January 12, 2016 Playlist

THE BEST OF 2015
Featuring the
KOSMIK RADIATION TOP 25!

       
"What The World Needs Now..." by Public Image Ltd. (2015)
CLASSIC ALBUM OF THE WEEK
Public Image Ltd. "What The World Needs Now..."  2015 (UK)
For 11 years now, the Kosmik Radiation show's #1 most kosmik album of the year  has received an instant induction into the CAOTW hall of fame. As often seems to happen, our #1 album this year is by an artist that originated back in the groovy 1970's. John J. Lydon, better known as "Johnny Rotten" from his days fronting the Sex Pistols, founded Public Image Ltd. as a retort to . . . well, pretty much everything. Sex Pistols dressed like slobs and preached anarchy, so PiL wore suits and put on a corporate front. Three-chord punk rock was "in", so PiL played proto-industrial sorta-reggae that made chords and "guitar rock" in general sound passe. The incorigible Lydon and his corporate rock band were among the leading lights of underground rock in the 1980's: a subversive, challenging, "hip" group that had a major label record deal and a certain amount of mainstream exposure (ol' Rotten has always been good at getting attention). However the final PiL album of the 20th century came out in 1992 when "grunge" (retro-70's longhair music that the Sex Pistols were supposed to kill off) was at it's hottest. Twenty years passed - Lydon wrote his memoirs, did a reality show and a notorious TV advert in Britain. Then in the 2010's, a new Public Image Ltd. was born and have now released two albums in the 21st century. The current line-up includes the return of former PiL employees Lu Edmonds (The Damned, Mekons) on lead guitar and Bruce Smith (The Pop Group*, Rip Rig + Panic) on drums, plus new bassist Scott Firth (who toured with The Spice Girls! What other supergroup has covered that much ground in the pop world!?) The first reunion album (This Is PiL, 2012) was paid for with money from Johnny's TV commercial and was a solid, if not vital, effort. The most recent, our CAOTW, is the finest album the group has done since the generic Album from 1985 (a crazy supergroup record including Ginger Baker and Tony Williams on drums!?) The latest PiL album includes some short rockers that sound like Sex Pistols parodies, grinding industrial grooves, plenty of profanity and social commentary, and even some ambient bits. Lydon sounds as ornery (and funny) as ever, in fact it's a bit of a miracle that he is in such fine voice (and still full of piss 'n' vinager) after all these years. On the next KR show, we'll celebrate Johnny's 60th birthday!
 
* In 2015, Smith's The Pop Group also released Citizen Zombie, their third album and first new release since 1980.
(N) = New Release
   

Artist Song Album Year (Label) Country
The Fresh & Onlys I'm A PuppetEarly Years Anthology (N)
(Kosmik Radiation #12 album of 2015)
rec. 2009 (2015 Castle Face)USA
King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard Paper Mache Dream BalloonPaper Mache Dream Balloon (N)
(Kosmik Radiation #16 album of 2015)
2015 (ATO)Australia
Wand Grave Robber1000 Days (N)
(Kosmik Radiation #7 album of 2015)
2015 (Drag City)USA
The Space Merchants Evil ItchThe Space Merchants (N)
(Kosmik Radiation #4 album of 2015)
2015 (Aqualamb)USA
Death The TimesN.E.W. (N)
(Kosmik Radiation #13 album of 2015)
2015 (Tryangle/Drag City)USA
 
 
Moon Duo Slow Down LowShadow Of The Sun (N)
(Kosmik Radiation #24 album of 2015)
2015 (Sacred Bones)USA
Kurt Vile Pretty Pimpin'B'lieve I'm Goin Down... (N)
(Kosmik Radiation #14 album of 2015)
2015 (Matador)USA
The People Brothers Band RideMiddle Of The In Between (N)
(Kosmik Radiation top local album of 2015)
2015 (self release)USA
Pond Outside Is The Right SideMan It Feels Like Space Again (N)
(Kosmik Radiation #22 album of 2015)
2015 (Caroline)Australia
   
 
Guapo Obscure Knowledge, part 1 (radio edit)Obscure Knowledge (N)
(Kosmik Radiation #25 album of 2015)
2015 (Cuneiform)UK
Mark McGuire The Undying StarsBeyond Belief (N)
(Kosmik Radiation #17 album of 2015)
2015 (Dead Oceans)USA
   
 
Public Image Ltd. Double TroubleWhat The World Needs Now... (N)
(Kosmik Radiation #1 album of 2015)

CLASSIC ALBUM OF THE WEEK
2015 (PiL Official)UK
Public Image Ltd. CorporateWhat The World Needs Now... (N)
(Kosmik Radiation #1 album of 2015)

CLASSIC ALBUM OF THE WEEK
2015 (PiL Official)UK
Public Image Ltd. ShoomWhat The World Needs Now... (N)
(Kosmik Radiation #1 album of 2015)

CLASSIC ALBUM OF THE WEEK
2015 (PiL Official)UK
Sleater-Kinney Price Tag
No Cities To Love (N)
(Kosmik Radiation #15 album of 2015)
2015 (Sub Pop)USA
Slayer You Against YouRepentless (N)
(Kosmik Radiation #10 album of 2015)
2015 (Nuclear Blast)USA
Czarbles CicNausea Trois EP (N)
(Kosmik Radiation top local EP of 2015)
2015 (self release)USA
 
 
Mondo Drag PlumajillaMondo Drag (N)
(Kosmik Radiation #2 album of 2015)
2015 (Riding Easy)USA
The Sword Mist And ShadowHigh Country (N)
(Kosmik Radiation #5 album of 2015)
2015 (Razor & Tie)USA
Fuzz Rat RaceFuzz II (N)
(Kosmik Radiation #9 album of 2015)
2015 (In The Red)USA
Koes Barat Kelelewar (Koes Plus)Koes Barat (N)
(Kosmik Radiation #18 album of 2015)
2015 (Sub Pop)USA
Dungen Akt DitAllas Sak (N)
(Kosmik Radiation #3 album of 2015)
2015 (Kemado)Sweden
 
 
Speedy Ortiz Raising The SkateFoil Deer (N)
(Kosmik Radiation #20 album of 2015)
2015 (Carpark)USA
Dweezil Zappa What IfVia Zammata (N)
(Kosmik Radiation #21 album of 2015)
2015 (MRI/Fantom)USA
Alex G StringTrick (N)
(Kosmik Radiation #6 album of 2015)
2015 (Lucky Number)USA
Thee Oh Sees Sticky HulksMutilator Defeated At Last (N)
(Kosmik Radiation #11 album of 2015)
2015 (Castle Face)USA
Damaged Bug Grape BasementCold Hot Plumbs (N)
(Kosmik Radiation #19 album of 2015)
2015 (Castle Face)USA
 
 
MV & EE Come AroundAlpine Frequency(N)
(Kosmik Radiation #23 album of 2015)
2015 (Child Of Microtones)USA
Eternal Tapestry White Adder's Tongue (excerpt)Wild Strawberries (N)
(Kosmik Radiation #8 album of 2015)
2015 (Thrill Jockey)USA
   
  
Hawkwind (Lemmy R.I.P.)Motorhead (original version)B-side 7" single1975
UK
          
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