The Power of Ten

Horse Guards Parade
From: Hull, United Kingdom

Following the feature on Horse Guards Parade back in September 2010 (Hold Your Horses) and their appearance in the Devil's top 10 of 2010 with Her Scabby Knees the band sent me a copy of their album, the straightforwardly titled Ten Songs.

I've been living with this album for over a week and it is a contender for the album of the year. If you want somewhere to file it then the best I can offer is psychedelic anti folk but Horse Guards Parade live in a world where genres are meaningless, a world where all that matters is how good is the song? It's uniquely English literate rock that has few parallels it's low key and understated in a brash world, it's literate in an illiterate world, it's reflective in a world of hustle and bustle.

The album gets off to an impressive start with the stunning 'Everybody's Going Back To Your House' rejecting the 'fakes and the phonies' and their drug fuelled orgies. It's so good that you think that it could all be downhill from here. But what's this galloping in? It's As The Plane Lifted Its Wheels to dispel that notion. If anything it's even better. God this is starting to feel like a classic.

It Ended in A Haze slows things down a little before the album really hits it's stride with the stand-out track 'She Looked Like A Henry Moore' a tale of an accountant seduced by the twin devil's of wine and women and including a twitter sized critique of macho rock 'Boys in bands have hearts of darkness. Too self absorbed to give a damn'. The weakest track on the album is Since You Fell Off My Axis which merely meanders where the rest of the album soars. Why oh why did they not replace it with the simply brilliant Her Scabby Knees?

The Treble Clef, with surely the world's first use of the word 'quantise' in a song, is almost too clever for it's own good but, thanks to a chorus sent from god himself, falls just the right side of smart assery. 'The Lies' is a rollicking rocker of a track. It's the sound of the band letting their hair down and loosening up. It's like the Wild Beasts letting their inner Status Quo loose and has hit single written all over it. Well maybe in a world where guitars aren't banned for appearing in the charts and upsetting the children. It'd make the perfect pay-off for the album but Horse Guards Parade don't play by the usual rules. The final two tracks take us back to the reflective mood with which we started and the album is complete. Then you just have to start it again because it's that good.

From today all albums will have to work even harder if they're to beat Ten Songs as the Devil's album of the year.

Go Try

Every body's going back to your house by Horse Guards Parade

Theres Sunshine on the Radio by Horse Guards Parade


Go Visit

Horse Guards Parade - Myspace : Website : Blog : Last.FM

Go View

Horse Guards Parade
Her Scabby Knees




Horse Guards Parade
The Lies



Horse Guards Parade
She Looked Like Henry Moore

Video Killing The Radio Star

Here are the videos that have caught my attention this week...

Suckers

It Gets Your Body Moving

Strange, atmospheric, arresting, disturbing what more can you want from a video?

SUCKERS - It Gets Your Body Movin´ from Amberley Productions on Vimeo.

The Suzan

Home

The Suzan are a boundlessly energetic all-girl band from Japan, and director Pomp&Clout perfectly captures their colorful, kinectic approach to music with his kaleidoscopic video for "Home."

Be sure to check the free, interactive iPhone / iPad app version, allowing users to play with the kaleidoscope speed, position, angle and more themselves, while the Suzan knock out their xylophone riffs, surf guitar, and tom tom grooves.

http://www.itunes.com/​app/​thesuzanhome

The Suzan - Home from Pomp&Clout on Vimeo.

The Aston Shuffle
Your Love

Thanks to RadarMusicVideos for bringing alerting me to these videos

The Watchers
From The Watch Cave

Check out more Watchers videos here

CockNBullKid
Hold On To Your Misery

PJ Harvey
The Words That Maketh Murder

From PJ's new album 'Let England Shake' a timely message that Sarah Palin would do well to heed!

Furta Sacra

Bone Man

One of the bands I've been asked to listen to in my capacity as a Glastonbury ETC judge. It's odd yet strangely captivating and unlike anything else on the list. I think I like it.

