Shock World Service

Shock World Service 040

Now is Come a Darker Day – A Best of Compilation by Jon Averill

18/01/2011 London, United Kingdom

1. Final Fantasy - The CN Tower Belongs To The Dead (Many Lives Version)

The Canadian violinist Final Fantasy (now just known as Owen Pallet after some minor legal wrangling with a well known video game's lawyers) has featured numerous times on the World Service. This track is his best known and seemed like a polite way to kick off proceedings.

- From Episode #015

2. Tuxedomoon - In a Manner of Speaking

One of my favourite tracks ever from San Francisco's Tuxedomoon. Formed in 1977 by multi-instrumentalists Blaine L. Reininger and Steven Brown, then two students of electronic music at San Francisco City College. This track is taken from the album 'Holy Wars'. Anyone else think the vocal that comes in around 2 mins 30 secs in sounds like a bad Bowie impersonator?

- From Episode #032

3. John Carpenter - The Windows

A transient piece taken from the much lauded and hugely influential 1976 'Assault on Precinct 13' soundtrack.

- From Episode #033

4. Miracle Fortress - Beach Baby

I'm not a massive fan of Canada's Miracle Fortress but Beach Baby is a track I adore. Cathedralesque reverb underpins this psychedelic pop track.

- From Episode #015

5. Mr Hopkinson's Computer - Crazy

Mr Hopkinson's Computer sings novelty cover versions with varying degrees of success. Taken from our very first episode back on 2007.

- From Episode #001

6. Goblin - Suspiria (Main Title)

A proper spine-chilling piece of horror music from genre-masters Goblin.

- From Episode #033

7. Luke Vibert - Sharp A2

This is a rare Luke Vibert track taken from the Mo' Wax compilation 'Headz 2'.

- From Episode #032

8. Moondog – Couplet

The short spoken word piece comes from Moondog, most definitely an act worthy of further research. Living on the streets of New York for over 30 years dressed in clothes based on his interpretation of the Norse god Thor.

- From Episode #032

9. Brian Eno - The Big Ship

So many Eno tracks have featured on the World Service over the last four years it was very hard to chose one for the best of. I eventually settled for 'The Big Ship'.

- From Episode #029

10. Chocolate Witch Band - I'm Not Like Everybody Else

San Jose psych-rock in the form of a cover version from The Chocolate Witch Band.

- From Episode #009

11. Devo - Gut Feeling

Originally appears on their 1978 album 'Q: Are We Not Men? A: We Are Devo!' which is well worth picking up if you're not already familiar with the strange world of Devo.

- From Episode #015

11. Memory Cassette - Asleep At A Party

Phil Spectoresque Wall of Sound drums juxtaposed with otherworldly, childlike vocals.

- From Episode #019

12. Talk Talk - New Grass

One of Talk Talk's gentler moments, 'New Grass' undulates and flows river-like through inventive arrangement & melodies.

- From Episode #024

13. Rev AW Nix - Black Diamond Express To Hell

The Reverend AW Nix was a 1920s hellfire preacher intent on terrifying sinners onto the path of virtue with gospel influenced sermons that are now considered as musical in their own right.

- From Episode #026

14. Of Montreal - The Past Is A Grotesque Animal

An uncompromising pièce of power pop from Of Montreal with with literary references such as Georges Bataille's 'The Story Of The Eye'.

- From Episode #009

15. Ola & The Janglers

This crackly old track from Ola & The Janglers sounds like the epilogue of the universe, dramatic & overstated with every emotion amplified to the point of distortion.

- From Episode #015

Shock World Service 039

The Sound Of Screaming Girls by Cian Ó Cíobháin

07/12/10 Galway, Ireland

1. Tindersticks – The Not Knowing

One of the most treasured bands from my college years, early Tindersticks still ride an expressway to my skull. I saw them play a few times in the mid to late nineties and – to my eternal shame – once tried to nick singer Stuart Staples’ jacket after a gig in Nancy Spain’s, Cork. He caught me in the act and calmly pointed out that his jacket, tailored by Timothy Everest in London, cost him quite a bit of money and that if I wanted a memento of the gig, suggested I take a setlist instead.

