Music of the Sphere: Mod Edition, Installment 6

Yeh, so this is the final installment in our series acquainting you with some of the riches we recently found over at Mr. Suave's Mod Mod World. Maybe we've overdone it a bit, but once you get there, you'll see we've only scratched the surface. Mr. S plunks our twanger bigtime, and we sure hope he gets to yours as well. We visit his fab blog on a regular basis now and expect to charge our musical loving cup many times in future. We'll say thanks again and look forward to good times ahead. We'll also remind you that once you get to MSMMW, be sure to click the post titles to launch the songs.

The Soup Dragons - Hang Ten! - Mr. Suave's Mod Mod World - long-time faves
The Quick - Pretty Please - Mr. Suave's Mod Mod World
The Corner Laughers - The Commonest Manifesto - Mr. Suave's Mod Mod World - With their kind permission we posted these San Franciscans early and lovingly. You can hear more here.

Holiday - Who's Gonna Find Out - Mr. Suave's Mod Mod World
The Icicles - Snappy - Mr. Suave's Mod Mod World
Sleeper - Bedhead - Mr. Suave's Mod Mod World
Permanent Green Light - We Could Just Die - Mr. Suave's Mod Mod World
Nirvana Devils - Some Foreign Shore - Mr. Suave's Mod Mod World

Graduate - Elvis Should Play Ska - Mr. Suave's Mod Mod World
The English Beat - Big Shot - Mr. Suave's Mod Mod World
Eight Miles High - See My Way - Mr. Suave's Mod Mod World

Music of the Sphere: Mod Edition, Installment 5

Behold more of the excellent songage we found at Mr. Suave's Mod Mod World. Links are ready and rarin' and but await your touch. Thanks, Mr. S!

Locksley - Let Me Know - Mr. Suave's Mod Mod World
The Len Price 3 - Rentacrowd - Mr. Suave's Mod Mod World
American Breed - I'm Gonna Make You Mine - Mr. Suave's Mod Mod World
Generation X - One Hundred Punks - Mr. Suave's Mod Mod World
Black Carnations - Black Carnations - Mr. Suave's Mod Mod World

Long Tall Shorty - Win Or Lose - Mr. Suave's Mod Mod World
Action Now - When Wednesday Comes - Mr. Suave's Mod Mod World
The Pretty Things - Midnight to Six Man - Mr. Suave's Mod Mod World
Mark & The Spies - But I Do - Mr. Suave's Mod Mod World
The Ace-Tones - In Your Eyes - Mr. Suave's Mod Mod World

Music of the Sphere: Mod Edition, Installment 4

Thanks to Mr. Suave's Mod Mod World for letting us hear the following. (When you get to Mr S's, be sure to click the post titles.)

Material Issue - Something's Happened to Catherine - Mr. Suave's Mod Mod World
The On/Offs - This Town - Mr. Suave's Mod Mod World
Baskervilles - Everybody Looks Not Everybody Finds - Mr. Suave's Mod Mod World - We love Baskervilles and prove it here. Be sure to check out other downloadable tracks from their Twilight 14 series here. Superb stuff! (It's been kinda fun to find Mr. Suave likes a lot of the same groups we like!)
The Primates - I Ain't Like You - Mr. Suave's Mod Mod World
The Parties - Gotta Get Out - Mr. Suave's Mod Mod World - We previously posted songs by The Parties here and here, along with songs by other excellent groups.

Svengalis - Soda and Cigarettes - Mr. Suave's Mod Mod World
Couple - Love You Yes - Mr. Suave's Mod Mod World
The Young Sportsmen - Metropolitan - Mr. Suave's Mod Mod World - The Young Sportsmen tune I posted is still here, along with songs by some other stellar Seattle bands.
The Kickovers - Black and Blue - Mr. Suave's Mod Mod World
The Jolt - I Can't Wait - Mr. Suave's Mod Mod World

Music of the Sphere: Mod Edition, Installment 3

Thanks to Mr. Suave's Mod Mod World for posting the following. Click and check 'em out, if you like.

