Athletic Mic League. The nutters.

Top new track tonight was Athletic Mic League’s ‘Whatchuknow.’ A cracking track from an excellent album. It’s great to hear fresh production, different flows and a unique aesthetic when hip hop seems so dominated by a few big-name stars/prodcuers. Also, AML haven’t gone completely the other way, by making an unlistenable mess under the pretence of high art. No, they want to communicate, to educate and to entertain – surely the essence of hip hop? Check out the website, there’s a link to samples of the album. They’re on the same label responsible for the also stellar Dwele, Phat Kat and Slum Village. I’m hoping the album, ‘Jungle Gym Jungle,’ reaches the audience it deserves, which is millions of people.

Best old track was The Undertone’s ‘Jimmy Jimmy.’ The Undertones were one of my fave bands when I was a kid and I find it a bit sad that they’re only remembered for ‘Teenage Kicks’ when they wrote shedloads of great pop songs. ‘My Perfect Cousin,’ ‘Wednesday Week,’ ‘Get Over You,’ ‘Here Comes The Summer,’ ‘You’ve Got My Number’… well, you get my point. If you haven’t got any Undertones already, do yourself a favour and invest in one of the many ‘Best Ofs.’ Then you’ll hear the original, unsurpassed pop punk princes.

His mother bought him a synthesizer:

The Wrens – Faster Gun
From Autumn To Ashes – The After Dinner Payback
OOO – Group Heartbeat
MF Doom – Gasface (Feat. 3rd Bass)
Shellac – Prayer To God
The Sprites – Do It Yourself
Goudron – Rumble Queen
Rilo Kiley – Paint’s Peeling
Mr. Complex – Scrape Your Back Out
Cake – The Distance
Team Shadetek – Menthol
Atreyu – You Eclipsed By Me
Sidney Torch – Coronation Scot/Paul Temple
Deerhoof – Milkman
Kings Of Convenience – I Don’t Know What I Can Save… (Royksopp Remix)
Interpol – C’mere
Leak Bros – Follow The Liters
Prefuse 73 – Hot Winter’s Day
Some Girls – The Prettiest Girl
Madness – Embarassment
Telefon Tel Aviv – 8 Track Project Cut
Athletic Mic League – Whatchuknow
Louis Prima – Jump, Jive An’ Wail
Pedro The Lion – Foregone Conclusion
The Undertones – Jimmy Jimmy
Like A Tim – Afterburner
Belle And Sebastian – It Could Have Been A Brilliant Career
Sonic Youth – Teen Age Riot
Michael Fakesch – We Got A Generator
The Fully Down – No Fate But What We Make For Ourselves
Proof – Bring It 2 Me Feat. Killa Khan
Weezer – Tired Of Sex
Li’l Cap’n Travis – Steady As She Goes
AC/DC – You Shook Me All Night Long
Cex – Destination: Sexy
Anthony Newley – Bee-Bom
The Extra Glenns – All Rooms Cable AC Free Coffee
The Decemberists – July, July!
Devo – Girl U Want
Wu-Tang Clan – Method Man
P:Ano – After School Special
Tomato Weirdo – La Salle De Bain
Lemonheads, The – The Outdoor Type
Todd Rundgren – I Saw The Light