For this week's playlist singer-songwriter Alexander Wolfe has picked out ten choice cuts, from enduring influences to current favourites...
Adrianne Lenker – Symbol
She's the singer of Big Thief and I saw her do a solo show at Union Chapel about week ago. She's just a soul on a plate, it’s all there on the surface. She spent about three quarters of the set tuning her guitar but when she did play songs, they were perfect.
Kendrick Lamar – FEAR.
The best artist on planet earth at the moment in my opinion. Each verse of Fear is Kendrick at a different stage of his life dealing with different fears. He starts at seven years old scared of his step dad, the second verse is him at 17 and his fear of dying, and the third is him at 27. No one in hip hop comes close to where he's at.
IDLES – Great
I fucking love this band. Joy as an Act of Resistance was easily my record of 2018. The combination of raw punk and these open compassionate lyrics is just brilliant. Great is an anti-Brexit anthem and it’s as tough as old boots.
Gillian Welch – Everything Is Free
The lyrics are beautiful. It’s basically a song about the internet, and how it’s almost impossible to make a living through your art, which sounds like it should be a terrible song but it's great. Everyone has covered this song, Father John Misty, Phoebe Bridgers, Courtney Barnett etc... The original is still my favourite.
Alice Coltrane ft. Pharoh Sanders – Journey In Satchidananda
This is just a great big Indian influenced space Jazz jam. I highly recommend smoking and eating cereal to this record.
Jens Kuross – I Only Ever Loved Your Ghost
I played a show with Jens at Servants Jazz Quarters a couple of months ago, he blew me away.
Neil Young – Cortez the Killer
He's probably still the biggest influence on me. Sometimes you’ve just gotta ask yourself, ‘what would Neil Young do?’
Tygermylk – What God Would Keep Us Apart
This is a peach of a song by a great new artist. Beautiful lyrics. She supported me recently at St Pancras Old Church. This song blows me away every time.
Pastor T.L. Barrett and The Youth for Christ Choir – Just Like A Ship
He's a Chicago preacher who released these incredible gospel records on the side. I love the choir and the groove on this one.
Elliott Smith – Angeles
Elliott is my number one. It could have been any of his songs, I chose Angeles because I haven't heard it for a while.
Adrianne Lenker – Symbol
She's the singer of Big Thief and I saw her do a solo show at Union Chapel about week ago. She's just a soul on a plate, it’s all there on the surface. She spent about three quarters of the set tuning her guitar but when she did play songs, they were perfect.
Kendrick Lamar – FEAR.
The best artist on planet earth at the moment in my opinion. Each verse of Fear is Kendrick at a different stage of his life dealing with different fears. He starts at seven years old scared of his step dad, the second verse is him at 17 and his fear of dying, and the third is him at 27. No one in hip hop comes close to where he's at.
IDLES – Great
I fucking love this band. Joy as an Act of Resistance was easily my record of 2018. The combination of raw punk and these open compassionate lyrics is just brilliant. Great is an anti-Brexit anthem and it’s as tough as old boots.
Gillian Welch – Everything Is Free
The lyrics are beautiful. It’s basically a song about the internet, and how it’s almost impossible to make a living through your art, which sounds like it should be a terrible song but it's great. Everyone has covered this song, Father John Misty, Phoebe Bridgers, Courtney Barnett etc... The original is still my favourite.
Alice Coltrane ft. Pharoh Sanders – Journey In Satchidananda
This is just a great big Indian influenced space Jazz jam. I highly recommend smoking and eating cereal to this record.
Jens Kuross – I Only Ever Loved Your Ghost
I played a show with Jens at Servants Jazz Quarters a couple of months ago, he blew me away.
Neil Young – Cortez the Killer
He's probably still the biggest influence on me. Sometimes you’ve just gotta ask yourself, ‘what would Neil Young do?’
Tygermylk – What God Would Keep Us Apart
This is a peach of a song by a great new artist. Beautiful lyrics. She supported me recently at St Pancras Old Church. This song blows me away every time.
Pastor T.L. Barrett and The Youth for Christ Choir – Just Like A Ship
He's a Chicago preacher who released these incredible gospel records on the side. I love the choir and the groove on this one.
Elliott Smith – Angeles
Elliott is my number one. It could have been any of his songs, I chose Angeles because I haven't heard it for a while.
Alexander's single Avalanche is out now and his new album Little Death is out 22 March on Dharma Records.
alexanderwolfe.co.uk
alexanderwolfe.co.uk
