All The Young Dudes Bearing The Strange Fruit Bug Will Never Understand The Wish Defense Forever Held By The Solitary Individual

A seemingly random selection of new singles and videos released in the past week or so, song titles stitched together to provide possibly Dubhed's longest and most meaningless post header yet!

Starting things off is Pet Shop Boys with their cover of All The Young Dudes. A shame that the You Tube simply credits it as "Song by Bowie" and makes no mention of Mott The Hoople's version, which let's face it will remain the definitive and the best. 

This isn't even the first time I've posted PSB covering this song. At the end of August, I posted a Dubhed selection of BBC Radio 2 Piano Room sessions, with Neil and Chris nestling between Sharleen Spiteri and Dave Gahan. 

I'll be honest, I prefer the Piano Room session (and the Richard X remix) over the James Ford-produced single version and the video is a bit predictable and bland, compared to the usual PSB fare. I would have picked the superior double A side, New London Boy, but they haven't got around to releasing a video for that yet. 

Laibach are no stranger to the cover version, often beating out and fashioning surprising and new metallic shapes from songs by The Beatles, Bob Dylan, Europe, Juno Reactor, Opus, Prince, Queen and The Rolling Stones. This time it's Strange Fruit, interpreted over the years by UB40, Siouxsie & The Banshees, Tori Amos, The Twilight Singers and Bettye Lavette. 

None (apart from Nina Simone) quite capture the power of Billie Holiday's original version, but Laibach's version is unexpectedly...well, delicate is not the right word, sympathetic, maybe. 

Just Sašo Vollmaier on piano, Luka Jamnik (unseen) on "effects and electronics" and Milan Fras' unmistakable voice (though looking alarmingly like Robert Carlyle's twin brother in the video). The pummelling chords and Fras' growling gargle of the song's final word ('crop', in case you're wondering) leave an impression that lingers long after the song has ended. The song's lyrical theme and message are sadly no less relevant now than when it was first published as the poem Bitter Fruit in 1937. 

Fontaines D.C.'s penchant this year for single word single titles accompanied by great videos continues unabated with Bug, springing out from the album Romance, which came out in August but I still haven't got around to buying yet. 

The video is essentially a three-and-a-half minute re-edit of Andrea Arnold's latest film Bird, released in the UK & USA on Friday (8th). Bug is the name of the character played by Barry Keoghan. It's a good song, elements reminding me of Echo & The Bunnymen and New Order in their more 'rock' moments.

After a memorable live set in Bristol in the summer, Sam Morton (the band) is back with a new song, Never Understand. Not a cover of The Jesus & Mary Chain, sonically it's firmly rooted in the 90s, dare I day some of the outlier trip hop artists such as Mulu or Mono and possibly other acts beginning with 'M'. 

 

Samantha Morton (the actor)'s vocals are a step up from the debut album, perhaps a confidence that's come from honing her craft live on stage. If this is a nod to what may be coming next, then I look forward to Sam and co's future music. Engaging performances from Safia Oakley-Green and Conrad Kahn in the video, too.

I have to admit that before coming across the video for Wish Defense, I had never heard of FACS or the band that preceded them, Disappears. However, I will be checking out their back catalogue on the strength of this song. 

Wish Defense is the title track of FACS' forthcoming album (their sixth, I think) due in February. The song gets straight down to business with some angular bass, drums and guitar, Brian Case's vocals coming in bang on the one-minute mark, ramping up the urgency of the band's performance for the remainder of the song. Nothing ground breaking perhaps, but I'm intrigued enough to want to listen to more. 

The band perhaps wisely excuse themselves from the video and leave the heavy lifting to Megan Paradowski's choreography, which is mesmerising. Great stuff all round.

Dialling right back to an almost glacial pace, is Jon Hopkins with Forever Held, a collaboration with Ólafur Arnalds, written for NASA and employing a full orchestra. 

One of the first reactions to the 3:21 video on YouTube is that "There should be a law enforcing Jon Hopkins tracks to be at least six minutes long." 

This is the 'extended version', mate, the single release on Bandcamp is 2:38!

But I get the point. Jon Hopkins at his best creates deep, achingly beautiful music and whilst it's astonishing that he manages to deliver a complete and satisfying journey in two or three minutes, I could easily listen to a twenty-odd minute version of this. Unless it's incorporated into the opening of the new Coldplay album (true).

There's only one way to follow that and it's with another cracking single and video from Du Blonde. Solitary Individual the song features Laura Jane Grace - Du Blonde's previous single featured Skin from Skunk Anansie to similarly great effect - and it's another scuzzy punk pop earworm. 

Beth Jeans Houghton wrote, performed and produced the song and directed, animated and edited the video. The YouTube posting includes Beth's brilliant acerbic lyrics, so that you can learn them and sing along, annoying your family in the process (if Clan K is any measure).

