From The Bottom Of The Record Box

New Year 2022 is fast approaching and our traditional "best of" playlist is back — bigger, noisier, faster, more. Dive right in. That's the end of Season IV folks. Join us in April 2022 for more musical meanderings with Richard, Tobin and Jamie.

Christmas 2021 is officially upon us. And we are in a better place than this time last year, so let's party god damn it! like it's 1999. On today's Christmas 2021 Special please do join us for the best in alternative festive music and some idle chat. No big Christmas hits here, clear off Cliff Richard as we welcome artists as diverse as Christopher Lee, Asmodeus, Aloe Blacc, John Fahey and Sabaton amongst others. And to boot we are joined by may friends of the show all wishing you a very Merry Christmas. We hear from Ben (Wolf City), The Black Armadillos, Wesley Bennett and Jacob Campbell plus many other friends and collaborators. So turn off that radio and tune in to From The Bottom Of The Record Box for a Christmas 2021 music playlist like no other. You'll also learn Jamie's secret formula for the best mince pie ever, our favourite Christmas tipple plus there's a quiz question or two.

Psykidelic Oven Mit return to the show with their new EP which is released on gorgeous transparent red vinyl and CD - yes, we have both! We have played Psykidelic Oven Mit before on the show — way back in February 2020. We played and discussed Staring Into The Sun from their debut LP Ghost Machine. Richard was lucky enough to be have given the pre-release CD of that LP (which he has since passed on to Ben from Wolf City). Whilst at an in-store event at X-records (Janus Stark) Richard stumbled across Ghost Machine on Vinyl. So yes, it was added to his collection. He was delighted to find it on coloured vinyl. Further to that Frank and the boys from Psykidelic Oven Mit — ever generous — furnished us with their new EP on vinyl and CD, plus a copy of Ghost Machine on cassette. Add to that various bumper stickers and fridge magnets and you get the picture. Spooky Action At A Distance (their new EP) is a collection of rough mixes and demos recorded mainly through the COVID lockdowns of 2020. Well, the first three o

Tochiro is a project by a dude from Pennsylvania who felt sad and is still sad but at least he doesn't drink anymore. Furthermore, his debut 5 track EP The Age of Rock 'n' Roll Death has landed. It is limited to a run of 50 cassettes and you can buy your copy here. The cassette release of the EP also comes with an exclusive commentary about the recording. Jacob Campbell (guitars, vox, bass) and Danielle J Gallardo (drums) make up this band with an uncompromising and difficult to pin down sound.

Ethereal, Swedish-born multi instrumentalist joins us this week with her hauntingly beautiful ballad Black Mist. Ethereal has since formed an alliance and now records and gigs under the name Ethereal & The Elevated. During the UK's second lockdown Ethereal continued mainly as a solo project again although decided to keep the name & The Elevated as well for guest appearances and collaborations. Then in April 2021 a Mancunian gentleman by the name of Ant O'Donnell was seeking a female vocalist for the song that would later become Mesmerize me and the rest is history. Ethereal is very proud to share the work that they have done together with absolutely no funding and only their own experience and knowledge in music production and their mutual love for trip hop.

Wesley Bennett joins us on today's show with a live performance from Saint Peter's Church together with pianist and cellist. It's a stunning performance, full of emotion and truth with a smattering of heartbreak. Having spoken to Wesley he mentioned that he was actually quite nervous about performing some of these songs because of that raw emotion. His fear was that an audience wasn't yet ready to be exposed to something laid so excrutiatingly bare. Without doubt though, it was clearly a massive success. And as Richard points out… "Wesley has grown up."

The Zipheads hailing from Jamie's home town of St Albans provide us with the rarest of beats - a cover that is way better than the original. Their take on a musical staple is both energetic and raucous without losing the sentiment of the original. In fact, in a post Dickensian world the sentiment carries even more weight. We've got two belters from The Zipheads and lots more information and links so please read on. It's a wonderful return to form from show favourites, Philadelphia's very own Godcaster. There's a new album in the wings which leaves Richard evidently salivating. Jamie's on board too. And, when paired with West Yorkshire three piece The Lodger and their kitchen sink classic Bewildered even Tobin is convinced. Speaking of whom, he unwittingly sparks a vox-off between Brent Cowles and The James Hunter Six. Looks like Brent is edging into first place. And then there's The Bins. What a fantastic and original concept this is. Tobin will tell you more, and there's talk of a bookend in the next few wee

Thai Elephant Orchestra provide you with a listening experience quite different from anything we've ever played on the show before. You can learn more about this engaging project later on in these show notes. Richard has gone down the vinyl rabbit hole again and snapped up their only vinyl release on RSD2. That should tell you how good these "boys" are. Do we have a gender breakdown on the band? Interesting question. The bad news is, however, that you're going to have to listen to Richard railing on The Puppini Sisters before you get there. Jive, swing-based covers just aren't his thing it would seem. Cue a bulging email inbox full of complaints about him. There is hope though. Jamie brings the beyond excellent Wet Leg to the show as well as Black Pistol Fire. There's also Tobin's Bahamas and authentic glam rock from Sheffield-based The Voltz. It's frothy man (thanks Richie!).

