Stereotypes

Last of the holiday purchases today and it is Sterotypes  - a compilation of new music from Mojo magazine.

I used to subscribe to Uncut and bought Mojo regularly. Now I only ever buy them on holiday and even then I usually only go for one on the basis of what I think may be the best CD.
This edition's main article was on The Specials and Two Tone which was pretty interesting.

I've long been an admirer of Conor Oberst from as far back as his Bright Eyes days but have never got as far as acquiring one of his records. I really should right that wrong and I suspect that  I could do worse than his new record Ruminations on the Nonsuch label on which the track below appears.

And now for something completely different as the Pythons might say - Acid Arab with Buzq Blues on an album called  Musique de France on the Crammed Disc label. Formidable

Conor Oberst - Mamah Borthwick

Acid Arab - Buzq Blues

Sunday Country Got Soul

I was all set to give you a couple of tracks from Country Got Soul Volume 2 today when I realised that I have never featured Volume 1.
Always best to do these things in chronological order I find.
From 2004 and on the Casual label out of London  it is a wonderful collection of soulful country singers or should that be countryful soul singers.
Another one to file under my newly created in-betweenies  sub genre
Featuring the likes of Dan Penn, George Soule, Jim Ford and artists with three names which I will feature in my often threatened but yet to be delivered artists with three names series.

Today you are getting the old silver fox himself Charlie Rich with his version of Hank Williams Hey Good Looking followed by the wonderful Donnie Fritts the man who wrote Breakfast in Bed made famous by Dusty Springfield and subsequently murdered by UB40.

Volume 2 next Sunday I suspect.

Charlie Rich - Hey Good Looking

Donnie Fritts - Short End of the Stick

Dylan Covered - Not Dark Yet

Bob fights back! A unanimous victory against last week's challengers The North Mississippi Allstars giving a score of Bob 1 Cover Artists 1
This week we feature a track from Time Out of Mind what I consider to be a new Bob Dylan album even though it dates back to 1997
Panic not  - you are not getting Bob v Adele with Make You Feel My Love.
No rather you are getting Not Dark Yet with the competition this week coming from Robyn Hitccock and the Venus 3.
Now I know that Robyn is a massive Dylan fan and has covered many of his songs. He is also an artist that i greatly admire. But I'm afraid that his version is not on a par with Bob's
Others may choose to disagree although in this instance I suspect not

Bob Dylan - Not Dark Yet

Robyn Hitchcock and the Venus 3 - Not Dark Yet

This is Rockabilly Clash

I'm not quite sure how this one will go down ( I know at least one regular reader who will be less than impressed!)
If you like it I'm happy to take the credit. If not, blame my brother as this is another one of his.
From 2007 and on Raucous Records a 14 track compilation featuring 13 Rockabilly acts (The Farrell Brothers appear twice ) covering 13 Clash classics (Guns of Brixton appearing twice)

For your listening pleasure I have opted for one of the versions of Guns of Brixton by The Honeydippers and Train in Vain by The Sabrejets.
Something similar may appear next week - you have been warned!

The Honeydippers - Guns of Brixton

The Sabrejets - Train in Vain

Bliss

In 1989 1 picked up a sampler album called A Full Head of Steam.
One of the tracks I Walk Alone by a band called Bliss impressed me so much that I sought out their album Love Prayer.
Step forward to 2016 and I stumble on a CD by Bliss  in a charity shop in Forres.
Ya beauty I thought but my joy was unfortunately short lived.
Turns out it was not the same band at all but a collection of songs inspired by the teachings and practice of Raja Yoga meditation which is taught for free throughout the world by the Brahma Kunaris World Spiritual University
Given Forres' close proximity to the wonderful Findhorn Foundation this should not have come as too much of a surprise.
The CD will either be recycled or will find it's way to Mrs CC's Zen Zone

Two tracks from Bliss mark 1 including the aforementioned and previously featured I Walk Alone and one from Bliss mark 2

Bliss (89) - I Hear You Call

Bliss (89) - I Walk Alone

Bliss (03) - Thank You

The Sophtware Slump

Until recently the only Grandaddy record I had was The Broken Down Comforter Collection which is pretty patchy at best.
It kind of put me off acquiring any more of their stuff although. I have often seen their second studio album from 2000 The Sophtware Slump and swithered about purchasing it.
I finally took the plunge in a charity shop in Callander and I'm glad I did as it is infinitely better than TBDCC.

