2022 Contenders: The Boys With The Perpetual Nervousness

Jangly guitars?

Check.

Lush harmonies?

Check.

A huge debt to The Byrds... via Teenage Fanclub?

Checkity check.

I reckon The Boys With The Perpetual Nervousness will tick quite a few boxes for quite a few of you guys. They had me with the band name... which, as I'm sure Brian will tell you, is taken from a song by The Feelies. 

The Boys With The Perpetual Nervousness are two blokes: one from Madrid, one from Edinburgh. I'm not sure how they got together, but I'm glad they did. 

The track below is one of the first fruits from their third album, released in September. In the meantime, you can catch up with their earlier work over at bandcamp.

Snapshots #229: A Top Ten Russian Songs

Regina Spektor was the most famous Russian celeb I could find holding a camera... or let's pretend it's a camera, for continuity's sake, eh? 

10. If Marilyn didn't shine...

Then she would be a matt (finish) Monroe.

Matt Monro - From Russia With Love 

9. Black Sea Peninsula.

The Crimea - White Russian Galaxy

8. Kirk.

My Scottish friends, that clue was just for you.

The Church - Russian Autumn Heart

7. These guys are pretty touchy.

Touchy-feely, that is.

The Feelies - Moscow Nights

6. Niiice fellows, led by a G-Man and a Bobby.

Kenny G + Bobby Ball =

Kenny Ball & his Jazzmen - Midnight In Moscow

5. He will be jollily smoking that cigar until he drives away.

I had to edit the registration plate yesterday... this isn't Billy's car, just a fan's who caught him and asked for a photo.

"Be jollily" was an anagram.

Billy Joel - Leningrad

Similar sentiment to the Sting song: but much less bollocks.

Of course, it's not called Leningrad anymore. These days, it's...

Supergrass - St. Petersburg

4. Lenient nuns.

The Sisters of Mercy - Dominion / Mother Russia

3. Gammon outrage as secret identity of new 007 is revealed!

"James Bond, a woman!" The red-faced OUTRAGE!!!

Jane Bond & The Undercovermen - Radio Moscow

2. Learn CPR in Centre Parcs. 

Learn CPR in Centre Parcs. 

Prince - Ronnie, Talk To Russia

Joe, talk to Russia.

1. In Rehab, eat less chocolate.

In Rehab, eat less chocolate.

Remember the good old days of the USSR?

More next week, as long as the world hasn't ended. Do svidaniya!

My Top Ten Songs Nobody Knows

As a rather obvious sequel to last week's Top Ten Songs Everybody Knows... here's ten songs Nobody Knows.

The illustration at the top of the page is one I found online. I certainly don't know anything about Dick Gyllander, and I'd hazard a guess that nobody else reading this would... except he's a jazz musician from Sweden... so one of you might be familiar with his work.



10. Mike & The Mechanics - Nobody Knows

I would defend the Paul Carrack voiced M&TM to the hilt if the synthy 80s arrangements didn't sound so dated now. There's some good songs buried underneath the over-production.

9. Tom Waits - No One Knows I'm Gone

A very sad song about a man who dies with nobody to mourn him.

8. The Raspberries - Nobody Knows

I can see her dancing with someone else
Holding him so close while I'm by myself
I just want to hit him but that won't do

No, Eric, it won't. Violence is not the answer.

7. Otis Redding  - Nobody Knows You When You're Down & Out

A cautionary tale from the 1920s about a millionaire who ends up on skid row... covered by everyone from Tim Hardin to the Spencer Davis Group to the Allman Brothers to Derek & The Dominoes. I'll take Otis.

6. The Feelies - Nobody Knows

The Feelies got together in '76, released 4 albums before 1992, took a bit of time off, then got back together in 2008. This was released in 2011. That's as much as I know. I imagine Brian can tell you more.

5. Paul Brady - Nobody Knows
  

Nobody knows why Elvis threw it all away
Nobody knows what Ruby had to hide
Nobody knows why some of us get broken hearts
And some of us find a world that’s clear and bright

For Mark.

4. Ballboy - Nobody Really Knows Anything

A relationship falls apart and those concerned keep denying it's happening.

3. Billy Bragg - No One Knows Nothing Anymore

Great song. Questionable grammar.

2. Sam Cooke - Nobody Knows The Trouble I've Seen

A traditional African America slavery song from  the 19th century, recorded by many respectable artists including Paul Robeson, Louis Armstrong... and Hefner. But you're gonna have to go some to beat Sam Cooke.

1. Queens of the Stone Age - No One Knows

Probably my favourite QOTSA track.

The Divine Comedy do an inspired cover of it too.



Nobody knows if you will leave a comment...

My Top Ten Songs That Go On And On

Work is swallowing me whole at the moment, so I don't have time to go on and on... instead here's ten tunes that can do the job for me.


10. Ben Lee - On & On

From the album Hey You, Yes You... which I think we can all agree is a great title for an album. This is a pretty cool opening line too...

Without a gun, I'd be defenceless against you...

9. Ocean Colour Scene - On And On

I've no idea why OCS get so much stick from the Muso Police. This is a lovely little tune; a b-side, I think. They deserve more respect.

8. Bowling For Soup - On And On (About You)

Aww, sweet.

If it were up to me

I'd like to buy you flowers everyday

Make everyday a holiday

Carry on and on and on about you and the things you do

The things you do

7. Jack White - On And On And On

What does Jack White do best: play the guitar, or do the production that makes his guitar playing stand out so well?

6. Wilco - On And On And On

One day we'll disappear

Together in a dream

However short or long

Our lives are going to be

5. The Longpigs - On And On

And I wish you would leave me

And I wish you would go

And I wish you didn't need me

And I wish I didn't love you so.

4. Abba - On And On And On

I think this is about as close as Abba ever got to politics...

I was at a party and this fella said to me

"Something bad is happening, I'm sure you do agree

People care for nothing, no respect for human rights

Evil times are coming, we are in for darker,"

I said, "Who are you to talk about impending doom?"

He got kinda wary as he looked around the room

He said, "I'm a minister, a big shot in the state"

I said, "I just can't believe it, boy I think it's great

Brother can you tell me what is right and what is wrong?"

He said, "Keep on rocking baby, 'til the night is gone"

3. The Feelies - On And On

Hey na na na na na na na...

2. Stephen Bishop - On And On

Poor ol'Jimmy

Sits alone in the moonlight

Saw his woman kiss another man

So he takes a ladder

Steals the stars from the sky

Puts on Sinatra and starts to cry...

1. Status Quo - Burning Bridges (On And Off And On Again)

OK, so there's a stray "off" in there, but we'll let that pass for one of the Quo's finest moments. Swing those guitars!


Feel free to go on and on in the comments if you can think of any more...