165 Rachel(Gaydar)

📸 Andi Christ

Playlist

I play drums and strain my voice in Gaydar, teach drums to kids and work in le hospitality.

Machine Girl – WLFGRL

Track – Ghost

I blast this in me car, feel like I’m in a video game. Machine girl is a mad, clever cunt, it smells of 90s, rave, break core. Seen them live a few years ago, the drummers mad. All the songs hype me up like when a dog wants to go walkies. Ghost and Excruitiating deth (phase y) is the best.

Sexy Sushi – Marre Marre Marre.

Track – Petite PD

These are some bad bitches, their other albums are mint too, and the art for this album is 10/10. Learnt a bit of French from these. Marre marre marre means fed up fed up fed up. Relatable and wankable. I ascend into a French brothel.

Pixies – Bossanova

Track – All Over the World

Pixies are one of my fave bands, this album is sick, so is Doolittle and Trompe Le Monde. Just timeless, David Lovering is a fabulush drummer. When I listen to them I feel like I’m flying in a rocket. All over the world is da bomb and the happening is also an alien slay.

Land of the Loops – Bundle of Joy

Track – Multi- Family Garage Sale

A new album for me and I’m in love with it, have to pop it on here, was made in 96 and can feel that vibe, absolutely creamy. Good album to listen to on a hazy afternoon.

The Slits – Cut

Track – So Tough

A classic album, Viv Albertines autobiographies are mint and shocking, have a lil read. Sick band sick tunes. Instant hit is a fuckin banger too. Wank em off.

164 Hayley McNally

Playlist

I’m Hayley. I’m currently at Teesside Uni in my 2nd year of phd study and working part time at Marked for Life tattoo studio. I spend most of my free time going to gigs, throwing heavy stuff about at the gym or thinking about how mint birds are. Here’s some songs!

Bjork – Debut

Track – There’s More to Life than This

This album will always be the first ‘alternative’ album that ever truly resonated with me. I literally had no idea music could sound this way. I stole the vinyl from my sister from my sister’s room, shoved aside whatever 90s mainstream reggae i was listening to at the time (guessing apache Indian or Shaggy). This album is magnificent. Simple compared to later Bjork but perfect in its simplicity.

This song always used to, and still does , create so much happiness for me. Helps me think of the world as a playground when I’m feeling low. It’s the most fun! Especially when Bjork exits the bulk of the song to come whisper to you – like getting your own private verse right in your ear.  Bjork basically invented ASMR right here.

Mr Bungle – Mr Bungle

Track – My Ass Is on Fire

First time I heard this album my mind smashed to bits. I know this album inside out and I still can’t comprehend how it was written. Patton is a legend. 

This song still makes me laugh when I listen to it. It makes feel like punching something out of pure joy. It’s such a banger. The absolute audacity of it! Technically superb, thematically insane.There should be more car alarms in songs, that’s all i can say.

Ween – All Requests Live

Track – Stallion part 3

Ween are not a band, they are a way of life. Hahaha. Officially my favourite band because they are every band and more than a band. *I’m such a weener*  I needed to see them and had to go to New York to do it cos they’re getting on now but they still absolutely deliver on performance and do 3 hour sets. There’s also no fans like Ween fans. Whole different species of human.  This is one of the greatest live album of all time recorded online.

It was super hard to pick 1 Ween song but I love The Stallion songs and part 3 in my fave of the pentalogy. Sunny day accelerator. Ride a sunbeam pint through blue sky and clouds. Get down with Brown – ALL HAIL LORD BOOGNISH!

Regina Spektor – Mary Ann Meets the Grave Diggers

Track – Pavlov’s Daughter from

Oh Regina! You beautiful human. Often missed off the ‘storyteller’ list of songwriters but manages to create storylines just as tragic, beautiful and real as Tom Waits or Nick Cave. This album is up there as one of my most listened to.

