It's always nice when artists you like make art you not only like but that also pays sweet tribute to those who have gone before.
Recently, we've seen Ex Hex, whose 'Don't wanna lose' is currently out as a single, providing a video salute to the cult 1982 film Ladies and Gentlemen, The Fabulous Stains!
Ladies and Gentlemen, The Fabulous Stains! tells the story of Corinne Burns, a teenage fry chef sacked live on TV who goes on to form an all girl punk band with her sister and cousin, the eponymous Stains. The film charts the bands rise from bedroom band to ramshackle support act, to rock pop superstars via the power of TV.
A couple of years ago Corin Tucker's 'Neskowin' also had a video that harked back to the late 1970s, and referenced punk, particularly X Ray Spex.
Given that both X Ray Spex and Ladies and Gentlemen, The Fabulous Stains! were formative influences on Riot Grrrl, it's a nice example of passing the compliment now that the grrrls are grown up now and playing in post riot grrrl, post ladyfest punk bands.
Due to laptop problems, it very nearly didn't happen. But, where there's a will there's a way, as they say, and although the year is almost over I was still hellbent on sharing my favourite songs of the year with you.
Best Single: Peggy Sue - Idle
Coupled with a video largely comprised of vintage burlesque clips, this deceptively simple start of year release by Peggy Sue captured a sense of restlessness that felt very 2014, but at the same time also seemed timeless. A taster from their Choir of echoes album, 'Idle' should last and last.
In a particularly strong year for singles, it's inevitable that there were quite a few Runners up:
Salt Ashes - Somebody
Coming straight out of nowhere, 'Somebody' and its flipside 'Little Dove' made for a particularly stylish calling card. Whereas 'Little Dove' was brooding minimalist electro, 'Somebody' combines the best elements of recent years Swedish electro pop with the more shimmering, hypnotic aspects of handbag house, meaning that if you missed dancing to this in 2014, you missed a stunning pop moment.
Lose the ropes please though.
Ex Hex - Don't wanna lose
Technically a contender for 2015, as it's only just out as a single, this slice of reverb heavy punk attitude served time earlier this year as an excellent album teaser for the acclaimed Rips album. New York punk swagger, reverb'd guitars and lots of rock'n'roll attitude.
Andrea Balency - You've never been alone
Almost too vocally slight, this slice of R&B tinged pop shows slightly more muscle than her other more ethereal wanderings, and features a catchy refrain which is coupled with post FKA Twigs inspired musical experimentation. It works well, and once it's in your head, it's there to stay.
Best Album: Hollie Cook - Twice
A classic, and very classy, album of lovers rock from Cook. Twice followed a very strong debut album but manages to both complement and surpass it. You can read my full review of the album here.
Runners up:
La Roux - Trouble in Paradise
Whereas La Roux's debut saw Elly Jackson seeking inspiration in early '80s electro pop and, it was suspected, everything from Nightrider and Miami Vice to the Blitz club, Trouble in Paradise seeks its inspiration from the slower, more funk infused, rhythmically complex sounds of Grace Jones and the Tom Tom Club. The result is a series of slick, sophisticated pop songs in a mid '80s vein which when combined with Jackson's trademark sharply observational lyrics make for a pop classic.
Owlle - France
Released late in the year, Owlle's debut will probably have missed out on the majority of end of year listings but this subtle and sophisticated album of classy electro pop deserves to be listened to. It occasionally flirts with full on pop ('Ticky Ticky') and R&B ('Creed'), but the moody 'Fog' reveals Owlle as one to watch in the coming year, and France is a strong set of songs that should endure.
Ex Hex - Rips
An audience primed by Wild Flag, Corin Tucker's solo work and the reformation of Sleater-Kinney will have been more than ready to devour this latest project from Helium's Mary Timony. Newcomers will love Rips for what it is: Full on New York punk rawk in a late '70s vein. You can read my full review of the album here.
Best came to it late album: Jessie Ware - Devotion
Stylish left of centre soul stylings from a singer/songwriter who seems to be going from strength to strength. "If you're never gonna move" is a lovely slice of dancefloor friendly pop, and 'Running' a fantastic brooding soul anthem. Well worth re-discovering.
If you'd like to listen to more of my tracks of 2014, you can also listen to my Spotify playlist.
The debut album by Ex Hex, a US 'power trio' comprised of Mary Timony, Laura Harris and Betsy Wright, is released on Monday 13 October. I reviewed the album for The F-Word and it went up on the site yesterday.
Some reviews come together very easily, and in some cases I know almost immediately how the finished thing will unfold. This wasn't quite like that... Because Ex Hex have connections to the US riot grrrl scene, and we do get a lot of riot grrrls and ex riot grrrls reading The F-Word, I knew there would be an audience for it but, as it turned out, the album itself owes a lot more to the likes of Richard Hell, New York Dolls and Go-Go's than it does to Tuscadero, Helium, Bikini Kill or Bratmobile. Which doesn't make it a disappointment so much as a surprise.
The opening track, 'Don't wanna lose', still sounds amazing and, overall, the effect was of effortless cool as fuck punk rock with a definite swagger to it. If this had been released when I was 16 would have loved it but, as it was, I had Kenickie at the time and they served a similar purpose. In both cases, it's the sort of music that makes you want to stomp around town in short skirts and doc martens (other boots are available...)
What also interested me though was the extent to which it, consciously or unconsciously, seemed to be striving towards a classic rock album, an area of music not particularly open to women. I found this basic contradiction intriguing to say the least.
Mary Timony, formerly of US riot grrrls Helium, and more recently of post riot grrrl supergroup Wild Flag, has an exciting new musical project on the go.
They are called Ex Hex, and comprise of Timony, Laura Harris and Betsy Wright. They will be releasing their debut album, Rips, in October.
In the meantime, here is an excellent sampler track, 'Don't Wanna Lose', which makes me nostalgic for the Go-Go's, Magnapop and Bratmobile.