The School - I Want You Back - Mr. Suave's Mod Mod World
The Bicycles - Oh No It's Love - Mr. Suave's Mod Mod World
The Pinkees - Say What You're Thinking - Mr. Suave's Mod Mod World
Mando Diao - And I Don't Know - Mr. Suave's Mod Mod World
The Cute Lepers - It's Summertime Baby - Mr. Suave's Mod Mod World - We posted another by the Leps here. It's still viable, along with a buncha other gooduns.

The Pranks - Modern Communication - Mr. Suave's Mod Mod World - We posted this one previously. It isn't working now at our place, but "Spending Time" is, along with some other good songs by some other good artistes.
Graham Day & The Gaolers - Pass That Whiskey - Mr. Suave's Mod Mod World
The Now - Baby I'm Bad - Mr. Suave's Mod Mod World
The V.I.P.'s - Need Somebody to Love - Mr. Suave's Mod Mod World
The Satelliters - Lost in Time - Mr. Suave's Mod Mod World

Music of the Sphere: Mod Edition, Installment 2

Yeh, we know, you were right, you can't trust pp to ppost anything in a timely manner these days. We therefore, in rapid-fire succession, ppost the rest of the incredible stash of things moderniste we most liked at Mr. Suave's Mod Mod World. We didn't mention last week that Mr. S has been doing a "Mod-A-Day" thing this entire fast-fading last year of the decade, so there are literally hundreds of items you might like even better than the below and those we previously posted. Once you get there, be sure to click on the post title to launch the song. Right-click it to download. And once again: thanks, dear dear Mr. S!!!

The Groovie Ghoulies - Criswell Predicts - Mr. Suave's Mod Mod World
Squire - Debbie Jones - Mr. Suave's Mod Mod World
The Frank Popp Ensemble - Live Wire - Mr. Suave's Mod Mod World
Plasticland - Flower Scene - Mr. Suave's Mod Mod World
Trotsky Icepick - Bury Manilow - Mr. Suave's Mod Mod World - A fun, long-time favorite. We also dig "A Little Push at the Top of the Stairs," if you can find it.

The Tranzmitors - Dancin' In The Front Row - Mr. Suave's Mod Mod World
The Things - Can't Get Enough - Mr. Suave's Mod Mod World
Cola Jet Set - El sueño de mi vida - Mr. Suave's Mod Mod World
The Hush Puppies - Hot Shot - Mr. Suave's Mod Mod World - Some mods liked to wear Hush Puppies. Also desert boots!!!
The Music Explosion - Little Black Egg - Mr. Suave's Mod Mod World

Music of the Sphere: Mod Edition, Installment 1

I've got a new friend (who, as usual, doesn't actually know me). His name is Mr. Suave, and he's a Mod. There's a lot more I could tell you about him, but you can easily read and hear all about it at his fantastic blog, Mr. Suave's Mod Mod World. For our immediate purposes, the main thing you need to know is that Mr. S has posted an incredibly large and most excellent buncha songs by mod and mod-influenced artists. Mr. S is not a stickler for genrefication, so his repetoire is deep and wide and includes powerpop, psych, garage, ska, r&b, and other genres. I've found so many ace songs I'm going to spread my favorites out over several posts. ("Uh oh," you say, "when pp says stuff like that, we reach for grains, maybe even pillars of salt, not to mention the fact he hasn't even posted for A FREAKIN' MONTH!") And you are very wise to do so. But, please, be moderate. Give pp a chance. Let's just see what happens, mkay?

Lined up below, like so many eager Vespas and Lambrettas, are the pleasure vehicles of Installment 1. Click them to scoot over to MSMMW. I rather think you won't be disappointed. Oh, I should also say that once there, you can either click Mr. S's post titles or the blue mini-players to hear and possibly download the songs. You can often right-click the post title to download the song. Click his blog name at the top to go to his homepage and check out his fun-filled modcasts. Of course, many thanks to The Suave One for turning us on to so much great music. And many thanks as well to the most excellent Peter over at Peter's Power Pop, where I discovered Mr. S in a comment.

