TRACKS OF THE WEEK 20/04/2014 - The Black Keys, Ratking, The Amazing Snakeheads, Megafauna, Paulo Nutini

Five treats to help you on your Easter egg hunt..

Flycasual:-
Ratking - 'So Sick Stories' feat King Krule (2014)

I've had high hopes for New York's Ratking ever since they broke on the scene, especially as they're one crew that seem to be going against the Hip Hop grain. 'So Sick Stories' does not disappoint, featuring London's King Krule (featured in a TOTW, last year) with his Billy Braggish flow and you've got perfect Hip Hop for the wee small hours. In fact it wouldn't go amiss on our Late Night Hip Hop playlists which you can listen/subscribe to here (Vol.1 & Vol.2). Ratking's debut album, So it Goes, was released April 7th.

Check their website here...

Sfw:-
The Black Keys - Turn Blue (2014)

Turn Blue is the title track from The Black Keys latest album, released on 12th May. It was produced by Danger Mouse alongside Dan Auerbach and Patrick Carney and is the follow up to Fever.  Slinky guitar, falsetto vocals and if you listen carefully, a sweet electronic bass. One for bumping and grooving

Old Pa:-
Paolo Nutini - Let Me Down Easy (2014)

Well that was a surprise! I have heard of Paolo Nutini before and for some reason I just dismissed him without ever hearing him. A bit pathetic really. He has a tremendous soul voice and the girl singer on this track is brilliant too. He is also Scottish. This is a great blues track from his new album Caustic Love. (2014). I just love these little surprises. I am off to listen to the rest of the album.

Shell Hunter:-
The Amazing Snakeheads - 'Flatlining' (2014)

I'm still suffering a case of the post holiday blues and was pretty much hating life having to go back to work on Monday. On the way home I had on Xfm's Xposure with John Kennedy and heard the rawest blues punk sound ever! The vocals were like my mood personified, a little bit pissed off really! A real scotch accent seemed to emphasize each word and made it all the more interesting. I was enjoying the constant dark drone and stop-start, I didn't want it to end! The Amazing Snakeheads, I found out are a trio from Glasgow who have only just released their debut entitled Amphetamine Ballads and are described to fuse rockabilly, goth, blues and garage. Ya cannae go wrong we' that!

London Scouser:-

Megafauna - 'Time To Go'

This week sees the release of Megafauna's debut album 'Maximalist' and I'm pleased to say that they are helping me continue in my 'Austin Phase'. I've seen them described as Queens Of The Stone Age meets Bjork which is a pretty good combo for me. This is the latest single from the album following 'Haunted Factory' which was released in February this year. I like what I hear so far, and this helps me to eat my words of last year when I made a throwaway comment about most women in rock being a bit naff when I featured a track by 'Futureages'

Listen or even better, subscribe to our tracks of the week playlist here...