Strawberry Tongue has a diverse, deep and wide scope when it comes to music. From deep cuts, and rare tracks to popular favorites, we don’t limit ourselves to genres and labels. We do focus on New Wave, Post Punk, Coldwave, Alternative, Indie and Electronic genres, however, there are a lot of avenues to travel within each music style. We can’t say no to a yelping Dadaist. It’s just a thing. This weekend there have been new tracks added to the playlist. Some songs are fairly rare that you may have not heard of before. Ripped from vinyl and cassettes, or maybe even 7″ singles from the 80s, there are some songs that you just won’t find on any other station. Here are some highlights that we are excited to add to the playlist this week.
Pin Group – This is a rare, post-punk, gothic band from the early 80s. They released a handful of singles in 1981 – 1982 on the New Zealand based Flying Nun records. Truly influenced by the sound of Joy Division, Pin Group is one of those tasty morsels that you just can’t resist. Formed by teamed singer/guitarist Roy Montgomery, bassist Ross Humphrey, and drummer Peter Stapleton, the group only existed a couple of years before dissolving. In the early 90s, they reformed to release one single, Eleven Years After. Montgomery and Stapleton would later become part of the drone collaborative Dadamah. We are pleased to add the second single of Pin Group called Coat to the playlist.
Cecil Taylor – pianist and songwriter, Taylor is best known for his work as a free jazz pioneer. Combining complex improvised clustered tones and polyrhythmns, his piano is often seen as percussion “88 tuned drums.” This week we have added a track, Chorus of Seed, that he performed live at the Ljubljana Jazz Festival in 1976.
Dion McGregor – A songwriter turned poet, McGregor is best known for recording his colorful and somewhat terrifying dreams. We love using his short spoken word pieces to break up musical pieces, particularly when segueing from one style to the next. There are several tracks that were added, but, a favorite is The Flight, with a rather stern attendant demanding people take their assigned seats.
And Also The Trees – An English post punk band that formed in the late 70s, And Also The Trees had definite dark leanings in their musical style. From complex, atmospheric sounds to melancholic poetry, they have a distinct style that was influenced by the somber English countryside. The track we’d like to highlight is a live version of the song Methusalah Complex, which is very difficult to find. This is a rare treat for the AATT fans.
Moonbabies – This Swedish duo has been quietly releasing music since the late 90’s. With four albums and numerous singles, EPs and cassettes in their catalog, they make music that ranges from shoegaze, to gorgeous pop to lushly layered dreampop. The song added to the playlist this week is an early track from 2000 entitled, “June and Novas.”
There are many, many more tracks that want to feature, but, these were just a few favorites that we wanted to share. Until next Monday, keep dreaming and listening.