TRACKS OF THE WEEK - The Arcs, Editors, Michael Head and the Strands, Foals, Mikal Cronin

Five tracks to remember Cecil by...

Flycasual:-
Foals - 'What Went Down' (2015)

Bobby Dylan once said 'play f@&£ing loud'. That legendary phrase is no more appropriate than for the Foals latest offering, a rowdy rollicking rock fest that gave me the sudden urge to go wrestle a bear! 'What Went Down' is taken their forthcoming fourth album of the same name and it sounds like they've taken up from where they left off from 2013's solid, Holy Fire. I'm off to find a cave.

SFW:-

The Arcs - Stay In My Corner (2015)


If you are wondering why this sounds awfully like The Black Keys, well it is (sort of).  The Arcs is a side project of Dan Auerbach and features producer Richard Swift and El Michels Affair main man Leon Michel. Stay In My Corner features on the album called Yours, Dreamily that is out in September. It has the bluesy-rock feel of the Black Keys but having Swift on board has me intrigued!  

Old Pa :-
Michael Head - Queen Matilda (1997)

 

I have been a fan of Michael Head ever since I bought the fabulous HMS Fable (1999) when he was under the banner of Shack. For some reason I missed out on the album Michael Head and the Strands, The Magical World of the Strands (1997). The album is quite brilliant and if you are (like me) a fan of Arthur Lee and Love then this album is a must for you. I am currently playing it all the time.  

This track is taken from the reissue of the album and contains outtakes as well.

London Scouser:-
Mikal Cronin - 'Made My Mind Up' (2015)

I first heard this and thought it was very summery and had a little of 'The Beach Boys' about it in some of the harmonies. Looking into the artist I see that he's from Laguna Beach, California and he grew up liking surfing and rock and roll music so maybe that's where the Beach Boys sound comes from. This is from his third album 'MCIII' which was released earlier this year.

Shell Hunter:-
Editors - ' No Harm' (2015)

As much as I quite liked a couple of songs from their last album, I thought they were starting to sound a bit like U2. Now this is much more refreshing and has regained the darkness I used to enjoy. When I was first played it by London Scouser, I immediately liked it and knew the voice sounded familiar but couldn't place it. When he revealed it was the Editors, I was surprised and bizarrely disappointed! I felt that if I could play this for people without them knowing who it was, they would enjoy it and not be immediately put off by the name Editors. Have they really slipped too far into the mainstream for me to be a music snob about liking them? Of course not, they still rock. The new album In Dream is out 2nd of October.

Its available as a free download here, if anyone still does that?!

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