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Showing posts with label Musical Medicine. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Musical Medicine. Show all posts

Tuesday, 11 August 2015

Two For The Money - Blur - 'Coffee & TV' & Graham Coxon - 'Bittersweet Bundle Of Misery'

TWO FOR THE MONEY


Blur - 'Coffee & TV' (1999)
 

In most forms of entertainment you get sequels. Books, films, games & TV shows have them but you don't seem to get them in music. However, I believe I've found one in the case of these two songs.
I remember first hearing 'Coffee & TV' and thinking "Blimey, Damon sounds a bit weird on this one" and then came the video with its cartoony milk carton trying to find the singer of the song. And of course we know its not Damon, but guitarist Graham Coxon. It was the first time I'd heard him sing and I was impressed. So much so that I've bought quite a few of his solo albums over the years.

Graham Coxon - 'Bittersweet Bundle Of Misery' (2004)
 


He's had some standout tracks, but my personal favourite is 'Bittersweet Bundle Of Misery' which to my limited musical brain sounds like it's picked up from where 'Coffee & TV' ended. The video for this probably cost about £37.50 to make as it's essentially Graham playing guitar and singing in a park somewhere with a small dog (dachshund maybe ??) watching him. A woman falls from the sky (maybe those special effects alone will bump it up to a £50 cost) and dances badly. The ending is almost a payback as he is discarded by the woman and dog in much the same way as 'Milky' the milk carton was in 'Coffee & TV'.

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Thursday, 16 July 2015

Breakdown Brass - 'Next Episode'

Musical Medicine....for whenever you need to blow your own trumpet!

Brass Monkeys!



Breakdown Brass - 'Next Episode' (2015)

Need a rumbling Sousaphone in your life? Fancy a mix of Balkan Brass, funk and Hip Hop? Well get a load of Brooklyn's Breakdown Brass, creating a big sound...fresh and fun, especially the top drawer cover of Dr Dre's classic, The Next Episode. The band trumpeting the expletives from the original means you could even play this next time grandma's round for tea, word! Next Episode is taken from their latest single, Monmouth, listen to it here on Spotify....

Breakdown Brass's website here.....

....and just in case you didn't know the original from Dr Dre, now you know.






Have a listen/subscribe to our tummy rub of Musical Medicine below or visit some of our posts, here.

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Thursday, 23 April 2015

Courtney Barnett - 'Depreston' / 'Avant Gardener'

Musical Medicine....Grand designs for the soul.

Courtney Barnett...Alan Titchmarch a big fan

 


Courtney Barnett - 'Depreston' (2015)

I love her witticisms, her Aussie drawl and song delivery. 'Depreston' would be my house hunting song of choice if we could afford to move. Instead we've remortgaged to destroy a leaky garage but not to convert it to a music den but into a utility room slash loo for when you can't be arsed to go upstairs for a wee. Except we prob didn't remortgage enough....like the song says 'if you've got a spare half a million, you could knock it down and start again', if only. 'Depreston' is taken from her exceptional album, Sometimes I Just Sit and Think, Sometimes I Just Sit, released earlier this year. (listen to it here on Spotify)




Courtney Barnett - 'Avant Gardener' (2013)

'Avant Gardner' was the track that initially drew my attention to Courtney's talents. One of my favourite tracks from 2013, it tells the tale of a slacker with good intentions to clear up her garden but it ultimately ends up badly as she has an asthma attack, all told in her trademark deadpan style. Brilliant. Should have stayed in bed instead. The umpire in the video looks familiar, I can't put my finger on it. 'Avant Gardener' is taken from the 2013 EP, The Double EP: A Sea of Split Peas. (listen to it here on Spotify)


Have a listen/subscribe to our tummy rub of Musical Medicine below or visit some of our posts, here.

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Thursday, 26 February 2015

Alessandro Cortini - 'Passatempo'

Feeling a bit unsettled? Have a bit of Musical Medicine, like a dose of Calpol for the soul!





