Top Moon Tunes 2018 Volume 8


Just under a month on from Volume 7, here is Volume 8 of the monthlyish Top Moon Tunes of 2018. This month it is 16 tracks long on Spotify , but 15 tracks on Playmoss,  as the new 9 minute Lana Del Rey track could not be included as UMG block their videos on Playmoss.  However, you can check it out here as, along with one of Miss Grants trademark "homemade" videos, it is embedded below the playlist.

It kicks off with a hot slice of cinematic soul, but is then one of the most straight up rock 'n' roll, but also poptastic of the Top Tunes so far, just with a bit of electronica and some tinges of folksiness.  As usual there is a bit of guff on each artists beneath the video from Miss Grant.






1. Unloved - Devils Angels

This track, along with another 11 standalone tracks were released a couple of months ago. This was the first release and initially I was excited by the prospect of a brand new Unloved LP, as their debut was a highlight of 2016, as featured on The Moon with a bit more Jarvis. But an album did not appear, only 11 more tracks, which were mostly instrumental and were due to appear on Killing Eve, the upcoming BBC America TV drama produced by the acclaimed Fleabag creator Phoebe Waller-Bridge. Well Killing Eve is now available to stream in full on iPlayer in the UK and it is very good with a top soundtrack made up of the aforementioned tracks, plus some choice cuts from the Unloved debut and some tracks chosen by David Holmes - the head honcho of Unloved  - including excellent tracks from former Moon offenders Cigarettes After Sex and Cat's Eyes. There is no soundtrack album but there are Spotify playlists by BBC America and by Unloved and I would recommend the 31 track Unloved one, which kicks off with their brand new single.

2. She Drew The Gun - Resister

A band led by a Louisa Roach from Liverpool who released Poem, one of the songs of the decade that was featured in A best of 2016 on The Moon. The brilliant, politically charged and direct lyrics were unique on their debut LP, which turned out to be rather laid back and cinematic, but very good indeed. This first single from the follow-up is also politically charged but also full of rock 'n' roll energy and I am very much looking forward to what is to follow.

3. Jealous of the Birds - Plastic Skeletons

Jealous of the Birds is Naomi Hamilton from Co Armagh in Northern Ireland which is still (for now) part of the Disunited Kingdom of Brexshit Blighty and the European Union of (relative) Enlightenment, but will always be part of the island of Ireland. She was first brought to my attention a while back by The VPME and aged just 19 she released her debut LP back in 2016. This year she has released this track as a single and now as part of a 5 track EP with 4 re-recorded tracks from the LP.  It is an EP that reveals a wide breadth of talent and genres, with  tracks like Miss Misanthrope and Russion Doll being peak Laura Marling and Rilo Kiley respectively. Then there is this track which is rather Portishead gone baggy.

4. Juanita Stein  -  Cool

Another artist much championed by The VPME  and one of only a couple of Top Moon tunes 2018 re-offenders this month and it is also The Moon album of the  month. Back on Top Moon Tunes 2018 Volume 5 I wrote: "Ms Stein is a London based economic migrant from Australia who was the lead singer with The Howling Bells, but is now seemingly pursuing a very productive solo career after releasing one of the best albums of last year, as featured in A Best of 2017, and is now due to release a follow-up. On the evidence of this lead single it is not too soon as it is a cracker and a bit more rock 'n' roll than the gorgeous Americana from her debut. It was apparently co-written with Brendan Flowers of Killers fame and is one of the best things he has been involved in for years."

The debut single was followed by two more cracking singles in a similar vein and the album as a whole is bolder, with a bigger sound than her debut, that this track well illustrates, but with just as strong song-writing. Her sound is now more a combination of  Sheryl Crow like Top Pop tunage, but with the coolness of Mazzy Star.

5. Saintseneca  - Ladder To The Sun

This is a band from Columbus, Ohio, Trumpyland and are described as Folk Rock, but I got into there last and 3rd album via All Dogs, the Punk Rock project of band member Maryn Jones, and both bands featured on a Best of 2016 on The Moon. Ms Jones does appear as a backing singer on this new LP, but is not now a full band member and hopefully she is cooking her follow-up to her excellent All Dogs debut. This new Saintseneca is even more like the folkier pats of REM, as well illustrated by this track and it is another top LP.

6. Frøkedal - David

Anne Lise Frøkedal is a folk pop singer from Etne, Norway in what is not in the European Union of (Relative) Enlightenment, but is in Mrs Thatcher's very own single market and so she can move freely to work in the European Union of (Relative) Enlightenment and other members of the the single market.

She was brought to my attention by a GIITTV's Nordic spotlight and this is her second LP. This track is one of the more poppy MOR ones, but it is just a lovely tune, other tracks are a bit more rock 'n' roll and others are more folkie in what is a very fine LP.

