The Remote Part

 

2021 Charity Shop Purchases 93  - Idlewild  - The Remote Part

In addition to picking up Three by APB in Cancer Research on Glasgow's Victoria Rd I came away with The Remote Part the third album by Idlewild from 2002 on Parlophone.Someone had clearly taken the opportunity to donate some shouty Scottish Indie music.It joins 1998's Hope is Important on the shelves

I must admit that they were a band who passed me by although I did see them at Meadowbank Stadium in August 2005 when I was there primarily to see Teenage Fanclub and the Pixies.

I've come to them through a strange route namely lead singer Roddy Woomble's later folk career .I picked up the brilliant 2008 Before the Ruin on which he appeared with Kris Drever and John McCusker and then a couple of his solo albums.He also curated Ballads of the Book the collaborative album and concert at The Tramway between Scottish authors and singers.

Back to The Remote Part which was released to critical acclaim and peaked at number 2 in the Scottish album charts and number 3 in the UK and going Gold. I've selected the first two of the four singles from the album for your listening pleasure.

Idlewild - You Held the World in Your Arms

Idlewild -American English

Dave Longdon R.I.P

 

I came back from a few days away to receive some sad news from George

George writes;

An ex-work colleague of mine died a few days ago. He was two years younger than me. And he was a really really lovely man. I’ve no idea how I first  got chatting to him, with him being a music teacher, and someone who never went to the staff room. But I would wander over to his room from time to time, and of course talk about how badly run (the sixth-form) college was, but mainly about music. He put me on to The Cardiacs. He also told me, in his quiet unassuming way, that he had auditioned to be the lead singer of Genesis. ( a lucky escape -CC) But I never held that against him. When I knew him, he was also a member of the prog band Big Big Train, who had just released an album. He left that teaching job a bit after I did and devoted his energies to the band.  

I was talking to my friend Miguel about him this morning. “What instrument did he play?”. “He could play anything, Miguel, flute, guitar, anything, he could just look at an instrument, pick it up and play it. He had a great voice too, Miguel”.  Wiki has a list of the instruments he was proficient in.

Dave seems to have been held in high esteem by a lot of other musicians, he collaborated with

a lot of people.

The Guardian published this about him just after he died.

He was not really a friend, we never kept in touch, never even went for a drink together, for me he

was one of those people I would just like to talk to, one of those work colleagues that maybe we all

have had that we just spent a few minutes of the day with occasionally. He was, simply,  a decent,

lovely bloke. It’s really bloody sad.

The Cardiacs - Is This the Life

Bloody sad indeed - CC

No Depression# 42 - Johnny Cash

 

No Depression - The Bi-monthly Journal of Alt- Country

#42  November to December  2002

Country Royalty this week in the shape of Johnny Cash who  also became Alt- Country Royalty from 1994 due to his American Recording series with producer Rick Rubin.

To me there are three critical peaks in his long and illustrious career - the late 50s Sun Sessions , the Folsom and San Quinten Prison albums from the late 60s and the American Recordings series.

The article focusses on an interview with him at the Carter Family's Fold  in Scott County on the Virginia/Tennessee border.. He is working on June Carter Cash's forthcoming album.Sadly the album Wildwood Flower was released on Dualtone in September 2003 four months after her death and only a few days before Johnny's death at the age of 71

It also covers the November 2002 release of American IV- The Man Comes Around the last one released in his lifetime and the one which contains the poignant version of Hurt.

It also includes covers of Simon and Garfunkel's Bridge Over Troubled Water and The Eagles' Desperado. The covers don't come close to these takes on two of his own songs.The first is quite possibly the best song in the six album series.

I've gone for Kim Richey for this week's One from the Top with the article concentrating on her 2002 release Rise on  the Americana favourite Lost Highway label.