Alessandro Cortini - 'Passatempo' (2014)

Bleak & atmospheric, perfect for cruising around the skyline of a Blade Runner-esque, dystopian cityscape in or, in my case, an evening drive home from work. Either way it's a sublime piece of futuristic electronica. Incidentally, I recently watched the, 'our generation's Fatal Attraction', Gone Girl, it's an excellent movie with an equally fine soundtrack from Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross. The desolate and almost claustrophobic nature of the music adds to the tension throughout. I wanted to hear more but it maybe somewhat inappropriate to play the soundtrack at home considering the subject matter and the wife in the film is a nuttah! The reason it struck a chord is perhaps that Alessandro Cortini also happens to be part of Nine Inch Nails when they are together. He also fronts a Electro-Alt band called Sonoio. Passatempo is taken from the Italian's 3rd solo album, Sonno, out in 2014.

Have a listen/subscribe to our tummy rub of Musical Medicine below or visit some of our posts, here.

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Friday, 9 January 2015

Canyons - Apples and Pears

Musical Medicine.....one of your five a day for your soul

Canyons...compote fans.



Canyons - 'Apple and Pears' (2008)

'Apples and Pears' from Aussie duo, Canyons, is a far more tasty and interesting proposition than gorging yourself on Pink Ladies in a bid to making sure you're getting one of your five day for your yearly detox. A fabulous track which reminds me a bit Steely Dan, Daryl Hall and John Oats and erm...maybe even Toto. Anyway it's good stuff and a bit of Musical Medicine for the soul. Taken from the 2008 EP, The Lovemore and definitely one of your five a day.


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Friday, 24 October 2014

The Raah Project - 'Trick of the Light' / Yaw - 'Where Would You Go'

A double dose of Musical Medicine....as soul soothing as taking a bath in caramelised onion topped with coriander houmous!


I've been listening to Gilles Peterson's best of Brownswood Bubblers compilation over the last couple of weeks where I came across these two absolute belters. Gilles, Boba Fett nod of appreciation goes out to you.




The Raah Project - 'A Trick of the Light' (2010)




Freakish Swing from Melbourne duo, The Raah Project, it's as if Tony Bennett was performing at some seedy jazz joint on the far reaches of Mars. They formed through a mutual desire to work with a Big Band/Orchestra after toying around, adding beats to their collection of Jazz and Classical records. The project spiralled and they started working with a number of different Aussie artist resulting in the eclectic 2009 album, Score. The Raah Project are currently in the process of recording a new album which you can keep abreast of on their website here.



Yaw - 'Where Would You Be' (2009)




Impeccable nu-school Soul which sounds as if it could take place amongst any of the old school classics. Goose pimple inducing stuff from the glorious horns to the Chicago based singer's sublime vocals, evocative of an era.


Check out more from Gilles Peterson's Brownswood Recordings here.....or
listen to the Best of Brownswood Bubblers on Spotify here too!

Need a pick me up? Listen/subscribe to a dose of TuneDr's Musical Medicine....or read some more here.


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Saturday, 11 October 2014

Bob Sinclar - 'Love Generation'

Musical Medicine.....like an oasis of a cold pint in the desert


Nah that's too much, I'll give you...



Bob - Sinclar - 'Love Generation'

I always joke to London Scouser that we can always find an Irish pub in any city we go to. We proved it in Tunisia when we went 8 years ago. Living up to his name, LS was adamant he wanted to watch the Liverpool match and he found a pub outside of our resort to watch it in. We arranged a taxi and we were under the assumption we had to haggle for everything in Tunisia so when we were told the price of our trip we tried to get it cheaper for fear of offending the driver. The taxi driver was quite menacing and after almost a shouting match we backed down and paid the price, a bit flustered and confused about our bartering skills. It was later we found out the taxis outside the hotel have set prices. We must have looked like idiots! In the taxi on the way to the pub, I pictured the headlines....Missing British couple!! I was relieved to get dropped off at our destination!

Are you talking to me?!

