Certain Songs

Certain Songs #08

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It’s a beast! Turns out that despite our relative upstart status, we have a lot of things to say on what’s happened so far in 2010. Join the gang, or duo is probably more accurate, for a little discussion on the highlights (and lowlights) of this year.

As part of our regular features Sam has been continuing his foray into the shoegaze/noise pop revival with Besnard Lakes and Liars while John has strived for the ultimate clash by listening to Mastodon and Lady Gaga. Not at the same time though. That’d just be horrible.

Certain Songs #07

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Put your skronky breakcore hats on, folks, because it’s time for Sam to dive into the world of Venetian Snares. Sam and John will have a long chat about this cheeky chappy, along with some indulgence in Sam’s summer hip-hop obsessions and John counters this will the twin pleasures of Shostakovich and Isis.

Download Certain Songs Episode 06

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Sam gets round to seeing what the fuss is all about regarding The xx and Fuck Buttons while John has a near-fit talking about Robyn and Autechre. Today’s main feature is a look at Exodus by Bob Marley & The Wailers as part of our series on discovering acclaimed albums that otherwise passed us by.

Plus there’s the usual song inductions into our Hall of Fame and John serves up a particularly mental but otherwise blissful oddity from the far reaches of the Internet (although not that far geographically, all things considered.)

Certain Songs #10

Right Cliiiiick. Saaaaave Assss. Listen Up.

Bravely, possibly foolishly, John and Sam leap into the world of the Mercury Music Prize, listening to everything offered by the nominees for the prize and ruthlessly assessing the quality of the field. In this mammoth edition of the show, the boys take in the delights of Biffy Clyro and Laura Marling, with stops on the way to meet with Paul Weller, Mumford & Sons and more. Don’t do it all in one sitting, but enjoy this extravaganza of Certain Song-age. At the close, the boys induct a couple of records from Mercurys past into the Hall of Fame.

Certain Songs #09

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Yet more Best of 2010 so far this week, with Sam highlighting a bevy of new songs and John deciding to assess the quality of AOL’s top ten songs of the year. The gents also find time to chat about Philip Selway and allow John space to induct some elegiac instrumentalism into the hall of fame.