Venus not Mars

 

On the back of my recent Mars post I thought that I would have a look to see what I had in respect of Venus.

To my surprise even after excluding Boney M's Night Flight to Venus on account that it is rubbish it turms out that I've more songs with Venus in the title than I have about Mars. Enough even for a second post somewhere further on down the line.

I said in a recent post that I like my Friday music bouncy and at least a couple of these fit that bill. One that certainly does is Destination Venus a 1978 single by the great Edinburgh band The Revillos on the Sire label

We move from Edinburgh to Athens, Georgia for the second offering with53 Miles from Venus the last track on Wild Planet  the second album by The B52's from 1980 on Sire

I don't have any records by Be-Bop Deluxe. I was wondering whether I should until I Googled them and the words Progessive Rock popped up. I'll maybe stick with the few songs I have on file including one with a good prog rock title Jet Silver and the Dolls of Venus.

Somewhat controversially I'm going for a band rather that a song for my last offering. I couldn't resist featuring Cleaners from Venus who appeared in a recent post from Brian . I've pencilled in Robyn Hitchcock and the Venus 3 should I ever get round to a second post.

The Rezillos - Destination Venus

The B52's - 53 Miles West of Venus

Be-Bop Deluxe - Jet Silver and the Dolls of Venus

Cleaners from Venus - No Go

Dixie Blur

 

Singer/songwriter and producer and all round polymath Jonathan Wilson is widely attributed as resurrecting the Laurel Canyon sound.

To quote the blurb on his Bandcamp page Jonathan Wilson was born in the mid-'70s, but his music most clearly recalls an era whose heyday came a few years before he came into the world; the deep but gentle vibe of his songs is an echo of the Laurel Canyon mellow rock scene of the late '60s and early '70s, and it's no surprise that he found a home in the very same section of California years after the fact. 

His most recent album 2020's Dixie Blur on the Bella Union label continues in this vein. Americana UK describe him as a modern musical renaissance man and describe the album as a really surprising treat.Recorderd in Nashville ,following a sugggestion by Steve Earle, it is co-produced by Wilco member Pat Sansone.A country focussed band was brought together, complete with pedal steel, with thr album being produced following 6 days of live recording in Cowboy Jack Clement's old studio. Hence the album name.

That's enough blurb.Time for some music.

Jonathan Wilson - '69 Corvette

Jonathan Wilson -El Camino Real

Flaco and Friends

 

I feel that it's time for a little bit of Flaco.

From San Antonio and a member of the Texas Tornados and Los Super Seven ladies and gentlemen I give you Leanardo "Flaco" Jiminez the legandary conjunto accordionist still going strong at 82 years young.

From 1992  on the Repise label  Partners sees a host of legends line up to pay homage and duet with the master. The likes of Emmylou Harris, Linda Rondstadt and Ry Cooder have previously features with their tracks from this album.

I think it is first time around for John Haitt who joins Flaco for a rendition of Across the Borderline a song he wrote with Ry Cooder and Jim Dickinson.

Dwight Yoakam's interpretation of Warren Zeron's Carmelita has appeared before. I make no apologies for that. It will almost certainly make further appearances on these pages such is its brilliance. The definitive version.

Finally Flaco enjoys a solo mission

Flaco Jiminez (ft John Hiatt) -Across the Borderline

Flaco Jiminez (ft Dwight Yoakam) - Carmelita

Flaco Jiminez - Eres Un Encanto

.

Is There Life on Mars?

Over the weekend the answer to Rol's latest Saturday Snapshots conundrum was Planets. The solution to one of the clues was the band Ash. I incorrectly guessed the song as Girl from Mars as opposed to the correct answer Jack Names the Planets.

This got me thinking about the remarkable exploration which is currently taking place on Mars at the moment with the Rover and the helicopter providing amazing pictures and data.

Then the way my mind works it got me thinking about songs about Mars. Spoiler alert - one of these songs does not refer to the Red Planet

Ash - Girl From Mars

David Bowie - Life on Mars

Jason Ringenberg - Honky Tonk Maniac From Mars

Undertones -Mars Bars

Fairest Floo'er

 

We are continuing with Folk Monday for a bit.Folk Friday would be more alliterative but by the time Friday comes around I usually opt for something a bit more bouncy.

Karine Polwart is a firm favourite of the CCM household and has graced these pages on  number of occasions although I think today's post of her singing traditional Scottish folk music may well be a first.