Johnny Cash -The Man Comes Around

Johnny Cash - Give My Love to Rose

June Carter Cash - Wildwood Flower

Kim Richey - Girl in a Car

Seen at King Tuts - Robert Fisher/Steve Wynn/Walter Salas Humara

 

Robert Fisher/Steve Wynn/Walter Salas Humara

Wednesday 10th July 2002           £8.00                       Ticket No 06

I was pretty excited about this one having seen Steve Wynn playing in Austin on a couple of occassions and also Walter Salas-Humara as part of the Silos.

The idea was that the four artists mentioned on the ticket would take turns performing some acoustic songs.

Steve and Walter were joined by Robert Fisher the frontman of Willard Grant Conspiracy. Sadly Robert died from cancer in 2017. 

The three artists were supposed to be joined by Deanna Varagona who was part of Lambchop but for whatever reason she never made an appearance. No matter, that just meant even more songs from the three gents above.

You will probably be aware that Steve Wynn as well as performing solo and with The Miracle 3 is a member of the Dream Syndicate and he played a couple of their numbers to great excitement.

There was an accompanying CD  Song Circle 2002 limited to 1000 copies . Mine is number 332 and has been signed by the three artists present. Needless to say it is much treasured.

The CD consists of three songs by each of the four artists.I've featured  a number of songs off this before so today, to the best of my knowledge, I'm going for ones that have yet to grace these pages.

Walter Salas-Humara - Dumbest on Parade

Robert Fisher - Fare Thee Well

Steve Wynn - What We Call Love

Three

 

2021 Charity Shop Purchases 92 - APB - Three

It has been pretty mellow here all week so time to up the ante.

Cancer Research across the road from Oxfam on Victoria Rd had much fewer CDs  but a better selection. It would have been even better if the guy in front of me had not bagged about twenty.A lot of good stuff but unfortunately I had most of those worth having. I still came away with a couple though.

A possible first for CCM as we feature a band from Ellon, Aberdeenshire. APB were a post punk band founded in 1979 who first came to my attention via the compilation boxset Big Gold Dreams;A Story of Scottish Independent Music 1977-1989.

Formed in 1979 the band consited of Glenn Roberts (guitar and backing vocals), Iain Slater (bass and vocals) and George Cheyne (drums). More info on the band can be found here

Three comes from Red River Records and was released in 2007. I'm not sure if this is older material or whether it is stuff from their earlier years.Coincidentally, or perhaps not, the original line-up detailed above played a couple of one off shows in New York (where they were popular on the club scene) and Aberdeen in 2006.

Whichever is the case it is a terrific bouncy record and one that puts me in mind of Franz Ferdinand

APB - Bad Tempered Spinster

APB - Less

 

Two Bacharach & David Songs

 

2021 Charity Shop Purchases 91  - Deacon Blue - Four Bacharach & David Songs EP

Staying on the mellow theme I give you Four Bacharach & David Songs by Deacon Blue from August 1990 on Columbia my only Oxfam vinyl purchase.

It bridged the gap between 1989's album When The World Knows Your Name and 1991's Fellow Hoodlums. Quite incredibly it reached number 2 in the UK singles charts and was easily their highest chart rating. Indeed only another two ever reached the top 10 Real Gone Kid reaching number 8 and Twist and Shout peaking at number 9.

Even more incredibly the mighty Dignity only reached number 31. There is no justice in this world but I take some solace in it now being a national treasure.

I'm only giving you two today as you can have too much of a good thing.I'll Never Fall in Love Again confirms that Lorraine McIntosh should probably stick to backing vocals where she excels

Oh, and from Raintown you are getting Dignity!

Deacon Blue - I'll Never Fall in Love Again

Deacon Blue - Message to Michael

Deacon Blue - Dignity

Subtitulo

 

2021 Charity Shop Purchases 90 - Josh Rouse - Subtitulo

I don't have nearly enough Josh Rouse albums as I should. Indeed, up until now I only had  1972 and a burn of Country Mouse, City House. It looks as though he has released about a dozen or so albums so plenty more to track down.

