The Indie Anthology 79: essential songs

This section has suffered another unfortunate, unwanted hiatus (hard for me to find the time to write) but that's about to change today! So, in order to return to form in our Anthology I just have chosen a blissfully gorgeous tune from a very dear band of mine, and connected (or at least I'd like to think so) with this humble Blog. Let´s go to back to Scotland with The Hermit Crabs!

Song: Correspondence Course
Artist: The Hermit Crabs
Year: 2008

Time flies! Almost a decade since Mel Whittle and Co. penned this melancholic indiepop gem (ten years since the band appeared with the lovely 'Feel Good Factor' EP. Can't lie the Belle and Sebastian and Camera Obscura comparisons drove me to them... but these shy & melancholic crustaceans were about to make their own space in this blogger heart. A close call between 'About You Before', the glorious, infinite guitar work of 'On the Spectrum', I finally opted for 'Correspondence Course'. I guess it's because of the lush arrangements, leaded by the mesmerizing violin and the tricky distorted, warped, fragmented guitar. Or, the knockout chorus. Or the quirky and, let´s face it, considering Mel's honeyed voice, pretty adorable lyrics including band name-dropping and flirtation around playing music, and yet a hint of reflection, dare I say disappointment towards the end. Like my dear The Very Most (the connection between Mel and Jeremy has provided us many amazing tunes) or Monkey Swallows the Universe (sadly extinct, but Nat Johnson keeps doing music wonders quite regularly) to just name three, The Hermit Crabs (or Melanie Whittle) are one of these modest, not putting any airs on them whatsoever, even unfairly sidestepped bands, that you can always rely on.

The Bloodbuzzed Jukebox Week 95

Back with another TOP TEN Jukebox! Despite being on vacation we don't miss the chance to bring you our last & favourite discoveries. This week, alongside our regular dose of new findings, we have prepared a playlist heavy on "old friends" and Blog long-time crushes. For starters, more Flying Nun sounds, the great return to action of Be Forest, followed by Charlie Darling from Les Bicyclettes de Belsize, plus another ace tune of Why We Love. But the main highlight is the special comeback of Monkey Shallows the Universe, with a new version of one of their greatest tunes. Pretty amazing, you'll hear. Happy holidays and remember: all songs are listed at our Soundcloud page (Join Us!).

Direct links to 2015 Jukebox playlists

Week 36  Week 37  Week 38   Week 39  Week 40  Week 41  Week 42 Week 43   Week 44  

Week 45  Week 46  Week 47   Week 48  Week 49   Week 50  Week 51   Week 52  Week 53   

Week 54   Week 55  Week 56   Week 57  Week 58  Week 59   Week 60 Week 61  Week 62 

Week 63  Week 64  Week 65  Week 66   Week 67   Week 68  Week 69   Week 70  Week 71  

Week 72   Week 73  Week 74   Week 75 Week 76   Week 77   Week 78  Week 79   Week 80

Week 81   Week 82   Week 83  Week 84  Week 85  Week 86   Week 87   Week 88  Week 89

Week 90   Week 91   Week 92  Week 93  Week 94

Best Three Song Streak on an Album

A very curious list was proposed yesterday by NME: to name the best three song streak on an album. Needless to say I was in. After all, to find "triplets" of songs is a funny way and a nice excuse to listen some favourite records, so here it is!

20. Camera Obscura- Biggest Blue Hi-Fi
Happy New Year/ Eighties Fan/ Houseboat
19. The National- Cherry Tree EP
All Dolled-Up In Straps/ Cherry Tree/ About Today
18. Fanfarlo- Reservoir
Comets/ Fire Escape/ The Walls Are Coming Down
17. Monkey Swallows the Universe- The Bright Carvings
Sheffield Shanty/ Martin/ Jimmy Down the Well
16. Interpol- Antics
Next Exit/ Evil/ Narc
15. Saint Jude's Infirmary- Happy Healthy Lucky Month
The Church of John Coltrane/ Remember Dresden/ Saint Jean (it could continue with Good-bye Jack Vettriano and Saint Jude's Infirmary, this record is so great)  
14. The National- Boxer
Slow Show/ Apartment Story/ Start A War
13. Teenage Fanclub- Grand Prix
About You/ Sparky’s Dream/ Mellow Doubt
12. Belle and Sebastian- If You're Feeling Sinister
Seeing Other People/ Me And the Major/ Like Dylan in the Movies
11. Doves- The Last Broadcast
Pounding/ Last Broadcast/ The Sulphur Man/ Caught By the River (couldn't decide the triplet, so here's a great quartet)
10. R.E.M.- Life's Reach Pageant
Begin the Begin/ These Days/ Fall On Me
9. PJ Harvey- Stories from the City, Stories from the Sea
Big Exit/ Good Fortune/ A Place Called Home
8. The National- Alligator
The Geese of Beverly Road/ City Middle/ Mr. November
7. U2- Achtung Baby
Ultraviolet/ Acrobat/ Love is Blindness
6. Beth Orton- Central Reservation
Stolen Car/ Sweetest Decline/ Couldn’t Cause Me Harm
5. Belle and Sebastian- Tigermilk
The State I Am In/ Expectations/ She’s Losing It
4. Bob Dylan- Blood On the Tracks
Tangled Up In Blue/ Simple Twist of Fate/ You’re A Big Girl Now/ Idiot Wind (I know that makes four again, so go think how amazing the record is)
3. The National- High Violet
Conversation 16/ England/ Vanderlyle Crybaby Geeks
2. U2- The Joshua Tree
Where the Streets Have No Name/ I Still Haven’t Found What I’m Looking For/ With or Without You
1. R.E.M.- Automatic for the People
Man On the Moon/ Nightswimming/ Find the River (which could easily be the most beautiful music ever made, if you ask me)