Thundercrack Playlist #2

There will be a slight delay in the 3rd playlist, look for it on Wednesday the 5th March and from then on there'll be a new one every Wednesday. The next one is so far lining up to be very good, with a couple of bands that I am really excited about. For now however, download the two that are below and enjoy. There's some real quality bands on them so if you like any of the bands, please support them by buying their cds, attending their concerts or even just passing the link of the album on to your friends. Let's spread good music!

Second album and a slight change from the first playlist. From now on all playlists will feature a mixture of bootleg recordings of established acts as well as studio tracks by new or unsigned bands. Again any band or musician who would like to be considered for future playlists, send a mp3 or a link to your music to thundercrackplaylist@gmail.com. Hope you enjoy the album and don;t forget to vote in the poll to the left.
Download the album here (select free, then on the next screen you can choose any of the options which say "Download via" and the download will start)
http://rapidshare.com/files/90248502/Thundercrack_Playlist__2.rar



1. Neil Young - Crime In The City (Live)

One of Neil's lesser known songs but easily one of his best. This is a solo acoustic version of some ferocity from Amsterdam on the 10th of December 1989. This song contains one of my favourite lyrics of all time : "Send me a cheeseburger/ And a new Rolling Stone." This track is available on Freedom, Neil's fantastic album from 1989, which also features 'Rockin In The Free World', another of Neil's best. I've posted a video below of Neil performing this song and the way he stalks the stage shows his immense stage presence. He's about to start a European tour so check for tickets although many will be sold out by now. His stuff is obviously widely available so if you've resisted one of the greatest songwriters of all time until now, listen to this song and get your collection started.

http://www.neilyoung.com




2. The Chapters - Looking For Love

Hailing from Dublin, these guys are easily one of the most exciting bands around today. Due to release their debut album sometime in the coming months, it's sure to be one of the records to look out for this year. This track 'Looking For Love' was released as a single in Ireland and gained some great reviews from all who heard it. Check out their Myspace for the video as well. They have a few shows coming up, again check out their site. They're well worth seeing, very energetic and have the songs to back up the energy. A very exciting band and if you like this song, they have a number of other songs available to download on their site. Very high quality, any one of them could have been featured here.

http://www.myspace.com/thechaptersofficial


3. The Words - Drum For A Soul

In attempting to describe this Manchester band, I couldn't beat the description given on their site : "Songs filled with infectious melodies, soft, yet stubborn & angry in all the right places. Cheeky & witty, diverse, yet distinctive. A sound derived from the fun & struggles of everyday life, dripping with a hunger & a drive to improve." Sums up this band pretty well. Never seen them live but judging by this song and some of the live videos posted, they're going to soon be out of the small clubs that they currently inhabit. If you're in the area you probably already know them, for everyone else this is an exciting band well worth keeping your eye on.

http://www.myspace.com/thewordsmusic
http://www.the-muzic.com/The_Words


4. Jennifer Rafferty - Sail Away

How this girl is not yet signed to a record label I'm not entirely sure. She has a fantastic voice and writes some really good songs. This track is Jennifer accompanied only by piano as are many of her songs and showcases her obvious talents at their fullest. It's raw talent at its absolute best. She has a number of videos and songs available on her websites, especially encourage you to check out her video to this song which you'll find easily enough. Far more talented than many of the famous female singers around today, show her your support and make the record companies take notice.


http://www.myspace.com/jenniferrafferty
http://www.reverbnation.com/jenniferrafferty


5. Ryan Adams - When The Stars Go Blue (Live 2007)

Easily one of the most divisive recording artists in the music world today, I fall firmly on the side that view him as a genius with talent to burn and having written some of the finest songs of the past years. Too often his personality is cited as a problem or his lack of quality control. Personally I've never had a problem with either, and I think he has become an easy target for many music journalists. No artist of his generation has quite shown the range that Ryan has, whether it be leader of the genre defining Whiskeytown, the man who went solo with two of the finest records of the past ten years, Heartbreaker and Gold, the rock n roll frontman of 2003/2004, and now the leader of one of the finest bands in the industry today. He doesnt play a greatest hits set live and he should be applauded for that. He continually pushes himself to limits that many artists can't even imagine, even if not all work out 100%. Listen to this reworking of the masterful 'When The Stars Go Blue' and then, if you haven't already, buy everything this guy has ever written.