2. Bonnie ‘Prince’ Billy – Love Comes To Me

Will Oldham has been around the block so many times now, to quote a friend of mine who has bought possibly everything he’s ever released – “After about ten albums I thought: OK, we get it. We. Get. It”. But the man still has the capacity to surprise and this tour-de-force from his later catalogue is up there with his best work. In fact, I noticed Conor O’ Brien AKA Villagers remark in an interview that it was the song he would most like to have composed and recorded.

3. Peter Broderick – Below It

Still only 23, this native of Portland, Oregon has been quietly building up an impressive body of songs that belie his tender years. Has anyone, at any point in history, sang the line ‘The sound of screaming girls’ with such pathos?

4. American Spring – Falling In Love

A B-side from 1972, produced by Brian Wilson, who was at that time married to Marilyn Wilson, one of the sisters in this early 70s pop duo, a duo who had previously released songs as Spring and before that again as The Honeys.

5. The Fantastic Baggys – It Was I

Just another one of your run of the mill American surf and hot rod groups, but for this cracker, which first came to my attention on Sonic Boom’s seminal ‘Spacelines: Sonic Sounds For Subterraneans‘ compilation.

6. Pavement – Trigger Cut

I also thought I liked Pavement, without being totally crazy about them. But their remastered collection from earlier this year ‘Quarantine The Past’ brought songs to my attention that I hadn’t heard in years, songs with the capacity to make me giddy with joy, songs that I find myself practicing air guitar moves to around my music room Is there any better motivation for a songwriter to write songs than to imagine his/her audience worked up in such a state?

7. The Books

This NYC duo have mastered collage techniques to such an extent that whether drawing on found sound or thrift-shop music instruments or obscure speeches, they know how to amalgamate it all into a funky brew or a “three part Christian harmony mixed with a sort of euro-disco-trash beat” as vocalist Nick Zammuto describes one of the tracks on their 2010 LP ‘The Way Out’. Probably not this track, but you get the picture.

8. Love – Maybe The People Would Be The Times Or Between Clark & Hilldale

I’m a relatively newcomer to Love’s seminal ‘Forever Changes’. I’m not one of the precocious cool kids who was listening to Arthur Lee or John Coltrane VIA my parents’ record collection from an impossibly early age. In the house of my childhood, it was all Seán Ó Riada and Liam Óg Ó Floinn, before I rebelled and started buying Madonna (Shep Pettibone-era) records. But when Arthur Lee finally shone his light on me, only a few short years ago, this one sounded like it should have been part of my soundtrack down through the years.

9. Radical Face – Winter Is Coming

I played this for a friend recently who thought it sounded like the best song that Frank Black/Black Francis never wrote. It’s from a 2007 LP on Morr Music called ‘Ghost’ by Ben Cooper, who had previously released electrocuted glitch-pop as Electric President.

Shock World Service #038

Autumn EP by Vision Air

21/10/10 Dublin, Ireland

1. Vision Air - Troll's Hat

2. Vision Air - Kin-Youbi

3. Vision Air - Totem

4. Vision Air - God’s Hammer

Shock World Service 037

The Ideal Correspondence by Jon Averill

17/09/10 London, United Kingdom.

1. Harry Partch - I'm Going To Start You Off By Giving You Some Sounds

Harry Partch is an American composer & the first of three of this show's featured musicians who designed & created many of their own instruments. He was was fascinated buy microtonality, creating his own 43-tone scale system.

2. Piano Magic - Exit

Just realised our first track proper is called 'Exit', that's not important. Piano Magic have featured previously on the World Service yet they're somehow still criminally ignored. Their most recent album 'Ovations' is most definitely worth a listen. It features contributions by Brendan Perry & Peter Ulrich of Dead Can Dance. Also for some reason this track reminds of the XX, which in turn reminds me of Chris Issak's 'Wicked Games'.

