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Wednesday, 31 March 2021

Psychedelic Funk, Black Rock and Cosmic Slop

 


Almost exactly a year ago I featured a Mojo compilation called Heavy Soul Vol.2. At the time I elected to feature a couple of new to me artists

The title of this post is the strapline on the CD cover and this time round I thought I would go with some old favourites whose music very much fits the bill

Psychadelic Funk? Ladies and gentlemen I give you Shuggie Otis with a song from his 1971 album Freedom Flight

My mind's at ease that I know you're on my side.
That ice cold daydream took me for an ugly ride.

Black Rock? Look no further than Mr Swamp Dogg with Family Pain from his recent album Sorry You Couldn't Make It

If you were to look up Cosmic Slop in the dictionary it may very well say see Arther Lee and Love

Time to fry your brains

Shuggie Otis -Ice Cold Daydream

Swamp Dogg - Family Pain

Love - Young & Able (Good & Evil)

Tuesday, 30 March 2021

In The Gloaming


 Sorry to disappoint you but In the Gloaming is not a collection of Scottish Country Dance music but is in album  by North Carolina Americana band Jolene.

From 1998 In the Gloaming is their second album and their first for one of the big boys namely Sire.They only lasted briefly there before being picked up by the great German Americana label Blue Rose.

There are fairly obvious comparisons to early R.E.M. and Wilco which is no bad thing with Allmusic describing their music as  guitar-based songs set in a rural America that many of us see, but all too often take for granted. 

I've also got the 2000 album Antic Ocean.All available for buttons on discogs

Along with Nadine they remain one of the only two bands that I've seen in Helensburgh. 

Jolene - Pensacola

Jolene - Two Sisters & the Laureate

Monday, 29 March 2021

Boo

 


In Saturday's Herald magazine journalist Teddy Jamieson had an interesting article on Boo Hewerdine and his recent move to Glasgow .

This had me reaching for Harmonograph a collection of many great songs he has written over the years.

Boo was the lead singer if the band The Bible in the the 80s who were probably best known for the 1986 album Walking the Ghost Back Home (an album I picked up in Dunbar) which includes the songs Graceland and Mahalia.

He is excellent singer as Weatherman demonstrates but is probably best known as a songwriter primarily for Eddi Reader but his songs have also been covered by the likes of Kris Drever, Heidi Talbot, Mary Chapin Carpenter and KD Lang. 

He's also a producer and is carrying out song writing classes with Findlay Napier. A multi-talented man.

The Bible - Graceland

Boo Hewerdine -Weatherman

Eddi Reader - Ontario

Kris Drever - Harvest Gypsies


Sunday, 28 March 2021

Val's Vinyl

 


Sadly we are rapidly nearing the end of Val's vinyl but not before we have a couple of slices of soul funk fusion.

Michael Henderson is a new name to me. It seems that he is an American bassist best known for his bass playing on Miles Davis albums in the early 70's.

He also enjoyed a solo career with 8 albums between 1976 and 1986. From 1979 on the Buddah label Do It All is the fourth.

He has also recorded with Stevie Wonder, Aretha Franklin,Marvin Gaye and Dr John so a pretty impressive CV.

This album has late 70's soul written all over it and is one I suspect that will not be a keeper.

Michael Henderson - Playing On The Good Thing

Michael Henderson - Do It All

Saturday, 27 March 2021

Even More Sounds of the City


 The third and final instalment from The Sound of the City compilation featuring the songs/and or artists who have never graced thes pages before. We will do them in the order that they come up on the album.

First up is The Pretenders with Brass in Pocket. I don't know why but I never really took to them which is strange as there are far worse bands, their songs are by and large ok and Chrissie Hynde seems quite sound apart from the abberation of marrying Jim Kerr. The nearest I ever got to seeing them was listening to them from outside the Free Trade in Newcastle with George as they played across the Tyne in Gateshead.

The band making their debut are Generation X. Billy Idol has also never featured before. My pal Raymie, who gave me Radio Clash. has blonde hair. He was once accosted by a Glasgow urchin who looked him up and down before proclaiming "Gen X, big man" Ah, the banter!

