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Saturday 24 September 2022

Bottom

 


A shotout to our dear friend Ernie Goggins who appears to have found himself at the bottom of my sidebar Blog list.

Blogger has been playing silly buggers recently. The other day I was unable to read about half a dozen blogs as gobbledygook appeared. I know, I know, but I actually could tell the difference.

Thankfully it looks as though things have sorted themselves out with the exception of poor Ernie. The sidebar is supposed to show the most recent posts first .It seems to be doing that -apart from Ernie who now finds himself languishing behind retirees such as Brian and Drew.

I deleted them all and started again  tidying it up a little, but he's still there. If I have missed anyone out please give me a  shout.

Keep scrolling down folks, it will be worth it!

James King & the Lonewolves -Bottom of the Sea

Robbie Fulks - Rock Bottom, Pop 1

Big Audio Dynamite -The Bottom Line


Nothing to see here for a couple of weeks as we are off to recharge our batteries and hit the Highlands charity shops. Yes Rol another holiday!

Friday 23 September 2022

Withered and Died

 


On Monday's Caitlin Cary post I mentioned that Withered and Died was the only cover song on her 2000 EP Waltzie and that I would get round to a compare and contrast in due course.

Well here it is - four days later. Two reasons - I couldn't think of anything else to post today and also if I didn't get round to posting it within a relatively short time I would probably forget. Old age, you see.

I shall post them in the order that they came into my possession.

First up is the cover by the great Louisville Americana band Freakwater. I knew that I had this on an Americana compilation but it took me ages to work out which one. It is from the excellent Cowpunks from 1996 on Vinyl Junkie - 24 trailblazing tracks.

Next we have the original by Richard and Linda Thompson from their 1984 Island album I Want to See the Bright Lights Tonight (pictured above) which is probably my favourite album of theirs.

The third offering is the only one I do not have in a physical format. It was the b-side of the 1984 single of Peace in Our Time by Elvis Costello & the Imposters. It is not on the  original album of Goodbye Cruel World although it does appear on the bonus tracks of the 1995 Rykodisc CD reissue and also on the bonus disc of the 2004 Rhino edition. Looking at the 26 tracks on that disc I may have to acquire that CD version to accompany my vinyl copy.

Last but not least the most recent one from Caitlin.

It's a tough call but I'm going for Freakwater





Thursday 22 September 2022

Atlanic R&B Volume 2

 


The final CD in my 3 for £5 haul from Missing Records was Volume 2 - 1952- 1954 in the Atlantic R&B series and it was the missing one from the eight piece jigsaw

I picked up Volume 1 a few years back with the intention of  getting the other 7 in order . I ended up doing it in a more round about way. Early last year I picked up Volumes 3 and 4 in a charity shop on Glasgow's Battlefield Rd. Then later in the year I got Volumes 5,6,7 and 8 from Missing. 

I hadn't been back to Missing since but hoped that I would find a copy of Volume 2 on my recent trip and I was pretty chuffed that I did. It has given me a great sense of satisfaction to see all 8 volumes on the shelves.

About half a dozen artists dominate the 26 tracks all of whom have appeared here before and some of whom feature on Volume 1 and/or Volume 3

Here are three of the best

Ruth Brown - Mama,He Treats Your Daughter Mean

LaVern Baker - Soul on Fire

Big Joe Turner - Shake,Rattle and Roll

Wednesday 21 September 2022

Favourite Colours

 


A few days ago Khahem posted a tribute to the actress Gwyneth Powell who sadly died recently. She was probably best known for playing Mrs McCluskey the head mistress in Grange Hill. He accompanied his post with a mix of songs in bands which featured a McClusky or McCluskey.

This included the Bluebells who of course include Ken and David McCluskey among their members.I commented that the McCluskey Brothers have also recorded a few albums in their own right.

In the early days of this blog, as far back as 2014, I posted a piece on their third album 1996's Wonderful Affair.

Aware of All was their debut in 1986 on Thrush Records. Their second record Favourite Colours was released on CD only by Kingfisher Records in 1992. Last year saw it's first vinyl release on Past Nights from Glasgow the LNFG sub label which lovingly release some old favourites as part of a historical archive of all things past but not necessarily Glasgow.