Pavlov’s Daughter is a sneering, sexy and discordant masterpiece about some psycho who’s listening to the guy upstairs go about his life. I don’t think he is safe…

Igorrr – Hallelujah

Track – Tout Petit Moineau

Igorrr do something to my brain. They make it fizz. All the synapses are tickled in the most perfect of ways. They create the most romantic sound I have ever heard. I love them, aggressively.

Tout Petit Moineau means ‘Every Little Sparrow’. Throughout my research sparrows have cropped up so much that im essential writing a thesis on the plight of the sparrow. When i translated the titled of my favourite Igorrr song i nearly papped myself. Listen to it and when you get up to 2 minutes 50 seconds, and she makes THAT noise,  grab someone you love and drown together . Absolutely unreal.

163 Kieran Donoghue

Playlist

Heya, my names kieran and Im the songwriter and guitarist in a mathcore band called Hæze and the promoter for thewaitingroommusicfestival. I’ve been through a couple failed projects and previously the drummer of monkey brain but have landed myself as a lighting and sound tech based in Boro.

The HIRS Collective – We’re Still Here

Track – Burn Your House Down

The first album i’d pick is We’re Still Here by The HIRS Collective because it’s basically a huge display of hardcore and independent artists from all over the world with different cultures, genders etc… What comes of that is in my opinion a super well crafted and eclectic collection of music. One song I’d choose is Burn Your House Down because it features a band I love called Gouge Away

Fall Of Troy – Doppelgänger

Track – I Just Got This Symphony Goin

Dopplegänger by Fall of Troy, truly made made me the guitarist I am today… hearing so many notes in just a single bar blew my 14 year old mind. One song i’d pick is ‘I just got this symphony goin’” because it’s the first song with tapping i’d learnt ever.

Jeff Rosenstock – Worry

Track – June 21st

How Jeff Rosenstock isn’t at the very top of punk popularity right now is absurd. Super well written and very well structured album. Kinda angsty songs but in a “fuck i’m getting older” kinda way, though I’m yet to experience applying for a mortgage the album feels very personal and relatable. One song to pick would be “June 21st” because it has this huge build up that melts your face it’s great

Saosin – Translating The Name

Track – 3rd Measurement In C

The production on this EP is so tight and beautiful. I hope one day I can produce songs that sound this good. It’s the definition of short and sweet and there’s nothing that sounds similar because Anthony Green (Singer in this EP) left the band straight after this release. And it’s become some legendary bit of emo music because of it. The song Id pick is 3rd Measurement In C because the breakdown is unlike anything i’ve ever heard before. Absolutely bangin

Wolf Alice – My Love Is Cool

Track – Bros

I can’t believe wolf alice played the westgarth and I missed out on seeing them. Now the westgarth is gone and wolf alice are way too big to come back to teesside unfortunately. Anyway I love this album. I love the dreamy way the songs sound and kinda weirdly nostalgic? Yeah I think we’ve gone pretty far from HIRS collective to wolf alice but I’ve taken a few pages out of wolf alices book in my own songwriting because of how catchy the hooks always are and how it is sonically very well written. A song i’d pick is a personal favourite because it means a lot to me is called “Bros”

162 Mel Murtagh

📸 – ( @andichrist19 )

Playlist

I’m Mel from Gaydar. I’m the bassist, I get angry at politics, and I make cocktails. That’s about the jist of it, all the key points covered.

Skating Polly – All Show

Track – Little Girl Blue and the Battle Envy

I discovered this band sadly through the Spotify algorithm which I’m not proud of, but it’s ended up becoming a favourite of mine. Its got songs that hit ya right in the feels, it gets down and dirty at times, and to quote Garth Elgar, “man she can wail!”.

Dream Wife – So When You Gonna…

Track – Homesick

I have a really fond memory of going to my mates flat in uni after they were banging on about this track debuting on BBC radio by a band they like, which ended up being ‘Sports!’. It was my first time hearing these guys and I loved em. We’d always play em at our parties and ended up seeing em in Manchester in 2023, where we just screamed the lyrics at each other.

The Shins – Wincing the Night Away.

