Christine & The Queens – Chris (The 59) #365

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Christine & The Queens – Chris (2018)

Jem of Jemtunes, born in 1959, turned 59 this year. So ‘The ’59’ has celebrated 59 years of cracking tunes with a few albums from each year – 1959 through 2018. Today, as we near the end of this year-long series, we go beyond 59 to year 60 – 2018. Four tunes from four albums from this year to round off the series.

And for the final entry in the this series, here’s Chris, the second studio album from Christine and the Queens, released on 21 September 2018 in both English and French versions through Because Music.

It was preceded by the release of two singles, each of which were released in both English and French versions: “Girlfriend” / “Damn, dis-moi”, featuring Dâm-Funk, and “Doesn’t Matter” / “Doesn’t Matter (Voleur de soleil)”. An English-language single, “5 Dollars”, was also released alongside an S&M-inspired video, followed by the French version of “La Marcheuse”.

And there ends the Jemtunes 2018 series ‘The 59’. Starting tomorrow, another year-long, 365-entry series begins – “Starters for Ten”. Thirty-six top ten and one top five list of tunes and tracks from Jem’s back-catalogue of music over the years. The series kickstarts with ‘Top ten blues-rock stonkers’ running between 1st and 10th January 2019.

Muse – Simulation Theory (The 59) #364

The 59 2018 #364: 181230

Muse – Simulation Theory (2018)

Jem of Jemtunes, born in 1959, turned 59 this year. So ‘The ’59’ has celebrated 59 years of cracking tunes with a few albums from each year – 1959 through 2018. Today, as we near the end of this year-long series, we go beyond 59 to year 60 – 2018. Four tunes from four albums from this year to round off the series.

And for the penultimate here’s Simulation Theory, the eighth studio album from Muse, released on 9 November 2018 through Warner Bros. Records and Helium-3.

Rather than working on the album as a whole, Muse focused on recording a single track at a time. Recording began at AIR Studios in London in early 2017 with Elizondo, before embarking on a tour of North America. Production restarted in Los Angeles in late 2017 with Costey, who previously produced Muse’s albums Absolution (2003) and Black Holes and Revelations (2006).

The album cover, designed by Stranger Things artist Kyle Lambert, and its music videos homage 1980s pop culture such as Back to the Future, Michael Jackson’s Thriller, and Teen Wolf.

Simulation Theory was preceded by the release of singles “Dig Down”, “Thought Contagion”, “Something Human”, “The Dark Side”, and “Pressure”, along with a 2018 festival tour of North America. It was released in a standard edition alongside two deluxe editions featuring alternate versions of its tracks. A headline tour of North America and Europe in 2019 is planned.

Billy F Gibbons – The Big Bad Blues (The 59) #363

The 59 2018 #363: 181229

Billy F Gibbons – The Big Bad Blues (2018)

Jem of Jemtunes, born in 1959, turned 59 this year. So ‘The ’59’ has celebrated 59 years of cracking tunes with a few albums from each year – 1959 through 2018. Today, as we near the end of this year-long series, we go beyond 59 to year 60 – 2018. Four tunes from four albums from this year to round off the series.

And for the antepenultimate here’s The Big Bad Blues, the second studio album from ZZ Top’s frontman Billy Gibbons.

The album was released on September 21, 2018, by Concord Records.

The Amorettes – Born to Break (The 59) #362

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The Amorettes – Born to Break (2018)

Jem of Jemtunes, born in 1959, turned 59 this year. So ‘The ’59’ has celebrated 59 years of cracking tunes with a few albums from each year – 1959 through 2018. Today, as we near the end of this year-long series, we go beyond 59 to year 60 – 2018. Four tunes from four albums from this year to round off the series.

Born to Break was the fourth studio album by Scottish hard rock band The Amorettes, released on 6 April 2018.

One of my favourites of the year, the album charted at number 13 on the Scottish Albums Chart.

The lyrics for the album’s lead single ‘Everything I learned I learned from rock n roll’ were co-penned by lead guitarist and vocalist Gill Montgomery and Black Star Riders frontman Ricky Warwick. Warwick said the song was

…based on personal experience, and a nod to some of the great artists out there who have shaped and defined our rock n roll identity.

