Seeing The Year Out With a Bang

A last minute change of plan when it dawned on me that today was actually Hogmanay - the last day of the year.
My original planned post has been re-scheduled until 2016 and instead you are getting a couple of rocky numbers courtesy of Chris Devotion and The Expectations to help you see out the year and see in the bells.

A Happy New Year to you all and I wish you and yours a happy, healthy and prosperous 2016

Chris Devotion and the Expectations - Looking For Another Girl

Chris Devotion and the Expectations - Don't You Call On Me

When Your Sparkle Evades Your Soul

Being a Social Worker is probably just about the shittiest job on the planet. A totally thankless task with shortages of staff and resources, drowning in red tape and safe in the knowledge that you will carry the can should anything go pear-shaped.
Songs in praise of Social Workers are I imagine pretty rare indeed so let's hear James Allan pay homage to Geraldine.
For good measure he also takes a pop at absent fathers.
If you like your music gritty and real look no further than Glasvegas

Glasvegas - Geraldine

Glasvegas - Daddy's Gone

Equally Cursed and Blessed

For a long time I was under the impression that I had Equally Cursed and Blessed by Catatonia. Turns out I hadn't and had probably turned down opportunities to purchase it due to this misconception on my part.

However, I'm glad to say that this situation was recently rectified and it now proudly takes it's place on the CC shelves.
A bit darker that it's predecessor International Velvet particularly on these two tracks.
Cerys is keen to get out of that London and who can blame her particularly as it  sucks the life out of you and can probably leave you Dazed, Beautiful and Bruised.

Catatonia - Londinium

Catatonia - Dazed, Beautiful and Bruised

The Return of Stranraer Americana - Farmer Not So John

After the Christmas festivities we return to the fourth installment of the Stranraer America Series.
This week's offering is from the short lived and poorly named Nashville band Farmer Not So John.

Receiver from 1998 would appear to be their second and final album following on from their 1997 eponymous debut album.
They are one of the two bands in this series whom I had vaguely heard of but had no music from.
At first I wasn't too sure but they sounded much better second time around. Could be a grower.

The main men appear to be Mark Linebaugh and Richard McLaurin. The album is produced by Tucker Martine who would become one of the go to Americana producers.
Other than that I know nothing.

Farmer Not So John -Rise Above The Wreckage

Farmer Not So John - For You I Will Pretend

Some Sunday Soul

We finish 2015 with some Soul from deepest darkest Paisley courtesy of Paolo Nutini.
Wee Paolo has always been a bit of a musical chameleon dabbling in pop, rock and reggae.
On his third album Caustic Love it is pretty much exclusively Soul including many of his own compositions.

Puts me in mind of Terence Trent D'Arby in places without the arrogance.
It features a couple of covers including Let Me Down Easy. Drew featured the Betty Lavette original the other day

When they come to write the History of Scottish Soul I would imagine that it will be a pretty thin volume. Wee Paolo certainly merits a mention alongside the likes of The Average White Band and Emili Sande 

More Soul in 2016

Paolo Nutini - Scream (Funk Up My Life)

Paolo Nutini - Let Me Down Easy

Boxing Day Blue

Seconds out, round two!

It's Boxing Day and we are celebrating it in the usual manner by running about like blue bottomed flies wining and dining both sides of the family
Mrs CC, who was born the day after the baby Jesus, is celebrating her birthday today and hopefully we will get time later in the week to go for a drink or a meal to celebrate it properly.
In the meantime here are a couple of songs from Joni Mitchell's Blue, one of her favourites, including a sneaky Christmas number.
Happy birthday xx

Joni Mitchell - River

Joni Mitchell - A Case of You

Happy Shane's Day

If the family, the food, Downton Abbey are all getting too much for you and you have sneaked into a quiet corner with a glass for a quick browse please raise it and join with me in wishing Shane MacGowan a happy 58th Birthday.

I suspect not many of us thought we would ever say that.He seems to be looking better as he gets older.