Another cataloguing conundrum in that I currently have them filed under Americana whereas they clearly have much more in common with bands such as Mercury Rev and The Flaming Lips who currently reside in the Indie/Pop section.
They are shortly scheduled to release their first album since 2006.

Grandaddy - Hewlett's Daughter

Grandaddy - Broken Household Appliance National Forest

Up With the Berets of Bonnie Dundee

What is it about Dundonian men and their berets? I suspect that you couldn't walk the length of the Nethergate without bumping into a male beret wearer.
This post popped into my non- beret wearing head for two reasons - the recent purchase of Candy Philosophy an album by Michael Marra in the aforementioned Thrift Shop in Aberfeldy and a comment I placed on The Chain currently the best thing on the Internet about the beret wearing habits of Billy Mackenzie of Associates fame

It then struck me that Mike Watson or Baron Watson of Invergowrie was seldom seen in the stands of Tannadice without his beret..His career suffered an ignominy with a conviction for wilful fire raising here hence my final choice of song


Michael Marra - Johnny Halliday

Associates - Club Country

The Prodigy - Firestarter

Leopard Skin Onesie

I heard this on 6 Music the other day when I was off work and feeling poorly and I thought I should share it with you.
If you are a fan of Half Man Half Biscuit, and who isn't, this may well appeal to you.
The Humdrum Express is Ian Passey from downtown Kidderminster.
This song is available free on Bandcamp and he also has a number of tracks available to download on Soundcloud.

This song namechecks Sam Smith and TV Smith only one of whom features on the shelves.

The Humbrum Express - Leopard Print Onesie

The Adverts - No Time To Be 21

Some More Sunday Northern Soul

I think that last week's featured album The Very Best of Northern Soul Volume 1 merits a further visit.
For two reasons - one - it is fantastic and two - I am struggling for things to put on this series which has now been running for the best part of three years

First up we have Erma Franklin (big sister of Aretha) with her version of a song made famous by Jackie Wilson namely (I Get The) Sweetest Feeling.
Then we feature the man himself shockingly making his debut on these pages.
Both songs written by Van McCoy and Alicia Evelyn.

Erma Franklin - ( I Get The) Sweetest Feeling

Jackie Wilson - I've Lost You

Dylan Covered - Stuck Inside of Mobile With The Memphis Blues Again

Well the first week saw a decisive victory for the Byrds.
The score so far then is Bob Dylan 0 Cover Artists 1

In the week that he was finally awarded the Nobel Prize for Literature it is probably fitting that we go for a magnificent song from a magnificent album with a magnificent title.

From the masterpiece that is Blonde on Blonde here is Stuck Inside of Mobile with the Memphis Blues Again.
A somewhat more obscure cover this week as it is covered by Hill Country Bluesmen  North Mississippi Allstars.
Or perhaps it should be the North Mississippi Upstarts for having the audacity to take this on.
Your verdict?
My tuppence worth - I like the way they have put their own stamp on the song but it's Bob for me all day long.


Bob Dylan - Stuck Inside of Mobile With the Memphis Blues Again

North Mississippi Allstars - Stuck Inside of Mobile With the Memphis Blues Again

Some Friday Rock'n'Roll Trio Boogie

Tonight's slice of Rockabilly comes courtesy of Johnny Burnette who along with his older brother Dorsey and Paul Burlison performed as The Rock'n'Roll Trio
Rock'n'Roll Trio and Tear it Up can be purchased as a thoroughly recommended 2 album CD - reaping the benefit of all those two minute tracks.