It is well worth acquiring.

The McCluskey Brothers -Favourite Colours

Tne McCluskey Brothers -She Said to the Driver


Tuesday 20 September 2022

The Whole Love

 


I've always been slightly wary of anything post Yankee Hotel Foxtrot by Wilco. Largely because I was a fan of the Jay Bennett era and also because they became a bit more squiggly leading to them being described as America's Radiohead. For the record that is not a good thing.

However I am gradually becoming braver in my old age and last year saw me picking up 2004's A Ghost is Born from Missing Records.
On my latest trip to Missing I became even braver picking up 2011's The Whole Love their first on their own dBpm label.

Listening to the start of the first track Art of Almost it seemed that I had made a bit of a mistake given a proliferation of electronic nonsense.Thankfully thereafter it began to calm down a bit and became rather good in places particularly with the two tracks featured before.

I recently heard their most recent record Cruel Country which is avery welcome return to their alt-Country roots



Monday 19 September 2022

Waltzie

 


I have a few funeral songs which I considered playing today but figured that some folk might find that disrespectful.
Instead you are getting Waltzie an EP from Caitlin Cary from 2000 which I recently picked up in Glasgow's Missing Records.

Caitlin has graced these pages before usually as part of Whiskeytown or with songs from Begonias where she duets with Thad Cockrell.
A solo song from an Uncut compilation has also popped up but this is the first time that I have physically owned any of her solo work

To save me wittering on here is some blurb from her Bandcamp page:
This intimate EP showcases the ex-Whiskeytown member's beautiful soprano and sets the stage for her full YepRoc debut, While You Weren't Looking. Featuring four originals, some more completed than others, all are convincing in their delivery and testaments to Cary's abilities as a lyricist and songwriter, not merely a violin player and harmony vocalist. Highlights are the melancholy, yet moving waltz opener, "Sorry," penned with the help of multi-instrumentalist Mike Daly, who also flavors the affair with pedal steel, dulcimer, and 12-string, and Cary's more upbeat, feminist-tinged plea "Rosemary Moore," encouraging an aging widow to stop grieving and start living. Featuring the dark, humorous lines "take out your hearing aid and go have a drink" and "if he didn't die happy at least he didn't die poor," it's hard not to hear the influence of ex-bandmate Ryan Adams, who lends harmonies and harmonica. Produced by Chris Stamey (Sneakers and the dB's), this is serious work with a warm, living room vibe.

The only non- original song on the album is her version of the Richard &Linda Thompson song Withered and Died which I shall save for a compare and contrast post.



Sunday 18 September 2022

Albums on both CD and Vinyl - Harvest

 


I have well over a dozen Neil Young albums mostly on CD. There are only three of those on vinyl and two are relatively recent acquisitions. (Comes a Time and Live Rust if anyone is interested). 

The other one which I have had for years and which you can guess from the picture and post title is Harvest his fourth album released in 1972 on the Reprise label .I think that the CD version may be courtesy of Mrs CC.

It is one of his most famous albums.Indeed it may well be his most famous. Neil told the NME that Harvest is probably the best record I've made.

He is joined by a group of Country session musicians (Jack Nitzsche (piano), Ben Keith (steel guitar), Tim Drummond (bass) and Kenny Buttrey (drums)) who he christened the Stray Gators' . Crosby, Stills, Nash, and Linda Rondstadt are all lurking in the background on a couple of tracks.

Unless you have been living in a bubble for the last 50 years you should be familiar with a good few of the tracks and at the very least Heart of Gold.

He's been to Hollywood, he's been to Redwood.

Absolutely timeless.

Neil Young -Heart of Gold

Neil Young -Are You Ready For the Country?

