Domestiques

I was pretty late to the table when it came to the Delgados. They only crossed my radar in the couple of years prior to their demise in 2005 but I was fortunate enough to catch them live albeit just the once.
As is often the way discovering a band can lead to  exploring the back catalogue and over the years I have acquired all their albums with the exception of Pelaton their second album from 1998.


Like the band name and Peleton the name of their 1996 debut Domestiques is a cycling reference being the term for the support team to the leader of a bike race.
It is a bit more noisy and thrashier than some of their later releases but that's not necessarily a bad thing
In places it reminds me of Bis. Coincidentally the release of the Bis single Disco Nation 45 as the second single on their Chemikal Underground label  very nearly bankrupted them.


Fortunately Chemikal Underground survived and it is still run by the four  former band members and has been a hugely important  and influential  label over the last 23 years  promoting many great artists and records.
Long may they reign

The Delgados - Under Canvas Under Wraps

The Delgados - Big Business in Europe

Eitzel

I  recently gave Everclear  by American Music Club another listen and remained somewhat underwhelmed.
So it was with some trepidation that I gave West the solo album from 1997  by their front man Mark Eitzel a spin.
Happily, this is a much better effort altogether.
Co-written with R.E.M guitarist Peter Buck who also plays on and co-produces the album.


Re-reading the comments from my American Music Club post  kevinpat (how are you doing sir? long time no hear) wrote
 I don't know anything about Mark Eitzel except he sings with this rich, deep voice to some very head-scratching songs. Just reading the song titles is dizzy enough. I imagine that he's that drunk, derelict poet and it all works for me.

I can't describe it any better than that.

Mark Eitzel -If You Have To Ask

Mark Eitzel - Helium

Some Summer Country Rock

Continuing the current run of oldies but goodies here is some Country Rock for you - just the thing for these balmy summer evenings.
It comes form one of the best exponents of the genre Little Feat with a couple of tracks from their eponymous 1971 debut album.
Roy Estrada on bass, Bill Payne on keyboards, Richie Hayward on drums and the dulcet tones of the late great Lowell George on vocals.
On the second track they are joined by the pedal steel maestro Sneaky Pete Kleinow of Flying Burrito Brothers fame.
I always thought that they were from the deep South but it turns out that they were from California. Los Angeles to be precise.

Little Feat - Truck Stop Girl

Little Feat -I've Been the One

The Blues Collection - Clarence "Gatemouth " Brown

Just Got Lucky by Clarence "Gatemouth" Brown is my latest Blues Collection acquisition.
Number 35 in the series but more importantly the 49th in the series to grace the shelves.
Well over half way to reaching the total of 94.
I know that I could probably buy most of the missing ones for a pound a pop but the thrill is in the chase and in tracking them down.


Clarence was  a Bluesman born in Louisiana  but raised in Texas. A multi instrumentalist he also dabbled in other types of music and was well respected as a Blues fiddler.


The album gives a nod to influences  such as Dizzie Gillespie, Charlie Parker and Louis Jordan. A bit jazz noodley in places but he just about gets away with it.
One of the three covers of songs made famous by Louis Jordan is Salt Pork, West Virginia a depiction of small town America. A fictional town but wouldn't you just wish to visit somewhere with a name like that.


A somewhat morbid fact gleaned from the internet. His home in Louisiana was destroyed by Hurricane Katrina and he relocated to Orange, Texas. After he died in 2005 his casket floated out of it's burial site following flooding from Hurricane Ike.


A Bluesman could write a song about that!

Clarence "Gatemouth" Brown - Slow Down

Clarence "Gatemouth" Brown - Salt Pork, West Virginia

The Golden Age of Lonnie Donegan

While I was visiting local charity shops in Glasgow on Saturday Mrs CC was doing likewise in Troon when out with her mum and brother.
She came back with a Jack Johnson CD for herself (which she already has!) and The Golden Age of Lonnie Donegan for me.
A superstar in the late 50's the King of Skiffle was actually born in Glasgow prior to moving to London aged 2. Like David Byrne later on we still claim him as one of our own.
He released some cracking songs such as the two below  and the Wabash Cannonball.

However,sadly, like Chuck Berry and My Ding-a- Ling he is probably best remembered for My Old Man's a Dustman and Does Your Chewing Gum Lose It's Flavour.
Let's remember the good stuff

Lonnie Donegan - Rock Island Line

Lonnie Donegan - Cumberland Gap

Captain Swing

Saturday saw my first Charity Shop purchases in a while.
One of the two purchased was Captain Swing the third album by Michelle Shocked from 1989 which reached number 31 in the UK charts making it her biggest hit
I've never knowingly owned it before but I seem to be familiar with all the tracks leading me to suspect that I may have had it on tape at one stage.
Not quite as country orientated as the brilliant Short Sharp Shocked which preceded it. The focus, as the title suggests, is more on swing. A genre I'm not  at all familiar with but the ubiquitous on-line encyclopedia advises me that it is a cross-country inventory of swing musical styles—from Dixieland to Western, Big Band to BeBop.
Good to know.