The pub was better than any run of the mill Irish pubs I've been to as it goes, we had a great burger and even free pop corn and raw fennel pieces with our drinks, a nice touch. The match was a non starter (surprise surprise!) but they played music videos on the big screen too which is where I heard this song. It was infectious with it's happy beat and whistlely bit. It almost put me in such a good mood not to worry about the taxi home, almost.

Need a pick me up? Listen/subscribe to a dose of TuneDr's Musical Medicine....or read some more here.


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Wednesday, 24 September 2014

Waylon Jennings - 'Are You Sure Hank Done it This Way'

Musical Medicine......like a barn dance for the soul!


I'm not sure if Old Pa should have done it this way!

Waylon Jennings - 'Are You Sure Hank Done it This Way?' (1975)



I'm not particularly a big fan but I've been exposed to high levels of Country and Western over the years, courtesy of Old Pa. A safe enough dosage to make up part of my musical DNA, with Hank Williams and Jim Reeves the usual protagonists. But this exposure would usually only occur in the wee small hours when we've overstayed the evenings welcome after a 'good night', it's too late to go to bed and/or the 'bottle has let us down'.

I first heard this song when Old Pa sent it to me one afternoon saying I would like it but it was the middle of the day! How will my ears react to Country this early in the day? How right he was! I couldn't get enough of it, it lasooed me in like a naughty cattle rustler and I probably had it on repeat for the rest of the day. The late Waylon Jennings' foot stompin ode to Hank is Musical Medicine of the highest order, the formula is just right!

Waylon Jennings' website....

Need a pick me up? Listen/subscribe to a dose of TuneDr's Musical Medicine....or read some more here.


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Sunday, 14 September 2014

Electronic - 'Getting Away With It' (1989)

Musical Medicine..... tracks that give you a shot in the dark, even when your legless


Electronic - 'Getting Away With It' (1989)



In light of the news from the courts in South Africa this week it reminded me of a great track from the very late 80's. The band was essentially Bernard Sumner (New Order) & Johnny Marr (The Smiths) with a few friends. This track featured Neil Tennant (Pet Shop Boys) on backing vocals and I for one bloody loved it...
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Sunday, 3 August 2014

Weezer - 'Buddy Holly' & Edie Brickell - 'Good Times'

Musical Medicine..... tracks that give you a 'Ctrl-Alt-Delete' to your memories




My mum came home from work one day in the 90's and gave me a PC that she had bought at work. Her company we're updating their systems and she got it for £20 !! "Great" I thought, I would have my very own computer, and I could now create my own 'Weird Science' hottie... In truth though it was about as powerful as a bottle of coke that had been left open for a week. But I was optimistic, and decided to pay a visit to PC World to upgrade it. I bought a CD ROM and soundcard package and some RAM memory which set me back a little over £500 !!. But hey I had the cash so why not, in hindsight I could probably have paid a little extra and bought a new PC but there you go. As part of the package I was also given a copy of Windows 95 which at the time was the dogs doodahs compared to DOS. Once I had installed everything I loaded Windows and was amazed at the difference. Plus it had video playback capabilities, the like of which I'd never seen and included on the disc were 2 videos for 2 great songs. Thinking back now the quality of the videos were awful but I'll never forget watching them over and over.

Weezer - 'Buddy Holly' (1994)



Having grown up in the 70's and 80's I was a big fan of 'Happy Days' so I absolutely loved the 'Buddy Holly' video which was set in Arnold's Diner. I'd bought 'Shooting Rubber Bands At The Stars' by Edie Brickell & The New Bohemians so was pleased when I heard the new track, and the fact that Barry White featured on vocals made it even better...

