunctious and climactic or delicate and haunting—sometimes at the same time. That In Rainbows strikes a perfect balance between these extremes and defies easy categorization is a definite part of what makes it a great album. The production helps, too, bringing out a bright, organic sound that sounds to me something like fresh-cut veggies. Just generally brilliant.

1: Boxer (The National)

The National really hit it big in 2007. Their last (and third) album Alligator was a sleeper-hit in 2005; it was largely ignored initially, but steadily picked up fans and accolades over the following couple years until eventually becoming a mini indie sensation (even getting them an opening spot for hipster favourites the Arcade Fire). Anticipation and expectation (hype!) were high for their next album and when Boxer hit the ears of the world, it quickly garnered critical and popular acclaim. The National played at sold out venues, appeared on Letterman, and probably even sold some copies of their new album (research pending).

That’s the macrocosm of the story of The National within the independent music community. My personal experience isn’t all that different. I heard Alligator on recommendation, liked it enough to rank it #5 on my top albums of 2005, then liked it more and more. I fell in love with the band and their strange mystique: the smoky, urban middleclass placelessness. They seemed to me more honest, more listenable and more intriguing than just about anybody else putting out music.

I was anticipating Boxer BIGtime, but prepared for disappointment (because when you follow the number of bands I do, it happens a lot). Boxer, however, did everything exactly right to fuel my fandom even further. So I listened to it constantly and loudly, saw the band twice in concert, hummed and sang along at all hours, and wondered at how I could find such strong emotional connections between myself and the lyrical and musical content of the songs. Ya can’t really ask for much more from an album.

So what is it that makes me spill out such gluts of praise?

First off, the arrangements and musicianship are brilliant. Each drum hit, sigh of distortion, rich bass note… every feathery guitar arpeggio, piano chord, violin tremolo, horn spike… they all rise and fall together perfectly, creating tension, softening, tightening. And despite the rich, multi-layered arrangements barely a note is wasted.

The atmosphere created by the instruments is a consistent one, (and for this, Matt Berninger’s deep voice counts as well). It’s dark; not in the way absence of light creates darkness, but in the way layers of paint create darkness. A darkness made with lightness, richness, and colour still swilling under the surface. Much like the heady and strangely sweet air of the city at night. While consistent tones give the risk of blandness, Boxer keeps moving just enough, between urgent charging and delicate floating, to keep interest piqued and still seem like a cohesive whole.

Lyrics are a very important part of Boxer. Berninger never quite says it straight—he’s got a real knack for nebulous little images that could mean a number of different things, but mean them all very well. “I’ve been dragging around from the end of your coat for two weeks; everywhere you go is swirling, everything you say has water under it,” he sings on Brainy. He dabbles in the details of implied feelings and undefined moments, and applies great number of really wonderful turns of phrase.

It’s a very impressionistic approach, but the picture it builds in the end, for me at least, is one of listlessness in a suburban existence defined by a pre-delineated way of life, and a half-hearted struggle to break that tedium or at least navigate through it toward something partly meaningful or fulfilling. “Another uninnocent elegant fall into the unmagnificent lives of adults.” There are references to growing up and losing the innocent fun of childhood in several tracks. No wonder that, as a recent university graduate confusedly hanging on to the last corner of irresponsibility, I feel I can relate.

My favourite thing about The National’s lyrics on this, and other albums, is the way glints of optimism and humour shine through, even when it’s dry, confusing and absurd, or ironic optimism turned around at the last minute. It’s a lot like life, that way. “So worry not; all things are well. We’ll be alright. We have our looks and perfume on.” The songs feel very real. No posturing, proselytizing or trying too hard. It is what it is, nothing more.

Berninger’s low, languorous voice and delivery fit the lyrics and subject matter, which fits the heaviness and resonant intricacy of the arrangements. It all fits snugly together, both aesthetically and thematically, in a way that’s a rare accomplishment. Some might find the sound of the album consistent to the point of dullness, but Boxer excels because the National adhere to their fairly strict formula and explore it completely. It is a truly wonderful album.

And the drums!

The final episode of Radio Slipstream aired on CFMU. Nothing new here (except one old favourite that somehow never got featured on the show), just a selection of my most favourite songs. Like a flashback episode I suppose. I worked pretty hard on this, both the show in general, and on squeezing down 3 and a half hours of music into 2 for my final radio program. I hope you like it.