The Pogues - Sally MacLennane

The Pogues - A Pair of Brown Eyes

Christmas Eve

It's Christmas Eve which can only mean two things.
It's a Wonderful Life and Phil Spector's A Christmas Gift to You

I shall raise a glass and wish you and yours a happy and peaceful Christmas

The Ronettes - Sleigh Ride

Darlene Love - Christmas (Baby Please Come Home)

No apologies for yet another Darlene Love posting!

Bah Humbug, No That's Too Strong

If you thought that purchasing Mojo's Festive 15 in October represented  forward planning how's about picking up Christmas Wrapping by The Waitresses in a bargain bin in February with the sole intention of saving it for this week?

On the Ze label it was released in 1981 but first charted in the UK singles charts for 4 weeks in 1982 peaking at number 45.
I must admit that I thought it had much more chart success given the fact that it features fairly consistently on the radio at this time of year.

The b-side is a truly awful  instrumental number. So here is a slightly less awful instrumental number.

The Waitresses - Christmas Wrapping

R.E.M -Deck The Halls

Sign up to Ze records newsletter here and get a free download of their Christmas album whilst stocks last

More Cheery Americana Christmas Songs

Some further Americana Fesitive Fayre for you today.

We start with the legend that is Steve Earle from his 1997 album  El Corazon with Christmas in Washington a modern day American history lesson.
Mr Earle is followed by Sufjan Stevens from his 2006 Songs for Christmas bemoaning the fact that That Was the Worst Christmas Ever.

Something slightly more festive tomorrow and altogether more cheery

Steve Earle - Christmas in Washington

Sufjan Stevens - That Was the Worst Christmas Ever

An Americana Christmas

Over the last few months my interest in Americana music appears to have been rekindled and to celebrate that fact I am offering up a couple of Americana posts with a festive theme

We start with Terry Allen from Lubbock, Texas the birthplace of Buddy Holly with a song from his 1999 album Salivation where he is celebrating X-mas on the Isthmus of Panama .
Terry is followed by the ever cheerful Mary Gauthier who takes things one step further by celebrating Christmas in Paradise.

More non- traditional Festive fayre tomorrow

Terry Allen - X-mas on the Isthmus

Mary Gauthier - Christmas in Paradise

Some Festive Sunday Soul

We are sticking with yesterday's Mojo Festive Fifteen compilation and pictures of Elves today with three rather splendid soul offerings.

Ain't No Chimneys in the Projects by Sharon Jones & the Dap-Kings has been about for a while but makes it's first album appearance (I think) on their recent It's a Holiday Soul Party.
Sharon is followed by Joe Tex in is inimitable style advocating that a woman is not just for Christmas.
Finally Irma Thomas shows of her Gospel roots with a magnificent version of Oh Holy Night

Sharon Jones & the Dap- Kings - Ain't No Chimneys in the Projects

Joe Tex - I'll Make Every Day Christmas

Irma Thomas - Oh Holy Night

Saturday Festive Lucky Dip

Whist on holiday on Skye in October I  picked up a Mojo compilation from January 2011  called Mojo's Festive 15 -An Alternative Christmas celebration.
How's that for forward planning?
So a couple from that for you today as my first festive offerings.
I'm slowly coming round to the music of Richard Hawley and here he gives us a lovely rendition of Silent Night.
He is followed by country chanteuse Mary Chapin Carpenter with a slightly less traditional number Christmas Time in the City.

I am retiring the Saturday Lucky Dip series as it was becoming a bit of a chore after about a year and a half - a pretty good innings as I'm sure you'll agree.

So NO random nonsense next Saturday.

Richard Hawley - Silent Night

Mary Chapin Carpenter - Christmas Time in the City

Pub Rock Crosses The Pond

Some pub rock from Austin Texas for you today from 2005 as Elizabeth McQueen and the Firebrands play tributes to their pub rock favourites on Happy Doing What We're Doing

This record has featured previously on CCM when covers of records by Graham Parker & the Rumour and Dr Feelgood got an airing.
This turn round it is the turn of Rockpile with the Nick Lowe penned When I Write the Book and Squeeze with Annie, Get Your Gun.
I didn't have Squeeze down as a pub rock act but Elizabeth assures me that they started out on that scene although she acknowledges that they are more poppy than some of their rootier brothers

Elizabeth McQueen & the Firebrands - When I Write The Book

Elizabeth McQueen & the Firebrands - Annie Get Your Gun

Tedeschi

For the first nine tracks on 2002's Wait For Me on Tone-Cool Records  singer and guitarist Susan Tedeschi churns out some rather pleasant bluesy ballads occasionally accompanied on guitar by her husband Derek Trucks - they often play together as the Tedeschi Trucks Band.

