An ambient/minimal mix for a friend

Consumed by spring fever, Not Unloved compiled a mix for a friend. It's by no means the sort of overtly melodic pop music that usually gets posted here but if you're needing a lullaby, then it could be worth a spin. 

Tracklist and approximate timings:

1:  Intertoto - DSK8 (00:00)
2:  JJ + JS - 6am (05:46)
3:  Blackwater - L Line (09:08)
4:  Tacita Trjj - Non-Human Year (16:13)
5:  Deepchord w/ Convextion + cv313 - Vantage Isle (Spacecho Dub) (19:04)
6:  A New Line (Related) - Belle Ile En Mer Dub Night (Perfume Advert Remix) (21.59)
7:  Unearth Noise - Sleep Well, Sweet Friend (26:07)
8:  Hollie Kenniff - Shifting Winds (31:56)
8:  Seefeel - Industrious (36:04)
9:  Oliver Coates - Caregiver Part 2 (4am) (42:39)
10: Marlene Ribeiro - Toque No Sol (48:19)
11: Mary Lattimore - Princess Nicotine (53:59)
12: O Yuki Conjugate - Discrepant (57:48)
13: Dania - Whale Song (1:00:53)
14: Princes Diana of Wales - Fragments of Blue (1:04:44)
15: HTRK - Kiss Kiss and Rhinestones (Eurodance version) (1:08:27)

The Fenians "Got A Feeling" (Dee Gee Records)

Recently, a post on Not Unloved made reference to 'rummaging on discogs for affordable 60s bangers '. A recent example of the riches to be had is "Got A Feeling" by The Fenians (Dee Gee, 1966). Despite costing less than a tenner for a near mint copy, it's absolutely one of my fave 60s janglers. It's so chirpy, romantic and wholesome that it can't fail to lift the mood whenever it plays. There's something incredibly endearing about the big showbiz ending, too. The Fenians only made one 45 so I'm glad they really went for it to the best of their abilities. I'll bet that in 1966 they could've had no idea that nearly 60 years later a middle-aged bloke in Scotland would be playing it on repeat and (ill-advisedly) singing along. What a lovely legacy.

Avalon Emerson "Sandrail Silhouette"

A week off work means more opportunities to listen to the radio whilst doing mundane tasks. Easily the most enjoyable new track to alleviate the boredom of hanging-up the laundry is Avalon Emerson's "Sandrail Silhouette". I think it's safe to say that it'll find broad appeal among fans of late period Cocteau Twins and their 4AD label-mates of the early 90s, the majestic Ultra Vivid Scene (those guitars at the start are a dead ringer for something UVS would've done). Emerson's vocals are so lovely and really cut through on the radio. I see a fair amount of folks bemoaning the fact that BBC 6Music is 'not what it used to be' or is 'too mainstream now' but as long as presenters like Nemone are giving airtime to music as pretty as "Sandrail Silhouette", I'll happily turn the dial in its direction whenever there's a spare half hour that would benefit from being sound-tracked by someone other than me.

Senza Di Te

"Feel A Whole Lot Better" by The Byrds is rightly considered one of the finest pop tunes of the 1960s. It also features Not Unloved's favourite guitar solo ever. A solo which I've been accurately, but smugly, referring to as 'a ceilidh in 30 seconds' for more than three decades. One of Not Unloved's most cherished gig memories is seeing Sid Griffin with his post-The Long Ryders group The Coal Porters absolutely nailing a rendition of it at Glasgow's King Tut's Wah Wah Hut sometime in the early 90s. Sublime stuff! Whilst rummaging on discogs for affordable 60s bangers recently, I spied an Italian language version by Swiss beat group Les Sauterelles which appeared on the b-side of one of the issues of their excellent "Routine" single. It's a little less refined than the original but makes up for that through the sheer attack of the performances. Unfortunately, at around 500 GBP for a near mint copy, it's the very opposite of an 'affordable 60s banger' so Not Unloved will have to make do with significantly increasing the view count on the clip, below.

Pachyman feat. Samira Winter "All Night Long"

If the weather forecast is to be believed, the final week of February 2023 looks set to be sunny and dry in Glasgow so it is only right that Not Unloved's listening should reflect this. First on the turntable today was the spacious, languid lovers rock of Pachyman's "All Night Long" (ATO, 2022) which features an endearingly sweet vocal from Los Angeles-based Brazilian singer Samira Winter that had Not Unloved scurrying to dig out those untouchable Em Records Brenda Ray LPs and CDs from a few years ago. It was also a welcome nudge to give Winter's more recent releases a listen. Spring's nearly here!

Glas-Goes Pop! 2023: another indiepop happening

2022's inaugural Glas-Goes Pop! was a real blast brimming with bands operating at the top of their games e.g. The June Brides (holy smokes - if that was, as claimed on the night, their last ever show, what a way to bow out!). At the time it felt like it would most likely be a one-off so it was a genuine thrill when it was announced a little while ago that there would, in fact, be a 2023 edition this July (28th/29th). As with last year's shebang, the line-up is great with big names like Go-Betweens legend Robert Forster and Belle & Sebastian's Stevie Jackson sharing billing with Sarah Records greats Even As We Speak (they were so great at The Old Hairdressers 5 years ago!) and, excitingly, The Luxembourg Signal. With members of The Luxembourg Signal calling San Diego and Los Angeles home, I'd consigned them fairly and squarely to the Bands I'll Never See Play Live In Glasgow file so it was a real joy when their name was announced. I'm doing some heavy duty Noel Edmonds-style cosmic ordering to ensure that they play this moody masterpiece:

The full line-up so far is:

Robert Forster
Stevie Jackson and Friends
BMX Bandits
Even As We Speak
The Luxembourg Signal
Birdie
Jeanines
U.S. Highball
McCookerybook & Rotifer
The BV's

Roll on July! Get the full scoop by following the links below:

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> Tickets 

These Things

Every year I listen to "Wish" by Bristol's blistering bliss merchants Flying Saucer Attack at worrying volume to see if it remains the most exhilarating piece of music ever to rub sandpaper on Not Unloved's gig tenderized eardrums. I'm happy to report that it does, indeed, retain its crown. There are so many great FSA tracks spread across the group's albums and singles but one of the prettiest doesn't appear on one of their main releases but on a compilation 45 included with the German Hayfever magazine in 1996:

Dave Pearce's voice has seldom been gentler and the acoustic guitar is so lightly played that it almost out-gentles some of the most adorably twee music of the 90s. Of course, being a Flying Saucer Attack song it eventually gets overwhelmed by the group's trademark hovering feedback and distortion. Copies of the 7" are very cheap on discogs so my advice is: get while the getting's good!