Before my Girls Aloud-like blogging hiatus (it probably doesn't bode well for my blogging comeback seeing as they've disappeared again now!) I used to write a regular blog post about bands I'd been listening to that month. Well, I say 'regular' but I only got around to writing one post before I disbanded my blog. If you're curious about what I was listening to this time last year, and who i wrote about in that post, then please have a butchers here - 5 bands I've been listening to in February
If you're still here, and are not currently watching the Bucks Fizz clip of 'My Camera Never Lies' on repeat on You Tube, then you'll be pleased / not really bothered (delete as applicable) about hearing that I am resurrecting the feature right here, right now.
So here you go - 5 bands I've been listening to in March :
1. Steve Mason
I used to love The Beta Band. They were so unique and are still highly regarded in music circles. How many bands nowadays would release an EP with all 4 songs being over 6 minutes long and one of them being 15 minutes long?! The 4 songs on 'The Patty Patty Sound EP' last longer than most albums these days and 'The House Song' & 'She's the One' are two of the best b-sides ever.
Anyway, the reason I'm banging on about The Beta Band is cause the rather excellent Steve Mason used to be their lead singer. I've been loving his new album "Monkey Minds in the Devil's Time" the past month ever since hearing his latest single 'Oh my Lord' on BBC6 Music. It's already one of my favourite songs of the year and will definitely be near the top of my list at the end of it. Here's the video to it if you want to have a listen. Enjoy -
2. Jagwar Ma
When I heard the song 'The Throw' by this Aussie band earlier this year it blew me away and I haven't been able to stop listening to it since. It was like a throwback to early 90s baggy with a lick of 2013 music paint on it. Sorry, I know that sounds shit but trust me, these guys are good.
Find out for yourself here -
3. Ride
I've always been a massive Indie Kid and one of my favourite music genres in the last 25 years (around the time I ditched Then Jerico for John Peel, bless 'em) has been shoegazing. Ride, along with Chapterhouse and The Boo Radleys, are one of my favourite bands from that era and on chatting to a few people on twitter about Ride last month I decided to go back and have a listen to them.
'Nowhere' has always been my favourite album, as it was the one that got me into them and it also contains 'Vapour Trail', my favourite song of theirs. However, it's the album 'Going Blank Again' which I haven't been able to put down in the past month. From the amazing 8 minute opener 'Leave them all behind' (sorry, can't stop banging on about long songs today) through to the janglyness of 'Twisterella' and fantastic guitar riffs on 'Not Fazed', the album proved there was a lot more to them than shoegazing.
Anyway, I'm in a jangly music kind of mood today so have a listen to 'Twisterella' here and decide for yourself -
4. The History of Apple Pie
After banging on about the early 90s and shoegazing above, here's a recent band who are heavily influenced by both.
I saw THOAP support The Drums about 18 months ago and really enjoyed them, however, I've only rediscovered them this year and am really glad I did. Listening to them makes me feel 15 all over again.
Their whole debut album is great but here's the song 'Mallory' to tickle your taste buds -
5. Adam Green & Binki Shapiro
Adam Green (Moldy Peaches) and Binki Shapiro (Little Joy) are one of the coolest duets you will hear all year, if not ever.
I've been gassing for a while now so all I'm going to say regarding this band is 1) check out their latest album, it is a corker and 2) as a little taster check out their song 'Just to make me feel good' below, it is a beauty -
That's it for this month. In true musodad style, I'm also going to start a new Spotify playlist, similar to the one I promised when I first started this feature over a year ago, and which only made it to 5 songs. You can listen to all of the above songs here - New musodad Express monthly 2013 I'll update this playlist as I write new blog posts on what I've been listening to. The posts won't be monthly this time around but sporadic, I just can't commit to regular blog posts these days mainly cause I'm a bit rubbish. If this playlist makes it to 10 songs it will be a major achievement, trust me.
If you're new here, thanks for stopping by and reading. If you've been here before then thanks for returning and for sticking by me after my time away. You're all very beautiful people and your support is very much appreciated.
Would love to hear what you've been listening to recently as well so please leave your recommendations in the comments section below. You know me, I'm always up for listening to something new and there's a chance that band could get written about next time.
Cheers all and hope to see you back again soon.
