act 2: some songs, some words absout the songs



sultry, slow, jazz-tinted lounge with threatening, portishead overtones that may strike some as a little too laid back but feels to me like an aural massage with an edge of frisson, melanie de biasio’s ‘the flow’ is a rich delight indeed:


the new album ‘no deal’ with it’s scott walker-like cover is out april 28th

this next amorphous beauty was brought to my attention by the marvelous chris besinger of one of my favourite bands STNNNG. It’s a collaboration between alex chilton of big star/the box tops and alan vega of suicide made back in 2002 called 'cubist blues'. for real. is it great? is it terrifying? you know the answer to both questions.


“that’s cool alex” says vega. he’s damn right. vega’s shuddering elvisisms and chilton’s random chord strikes create a menacing atmosphere that flirts with tunefulness but ultimately ends up going home and fucking The Void. far out.

chris besinger messaged to say: "W/r/t "Cubist Blues" it actually came out in 1996, about the peak of my obsession with all things Alan Vega. I recall my friend Matt & I trying to figure out if it was the actual Alex Chilton, it seemed so weird and unlikely. This was all pre-internet and information was murky at best. The record was released to zero fanfare, but it's one that my opinion of has really grown over the yrs. The 2002 reissue has a live recording that's worth tracking down as well."


next up are a real treat of a bratpop band from cincinatti called the tweens. led by 21-yr old bridget battle (hey why not, I know a guy whose surname is death) they’ve toured with breeders and are readying their debut album for release on french kiss on april 7th. the few songs I’ve heard are ALL killer – buzzing, fizzing hits every last one of ‘em, like sucking up a bag of pop rocks into a mouthful of cherry coke. that good.

here’s the video for be mean which boasts some serious r stevie moore vibes:


get that chorus right in you then head here for more ting:


london’s omi palone sound a little bit like the chills so they win for me – tuneful, sometimes droning punk with upfront raggedy riffs and fall-apart drums. this is the first I’ve heard of them but they’ve got hooks, they like the same gear as me and this is a free download for you:


check out tour dates and what-not here:


are you liking what you hear? am i hearing what i should? let me know xm