Willie Heath Neal

I was playing the old I-pod in the car the other day on random shuffle when two rather good songs by Willie Heath Neal popped up in close proximity.
Given that there are about 19,000 songs on it I took this as a sign to feature him here.Sadly the mp3 versions of these songs have long gone.

This led me down a Willie Health rabbit hole, albeit a reasonably shallow one given that there is not much out there.  A few songs on You Tube which are fairly generic and a few  on Bandcamp including this one which is available as a free download.

Not sure if he is still active but he seems to have led a fairly interesting life

Willie Heath Neal - Out of Highway

That Summer Feeling

Well that's us now in British Summer Time. True to form it was freezing yesterday morning before turning into a fairly nice day.
The BMX Bandits cover of That Summer Feeling popped up on the I-Pod the other morning. Given the  situation we are currently facing with over  a 1000 deaths now recorded  I must confess that I felt a lump in my throat.
However, I will refuse to believe that we are on top of the virus and that it is officially  summer until Drew posts the Jonathan Richman original.

BMX Bandits - That Summer Feeling

Jonathan Richman & the Modern Lovers - That Summer Feeling

Let's Groove

2020 Charity Shop Purchase 25 - Earth, Wind & Fire  - Let's Groove- The Best Of

The second and final Newton Stewart purchase and the last charity shop purchase for the foreseeable future was Let's Groove - The Best of Earth, Wind & Fire.

Chosen by Mrs CC and, whisper it, it  may be even better than Kim Wilde.

Some splendid funk ,soul and above all disco from Maurice White and friends
A bit like Kim Wilde and Kids in America you can't possible feature EWF without posting the magnificant Boogie Wonderland.
Up until now I didn't know that it also featured The Emotions. Somewhat criminally it did not reach number 1 anywhere when released in 1978. It peaked at number 4 in the UK and was not even their highest single as both September and Let's Groove reached number 3.
Outrageous.

Earth, Wind & Fire (with The Emotions) - Boogie Wonderland

Earth, Wind & Fire - September

Earth, Wind & Fire - Let's Groove

50 Americana Albums You Should Hear Before You Die - The World Won't End

You'll be glad to know that it's official The World Won't End. The Pernice Brothers have spoken

The Pernice Brothers were formed in 1996 by former Scud Mountain Boy Joe Pernice (vocals/guitar/bass) and included his brother Bob ( vocals, guitar), Thom Monahan ( vocals, guitar, bass guitar, keyboards, drum programming), Mike Beltsky (drums, percussion), Laura Stein (vocals, piano, keyboards) and Payton Pinkerton (vocals, guitar, percussion, great name)
A lot of vocalists as there are a lot of harmonies. A Dorchester, Massachusetts Teenage Fanclub if you will.

The World Won't End was there second album released in 2001 after a 3 year hiatus following their 1998 debut Overcome by Happiness when Joe performed as a solo artist and as a member of Chappaquiddick Skyline. I saw him around then and am pretty sure that I also saw the Pernice Brothers
It was released on his own label Ashmont Records although mine is the UK version on Pias/Southpaw.

I also use Joe Pernice as rhyming slang for Fleece  ie "Where's my Joe Pernice?"

Pernice Brothers - Working Girls (Sunlight Shines)

Pernice Brothers - Let That Show

Wilde Friday

2020 Charity Shop Purchase 24 - Kim Wilde - The Best Of

We are moving about 12 miles due North from Wigtown to  our final Galloway charity shop destination Newton Stewart.
The Best of Kim Wilde is one I may have passed on had there been anything more exciting on offer.
Let's face it Kids in America is really all you need and I picked that up as a single a couple of years ago.
Some  new to to me facts. I wasn't aware that all her songs were written by father Marty and brother Ricky with Ricky also producing. Nor was I aware that she won the BRIT award for Best Female Solo Artist in 1983 and even more impressively was voted the Smash Hits Most Fanciable Female not once but twice!
It was all downhill from there.

