Part two of our weekly round up of the best tracks from the past seven days kicks off with another fine track from Laura Marling’s new album, and an excellent new single from The Districts.
We have another brash slab of riotous rock from Charly Bliss and something equally propulsive from Hiccup (should keep the indie kids happy). Trance Farmers slow things down with their ominous new single, while Cotillon’s new track is a masterclass in hazy slacker rock. Finally, White Reaper round things off with the title track from new album The World’s Best American Band.
The Trance Farmers deal in stupidly infectious sample-based bedroom psych-pop, demented soul and greasy glam-punk and all are in evidence on new cassette release For Whom The Scarecrows (order here).
Listen to The Veil below, a song that sounds like it comes from a long lost Addams Family soundtrack album and in just over two minutes manages to rhyme veil, with pale, trail, nail, frail, tale, and snail amongst others…
It’s a big week of new releases in the Mad Mackerel world – new tunes from Foxygen, Cloud Nothings, the wonderful Traams and Blossoms to name but four.
Add to that songs from James McMurtry, Weyes Blood, TOY, and long standing MM faves Trance Farmers and Estrons and we’ve had a bonanza seven days.
Time for the MM countdown of our favourite tracks of the year to begin. Over the next few days we’ll be revealing our top 100 tracks and top 30 albums of 2015, with contributions from Mrs Mackerel, Chris T Popper, Polly Pocket and Franca. We’ll also share their personal choices with you next week.
So without further ado, here are numbers 100 through to 76.
100 Ultimate Painting – Woken By Noises
99 Samantha Crain – Elk City
98 Diet Cig – Dinner Date
97 Cruising – Safe Corridor
96 Gold Class – Life As A Gun
95 Beach Slang – Bad Art & Weirdo Ideas
94 Arborist – Twisted Arrow
93 Kodiak Deathbeds – Borderline
92 Summer Twins – Demons
91 Together PANGEA – Blue Mirror
90 Tallest Man On Earth – Dark Bird Is Home
89 Wilco – Random Name Generator
88 James McMurtry – South Dakota
87 J Fernandez – Between The Channels
86 Bonnie ‘Prince’ Billy & The Cairo Gang – I’ve Been A Long Time Leaving
We’re not usually ones for premieres and all that stuff, but when the song is this good then we can sometimes be persuaded to rouse our lazy carcass off the sofa and head for the keyboard.
Trance Farmers (great name) specialise in psychobilly blues. Six track release Garbage Night is out April 28 on LEAVING Records with Stones Throw. You can also buy from Bandcamp here.
Watch the video for the title track, a fluorescent, garish animation with a slight Monty Python feel that fits this blast of unstoppable, distorted proto-garage punk perfectly. It’s like having a feral dog snapping at your genitals whilst an Elvis lookalike stomps on your face – and that in musical terms is a very good thing indeed.
Absolutely love this. Watch the video. Watch it again. Go mental.