The Hot Five - September #2
- Written by Tom Fake
The Hot Five – My favourite new tracks of the week, usually rounded off with a classic, obscure or alternate track from my music collection.
Track of the Week: Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds – ‘Give Us A Kiss’
I think that Nick Cave has to be one of the most consistently fantastic artists on the planet. Not only have The Bad Seeds’ recent studio albums received great reviews across the board, but the band’s live performances are also held in extremely high regard. Cave’s latest project is the documentary film 20,000 Days On Earth, which depicts a fictitious 24 hours in the life of Nick Cave, and seamlessly blends performance and storytelling with emotional truths. Neither a music documentary nor a concert film, 20,000 Days On Earth contains not just electrifying performances, but also keen insights into the creative process. The songs from the award-winning feature 20,000 Days On Earth, including this, the fantastic ‘Give Us A Kiss’, will be available digitally from September 4 with a limited edition vinyl 10” to be released on November 10.
20,000 Days On Earth will be released on September 19.
Philip Selway – ‘It Will End In Tears’
Ramping up the anticipation of new album Weatherhouse, Philip Selway has released a new track, ‘It Will End In Tears’. It’s a succinct and well written song that shows the maturity of Selway’s solo songwriting. Weatherhouse was made in collaboration with Adem Ilhan and Quinta, who had previously performed in Philip's backing band. “From the outset,” Selway recalls, “we wanted the album to be the three of us, and we covered a lot of instruments between us. With a studio full of inspiring gear and a great-sounding desk, we felt like a band. Different musicians stretch you, and I felt stretched on Weatherhouse, but very enjoyably so.” Weatherhouse will be released on October 6 via Bella Union.
Spoon – ‘Rent I Pay’
Okay, so I’ve got to admit that I don’t really know a lot about Spoon. ‘Rent I Pay’ caught my attention after automatically coming on after the above Philip Selway track had finished playing on SoundCloud. The intro to the song made a big impression on me; it’s a classic bit of rock music with indie and blues overtones that is undeniably cool. ‘Rent I Pay’ is taken from the Texans’ eighth studio album, They Want My Soul, which was released in last month.
I think that Gene Simmons needs to give Spoon a listen.
The Fratellis – ‘Oh Scarlett’
I can’t believe it’s been a year since The Fratellis released their comeback album We Need Medicine. As a thank you to their fan base, the Scots have released a new three-track EP entitled The Soul Crush EP. ‘Oh Scarlett’ shows a slightly different side to the Fratellis; a slower tempo and a bluesy, laid back feel suit the vocal of Jon Fratelli in what is one of The Fratellis’ best songs to date. You can download The Soul Crush EP for free via The Fratellis website.
Hidden track of the week: The XX – ‘Crystalised’
I don’t think anyone ever needs an excuse to listen to ‘Crystalised’, The XX’s stunning debut single taken from their Mercury Music Prize winning album The XX. You can hear the atmospheric, minimalistic influence of The XX in many current bands, including London Grammar and Vancouver Sleep Clinic (a personal favourite of mine). With tracks of such quality and originality under their belt, it is easy to see why the sound of The XX is so influential to emerging artists. In May 2014 the band revealed that they were working on their third studio album, working with producer Rodaidh McDonald at the Marfa Recording Company studio in Marfa, Texas.
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