Neil Young -Old Man


Saturday 17 September 2022

Beyond the Sun

 


 2022 Charity Shop Purchases #49 - Chris Isaak - Beyond the Sun

Beyond the Sun was Chris Isaak's 11th studio album and was released in the States on 18th October 2011 on the Vanguard label.
The copy I picked up is a promo advising that the record would be released on 23rd January 2012 in the UK on Rhino/Wicked Game Records

As is the way of promos it comes with some blurb on this occasion courtesy of NoBul promotions. It starts with the sentence the late Sam Philips. the visionary that paved the way for modern music, named Chris Isaak as the artist he most wanted to record with. Did he, aye? as they say round these parts

The majority of the album was recorded at the legendary Sun Studio in Memphis and features his versions of tracks made famous by the likes of Elvis, Johnny Cash, Roy Orbison, Carl Perkins and Jerry Lee Lewis. In my opinion he makes a pretty good job of it. It also goes someway to explaining the title of the album.

For some reason my burning software would not burn any of the tracks. Worry not however as I have managed to obtain them via nefarious means 




Friday 16 September 2022

Swedefest - Visiter

 


The final instalment of Swedefest and it is the second by San Francisco duo Dodos whose third album Time to Die featured toward the beginning of this series

I would say that the CDs that the Swede kindly gave me in Edinburgh in June fall almost equally into three categories - keepers, one's going to charity and one's where the jury is still out.

Visiter the second album by the Dodos from 2008 on the Frenchkiss label falls firmly into the latter camp.Their music is a stripped down set up of just acoustic guitar and percussion. Sometimes it works and sometimes it doesn't.

A couple of quotes from the Amazon reviews where it is generally well received:

an air of live spontaneity, a rawness and volatility emphasised by crazed backing vocals yelped from the back of the mix. The style stretches a little thin over the course of 14 tracks; momentum is notably lost on more throwaway efforts and inconsequential one minute doodles. 

Impressive folk guitar noodlings, endlessly hummable melodies, clattering drums, eccentric production; The dodos are young, excitable and hugely talented.

In short something a bit different. One which probably merits a couple of further listen to determine its fate. These two were the ones which caught my attention first time round.

Thanks again Swede for your generosity

The Dodos - Red and Purple

The Dodos - Jodi

Thursday 15 September 2022

Feeder -The Singles


 2022 Charity Shop Purchases #48  -Feeder - The Singles

How can a band who have released 11 studio albums, 12 compilations, four EPs and 43 singles, spending a combined total of 184 weeks on the singles and albums charts as of 2019, while accumulating 25 top 75 singles between 1997 and 2012 have completely escaped my attention.

I'll fess up I bought this album by Feeder at the same time as Suede mistakingly confusing them with Sleeper! It turns out that they are a Cymro-Japanese  rock band (a first for CCM) from Newport (so maybe the Robster  is familiar with them)

It's safe to say that they are a bit rockier than what I am used to and have even won two Keerang! awards and have been inducted to their Hall of Fame.

So it was with a degree of apprehension that I decided to give it a listen. I wouldn't say that I was completely surprised but it was a lot better than I thought it would be albeit it was quite relentless listening to all 20 tracks in one sitting. It is a bit like heavy Brit Pop (only Ash do it better) Indeed I may well have heard a track or two off Brit Pop compilations

In all honesty I can't see me playing this often , if at all. I have worse, much worse, but don't think it is going to be a keeper.

Feeder - Buck Rogers

Feeder -Just The Way I'm Feeling

 

Wednesday 14 September 2022

Suede -The Singles

 


 2022 Charity Shop Purchases #47  - Suede -The Singles

I was never much of a Suedehead or a fan of Britpop for that matter and Suede have only ever graced these pages once before.
In terms of popularity at the time they were probably seen as the "Best of the Rest" but trailing a long way behind Blur and Oasis.

I picked up their third album Coming Up shortly after it was released in 1996. I played it quite a bit at the time but I'm afraid it has not had an airing in years.In 2016 I picked up a copy of their second album Dog Man Star in a charity shop and it suffered the same fate.