All in all, The Slipstream on 93.3 CFMU occupied 3 separate timeslots and delivered 2037 uniquely excellent songs (and 13 repeat excellent songs, repeated for theme shows or by accident) from 948 unique artists (not including the epic 5 episode 111 song best albums of 2005 countdown -which I’ve disowned because they’re not sequenced quite nicely enough to be up to standard and some of the songs have been repeated since). Now it is no more. It was deemed by ‘the powers that be’ (who are actually pretty cool once you get to know them) that being in London but remotely doing a show on a Hamilton community radio station isn’t in the spirit of things or practical. So, I’m going to take some time off and then bring back the podcast (probably bi-weekly) because I really do enjoy doing this. And then who knows. I also really want to get this website off its ass and turn it into something good-like.

Twine / Kalea Morning / Twine (2003)
U2 / Zooropa / Zooropa (1993)
Underworld / Dirty Epic / Dubnobasswithmyheadman (1993)
The Field / The Deal / From Here We Go To Sublime (2007)
Ada / Cool My Fire (I’m Burning) / Blondie (2004)

Architecture in Helsinki / Like A Call / Fingers Crossed (2003)
Lamb / Gorecki / Lamb (1997)
Evil 9 / Crooked (feat. Aesop Rock) / You Can Be Special Too (2004)
Dub Pistols / soul shaking (conduct disorder) / Six Million Ways To Live (2001)
Saul Williams / Act III Scene 2 (Shakespeare) / Saul Williams (2004)

Moloko / Forever More / Statues (2003)
Dan Deacon / Wham City / Spiderman of the Rings (2007)
Spoon / I Summon You / Gimme Fiction (2005)
M.I.A. / Paper Planes / Kala (2007)
TTC / Telephone / 3615 TTC (2007)

Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds / Papa Won’t Leave You, Henry / Henry’s Dream (1992)
Doves / Pounding / The Last Broadcast (2002)
John Vanderslice / Coming and Going on Easy Terms / Cellar Door (2004)
The Flaming Lips / Waitin’ for a Superman / The Soft Bulletin (1999)

Alias & Tarsier / Dr. C / Brookland/Oaklyn (2006)
Outkast / Jazzy Belle / ATLiens (1996)
Gustavo Santaolalla / Iguazu / Ronroco (1998)
Alan Stivell / Eliz Iza / Renaissance of the Celtic Harp (1972)
The Decemberists / You’ll Not Feel The Drowning / The Crane Wife (2006)
The National / All Dolled-Up In Straps / Cherry Tree (2004)

Talk Talk / I Believe In You / Spirit Of Eden (1988)
Bonnie Prince Billy & Matt Sweeny / Beast for Thee / Superwolf (2005)
Sufjan Stevens / John Wayne Gacy, Jr / Illinois (2005)
Sigur Rós / Staralfur / Agaetis Byrjun (1999)

Tom Waits / Time / Rain Dogs (1985)
Augie March / There Is No Such Place / Sunset Studies (2000)
Radiohead / No Surprises / OK Computer (1997)
The New Pornographers / The Bleeding Heart Show / Twin Cinema (2005)
Sunset Rubdown / Shut Up I Am Dreaming of Places Where Lovers Have Wings / Shut Up I Am Dreaming (2006)

Junior Boys / FM / So This is Goodbye (2006)

And to round out the Slipstream Top 40, the following songs were heard competing for attention behind my narration:

Wilco – Impossible Germany (Sky Blue Sky, 2007)
Orbital – The Box (In-Sides, 1997)
British Sea Power – Carrion (The Decline Of…, 2003)
Cocteau Twins – Cherry Coloured Funk (Heaven or Las Vegas, 1990)
Iron and Wine/Calexico – 16, Maybe Less (In The Reins, 2005)

With apologies for the late update of the site, here is probably the most unique and potentially most exciting episode of the slipstream to date. This past weekend I trawled around the sights and sounds of the LOLA festival, with my digital camera in tow, which turned out to have a sound recorder for its damn decent mic. So as it turned out I used my status as a community radio host to get some interviews with various folks. The interviews are occasionally of subpar quality, but I did learn a lot about the process from a technical and theoretical standpoint. I also managed to record a few special LOLA performances, which crop up also (see tracklisting for details of course). And just to keep things lively, behind my inane ramblings, you can hear snatches of many live performances recorded throughout the weekend at Victoria Park. It was thrown together in a bit of a mad panic on Sunday as I was leaving in the evening for Toronto, but I think it’s still worth a listen, and hope you will to. So what are you waiting for.. check it out (on the podcast, or the link above). Also, LOLAfest is a really exciting event and one of my most favourite things of a long while, so it’s worth looking into and encouraging similar endeavours.