http://www.ryan-adams.com/RyanAdams.html
http://www.ryanadamsarchive.com/



6. Ghostlight - Breathing Underwater

From Cambridge in the UK, Ghostlight on this track exhibit a real ability to hang a song on a great melody and some great vocals. A very talented band, they've got a 3 track ep available from one of the links below. If you like this song, please check it out, well worth getting and its cheap too. They have a few other songs available on their site which are worth checking out. Definitely a name to remember, I can easily hear this track on the radio one day soon.



http://www.myspace.com/ghostlighttheband
http://www.patchedupbutstillmelting.com/shop.php (You can get the ep here)


7. The Murder Of Crows - Got Freedom

Another Dublin band the Murder Of Crows have built themselves a very strong fan base and well deserved it is too. This track shows the band's creativity and I think also exhibits the vocal talents of their singer Rob Kent. Great sound to this track. They have some really fantastic songs which are a lot rockier than this song such as 'Deadbeat Sky' which I'm a big fan of. Check out the video on their site. They're doing a small tour of the UK in March so if you can get to a gig, make sure you get yourself a ticket soon. Details on their site. Another band with more songs available on their myspace which are definitely worth checking out.

http://www.myspace.com/themoc



8. The Raconteurs - Steady As She Goes (Live)

The coming together of these musicians always promised much and they delivered right from the opening seconds of this which was their debut single. This was recorded off the radio which broadcast their appearance at the Leeds Festival in August 2006. Featuring Brendan Benson, one of the best writers of pop songs of the last decade (look for some live stuff from him in future playlists) and Jack White as well as Jack Lawrence (Blanche, The Greenhornes) and Patrick Keeler (The Greenhornes), The Raconteurs wrote a fantastic debut album which will soon be followed by the release of their second. An amazing live band, had the pleasure of seeing them back in 2006 and I'll be first in line for tickets when they announce their next tour. The vocal harmonies between Brendan and Jack are unrivaled at the moment and 'Steady As She Goes' shows this clearly. A band that really come alive when they're on stage, check out this song and look out for tour dates in the near future (they've already announced a couple.)

http://www.theraconteurs.com


9. Hello Operator - Chasing Satellites

A Canadian band, this is one of those instantly catchy songs that prove so elusive to most bands. Not Hello Operator, who with extensive time already put in on the road and much more in the future can only go from strength to strength. They've just released 'The Breaks' in stores so check and see if your local store has it. If not, don't worry, just check their website and it's easily available from there. Well worth checking out and also check their tour schedule for upcoming shows. Nothing for us Europeans so if you like the band, let them know that you want them to come to your country. A high energy rock 'n' roll show awaits!

http://www.myspace.com/hellooperatormusic
http://hellooperatormusic.com/



10. Arctic Monkeys - When The Sun Goes Down (Live)

My favourite Arctic Monkeys song, and as with most of their songs, you have to see them live to hear them at their best. This track is taken off the radio from a show they did in London back in April of last year. The atmosphere that comes along with an Arctic Monkeys gig is nothing short of amazing and this shines through on this track. Easily one of the best live bands in the world today, they never disappoint and even the most cynical person could not fail to be swept along by the passion, intensity and sheer talent on show at their gigs.

http://www.arcticmonkeys.com


11. Van Morrison - Just Like A Woman (Live)

Taken from a recording in 1971 (Inner Mystic, Pacific High Studios, 9/5/71) Van the Man covers Dylan and in Van's style he doesn't just cover a song, he makes it his own. I've been told by my elders that this period was Van Morrison at his best, luckily for those of us who are a bit younger he's still going strong with a new album due next month ('Keep It Simple') and a number of tour dates. Check them out and if you haven't yet introduced yourself to the genius of Van hopefully this track will serve as a springboard to delving into his back catalogue. You won't be disappointed.

http://www.vanmorrison.co.uk/