The Listening Club - 25th August 2013

Hey there,

Hope you're all doing fine. It's been a rainy, humid weekend in Amsterdam (and in England too from the looks of the Reading / Leeds mudfest reports), but that hasn't stopped the party train from chugging along - an ace night at Magneet Festival for me, and not too much of a sore head today, which is always a bonus. Onwards...

Last week, as you should remember, @akx pushed out some seriously sunny vibes with his choice of The New Radicals "Maybe You've Been Brainwashed Too", which pleasantly surprised quite a few of the assembled, me included. Many thanks to Aarni for the pick, and for sending the frisbee out to @mrhig for next week's selection, but first... (cue drumroll...)

It's the "Covers That You Think Are Better Than The Originals" Vortex! Judging by the online pontificating seen this week it's proved to be a far tougher choice than any of the vortexes (vorticies?) so far. Still, a good many of you reached a decision, so we now have 18 seriously wide-ranging selections for you - so many bases covered here, you will not believe your ears!

(Note - I haven't levelled out the volume of the tracks, so be warned - volume levels WILL vary - I have set the volume levels on the actual MP3s using Replay Gain so if your player supports that, make sure it's turned on, otherwise keep your hand on the dial, OK?)

So... Direct download is here, Mixcloud stream (which may well reveal the track titles, you have been warned!) is here!

Search #listeningclub to see what's going on, and follow@listeningclub for the admin.

Hope to see you tonight at 8pm BST/EST (GMT+1)!

The Listening Club - 18th August 2013

Howdy doody folks,

Another early typing session for me, getting this out of the way before I take advantage of a gloriously sunny Saturday with a stack of plans, including an afternoon classical concert in a disused munitions factory, a Japanese dinner, an evening of drinking and experimental electronics, finishing off with the last big night at the soon-closed Korsakoff club. Tomorrow I would like to sleep in, so better get this out of the way, yes?

Don't forget NEXT WEEK is the "covers-you-think-are-better-than-the-originals" vortex, or #cytabttovortex for short - must say I've changed my mind a dozen times today already for my pick, but gotta make a choice, as have you lot, so please mail 'em in!

Last week, @thejayarr stepped up to the plate and hit us with The Handsome Furs' "Sound Kapital" from 2011, which did the trick for many of you. Thanks to him for the ace selection, and for flipping the frisbee east to @akx. And here he is...

"Right, so. This band is pretty much very much an one hit wonder (you'll probably recognize the single when you hear it), which is one of the reasons I want to share the rest of the album with you lot.

I can't remember the exact reason why -- well, other than the tune being catchy alright -- but this is, like I mentioned on Twitter, actually the first album I spent my own money on. I must've been, what, ten or eleven?

But anyway, spending that hard-earned money was a good choice if you ask me, for the album's full of good songs. At least in my opinion.

So, er, I hope you enjoy it!"

Okaydokie, Direct download is here (tracklist for afters here), Mixcloud stream (which may well reveal the track titles, you have been warned!) is here!

Search #listeningclub to see what's going on, and follow@listeningclub for the admin.

Hope to see you tonight at 8pm BST/EST (GMT+1)!

The Listening Club - 11th August 2013

Hey there,

Hope you're all doing well - Amsterdam is looking fine and dandy at the moment, although seems to have gone a rather Prince crazy, as the little purple one has dropped a couple of last minute shows at the Paradiso tonight, leading to some pretty chaotic scenes as folks scrabble for tickets. Did I get lucky? No, sadly not... but have still had a fine weekend nonetheless, tasting and supping artisinal treats at the Kimchi Farm Festival, and making the most of Amsterdam's scuzziest, most random alternative club Korsakoff before it closes down next weekend. So yes, another happy hangover Sunday...

Last week, @emmaprice stepped up to the plate under difficult circumstances, but musical serendipity triumphed and her pick of The Avalanches "Since I Left You" gave us the opportunity to dance away the shock and sadness that followed @jayesofine's tragic accident last Saturday. A finer tribute I'd be hard pushed to find. Many, many thanks to Emma for the selection, and for spinning the frisbee across to @thejayarr, who is here with the pre-match...

"This is one I've had in the chamber for ages now so while other albums were fleetingly considered, this was a pretty straightforward pick.

