Rough Trade Shops

For the past 5 years or so, the refreshingly Independent Rough Trade Record shops have produced a collection of their favorite music to have passed through their stores over the previous 12 months ..... and they do a damn good job of it.

This double disc offering brings together no less than 46 tracks from different artists from last year, and covers styles from lo-fi indie to punk, to dreamy pop, to punky dance, to spacey pop to ambient noise, through to good old indie rock.

There are a tiny handful of tunes which have managed to push their heads into the mainstream. We get the breath of summery fresh air of Lily Allen's 'LDN' and 'Young Folks' by Peter Bjorn and John (the whistling one) .... and the recent single, 'We used to Vacation' by The Cold War Kids who seem to be able to effortlessly manage to produce gems my mixing up a whole host of styles, destined for big things surely?

There are so many highlights on this album that it's impossible to mention them all. The whole thing kicks off with 'Home' by Various Productions and my mind is immediately cast back to early Fleetwood Mac. Theres an unlikely fantastically ghostly duet from Isobel Campbell and the incomparably deep voiced Mark Lanegan. And Richard Swift does a very lennonesque number in the interesting folky 'Paisley Park'.

The end of the first disc sees ripchord in fine Senseless Things melodic pop/punk form with 'Lock up your daughters, followed by Mike Sammes and 'Heineken', and advert type soundbyte which would fit perfectly into The Who 'Sell Out'.

Disc 2 sees the emergence of the slightly more experimental side of last year. The disc kicks off with a couple of moody ambient numbers, swiftly followed by the much praised return of Scritti Politti, then a selection of electro/pop/punk tunes. Xerox Teens change the mood with their Sigue Sigue Sputnik inspired 'My Favorite Hat'. The most Familiar song on this disc comes in the form of the Massive (in more ways than one) Gossip and their stomper 'Standing in the way of Control' ..... The highlight for me comes from those hard edged guitar, observers of modern culture, Bromheads Jacket and the wonderfully quirky and insanely catchy 'Trip to the Golden arches'

This collection brings together a whole host of current, cutting edge artists, most of which you'd have to dig deep to discover. Sadly a lot of them will sink without trace before even floating to the surface of the choppy waters of the music business, thus demonstrating what a cruel business it is! Theres so much great music out there that hardly ever gets played on any radio station.

Do yourself a favour, buy this album and after a few listens I almost guarantee you'll have at least one new favorite new band.