The Madd - You Can Be My Baby - Mr. Suave's Mod Mod World
The Anydays - On My Way - Mr. Suave's Mod Mod World
Mystic Eyes - My Time To Leave - Mr. Suave's Mod Mod World
The Sorentinos - Summertime - Mr. Suave's Mod Mod World
Modest Proposal - Already An Angel & Seen Your Face Before - Mr. Suave's Mod Mod World


The Attack - Feel Like Flying - Mr. Suave's Mod Mod World
The Buzzcocks - Nostalgia - Mr. Suave's Mod Mod World
Julie Ocean - At The Appointed Hour - Mr. Suave's Mod Mod World - I previously posted an excelente by Julie Ocean here. There are other extant excelentes in that post as well.
The Naomi Star - She Told Me - Mr. Suave's Mod Mod World
Shoes - Your Very Eyes - Mr. Suave's Mod Mod World - I previously posted a couple of songs by this, one of my all-time favorite bands, here.

The June in November

The June - Barber Shop mp3

from Magic Circles,

their August 2009 Rainbow Quartz debut

We love the Parma trio's psychy Beatlesqueries and have reserved a large chunk of the debut for this month's buyfest over at eMusic. Another excellent Junetune awaits you at the band's Rainbow Quartz page should you care to partake.

MySpace | eMusic

Music of the Sphere: Icecream Hands, Nines, Even, Wellingtons. Hummingbirds, Church, XTC, Stealers Wheel, Squeeze, Beatles, Guadalcanal, Ramones, &c.

Picture Credit

I really hadn't planned on doing another spherepost so soon, but if you were to miss these, I would be very sad, and we can't have that. Be sure to thank the hosts, as I do most fervently. (Click to visit.)

Icecream Hands - Yellow And Blue - Peter's Power Pop

The Nines - Hard Luck - Peter's Power Pop

Even - Seconds - Peter's Power Pop

The Wellingtons - I Get My Heart Broken Every Day - Peter's Power Pop

The Hummingbirds - If A Vow - Peter's Power Pop - Long-time favorites always give me a (love) buzz.

The Church - Almost With You - Peter's Power Pop

XTC - The Mayor of Simpleton & The Loving - Peter's Power Pop

Stealers Wheel - Star - Peter's Power Pop

Squeeze - Another Nail In My Heart - Peter's Power Pop

The Beatles - A Hard Day's Night - Peter's Power Pop - Excellent new-to-me's with an extensive back catalogue. I will definitely be checking them out.

Guadalcanal Diary - Watusi Rodeo - Barely Awake in Frog Pajamas
Dire Straits - Romeo And Juliet - Barely Awake in Frog Pajamas

The Ramones - Pet Sematary - Barely Awake in Frog Pajamas
Wall Of Voodoo - Mexican Radio - Barely Awake in Frog Pajamas

The Raveonettes - Heart of Stone - Dead Flowers - I only placed them last so they could be close to themselves. (See most recent post below.)

The Raveonettes: "The Chosen One"

The Raveonettes - The Chosen One mp3

Bonus track to Danish duo's October Vice Records release,

In And Out Of Control

In our laconically raving way we previewed the LP back in August. Realizing, though, that some of you might not enjoy the retrofitting process, we hereby post all the free and legals we've got and strongly encourage you to visit eMusic for more. It's gonna sound kinda trite, but we don't care: Rave on.

The Raveonettes - Suicide mp3

The Raveonettes - Last Dance mp3

The Raveonettes - Last Dance (demo) mp3

The Raveonettes - Black/White mp3

The Raveonettes - Dead Sound mp3

MySpace | Bandsite | eMusic

(Thanks to Tonia Samman at The Orchard for the bonus!)

