The Poplist with the Spectrals

The Spectrals are the work of young Louis Jones, and after a run of impressive singles that built from fuzzy, lo-fi pop to a more refined but still scrappy sound, the band’s first album is out this week on Slumberland. Bad Penny is filled with smart, chipper pop tunes that will appeal to fans of the recent wave of bedroom whizzes like Beach Fossils, but also to those who fondly remember Prefab Sprout. We asked Jones to send along a list of some of this favorite things….

First, a track from the album:
Spectrals – Get A Grip by Slumberland Records

Lager Top
This is where you 3/4 of a pint of lager and top the rest up with lemonade….a pint takes the edge off life, and a lemonade top takes the edge off a pint. It’s just superb really, this is my thing.

Dave Edmunds’ version of “Let It Be Me“
I’ve always had a thing for the Elvis Costello/Nick Lowe/Dave Edmunds/Rockpile connect– I got into it all from my dad — but I’ve been zoning in on Dave Edmunds recently. His version of this song (which is one of my all time songs as it is) is just ace, it’s like he tried to out “Everly Brothers” the Everly Brothers. Him and Nick Lowe do some others of theirs on the bonus disc for Rockpile “Seconds of Pleasure” too, “Poor Jenny” “Crying in the Rain”…etc. They really got it.

Sky Sports
I’ve always liked football even though I’m rubbish at it. we just recently got Sky Sports on the T.V. at my house and I’ve been watching nearly all the football which I could never do before. I watch teams I don’t like or have any ties to just because I’m in love with watching it again, I’ve also been watching golf and darts.

Fulltone OCD guitar pedal
It’s not healthy to be so into guitar pedals, but i just recently got this for playing some of the new album live and it’s mad. I had in my head a Mick Ronson/Marc Bolan sound, but it sounds more like the T-Rex off of Jurassic Park. I can tell my band hate it.

Real Estate – Days
This record really blew me away, It’s easily one of the most beautiful things I’ve heard. They are just the best band doing it right now – I can’t wait to go on tour next week with them and hang out and watch them play it.