Holy Fuck / The Pulse / Holy Fuck (EP) (2007)
My Brightest Diamond / Golden Star (Stop Die Resuscitate Remix) / Unreleased (2007)

*DJ TLO / Scratching Solo / Live at LOLA (2007)
Sixtoo / Sidewinders / Chewing on Glass & Other Miracle Cures (2004)
OK Cobra / Child In Rhyme / OK Cobra (2006)
Prefuse 73 / One Word Extinguisher / One Word Extinguisher (2003)

Interview with LOLA festival director Andrew P Francis

Beach House / Apple Orchard / Beach House (2006)
Sandro Perri / Family Tree / Tiny Mirrors (2007)
Torngat / Minute By Minute / You Could Be (2007)

Interview with artist Mr Ghosty

*Final Fantasy / Paris 1919 (John Cale cover) / Live at LOLA (2007)
Ohbijou / Steep / Swift Feet For Troubling Times (2006)
Basia Bulat / Snakes and Ladders / Oh My Darling (2007)
Meligrove Band / Planets Conspire / Planets Conspire (2005)

Akron/Family / Lake Song/New Ceremonial Music For Moms / Love Is Simple (2007)
The Acorn / Flood Pt.1 / Glory Hope Mountain (2007)
The Hylozoists / Strait Is The Gate / La Fin Du Monde (2006)

Interview with Constantines singer Bryan Webb

*Constantines / Million Star Hotel / Live at LOLA (2007)

Old Man Luedecke / Roustabout / Hinterland (2006)

Read on for an assortment of videos and pictures that i managed to grab while I was hanging around…

The photos were taken with my Canon S3 IS… and it’s really the first time I’ve taken concert photos with a decent camera, so there was a bit of a learning curve. I wish I’d remembered about changing the ISO setting a bit earlier in the night.

And some brief video clips! more are available throughout youtube with some clever searching.

Akron/Family:

Grizzly Bear:

Meligrove Band:

Final Fantasy:

PJ Harvey / Catherine / Is This Desire? (1998)
Menomena / Rose / I am the Fun Blame Monster (2003)

Do Make Say Think / Fredericia / Winter Hymn Country Hymn Secret Hymn (2003)
Bjork / Isobel / Post (1995)
Caribou / Sandy / Andorra (2007)

Simon & Garfunkel / Cecilia / Bridge over Troubled Water (1970)
Jens Lekman / Silvia / When I Said I Wanted To Be Your Dog (2004)
Air / Jeanne (feat. Françoise Hardy) / Sexy Boy CDS (1998)
Scott Walker / Jackie / Scott 2 (1968)

Rage Against The Machine / Maria / The Battle Of Los Angeles (1999)
The Zutons / Valerie / Tired of Hangin’ Around (2006)
Jon Auer / Josephine / Songs From The Year Of Our Demise (2006)

Grizzly Bear / Marla / Yellow House (2006)
Yann Tiersen / Mary (feat. Liz Fraser) / Les Retrouvailles (2005)
Tom Waits / Alice / Alice (2002)
Elvis Costello / Alison / My Aim Is True (1977)

Iron & Wine / Jezebel / Woman King (2004)
Bert Jansch / Veronica / Bert Jansch (1965)
Joanna Newsom / Emily / Ys (2006)

Angels Of Light / Evangeline / How I Loved You (2001)
John Cale / Andalucia / Paris 1919 (1973)
The National / Karen / Alligator (2005)

Leonard Cohen / Suzanne / Songs of Leonard Cohen (1968)

Motiivi Tuntematon / Mankind Failed / Speicher 46 (2007)