Sugar Finney

Finneyerkes
From: Millbrook, Alabama, United States

Matt from ambient experimentalists Finneyerkes took some time out to tell the Devil about his first awkward teenage makeout, his secret man crush on Brand New's Jesse Lacey and how much he enjoys Charlotte's Web (the 1973 version).

The Devil: Why Finneyerkes?

Matt: It's our last names put together. it's pronounced: fin-e-yer-kiss. We couldn't think of anything better. naming things has never been our strong point.

The Devil: What other names did you ponder before deciding it had to be Finneyerkes?

Matt: Dance Commanders, Glen Coco, It Only Gets Worse.

The Devil: Who are the biggest influences in your life and on your music?

Matt: My mom is probably the biggest influence on me. she's the strongest person I know and I wish I had her faith in things. others include: Raymond Carver, Kurt Cobain, Jackson Pollock, Mark Rothko, David Lynch, and Kris Angylus.

The Devil: What was the first record you owned and what was the first record you ever bought with your own money?

Matt: The first album was a Kiss greatest hits cassette. It was in a red colored case. I played the hell out of it. The first one I bought with my own money was 'Disintegration' by The Cure. I had my first awkward teenage make out to that one.

The Devil: What makes Finneyerkes stand out from the millions of other bands across the world? What makes you unique?

Matt: We're probably the most depressing band you'll come across. our
story is kinda unique. we were friends in high school but we never
started thinking of recording together until one of us moved away and
we've been doing this longest distance collaboration since.

The Devil: Favourite song?

Matt: It changes all the time but one that's always in the top is "Standing Outside a Broken Phone Booth With Money In My Hand" by Primitive Radio Gods.

The Devil: Favourite book?

Matt: Raymond Carver- Cathedral
The Devil: Favourite Movie?

Matt: Lost Highway

The Devil: Favourite word?

Matt: Smorgasbord, particularly when Templeton from Charlotte's Web (the
1973 version) is singing it at the fair.

The Devil: Tell me something that you've never told anyone before.
Matt: I'd go gay for Jesse Lacey.

The Devil: If you weren't in Finneyerkes how would you keep yourself occupied?

Matt: Probably working at wal-mart, I'm not qualified for much else.

The Devil: If you were interviewing yourself what would your killer question be and how would you answer it?

Matt: I'm not sure how killer it is but i always liked hearing what artists my favorite bands recommend so i guess it would be: what bands do you recommend? The answer would be: Superman Revenge Squad (a good answer the Devil is also partial to SRS, O Superman)

The Devil: Is there anything else you'd like to tell the Devil Has The Best Tuna readers?

Matt: Thank you for reading and I hope you enjoy the music.

Go Try

MP3 - Finneyerkes - Grumpy As We Wanna Be
MP3 - Finneyerkes - Subtle
These tracks are published with the permission of Finneyerkes so please don't claim breach of copyright

Go Visit

Finneyerkes - Myspace

Go View

Finneyerkes
Home



Check out Matt's favourite song...

Primitive Radio Gods
Standing Outside A Broken Phone Booth With Money In My Hand



and check out his recommended artist Superman Revenge Squad...

MP3 - Superman Revenge Squad - Lately I've Been Having Trouble Sleeping
MP3 - Superman Revenge Squad - Idiot Food
These tracks are linked direct from the Superman Revenge Squad website and are therefore already freely available so please don't claim breach of copyright

More Swimming Against The Tide

Tiny Tide
From:Cesena, Forlì - Cesena, Italia

The fabulously named Marilyn Roxie, a 20 year old electronic instrumental artist and founder of the excellent blog A Future in Noise, has branched out with her own label, Vulpiano Records. I've often thought about doing something similar but procrastination always get's in the way. If I ever get around to it I think I'll call it Procast Nation Records. The label is, so far, based around free releases but is planning to launch an online store in the spring of this year, with limited-edition physical copy releases and other exclusive goodies.