It is perhaps not that much of  a surprise given that she comes from a folk background having started out in folk bands such as Malinky and the Battlefield Band as well as participating in a Songs of Robert Burns project.

It may though come as a surprise (it did to me) to find out that Fairest Floo'er an album from 2007 was not her debut solo album but rather her third having being preceded by 2004's Faultlines and 2006's Scribbled in Chalk.

There is a pub called The Learig on Alexandra Parade in the east end of Glasgow a few hundred yards from where I had a flat in Cumbernauld Road where I had a flat for a number of years (known as the Ice Station). I was only ever in it twice; once when I stayed there when it was rough as houses and once before the Dundee United v St Johnstone Cup Final at Parkhead when it was very friendly.

Karine Polwart - Dowie Dens of Yarrow

Karine Polwart - The Learig

Vintage Country Vinyl - Melba Montgomery

 

How to you follow Val's Vinyl?

With great difficulty is the obvious answer. However needs must so for two weeks only we have the return of Vintage Country Vinyl featuring the kind of stuff that might have been at home in Val's collection.

Don't Let the Good Times Fool You on Elektra  is from 1975 and was Melba Montgomery's 14th album. The title track reached the top 15 but the other singles from the album didn't trouble the scorers.

In addition to her sole work Melba recorded a number of duets with George Jones and later Charlie Louvin. I'm pleased to say that she is still with us at the grand age of 82.

It is pretty much country by numbers.Not bad, but not that good. My copy was initially £3.25 but was reduced to 99p. Not sure that I would have stretched to the original price but worth a punt at 99p.

An altogether better offering next Sunday.

Melba Montgomery - Don't Let the Good Times Fool You

Melba Montgomery - I'll Be Your Lady

Punk 1

 

The Saturday New Wave compilations continue.

I have three CD burns called imaginatively Punk 1, Punk 2 and Punk 3. From memory these are 3 discs from a  compilation but I cant remember what one .

CD I starts with 3 splendid  songs which are not exactly punk but which probably could be described as roots of punk namely White Light, White Heat by the Velvet Underground, Kick Out the Jams by MC5 and Search and Destroy by Iggy & the Stooges. Does that ring any bells with anyone?

Kilburn & the High Roads were a pub rock band as opposed to punk but had Ian Dury in their midst which probably merits their selection.

The Damned were definately punk. Indeed they may well have been the first punk band. When I featured Love Song from The Sound of the City I ventured that New Rose was a better song. Here's the proof.

Chinese Rocks is a  song which was written by Dee Dee Ramone and Richard Hell and both were in bands which recorded it, the band Johnny Thunders & the Heartbreakers of which Hell was a member getting in first.

We finish off with the Punk Poet himself Dr John Cooper Clarke with a  pleasant ode to cyclists.

Punk 2 next Saturday

Kilburn & the High Roads - Rough Kids

The Damned - New Rose

Johnny Thunders & the Heartbreakers - Chinese Rocks

John Cooper Clarke - Psycle Sluts 1&2

Man-Made

 I'm expecting my copy of Endless Arcade the new album by Teenage Fanclub to turn up any day now. It will be the first of theirs that I have bought on release.

I've currently  got pretty much nothing after Songs from Northern Britain although I did pick up Words of Wisdom and Hope the one they did with Jad Fair in a charity shop.

I've also got a burn of the one pictured above 2006's Man- Made on their own PeMa label in Europe and Merge in the States.

I've just given it a listen for the first time in ages and whilst it is not in the same league as SFNB (very few albums are) it is not bad at all. Indeed as the Guardian would have it it's a difficult record to dislike

Recorded in Chicago with John McEntire of Tortoise as producer. Norman Blake recalls that they took so few instruments with them that they had to borrow a guitar from Jeff Tweedy..When in Chicago ..

Coincidentally the third post in a row to feature a Scottish act

Teenage Fanclub - It's All in My Mind

Teenage Fanclub -Fallen Leaves

Teenage Fanclub -Born Under a Good Sign

Young Forever

 

I hope that didn't put you off your breakfast.

On the back of me featuring  2006's Do Whatever Turns You On  the second album by Edinburgh band Aberfeldy a few years back JC very kindly furnished me with a copy of their 2004 debut Young Forever on the Routh Trade label.