Subtitulo from 2006 is his 6th studio album and his first on Nettwerk Records. As I'm sure George could tell you Subtitulo is the Portuguese for Subtitle although some of you may have worked that out all be your self. Not sure why he is using Poruguese when his wife is Spanish and he has lived there on and off.

Marc Hogan on Pitchfork is not that impressed making comparisons with Jack Johnson and Travis and that he is stuck with a Ryan Adams whine. I'm not having that. I'll go with Tim Sendra on AllMusic who describes it as a warm and relaxed affair and as laid-back and blissed-out 

The accompanying female vocalist on The Man Who .. is his wife Paz Suay

The final instalment in the Oxfam 3 for £2 pound package.

Josh Rouse - Quiet Town

Josh Rouse - The Man Who..

Cassadaga

 

2021 Charity Shop Purchases 89 - Bright Eyes - Cassadaga

Another charity shop haul, another Bright Eyes CD.

I suppose it is easy to understand why many of the albums by Conor Oberst end up in charity shops as they often are not an easy listen. They often contain a right load of tosh but without exception there are always a few diamonds in the rough which makes them worth sticking with.

I now have enough to consider putting together an ICA for JC's place. Another project to add to the list.

Cassadaga, named after a town in Florida which boasts a community of mediums and followers of spiritualism, was released in 2007 on the Saddle Creek label and is the band's 8th (of 10 ) studio album. Conor has also released a number of solo albums and also albums as part of Monsters of Folk and Better Oblivion Community Center among others. Safe to say that he is a pretty prolific artist.

For me is is probably their most easily accessable album. It was critically acclaimed  and was his highest charting album in the US. Johnny Depp named Cassadaga as one of his favourite things of 2007. Not sure that that will be featuring on any stickers or posters these days.

Brakeman was changed to Breakman for the UK release. I'm not sure if there is such a word so I am happy to stick with Brakeman

Bright Eyes -If The Brakeman Turns My Way

Bright Eyes - Soul Singer in a Session Band

Narrow Stairs

 

2021 Charity Shop Purchases 88  - Death Cab For Cutie - Narrow Stairs

When we were on holiday I picked up a copy of Plans by Death Cab For Cutie in Kingusie. I knew that I had one album by them but of course I couldn't remember which one. Of course when I got home I found out it was this one I had and a copy went back to charity.

A couple of Friday's ago I popped into Some Great Reward records in Glasgow's Victoria Rd at lunchtime (one of the advantages of being retired) to hear Louis Abbot and Sarah Hayes playing a few songs from Admiral Fallow's new album The Idea of You. Naturally I bought a copy.

I thewn crossed the road and headed to the Oxfam music shop. I came away with one piece of vinyl and 3 CDs for 2 pounds.

One of the three CDs was Narrow Stairs the 2008 follow up to Plans on  the Barsuk label. I picked it up safe in the knowledge that I didn't have it.

Death Cab For Cutie - I Will Possess Your Heart

Death Cab For Cutie - The Ice is Getting Thinner

No Depression# 41 - Guy Clark

 

No Depression - The Bi-monthly Journal of Alt- Country

#41   September - October  2002

During the period covered by this edition singer/songwriter legend Guy Clark had a new album out The Dark on Sugarhill Records. This led to the strapline Guy Clark's decades of songs provide a strong foundation for a new spark in the dark. Do you see what they did there?

In addition to being a musician Clark was a painter and also a carpenter making his own guitars. I say was as he died in May 2016 aged 74

The Dark is not one I have but I have a copy of the 2006 follow up Workbench Songs alongsideThe Essential Guy Clark which is well worth picking up. You will recognise many of the songs.

The Dark was his first album without a solo writing credit with all the others co-written with the exception of a cover of Townes Van Zandt's Rex's Blues.

I saw him play at the Arches in Glasgow. The promoter Tom Hamilton later told me that he was one of the most unpleasant and demanding artists that he had ever put on. Strangely it doesn't say anything like that in the article.

