Council Meeting Memo #076 — Simon Douglass’ Top 10 for 2023
Gravy Making Music
1.Dirty Beaches: Badlands (Zoo Music)
https://alexzhanghungtai.bandcamp.com/album/badlands
A Korean crooning like Elvis, possibly into a shoe from behind an old radiator in the woods. Beauty.
2. Eden’s Island: Eden Abhez (Del-Fi)
https://everland-music.bandcamp.com/album/edens-island-the-music-of-an-enchanted-isle
Man writes #1 for Nat ‘King’ Cole, records lush album with frog sounds and lyrics about trading, then goes to live under one of the Hollywood ‘L’s.
3. Confidence Man: Tilt (Heavenly)
https://confidenceman.bandcamp.com/album/tilt
Bratty sex songs set against rave samples circa 1989–1991. Janet Planet has ace costumes.
4. The Clientele: I’m not there anymore (Merge)
https://theclientele.bandcamp.com/album/i-am-not-there-anymore
A double album by my favourite band. Inspired by the Silverlink and the North Circular, amongst other things.
5. Trentemøller: Harbour Boat Trips 01 — Copenhagen (HFN Music)
https://trentemoller.bandcamp.com/album/harbour-boat-trips-01-copenhagen-by-trentem-ller
The best compilation album ever made for a murky day.
6. Sofia Kourtesis: Si Te Portas Bonito (from Madres) (Ninja Tune)
https://sofiakourtesis.bandcamp.com/track/si-te-portas-bonito
I played this more than anything else this year. Nowt else to say really — there is much to love about this.
7. John & Beverley Martyn: Auntie Aviator (from Road to Ruin) (Islan)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OUMtGAaA4sg
So cool it’s not even on Bandcamp. This track was on a Wiggs and Stanley compilation and opened up the John Martyn canon for me. What a moment that was.
8. Mike Nesmith: Tapioca Tundra (from The Birds, the bees & the monkees) (RCA Victor)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=79rtYINtnqg
Ok so this is a Monkees track, but was re-recorded by the former aire to the Tippex millions and featured in the last episode of Better Call Saul. Wonderful. (Also not on Bandcamp, pffft)
9. Can: Halleluwah (from Tago Mago) (Spoon)
https://canofficial.bandcamp.com/album/tago-mago
20 minutes of kraut bliss. Recommend it on loop. All day. Also this live version is a thing of beauty https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=npDdOF98MMc
10. Bernard Cribbins: My Resistance is Low (from a Combination of Cribbins) (Parlophone)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=egRFi518PcE
What’s not to like about this Hoagy Carmichael cover? What’s not to like about Bernard? Nothing, that’s what. BYE.
Simon is the founder of Curated & occasional stand-up comedian
https://curated-digital.com