Back then I described them as delivering pleasant indie pop in a Belle and Sebastianesque sort of a way.I think that I would now include the words slightly more twee somewhere within that description.

They reached the outer echelons of the UK singles charts with Heliopolis by Night reaching 66 and Love is an Arrow 60.The other singles Vegetarian Restaurant and Summer's Gone failed to chart.

The b-side of Love is an Arrow was called Tom Weir. It is not on the album Tom Weir was  a Scottish climber and broadcaster who did a TV series called Weir's Way.

There is a statue of him but it is in Balmaha on the eastern shore of Loch Lomond as opposed to the lovely Perthshire town of Aberfeldy.

Aberfeldy - Love is an Arrow

Aberfeldy - Vegetarian Restaurant

Aberfeldy - Tom Weir

The Water

 

The Water a 2008 album by Colin MacIntyre made it onto the CD player over the weekend. It is his fourth album with the first three having appeared under the guise of Mull Historical Society. I've the album Us by MHS plus a couple of CD singles so they have graced these pages before. Today is the first time he's appeared using his own moniker.There have been a further 4 albums one his own name and then 3 by MDS the last being 2018's Wakelines.

I've previously described his music as pleasant melodic pop music which is easy on the ear and this album does nothing to change that. Clash Magazine gave The Water 6 out of 10. I would go a point higher.

JC, The Vinyl Villain, has some issues with Mr MacInyre as detailed here. Had I witnessed that I might not have been so generous with my additional point.

Colin MacIntyre -You're a Star

Colin MacIntyre - Famous For Being Famous

Desert Songs

 

I've swopped over listening chairs in the Music Room. Gone is the bulky old green leather armchair to be replaced by a lighter and more manoeuvrable red one.

One of the advantages is that it is easier to move around and allows easier access to the bottom shelves of the Americana section which contain a number of compilations some of which are from Mojo.

Desert Songs from April 2017 features 15 tracks of Cosmic Roots Music and appears to have been issued to coincide with the 30th anniversary of U2'S Joshua Tree. Therefore I assume it is a charity job as I can't imagine  that I would have bought the accompanying magazine if this was the top story. I also can't remember having listened to it before but I think that I must have. It certainly has not  featured here before.

Julie Byrne is anew name to me. She is from Buffalo, New York and this song is from the second of the two albums she has released namely Not Even Happiness on the Basin Rock label.

Devon Sproule is a name that I am familiar with but don't have any of her albums by. I have the odd track probably courtesy of Ernie Goggins who I know if a fan..Tree Detail comes from her 9th and seemingly latest album 2017's The Gold String on Tin Angel.

I actually have a Gun Club album their brilliant 1981 debut Fire of Love. Mother of Earth (as opposed to Mother of God!) comes from a Cooking Vinyl re-ssue of their 2nd album Miami

Julie Byrne -All The Land Glimmered Beneath

Devon Sproule - Tree Detail

The Gun Club - Mother of Earth

Unhalfbricking

 

A week or so ago George forwarded me an article from the Guardian on Beeswing an autobiography by Richard Thompson with a number of references to Fairport Convention. It looks like a good read and has been added to the list.

Even more kindly he then forwarded me a copy of Unhalfbricking the band's 3rd album from 1969 on Island. It's the first time I've heard it in its entirity. I was familiar with about half the tracks as they feature on The History of Fairport Convention an anthology  which was the only album of theirs I had, along with a couple from Sandy Denny.

One of the songs I hadn't previously heard was Autopsy which is very good indeed. Not quite as good as Who Knows Where The Time Goes voted, quite rightly , as the greatest Folk song of all time. It has featured here before and no doubt it will do so again.

That's Folk been on these pages for two successive Mondays - a potential series in the making?

Fairport Convention -Autopsy

Fairport Convention - Who Knows Where The Time Goes?

Val's Vinyl

 

It's the end of an era as we feature the last Val's Vinyl post. If my calculations are correct this is the 25th post.

We started on the 1st of November 2020 with Sweet Caroline by Neil Diamond. It is only proper that now just over  6 months later we finish with Neil Diamond with his 12 Greatest Hits Vol 2 a 1974 compilation on the MCA label.

There are some sadly which have not quite made the grade. Portrait by The Nolans for instance. We have already had Making Waves and you can have too much of a good thing. I've decided to spare you Nature Boy  a single by George Benson as I have already featured an album  and I  couldn't bring myself to subjecting you to him again.

