S&B Spotify Playlist: February 2010

From here on in, I'm going to put a playlist on my blog each month which everyone can listen to for free. For this month (and probably next month) it will be on Spotify. After that, I will put it up in the form of mp3s. I am moving to South Korea shortly. They don't have Spotify there, but they do have 100meg broadband.

It's not got a lot of new music on it, but stuff I've been listening to a lot lately. Some of it, I'm surprised by! For example, since hearing The Winter Of Mixed Drinks a couple of months back, I've gone back to listening to Sing The Greys quite a lot. I really like Frightened Rabbit's new album but don't necessarily think it's a logical successor to Midnight Organ Fight. I think there's as much of their debut set in there as MOF. Anyway, three amazing albums and Music Now is a great track.

Over the past six months I've been rifling through Jason Molina's creative catalogue. I think the guy is a genius. His work as Songs: Ohia is his best and The Electric Magnolia Co is his best album. So understated, effortless and simple. Bonnie 'Prince' Billy comparisons may have been slightly more apt on, say, Ghost Tropic, but with this album he steps out of that shadow and slips comfortably into his own skin. Funny how I'm only picking up on this seven years after the album's release.

There are quite a few Scottish acts on there... inevitably I guess. Since leaving Edinburgh I've trying my best to keep up with what's been going on. The Withered Hand album, Good News, from last year is one of the best I've heard in a long, long time. I'm sorry I've never had a chance to see the guy live. I'm sorry it's taken me this long to getting around to his debut. Ardentjohn have a new album out which has been received positively, which I'm happy about.

The Drever, McCusker, Woomble album is one I got my hands on last year, but it's only been this year that I've given it sufficient attention. It really is something else. December saw Idlewild's 100 Broken Windows voted The Skinny's Scottish Album of the Decade, but it's amazing how he has diversified himself over the past few years. Before The Ruin is simply gorgeous. Stripped back, rootsy folk songs, beautifully song, lovingly written and played.

The other tracks are gathered from memories, people and places I've loved over the past month or two.

Enjoy (those with Spotify!) Scrawls & Bawls Feb 2010

1. Mason Jennings - Memphis, Tennessee
2. Evan Dando - Hard Drive (Live)
3. The Delgados - Is This All That I Came For?
4. Ardentjohn - Where All Paths Lead
5. The Replacements - Unsatisfied
6. Frightened Rabbit - Music Now
7. Songs: Ohia - Just Be Simple
8. Midlake - Rulers, Ruling All Things
9. Townes Van Zandt - Tecumeseh Valley (Live)
10. Deer Tick - Diamond Rings 2007
11. Drever, McCusker, Woomble - All Along The Way
12. Belle and Sebastian - Sleep The Clock Around
13. Withered Hand - Love In The Time Of Ecstasy
14. Drever, McCusker, Woomble - Hope To See
15. Phosphorescent - Wolves
16. Songs: Ohia - Farewell Transmission
17. Sebastien Tellier - La Ritournielle
18. The Chameleons - Second Skin

Ardentjohn @ Dry Bar, Manchester, 29 January

I’ve been spending a lot of time in Manchester lately and over the course my visits, I’ve been to a few great gigs including Rodrigo Y Gabriela, The Pogues and Deer Tick. But on Friday night we decided we would take in a couple of local bands. My girlfriend’s friend James Kelly was playing at an unsigned night at Dry Bar (a venue I’m told is experiencing a massive downturn. It did look pretty shoddy on Friday).

On the way in though, I noticed a name I recognised on the roster of acts: Ardentjohn. I first encountered the Islanders at Leith Festival about four years ago. From there, I reviewed a single and their debut album, before meeting the band for a pint and a chat (I think) in the Best Western Hotel. They had also recently been in contact regarding their new album and kindly sent me a copy. I was delighted to happen upon them, having been impressed by their new LP.

On The Wire continues on a similarly blissed-out trajectory to their debut set, When The Time Comes. I remember comparing them to The Verve previously. The comparison is tenuous enough upon revisiting their work, but I think I was getting at their tendency to drift into pseudo-psychedelic acoustic noodling. Seeing them live, I was impressed by their solidity as a unit. They’ve added a cellist to the mix, which certainly augments what they had before. It builds on what was already a rich, organic sound. Their songs seem remarkably well rounded, the songwriting is confident (and has grown in this respect) and their performance was self-contained. The highlight of their set, though, was an early song: Orange Nights.

I spoke to lead singer Keiron Mason before they went on. He’d just spotted Guy Garvey in the crowd and was cursing his luck. “I wish I’d noticed him after we’d finished our set!” He needn’t have been nervous. Their set was enjoyable and a refreshing reminder of what a good band they are. The smallish Manchester crowd seemed to share my appreciation and it was great to bump into them again. Small world.