Wendy James: Back, back, back

I know that we shouldn't be surprised at anyone who has ever released a record, ever, returning by now. But who ever foresaw a Wendy James comeback, much less one partnered by a Stooge (James Williamson) and a Bad Seed (Jim Sclavunos)?

Can you even imagine what it's going to sound like?

Actually, you don't have to imagine, as both tracks of the single are available to share through Soundcloud.

Here's one song, then, You're So Great:

That's a cover of Sonic's Rendezvous Band, although it carries a none-more-Wendy-James title.

This is the other side of the double-a sided single, It's Alright, Ma:

Yes, that's a Dylan cover in there.

You know, back during the pomp of Transvision Vamp I'd probably not have put money on being so pleased to see Wendy James turn up with a couple of covers in 2012.

[This important alert made possible thanks to a tweet from @frankosonic]

Downloadable: Bailterspace

You know who else is about to release a new album? Bailterspace, that's who. The last one predates the start of No Rock - it's been thirteen years, an absence that has grown into puberty. Which makes Strobosphere pretty exciting.

It's not out until August, though, but in the meantime, they've snuck out a taste - No Sense:

Downloadable: Teenagers

Bloody teenagers, coming round here making dreamy-lovely-lo-fi sounds and giving them away for nothing:



I don't know very much about them - Daria is doing guitars and vocals; Karol is doing drums; they're from Warsaw and... I don't know, you can make up the rest for yourself, probably, and it'd be as correct as anything I could tell you.

Downloadable: Holy Ghost

Here's something you might never have expected to live long enough to see: a cover of early-era Ministry's I Wanted To Tell Her. Dome by Holy Ghost, and yours for nothing more than a quick interact with a widget:

Downloadable: Peggy Sue

Peggy Sue were on NPR's World Cafe earlier today; you can snaffle their two live tunes for free thanks to the unique way NPR is funded.

Downloadable: 4AD sessions

4AD have done this, a compilation of some of the best tracks from their special sessions. You can also buy it as a vinyl record, should you wish to:

Downloadable: Domino sampler

Surely you're aware of the high quality of the Domino Record roster? Or are you wondering what they've done for you lately?

Here's a chance to catch-up: a free, gem-packed sampler:

Download off of that Amazon site

There's King Creosote & Jon Hopkins; Sons And Daughters; Wild Beasts and - like all good K-Tel adverts would say - many, many more. It's free. What could go wrong?

Downloadable: Is This It? (Not quite)

Ten years on from the release of Is This It, Stereogum have rounded up a bunch of bands to produce a tribute-y, cover-y thing.

It runs from Homebase's Peter Bjorn and John doing the title track, through to Computer Magic doing Take It Or Leave It. Go download, and remember to say "thank you, Stereogum".

Downloadable: Electrogothy goodness

Fancy a big, doomy, gothy compilation from the fine people at SideLine magazine? Just woosh over to SideLine's Facebook presence, like them, and you'll get the link.

(Am I alone in finding there something slightly creepy about this 'tell me you like me and I'll give you a present' set-up? It's a bit like a mother withholding supper until you tell mummy you love here.)

Downloadable: Blitzen Trapper

The new album is out in a couple of months, and in order to make you want it, and want it baaaad, Blitzen Trapper have offered up this nugget:

Downloadable: CSS

Ooh, just when I was mentally shifting CSS into the "I guess they went and got proper jobs or something" file, who returns but CSS?

This track is Hits Me Like A Rock, and it's basically them yelling "back". With a slight hint of macarena.

It really could go on as a Spanish-holiday summer hit with no further make-up.

Downloadable: Mazes

To celebrate the release of the new single, Summer Hits, Mazes have lobbed out a freebie:



That's a demo version of Brunswick Stack, that is.

While we're at it, here's the October tour dates for the band:

03-OCT Mon LEEDS Nation Of Shopkeepers
04-OCT Tue MANCHESTER The Kings Arms
05-OCT Wed EDINBURGH Sneaky Petes
06-OCT Thu GLASGOW Captains Rest
07-OCT Fri NEWCASTLE Dog & Parrot
08-OCT Sat LANCASTER Library
09-OCT Sun NOTTINGHAM Spanky Van Dykes
11-OCT Tue OXFORD Jericho
12-OCT Wed BIRMINGHAM The Hare & Hounds
13-OCT Thu LONDON Lexington
14-OCT Fri BRIGHTON The Hope

Downloadable: Room40

Room40 are celebrating their ten years in the electronic music business by giving away a 40 track sampler.

The headline names are probably Xiu Xiu, Grouper and Tenniscoats, but there's obviously much more to explore, sample and delight. Happy birthday, Room40.

[via CollapseBoard]

Downloadable: Beth Jeans Houghton

The long-overdue and makes-us-slaver-like-dogs debut Beth Jeans Houghton album is almost ready. Not with us until Autumn, but at least it is coming our way.

Meanwhile, oh, yes, there's this:
Beth Jeans Houghton - Dodecahedron by Mute UK
What a lovely way to start the day.

Downloadable: Agnes Obel

Agnes Obel did a session a couple of weeks back on Marc Riley's 6Music show; if you missed that, here's something a bit like a second chance. It's the Lulu Rouge remix of Riverside:

Downloadable: Madonna

Not actually Madonna, of course. The lemon-scented people at Paper Bag Records have put together free download album of Madonna covers.

All they want in return is an email address - which, let's face it, is probably being handed round thanks to Sony right now anyway. The Rural Alberta Advantage's Live To Tell is worth handing over your details on its own.

A day with the Jesuses: Hookers For Jesus

There are actual hookers for Jesus. Originally, it was a code-name for flirty fishing; then some actual former sex workers picked the name for their Christ-inspired outreach work amongst not-yet-former sex workers.

The musical version of Hookers For Jesus, though, is a slightly reedy singer-songwriter from Bloomington, whose own Last FM page has little to say about him, beyond a long description of Flirty Fishing.

There are no videos, but you can listen to some songs online. Like Love.

Hookers For Jesus gets an X-Factor of 3.

[Part of A day with the Jesuses]

Downloadable: Lykke Li

Gold Panda have remixed Sadness Is A Blessing. And look, here it is:

Downloadable: Architecture In Helsinki

Always lovely to get something nice from Architecture In Helsinki; even lovelier when it's for free. Oh, and did we mention it's a Clock Opera remix?



See? Lovely.

Downloadable: Sons And Daughters

Hurrah! It's Sons And Daughters, and they're back, back, and... well, you get the picture:

Pic: Harley Weir

The new album, Mirror Mirror, is out in June. Meanwhile, grab the Repulsion Box.