Saturday, April 18, 2015

2014 Orphans Mix

A collection of songs and bands I missed out while 2014 was an active concern. Some truly remarkable music was buried under the avalanche of releases last year, so consider this a too-little too-late corrective.

Some readers of this blog hepped me to the Bo-Dogs and the Crusaders of Love, so big thanks for those additions to the mix. Faz Waltz and Hector's Pets were deservedly pimped on the RatBoy blog, so a second shout-out there. The rest is a result of slow accumulation. I'd known of the Singles beforehand, but wasn't prepared for the quantum leap in songwriting they delivered on "Look How Fast a Heart Can Break." Ditto Smash Fashion and their "Big Cat Love" reckid (a must-own for fans of 70s and 80s glam). Watts will be getting a full review of their "Flash of White Light" album in the near future (spoiler: it's awesome). I'm also really surprised I didn't hear more about Gramercy Arms, if only for the fact that Lloyd Cole guests on vocals on a few tracks. "Giving It All Away" by Sunrise Highway addresses the toll that on-line pirating takes on the artist, and I'm very aware of the irony of including it on the mix - but if it helps lead anyone to purchasing their solid "Windows" album then it's gotta be worthwhile, right? And, yes, that's a Macy Gray track towards the end. Unheard of? Maybe not. But she definitely falls into my definition of un-herd.

 Needles in a Stack of Hay

1. The New Piccadi11ys Judy is a Punk
2. Faz Wa1tz Let's Get Around
3. The Shivas You Make Me Wanna Die
4. The Bo-Doggs Hey, Mr. Oil Drop Man
5. The Deaf Running Back To You
6. Sunrize Highway Giving It All Away
7. Chuck Prophit Tell Me Anything (Turn to Gold)
8. Watts Northern Boys
9. The Fraidies Xs on Your Eyes
10. St. Pau1 & the Broken Bones Half the City
11. The Sing1es We Don't Talk Anymore
12. Smash Fashion Super G1am
13. The Ex-Gent1emen All Night
14. B1ack Heart Breakers X Heart
15. Dave Hawse The Great Depression
16. Summer Canniba1s Summer
17. Crusaders of Love Reckless Minds
18. Rancd Co11ision Course
19. Hector's Pets Fast as Fuck
20. Denny & the Jets Bye Bye Queenie
21. The Boys She's the Reason
22. Gramercy Arms The Night Is Your Only Friend
23. Macy Grey Need You Now
24. The A-Bones Questions I Can't Answer