Friday, December 11, 2009

Warning: May Contain Indie

Symptoms include: whingeing, low production values, involuntary celibacy, minimal career prospects, second-hand clothes and an inescapable feeling that things will never be as good as they used to be.



Each year, I compile a CD of my favourite new songs and give copies to friends who just don’t buy that many new records. Their reasons for straying from the only true path vary – they may have kids who take up all their time and money; they may be captains of industry too stressed after the working day to seek out new sounds; or they may have decided that, actually, all the best records were made between 1966 and 1968, so why bother with what are bound to be pale imitations.

Responses to these compilations are similarly varied to the point of delusional:
“I can see why you like it…”
“Has music really not changed in the past 25 years?”
“I am now cool.”

Essentially, this mix is just a collection of suggestions and jumping-off points: some friends will find new bands to love; others may find their ennui justified. 2009 has been a particularly strong year for music – just like last year, in fact, and the year before that; people who describe certain years as being low in great musical output are people who simply don’t look hard enough. This year's gems are:

1. Cold Game – Myron & E and the Soul Investigators
2. In June – Summer Cats
3. Stay – Box Elders
4. Tell It In My Ear – Fergus & Geronimo
5. Record Shop - Help Stamp Out Loneliness
6. This Girl – Cookin’ on 3 Burners feat Kylie Auldist
7. Something’s Happening – Scotland Yard Gospel Choir
8. The Ills (instr) – Mayer Hawthorne
9. Miss Tierney – Wake The President
10. Dancing – Standard Fare
11. Hey Boy – Magic Kids
12. Meet You In The Rain – The Cavalcade
13. Heart Collector – Stolen Hearts
14. Nobody Makes My Girl Cry But Me – First Base
15. I Can’t Feel So Happy Now – Personal and the Pizzas
16. Old Folks – Real Estate
17. No Idea – Member of the Wedding
18. Broken Arm – The Shackles
19. Lust For Life – Girls
20. Chord – David Kilgour and Sam Hunt
21. I Am Nothing – Withered Hand
22. Contour and Context – Brown Recluse
23. Plots Are For Cemeteries – Bricolage
24. The Devil Gives Me Everything Except What I Want –
Willie West and the High Society Brothers

That mix represents 24 of the best songs of the year. There are many of equal quality that didn’t make the cut, either because I thought most recipients of the compilation would already have them or because I didn’t spend that much time compiling it. It’s just a bit of fun.

9 comments:

sideb0ard said...

download link, please!

Fire Escape said...

There isn't one! I'll burn you a copy of the CD; next time you're at the Hangover Lounge, I'll give it to you (unless our paths cross before then at a gig).

Daniel Novakovic said...

I want one to!

Fire Escape said...

You can have one, too! Are you coming on Sunday (or to Box Elders on Saturday)?

Daniel Novakovic said...

I'll be there on the Hangover Lounge and I'm seeing Ariel Pink upstairs at the Lexington

herbie said...

cool mix! thanks for putting on brown recluse. i also really love summer cats, bricolage, and personal and the pizzas!

brogues said...

I haven't really heard much Girls but I watched one of their videos the other day and it had somebody using an unclad Mr Winkie as a microphone. Appalling! Great comp., sir! I'm off to check out Personal and The Pizzas...

shaun brilldream said...

“I can see why you like it…”

if i had a pound for everytime ive heard that...

well played on discovering The Cavalcade.

Fire Escape said...

Herbie: My pleasure! Really looking forward to the Brown Recluse album next year.

Brogues: ah, Personal and the Pizzas - file under 'crap name; great songs'. Hope you like 'em (I expect you will).

Shaun: The Cavalcade, along with Standard Fare and Help Stamp Out Loneliness, are the best new UK bands to my ears. Bring on 2010!