However the highlights of the album are the last two - track 10 I Fell in Love and Track 11 - Blues on a Holiday - well worth waiting for.

I suspect that I may have acquired this during a phase of listening to the Paul Jones Rhythm and Blues Show on Radio 2

Susan Tedeschi - I Fell in Love

Susan Tedeschi - Blues on a Holiday

Too Many Songs About Love and Not Enough About Whaling

So said Mike Harding of the new acoustic and folk scenes.
Stuart Maconie in his excellent book - The People's Songs - the Story of Modern Britain in 50 Records affectionately describes folk music as containing a surprising number of tales concerning people being murdered down by the river,having their maidenhood taken by inconstant lovers and unfaithful knights, going on whaling expeditions,seeing sudden apparitions of drowned lovers, being robbed by good-time girls in the middle of the night, and prospecting for gold.

You will be delighted to note that all of the above feature in the music of Steeleye Span. You will also be happy to hear that gritty ballads of industrial labour, sea shanties and work songs appear on their 21st album from 2009 Cogs, Wheels and Lovers.
Featuring the dulcet tones of Maddy Prior

Steeleye Span - Creeping Jane

Steeleye Span - The Machiner's Song

Texas Tornados

The Texas Tornados have appeared briefly before on CCM in the dim and distant past as part of the Mexican Monday series.
It is about time they appeared again.
I could wax lyrical about them but I think that listing the band members should suffice - legends one and all

Doug Sahm, Augie Meyers, Freddie Fender and the mighty Flaco Jiminez

Oh, and in answer to Swiss Adam's query I managed to squeeze twelve Monday's out the series plus a New Mexican Monday.

Texas Tornados - Who Were You Thinkin' Of

Texas Tornados - (Is Anyone Going To) San Antone

Stranraer Americana - Lambchop

Brian I hope you are sitting down - there is now a Lambchop album on the CC shelves!
Yes 2002's Is a Woman is the third of the Stranraer Eight to be liberated from the Marie Curie shop.

Described at the usual reference place as a combination of austere arrangements and minimalist instrumentation.
I must admit I am still not totally convinced but it is getting slightly better each time I play it and My Blue Wave is achingly beautiful.
Maybe it's just me but I find it a tad pretentious in places and I feel that  Kurt Wagner is trying to be too clever on occasions.
Mrs CC on the other hand thinks it is the pick of the bunch.

I could perhaps yet be converted.


Lambchop - My Blue Wave

Lambchop - Autumn's Vicar

Some Sunday Soul

For every horrendous Soul cover of a Jimmy Webb classic (Smokey) there is also a truly astonishing and ground breaking masterpiece,
From Hot Buttered Soul his second studio album from 1969 on the Stax label here is the mighty Isaac Hayes accompanied by The Bar-Keys with his version of By The Time I Get to Phoenix.

Given that  is 18 minutes and 42 seconds long you will forgive me if I don't feature a second track.
Besides, who could follow this?
Majestic.

More Soul next Sunday

Isaac Hayes - By The Time I Get to Phoenix

Saturday Lucky Dip

Shock horror - CCM dips it's toes in 21st Century waters today with a Mojo compilation from May this year entitled Modern Life is Rubbish and subtitled Mojo presents 15 tracks of everyday British angst.

Another Nadine featuring today. Not the Americana combo but rather Geordie chanteuse Nadine Shah with Stealing Cars from her recent album Fast Food
Many of my favourite artists of the last couple of years have been female singers or bands and here is another.
Julie Campbell aka Lonelady with Bunkerpop from her Hinterland album.

And finally some Weegies who almost inevitably shone brightly but briefly.
The Amazing Snakeheads were surely the bastard love children of the Sensational Alex Harvey Band.

More random nonsense next Saturday

Nadine Shah - Stealing Cars

Lonelady - Bunkerpop

The Amazing Snakeheads - Where Is My Knife

And I Need You More Than Want You ...

