Singles Round Up 2023 – Part 9 – November/December

The last singles round up was bereft of any comments from me, damn having to work to pay the bills. I’m not going to make any New Years Resolution to be any more organised for 2024… I already know my schedule for January/February.

Anyway, here’s a smorgasbord of tunes for your delight and delectation.

Jo Carley & the Old Dry Skulls – Little Dead Lovin’

With another catchy spooky calypso melody from their latest album, I’ll Put My Voodoo on You, Jo Carley and the Old Dry Skulls continue to plough their gloriously unique furrow. Just try not to be taken by these captivating rhythms, you’ll be recreating the dinner table scene in Beetlejuice before you know it…

Jo Carley & the Old Dry Skulls

The Elegant Chasers – Running Around the Sun

Running Around the Sun, from the band who brought us Clowns and Car Salesman Smile, previously featured in single round ups, comes this huge riff laden behemoth of tune, a spirited uplifting melody but with a hint of melancholy suggested in the vocal and lyrics.

The Elegant Chasers

Mint Mind – Tiny Fingers

Having released one of my favourite singles of the year, Contemporary Jaguar. Mint Mind release another fuzzy guitar laden slice of soaraway alt guitar pop, with a dig at politicians and world leaders, particularity Trump (“tiny fingers so close to the button”), who are making a spectacular attempt at utterly fucking up this world.

Mint Mind

Johnnie Carwash – I’m a Mess

A two and a half minute romp of frenetic guitar pop energy, I’m a Mess is an anthem for those who manage to muddle through life regardless of the carnage of their life. I can relate…

Johnnie Carwash

The Rocket Kings – The Yellow Bird of Fortune

An up tempo feelgood tune that, as the song progresses and with the addition of a brass section and its dual vocals,it brings to mind the faultless melodies of The Beautiful South. No bad thing in my mind.

The Rocket Kings

Nouvelle Vague – Only You

The oft covered Yazoo classic, a Christmas hit for The Flying Pickets and featuring on Ghost Stories for Christmas, an Aidan Moffat classic that has been on heavy rotation in recent weeks, Only You gets the Nouvelle Vague treatment ahead of their 2024 tour.

Nouvelle Vague

The Lemonheads – Fear of Living

Another slice of melancholy in this round up as 90s US alt rock royalty, Evan Dando returns with The Lemonheads and an uplifting tune but with a pensive and downbeat lyric “life is short and unforgiving, I only fear the living”, a message which feels truer now than ever before.

The Lemonheads

Turning Black Like Lizards – Not Your Face

I’ve been looking forward to this song for a while and I’m glad to say it doesn’t disappoint, Not Your Face sits somewhere between Psychedelic Furs, Jesus and Mary Chain and The House of Love, the instrumentation shimmers and shines, topped by Andy’s understated near whispered vocal completing this atmospheric masterpiece.

Turning Black Like Lizards

Johny and the Dead Girls – The Buzz

Taken from the superb Dirty Fucking Rock n Roll EP, reviewed in full here

Johny and the Dead Girls

Feral Family – Deep Cuts

Dark and ominous, Deep Cuts is a heady mix as it swoops with menace as it roars and thunders to its conclusion.

Feral Family

Pete International Airport – Tic Tac

The brainchild of Peter Holmstrom of The Dandy Warhols, this cut features the silky smooth dreamlike vocals of Slowdive’s Rachel Gosling, giving a shoegaze vibe to this breezily hypnotic psychedelic trip.

Pete International Airport

The Joshua Hotel – Queer Holiday

Not to be mistaken for The Joy Hotel (who despite all the plaudits, I can’t seem to take to) Queer Hotel is a magnificently addictive cut of art-rock from their debut album coming next year on LNFG. The band’s overall sound fitting in with several bands currently setting the Scottish music scene alight in the form of Walt Disco, Lloyd’s House and Junk Pups.

The Joshua Hotel

Anna Secret Poet – Naked Statues

I can’t believe this is the first time I have featured Anna Secret Poet on these pages. This belter of a song is an ode to wishing to be a naked statue and yearning for a time of less prudishness, when the sight of a human nipple no longer brings gasps of offence and red faces of embarrassment. Its a human body, we all have one! In the 21st century we should all be on the side of body positivity and celebrating our differences.

Anna Secret Poet

Mannequin Pussy – Sometimes

FFO Miss June, Press Club, death Valley Girls and their ilk, Sometime is the third song to be lifted from their new album, I Got Heaven, coning in Spring 2024. Glorious soaring verses with a huge chorus where abrasive guitars crash and soar. The album should be a cracker.

Mannequin Pussy

J Mascis – Can’t Believe We’re Here

Talking of US alt rock royalty, you couldn’t wish for more than legendary Dinosaur Jr frontman J Mascis and his instantly familiar dulcet tones, instantly feeling like a warm verbal hug on this beautifully wistful single.