Michelle Shocked - On The Greener Side

Michelle Shocked -(Don't Mess Around With) My Little Sister

Go Panama

Just to be clear - this is not just another anti- English tirade.
No sir. I've been rooting for Panama after drawing them in the office sweepstake and after their narrow and thoroughly undeserved 3-0 defeat by Belgium it is death or glory time.

Thinks I know about Panama:

• It has a rather large canal
• It does a nice line in hats
• It is a place where dodgy people can hide dodgy money 
• There used to be a disco in Glasgow on the Clydeside called Panama Jaxx
• I only have two songs with the word Panama in the title
• Sadly they are not going to win the World Cup and earn me fifty quid

Sugar -Panama City Hotel


Slowclub - Paraguay and Panama

Space Mann

A recent post by Brian on the Aimee Mann album I'm With Stupid had me visiting the section of the CD shelves where my Aimee Mann's are stored
There are currently four - Lost in Space and Whatever along with burns of Charmer and @#%&*! Smilers. Clearly not enough and I don't know why I don't have the one featured by Brian.

Aimee is one of those artists (and we can all give countless examples) who are critically acclaimed and extremely talented but who for whatever reason have not enjoyed commercial success whereas less talented artist have.

I like to think of them as our little secrets and am glad that we continue to champion them in our little virtual corner. Not everyone has our impeccable taste more's the pity.


Here are a couple of songs from 2002's Lost in Space released on her own SuperEgo Records label


Aimee Mann -Invisible Ink

Aimee Mann - Today's the Day

The Fine Art of Self Destruction

I'm going to see Jesse Malin in September. Not only that he will be supporting Chuck Prophet!
How good is that going to be??

I've only seen him the once before at King Tut's around the time that his debut album from December 2002 The Fine Art of Self Destruction was doing the rounds.
As I recall there was a fair amount of associated hype. It was produced by Ryan Adams ( who also plays guitar and keyboards and provides background vocals) at the time when the Enfant Terrible could do no wrong. At the time Ryan stated Jesse's a genius.He scares me he's so good.

Then there are the obvious Springsteen comparisons and the fact that at the time he was a bit of a Johnny Marr look-a-likey . So a good few boxes ticked there.

He fairly quickly slipped off my radar but I am looking forward to reacquainting myself with him and his music.
Here's something to keep me going until September.

Jesse Malin - Queen of the Underground

Jesse Malin - The Fine Art of Self Destruction

Just struck me that the post title could refer to  the Argentina football team!

Jerusalem

No, relax - this is not a follow up to yesterday's post!

I have long been a fan of the great Steve Earle
I used to eagerly await his new releases and pick them up on the official release date or sometimes even earlier courtesy of Glen  from the sadly now defunct Salvation Sounds.

2002's Jerusalem is his 10th studio album and  the last I bought upon release. I have all his albums before this one but precious few after. I don't know whether this is down to a diminution of quality or to my tastes evolving.

Anyway it is one of his more political albums. He predicts the building of walls, sings about immigration and there is also a song about John Walker Lindh the so called American Taliban
I'm not sure whether Steve was on the  FBI and CIA's radars before this album but he certainly was afterwards.

I suspect that he has precious little time for the Orange Childsnatcher who, amazingly, this week has managed to plumb even lower depths of human decency and morality with his policy of separating migrant children from their parents. What a despicable human being.

Steve Earle - What's a Simple Man to Do?

Steve Earle - John Walker's Blues

More World Cup Woes

Well according the pundits the other 31 teams are better off heading home as England have just about won the World Cup following their comprehensive thrashing of Tunisia in a game that both Gary Lineker and Gaby Logan  actually described at one stage as "the greatest game of the tournament so far"
Obviously posted missing when Spain and Portugal were playing on Friday.

Here are some musical contributions from another two countries who sadly never made the Finals -the Democratic Republic of Congo and Wales

Mbongwana Star - Malukayi

Super Furry Animals - Y Gwyneb Iau

Danger of Derailment

The more observant among you may be aware that there is currently a World Cup going on.
This may mean that some posts could be in danger of derailment.
There may be a danger of cancellation, some postponements and  of some posts operating with reduced carriages.
CCM apologises for the inconvenience to passengers ,who as always remain our top priority, for any reduced service which may occur.

