Mad Mackerel’s Best Of The Month: December 2011

Mad Mackerel's Best Of The Month: December 2011.

Here is our final monthly Best Of mix of songs from 2011 – despite all the Christmas fayre on offer, there were still a whole plethora of cracking new tracks to enjoy, and as always we’ve gathered the best of our December posts into one lovely mix for you with a couple of new tracks to sample too. Don’t forget to check out all our previous monthly mixes in the sidebar on the left.

And off we go…

Download Horse’s Mouth – As I Climb mp3 (from Horse’s Mouth)

Opens with a plaintive vocal and soon develops into a classically harmonious folk-song with its gentle, repeated “Out of time” refrain and orchestrally tinged instrumentation.

Download Dan Mangan – Row Of Houses mp3 (from Oh Fortune)

A story told from the perspective of a character from folksinger Mangan’s favourite films, namely Gordie Lachance from Stand By Me.

Download Pop. 1280 – Bodies In The Dunes mp3 (from The Horror)

As raw and visceral as ever with their raw, junkyard freak-punk sound.

Download The Uncles – The Ballad Of Lehigh Valley mp3 (from M4W)

Taster from forthcoming sophomore album from expanded folk four-piece.

Download Sad Baby Wolf – Survival Guide mp3 (from 8th Level / Survival Guide)

Psychedelic, drone-rock inspired indie.

Download Palomino Drive – When We Were Only Friends mp3 (from Home EP)

Promising and softly strummed lo-fi folk.

Download Drunken Prayer – Always Sad mp3 (from Into The Missionfield)

Heavy on percussion, gut-bucket guitars are bluesy and psychedelic; the horn arrangements are loose and buoyant and best of all, the lyrics are as sweet as they are damning.

Download Ohioan – Sometimes mp3 (from Balls Deep In Babylon)

Mournful harmonica driven, down-at-heel traditional folk.

Download Terry Malts – Tumble Down mp3 (from Killing Time)

First taste of post-punk noiseniks new album Killing Time.

Download Cloud Nothings – Stay Useless mp3 (from Attack On Memory)

Just under three minutes of spiky garage-pop that is as catchy as anything they’ve ever done.

Download Dolfish – Your Love Is Bummin’ Me Out mp3 (from Your Love Is Bummin’ Me Out 7″)

Sad, bitter, humorous country song banged out in balls to the wall garage-rock fashion.

Download Waters – Stay Away mp3 (Nirvana Cover)

Helter-skelter cover of Nirvana’s Stay Away where the ramshackle intensity and angst of the original is joyously matched.

Download The Lower 48 – Into The Woods mp3 (from Where All Maps End)

Warm, organic folk with a good-natured acoustic strum.

Download Scott H. Biram – I Want My Mojo Back mp3 (from Bad Ingredients)

Classic one-man band blues and stomp holler.

Download Phantom Family Halo – White Hot Gun mp3 (from When I Fall Out)

Perfect mix of pummelling krautrock with raw, glam overtones.

Download Redanda – This Bed Is A Rock (via Soundcloud)

Bursting with a brashness and sneered vocals that has more attitude crammed into its two minutes and a few seconds of whiplash drumming and guitar that many bands manage in a career.

Download Simone Felice – New York Times (via Soundcloud)

Spellbinding new single from forthcoming solo album.

Download Damon Moon & The Whispering Drifters – Seasonal Suite No. 62 (via Soundcloud)

A real treat for all those who for all those who love the gritty, raw, unconventional and downright bitter and bruised side of country music.

And the new…we have The XX with their demo of new track Open Eyes, the second single of sunburnt lo-fi pop from Inspired And The Sleep, a brand new slice of antiphonal guitar-gymnastics called Mortise And Tenon from London based math-punk trio Mayors Of Miyazaki and first on the list is another taste from Real Estate’s excellent album Days. Enjoy them all!