Johnny Burnette was yet another Rockabilly star who met an early and nasty death. At the age of 30 his unlit fishing boat was struck by a cabin cruiser on Clear Lake in California.
Fortunately he left a rich legacy of work before his untimely demise

Johnny Burnette - All By Myself

Johnny Burnette - Tear it Up

Johnny Burnette - Blues Stay Away From Me

1-2-3 -4 !

Another compilation purchased in Granton on Spey was 1-2-3-4! one of the occasional Mojo Roots of Series - in this case obviously the Roots of The Ramones
It includes the likes of the Seeds, the Shangri-Las and Love who you would imagine influenced the Bruddas.
It also includes contemporaries such as Johnny Thunders & the Heartbreakers, Wayne County and Television.
Not sure how they constitute the roots of the Ramones.
A minor quibble as the music is terrific

Here are the Bruddas with Walter Lure of the Heartbreakers with a Stones cover, Ronnie Spector with a Joey Ramone song and a band who clearly also influenced the Cramps

1-2-3-4 !

Walter Lure & the Ramones - Street Fighting Man

Ronnie Spector - She Talks to Rainbows

The Trashmen - Bird Dance Beat

Among My Swan

So Tonight That I Might See the 1993 album by Mazzy Star the band featuring the Santa Monica duo of Hope Sandoval and David Roback has been on the shelves for a while and surprisingly has not yet had an airing on these pages.
I'm sorry to say that you may have to wait a wee while longer as it has been usurped by it's 1996 follow up Among My Swan recently  purchased on my travels in an old church in Aberfeldy which now doubles up as a Thrift Shop.

Some lovely acoustic instrumentation accompanied by ethereal echo and a band who I know are popular with many of my fellow bloggers.

Mazzy Star - Flowers in December

Mazzy Star - Cry, Cry

Urbanwear

Urbanwear is a compilation which I picked up in Granton on Spey
It comes courtesy of Lee Jeans - the jeans which clothed America apparently.

Nine tracks from different American geographical locations.
Steve Wynn (Florida) and Aimee Mann (Virginia)are on the shelves and have previously featured so were not considered for selection  today.
I've opted for The Posies (Seattle) and Angel Corpus Christi (San Francisco)
Barkmarket (Brooklyn), Urge Overkill (Chicago), Everclear (Portland), Buffalo Tom (Oklahoma) and The Swans (Dallas) failed to trouble the scorers

The Posies -Dream All Day

Angel Corpus Christi - Candy

Another Wee Bit of Rosie

My recent purchase of Rosie Thomas' 2002 debut When We Were Small on the Sub Pop label which I recently purchased in a Pitlochry charity shop has given me yet another cataloguing conundrum.
I have the follow up from 2003 Only With  Laughter Can You Win filed in the Folk/Singer- Songwriter section but she would be equally at home in the Americana sector.
For what it's worth I think the debut is slightly better
than the follow up.
Whereas October may not necessarily be the best track on the album it would be somewhat churlish not to feature it at this point in time.

Rosie Thomas - Wedding Day

Rosie Thomas - October

Some Sunday Northern Soul

When I recently posted  two tracks from The Essential Collection by Edwin Star Drew and Rol both very gently and politely took me  to task for not featuring S.O.S.(Stop Her on Sight).
The reason was pretty simple - I didn't have it at the time.
That has since been rectified with the purchase of The Very Best of Northern Soul Volume 1 from a charity shop in Forres, my favourite town in Moray.

The version of Frank Wilson's Do I Love You (Indeed I Do) also comes from that 50p purchase and is not one of the only two original copies of the single one of which went for £25,732 in 2009


Edwin Starr -S.O.S. (Stop Her On Sight)

Frank Wilson - Do I Love You (Indeed I Do)

Dylan Covered - All I Really Want to Do

So here it is - the new series I threatened in my recent Byrds post and not nearly as original as the suggestions in the column box
The fact that there are about half a dozen Dylan songs on The Byrds Definitive Collection gave me the idea.
And let's face it given that he is probably the most covered artist in the world (or maybe second after The Beatles) there should by plenty to choose from

The idea is to compare and contrast the cover with the original
The default position is that Bob will invariably  be better but there may be exceptions.
You of course my free to take issue with my pontifications.

