Songs You Should Know: The Pretty Littles

We just put out ‘In Our Times’, the second song from our upcoming record due in May. It follows first single, ‘Good Sleeps’ which came out at the end of last year. We’re proud of it. It’s heavy. Depressing lyrically, but interesting to us musically. Dissonant, I guess. We got in the studio the same week our last record ‘Force’ came out, I think it was Feb last year. ‘Force’ came 5 years after ‘Weekend Away’ and following a period of unknowns, so it felt good to start working on the next thing straight away. We’ve all got shit going on, so they’re all a bit Frankenstein. I kinda love it though. With it being very part time, time and money are tight which means you kinda need to find ways through. I like that - most of the time. I love the boys in the band. We have a great time together and we’re all pretty proud of this song and the record.

The Band - Ophelia

Obsessed with The Band at the moment. Grew up with them on the stereo, but got a real boost after reading Levon Helms book recently. Best rock and roll book I’ve read I reckon. Sad as story. What a band. Kinda started that Americana stuff or the modern interpretation? The American Beatles for christsakes!

Bad//Dreems - Irish Airman

Great friends in a great band. This song is beautiful. Holds you to attention. I feel like I’m peering carefully around every corner with this one. I don’t want to miss any of it. Could go for another 5 mins I reckon.

Courtney Barnett & Waxahatchee - Site Unseen

I really like that Waxahatchee has been popping up on other people's records lending that amazing voice of hers. I liked that Ben Kweller song she was on a lot. Great hearing Courtney's voice again. It’s become an essential stitch in the fabric. 

Possible Humans - Akimbo

This record Standing Around Alive was my favourite album that came out last year. I love em. I guess they have that DIY Melbourne sound but it’s all more interesting to me. They kinda go straight to that top tier where bands like Dick Diver and Eddy Current live for me. Love this tune.

Nick Cave - Train Dreams

Crazy song. Classic Nick Cave I guess but hits hard at the end of Train Dreams. Worth noting he just sang over Bryce Dressner's score which was going to be at the end anyway. One of those things which was meant to be. That movie is so fucking sad.

Songs: Ohia - Just Be Simple

So late to the party on this record. Perfect harrowing outsider americana. 

Big Thief - Los Angeles

Oh man how good? They are a brilliant band. I love the output from them all, in the band and outside of it. It’s just a steady steam of really brilliant tunes. And tunes which just expertly walk that line, tapping into some classic poppy elements but always retaining what makes it interesting. I dunno, you don't need me to tell you Big Thief is good. This song could so easily be poppy poop.

Jimmy Little - Cattle and the Cane

I only heard this version the other day. I’m trying to remember how I came across it. It’s a beaut album, Jimmy covering classic tunes that were contemporary at the time with a kind of Leonard Cohen swagger. Songs like Randwick Bells and Into Temptation. This version of Cattle and the Cane stood out to me.

Wolf Alice - Silk

Some songs leap from playlist to playlist. This one seems to reoccur for me. I love listening to it. I find it totally engrossing. I don’t know much about the band and this is the only song I listen to. I don’t even really know what's going on in this tune - just good on honest emo with swelling crescendos. “My love it kills me slowly, slowly I could die”.

BRONCHO - Think I Pass

Don’t know shit about this band either. I remember hearing a song of theirs a few years ago, Try Me Out Sometime which I really liked. That felt a bit more British Indie or something, Like The View from back in the day. This tune reminds me of MGMT or something. Really cool dreamy sounds and. Reverbed to fuck.