Johnny Marr - Dynamo (video)

One of the first Johnny Marr singles that seems quite listenable, gets the video treatment. Dynamo, like most modern Marr work is straight forward guitar pop, the difference here is that the chorus actually has a hook to it. Its hard to tread on someone like Marr, who stands alone as an untouchable god among men when it comes to song-writing. Yet, his most recent efforts have seemed slightly slipshod, or at least not up-to-snuff. Like many elder Rock statesmen, we expect the very best, and very rarely get it. With Dynamo we do not get anything Smiths-like or even Electronic-like, but more a soaring anthem in the vein of The Verve or Smashing Pumpkins. There's a 90s Brit-pop theme to this song and it works. Marr is no crooner, but he can still carry a tune, letting the hook lie in the harmonies to an effective degree and of course his 6-string shredding is nothing to yawn at. So here you are, Dynamo:

Merchandise - Enemy (video)

A new cut from the upcoming After The End, is a punchy, acoustic-heavy display. With a riff reminiscent of Panic, or Last of the International Playboys, or Ryan Adams, Merchandise yet again prove their penchant for crafting catchy melodies. The video is a dramatic journey through an ancient theater and then the dark underbelly of a rural laundromat. Its all black and white and jaw lines, but totally worth a watching:

The Stone Roses - I Want To Be Adorded

It's Monday so its time for another instalment of Looking Back In Anger. For this week's chapter we focus our gaze on the Madchester golden boys, The Stone Roses. Roses are one of those bands you can continually come back to and recently I've come back around. 2014 feels like a year of the Roses. Last year they had their epic reunion tours and rumours were floated that a new album was in the works, one can only hope it will arrive this year. Stone Roses were and are one of the only bands to successfully blend the psychedelic ambience of late 80s dream-pop with stadium ready hooks of 90s Brit Pop. If Second Coming hadn't been so panned they could have gone one to be much larger than Oasis or even The Smiths. Check out their clip for the spine tingling, I Want To Be Adored, right here:

Another Sunny Day - You Should All Be Murdered

Sometimes we like to travel back in time on this blaugh, and today's Monday installment features Another Sunny Day. ASD was an early moniker for the prolific Sarah Records twee-pop all star, Harvery Williams. Williams, was the real OG of jangling guitar, heart on sleeve, Crycore. I've always thought Another Sunny Day had more in common with The Field Mice, than the Smiths, but this song always garners a Morrissey/Marr comparison. No matter who else it sort of sound like this jam rules. Dig it:

Parenthetical Girls - Handsome Devil (Smith's cover)

An interesting take on a classic!

T. Rex - Metal Guru

Another monotonous Monday is upon us and so it is truly time to look back in anger. For today's installment I'd like to feature the Glam Queen himself, Mark Bolan aka T. Rex. Massive 70s rock icons, T. Rex erupted around the same time as Ziggy Stardust, and helped transform the UK's fixation from mod-culture to one more based around Glam. Metal Guru is one of those infectious jams, with an unrelenting chord progression that drills into your brain. The song has minimal changes and is carried by Bolan's effeminate, mumble-whine, vocal delivery. Truly a perfect rock anthem - and one that influenced countless other acts, including one group of super fans in particular, who were quick to borrow the melody and production style ;)

Merchandise - Anxiety's Door

Merchandise's new EP Totale Nite is out this month and its worth returning to their first single from it, Anxiety's door. This is one of the best tracks from 013, and while the rest of the EP sort of meanders into different territory this song seems to stay on track as a murky pop emerald of a tune for your audio anklet. Don't hesitate to press play, especially if you've been jonsin for some janglin gittars.

CRIBS & MARR???

Can it be?? A collaboration I'm actually psyched about??? No, Cut Copy and Hercules and Love Affairs haven't joined forces..and no, Ian Curtis isn't playing a reunited Joy Division tour. Butttt famed Smith's guitarist Johnny Marr is working with and now pretty much officially part of The Cribs! Two Things: Who are the Cribs? Well their Brits (oy!) and they have that incessant Brit-pop thing going on, with a little more edge, a tiny bit of Twee thrown in. Then there's the question of Marr. Will he be good? Hard to say..his contributions to Modest Mouse were noticeable, though nothing to write home about. Anywho, he seems better suited for Cribs, as they're all about driving, repetitive pop guitars (Smiths anyone?) Well, I know I'm overly psyched, but is anyone else asking: how soon is now?! In other news, Morrissey is still miserable and alone...so here's a fabulous Cribs video:

And: