The Listening Club - 17th December 2017

@emmaprice here with my best caretaking coat on wishing you greetings from a somewhat soggy London where the pre-Xmas festivities are in full swing. Before we start with todays tuneage just a quick reminder that Listeningclub will be on annual hols for the next fortnight and will return with a bang on January 7^th to help banish those post Xmas blues. That’s right it’s our annual #festivevortex so get thinking about those new tracks you’ve been loving this year.

Last week @kleptones was in the hot seat and treated us all to the eponymous debut album from James Holden & The Animal Spirits which went down rather well with the assembled throng.

The frisbaton made the final cross channel journey of the year over to @mutster101 for this week’s pick so Ladies & Gentlemen please raise your glasses and join me in a festive chorus of #ohGareth

"It’s Christmas time… and there’s no need to be afraid…except for the continuing rise of fascism and the returning threat of nuclear Armageddon… AND THE FACT THAT IT’S MY PICK! I went for a Christmas one. Given that LDR hasn’t done a Christmas album, there was only one obvious choice".  

Direct download is here and the herebefestivespoilers stream is below. See you all at 8PM GMT.

The Listening Club - 10th December 2017

Greetings folks,

Hope all is fine wherever you are. Major hum of activity here in Amsterdam, as myself and @nessiest prepare ourselves for our trip away, whilst negotiating the slip and slide of streets newly christened with snow (it could have waited until we'd left the country, really, pretty though it is). We'll be back in a month or so, leaving @emmaprice in charge of things here, many thanks to her for the offer! As mentioned before, due to the festive calendar we'll be closed for two weeks over xmas, last #LC of 2017 will be next Sunday (17th), then back with the traditional #festivevortex on 7th January, for which, as always, we require a couple of your favourite new tunes of 2017 to throw into the pot, so plenty of time for you to ponder and pick...

Last week, the very same @emmaprice was in the selector's chair, treating us to one of 2017's finest, LCD Soundsystem's "American Dream". Many thanks to her for the pick and for flipping the frisb back across to me, @kleptones. So, time for a ctrl-I...

"Ah, there we go. Have to admit, I already had this album in the "probable next pick" bag, so there was very little pondering needed, although I'm reluctant to give much away in advance. It's "Listen Without Prejudice" time again (no, not *that* one).

This is the newest release by an artist that's been active for a good few years, but represents a change in direction to their previous work (which I wasn't much fussed about, tbh). In it's live incarnation it also provided me with one of the high points (if not *the* high point) of our recent excursion to Le Guess Who festival in Utrecht a month or so back - If you enjoy this, I'd highly recommend checking this lot out live if you get a chance, as they take the ideas and themes on this record (which are, as far as I know, mostly improvised) up to a whole 'nother level.

Anyways, hope you enjoy! #drinkingclub recommended accompaniment? Probably Mezcal."

Righty-ho. Direct download is here, and the HearBeSpoilers stream is below:


See you at 8pm GMT. And have a great holiday season, whatever you're all up to!

The Listening Club - 3rd December 2017

Greetings folks,

Hope all is fine with y'all. Still wet & gloomy in Amsterdam, as is expected. Seriously looking forward to a little bit of time on the other side of the planet soon, even tho some areas will be just as cold as here, hopefully the gloomth will not be in such evidence, or at least outweighed by the neon onslaught.... *crosses fingers*

Last week chez #LC, @xpollen8 was in the chair, with a very timely discourse on modern shopping modes courtesy of The Evolution Control Committee's "The Last Mall", which boggled the heads of those assembled in the way that it was very much intended. Thanks to him for the pick and for flipping the frisbaton across to @emmaprice, who's here with this week's pre-match...

"Evening all,

Here I am with my final pick of 2017, sitting here with beautiful blue skies it's hard to believe we're now in December.

My pick this time will be no surprise to some of you, it's a long one so make sure you are suitably equipped for #drinkingclub. In honour of tonight's pick I'll be drinking festival cider out of a camping bottle.

A few years ago I met a guy and asked him which 8 songs he'd take to a desert island (in the style of BBCR4's long running Desert Island Discs) I often find this a useful indicator if you're going to get on with someone. Top tip - if they say I'm not into music then activate the emergency protocols and run. Amongst an electic set of tracks he picked a track by this artist and so began my love affair with the band.

I never thought I'd get the opportunity to see them live as they'd split several years previously so I contentedly listened to the back catalogue and lamented a missed opportunity. Last year however they reformed and I got to see them with some of my very favourite people at Glastonbury Festival, one of the places most special to me. Unsurprisingly it was one of the best gigs of my life.

So please join me in listening to one of my most played albums of 2017."

Okaydoke. Direct download is here, and the HearBeSpoilers stream is below:


See you at 8pm GMT.