The Underground of Happiness

The third and final part of my Best of 2018 round up. Some folk sounds. A few soundtrack cuts. Hint of ambient. A share of dream pop. Great memories of 2018 for me. And again it must be said that it was another wonderful year for music in this neck of the woods. Enjoy. Playlist Jessica Risker – I see you among the stars (Western Vinyl) Jim Ghedi – Sloade Lane (Basin Rock Records) Alasdair Roberts, Amble Skuse & David McGuinness – Babylon (Drag City) Jack Hayter – At Crossness Pumping Station (Gare du Nord) Caroline Says – First song (Western Vinyl) The Saxophones – Aloha (Full Time Hobby) Jennifer Castle – Texas (Paradise of Bachelors) Gabriel Naim Amor – Just before revelation (Vacilando ’68) LOMA – Dark oscillations (Sub Pop) Tenniscoats – Ende (Alien Transistor) Spirit Fest – Anohito (Till the gate) (Alien Transistor) Landless – Caoin (Humble Serpent) Kathryn Joseph – we have been loved by our mothers (Rock Action) Low – Always trying...

A review of the year so far in music. Some great sounds in 2018. Enjoy. Playlist 489 - Best of 2018, Jan-July Kacy & Clayton – The siren’s song (New West Records) Kacey Johansing – The hiding (Night Bloom Records/Melodic) Jessica Risker – Anyway when I look in your eyes (Western Vinyl) Jim Ghedi – Sloade Lane (Basin Rock Records) Szun Waves – Constellation (The Leaf Label) Spindle Ensemble – Moonbow (Adderwell Music) Nightports w/ Matthew Bourne – Exit (The Leaf Label) Get Well Soon – Martyrs (City Slang) Caroline Says – First song (Western Vinyl) The Saxophones – Aloha (Full Time Hobby) Jack Hayter – At Crossness Pumping Station (Gare du Nord) Michael Nau & The Mighty Thread - Less than positive (Full Time Hobby) Jennifer Castle – Texas (Paradise of Bachelors) Kamasi Washington – The Space Traveller’s Lullaby (Young Turks) Django Django – In your beat (Because Music) De Lux – 875 dollars (Innovative Leisure) BOYTOY – Mary Anne (Stolen Body ...

A playlist for summer. Sunshine. Heatwave. (We've been having that around this neck of the woods.) When the heat does things to you. Changes your brain. Makes everything blurry. So it shimmers. Enjoy. Kacy & Clayton – The light of day (New West Records) Gene Clark – Why not your baby (A&M Records) The Byrds – Wild Mountain Thyme (Columbia) Jess Williamson – I see the white (Mexican Summer) Naim Gabriel Amor – Just before revelation (Vacilando ’68) Kamasi Washington – The Space Traveller’s Lullaby (Young Turks) Esquivel – My blue heaven (RCA) Ennio Morricone feat. Edda Dell’Orso – Una spiaggia a mezzogiorno (from the soundtrack of the film Vergogna Schifosi) (Ariete) LWW – CTP (radio edit) (The Leaf Label) Szun Waves – Constellation (The Leaf Label) Kody Nielson – Bic’s birthday (Flying Nun) Os Mutantes – Bat macumba (Polydor) Malena Zavala – If it goes (Yucatan Records) Tenniscoats – Ende (Alien Transistor) The Saxophones – Aloha (Full Ti...

******************************************************************************************************** Laetitia Sadier Source Ensemble – Undying love for humanity (from the album Find me finding you , Drag City) Wonderful Brazilian twist on Laetitia’s signature kosmische. It’s hard to pick out any one element but I must say the vocals are a particular joy. Not just the lead which is as clear and pure as the best Stereolab . But the inspired backing ba da das which drive the playout. Still sounds fresh as a daisy almost a year after release. Michael Nau – I root (Full Time Hobby) Sublime hazy memories of love from Maryland in the US... ... as if Harry Nilsson turned his mind to happier fuzzier times. There’s very little detail to list here – a one and a half note guitar figure, a snare roll, a ride cymbal, a dream of a voice – but really the story is more to do with the atmosphere. Languid is a word. Sleepy maybe. Intimate for sure. ...

