This day 52 years ago – 20 December 1969 – THE STONES topped
the UK album charts with their 10th LP LET IT BLEED . Their first
with guitarist Mick Taylor who replaced the late Brian Jones.
Front cover
Back cover
20 December 2021
Artist: JODIE LANGFORD
Who: A swirling wordsmith from the Hull / East Yorkshire area
Single: I MISS IT
Produced: by Endoflevelbaddie
“A stream of consciousness monologue that expresses all those ‘in the
moment’ thoughts and feelings which make us human – elements that
have been sorely missed throughout the last 18 months of lockdowns
and social restriction.”
With this bouncy and groovy electro-rap salvo, echoing Mike Skinner’s
The Streets, young poet rapper Jodie Langford reflected the freedom
and socialising restricting sentiments millions of young people around
the tormented globe experienced since that vicious virus reared its ugly
head and turned everybody’s lives upside down in the end.
And the battle is not over yet. For nobody, young and old.
We need to make the best of it, there’s no other way.
So, why not play this pump-up-the-jam house stomper
on Xmas and hop around the tree like a drunk Santa.
Shake your booty to the debut single of 2021 right here…
You can buy the track via Bandcamp…
19 December 2021
ON RESISTANCE STREET is a 90-minute documentary, in production now.
It is a powerful, no-holds-barred portrait of the contemporary cultural zeitgeist,
featuring contributions from many renowned artists musicians, writers, filmmakers
and activists. The release is planned for Summer 2022.
It examines the socio-political legacy and impact of The Clash and other artists, upon
a whole generation of young people in the late 1970s and how all that manifested into
a collective stance against racism and prejudice.
In reflecting on the societal stances of such artists, it then establishes how right-wing politicians and commentators have now attempted to blatantly appropriate The Clash
and other radical artists, for their own political ends.
The film features vintage footage, original photography shot on location in Britain,
Ireland and America and innovative dramatised scenes, portraying key moments in
the storyline. An original soundtrack of contemporary protest songs by affiliated
bands and artists will also be released as a CD-DVD album.
Here’s the high-voltage trailer…
THE CLASH: Website
Daily electricity to load your batteries
19 December 2021
Band: SHATTERCONES
Who: Politically outspoken rock outfit from London
This 4-piece signed for one of the best EPs of 2021 with
This Sceptic Isle. An astounding 4-track exploit. You can
read Turn Up The Volume‘s review here.
Before saying goodbye to another frustrating pandemic year
Shattercones recorded a notable version of an old popular hymn
called THE BLEAK MIDWINTER based on a poem by English writer
Christina Rossetti (1830-1894) commonly performed as a traditional
Xmas carol.
“The song is a warped but soothing missive for those who prefer their
Christmas tunes with a slice of Brexit canapés and some homemade
rocket fuel.”
It sounds distressed and ghostly, chilling and sad.
Another winter of discontent in Brexit-England.
Here’s the Lynchian video clip…
SHATTERCONES: Facebook
19 December 2021
Band: ANIMAL COLLECTIVE
Who: Trippy electro-pop act from Baltimore, Maryland
Active: Since 2003 / 11 studio LPs (including new one)
New album: TIME SKIFFS
Out: 4th February 2022 – more info here
(Artwork LP)
“Time Skiffs’ nine songs are love letters, distress signals, en plein air observations, and relaxation hymns, the collected transmissions of four people who have grown into relationships and parenthood and adult worry. But they are rendered with Animal Collective’s singular sense of exploratory wonder. Harmonies so rich you want to skydive through their shared air, textures so fascinating you want to decode their sorcery, rhythms so intricate you want to untangle their sources. Here is Animal Collective’s past two decades, still in search of what’s next.”
Singles/clips…
– PRESTER JOHN –
– WALKER –
ANIMAL COLLECTIVE: Facebook
What Turn Up The Volume is playing/watching between coffees
Meg and Jack produced whipped up blues-rock waves around the globe
as THE WHITE STRIPES between 1997-2011 with 6 topnotch albums, searing
gigs (I know, I was there) and some glorious video clips for singles, like this
one for The Hardest Button To Button from their 2003 album Elephant.
Roll the tape, folks…
THE WHITE STRIPES: History – All Albums
Back in time
1.’Nebraska’ by BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN
Released: 30 September 1982 – his 5th LP
Charts: #3 in the US and in the UK
Pitchfork: “To put on Nebraska and hear its world of
echo is to enter a dream. As Bruce Springsteen’s songs go,
these are very good ones, but their true meaning came out
in the presentation. It’s an essential record in the history
of home recording“. Score: 5/5.
TUTV: Minimal sound, maximal effect.
Stream here…
.
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2. ‘A Kiss In The Dreamhouse’ by SIOUXSIE AND THE BANSHEES
Released: 5 November 1982 – their fifth LP
Charts: #11 in the UK
NME said: “A Kiss in the Dreamhouse is a feat of imagination scarcely
ever recorded. It’s breathtaking. Somehow, a bold assurance of intention
has met with a hunger for experimenting with sound to expand an already
formidable group of songs into pure, open-minded ambiguity.” Score: 4/5.
TUTV: Suzy and her Banshees at their very Gothic best with
Slowdive as one of their all-time classic singles (to my ears).
Stream here…
.
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3. ‘Junkyard’ by THE BIRTHDAY PARTY
Released: 10 May 1982
The band’s second and final LP
AllMusic: “Scuzzy masterpiece, its art/psych/blues/punk
fusion taken to at times outrageous heights. Nearly every
tune is a Party classic one way or another.” Score: 3/5.
TUTV: The BP accomplished its mission: self-destruction.
After this schizophrenic blast, they went down with
a clashing crash.
Stream here…
.
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4. ‘Miami’ by THE GUN CLUB
Released: 20 September 1982 – second LP
Produced by Blondie’s Chris Stein
AllMusic: “Miami was given a rough go when it was issued for
its production. But in the bird’s-eye view of history its songs stack
up, track for track, with Fire of Love and continue to echo well
into this long good night.” Score: 4.5.
TUTV: Punk blues at its fervent best.
Stream here…
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5. ‘Upstairs At Eric’s by YAZOO
Released: 20 August 1982 – debut LP
Charts: #2 in the UK
Melody Maker said: “An album of rich, dark passion, forever
burying the hoary old moan that electronics and synthesizers
will never be any good because they don’t have a button on
the front that says ’emotion'”.
TUTV: Big voice, big tunes, big synth thrills.
Stream here…
.
6.’Combat Rock’ by THE CLASH
7. ‘Imperial Bedrrom’ by ELVIS COSTELLO
8. ‘New Gold Dream’ by SIMPLE MINDS
9. Fourth Drawer Down by THE ASSOCIATES
10. ‘Too Rye Ay’ by Dexys Midnight Runners
Daily electricity to load your batteries
18 December 2021
British veteran electro-rap-punk duo SLEAFORD MODS unleashed their
11th LP Spare Ribs at the beginning of this year, gaining a lot of praise
from the press.
To stir up up the festive carols season Jason Williamson and Andrew
Fearn (member since 2012) play around with dancefloor filler DON’T GO,
the biggest hit of early 80s synth-pop duo Yazoo (featuring Vince Clarke
co-founder of Depeche Mode and powerful soul voice Alison Moyet).
Okay, folks, here we don’t go…
The original cracker…
SLEAFORD MODS: Facebook