If like me, you want to buy the digital versions, all of today's featured singles are available on Bandcamp. The only exception is Pet Shop Boys, but you can easily find New London Boy/All The Young Dudes elsewhere, in a variety of edits and remixes. 

Movies, Memories, Mullets And Mohicans

On Monday, Fontaines D.C. dropped a second teaser from forthcoming fourth studio album Romance.

 

Favourite closes the album and it's possibly their most poppy effort yet. It's the first song of theirs that prompts me to think of The Chameleons, if they had decided in the mid-80s to make a conscious decision to crack the UK Top 40 singles chart. Grian Chatten sings over a jangly guitar line that evokes that era's perfect indie meld of melancholy and euphoria, with harmony lines and uptempo rhythm driving the song along. 

The video's a treat, too, mostly made up of snippets of family home videos, interspersed with the band having fun in Madrid. Starting off with (I guess) a young Grian singing the Nativity song Rat A Tat Tat before coming to a halt with "I don't know the rest", there's a rapid fire of nostalgic images before settling on the adult Grian in a Spanish skate park, strumming an acoustic guitar and singing, "Did you know I can claim the dreamer from the dream?" 

Quite a contrast from previous (but no less excellent) single Starburster.

But those Mullets and Mohicans, lads...! Whether ironic, post-modern or just a genuine attempt to reclaim history's most horrific hairstyles, it's 'nil points' from me.

 

Fontaines D.C. will be playing at Glastonbury next Friday, headlining The Other Stage. As a longtime armchair audience member, I don't need to suffer the anguish and conflict that IDLES are performing simultaneously on The Park stage as hopefully both sets will be available on BBC iPlayer.

   

Version On The Extreme

Sorry, a bit later than usual posting this, due to a Clan K excursion last night and a bit of a lie-in this morning. A warning: this is a big one,  you might need a Thermos flask and packed lunch to get you through.

 

Oh, this is difficult. Even trying to nail down some of my favourite versions - covers, remixes and reimaginings - of 2023 has proved to be an insurmountable task.

Therefore, I've picked out just 23 listed alphabetically by artist. Some I've been enjoying for many months, one in particular (The Woodentops) was a last minute addition, having belatedly discovered it via Swiss Adam's year end run down at Bagging Area.

Strap in, there's a wild ride ahead!

Jango Mango: Ademarr & Joseeph

 

EP released via Roam Recodings in July, featuring the original version plus standout remixes from Darlyn Vlys and Iñigo Vontier.

 

Tender (Cover of Blur): The Anchoress

For the past year or so, Catherine Anne Davies released a cover version per month, available for a limited time on Bandcamp. Many of them were subsequently collected for this year's excellent Versions album. 

Tender, originally released in 2021, didn't make the album cut but it did get a physical release in April, as the third of a series of limited edition EPs. The EP has long since sold out and the song has vanished from t'internet. To give you a taste of how good it is/was, here's an extract (KF) (Mega).

Gorgeous, isn't it?

Njalo: Cee ElAssaad ft. Bongi Mvuyana

Morrocco meets South Africa with stunning results. Njalo has been burning a hole in my speakers since February and comes in three versions: the original full vocal, dub and instrumental; all superb.

 

 

Yeah x 3: David Holmes ft. Raven Violet 

I could have picked any of David's singles, whether with Unloved or Raven Violet, as highlights of the year, to be honest. Yeah x 3 was released in November, with a diverse range of remixes from Panda Bear & Sonic Boom, Jordan Nocturne, X-Press 2 and a couple of beauties from Gary Irwin aka The Vendetta Suite.

 

  

Rusalkas (Transglobal Underground RMX): DjClick & Masha Natanson

 

I was down a specific Transglobal Underground rabbit hole, which led me to the Violins Against Bombs RMX album, featuring 10 reworks of the original 2022 album by TGU along with Fluo Sobre, Rafael Aragon, Dunkelbunt, MiRET and Recycler. Now available as a name your price/free download, so what have you got to lose?

 

 

Unchanged (GLOK Remix): Dot Allison

Dot Allison meets Andy Bell on a dub excursion that evokes yet avoids mimicking the majesty of One Dove. Released in June and a perfect companion piece to their respective releases this year.

 

 

Other Skies: Electric Blue Vision

 

As mentioned in yesterday's post, Sean Johnston and Duncan Gray have been on fire this year with standalone remixes and releases. However, when they come together as Hardway Bros Meet Monkton Uptown, the listener is in for a dub excursion par excellence.  

 

Other Skies, the second single by Electric Blue Vision by Emilia Harmony and Jesse Fahnestock, broke cover in November, the sublime original also channeling the spirit of One Dove. The remixes took the song in wildly different directions, all worth the trip.