Track – Phantom Limb

This might be my favourite album of all time. My brother got me into the Shins years ago, and we ended up seeing them the day before heading to Leeds Fest in 2017. Their lyrics are so weird and cryptic, and ooh they have some real nice basslines, Phantom Limb is one I regularly play at home, the whole thing hits me right in the feels.

Wolf Alice – Blue Weekend

Track – How Can I Make it OK

If there’s such a thing as a perfect album it might be this. From start to finish it takes you on a beautifully bittersweet journey, you can’t help but get a pang in your chest listening to it. And the fact they made videos for each song to accompany it; I’ll stick this on in the shower and usually get out at How Can I Make it OK, and just have to stick on Youtube and watch the whole thing from there. Love it. Song.

Public Service Broadcasting – Inform-Educate-Entertain

Track – Spitfire

Another one that really takes you on a (very different) journey. It uses samples from old broadcasts instead of lyrics, and this crazy mix of genres. It’s basically a 43 minute history lesson via music, which if anyone knows me is what I live for. They manage to really transport you to what the songs talk about, whether it’s climbing Mt Everest, fairy lamps in a naval showcase or wherever. (Their album Race for Space is equally incredible).

161 Mal Lythe(4)

1 2 3

I’m Mal and I run this blog and since my last post I also have my own podcast called T-T-Teesside Music Podcast which I talk about gigs that I’ve been to. I am also testing out my music promoter skills with my first gig coming up at NE Volume Music Bar featuring Onlooker, Gaydar and Mascaras Lies.

The Last Dinner Party – Prelude to Ecstasy

Track – Nothing Matters

Stating things of with a very recent album and a band I’m photoed with in the picture above. From the moment I heard the track Nothing Matters I just knew that I’d love this band. I went to see them in Newcastle and it was one of the best shows that I’ve ever been to. The whole atmosphere is incredible and every song felt so different. I knew right after the gig that the album would turn out as good as it did.

Cat Ryan – King of the World

Track – Lost My Connection

Probably one of my favourite North East bands right now. I’ve only seen them live like three times and they get better every time. But this EP is so good. Every song is very catchy with lyrics and hooks that will stick in your head. I definitely recommend giving it a listen.

Elliot Minor – Elliot Minor

Track – Jessica

The fact that only one Elliot Minor song has been picked is criminal. One of the most over looked bands I say. Influences from the Emo movement and pop punk. They were definitely right brown my street when they came out. The self titled album is definitely one I always look back on fondly.

All Saints – All Saints

Track – Never Ever

No huge reasons just really like this album. Also features a mint cover of Under The Bridge that I prefer to the original

LN – Hangman’s Song

Not part of an album or EP and not even the genre of music I would usually pick in something like this . But LN has something special about her and the band. Hangman’s Son there’s so much range in her vocals and how she performs it. The riffs also sounds huge in this song. I saw LN perform an acoustic set in NE Volume and enjoyed it. Still yet to see the full band set up but it’s definitely something I’d love to do.

160 Roz Cuthbert

Yo! I’m Roz, and I write a fanzine called DIRGE. It features music, films, interviews, and gig reviews. I sometimes make the odd bit of music for short films and sometimes make tunes under the name Metal Machine Music. All these albums are from the 70s. I didn’t design it that way. They just are.

Sex Pistols – Nevermind The Bollocks.

Track – Holidays in The Sun.

Any track that mentions The Berlin Wall, i’m basically all over.

NEU – NEU ’75 

Track – Hero.

Motorik proto-punk from Westphalia, Germany. Both totes emosh and rousing.

The Stranglers – Black & White

Track – Threatened

One of the best songs from one of the finest albums of all time. “I don’t think things can be, pretty or ugly”.

Kraftwerk –  The Man Machine

Track – Space Lab.

A splendidly retro-futurstic electronic ode to science fiction.

Suicide – Suicide.

Track – Cheree.

An oft overlooked, off kilter love song with a simple organ motif over an old rhythm box.

159 Travis Atkinson

Hey! I’m Travis, weaker half of pop punk duo Will We Talk? (with a question mark).

