New Year's Revolutions #1

Some years ago, I had to make a choice between vinyl and CDs, and I chose the ugly sister. I don't own any records anymore and I gave my turntable to Ben. The image at the top of this blog is therefore a falsehood... but CDs are far less photogenic, aren't they? I miss the crackle and the hypnotic revolution of a turntable, but life is all about sacrifices, isn't it? Plus, the price of vinyl these days is ridiculous, so my bank balance thanks me for my decision.

Happy New Year, anyway. I figured I'd take some time this week to mention a few bands that I'm interested in hearing more from in 2024. It seems we live in rather an exciting time for music. There appears to be a surge of new guitar bands - every time I visit the tube of you, it recommends me five new acts I've never heard of, and usually they're all worthy of a little further investigation. How many of them will make enough money to still be doing their thing in 12 months time is anybody's guess, but it's clearly indicative of a swing back towards the kind of music I dig in the tastes of young people. They should be encouraged in this, as we've had far too many years of unlistenable bilge (to an old man's ears, at least).

I mentioned English Teacher last week, but I wanted to feature them again today as they're one of the bands I'm most excited about in 2024. Now they've signed to Island Records, their debut album is promised for early in the year, and though the latest single is a rather low key affair, I'm still intrigued to hear where they go next...

English Teacher - Mastermind Specialism

My Fat Pony are from London and remind me of early Supergrass. Or, as their bandcamp page tells us...

My Fat Pony weave melodic guitar, bouncing trumpet, intricate bass, and relentless drums - all backing witty, culturally referential lyricism. 

They first caught my attention with a song dedicated to the Chinese action movie director responsible for Hard Boiled and Face/Off...

My Fat Pony - John Woo

...and then they sealed the deal with a song that sounded like it could have been written by Steve Coogan's Paul Calf character and released in 1979...

My Fat Pony - Students 

Finally for today: Divorce. Another weird "indie" band who have just signed to a major label, and I do hope that won't change them. Their latest releases show them building up to a big release next year...

Divorce - Scratch Your Metal

Divorce - Eat My Words

The song which got me most excited about this band is the one below. I'm calling it my record of the year, even though it was released at the tail end of 2022. It's still the one track I listened to more than any other over the last 12 months.

Words & Music #1: "Lovely to see you."

As Robert Palmer told me in a dream last night, Don’t Explain. That was a Billie Holliday song originally, but for me it’ll always be by Batley Bob, because I heard him do it first, at an impressionable age.

I stopped at Morrisons last week for a few bits. Went to the self-service checkout so I didn't have to make conversation. After I'd paid, the following message flashed up on the machine...

Lovely to see you. Bye for now.

This offends me in so many way, I can't even begin to count. If a cashier said this to me, I'd think it was weird... but a machine? 

The chances of me getting around to featuring the stylistically extravagant action movie director John Woo on Celebrity Jukebox any time soon seem slim. Hopefully for him anyway, since the jukebox has become a hectic requiem in recent weeks. Anyway, here's a song with his name from new London band My Fat Pony. 

Love the home-made video.

Louise bought me some socks for Father's Day. My initial reaction was, "I'm not sure I can wear these for work..."

"Oh," she said. "Sorry. I didn't know they said that on them."

I told Ben. He replied with two words.

She knew.

Speaking of Ben, he recommended I listen to Tim Heidecker, an artist he saw on tour earlier in the year. Heidecker's an American actor and comedian, so the first half of his set is a world weary stand-up routine. Then he comes back on and does a set of upbeat, nostalgia-focussed Americana Ben figured would be right up my street. He's not wrong.

Back when I taught in college at The Bad Place, I had a student who regularly called me Brendon. When I asked why, he said it was because I looked like Brendon Urie, lead singer of Panic! At The Disco. I don’t. Brendon’s much younger and prettier than me. The most I can say is that my hair goes back in a similar way. 

Despite being named after Smiths lyrics, P!ATD are a band who have said little to me about my life since they emerged from the provincial town of Las Vegas in 2004… however, I’ve been strangely taken by their latest album, Viva Las Vengeance. It’s a tribute to the bands Urie loved when he was a kid, and on first listen the obvious influences (to me, anyway) were Queen, Costello, Thin Lizzy and Steinman. Reviewers have cited The Beatles and The Police, among others… but after repeated listens, the homages coalesce and it all starts to sound like a Panic! record. But a really good one, and a really catchy one. Shame it’s their last, as Urie has announced his retirement… at least until the inevitable comeback tour beckons.

Here's the title track, which immediately made me think of vintage Costello...

Lovely to see you. Bye for now.