They are probably more of a singles band so when I saw Singles a compilation from 2003 on Sony for 50p I thought it was worth a punt.
Interestingly (to me at least) the singles are not sequenced chronologically or even in terms of their chart success. I've gone for tracks 1 (1996 UK singles charts reached number 8) and track 2 (1993 - number 7) as my choices.
Now I may be accused of laziness and going for the easy option by posting the first two on the CD but these would have still been my choices has they appeared further down the list - honest.
Still I can't be accused of being a glory hunter given that I have ignored Stay Together and Trash which both peaked at number 3 - their highest chart position in the singles chart.
The booklet includes the lyrics for the songs which is pretty unusual for a Best Of/Singles compilation but very welcome.



Tuesday 13 September 2022

Better Things to Do

 

 2022 Charity Shop Purchases #46 - MJ Hibbett & the Validators - Better Things to Do (CD Single)

A totally random punt from the same charity shop as The Temptations who featured yesterday bought purely because I thought the cover looked interesting.

A CD so obscure that I was not able to locating a picture on Google images and had to resort to a picture from my phone.

What have I discovered about it? Not a lot is the answer. Mark John Hibbert is an English guitarist and singer songwriter who according to Wiki is often compared to Billy Bragg and Richard Digance.I don't really see the resemblance to the Bard of Barking and don't know enough about Mr Digance to comment.

Apparently his claim to fame (MJ not RD) was that he garnered widespread on-line attention in 2000 with the song Hey Hey 16K an ode to the ZX Spectrum. No, not me neither 

Better Things to Do was released on his own label, the aptly named Artists Against Success, as a forerunner to the album We Validate!

I've listened to it (twice) so you don't have to. It's a bit meh and a bit noveltyish. I've Better Things to Do than keep it on the shelves. Back it goes. They can't all be nuggets.

MJ Hibbett & the Validators - Better Things to Do

MJ Hibbett & the Validators -Leave My Brother Alone

MJ Hibbett & the Validators - Better Things to Do




Monday 12 September 2022

Yield to Temptations

 

 2022 Charity Shop Purchases #45 -The Temptations - Early Classics

You may well be asking the same question as me namely why would anyone in their right mind hand a Temptations CD into a Charity Shop? Well someone did - to Cancer Research on Glasgow's Victoria Road to be precise.

I'd dropped of my car for it's MOT and was having a wee wander when I stumbled across this beauty on the Spectrum label from 1996,licensed from Motown It contains 18 tracks from 1964 to 1966 any of which would grace these pages.


Who's Lovin' You is from1965 and was written by Smokey Robinson and is taken from the album The Temptations Sing Smokey which was their second album
It's Growin'  is another Smokey number from the same album
(Girl) Why You Wanna Make Me Blue is also from 1965 and was written by Eddie Holland and Norman Whitfield. It is taken from their third album The Temptin' Temptations.

You won't hear many,if any. better songs today.

The CD inlet advises that within the same series there are CDs by Diana Ross & the Supremes,Mary Wells, Four Tops,Marvin Gaye, Michael Jackon & the Jackson 5, Smokey Robinson & the Miracles, Jimmy Ruffin, Martha & the Vandellas and The Isley Brothers.Most if not all would be worth having. The Early Classics Sampler may be a good place to start





Sunday 11 September 2022

Albums on both CD and Vinyl - Short Sharp Shocked

 


Short Sharp Shocked which was released in 1988 on the Mercury label was the second album by Texan singer songwriter Karen Michelle Johnston  and the one which shot her to prominence in the UK under her nom de plume Michelle Shocked.

Anchorage was the big hit single but I have always had a preference for Memories of East Texas. I purchased the vinyl album when it came out and on the back of that I picked up her DIY debut The Texas Campfire Tapes. Many years later I picked up  a CD of her 3rd Captain Swing  and the CD of Short Sharp Shocked for 50p  from a charity shop in St Andrews.

I saw her at Glasgow's Barrowland  when she was promoting her 4th album Arkansas Traveler in 1992. I also saw her in Sheffield around that time when visiting friends.

After that she faded into relative obscurity with her last album being released in 2009

The iconic album cover is from a photograph of Shocked being detained during a protest at the 1984 Democratic National Convention in San Francisco.



Saturday 10 September 2022

The Healing Game

 




 2022 Charity Shop Purchases #44 - Van Morrison -The Healing Game

There is no doubt that the Grumpy Irishman is as mad as a box of frogs and not a particularly pleasant individual.