If the first Vulpiano band I've checked out, Italians Tiny Tide, are typical then they could rival the sadly dormant Filthy Little Angels as the Devil's favourite label. Calling a track The Smiths & The Cure marks them out as an indie band but calling them indie seems like an insult. If you place them in a box this band'll blow the sides off. They are so much more than indie. They're the coolest kids on the block and the strangest in the neighbourhood.

It's the time that the tide turned it's time you turned to Tiny Tide.

Go Try

MP3 - Tiny Tide - The Smiths & The Cure
MP3 - Tiny Tide - The Smiths & The Cure (Acoustic First Demo)
MP3 - Tiny Tide - Rain Rain Rain
These tracks are published with the permission of Vulpiano Records so please don't claim breach of copyright

Go Visit

Tiny Tide - Myspace

Go View

Tiny Tide
The Smiths & The Cure

Swimming Against The Tide

Free Swim
From: London, United Kingdom

Free Swim's new ep 'Yolanda The Panda' is as English as a fry up in a greasy spoon. Channelling the spirits of The Bonzo Dog Doodah Band, Art Brut,and The Kinks to tell tales of intrepid and very English mountaineers and pandas being taken into custody by the Chinese authorities. As you might guess it doesn't take itself too seriously and therefore could well be the antidote to the new White Lies album.

Namechecking Sir Edmund Hillary, Tony Hawk and Sarah Palin and including a contender for the strangest song title of the year 'Swooping Swoopily Like A Swooping Swooper' 'Yolanda The Panda' is an acquired taste but a taste well worth acquiring.

Go Try

Swooping Swoopily like a Swooping Swooper by FreeSwim

I Want to be a Mountaineer! by FreeSwim

Go Visit

Free Swim - Myspace

Go View

Free Swim
The Eureka Moment

Hey Man It's Hayman

Darren Hayman

From: London, United Kingdom

In 1992 the Wedding Present released a 7" single each month. An impressive achievement to maintain that level of productivity. Well Hefner's Darren Hayman (the godfather of modern indiepop) is raising the stakes further with his latest project January Songs where he is attempting (and so far succeeding) to write and record a song from scratch every single day throughout January 2011.

He has been posting the songs, along with a video diary of his progress, at http://januarysongs.tumblr.com and there’s been some great stuff so far including the quite brilliant I Know I Fucked Up (day 10) with Allo Darlin's Elizabeth Morris on vocals. 

Darren's also been posting collaborations with the likes of Gordon McIntyre (Ballboy), Terry Edwards and members of his usual backing band The Secondary Modern. If you want to see what's in store for the last five days of the month it's mapped out at http://www.hefnet.com/januarycal.htm .

Go Try

01 It Was Over by Darren Hayman

10 I Know I Fucked Up (Sung By Elizabeth Morris) by Darren Hayman

23 Bad, Bad, Bad, Bad Girl by Darren Hayman

Go Visit

Darren Hayman - Myspace : Last.FM

Go View

Darren Hayman with Elizabeth Morris
I Know I Fucked Up


Day 10 I Know I Fucked Up from Darren Hayman on Vimeo.

On a slightly unrelated note, Darren’s last proper album Essex Arms is also worthy of investigation if you haven’t heard it yet...

Darren Hayman and The Secondary Modern
Two Tree Island

Drag Queens

Drag Your Heels

From: London, United Kingdom

London duo Drag Your Heels are here to remind us all that rock 'n roll is at it's best when it's simple, a true reminder of the power of simplicity. Boy, girl, guitar, drums, vocals, leather jackets and guitars set to scuzz. No unnecessary fillings or extraneous matter. Direct, to the point and right on the money.

Go Try

MP3 - Drag Your Heels - How It's Meant To Be
MP3 - Drag Your Heels - Creatures
These tracks are linked direct from the Drag Your Heels Last.FM site and are therefore already freely available so please don't claim breach of copyright

Go Visit

Drag Your Heels - Myspace : Last.FM

Go View

Drag Your Heels
Some Other Dream



Drag Your Heels
Feels So Good (Acoustic)

White Lies

Lies
From : Aberdeen, United Kingdom

Lies is the pseudonym of Aberdeen artiste Robert Drummond who crafts beautiful lo-fi pop from assorted clicks, bleeps, and electronic flotsam and jetsam. It's a heartbreaking civil partnership of lo-fi innocence and hi-tech beauty, of youthful ennui and nostalgia for a disappearing world.