 

  

Confessions Of An Ageing Party Girl: Emily Breeze

 

A 2020 single and highlight of this year's Rapture album, March saw the release of a remix by Massive Attack's Daddy G (Grant Marshall) and Robot Club (Stew Jackson). Not available on Bandcamp but available through most of the usual places. 

 

If you're a regular visitor to the essential music blog No Badger Required - and if you aren't, I urge you to start right now - then you'll have spotted that I referenced it over there as my track of 2023. Thanks, SWC!

 

Cello Song (Cover of Nick Drake): Fontaines D.C.

I was slow to listen to Fontaines D.C.'s second album Skinty Fia this year - my mistake - and to their singular take on the Nick Drake back in March. My fellow blog travellers have written about why this is the epitome of what a great cover version should be and they are absolutely spot on. If I heard this in complete ignorance, I'd think it was a stunning song. The fact that it may inspire listeners to check out not just Fontaines D.C. but Nick Drake can only be a good thing. 

Cello Song features on the album The Endless Coloured Ways: The Songs Of Nick Drake, which I could easily have included in my list of favourite compilations yesterday.

Shakatak: Gaudi

Woah, come back. If you're worried that this March 2023 release is a tribute to the '80s white English jazz-funk band, rest assured. Daniele Gaudi delivers another colossal slice of dub, especially on the 'ReRub' version.

 

 

Pez (bdrmm Remix): GIFT

This all started with A Place To Bury Strangers, specifically their remix album See Through You Rerealized which featured separate remixes by GIFT and bdrmm. I wasn't familiar with either band and little trawl of Bandcamp unearthed their respective back catalogues. The two come together on this remix, released in August as a precursor to GIFT's debut album, Momentary Presence, a couple of months later. Check 'em all out.

 

 

Dirty Hugs (Richard Sen Remix): GLOK

The Pattern Recognition album got a 3-track remix EP in March, a great month for releases, in retrospect. Hardway Bros Meet Monkton Uptown and Tom Sharkett from W.H. Lung set the bar high but Richard Sen has no difficulty in holding his own and taking the original 20-minute trip on a wild chase through the city's nightlife.

 

 

 

A Night In Siolim (A Space Age Freak Out Remix): H​ö​gt I Tak

Paisley Dark Records have been a go-to with each release, not just for the high quality electronica but the calibre of remixes. Label boss John Paynter proves that you don't need to outsource to produce something quite special, as his Space Age Freak Out remix from December amply demonstrates.

 

 

I Am The Fly (Cover of Wire): Jah Wobble

The Wob made a raucous return (not that he's ever been away) with a slew of new albums in 2023, August's A Brief History Of Now revisiting his punk/post-punk stylings with fellow traveller Jon Klein. Their cover of Wire's I Am The Fly was an unexpected treat, Klein on vocals and Jah Wobble working his usual bass magic.

 

  

And, as a bonus treat, here's the man himself showing you how it's done (and yes, Mike, he is playing more than one string!)

 

Arabiklan (Rude Audio Remix): James Rod

Another top notch Paisley Dark remix package, this time in May, with an artist that I wasn't that familiar with. James Rod provides two classy originals with Synthetic Glory and Arabiklan, handing them over to Mindbender, Hunterbräu, H​ö​gt I Tak and Man2.0. Rude Audio aka Mark Ratcliff delivers a blinder.

 

Trading Places: Jezebell  

 

I've written previously about Trading Places, issued as a pair of EPs in April, offering up 'daytime' and nighttime' versions. All excellent, but the 6PM version gets a special mention for the delightful cameo by Siouxsie Sioux, expertly woven in by Jesse Fahnestock and Darren Bell. Available as a name your price/free download.

 

 

Phoenix (Cover of The Cult): JIM

First off, apologies that I've completely forgotten which music blog introduced me to this cover version and JIM (Jim Baron) in general, as I doubt I would have found him or the rather lovely Love Makes Magic album otherwise. Originally issued in June, the 10-song album included this fine cover, swapping bollock rock for Balearic acoustica to brilliant effect.

 

 

Bridge To Heaven (Sonic Boom Bass Remix): John Massoni

Another chance discovery this year whilst searching for Sonic Boom related items was his collaboration with John Massoni on the 8-track EP, Think Of Me When You Hear Waves. A further Sonic Boom remix of Bridge To Heaven, stretching things even further to just under ten minutes, shimmered into view in August.

 

 

Willow's Song (Richard Norris Ritual Mix): Katy J Pearson 

Katy J Pearson recorded a whole bunch of covers for The Wicker Man EP, released in October to celebrate the film of the same name's 50th anniversary. Katy had originally recorded Willow's Song as the closer of her 2022 album Sound Of The Morning and the Richard Norris remix came out in June this year. A strong contender for remix - and track - of the year and perfectly aligned with his own mighty dub workouts as Oracle Sounds.