Kim Wilde - Kids in America

Kim Wilde - Chequered Love

Kim Wilde - Cambodia (Reprise)

Sweet Talk and Good Lies

2020 Charity Shop Purchase 23 : Heather Myles - Sweet Talk and Good Lies

Apologies once more for The Strawbs. I'm not sure if you will ever forgive me.
Hopefully my third purchase from the Wigton Community Shop with go some way to making amends.

Some wonderful honky tonk from Heather Myles with Sweet Talk and Good Lies her 5th album from 2002 on the Rounder label.
It joins the previuosly featured Untamed (1995) and Highways and Honky Tonks (1998) on the Americana shelves - all charity shop purchases.
Her song  Nashville's Gone Hollywood from this album featured in my Memphis v Nashville series narrowly beating Sheryl Crow's 100 Miles from Memphis.

Wiki states that  her honky tonk singing is in the Bakersfield sound -style and has been likened by many to that of Dwight Yoakam and the man himself makes an appearance on the album.

I know that fellow fan Ernie Goggins will approve

Heather Myles - Sweet Talk & Good Lies

Heather Myles & Dwight Yoakam - Little Chapel

Covers 11 - Krisenka Finley does Queen

George writes:

OK, maybe Jealous Guy is not very very very famous, but this week’s song undoubtedly is. The vocalist here has that quavery vocal that reminds me of a famous female singer. For the life of me I can’t think who it is, Vicky Leandros?? Having typed that I would not categorise Ms Leandros as very famous, even if she did win the Eurovision Song Contest in 1972 (and it sold SIX MILLION copies) It’s driving me crackers. So, for your pleasure, an absolutely terrific cover version today. Better than the original prog-pop song.

Krisenka Finley - Bohemian rhapsody

Well done Krisenka, that was splendid.

And if you thought that was good, this is fantastic! Look out for some quality instrumentation by Lukas throughout the video:

And this made me laugh

Another one next week.

A Couple of Strawbs

2020 Charity Shop Purchase 21 - The Strawbs - Heartbreak Hill

2020 Charity Shop Purchase 22 - The Strawbs - The Broken Hearted Bride

Two for one today.

Part of the Union by The Strawbs was the first single I ever bought (along with Tie a Yellow Ribbon by Dawn). I'm also aware that Sandy Denny was briefly a member of Strawbs but wasn't aware that Rick Wakeman  was also briefly a member also.

So when I saw the above two CDs above for a pound in the Community Shop in Whithorn for a pound I thought why not, it will be nice to hear a bit of folk.

Sadly that was not the case. It is horrible ghastly prog rock of the worst possible kind - the sort of stuff that George would  probably like.

Heartbeak Hill was recorded in 1978 but not released until 1995.The only interesting thing I can find to say about it is:

The album was referred to in a Viz cartoon strip entitled "Spot The Clue with Tim Westwood". The strip was a detective story in which, in a bizarre twist, the killer was caught after claiming that they had been listening to a selection of vinyl LPs including Heartbreak Hill, which due to the various legal issues surrounding its release had not been issued on vinyl at the time the strip was published.

The other tracks on 2008's The Broken Hearted Bride may be brilliant for all I know but having listened to Heartbreak Hill in its entirity I could only bring myself to listen to the title track.

I was going to swiftly dispatch them from whence they came until a quick check on Discogs suggested that I could get around 30 quid for the pair of them. Hmmm ...

The Strawbs - Heartbreak Hill

The Strawbs - The Broken Hearted Bride

Lioness: Hidden Treasures

2020 Charity Shop Purchase 20 - Amy Winehouse - Lioness: Hidden Treasures

We managed to sneak in a brief visit to Galloway prior to the lockdown.Things were a lot quieter down there but there was only one show in town.
Managed to visit a few charity shops and pick up a few CDs which will probably be the last for a while. Nothing startling I'm afraid.