Last but be no means least we feature Stiff Little Fingers a band fronted by Jake Burns who was born in Belfast but spent many years in Newcastle before moving to the States. He took out American citizenship so he could vote against Trump.

I'm in two minds as to whether to keep this going of a Saturday with a similar, but better, compilation and would welcome your views.

The Pretenders - Brass in Pocket

Generation X  -Dancing With Myself

Stiff Little Fingers

Friday, 26 March 2021

Cortez the Killer

 


If you were to put me on the spot and ask me what my favourite Neil Young song was I would probably plump for Cortez the Killer although it would be closely followed by Powerfinger.

The original from the 1974 album Zuma is a fairly gentle affair. The same, however, cannot be said about the  live version om 1991's Weld

However for me the definitive version is from another live album 1979's Live Rust. Unfortunately that one is not on the shelves at the moment something that I really need to rectify. I used to have it on cassette. There is a story there which I will save for when I get round to re-acquiring it.

Interestingly on Weld Cortez is followed by Powderfinger whereas on Live Rust it is the other way round. Two songs that were clearly meant to be together in whatever order.

Neil Young & Crazy Horse - Cortez the Killer (Zuma)

Neil Young & Crazy Horse -Cortez the Killer (Weld)


Thursday, 25 March 2021

Charmer

 


Recently we've taken to  listening to playlists from the old I-pod over dinner. It is excellent exercise as I am constantly getting up and wandering over to see who is singing.

One such artist who caught my eye recently was Aimee Mann.I have acquired a couple of  her albums in charity shops and also have a couple of burns.

One such album is Charmer the 8th out of the 9 studio albums that she has released. It is from 2012 and is on the Superego label.
Her music is of a consistantly high standard but has never really had the recognition or commercial success that she probably deserved. Having said that she has one two Grammy awards and in 2006 she was named by NPR as one of the world's greatest living song writers. She must be doing something right.

She used to be one of those artists who had posts taken down by the Blog police.If there are no links below maybe she still is. However in these days of Spotify where artists get buttons for tens of thousand streams maybe she'll cut me some slack as I extol her virtues and promote her music.

Aimee Mann - Barfly




Wednesday, 24 March 2021

" Love and Theft"

 


Rightly or wrongly I've always considered Time Out of Mind (1997),  "Love and Theft" (2001) and Modern Times (2006) as a trilogy. What is not in doubt, howver is that Bob Dylan's 30th, 31st and 32nd studio albums represent a return to form.

Today I'm concentrating on the middle one with the other two now very much in my radar for future posts. OK by now his voice is a bit shot but that merely adds to the appeal.I still consider this a relatively  new album although it is now 20 years old.

As always when is comes to the Bobster there have been screeds and screeds written about the album exploring it in minute detail. I'll settle for this  piece by Rolling Stone describing how he plundered the entire history of American music to make a pre-rock masterpiece

Me, I'm happy just to listen to the music.

Produced by Jack Frost, which is an alias of Mr Zimmerman as opposed to this one:


Bob Dylan - Mississippi

Bob Dylan - High Water (for Charley Patton)




Tuesday, 23 March 2021

The Great Escape

 


Over the years I've picked up the entire Blur discography with the exception of their final album The Magic Whip. I can't say that I'm bothered that I don't have it but if I saw it cheap I would probably nab it for the sake of completeness.

A couple of them are still to feature here one of them being The Great Escape their 4th album from 1995 on the Food label. The one which featured Country House their first number one single  beating Oasis' Roll with It when Britpop hype was at its peak. Thereafter they began to become more experimental with the cracks in the band beginning to show

Critical acclaimed at the time of release  selling nearly half a million copies in the fist month following its release but maybe one which has not stood the tests of time.

Having said that I quite enjoyed listening to it, and in particular the singles, for the first time in ages.

Blur - Stereotypes

Blur - Charmless Man


Monday, 22 March 2021

You Don't Know Me


 What better way to start the week than with a single by Emmylou Harris?