By way of an apology for subjecting you to the abomination that was Smokey Robinson's version of Wichita Lineman I give you Glenn Campbell singing three absolute classic Jimmy Webb songs.

Surely one of the greatest musical partnerships in history with them working on over a hundred song together - not all as good as these I'll wager but surely all better than Smokey's
I have a live Glen Campbell where Wichita Lineman and Galveston appear as part of a medley. The record should probably be sub titled Glen Campbell - The Cocaine Years and as it also features Amazing Grace and Mull of Kintyre it is probably best avoided.

Listen and weep Smokey

Glen Campbell -Wichita Lineman

Glen Campbell - By The Time I Get to Phoenix

Glen Campbell - Galveston

The Broken Down Comforter Collection

The Broken Down Comforter Collection by Grandaddy is a 1999 CD containing tracks from the mini album A Pretty Mess by this One Band and the EP Machines Are Not She
Described pretty accurateley by the NME as patchy but with gems hidden on here iridescent enough to render the collection essential.

It has lain gathering dust on the Americana shelves for a good few years until Drew's recent posting of one of their songs had me dusting it down and giving it a spin.
From these two gems perhaps it should be refiled in the Indie section in closer proximity to The Flaming Lips and Mercury Rev

Grandaddy - Wretched Songs

Grandaddy - For The Dishwasher

Funky Days Are Back Again

Good to Be on the Road Back Home Again the Cornershop song featuring Paula Frazer of Tarnation fame was one of the songs on This is Radio Strummer compilation.
Probably the best thing on it but I chose not to post it as it has featured here before.

It did however prompt me to look out When I Was Born for the 7th Time their 1997 album and the one which gave them mainstream success on the back of the number one single Brimful of Asha.
There are also a number of other excellent songs on the album including the two below
Thereafter they slipped back into relative obscurity but Tjinder Singh, Ben Ayres and the rest of the gang continue to produce interesting and challenging music.

More power to their elbows.

Cornershop - Sleep On The Left Side

Cornershop - Funky Days Are Back Again

Let's Have a Party

I was playing the Columbia Rockabilly compilation Volume I the other day when The Collins Kids popped up with Party their version of the Jessie Mae Robinson song more commonly known as Let's Have a Party.

This had me looking out the definitive version by the Queen of Rockabilly herself Wanda Jackson. This in turn took me in the direction of Bloodshot's compilation Hard-Headed Woman:A Celebration of Wanda Jackson. Here Wayne Hancock does the honours.

The Collins Kids -Party

Wanda Jackson - Let's Have a Party

Wayne Hancock - Let's Have a Party

Stranraer Americana - Nadine

The second installment in this series - eagerly awaited by George, Rol  and The Swede. Hopefully they will not be disappointed.

Like No Depression I thought that I had Back to My Senses by Nadine their debut album from 1997 on Glitterhouse the excellent German label.
Again it turns out that I hadn't and it now joins 1999's Downtown, Saturday and 2001's Lit Up From the Inside on the shelves.
The band consisted of Adam Reichmann, Todd Schnitzer, Steve Rauner and Bill Reyland.
One of only two bands I've ever seen in Helensburgh here  and here
Antic Ocean by Jolene, the other Helensburgh band, was also on the Stranraer shelves but I knew I had it.

Installment three to follow.

Nadine - Back To My Senses

Nadine - Sleep Next To You
Rol

Some Sunday Soul

I recently picked up Motown 50 - Yesterday,Today, Forever a Motown top 50 or in my case a top 26 given that CD 1 was missing.
CD 3 also contains a bonus (and I use this word loosely) of ten Motown cover versions.

Stevie Wonder can do very little wrong with the possible exception of I Just Called to Say I Love You. On this CD he does a passable version of The Door's Light My Fire.
Unfortunately the same cannot be said of Smokey Robinson & the Miracles who murder Jimmy Webb's classic Wichita Lineman.
I must look out and post the classic Glen Campbell version

More Soul next Sunday

Stevie Wonder - Light My Fire

Smokey Robinson & the Miracles - Wichita Lineman

Saturday Lucky Dip

A totally non-random choice this week.
Following on from yesterday's Joe Strummer post today we have an Uncut compilation  This is Radio Strummer which has 15 tracks from his World Service Radio Show.
A British Dylan's Theme Time Radio Hour if you will.