About a year ago I was listening to an episode of the All Songs Considered podcast and heard a band that was really great, but had something familiar about them. Upon looking them up I realised that one of the two leads of the group was also in another band that I had just started listening to and had been enjoying. That was enough for me to buy the album, which turned out to be one of my favourites of 2012.

It turned out that the second lead of this low-key supergroup had previously been in a fairly well-known band that I recognised but had never listened to. While I still haven’t actually got round to checking out that band, I noticed that he had another project, where he recorded three albums with his wife and a drum machine, which I felt strangely compelled to seek out. I'm glad I did, because they turned out to be three albums of awesome synthy electro rock, one of which we’ll be listening to tonight.

As always, I've no idea how well this will go down. I think it’s got something for everyone though."

Okaydokie, Direct download is here, Mixcloud stream (which may well reveal the track titles, you have been warned!) is here!

Search #listeningclub to see what's going on, and follow@listeningclub for the admin.

Don't forget the next vortex is in two weeks - theme is "Cover versions that are better than the originals". Get your selections in!

Hope to see you tonight at 8pm BST/EST (GMT+1)!

The Listening Club - 4th August 2013

Hello to you all.

Well, I really hoped this would never be something I'd be writing as an intro, but sadly, as many of you already know, our most esteemed and awesome #lc compatriot @jayesofine was killed yesterday in a cycling accident in Manchester. Jaye was part of this thing from the very beginning, and her excellent selections, boundless enthusiasm, wicked sense of humour and huge personality will be very much missed indeed. Although I never got the opportunity to meet her in person, she was, without a doubt, one of the people I've met through twitter that I had the most love and respect for - I'm truly gobsmacked that she's gone. My deepest love and sympathy goes out to @cakehugga and all their family and friends at this impossible time.

However, the show must go on, and Jaye would be the first one to insist on that, I think.

Last week we #videovortex-ed ourselves square eyed and much fun was had by all. As always, huge thanks for the selections - a great range of stuff. The tracklist has been added to the comments of last week's post if you want to see who picked what. Next month's vortex theme also got decided, and it will be "Cover versions that are better than the originals"!!! So get your thinking caps on...

Way back in time, I zipped the frisbee over to @emmaprice for her debut selection and here she is with the intro...

"So I'm a bit nervous about my first catch of the frisbee. I've spent a while thinking about albums I thought you'd all enjoy or be intrigued by. One of the things I love about #listeningclub is the unexpected discoveries I've made so I thought I'd give you one of mine.

You know the feeling when you meet someone special and realise you both have music in common deep down somewhere primal. There follows many conversations about bands, gigs and lending of albums (and maybe the odd mix tape) There's a need to share the joy that music brings with someone you know will appreciate it. You keep remembering things you want to tell them and hear their reaction to. You discover bands and songs you'd never have found on your own but which leave their mark on you.

This is how I discovered my album. It sums up for me the voyage of discovery I went on in my early 20's & reminds me of a time in my life where round every corner there was something new to be excited by.

Plus it never fails to get me dancing round the room. So I'll be cracking open a fresh pair of glow sticks and turning the volume up. I expect most of you will have heard this already but either way, Share and enjoy."

Okay, Direct download is here, Mixcloud stream (which may well reveal the track titles, you have been warned!) is here!

Search #listeningclub to see what's going on, and follow@listeningclub for the admin.

Hope to see you tonight at 8pm BST/EST (GMT+1)!

The Listening Club - 28th July 2013

Greetings and salutations,

Well, yes. Hot, hot, hot. The fan is working overtime, there's a cold beer on the table and the fridge has turned into a perma-buffet. Really there would be nothing to complain about if I didn't actually have to **do** stuff in this heat. Still, it's a minor irritation, although I'm a little saddened by many Dutch folks saying "It's not normally like this in the summer, you know". Guess I picked the right year to move here, eh?

Anyhoo... keeping on with the me, me, me stuff, last week I was in the hot seat too, and very happy to find that my selection of Mark Kozelek & Jimmy Lavalle's "Perils From The Sea" went down very well indeed. Definitely one of the finest releases of this year, imho.

So... now delighted and excited to announce the first ever #listeningclub #videovortex! Huge thanks to all the contributors for their picks, and double plus huge thanks to @akx for combining the selections into the video below!


Video Vortex 2013-07-28 from Video Vortex on Vimeo.

(Also note there's a download enabled on the video, so if you think your streaming is not going to be up to snuff, you can grab it all in one. Hey, maybe you want a copy to keep also?)