From 1994 on The Grapeline Label  the lead song You Don't Know Me is a cover of the 1955 Country standard written by Eddie Arnold and Cindy Walker which I imagine many of you will recognise.It is a song which has been covered many times Indeed, as you would expect, it has been the subject of a Single Song Sunday by our pal Ernie Goggins

It is joined by A Ways to Go with both tracks being taken from her 1993 album Cowgirl's Prayer.

I'm unsure where I picked up the CD single but I picked up the CD of the album early in 2015 from the Red Cross charity shop  in Auchterarder along with  Brand New Dance.

Happy days

Emmylou Harris - You Don't Know Me

Emmylou Harris - A Ways to Go

Sunday, 21 March 2021

Val's Vinyl

 


Unlike many of the Blogging fraternity I do not have a pathalogical hatred of the Eagles. Indeed, I would go as far as to say that I actually quite like some of their earlier stuff. However I'm not that fussed about Hotel California (1976,Asylum) particularly the title track where the cocaine clearly kicks in.

Val on the other hand is clearly a fan being the previous proud owner of the album. I was going to say that she was one of the 32 million to purchase the album (the equivalent of the population of Peru, Angola or Malaysia), It turns out she was not as there is a poster with the album, which has actually been on someone's wall, with the name J.K.Lindsay on the back..The same name is also on the inner sleeve..Therefore I appear to be at least the third owner.

Val's Vinyl - you can check out any time you like but you can never leave

Eagles - New Kid in Town

Eagles - Life in the Fast Lane

Saturday, 20 March 2021

More Sounds of the City

 


The second instalment of  The Sound of the City and the same format as last week namely three songs which have never featured here before and one act making their debut.

The act making their debut are probably the first punk band namely The Damned. I must admit I'm pretty gobsmacked that they haven't graced these pages before. Note to self I must get round to posting New Rose and Neat Neat Neat which are better than Love Song which is still a pretty good number.

Then we hit some technical problems as the next two song are the first two on side 2 and a handily places scratch was causing some problems.

Therefore for the first of the two Hanging Around by the Stranglers I've had to resort to burning a copy from the Rattus Norvegicus CD. They always struck me as a band who jumped on the New Wave band wagon. I mean what other band around then featured an organ or had a song which lasted for over 4 minutes for goodness sake.

No danger of an organ featuring on a Sham 69 record or of it lasting over 4 minutes.  A band who attracted an unhealthy following through no fault of their own they were probably not that musically gifted but recorded some glorious anthemic shouty songs. I would put If  The Kids are United fourth in line behind Hersham Boys, Hurry Up Harry and Borstal Breakout.

The final three next week

The Damned - Love Song

The Stranglers - Hanging Around

Sham 69 - If the Kids Are United


Friday, 19 March 2021

Hank Ballard & the Midnighters




I was scrolling through the hard drive the other day (as you do) when I stumbled across a folder containing about half a dozen songs by Hank Ballard & the Midnighters.
It wasn't a name that initially struck many bells so further exploration was clearly required.Let's face it anyone called Hank is probably worth a listen.

It seems that he was an American R&B singers in the 50s who was one of the first rock'n'roll artists. He wrote and recorded The Twist  but as you all know it was Chubby Checker who became an international superstar on the back of that song.
Undeterred they went onto have a number of hit singles in 1962 including the first two featured below. I must admit I can't remember whether I ws bopping along to them in my pram.

Some good Friday Night music




Thursday, 18 March 2021

Teenage Fanclub Vinyl Reissues - The Singles 2

 

Last week Grand Prix, this week my favourite Teenage Fanclub record 1997's Songs From Northern Britain.

If you can remember as far back as last week you will recall that I bought both of these albums towards the end of last year for the first time wever on vinly as part of the super deluxe edition re-issues which all came with a bonus single.
I'm focussing on the singles.
The single which accompanies the album has a red centre this time round as opposed to the green of Grand Prix

Middle of the Road is the b-side of I Don't Want to Control You and is appearing on vinyl for the first time.
Broken is a b-side from Ain't That Enough and again is making its debut on vinyl. I picked up the CD single version along with Start  Again as part of a pretty impressive haul in Muir of Ord.