We’ve recently started recording our first EP after playing a few really fun gigs all across Teesside. It’s been really fun writing, recording and meeting loads of people within the scene. As a huge pop punk fan, I wanted to share what I think are some of the most underrated albums within the genre.

KennyHoopla – SURVIVORS GUILT MIXTAPE//

Track – estella//

In recent years where the pop punk scene has been saturated to oblivion, KennyHoopla makes himself stand out with his authentic punk aura that no one else can really pull off. This whole album is pop punk banger after pop punk banger, the high energy is translated perfectly and every song embeds it perfectly, especially in its singles estella// and hollywood sucks//. This is easily the best of Travis Barker’s production projects – yet the most criminally overlooked.

All Time Low – Dirty Work

Track – A Daydream Away

While All Time Low are definitely a prominent band in pop punk, this album gets very little discussion within the fandom and across the genre as a whole. While it does have its lows (straight up cheesy songs like I Feel Like Dancin’ and That Girl), it also hosts some of the band’s most well recorded and well written tracks. Songs like Heroes and Guts showcase some of the best the band has to offer – the whole album has a certain aesthetic that just feels so different.

Son Of Dork – Welcome To Loserville

Track – Murdered In The Mosh

James Bourne has had a really diverse career with so many projects, some hit, some miss. Welcome To Loserville, however, was a definite hit. Fresh off his work from Busted, this album really feels like a straight continuation of the band’s work – but with more pop punk influence. A really enjoyable sound complimented with fun lyrics, this is really a great album; it’s a shame this band got totally overlooked.

Pink Elephant – Stand Atlantic

Track – Drink To Drown

With a runtime of just over half an hour, this whole album is packed full of amazing pop punk tracks from start to finish. The really creative production all across the project really gives it a unique sound – showcased in tracks like Wavelength and Soap. Every single song is topped off with incredible vocal performances (especially the beautiful ballad Drink To Drown).

Waterparks – Greatest Hits

Track – Violet!

Closing this list is my favourite album of all time, Waterparks’ Greatest Hits. The album utilises a really effective confessional lyric style, one which at times can almost seem too personal – adding to the general uncomfortable vibe the whole tracklist maintains. The production, while not as good as their follow up album INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY, is incredibly creative and entirely seperates the project from anything else within the genre. Every element of this album is just so perfect, including Awsten Knight’s almost ethereal vocals.

If you like any of these tracks, Will We Talk? is releasing our debut single ‘Three Wishes’ in the coming weeks! If you don’t like these tracks then our single is still coming out. Sorry.

158 Daniel Clifford

Playlist

I’m the singer and main songwriter of Amateur Ornithologist, a weird pop band based in Gateshead. I’m also a freelance arts person, doing bits of application writing, press releases and mentoring for creatives in the North East. Amateur Ornithologist have a new album, Hide, that I think people will enjoy checking out.

Wire – Chairs Missing

Track – Outdoor Miner

Wire are best known – if at all – for their first album Pink Flag. It’s 21 songs long and clocks in under 40 minutes. They were an outsider band in the first wave of punk. But their second album, Chairs Missing, is the one I really love. It adds ambition and experimentalism to the ethos of punk, creating a truly adventurous,  eclectic and magnificent album. There’s not much in common between most of the songs, and Outdoor Miner is a good example of that. It’s a perfect slice of pop with a chorus that always makes me think of Planet of the Apes.

Cate Le Bon – Reward

Track – Daylight Matters

I’m not great at keeping up to date with new music, although I’ve tried to be a bit better since setting up Amateur Ornithologist. Cate le Bon was an artist I’d seen on Glastonbury coverage from about ten years ago that I thought, “She’s interesting!” but never really delved into. I was reintroduced to her and this album in particular and I’ve listened to this album hundreds of times since it was released. My crude description is Kate Bush jamming with Wire. It’s experimental and odd and she has a really interesting singing voice. Daylight Matters is one I always play to my band members and our producer Harbourmaster when we’re looking for sounds and effects for recordings, there’s just something magical about it.

