Joy Division - Wilderness

I traveled far and wide through many different times
What did you see there?
I saw the saints with their toys
What did you see there?
I saw all knowledge destroyed
I traveled far and wide through many different times

I mentioned on Friday that I'd been in a deep dive with Joy Division - I just read Peter Hook (the bassist)'s memoir about those years of his career. (Unknown Pleasures: Inside Joy Division, highly recommend.)  I grew up honestly never listening to JD, besides "Love Will Tear Us Apart" and "Ceremony" - if you count that one. Big New Order fan but I was so young, and without internet, I didn't understand their punk roots, or take the time to look at what changed them... Well, fixed that! So, in honor of Hooky's great book, I picked not only a song off their first album, but also the track that has, as he wrote, "a bass line that every bass player dreams of." As a bonus, "Wilderness" is a cheeky, ironic (i.e. very Joy Division) choice for a Sunday morning.

RIYL: Buzzcocks, Echo & The Bunnymen, DIIV, Interpol, The Boxer Rebellion

The Polish Ambassador - Take Wing

Now here's an interesting track for your Saturday. It's an upbeat instrumental number from DJ/Producer David Sugalski, AKA The Polish Ambassador, and it could work either as a wake-up or a warm up. It's versatile like that. If you enjoy it, you'll probably dig the rest of his latest release, The Color of Flight, which mixes eclectic sounds, inventive melodies with some really sweet beats.

RILY: Beats Antique, Why?, Break Science, Pretty Lights

Upcoming Shows 

Depeche Mode - Little 15

Little fifteen
Why take the smooth with the rough
When things run smooth
It's already more than enough
She knows your mind
Is not yet in league
With the rest of the world
And its little intrigues
Do you understand
Do you know what she means
As time goes by
And when you've seen what she's seen
you will

Usually for TMIS, I try not to post the most popular of the classic alt tunes because we've all heard them thousands of times already. And with DM there are scores of not-singles or B-sides, and of course remixes that I love, making the unconventional choice still a smorgasborg. (But my other unwritten rule is to not post 8-minute-plus songs, so that cut it back down to size, ha!) Anyhow, I went with a track off of Music for the Masses, the 6th album and many critics fave, but a slow, steady, sweat song that I first heard when I was about 13... Ahhhh, Dave's voice back then! And now I have 15 & 13 year olds of my own, which is awesome and bittersweet. (And if this seems like a downer track for late July, buckle-up because I've been deep diving Joy Division lately...)

RIYL: You don't need me to do this for Depeche Mode, do you? But here's one anyway: Bastille

Upcoming Shows

Declan McKenna - Why Do You Feel So Down

So don't lie to me
I know I'm not as cool as I try to be
But why do you feel so down?
Again, I know I'm not a very good friend
Why do you feel so down?
Sure, that's not something I'd stick around for
Why do you feel so down?
Oh God, I know you think I'm safe and sound, I'm not
Why do you feel so down?

Declan finally released his full LP! This is the ninth track and I read it's one of the first he wrote/recorded. He's rather apologetic about it, claiming he was "a confused baby" when starting on the album and referring to this as "an almost pisstake dance tune" so I guess expect less of this mood going forward ha! But I think the sentiments here fit with all the rest we've heard from him so far - and he should cut himself a little slack, as I'm impressed with the thoughtfulness of his lyrics (speaking of all his songs collectively) and certainly don't mind if I can dance to them. 

RIYL: Sundara Karma, Lewis Del Mar, Day Wave, Atlas Genius

The Smith Street Band - Death to the Lads

Staying in a hotel full of pilots
I can't believe that they are smoking
If you mastered the art of flight
Why would you spend half your time choking?
Sleeping in a bedroom full of assholes surely means I am one too
And I wake up and I go walking
And I think the wrong thing about you

Melbourne's Will Wagner, the front man for The Smith Street Band reminds me a lot of Frank Turner, who is one of my all-time favorites, so that's saying something. He also reminds me a bit of Georgia "Maq" McDonald of Camp Cope, probably that pronounced accent. It's great. Their latest release, More Scared of You Than You Are of Me, which came out back in April, is a lot of fun. If you're into folksy punk rock (yeah that's a thing) they would be right up your alley.

RIYL: Billy Bragg, Frank Turner, Camp Cope, Gang of Youths

Upcoming Shows