The Shins but not

Yesterday, while searching for the Shins album Oh, Inverted World on Spotify in order to help FFS’s resident owl Brian make his weekly playlist (he doesn’t have opposable thumbs, which makes computer-use tricky, you see) I discovered this: Pickin’ On…

Brian’s Mixtape #13: Openings and inroads

Brian can be a rather smug owl at times, and one of his favourite tricks is introducing people to fantastic music and then taking the credit for its wonderousness as though he’d written it or something. Here at FFS we’re powerless to stop him. This week he’s put together a selection of tracks from some of his favourite albums old and new.

Despite Brian’s pomposity there’s no denying the songs — and the albums they’re taken from — are fantastic. Just don’t tell him you think so. He does tend to go on.

Guest Blog: The Dufflefolks’ Louis — Recording the recordings

From 4-track to Abbey Road studio 2, recording is a process any band has to go through. From my personal perspective as a Dufflefolk, it is of highs and lows. It confirms all your worst fears about a song through its magnifying glass but also appeals to the inner geek, which resides in most musicians. The process can be long or short depending if attempting the Magnus opus of Ok Computer or the instant energy of The Clash first album. Both I feel to be good.