Pantha du Prince / Florac / This Bliss (2007)
Agnes / Hi Murda / Dumbles Debuts (2007)
Stewart Walker / We Welcome Utopia!!! / Concentricity (2007)
Efdemin / Lohn & Brot / Efdemin (2007)

Underworld / Pearls Girl / Second Toughest in the Infants (1996)
Sarah McLachlan / Angel (Dusted Remix) / Remixed (2001)

Stars / Today Will Be Better, I Swear! / In Our Bedroom After The War (2007)
Morcheeba / The Sea / Big Calm (1998)
The Delgados / The Light Before We Land / Hate (2002)

Ulrich Schnauss / Medusa / Goodbye (2007)
Matthew Dear / Deserter / Asa Breed (2007)
Hot Chip / My Piano / My Piano (2007)

Ladytron / Flicking Your Switch / Light & Magic (2002)
Annie / Always Too Late / Anniemal (2004)
John Lord Fonda / So Far Away / DeBaSer (2006)
Hexstatic / Prom Night Party / When Robots Go Bad (2007)

Miracle Fortress / This Thing About You / Five Roses (2007)
Caribou / She’s The One / Andorra (2007)
Kalabrese / Body Tight / Rumpelzirkus (2007)

Róisín Murphy / Sweet Nothings / Overpowered CDM (2007)

In my youth, these songs on London’s FM96 shaped my appreciation of music to a large extent. Then I branched way the fuck out.

U2 / Until The End Of The World / Achtung Baby (1991)
Butthole Surfers / Pepper / Electriclarryland (1996)

Collective Soul / The World I Know / Collective Soul (1995)
Radiohead / High and Dry / The Bends (1995)
Alanis Morissette / Head Over Feet / Jagged Little Pill (1995)
Phish / Free / Billy Breathes (1996)

Soul Asylum / Runaway Train / Grave Dancers Union (1992)
R.E.M. / Losing My Religion / Out of Time (1991)
Gin Blossoms / Hey Jealousy / New Miserable Experience (1992)
Dishwalla / Counting Blue Cars / Pet Your Friends (1995)

The Cardigans / Erase/Rewind / Gran Turismo (1998)
Beck / Loser / Mellow Gold (1994)
Space / The Female Of The Species / Spiders (1997)

Matthew Good Band / Apparitions / Underdogs (1998)
The Verve Pipe / The Freshmen / Villains (1996)
Pearl Jam / Jeremy / Ten (1991)
The Wallflowers / One Headlight / Bringing Down the Horse (1996)

Garbage / Only Happy When It Rains / Garbage (1995)
The Cranberries / Zombie / No Need to Argue (1994)
The Smashing Pumpkins / 1979 / Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness (1995)

Eels / Novocaine for the Soul / Beautiful Freak (1996)
Sneaker Pimps / Six Underground / Becoming X (1996)
Primitive Radio Gods / Standing Outside A Broken Phonebooth With Money In My Hand / Rocket (1996)

Red Hot Chili Peppers / Under the Bridge / Blood Sugar Sex Magik (1991)

In short(ish):

Missed regular radio show last week, was supposed to be at CocoRosie concert but band got arrested, stayed in London instead.

Did stand in radio show.

Stand in radio show (sans tongue wagging) was essentially a mix cd I’ve been working on extensively of late padded out to fill the 2 hours.

Asterisk means not on the “cd version” lol. Listen to it here: ____

It took so hella long to post ‘coz I couldn’t think of a name for the mix. But now I did I guess.