Edie Brickell - 'Good Times' (1994)

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Sunday, 8 June 2014

Oasis - 'Stand By Me'

 Musical Medicine.....a track that let's you reminisce about the olden days

Noel on his way to the bank for some change, definitely maybe

Oasis - 'Stand By Me' (1997)

 
If I had a bucket list, I'd have a few things ticked off by now. Some of those include... Going to Madison Square Gardens and watching live Ice Hockey #letsgorangers. Sleeping with a pop star (see previous post). Learning to Scuba dive...
Back in 1997 I also was able to cross one off of the list. Oasis back were huger than huge... They mahoosive, and word got around that they were filming the video for an upcoming song in my hometown of Feltham. These words were true as they used many of the closed down/boarded up shops in the town centre as mock shops for the video of Stand By Me... Now you cover afficionados might make the mistake that I did in thinking this was a Britpop version of Ben E King's classic, but no, it's the Gallagher's through and through.
On the days that they were filming, I was hard at work slaving away behind the counter of a well known High Street Bank. And if I'm honest you can't actually see me in the video, but at 00:24 the Bank is clearly shown and I was in the Bank. Ergo I was in the video... I rest my case

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Wednesday, 30 April 2014

Dirty Beaches - 'True Blue' / Seven Davis JR - 'One'

Musical Medicine...Two musical tummy rubs for your soul

A very shitty few weeks at work requires a double dose of Musical Medicine.

True love, oh baby!


Dirty Beaches - 'True Blue' (2010)

So first up is some bizarre psychoactive Rockabilly courtesy of Dirty Beaches, a one man band from Canada. When I first heard it last week, I thought there was something seriously wrong with the stereo but then I got used to it and I was hypnotized, so good in fact that I got hold of his back catalogue in case of further outbreak of the working man blues. 'True Blue' is taken from his 2011 Badlands album (click here to listen to it on Spotify).


Seven Davis JR....not a fan of Call of Duty



Seven Davis JR - 'One' (2013)

And second up is an awesomely relentless dance groove from Houston's DJ/Producer, Seven Davis Jr, taken from his 2013's One EP. Check his Soundcloud page for some more hip thrusting goodness.




I'm feeling better already.....Just a couple of gems unearthed on the Ninja Tunes records Staff Playlist last week. A Boba Fett nod of approval goes out to y'all and if you need some further Musical Medicine then may I prescribe some more for you here......it certainly worked for us!




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Saturday, 5 April 2014

Bob Marley - 'Redemption Song'

Musical Medicine....a track that's like a good session in the swim up bar for the soul!



None but ourselves can free our minds



Bob Marley - 'Redemption Song' (1980)

I have chosen this song for a couple of reasons. Last year I went to Jamaica for a holiday and was expecting to be bombarded with Bob Marley songs all day long. I was wrong, it was mostly modern ragga stuff which doesn't really appeal. It's far too aggressive and not what I wanted to hear sipping my Red Stripe on the beach! 

Finally, I heard a bit of Bob, this particular song which I never really took much notice of before. It's not quite the stereotypical 'jammin' reggae you get on holiday resorts. I only remember a guy strumming it on a guitar and singing it during the sad funeral scene from the movie The Beach. This time though, I really listened "none but ourselves can free the mind". I never realised they were words from a Marcus Garvey speech and how influential a song it was. Even considered one of his best works! 

When I came back from Jamaica, I saw that Marley the recent documentary was on and made sure I watched it straight away. I ashamedly realised I actually knew nothing about The Great Bob Marley, his life and what he did for the people of Jamaica. 

All this came back to me last week, walking along the beach in Koh Phi Phi on the way to one of the only restaurants there for dinner. I could hear a guitar gently strumming over the lapping waves and one of the other hotel guests singing it. It's a beautiful song and is now right up there with my favourites from Bob. It means so much more to me now.

One Love, Jamiaca.
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Monday, 31 March 2014

Fountains Of Wayne - 'Sink To The Botttom'

Musical Medicine.....a track that helps the Chang beer go down perfectly


Fountains Of Wayne - 'Sink To The Bottom' (1996)


