Thrum Thursday

 

I was sitting in the music room the other day listening to a record ( Exit Light by Raveloe since you asked) when I caught sight of Rifferama by Thrum in my peripheral vision on the CD shelves.

That was the next thing to listen to sorted. And what a splendid racket it was too. The album was released in 1994 on the Fire label but it was not until 2018 that the band crossed my radar.

I had just seen the Gracious Losers put on a tremendous show at the Glad Cafe when in a conversation with Ian Smith the head honcho of Last Night from Glasgow he mentioned that three of the band members had previously been in Thrum.-singer Monica Queen, guitarist Johnny Smillie and drummer Gary Johnston. The one member who was involved was bassist Dave McGovern.

Given this information I very quickly sourced a copy of Rifferama and was pretty much blown away. I have mentioned this before but there was a cut out album review tucked into the sleevnotes  of the CD which states that Thrum's unique selling point is Monica Queen's plaintive, occasionally soaring vocal. The person who had cut it out had written immediately following that just like Maria McKee and you can certainly see the comparison. Monica's recent sole album Stop That Girl on LNFG/Creeping Bent is well worth a listen.

Here are two songs from the album which haven't featured in the two previous posts on this band/album.

Thrum - Here I Am

Thrum - Hey Joe

Brothers, Sisters .... 7

 

Only one song from each artist today because as far as I am aware The White Sisters only ever released two singles one of which was Misery, Me & You. It is the only one I have a copy of and I was unable to source the other. They were not sisters, in fact they were not even female.

According to Discogs there have been three acts called The White Sisters - one providing backing vocals for Green on Red, a female Gospel trio and today's first band pictured above who were based in Madison, Wisconsin.

Consisting of Jeffrey Borchardt on guitar, mandolin and vocals, Larry Bethe on drums and Derrick McBride on bass from 1986 the single was recorded on Butch Vig's Madison based BOAT Records and Tapes.

It is the last song on side 3 of the excellent compilation album - Strum & Thrum: The American Jangle Underground 1983-1987. When my bank manager comes calling I shall refer him in Brian's direction as he is wholly responsible for me purchasing this.

The Brothers this week probably need no introduction. I suppose to make it a more even contest I could have pitched the Sisters up against the post Gram Parsons version of the Flying Burrito Brothers. However, this would deny me featuring something from The Gilded Palace of Sin something I was not prepared to do.

The White Sisters song is pretty good and would probably have held its own against some of the other Brothers. However, obviously today there can only be one winner. There will be a lot of much more even contests to follow.

The White Sisters - Misery. Me & You

Flying Burrito Brothers - Hot Burrito no. 1

Trains, Boats and Planes 2

 

The second instalment of Trains, Boats and Planes with apologies to Ernie Still no buses.

There are far more train songs to chose from that the other modes of transport so let's go for one of the better ones.

Down There By The Train is a song written by Tom Waits but as is often the case it is trumped by the cover version from Johnny Cash which is taken from the first American Recordings album.

Boat to Bolivia is the title track of the brilliant 1986 debut album by Martin Stephenson & the Daintees. Martin clearly knows his geography as he correctly points out that you can't catch a boat to Bolivia given that it is a landlocked country.

Finally The Cramps up the tempo somewhat with Mystery Plane.

I say finally but in fact we conclude with Sandie Shaw who has the set with her interpretation of the  Bacharach and David song Trains and Boats and Planes. Spoiler alert - this will not be the only time that this song features in this series.

Johnny Cash - Down There By The Train

Martin Stephenson & the Daintees -Boat to Bolivia

The Cramps - Mystery Plane

Sandie Shaw -Trains and Boats and Planes

Finally It Happened To Me

 

2023 Charity Shop Purchases #88 Ce Ce Peniston - Finally

Finally it happened to me. CC plays Ce Ce. Right in front of my face and I just can not hide it Sometimes these posts just write themselves.

Six charity shops visited over the weekend - two in Auchterarder, one in Dunkeld, one in Pitlochry and two in  Bridge of Allen. One CD purchased for the grand total of 50p - Finally by Ce Ce Peniston a Steve Hurley production from 1982 and on the A&M label.

