March Playlist: To Live by the Sea

April has arrived, but before you all nip off to buy The Burning Hell's new album (out today), here's a quick look back at the music I was listening to in March:

1. New Friends - Pinegrove

(from Cardinal)

This cracking song is basically a resolution to forget the past, embrace the present, and generally make more of an effort, which is exactly what Pinegrove should have done with their album artwork.

2. Sheena is a Punk Rocker - Ramones

(from Hey! Ho! Let's Go: The Anthology)

I've had this compilation on in my car most days this week, and amongst a lot of songs that sound more or less the same, this poppy punk classic stands out a mile.

3. Is The Is Are - DIIV

(from Is The Is Are)

If Cardinal is a good album that's let down by its cover, then DIIV's turbulent second album is a good album that's let down by its rubbish title. This song, sadly, is afflicted by the same pox (I hate that glottal stop between 'The' and 'Is'), but at least it's a strong tune.

4. Washed to the Shore - The Zephyrs

(from A Year to the Day)

I wrote about The Zephyrs only the other day, and I don't have much else to add right now - just go and read Wednesday's blog.

5. Where Were You Before Prohibition? - Klezmer Kollectiv

(from The Terk in America)

A hidden treasure from right here in Cardiff, Klezmer Kollectiv play music from Eastern Europe and it fucking rocks. You can download their album, The Terk in America, from the iTunes Store, and I heartily recommend that you do so.

6. Beehive Mind - The Crimea

(from Square Moon)

I've been writing about The Crimea for Toppermost this week; my write-up will hopefully be available to view within the next few weeks, but in the meantime, here's one of the many highlights from their superb third album.

7. Magick - Klaxons

(from Myths of the Near Future)

A blast from the past - can you believe that 2007 was nine years ago now?! As I discovered last month, this particular song is best experienced in a car, with the volume up, while bashing out a samba on the steering wheel (don't worry, the car wasn't moving at the time!)

8. Be Unhappy - Maritime

(from Heresy & The Hotel Choir)

Here's an album I bought on a blind whim a few years back. This track ("Even if you find the love of your life/You can be unhappy for weeks at a time") is insistent and brilliant and, in my experience, impossible not to air-drum along to.

9. March of the Pams - Ralfe Band

(from Swords)

A sensational slow-building instrumental from the band who brought you the Bunny and the Bull soundtrack. I don't know what 'pams' are, but  I can really picture them marching along to this.

10. Violent Past - Low

(from Drums & Guns)

C'mon isn't the only Low LP I've been revisiting in anticipation of their upcoming show in Cardiff. Only four months and a day to go!

Last month's playlist is here.