• The bit that you skip #110: Afroman – Because I got high

    Weirdest of things happened to me with this song: I heard it during the closing credits of Jay and Silent Bob strike back and thought nothing of it. A novelty song on a flick that was going to be an obscure reference in Mexico for 95% of the population. The only Kevin Smith View Askewverse…

  • The bit that you skip #109: Iggy Pop – The Passenger

    There are songs that simply fit too perfectly a time and space in your life. The Chemical Brother’s Star Guitar always plays in my head when I board a train. The Passenger by Iggy Pop, my second fave song of his, does the same if I go into a tram. Tram’s used to be ubiquitous…

  • Herding up #1: Mystery machines and broken glasses

    New-ish year, new-ish singles column. My name is Orestes P. Coltrane and I’ve curated this list of singles. We’ve got a new header that DOESN’T MATCH THE NAME OF THE COLUMN. We suck. But we are funny too. Quick aside, are you enjoying the daily blogging stuff my quartermaster Sam is writing? Personally, I think…

  • The bit that you skip #108: Ace of Cups – Afro Blue

    Getting screwed over by the algorithm is as much of a cliché as getting a surprise keeper from it. It has happened to me so many times, and I’m all for it. I’ll take 30 bad recs for one good band whose songs I’ll fall in love with. Strangely enough, Ace of Cups wasn’t recommended…

  • The bit that you skip #107: Electrelane – The Valleys

    I have got a brother that lives in the US, and my parents loved him quite a bit. We only met during christmas, but once I got out of uni and started working, my dad saved up money to do at least one annual trip to the US and go on holidays with my brother.…

  • The bit that you skip #106: Trespassers William – Lie in the sound

    After the fire, sifting through ashes. -Remember how we met? -The 50s throwback burger joint. Jane told me to go with her because she didnae want to be a billy no mates. -Yeah. I was starstruck by your eyes. -I noticed and that’s why I was distant. – Playing hard to get? That’s so not…

  • The bit that you skip #105: Mazzy Star – Fade into you

    Mazzy Star’s Fade into you had that 70s-based imagery that permeated many 90s acts. Go figure, Gen X obsessed with childhood memories of long road trips on petrol-guzzling monstrosities. It really clicked with me. I never thought much about the tambourine until I heard this song. Then I grew to respect it, up to the…

  • The bit that you skip #104: The Stone Roses – Your star will shine

    The Stone Roses are on that Venn diagram with Creed, Red House Painters, and The Smiths: fantastic musicians, shit person on vocals. You don’t need to be fastidious to find out everything wrong with Ian Brown, Scott Stapp, Mark Kozelek, and Moz. Even so, I try to listen to the music without giving much thought…

  • The bit that you skip #103: The Charlatans – Up at the lake

    Is there a friendship after a relationship ends? It’s a pickle and I don’t believe there’s a catch all answer. It’s a case per case situation and even when it seems a friendship could be an option, it might be a fragile one. I’m fifty fifty on the topic. Some have become great friends, others,…

  • The bit that you skip #102: Broken Social Scene – Almost Crimes

    Picture this. It’s a saturday in 2008. You’re unemployed but have some money from odd jobs. You managed to score a ticket for one of the hottest gigs in town. You have no idea of 5 out of the 6 bands that night, and you go with a couple of friends you will no longer…