However it cannot be denied that he has come up with some great records over the years and I will always pick any up if I see them cheap in Charity Shops.

I wouldn't say that The Healing Game his 26th album released in 1997 on the Polydor label is necessarily one of his better ones but it is still worth the 75p that I paid for it and it will be joining the others on the shelves.

It is a bit of a mixture of Celtic folk and jazz - I hope that has not put you off too much. There are no particularly stand out tracks. I've gone for the opening number Rough God Goes Riding which according to Wiki is one of the standout tracks from his six album reissue series (here)

My other selection is Waiting Game which has backing vocals by Brian Kennedy and Katie Kissoon. Yes THAT Katie Kissoon!

Van Morrison - Rough God Goes Riding

Van Morrison - Waiting Game

Mac & Katie Kissoon - Sugar Candy Kisses


Friday 9 September 2022

Swedefest - Laser Beam Next Door

 


We are rapidly reaching the end of this series and for the last two post we are featuring bands whom The Swede very kindly pushed two albums in my direction

First up are the Silos who were the first band to feature with their 1990 album The Silos.Along with the Deadstring Brothers they were the only act I had heard of or had seen.

Laser Beam Next Door is their 12th album and was released in Europe at least on the great German Americana label Blue Rose in 2001.In the States I think that it was released on Checkered Past Records.
Although I was very much more into this kind of stuff in 2001 than 1990 I think that I prefer the earlier one.

Walter Salas- Humara  is the only constant following a number of band changes and the Austin Chronicle writes The group of players that have shifted in and out of the band has resulted in music that's primarily been roots-based, but with textures that have varied over the years. Salas-Humara has stripped the band down to guitar, bass, and drums, which can now be lovingly described as a garage rock power trio. 

Along with Walter on vocals and guitar the other two members were Drew Glackin on bass and Konrad Meisner on drums.Sadly Drew Glackin died in 2008 aged just 44 following a cardiac arrest due to the complications of an undiagnosed thyroid condition

Exclaim.ca feels that  Laser Beam Next Door finds the Silos as a stripped-down, tight trio, still a little reminiscent of Los Lobos, but without the virtuosity of David Hidalgo. Nothing groundbreaking, but the contrast between "Sangre Y Lagrimas" and "Where Ya Been" illustrates the album's strengths: time-tested folk-rock mixed with solid, flat-out rockers.

Nothing groundbreaking indeed but I think it is only fair that I feature the two songs they highlight.

Too early for me to decide whether this one is a keeper so it is not going on the charity pile yet.

The Silos - Sangre Y Largrimos

The Silos -Where Ya Been

Thursday 8 September 2022

Try Whistling This

 


 2022 Charity Shop Purchases #43 - Neil Finn - Try Whistling This

Hopefully I won't upset my Edinburgh 22 pals John and Martin ,both of whom have recently seen the band live,  but Crowded House do nothing for me. I watched part of their Glastonbury set at the time and was pretty underwhelmed.

I accept that I am probably in a minority (they sold out the Hydro, Glasgow's largest venue) and I'm sure they are lovely guys who many feel write and perform great pop music.

I picked up Try Whistling to This the 1998 debut solo album by front man Neil Finn for 50p from a charity shop to see if his solo work would change my mind. Sadly not was the answer.

It is not offensive or annoying in any way but personally I find it is a bit bland and nondescript with nothing jumping out and grabbing me.

I'm happy to acknowledge that it is just me and that many will feel that this album is a must have. I will also accept that I have worse, much worse, on the shelves which others would quite rightly question

I don't see me playing it again anytime soon so it is going back to charity and I hope it finds a good home and that  whoever picks it it up enjoys it.

Sorry Neil, John and Martin.

Neil Finn - Last One Standing

Neil Finn - She Will Have Her Way

Wednesday 7 September 2022

Magnetic Fields


My bus back from seeing Rose City Band on Sunday night passed the Glasgow Academy which had a sign up announcing that Magnetic Fields were playing there on the following evening.