Lies create beautiful pop and that's the naked truth.

Go Try

I Don't Think I Can Love You Anymore by Lies

Whisper, God Can't Hear Us Now by Lies

MP3 - Lies - Would Your Husband Mind
This track is linked direct from the Lies Last.FM site so please don't claim breach of copyright

Go Visit

Lies - Myspace : Website : Last.FM

Video Is Still Killing The Radio Star

Here are the videos that have caught my attention this week...

Marcus
15th Feb

To support today's Demonstration for Global Democracy in Brussels Belgian electronic band Marcus has decided to re-release their famous track 15 Feb.





Frightened Rabbit
Loneliness & The Scream


'LONELINESS & THE SCREAM' - Frightened Rabbit from handheldcineclub on Vimeo.

Giacomo
Three Times



Sleigh Bells
Riot Rhythm




Lidwine
In The Half Light


In The Half-Light - Lidwine from Lidwine on Vimeo.

Magnetic Man
Getting Nowhere

Get Your Eggs Over

Lovely Eggs
From: Another Planet

One of the Devil's favourite bands of the moment the eternally lovely Lovely Eggs are back with another slice of offbeat pop perfection. Don't Look At Me (I Don't Like It) is released from captivity on 31st January on Cherryade Records (still waiting for my review copy guys!!). It's another in a long line of Lovely Eggs numbers that scramble the sublime and the ridiculous in equal measure making the world a better place.

With lyrics about sausage roll thumbs, washing line smiles, wheelchair hearts and dressing gown noses Don't Look At Me is the perfect antidote to all those earnest young types who take themselves oh so seriously. Does anyone remember the days when music used to be this light-hearted and fun?

They oeufsome twosome have even managed to rope in John Shuttleworth (aka Graham Fellows, aka Jilted John) for a guest appearance in the video. Who'd have thought it the Lovely Eggs mixing with light-hearted novelty pop royalty!

Go View

The Lovely Eggs
Don't Look At Me (I Don't Like It)




and for those of you who may not be old enough to recall John Shuttleworth in his earlier guise...

Jilted John
Jilted John

Tunic For The Troops

The Tunics
From: Croydon, London

With the charts overflowing with the dull throb of photocopied R&B and over produced synth(etic) artistes last year was the worst year for guitar bands since records began. It's time for a dose of guitar based global storming headed by NME cover stars Brother and The Vaccines (featured on the Devil's blog back in September, The Cure?).

While Brother and the Vaccines are getting the attention of the world and NME covers there are a host of British bands who are simply getting on with the job of resurrecting the UK's reputation for music, rescuing it from the sticky fingers of the puppetmaster Cowell, the bump and grind merchants and the synthetic girls and their keyboard.

The Tunics are just one of those bands who are scouring British pop's glorious past, flinging it into a huge pot, adding attitude and gobby arrogance mixing up a shitstorm. Their lyrics, which verge on the over simplistic, could do with some improvement but then again poor lyrics never stopped Oasis. Who knows before the year is out they could be launching their own fashion label!

Do Brother, The Vaccines, The Tunics et al herald the rise of indie from the bottom of the musical landfill, or the last desperate gasp of a dying genre? Only time will tell. Either way the next few months are going to be interesting.

Go Try

Waiting - The Tunics by mantaraymusic

Shine On- The Tunics by mantaraymusic

Go Visit

The Tunics - Myspace : Last.FM

Go View

The Tunics
Shine On



Here are a couple of videos from the Tunics brothers (no pun intended) in arms...