I would imagine that you are all familiar with the title tune.. It has troubled the UK singles charts on three occasions. Firstly in October 1991 for 7 weeks peaking at number 29. The re-issue in March 1992 was much more successful charting for 8 weeks and reaching number 2. It charted again in September 1997 for 5 weeks peaking at 26. The album sold over half a million copies in the US and peaked at number 10 in the UK.

To be honest I would have been happy with a CD single as the other 9 tracks aren't much cop. As it was the early 90s a  track Finally (Somedub Mix) at 7 minutes and 7 seconds is sneaked it at the end as a bonus.

Good song that it is I'm not totally convinced that this one is a keeper.

Ce Ce Peniston - Finally (7" Choice Mix)

Ce Ce Peniston - Finally (Somedub Mix)

Saturday Shuffle (on a Sunday ) 29

 

Saturday Shuffle is a day late this week after yesterday's birthday celebrations but I'm sure it will be worth the wait.

We are starting this week with the wonderful Nadine Shah. She has been on a break for a couple of years but has recently started touring to promote her forthcoming album Filthy Underneath. Sadly I never found out about her gig at King Tuts until it was too late. Today's offering Walk is from her previous album 2020's Kitchen Sink

Next up is one of the top five songs of all time. I think I could play it every day for the rest of my life and never tire of it. It is that good. I am talking of course about the mighty Ever Fallen in Love With by Buzzcocks. What.A.Song

How do you follow that? Quite simply you don't. It is however always good to wind down with a little Bobbie Gentry with the effortlessly sultry Okolona River Bottom Band.

Good news you will only have to wait six days rather than seven for the next instalment.

Nadine Shah -Walk

Buzzcocks - Ever Fallen in Love With

Bobbie Gentry - Okalona River Bottom Band

11

 

Now that I am retired I can just about remember the day of the week but as for the date - forget it.

On Monday it dawned on me that the 11th anniversary of Charity Chic Music was towards the end of November. At first I was concerned that I may have missed it but a quick check confirmed it is today. There you go, we have made it through another year - who would have thunk it?

It is probably the community and the camaraderie that keeps me going especially when I am devoid of motivation and/or ideas.  We have a shared love of music and other common interests but it is much wider than that.

As we all get older we all have our own trials and tribulations and often also health issues both physical and mental. I think we can all take comfort in the knowledge that the blogging community is here for us even it is people we have never met. I say this confidently as it has always been the case with those  that I have had the pleasure of meeting. Long may it continue.

I suppose I should get round to the music. The Smithereens album Eleven does not contain any eleven songs but I have found four songs and two acts which do.

Edinburgh School for the Deaf - Eleven Kinds of Loneliness

Lee Hazlewood - Ten or Eleven Towns Ago

Terry Hall and Mushtaq - Ten Eleven

Blondie - 11:59

One Eleven Heavy - Too Much Too Much

Eleventh Dream Day - I Could be Lost

This week's Saturday Shuffle will be on Sunday!

Heidi and Boo

 

Earlier in the year Mrs CC came up with an excellent suggestion that we have a wee sneaky overnight prior to Christmas incorporating a concert somewhere.

As it was her idea I left it to her and she came up with Heidi Talbot and Boo Hewerdine at Birnam Arts Centre tomorrow night. We are booked into a hotel in Dunkeld on the other bank of the River Tay.

I say Heidi and Boo but it might just be Heidi as Mrs CC informs me that Boo has been unwell and has missed a few shows. I hope he is better and up for performing as we haven't seen him before. He is an English singer/song writer who now lives in Glasgow. He has released a good few albums and has written songs for the likes of Eddi Reader. He was also previously in the band The Bible

We have seen Heidi twice before at Paisley Arts Centre and at Glasgow's Mitchell Theatre as part of Celtic Connections and she always puts on a good show. This will therefore be the third  town/city/village that we have seen her in.

Match report to follow.