7.  Jessica's Brother -  One of The Guys

This band are the other repeat Moon Top Tunes 2018 re-offenders on this playlist. On volume 5 I wrote that they "very much sound as if they should hail from Trumpyland, as although they were brought to by attention by FRUK, their sound is very much reminiscent of the Americana style of  The Silver Jews or Wilco. However, they are from Brexshit Blighty and were formed by Jonny Helm,  the drummer of  multiple Moon offenders The Wave Pictures, as a vehicle for the songs of a Tom Charleston"

The album has now been out for a while, but their songs are ones that need a bit of time to grow and there are highlights beyond the three pre-released singles This track is one that expands the sound with a bit of Wave Picture like guitar work.

8. She Makes War - Devastate Me

She Makes War is the Bristol, Brexshit Blightey based Laura Kidd who first appeared on The Moon on A Best of 2016 part 1. This is one of three pre-releases from her forthcoming fourth LP. This cracker and the folllow -up Undone would fit well onto her previous LP which was a diverse mix of Punk to Folk, but the "B-side" to this single suggest the album might expand her soundscape with more electronic sounds.

9. Olden Yolk  - Vital Signs

Olden Yolk is a New York based project from songwriters, vocalists, and multi- instrumentalists Shane Butler and Caity Shaffer. Mr Butler is a multiple Moon offender with his other band Quilt and like Quilt they were brought to my attention by The Finest Kiss. The sound on this LP is pretty similar to Quilt, only a bit more folkie and a bit more polished, but with similar song quality.

Ms Shaffer also has a very similar vocal role to Ms Fox Rochinski on Quilt records, as she sings on most tracks, but only takes the lead on a couple of them, but one of which is the most poptastic on the LP. Their voices are also equally gorgeous.

10. Anna Calvi  - Hunter

Ms Calvi, from London, the Island of  (relative) Enlightenment surrounded by Brexshit little england, appeared on a Best of 2013 with a top track from her second LP, which I thought was a lyrical improvement on her debut, but had less of her fantastic guitar work. This long-awaited follow-up has the tunes, great lyrics and some great guitar work. It also has a great focus, production and variation of sound. This title track is one of the strongest songs, but also quite unique on an LP that ran Juanita Stein close for The Moon album of the month.

11. The Goon Sax - Make Time For Love

The Goon Sax are from Brisbane in Australia and have just released their second LP. It is another one that has run Ms Stein close in the album of the month stakes and this track is one of the top slices of Top Pop this year. The rest of the album does not quite match it, but many of the tracks come very close. I had checked out their debut back in 2016, as I liked the lead track, but found the album as a whole lived up to their name. But they were only teenagers in 2016 and they have obviously improved as songwriters since, but have also retained just enough of their quirkiness.

12. Virginia Wing  - The Female Genius

This is the last discovery via  The Finest Kiss best of the year so far post. They are a Manchester in Brexshit Blighty based duo and this track is from their 3rd LP. It is top notch electronica, reminiscent of the much admired and missed Broadcast.

13. Emma Ruth Rundle -  Light Song

Ms Ruth Rundle is a multiple Moon offender. This is a highlight from her third LP, which matches the power of her second LP, but also has the tunage to match her debut. This track also features Jaye Jayle's Evan Patterson, her other half, who adds the Mark Lanegan like backing vocals.

14. Deadbeat Beat  - Trees Grass and Stone Part 1

This band first appeared on The Moon on A Best of 2017 and I wrote:

"One of my fave discoveries of the year thanks to the October round-up from The Finest Kiss. As before, I may as well just quote them again: "Detroit, Michigan band Deadbeat Beat released When I Talk To You on cassette way back in 2011. Six years later it get’s a vinyl treatment. Make no mistake this record is an early 10’s surfy-garage rock classic that has elements of Buddy Holly, Beach Boys, and Agent Orange."

They have released a new single this year and so I hope a new album of more recently recorded material will be out soon."

Well we are still waiting for the LP, but this cracking new single, along with Part 2 have been released, and the two tracks together make it into a King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard like epic.

15. Marissa Nadler  - I Can't Listen to Gene Clark Anymore

Another multiple Moon offender who has just released her 8th studio album, which is  mostly a return to her more acoustic earlier albums after the more expansive recent couple of albums, but might well be just as strong or stronger in terms of song quality. The title track and this track are certainly two of the best and most gorgeous tracks of hers I have got into.

16. Lana Del Ray - Venice Bitch

The prolific Miss Grant, the most multiple of multiple Moon offenders is back with a 9 minute song and with one of her "homemade" videos. She is not one to repeat herself, but this track and the other new track are a bit more like Ultraviolence, after the more poptastic Lust for Life, only less serious and with a lighter production - marvellous.

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