Brother
Live at London's Met Bar



The Vaccines
Post Break-Up Sex

Remix It Up

Lykke Li
From: Stockholm, Sweden

If you're counting the days until the release of Wounded Rhymes, Lykke Li's follow up to her critically acclaimed debut Youth Novels, then here is something to tide you over. A brilliant Beck remix of Get Some the first single from the album courtesy of those wonderful people at RadarMaker and The Magician remix of I Follow Rivers the album's second single courtesy of Lykke Li herself.

Go Try

I Follow Rivers (The Magician Remix) by LykkeLi


Lykke Li - Get Some Remixes by Radar Maker

Go Visit

Lykke Li - Myspace : Website : Last.FM

Go View

Check out the video's...

Lykke Li
I Follow Rivers



Lykke Li
Get Some

Stuck On You

velcroBROTHER
From: Glasgow, Scotland

Glaswegian rockers velcroBROTHER sound a little like the Dandy Warhols if they'd grown up sucking on the teat of Britpop (The Samaritans Called Me Last Night) or Kasabian if they were suddenly infected by a pretty virulent strain of the Nuggets virus (A Film By...). I could play spot the influences all night but I recommend you head over to the bands Soundcloud site and hear the sound of summer 2011 for yourself.

Go Try

A Film By... by velcroBROTHER

MP3 - velcroBROTHER - The Samaritans Called Me Last Night
MP3 - velcroBROTHER - Oblomov's Caravan
These tracks are published with the permission of velcroBROTHERs so please don't claim breach of copyright

Go Visit

velcroBROTHER - Myspace : Soundcloud

Go View

velcroBROTHER
The Samaritans Called Me Last Night

The World's Their Oyster

The Oyster Murders
From: Brisbane, Australia

In the midst of flooding on a biblical scale in Queensland and despite the loss of electricity for over a week Grant Redgen, lead singer with Australian alt-rockers the Oyster Murders (first featured a few weeks ago Oyster Cult), managed to find time to chat to the Devil about embarrassing crushes on Martika and the literary influences that shape their music among other things.

The Devil: Why The Oyster Murders? What other names did you ponder before deciding it had to be The Oyster Murders?

The Oyster Murders: The band's name is a reference to a scene in Lewis Carroll's Through The Looking Glass. The particular passage involves the walrus and the carpenter who lure small oysters away from there mother's before eating them. I'm sure there were other names, but this one just stuck.

The Devil: Who are the biggest influences in your life and on your music?

The Oyster Murders: George Orwell, reading his book Nineteen Eighty-Four for the first time had quite a big impact on me, more so than any album ever has. Aldious Huxley's Brave New World had a similar effect. And directors David Lynch and Michel Gondry have also influenced the vision of the band. Musically the band is influenced by quite a broad range of artists from Brian Wilson to Trent Reznor.

The Devil: What was the first record you owned and what was the first record you ever bought with your own money?

The Oyster Murders: Before I admit this, I would simply like to say I was a very young boy when I asked my parents to buy this record for me. Anyway the first record I owned was Martikas debut album. I wish it was something cool and ground breaking like the Pixies Surfa Rosa but no it was a very short lived top forty pop divas only successful album.

The Devil: What makes The Oyster Murders stand out from the millions of other bands across the world? What makes you unique?

The Oyster Murders: As individuals we have varied tastes. And we are always pushing our music away from any one influence, to form a sounds that is uniquely our own.

The Devil: Which bands or artists on the current music scene make your spine tingle?

The Oyster Murders: Grizzly Bear and Foals. Two of the better bands that have come out in the last few years.

The Devil: Favourite song?

The Oyster Murders: It changes all the time, at the moment my favorite song is A Day In the Life by the Beatles

The Devil: Favourite book?

The Oyster Murders: I did mention Nineteen Eighty-Four earlier, that would be my all time favorite, but my current favorite is Stephen King's The Dark Tower series.

The Devil: Favourite Movie?

The Oyster Murders: Fight Club and Donnie Darko tie for this one (good choices, The Devil)

The Devil: Favourite word?

