Metronomy : The Look

Just heard the excellent 'The Look' from Metronomy's upcoming album 'The English Riviera' on 6 Music, which reminded me to post the video.

More at because.tv.

The Baker Brothers & Talc Live

I'm playing records at this night with some of my favourite people: funk trio The Baker Brothers, "the greatest band in the world" Talc and the legend that is Dom Servini. Its in support of The Baker Bros new album 'Avid Sounds', which features versions of some of their (and mine as it happens) favourite songs including: Fly Like An Eagle, Family Tree, Shack Up, Street Player...and more!

MP3:
The Baker Brothers 'Avid Sounds' Mixtape

Buy £5 tickets here.

ELO : Evil Woman (Proper Songs Ha Ha Reedit)

Something for the weekend.



Download.

Buy some ELO at Amazon.

Golden Shoulders : Get Reasonable

From Nevada City, California come rotating collective Golden Shoulders with their third album 'Get Reasonable'. This album's sound hangs heavy with the influence of early to mid 70s Beach Boys (their best period btw), Big Star and CSNY and even a good measure of Southern rock. To the lazy listener this might position them in the same Amazon style recommendation list as Fleet Foxes - but they have a healthy amount of oddness, quirk and bite to keep them out of the MOR spotlight. Check 'Mountain' for a taste.

Download 'Mountain'.

Buy direct from the band.

Christopher Cross + The Roots Perform 'Ride Like The Wind' with Surprise Guest Michael McDonald

My mind is fully blown.

100th Post : More Mac

Fleetwood Mac - Dreams (Proper Songs Re-edit) by propersongs

Richard Swift : The Atlantic Ocean

Richard Swift's new album 'The Atlantic Ocean' is released in the UK next week. The blue-eyed soul of 'Lady Luck' is the best track on it and luckily its also available for free from Secretly Canadian's website.



Download 'Lady Luck'

Buy at Amazon.

Proper Big Ones Mix

Proper Songs is throwing a party on the 15th August at The Boogaloo (AS IF YOU DIDN'T KNOW) so here's a mix of songs - Proper Big Ones - we may or may not play...but you get the gist.

1. R. Dean Taylor 'There's A Ghost In My House' (Motown)
2. Anita Harris 'The Clapping Song' (CBS)
3. The Phenomenal Handclap Band '15 to 20' (Tummy Touch)
4. Talking Heads 'Psycho Killer' (Sire)
5. America 'Horse With No Name' [Todd Terje aka Wade Nichols Edit] (Warner Brothers)
6. Roxy Music 'Love Is The Drug' [Proper Songs Reedit] (Island)
7. David Bowie 'Lets Dance' (EMI)
8. Fleetwood Mac 'Little Lies' (Warner Brothers)
9. Anita Ward 'Ring My Bell' (TK Records)
10. Orange Juice 'Rip It Up' (Polydor)
11. George McCrae 'I Get Lifted' (TK Records)
12. Booker T & the MGs 'Green Onions' (Stax)
13. The Stranglers 'Peaches' (EMI)
14. Dent May & His Magnificent Ukelele 'You Can't Force A Dance Party' (Paw Tracks)

Proper Big Ones by Proper Songs on Mixcloud

Grovesnor : Proper Songs Mixtape

Grovesnor has compiled the first Proper Songs guest mix. Not so much a journey...more an odyssey.

0:00 Robin Cooper - Uncle’s Birthday
1:00 Steely Dan - Do It Again (Live at The Record Plant 1974)
7:49 Sparks - The No. 1 Song In Heaven
10:00 Heaven 17 - We Don’t Need No Fascist Groove Thang (Instrumental)
12:29 Traffic - Low Spark Of High Heeled Boys
15:45 Matt Berry - Take My Hand
19:35 Michael Franks - All Dressed Up With Nowhere To Go
23:03 Gilberto Gil - Herói das Estrelas
28:57 Gene Clark - Strength Of Strings
35:40 R Kelly - Step In The Name Of Love (Remix)

Grovesnor Guest Mix by Proper Songs on Mixcloud

Phoenix : Kitsuné Tabloid

Its been out for a few weeks but this CD has become a Saturday morning regular in the Proper Songs household. Lovingly selected by Phoenix, the majority of the tracks are pulled from the 60's and 70's - Roxy Music, Dennis Wilson, The 13th Floor Elevators, The Impressions - with the only truly contemporary choice coming from Dirty Projectors' album of 2007. It is obvious that Phoenix gave this unmixed compilation a great deal of attention, with the result in giving it the air of a mixtape thoughtfully created by a close friend.

Buy at Amazon.

Big Black Cow : Steely Dan mix

There is no band more Proper than Steely Dan. Six Million Steps have posted a great mix of classic Dan interspersed with talky bits by main men Donald Fagen and Walter Becker.

Stream or download it here.