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/

Thundercrack Playlist #1

The first album is up and available here. http://rapidshare.com/files/83224554/Thundercrack_Playlist__1.rar

Remember to open the album you need an application called WinRar or its equivalent. Winrar can be downloaded from www.download.com for free.
A good mix of songs, please vote in the poll and let me know what song you think is the best. Please support all these musicians by buying their cds and attending their concerts.

1. The Mary Janes - Sham
One of my favourite bands of all time and one of the most talented Irish bands in history, their existence was sadly short-lived. They were formed in 1990 with Mic Christopher leading the band. Other members were Karl Odlum, Simon Good and Steven Hogan. Mark Stanley later replaced Steven Hogan. They released two albums, Bored Of Their Laughing and Sham.

The Mary Janes finally split in 1999 with Mic Christopher leaving to pursue a solo career. Mic sadly passed away in 2001. His only solo album was released after his death entitled Skylarkin'. This is another fantastic album and definitely worth checking out. Mic used to regularly busk around Dublin with Glen Hansard as can be seen below singing one of Mic's songs. A truly great musician. Please purchase Mic's solo album either through iTunes, your local record store or through the sites listed below. The Mary Janes album is harder to find but have a look through these links and you should be able to find it

http://www.myspace.com/themaryjanesdc

http://listen.to/themaryjanes/

2. Malcolm Middleton - A Brighter Beat

Malcolm first came to prominence as part of the Scottish indie heroes Arab Strap. He is a man of considerable talent and this particular song featured in the playlist is one of my favourites of his career including Arab Strap. His live shows are also consistently excellent. Malcolm commented on 'A Brighter Beat' saying " We all get comfort from knowing that other people are uncomfy too. This idea is most evident in the title track, 'A Brighter Beat'. To me, it's a support anthem for people who find it hard leaving the house sometimes or socialising in general. If you're on your own at home and feeling depressed it's funny to think that there's millions of other people feeling exactly the same." He has a number of solo albums available, this song is the title track off his last album. Highly recommended. He has a new album due out in March and currently there is a limited edition cd of a solo acoustic performance of his. Only 1000 copies available so hurry up and order it quickly. Available on his website.

http://www.malcolmmiddleton.co.uk/

http://www.myspace.com/malcolmmiddleton

3.The Hold Steady - Cattle And The Creeping Things

A Brooklyn based rock band led by Craig Finn. They have produced three fantastic albums starting with 2004's Almost Killed Me. They followed this up the following year with Separation Sunday, from which Cattle And The Creeping Things is taken from. Their last album Boys and Girls in America brought them international acclaim. They are without a doubt one of the finest live acts in music today and if they come to your town make sure you get a ticket. They put on a fantastic, high energy rock show led by the fantastic Craig Finn. In terms of their albums, 'Boys..' is their most accessible and a good starting point. But as this track shows, the earlier albums are essential buys also. You can probably get these albums in your local record shop. Also available on iTunes and from the websites.

http://www.theholdsteady.com/

http://www.myspace.com/theholdsteady

4. Uncle Tupelo - I Got Drunk

Uncle Tupelo were at the forefront of the alternative country music scene. Active between 1987 and 1994, the band had a huge influence on future musicians. It's members were Jeff Tweedy (now leader of Wilco), Jay Farrar (now leader of Son Volt) and Mike Heidorn. The band eventually broke up under the strained relationship between Tweedy and Farrar. Both wrote songs for the band and sang lead vocals. They made four records, all of which are excellent. Also available is an anthology of the band's existence. While it is an excellent compilation, with a couple of unreleased songs (including this one I Got Drunk), seeking out the albums would be better for those interested as they didnt write many bad songs and the Tweedy/Farrar relationship makes all the songs interesting. Each album has it's own distinct style such as March 16-20, 1992 which is acoustic. I obviously can't recommend to see them live but the spirit of Uncle Tupelo lives on in Wilco and Son Volt both of whom are fantastic bands in their own right.

http://uncletupelo.com/

5. Voxtrot - Trouble

Voxtrot is an indie pop rock outfit from Austin, Texas USA. The quintet is fronted by Ramesh Srivastava and also includes Jason Chronis, Mitchell Wayne Calvert, Matt Simon, and Jared Van Fleet. Their first EP, a self-made CD-R was produced in 2003 and sold at a few independent record stores in Austin. They have since released a couple of EP's and their first full length album which came out last year to great acclaim. Trouble is taken from one the Your Biggest Fan EP. A very exciting new band and they have a very good website offering all their past records. Definitely worth picking up a few of them and of course a good start would be their full length debut. Fantastic song off it called 'Firecracker'. Check out their podcast on iTunes too.