Heidi Talbot - Wine and Roses

Boo Hewerdine - Butterfly (On a Pin)

The Bible - Graceland

A Strange Hello

 

Stuck for something to post I decided to have a quick trawl through my music files to see if anything caught my eye. I hadn't got any further than the As when I noticed a file called A Strange Hello which didn't ring any bells.

I opened it to find it contained seven tracks by American indie singer songwriter Torres. I couldn't find any details on Discogs. The nearest I got was that there was a track called Strange Hellos on her second album Sprinter released in 2015 on the Partisan label

I then found a post from Hot Press advising that this was a primer featuring songs from her self titled 2013 debut album and Sprinter. It also mentioned that it was a free download which may well explain why it found its way into my music library.

I can't recall having ever played it but I may well have done when I first downloaded it . This then may be only the second time that these tracks get an airing. It is not bad but not earth shattering either. I can hear echoes of PJ Harvey which is obviously a good thing. There are a lot of female indie singer songwriters out there vying for attention and I'm sure she has a fan base. Sadly, like many others, I suspect she will never make the big time. Hopefully I will be proved wrong. Of course a post on CCM could change all that!

Her are two from Sprinter and one from the debut album.

Torres - Strange Hellos

Torres - Sprinter

Torres - Honey

Brothers, Sisters ......... 6

 

   

I've just checked which day of the week and it is actually Wednesday as opposed to Sunday. After listening to these songs you will understand why it is easy to get confused

We have the fire and brimstone country gospel version as preached by Charles and Ira  Louvin up against fellow Alabamans the Johnson Sisters who have been described as the Sweethearts of Gospel Music.

If you are a regular visitor to this site then the Louvin Brothers will need no introduction. In case they are new to you here is their Wiki page .You are in for a treat. They do sing secular songs but  also do some excellent Hell and Damnation numbers. Sadly Ira's relationship with the bottle meant he didn't always practice what he preached. Two of their religious ones for you today.

According to Discogs there have been three acts called The Johnson Sisters. I think I have the correct one.I know absolutely nothing about them so I will let Discogs do the honours

US gospel from Alabama which started in the mid-50s. The Johnson Sisters (also recognized as the) Sweethearts of Gospel Music, embraced a style unlike any other gospel groups of their day. Although their sound is uniquely their own, is akin to that of the popular McGuire Sisters. The original group consisted of Mary, Margaret, Judy and Anna Johnson, daughters of L.C. and Maedeen Johnson. Margaret was seven years younger than Mary. The youngsters in the group, Judy and Anna, are twins born about a year after Margaret. Their brother, Luther, wasn't interested in singing, although he has a very pleasing voice. The sisters recorded their first album on the Sing label when the twins were at the ripe old age of nine! "The Sweethearts of Gospel Music" soon became one of the best-selling albums in the Sing catalogue. At the time, Mary was the pianist and arranger, Margaret sang the low contralto part, Judy supplied the alto, and Anna sang a beautiful soprano.

It is hard to find fault with their music but there can clearly be only one winner today. Yes it is the gents who warned you that Satan is real

Louvin Brothers - The Family Who Prays

Louvin Brothers -Satan is Real

Johnson Sisters -You Can't Hurry God

Johnson Sisters -Lord I've Tried

Trains, Boats and Planes

 

I was thinking about trains, boats and planes songs and whether I had enough for a series and wondered whether I had thought of this before. 

It turns out that I have - sort of .. I featured some songs from the album Trains, Boats and Planes by The Frank and Walters in April 2021 and pondered as to whether there was a series in it.

Nothing happened until now when I thought about it again over the weekend and decided to give it a go. Let's do it.

One thing is for sure being a Country music fan I will not be short of songs about trains. However not every train song is a country song. Why even The Only Band That Matters has a train song on London Calling.

I don't have as many songs about boats but there are enough for a few weeks. Let's start with Madness and Night Boat to Cairo . I suspect that would be considerably slower than Primal Scream's Big Jet Plane.

I actually have a song called Trains, Boats, Planes by It's Immaterial which I'll feature today but will resist the temptation to subject you to it again as the series progresses.