3. Lusine - Gravity

Lusine is based in Seattle & releases his music through the very decent Ghostly International label. Occasionally I worry he is drifting too far into the arena of the coffee table but his productions are in the main too good to collapse into the placid zone.

4. 2562 - Greyscale

2562 is a Dutch producer who loosely falls into the category of dubstep. I generally despise most of the cliched 'wobble' stuff but if you look a little deeper than you'll find that some of the most exciting electronic music is happening around the fringes of the scene.

5. LV - Turnaway

Another impressively spacious LV track on the Hyperdub label (home to Burial, Kode9, Zomby) mixing dub, reggae & broken beat. The 'Five Years of Hyperdub' compilation is an extensive but accessible entry point.

6. Dubbel Dutch - Fool In You

Again on the fringes different styles, UK funky, garage & broken beat - its looping vocal and blasting synths are also a big nod (& maybe a little wink) to early rave productions which are a big influence on this genre.

7. Acid Brass - Lets Get Brutal

Acid Brass is an album of rave/techno classics conceived by Turner-Prize-winning artist Jeremy Deller & executed by The Williams Fairey Brass Band. As with these types of projects some of the tracks fall flat but a scant few of them were worth the toil and serve to enhance the musicality of the originals. This version of Nitro Delux's 'Lets Get Brutal' is the worthiest track from the album.

8. Lucky Dragons - Open Melody

'Art-drone' duo Lucky Dragons have crept up on me to become one of my favourite bands, creating their own inimitable pallet of repeating noises drones & twisting them into something really beautiful. They've recorded 21 albums since 1999 apparently. This is from their most recent 'Rara Speaks'.

9. Quincy Jones - Exodus

The closest thing to jazz we've had on the World Service. Quincy Jones is a man who is as near to the status of a god as a mortal can hope for.He's worked as a trumpet player, musical arranger, film composer, television producer, has 79 Grammy nominations to his name.

10. Yamasuki Singers - Yama Yama

The booklet for this cd says 'educational-bubblegum-multi-cultural-psycho-rock-opera' & anything I offer beyond that will be valueless.

11. The Upsetters - Tight Spot

The fabulous Upsetters with the even more fabulous Lee Scratch Perry at the controls.

12. Library Tapes - Terese

Scratchy soliloquy from Library Tapes 'Like Green Grass Against A Blue Sky' album.

13. Top Drawer - Song Of A Sinner

We finish this podcast with a redemptive psychedelic triumph. I'd never heard of Top Drawer until his track was made available on a compilation entitled 'Forge Your Own Chains: Heavy Psychedelic Ballads & Dirges’.

Shock World Service 036

90% of Me is You by Jon Averill & Stephen Reynolds

21/07/10 Dublin, Ireland

1. The Human League - Get Carter

Appearing as a brief Casio keyboard leitmotif on their classic 'Dare' album. The melody is from Roy Budd's jazzy, hypnotic soundtrack to the 1971 film of the same name.

2. This Mortal Coil - Song To The Siren

This Mortal Coil was a supergroup of 4AD artists brought together by label boss Ivo Watts-Russell for an EP in 1983. Featuring members of Cocteau Twins, Modern English and Cindytalk they re-recorded a Modern English medley with this track, originally by Tim Buckley track as the b-side.

3. The Dynamics - 90% Of Me Is You

Versions and excursions from France as The Dynamics inject some reggae and dub elements into Gwen McCrae's 1974 classic '90% Of Me Is You'

4. Morrissey & Siouxsie - Interlude

A Lesser known collaboration between Siouxsie (of Siouxsie & The Banshees) and Morrissey. A fruitful but ultimately commercially unsuccessful alliance which was eventually released in 1994 but not promoted due the pair having a major fallout with regard track's promotional video. The song originally appears as 'Time Is Like A Dream' on the soundtrack to the 1968 film 'Interlude'.