The Derailers - Someone Else's Problem

The Derailers -The Right Place

A Wonder-ful Start to the Week

These Songs from the Key of Life were originally scheduled to feature yesterday but were overtaken by events.
So instead of relaxing on a Sunday with the dulcet tones of Stevie Wonder you get nearly 10 minutes of brilliance from the great man to ease you into the working week.

Isn't he lovely? Isn't he wonderful?

Stevie Wonder - Have a Talk With God

Stevie Wonder - Ordinary Pain

From Across The Kitchen Table

I woke up on Saturday morning to two really sad bits of news.
Firstly there had been another major fire at the Glasgow School of Art, the second in four years. It looks this time like the iconic Mackintosh designed building will not survive which is devastating news.

Secondly as I started my daily blog round up I read that Drew from the equally iconic Across the Kitchen Table was hanging up his blogging boots.
Again devastating news but after nearly 10 years it is understandable that he has lost his mojo and enthusiasm for something that can take up much of your precious free time.
When I started I turned to Drew, Swiss Adam and Ernie Goggins for inspiration and advise.

I will miss Drew's excellent soul and garage selections and of course his brilliant rants. I will also miss him introducing me to countless new bands.
Here are two who would not be on my shelves but for Drew.

I also had the pleasure of meeting him at the now legendary Glasgow Bloggers Convention. Hopefully not the only time that our paths will cross.

Cheers pal.

Kid Wave -Wanderlust

Slowclub - SufferingYou, Suffering Me

Into the Mystic

I'm following up on my theme from last Saturday by pondering about artists and albums I would probably invest in if money was no object.
Again I am revisiting and reassessing a previously featured compilation in this case Into the Mystic an Uncut CD from May 2015.

First time round I picked out Waxahatchee, This is the Kit and Torres as the pick of the bunch.
In this instance I actually put my money where my mouth  for two out the three subsequently purchasing Ivy Tripp by Waxahatchee and Bashed Out by This is the Kit.
This leaves Mackenzie Scott who records as Torres as the odd one out. New Skin is from her 2015 album Sprinter the second of three that she has released and it is also probably worth pursuing.

I have about half a dozen Calexico albums but most are burns. Indeed the only one I have actually purchased is Feast of Wire. They have slipped of my radar somewhat but on the strength of this song from 2015's Edge of the Sun they still continue to produce the goods

Torres - New Skin

Calexico - Falling From the Sky

Jon Langford and his Sadies

You were supposed to be getting a couple of tracks by The Sadies from their album Favourite Colours today but for some reason the burning software didn't seem to like it.
Time for plan B then. Don't worry you are still getting The Sadies but by way of compensation for the inconvenience I am throwing Jon Langford in as well
From 2002 on the ever wonderful Bloodshot label Mayors of the Moon sees yet another Langford collaboration.
Newport meets Toronto via Chicago in a fine example of multinational collaboration.

Jon Langford & his Sadies -Looking Good For Radio

Jon Langford &his Sadies -What Makes Johnny Run?

Wilco - Via Chicago

World Cup Woes

I believe that the World Cup kicks off in Russia today. It's amazing what money can buy.

I'm old enough to remember when Scotland actually qualified for the finals. Indeed I took in their 3 games at Italia 90 and the Scotland v Brazil opener in Paris in 1998.

Needless to say we are not one of the 32 teams featured this time round.
I organised the work sweep stake and drew Panama so you will forgive me if I support them against England.

I've not got that many songs about football and thankfully no World Cup songs so I 'm going to concentrate on the domestic game with songs about teams from another three countries who never made the finals - Hungary, Zimbabwe and the Czech Republic.

Go Panama!

Half Man Half Biscuit - I Was a Teenage Armchair Honved Fan

Real Sounds of Africa - Dynamos vs Tornados

Half Man Half Biscuit -All I Want for Christmas is a Dukla Prague Away Kit

Oh! Mama, Mama Look There

I had an urge to feature The Only Band That Matters  (™) today and we all know that such urges should not be resisted.
Further more it had to be something from Sandinista an album I'll hold my hands up and admit that I haven't played for far too long.
36 tracks to choose from. I've got the double CD as opposed to the triple CD so have gone for track 5, CD 2 (side 4 , track 5) and CD 1, track 2 (side 1, track 2)

No expense accounts or lunch discounts.

The Clash - Washington Bullets

The Clash - Hitsville U.K

Dancing Queens

Two birds with one stone today.
There was no ABBA on the shelves until a few weeks ago when Mrs CC came in with an album of their Number Ones which was a charity shop acquisition.Splendid Scandanavian pop musuc.