More transport related songs next Tuesday

It's Immaterial - Trains, Boats, Planes

The Clash - Train in Vain

Madness - Night Boat to Cairo

Primal Scream - Big Jet Plane

Monday's Sunday Selections

 

I was stuck for something to post today so I thought that I would feature a song each from the three albums we listened to over Sunday brunch and subsequent chores.

The Ultimate Collection by Allison Moorer was requested by Mrs CC. An artists we have seen twice once on her own and once with her sister Shelby Lynne. She was also briefly married to Steve Earle. I would say that she is one of those artists who has one foot in mainstream Country and the other in American/Alternative Country. Obviously my preference is for the latter.

We then went for random selections. Mrs CC went first and pulled out Love by Aztec Camera from the Indie/Pop shelves. From 1987 it is their third album. Not as good as their debut High Land, Hard Rain but better that Knife the second one. There are two top songs on it namely How Men Are and Killermont Street which is pictured above. It has Buchanan Street Bus Station on one side and the Glasgow Royal Concert Hall on the other. The Concert Hall did not open until 1990 so this remains the best song ever about a bus station.

I'm afraid I let the side down with my random selection which was People the debut album by Irish folk rock band Hothouse Flowers from 1998. A search of the Blog suggests that this was a charity shop purchase by Mrs CC which I posted about in October 2013 This was the only time that they have featured here before and I suspect that this may have been the first time it has been played since. It probably needs to go back.

We saw their frontman Liam Ó Maonlaí perform as part of a Roaming Roots Revue concert at Celtic Connections and he is as mad as a box of frogs.

Allison Moorer - Is It Worth It ?

Aztec Camera - Killermont Street

Hothouse Flowers - Don't Go

Watch the Birdie

 

News came out last week that Camera Obscura are doing a short tour in May 2024 - details here

The final date is at Glasgow's Barrowland and I managed to get my ass into gear and acquire a ticket. It should be good.

Although familiar with a number of their songs as is often the case I was a bit late to the party. However I have since managed to pick up the majority of their back catalogue.

We also saw them play a fantastic concert in Glasgow's Saint Lukes on 5th August 2019 which was one of my gigs of that year as demonstrated in my end of the year gig review

05/08   St Lukes - Camera Obscura - 9/10
First time I have seen them and their first concert for a couple of years not that you would have known. Some magnificent musicanship complimented the wonderful voice of Tracyanne Campbell.

The blurb for the tour alludes to some new songs being featured so hopefully a new album will pop up in due course.. In the meantime they have returned to Merge Records and Underachievers Please Try Harder and Lets Get Out of this Country have recently been re-released

Here are three of their most famous songs.

Camera Obscura - French Navy

Camera Obscura - Let's Get Out of This Country

Lloyd, I'm Ready to be Heartbroken

Saturday Shuffle 28

 

If you were to type Sanctified Soul into the search button on this page you would find a significant number of posts. Indeed it has already featured in this series as part of Saturday Shuffle 22

I make no apologies for featuring it again given that it is quite simply one of the greatest Soul Compilations of all time namely Sanctified Soul on the Ace label . I defy anyone to tell me I'm wrong. Today's offering is the magnificent I Stole Some Love by Don Covay ( pictured above) & the Goodtimers.

I'm not sure how you follow that but follow that we must. Here is R&B singer Amos Milburn with Down the Road Apiece the first track from another excellent compilation Uncut's - The Devil's Music - Keith Richards' Personal Compilation of Blues ,Soul and R&B Classics yours on Discogs from as little as a pound.

We conclude this week with a song from one of my favourite albums from 2019. Still Here Now is taken from These Times by the mighty The Dream Syndicate which was released on the Anti- label and which you really should have.

Enjoy.

Don Covay & the Goodtimers - I Stole Some Love

Amos Milburn - Down The Road Apiece

The Dream Syndicate - Still Here Now

Hazy Friday

 

I was scrambling about for something to post today when I got an e-mail from George advising that he had been playing the Dundonian band The Hazey Janes and the band Hazy Malaze who included the late great Neal Casal amongst their members.