Dinosaur Jr

Chiara Berardelli – Rodeo

A delicate and sensitively delivered acoustic guitar based song backed with stirring strings and packing an emotive punch, Rodeo is lifted from the album Archaeology coming in 2024 on LNFG.

Chiara Berardelli

The Kaplans – Big Noise

Despite it being a difficult year personally and emotionally for The Kaplans, they are still banging out their big tunes. Big Noise is the first of two of such songs in this round up, Big Noise doing exactly as it’s title suggests with its constant hum and driving rhythm.

The Kaplans

Skunurt Ti Fuck – Age of Hate

With a band name that expresses how I feel much of the time, how could I ignore this? (I received a t-shirt for Xmas with the legend “Only Happy When Moaning”), Age of Hate feels like an accurate description of the global state of play as we edge even closer to a new year, with seemingly not much cheer to come in 2024.

Skunurt Ti Fuck

Gun – All Fired Up

Gun continue to do what they do so well on All Fired Up, Jules leading the charge on heavy chugging rock guitar riffs and Dante providing vocals in his own inimitable style

Gun

EMF – Hello People

Famous for their big beats and danceable indie rock in the form of Unbelievable and Children, among other boasts (pool balls anyone?), EMF exploded onto the music scene shining brightly, their name everywhere before they seemed to disappear as quickly as they arrived. They’re back now with songs like Hello People, with its sing-a-long chorus embedding itself firmly in your brain,.

EMF

Jonny Swift – She Said

With a sound akin to Sarah Records bands of the 80’s, this is twee indie pop through and through, jangly guitars, tambourine, sparing backing vocals…the works. Always a place for songs like this on my playlists.

Jonny Swift

Disco Mary – Made it Real Good

Disco Mary are determined to make you feel good on Make it Real Good, a soulful indie-dance vibe with a powerful vocal from Roisin McCartney.

Disco Mary

Performance Enhancing Suppositories

From the sublime to the totally off the nut crackers with William Isn’t Well from the quite obviously aff their heids Performance Enhancing Suppositories. Defies description.

Performance Enhancing Suppositories

spearmint – Older Cats 2

Older cats or older cats…. you chose. Whatever one you chose, spearmint have pulled out another cracker in the form of this single from their onec again sublime album This Candle is For You. Just remember, one day you’ll be an older cat too.

spearmint

Bottle Rockets – Limerence

It’s been a great year for Bottle Rockets winning the best rock/alternative act at the Scottish Alternative Music Awards. Their year ending single is the smouldering Limerence adding another quality tune to the wonderful Back Burn and Community Service.

Bottle Rockets

A Void – The Gutter

Two albums in from the French/London band, and new Gutter hints at a great third album to come.

A Void

The Red Stains – Jump the Met

The Red Stains create a boisterous feisty punk noise blending a variety of influences, including a sublime bassline that resembles a Jah Wobble groove, through to a snotty sneering fuck you vocal from Natalie.

The Red Stains

3 Our of Four – Nihilist

Full on pedal to the metal from the off, Nihilist takes no prisoners instruments crashing and melding together with ferocity.

3 Out of 4

Wings of Desire – Angels

Angels is both charmingly exquisite and slightly perturbing, like a darkly sinister lullaby causing nightmares that you secretly wish could come true.

Wings of Desire

The Plastic Youth – Clairo

Starting off as affecting ballad with soft gentle harmonies, Clairo suddenly bursts into a clamorous ball of electrically charged energy before returning to a sense of calm as the song delicately fades.

The Plastic Youth

The Scars – Meet the Swingers

When The Scars recently played a triumphant home town show in Edinburgh’s La Belle Angele, where songs like Horrorshow from their first time around went down a storm with the fervent crowd, new tunes, like this recent single Meet the Swingers received just as rousing a reception, new vocalist Tam Dean Burn bringing a different edge and sound to the band.

The Scars

Laetitia Sadier – Une Autre Attente

Stereolab founder member, Laetitia Sadier, announced the release of her latest long-awaited solo album (her first since 2017), Rooting for Love, due out early next year with this single in November.

Laetitia Sadier

Penny Mob – Addicted 

Those telly addicts unaquainted with the music of Penny Mob may recognise one of their members from elsewhere…as Ian in Two Doors Down. Jamie Quinn and co. recently released this emotive sweeping cinematic soundscape, affecting in its passionate delivery and dramatic arrangement. An easy add to the round up.

Penny Mob

Kate Clover- No More Romance

High octane garage rock channelling first wave of punk heroes The Clash, No More Romance is three minutes of pure punk rock energy hopefully signalling the release of a new album in 2024.