I only managed to pick up one in Stranraer. Lioness: Hidden Treasures is a posthumous compilation album from Amy Winehouse , her third after Frank and Back to Black.
I was a bit reticent about buying it as I was wondering whether it was an attempt to cash in on her death. She died on 23rd July 2011 with the album being released on 2nd December 2011. I was a bit reassured to subsequently read that it was released in aid of The Amy Winehouse Foundation
I still can't say that I am 100% comfortable with it though.

Described fairly accurately be Andrew Ryce of Pitchfork who writes:there's little on Lioness:Hidden Treasures that sounds throwaway, or that it shouldn't have been released, but there's equally little that sounds absolutely essential.

Her other two albums are of course absolutely essential and should remain as her legacy.

Amy Winehouse - Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow

Amy Winehouse - The Girl From Ipanema

He Knew When to Hold 'Em and He Knew When to Fold 'Em

I was sad to hear of the death of Country legend Kenny Rogers at the age of 81.
I wouldn't say that I was a huge fan but he bit write some terrific tunes. Mrs CC is more of a fan so there are a few of his CDs on the shelves. She showed me a particularly moving tribute from Dolly Parton.
Rest easy Kenny.
There'll be time enough for countin' when the dealing's done.

The First Edition - Just Dropped In (To See What Condition My Condition Was In)

Kenny Rogers & the First Edition - Ruby, Don't Take Your Love to Town

Kenny Rogers - The Gambler

50 Americana Albums You Should Hear Before You Die - Hollywood Town Hall

There are times when I think that Hollywood Town Hall by Minneapolis' finest band The Jayhawks is perhaps the greatest album of all time. There is never a time when I don't think that it is one of the top 10 albums of all time.

From 1992 on the Def American label it was their third album, their first on a major label and the one which shot them to prominence.
The classic line up of  Marc Olson on vocals/ acoustic guitar, Gary Louris on vocals and electric and fuzzy guitar, Marc Perlman on bass and Ken Callahan on drums. Production by George Drakoulias

It seems to have been released to mixed views but not to these ears.
Ten tracks ( two of which Two Angels and Martin's Song also appeared on their 2nd album Blue Earth) and 42:36 in length.

The band has produced ten albums in total.Tomorrow the Green Grass and Rainy Day Music being for me the best of the rest with this remaining the pinacle. I did an ICA on them over at JC's place

It was around then that I first saw them live. The first of many occassions.

Any of the ten tracks could have easily featured but I've gone for two which haven't graced these pages before.

The Jayhawks - Two Angels

The Jayhawks - Settled Down Like Rain

Covers 10: Donny Hathaway does John Lennon

George writes:

A few years ago, maybe ten, I’m not sure, there was a programme on UK TV where a well-known person brought in some of their favourite records and discussed them with a panel of musos, one of whom was Danny Baker. Does anyone know what I’m talking about? ( on this particular occasion, or ever ..... Ed). ANYWAY, someone brought in a Donny Hathaway album, and Danny Baker let a great “wah hey” of joy, pure and unexpected delight, and waxed lyrical about what a great album it was. I’d never heard anything by Donny Hathaway apart from that duet with Roberta Flack. I went out and bought a set of his records. And there’s some belting music on them, absolutely belting. And this is one well worth listening to:

Donny Hathaway - Jealous guy

How good was THAT? You will not hear a better song today, that  is, well, fantastic. Far far superior to Lennon’s thin-voiced whiny original, and better than Bryan Ferry’s Lennon-tribute version (which I actually have a soft spot for, and own on 7”)

Look, just go and buy Donny Hathaway “Live”, his 1972 album.

You know what to expect now, so here’s Daniel Taubkin

Another one next week

Blind Willie McTell - The Classic Years

Yesterday I was playing some Bob Dylan when my favourite song of his Blind Willie McTell popped up. As it has featured here before on more than one occasion I thought it better that I actiully feature the man himself.
A good few years ago I ordered a Blind Willie album from Red Lick records who used to sent out superb coloured catalogues in the days before the internet. They got back to me and suggested that for a couple of quid more I could get a 4 CD box set. Naturally I took them up on that splendid suggestion. What great service.
The boxset it question is The Classic Years 1927 -1940 with the four CDs covering various recording sessions.