Also start thinking about a theme for next month's vortex! Any ideas?

But don't touch that dial just yet! We'll see you on the twitters at 8pm BST/EST (GMT+1)!

Search #listeningclub to see what's going on, and follow@listeningclub for the admin.

The Listening Club - 21st July 2013

Hey there,

Tapping this out a day early to avoid last week's late arrival panic - seriously, last minute uploading is never a good idea, is it? especially with a monumental hangover. So, as I'm off later today to Buiten Westen festival for a bit of a bop, thought I'd better get my shit together in advance, especially as it's my pick this week...

Also don't forget #videovortex is happening next week, please, please get your selections in as soon as you can so we can get them assembled in good time!

Last week, in the flurry of last-minuteness, @holette hit all the right hazy summer buttons by picking Frank Ocean's "Channel Orange", welcomed by both those who knew it and those who didn't (I always love seeing "I never would have listened to this unless..." type tweets), so many thanks to her for the pick and for flipping the frisbee across to... yep, it's me. So, over to me!...

"As usual when it comes to making a #listeningclub pick, first thing I think over is what's been floating my boat lately, album wise. The thread this year in my favourites seems to be impressive songwriting and particularly lyrics, preferably blended with a slightly unexpected musical core (hey, you know what I'm like ;) Both Bowie and John Grant have delivered that in spades recently, and with a new Prefab Sprout album on the horizon (which you nearly got the demos for, as they've leaked online, but as the albums getting a full release in October I thought that'd be unfair) and this one, it's already been quite a year for fans of musical wordsmithery.

All of which is by way of introducing a rather unique collaboration between two artists, one vocal and one instrumental, both of which I already knew and admire, although the end result doesn't sound that close to either of their solo work. These tracks feel more like short stories or diary entries than songs, and in my opinion lend themselves way more to a quiet, reflective, late-night glass or three of whisky than a balmy summer evening, so I'm not sure how it will work tonight (reckon this will be one of those "less chatty" #listeningclub nights ;), but hell, it moved me, so I think it's worth the risk. Hope you like it."

Okay, Direct download is here, Mixcloud stream (which may well reveal the track titles, you have been warned!) is here!

Search #listeningclub to see what's going on, and follow@listeningclub for the admin.

Hope to see you tonight at 8pm BST/EST (GMT+1)!

The Listening Club - 14th July 2013

Hi to you all,

Rather tardy this week, for which I must apologise... yesterday's fun-packed day of oddball festivals and gig-going has left me nursing a rather biblical hangover. It was worth it though for sure. And now uploading this week's selection seems to be going at a snail's pace... But gently on with the show we go...

Time first to announce the next #vortex, which will take place in two weeks time, on the 28th July. Theme this time is favourite music videos, simple as! I'm guessing the best method is to supply a youtube link (best quality you can find will help) and the very kind @akx has volunteered a script to stitch them all together into one mix for playback. Might take a while to sort and upload, so please get your suggestions in to me sooner rather than later, thanks.

Last week @rougeforever took her debut catch of the frisbee, sending us all spiraling into the murky concepts of The Decemberists "The Hazards Of Love". A real love-or-hate album, and it definitely generated a bit of both on the night. Big thanks to her for the selection and for a short throw of the frisbee across to Wales, where @holette is waiting with the intro...

"As befits the heatwave we are bemused to find ourselves basking in here in Wales, it’s a well laid back choice this week. So go ahead and fix yourself a long cocktail. Maybe pop in a little parasol. I only caught up with this album earlier this year otherwise track 7 would certainly have been tossed into the best of 2012 festive vortex. I guess it’s not the sort of genre I normally find anything interesting about but I loved this from the first listen. Some tracks just lodge themselves in your brain. The guy is so damn talented he just seems to knock out these massively commercial tunes. And what a voice he has. But the super slick production is shot through with sounds, images, tempos to make you prick up your ears. And it’s just so…musical, clever, cheeky and genuinely emotional. Turns out it’s a timely choice as this artist is playing gigs in the UK right now. There’s a lot of tracks listed but many are just fragments so it won’t play as long as you might think. Anyway, hope you enjoy the music."

There you go! Direct download is here, Mixcloud stream (which may well reveal the track titles, you have been warned!) is here!

Search #listeningclub to see what's going on, and follow@listeningclub for the admin.

Hope to see you tonight at 8pm BST/EST (GMT+1)!