Peter Gabriel – 3: Melt

Track – Intruder

I avoided Peter Gabriel for a long time. “Genesis” and “prog” were dirty words. But then Peter Brewis from Field Music kept referencing him when talking about his The Week That Was album. So I asked for Gabriel’s first few solo albums for Christmas. I had a bit of a listen but they weren’t really for me. But, gradually, over the years, I kept going back to them and finding more to love. Peter Gabriel 3 is a favourite because he seems to be in dialogue with all the post-punk and new wave music I like and, like all good albums, it works as a whole rather than just a collection of singles. It opens with Intruder, which has a seedy lyric and vocal, and the drums on this one are amazing.

Field Music – Plumb

Track – Just Like Everyone Else

I’ve been a fan of Field Music since their first single and seen them live more than any other group. They’re one of those rare groups who have managed to make multiple releases that work perfectly as a whole with no weaker tracks, but this one has songs weaving into each other in a way that means I’m not actually sure where all of them begin and end. This song, though, is one that stands alone more than some others and manages to be a sort of love song that isn’t saccharine.

Kate Bush – The Dreaming

Track – Sat In Your Lap

Apparently The Dreaming divides Kate Bush fans but it’s my favourite of her albums. I think it’s the braying like a donkey at the end of the album that turned people off, but it’s that sort of outlandish idea that I really respond to. There’s a huge range of sounds and influences on this album and it feels like she’s been set free to do whatever she wants. This song starts off the album and has sections in three different time signatures while still having relatable lyrics and a good tune, so that really inspired me to try out more on the new Amateur Ornithologist album.

157 Bill Gateshead

Playlist

Part lo-fi bedroom rockstar and part minimalist electronic producer, I have self released music for over twenty years through my one man band label (quite literally) Low Fell Lo Fi. Now based in London, I use the project as a way of staying connected to my hometown by writing songs paying homage to people and places from my childhood (with an album inspired by Saltwell Park coming in 2024).

Anna Domino – East and West

Track – Review

No idea when/where I stumbled across this album but I was immediately impressed with the consistency, there’s never an urge to skip a track especially with the opening four or five tracks. It’s an album that rewards repeat listening with a sound that appears simple and minimalist but reveals layers of interesting melodies the more time you spend with it. The sound falls on the poppier side of the post punk scene of the early eighties and it’s perfect for drifting off on a bus to. Domino went on to release some stuff on Factory Records and supported Bowie on tour maybe…but apart from that I don’t know much more about her or her music.

Sam Gendel/Sam Wilkes – Music For Saxofone and Bass Guitar

Track – BOA

I have told anyone who is interested in music about Sam Gendel but not sure any of them have taken me up on my recommendation. Topping my Spotify most played artist list last year (mainly due to it being perfect cooking music) I couldn’t not give him a mention in this list. Think I first heard of him through a recommendation by Ezra Koenig’s on his podcast and since then I’ve just worked my way through his ever growing back catalogue (he releases like four or five albums a year). Gendel is a sax player who makes ridiculously cool modern jazz, experimenting with effect pedals but maintains soul and character. This is one of many great albums and is a collab with another jazz player Sam Wilkes with whom I think he has a few different albums. Some might dismiss it as background music but there is definitely a great art to making music that is chill enough to go in the background but deep and intricate enough to keep the listener intrigued.

Frank Sidebottom – E, F, G and H

Track – Guess Who’s Been On Match of the Day

I don’t mean to be a troll and throw this song in amongst numerous beautiful serious pieces of music but hear me out. Frank is a huge inspiration, I’ve always enjoyed weird outsider music, even if the music is barely listenable sometimes, the straight up balls on some people to make something so bizarre always impresses me. Frank’s commitment to the ‘bit’ is unrivaled, I’m sure many people know his story but if not have a quick google (the film based on Jon Ronson’s book isn’t the best source though) and watch clips of his TV series. I find him genuinely hilarious and whilst the shtick can get very old in the music, there are some songs that always make me laugh (see his cover of Life On Mars). This song is about Frank being on Match Of The Day, not sure how or why but he was there and in his ‘big shorts’. The album is his greatest hits, volumes E, F, G and H – so the quality control may be questionable on this one.