Somewhat strangely no reggae features. There is a some good stuff on show however and from Niafunke in  Mali we have Afel Bocoum sandwiched between two legends hailing from Mississippi - Bo Diddley out of McComb and Elvis out of Tupelo.

More nonsense (probably of a more random nature) next Saturday

Bo Diddley - Nursery Rhyme

Afel Bocoum - Jeeny

Elvis Presley - Lawdy Miss Clawdy

It's Strummer Time

This miserable weather we've been having  has had me reaching for some World Music - that is music from the world of Joe Strummer
Global  a Go-Go is a 2001 album by Joe and the Mescaleros  on the Hellcat label out of  Holland.
I saw him around this time at Glasgow's Barrowland and a flyer within the CD sleeve advises me  that it was on Sunday 18th November.
It's almost 13 years since the singer from the Only Band that Matters was taken from us but his music is still as vibrant as ever.
For much more authoritative stuff on Joe and the Clash can I point you in the direction of the 65 posts by Swiss Adam
Wonder if the bloke from New Zealand ever found his mushy peas

Joe Strummer & the Mescaleros - Global A Go-Go

Joe Strummer & the Mescaleros - Bhindi Bhagee

Keep on Running

Tory grandee Lord Sebastian Coe, Chairman of the International Association of Athletics Federations, has up until the last few days been trousering 100 grand a year for an ambassadorial role with Nike.

Eugene, Oregon , Nike's hometown also known as Track Town, is awarded the 2021 World Athletics Championship on a nod and a wink here

Alberto Salazar athletics coach employed by Nike as part of the Oregon Project at the centre of allegations of doping.

Just saying.

The Spencer Davis Group - Keep on Running

Belle and Sebastian - The Stars of Track and Field

Sounds Familiar?

I was listening to and thoroughly enjoying Gran Turismo by The Cardigans at the weekend when track 8 My Favourite Game came on.
My immediate thought was that it reminded me of Garbage (the band that is!) But which song?
After digging out my Garbage album and giving it a quick spin I have come to the conclusion two thirds Supervixen and one third Stupid Girl.

Nina Persson and Shirley Manson two glamorous and talented singers but only one has ever played with Goodbye Mr McKenzie!

Gran Turismo 1998. Garbage 1995

The Cardigans -My Favourite Game

Garbage - Supervixen

Garbage - Stupid Girl

Joan Armourplating

Like most of you, I suspect, I am most familiar with Joan Armatrading via her singles from the early 80's - All the Way from America, I'm Lucky, Drop the Pilot , etc. Some pretty good  poppy stuff.

I picked up The Collection in Whithorn recently which features her stuff from the mid 70's up until she became a household name
It does contain a few like All the Way From America, Willow and Love and Affection which I recognize.
However, I was presently surprised as to the broader range of some of the others  I was unaware of which have more of a blues and soul feel to them.
Here are a couple of examples

Joan Armatrading - Like Fire

Joan Armatrading - Turn Out the Light

Stranraer Americana -Uncle Tupelo

Mrs CC and I have often commented as to how good it would be if I stumbled upon a charity shop where someone had just handed in a slab of Americana.
Well it finally happened a couple of weeks ago when we walked into the Marie Curie shop in the South West Scottish town of Stranraer.
Some kind soul had handed in a dozen or so Americana CDs. I knew I had a few of them but left with 8 which I knew I didn't have or thought I didn't have. Turned out I didn't have any of them. Even better they were only 75p per pop.
I was as happy as a seagull with a stolen chip.
We start with the band and album which started a movement No Depression the first studio album from Uncle Tupelo from 1990 on the Rockware Records label.
I couldn't believe I didn't have it but suspect it may be because I have a good few of the songs on 89/93: An Anthology.
A first outing for Jeff Tweedy and Jay Farrar as well as Mike Heidorn on drums.
Terrific stuff

Uncle Tupelo - No Depression

Uncle Tupelo - Whiskey Bottle

Some Sunday Soul

Some funky Philly Soul for you today courtesy of the late great Teddy Pendergrass.

