Sounds of the New West Vol 7

 

Anyone who has followed this Blog for any length of time will know of my love of Americana. There are 500 plus CDs on the blue shelves with the majority of the them coming from the late 90s/early 00s.

It is fair to say that I haven't really kept myself that up to date with many of the newer acts. This was clearly evident when I picked up Sounds of the New West Vol 7 from the latest edition of Uncut magazine. The only ones I appear to have are from 1998 and 2000 - the series appears to have been resurrected after a considerable gap suggesting perhaps that Americana is making something of a revival.

I was not familiar with any of the 15 acts although I did recognise the name Spencer Tweedy (son of Jeff of Uncle Tupelo/Wilco fame) who appears as part of the duo Case Oats with Casey Walker. For me it is the pick of the bunch and I have therefore sourced a copy of the album Last Missouri Exit which is on the Merge label.

None of the other artists particularly jump out but from the list of the better ones I have scrawled in my notebook I give you Slow Motion Cowboys and Sally Ann Morgan.

Back to the older stuff next Sunday

Case Oats - Bitter Root Lake

Slow Motion Cowboys - Invisible Stars

Sally Anne Morgan - Eye is The First

Saturday Shuffle 115

 

You will probably recognise today's cover star John Lee Hooker. His version of the song Tupelo came up in the shuffle but I was unable to locate it in my Music Folder so the picture is by way of compensation.

Time then to Start Again and there was no such trouble in tracking down the song of that name by Teenage Fanclub from their masterpiece Songs From Northern  Britain.

For those of you still put out by the lack of Mr Hooker worry not as we have some Blues after all with Yearning courtesy of The Black Keys.

We conclude with Simple Minds from when they were good if anyone can remember that far back. Here is the brilliant The American.

More of the same next Saturday

Teenage Fanclub -Start Again

The Black Keys - Yearnin'

Simple Minds -The American

Dave Godin's Deep Soul Treasures - Volume 1

 

2025 Charity Shop Purchases # 40 - Various Artists - Dave Godin's Deep Soul Treasures - Taken From The Vaults Volume 1

When it comes to Soul Compilations few, if any, are as good as Dave Godin's Deep Soul Treasures - Taken From the Vaults Volumes 1 - 5

I had  burns of volumes 1-3, volume 4 on CD and a download of volume 5 until I pitched up in Sue Ryder in Newton Stewart, For £1.25 a pop I was able to upgrade all those I didn't have to CD. Talk about a find!

Volume one sets the tone. I refer you to the bumph and tracklist from Ace Records  which includes some blurb by Dave Godin.

On the subject of Mr Godin Volume 1 had a typewritten note from the man himself  tucked in with the sleeve notes. Talk about a find x 10!. I've included a copy below. One of the highlights of my Blogging career!

Any of the 25 songs could have been included today such is their quality. Three have featured before with the three below taken pretty much at random.

The Knight Brothers - I'm Never Gonna Live It Down

Irma Thomas - Anyone Who Knows What Love Is (Will Understand)

Reuben Bell & the Casanovas - It's Not That Easy

The Best of the Cutting Edge

 

2025 Charity Shop Purchases #39 - Bob Dylan 1965-1966  The Best of the Cutting Edge  - The Bootleg Series Vol 12

I hit gold in the Sue Ryder shop in Newton Stewart. So much so that I have forgiven them for not winning their lottery that week.

I'm beginnig to amass a respectable collection of The Bootleg Series primarily from Charity Shops.Bob Dylan 1965-1966  The Best of the Cutting Edge - The Bootleg Series Vol12 takes my total up to 5 four of which have been charity jobs. A bargain for £1.25

As the title suggests it is mix of alternate takes, rehersals  and demos of songs from these two years. This was when Bob was at his absolute best  and includes versions of most, if not all, of the songs from my favourite Dylan album Highway 61 Revisited. (I've just checked and only versions of From a Buick Six and Ballad of a Thin Man are missing).

It is terrific stuff. Spoiler alert  - there might be something similar along shortly.