It did not have a sold out notice so out of curiosity I looked up my phone to see how much the tickets were. £131 for the cheapest ones was the answer. I think that the original prices were from £34.20.Surge pricing seems to be a thing at the moment and will probably continue to be a thing as long as people are stupid enough to pay such  ridiculous prices.

The only potentially positive thing about the impending cost of living crisis is that less and less people will be tempted and that the profits of the likes of Ticketmaster will plummet. For the record I paid £15 to see Rose City Band.

All the above of course is merely an excuse to play their song Papa was a Rodeo and in particular the cover version by Kelly Hogan which remains one of my favourite songs of all time.
 

The Magnetic Fields -Papa Was a Rodeo

Kelly Hogan & the Pine Valley Cosmanauts -Papa Was a Rodeo

Tuesday 6 September 2022

Psychedelic Americana

 


Psychedelic Americana - it's my new thing.

On the back of the Manchester Psych Fest on Saturday a few of the stragglers made it as far as Glasgow on the Sunday night.

The basement of Broadcast, a bar in Sauchiehall Street to be precise, which was a new venue for me. I caught the last song by Noon Garden and then the full set by Japanese Television who were very loud but surprisingly melodic.

Then it was the main act who I had specifically come to see.I have featured Rose City Band on here on a couple of occasions and make no apology for doing so again

They are a side project of Ripley Johnson who is perhaps better known for his work with the psychedelic Wooden Shjips and Moon Duo  and who have released three albums to date on the Thrill Jockey label all of which are well worth having

To quote their label while describing their third album Earth Trip they produce songs with a country-rock twang and a melancholic, wistful undertone. Themes recur such as pining for summers spent in the company of friends to newer meditations on space, stillness and the splendor of the natural world. Johnson’s laid-back and classically West Coast songs communicate emotions entirely of the moment with both his lyrics, intimate vocal style as well as his elegant elongated guitar lines and astute use of counter-melodies on the pedal steel.

Not only elegant elongated guitar lines and pedal steel but some fantastic piano as well .They were absolutely fantastic. My gig of the year so far by a country mile.

Hopefully fellow Psychedelic Americana act London's The Hanging Stars can give them a run for their money when I see  them towards the end of October.

I shall leave you with a picture of Ripley who is so cool that he can effortlessly pull off a footwear combination of one green Croc and one sandle and sock.You've either go it or you haven't and Ripley has in spades.




Rose City Band -World is Turning

Japanese Television - Snake Shake




Monday 5 September 2022

Crosby, Stills & Nash

 


I picked this up from a Charity Shop for 30p but am reluctant to include it in my list of Charity Shop purchases for a couple of reasons.

The first is that it originally came from that fascist rag the Daily Mail .Somehow I don't see the Daily Fail as big fans of CSN although David Crosbie probably has enough bonkers views which may appeal to their readers.

The second reason and one that I did not realise until after I picked it up is that 9 of the 11 tracks including the more famous songs are live recordings. Judy Blue Eyes also includes audience participation which is never a good thing on a live recording.

They are probably only second to Fleetwood Mac for their squabbles and line up changes.I'm featuring the two non live ones neither of which include CSN in their entirity 
Lay Me Down is from the 1974 album Crosby & Nash from 2004 which was the 4th album that they recorded as a duo and the first since 1976
Drivin' Thunder is from Stephen Stills' 2005 solo album Man Alive! Neil Young of Crosby, Stills ,Nash & Young - (CSNY) - keep up at the back! - gets a writing credit.

This is the only thing that I have from the various collectives other than Deja Vu from CSNY



Sunday 4 September 2022

Albums on both CD and Vinyl - The Revolution Will Not be Televised

 


 2022 Charity Shop Purchases #42 - Gil Scott-Heron - The Revolution Will Not be Televised 

A two birds with one stone scenario this week with the Charity Shop purchase of a CD of an album that I already have on vinyl. Or have I?

Maybe I should try and explain.

I picked up the above CD  of The Revolution Will Not be Televised from 1989 on the BMG label as part of their Cool Price Jazz series - nice.

17 tracks by Gil Scott- Heron with the small print stating this album contains previously released material.

