Kelly Hogan - I Like to Keep Myself in Pain by Robyn Hitchcock

Kelly Hogan recently released an album entitled I Like To Keep Myself in Pain on which she interprets songs written by luminaries like Robyn Hitchcock, Vic Chesnutt, The Magnetic Fields, The Mekons’ Jon Langford, The Handsome Family, Freakwater’s Catherine Irwin, John Wesley Harding, Robbie Fulks, M. Ward and Andrew Bird. Having worked with Neko Case, you can get a general idea where Hogan is coming from, but she's got her own brand of heartbreak and unique vocal style to lay on you. Listen to the live versions below if you don't believe me.

The Walkmen - The Love You Love

 

I recently read somewhere that The Walkmen used to be a garage band, which surprised me. But I do like their artsy pop. Their new video is directed by Sean Pecknold. Make sure you listen/watch past the quiet, artsy intro and listen to the joyful, raucous pop part. Drop a comment, it is free of charge and I like it.

The Fixx - Anyone Else from Beautiful Friction

The Fixx. An eighties band to many people who only heard One Thing Leads to Another or saw the video for Stand or Fall. But the band has never really stopped. After Reach the Beach, Phantoms was not as big commercially, but still a solid album in Scruffy's opinion. The follow-up Walkabout still shines as a unique testament to the band. Then Calm Animals came out, which was still pretty good, but not quite the same. Unfortunately, the next three studio records, Ink, Elemental and Want That Life were different animals. I'm sure the band had to move in different directions, but they lost me.

But The Fixx have a new album coming out called Beautiful Friction on July 17, and the first single Anyone Else is out now. And it's pretty good. The cover is once again done by George Underwood, who created the unique album art for classics Reach the Beach and Phantoms. Can the band bring guys like me back into the fold? Leave a comment below, I'd love to hear what you think.



Here's the band doing an older one recently, Saved By Zero.



Buy anyone else at iTunes or Amazon.