http://www.voxtrot.net/

http://www.myspace.com/voxtrot

6. Jeffrey Foucault - Doubletree
Jeffrey Foucault is a singer/songwriter from Southeastern Wisconsin. His 2001 debut album, Miles from the Lightning, won much praise from critics and helped to kick-start a career of tours across the United States, Canada, and Europe. In 2003, he released Redbird along with Kris Delmhorst and Peter Mulvey with each of them taking vocals on a number of songs. In 2004 he released his second solo album Stripping Cane (Doubletree is on this album) and in 2006 he released Ghost Repeater. Personally I prefer his debut record. It's incredibly sparse and his voice really shines through. The two albums that followed are both excellent, with more of a band behind him. It depends what your personal preference is. He's also a great live musician. I've seen him a couple of times and he always puts on a great show. I've seen him in pubs with about 30 other people so get to one of these gigs while you can. He won't be in them for much longer if he isn't out of them already. He's touring soon so check his website for dates and also to get his cds.
http://www.jeffreyfoucault.com/

http://www.myspace.com/jeffreyfoucault

7. Laura Marling - Night Terror
Laura is a folk-pop singer songwriter from Reading in England. She's toured with a number of well-known indie acts in the UK. She has a new single out at the moment with her debut album due out very soon. I think you'll agree after listening to her sing that the album will be an essential purchase once it's come out. Hopefully she won't be marketed as somebody for the teen market as I think she deserves to be taken more seriously. It's difficult for female artists to occupy the kind of ground currently reserved for PJ Harvey and such so if you like the song let's get behind her and buy the album.
http://www.myspace.com/lauramarling

8. Aesop Rock - None Shall Pass
Aesop Rock is an American hip-hop artist. He was at the forefront of the new wave of underground acts that emerged during the late 1990s/early 2000s. He has released a number of records and his latest - None Shall Pass was released last year. I'm a big fan of the record, with this being my favourite track off it. Check out his myspace. Plenty of videos and he's also touring Europe in the next couple of months so check the dates out.

http://www.myspace.com/aesoprockwins

9. Little Man Tate - European Lover
Little Man Tate are a four-piece indie band from Sheffield, England. They've used the internet very well to build up a loyal following, so for those interested in the band, the net should definitely be your first stop. They have an album out now although I haven't heard it yet so can't pass judgement on it. From this song though I'd say it's pretty good. There's a lot of videos and songs of the band around on their site so have a listen to a few and decide yourself if it's worth your money. Supposed to be a great live band too but again never seen them so cant speak personally. I'll be going along though if they swing by me.

http://www.littlemantate.co.uk/

http://www.myspace.com/littlemantatemusic

10. Sahara Hotnights - Neon Lights

Sahara Hotnights are a rock band from Sweden. The band were formed around the early 1990s with their debut full length album released in 1999. They released their latest album last year entitled What If Leaving Is A Loving Thing. I really like this song and this band. They've been around for a long time but havent really made a big break outside their native Sweden. Hopefully that'll change in the not too distant future.

http://www.saharahotnights.com/

http://www.myspace.com/saharahotnights

11. The Shortwave Set - Casual Use

The Shortwave Set are a British alternative pop band whose debut album The Debt Collection was released in 2005. The band's music combines sample-based music with more traditional songwriting to create a sound the group has described as 'Victorian Funk.' The band's second album is due out soon.
Again, great song. Really enjoy it. Their album is quite sample based and quite different to this song in the large part. I'd advise just having a listen to the songs on their myspace page and on their website you can listen to samples of the whole album so have a listen and see if it's for you. Fantastic song this is though.

http://www.myspace.com/theshortwaveset

http://www.theshortwaveset.com/

12. The Doubtful Guest - Moment Of The Year

Hard to find too much info on this band. I saw them supporting Josh Ritter back in 2006 and was very impressed. Picked up a 3 song ep at the gig, which this song is taken from. It's really good and they were excellent live. Their myspace is a bit dead at the moment so if you like the band post on it and try and get it going again. As far as I know there's an album in the works but its hard to know. Let's hope so because if they make an album filled with the same quality as 'Moment of the Year' they have a bright future ahead of them.

http://www.myspace.com/thedoubtfulguestband

13. Band Of Horses - No One's Gonna Love You

Finally, one of my favourite bands around at the moment. They're getting fairly popular now so expect to hear a lot more of them over the coming while. They were formed in 2004 in Seattle, USA. Their debut album Everything All The Time was released in 2006 and is absolutely fantastic. They have a new album out since October or so of last year called Cease To Begin. It's an excellent follow up and definitely one of the albums of the year. No One's Gonna Love You is taken from this album. Another great live band, they're touring at the moment so defintley should check them out. They've got a real intensity live and put an awful lot of work into every show. A great band.

http://www.bandofhorses.com/

http://www.myspace.com/bandofhorses

So that's it. Hope you enjoy the album. I'll be regularly putting up playlists so keep checking back. I'll also be posting updates and bonus songs in both the facebook and myspace groups so if you're on either or both of those sites join up and keep up to date. Please vote in the poll for your favourite song. And finally this project has been set up to bring some of these bands to a wider audience so please support them and buy their cds, attend their concerts and show your appreciation for the great music that they're putting out.