1. Blur / Sweet Song / Think Tank (2003)
2. Ilya / Soleil Soleil / They Died For Beauty (2003)
3. Beirut / Scenic World / Gulag Orkestar (2006)
4. The Radio Dept. / Lost And Found / Lesser Matters (2003)
5. Mazarin / Another One Goes By / We’re Already There (2005)
*The Tiny / Kind of Like You / Starring Someone Like You (2007)
*Cocorosie / Rainbowarriors / The Adventures Of Ghosthorse And Stillborn (2007)
6. Bikeride / Your Lips And You / The Kiss (2007)
7. Dan Deacon / Snake Mistakes / Spiderman of the Rings (2007)
*GoodBooks / Leni (Crystal Castles Vs GoodBooks) / Leni Remixes (2006)
*Emmanuel Splice / Meatball / VA-Back_To_Mine_Royksopp-2007-SAW (2007)
*RSL / The Mast (Love Will Be Strong) (Joey Negro Remix) / Joey Negro in the House (2005)
*The Apples In Stereo / Same Old Drag / New Magnetic Wonder (2007)
*Field Music / In Context / Tones Of Town (2007)
8. Dr. Dog / Ain’t It Strange / We All Belong (2006)
9. Guillemots / Trains To Brazil / Through The Windowpane (2006)
10. Patrick Wolf / Overture / The Magic Position (2007)
11. Blonde Redhead / The Dress / 23 (2007)
12. Dean & Britta / Singer Sing / Back Numbers (2007)
*Architecture in Helsinki / Like A Call / Fingers Crossed (2003)
13. Loney, Dear / Saturday Waits / Loney, Noir (2007)
14. James Yorkston / As Steady As She Goes / The Year Of The Leopard (2006)
15. Wilco / Impossible Germany / Sky Blue Sky (2007)
16. Shearwater / Johnny Viola / Palo Santo (2006)
17. Nits / The Eiffel tower / Les Nuits (2005)
18. My Brightest Diamond / We Were Sparkling / Bring Me The Workhorse (2006)
19. The National / All Dolled-Up In Straps / Cherry Tree (2004)
*Menomena / Rotten Hell / Friend and Foe (2007)
20. The Clientele / Isn’t Life Strange / God Save The Clientele (2007)
21. Laura Veirs / Through The Glow / Year Of Meteors (2005)
22. Studio / Out There / Yearbook 1 (2007)

Part the 0th: “A Link” (in which an mp3 of the above and below-mentioned show is uploaded, and browsers of questionable moral standing are assumed to download it, so long as they want to)
-midnightish-
Murcof / Ulysses / Utopia (2004)
-12:15-
Dan Deacon / Wham City / Spiderman of the Rings (2007)
Of Montreal / The Past Is a Grotesque Animal / Hissing Fauna, Are You the Destroyer (2007)
-12:42-
The Decemberists / The Island / The Crane Wife (2006)
-12:58-
Guillemots / Sao Paulo / Through The Windowpane (2006)
-1:17-
Joanna Newsom / Only Skin / Ys (2006)
-1:38
Godspeed You Black Emperor! / Sleep / Lift Your Skinny Fists Like Antennas To Heaven (2000)
-2am-

Tonight’s special episode is brought to you in accordance with and through the support of:
-The International Society For The Furtherance Of Particularly Lengthy Songs.
-The Whitfield Chapter Of The Amalgamated Third Brigade Of Long Song Lovers
-Those Preferring Songs In Temporal Excess Of What Is Normally Preferred, Esquire
-RLSARPTETTA (Really Long Songs Are People, Too, Even Though They Aren’t)
-Take Your 3 Minute Commercial Pop Drivel And Stick It, Inc

(A special (I guess) edition of the slipstream where I play an assortment of cover songs and related musics.)