The Black Armadillos are a rock duo from Genoa, Italy. The band was formed in 2019 by vocalist/guitarist Santo Castagnaro and drummer Maurizio Nuzzi. With sounds heaped in fuzz and reverb it's reminiscent of garage rock revival bands like The Black Keys and The White Stripes. Secondly, there are bigger influences at work here like Jimi Hendrix and Led Zeppelin. The Black Armadillos have released a self-titled 8 track LP to wax and here at Record Box HQ we are very much looking forward to it landing in our crates. The lyrics are written in English (the language of rock 'n' roll if Wolf City is to be believed) and are predominantly about everyday life, dreamlike experiences, love, money etc. The sound is strong and highly processed to compensate for the lack of bass player.

Snowglobe give us cause to question whether you need to be writing and performing garage rock to make it in Memphis. And the answer would appear to be "no". We spin five tracks in all in today's show from their 2 albums. Our Land Brains was Snowglobe's debut LP released on Nine Mile Records and is beautifully produced and features a completely blank side D. Followed up by the brilliant Doing The Distance which was never pressed to vinyl. Until now that is. Black and Wyatt Records of Memphis, Tennessee have now released this excellent LP on wax. Both Snowglobe albums are interspersed with dainty little musical diversions that far from being filler, are sweet moments in themselves. Horns, glockenspiels, keys and the usual guitar suspects weave a tender web of uplifting music. There is certainly a little of the Elephant 6 Collective to be heard on both recordings. However, we find Snowglobe's music to be less avant grade than their stablemates. Notable tracks include Adrenalin Mother, Baby and Medium. It is a re

Los Psychosis manage to cut their debut LP to wax amid a system that is groaning under the strain of unprecedented global demand. And we've managed to grab a test pressing! Wow, what a record this is. Authentic, dripping with fiery Latin fusion and more than a nod to music from a bygone era. Gone are the overtly familiar tones of a sloppy double bass and a welcome heralding of accordion and lap steel. Certainly very different from the psychobilly movement in the UK back in the 1980s this is, however, certainly a noticeable stable mate. There is certainly an imminent line up change in the band looming, but this debut LP from this bunch of Memphis rockers will long remain a favourite here at Record Box HQ. Secondly, Tobin scoops a chat with friend of the show Abril Gabriele. Since we last featured her on the show much has changed for Abril. Her angelic voice though remains just as mesmerising as ever, and we find out just what she's been up too. Jamie brings the excellent IKOQWE along with a cover shot of a muc

Birthday Ass were formed as an improvisational outfit with no clear idea about the sound of the band. It's freeform we guess. Richard loves Birthday Ass. Jamie is confused by Birthday Ass, he thinks he loves it but it makes his brain hurt and makes it difficult for him to speak properly. Tobin definitely does not like Birthday Ass, he tried it, he was at first open to the idea but eventually he decided he didn't want anymore Birthday Ass. It's a shame really because it's a great thing. And we recommend Birthday Ass to everyone. Secondly, there is more this week. First up is Jamie's excellent glam rock bookend from Art d'Ecco and the "all so shouldn't work" mixed bag of instruments that is Indialucia. Stop Light Observations prompt some intense studio discussion and later Richard butts in with an impromptu spin of theirs. We also trade off Manchester against Liverpool with some class music from each of these great cities. Plus, there's news of Kelsey Bulkin and Made in Heights. Oh yeah, and there's Cassandra J

Merry Christmas, fuzzy avant-garde folk infused strangeness from Japan are this week's focus and bring us delight in bucket loads. Merry Christmas bring a much needed antidote to the norm with their fun and enthusiastic songbook. Eschewing the music industry norms, their innocent but ultimately thought provoking music is a welcome break from tradition. Their debut LP The Night The Night Fell opens with glockenspiel and signature ballistic rhythm bursts before opening up to wonderfully simple melody. It's a sound both bold and gently simple and gives way to arresting synth bursts that will wake up the most disinterested of ears. The loose concept album follows a journey quite like no other. Despite the at times gawkish tunes Merry Christmas are not without music sentimentality. The tender First Lull offers a glimpse into the more introspective side of the band. With its vocal harmonies mirroring each other perfectly and playing out of the acoustic guitar and ever present glockenspiel, this track feels like a b

JIM - we play a wistful, soft track off his 4 track EP this week. And with only 18 months of guitar playing under his belt! The sublime and delicate sound of the EP made choosing a track to play rather difficult. The titular opening track gives way throughout to gentle strings, woven around JIM's warm vocal tone. Both bowed and pizzicato the strings add dimension and tonal space to this comforting track. JIM picks up the tempo slightly on Phoenix and introduces slightly monastic sounding backing vocals for rich reward. Moving on through the EP we drop Whisper In The Wind into the show. It's a melancholic throw back to the days of Simon & Garfunkel and CSNY. Sounds of yesteryear brought bang up to date by JIM. The final track, You Know What To Say is more gentle acoustic noodling with the simple, very honest and light introduction of synth and choral voices. It's all very stylistic and fresh sounding and indicative of the early promise from this multi-talented musician. One to watch in the future for sure.

