The Tower

 

 2026 Charity Shop Purchases #28 - James Edwyn & the Borrowed Band

Like many other artists Glasgow based James Edwyn & the Borrowed Band first crossed my radar courtesy of Last Night From Glasgow.

Although, in my opinion, they were not that heavily promoted, I picked up High Fences (2017) and Highlights of The Low Nights (2022) .With their Americana feel they were right up my street.

I was therefore pretty chuffed when I picked up a CD in Oxfam of their 2014 debut album The Tower on the Dead Records Collective label. After two or three listens I'm coming round to thinking that it is the pick of the bunch

There is an excellent review by Rudie Humphrey on the Glasgow Americana Blabber 'n' Smoke site

I thought that was all that they had released but I have just discovered courtesy of Bandcamp that they released a 7 track digital album Before We Go in 2020. It has been duly purchased.

Hopefully there will be more soon and I will get an opportunity to see them live.

James Edwyn & the Borrowed Band - On Meeting The Man In The Suit

James Edwyn & the Borrowed Band - The Last Waltz

The Bottle Let Me Down - Songs For Bumpy Wagon Rides

 

It shows how much I was immersed in Bloodshot Records  when I picked up 2002's The Bottle Let Me Down - Songs For Bumpy Wagon Rides here. It is essentially a children's album and I don't have kids. Oh oh -is that Social Services at the door?

In my defence here are some quotes from critics:

The rare album that kids, parents and music snobs will all appreciate - Times Record News

Pleasing to both the pint sized and pint drinking listener - Harp Magazine

A must for everyone who had a childhood and/or likes music. There is not a lame track on the disc - Chicago Arts and Entertainment.

I think that I might be in the clear

As you can see from the link above giving details of the tracks there are an impressive array of Bloodshot artists and guests participating and clearly having enormous fun

Those of you with Grand Kids, you know what to do

It is not one that a play very often, if at all. But given the participating it surely merits  the 48th place in the Sunday 50 Americana Compilations series.

Tune in next Sunday for the penultimate entry

The Cornell Hurd Band - Don't Wipe Your Face On Your Shirt

The Handsome Family - Snowball

Jane Baxter Miller - On Top Of Spaghetti

Saturday Shuffle 158

 

As you can see today's cover star is Dion.

I was unaware that Mr Di Mucci had been the first artist to cover the song Abraham, Martin and John written by Dick Holler in 1968. My money, and maybe yours, would have been on Marvin Gaye.

The name Curtis Ousley may not ring many bells, King Curtis on the other hand ..,  Here he is with some Memphis Soul Stew.

From Memphis Soul Stew to a Splendid Scottish Racket we conclude with The Hedrons and Be My Friend.

Friends , shall we reassemble next Saturday for SS 159?

Dion - Abraham, Martin and John

King Curtis - Memphis Soul Stew

The Hedrons - Be My Friend

Bellshill Bands from Brian

 

Todays offers are a response to a comment on last Friday's post:

Hey CC. How about the Boy Hairdressers or the Groovy Little Numbers? - Brian

These suggestions from Brian will come as no surprise to anyone who has had the pleasure of meeting him. Despite living in Seattle he has introduced me to more Scottish bands than I care to remember.

I am vaguely familiar with his first suggestion but the second one is new to me.

The Boy Hairdressers (pictured above)  were a  a short lived band from Bellshill 

 Norman Blake, Raymond McGinley, Francis McDonald (all Teenage Fanclub), Joe McAlinden (Superstar/Linden) and Jim Lambie (contemporary artist) were their members. I'm sure that many of you will recognise most of these names.

I didn't have anything by them but have sourced a couple of songs for your listening pleasure.

I actually have a song  by The Groovy Little Numbers  namely A Place is So Hard to Find taken from Disc 5 of Big Gold Dreams - A History of Scottish Independent Music 1977-1989. They were formed by Joe McAlinden an ex Boy Hairdresser and future member of BMX Bandits and Superstar* 

* takes a mental note to explore Superstar  further.

