Generate!

I got the new Johnny Marr album last week. I’m not sure it’s a great album but it has got some really good songs on it, at least half of them being more than a cut above. The guitar playing is the most Smithsian he’s done since being in that band and also recalls some of the more guitar led Electronic songs (the majestic Forbidden City say). His voice is fine too, good enough to carry the songs. So, I can recommend it, if you fancy that kind of thing. There’s a load of sparkiness to it to suggest the live shows will be great (as long as Ronnie Wood doesn’t turn up for How Soon Is Now as he did in London a few days ago. I’ve also recently realised I missed a secret gig at Night And Day in town last Monday night). So I’m looking forward to the gig at the Ritz later this month. This song has a touch of post-punk and Buzzcocks about it.

Generate! Generate!

Johnny has done a ton of press and promotion for the album. The Guardian’s weekly podcast features Johnny talking about his favourite 5 songs he’s played on and for good measure, in a Bagging Area two-for-one special, Andrew Weatherall is also there talking to Alexis Petridis about The Asphodells, Fuck Buttons and djing in a foam party in a cowshed. Stream or download here.

‘Space and light and order. These are the things that men need just as much as they need bread or a place to sleep.’

Le Corbusier.

Can I Draw Your Picture?

This appeared on Soundcloud about a month ago, a superb and unreleased Weatherall dub mix of Lark’s Can I Colour In Your Hair? from 2009. I think it first showed up at Double Gone Radio but it’s never had a physical release which is a shame because this clanging, speaker-rattling remix would sound ace on vinyl. It’s a bit of a forerunner of his two dubs of Steve Mason’s Boys Outside (another peak period Weatherall remix never physically released to the best of my knowledge).

And that’s Man Ray’s portrait of Le Corbusier by the way.