Some (Relatively) New Music

 

 Some new music has recently crossed my path. In all the albums featuring today I have only had the opportunity to give them a cursory listen to so far. Time will tell whether my witterings are accurate or not.

First up Teenage Fanclub released their 13th studio album Do Not Dare to Dream on 9th October here It has to be said that the last two albums Endless Arcade (2021) and Nothing Lasts Forever (2023) have been a bit disappointing. This one has a bit of a folky feel to it and it may well become a grower. Having said that I'm not tempted as yet to purchase it.

Teenage Fanclub - There Was You

George brought Sanctuary Park the latest album by The Jayhawks to my attention here. And do you know what it's bloody brilliant. It is easily the best thing that they have come up with since 2003's Rainy Day Music.

I may well consider stumping out for this one if the price is right.

The Jayhawks - Keeping Our Heads About Water

Our dear friend The Swede has been busy recently clocking up the miles to see Robyn Hitchcock in concert. I would image that Robyn would have taken the opportunity to promote some songs from his most recent album The Confuser here

As usual the songs are both bonkers but brilliant. 

Is that Robyn or The Swede on the cover?

Robyn Hitchcock - Building From The Ruins

 

The Hanging Stars at Mono

 

I went to see The Hanging Stars at Mono on Saturday Night.

My bus didn't turn up and I had to take another one into the City Centre which is a fair walk from Mono particularly as I took a bit of a detour to avoid the bams.

I still got there in time to see the opening act. Bogle. They  are a psychedelic guitar-pop four-piece from Hamilton, South Lanarkshire. They are Adam McCafferty (guitar, vocals), Jacob Duffy (bass, vocals), Evie Seenan (acoustic drum kit) and Joe O'Donnell (guitar/vocals)

They are very young, very loud and very good. Apparently they are part of Glasgow's "The Cabbage" collective  of like minded young bands, whatever that might be. They are scheduled to release an album featuring 2 EP's on LNFG shortly.

I think that this is the fourth time I've seen The Hanging Stars, once at Stereo with Gerry Love as support, and twice at the Glad Cafe.

Mono is certainly bigger than the Glad Cafe, not sure about Stereo , but it certainly wasn't full. As per usual they put on a terrific show with Ava the highlight as always.

One small observation - although they are good on record and terrific live I feel they were better when they had Joe Harvey- Whyte on pedal steel

I'm pretty sure I saw J.C. skulking in the background!

The Hanging Stars - The Glasshouse

The Hanging Stars - Let It Slide

Please excuse the quality of the picture above - I have a cheap, crappy phone

It's Duck in a Microwave Time

 

Q -What happens if you put a duck in a microwave.

A - Its Bill Withers!

I very nearly bought a Greatest Hits by Bill Withers the other day but I'm glad to say I didn't .

The reason?I already have a Best Of subtitled Lovely Day (a song I can live without) which I bought for buttons in a sale at Clarkston Library a few years back.

It is a bit of a misnomer to call them Greatest Hits or Best Of given that neither feature I Can't Write Left Handed.

I am prepared to allow a bit of kudos however for Who Is He (And What Is He To You?)

Also Ain't No Sunshine is  also not too shabby

Bill Withers - I Can't Write Left-Handed

Bill Withers - Who Is He (And What Is He To You)

Bill Withers - Ain't No Sunshine

Saturday Shuffle 165

 

We finally got there. The likes of Honeyblood, T-Model Ford, Dave Edmunds & the Stray Cats, The Rockingbirds  and Little Milton had to be dismissed as they and the songs attributed to them before have already featured.

Oh, and spare a thought for Nella Dodds with the Supremes song Come See About Me. I couldn't find her version on the hard drive.

Worry not however as some very able substitutes stepped up to the plate.

First up was Carla J. Easton with Waves That Fall (ft Solareye) from her 2020 (gosh that far back!) album Weirdo.

Then we have today's cover stars the Yeah Yeah Yeahs and Maps.

Finally from their 1989 album Scarlet we have The Motorcycle Boy and  the song World Falls Into Place, It passed me by at the time but I eagerly snapped up the re-issue LP in 2019.

Hopefully I will have enough new songs for SS166. I must get round to adding some more to the MP3 player.

Carla J.Easton (ft Solareye) - Waves That Fall

Yeah Yeah Yeahs - Maps

The Motorcycle Boy - World Falls Into Place

Read It In Books

 

I'm sure that most of you have worked it out by now. I've run out of interesting things to post and instead I am picking random things to write about. Yesterday kitchens and today books.

These days I get my books from the library rather than Waterstones or any bookshops. A - It's free and B - If we don't use them we'll lose them. The miners and Mr Carnegie knew what they were doing all those years ago.

I usually get through about 30 or so books a year, some random choices but mostly authors I'm familiar with . A significant amount are crime fiction and/or by Scottish authors. There are also the occasional music related books.

I keep a list and give them a score with the vast majority coming in at 7/10

Here are some book related songs.

Talking Heads - The Book I Read

Lambchop - The Book I Haven't Read

Echo & the Bunnymen - Read It In Books

Belle & Sebastian - Wrapped Up In Books

Kitchens of Distinction

 

You won't necessarily always find me in the kitchen at parties or otherwise, although I  do like to sit on my wicker chair with a coffee and admire the view from the window.

It may not be a kitchen of distinction but I like it.

All of which is a preamble and an excuse to feature some kitchen related songs.

Let's start with a song which inspired a much sadly missed blog. Yes I'm talking about Drew and his blog Across the Kitchen Table which was also a song by the Pale Fountains

Stump are happy with  the abbreviated Kitchen Table  whereas Kevin McDermott and his Orchestra are more concerned with Mother Nature's Kitchen.

Finally Michael Marra beguiles us with the story of the Guernsey Kitchen Porter.

Jona Lewie - You Will Always Find Me in the Kitchen at Parties

Pale Fountains - From Across the Kitchen Table

Stump - Kitchen Table

Kevin McDermott Orchestra - Mother Nature's Kitchen

Michael Marra - The Guernsey Kitchen Porter

Harlem

 

Yesterday's post featuring the late Justin Townes Earle with Harlem River Blues had me searching for more related songs  from the Manhattan neighbourhood (or neighborhood given it is in the US) of Harlem.

The tenements are not that dissimilar to those in Glasgow except we don't have fire escapes which have featured in many a film or TV programme .

Ben E King  sings of Spanish Harlem given the large number of Puerto Rican immigrants settling in the area.

Edwyn Starr plumps for plain and simple Harlem whereas The Drifters feature more on the Streets of Harlem.

Swamp Dogg is more adventurous given that he is partial to a bit of Surfin' in Harlem whereas Bob & Earl enjoy a  Harlem Shuffle. 

Ben E King - Spanish Harlem

Edwyn Starr - Harlem

The Drifters - Streets Of Harlem

Swamp Dogg - Surfin' In Harlem

Bob & Earl - Harlem Shuffle