Back in the 90's Fountains Of Wayne were amongst the founding members of a genre I championed that Flycasual lovingly?!? dubbed 'Obscure American Guitar Bands'
They came back to my attention last week, this song in particular, whilst I was sitting poolside at my hotel in Phuket, Thailand nursing a Chang beer and contemplating the amazing achievement I had just accomplished earlier that afternoon. 
Allow me to take you back in time to 2012 when Mrs London Scouser (aka Shellhunter) and I as well as Old Pa & Ma were holidaying in Thailand. Shellhunter decides to get her PADI licence as she is a lover of all things pertaining to the ocean. I however didn't fancy it... fast forward to last week and that has now changed. I am officially a certified PADI Open Water Diver (thanks to Denis at Bubba Diving Phuket), something I'd never had dreamed of a few years earlier. It's not that I was afraid so much, it was more that A) I couldn't be arsed and B) the bottom of the ocean and all that swam within it didn't really float my boat (if you'll pardon the maritime pun). My views have now changed considerably as it's quite literally like nothing on earth I've ever seen or could imagine. Okay I've seen 'Finding Nemo' but this was like being part of that film (albeit without the talking)... The sights are so amazing that I can't really do them justice with my limited vocabulary. suffice to say that if you have ever, even for one second harboured the idea of learning to dive I would advise you to jump to it, remembering to put your regulator in your mouth and hold your mask as you jump in.

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Thursday, 20 March 2014

Smoke City - 'Underwater Love'

Musical Medicine.....a track that's like a healthy insurance payout for the soul!






Smoke City - 'Underwater Love' (1997)

Water is supposed to be a thing of beauty and power providing life for all things! At the moment I'm pretty pissed off with it! The last week has been filled with hassle and expense due to a leak in our living room ceiling. It started of as a small brown patch but grew daily. We luckily had pipe and central heating cover so called them out to have a look. Before anything was really done, the plumber refused to investigate further as due to the age of the house being in from the 70's, there was the possibility of asbestos in our artex. Great, so we had to fork out 90 quid for a guy to come in and take a scraping which took less than 5 minutes and send the sample away to the lab. Good news though, it was clear so I waited in all day for a plumber to come out on a Saturday. 3 hrs later, the 2 leaky pipes in question have been replaced but leaving a massive gaping hole in the ceiling. For the next 36 hrs water continued to drip constantly through the hole forcing us to empty out an old cat litter tray every 2 hours. The next day London Scouser had enough, There's no way that is just excess water from the original leak, there has to be another one somewhere! So, Monday was another day spent waiting for a plumber. Two more gaping holes and a couple hours later, the 3rd leaking pipe is fixed and no more water pouring through the ceiling! Then yesterday we get the delightful news from our home insurance survey....they will pay to get the ceiling fixed! Hooray!

Bloody leaking pipes....

I can't stay angry at water for long though, this time next week I will be at one with it again, scuba diving in Thailand. I can't wait! I will feel like a graceful mermaid and will be imagining this excellent song by Smoke City whilst I glide along. I fell in love with this track when I first heard it on the Levi's advert, they had a knack for picking a winner of a song every time.


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Thursday, 27 February 2014

The Cure - 'Boys Don't Cry'

Musical Medicine....a track that's like sitting in a bath of houmous and pitta for the soul!

Lock up your combs, The Cure are about!



The Cure - 'Boys Don't Cry' live on Jools Holland (2004)

It's a big deal being 4 3/4. You are almost 5 and that's when you become a big boy with all the perks that come with it, jumping higher, running faster and finally watching Star Wars. Sounds like a mini Bionic Man but all this is according to my son who I've just spent a week with for half term.

So one day, we're pottering around the house when The Cure classic comes on, 'Boys Don't Cry' and he asks me who it is. I show him a picture of Robert Smith and he's not impressed with his hair but loves the track as he's a big boy and that means big boys don't cry. True to his word, during the course of the week, he has been smacked in the face with a rugby ball, had his fingers jarred by a basketball, hurt is elbow when I 'accidentally' tripped him up and went to bed 'no messing' despite the possibility of Robert Smith's barnet hiding under his bed. But despite a couple of lip wobbles, he tells me it's OK because big boys don't cry just like the song.

'Boys Don't Cry' was The Cure's 2nd single which became their first hit and was taken from their 1980 compilation album, Boys Don't Cry.

More musical chicken soup? Check out our Musical Medicine posts here...

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Saturday, 15 February 2014

The Pierces - 'Kissing You Goodbye'

Musical Medicine....like a hot water bottle and a duvet for the soul!