There are a further two Neil Diamond albums Rainbow ( a pretty dire covers album) and Serenade.See my comment about the Nolans above. Finally I'm not featuring Off the Wall by Michael Jackson for obvious reasons.

I reckon I'll probably keep about a third of the records and donate the rest to charity. It's what Val would have wanted. For the record Mrs CC likes Neil Diamond so this one is likely to be a keeper.

There is now a rather large Sunday void requiring to be filled.

Thanks Val. Legendary status now assured.

Neil Diamond - Beautiful Noise

Neil Diamond - Love on the Rocks

If it Ain't Stiff....

 

In the absence of inspiration for my Saturday posts I shall continue with compilations of a certain vintage.

Stiff Records founded by Dave Robinson and Jake Riviera were active from 1976 to 1986 and were one of the UK's most legendary Indie labels.

The CD compilation If It Ain't Stiff ...  from 2001 on Union Square Music by and large concentrates on records from the later part of that decade. It features many artists that you know and love such as Dr Feelgood, Wreckless Eric, Dave Edmunds and Kirsty MacColl. Indeed I have featured it here before with a concentration on some of the more classic tracks

Today I'm going to concentrate on some of the more obscure acts (to me at any rate) tucked away towards the end of the 21 tracks (numbers 13,17,18 and 19 to be precise)

The Deviants were an English garage band in the 60s but had a second wind when billed as Mick Ferren & the Deviants in the late 70s recording a one off EP for Stiff called Screwed Up in 1977 which includes the track below.

Any Trouble were a band from Crewe who signed to Stiff in the late 70'S with the single below being released in 1980. The band included Clive Gregson who went on to become a successful musician and music producer.

The Equators were a Birmingham Ska band descibed by Marco on the Bass as the best Ska band you've never heard. Here they do a cover of the Equals classic Baby Come Back.

There are two bands called Dirty Looks (take note Ernie) One are a rock band from San Francisco .The other and the ones who feature here are from Staten Island  featuring singer Patrick Barnes who does a rather good Joe Jackson impersonation.

Mick Farren & the Deviants - Outrageous/Contagious

Any Trouble - Girls Are Always Right

The Equators - Baby Come Back

Dirty Looks - Let Go

Gene Sequencing

 

Don't worry I'm not about to get all scientific on you. Rather I thought we could do a little musical gene sequencing  today

I believe that it is importance in matters such as this that things are done chronologically .

Therefore, we will start as far back as 1956 when Gene Vincent & his Blue Caps released Be-Bop-a-Luba to an unsuspecting world. Things were never quite the same again.

Twenty Four Hours from Tulsa was a song written by Burt Bacharach and Hal Davis  and although it has been covered many times it was of course originally a hit by Gene Pitney in 1963

Fast forward to 1968 and we have the Duke of Earl himself Mr Gene Chandler performing River of Tears.

Finally we conclude our gene sequence in 1974 with Life's Greatest Fool the late great  Gene Clark from the brilliant No Other album.

Gene Vincent - Be-Bop-a-Lula

Gene Pitney - 24 Hours From Tulsa

Gene Chandler - River of Tears

Gene Clark - Life's Greatest Fool

Trains, Boats and Planes

 Thursday is Irish Indie day on CCM.

Trains,Boats and Planes could very well be the title of a new series (and it may well be some day). It is also the title of a 1992 debut album by Cork band The Frank and Walters on Setanta/ Go Discs. The bulk of the production is from Edwyn Collins with Ian Broudie also getting in on the act.

My favourite track from the album is Happy Busman which featured here fairly recently as part of my Happy Hippy Chick Mix mini-series.

Therefore I've gone for Fashion Crisis Hits New York a track that I had as a single prior to picking up the album. Also attached is After All which you may recognise given that it reached number 11 in the UK Singles charts. You can definitely hear the Broudie influence on this one.

It's not on the album but I'm throwing in a Julian Cope cover for good measure

As the band may say what a hippy dippy crazy world.

The Frank and Walters -Fashion Crisis Hits New York

The Frank and Walters -After All

The Frank and Walters -Elegant Chaos

Make a Move

 

We are doing a fair bit of genre jumping this week. Monday was folk music and Tuesday Americana.