It's only proper that we start with The Byrds

Verdict - in this instance the Nobel Prize winner is the winner yet again

Bob Dylan - All I Really Want to Do

The Byrds - All I Really Want to Do

Some Friday Female Rockabilly

Finding a female rockabilly performer who is not called Wanda Jackson or Imelda May can be a bit of a challenge. Cue a long list of names in the comments section.
Until then I give you Rose Maddox who as a solo artist and with the Maddox Brothers and Rose comes from a Country background.
Hillbilly music however is a close cousin of rockabilly so she is featuring today given that she features on both Columbia Rockabilly Volumes 1 and 2

Rose Maddox - Hey Little Dreamboat

Rose Maddox - Wild Wild Young Men

Seamonsters in Skye

It seemed a bit incongruous  spotting Seamonsters by The Wedding Present amongst  the usual suspects in the Highland Hospice charity shop in Portree, Skye.
I felt that it was my duty to liberate it from such surroundings.
Excellent stuff if a bit earmelting in places which is only to be expected with Steve Albini behind the controls

I've mentioned before that I was somewhat late to the Wedding (Present) Party but my lovely fellow bloggers have helped to broaden my horizons.

The bracketed Cockney Rebel cover is included as one of a very generous eight bonus tracks.

The Wedding Present - Dalliance

The Wedding Present - Make Me Smile (Come Up and See Me)

Drever Mackenzie and Cypriot Brandy

You know what it's like when you go on holiday and return with that bottle of Cypriot brandy which tasted fantastic when you were over there but doesn't seem quite the same when you get back home.
Such was my experience with Drever Mackenzie a purchase from Portree, Skye's largest settlement.
A pleasant enough listen but not quite the same as listening to it whilst  negotiating Skye's stunning Trotternish peninsula.

The Drever in question is not Kris but his old man Ivan with the Mackenzie being fellow Wolfstone member Wayne.
From 1997 it was erroneously re-issued as a Wolfstone recording under the new title The Strange Place

Drever Mackenzie - Till I Sleep

Drever Mackenzie - Banks of the Ness

No Reason to my Cataloguing System

In most collections Astrid would be catalogued in alphabetical order next to yesterday's featured artists Aswad - but not on the CCM shelves - oh no.
Astrid are filed under Indie/Pop and Aswad on the other side of the room under Reggae.
However as No Reason the Astrid CD  I now have is a single it is filed in the strictly alphabetical CD singles section. It would be adjacent to Aswad if  I had any of their singles but is in fact in between Asian Dub Foundation and Attic Lights. Glad we cleared that up.
I had vaguely heard of Astrid a Glasgow band with strong ties to the Isle of Lewis. I then saw a terrific documentary on BBC Alba about their singer Willie Campbell who left the band after mental health and alcohol problems returning to Lewis where he has successfully re-built his life and is now playing music again.

From 1998 and recently purchased in Callander a tourist town in the Trossachs it is a rather splendid piece of indie pop.
My burning software has erroneously attributed this to Shetland musician Astrid Williamson so apologies if her name pops up.

Astrid - No Reason

Astrid - Standing in Line

Astrid - See the Sun

Aswad, Mayfest and Glasgow Urchins

Back from my travels with the usual mixed bag of nonsense to torment you with in the forthcoming days.
If you every get the chance to visit Tomintoul you should do so.
It is a lovely village in the Cairngorm National Park, at least 15 miles away from anywhere else and reached via quite magnificent scenery.The first place in the UK to get cut off by snow every year and when you see the roads  up the mountains you can see why.
I also returned with a 10 year old malt from the local distillery.
No charity shops though but don't worry we found plenty elsewhere.
First off the pleasant seaside town of Nairn where the Greatest Hits of British reggae lite band Aswad was purchased.
Not totally convinced that it is a keeper.
My pal Raymie Boff and I saw them once at Govan Town Hall as part of the much missed Mayfest festival.
They opened the doors towards the end and a squad of Glasgow urchins piled in and strutted their stuff down the front!
The highlight of the evening.