This week's One from the Top is Elizabeth Cook the daughter of a hillbilly singer married to a moonshiner who played his upright bass while in a prison band. After many years she had finally gained a toe hold in Nashville with an album Hi Y'all on Warner Brothers. Following her 15 minutes of fame she started playing more alternative and rootsie stuff. I have her 2010 album Welder her final album until 2017 as she entered rehab to deal with dtug addiction and the deaths of family members.

Guy Clark - Texas 1947

Guy Clark - Rita Ballou

Guy Clark - Tornado Time in Texas

Elizabeth Cook - Heroin Addict Sister

Seen at King Tuts - My Morning Jacket/South San Gabriel

 

My Morning Jacket 

Sunday 23rd November 2003           £8.00                       Ticket No GA1 10

I am not a fan of My Morning Jacket and under normal circumstances I wouldn't cross the road to see them. The reason then that I pitched up to Tuts on a Sunday night was that we were there to see the support act South San Gabriel as my pal Gogs was a huge fan of theirs.

From Denton, Texas South San Gabriel were a band led by Will Johnson and consisted of his other band Centromatic plus guests . They were promoting their 2003 album Welcome, Convalescence. They put on a good show and we managed to get a chat with Will after his set.

My Morning Jacket? I think we lasted a couple of songs before retiring to the bar. Given that it was a Sunday and with work in the morning I suspect that we probably left before they finished their set.

They appeared to be promoting their album It Still Moves and the show got a very positive review in The List so maybe it's just me?

I couldn't tell you the name of any My Morning Jacket song and have nothing by them other than a couple of tracks one from a Mojo compilation from July 2009 Red Hot and Regal - Kings of Leon Roots, Friends and Influences and Uncut's High Numbers -15 Tracks of the Best New Music from May 2015

South San Gabriel - Evangeline

South San Gabriel - I Feel Too Young to Die

My Morning Jacket - Touch Me I'm Going to Scream Pt.1

My Morning Jacket - Big Decisions

2000 Light Years From Home

 

2021 Charity Shop Purchases 87 -2000 Light Years From Home - Mojo Compilation

Named after a track from the Rolling Stone's 1967 album Their Satanic Majesties Request  this Mojo compilation from February 2018 is sub-titled UK Rock Trips Out  1967-1970.

The Pretty Things started off as a pure rhythm and blues band but by the late 60's they had embraced psychedelia including a 1968 soft rock opera S.F. Sorrow on which this song features.

Sadie's Expression were one of the main contributors to the Southend music scene from the  mid 60's to the early 70's. Presumably various members of Dr Feelgood were in the audience at one time or another.Taken from Nice -an Anthology of Peter Eden Productions.

Blone on Blonde were a guitar-led  psychedelic band from Newport, South Wales and named after the Bob Dylan album of the same name. Taken from 1970's Rebirth the second of their three album releases

Maybe this will stop the naysayer's like George and Spence  who feel that I am anti- Prog Rock. The cease and desist order has been put on hold meantime!

The Pretty Things - She Says Good Morning

Sadie's Expression - Yesterday Was Such a Lovely Day

Blonde on Blonde - Heart Without a Home

Birdy

2021 Charity Shop Purchases 86 - Birdy - Birdy

Birdy was a random selection by Mrs CC in Fort William. It is the debut album from the artist known as Birdy. Her actual name is Jasmine Lucilla Elizabeth Jennifer van den Bogaerde so you can she why she opted for a shorter title.

From 2001 it was released by Atlantic Records to a fair degree of hype. Somewhat unusually for a debut album it is primarily an album of covers with only one original song. It received mixed reviews. despite it earning platinum status six times over in Australia

AllMusic's Jon O'Brien wrote that "this stripped-back collection of lesser-known hits and album tracks reads like a who's who of lo-fi hipster indie rock" while Nick Levine from the BBC said that the album was a  "clever covers set... which points to a great future" for the singer.