Today we have some North Mississippi Hill Blues for your listening please

Hill Country Revue were a side project of Cody Dickinson (vocals/guitar)  and Chris Chew (bass) from the North Mississippi Allstars. They are joined by Daniel Coburn (vocals/harmonica), Kirk Smithheat (guitar) and Edward Cleveland (Drums)

The third member of the North Mississippi Allstars Luther Dickinson makes a guest appearance as do Aaron Julison, Duwayne Burnside and Garry Burnside with most of the songs , including those featured below, being written by Garry.

So two of Jim Dickinson's boys are involved aling with two off R.L. Burnside's. That's quite a pedigree.

From 2009 on the Razor & Tie label Make a Move was followed in 2010 by Zebra Ranch on the same label and that appears to be your lot.

Hill Country Review -Hill Country Review

Hill Country Review -Growing Up in Mississippi

The Train Wreck is Behind You

When I replaced New Miserable Experience by the Gin Blossoms back on the Americana shelves after last week's post I noticed that the 2001 album The Train Wreck is Behind You  by the band Gingersol  on Idea Prone Recordings was adjascent to it. Is it was a while since I had listened to it (probably as far back as July 2016 ) I felt it was  due an airing.

Coincidentally Gin Blossoms get a mention on thr blurb on Spotify (lifted from All Music) which states Los Angeles band Gingersol plays delightfully melodic, rough-edged rock that recalls the Replacements, early Wilco, or a more scruffy Gin Blossoms -- but with their own, distinct sonic stamp.

Pop Matters also make reference to Wilco and the Replacements throwing  Neil Young and  the Wallflowers into the mix for good measure

So a lot to live up to and I think they do a pretty good job

Not to be confused with Gingerol ( properly as [6]-gingerol, is a phenol phytochemical compound found in fresh ginger that activates spice receptors on the tongue.)

Gingersol -Where Do I Stand?

Gingersol - Face Up Again

Gingersol -Make It Stick

 

Prodigal Son

 Some traditional folk music to start your week.

I first came across Martin Simpson with a live version of his brilliant song Never Any Good appearing on a sampler from Proper Records called That's Proper Folk. It made such an impression that it featured on my 3rd ever post back in December 2012. A song written about his relationship with his father.If this doesn't move you best check to see if you still have a pulse.

I've since picked up two or three of his albums including  2007's Prodigal Son (on the Topic label) on which the song first featured.It quite rightly won the Best Original Song Award at the BBC Radio 2 Folk Awards in 2008.Oh, and the album won too. You will probably recognise Kate Rusby on backing vocals.

As it's Monday I'm also going to sneak in a long song with his version of the traditional folk song Andrew Lammie

Martin Simpson -Never Any Good

Martin Simpson - Andrew Lammie

Val's Vinyl

 

It's the penultimate week of Val's Vinyl and it is the pièce de résistance as far as Mrs CC is concerned.

From 1970 it is the original triple album box version of  All Things Must Pass by George Harrison on the Apple label. It is in remarkably good condtion given that it has been lying in Val's attic for a few years with no major issues as far as the records are concerned.

It would get me a few bob on Discogs but that would also get me divorced. My Sweet Lord is obviously the best known song on the album but given that it is Mrs CC's favourite it has appeared here before. Instead I have gone for two with Dylan connections.I'd Have You Anytime was co-written with the Bobster. My second selection is a cover of Dylan's If Not For You a song from his 1970 album New Morning and a love song to his then wife Sarah.

All Things Must Pass becomes the third triple album on the shelves joining Sandinista and Urk a live album by Dutch band Nits. I've no idea how the latter ended up there and don't recall ever having listened to it.

It's the final countdown next week.

George Harrison - I'd Have You Anytime

George Harrison - If Not For You

That Summer! - Side B

 

Side B of That Summer! the greatest soundtrack album of all time this week and four tracks for you with one act making their CCM debut

The Boomtown Rats appear twice on the the album once with She's So Modern whick appeared a few weeks ago as it is also on The Sound of the City. This time out Kicks the last song from their self titled 1977 debut album gets an outing.

Ian Dury & the Blockheads appeared last week. No apologies for them appearing again this week given that the song is What a Waste, one of Ian's finest numbers.

I've got Jesus of Cool by the great Nick Lowe and So it Goes and 36 Inches High have previously graced these pages. Today it is the turn of I love the Sound of Breaking Glass.

