Ear Candle Radio's Top 20: March 2010

Our new playlist is up and running (finally!), and about 95% complete. The last month of broadcasting was a random shuffle, and the charts are a combination of old and new stuff.

The brilliant, energetic and foxy Subtonix just can't stay out of the top 20, taking the number 1 spot with their awesome Screamers cover. We also say goodbye to great songs from PiL, Lavern Baker, and Joe Strummer from the old playlist, as well as Jonathan Mann's excellent tribute to Paul Krugman. (Google the Youtube video; it's a charmer.)

The Deletist CD is something we actually picked up at the Raincoats/Viv Albertine show at the Mezzanine last year, where the artist responsible for the infamous comic book Bitter Pie was selling her wares. (And like many people who make dark, disturbing art, she turns out to be really nice in real life.) Turns out she's in this murky, rumbling, electronic-flavored band. We picked a track with her chanting sternly "We don't believe the media!" over and over, and this is the second time it's shown up in the charts. Must be striking a chord with the folks.

We have more return appearances of old playlist highlights by the Clash, John Cooper Clarke, ESG, the Bonzos, the Temptations, Eddie Izzard, Bert Jansch, and the Animals. And we welcome new tracks from Curtis Mayfield (and why are we still needing to point out that we gotta have peace? Hello?), Yoko Ono (more words of wisdom), 60s Japanese beat group the Mops ("But I don't care of them/so I am just a mops!!!"), Bongwater ("What keeps you going? Great radio!"), and X-tal (a track from their final German release that is destined to be included in a new Ear Candle compilation really soon).

Last but not least is an old favorite from lesser known 60s San Francisco band the Serpent Power, a classic psychedelic tale of a nightmarish bad trip of a train ride with a twist at the end. We found out bandleader David Meltzer is alive and well and focusing on his poetry in the East Bay. We dropped him a line and he came back with a very gracious and appreciative reply. Good guy, good song.

After nearly six years of this, it's astonishing that there is still so much great music out there to hunt down, dust off and share with you all. Hope you are digging it. Keep giving us your feedback, and by all means, keep listening!

1. Subtonix - Vertigo - Tarantism
2. Public Image Ltd. - Rise - Compact Disc
3. LaVern Baker - Jim Dandy - Soul on Fire: The Best of LaVern Baker
4. Joe Strummer & The Mescaleros - Bhindi Bhagee - Global A Go-Go
5. Jonathan Mann - Hey Paul Krugman - Song A Day
6. Deletist - Blakelok - Relive
7. Curtis Mayfield - We Got To Have Peace - Roots
8. The Clash - Police On My Back - Sandinista!
9. Yoko Ono Plastic Ono Band - Healing - Between My Head And The Sky
10. The Mops - I'm Just A Mops - Nuggets II: Original Artyfacts From The British Empire And Beyond
11. Bongwater - Great Radio - The Power of Pussy
12. John Cooper Clarke - Beasley Street - Snap, Crackle & Bop
13. ESG - Get Funky - A South Bronx Story
14. Bonzo Dog Band - Rhinocratic Oaths - The Doughnut in Granny's Greenhouse
15. The Temptations - Masterpiece - Psychedelic Soul
16. Eddie Izzard - Great Escape - Dress To Kill
17. X-tal - I Was A Teenage Christian - The Conqueror Worm
18. Bert Jansch - Courting Blues - Bert Jansch
19. The Animals - Baby Let Me Take You Home [Mono] - Absolute Animals 1964-1968
20. Serpent Power - Endless Tunnel - Serpent Power