Sambassadeur: Always Happy Days

I've expressed my deep love for this superb Swedish band on previous occasions and put my kronor where my mouth is. I tingled to learn a new LP is forthcoming in January on the fabulous Labrador label. Here's the new single.

Sambassadeur - Days mp3

Hmmm, "Days." Now what does that remind me of? Oh, yes, of course, hence a slight but very important diversion. (We're still in Gothenburg, though.)

Days - Simple Thing mp3

MySpace | Thanks to the most excellent Shelflife.

Now back to Sambassadeur.

From Sambassadeur (2005):

Sambassadeur - Between the Lines mp3

Sambassadeur - Kate mp3

From the New Moon EP (2006):

Sambassadeur - New Moon mp3

From Migration (2007):

Sambassadeur - Final Say mp3

Sambassadeur - Subtle Changes mp3

MySpace | Bandsite | eMusic

Nuzzle Muzzle & Pris & BTO, The Treatment, Common Heroes, Tolkien, etc.

Welcome to Powerpopulist, where all talk is small talk, especially when we got our Muzzle on.

Muzzle - Jenna Fine mp3

Muzzle - What a Bore mp3

And just who are - or were - Muzzle? Well may you ask. Please read on.

Muzzle were a 90s Seattle band drummed for by Burke Thomas, aka “BTO.” Thomas – or “Burke” – is a highly talented musical savant associated with a number of bands, including Pris. Pris were the powerpoppin' media through which I came upon him, so to speak. I bought a baker’s handful of their songs back in February, a fact fairly well, if not conclusively, documented here. So when I started hungering for more information on the four-letter word, I arrived here and found these from 2004's The Kiss Off:

Pris - Theet the Moth mp3

Pris - Tightey Whitey mp3

Of course I already had one of those, as documented, but maybe you don't and now we do!

Plus I found these:

Common Heroes - The Rescue mp3

The Treatment - Give It Up mp3

Yummy.

But wait, there’s more (mp3s). (Clicky clicky.)

And if what you really crave is more of the story of the various bands with which BTO has been associated, click here.

And that's all I'm gonna say, for now.

MySpace | Bandsite | eMusic

Music of the Sphere: Elvis C, Sloan, Wellingtons, Seekers, ELO, The Move, Midnight Oil, Rough Bunnies, Elephant Stone, et. al.

We got starry-eyed and laughin' when a wonderful blog we subscribe to, My hmphs, introduced us to the superb antipodean blog, Peter's Power Pop. The tunes below are but a small measure of the treasure that awaits you down under.

First, a few by some groups we didn't know and now want to.

Magic Dirt - Dirty Jeans - Peter's Power Pop

You Am I - Berlin Chair & Mr. Milk - Peter's Power Pop
DM3 - One Time Two Times Devastated - Peter's Power Pop
Ratcat - That Ain't Bad - Peter's Power Pop

Next, a few by some we do.

Elvis Costello and the Attractions - Lip Service & No Action - Peter's Power Pop

The Seekers - A World of Our Own - Peter's Power Pop - long-long-time faves; glorious!

The Wellingtons - Song for Kim - Peter's Power Pop
The Muffs - Really Really Happy - Peter's Power Pop

Electric Light Orchestra - Do Ya - Peter's Power Pop
The Move - Do Ya - Peter's Power Pop
Midnight Oil - Dreamworld - Peter's Power Pop - Peter also has a live version; we saw MO do this one in Austin on the Diesel and Dust tour back in '88. What a night! (eMusic has a bunch of their lps here.)

Finally, here are a few other nice things we found oot and aboot.

Sloan - Coax Me - Six Eyes

Rough Bunnies - Dance With Your Shadow - Swedesplease

The Yes Pleases - Don't Say We're There Yet - Obscure Sound
Alligators - Where Does It Hide - Obscure Sound

Crocodiles - I Wanna Kill - Obscure Sound

Elephant Stone - How Long & I Am Blind & The Straight Line - Obscure Sound - We hope it won't seem officious to mention that back in April we posted a song by Elephant Stone here, along with five songs by Rishi Dhir's former band, The High Dials, all highly recommended.