Aswad - Don't Turn Around

Aswad - Give a Little Love

Some Sunday Southern English Soul

The other weekend Mrs CC randomly selected Joss Stone's Mind Body and Soul for an airing
From 2004 it is her second album and the follow up to her 2003 debut The Soul Sessions.
It is no Soul Sessions.That soulful voice is still there but you can see the beginnings of her moving from out and out soul to more poppy R&B.
As such it is in danger of getting a bit X Factor in places
Fortunately Mike Managini, Steve Greenberg and the great Betty Wright are still behind the controls and just about hold it together
They are not  involved on her third Introducing Joss Stone and it shows

Joss Stone - Right to be Wrong

Joss Stone - You Had Me

Holiday Hiatus - Oasis

The last in the Holiday Hiatus series as we are winding our way back home today.
Like half the world I purchased the first two Oasis albums Definitely Maybe and (What's the Story) Morning Glory? and then nothing else by them.
And like half the world I haven't listened to them in ages.
Here is a track from each of them

Oasis - Cigarettes & Alcohol

Oasis - She's Electric

Holiday Hiatus Rockabilly - Billy Lee Riley

My gal is red hot

Your gal ain't doodly squat

Three rockabilly gems for you today from Billy Lee Riley

Taken from The Legendary Sun Records Story Volume 2 - one song from each of the three discs in chronological order as that's the way we like to do things at CCM

Billy Lee Riley -Red Hot

Billy Lee Riley - Wouldn't You Know

Billy Lee Riley - Pearly Lee

Holiday Hiatus - The Byrds

Some 60's psychedelic folk for you today courtesy of The Byrds
Taken from the Definitive Collection - 25 tracks but only one from Sweetheart of the Rodeo one of the top 10 albums of all time.
Something wrong there surely.
This post has given me an idea for a new  series - stay tuned

The Byrds - Eight Miles High

The Byrds - Mr Spaceman

Holiday Hiatus - Adam Ant

Unplug the jukebox and do us all a favour

Two early songs from Adam and the Ants today from before it all got rather silly.

Written by him alone with no contribution from Marco Pirroni who has a hand in most of the camper numbers.

Dirk are you still wearing White Sox?

If so, don't worry - ridicule is nothing to be scared of

Adam and the Ants - Xerox

Adam and the Ants - Car Trouble

Holiday Hiatus - Nick Drake

From one extreme to another.
Yesterday the raw energy of the White Stripes today the melancholiness of Nick Drake
Yet another artist who found more fame dead than alive although how he would have dealt with it is anyone's guess.
I've just found out that Solid Air by John Martyn is for and about Nick Drake

Nick Drake - Cello Song

Nick Drake - Fruit Tree

Holiday Hiatus - The White Stripes

The dymamic duo of SWC and Badger  recently featured the White Stripes in their excellent but never elitist WYCRA 200
This got me thinking that I should listen to and feature them more often.
So seeing as how their songs are usually short here are two from White Blood Cells and one from Elephant

The White Stripes - Hotel Yorba

The White Stripes - Fell in Love With a Girl

The White Stripes - Seven Nation Army

Some Holiday Hiatus Sunday Soul

Well you didn't have to wait long for the third and final instalment of the Stevie Wonder masterpiece triumvirate the ambitious and wonderful double album from 1976 Songs in the Key of Life

Here is Sir Duke his tribute to Duke Ellington and other Jazz legends followed by Pastime Paradise famously reworked by Coolio as Gangsta's Paradise

Sheer class

For a brilliant in depth appreciation see 1001 Songs


Stevie Wonder - Sir Duke

Stevie Wonder - Pastime Paradise

Holiday Hiatus - The Jam

Shockingly The Jam have never featured on these pages before.
Time to right that wrong.
A band who have produced around twenty singles which would all merit a mention.
For me, however, it is difficult to see past these two which you will all be familiar with

The Jam - Down in the Tube Station at Midnight

The Jam - The Eton Rifles