Kate Clover

def.fo – Autumn Leaves

Strings and a sweeping almost orchestral arrangement with country style guitars mixed with an indie pop aesthetic gives Autumn Leaves a distinct calming sound whetting the appetite for the album, Eternity.

def.fo

The Petal Falls – One of a Kind

The Petal Falls continue to release their bombastic 80s influenced bluesy/funk pop/rock singles, the latest of these in the shape of One of a Kind, which has me visualising a weird mix of Bruce Springsteen and Eric Carmen’s Hungry Eyes.

The Petal Falls

Imperial Wax – Less I Need

The latest release from a band, unsurprisingly based on the name, featuring ex- members of the longest serving line up of The Fall, is Less I Need, from new album Tranquilizer. The single has a discombobulating harshly incessant repetitive rhythm which has a knack of worming its way into your head and lodging itself there.

Imperial Wax

body/negative – Sleepy

Another strangely addictive hypnotic slice of minimalistic instrumentation mixed with effective baby gurgles and giggles, relaxing and soporific.

body/negative

Vampire Slumber Party – Best Buds

This’ll quickly wake you up again if you were nodding off to the relaxing sounds of body/negative as machine gun drumming and pop punk guitars introduce the arrival of Vampire Slumber Party (unintentional juxtaposition of songs) and their latest offering Best Buds.

Vampire Slumber Party

Frenchy and the Punk – Gear Geist

I recently featured Frenchy and the Punks thoroughly enjoyable cover of Siouxsie and the Banshees Cities in Dust. Gear Geist (translated as Gear Ghost) comes from their latest album Zen Ghost, the goth-tinged atmospheric more or less instrumental song features a video filmed in that most famous of goth destinations.

Frenchy and the Punk

Twat Union – UTI

Yes, if you read the song title and wondered, Twat Union’s debut single is exactly about what you thought it was, a no holds barred warts and all description of the impact of UTI’s. I bet you never thought you’d be walking around with these lyrics stuck in your head all day…

Twat Union

Parallels – Handle With Care (SLACKMACHINE remix)

Having been drawn to their gig in Nice n Sleazy by support band, Brenda, I’ve now become a fully paid up member of the Parallels fan club, and this recent Slackmachine remix of their single Handle With Care is as good a place as any for others unacquainted with their music to start. Back to the 80s with a vengeance. 12 inch remixes here we go.

Parallels

Minerva Wakes – Click

Another song from Minerva Wakes album Mirrored Moon reviewed here, now with added video…

Minerva Wakes

Garlands – Names

Hot on the heels of their previous single, Love is a Slowburn Sting, comes Names which with its laid back jangly guitars, sounds like it could be the bastard child of The Beatles and Gin Blossoms.

Garlands

Jesus and Mary Chain – jamcod

Hailing from just down the road from me, East Kilbride brothers Jim and William have a new album coming our way in 2024. The first song from this album Glasgow Eyes is jamcod which with its minimalistic sub Suicide electro synth arrangement has my appetite well and truly whetted for the album.

Jesus and Mary Chain

The Claudettes – No Matter How Much

The Claudettes continue, along with Giftshop and a league of others, to make me determined to reach US shores and tour around seeing all the bands that currently feel outwith my reach. Unfortunately with an 18th and a 21st coming 2024 won’t be that year. I’ll make do with songs like the dramatic arrangement of No Matter How Much in the meantime, showcasing new(ish) vocalist Rachel Williams.

The Claudettes

I, Doris – Do It Myself

This is another one that was in a previous round up, but there’s a video for it now too…

I, Doris

The Delines – Christmas in Atlantis

Probably a bit late now for Christmas (along with a few other tunes in this round up), but hey, you can add them to your Xmas playlist for 2024…

The Delines

IDLES – Grace

Second single from forthcoming album Tangk is a stripped back affair, “No Gods No Kings, I said Love is the Thing” sings Talbot as the band show their more raw and emotional side.

IDLES

Pete Astor – Amber Lights

Another master of the understated and moving heart-rending ballad, Pete Astor takes on Die Liga der gewöhnlichen Gentlemen’s Amber Lights and makes it his own, the refrain “its only amber lights at the traffic lights” seemingly a fitting metaphor for life. (This is a double A side 7″ with Die Liga der gewöhnlichen Gentlemen covering the Weather Prophets – Like Frankie Lymon.)

Pete Astor

Eels – Christmas Why You Gotta Do Me Like This?

Not the first Christmas song to be penned by the great Mark Oliver Everett, with the classic XFM It’s a Cool Cool Xmas compilation featuring Everything’s Gonna Be Cool This Christmas. As ever Everett has the ability to tug at the heart strings creating what is certain to be an annual staple on my Christmas playlists.