Thanks to all the hosts!

Friendly Foes: I Wanna Be A BFFOFF

Photo Credit to Jerry Wald

Friendly Foes - Couch Surfing mp3

Friendly Foes - My Body is a Strange Place to Live mp3

from Born Radical,

their 2008 release

on Gangplank Records

We're loving the pure pop of this Ferndale, Michigan outfit.

MySpace | eMusic | Amazon | CD Baby

The Black Hollies Give Good Gloom

The Black Hollies - Gloomy Monday Morning mp3

from Softly Towards The Light, released last week

by Ernest Jenning Record Co.

Maybe we should have waited until mañana to post the above, but what the hey. We've been enjoying this Jersey City band for quite some time now, including this previously posted fave.

The Black Hollies - Paisley Pattern Ground mp3

(That post, this post, and this post have some other nice tuneage as well, if you're interested in that kind of thing.)

Thanks to Chris Vinyard at Big Hassle Media.

MySpace | eMusic | Amazon

Music of the Sphere

Ye Olde Blogosphere As Rendered Here (For Which, Thanks)

Very nice fare, spoiled only by the lamentable tentfolding of dear merz over at Mars Needs Guitars. (Ya, sure, go ahead and click if you're into that kind of self-abuse.) I do sincerely appreciate all the great music he turned me on to and thank him for doing so. Likewise, thanks to the bloggers hereinafter cited.

R.E.M. - Radio Free Europe - AWMusic
Said The Whale - The Magician (Camilo) - AWMusic
The Beatles - I Need You & Hey Jude - AWMusic

The Beatles - Run For Your Life - Star Maker Machine
Nick Lowe - Rose Of England - Star Maker Machine
Fountains of Wayne - Utopia Parkway - Star Maker Machine

The Weakerthans - Tournament of Hearts - Star Maker Machine
Big Star - September Gurls - Star Maker Machine
Fairport Convention -Who Knows Where The Time Goes - Star Maker Machine

The Kinks - Autumn Almanac - Star Maker Machine
XTC - The Ballad of Peter Pumpkinhead - Star Maker Machine
AC/DC - Up To My Neck In You - Star Maker Machine

The Shrinking Islands - Swallowed In Grace & Blood Rays - Bag Of Songs
Horse Shoes - Changing Winds - Milk Milk Lemonade
Sunbear - Flutterbye - Mojophenia

Elusive Parallelograms

Elusive Parallelograms - Orange mp3

from And Everything Changes,

released 9 June of this year

Almost a tautology, as I have always found it difficult to express adequately the strange allure of the parallelogram. This Milwaukee band's attractions didn't elude at all, though, and I've already staked out claims to a number of numbers over at eMusic. Would you like to know which ones? No? Okay, 'scool. Go check 'em out if you like. I left the other free and legal mp3 back at the incomparable Rainbow Quartz site, too, so you might want to pay at least two visits presently.

MySpace | Bandsite | Buy

Dog Day Evening

Dog Day - Synastry mp3

from their Elder Schoolhouse EP

We got this tonight and already we're woofin' and waggin'. Thanks to Matt Charlton at Pigeon Row.

We're still very much enjoying these Halifaxers' previously posted songs from Concentration, released earlier this year.

Dog Day - Rome mp3

Dog Day - Happiness mp3

MySpace | Bandsite | Buy Buy

The Love Kills Theory - Suicide Girls mp3

from Happy Suicide, Jim!

Machine-gun drumming and perfectly timed right-to-left-ear action are but two of the weapons in this NYC gang's well-stocked arsenal.

MySpace | Bandsite | Buy Buy

Black Whales

Black Whales - Young Blood mp3

from Origins EP, released last mo.

We dig the way they sound.

MySpace | Bandsite | Buy

lAPPINg up tHe sWIMMERs

tHe sWIMMERs - A Hundred Hearts mp3

from pEOPle aRe sOFt, due 3 Nov.