Ada / Maps / Blondie (2004)
   [original: Yeah Yeah Yeahs (2003)]
U2 / Night and Day / Red Hot + Blue (1990)
   [original: Cole Porter (1932)]
‐
José Gonzáles / Heartbeats / Veneer (2003)
   [original: The Knife (2002)]
Smashing Pumpkins / Landslide / Pisces Iscariot/Disarm (1994)
   [original: Fleetwood Mac (1975)]
Cat Power / (I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction / The Covers Record (2000)
   [original: The Rolling Stones (1965)]
Tom Waits / Sea Of Love / Orphans (2006)
   [original: Phil Phillips (1959)]
‐
Dani Siciliano / Come as You Are / Likes… (2004)
   [original: Nirvana (1991)]
Petra Haden / I Can See for Miles / Petra Haden Sings: The Who Sell Out (2005)
   [original: The Who (1967)]
Cibelle / London, London / The Shine Of Dried Electric Leaves (2006)
   [original: Caetano Veloso (1971)]
‐
Calexico / Alone Again Or / Convict Pool (2004)
   [original: Love (1968)]
Gipsy Kings / Hotel California / The Big Lebowski (1998)
   [original: The Eagles (1976)]
Jenny Lewis with the Watson Twins / Handle with Care / Rabbit Furcoat (2005)
   [original: The Traveling Wilburys (1988)]
‐
Massive Attack / Be Thankful For What You Got / Blue Lines (1991)
   [original: William DeVaughn (1974)]
EASY STAR ALL*STARS / Let Down / RADIODREAD (2006)
   [original: Radiohead (1997)]
Johnny Cash / The Mercy Seat / American III: Solitary Man (2000)
   [original: Nick Cave (1987)]
‐
Tricky / Black Steel / Maxinquaye (1995)
   [original: Public Enemy (1988)]
The Futureheads / Hounds Of Love / Single (2005)
   [original: Kate Bush (1986)]
The Jimi Hendrix Experience / All Along The Watchtower / Electric Ladyland (1968)
   [original: Bob Dylan (1967)]
‐
Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds / The Carnival Is Over / Kicking Against the Pricks (1986)
   [original: The Seekers (1968)]
Cowboy Junkies / Sweet Jane / The Trinity Session (1988)
   [original: Velvet Underground (1970)]
Jeff Buckley / Hallelujah / Grace (1994)
   [original: Leonard Cohen)]
‐
Laura Barrett / Smells Like Nirvana / Earth Sciences (2005)
   [original: Weird Al Yankovic (1992)]
Monty Python / Oliver Cromwell / Monty Python Sings (1989)
   [original: Chopin's Polonaise in A‐flat major (1842)]
Badesalz / I Still Haven’t Found What I’m Looking For / Nicht Ohne Meinen Pappa (1991)
   [original: U2 (1987)]
‐
Pulp / Bad Cover Version (Video Mix)

(This is a special edition mp3 (”emm-pea-threa”) that features, or rather doesn’t feature depending on how you look at it, a missing section that occurs at 74′51.83 (59%). I would also like to apologize for my speaking being way too loud compared with the music on the recording, and blame the mixer at the station which seems to not quite be displaying everything right)
(I fixed the link now so it’s actually linking to the right show.. whoo! -nov 4)

-12:18-
Venetian Snares vs Bong Ra / Felbomlasztott Mentökocsi (Bong-Ra Remix) / 4 Adaptations of Rossz Csillag Alatt Született (2006)
Various / Thunnk / The World is Gone (2006)
-12:25-
Echo & The Bunnymen / The Killing Moon / Ocean Rain (1984)
Nick Cave And The Bad Seeds / Red Right Hand (Scream 3 Version) / B-Sides And Rarities (2005)
The Eighties Matchbox B-Line Disaster / Puppy Dog Snails / Royal Society (2004)
The Matadors / Let’s Ride / Hellblazin’ (2002)
-12:46-
Outkast / Dracula’s Wedding (feat. Kelis) / Speakerboxxx / The Love Below (2003)
Gnarls Barkley / The Boogie Monster / St. Elsewhere (2006)
Siouxsie & The Banshees / Cities In Dust / Tinderbox (1986)
David Bowie / Scary Monsters (& Super Creeps) / Scary Monsters (& Super Creeps) (1980)
-1:00-
Residents / Arctic Hysteria / Eskimo (1979 )
Nouvelle Vague / Bela Lugosi’s Dead / Bande A Part (2006)
UNKLE / Celestial Annihilation / Psyence Fiction (1998)
-1:15
The Knife / Silent Shout / Silent Shout (2006)
Pendulum / Fasten Your Seltbelt (feat. The Freestylers) / Hold Your Colour (2005)
Goldenboy with Miss Kittin / Rippin Kittin / Or (2004)
-1:31
Burial / Gutted / Burial (2006)
Amon Tobin / Searchers / Out From Out Where (2002)
Boxcutter / Brood / Oneiric (2006)
-midnight-
Massive Attack / Inertia Creeps / Mezzanine (1998)
Cadence Weapon / Grim Fandango / Breaking Kayfabe (2005)
King Geedorah / Monster Zero / Take Me To Your Leader (2003)
-1:46-
Medeski Martin & Wood / Dracula / Shack-man (1996)
Tom Waits / Army Ants / Orphans: Brawlers, Bawlers & Bastards [disc three {Bastards}] (2006)
Sufjan Stevens / They Are Night Zombies!! They are Neighbours! They have Come Back from the Dead! / Illinois (2005)
-2:00ish-
Current 93 / Black Ships in the Sky / Black Ships Ate The Sky (2006)

By special request (well, that’s what I’m calling it) I was invited to fill the prestigious 6-9 am slot on CFMU this wednesday morning. And this is no ordinary gig. This was live in the student centre with all manner of life swarming around me, and visions also. This was a bit last minute (when factored in the whole moving thing) so I just went with a selection of my favourite sections from the summer shows I did, with special emphasis on the last one, since it was only aired at a really odd time and is one of my personal favourite playlists.