Then more recently in a comment on a post Rol mentioned that he had discovered some new artists to him while listening to Radio Scotland. One was Paisley singer/songwriter Jill Jackson erstwhile lead singer of the band Speedway.
Rol mentioned that he had purchased her new album and was really enjoying it. She was an artist I used to see live quite often usually supporting bands at places like King Tuts.I always enjoyed her shows and  obtained her 2010 album Back to Zero which as it's last track has a slowed down version of Dancing Queen on it.
So that's today's post sorted.

ABBA - Dancing Queen

Jill Jackson - Dancing Queen

Jill Jackson - Heart of Mine

Where Does It Go From Here

I know that it is a wee bit warm to be featuring woolly jumpers but I thought that  I would give Pelican West an airing.This is more than a wee bit inspired by John Medd's recent post
From 1982 it's the debut album by Haircut 100 and peaked at number 2 in the UK charts.It is the first of two albums by the band but I suspect that most folk will be hard pressed to remember the follow up which was 1984's Paint and Paint.
It contains some excellent pop songs all written and sung by Nick Hayward.
I am not that familiar with his solo stuff but I know that he is held in high esteem by many of the Blogging fraternity (see above).
Mrs CC I suspect is a fan given that she has two of his solo albums as well as being the owner of Pelican West.
I shall give them an airing in due course and report back.

Haircut 100 - Fantastic Day

Haircut 100 - Love Plus One

Kim Richey at the Glad Cafe

We are off to what I suspect will be a very hot Glad Cafe tonight to see singer songwriter Kim Richey perform.
She has been on the go since the mid 90's but was a relative latecomer in that she did not sign her first recording contact until the age of 37. So plenty of life experience to inform her songs.
Her music is probably on the cusp of mainstream country and Americana.
For example I was convinced that I had a version of the first of today's songs Just My Luck, from as far back as 1995, by the Dixie Chicks but this does not appear to be the case.
I think she has probably become less mainstream as time as gone by and I am looking forward to hearing hertonight.
The show is being put on by  promoter Kevin Morris under the guise of The Fallen Angels Club who has been putting on consistently good shows in Glasgow and sometimes further afield since 2004. An unsung hero.

Kim Richey - Just My Luck

Kim Richey -A Place Called Home

Hypermusic

Do you ever wonder that if you had an infinite supply of money and space how many more records could you buy.
All those records you quite like and add to the "list" knowing fine well that something more tempting will come along and that they will probably never get to the level that you will fork out hard cash for them.

Some examples from Uncut's April 2017 compilation Hypermusic. Hurrah For The Riff Raff and the song Hungry Ghost from the album The Navigator featured last time round.
And there are further examples on there
I have two Grandaddy albums from charity shops and a cheap compilation. Realistically their album  Last Place  good though it almost certainly is is never going to top the list.
It is a similar situation with Laura Marling. Two burns but nothing else. Semer Femina is not going to change  that.
Finally on the only debutant today. I thought I had featured New Zealand singer songwriter Nadia Reid before but apparently not..This is from Preservation.

Three good artists, three good songs, three albums I would like to have
So many records, so little money
More examples nest Saturday

Grandaddy - The Boat is in the Barn

Laura Marling - Soothing

Nadia Reid - I Come Home to You

The Blues Collection - J.B.Lenoir

The last of the latest three additions to the Blues Collection  which Mrs CC picked up on her travels a couple of months ago is Eisenhower Blues by J.B.Lenoir a guitarist and songwriter active on the Chicago scene in the 50's and 60's
The title track which was somewhat controversial at the time and which his record company made him re-record as Tax Playing Blues made an appearance on my Burnt Offerings series as did the picture of him in his snazzy zebra patterned jacket which C took rather a shine to.

Another Bluesman who died young in his case at 38. Not through the usual drink or drugs like many of his colleagues but through internal injuries following a car crash.
I imagine he could have written a good song about that.

J.B. Lenoir - Give Me One More Shot

J.B.Lenoir - Low Down Dirty Shame

One Year On

It was a year ago today that my mum died.In some ways it doesn't seem that long. Just goes to show that time can fly by.
Mrs CC and I are going out for a meal tonight so we will raise a glass.
I'll leave you with some Old Blue Eyes another one of my mum's favourites.

Frank Sinatra - Strangers in the Night

Frank Sinatra - I've Got You Under My Skin

Lone Justice

I've been meaning to get round to playing and featuring some Lone Justice for a few weeks now ever since my Thrum post with it's comparisons between the vocals of Monica Queen and Maria McKee
I knew that I had their second album Shelter from 1986 on the Geffen  label but was pleasantly surprised to find that I also had their 1985 self titled debut which is one I cannot remember buying.