Wednesday, 17 March 2021

Olson and Louris

 


I always associate The Jayhawks with Gary Louris, Mark Olson and Marc Perlman.
It is easy to forger that Olson left the band in 1995 with his successor Tim O'Reagan having been a member for longer and having featured on more albums than he did.

Therefore it was good to see Olson back together with Louris in 2008 for a collaboration Ready For The Flood on the New West label
Allmusic gave the album 3 out of 5 with Mark Denning stating that the album was unlikely to disappoint fans of their old band. But while they mine a thoughtful country-folk vein that's not far removed from Jayhawks territory, Olson and Louris take a somewhat softer, more acoustic-based, balladic approach here than they did in the Jayhawks days, lending Ready for the Flood a warm, honeyed glow
Paste  gave it a slightly more generous 8.5 out of 10

Olson joined the band again from 2009 to 2012 during which time the album Mockingbird Time was released in 2011.

Not to be confused  with Marc Olsen as my pal Goggs once did buying his 1999 album Didn't Ever.. Haven't Since


Mark Olson & Gary Louris - Saturday Morning on Sunday Street

Mark Olson & Gary Louris -When The Wind Comes Up

Tuesday, 16 March 2021

Ask The Animals

 


Earlier this year Ernie Goggins drew my attention to an album called Do it With Love by Starry Skies on the basis that "they come from your neck of the woods".It is a very pleasant listen

I responded that I had an album Ask The Animals from when they were known as Warren McIntyre & the Starry Skies (Mecca Holding Co,2012) but that I hadn't listened to it for a while. I have now  and very good it is too.

I nearly saw them once at  the Come Rain Come Shine event at Kelvingrove Park but the need for curry and beer won out. To assuage my guilt I purchased a copy of the album.

Warren has met Chuck Berry at a crossroads and has been asked to dance on stage with Nina Simone which sounds a bit like an introduction from Only Connect.

Some further information from is this music? and Murray Easton's excellent Everything Flows blog for you. The entire digital discography is available at Bandcamp for a very reasonable price.

I'll leave you with  the words of Alan McGee - best live singer I've ever heard

Warren McIntyre & the Starry Skies - Let Love Come Back to You

Warren McIntyre & the Starry Skies - Time Alone

Monday, 15 March 2021

Where The Killers Run

 


I have a copy of this album from a friend and last week I listened to it for the first time in years. I couldn't find much in the way of information about them probably because I thought the band name was Via Rosa as opposed to Viarosa Searching using their proper name didn't yield that  much more information

Discogs reveals that Where the Killers Run was their first album from 2005 on the Pronia label followed up in 2008 by Send for the Sea. There was a CD EP in 2005 called Porous and a 2009 single Tourniquet and that appears to be that.

Their Bandcamp page is slightly more expansive describing them as a country wired Echo and the Bunnymen and quotes Uncut who describe them as outstanding, like the Birthday Party doing Johnny Cash. I can certainly see the Nick Cave comparison. Comparisons are also made on Amazon to Americana band 16 Horsepower.

They were from Oxford with the main man being Richard Neuburg and I'm afraid that's your lot.

Viarosa - Blindfold

Viarosa -Where The Killers Run

Sunday, 14 March 2021

Val's Vinyl

 


Val is back on safer ground this week after her short dalliance with the Christian Pop of Amy Grant.

We are back on the Soul train this week albeit late 80's soul which was not it's greatest era. The artist featuring is one Benjamin Earl Nelson better known to me and you as Ben E King. Yes indeed the man who sang Spanish Harlem and Stand by Me. Nothing of that quality here today unfortunately.

From 1978 Let Me in Your Life is his 11th solo studio album and the 4th on the Atlantic label.I can't find very much about it on the internet other than Allmusic gives it 3 out of 5 albeit with no review..