5. Grace Jones - Warm Leatherette

Throughout Grace Jones's extraordinary career she has always been shrewd with her musical choices. This track, a cover of The Normal's 'Warm Leatherette' is an anthesis to the original, dropping the visceral drum track and deadpan delivery for a more substantial groove. The Normal's'Warm Leatherette' originally appeared as the b-side to "T.V.O.D, the first release on Mute Records and heavily references J.G. Ballard's controversial 1973 symphorophilia based novel 'Crash'.

6. Montovani & His Orchestra - La Vie En Rose

Fans of Grace Jones will be first to notice the connection here. 'La Vie En Rose' is another track to receive a Grace Jones reworking, perhaps even more radically than 'Warm Leatherette'. None of this however concerns us as Annunzio Paolo Mantovani and his orchestra are providing this podcasts version of 'La Vie En Rose'. This track may seem like a strange choice to some but I love the innocence and ardour that this piece of music exudes, next thing i'll be watching musicals...

7. Spiritualized - Born Never Asked

'Born Never Asked' appears on Spiritualized's 1995 album 'Pure Phase'. Strangely being a massive fan its only recently have I discovered the original version is by Laurie Anderson. This track is actually surprisingly short compared to Spriritualized’s usual 15 minute opuses.

8. The Slits - Heard It Through The Grapevine

The Slits were (initially) an all female band formed right at the inception of the punk movement, regularly supporting bands like The Clash, The Buzzcocks and Subway Sect. We consider The Slits raw and unrefined take on 'Heard It Through The Grapevine' second only to the unequaled Marvin Gaye's version and far surpasses the earlier clumsy Smokey Robinson version as well as other attempts by Credence Clearwater, Gladys Knight and of course Craig David.

9. Art Of Noise - Robinson Crusoe

Art Of Noise haven't really done anything to the original track bar add some drums and a few effects but we're glad they did as it grants it official 'cover' status and therefore eligible for this podcast.

10. Lee Hazlewood - Whole Lotta Shakin' Goin On

Lee Hazlewood has featured heavily on Shock World Service Podcasts over the years. His wry, sardonic sense of humour is never more present than in his brilliantly creepy version of 'Whole Lotta Shakin' Goin On'. The origins of this track are often disputed but its the 1957 rock and roll version by Jerry Lee Lewis that was most likely the progenitor for this cover.

Shock World Service 034

We Will Wade in the Tides of the Summer by Cian Ó Cíobháin

26/05/10 Galway, Ireland

1. Quincy Jones – Summer In The City

Nightmares on Wax built their career sampling the Quincy Jones cover of The Lovin' Spoonful's 1966 hit. Nevertheless, it's the Quincy Jones version, above all others, that has me seeking out urban green areas when the sun comes out.

2. Quiet Village – Too High To Move

The temptation when compiling a summer mix is to go 'all Balearic' and virtually anything on the 'Silent Movie' LP, released two years ago, would fit such an agenda.

3. The Avalanches – Since I Left You

The Avalanches' 2001 début LP, which was ably stitched together from hundreds of samples, mostly sourced from forgotten exotic records foraged from junk shops, is a record custom designed for summertime.

4. Saint Etienne – Spring (Air France Mix)

The pedants will call me up on the title of this Saint Etienne song from 1991, but the vibe is quintessentially summer. The original appears on the sublime 'Foxbase Alpha'; this version was released in 2009.

5. Grandaddy – Miner At The Dial-A-View

Summer comes to life at the mere plucking of a Spanish guitar. From the 2000 LP 'The Sophtware Slump'.

6. Bill Withers – Harlem

A song about the most hedonistic night of the week. The vibe is gleeful but there’s a bittersweet undercurrent. A tension that makes this song so delicious.

7. Ariel Pink’s Haunted Graffiti – Round & Round

"Sentimental, heart-breaking, everything's my fault". . . L.A.'s Ariel Rosenberg has been making gorgeous lo-fi pop music for many years now and his new LP - 'Before Today' - on 4AD should see his music reaching a wider audience.

