August, you have been a magnificent month, finally I can say goodbye to hot water bottles and hello to spring-fuelled creativity. I recently went on a deep dive through years of playlists with a friend to find a perfect ‘credits’ song – one that said ‘beautiful triumph’ – so alongside new music, (Hello Mr. Cave), there are going to be some vintage treasures. And, yes, I know that band reformed…

Mind’s a Lie, High Vis

Okay, let’s go in hard with some British dance punk. I like the elements of softness that really amplify an angry paranoia. They have an album coming out in October, which I’m intrigued to hear.

 

Call It Love, Nilüfer Yanya

This is a song for your spring afternoon walk. It sounds verdant to me. Though it’s dreamy and romantic, it’s not wispy.

 

Pareidolia, Alex Izenberg

Apparently Izenberg wanted to make an album that was built to last, so this does have that ‘classic’ feel, especially through enlisting veteran producer Phil Ek (Fleet Foxes, Father John Misty, Built to Spill) to mix the album. Apparently, you can hear Bowie and The Beatles across the record, which can never be a bad thing.

 

I Guess Time Just Makes Fools Of Us All, Father John Misty

Now, some harsher critics might say this just sounds like a sexy-era Leonard Cohen knock off, or Don’t Go Home With Your Hard On. If someone compared a song I wrote to Cohen, I would happily retire, but Father John shows no signs of retiring. I like the audacity of an eight-minute song in a world built for two-minute viral TikTok songs. It’s a cynical groove, and I’m into it.

 

I Wanna Go With Dignity, Peter Perret

I adore The Only Ones, so this solo venture is very exciting to me. The lyrics are deadpan and earnest, it's a three-and-a-half-minute moment of disturbing grace. With Johnny Marr, Bobby Gillespie and Fontaines D.C. featuring on the forthcoming album, consider me excited.

 

Lovers of Today, The Only Ones

Just in case you needed reminding of how great The Only Ones are…

 

Here’s The Thing, Fontaines D.C.

I think the hype around their album Romance is completely justified – listen to it. This video is really quite remarkable too in the age of the ‘visualiser’, even though the tarantula shot nearly sent me into an arachnophobic panic attack.

 

Peligro, Panda Bear and The Sonic Boom

I love listening to songs in other languages for the freedom to impose your own meaning, to really focus on melody, and for the vocal performances to try and decode. This feels perhaps more summer than spring (those horns say Mexican summer to me) …

 

A Landlord’s Death, One True Pairing

Tom Fleming, of former Wild Beasts fame, is back with a quite topical song for all of those renting in Sydney right now…

 

You’re Invited, The Dare

I’ve always tried to be a really positive journalist and support artists with positive reviews and just omit those I dislike, but this is just hilarious. The Dare is reaching for LCD Sound System but coming across a little more Calvin Harris via CSS. I’ve no doubt people will love this, but probably because I remember Daft Punk Is Playing At My House, I find it really funny.

 

Petrol Head, Steve Smyth

This video is Euro summer torture, but Smyth is a impeccable guitarist and this feels good.

 

Dawg In Me, Miss Kaninna

She is self proclaimed Black Britney with some serious power in this track.

 

HIGHJACK A$AP Rocky ft Jessica Pratt

Oh dear, you’re a pretty motherfucker, but this track? To have the honour of Jessica Pratt featured on your track where you confess lyrically ‘Walk inside the booth, I just talk, I don't write raps’ and discuss your dislike of naps, it seems half-arsed. Perhaps you’re a genius that doesn’t need to prepare? Perhaps you’re subverting the genre and making it conversation? Perhaps it is an understated irony that I just am too stupid to understand, and yes the racial persecution discussion is deeply important, but to me, Pratt is the only good thing about this musically.

 

El Oh Ve Ee, Armlock

This is both catchy and romantic.

 

Sans Visage, Klô Pelgag

I think I love this for the opening line: ‘I would recognise you without a face at all ages’.

 

Cat 5 (Cyclone), King Stingray

Is there a more joyous song about a potential weather disaster? ‘But when I look into your eyes, I see a blue sky’.

 

STFAFM, Emily Wurramurra

This song really speaks for itself and is accompanied by a one-shot video with a truly Australian colour palette.

 

Slow Down, Miso Extra

This is a silky cut of club-adjacent R&B, fused with drum n bass beats and some of London’s Miso Extra's more pop-leaning work.

 

Utensil, Hannah McKittrick

“You get weird in August”, yes, we do. McKittrick has some really introspective lyrics that float above a minimal and gritty track.

 

24 Hours, Evard Mac

Well someone very much loves Elliot Smith, and look, so do I, so fair play. There is a sophistication to the fragility in this track which is compelling.

 

Chewing Gum, Amyl and The Sniffers

New single, new album coming, same ethos from The Sniffers: “Life is short, life is fun”. Worth remembering that.

 

O Wow O Wow (How Wonderful She Is), Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds

O wow, how does Nick Cave get away with singing ‘panties’? This is controversial and I’m probably a pervert, but I think he can. I need to take time to fully digest this record, especially in light of Jack Ladder’s recent review of the man. But, if hearing Anita Lane’s voice doesn’t move you, you may need to see a therapist. “Do you remember we used to really, really have fun?” I cried.

 

Wonderwall, Pavement

Let’s end on something funny. Refusing to play one of their ‘spiffy tunes’ Malkmus wants to kill Wonderwall. Best version of the song in my humble opinion… sorry. I’m anticipating the angry mob as we speak…

 

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For more of the fun songs this month, have a look in this playlist, which has all the ‘roll credit’ and songs from ML Buch, Q Lazzarus, Delphine, Full Flower Moon Band and Lambchop...