WEEKEND SOUNDTRACK: unknown mortal orchestra - (sittin on) the dock of the bay (otis redding cover)

unknown mortal orchestra - (sittin on) the dock of the bay (otis redding cover)
recorded off a mark riley bbc session last month, this cover is just classy and retro in all the right places.

LIVE WONGIE: foals - this orient (live @ bbc live in session)

foals - this orient (live @ bbc live in session)
[gosh i love this song!]

WONGIE DISCOVERY: the crookes - backstreet lovers / colliers wife / by the seine

[any band that sites the shirelles and the ronettes as musical influences will easily fall favorably in our musical books. hailing from sheffield and naming their band after the suburb that they were living in (ie: crookes), this four piece write wistful happy gangly guitar pop tunes that will easily bring a smile to your face, all the while engaging you with that retro twist (as wikipedia called it, "the smiths at their most twee-est", which in our book is a good thing!). the band recently made their US debut at sxsw and hopefully more buzz will happen when they release their debut album later this year. check out some wonderful releases that came out last year!]

the crookes - backstreet lovers


the crookes - colliers wife (live @ bbc live in session)


the crookes - by the seine (acoustic)

LIVE WONGIE: laura marling - the devil's spoke (live @ bbc live in session)

laura marling - the devil's spoke (live @ bbc live in session)
[uk folkie makes a grand appearance on bbc's live in session and offers a spot on performance of her latest single. we like...]

LIVE WONGIE: hot chip - one life stand (bbc radio 1 live in session)

hot chip - one life stand (bbc radio 1 live in session)
[these guys are so great live! i always feel like a funky uncle at a wedding when i catch myself getting so down with this song.]

LIVE WONGIE: local natives - airplanes / wide eyes (bbc radio 1 live in session)

local natives - airplanes (bbc radio 1 live in session)
[a performance from last june 2009, the boys offer up their gorgeous rendition of airplanes. i so heart this song!]


local natives - wide eyes (bbc radio 1 live in session)
[the boys came back recently to perform again for radio 1. you can see that their instrumentation has gotten more complex, but the guy with the porno mustache looks exactly the same]

WONGIE COVER OF THE MONTH: florence and the machine & billy bragg - fairytale of new york (the pogues & kirsty maccoll cover) (live in session)

florence and the machine & billy bragg - fairytale of new york (the pogues & kirsty maccoll cover) (bbc live in session)
[one of my all time favorite songs gets a pre-xmas performance on bbc's live in session. i missed this a month ago, but it's never too late to discover a brilliant cover by billy bragg and florence and the machine. i'm totally getting misty!!!]

LIVE WONGIE: plan b - stay too long (live @ bbc live in session)

plan b - stay too long (live @ bbc in session)
[damn, ben (aka plan b) can actually do this song live! i have newfound respect for this rapper/singer now. great song!]

WONGIE DISCOVERY: peggy sue - yo mama (live in session) / lover gone / alice in the kitchen

FROM DROWNED IN SOUND:
"A band without anyone actually named Peggy as a member. Formerly called Peggy Sue and the Pirates. "Something like the Moldy Peaches if they had grown up dancing to Sleater Kinney and learnt to sing listening to Billie Holiday."


peggy sue - yo mama (bbc live in session)
[personally i think there's something really wonderful about their brand of edgier folk. is it the rough female harmonies or the kind of ragtag musicality that just works together? needless to say, my radar is up for this trio.]


peggy sue - lover gone


peggy sue - alice in the kitchen

WONGIE DISCOVERY: local natives - camera talk / airplanes (bbc radio 1 live in session)

local natives - camera talk


local natives - airplanes (bbc radio 1 live in session)

[from last.fm
"Local Natives are a Southern California act preparing to release their debut full length. Upon first listen though, it seems as if there’s no way that can be the case. These songs roll by with the ease, confidence and chemistry of a much more seasoned act. My initial reaction is to compare them to bands known for their celebratory bombast like Broken Social Scene but with the rich orchestration of groups like Grizzly Bear or Fleet Foxes. Actually, here’s a comparison for you. If Arcade Fire were more interested in visiting the beach than reaching for heaven they’d probably sound a lot like Local Natives"]