The Oyster Murders: I'll field this question to Wendy, our resident word freak, who says her current favourite word comes from Dr. Johnston's Reliquary of Forgotten words: Absquatulate, meaning to make a hurried departure, with a usually unsuccessful attempt at doing so secretly (I think we've had this experience after some of our earlier gigs).

The Devil: Tell me something that you've never told anyone before

The Oyster Murders: Shaun our drummer has a very dark secret, yes even darker then the fact my first record was a Martika album. Alas, I can say no more....

The Devil: If you weren't in The Oyster Murders how would you keep yourself occupied?

The Oyster Murders: I'd still be writing music, I think I'm just mentally prepossessed to music, no point fighting against these things.

The Devil: If you were interviewing yourself what would your killer question be and how would you answer it?

The Oyster Murders: Who did it? It was Miss Peacock, in the conservatory with the rope

The Devil: Is there anything else you'd like to tell the Devil Has The Best Tuna readers?

The Oyster Murders: Thom Yorke is a robot and Johnny Greenwood knows.... think about it.

Go Try

MP3 - The Oyster Murders - The Water In Your Blood
MP3 - The Oyster Murders - Ghosts In Our Wake
These tracks are linked direct from the Oyster Murders Last.FM site and are therefore already freely available so please don't claim breach of copyright

Go Visit

The Oyster Murders - Myspace : Last.FM

Go View

The Oyster Murders
This Town Won't Sleep



and as a special treat here are a couple of video's from the bands that are currently making Grant's spine shiver...

Grizzly Bear
Ready, Able



Foals
Spanish Sahara

Regimented Music

Our Lost Infantry
From: Aldershot, United Kingdom

If you're a band from Aldershot, the home of the British Army, and you call yourselves Our Lost Infantry then seriously you're not looking hard enough. Or maybe they've just been playing hide and seek with their well camouflaged soldier neighbours.

They've been around for a little while honing their awkward art-rock sound until it's burnished to within an inch of it's life. Their debut single The Arsonist released in the middle of last year got the tongues of the discerning bloggers wagging with it's jerky, epileptic art-pop perfection. There's more to this gang of four than initially meets the eye showcased by the six minute epic 'Scissorfight' which crams in more ideas than an Apple brainstorming session. It's ambition is tangible migrating from fragile pop to abrasive alt-rock to widescreen indie before returning to it's starting place. Breathtaking ambition from a band in the first flush of youth.

I have a feeling that Our Lost Infantry are about to be discovered.


Go Try

Galen (acoustic) by ourlostinfantry

Our Lost Infantry - Parkin by ourlostinfantry

The Arsonist by ourlostinfantry

Go Visit

Our Lost Infantry - Myspace : Website : Last.FM

Go View

Our Lost Infantry
The Arsonist



Our Lost Infantry
Scissorfight (Live)

Raven Mad

The Raven & The Writing Desk
Denver, Colorado, United States

Recidivist is derived from the French récidiviste, from récidiver, to relapse, from the Medieval Latin recidvre and from the Latin recidvus, falling. It is also the latest album from Denver six piece The Raven & The Writing Desk. It's a perfect title for an album that looks to the past for inspiration falling on the right side of retro. It's rock tinged barefoot folk with a slight whiff of patchouli oil and incense which tastes a little like an Edie Brickell and the New Bohemians cocktail with a Kate Bush twist.

Go Try

MP3 - The Raven & The Writing Desk - Wooden Lover
This track is published with the permission of The Raven & The Writing Desk so please don't claim breach of copyright

Go Visit

The Raven & The Writing Desk - Myspace : Website

Go View

The Raven & The Writing Desk
The Haunting



The Raven & The Writing Desk
Space Grenade

Video Killed The Radio Star

Here are the videos that have caught my attention this week...

Clinic
Bubblegum

If you like cats in dresses, dancing sweetcorn and giant knickerbocker glories then you will love this beautifully balmy new promo for my fellow scousers Clinic by award winning directors Alasdair Brotherston & Jock Mooney...