This had me considering all things Hazy and indeed Hazey . In addition to the two fine bands above I came up with the Greek band My Drunken Haze.

And then of course there are the songs - can Nick Drake, Jimmi Hendrix, Ray Stinnett and The Bangles please step up to the mike.

I think it is best to stop there - so no Isaac Hayes, Wade Hayes, Gemma Hayes, Hayes McMullen or Hayes Carll. We'll save them for another hayesy day.

The Hazey Janes - Toulouse

Hazy Malaze -Chicago Blondes

My Drunken Haze - Carol Wait

Nick Drake -Hazey Jane 1

Jimi Hendrix - Purple Haze

Ray Stinnett - Salty Haze

The Bangles - Hazy Shade of Winter

Community Music

 

2023 Charity Shop Purchases #87  Asian Dub Foundation - Community Music

The Kinder Handl charity shop on Glasgow's Battlefield Road has literally hundreds of CDs. I spent about  half an hour last Tuesday going through them and only came away with two - Friday's Ska is the Limit compilation and this one.

From 2000 on the FFRR label Community Music is the 4th album by Asian Dub Foundation and joins 1998's Rafi's Revenge and 2003's Enemy of the Enemy on the shelves. And what a worthy edition it is too.

The NME describes it as the least laissez-faire album since Public Enemy’s ‘Fear Of A Black Planet’, ‘Community Music’ is not remotely market-honed but has a street power and rock’n’roll energy that nothing else is going to measure up to this year.  They go on to award the album with a score of 10/10

Pitchfork gives it a well deserved score of 8.7  commenting  as much musically innovative as they are politically active, Asian Dub Foundation's sound is a melting pot of jungly breakbeats, dub and dancehall flavours, and snaky guitar lines that morph from rock riffs into Indian sitars and back again, every element of which manages to stand out in the mix as often as it complements the others.

Chris Grimshaw from AllMusic commented that Community Music should be in every thinking person's collection, directly between the Clash and Public Enemy. High praise indeed and probably merited

A powerful album with some powerful messages and a good find.

Asian Dub Foundation - Real Great Britain

Asian Dub Foundation - Collective Mode

Brothers , Sisters ..... 5

 

                                                          

Only one record from each today  primarily because I have only one song by the Hewlett Sisters. As you can see from the picture above the song in question is In the Last Day and the picture is included as I couldn't find a picture of the sisters or indeed their first names or any other information about them.

Discogs advises that the single was from 1974 on the JPR label with On Gospel's Programme on the   b-side. It also features on a 2020 compilation The Last Shall Be First: The JCR Records Story, Volume 1 which is available from Bandcamp. I suspect that it probably came from George.

I have slightly more material from this weeks Brothers act Sutherland Brothers & Quiver. I have a whole albums worth as I have Reach For The Sky from 1975, on the CBS label, which I picked up in a charity shop. You should all be familiar with their best known song Arms of Mary so I don't think it would be fair to feature it today. Instead I have gone for the album's opening track When the Train Comes.

I was going to say that Arms of Mary was probably Gavin Sutherland's best earner until I remember that he also wrote Sailing which was a massive hit for Rod Stewart. Don't worry that is not going to feature!

It's the elusive Gospel sisters for me!

The Hewlett Sisters - In The Lat Day

Sutherland Brothers & Quiver - When The Train Comes

Too Long Away

 

2023 Charity Shop Purchases #86 - Emily Smith - Too Long Away

Many years ago when it was still I thing I picked up a copy of Traiveller's Joy by Dumfries and Galloway folk singer/songwriter Emily Smith from the record library. It quickly became a firm favourite of both me and Mrs CC. This in turn led to us picking up more of her stuff and seeing her at Celtic Connections in 2019 as part of a duo with her Jamie McLennan. Unfortunately this proved to be disappointing as it was pretty average singer/songwriter stuff as opposed to her excellent interpretations of traditional songs.

Fortunately 2008's Too Long Away on the Spit & Polish label (run by Francis McDonald of Teenage Fanclub fame) is old enough to reflect her traditional roots and therefore goes down as a good find.