The mp3 of the show that I know I had at some point seems to have disappeared from the face of all of my harddrives..

6 am
Alex Smoke / 6am / Incommunicado (2005)
Boards Of Canada / Olson / Music Has The Right To Children (1998)
Ochre / 111 / Lemodie (2006)
Björk / Domestica / Pagan Poetry CDS (2001)

Earth Leakage Trip / No Idea / Psychotronic EP (1991)
Goldfrapp / Lovely Head / Felt Mountain (2000)
U2 / Lemon / Zooropa (1993)

Isolée / Today / Wearemonster (2005)
Ada / Lifedriver / Blondie (2004)
Tomas Andersson / The Other Day / Copy Cat (2006)

7 am
Hot Chip / Boys From School / The Warning (2006)
Fujiya & Miyagi / Ankle injuries / Transparent things (2006)
Mates Of State / Think Long / Bring It Back (2006)

The Mountain Goats / Broom People / The Sunset Tree (2005)
The Decemberists / July, July! / Castaways and Cutouts (2002)
Camera Obscura / Lloyd, I’m Ready to Be Heartbroken / Let’s Get Out of This Country (2006)
New Pornographers / It’s Only Divine Right / Electric Version (2003)

Sunset Rubdown / Stadiums and Shrines II / Shut Up I Am Dreaming (2006)
Spoon / Me And The Bean / Girls Can Tell (2001)
Tindersticks / Her / Tindersticks (1993)

Band of Horses / The Funeral / Everything All The Time (2006)
Augie March / The Drowning Dream / Strange Bird (2002)
Tom Waits / I’m Still Here / Alice (2002)
Sparklehorse / Hundreds of Sparrows / Good Morning Spider (1999)

8 am
Smog / Rock Bottom Riser / A River Ain’t Too Much to Love (2005)
Maria Taylor / Song Beneath the Song / 11:11 (2005)
Hidden Cameras / Follow These Eyes / Awoo (2006)

Lhasa / Anywhere On This Road / The Living Road (2003)
Daniela Mercury / Vou batê pá tu / Carnaval Electronico (2004)
Dizzy Gillespie / Manteca (Funky Lowlives Remix) / Verve Remixed 2 (2003)

Mr. Lif / Mo’ Mega (Feat Akrobatik & Blueprint) / Mo’ Mega (2006)
Ghostface Killah / The Champ / Fishscale (2006)
Lady Sovereign / Blah Blah / Blah Blah EP (2006)

Junior Boys / In The Morning (ft. Andi Tomi) / So This Is Goodbye (2006)
Lali Puna / Faking the Books / Faking the Books (2004)
Herbert / Those Feelings / Scales (2006)

Bonnie “Prince” Billy / Strange Form Of Life / Then The Letting Go (2006)

(mp3)

2 am
Outkast / Atliens / ATLiens (1996)
Rae & Christian / Now I Lay Me Down / Northern Sulphuric Soul (1998)
RJD2 / F.H.H. (feat. Jakki) / Deadringer (2002)
Prefuse 73 / Plastic (feat. Diverse) / One Word Extinguisher (2003)
Cadence Weapon / Julie Will Jump the Broom / Breaking Kayfabe (2005)
Edan / Torture Chamber Ft. Percee-P / Beauty and The Beat (2005)
Murs & 9th Wonder / Murray’s Law / Murray’s Revenge (2006)
Mr. Lif / Mo’ Mega (Feat Akrobatik & Blueprint) / Mo’ Mega (2006)
Ghostface Killah / The Champ / Fishscale (2006)
Lady Sovereign / Blah Blah / Blah Blah EP (2006)
Gorillaz / DARE / Demon Days (2005)
Ohmega Watts / Groovin’ On Sunshine / The Find (2005)
Basement Jaxx / Lucky Star (Feat Dizzee Rascal / Kish Kash (2003)
Roots Manuva / Stone The Crows / Run Come Save Me (2001)
Quannum / Concentration (feat. Jurassic 5) / Quannum Spectrum (1999)

