Jazz is always a bit hit and miss: sometimes, all that funky syncopation comes together and makes something that is completely unlistenable. Why would you want that? Because jazz! Now, dear reader, you are obviously aware that this post won’t be an example of that, and that the first part of this post was a delightful repartee designed to introduce something that contrasts with it.

And behold! It does! Lori Cullen brings a slightly folkish, slightly gyspy-ish twist to the ol’ jazz formula with this relaxed but paced (and quirky) tune. Simple instrumentation blends nicely with Lori’s breathy vocals to give it all a hint of overarching mystery… perhaps, the mystery of what the three is? Ok, there’s no real mystery as it’s about a couple and a baby, but work with me here!

I think I’m starting to come around on the 80s. Something about it always seemed monumentally tacky to me, particularly with music. However, between listening to more of the Split Enz back catalogue and getting deep into Stranger Things and it’s superb, synth-based score, I’ve come to realise that I have much to be thankful for of the period. My bad, 80s! Don’t judge a book by its cover and all that…

Now, this is obviously a modern tune, but it certainly has its roots in the ethereal synth drone of the 80s. Beautifully dreamy and poignant, but completely lacking the tackiness. You have floored me, Selfoss!

Ah, how I do love some summer cruising music: reminds me of all those long, relaxing road trips along idyllic beaches with close friends… that I have never taken in my life. Oh well! Let’s call it an aspirational dive into the memory bank then, shall we?

Here is a wonderful track that very much reminds me of the output of Triptides, only a tad bit more hi-fi. That added boost of hi-fidelity techno-wizardry has, thankfully, done nothing to dull the simultaneously soothing and peppy tone that immediately harks back to all those days lost to the summer haze (now THAT’S poetry!). It’s what I imagine the Beach Boys might’ve been like if they removed all that natty earnestness from their music.

Do you have problems with being the most gosh diggidy darndest coolest person you could be? Do most of your coolness inadequacies stem from the fact you use words like ‘gosh diggidy darndest’? Then you are in luck, my soon to be hip friend!

Monophonics are a band not out of Canada, for once: they hark a little more south in the musically-rich San Francisco Bay Area where they collude to create a cool collection of catchy… tunes (I ran out of positive c words). This is some effortlessly hip funk that feels like an entirely genuine slice of the 70s: bold, emotive and incredibly slick.

This popped up in my inbox a while ago and I immediately made a note to post about it. I then proceeded to… not post anything for months? I dunno, I don’t really have a good excuse! Thankfully, time has not dulled how much I all am up in its delicious jam.

I am not one to like radically reimagined versions of classic tunes (sorry Lorde, it just ain’t baking my cookies), but something about this one stuck: it’s remarkably simple, but quite powerful, owing to STACEY’s bittersweet vocals. It’s very far removed from the perkiness of the Foundations original, but it’s pretty danged interesting how the lyrics take on a completely different intent in this version!

I do an awful lot of scoffing at them kids these days when it’s implied that the 90s are retro. Mainly because the 90s were only, what, 10, nearly 20, years ago… oh, dangit! Ok, yeah, I now know what the generation above me felt when we said the 80s were totally retro…

My meaningless ruminations on age are, obviously, related to the fine music I bring you today: an Americana-tinged throwback to the days of the Smashing Pumpkins and a gentler strand of alternative rock. Wailing, distorted guitars, two-part harmonies and a bass line you could set your clock to. Granted, it’s 2016 now and these guys are Canadian, but it’s a wonderful sound straight out of the era of my childhood.