The negative comments are quite amusing and quite brutal in places and I'm afraid that I am firmly in this camp

Caroline Sullivan in the Guardian found the album pleasant but pointless while Chris Conaton from Pop Matters said that  her appeal may depend on how much enjoy desperate, aching piano ballads, because there are a lot of them here (Adele anyone?)

Duncan Gillespie of the NME pulls no punches describing it as an album of wet-indie covers. Jody Rosin from Rolling Stone goes one step further describing the album as the most boring music ever recorded by a teenager

The two tracks below were the first two singles from the album and are covers of song by Bon Iver and The xx

A paragon of blandness.This one is going back.

Birdy - Skinny Love

Birdy -Shelter

 

Common Ground

 

2021 Charity Shop Purchases 85 - Common Ground - Voices of Modern Irish Music

Mrs CC must of been feeling nostalgic for the land of her birth when she selected this CD.

Here are the details courtesy of the Kate Bush Encyclopedia: 

A compilation album, released by EMI Premier Records on May 23, 1996. The concept of this album, assembled by producer Donal Lunny, was to gather over a dozen Celtic and rock musicians with Irish ancestry to perform Irish traditional music, or original compositions with an Irish traditional flavor. The album contains tracks by Maire Brennan, Paul Brady, Andy Irvine, Christy Moore, Elvis Costello and Kate Bush. None of the tracks  were available elsewhere.

The  complete track list is available here and is yours for three pounds.

Don't be upset but I have spared you from Bono and Adam Clayton. You can have too much of a good thing.

One for all you Elvis and Kate completists

Sinead O'Connor - On Raglan Road

Elvis Costello - The Night Before Larry Was Stretched

Kate Bush - Mna Na H-Eireann

Mersey Paradise

 

2021 Charity Shop Purchases 84 - Mersey Paradise - Mojo Compilation

A breakfast pitstop in Fort William led to the last purchases of the holidays including a couple of  Mojo compilations one of which was Mersey Paradise - the fab sounds of Liverpool from October 2018. A  benifit of buying this in a charity shop and not buying the magazine at the time was that I was spared an exclusive interview with cover star Paul McCartney including photos by his daughter Mary. Haud me back!

Coming from Birkenhead the mighty Half Man Half Biscuit would have no issue with the CD title but may well take umbrage with the sub-title.

Every Time a Bell Rings is a song from their 2018 album No-One Cares About Your Creative Hub So Get Your Fuckin' Hedge Cut (on Probe Plus) and shows Nigel Blackwell at his creative best including the classic opening line Ground Control to Monty Don. I will be watching Gardener's World in a different light from now on in. 

 

There are a number of other  excellent artists and songs on the CD but I have opted for The Return of Evil  by Crosby band Clinic taken from their 2000 debut album Internal Wrangler on the Domino label.

Terry Barry, Barry Terry!

Half Man Half Biscuit - Every Time a Bell Rings

Clinic - The Return of Evil Bill

Northern Flyway

 

2021 Charity Shop Purchases 83 - Northern Flyway

This one is a bit strange and a bit niche.My last purchase from Beauly and bought primarily because I recognised the name Inge Thomson who is the quirky percussionist who plays with Karine Polwart.

It is probably easier if I let the Hudson Records website tell the story:

Humans have always looked to the birds. In mythology, they are carriers of souls, messengers to the gods, our familiars. In ecology, they are our measure, our meter, they mark the seasons…

In 2017 Jenny Sturgeon (Salt House, Jenny Sturgeon Trio) and Inge Thomson (Karine Polwart Trio, Da Fishing Hands) wrote and created Northern Flyway– an audio-visual production exploring the ecology, folklore, symbolism and mythology of birds and birdsong. Northern Flyway premiered to a sold-out audience at The Barn (Banchory) in January 2018 and a CD of the songs was recorded at Mareel, Shetland, over four days in early February 2018.