3 am
The Roots / The Next Movement / Things Fall Apart (1999)
Buck 65 / 463 / Talkin’ Honky Blues (2003)
Dub Pistols / Soldiers / Six Million Ways To Live (2001)
Massive Attack / Five Man Army / Blue Lines (1991)
Gil Scott-Heron / The Revolution Will Not Be Televised / Pieces of a Man (1971)
The Disposable Heroes of Hiphoprisy / Television, the Drug of the Nation / Hypocrisy Is the Greatest Luxury (1992)
P.O.S. / P.O.S. is Ruining My Life / Audition (2006)
Latyrx / Balcony Beach / The Album (1997)
Aesop Rock / No Regrets / Labor Days (2001)
Blackalicious / Cliff Hanger / Nia (2000)
Sage Francis / Crack Pipes / Personal Journals (2002)
Dert / José González – The Light + Common & Erika Badu – Heartbeats / Sometimes I Rhyme Slow (2006)

(mp3)

2 am
Elbow / Strangeways To Holcombe Hill In 4.20 / Forget Myself (2005)
Doves / Darker / Sea Song (1999)
Radiohead / The Trickster / My Iron Lung (1994)
Pearl Jam / Yellow Ledbetter / Jeremy (1994)
Interpol / Specialist / Interpol (2002)
U2 / Walk to The Water / With Or Without You (1987)
Massive Attack / Home Of The Whale / Hymn Of The Big Wheel (1992)
Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds / Little Empty Boat / Into My Arms (1997)
Suede / My Dark Star / Stay Together (1994)
The Stone Roses / Standing Here / She Bangs the Drums (1989)
My Bloody Valentine / Don’t Ask Why / Glider (1990)

3 am
Belle And Sebastian / Your Cover’s Blown / Books (2004)
Clash / Armagideon Time / London Calling (1979)
Pixies / Into The White / Wave Of Mutilation (1989)
Orbital / What Happens Next / One Perfect Sunrise (2004)
Underworld / Cherry Pie / Pearl’s Girl (1997)
Kate Bush / Under The Ivy / Running Up That Hill (1985)
Goldfrapp / White Soft Rope / Strict Machine (2004)
Cocteau Twins / Those Eyes, That Mouth / Love’s Easy Tears (1986)
Aphex Twin / Flim / Come to Daddy (1997)
Radiohead / Fog / Knives Out (2001)
Super Furry Animals / Arnofio’ / Glo In The Dark / Something for the Weekend (1996)
The Mountain Goats / Raja Vocative / Orange Raja, Blood Royal (1994)
Augie March / Rich Girl / Waltz (1999)
The Smiths / Asleep / The Boy With the Thorn in His Side (1985)

(mp3)

2 am
Amon Tobin | Four Ton Mantis | Supermodified (2000)
Portishead | Cowboys | Portishead (1997)
Massive Attack vs Mad Professor | Bumper Ball Dub (karmacoma) | No Protection (1995)
Tricky | Bury the Evidence | Blow Back (2001)
Ryuichi Sakamoto | Anger | Discord (1998)
Primal Scream | Pills | Xtrmntr (2000)
Chris Vrenna | Duchess | American McGee’s Alice (2001)
Aim | Demonique | Cold Water Music (2001)
RJD2 | The Horror | Deadringer (2002)
Plastikman | Ask Yourself | Closer (2003)
Orbital | P.E.T.R.O.L. | In Sides (1996)

3 am
Luke Vibert | Acidisco | YosepH (2003)
Evil Nine | Crooked (Feat. Aesop Rock) | You Can Be Special Too (2004)
Plump DJ’s | Creep Show | Eargasm (2003)
Delerium | Fragments of Fear | Morpheus (1989)
Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds | From Her to Eternity | From Her to Eternity (1984)
El-P | Deep Space 9mm | Fantastic Damage (2002)
Ministry | Every Day Is Halloween | Every Day Is Halloween (1984)
Bauhaus | Bela Lugosi’s Dead | Bela Lugosi’s Dead (1979)
Unicorns | Tuff Ghost | Who Will Cut Our Hair When We’re Gone? (2003)