The name is Pierce...



The Pierces - 'Kissing You Goodbye' (2011)

Ever thought a song was following you around to get your attention? Oddly enough, it happened with this song.. London Scouser and I were in town to get him an upgrade for his mobile and whilst I was hanging around the phone shop, this song was playing. I liked it straight away thinking it sounded very much like Mamas And The Papas, 'California Dreaming'. I quickly Shazammed it thinking it must be new. I was surprised that it was out in 2011 and I'd not heard it. Later that day, we went to a pub in the highstreet and as I sat down, a familiar song came on but I couldn't remember what it was so Shazammed it. It was the bloody same song! Twice in one day? That's spooky for a song I'd never heard before!

The Pierces are an American Psychedelic Folk Pop sister duo that have influences in the likes of Joni Mitchell and Simon & Garfunkle. They've even toured with Coldplay and performed on Jools Holland. I must have missed that!


Even though I think it's mighty obvious the uncanny similarities, here's the cracker from Mamas and The Papas for your listening pleasure!

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Sunday, 9 February 2014

Neneh Cherry - 'Buffalo Stance' / 'Everything'

Musical Medicine.....a track that makes you forget your aches and pains

Then....
Neneh Cherry - 'Buffalo Stance' (1988)


Where had the time gone ??? Neneh Cherry's first album 'Raw Like Sushi' came out 25 years ago !!! I remember listening to it religiously and loving it. I lent it to a friend and he liked it so much he bought his own copy but was gutted... His copy came in the usual CD format with the browny-black inlay case, but mine had a white inlay which I'd swapped with some other CD I'd bought cos it looked good against the white background of the sleeve !!!
I loved the way Ms. Cherry's American accent occasionally becomes a but Mockney on this track. 'Dya know't I mean" 25 years later and it still gets my feet tapping and singing along.

...and now

I see that she has a new single called 'Everything' followed by an album coming out soon and she still looks pretty much like she did back in the day, maybe it's the sushi ?!?!
If this track is anything to go by, I will be enjoying the album.

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Saturday, 8 February 2014

The Boo Radleys - 'Lazarus'

Musical Medicine.....a track that's like a hot and sunny deserted beach for the soul!




The Boo Radleys - 'Lazarus' (1992)

This was a total blast from the past which made me stop in my tracks the other day. We were listening to BBC2 radio for a change at work and I was very pleasantly surprised because haven't heard this song for years! I was a big fan of The Boo Radleys when I was a teenager and used to spend a couple of weeks every other summer with my cousin in Inverness, Scotland. Everyday he would drag me and 2 of his mates to a pristinely kept kept football pitch about 20 minutes away from the house. It was directly adjacent to a mental institution. I used to feel uneasy being there as you could hear the people in their cells wailing and singing along to Michael Jackson music. I'll always remember one time I was sitting on the sidelines whilst the lads were having their kick about, this song coming on with the lyrics 'I must be losing my mind, I keep on trying to find a way out'. I'd never really listened to them properly before, how apt I thought.

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Thursday, 23 January 2014

Laid Back - 'Baker Man' / Claptone - 'No Eyes'

Musical Medicine...sausage roll(s) for the soul...


we're laid back!



Laid Back - Bakerman (1989)

Classic nonsensical soother from Denmark's Laid Back, a song I love and one which I haven't heard in a very long time. I remember being glued to MTV for hours when it first came out, just to try and catch it again...it's just what you did before YouTube and ting.

But I got reunited with this lost gem by another corker I heard recently. I was trawling through some best of 2013 lists and came across a track called 'No Eyes' by German DJ, Claptone. I got drawn to it as I knew Jaw, who provides vocals on the track, from a French group I like called dOP and the synths instantly reminded me of the Laid Back song, very similar in nature and equally brilliant.

Two songs for the price of one then, a bit like finding a pound coin while also finding that crucial piece of Lego you've been looking for from behind the sofa.


Claptone - 'No Eyes' feat Jaw (2013)




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