Bob Dylan - Queen Jane Approximately - Take 5 alternate take

Bob Dylan - Highway 61 Revisited - Take 3 alternate take

Bob Dylan - Desolation Row - Take 1 alternate take

Just Us Kids

 

2025 Charity Shop Purchases #38 - James McMurtry -Just Us Kids

The BRICC Community Shop in Ballantrae is a veritable treasure trove of floatsom, jetsom, trivia and tat. You can pick up absolutely anything for a very reasonable price.

It is a bit of an Aladdin's cave with stuff piled hither and dither. There must of been about 50 to 60 CDs in close proximity to each other but scattered here and there. Astonishingly among the usual detritus there was a copy of Just Us Kids a 2008 album by James McMurtry  on the German Blue Rose label. They were going for something like 4 for a pound but I had no hesitation handing over a pound for this alone.

McMurtry albums in the wild are rarer that hens teeth and it is very unusual to see one in a charity shop. I only have one other one Too Long in the Wasteland plus a couple of digital ones Complicated Game and The Horses and  The Hounds at least one of which came from fellow admirer Rol

Probably my find of the year so far.

James McMurtry - Just Us Kids

James McMurtry - Hurricane Party

Blog Country 126 -Faroe Islands

 

Non the misappropriated St George's Cross but the flag of the Faroe Islands

When the Faroe Islands popped in for a visit I thought sourcing some music would be pretty tricky and that it would centre around Sea Shanties and songs about whaling. I couldn't have been more wrong.

It turned out that  there is a vibrant music scence and that sourcing songs was pretty easy and as a bonus they were of such quality that I have opted to include seven songs today as opposed to the usual four or so. 

Byrta are an electropop due who 10 years ago  took the Faroe Islands by storm with their self-titled debut album and hit songs such as “Loyndarmál” and “Norðlýsi”. 

Eivør Pálsdóttir, known mononymously as Eivør, is a Faroese singer-songwriter. Born and raised in Syðrugøta, she had her first televised performance at the age of 13.

Teitur Lassen is Faroese musician, composer, singer-songwriter and producer. He is a winner of multiple Danish Music Awards and has toured globally since his debut release, Poetry & Aeroplanes, in 2003.

Greta Svabo Bech is a Faroese singer-songwriter. She first became known for her work with Canadian producer Deadmau5, when Raise Your Weapon was nominated for Best Dance Record at the 2011 Grammy Awards and hit the 100 spot on the Billboard Hot 100.

Lyon Hansen is a singer songwriter whose  music is rooted in blues and folk traditions, and explores universal themes like love and loss with a raw, unpolished sound.

Marius Ziska  has been one of the most important players on the Faroese music scene for many years. His first full album release was under the name Marius when he released the album The Sky Is Our Home (2006). 

Finally we have the band Orka a duo comprising Francine Perry from London and Jens L. Thomsen from the Faroe Islands. They describe their music as a mixture of dark Nordic folk and ambient bass.

Thanks to Wiki for all the info in italics.It saved me a lot of leg work. Hopefully it is accurate.

Another European island nation is up next. Hopefully the quality of the music will be equally good.

Byrta - Norolysi

Eivor - Jaroartra

Teitur - Lousi, Louis

Greta Svabo Bach - Circles

Lyon Hansen - Monkey

Marius Zisca -Going Home

Orka - Oceans of Love

Hotel Motel ... 4

 

Two contemporaneous artists for you today, They both ploughed a similar furrow as solo artists and with bands with one, rightly or wrongly, finding much more fame that the other.

In the hotel corner we have the less famous of the two Graham Parker. Here he is from 1976 with his band the Rumour and the song Hotel Chambermaid from their 1976 album Heat Treatment.

In the motel corner I give you Elvis Costello and the Attractions with Motel Matches from the 1980 album Get Happy.

Arguably although they may nearly have been equally talented only Elvis really made the big time  I was a massive Elvis fan back in the day now I am more inclined to listen to Graham Parker. He seems to be a nicer person.

Graham Parker & the Rumour - Hotel Chambermaid

Elvis Costello & the Attractions -Motel Matches