This is significant as I have a vinyl album of the same name by the same artist but from 1974 and on the Flying Dutchman label. I have written about it previously here


This album also includes the same disclaimer and has 11 tracks which are  the same 1 to 11 as the CD above and in the same order. A better cover though!

So can I justifiably claim to have the same album on both CD and Vinyl? I think that I will turn to the great philosopher Sir Kenneth Dalglish for the answer which clearly is Maybees Aye, Maybees Naw.

To avoid, or maybe to add to, any further controversy and confusion you are getting two of the six tracks which are exclusive to the CD.

I'm off for a lie down.






Saturday 3 September 2022

Another Merle Infusion

 


When I last posted something by Merle Haggard our dear friend Ernie was so concerned about the paucity of the music that I had by him that he immediately administered an Emergency Merle Infusion which was gratefully received.

This time round Mrs CC has come to the rescue with the purchase of two Merle albums from 1977 - one pretty good and one truly awful.

The picture above is of the pretty good one Ramblin' Fever and I am sharing two tracks from that one for you

We now come to the elephant in the room


My Farewell to Elvis ( a quick cash in following the King's death on 16th August 1977) is worse than you could possibly imagine. It starts with a Merle composition From Graceland to the Promised Land and then it is covers all the way up to the final track Merle's Farewell to Elvis which is all of 17 seconds long.
His cover of In The Ghetto is just about the only one which passes muster but obviously is not in the same league as Elvis and the likes of Candi Staton.


Merle Haggard - If We're Not Back in Love by Monday

Merle Haggard - In the Ghetto


Friday 2 September 2022

Burnt Offering

 

 2022 Charity Shop Purchases #41 -The Budos Band - Burnt Offering

The Budos Band are the only act from Brooklyn's Daptone label that I have ever stumbled across in a charity shop. No Sharon Jones and the Dap-Kings yet sadly.

Last year in St Andrews I came away with with The Budos Band III . This year in Stranraer it was Burnt Offering their 4th album from 2014. Not to be confused with my long running series from 2017

Windows media player has them down as Sub Saharan but they are actually from Staten Island

You could be forgiven from looking at the album cover that this album was by Hawkwind or some  such nonsense. In some ways you may not be far wrong.

This is their first album not to be titled numerically.The Quitus Review reminds us that they are best known for hard-hitting afro-funk party music, dense with horns and congas..However Paste writes that Burnt Offering represents a full-on mutation rather than the previous steady evolution of Budos music. It’s 2014, and in the band’s Daptone studio, it would seem guitars are all the rage. Because for the first time, “funk rock” becomes an accurate descriptor for the still-complex musical sprawl, which now evokes the likes of Black Sabbath and Led Zeppelin right alongside Fela Kuti. Further down the article even Iron Butterfly get a mention.

I'm not sure about this one. I think I prefer hard-hitting afro-funk party music, dense with horns and congas.It may require a few more listens to determine whether it is a keeper

The Budos Band -The Sticks

The Budos Band -Aphasia


Thursday 1 September 2022

Swedefest -The Debt Collection

 


The Shortwave Set are the final band to make an appearance at Swedefest. A couple of acts who have appeared earlier however are scheduled to return.

From July 2005 on the Independiente label The Debt Collection is the first of their two albums, the other being 2008's Replica Sun Machine.

According to the sleeve notes they are making an album using the principles of  what they call Victorian Funk namely juxtapositions of sounds and images that dont quite fit together. It has to be said that they do this quite successfully as electronics clash with a strange collection of instruments, samples and vocals.

For the record the band members were Andrew Pettit,Ulrika Bjorsne and Dave Farrell. It seems that the album was critically well received at the time although this was not matched by sales. It was championed by the likes of Zane Lowe and Lauren Laverne.

This adulation was not shared by Mrs CC who could be heard screaming from the next room to turn it down.

Experimental would be the kindest description. It will not be a keeper.

The Shortwave Set - Is it Any Wonder

The Shortwave Set - Repeat to Fade

If my Blogger statistics are to be believed there was only one view for yesterday's Idlewild post - probably George given he commented. This one will do well to equal that.For the record I usually get more than one.