April Playlist: Shut Your Dirty Mouth

Another month has come to an end, and that means it's time for another month-end playlist. Here are 10 tracks that I thoroughly enjoyed listening to in April:

1. By the Throat - Laurence Made Me Cry

(from Titans' Daughters)

The first track from Jo Whitby's new EP signals a darkening of tone and a raising of stakes. Read my review of Titans' Daughters here.

2. Daughters - We Were Evergreen

(from Towards)

A really cool, catchy pop song that I barely even noticed when I first heard Towards, mainly because I was too busy being disappointed at the lack of twee, ukulele-led Orange advert music. Just goes to show how blinkering expectations can be.

3. Follow the Pioneers - Figurines

(from Shake a Mountain)

Figurines are a band from Denmark, and if you like Modest Mouse and Stephen Malkmus, I'm pretty sure you'll enjoy this song (and indeed its entire parent album).

4. Rome - Meilyr Jones

(from 2013)

Who knew it was possible to include recorders in your song without making your listeners want to tear their ears off? Just another refreshing little trick from possibly the freshest-sounding album of the year so far.

5. Empire Liquor Mart (9127 S. Figueroa St.) - Gabriel Kahane

(from The Ambassador)

A stunning musical depiction of the death of Latasha Harlins and everything that came afterwards. Read my thoughts on The Ambassador - Gabriel Kahane's brilliant guide to the city of Los Angeles - here.

6. Nlele Kalusimbiko - Konono Nº1

(from Konono nº1 Meets Batida)

I bought this album on a recommendation from Ashli in Spillers, and her enthusiasm for the record was not misplaced. This is actually an abridged version of Nlele Kalusimbiko - the album version is about twice as long, giving you twice as ample an opportunity to lose yourself in those clattering, euphoric rhythms.

7. Men Without Hats - The Burning Hell

(from Public Library)

A frantic, verbose song about what it's like to buy your first album. I love it, obviously; the rest of Public Library ain't half bad either.

8. Nesting Behaviour - Mothers

(from When You Walk a Long Distance You Are Tired)

This whole track is lushly, luxuriously gorgeous (in a sad sort of way), but it's that last bit - remiiiinding me noooooooooot to bloooom... - that really send shivers up my spine.

9. Parson's Farewell - Bellowhead

(from Hedonism)

This gigantic-sounding folk tune was a highlight of Bellowhead's show in Cardiff last month. Click here to have a listen.

10. Rainbows in the Dark - Tilly and the Wall

(from Bottoms of Barrels)
Joy and defeat mingled magnificently together and amplified via defiant voices and jubilant brass. Even if we never get another Tilly and the Wall album, at least we'll always have this.

Want more? My previous playlist is here.