I've gone for two of the three songs written and produced by Lamont Dozier originally for the Motown group The Originals which are as you might expect the best tracks on the album.Background vocals courtesy of The Jones Girls

The voice is still there and certainly not the worst soul record in Val's collection

Ben E King - Let Me Live in Your Life

Ben E King - Sweet Rhapsody


Saturday, 13 March 2021

The Sound of the City


 I'm following up on the last two Saturdays which featured the brillaint compilation The Sound of the Suburbs with the not so brilliant  The Sound of the City.

Whereas every song on the Suburbs was a stick on classic some of these sadly do not fall into that category. Same format as last time I will only be featuring songs which haven't appeared here before.

By my reckoning that is 9 out of the 17 tracks with 3 acts taking their CCM bow. So that should fit fairly neatly into  posts  for the the next three Saturday. I shall feature them in the order that they appear on the record.

The opening song is She's So Modern by the Boomtown Rats from the period before Bob Geldof got completely up himself although the early signs were there. My favourite of theirs from this period was Mary of the 4th Form which remains one of the missing singles.

Sheena is a Punk rocker is the first song I ever heard by the Ramones and the one that first brought them to the attention of a UK audience. Fortunately they went onto much better things.

The Ruts are making their CCM debut this week with Staring at the Rude Boys. I remember seeing them at Strathclyde Uni where they were supported by The Flys. I can't say that I really remember this song. Babylon's Burning would have been a much stronger option.

Another three next week. Haud me back, I hear you cry

Boomtown Rats - She's So Modern

Ramones - Sheena is a Punk Rocker

The Ruts -Staring at the Rude Boys


Friday, 12 March 2021

Teenage Fanclub Vinyl Reissues - The Singles

 

At Christmas I thought that I would upgrade my two favourite Teeanage Fanclub albums from CD to vinyl. This decision was helped in no small part as there was a sale on for the Super Deluxe reissues which originally came out in August 2018. As a bonus each album in the series came with a single. There were 5 albums availablre but I could only stretch to two.

Grand Prix is probably my second favourite album by the band and songs from it and previous CD singles have featured here before. Today it is the turn of the single which came with the album.

Every Step is a Way Through is a B side from the  CD single  Neil Jung and this is its first appearance on vinyl.

Some People Try to Fuck With You is a B side from the CD single  Mellow Doubt which I picked up in a charity shop in September last year when such things were an option.

Stay tuned for part two

Teenage Fanclub - Every Step is a Way Through

Teenage Fanclub - Some People Try To Fuck With You




Thursday, 11 March 2021

World Service

 


When I featured One Eyed Jacks by Spear of Destiny as far back as November 2015 I commented that I had another album of theirs called World Service which I said I must get round to listening to sometime.

Well it has finally happened. I gave it a listen to earlier this week. The things you do when you have a week off work in lockdown and there is nothing open.

As I commented previously it came as a bit of a surprise to stumble across this as I had no recollection of it. There is a scored out Eastwood Distict Libraries sticker which may mean that if I didn't buy it it came via Mrs CC or her sister.

From 1985 and on the Epic label it is the bands third album and the follow up to One Eyed Jacks and reached the UK top 30. Here is a little bit more info from Louder than War on the occasion of the release of the 35th anniversary re-issue.

I can't say it doeas much for me and as the review says it is bogged down on mid-80S production. There is certainly nothing on it of the class of Rainmaker or the mighty Liberator.

It might take another lockdown for me to dust this one down again.

Spear of Destiny -World Service

Spear of Destiny - All My Love (Ask Nothing)

Wednesday, 10 March 2021

A Lost Single Rediscovered

 


Recently I have found myself thinking about some singles which have gone missiong over the years.

One such single was The Morning of Our Lives by Jonathan Richman and the Modern Lovers. It its absence I dusted down my Modern Lovers Live album to record the version there and threw in New England for good measure.

Then when I went to put the album back in it's sleeve there seemed to be a blockage stopping it and lo and beyold there was my copy of the single!From1977 and on the Beserkley "Home of the Hits" label.

Result! Therefore I'm giving you the single version which I think is taken from the live album in any event..Unfortunately the b-side, Roadrunner (Thrice), which does not appear on the live album has a slight scratch on it causing  it to jump. Worry not, however, as I have retreived a copy from the hard drive.