I bought it for 25p in the Re-Use Clothes charity shop in Stranraer. When we got home I couldn't find it and had Mrs CC and her mum searching their bags to no avail. I found it about a week later in my anorak pocked (it had been chucking it down that day)

Chronologically this should have appeared before Friday's Ska is the Limit. I had featured Karine Polwart earlier in the week and thought that two folk acts in the one week may have been too much for some of you although arguably you can't have too much of a good thing!

Emily Smith - As I Was a Wand'ring

Emily Smith -The Mermaid of Galloway

Dropkick at the Glad Cafe

 

A cold Saturday night saw me making the short journey to the Glad Cafe on Glasgow's South Side (thanks for the lifts Mrs CC!) to see Dropkick for the second time this year and the third time in total.

There were two good support acts. Airdrie singer/songwriter  Adriana Spina was the first act up and delivered some excellent Americana style songs. She advised that she had taken part in a songwriters course led by Dar Williams and followed this up with a powerful song about the death of  Sheku Bayoh . She was also raising money for a stroke charity so clearly someone with a social conscience.

Adriana was followed by Neil Sturgeon & the Infomaniacs who I had seen supporting Dropkick the first time I saw them. They delivered a high energy set of what I would describe as pub rock in the style of Dr Feelgood and Graham Parker and the Rumour. I had to send Mrs CC a picture of Neil as he is a doppleganger for John the Joiner who did our kitchen!

Dropkick are currently a threesome with songwriter Andrew Taylor on drums and vocals, Ian Grier on bass and  Alan Shields on guitar and vocals. As you might expect there were a good few songs from their current album The Wireless Revolution but there were plenty more from over the years including one which Andrew and Ian had performed as pupils at Arbroath Academy over 30 years ago!

The chap sitting next to me, who was from Carlisle, said they reminded him of a Toronto band  called the Paperboys. I wasn't aware of them but have since given them a listen and I am not convinced. I responded that they were similar to the Jayhawks (who he hadn't heard of!) and this was seconded by the lady in front of us. To back up my claim Alan delivered a cover of Save it for a Rainy Day about 10 minutes later.

All in all another excellent evening.

Dropkick - Don't Give Yourself Away

Dropkick -Feeling Never Goes Away

Ladies Sing The Blues

 

I picked up a copy of Mojo recently where the Rolling Stones were the main feature 

The magazine notes that the Stones covered Robert Johnson's Love in Vain on Let it Bleed in 1969 which was 31 years after his death. This in turn led to the cover CD featuring this song along with14 other country blues numbers.

I am going to focus on the ladies today as they are often overlooked when it comes to the Blues. Indeed in The Blues Collection I think that only Bessie Smith and Koko Taylor feature in their own right  along with a compilation of Blues Women.

To start with we are going back nearly a century with Rolling Log Blues by Lottie Kimburgh (no relation to Junior Kimburgh). She also sung under the name the Kansas City Butterball. This song was covered by Buffy Sainte- Marie in 1966.

Mattie Delaney's Tallahatchie River Blues from 1930 is a song about the Great Mississippi Flood of 1927 and is one of the only two songs that she was known to have recorded.

We finish with a double act namely Ruby Glaze and Hot Shot Willie. The true identity of Ruby Glaze is not certain but she is widely believed to be Katie McTell who at was the wife of Blind Willie McTell who is also Hot Shot Willie. Kate McTell sung with her husband before subsequently becoming a nurse.

Be grateful that I have spared you Julius King with I Want a Slice of Your Puddin'

Lottie Kimbrough - Rolling Log Blues

Mattie Delaney - Tallahatchie River Blues

Ruby Glaze & Hot Shot Willie - Lonesome Day Blues

Saturday Shuffle - 27

 

Confession time. When it comes to the shuffle I do not automatically feature the first three songs that pop up.

There are a variety of reasons for this - the artist or even song may have recently featured, it is too similar to one of the other songs or one recently featured, I don't think it is a good fit or I just don't fancy it.

No such problems this week with the first three songs which popped up being the three that are featuring today.

