The Arlenes

 2026 Charity Shop Purchases #23 - The Arlenes- The Arlenes

The Arlenes were a UK/American husband and wife Americana duo  (Big Steve Pulford and Stephanie Arlene) who first caught my ear when the gorgeous Lovely Won't Leave Me Alone  featured on a 2003 compilation Loose Selections.

This led me to track down their 2002 Loose album Stuck on You.

I picked up the 1990 eponymous album from Oxfam in Troon. From 1990 on the Lido label in has only 6 tracks .It comes in at a few seconds under 25 minutes so I'm considering it as an album as opposed to a CD singles

The couple relocated to America in  2003 and as far as I'm aware they have released one one further album 2004's Going to California also on the Loose label. I'll keep my eyes open for that one

Not to be confused with Arlene Foster!

The Arlenes - She Ran Me Down

The Arlenes - Springboard

Relegation Material

 

A couple of recent acquisitions of Americana CDs has led to the necessity to downgrade a couple of burns to downloads to free up some space. Yes, the Blue shelves are creaking at the seams.

The first to get the chop is Where The Killers Run an album by the band Viarosa from 2005 on the Pranoia Records label. They are described as Alternative / Indie and Folk. It is quite possible that I confused them with  Glasgow Americana band Vera Cruse

Here is a review of the album courtesy of Drowned in Sound

The second one being culled is definitely a case of mistaken identity. Bought by mistake by my pal Gordon  Marc Olsen, formally a guitarist with Seattle trio Sage and who has worked with Mark Lanegan, was confused with Mark Olson of Jayhawks fame.

Had the E been replaced by an O it would still be on the shelves!

Viarosa -Where The Killers Run

Marc Olsen - Martian Romance

A.I. Let's Go

 

My brother sent me this You Tube clip with the instructions get on this for the Blog

My first thoughts were Skaramones is a great name and an EP of Rocksteady and Ska covers of Ramones songs could be interesting.

Then I clicked on the video.

Things were going well into I noticed a small circle with the letters AI in it. Clicking the circle led to to the words generated and made with AI.

Hang your heads in shame Roll and Toast "Records".

1.3K  views so far with the great quote in the comments C” Mon Man it’s so obvious you are the SKAMONES!!!!

Be careful out there.

The Only Place

 

2026 Charity Shop Purchases #21 - Best Coast - The Only Place

In January 2020 I picked up Crazy For You the debut  album by Best Coast in a charity shop on Great Western Rd prior to nipping into Wintergills for a pint before heading to Firhill (for Thrills) to see Dundee United play Partick Thistle

Since then I have been keeping an eye out for their stuff. This has led to me mistakenly picking up two albums by Dream Pop act  Beach House.

Third time lucky in Debras in Shawlands when I came away with their second album The Only Place from 2012 on the Mexican Summer label.

The personnel on the album are songwriter, guitarist and vocalist Bethany Cosentino and guitarist and Bobb Bruno on drums, guitar and bass. Producer Jon Brion provides everything else.

Bethany's voice puts me in mind of Neko Case which is no bad thing as I'm sure you'll agree

They released two other albums California Nights (2015) and Always Tomorrow (2020) and are seemingly currently on hiatus.

Best Coast - The Only Place

Best Coast - Do You Love Me Like You Used To

Nevermind (Glitterhouse is 20)

 

It's our old friends Glitterhouse from Beverungen, Germany with Nevermind a 3xCD Compilation from 2004 celebrating the label's 30th birthday.

Here is the tracklist courtesy of Discogs listing all 51 tracks and artists. It can be picked up remarkably cheaply with a Median price of £3.96. Maybe this is because it is a little bit worthy and includes a number of pretty obscure artists. Come Fly With Us remains the Glitterhouse Compilation to have.

One track from each of the 3 CDs I think.

From disc 1 here is Carla Togerson, of Walkabouts fame, with the song Pelagic which is taken from her 2004 album Saint Stranger.

Representing disc 2 we have Rainer Ptacek a German -American guitarist and singer songwriter based in Tucson and  more commonly known just as Rainer.  Sadly he died in 1997 following a brain tumour. Love Buys Love is his selected song He is the only one of the chosen artists that I haven't seen perform.

Finally we have the opening track from Disc 3 (which is subtitled Classic tunes of Glitterhouse Records) Jon Dee Graham gives us Big Sweet Life

I really should give this one a proper listen.

Carla Togerson - Pelagic

Rainer - Love Buys Love

Jon Dee Graham - Big Sweet Life

Saturday Shuffle 155

 

Regular / Long Suffering (delete where appropriate) readers  will not be surprised to see Rose City Band appearing once more on the Shuffle. I've seen them twice and have four of their five albums with Garden Party being the odd one out. Sunlight Daze is taken from their latest album 2025's Sol y Sombra.

I'm much less familiar with the next two acts. I'm not a fan of Fleetwood Mac from their Rumours era and beyond.. Say You Love Me is taken from its 1975 predecessor Fleetwood Mac (aka The White Album).

We conclude with Dale McBride and Prissy Missy taken from Keb Darge & Little Eva's Legendary Wild Rockers album.

More Legendary Wild Rockers next Saturday.

Rose City Band - Sunlight Daze

Fleetwood Mac - Say You Love Me

Dale McBride - Prissy Missy

 

Bellshill Bands - De Rosa

 

De Rosa are probably one of the more obscure bands to feature in this series.

Active from 2001 -2009 and then 2012 -2021 their membership consisted at various times of Martin John Henry, Chris Connick, James Woodside, Neil Woodside and Andrew Bush.

I have their 2006 album Mend, on the Chemikal Underground label, which according to my spreadsheet I picked up in Fort William. I thought it was from Muir of Ord but I might be confusing them with Rader Bros. The personnel on the album are Martin John Henry and the Woodside Brothers. It is the first of three studio albums they released.

I've become a bit of a fanboy of M. John Henry and have picked up a few of his albums including this years Early Songs of Late where he sings acoustic versions of the majority of  songs from Mend and a few others. I had the pleasure of seeing him performing them live just over a year ago.

Here are some of  original geographically based songs by the band.

De Rosa - New Lanark

De Rosa - Cathkin Braes

De Rosa - Hattonrigg Pit Disaster