I mUSt cONFESs to eNJOYINg tHEIr lOWEr cASE/CAPITALs tHINg, tOo.

Thanks to Lauren at Sneak Attack Media.

And we're still enjoying this previously posted number.

tHe sWIMMERs -Pocketful of Gold mp3

MySpace | Buy

And He Made ME Do This

Hush Arbors - The Devil Made You High mp3

from Yankee Reality, due Tue.

MySpace | Bandsite | Buy

D.A.D.

This blast from the past certainly fluffs my pillows.

Another Beauty by The Voyces

The Voyces - Bye Bye mp3

Sure, I recently posted several by these retransplanted Californians, but I just received another by them, and it's quite neato, so I felt you'd want to hear it. Lord hep me if I'm wrong. Click "recently posted" to go to the earlier post for songs, info, and suchlike.

Music of the Sphere: Lush, Jellybricks, Sleepover Disaster, Spiritualized, Elastica, Superdrag, Traffic, Stones, Los Lobos, et. al. . . .

You probably can't (yawn) tell that I really should go beddy-bye, but I've just finished making the rounds of some faveblogs and simply must share the fruits of my peregrinations (which did indeed make me grin). Hope you like the pickins'.

Merzmars has, of course and as always, been munificent. Click and hear for yourself.

Lush - Ladykillers - Mars Needs Guitars
The Jellybricks - Nobody Else - Mars Needs Guitars
The Sleepover Disaster - Tremble & Don't Talk - Mars Needs Guitars
Spiritualized - Electricity - Mars Needs Guitars

Elastica - Stutter - Mars Needs Guitars
Superdrag - So Insincere & Do The Vampire - Mars Needs Guitars
Thurman - English Tea - Mars Needs Guitars
Spider Bags - Que Viva El Rocanroll - Mars Needs Guitars

But others haven't exactly been chinchy either.

Los Lobos - Will the Wolf Survive? - Barely Awake In Frog Pajamas
The Rolling Stones - Play With Fire - Barely Awake In Frog Pajamas
Karen O. And The Kids - All Is Love - AWMusic
Traffic - The Low Spark of High Heeled Boys - Star Maker Machine

Thanks, hosts! Mmwahh!

Golden Bloom Glows

Golden Bloom - E.H.M. mp3

Golden Bloom - Doomsday Devices mp3

from Fan the Flames

released 18 August

Thanks to Janelle Rogers at Green Light Go Publicity. Janelle was kind enough back in the early days of this little blogisode to let "us" post two songs by Golden Bloom frontperson Shawn Fogel. We've been grooving on them awhile now and kinda think you should, too. Janelle also let us post groovers by The Dilettantes, Terrene, and Static of the Gods. They're all still there, so hotchachá, peeps.

Shawn Fogel - Leaves, Corners, Stones mp3

Shawn Fogel - Dead Petals mp3

MySpace | Bandsite | Buy Buy

Chris Richards and the Subtractions: High Octane Additive

Chris Richards and the Subtractions - I Can't Quit Her mp3

Chris Richards and the Subtractions - I, Miss July mp3

from Motor City band's full-length debut

Sad Sounds of the Summer

on Gangplank Records

Yep, straight outta Detroit Pop City comes a debut model fully loaded with hook-laden powerpop. Thanks to bassist Todd for the keys. BTW, sometimes it's nice when an LP's misnamed, at least for this bloggerperson.

MySpace | Buy Buy

Girl Alliance

Girl Alliance - Frances and the Dancing Fairies mp3

from 3" CD-R split of Girl Alliance and The Librarians - Scroll down to #806.

via Cloudberry

I was hanging out at the fabulous Cloudberry Records site the other day and found many nice ones, including this. Go visit Roque and the gang. You'll be glad you did. (Maybe I've put too many links here to Cloudberry. Or maybe not enough. We'll probably never really know.)

MySpace | Buy