The music draws on the extensive field recordings of birdsong expert Magnus Robb, Sturgeon͛s background as a bird biologist and Thomson͛s home turf of Fair Isle, Shetland. The songs combine vocal and instrumental composition, interviews, sonic experimentation and lush and varied bird song from the northern hemisphere. Themes of human and avian migration, the seasons͛ cycle and humanity͛s relationship with nature resonate through this multi-dimensional work. Alongside Jenny and Inge, Northern Flyway also features singer/multi-instrumentalist Sarah Hayes (Admiral Fallow, Rachel Newton Band) and vocal sculptor/beatboxer Jason Singh (Follow the Fleet, Tweet Music).

Warts and all Ernie warts and all

Northern Flyway - Lost Lapwing

Northern Flyway - Loch Carron Flame

No Depression #40 Kelly Willis

 

No Depression - The Bi-monthly Journal of Alt- Country

#40   July - August 2002

Kelly Willis and her husband Bruce Robison are the queen and king of Austin's Americana scene.

The aticle concentrates on her  album Easy released in August 2002 on the Rykodisc label her first since having her first child.

It is not an album that I have but I did find the track What Did You Think on an Uncut compilation Sensation Nation.

The only one of hers I have is the 1999 predecessor What I Deserve again on Rykodisc. Perfectly pleasant but a wee bit too bland and mainstream for my tastes.

She started off in  a band called Kelly Willis & the Fireballs and came to the attention of the likes of Nanci Griffith and Lyle Lovett on moving to Austin. Following an introduction by Nancy she was signed by MCA  who marketed her as the next big thing. Apparently she wanted to record a Lone Justice type album whereas MCA wanted country radio hits. Needless to say that all ended in tears and she began to move over to the alternative scene.

Coincidentally I bought What I Deserve from  Play it Again Records hidden up Ruthven Lane in Glasgow's West End along with two albums by this weeks One from the Top slot canditate Heather Myles.Neither was 2002's Sweet Talk and Good Lies which features in the magazine article but I subsequently picked that one up from the Wigtown Community Shop. She is more honky tonk and much more to my taste.

I can forgive the blandness of What I Deserve thanks to Kelly's brilliant duet with Robbie Fulks on Parallel Bars

Kelly Willis -What Did You Think

Kelly Willis -The Circle

Heather Myles - Sweet Talk and Good Lies

Robbie Fulks & Kelly Willis - Parallel Bars

Seen at King Tuts - Bap Kennedy/Peter Bruntnell

 

Bab Kennedy/Peter Bruntnell

Friday 5th May 2000             £7.00                       Ticket No 00022

Bap Kennedy was an artist who only very briefly crossed my radar. From Northern Ireland he was christened Martin Kennedy acquiring the nickname Bab as his family lived near Kennedy's bakers in Belfast .

He was in the band Energy Orchard from 1987 -96 a name I recognise but have no music by. He then embarked on a solo career.

The band had supported Steve Earle and when they split up he was contacted by Steve who later described him as the best songwriter he ever heard. His first solo album 1998's Domestic Blues was produced by Twang Trust (Steve Earle & Ray Kennedy) and appeared on Earle's E-Squared label. 

I suspect that the Steve Earle connection was what brought him to my attention .I do not have the album though and only have one song by him Lonely Street which is pretty good.

Sadly he died from cancer in 2016 aged just 54.

I know a wee bit more about Peter Bruntnell an artist I've seen a few times either as a solo artist or as a guitarist with another band , maybe Son Volt who he has supported and guested with.

The first two tracks of his  featured below are from two of the consistently brilliant Loose compilation. I had forgotten about him until George brought his 2019 album King of Madrid to my attention.

He is currently touring the UK.

Bap Kennedy - Lonely Street

Peter Bruntnell - Darling I Suppose

Peter Bruntnell - Here Comes the Swells

Peter Bruntnell -King of Madrid

1989

 

2021 Charity Shop Purchases 82 - Taylor Swift -1989

The wonderfully named Muir of Ord is the next village to Beauly. Last year we passed through it on a very wet Saturday going from holiday venue 1 to venue 2 and I had a brilliant haul from the Highland Hospice charity shop - Lush, Buffalo Tom,Teenage Fanclub, The Pernice Brothers and the Radar Brothers.

