Space tourism posters.
How long do you think it will be before space tourism becomes as affordable for vacationing as air travel?
Space Travel Posters by Steve Thomas
How unfathomably great are these? “Very”, is the answer I think you’re looking for.
‘Signal 30’ - Public Service Broadcasting
Still one of the most interesting and inventive acts to have appeared in recent years, PSB’s highly conceptual blend of styles and textures is yet to grow old. Quite the opposite in fact, as in ever track we hear appears to add a new dimension to the group.
‘Signal 30’ is from their forthcoming debut album Inform - Educate - Entertain and adds a thrilling yet menacing edge to the electronic-rock-meets-archival-footage template that we so enjoyed on The War Room EP. We might say that Wildgoose has serious guitar chops if we didn’t think that was an absurd phrase, but suffice to say, he is a bit good at this music thingy.
If you like this then it’s also worth noting that there’s a free download of non-album track ‘New Dimensions In Sound’ to be had.
Teenage Clothes by Heathers
After being linked to by Summer Camp’s Elizabeth ‘Teenage Clothes’ has been doing the rounds on Twitter winning over everyone that’s given it’s fuzzy brilliance a chance.
As you’d guess from the album artwork there’s a Smiths influence in Heathers, but it doesn’t overpower what is two and a half minutes of joyous lo-fi pop. It’s certainly the most fun thing we’ve heard that’s come out of LA in a while, AND it’s a free download. Get on it!
Note: These guys aren’t to be confused with the Dublin based folksy popsters of the same name.
London Bound by Just Handshakes
This is really great stuff from the Leeds-based group and has ensured that forthcoming debut album Say It is a record that we can’t wait to get our hands on.
Catchy and quickly paced, ‘London Bound’ has elements of Altered Images quirky pop and The Sundays shimmering elegance about it whilst crafting an indiepop sound that’s all their own. What’s more, it’s rather addictive prompting multiple plays in anyone but the most dead at heart.
It’s a free download too, and comes packed with a rather fine remix, courtesy of James Hare. Strongly recommended.
Only Fiction by Bordeauxxx
For this weekend only you can get this excellent mini-album for only £3.50 at the KPL Store. It’s a bargain for 7 cracking tracks!
Go here to get your copy.
Paintings of Ships - English Weather
The title track of one of our favourite albums of last year, ‘English Weather’ is the latest single by ace popsters Paintings of Ships.
Keeping with their DIY aesthetic the video was recorded on the bands phone and details a day in the life of a threadbare teddy bear. It’s very sweet and should hopefully throw some more attention the bands way.
If you want more of a taste of their album you can get a free download of ‘Summer Love’ on our free Pop Kept Loud download EP, or check out the whole album at their bandcamp page.
Now in a handy Spotify Playlist.
50) Under-Esitmate The Girl - Kate Nash
49) Do You Really - Glow Kit
48) Bats In The Attic (Unravelled) - King Creosote & Jon Hopkins
47) Stop Kicking - Blood Red Shoes
46) Something New - Girls Aloud
45) State Hospital - Frightened Rabbit
44) Blue Dahlia - The Gaslight Anthem
43) Summer, Somewhere - Screaming Maldini
42) Listen To Your Head - Kaiser Chiefs
41) Dark Star - Poliça
40) Default - Django Django
39) Coastal Command - Wild Billy Childish & The Spartan Dreggs
38) The Pain Comes Easy (The Rest Is Hard) - Paintings of Ships
37) 3 Hearts - Johnny Foreigner
36) She Crows (Document Minor Emotional Breakdown #4) - Los Campesinos!
35) Beeswing - The Futureheads
34) Piledriver Waltz - Caitlin Rose
33) Food - The Lovely Eggs
32) Electricity - Arctic Monkeys
31) Beneath The Waves An Ocean - Future of the Left
30) Rent - Field Music
29) Sixteen Salteens - Jack White
28) My Heart Beats - Veronica Falls
27) White Noise - Gaz Coombes
26) Simple Song - The Shins
25) We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together - Taylor Swift
24) Chi-Town - The Cribs
23) Season In Hell - Dum Dum Girls
22) Spitfire - Public Service Broadcasting
21) Always - Summer Camp
20) They Launched A Probe - The Winter Olympics
19) Centre of Your Universe - Internet Forever
18) Gold On The Ceiling - The Black Keys
17) Murmurations - Tall Ships
16) Tina Weymouth - This Many Boyfriends
15) Darth Vader - Standard Fare
14) The Battle Of Peterborough - MJ Hibbett & The Validators
13) Pelican - The Maccabees
12) Mind Control - Friends
11) After You - Pulp
10) Closer - Tegan and Sara
09) The House That Heaven Built - Japandroids
08) Under The Westway - Blur
07) So Long - Taffy
06) Leave Your Body Behind You - Richard Hawley
05) The Beach Girls And The Monster - Bordeauxxx
04) Hips And Lips - Maxïmo Park
03) Nothing’s Gonna Stop Us - The Darkness
02) Capricornia - Allo Darlin’
01) The Mother We Share - CHVRCHES
There’s a small handfull of tracks missing, but it’s mostly complete. Thanks to John for compiling it.
Top 50 Songs of 2012
No. 01: The Mother We Share – CHVRCHES
With tip lists working overdrive it’d be easy to have second thoughts about naming ‘The Mother We Share’ as my favourite song of 2012 for fear of adding to the hype. But this list is nothing if it not honest and ‘The Mother We Share’ is my favourite song of 2012.
CHVRCHES couldn’t have arrived more perfectly formed if I’d invented them myself. They have single handedly yanked me out of a music-weary fug when I’d resigned myself to depleted music love in the second half of my twenties. ‘The Mother We Share’ made me believe once again that the music I love could go somewhere and touch many other peoples lives. It provided that colour which 2012 was sorely missing and could be nowhere but the top of this list.