Surfer Gorilla, hailing from Colombia, are brought to the show this week by That Jamie leaning toward sounds from his ancestral home. The opening track by Surfer Gorilla features rap artiste Diggis, whom Richard likens to an accountant from North Yorkshire. Richard does apologise for this as it does sound rather disparaging. However, Surfer Gorilla are proving to be something of a hit with the FTBOTRB crew. Both tracks today come from the 2020 LP Dimos Vueltas en el Aire! (We Circled In The Air). The album is a fantastic mix of Latino sounding short tracks, the whole LP weighing in at only 21 minutes. That being said, it is a solid listen and will definitely transport you to distant shores. Surfer Gorilla really have created a fantastic body of work here. It's rapidly becoming our barbecue and garden party go to album. If only for the sun drenched vibes and foot tapping trappy drum beats. Stand out track for this Record Box Recommendation would have to be You Got That Bounce. All the tracks are short on this

Look Mum No Computer completely rewrites the analogue modular synth rulebook with homemade modules and music, so bloody British. Making a big noise on the show this week, Look Mum No Computer proves to be a massive hit with the FTBOTRB crew. We've got two songs from them and lots of discussion about our thoughts and feelings of this unique act. Look Mum No Computer has also opened a museum showcasing some of his many creations. It is without doubt on our list of must visits when post-pandemic UK reopens. Richard returns with songwriting phenomenon Nick Noone and his prophetic and reflective song Don't Let The Papers Get You Down. Nashville musician Nick Noone has a massive back catalogue of original songwriting to his credit and it is clearly just a matter of time until he starts making big waves. Jamie brings reggae to the show. Enough said. However, he also brings the fantastic Liverpool outfit The Marigolds and their genuine punk sound to our ears. However, the real gem in this show is brought to you by To

Senyawa serve up a vision of hell today in a track so divisive Tobin actually leaves the studio, declaring "The End" of the show. The song is 9 minutes of utter brilliance but not appreciated by everyone it seems. In their rich 11 year history Senyawa have managed to blend traditional Indonesian sounds with punk and avant-garde. Senyawa have done this brilliantly despite Tobin's scathing attitude toward Alkisah - today's featured track. Earlier this year the band collaborated with 44 independent labels across the globe on the release of Alkisah. The labels were able to create their own artwork for the LP along with remix and master the tracks to appeal to local tastes. Quite a revolutionary thing in the music industry. Disco reappears on the menu too today. Tobin has resisted his primal urges for too long and has finally given way. Therefore, we bring in two disco classics from Rare Pleasure thirty years apart. Old favourites Sault provide a 90s themed club classic and Jamie mixes things up last minute with D

Biosynth, self-described French synth geek, beings us closer to France with a poetic look at the city and people of Nantes. Originally scheduled to open the show, the track Nantes immediately came under fire. Tobin thought it too much for our listeners as an opener. Of course Richard disagrees and it leaves the team on the edge of war. What we do now know , however, is that this track is an official FTBOTRB banger. You can find out a little more about Biosynth later in the show notes. Secondly, Ben from Wolf City and friend of the show tries to unlock the secret of Nantes below. Tobin is far more dependable this week and choses to stay firmly on tried and tested ground. His love affair for Harmony Byrne continues as he spins her latest track. He drops in Yves Jarvis' new LP too and urges us to delve deeper. Oh, and Jamie brings us something awful from London. Alas, if you've ever visited London you'll easily understand why this song is so awful.

Bayboards are our focus this week and our Jamie gets to chat to the up and coming Manchester home grown talent on today's show. Firstly, Bayboards give us two excellent tracks and a chat. Secondly, Richard is off the foreign shores with his first track of the show from Dr Jazz Dixieland Band. You can find out more about this fully acoustic jazz set up on the show and in the accompanying show notes below. It is a fascinating story. Furthermore, Tobin is off to Somalia for an 80's dance floor shredder of epic proportions. Coming up later in the show we've also got Double Trouble with Romero followed by Jack Oblivian and The Sheiks. Richard is clearly indulging his love of the Memphis music scene again and he shows no signs of slowing down. We've heard rumour there is more from Memphis coming up in Season III. As a result of Richard's love of the avant grade he'll also be introducing us to Volleyball, a new psychedelic collective born out of Pandemic Britain.

Noah C Lekas steamrolls the sky this week as we spin his latest vinyl release live in the studio. It's another cracker from Blind Owl Records. You can grab your copy right here. This fantastic new production draws on Noah C Lekas' book Saturday Night Sage. Noah reads excerpts from the book to some wicked music provided by other acts from the Blind Owl stable. On this record you'll get to hear music from Howlin' Rain and Mrs Henry amongst others. It's a brilliant collaboration and of course comes fully recommended from Record Box.