A recent Stranraer two albums on the one CD purchase - 1978's Life is a Song Worth Singing and 1980's TP for the grand total of 75 pence. 37.5 pence per album -a total steal.
Some great stuff from the former lead  singer with Harold Melvin and the Bluenotes
Sadly he was badly injured in a car accident in 1982 resulting in him being paralyzed from the chest down.
Fortunately he was later able to continue his musical career prior to succumbing to respiratory failure in 2010 at the age of 59

More Soul next Sunday but in the meantime Get Up, Get Down, Get Funky, Get Loose

Teddy Pendergrass - Life is a Song Worth Singing

Teddy Pendergrass - Get Up, Get Down, Get Funky, Get Loose

Saturday Lucky Dip

Last week The Roots of Hendrix, this week Tom Wait's Jukebox
Last week, Mojo, this week Uncut.
I'm not really a fan of Tom Waits but there is one more of his albums on the shelves than Jimi  in Big Time a live album from 1998 a Mrs CC purchase.
I'm not really that enamored with the compilation either to be honest but I've come up with a couple.

I saw William Elliott Whitmore support Ray Wylie Hubbard and have a few of his albums burned as a couple of lads from my local are fans. I've never seen Old Blue Eyes.
Is it ok to feature Howlin' Wolf two Saturday's in succession? You're damn right it is!

More random nonsense next Saturday

William Elliott Whitmore - Not Feeling Any Pain

Frank Sinatra - One For My Baby (And One For the Road)

Howlin' Wolf - I Asked for Water (She Gave me Gasoline)

I've Been Driving in my Car ...

I was scanning the shelves looking for something when I stumbled across Drive Time - 100 Classic Driving Anthems.
One of these box sets that you buy in a super market or a service station and not something I am guilty of buying so I suspect this one is down to Mrs CC.
A fairly eclectic but also fairly mainstream compilation ranging from the pretty good to the down right awful with all things in between.
Two or three caught my eye.
How's about a number one from 1972 courtesy of Chicory Tip?
Then there is 5-7-0-5 from City Boy. Funny how I can remember a number 8 from 1978 yet would be hard pushed to name a number one this Millennium.
Then we get all modern by dipping our toes into the 90's with The Farm
I'll spare you the other 97 - meantime!

Chicory Tip - Son of My Father

City Boy - 5-7-0-5

The Farm - Groovy Train

Bitter Sweet Symphonies

After yesterday's excitement back to the same old same old.

A few months ago I posted a couple of songs from The Collection a compilation of Kim Richey songs.
At the time I surmised that her fourth  album Rise from 2002 was probably the one to get as it has more of an Americana feel than it's predecessors.
However I was not about to pass up the opportunity to pick up her second album Bitter Sweet when I saw it going cheap in the Community Shop in Wigtown.
From 1999 it is certainly a wee bit more mainstream Country than some of her later stuff but that is not always a bad thing.

Kim Richey - I Know

Kim Richey - Let it Roll

A Doubly Momentous Day for CCM

Today is a doubly momentous day for Charity Chic Music.

Not only are we celebrating our third birthday today but also our 1000th post.

I have been fervently praying over the last few days that none of my musical heroes would die thus necessitating a tribute post and buggering up this coincidental symmetry.

Sincere thanks as always to Mrs CC and to those of you who have contributed to the 2800 comments to date or who have taken the time to read and/or listen to any of the posts.

I intend to keep going but perhaps may not be as prolific as before as daily posting can become a bit of a chore when real life gets in the way.

Eddie Cochran - Three Steps to Heaven

k.d. lang and the Reclines - Three Cigarettes in an Ashtray

Tenpole Tudor - Swords of a Thousand Men

Matthew Sweet - Millennium Blues

Prince

No, not that one!
Mrs CC put on a random CD the other day."Who is that?" I cried."Call yourself a muso" she replied."Give us a clue" I responded.
Several clues later including the initials TP and I was none the wiser.
Turns out it was Tim Prince  with the 2007 album Angel Songs on Lost Cat Records.
I've no recollection of how this came to adorn the shelves. It may have been an on spec purchase from the Fisherman's Mission in Mallaig. Or then again maybe not.