8. Caribou – Jameila

Pop of an electronic bent always sounds better when the sky is blue and the weather is warm and Caribou's recent LP 'Swim' is crammed with summertime hooks.

9. Mark E – R’n’B Drunkie

Mark E's re-work of Janet Jackson's 'R'n'B Junkie' - layered to perfection, with the line between tension and release deliciously taut - I sincerely feel goosebumps when that bassline thumps.

10. Jamie Jones – Ruckus (Discoid Dub)

The Welsh whizzkid only had one season in mind when he made this tune. Will be a fixture on the shores of the Med, from Mykonos to Bora Bora in the coming months.

11. Bibio – Lovers’ Carvings

The rays of late evening (and maybe late summer?) permeate this song from Bibio's 2009 LP 'Ambivalence Avenue'.

12. B-Movie Lightning – Triple Trouble

The mighty Mike Smalle, previously of Cane 141, with his original version of this song which appeared on my compilation 'An Taobh Tuathail Vol III'. The newer version, just released on his own Micropolis label, features an additional horn section – go seek on Itunes.

13. El Guincho – Palmitos Park

From the sun-soaked Canary Islands, this cover of The Ruby Suns song is as warm and sultry as the environment in which it was conceived.

14. Pixies – Velouria

From whence the title of this podcast came. From their underrated 'Bossanova' LP, an album that I will forever associate with teenage summers in West Kerry.

15. Pantha Du Prince – Im Bann

A Balearic time-out from the recent Pantha Du Prince album 'Black Noise'. The rest of the LP features sassy goatherd techno anthems from the Alps. I like it.

16. Spectrum – I Know They Say

Pete Kember, aka Sonic Boom from Spacemen 3 and recent producer of MGMT's second LP, released a gorgeous LP called 'Highs, Lows & Heavenly Blows' in 1994, which featured this twilight, seaside hymn.

17. Cocteau Twins – Frou-Frou Foxes In Midsummer Fires

I’ve long-felt that 'Heaven Or Las Vegas' is the Shangri-La of summer LPs.

Cian presents An Taobh Tuathail (The Other Side) on RTE RnaG, weeknights at 11pm.

Shock World Service 033

Padded Celluloid by Neil Higgins (Padded Cell)

1. John Carpenter - Romero and the President (Escape from New York)

2. Ennio Morricone - Sterilization (The Thing)

3. Riz Ortolani - Massacre of the Troupe (Cannibal Holocaust)

4. John Carpenter - The Windows (Assault on Precinct 13)

5. Tangerine Dream - Impressions of Sorceror (Sorceror)

6. Goblin - Suspiria (Suspiria)

7. Popol Vuh - Zwiesprache Der Rohrflöte (Nosferatu the Vampyre)

8. Libra - Shock (Shock)

9. Herbie Hancock - Death Wish Re-edit 1’ (Death Wish)

10. Fabio Frizzi - Violenza (La Pelle)

11. Stelvio Cipriani - Hot Chase (L’Ispettore Anticrimine)

12. John Carpenter - Chase Across the 69th Street Bridge (Escape from New York)

13. Goblin ‘Death Dies- (Profondo Rosso)

14. Harry Manfredini & Michael Zager - Theme from Friday the 13th pt 3

15. Lalo Schifrin - Jaws

16. Ennio Morricone - Un Uomo da Rispettare Titoli

Shock World Service 032

At The End She Was Gone by Jon Averill

09/04/10 London, United Kingdom

1. Idioma – Landscapes

It took me weeks to settle on the right track to open this episode but I think this was the right choice, or maybe not, can I change?

2. Luke Vibert - Sharp A2

This is a track i've loved for years but never really had a chance to share. Its taken from the Mo' Wax compilation 'Headz 2'. Luke Vibert has produced astounding music no matter what style he applies himself too. This track has the elements of what became a the clichéd 'trip-hop' style but when the piano drops the hairs stand up on the back of your neck.

3. Roll The Dice - Guadeloupe

A more positive aspect of the internet music revolution is the chance to discover music that may have otherwise passed you by. Roll The Dice are a case in point. An enchanting collaboration between two Swedish studio boffins, Peder Mannerfelt & Malcolm Pardon.