Clinic - Bubblegum from Alasdair & Jock on Vimeo.

Eskmo
We Got More



Thanks to RadarMusicVideos for bringing alerting me to these videos

Pilgrim Speakeasy
Overdosile



Modern Witch
Mental Stretch



Chris Cape
Major Tom

If David Bowie was dead he'd be turning in his grave hearing this...

Goodbye Girl

Trish Keenan
RIP
1969 - 2011

I was so sad to hear of the death of Trish Keenan lead singer of Birmingham electro pop band Broadcast of pneumonia. It's sad when anyone we have admired or who has moved us with their music dies but when they are so young and still have so much to offer it's so cruel. My thoughts are with her friends and family and the rest of the band.

Goodbye girl you'll be missed.

Broadcast
Goodbye Girls

Brutally Honest

The Brute Chorus
From: London, United Kingdom

Regular readers of the Devil's blog will already know that I am partial to the unfairly neglected but surely soon to be huge Brute Chorus. Their latest single 'Birdman' from their second album How The Caged Bird Sings is a rocking foot stomper that twitches and jerks like a marionette on crystal meth. It's a refreshing white knuckle ride back to the 50s with more energy than the Duracell bunny olympics. If it doesn't get your foot stomping then you may need to see a doctor. If you prefer your sound a little more contemporary then check out the Awesome New Republic (featured on the Devil's blog way back in 2009, Vive La Republique) remix which is, well, awesome.

Go Try

BIRDMAN - Single Version by The Brute Chorus

Birdman (ANR Mix) by The Brute Chorus

Go Visit

The Brute Chorus - Myspace : Last.FM
Awesome New Republic - Website : Last.FM

Go View

For anyone yet to be seduced by the brilliant Brute Chorus check out these slices of brutish perfection...

The Brute Chorus
Heaven



The Brute Chorus
Could This Be Love?



The Brute Chorus
The Cuckoo & The Stolen Heart

I Wanna Sax You Up

I was sad to hear about the death of Gerry Rafferty (RIP Gerry) last week. Gerry's 'Baker Street' is one of those songs that sounds like nothing else it was an original and it still gives me chills down my spine when I hear that sax solo. I was pleased therefore when Brighton's Duke Raoul (who were first featured on the Devil's blog in June last year, The Duke Spirit) sent me a copy of their cover of 'Baker Street' a perfectly poignant, downbeat tribute to the great man.

Go Try

Baker Street (Gerry Rafferty cover) by dukeraoul

Go Visit

Duke Raoul - Myspace : Last.FM

Go Try

And here is Gerry's seminal original with the most recognisable sax solo in rock...

Sting In The Tale

Henry Johnson
From: Thanet, United Kingdom

Henry Johnson (not too be confused with the US guitarist Henry Johnson) is a young talented and fashionably starving singer songwriter with more than a slight resemblance to Sting (without the obsession with tantric sex). He will be starring in a ground breaking Channel 4 documentary about the struggles of an artist in the uk. A quite topical programme given how difficult it is to break through in the era of Simon Cowell and his horde of musical langoliers. The Channel 4 team will be following Henry for the next 8 months and documenting his trials and tribulations as he tries to make it in a business not known for it's caring side.

I just hope that he get's the chance to plug the Devil's blog!

Go Visit

Henry Johnson - Myspace

Go View

Henry Johnson
Shadows of Delight



Henry Johnson
Weight On The Words

They Wanna Sex You Up

Poor But Sexy

From: Washington, United States

How can anyone resist a band who look like Asexuals Anonymous call themselves Poor But Sexy and have a song called Hotter Than A Poptart? Then they go and make it sound like Prince on Viagra with someone's tongue in his cheek. Irresistible.

Go Try

MP3 - Poor But Sexy - Hotter Than A Poptart
This track is published with the permission of TeamClermont so please don't claim breach of copyright

Go Visit

Poor But Sexy - Myspace : Website : Last.FM

Go View

Poor But Sexy
Hotter Than A Poptart