I'm pretty surprised that Richard Hell and the Voidoids have not featured here before. Today they make their belated debut with the magnificent Blank Generation.

I'm not sure yet whether it will be more of the same next week

Boomtown Rats - Kicks

Ian Dury & the Blockheads -What a Waste

Nick Lowe -I Love the Sound of Breaking Glass

Richard Hell & the Voidoids -Blank Generation

Covered by The Polecats

 

The Polecats were one of the new wave of Rockabilly bands who shot to prominence in the late 70's alongside the likes of The Stray Cats and The Shakin' Pyramids. They also had  Boz Boorer the future guitarist, musical director and co-songwriter of right wing lunatic  M*******y within their midst.

Although the wrote  many of their own songs they also were not averse to a cover or two of famous songs by much more famous acts.

The first two were taken from their 1981 album Polecats Are Go! on the Mercury label with the first getting to number  35 in the UK singles charts and the second  reaching number 53. The third MP3 was a 2017 single on Raucous Records. My copy has an Anti Nazi League symbol on it suggesting that it might also have featured on a compilation somewhere.I won't insult your intelligence  by telling you who sang the originals.

Seeing as it's Friday and I like you, you are also getting an Altered Images cover of song two. Don't say I'm not good to you

The Polecats - John I'm Only Dancing

The Polecats - Jeepster

The Polecats - What Do I Get? 

Altered Images - Jeepster

Sky Valley High

 

Mudflat Walkers are a band who came to my attention via George. He does the work so we don't  have to

Here is all you need to know about them courtesy of their record label OGS Records

Mudflat Walkers were a country/folk band based in the Skagit Valley in Washington State, comprised of Matney Cook on guitar and vocals, Kevin Olney on bass, and Jeff Lacy on drums and backing vocals. They released the EP FEELS LIKE HOME (OGS-006) in 2013 and their debut full-length SKY VALLEY HIGH (OGS-007) in 2014. Both records saw a rerelease on OGS Records in 2020

The vocals of Matney Cook remind me of someone but I can't quite put my finger on it. Zoe Muth maybe or even Jesse Sykes or perhaps a less polished Laura Cantrell? Any thoughts

I'll own up to having only given Sky Valley High a cursory listen so far - so much music, so little time. I have the feeling though that it could well become a grower over time.

If you have a similar feeling pop over to  Bandcamp where you can pick up  both the records detailed above for a reasonable price.

Mudflat Walkers - All I Want

Mudflat Walkers - Feelin' Like a Wreck

Found Out About You

 

The 1992 album New Miserable Experience by Tempe, Arizona power pop band Gin Blossoms found it's way into the CD player over the weekend.

This in turn led me to looking out the CD single of Found Out About You which features on the album and had also appeared on their 1989 debut Dusted.

It was written by their guitarist Doug Hopkins and is based on a compilation of episodes with several of his girlfriends. Sadly Hopkins had personal issues and alcoholism which led him tp be fired by the band. Even more sadly this led to a downwards spiral with him completing suicide in December 1993 around the time this came out as a single.

I have two versions of the single and have selected the one which contains live versions of their other big song Hey Jealousy (also written by Hopkins) and another couple from the album.

Gin Blossoms - Found Out About You

Gin Blossoms - Hey Jealousy (live)

Gin Blossoms - Hold Me Down (live)

Gin Blossoms - Mrs Rita (live)

Some Evil Ways

 

Martin John Henry is a fairly recent discovery.

I probably first stumbled across him as part of Henry and Fleetwood (with Gillian Fleetwood)as part the the Olive Grove Archipelago EP series

This in turn led me to pop over to bandcamp  to pick up their On the Forest Floor EP.

A chat with Lloyd Merideth the main man at Olive Grove led to me discovering that he had been in the band De Rosa. I subsequently snaffled their album Mend from a Fort William charity shop.

The latest Bandcamp Friday saw me acquiring his 2018 solo album Some Evil Ways You should do so too.

Henry & Fleetwood - On the Forest Floor (Rhiwaddolion)

De Rosa - Sylvia (ft Georgia Cecile & Gillian Fleetwood)

Martin John Henry - Some Evil Ways

Gold

 Stop! Come back! It's not the Spandau Ballet song but an Anthology by the late great John Martyn called Gold which was given an airing on Easter Sunday chez CCM

Given the religious connotations it seems appropriate that John the Baptist is one of the songs that I've opted to share with you today. It also had me muttering  1,2,3,4 John the Baptist knows the score

One World is not religious, as far as I am aware, but seems to be advocating peace and harmony so it too gets the nod.