Jonathan Richman & the Modern Lovers - The Morning of Our Lives

Modern Lovers - New England

Jonathan Richman & the Modern Lovers -Roadrunner (Thrice)

Tuesday, 9 March 2021

This is Radio Clash


 My pal Raymie had a fairly eclectic record collection.

One reason maybe tha his family were friendly with a Radio Clyde DJ Frank Skerret whose musical tastes were such that he thought The Carpenters were punk rock.

This connection led to a few promos and records coming Raymie's way and on occasions there were doublers. One such doubler was the 12 inch version of This is Radio Clash which I was happy to take off his hands.

Side 1 containes This is Radio Clash and Radio Clash a remix with additional lyrics. It was the intention of the band that they be heard as a single entity and who am I to argue?

The Clash - This is Radio Clash/Radio Clash

Monday, 8 March 2021

Crowsdell

 


In the comments from my recent Waxahatchee post George queried whether I thought that there were similarities with Crowsdell. Regular Friday night commenter Spence  felt that there may be a similarity. I didn't feel that I could comment as I hadn't  listened to the only thing I have by them the 1995 album Dreamette on the Big Cat label in the longest time.

Crowsdell were a threesome from Jacksonville, Florida who consisted of Shannon Wright (guitar and vocals), Paul Howell (base) and Laurie Anne Wall(drums). They released a couple of albums, an EP and a handful of singles before Shannon went on to pursue a solo career.

I've now given Dreamette a listen and to be honest I'm not really hearing the comparison. They remind me more of the likes of Hole and Pavement (maybe the later is not surprising given the album is co-produced by Stephen Malkmus). I'm thinking that they are slightly more grungey than Americana and that a shelf transfer is perhaps required

Crowsdell - Down

Crowsdell - Sugar Coated

Sunday, 7 March 2021

Val's Vinyl

 


I'm not adverse to featuring a bit of Gospel on occasion on a Sunday but I think that this may be this first (and last) time that Christian Pop has graced (see what I did there?) these pages.

And who better that the Queen of Christian Pop herself Amy Grant with her 1982 album Age to Age on the Myrrh label.(£1.50 Fishers of Men Christian Charity).

Presumably Val was seeking some redemption after her Janet Jackson Nasty period.

The album that ushered her into stardomand also contrbuted to the creation of the mold for the modert Contemporsry Christian music star. Not only that, voted number 92 in the 2001 book CCM Presents:The 100 Greatest Albums in Christian Music (a must read).

It seems that Amy slightly dented her Christian credentials by divorcing and then marrying Vince Gill. I'm not sure which caused the most offence.

Pretty sure I've had a kebab from the El Shaddai

Amy Grant - Share Your Praise to the Lord

Amy Grant - El Shaddai



Saturday, 6 March 2021

More Sounds of the Suburbs

 


Those of you who can remember as far as back as last Saturday will have been rewarded with 4 of the 7 tracks from the great The Sounds of the Suburbs compilation which had previously not featured on these pages.

Time then to complete the jigsaw with the final three and I'm sure you'll  agree they are well worth waiting for.

Elvis Costello is no stranger to these pages but one of his most famous songs 1979's Oliver's Army has not made an appearance. When he plays in Glasgow with the boys of the Mersey and the Thames and the Tine sees the Tine being replaced by the Clyde. Does this happen elsewhere?

Ian Dury hasn't featured here nearly often enough so it is good to hear the bouncy Hit Me With Your Rhythm Stick today.Je t'adore, ich liebe dich,

Now for a band making their debut her The Vapors. Their classic song Turning Japanese  howver has appeared here before with a cover from Liz Phair. I'll leave you all to decide whether the song title is an urban myth or not

I've got the follow up The Sound of the City on vinyl and whereas it is perhaps not quite the same gold plated standard as this one I may look to continue this series.


Elvis Costello & the Attractions - Oliver's Army

Ian Dury & the Blockheads - Hit Me With Your Rhythm Stick

The Vapors -Turning Japanese


Friday, 5 March 2021

Skin 'Em Up!