It appears from the very limited information that I can find that he is from Royal Leamington Spa but after some fairly extensive travelling he wound up recording this album in Athens, Georgia.His band may or may not be called Hazy Ray.

Nothing startling but pleasant enough. His voice reminds me a wee bit of Neal Casal.

Tim Prince -Cold Living

Tim Prince - The Father Song

Sugar Cane

Friday's reference to Jamie Oliver's war against sugar and my recent acquisition of Elvis Costello's Secret, Profane and Sugarcane had me thinking about songs on the CC shelves about sugar, and about sugar cane in particular.
I've come up with three.
The ever cheerful Mary Gauthier, Fred Eaglesmith who I would have missed had I not recently featured him and of course old Declan himself

Not suitable for diabetics.

Mary Gauthier - Sugar Cane

Fred Eaglesmith - Sugarcane

Elvis Costello - Sulphur to Sugarcane

Some Sunday Soul

Some mid 60s Isley Brothers for you today from their Motown period when there were only three of them recording - O'Kelly Jr, Rudolph and Ronald.
This represented their first purple patch prior to the extended version going down  a more funkier route in the mid 70s.
Behind a Painted Smile is perhaps a portent of things to come
They have been performing in various guises since 1954.
Purchased in the Canine Rescue Charity Shop in Newton Stewart affectionately known to Mrs CC and I as the Smelly Dog Shop.

More Soul next Sunday

The Isley Brothers - It's Out of the Question

The Isley Brothers - No Place to Run

The Isley Brothers - Behind a Painted Smile

Saturday Lucky Dip

Confession time - and one which may result in me being drummed out the Brownies. I do not own any records by Jimi Hendrix.
I do however have a Mojo compilation The Roots of Hendrix -15 tracks that inspired the legend.
No doubt an opportunity for a 30 page article and a chance to feature some Blues standards in the public domain.
There are a few crackers as you would expect and I have selected Howlin' Wolf and Jimmy Reed for your listening pleasure.
The stand out however is Little Richard's cover of the Don Covay song I Don't Know What You've Got, But it's Got Me which was also covered by Hendrix.
I was initially going to save this for a Soul Sunday slot but it is so good that I felt compelled to post it now.

Howlin' Wolf - Killing Floor

Jimmy Reed -Bright Lights Big City

Little Richard - I Don't Know What You've Got, But It's Got Me (Parts 1&2)

Cheap Pearls and Whisky Dreams

James or Craig?

A couple of weeks ago on the ever excellent Plain or Pan Craig featured James Grant in his Six of the Best series and confessed to having modelled his  late 80's quiff on James'
In the comments section I mentioned that I had seen James Grant play a 40th birthday party at a house in Eaglesham with half the guests watching him and the other half doing a Jona Lewie - you'll always find me in the kitchen at parties.

I suspect that the above was subliminally on my mind when I stumbled across Cheap Pearls and Whisky Dreams - the best of Love and Money in a charity shop in Stranraer.
Never mind Jamie Oliver and his war against sugar it's time to take a ride on the sugar train

Love and Money - Jocelyn Square

Love and Money - Candybar Express

Coati Mundi

Coatimundi is the name of a rather cute looking South American animal which is a member of the raccoon family.
Coati Mundi is also the stage name of American percussionist Andy Hernandez who pops up with Kid Creole and the Coconuts on Me No Pop I their debut single which reached number 32 in the UK singles charts in 1981.
The second of my Wigtown Community Shop purchases.

Billed as Kid Creole and the Coconuts present Coati Mundi the song appears on both the b-side and on the a-side where it segues with Que Pasa.
A real earworm -you will find yourself singing this for days!