Walking Papers II (The 59) #361

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Walking Papers – WP2 (2017)

Jem of Jemtunes, born in 1959, turned 59 this year. So ‘The ’59’ has celebrated 59 years of cracking tunes with a few albums from each year – 1959 through 2018. Today, as we near the end of this year-long series, we reach the last entry of the 59th year – 2017. Tomorrow, and for the last three days, we’ll delve into year 60 – 2018.

WP2 was the second album from Walking Papers, released at the back end of 2017 in the UK and on January 19, 2018 in the US.

Classic Rock Magazine called the album

…a heady and timeless cocktail of dusty blues, atmospheric grunge and classic rock’n’roll that has the history of their home town Seattle and decades of road-worn experience woven deep into its fibres.

 

The Skids – Burning Cites (The 59) #360

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The Skids – Burning Cities (2017)

Jem of Jemtunes, born in 1959, turned 59 this year. So ‘The ’59’ celebrates 59 years of cracking tunes with a few albums from each year – 1959 through 2018. Today we’re at the penultimate offering from the penultimate 59th year – 2017.

Burning Cities was the fifth studio album by Scottish punk rock and new wave band The Skids,  released on 12 January 2018.

Produced by Killing Joke bassist Youth, this was the band’s first studio album in 36 years, since the release of ‘Joy’ in November 1981.

It features Big Country father-and-son guitarists, Bruce and Jamie Watson, drummer Mike Baillie, and founding bassist Wiliam Simpson.

The album reached number 28 in the UK album charts.

Royal Blood – How did we get so dark (The 59) #359

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Royal Blood – How did we get so dark (2017)

Jem of Jemtunes, born in 1959, turned 59 this year. So ‘The ’59’ celebrates 59 years of cracking tunes with a few albums from each year – 1959 through 2018. Today we reach year 59 with #359 in the series – the penultimate 2017.

How Did We Get So Dark? was the second studio album from British rock duo Royal Blood,  released by Warner Bros. Records on 16 June 2017.

It rose to the No.1 slot on the UK Album charts and No. 25 on the US Billboard 100.

Massive Wagons – Welcome to the World (The 59) #358

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Massive Wagons – Welcome to the World (2016)

Jem of Jemtunes, born in 1959, has now turned 59. So ‘The ’59’ celebrates 59 years of cracking tunes with a few albums from each year – 1959 through 2018. Currently we’re at year 58 – 2016.

Welcome to the world was the third offering from Lancashire based Massive Wagons, released in 2016.

Here’s the title track…

Left Lane Cruiser – Beck in Black (The 59) #357

The 59 2018 #357: 181223

Left Lane Cruiser – Beck in Black (2016)

Jem of Jemtunes, born in 1959, has now turned 59. So ‘The ’59’ celebrates 59 years of cracking tunes with a few albums from each year – 1959 through 2018. Currently we’re at year 58 – 2016.

Left Lane Cruiser are a US based blues-rock band originating from Fort Wayne, Indiana. Their main influence comes from the North Mississippi Hill country blues musicians, most of whom were or are currently signed to Fat Possum Records. The band comprises Fredrick “Joe” Evans IV on slide guitar and vocals with Pete Dio on drums and back up vocals.

In July 2007, Left Lane Cruiser signed to Alive Records. Their first nationally released album, Bring Yo’ Ass to the Table, was released on January 8, 2008.

Beck in Black, still with ‘Alive’ was their eighth, released in July 2016.

 

Kings of Leon – Walls (The 59) #356

The 59 2018 #356: 181222

Kings of Leon – Walls (2016)

Jem of Jemtunes, born in 1959, has now turned 59. So ‘The ’59’ celebrates 59 years of cracking tunes with a few albums from each year – 1959 through 2018. Currently we’re at year 58 – 2016.

Walls was the seventh studio album by Kings of Leon,  released on October 14, 2016, by RCA Records.

The album title is an acronym for ‘We Are Like Love Songs’, which continues the band’s unwritten rule of having five-syllable album titles.The album’s lead single, “Waste a Moment”, was released on September 9, 2016. The song peaked at number one on Billboard’s Alternative Songs chart, their first chart topper since 2010.

The second official single, “Reverend”, was sent to alternative radio on February 7, 2017. It was previously released as the album’s third promotional single on October 6, 2016.