Eels

The Claudettes – Come Piano Shopping …

A little extra from The Claudettes, one of a series of their impromptu in store performances as they go piaono shopping…

The Claudettes

The Telescopes – In The Hidden Fields

Unfortunately I missed The Telescopes Glasgow gig earlier this year, The Telescopes last few releases have been astonishing, with the melodic hypnotic drone of this single continuing in a similar vein, Stephen Lawrie hitting a golden seam of creativity.

The Telescopes

Chemtrails – Join our Death Cult

If all cults had a soundtrack like this I’d be signing up for every Death Cult going, you can join the Chemtrails cult in January when they release their third album The Joy of Sects.

Chemtrails

The Dead South – A Little Devil

Another must have release coming in 2024 is album number 4 from The Dead South, Chains & Stakes. Banjo driven single A Little Devil is one of the tasters for this upcoming release.

The Dead South

Hotel Lux – The Carvery

Another one for your Christmas playlists, an ode to Nigella Lawson and a cynical derision of everything Christmas summed up in a visit to a carbery.

Hotel Lux

Hurtsfall  – December Snow

Another retrospective end of year/Christmas song, channelling, not the spirit of Jesus, but the spirit of Cocteau Twins and Joy Division.

Hurtsfall

Gates of Light – Make it Real

Another dazzlingly hypnotic swathe of sublime electropop of cinematic proportions from Gates of Light who can seemingly do no wrong at the moment. Here’s to more of the same in 2024.

Gates of Light

Fragile Gang – I Love All My Friends

The latest (and last) song to be released from their Summertime in the City album, I Love All My Friends is at the same time delicately alluring and exquisite, and utterly heartbreaking, such is the unfettered delivery.

Fragile Gang

The Kaplans – In Bits

Tune two in this roundup from the mighty Kaplans provides the gratifying deep rumble of bass, intense crashing riffs and gruffly warm vocals that I’ve come to love and expect form the band, who always come up with the goods.

The Kaplans

Molly Vulpyne – Dead in the Water

One half of The Vulpynes, Molly, who I do believe I will be manage to witness live with The Lee Harveys in 2024, releases a solo song with a dark thunderous vim and vigour that I would expect from part of the duo that released songs like Sister and Dye Me Red.

Molly Vulpyne

Big Girls Blouse – Scared of Men

Ok, so I’ve already featured this song in an earlier round up, but as one of my favourite songs of the year, why would I not want to feature it again as it now has a cracking video to go with it. Get along to see them live if you can. you won’t be disappointed

Big Girls Blouse

Dead Pony – About Love/Cobra 

Talking of featuring songs for a second time now they have video’s to go with them…. I’m looking forward to Ignore This, the band’s debut album in Spring of next year.

Dead Pony

Dancer – Chill Pill

I finally managed to get along to a gig by this lot recently, and I want to do it again soon. The again, and again. Definitely ones to watch for the future this song comes from their second EP, As Well. Available now on Bandcamp.

Dancer

I, Doris – Merry Menopause

Another band with two songs in this round up, and what is not to love about I, Doris? With songs very much about real life personal experiences, that while I can’t relate to, I can empathise with, the band are a welcome slice of light relief with a serious point in their lyrics.

I, Doris

Hannah Rose Platt – Wendingo Rag

If you cross Driving Home for Christmas with a bit of the survival story in Alive after a wrong turn and you’ve got the theme of this sinisterly comic Christmas song, that could easily have been recorded by The Cramps or the like.

Hannah Rose Platt

The Twisted Melons – Maybe it’s not the End of the World (23)

A re-recorded/re-released version of their 2012 Mayan Apocalypse conspiracy single, the addictive rhythms of this epic tune will have you up on your feet dancing and celebrating all that is positive in life despite the world seemingly collapsing around about our ears and nobody in power taking any action to stop it. Make this your Hogmanay anthem for 2023/4.

The Twisted Melons

Marianne Dissard – Mon Amie La Rose

Singer, songwriter, filmmaker, photographer… an artist in many ways, I’ve featured Marianne Dissard on these pages before, but it seems like its been a while since I’ve shared anything. Mon Amie La Rose is an atmospheric and affecting 2014 cover of the Francoise Hardy song, uncomplicated and beautiful, gentle acoustic guitar and showcasing Marianne’s impactfully plaintive vocal.

Marianne Dissard

Suck it and See Playlist

Fuck Spotify.

Buy music from the artists – downloads, cassettes, CDs Vinyl, or from independent record shops that support the artists. Buy merchandise from the bands – t-shirts, mugs, tote bags, badges. Go to their gigs.

I know this is counter-intuitive. If you must, use the playlist to check out the bands you like, then forget about it and buy from then bands direct.