Best Of 2016 - SFW
A Year we'll never forget
Like the great protest songs of Dylan, Young, Lennon and Guthrie, Kevin Morby gave us a protest song for 2016. With all proceeds going to 'Everytown for Gun Safety' it covers gun violence, Freddie Gray and the shootings in Paris & Orlando.
I first heard this back in October and I still adore it now. In a year that has seen many of our heroes die (form the world of song and screen), it's pretty damn perfect “If I die too young,” he sings, “Or if the gunmen come, I’m full of love.” Can we say anymore?
Radiohead - Spectre
This is so bloody gorgeous. Two of my favourite things merged into one (Star Wars & Radiohead) and for the life of me I have no idea why it wasn't used over Sam Smiths "Writing on the Wall". This was originally recorded for Spectre but "..it didn't work out".
OK, I hear what you are saying. "Wasn't this out last year?" Well it was previewed at the end of 2015 but was only available in 2016. So there.
Cass McCombs - Opposite House
This features on Cass McCombs wonderful latest album "Mangy Love". It is a collaboration with Angel Olson that is built around a hypnotic guitar riff and smooth string arrangement that has a soft rock atmosphere that masks the surrealist lyrics. Awesome.
Ben Watt - Gradually
Ben Watt, i.e. “the bloke out of Everything But the Girl” released this stonking track to accompany his album, Fever Dream. The album features Suede’s Bernard Butler and some guest vocals from Marissa Nadler and Hiss Golden Messenger’s M.C. Taylor.
The song is about “...what can happen to a long ongoing relationship over time; the gradual shifting sands; how love mutates, changes speed; how interior worlds can be obstructive,” It also features what I would call a "Classic rock guitar" solo with what sounds like an E-Bow playing throughout the song. Give it a few spins.
Willie J Healey - Pipedreams
Willie J Healey is probably my new artist of the year. The Michael Rappaport lookalike just oozes 'low-fi' cool (if that is such a thing?) and probably any of his releases could have made my top-5. If you like the melodic fuzz of Weezer then you should like Willie!
The video features 60 year old skateboarder Neal Unger who first appeared on YouTube as a Skateboarding tramp, Unger proves that you can never be too old to pick up a new hobby. "You are never too old to Skate!"
The video features 60 year old skateboarder Neal Unger who first appeared on YouTube as a Skateboarding tramp, Unger proves that you can never be too old to pick up a new hobby. "You are never too old to Skate!"
Comments