 

Edge Of The Edge Dub (Adrian Sherwood 'Reset In Dub’ Version): Panda Bear & Sonic Boom 

August - another solid month for great music - saw the third iteration of the Reset album, following the original and 'Songbook + Instrumentals' versions. Here, Adrian Sherwood puts the entire thing through a dub rinse which promises much and somehow manages even then to exceed expectations. Much as I love Noah Lennox and Pete Kember's collaboration, Reset In Dub takes the music to another plane of existence.

 

 

Expansions Dub (Cover of Lonnie Liston Smith & The Cosmic Echoes): Prince Fatty ft. Shniece McMenamin

Not the only cover version that Prince Fatty shared in 2023 though arguably one that I wasn't expecting at all. With Shniece on the mic and Fatty at the controls, the listener is in safe hands and the dub version feels even more like a big aural hug. Another August highlight.

 

 

Fitzroy Avenue (BFP Acid-Flex Mix By Bedford Falls Players): Warriors Of The Dystotheque ft. Joe Duggan

 

We're on the home stretch now with yet another Paisley Dark winner, going all the way back to March. This is a generous 8-track digital EP, with a bonus hidden ninth 'No Effects Vox' version, i.e. just Joe Duggan. Tons of great remixes by Mindbender, H​ö​gt I Tak, Hunterbräu, Ed Mahon, Jezebell and this one from the ever excellent Mark Cooper aka Bedford Falls Players.

 

 

 

Ride A Cloud (Coyote Remix): The Woodentops 

The Woodentops released Ride A Cloud, with remixes by Coyote and Andres y Xavi, in June and somehow I managed to miss it completely. Thankfully, Swiss Adam to the rescue with his own end of year round up meant that I discovered this wonderful 3-tracker and it's ended up here just in time to wind things down after that marathon workout.

 

  

Tomorrow, I'll be trying hard to pick some more 2023 favourites. Heaven help me.

Don't Get Stuck In The Past

Today's 2021 retrospective highlights some great remixes from various singles and albums. The post title is the opening line of track 1, but also slightly tongue-in-cheek: a quick glance at the track listing and it's like an old school reunion, with Soulwax, Darren Emerson, Mark Ronson, UNKLE, Groove Armada and - bloody hell! - Kris Needs. My other challenge was avoiding making this a Hardway Bros. 'best of 2021'. Sean Johnston has delivered so many fantastic remixes, several of which have featured in previous posts; for this selection, I managed to whittle it down to two. Also making two appearances is Jesse Fahnestock: remixing Spacemen 3 as 10:40 in April, which led me to many more subsequent Bandcamp purchases, and November's single Thrill Me, as Jezebell (Fahnestock & Darren Bell), which includes a suitably whacko retro sample. This is barely scratching the surface, and I've a long list of this year's music that I still want to get, as 2022 and even more new sounds approach.

 

1) A Hero's Death (Soulwax Remix): Fontaines D.C.

2) That Time Of Night (Darren Emerson Remix): GLOK ft. Shiarra

3) Sail We Must (Hardway Bros Remix): Wet Signals

4) Thrill Me (Darren Darko Mix): Jezebell

5) Flying Tiger (The Mole's Slower Remix By Colin De La Plante): Dreems

6) New Love Cassette (Mark Ronson Remix): Angel Olsen

7) Hegel Dialect (UNKLE Reconstruction): Krust

8) They're In Our Head (Kampong Glam Mix): Rude Audio

9) First Class Bitch (Groove Armada's Confidence Trick Remix): Confidence Man

10) Point And Kill / Fear No Man (mindtrix music Remix): Little Simz ft. Obongjayar

11) Walking In The Sun (James Bright Remix): Andres Y Xavi ft. Rolo McGinty

12) Obey (Hardway Bros Stereo Odyssey Mix): Rheinzand

13) Love Comes In Waves (Pye Corner Audio Remix): Andy Bell

14) Weekend (The Judas Triangle) (Dom Beken & Kris Needs Remix): The Orb

15) How Does it Feel? (10:40's Terrace Moonshine Dub) (Remix By Jesse Fahnestock): Spacemen 3

Don't Get Stuck In The Past (1:39:08)

 

A note on yesterday's post: track-by-track comments still to come. Early visitors may have noticed that I dropped Show Your Face by The Anchoress into the mix for a second consecutive day. Oops! That was a mistake: much as I love the song, it was supposed to be Let It Hurt instead, but in my half-awake state I pulled the wrong track. After a shower and a strong coffee, I've corrected and replaced the selection and link. Slipshod DJ licence currently under review and may be revoked.