Star Lovers – Boafo Ne Nyame

Track – Boafo Ne Nyame

Heard this on the camila laye okun show on NTS, she is a cuban DJ who plays a lot of afrobeats and high life. There’s not much about the artist online but I think the album is from the 80s and the artist is Ghanian based on the fact most of the ‘High Life’ genre comes from Ghana. I’d never really listened to much African music until I got put on to William Onyeabor by a mate and that opened a whole new world of amazing music, I’d recommend checking out old 70s/80s high life playlists as there are some absolute gems in there.

Nichola Kygrovich – Ouch

Track – Spa

Like Gendel, Kygrovich is someone I’ve tried to put others onto as I feel he maybe doesn’t get the exposure he deserves so I’ve included him in the list. First saw him support Destroyer and I enjoyed his set, a few songs standing out , one of which I found out was a cover of an old jazz classic though. He’s a singer songwriter who is great at just talking matter of factly about everyday life but making it sound so poetic. For this album he actually did have some drama to commentate on as his first serious boyfriend left him, whilst I’m sad this happened, it inspired a fantastic break up album and in particular this song in which he reminisces about taking his ex to a spa. Since ‘Ouch’, he has made some great albums collaborating with a couple of other jazz musicians ‘At Scaramouche’ with Joseph Shabason and ‘Florence’ and ‘Philadelphia’ with Shabason and Chris Harris.

156 Mark Folland

Playlist

I’m Foll (Mark Folland) and half been involved in the local music scene on and off since 1998 ish, starting in the band Madflower, then The Snowfall Report and currently All The Nines.

I’m also deep into recording/mixing/mastering and producing via FOll Recording and Production. I travel the we with my mobile recording rig or record at me studio in hartiepool to make use or its amazing live room and the luxurv of a separate control room.

I absolutely love capturing the lightening in a bottle moments that happen when bands/musicians are recording. It’s definitely my happy place! Being able to get the most out of an artist or group of musicians and help them realise their potential in recorded form is a real treat that l’m lucky to be able to do. also get to meet some amazing talented people – and wondertul characters too!!

Fugazi – In On The Kill Taker

Track – Cassavettes

No band has probably shaped my musical taste as much and as definitely as Fugazi. Their mix of punk Dly ethos and groovy, hard hitting, extremely well put together music really opened my eyes to what could be possible both musically, sonically and socially.

In On The Kill Taker was the first album from Fugazi I fully absorbed and it stuck with me since. Nothing quite like them.

Paper Tigre – Recreation

Track – I’m Someone Who Dies

An album I discovered purely through Spotify, these are a band that sound really unique. Super tight rhvthm section and interesting, interwoven guitars made this album really jump out on me. super well recorded, too.

Biork – Post

Track – Isobel

flove the use of sound on this album. It’s so expansive and interesting but totally right for the songs and nothing seems out of place or overdone. Genuine genius. as is the case of any other Bjork album you can pick. sucn catcny and interesting melodies and lyrics too.

Tortoise – It’s All Around You

Track – Salt The Skies

An unreal mix of jazz, post hardcore, post rock and electronica. The Chicago based supergroup ot sorts have long been up there with my favourite bands. The song Salt The Skies was on a Burn to Shine film and was such an incredible live performance it’s put the song as one of my all time favourites. The album is spot on throughout and takes you on a great sonic journey. Well worth digging into.

Shannon Wright – Maps of Tacit

Track – Within the Quilt of Demand

An incredible singer/songwriter, first stumbled across Shannon Wright at an All Tomorrow’s Parties festival in Camber Sands in about 2002.1 don’t think I’d seen someone so genuinely emotional and impactful a performer who just let it all go on stage. The album Maps ot Tacit has some stand out songs from that gig and again has a great organic sound (courtesy of Steve Albini amongst others).