 


It's been  a fairly eclectic week on CCM so what better way to finish it off than with a bit of Glaswegian Rockabilly.

Skin 'Em Up! is the 1981 debut album from The Shakin' Pyramids on the Cuba Libra label (an off shot of Virgin)

Released to rave revues including this from Trouser Press the album pounds furiously, putting your average megawatt metal band to shame. Songs — mostly non-originals — zip by at a blinding rate; the record's only flaw is its brief running time. Then again, if brevity be the soul of this music, the Shakin' Pyramids are a rockabilly Ramones .The reference to the running time is because it is only 29 minutes long.

NME gave it 10/10 and Rolling Stone 5/5

The Pyramids were Davie Duncan (lead vocals/harp/percussion), James G Creighton (guitar/backing vocals) and Railroad Ken McCellan (guitar/backing vocals)

in total they released two studio albums, 3 EPs, 4 singles, a compilation album and a live one. A copy of this one is all I have and yes it is courtesy of my brother

Shakin' Pyramids - Take a Trip

Shakin' Pyramids - Tennessee Rock 'n' Roll

Shaking Pyramids - Teenage Boogie


Thursday, 4 March 2021

Saint Cloud

 


Waxahatchee, the band fronted by Katie Crutchfield released their 5th album Saint Cloud  on the Merge label about this time last year .

The Robster is a huge fan and he gave this album the high accolade of naming it his album of 2020. He pointed out that that it has a distinct Americana  feel about it and that it would be right up my street and he is totally right there.

As it is still a relatively new album I'm only sharing the one track namely Can't Do Much. I only have one other album of hers/ theirs Ivy Tripp the 3rd album from 2015. They first came to my attention via an Uncut compilation.Poison is a track from that one.

The St Cloud in the title is not the city in Minnesota which Gretchen Peters got a bus to but a small community just outside Orlando in Florida where her father comes from.

Waxahatchee - Can't Do Much

Waxahatchee - Poison

Gretchen Peters - On a Bus to St Cloud


Wednesday, 3 March 2021

Raveloe

 

If you are looking for some new and interesting music you could do a lot worse that Notes and Dreams the debut ep by Raveloe on the mighty Olive Grove label

Notes and Dreams is a 5 track EP  recorded during lockdown and available on CD (but hurry they are nearly sold out) or digitally
Raveloe is the nom be plume of Glasgow based singer Kim Grant with the name being taken from a novel by George Elliot called Sias Marner

Here is some more information from the ever excellent Postcards from the Underground

I'm not sure how helpful it is to make comparisons when new artists are trying to find their feet but I think that this will be right up the street for fans of This is the Kit and Rozy Plain


This is the first time I've tried a link from Bandcamp on New Blogger and won't know whether it is successful or not


In the highly likely event of the above link not having been succesful this link  or the Olive Grove one above will give you a sampler of her music. Be quick!

Tuesday, 2 March 2021

Tindersticks


 Tindersticks
are an indie band from Nottingham who are fronted by singer Stuart A Staples. Their songs are pretty sparse and minimal with some fairly obvious comparisons to Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds. I know that JC is a big fan who has written about them more eloquently than I ever could.

I only have one album of theirs 1987's Curtains on the This Way Up label which was a charity acquisition.Let's Pretend is a track from that album.

I've also got a couple of interesting covers by them where they give their intepretations of classic songs by Townes Van Zandt and David Bowie

Tindersticks - Let's Pretend

Tindersticks - Kathleen

Tindersticks - Kooks


Monday, 1 March 2021

April March

 


As today is the 1st of March I thought I would have a quick look through the hard drive to see what songs I have with March in the title.

I was amazed to find 10 songs by American indie singer April March. I must have downloaded an album by her but have absolutely no recollection of having done so or having listened to any of her songs.

I've now given them a listen and while they are nothing startling they are perfectly pleasant quirky pop songs sung in both English and French. Much better than Janet Jackson

April March is not her real name, that would be Elinor Blake. I know a woman at work called April who uses her maiden name probably because her married name is April May 

April March -Stay Away From Robert Mitchum

April March - Mon Ange Gardien