Review/Response: James Acaster’s Perfect Sounds Playlist
First Track — Metá Metá — Angouléme
Lively. Very lively this one. Liked it.
Second Track — The Tuts — Dump Your Boyfriend
As a music programmer, I can’t help trying to work out what songs I would play around a new track. This one made me think of the Donnas, and that terrific Lush and Jarvis Cocker Breakup Song. Fun, punky pop. Nice.
Third Track — San Cha — Capricho del Diablo
One difficulty with radio playlists is the different volumes different tracks need. You're locked onto the levels, peaking in the red, healthy in the yellows… This one could have been louder for me, and it being a bit too quiet was distracting, but I liked it. It reminded me of Helado Negro’s Running, which I would probably play near this, and of really fun live bands that you hear at WOMAD and enjoy a lot. It feels quite personal, so I do wonder what the more polished tracks sound like, if only in the mastering. I figure that title means the Devil’s sudden changes of mind. Very Latin Noir. Makes me feel extremely white.
Fourth Track — Bowie
Bowie wrote a song called Letter to Hermione, so I’m quite fond of him. Knowing Bowie knew he was going to pass away soon makes this so poignant. I used to play a Bowie song most of my DJ sets. I favoured Rebel Rebel, Life on Mars and Jean Genie. He sounds very Jared the Goblin King here. There was a great youtube where Iman talks through her looks and I had forgotten that he was married to Iman. Legends, both of them. There’s something so mournful and sexy about Bowie, like a beautiful rent boy. Gus Van Sant style. The saxophone gives it that Bowie 80s context. Realising that he has a lot in common with Annie Lennox now actually. Falling down… The upturned cadence. Pantomime, like him in the harlequin outfit. Big Bill and Ted guitar kicking in now… do not go gently into that good night, David!
Track Five — Run The Jewels — A Report to the Shareholders / Kill your Masters
Killer Mike! Isn’t he the dude who interviewed Bernie Sanders in the Barbershop? He is. These tracks “mix themselves” — ahhh, I know that feeling. Feat. Zach from RATM. I am now expecting some iconoclastic frenzy, but with smooth Jurassic 5 stylings. This one is not a blistering rapper, he’s very intelligible. Somehow reminds me of Joanna Newsom, but do not ask me to quantify that! There’s more than one vocalist here… This one is more swaggery. Ooh, there’s the fade, swish swish Tron sounds into a popping beat. I like this bit! I keep expecting more linguistic gymnastics, but its a pretty clean delivery. Kill Kill Kill ya … yep, nice. Liking this part two a lot. This is good, but still a little bit like the song at the end of an anime made into a blockbuster film. Kind of safe protest.
Track Six — uKanDanZ — Endé Iyérusalem
This isn’t scripted is it James? Mate, you would love King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard! Ok… vocally this is new. Good. It’s an unfortunate thing that my brain can’t help trying to find words in this even though I know perfectly well that I don’t speak Ethiopian, and was he talking about Shetland just then? Probably not. I do like that rubbery Primus/Bungle bass action. Fun. Bet this would be good fun live. Energetic but not chaotic. Ah, going very Primus in this bit. Bass player is excellent. Nimble. I could definitely handle even more variation in the vocalisations. He’s holding back a tiny bit? Yeah, this is fun, but I would quite like it to end now. Oh, and it does.
Track Seven — Surface to Air Missive — Please No More
A recorder! I worked at a classical station in Melbourne and we were always having this amazing recorder player on. She changed my mind about the instrument, but it is a very easy target. How pretty this starts. The pootling of the recorder gives it that 70s haze, and oh, I have wildflowers in my hands and my dress is paisley… etc. I like this. Echoes of Scandi Folk Pop. You know, like Kings of Convenience and Jens Lekman. I kind of want to beat people about the head with a recorder, so unless its as good as this… watch out! Was not expecting that Beatles Revolver sound to kick in there…nice. Good ‘first evening of a three day festival’ act. Kind of wish he’d pick a lane though. Like, is it folk or is it a long drive in the mountains? Fleet Foxes!
Track Eight — Ensemble Dal Niente & Deerhoof — Meltdown Upshot: №3, Ready
God, I remember the indie hysteria over Deerhoof. I think I liked that album. Now I need to go back and listen to them. Oh this is great! Like the backing music from a cartoon in the late 1950s. Strings! With a bit of 60s French Pop? Sampled? I think I might just let this track happen. It is … happening. Stereolab! Over way too soon!
Track Nine — Doomsday Student — The First Trip
Oh God, the intro. What *is* this going to sound like? Mutiny in the artroom! Band practice when there was acid in the gatorade? Reminds me of the ‘fuck this!’ tracks that seBADoh scattered in amongst the lo-fi introspective to wake you up! I liked those songs and I like this. I hope they are very young and really rude to people.
Track Ten — Luka Productions — Teri Ya Djara
I thought you meant Marley and I started to roll my eyes, because I don’t jive with reggae but you mean Mali! Much better. Oh this is fun! love that autotune on the vocal, very ironic. This is not very different from BTS, you know. I hope you are listening to BTS, James. Idol. It begs a sunny day, you’re bang on about that. This freestyle bit is very nice. I am cheering them on. From the back. With my cup of tea.
:)
Thanks James, I really enjoyed this.
Hermione