There’s something about duets, and something extra about husband and wife duets. This week we had the new song from The Saxophones , another gorgeous/unsettling dream pop number straight out of a David Lynch soundtrack. Then later one of the classics of the genre, Serge Gainsbourg & Jane Birkin with the lesser known yang to the yin of 'Je t’aime'. And Dean & Britta with what is probably a homage to Lee Hazlewood & Nancy Sinatra/Suzi Jane Hokom and isn’t that just fine. Other than that some sumptuous cuts from The Clientele, Hater and This is the Kit . And wonderful Russian film music from 1975 from Mikael Tariverdiev . More on these pages. The Underground of Happiness uplifting pop music of every creed www.theundergroundofhappiness.blogspot.com www.facebook.com/theundergroundofhappiness Twitter: UndergroundOfHappy Playlist 461 Tues Sept 26 2017 11.00am-12.00pm (repeated on Tuesdays 8.30pm) UCC 98.3FM listen live on the web...

Another to die for slice of dream pop from Oakland husband and wife duo Alexei Erenkov and Alison Alderdice . The combination of plucked electric guitar with pillowy synths and softly thudding floor toms would inevitably put you in mind of Angelo Badalamenti. In fact this tune wouldn’t sound out of place in a David Lynch film with its air of hushed disquiet. A storm of emotion hidden under a calm exterior. Gorgeous and unsettling in equal measure. Aloha by The Saxophones

Part 2 of this Mid Year Review. From the more folk side of the argument. Again all regulars on the show this year. Part 1 is last week in case you missed it. That's Camille in the picture. The show is back on the air in September after the station's summer break. Enjoy. The Underground of Happiness uplifting pop music of every creed www.theundergroundofhappiness.blogspot.com www.facebook.com/theundergroundofhappiness Twitter: UndergroundOfHappy Playlist 457 - Best of 2017 Mid Year Review Part 2 Tues July 25 2017 11.00am-12.00pm (repeated on Tuesdays 8.30pm) UCC 98.3FM listen live on the web at www.ucc.ie/983fm *listen back to this show here goo.gl/CtDTzT Playlist Yorkston Thorne Khan – Chori chori ( playing Coughlan’s, Cork, July 27 ) James Elkington – Wading the vapours Entrance – Always the right time Rich Osborn – Streets of Laredo, A Pastorale Camille – Fontaine de lait ( playing Barbican, London, Oct 30 ) Bedouine – Bac...

A dreamy half there thing of beauty from the American west coast. There’s a fragile atmosphere, an air of late night fretfulness and the bare bones arrangement contributes fully to that feeling. Tentative plucked guitar, whispered woodwind and Alexei Erenkov’s reedy self deprecating vocal. That the lyric refers to dangers or unseen risks – “if you’re on the water better beware – only adds to the sense of something precious and intimate. An intriguing understated treasure. If You're on the Water EP by The Saxophones

Peter Walsh appeared twice in this week's show. First in his own right as The Apartments , from his most recent wonderful album No song, no spell, no madrigal . Then guesting on the final album from Piano Magic , what a voice, lived in, soulful, stoic but full of sadness and regret. The Saxophones are a new band on me and I like what I hear. There's a hint of 50s rock n roll balladry about this song but in a more hushed atmosphere which is entrancing. Mick Harvey is back with another wonderful album of Serge Gainsbourg interpretations, lots of tremendous duets, many in German which is superb to hear. New music from Canada's The Dears , sounding as fresh as ever. UK out there jazz from The Comet Is Coming & Dinosaur , both playing in Ireland soon. And some Jacques Tati soundtrack music from Frank Barcellini . Marvellous. More on these pages. The Underground of Happiness uplifting pop music of every creed www.theundergroundofhappiness....