4. Sir Lady Java - My Mom Said

This song took me about fifteen years to track down & as far as I know it was never officially released.

Its taken from a soundtrack to the H-Street skateboard video ‘A Soldier’s Story’. Thinking back my first exposure to alternative music came from the soundtrack to skate videos.

5. Harold Budd - Neil's Theme

Harold Budd, an American ambient/avant-garde composer (& sometimes poet). ‘Neil’s Theme’ is a collaboration with Cocteau Twins & Violet Indiana guitarist Robin Guthrie and is taken from the soundtrack to ‘Mysterious Skin’.

6. Moondog – Couplet

The shortest ever track on the podcasts comes from Moondog. An artist I have become obsessed with recently so no doubt you'll be hearing a lot more from him in forthcoming podcasts.

7. Lionrock - Snapshot On Pollard Street

I recently rediscovered Justin Robertson's 'An Instinct For Detection' from 1997. Another release that that has been lost in the mid nineties big beat mist.

8. Hawkwind - Welcome To The Future

Freakout interlude from the legendary English 'space rock' act.

9. Piano Magic - A Fond Fairwell

From their latest album 'Ovation'. On first listen it reminded me a lot of Dead Can Dance & on further investigation DCD percussionist Peter Ulrich features on this track. So basically what i'm saying is that I was absolutely right.

10. Popul Vuh - Der Tod De Corba Verde

Another act that have been a huge influence on me since I was very young. This track is taken from the ‘Cobra Verde’ OST.

11. Luisine - Two Dots

One of the first tracks I picked out for this podcast when I started it way back in 2009. Its a perfectly formed piece of electronic pop & sonically it has a lot in common with this podcasts opening track from Idioma.

12. Brian Eno – Becalmed

Brian Eno could be the one artist who best sums up the World Service. He's appeared numerous times in episodes from our DJs. This track 'Becalmed' is from my favourite album of his, 'Another Green World'.

13. Adrian Munsey - I Think Its Going To Rain Today

A crackly old 7" 'I Think Its Going To Rain Today' is a Randy Newman track has been covered by David Gray, Bette Midler, Claudine Longet, Judy Collins, Dusty Springfield, Neil Diamond, Peggy Lee, UB40 & Peter Gabriel. This may be the best version.

14. Orbital - Belfast/Wasted

In my teen years while most were listening to Nirvana and other long haired paragons, my walkman cassettes principally contained music from Orbital. It probably speaks volume of my lack of emotional depth that two middle aged bald men making instrumental music were the most important band of my teenage years. This is a rare version of 'Belfast' released as a promo only in 1995 and features new vocals by Grant Fulton.

In memory of Maria Averill

Shock World Service #031

A Carrot Is As Close As A Rabbit Gets To A Diamond by Mike Smalle

13/02/10 Galway, Ireland

1. Small Faces - Ogden's Nut Gone Flake

2. David Sylvian - Before & Afterlife (Edit)

3. Fan Death - Veronica's Veil (Erol Alkan Rework)

4. Bibio - Sugarette (Wax Stag Remix)

5. Aphex Twin - Flim

6. Hermann & Kleine - Leaving You Behind

7. Fleetwood Mac - Tusk

8. The Scene Is Now - Yours In Concrete Friendship

9. Captain Beefheart - A Carrot Is As Close As A Rabbit Gets To A Diamond

10. LCD Soundsystem - 45:33 (Prince Language Mix)

11. M83 - You Appearing

12. ABC - The Look Of Love (Part four)

13. Mos Def - Priority

14. Basil Kirchin - I Start Counting

15. Lee Hazlewood - Frenesi

16. Mount Kimbie - Sketch On Glass

17. Michel Polnareff - Love Me, Please Love Me

18. Fennesz - Ink

19. Howlin' Wolf - Smokestack Lightnin'

A Mixtape For Omar D Little (Cause A Man Got To Have A Code) by Cian Ó Cíobháin

26/08/09 Galway, Ireland

1. Biosphere – Kobresia

I kicked off my first podcast for Shock with a field recording from Geir Jenssen, AKA Biosphere. Here he is doing the honours again with a track from the 2001 re-issue of his classic ‘Substrata’ LP, released on Touch.