Disc 1 - October 1927 - October 1931 - Atlanta
Disc 2 - October 1931 - September 1933 - Atlanta and New York City
Disc 3 - September 1933 - April 1935 - New York and Chicago
Disc 4 - November 1940 - Atlanta

It may well come in handy if I require to self isolate.

Being a generous sort here is one from each of the four

Blind Willie McTell - Writin' Paper Blues

Blind Willie McTell - It's Your Turn To Worry

Blind Willie McTell - Bell Street Blues

Blind Willie McTell - Dying Crapshooter's Blues


We will be away for a couple of days this week (coronavirus permitting) so apologies in advance for the reduced service

Hatful of Hollow

My last charity shop purchase of 2019. Hatful of Hollow by The Smiths. Purchased from my local charity shop in mint condition vinyl for a pound. I saw it on sale in Fopp the next day for 14 quid which made me feel rather smug.

A compilation from 1984 on Rough Trade it features these two singles and their B-sides and a number of songs from various Radio 1 sessions.
In 2000 Q named it as as number 44 on the list of the top 100 Greatest British Albums Ever. I was not aware that compilation albums were considered for such lists.

From the days when Morrissey was  annoying but in a different way than he is now and actually relevant.
No doubt he has some cointroversial views on Coronavirus which hopefully he won't share with us.

The Smiths - William, It Was Really Nothing

The Smiths - Heaven Knows I'm Miserable Now

50 Americana Albums You Should Hear Before You Die - Ashgrove

Now you may be wondering just what a Blues number is doing in an Americana series.

I shall try and explain.

Ashgrove is the first song on the album of the same name by the great Dave Alvin which was released in 2004 on the Yep Roc label.

The song is a reference to the Ash Grove music club in Los Angeles which Dave and his brother Phil frequented as teenagers watching the likes of Big Joe Turner, T-Bone Walker and Lightnin' Hopkins.

So not a bad musical education then.

Dave is a terrific Blues guitarist but one who can effortlessly slip to Country as anyone who has had the privilege of seeing him live can testify. He does fit the wider genre of Roots Music which is sometimes used to describe the mix of traditional folk, Blues and country.

The rest of the album has a more Americana feel about it. The second track Rio Grande is bona fide Americana and is co-written with fellow musician Tom Russell. The Man in the Bed is an extremely moving depiction of his father's struggles with dementia.

As an added bonus when I bought this, in the days when you could afford to pay postage for music from the States it came with a two track bonus CD , one track from which also appears below.

He is one of my all time favourite artists. You should check out his solo stuff, his work with the Blasters, with the Guilty Men and indeed the Guilty Women  and his collaborations with his brother and with Jimmie Dale Gilmore. You will not regret it.

Dave Alvin - Ashgrove

Dave Alvin - Rio Grande

Dave Alvin - The Man in the Bed

Dave Alvin - Evening Sun



The Slade Brigade

Everyday by Slade popped up on the radio the other night and it got me thinking as to whether they had appeared on these pages before. No, seems to be the answer which is slightly strange given that The Sweet have appeared a few times.
A Glam Blur v Oasis debate. Who was the best?
I'm going for Sweet in this instance given that spelling was never Slade's strongpoint.
I actually saw Slade at the Glasgow Apollo just after they had moved on from their glam phase and had become a semi Heavy Metal Band.Not quite sure why.

I know an ex-blogger who once saw Dave Hill  doing his shopping at Waitrose in Wolverhampton

Slade - Everyday

Slade - Far Far Away

Slade - Skweeze Me, Pleeze Me

From Scotland With Love

We are off to the Concert Hall tonight (coronavirus permitting) to see King Creosote perform his brilliant 2014 album From Scotland With Love in its entirity.
An album, on the Domino label, recorded as the soundtrack to a documentary film of the same name by Virginia Heath which was commissioned as part of the cultural festival accompanying the 2014 Glasgow Commonwealth Games.
I suspect that it is going to be good.