Kid Creole & the Coconuts present Coati Mundi - Que Pasa/Me No Pop I

Kid Creole & the Coconuts present Coati Mundi - Me No Pop I

Record Buying in a Book Town

The lovely small town of Wigtown in Galloway is officially Scotland's national Book Town here

You may not be surprised to learn that in my most recent foray there I came away with two records and two CDs but no books.The CD's may well feature at a later date.
The first of the records I picked up  in the Community Shop was the single Gold Rush by The Men They  Couldn't Hang from 1986 a song from their How Green is the Valley album.
The Ghosts of Cable Street features on the b-side and is a much better song.It was also released as a single in it's own right.
The track on the single jumps and so is not featured today. Rest easy as it has featured before.
The second acquisition will feature tomorrow

The Men They Couldn't Hang - Gold Rush

The Men They Couldn't Hang - Walkin' Talkin'

Got The Riot City Blues

Country Girl by the Primals from their Riot City Blues album is  the first song I can remember dancing to with Mrs CC.
It is also the name of a pub in Birmingham near where George used to stay
The whole album is sort of Rolling Stoneseque and a bit of a return to rock'n'roll rather than their dancey stuff and is none the worse for that.
Former Bunnyman Will Sergeant features on the second selected track When the Bomb Drops but I haven't got him down as a junkie liar

Primal Scream - Country Girl

Primal Scream - When The Bomb Drops

Scorchio

I was playing Viva Americana a terrific compilation the other day when I had the urge to share some Jason and the Scorchers with you. So here is One Last Question. 
The only other Scorchers stuff I have is a live version of Absolutely Sweet Marie which I have previously posted and a burn of the album Halcyon Times so you will have to make do with Sid Griffin for track number two.
More Scorchers music is clearly required.

I have a couple of Jason Ringenberg's solo albums but that's for another day.

Jason and the Scorchers - One Last Question

Sid Griffin - Cadillac Elvis

Some Sunday Soul

I was swithering whether to feature Solomon Burke or Joe Tex this week so it is only right that I give you one of each.
First up is the self proclaimed King of Soul with a Swamp Dogg song Sidewalks, Fences and Walls.
The big man is then followed by the wee man Joe Tex with Hold On to What You Got from the magnificent Kent album Skinny Legs and All -The Classic Early Dial Sides.

Initially it didn't register in my brain when these two names popped up that they had both been part of The Soul Clan which is a rather pleasant coincidence.

More soul next Sunday

Solomon Burke - Sidewalks, Fences and Walls

Joe Tex - Hold What You've Got

Saturday Lucky Dip

Broomfield

This week's Lucky Dip is Uncut's June 2007 compilation The New Frontier- Americana The Next Generation purchased in a charity shop in the New Frontier town of Airdrie, North Lanarkshire.
Drew may be familiar with the picture
I resisted the temptation to include Oakley Hall's If I Was in El Dorado despite Eldorado being one of the many tonic wines of choice for the Airdrie denizens.

Rather I have gone for two artists I have long admired but don't have any albums from.
Conor Oberst better known as Bright Eyes has been around for a while .As far as I know he is still with us despite some articles on t'interweb to the contrary. Indeed Mike Batt even wrote a song about him which was sung by Art Garfunkel  -allegedly.
I also have a bit of a soft spot for The Felice Brothers although  I suspect that Simone Felice who has now gone solo is a bit up himself.

More random nonsense next Saturday.

Bright Eyes - Lua

The Felice Brothers - Mercy

Zut Alors

Up until the other day when I popped into my local Charity Shop I was blissfully unaware that The Zutons had recorded a third album. Turns out they have and I am now the proud owner of You Can Do Anything their third and presumably final album from 2008.
Along with fellow Liverpool band The Coral they produced some fine guitar based jingly jangly pop music in the early 00's and unlike many a band they quit before they got too stale.

Nothing startling on You Can Do Anything but these two are pretty tasty.

The Zutons - Bumbag

The Zutons - Freak

Here's Grace

A number of years ago there was a stall in Glasgow's Barras market which sold huge posters which were designed to be put on advertising hoardings by Mr Bill Posters. It may well still be there for all I know.

Anyhow, I had a pretty much life sized poster of Grace Jones which hung proudly on my bedroom wall for  a good few years and which scared the bejesus out of any tradesman popping in to carry out some maintenance!

All of which is somewhat of a preamble to sharing with you a couple of tracks  from her 1981 Nightclubbing album on the Island label.

Grace Jones - Pull Up to the Bumper

Grace Jones - Nightclubbing