Building site playlist

Most builders, plumbers etc we have encountered on our building reconstruction year have appeared with special dust/accident proof radios which blare out a cornucopia of current French chart stuff - in fact, less cornucopia more old croissant and dregs of coffee; just my opinion of course.

Our playlist - thank you Spotify - built for fuelling the moral at the start of whatever physical task is to be undertaken, needs updating and a few over-listened-to songs booted off but many remain as staple, super-energising and sometimes nostalgic works of pop and rock. 

These songs will forever hold images of these dusty and paint-covered moments in time, yesterday for example: What have I done to deserve this by The Pet Shop Boys on a searingly hot day sanding a ceiling in the top room. Or, tiling to the musical mayhem of Mr Bungle (see above).

If you have a few minutes . . . it's not the best live recording but marvel at the sheer energy, timing and eccentricity of this group, and the extraordinary vocal talent of Brian Patton. Shame they disbanded years ago . . .

A selection of other tracks:

Ibiza: Sleaford Mods and The Prodigy

Vicar in a Tutu: The Smiths

Scarecrow People: XTC

Goldfinger: Shirley Bassey and the Propeller Heads.

Take on Me: Aha

Total Football: Parquet Courts

Dare: Gorillaz

Psycho Killer: Talking Heads

Kick in the Eye: Bauhaus

Banana Skin Shoes: Badly Drawn Boy,

Cape Breton Wedding Reel: Boys of the Lough,

I see you Baby: Groove Armada

The Number One Song On Heaven: Sparks

Photoshop Handsome: Everything Everything

Jobseeker: Sleaford Mods

Human Behaviour: Björk

Bout de Bois: Salut C'est Cool

Tequila: The Champs

Americano: The Brian Setzer Orchestra

Egg: Mr Bungle

Boys and Girls: Blur

Such a Shame: Talk Talk

Hogwash and Balderdash: Black Midi

Elvis' Flaming Star: Pond

I'm so Excited: The Pointer Sisters

Our House: Madness

Dead Horse: Yard Act

The Wine Song: The Cat Empire

Let's dance to Joy Division: The Wombats

It's a Sin: The Pet Shop Boys

And . . . I'm too Sexy, Right Said Fred. I know, but it works for DIY.

     

The tea time sessions present: Undrowned by Everything Everything

Probably my favourite track by Everything Everything, quite possibly my favourite band too.

My fave group

Back with another brilliant album. Suitably worrying video . . .

Eighteen years

It's just a day - a birthday, but somehow this one really does seem so much more than just a day.

                

As our lovely cousin, Nick's email this morning reminded our son - he can get married, drink, drive, vote, become an MP, rent a house, join the Foreign Legion, get tattoos, serve on a jury, apply for a pilot's licence, etc etc . . .
Well, maybe later . . . today, just an average school day, a posh meal out this evening and some time spent bashing away on his birthday present drum kit.
As music seems at the forefront of our son's mind on his eighteenth year, I thought I would mark it with one of his absolute favourite tracks. I quizzed him in the car this morning on the way to lycée - "Oh, so difficult, err . . . "
We narrowed some of the band choices to: Alt J, Radiohead, Django Django, RX Bandits, Tame Impala, The Smiths, Grizzly Bear, and of course, just about anything, anything by Everything Everything.
We've just about melted our CDs of this band through constant playing, and the track he favoured the most - Undrowned, probably my one of choice too, and here it is.

Happy Birthday to our wonderful son, Ezra!

Great music of our times

Following on from 2 posts ago about autotune etc . . .
Who needs it? The energy and skill in these voices! Not to mention brilliant lyrics, drumming, bass, well everything really. Excellent video too.