A slight difference from the last time we saw Kenny play live at Elgol Village Hall on Skye
I doubt on this occassion that he will have the opportunity to interact with every individual audience member but being the King you just never know!


King Creosote - Cargill

King Creosote - Largs

Covers 9: Ironhorse do Elton John

George writes:

Of course this is a famous song. And it’s on the first album I ever bought, it cost me £2.99 from a small record shop whose name I forget in my part of Dundee. The shop may be long gone but I still have Elton John’s Greatest Hits on cassette. And here’s a bluegrass version, by the very manly-sounding Iron Horse. Now, it does take a while to find its groove, but it is worth the wait

Iron Horse - Rocket man

The now obligatory Portugese-language version-probaby-delivered-by-a-Brasilian is faithful to the original, and is a perfectly pleasant listen that will also help with your Portugese (we'll all be fluent by the time this series is over... Ed)

. Heeeeeeeeeeeeee’re’s Lukas:

You’re welcome

Idle Jets

On Sunday morning Mrs CC selected a random CD, put it on and challenged me to guess who it was.
I was pretty stumped. It sounded like powerpop so I guessed wrongly that it was Matthew Sweet.

I got the powerpop bit right though. Turns out it was the Idle Jets with their 1999 album Atomic Fireball. A band I have not seen nor had I heard of them when I bought the album.

I have seen the lead singer Pat Buchanan though which led me to buy this and a subsequent solo album by him.
Nothing more to add really other than I think some of you may like it.

Idle Jets - Genius of the Obvious

Idle Jets - Christina

Heartattack and Vine

Somewhere on the shelves I have a copy of New Coat of Paint (Songs of Tom Waits). Not quite sure why I copied it given that I am not particularly a fan of Mr Waits.
From 2000 it contains covers by the likes of Neko Case, Lee Rocker, Screamin' Jay Hawkins and Andre Williams.
I may have just answered my question in that these artists are more interesting (to me) than Tom Waits.
It is not one I have listened to for years and I had pretty much forgotten about it until a fantastic version of Heartattack and Vine by Lydia Lunch popped up on the i-pod.Guitarist Nels Cline also gets a namecheck

Lydia (whose real name is Lydia Anne Koch) inexplicably did not feature in my Double Initials series. She has also had an interesting and varied career

Lydia Lunch (ft Nels Cline) - Heartattack and Vine


Tom Waits - Heartattack and Vine

Please, Mrs Avery ....

2020 Charity Shop Purchase 19 - Dr Hook - Greatest Hits

When I retire and am looking for something to keep me busy I may volunteer to sort out the vinyl in the BRICC charity shop in Ballantrae. That would keep me going until my dotage. Having said that despite the quantity they are somewhat short in quality.

This one was chosen by Mrs CC. I must admit that Dr Hook (originally known as Dr Hook and the Medicine Show) are a band that I can take and leave with the exception of Sylvia's Mother which I think is a brilliant song. I'm not sure about the rest of you but I know that Walter agrees.

As for the rest of their songs they seem to be labouring under the misapprehension that teenage girls may find grizzly old men attractive. Don't get too excited when looking at the picture above ladies.

A band that typify the description soft rock and arguably just the thing for a Sunday morning

Dr Hook - Sylvia's Mother

Dr Hook - A Little Bit More

50 Americana Albums You Should Hear Before You Die - Grievous Angel

If for some strange reason you only had room for one Americana album in your life you could do much worse than picking up the CD that contains both GP and Grievous Angel the only two solo albums by Gram Parsons.
Albums like these are the reason that this genre and series exist.
I thought of featuring that CD but that would not have been in the spirit of the rules which state one album per act.
I've gone for Grievous Angel his second solo album from January 1974 (released posthumously after his death in September 1973 at the age of 26  following a drug and alcohol overdose)
He didn't record that much during his short lifetime but boy what a legacy he left.

