The show: It’s good to be back, good to be back…

This week The Herb Whisperer recommends Japanese Cartoon – Lupe Fiasco’s new project apparently inspired by his admiration for Joy Division. Rather good it is too. Even better – the Japanese Cartoon album “In The Jaws Of The Lords Of Death” is a free download.

Fraserhead gave into guilty pleasures and thoroughly recommends Hurts. Herb has been too chicken to play this fantastic synth duo but Fraserhead has no shame. Hurts conjure up all your favourite/hated overblown epic synth duos and boy bands from years gone by. Think all the best (yes really) bits of Westlife, Robbie Williams, Savage Garden, Black, Talk Talk etc etc etc. Truly wonderful. Here’s the classy video for “Better Than Love”…

And here’s the playlist in full…

12pm – 1pm

+ Download 12pm – 1pm – 78Mb

1pm – 2pm

+ Download 1pm – 2pm – 84Mb

Gold – always believe in your soul…

After feeling sleep deprived from all the earthquake aftershocks, and at a loose end from not being able to do the show, this one put me back in a good mood. Let’s hope that this cunt goes on to do cover versions of Phil Collins, Paul Young, and Billy Joel.

I do believe that Spandau Ballet’s “Gold” is The Herb Whisperer’s karaoke/SingStar song of choice. However, none of us will ever be able to sing it again without gratuitously swearing throughout it.

THX ALISON !!!

By the way, here’s the original – just as dodgy. But a belter of a song!

Earthquake stops play

Minimal earthquake damage 4 September 2010
Very minimal earthquake damage indeed at Fraserhead's place !!!

No show today sorry. However, The Herb Whisperer has put arranged something for your listening pleasure.

Last Saturday’s earthquake means that the RDU studios are off limits. Hopefully we’ll be back on air next Saturday. RDU is still broadcasting an automated playlist.

Keep up to date with RDU happenings at www.facebook.com/RDU985FM.

Bit of a bummer really because Tommy Ill was popping into the show today for a chat about life on tour, his new album, and his show tonight. The bad news is that Goodbye Blue Monday is still closed but the good news is that the gig has been shifted to Al’s Bar.

In case you missed it first time round, here’s Tom Cosm’s Official Christchurch 2010 Earthquake Tune

More earthquake info…

Mount Pleasant “The Flood” LP

Mount Pleasant "The Flood" LP

On the show last Saturday I was being a little bit cheeky when I described the new Mount Pleasant LP “The Flood” as being the perfect soundtrack for David Lynch’s remake of “American Psycho”.

In hindsight I don’t think I was too far wrong. This album pushes my buttons. Jonathan Phillips is sneaky like that. “The Flood” comes across as more of a sketchbook than the final, finished article and that’s why I like it.

With woozy cover versions of songs that I really hated in my childhood (Bruce Springsteen’s “On Fire”, Stevie Nicks’ “Sara”, and Phil Collins’ “Sussudio”) but now sort of like (not in an ironic way – it’s more like Stockholm Music Syndrome), lots of loud/quiet dreamy pop (“In The City”), dropouts and cutouts, glitches, snares and keyboards this is my kind of (un)easy listening.

The kicker for me is the final track on the album – a cover of Roy Orbison’s “In Dreams” – one of my favourite songs of all time. I can still remember the first time I saw Dean Stockwell camply and menacingly mime the song in Blue Velvet. I was terrified and had strange dreams for weeks afterwards. It was my initiation into the weird universe of David Lynch. I have a hunch that Jonathan Phillips resides in a corner of that same universe.

Tono and the Finance Company “Fragile Thing” EP

Tono and the Finance Company "Fragile Things" EP

I was at Galaxy Records yesterday on the hunt for the Tono and the Finance Company 2008 EP “Love and Economics” when I discovered that Dave had the newish “Fragile Thing” EP in stock. So I bought it (#147 of 300 I’ll have you know).

Damn nice EP too. Throughout I hear faint traces of  Paul Banks, Stephen Malkmus, and Graeme Downes (… the curse of a music geek making comparisons sorry). “Tuesday Afternoon” has been getting a thrashing on RDU lately. Title track is fantastic. And “Politics Will Make You Miserable” is possibly the best Smiths song that Morrissey and Marr never wrote.

I’m not usually one for “singer/songwriters” (I honestly have real trouble hearing lyrics in music – I usually tune into the bassline) but something about Anthonie Tonnon really appeals to me. Perhaps it’s because he has balls to keep things loose and slightly rough around the edges (don’t tell him I said that last bit okay)?

Reviewers describe him as being “ironic”. Can’t stand that term myself. I prefer “witty”. At a stretch “quirky”.

Here’s the recent Cheese On Toast interview:

More info:

As a bonus, here’s that freakish video for “Love and Economics”…