Modcast #222: Just The Ladies This time

This week it's the ladies turn at Suave HQ. I realized that it's been a while since I did a show feturing just the ladies, so here it is. In going through my catalog I realized that while I have a lot of great female bands and singers, the ratio of male to female singers is about 30:1. Still, I did find some good stuff, so don't worry there's lots of X chromosomes coming your way. There are soul singers, garage rockers and guitar mavens. Got bands from the UK, the US, the Netherlands, Finland, and even Seattle just to name a few. Sort of an international estrogenfest you might say. There's some old, some young, some new, some famous, some obscure. Lots of fishes in the sea, as they say. So, cast your line and reel in some fresh ones on this week's modcast.

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Eleanor Rigby -- Getting Through The Day (198?)
Nicole Willis & The Soul Investigators -- A Perect Kind Of Love (2005)
Laura Vane & The Vipertones -- Hours On Hours (2011)
Fonxinaires Feat. Brandy Butler -- Till You Love Me Too
Petula Clark -- Who Am I
Truly Smith -- Takin' Time Off (1966)
Tracey Rogers -- Back With You Baby (1967)
The School -- Valentine (2010)
The Like -- I Can See It In Your Eyes (2010)
Seapony -- Dreaming (2011)
Shocking Blue -- Send Me A Postcard (1968)
Daughters of Eve -- Don't Waste My Time (1966)
She -- Outta Reach (1970)
Looker -- Gates Of The Old City (2008)
Tiger Trap -- Words And Smiles (1993)
Madder Rose -- Beautiful John(1993)
Cocktail Slippers -- Give It To Me (2007)


Shocking Blue -- Mighty Joe


Looker - After My Divorce


Comments Please!

Modcast #221: Baby It's Cold Outside

What a week. Icy cold storm kept me holed up in suave headquarters most of the week, only to emerge to the news that Etta James had died, Jamesetta, that was her real first name which she later reversed for her stage name, grew up hard, lived hard, worked hard, and sang hard, she had a voice that was large and in charge. Didn't seem like much of a show without something from the legendary Ms. James.

Most of the week though was spent sipping hot beverages like hot chocolate with coffee liqueur and amaretto just to keep warm. And of course I had these beautiful songs to heat me up. So, listen up and I guarantee you'll get hot. Of course, as usual, you get what you pay for.

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Etta James -- Something's Got A Hold On Me (1962)
The Accidents -- Trigger Happy (1980/1996)
The Haywains -- Desperately Seeking Something (1993)
The Soup Dragons -- Slow Things Down (1986)
The Pepper Pots -- Time To Live (2009)
JC Brooks & The Uptown Sound -- Everything Will Be Fine (2011)
Secret Affair -- Don't Look Down (Demo) (1981/2003)
The Red Squares -- You Can Be My Baby (1966)
The Beat Chics -- Now I Know (1964)
Strawberry Alarm Clock -- Hummin' Happy (1967)
The Standells -- Rari (1966)
The Len Price 3 -- Julia Jones (2007)
The Postelles -- 123 Stop (2011)
The Rascals -- Suspicious Wit (2008)
The Robustos -- My Heart & Soul (2005)

JC Brooks & the Uptown Sound -- I Am Trying To Break Your Heart


The Postelles -- White Night

Modcast #125: Mod Essentials II - The Revival

Welcome to Mr. Suave’s Mod Mod World. This is a special episode of the modcast, the second in a series I call Mod Essentials. The first one, Mod Essentials: In The Beginning premiered last summer and featured my take on the most essential mod tracks of the 1960s. As you can imagine it was hardly definitive. And this one likely won’t be either . This is Mod Essentials II: The Revival. You will see that while there are some fantastic songs here, there are a number of key artists missing like The Crooks, Squire, The Amber Squad, Long Tall Shorty, The Cigarettes and lots more. 

[Original broadcast 2010]

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From 1977 to 1981 mod was reborn in the UK, which sparked mod revivals around the world. For a few glorious years the energy and angst of punk was wed to the rhythm of soul, the pulse of power pop, and the fashions of the sixties. The Who released Quadrophenia at the height of the revival creating even more interest in all things mod. Inevitably the mod scene became overexposed, it went mainstream briefly, and that more than anything else killed it and drove the remaining mods back to their soul clubs to await the movements next revival -- still more than a decade away.

Here then are the songs that I think epitomize the wide range of sounds in the mod revival. So, what are your essential mod revival tracks? I'm dying to find out from people what they see as the quintessential mod revival sound. Leave a comment and let me know what you think of my list here, what you would have added, or what you would have scrapped. Don't be shy.

The Jam – In The City
Secret Affair – Days of Change
Small Hours – Hangin’ In The Balance
Teenbeats – I Can’t Control Myself
Purple Hearts – Can’t Help Thinking About Me
The Chords – Something’s Missing
The Lambrettas – Go Steady
Beggar – Don’t Throw Your Life Away
Speedball – No Survivors
The Adverts – Bored Teenagers
Merton Parkas – Put Me In The Picture
The Jam – Precious (12” dance mix)

Mod documentary clip featuring interview with Secret Affair's Ian Page, and Secret Affair performing Time For Action

Modcast #220: The Best of 2011

Welcome to 2012, sure to be a better year than 2011 (the Mayan calendar fiasco not withstanding). Even though it is 2012 the focus of this modcast is actually 2011. It is time for my annual "best of" show where like all the other music critics out there I am going to give you a piece of my mind, specifically the piece that lists out what I thought were the best releases of the past 12 months. I'm highlighting some power pop, some indie pop, some soul, some garage rock, all of which rose to the top of the heap of last years new music. Enjoy!

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Agony Aunts (The Corner Laughers) -- Transamerica Pyramid
James Taylor Quartet -- Woman
Nick Pride & The Pimptones -- Lay It On The Line Feat. Zoe Gilbey
Raphael Saadiq -- Movin' Down The Line
The Vaccines -- Norgaard
Title Tracks -- No Air
The Perms -- High School High
Suedehead -- All I Need
The Red Button -- I Can't Forget
Steve Craddock -- Last Day Of The Old World
Miles Kane -- Come Closer
The Movements -- I Feel Groovy
The Love Me Nots -- I'm Gonna Be Your Girl
Sick Rose -- Before You Go
The Gents -- How It All Began


Sudehead -- New Traditions


The Vaccines - Tiger Blood