This is his second appearance here after featuring with The Byrds. Who knows he may well feature again.
The album is only 36:14 long consisting of 9 tracks all of which are pretty much essential. Described by the man himself as Cosmic American Music.
There are conflicting reports as to whether he was totally out of it on heroin during the recording of the album or whether he was just about functioning with support from Emmylou Harris.
Whatever, it is a work of genius.

Another genius next week.

Gram Parsons - Return Of The Grievous Angel

Gram Parsons - In My Hour of Darkness

This is the 10th album in this series. For some strange reason George requested that I post a list after every ten. Sorry George but I can't be bothered. That's what the search facility is for

Solid Air

2020 Charity Shop Purchase 18 - John Martyn - Solid Air

I picked up a second CD at BRICC in Ballantrae in the shape of the 2009 Deluxe Edition of John Martyn's 1973 classic album Solid Air.

The second CD is missing.I can live with that as it seems to be a collection of  alternative takes,demos and live version. Plus my total outlay was only £2.20 for 2 CDs and a vinyl album.
As it was a double CD it is slightly thicker and consequently takes up more space on the shelves but that is one to file under first world problems.

I've always had John down as a folk artist but this has a little bit of everything including Blues and Jazz which can get dangerously close to being twiddly in places.
Sounds proclaimed that "Solid Air flows beautifully and shows the entire spectrum of music that John Martyn has at his fingertips"
Melody Maker is a little bit more poetic stating that  stated that "there is a concentration upon timbre, building up into some very extraordinary landscapes,"
Q rates it as the 67th Greatest British album  ever.

I now have this and One World along with a couple of anthologies. The acquisition of Grace and Danger is probably the only essential one still required. Unless anyone else knows different.

Here are the ones that you are probably expecting.

John Martyn - Solid Air

John Martyn - May You Never

The Blues Collection - Eric Clapton and the Yardbirds

The Yardbirds (sans Eric)

2020 Charity Shop Purchase 17 - Eric Clapton and the Yardbirds

Eric Clapton was namechecked a couple of weeks ago when I featured Buddy Guy's contribution to The Blues Collection.
He now appears as part of the Collection in the company of the Yardbirds.It is number 14 in the series and the 56th to appear on the shelves.
Purchased in an old favourite BRICC in Ballantrae where we stopped off at on the way back up the road from our latest Dumfries and Galloway excursion.

It is perhaps a bit of a misnomer to attribute  the CD as Eric Clapton and the Yardbirds as the recordings cover the period 1963 to 1966. Clapton left the band in 1965  and was replaced by Jeff Beck so perhaps The Yardbirds would have sufficed. Beck was only a member from 1965 to 1966 with an overlap with a certain Jimmy Page who started off playing bass before switching to lead guitar after Beck's departure.
A pretty impressive trio I'm sure you will agree. They are ranked as three of the top 5 of the 100 greatest guitarists  by Rolling Stone magazine - the top five being 5 - Jeff Beck, 4 - Keith Richards, 3 - Jimmy Page, 2 - Eric Clapton and 1 - Jimi Hendrix

Lest they be forgotten the other members of the band from this period were Keith Reif on lead vocals,Chris Dreja on rhythm guiter, Paul Samwell- Smith on bass and Jim McCarthy on drums.

The Yardbirds - For Your Love

The Yardbirds - Still I'm Sad

The Yardbirds - I'm a Man

Covers 8: Aretha Franklin does Simon & Garfunkel

Can you guess where that is? (The River Tay? ...Ed)

To define a song as very very very famous is somewhat arbitrary. There will be a dearth of such songs from ca. 1990 onwards because I’m not sure what songs would fit that category. And I suspect I would hard-pushed to have any cover versions of such songs anyway, let alone soul or country, and I am also very confident that even if I could source such things I wouldn’t like them. So, like the preceding songs so far it’ll be songs from the 1960s and 1970s on the whole, and one of the judges of what constitutes very very very famous is my partner. OK, one of two judges. See the lengths I go to in my sampling methods? Lazier than a year 11 boy (oh what sexist comment).