This year sadly was most disappointing. On the first visit I came away with nothing and on the second visit when it was raining again I came away with 1989 the 5th studio album by Taylor Swift from 2014 on Big Machine.

Now I have never knowingly listened to Taylor Swift but through osmosis I suspect that I have probably been exposed to her music. I thought I would spend 50p to see what all the fuss was about.

The verdict? Not really my thing but then again I am not the target audience. I have much worse records on the shelves. I listened to it the whole way through without a desire to turn it off and I may well listen to it again. As things stand it is a keeper.

I'm aware that Ryan Adams did a cover of the album in 2015.Given recent allegations against him I won't be seeking it out any time soon.

Taylor Swift -Welcome to New York

Taylor Swift -Blank Space

Bad Company yesterday, Taylor Swift today. What can I say?

Bad Company

 

2021 Charity Shop Purchases 81 - Bad Company - Bad Company

The second crackly vinyl purchase from Dingwall (in addition to Herman's Hermits) was the self-titled debut alum from 1974 by Bad Company on Island.in the UK and Swan  in the US

Variously described as hard rock or blues rock. I prefer the later.As most of you will be aware they were something of a rock  super group comprising of two former members of Free namely Paul Rogers on vocals and Simon Kirke on drums alongside ex King Crimson bassist Boz Burrell and ex Mott the Hoople guitarist Mick Ralph.

In keeping with the supergroup connection in addition to recoding on Swan they were managed by Led Zeppelin's manager Peter Grant (not the same Peter Grant who has just been sacked as the manager of Dunfermline Athletic FC).

They are the kind of band that I woud imagine going down well in Dingwall .Indeed  the big single from the album Can't Get Enough of  Your Love (number 15 in the UK and number 1 on Cashbox and number 5 on Billboard in the US) probably still features on the Wimpy Bar jukebox..

The album spent 25 weeks in the uk charts peaking at number 3. It may well be the only album that I  have that features in Kerrang!'s 100 Greatest Heavy Metal Albums of All Time (number 40)

I shall await the brickbats.

Bad Company -Can't Get Enough of Your Love

Bad Company - Moving On

Bloodshot Records R.I.P.?

 

Regular readers will be aware of the high regard in which I hold the Bloodshot Records label from Chicago.Type Bloodshot into the search function and you will see how often they have featured here

In recent correspondence with our dear friend Brian (a former Chicago resident and fellow fan) he made reference to the recent drama at Bloodshot. This had me scooting to the internet to find out more.

I was awared that co-founder Nan Warshaw had resigned in 2019 following allegations of sexual misconduct by her partner. Now it seems that the other co-founder Rob Miller has departed and there are allegations that royalties due to artists have not been paid.

It also seems that the label has now been bought by Exceleration Music who will promote their catalogue. Whether there will be any more releases remains to be seen.

Some more detailed information around the current state of affairs can be found here in Variety, Pitchfork and Billboard. It's all very messy.

This  article by Mark Guarano in the Chicago Reader gives an in-depth report on the whole sorry saga*

I once in e-mail correspondence to them stated that they were the best record label ever. They modestly thanked me and cited others such as Tamla Motown, Chess and Stiff for that title. I'm not so sure.

Postal charges have meant that I have not bought as much from them as I used to in recent years. I have pretty much limited myself to the annual samplers which appeared on Bandcamp. Here is something from each of these from 2016 to the last one in the Spring of 2020.

Thanks for the memories and the music. The end of an era.

Waco Brothers - Receiver (Bloodshot 2016)

Justin Townes Earle -Memphis in the Rain (Bloodshot 2017)

Sarah Shook & the Disarmers - New Ways to Fail (Bloodshot 2018)

Robbie Fulks & Linda Gail Lewis - Wild Wild Wild (Bloodshot 2019)

Freakwater - Sway (Bloodshot 2020)