sPazAmpopatra, comin' atcha

Well that post title doesn't really work, does it? Another trawl through the archives. Feast your eyes on the haddocky goodness. That was a trawler joke.

It's Friday. There hasn't been any Tom Jones in the last bazillion shuffles. I'm going sPazTuning again!

1. Warren Smith - Uranium Rock
It was the 1950s. Warren seemed to be of the opinion that going prospecting for uranium was a) a good thing, b) going to make him rich and c) not cause a painful, lingering death. He saw it starting with him, a geiger counter and a dream and ending with him in a "long cadillac" when he finds that "big uranium rock". What a nutter. A jaunty little 50s number later covered by The Cramps. Who possibly also believed that prospecting for uranium was a goal to be pursued (it would explain a lot).

2. Beat Happening - Cast a Shadow
Black Candy is probably my favourite BH album. It has a high proportion of giantist voice songs, of which this is one (not sure about the obsession with getting people to stand between him and the sun, though).

3. Mickey & The Salty Sea Dogs - Salt Water & Whiskey
It's Mickey, formerly of The Milkshakes (amongst other things) doing his own little Medway thing with some of his nautical friends. It's a lament about how he got sacked from his job as a cocktail bartender. Well, it's kind of a lament, at any rate.

4. Puressence - You're Only Trying to Twist My Arm
Am not. I'm nowhere near you. Come back Puressence, please!

5. Half Man Half Biscuit - Styx Gig (Seen By My Mates Coming Out Of a)
Not my favourite HMHB album, to be honest. It has its good points, as does This Leaden Pall, but I find they constitute something of a HMHB lull. I don't wear stripey kecks.

6. Mitch & Mickey - The Ballad of Bobby & June
If you've seen A Mighty Wind, you'll already know how ace all the songs attached to it are. If you haven't seen A Mighty Wind, then you're an idiot!

7. Rochee & The Sarnos - Mexi Love Song
It's not as good as "Gay Cowboy", but then, what is?!? From the rather more gently mental end of the Rockabilly/Psychobilly thing from the 80s/90s (as evidenced by the songs "Dead Dog Blues" & "Understanding Croissants"). It does have a slightly Mexi flavour, albeit played on sort of homemade instruments. And I'm NOT convinced by Rochee's Mexican accent.

8. Leatherface - Soundbites
Off of Horsebox, their sort of newish one, kind of. Not up to the standards to Mush, but hell, it isn't far off (which means big guitars, impassioned shoutsinging, a fine tune in the midst of and ferocious drumming). Good GOD they were good. Not owning Mush makes kittens contract beri-beri and die, FACT.

9. Clear Light - A Child's Smile
A marvelous, gentle, sweet pop moment from one of the finest albums in all of creation. Thom, you need to get your ears overhauled.

10. Arthur Alexander - Rainbow Road
Peersome 60s southern soul. I would say peerless but that wouldn't be true, as there are loads of other songs of the ilk that I like every bit as much. Although Arthur does tend to get a little overlooked, which is a shame.

11. Hayseed Dixie - Rockin' in the Free World
Exactly as you might imagine it to be. And STILL a shitload more enjoyable than the sodding original. Although it is rather shit, as is pretty much everything they do.

12. Lonnie Donegan - Cumberland Gap
From my now-legendary sausage based mix. It's 1m58s and from the way it speeds up, I reckon Lonnie would detonate if it reached 2m.

13. JTQ - The Numbers
Yes, James, you're a very talented organ player (hur, hur). Now please fuck off with your frankly shit acid jazz wank and stop tainting the memory of your Prisoners based glory (although the first couple of albums were alright, as was their cover of the Starsky and Hutch theme tune). This is one of the less offensive ventures into acid jazzland, but I still hate it.

14. The Headcoats - You've Got Your Head on Backwards
The Headcoats, covering The Sonics. It's like the opposite of Mudhoney covering Roxy Music - i.e., it's bloody brilliant.

15. MC5 - Tonight
Part of the burden of proof that shows you only really need their Kick Out The Jams album. It's a bit average.

16. Love - 7&7 is
14. Or possibly 77.

17. Naked Raygun - New Dreams
It's punk. Big Black depended on their existence. This song isn't exactly earth shattering though. Come on sPazTunes, give me something good!

18. Melt Banana - Sick Zip Everywhere
Not as good as their Sesame Street cover "Everybody Wash".

19. Cosa Nostra - Get Down and Do It
He's talking about press-ups, I think. Or possibly sex of some sort, most likely of the oral variety. An unremarkable track from an above average psych album.

20. Spruce Bringsteen - Born to Run
It's a bit cheesy, yes. But it's still mighty fine - DESPITE the "STRAP YOUR HANDS 'CROSS MY ENGINES!" line (possibly one of the worst in musical history. What are velvet rims, anyway? Sounds terribly rude) and despite Clarence Clemons (at the very pinnacle of his difficult-to-pin-down-why irritatingness). Here's a bit of a hint, Bruce. If you're trying to get a girl (Wendy, in this instance) to be interested in your plans for the evening, probably best not to declare that said plans involve your desire for her to die, with you, kiss or no kiss. HUH!

Still no Tom, and no Scary Rap Dudes, either. A thoroughly unsatisfactory shuffle (despite the ending). BAH! Try harder, sPazTunes, sort it out!

Your thanks are not necessary. Or likely, for that matter. Another in a minute.