Boredom On the Bus’

July 21, 2010 by Tom Jenkinson

As I sit on some coach up to the supposedly sunny west country next to my half-passed out friend listening to some ungodly trance remix abomination (maybe a bit strong, but hey, I’m sitting in a f***ing coach) it becomes clear that to counter this trance dubstep bollocks I would have to listen to something new and intriguing. Out comes the iPod with all the recently added pre holiday playlists and pre emptive downloads to tide me over for the weeks in the sun. Here are a few tunes that I have been listening too, interspersed between complete plays of Bombay Bicycle Club’s new album Flaws (there is a review here that i trust and agree with) and Villagers INCREDIBLE debut ‘Becoming a Jackal’.

A few things to post about then, first up is David Vandervelde. this country-electro demon has been ram raiding technorati and hypem for all their worth recently. And with good reason, his new single ‘Learn How To Hang’ is a perfect example of a GOOD cross-genre tune with a little bit of The Feeling thrown in. It’s probably for this reason he’s kicking up a storm. Not that i’d know, i’m stuck on some motorway in the pissing rain.

Learn How To Hang – David Vandervelde

Also on the ol’ smart playlist is Everyday by James Owen Fender. This was firstly released as part of Plumpton Rocks first EP back in May. I have to admit though that this was the only real song that stuck for me. However it just keeps spinning round my head as i sit here. Probably because i’m too lazy to stop playing Doodle Jump and change the song though… It’s kind of a Jamie T but with the laddish humour exchanged for a bagful of rock and roll. This guy is bang on it up teh North.

Everyday – James Owen Fender

The next track is called Julianne and is by a band called Be Like Pablo. Came across this track whilst having a look through the lineup for Indietracks festival (i’d go by the way if you live anywhere near Nottingham). Unfortunately I cant go as i’ll be getting wasted in Cornwall. But if i did go, id definitely have a look in these guys’ tent. In all honesty its just a neat little typical indie track, catchy as swine flu though.

Julianne – Be Like Pablo

Another quick throw ‘a’ round of Lissie’s live cover of Kid Cudi’s ‘Pursuit of Happiness’ that coincides nicely with the new found buzz around him and the new converse advert (posted about here). This song REALLY has taken over the blogosphere, and quite rightly. It’s bloodey incredible. Cudi’s lyricism is portrayed to its full potential and sung with such gusto and emotion by Lissie, making it her own guitar strewn cover, fair play. Please release this properly Lissie, just not with any of that produced bollocks. Surely a cover that just cannot be missed.

Pursuit Of Happiness – Lissie

Ra Ra Riot

A few new out free downloads to end then, a roaring climatical finish of freebies and goodness if you will. Firstly a song out of Ra Ra Riot’s forthcoming album ‘Orchard’. It’s energetic and gets off to a roaring start. The youthful and passionate voice of Wesley Miles holds the quirky high pitched mix of jingle jangle synth guitar and orchestral movement together. absolutely top.

Boy – Ra Ra Riot

Now Ra Ra Riot’s song may have been called ‘Boy’, it was about a boy, but it just wasn’t Badly Drawn Boy. Luckily it didn’t need to be though, Badly Drawn Boy have released a new single too! The track ‘In Safe Hands’ is a back to basics acoustic that just twirls and fades in and out your consciousness in only a way Badly Drawn Boy can. I probably cannot think of many other artists bar Bon Iver that can induce sleep so quickly. A ninja-esque attribute that just exemplifies Badly Drawn Boys magnificence and prowess. You can nab it off their myspace free whilst it’s still hot.

In Safe Hands – Badly Drawn Boy

So that’s it now. Plenty to listen through for both you and I. Next time you’re sat in a traffic jam, see if you can through some of these tunes through the car stereo and see if they help you through the boredom. They did for me.

On a quick side note, i didn’t cover Villagers ‘Becoming a Jackal’ to any great depth, largely due to it being an insult to this album if it was covered it a few sentences. It’s quite simply brilliant, it is actually up for the Mercury Music Prize this year. Mumford and Sons or The XX will probably get best album. But show some support to Villagers. They sure as hell deserve it.