1. Novocane – Frank Ocean – Up and coming r&b playa, and part of OFWGKTA, this ain't the worst but better is on its way. An OK match up between drug and heartache. "Fuck me good, fuck long, fuck me numb…" is a hot line. Plus, how many people namecheck Stanley Kubrick nowadays,
2. Remember My Name – Fucked Up – A glorious rush of classic rock riffing, the intro pure the Who, the outro pure the who, everything rings, everything exults in the cleansing power of rock and roll. Easily the best moment on the album. Even the vocal is better than usual.
3. Go Out And Get It – Black Lips – Killer track off the newbie -Mark Ronson cleans it so much it, the band sound anonymous. The song is great. Listen to the Daytrotter session version and compare, the Daytrotter sounds like it was recorded underwater, it is soggy but strong, the Ronson version is both excellent (first rate song) but too everyman.
4. Unwanted Sign Upon Your Heart – Hank Snow – What's the take upon this guy? He ain't Hank but he could sure write a song, very smart at the powerful image like this one. Ps? He introduced Tom Parker to Elvis Presley. Oh, and 70 country hit singles.
5. What Do The Simple Folk do – Julie Andrews And Richard Burton – Burton sounds like Burton, Andrews was 22 years old and it was her THIRD Broadway musical. Wonderful stuff.
6. A Man Don't Have To Die – Brad Paisley – a new preacher in town is taught that hell is economic devastation.
7.Coming Back to A Man – Dawes – the Laurel Canyon band are a signpost for the L.A. sound and never more so on this terrific song. PS I bought the second album yesterday and it is very, very good.
8.Don't Sit Down, 'Cause I've Moved your Chair – Arctic Monkeys – They could have been a working class Blur and instead they've become a middle class Queens Of the Stoneage without the bottle.
9. Oh Virginia – John Phillips
10. Little Ole Wine Drinker, Me – Dean Martin – The slur in his words makes this pretty damn good country re-arrangement even better.