Finally The Wizard of Oz is always likely to be on a telly channel somewhere over the holiday weekend so here is John's version of Over the Rainbow. I once heard this version being played at a funeral which was rather moving.

John Martyn - John the Baptist

Half Man Half Biscuit - God Gave Us Life

John Martyn - One World

John Martyn - Over the Rainbow

Val's Vinyl

 

As we rapidly approach the end of Val's Vinyl it is time to feature the last of the late 70's Soul albums.

From 1977 and on the Atlantic label Blue Lights in the Basement is the 6th studio album by Roberta Flack.

On the first play I was a bit unsure of it as it of it's time and pretty much soul lite with touches of jazz on occassions. After a second listen I'm gradually coming round to it and it may very well be a keeper. There is no denying that she has a great voice and that her duets with the late great Donnie Hathaway are much,much better than her later ones with Peabo Bryson

After You is one of her favourite recordings and you are getting the solo version as oppsosed to the one with Peabo.

The penultimate Val's Vinyl next week😞

Roberta Flack & Donnie Hathaway -The Closer I Get to You

Roberta Flack - After You

That Summer! Side A

After the minimum of persuasion I'm continuing my Saturday New Wave Compilation series with an absolute cracker.

That Summer! is a 1979 soundtrack album from the film of the same name. The film by all accounts is an absolute shocker.Fortunately I have not seen it but it seems to be as bad as the music is good.

I had a copy of the soundtrack which I played to death and was subsequently went missing. Jamie very kindly stepped in and provided my with a copy. When I featured this before it was well received especially by Brian who is even more passionate about it that I am.

Enough of that - to the music. Same rules apply. Only artists and/or songs who have neved graced these pages  before will feature. This time around it is a two parter - side A and side B

This series is proving useful  for spotlighted songs by Ian Dury & the Blockheads which I have been criminally negligent in ignoring before.The opening track Sex & Drugs & Rock'n'Roll  deserves to have featured before.

The Zones, along with Mink De Ville , were probably the least well known act on the album . A Scottish band formed from the remnants of PVC2 after Midge Ure left to join the Rich Kids with Glen Matlock. They make their debut here with New Life.The split up shortly thereafter with members going on to join Endgames and the Skids.

We finish today with one of the greatest songs of all time. You will be suprised that I have never featured it before. Well I have sort of with the Peel Session version. Better late than never

Side B next week

Ian Dury & the Blockheads - Sex & Drugs & Rock & Roll

Zones - New Life

The Only Ones - Another Girl, Another Planet

 

Good Friday

 

Today is Good Friday. So called because it is a Friday and I get a day off work and that's good.

As I'm in a holiday mood I've decided to do something non taxing namely posting a couple of songs with Good in the title and a couple featuring the word Friday.

Not rocket science and probably not that original although I've never been lazy enough  thought to do it before.

In the Good camp Susan Cadogan with the wonderful Hurts so Good followed by new favourite band Dropkick with a song off their recent Best of album and taken from their 2008 album Dot the I.

For Friday we start with Richard Thompson and his cover of an Easybeats classic. Finally The Associates who are off to splint their hips and bruise their lips. As you do.

I'm off to roll my egg or maybe just a roll and egg.

Susan Cadogan - Hurts So Good

Dropkick - Good Vibes

Richard Thompson - Friday on my Mind

The Associates - Tell Me Easter's on Friday

Curtis

 I made a second trip to the HMV 2 for 30 quid sale a few days ago. One of the albums I came away with was Curtis the debut album by Curtis Mayfield. I paid more a couple of years ago to see Ayr United play Peterhead for goodness sake.

From 1970 (over 50 years ago - unbelieveable) it was released by the Curton label it represented a shift from  the pop harmonies of The Impressions to a more funky and psychadelic approach with the subject matter being more political and socially aware. The result - a stonewall classic and a great album cover to boot!

I don't really trust my USB turntable with new vinyl and as there was no download I've dug up a couple of the tracks from the hard drive

Take nothing less
Than the supreme best

Curtis Mayfield - Wild and Free

Curtis Mayfield -Move On Up