Thanks Brian for filling in these gaps.

Any further suggestions (from anyone) welcomed.

Oh, and just to confirm, Sheena Easton is NOT a band!

The Boy Hairdressers - Don't Need a Drum (4 Track Demo)

The Boy Hairdressers - Golden Shower

The Groovy Little Numbers -A Place Is So Far To Find

The Groovy Little Numbers - Happy Like Yesterday

Vultures Await

 

 2026 Charity Shop Purchases #27  Will Johnson - Vultures Await

I've had a burn of Vultures Await a 2004 album by Will Johnson for a number of years courtesy of my friend Gordon. I was pleasantly surprised to see a copy of it in Oxfam and immediately took the opportunity to upgrade it.

We've seen him play on numerous occasions either as part of Centro-matic or South San Gabriel in Austin or as a solo artist.

In his solo capacity we saw him play in someone's garden in Austin and as support to My Morning Jacket  at King Tuts and to Great Lake Swimmers in the Admiral Bar, both in Glasgow.

Playing this again brought back some happy memories.

To quote Uncut - American bedroom indie where acoustic and feedback lie happily together

Hope the tracks turn out all right as my CD Ripper was playing silly buggers

Will Johnson - Just To Know What You've Been Dreaming

Will Johnson - Catherine Dupree

Blog Country 148 - Uganda

 

I had no problem finding plenty of music from Uganda the landlocked East African country but more of an issue finding some decent tunes. I'm still not sure that I managed.

Needless to say Ernie had no such problems with his Odyssey and many other posts containing Ugandan music.

Uganda famously was the home of the self proclaimed King of Scotland Idi Amin. I'm sure that he turned his hand to performing songs but I'm not going to subject you to them. On the other hand  one of our Guyanan contributors is happy to give him his place

Let's start with Akasheko a song by the legendary Afro Pop star Sister Charity. It has to be said that she shakes her bootie a lot more than you would expect from a lady of the cloth.

Sister Charity is followed by Joel Sebunjo one of Uganda's most recognised young folk/world music artists. His offering is Owino.

Joseph Mayanja, commonly known by his stage name "Jose Chameleone", is a Ugandan AfroBeat artist and musician. He sings in Luganda, English, and Swahili. I'm not sure  whether Bolingo Ya Nzambe  comes under the first or the third.

I struggled to find out much about Lady Mariam until I stumbled upon this piece by Viberate. I have no information on the song Mpanggudde.

From 1968 we conclude with Freddie Kigozi & the Hodi Boys with Mega Jukira

The next Blog Country is yet another African one but one which I have a bit of music from so it should be easier than today was.

Sister Charity - Akasheko

Joel Sebunjo - Owino

Jose Chameleone - Bolingo Ya Nzambe

Lady Miriam - Mpangudde

Freddie Kigozi & the Hodi Boys - Mega Jukira

Mighty Sparrow - Idi Amin

Zoe Muth and The Lost High Rollers

 

 2026 Charity Shop Purchases #26 - Zoe Muth & the Lost High Rollers - Zoe Muth & the Lost High Rollers

Zoe Muth & the Lost High Rollers first came to my attention when I picked up a copy of their 2011 album Starlight Hotel from the much missed Record Library in Langside Library. I was particularly taken with the song If I Can't Trust With a Quarter ( How Can I Trust You With My Heart?)

Further along the way I picked up 2014's World of Strangers attributable solely to Zoe and featuring the brilliant Mama Needs a Margarita.

My car was in for it's MOT last week so I took the opportunity to pop into Oxfam and came away with three pretty good purchases with an Americana feel.

One was 2009's Zoe Muth & the Lost High Rollers from 2009 here It seems to be attributable to Continental Song City. The opener You Only Believe Me When I'm Lying is the one which catches the ear. 

It also looks like it may have been signed by Zoe, which is nice.

Zoe Muth & the Lost High Rollers - You Only Believe Me When I'm Lying

Zoe Muth & the Lost High Rollers - I Used to Call My Heart a Home