Playlist 22nd April

It was close to midnight last Saturday when somebody put an Echo Raptors CD into my hand. I was at the Bigg Life Community Arts centre on North Street in Belfast. This new resource is run by Biggy Bigmore, a tireless chap who has been pinballing around the Cathedral Quarter for many years ago. He was burnt out of the North Street Arcade in the sinister fire of 2004 and has been working up defiant schemes ever since. Downstairs is a café and a vintage clothes concession. Upstairs is a gallery space and a record shop, the new home of Good Vibrations. We’re not totally sure, but it may be the 11^th location for Terri Hooley and his ever-flitting emporia. And given that Saturday was Record Store Day, then a party was due.

I missed the Echo Raptors performance but I heard they were fine and there is video proof here The song ‘Change My Way’ recalls The La’s and those winsome melodies that Lee Mavers used to deliver with magical élan. It’s a sure progression for a band that had popped a few champagne supernovas in the past. You may care for the new record also and be interested to know that there’s a launch party at a secret location on May 18. Investigate their social media to know more.

Echo And The Bunnymen – Bring On The Dancing Horses (WEA)

Camera Obscura – Do It Again (4ad)

Eddie Floyd – Things Get Better (Atlantic)

Echo Raptors – Change My Way (white)

The Strokes – Tap Out (Rough Trade)

Foxygen – In The Darkness (Jagjaguar)

Dexys – I’m Always Gonna Love You (BMG)

River Nelson – Put Off The Pain (Down Town)

Duke Special – Sweet Sweet Kisses (V2)

Young Dreams – Footprints (Modular)

Terri Hooley – Laugh At Me (Fresh) Joe Turner – Shake Rattle And Roll (Atlantic)

The Handsome Family – Woodpecker (Loose)

The Stanley Brothers – White Dove (Righteous)

Birds Of Chicago – Old Calcutta (BOC)

Gareth Dunlop – Wrap Your Arms Around Me (Moraine)

Maria Muldaur – Brickyard Blues (Ace)

Milk Carton Kids – Honey Honey (Anti)

Luluc, Lisa Hannigan – Saturday Sun (Navigator)

Billy Bragg – Swallow My Pride (cv)

Dan Penn – I’m Your Puppet (Sire)

Pete Roe – Further Into Midnight (Middle of Nowhere)

Emily Wells – Passenger (Partisan)

Richie Havens – Just Like A Woman (Verve)