Y Niwl - Y Niwl (Vinyl LP)

Ahhhhh, this is the business. Brian and I have both been eagerly awaiting the arrival of this LP so it's lovely to finally have a copy spinning on the decks - there was a minor office controversy earlier in the week when it was discovered that Phil hadn't quite ordered enough to cover all the pre-orders and we'd have to wait a couple more days to hear it.

Y Niwl, who curiously enough also spend some of their time as Gruff Rhys's live backing band, specialise in Proper Surf Music (full disclosure, I play in a surf band too and we had the rare treat of sharing a bill with them a week ago - it's not often we actually get to play with surf bands and they were dead nice lads too so I was kind of already won over before I started writing this). We're talking completely instrumental, guitar and organ-led surf rock'n'roll as practiced by the likes of The Surfaris or the Avengers VI in the mid-'60s. Obviously it's their own updated take, though, and there are all sorts of subtle influences floating around in the feel-good broth...Dick Dale, Ennio Morricone, The Shadows...but maybe also a touch of Dead Kennedys? Definitely some Man...Or Astro-Man?/Ghastly Ones sort of B-movie vibes but always with a really breezy summer feel. Brian says he wants to climb inside their organ, but I don't think he means that in a rude way.

The gentle pacing doesn't keep them from displaying plenty of silky skills and bouncy, irresistible hooks and the delivery's pretty faultless throughout. It's music that makes you feel like you're out in the sunshine, even when you're stuck in the office with loads of bald men and dusty records.

Apparently one of these songs is now the theme from Football Focus? That can't be right. I don't watch TV anyway, but this is brilliant. Brilliant. And a flippin' bargain to boot. On top of that awesome Thee Cormans 7” on In The Red this makes it a surftastic week for Norman Towers. Like, totally tubular, etc. etc.