Blog Country 135 - Burkina Faso

 

I couldn't tell you very much about Burkino Faso other than it is a country in Africa. It turns out it is a landlocked country in West Africa surrounded by Mali, Niger,Togo, Ghana and Côte d'Ivoire . I  should now be able to point it out on a map.

Also it used to be known as Upper Volta which I vaguely recall from my stamp collecting days.

Again when it comes to African countries it is always best to refer you to Ernie whose knowledge of the music of the continent is far more detailed than mine. Nevertheless I've had a potter round the internet and have come up with five acts for your listening pleasure

A Google search for Abdoulaye Cisse initially points you in the direction of a former professional footballer or a Research Economist in the World Bank. A more detailed search flags up some music by the man born in 1948 in Sani, Burkina Faso. Here he is with the song Barika.

Amadou Balake was a popular singer during a carrer of  over 50 years prior to his death in August 2014 aged 70.Today's offering is Aminita Du Thé 

Next up is the splendidly named Floby  a Burkinabé singer and musician. He sings in the French and Mòoré languages. His music uses African sounds such as the kora and djembe but also rap and electric guitar. His contribution to today's post is Ouaga zeune.

Next up is our only female artist to feature today. Kandy Guira is a busy lady given that she is top model, actor and dancer as well as a singer.She is also committed to the support of hearing impaired children, the cause of women and the future of the African continent. Fortunately she managed to find the time to record Beogo (Demain)

Last but not least we conclude with Orchestra Volta - Jazz  and their song Djougou Malola.

We will be briefly stepping away from the African continent for Blog Country 136

Abidoulaye Cisse - Barika

Amadou Balake - Aminita Du The

Floby - Ouaga Zeune

Kandy Guira - Beogo (Demain)

Orchestra Volta-Jazz - Djougou Malola

News of the World - 5

 

We are now nearer the back pages than the front as we have our weekly flick through the papers and other news outlets.

This weeks feature paper is The Guardian. It started life as the Manchester Guardian in 1821 prior to moving to That London in 1959. It has a reputation for typos leading to the nickname The Gruniad.

It is probably the only left leaning of the UK broadsheets and therefore it is often the paper of choice for the sandal wearing, lettuce eating lefties and  is detested by the swivel -eyed, mustard trouser wearing far right bigots. 

Guardian Angel by the Stills-Young Band is probable more favoured by the former rather than the hippy haters. We are going international, and indeed continental, for our second paper name with The Style Council and The Paris Match a French -language weekly magazine that features a mixture of news and pop culture.

For the news as opposed to newspaper selections this week we have Broken Records with  If The News Makes You Sad, Don't Watch It and the second appearance by Billy Bragg with  It Says Here.

More news will be coming your way next Thursday.

The Stills - Young Band - Guardian Angel

The Style Council - The Paris Match

Broken Records - If The News Makes You Sad , Don't Watch It

Billy Bragg - It Says Here

The Clarkston Americana Haul - Eileen Rose

 

2026 Charity Shop Purchases #8 -  Eileen Rose - Shine Like It Does

I'm not quite sure how Eileen Rose first crossed my radar but I have somehow now managed to accumulate four of her albums.

Prior to picking up Shine Like It Does her 2000 debut album on Rough Trade I acquired Come The Storm (2005) and  At Our Tables (2008) via charity shops together with a download of the excellent Muscle Shoals (2020)

From the label it appears that HMV were charging £ 13.99 for this which is  a wee bit steep. I'm glad I only paid 50p but I would gladly have paid a couple of quid.

Among the quotes on another sticker the Sunday Times describe her as being like a beguiling hybrid of Patti Smith and Marianne Faithfull. Some excellent hyperbole there

Time Out call it a Great album , a subtly epic work of guts and guile, with a rich and classic timeless style. I'll let you judge for yourself

That's the C.A.H. completed. Three quid well spent.

Eileen Rose - Still In The Family

Eileen Rose - Lincoln Park

The Clarkston Americana Haul - Josh Ritter

 

2026 Charity Shop Purchases #8 - Josh Ritter - The Historical Consequences of Josh Ritter

A major incident occured a few days ago when I couldn't find Golden Age of Radio by Josh Ritter in its rightful place on the Americana shelves, After much searching I eventually found where it had been misfiled and it is now back where it should be.

It, Hello Starling and The Animal Years are now joined by The Historical Consequences of Josh Ritter his 5th album from 2007 which is now the most recent of his 13 studio albums to date that I have. As an added bonus it also has a 4 track Bonus Disc. Not bad for 50p.I wasn't too sure about it the first time I gave it a listen but a further listen suggests that it is going to be a grower.I've jotted down the numbers of 5 of the 14 tracks to consider which ones should feature today and that is surely a good sign.

I've gone for track 1 - To the Dogs or Whoever and track 10 Next to the Last Romantic

The final album from the C.A.H .will appear here shortly

Josh Ritter - To The Dogs Or Whoever

Josh Ritter - Next To The Last Romantic

I - Pod Playlist - Namechecked

 

This week's songs from the I-Pod playlist is songs that namecheck other musicians. I did a series on the same theme back in 2016 but given that a decade has since passed hopefully I can get away with a spot of repetition.

I thought that Joey Ramone might have not made that series but he did twice. There was I Wanna Be Your Joey Ramone by Sleator-Kinney and Dancing With Joey Ramone by Amy Rigby. Amy was the one on the I-pod list so she get's the nod.

Bob Dylan's song Blind Willie McTell has been covered by both Lucinda Williams and The Dream Syndicate. It's His Bobness who is on the I-pod

Today's final selection it seems did not make my 2016 series. Here are the Drive-By Truckers with Carl Perkins' Cadillac.

Three fine men who are sadly no longer with us.

The next Playlist is Rivers so plenty to choose from there.

Amy Rigby - Dancing With Joey Ramone

Bob Dylan - Blind Willie McTell

Drive- By Truckers - Carl Perkins' Cadillac

Bloodshot Records Sampler 2002

 

Back in 2002 I was pretty much obsessed by all things  Americana and by Chicago's Bloodshot Records in particular.. They were my equivalent of Postcard or Factory.

It was therefore a no brainer that I ordered their 2002 Sampler. Postage from the US was affordable back then

I've got 11 of the 21 albums featured and  have tracks by most if not all of the others artists. I even bought the compilation The Bottle Let Me Down which is a collection of childrens songs!

A good few of the acts featured in one of my first series' Bloodshot Tuesday way back in 2013

I could have chosen any of the tracks but I've gone for those by  Rex Hobart & The Misery Boys, Trailer Bride  and Kelly Hogan.

I have further Samplers from 2015 to 2018 which may well feature in this series in due course

Rex Hobart & the Misery Boys - Gotta Get Back to Forgetting You

Trailerbride - Jesco

Kelly Hogan - Strayed

Saturday Shuffle 133

 

Get your walking boots on as we are going to do some rambling this week and who better to kick us off than non other than The Allman Brothers with Ramblin' Man.

It may well be a long ramble if they manage to get South of Cincinnati where they may well touch base with Dwight Yoakam.

Thereafter things may go slightly askew if they bump into The The who sadly  have to report that Armageddon Days are Here (Again).

If we survive the Armageddon we willl brush off our boots and reassemble here next Saturday for SS134.

The Allman Brothers - Ramblin' Man

Dwight Yoakam - South of Cincinatti

The The -Armageddon Days Are Here (Again)