Deuxieme Podcast, by Toad
Yes, another one. Mwah hah haaa. Lock up the kids, Campfires & Battlefields, because the Song, by Toad musical cuss-o-rama is back on air for more blethering, swearing, slurring and first class tunery.
Actually, I don’t think this one is anything like as good as the first, if I’m honest. It’s a bit over-long at fifteen songs so I think in future I’m going to limit myself to ten or twelve at the most, not least because my shitbox of a computer starts having a panic once I’ve stuffed that many audio files into a single project. So, fifteen songs then, with a bit of an emphasis on late 80s jangly indie guitar and containing one of the most brilliant ever drunken fuck-ups about three-quarters of the way through. Beware the horrors of letting your children turn into indie kids, people! So a bit too long, and occasionally too much inconsequential chatter, but we live and learn and the next one will be better, I promise.
Toadcast #2, the 80s English Indie One
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1. My Teenage Stride – Terror Bends (01.00)
2. Honeytrap – Let’s Do Naked Dancing (03.37)
3. The Mutton Birds – The Queen’s English (09.38)
4. The Veils – The Wild Son (17.38)
5. The 63 Crayons – Devils (21.40)
6. The Smiths – I Started Something (26.05)
7. Honeytrap – Death Before the Silver Screen (31.03)
8. Lloyd Cole & the Commotions – Morning is Broken (36.14)
9. The Indelicates – New Art For the People (41.57)
10. The Indelicates – Stars (45.51)
11. MJ Hibbett & the Validators – The Lesson of The Smiths (50.32)
12. The Specials – Guns of Navarone (55.02)
13. Echo & the Bunnymen – The Killing Moon (57.20)
14. Honeytrap – Mussolini’s Son (66.06)
15. Frank Turner – Heartless Bastard Motherfucker (73.25)
And now the little ones are safely off to bed with a kiss and a glass of warm milk (generously laced with benadryl) to speed them on their way. For this is Daddy time; this is the time for riffage liberally interlaced with some hard Anglo-Saxon consonant sounds and the juice of the sweet juniper berry. This is Toadcast time.
I hate to start this off by disagreeing with you, but I thought this cast was a sight better than last week’s. No offense to last week’s of course, but it’s just that I find late-80s-style English jangle pop to be, well, priapic. And therefore here I sit, in a darkened house where everyone but me is sleeping, my face dimly illuminated by the light of the monitor, just listening… Frankly the only thing that separates me from a sticky-handed pornhound is that I haven’t yet reached for the Wesson. But for how long?
Oh yes! The podcast! Well, it was just fucking top notch I must say. Now Honeytrap I DO like (still working on the Sequins), and I’m pretty sure I’d have had no idea those three tunes were by the same band if you hadn’t said so. I liked “Stars” by the Indelicates very much as well, especially the slightly demented string arrangements. And the Killing Moon is always a treat, even if it’s not quite the greatest song ever penned as Ian McCulloch still tends to assert without a hint of irony. I’ve been wracking my brain and I’ve decided that My Teenage Stride don’t really sound like anyone from the late-80s period; instead, they sound like everyone from that period. A bit of Sarah Records twee here, a dash of choppy finger-bleeding Gedge jangles there. But the extra ingredient is love. There are a few other bands in the UK (aren’t My Teenage Stride from New Jersey or some such place?) that strike me the same way: Decoration and The Lodger are two that I’ve been obsessing about most lately.
Sorry to hear about Fopp. I’m from the States, so I had never heard of it until your post from the other day. Sad to hear. I used to buy all my CDs second hand in some shops around here (near Washington DC) but most of them have closed now. It’s pretty much on-line shopping for me these days.
Oh, and I’ll have you know I’m raising my boys the right way. I’ve taught them water safety, for example, by explaining to them that if they ever go swimming drunk and fully dressed by night in the Mississippi River they’ll end up like Jeff Buckley. My oldest’s favorite tune is Magic Bus, and the youngest (he’s 4) likes Song 2 by Blur just now. Woo Hoo!
Cheers, and can’t wait for next week’s.
Another excellent podcast, Mr. Toad.
Er, I hate to be a picky bastard, but you have listed ‘The Killing Moon’ as ‘The Cutter’ on your tracklisting.
Thanks for introducing me to My Teenage Stride and Honeytrap
Ed
Yes indeed, My Teenage Stride are from that part of the world somewhere. I’d intended to mention it at the time, but clearly wasn’t quite as organised as I thought.
I’m glad you can’t quite pin them down either because, as I said, they’re definitely of that era but damned if I can tell who they specifically remind me of.
Cheers Ed, what I muppet I am.
And did you all notice how I inexplicably felt the need to helpfully inform everyone that Atlanta is in America too? Wonderfully boneheaded, but I decided not to go back and correct it.
Oh, and thanks for the pointers C&B – I’ve never heard of those two, but I’ll go and check them out right away.
Decoration’s got some great tunes. I recommend Escape Routine, Intercom, Pavey Ark, and Every Dog Has Its Day in particular. Merz posted about them back in March or April and that’s where I first heard of them. For the Lodger I’d recommend Let Her Go and Waiting. Any of these songs would have fit nicely on this podcast.
“english late 80′s jangly pop theme”.
you might want to work on your theme names.
Oi – took me ages to come up with something as snappy as that!
Love it, Matthew. You’ve inspired me. I’m working on one. Will have it up as soon as I finish the new site.
Very good indeed – although very costly – went to buy the Veils album and ended up buying another five – so much for the internet killing the music industry !!!
Triumph – thanks very much! I love that second Veils album. The first is patchy, but Nux Vomica is brilliant.
You said the word Fuck, 24 tmes……………………………………………………………………na i’m not that sad…..Excellent podcast once again, i think Honeytrap might be my new favourites, i also like that track by The Mutton Birds, good work.
The Indelicates are super good, great lyrics to !!
If it was as little as 24 I would consider that an achievement.
I am really looking forward to The Indelicates and Honeytrap gracing us with albums this year, assuming they both do of course. It all looks so promising so far!
yup!