Jim Croce - I Got A Name as featured on the Django Unchained soundtrack

Joe writes: Quentin Tarrantino's current focus on revenge fantasies makes for some fantastically enjoyable films, albeit without the freshness, purity or shock factor of Reservoir Dogs and Pulp Fiction.

In his choices of music Quentin continues to excel and I was particularly pleased to hear Jim Croce getting the Three Dog Night treatment on Django Unchained. Not only that but the version of I Got A Name on the soundtrack sounds like it was dubbed from vinyl, complete with crackle:



Here's a Jim Croce TV performance of Lovers Cross:

Sivu - Better Man Than He

Joe writes: Top notch songwriting and singing from new artist Sivu, and a great production from Charlie Andrew who did such a good job on the Alt-J album.

Darwin Deez - Free (Billy Mix)

Joe writes: Billy is a friend of mine as Jackson Browne almost sang, but notwithstanding that I really think this remix is pretty special.

Tribes - Wrapped Up In A Carpet

Joe writes: This new Tribes song is so good. Channelling 1970s American soft rock is so much more enjoyable than channelling 1990s grunge (although I liked them when they did that as well). And there's a sax solo at the end!

If this had been the Bowie comeback song it would still be no. 1, especially if Bowie were singing it.

Leningrad - Billy Joel

Phil writes:  Another great Billy Joel song that slipped by me unnoticed when I was busy bringing up WGM and his brother  -  and not listening to much 'new' music:

Autre Ne Veut - Counting

Joe writes: Really like this, even though he's from Brooklyn with a name in French. The YouTube clip is audio only and can't be embedded but it's worth a visit there anyway for the top comment, which reminded me of this spoof.

Emeli Sandé - Clown

Joe writes: I have mixed feelings about Emeli Sandé but there's no denying this song which I think could be her biggest hit yet.

There are shades of Stephen Sondheim's Send In The Clowns which is obviously a big compliment.

Bowie's back!

Phil writes:  An unexpected (by me) new single from Bowie, Where Are We Now?  I like it.  Had to post it:



I didn't expect it to be on YouTube yet.  As I was wondering which song to post for his birthday I heard Professor Brian Cox on the radio say, 'Is there life on Mars?' (his exact words).  It's hard to pick his best songs but this is one of his biggest and best.  Always worth a listen:

Electric Guest - Awake (Dennis Rivera Remix)

Joe writes: Great remix that's currently no. 1 on the Hype Machine. I think this could be a big hit.

everybody loves the sound of a train in the distance, and Aaron Neville

Joe writes: Aaron Neville has a really extraordinary voice. His first US pop hit was the wonderful Tell It Like It Is, which reached no. 2 on the Hot 100 in 1966.



He also recorded my favourite version of the song Pledging My Love, originally a hit for Johnny Ace, whose version was the first single Paul Simon ever bought according to Wikipedia (if so then it stood Simon in good stead as a primer in songwriting).



Paul Simon's song The Late Great Johnny Ace appeared on his underrated album Hearts & Bones, and here's my favourite track from that album, Train In The Distance:

Memory of the future - Pet Shop Boys

Phil writes: If you listen to Radio 2, you'll have heard this a lot.  To me, it's got instant classic stamped all over it.

Birds by Poor Moon

Joe writes: I've been enjoying this track without knowing anything about Poor Moon. Now I've researched it and two of the members are also in Fleet Foxes which makes perfect sense.