The Drift 'Hello From Everywhere' (from Blue Hour) (Temporary Residence, 2011)

Rolling, post rock instrumental business from the new album, Blue Hour.

Recently included on The Wire's Wire Tapper 27 compilation, another new track from the post rock dons The Drift. The departure of two of the band since the last album sees a shift in emphasis away from gauzy jazz jams, towards a more rootsy sound.

Lovely post rock instrumental business though - echoes of the more plangent sections of Explosions In The Sky and the rolling jazz bassiness of Tortoise and Polar Bear.

Check-out The Drift on Temporary Residence and buy some of their albums!

Download The Drift 'Hello From Everywhere' (post rock mp3) (Mediafire)

Bon Iver 'Towers, Perth, Calgary - Live on Later' (2011)

'Perth' in particular given an expansive, muscular makeover.

Bon Iver's second album is a treat, which is a quite an achievement after the brilliance of the 'For Emma, Forever Ago'.

This set from Later with Jools Holland features three songs played by an incredibly large ensemble - an array of multiple guitarists, drummers, brass and keyboards. This is one indie alternative hero who isn't skimping on the presentation.

'Perth' is a revelation - a stand-out for me on the album, here rendered even more epic but with a more muscular edge balancing the sweetness.

'Calgary' is a choir of yearning set over a driving, almost Arcade Fire-like chassis, bouyed by subtle brass touches. 'Towers' is a clattering shuffle with hints of Calexico/Beirut mariachi boogie.

Very beautiful.

Download Bon Iver 'Towers (Live on Later)' (indie alternative mp3 download) (Mediafire)
Download Bon Iver 'Perth (Live on Later)' (indie alternative mp3 download) (Mediafire)
Download Bon Iver 'Calgary (Live on Later)' (indie alternative mp3 download) (Mediafire)

Buffalo Tom 'Taillights Fade' (Situation Two, 1992)

Trailblazing wistful indie rock genius.

Taking their cues from the rumbustuous, ragged guitar scree of Dinosaur Jr, Buffalo Tom were a more thoughtful version of Nirvana - certainly with a stronger country influence - unleashing powerful waves of loud-quiet guitar attack.

Sadly, they never really broke through but did leave behind a string of lovely, panoramic tracks like 'Taillights Fade', some raging indie rock monsters and a single on Bob Stanley of Saint Etienne's legendary Caff label. 'Birdbrain' and 'Velvet Roof' are good places to start.

'Taillights Fade' is a rolling, resigned track that conjures images of end-credits, our lone hero driving off into the dark orange haze of the desert at dusk, Sebadoh's 'Soul and Fire' (mp3) playing on the stereo.

Download Buffalo Tom 'Taillights Fade' (indie rock mp3 download) (Mediafire)

LCMDF 'Gandhi (Andrew Weatherall Mix)' (Heavenly, 2010)

Tooth decay sweet, baggy/Madchester pop turned into low-slung groover by Andrew Weatherall. Is it 1991?

The original version of this track sounds like a Hypnotone Remix of a Screamadelica-influenced Flowered Up b-side with the kind of nursery rhyme gibberish that would make Sean Ryder a happy man in his dotage.

It also makes me think of the 'imagined bands' of Saint Etienne's Icerink label. I always assumed most of them were just Stanley and Wiggs letting loose in the studio and then thinking of a concept later - whether it was glorious dub minimalism or saccharine pop metal-lectro.

The baggy retro nature of this track makes it seem fitting to get Andrew Weatherall to go back in time and create one of his long, long low-slung dancefloor detonators. The ice cream van chime of the original melody and a snatch of vocal occasionally being spliced in.

HVN210 LCMDF - Gandhi (Andrew Weatherall remix I) by heavenlyrecordings

The original version:

Rough Trade Counter Culture Radio - indie alternative mixtape

Excellent eclectic indie alternative music selection by Rough Trade Shops.

Nice mixtape curated by the staff at Rough Trade Shops, taking in classics like The Sonics and The Skatalites and introducing Little Dragon, Modeselektor, The Field and lots more.

Playlist:
1. 'Have Love Will Travel' The Sonics
2. 'Fidel Castro' The Skatalites
3. 'Santos & Ken' The Stepkids
4. 'Genuine' Sharon Jones & The Dap Kings
5. 'Too Late' M.E.D.
6. 'Information Critic (The Heavy Remix)' Black Samurai Ft Daddy Freddy & The Ragga Twins
7. 'Berlin' Modeselektor Ft Miss Platnum
8. 'Scale It Back' Dj Shadow Ft Yukimi Nagano Of Little Dragon
9. 'It's Up There' The Field
10. 'Ritual Union (Maya Jane Coles Remix)' Little Dragon
11. 'Early Morning Lights (Marcel Dettmann Remix)' Sigha
12. 'Sanctum' Throwing Snow
13. 'Popgun' Martyn
14. 'Bax' Mosca
15. 'Hex' Pangaea
16. 'Master Plan' Willie Williams
17. 'Rock For Dub' Prince Jazzbo

Counter Culture Radio_20.10.11 by Rough Trade Shops on Mixcloud