2. Cocteau Twins – Lazy Calm

I’ve been revisiting the Cocteau’s back catalogue with brio recently. This one, from an LP called ‘Victorialand’, brings me back to when I was about 14, discovering for the first time that a whole universe of music existed beyond the Hit Parade.

3. Broadcast – Echo’s Answer

From a LP called ‘The Noise Made By People’ on Warp, this Birmingham band have been making beautiful music with a minimum of fuss for almost 12 years now.

4. Torngat – Afternoon Moon Pie

Montréal ambient post-rockers with a gorgeous instrumental from their recent LP ‘La Petite Nicole’ on Alien8.

5. Q Lazzarus – Goodbye Horses (Krikor Edit)

You know that bit toward the end of ‘The Silence Of The Lambs’ where Buffalo Bill, the serial killer, is applying his make-up and dancing in front of the mirror? This is the song (though not the edit) that’s playing. I always thought it seemed out of context as it’s a beautiful song with genuine pathos.

6. Stimming – Song For Isabelle

One of the most beautiful 4/4 tunes I’ve heard this year, from Hamburg’s Martin Stimming.

7. Coalition Of The Killing V Eutactic – Haven’t Gotten So Far

Another tuneful 4/4 cut coming from a mournful place, taken from the ‘What Of The Future?’ EP on Auralism.

8. Clark – Absence

I must admit that I’m not a fan of Chris Clark’s new LP ‘Totems Flare’. Too gnarly in places, with overwrought Crookers-esque synths.

9. Department Of Eagles – Round The Bay

Side project from Daniel Rossen, of Grizzly Bear, and his friend Fred Nicolaus. This song is my personal highlight from the ‘In Ear Park’ LP.

10. Atlas Sound – River Card

Would it be heresy to suggest that the music that Brandon James Cox has released under his Atlas Sound alias has more depth and panache than his more publicised work as Deerhoof?

11. Linda Scott – I’ve Told Every Little Star

One of my favourite songs ever. Thank you David Lynch for introducing it to me. Used hauntingly (as are all songs from the fifties & sixties in his movies of course) on the ‘Mulholland Drive’ soundtrack.

12. The Shirelles – Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow?

While I was busting out my girl-group moves, I thought I might as well stick this one in, which - like the Linda Scott song - was a million-selling hit in 1961.

13. Animal Collective – Bluish

I have yet to hear a superior LP this year to ‘Merriweather Post Pavillion.’

14. Cane 141 – Eager Boy Comics

It’s no secret that I consider Cane 141’s ‘Garden Tiger Moth’ the best Irish LP since MBV’s ‘Loveless’. Timeless perfectly-crafted indie pop with shades of Stereolab, Pere Ubu, The Go-Betweens and C-86.

15. Cinnamon Chasers – Luv Deluxe

This retro/future bachelor-pad disco-pop ditty was composed by one Russ Davies, the son of Dave and nephew of Ray Davies, from The Kinks.

16. The Long Blondes – Fulwood Babylon

Speaking of The Kinks, who are mentioned in this song, as are illicit Russ Mayer films, this is a Long Blondes B-side, which - I believe – may have been Erol Alkan’s first production for this now sadly defunct Sheffield band. This is what I imagine when you say the words ‘indie disco’.

17. The Specials – Friday Night, Saturday Morning

Like the aforementioned Kinks & The Long Blondes, this 1981 ska classic tells its tale with a deft and humorous touch.

18. Seavault – Cornfields

Tucked away on CD#2 of a Morr Music compilation entitled ‘Not Given Lightly’, which is mainly a covers of classic 80’s Kiwi indie pop, this one – which isn’t a cover as far as I know.