McCrank's Juke - September Mix (2009)

McCrank's Juke - September Mix (2009)

This almost seems like my John Hughes tribute list. From the Prince written beats of 1985 and up to the 2009 Islands release - this list delivers the synth and drum machines like nothing else. This list jams the retro-80's and indie hits into a bonus 12 song list for September. Chairlift is busy scoring and exploding all over the place thanks to a clever Nano tie-in, while the experiment over at Beck's website with the "Beck Record Club" are just too good not to mention. I am excited about XX and the band The Big Pink (send the album my way could you?) along with The Mary Onettes, who crank up the Hughes meter with their throwback sounds. Like Michael McDonald but way more trippy and crank'd. I could be way off on that actually. Tell me what you think? Either way September is a gateway to the upcoming record release spigot which will feature new albums by The Beastie Boys, Echo & The Bunnymen and others. Gearing up for the holiday season, I am sure. Nothing new here, just to say there is some slickness out thereand you should do your best to get out and have a listen. Explore all of these bands, buy their EPs and releases -- go to a show and support indie cred musicians. Blast off!

McCrank's Juke - September Mix (2009)
01. Fools - The Dodos
02. Ceiling Wax - Chairlift
03. Suffication - White Ring
04. Haunted Mealtimes - Elbows Like Swords
05. Feel It All Around - Washed Out
05. No You Don't - Islands
06. European Son - Beck
07. Stars - The XX
08. Velvet - The Big Pink
09. Transparence - Asobi Seksu
10. Run, Run - Those Dancing Days
11. Void - The Mary Onettes
12. Screams Of Passion - The Family

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McCrank's Juke - August Mix (2009)

McCrank's Juke - August Mix (2009)

If this playlist doesn't get me a job with KZSC 103.3 in Santa Clara, nothing will. Another McCrank classic featuring the best of new indie bands, mope rock, and other hits from the past. I have to admit August has been anemic for new music, but explosive for all of the live shows and festivals. You'd think out of one of those massive outside venues, we'd have discovered the next Nine Inch Nails or something by now. Instead, we're seeing Kings of Leon dominate the airwaves and the eclipse of the mega-band - with the Dead Weather and the new superband project from Josh Homme, Dave Grohl, John Paul Jones - Them Crooked Vultures. I've looked past most of this with some amusement, looking for rare tracks, smaller bands with little or no label -- yet touring and hitting the local scene. Former Ghosts are playing the WORKS gallery in San Jose for christsakes! This goth-like list hits the depths with The Knife (who've I have just recently heard. Could be the soundtrack for 'Eyes Wide Shut') an electro-circus like band and weaves in some NIN killers in Zola Jesus and Six By Seven. Also the list includes a cover of the Kenny Rodger, Dolly Parton song - "Islands in The Stream" - weaved together by the stillness of Constantines. Very surreal. It's almost like I am looking forward to October. Come September we'll see it pick up for X-mas with the new Beastie Boys, Echo & The Bunnymen and some other mainstream drops. Until next month...

McCrank's Juke - August Mix (2009)
01. Islands In The Stream - Constantines
02. Enemy - Six By Seven
03. Clay Bodies - Zola Jesus
04. New Resolution - Heartless Bastards
05. Casa Bey - Mos Def
06. Science Of Fear - The Temper Trap
07. Heartbeats (Live) - The Knife
08. Carnage Visors - The Cure
09. Hold On - Former Ghosts
10. Loaded - The Idle Hands

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McCrank's Juke - July Mix (2009)

McCrank's Juke - July Mix (2009)

July is a swealtering month for music. You have that lag time between September and now, but still albums are falling out all over the place. Miss Derringer, scored a killer album, freshly dropped July 14th. Pearl Jam single is out and the list goes on...Caught Prince's gift to the Montreux Jazz Festival, say Girl In A Coma at the Blank Club and have been cat crawling the music scene post-MJ death. new tracks from Shonen Knife, Thom Yorke, Big Pink, and Jay Z. It is shaping up to be a bear of 2009. As you can see from the eclectic selection of acts below, I seemed to amass a attraction to new indie bands, some rockers and some experimental noize!! From the dead-to-rights Band of Skulls to Bombay Bicycle Club and to the local Oakland band Hottub. There is no method to the madness other than solid performances and some quality tunes from across the web. I hope you enjoy and take a chance to go see some of these bands. I am keyed up for The Horrors in October at the SF Independent and Los Campesinos! at the Brookdale Lodge in August in Santa Cruz. Yah now!