I'll get round to that one in due course but first a couple of Maria McKee compositions from Shelter as that is the one I am most familiar with.
Probably a bit more poppy (and a slightly less successful one than the first one) it has production from the band, Steve Van Zandt and Jimmy Iovine
Maria left to go solo shortly thereafter.

Lone Justice - Wheels

Lone Justice - Dixie Storms

Good Golly, Here's Holly

It is probably just over a year ago that I was introduced to the charms of Holly Macve by The Swede.
I was so impressed that I immediately sought out her debut album Golden Eagle on the Bella Union label
She was raised in Galway and Yorkshire but sounds like she could be from some rural backwater deep in the American swamps.
It has to be said that her voice is a bit like Marmite - you either love it or hate it. As you would expect I'm in the former camp.
It is a pretty unique voice although I can see some similarities to Paula Frazer of Tarnation fame in there.
While doing my research for this post (ie visiting the Bella Union website) I see that she has also released  a 4 track Covers EP  which is only available for streaming on Spotify.
Such are the times that we now live in

Holly Macve - Sycamore Tree

Babes Never Die

Some Honeyblood for you today from their  2016 second album  Babes Never Die on Fat Cat records.

A change in personnel from the first album with Cat Myres replacing Shona McVicar on drums alongside lead singer and guitarist Stina Tweeddale.
It was slightly more successful than the 2014 self-titled debut album this one reaching 50 in the UK charts as opposed to 99  first time round and  peaking at 16 in the Scottish charts compared to 47
No sign of the difficult third album yet.
I could be wrong but I think that Gangs refers to Oxgangs the area of Edinburgh where Stina comes from.
As a bonus you are getting the Intro track thrown in with the title track as it is difficult to work out where one ends and the other begins.

Honeyblood - Babes Never Die

Honeyblood - Gangs

Sanctified Soul Revisited

Apologies for the lack of originality today but I've got an excuse of sorts.
I've usually got one or two posts written and in the bank keeping me one step ahead of the posse as I like to say to Mrs CC.
However, for a variety of reasons I've been writing them up  the night before recently giving me no scope for manoeuvre
As you read this I will be recovering from my visit to Eaglesham Beer Festival yesterday. It was pretty unrealistic to expect me to cobble something together on Saturday night (although it might have been interesting) so I wrote this on Saturday morning.
I had no time to sort of something different so I resorted to this great album which fortunately I had downloaded in it's entirity.
Part of me is tempted to post a further two tracks for each of the next 11 Sundays - it is that good.

Judy Clay - The Greatest Love

Sam Dess -Signed, Miss Heroin

Rhythms of Zimbabwe

I've been listening to Rhythms of Africa a compilation from Cooking Vinyl's International Music Series a bit this week.
It should really be Rhythms of Zimbabwe given that 5 of the 6 acts who contribute two songs each are from there with the exception being Sierra Leone's S.E. Rogie.

If you don't have Shabini by the Bhundu Boys you should rectify that immediately as it is an absolute classic.Unfortunately nothing else they did came close to matching it. This track Pombi is not bad but not in the same league as those on Shabini.
There are a couple of tracks by ex Bhundu Boy Biggie Tembo on the album but they are both a bit disappointing

The pick of the bunch is probably the consistently excellent Four Brothers who  had a longer and more consistent career  than the Bhundus

Don't you just love these jingly jangly Zimbabwean guitars!

Bhundu Boys - Pombi

Four Brothers - Uchandifunga

By Any Other Name

My recent witterings about Steve Wynn have had me reminiscing about one of the greatest live music experiences I have been privy to.
It was about a dozen of so years ago on a sunny Saturday afternoon in Austin's Continental Club and it was free.
Folk were just wandering in taking in the music as artists delivered short sets. It was the first time I had seen Steve Wynn and the Miracle 3 and they completely blew me away.
The act before them Mary McBride was pretty special too. This led to me purchasing two of the three albums she has released 2002's Everything Seemed Alright which I have featured before and 2004's By Any Other Name which I am featuring today.
She is joined by a number of Americana  luminaries such as Dan Baird, Delbert McClinton and Jason Victor who also played with the Miracle 3 and who is now with The Dream Syndicate. To keep the Steve Wynn connection going he co-wrote two of the songs including the first one featured before.

The albums are ok but live she was ten times rockier. Just imagine these two being delivered with some additional welly

Mary McBride - One-Eyed Dog

Mary McBride -Coming Up Empty