January Playlist: Let's Not Think About Tomorrow

So here's a new thing. From now on, my last blog of each month will take the form of a playlist, a recap of what I've been listening to (and indeed blogging about) each month. I'm afraid I can't be bothered to compile and share a proper Spotify playlist, but I do encourage all of you to do so for yourselves.

Anyhow, here are 10 of the songs I've been loving since New Year's...

1. Summer Here Kids - Grandaddy
(from Under the Western Freeway)
My first blog of 2015 was all about Grandaddy's debut album, and how it's arguably just as good (and as depressing) as its more popular sequel, The Sophtware Slump. This song in particular is a corker, and what better way to kick off a January playlist than with a song about summer?

2. Trimdon Grange Explosion by The Unthanks with Brighouse & Rastrick Brass Band (from Diversions Vol. 2)
Speaking of depressing stuff, here's a song about a real-life mining disaster and the real-life people it real-life killed. Bonus authenticity points for the colliery band backing.

3. Tonight by Supergrass
(from In It For The Money)
January '15 was the month I rediscovered my love for Supergrass, who will forever be my second-favourite band even if they aren't really in my top 10. I always considered this song a toss-off with nothing interesting to give me, but I presumably never noticed those HOT BRASS LICKS before.

4. Damaris by Patrick Wolf
(from The Bachelor)
Patrick Wolf didn't exactly make a great first impression on me, but I'm well into him now. This epic epic is just one example of the brilliance he's capable of.

5. Duw, It's Hard by Max Boyce
(from The Very Best of Max Boyce)
Another depressing song about mining, albeit nowhere near as depressing as the aforementioned Unthanks song. That Max Boyce's least funny song would also be my favourite is about par for the course with me.

6. The War Criminal Rises and Speaks by Okkervil River
(from Down the River of Golden Dreams)
Good news! That Okkervil River album finally showed up. Better news! IT'S FUCKING AMAZING.

7. Anti-Summersong by The Decemberists
(from What a Terrible World, What a Beautiful World)
I couldn't find this one on YouTube, sorry. See Wednesday's blog for my thoughts on this jaunty little number.

8. 1-2-3 Apple Tree by Herman Dune
(from Giant)
You can read my blog about why Giant is called Giant if you want, but why would you bother when simple songs like this are so easy to enjoy as they are?

9. This Could Be All by Get Cape. Wear Cape. Fly
(from Searching for the Hows and Whys)
This was the album I got in this year's 1p Album Swap, and while I did have my doubts, it actually turned out to be rather good. This song in particular is as uplifting (in a slightly melancholy sort of way) as anything I've ever heard.

 10. A Cruel Heart Beats Like a Bird by Pulco
(from Innovation in the Trade)
January, of course, is a time for change, and this lovely track comes with a load of suggestions as to how one might broaden one's horizons. Read more about Innovation in the Trade here.