Today’s song is of course famous. And it is a splendid pop song. And Aretha Franklin, if not betters it, gives us a really great cover. And that minute and a half intro is tremendous:

Aretha Franklin - Bridge over troubled water

And of course there’s a version of “O ponte sobre águas turbulentas” (the translation actually scans) in Portuguese. Take it away Cris:

That’s not the only Portuguese language version, but it’s the best. If you don’t believe me, here’s Guilherme:

And after that, possibly not another one next week…... (Haud me back .... Ed)

Idlewild

2020 Charity Shop Purchase 16 - Everything But the Girl - Idlewild

No, not the band fronted by Roddy Woomble but the fourth album from 1988 on the Blanco y Negro label by husband and wife Ben Watts and Tracey Thorn, recording as Everything But the Girl and my final Lockerbie purchase.

Wiki uses the awful term sophisti- pop to descrine their music. This is also used to describe the likes of Danny Wilson, Prefab Sprout and the Style Council. So far so good then the names Simply Red and Bryan Ferry pop up.

A few intersting things (to me at any rate) about this copy of the album.It originally was part of the West Lothian District Library Gramophone Record Collection (number 14288 to be precise). For a record library record it is in remarkably good condition.
When I went to check it for scratches the inner sleeve was from Parallel Lines by Blondie although the record was EBTG. My copy of Parallel Lines just has an ordinary inner sleeve so I've swopped them over.
It also has the address of a Miss LB in Dundee written on one side and the proclamation that "Ken loves May" on the other.
So a record that was originally in a library in West Lothian, may have resided in Dundee before pitching up in a Lockerbie charity shop prior to finding a good home in Glasgow!

Later copies of the album contain the single I Don't Want to Talk About It but not this one.
The first song would have featured on my Sunday Songs on a Monday series had I had it at the time, The second song isas relevant now as it was then.

Everything But the Girl - Goodby Sunday

Everything But the Girl - The Night I Heard Caruso Sing

Working With Fire and Steel

2020 Charity Shop Purchase 15 - China Crisis - Working With Fire And Steel

Back to the Greyhound Rescue shop in Lockerbie and someone had handed in a job lot of ealy 80's vinyl. Unfortunately most of it was by King.Still I managed to come away with a couple.

From 1983 on the Virgin label Working With Fire and Steel - Possible Pop Songs Volume Two was the second album by Liverpool band China Crisis.
Although they often played and recorded as a larger band China Crisis were effectively a duo George Daly on vocals and synthesiser and Eddie Lundon on  guitar and vocals.
On this album they are joined by Gary Johnson on bass and Kevin Wilkinson on drums.

The album spent 16 weeks on the charts peaking at number  20. The two singles below got to number 48 and 44 respectively.

It wouldn't take a genius to guess that this album is from the 80's According to Allmusic it is chock full of intelligent, well-written pop songs
My pal Raymie saw them playing live in Largs

China Crisis - Working With Fire and Steel

China Crisis - Hanna Hanna

Johnny Teardrop

The i-pod is limping along and I have been playing in in the car on the commute. Normally I stick to the playlists but they are still not working properly.
So I'm listening to whatever pops up with the occassional fast forward. It is good to hear stuff you haven't heard for ages and also stuff you haven't heard at all. I can be guilty of downloading stuff to play at a later date and often not getting round to it.

One such thing which popped up was Johnny Teardrop a single by Edwyn Collins from his 2002 album Doctor Syntax which I don't recall having heard before.I've most of  Edwyn's earlier albums and a couple of his more recent ones but Doctor Syntax is not one from the great man that I am familiar with.

I suspect that I downloaded this from a fellow blogger, JC perhaps?. Whoever it was, thank you.


Edwyn Collins - Johnny Teardrop

Edwyn Collins - Never Felt Like This

Edwyn Collins - The Popstar