The Underground of Happiness

A rake of great tunes this week, plenty of new music again. Let's start by mentioning Crystal Stilts (pictured), one of my favourite bands, whose 3rd album Nature Noir is just out. We had the cracking 'Future folklore' from it, a kind of Velvets-Bo Diddley mash-up, and there will be plenty more to come on the show over coming weeks. Also, Julia Holter paired with Leslie Caron , two Gigi references there, both based on the famous Colette novel; Bill Callahan getting funky in his old age, with the meditative Yusef Lateef , two flute interludes; King Khan appeared in the Moon Duo video for 'Sleepwalker', the lunar ones play Liverpool Psych Fest and in Dublin next weekend; two Alexander Tucker out there pop plays in Grumbling Fur & Imbogodom . MGMT play Cork next month, their great missing Philly Soul link from the 2nd album; some lovely folk/reggae tones from Me & My Friends ; Paper Dollhouse from the extensive new Outer Church comp on Front &...

One of my favourite albums of the 2000s was the third from Camera Obscura , Let’s get out of this country , which featured the peerless pop-referencing-itself ‘Hey Lloyd, I’m ready to be heartbroken’. I must admit that I didn’t bond as much with their following album, My Maudlin Career , but I’m delighted to report that Desire lines is back up with their best and (in the best possible sense) most lovable work. From the sprightly but sad single ‘Do it again’ (“can you see the tears of this clown?”), to the endearingly chipper melancholy of ‘Troublemaker’ (“On a cold morning you arriving, I’m struggling for survival”) and the absolutely sublime heartbreaker ‘Break it to you gently’. Add in the slow dance beauty ‘This is love (Feels alright)’ with its insinuating saxophone line, steeped in a Scottish Motown atmosphere. The wrenching tribute to lost friends ‘William’s heart’. The touching machismo of ‘New Year’s Resolution’ – “I’ve been cool with you and the sooner you admit it I ...