McCrank's Juke - July Mix (2009)

01. Revenge (Flaming Lips)- Danger Mouse and Sparklehorse (Mark Linkous)
02. You Came Out - We Have Band

03. Never Forget You - The Noisettes

04. 123Go - HOTTUB

05. Read My Mind - The Killers

06. How Are You - Bombay Bicycle Club

07. Black Tears - Miss Derringer

08. Big Star - Isa & The Filthy Tongues

09. Fires - Band Of Skulls

10. Morning After - Dead By Sunrise

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McCrank's Juke - June Mix (2009)

McCrank's Juke - June Mix (2009)

It all comes crashing down! First the old computer blew, then I got the new one, minus PhotoShop. My Optimus Prime computer I shelled for ain't shit without all the pirate booty I had stored up! The music links gone, the stored porn, gone! 'My Favorites' - down the tubes. As all good things, then it's time to say goodbye. As you may have noticed I did a bit of pruning in the garden, so as to not end up like that lady I read about in the newspaper. It was fun to be at the forefront of this music blog movement, like it was exiciting to be the The Sugarhill Gang when it was all "awash" and anew. Now that every college dick has a page with his favorite Oasis, Nirvana, and Animal Collective boots avilable -- it seems that it ain't about pushing the envelope and being new (not that I was very robust). I took from Ape Shall Never Kill Ape and was inspired to push it further. Now Largehearted Boy and other mainstream blogs are running with full steam and the upstarts are following the template. Time to do something new! (Fuck you -- yes I am on Twitter, but no that ain't it).

For those of you kind enough to comment and write in -- the fine looking lady in the monthly posts is named Sash Suicide. You can follow here: http://twitter.com/sashsuicide. She'd probably kick my ass for using her pictures without paying modeling fees. another reason to skip town!

So no more Echo & The Bunnymen, Joy Division, Clash, English Beat and the likes. No indies: Noah and the Whale, Ida Maria, The National. Just a simple look back through the monthly recommendations from prior months to serve notice. Eventually this blog will all desolve, and like me, you might wake up and go about your lives thinking this was all a dream. I know. I am.

McCrank's Juke - June Mix (2009)

01. My World - Lee Fields & The Expressions

o2. Slaughter Lane - Girl In A Coma

03. The Boys Are Leaving Town - Japandroids

04. All The Memories, All At Once - Sunlight Ascending

05. If I Ever Feel Better - Phoenix

06. First Of The Gang To Die - Zee Avi

07. Got Nuffin - Spoon

08. Last Of The English Roses - Peter Doherty

09. Summer Of Hate - Crocodiles

10. No Hands (Peel Session) - Echo & The Bunnymen

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McCrank's Juke - May Mix (2009)

McCrank's Juke - May Mix (2009)

Looks like The Coup's Boots Riley has joined guitar favorite Tom Morello to form Street Sweeper, which sounds like a Marxist/Rap version of Rage Against The Machine. I will check them out May 22nd. Likewise, new albums are dropping for Summer from some large indie acts. Iron & Wine comes to mind, along with New Wave Passion Pit and upcoming releases from Girl In A Coma and others. Is it me, or have a few bands ripped of Prince's pre-"Dirty Mind" sound? I am hearing that synth Minneapolis shit in Ciara's stint on SNL and form some of those garage-based MGMT wanna-be's. It's Summer so fuck it, hit-it and roll down the windows, crank style. I have to say now, now every children is a refreshing rock band that gives me the driving guitars and the indie credit I so crave. Peter Hook joins the Crystal Method, cause his solo shit ain't together and a whole host of other inspirations for May. Enjoy all the fuzz and beats! Bonus: The Twilight Sad - A cover of The Smith's "Half A Person".

McCrank's Juke - May Mix (2009)

01. Street Sweeper - 100 Little Curses

02. Iron & Wine - Love Vigilanties

03. Now, Now Every Children - Everyone You Know

04. Clay Machine Gun - 7th Floor

05. The Crystal Method (Feat Peter Hook) - Dirty Thirty

06. Perry Farrell- Nasty Little Perv

07. Passion Pit - The Reeling

08. The Twilight Sad - Twenty Four Hours

09. Vivian Girls - Moped Girls

10. Crystal Stilts - Sugarbaby

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Ian Mcculloch - Songbook (2008)

I am passing up the Ida Maria concert at The Blank Club right now, so I can post this Ian Mcculloch 4-track EP called "Songbook". Recorded at Parr Street Recording Studios, Liverpool England on February 2008. This solo acoustic show was recorded and broadcast on Sky Arts 1 in the UK. The first broadcast was June 19 2008 and it featured a worn looking Ian Mcculloch interview interspersed with the below list of complete live songs. No bullshit medleys here or annoying voice-overs. Edited and ripped from the programme with loving care from the lads over at Villiersterrace.com. In addition and as an added bonus - you get an acoustic single off the forthcoming Echo & The Bunnymen album - The Fountain. This single, "The Fountain" is a bit on the downlow, as in depressing and a bit melancholy. It's a tad alright if it was featured on a solo album of lullabyes for the kids, but it sounds kind of rough and rank for a Bunnymen closer. I recall reading an interview that Ian mentioned having a bunch of songs like this for a children's album. Not a bad idea for some side cash (diversify) and a way to find another alternate audience. The Echo & The Bunnymen things should be saved for forthright rockin' and rockstar ethos. The solo thing is for croonin' and ripping off Lou Reed, coupled with this type of acoustic ballads. I would buy it for sure, plug it into the kids room and clear out that Baby Einstein crap! I hope Ida Maria forgives me for missing the show, as I assume she'll be back. If you have the balls - buy her album to get some cool punk/pop riffs.! If you don't - listen up to this "soft-as-shit" EP of Bunnymen ballads.

Ian Mcculloch - Songbook (2008)
01. Rescue
02. The Killing Moon
03. Nothing Lasts Forever
04. The Fountain

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