Given the picture above it should not come as a huge surprise that one of those included is from the 2015 album Americano Groove by the conjunto band Los Texmaniacs who are fronted by Max Baca - track 9 to be precise namely Como te Quiero.

The next track is Country Death Song by Violent Femmes. It is a song from their 1984 album Hallowed Ground but on this occasion it is taken from a 2003 compilation  Rough Trade Shops - Country 1.

Another song from a compilation for our final offering. From Hard-Headed Woman: A Celebration of Wanda Jackson from Bloodshot in 2004 I give you Robbie Fulks with Tears at the Grand Ol' Opry.

More assorted nonsense lovingly curated choices next Saturday.

Los Texmaniacs - Como te Quiero

Violent Femmes - Country Death Song

Robbie Fulks - Tears at the Grand Ol' Opry

Ska is the Limit

 

2023 Charity Shop Purchases #85  - Various Artists - Ska is the Limit

After three Fridays in row  featuring Rockabilly this week we move on to another neglected genre namely Ska.

The Merriam -Webster dictionary describes Ska as popular music of Jamaican origin that combines elements of traditional Caribbean rhythms and jazz

It shot to prominence in the UK in the late 70s/early 80s with the success of 2 Tone Records which focussed traditional Jamaican ska, rocksteady and reggae music with elements of punk rock and new wave. In short nothing short of a multi cultural revolution led by the likes of The Specials, The Selector and Madness

Ska is the Limit is a 1997 compilation on the Disky label which features the first two the the three artists above alongside Fun Boy Three & Bananarama, Special A.K.A., The Untouchables and Desmond Dekker.

We were privileged to grow up in those times when there was a social conscience and a desire for change. Arguably the bland music that seems to be the most popular now is the music we currently deserve.

Let's go back in time  to when music mattered

The Selector - On My Radio

The Specials ft Rico - A Message to You Rudy

The Untouchables - F.B.I. (I Spy for the)

Teenage Fanclub at the Tramway

 

The last two concerts I have been to have been by Teenage Fanclub.

On Friday 22nd September I went to see them play a short in store show at Mono where I picked up my copy of their new album Nothing Lasts for Ever. It was the night before my holidays so I didn't have the opportunity to listen to it for a couple of weeks.

I have now had that opportunity and in my opinion it is considerably better that their previous one 2021's Endless Arcade.

I also acquired tickets for their concert on 5th November (Bonfire Night) at Glasgow's Tramway which is not far from where we stay. Conscious of the aging demographic of their fans this was a show at a seated venue and accordingly I was accompanied by Mrs CC who does not do standing up shows or sweaty basements.

As you would expect it was a fantastic show and as you would  also expect a good few of the songs from the new album featured - half a dozen to be precise - setlist attached  I am pleased to report that Mrs CC thoroughly enjoyed it

For a more detailed review of the show I am going to refer you to uber fan Murray over at the wonderful Everything Flows blog. He has done a far better job than I could ever do.

It was only my 12th gig of the year but I've a further  two lined up over the next two weekends. Details/Reviews  to follow.

In the meantime I will leave you with the first and last song from Sunday's show.

Teenage Fanclub - Tired of Being Alone

Teenage Fanclub - Everything Flows

Brothers, Sisters .... 4

 

An interesting contest this week as Chicago has the audacity to take on Glasgow.

The Waco Brothers are a Chicago based alternative country band  who for many years have been a stalwart of Bloodshot Records. Although based in America they have ex Mekon Jon Langford among their number so are probably best described as an American/Welsh band

They have released 14 albums since 1995 and have appeared on just about every compilation album that Bloodshot have put out.

Sister John are one of the oldest and most successful acts on the Last Night From Glasgow roster having released three albums to date - Returned From Sea, Sister John and I Am By Day. The band are led by vocalist and guitarist Amanda McKeown  who also writes the songs with Jonathan Lilley on guitars and keyboards , Heather Philips on violin and Sophie Pragnell on drums with all the band members providing backing vocals.

I've seen both bands live on a few occasions. The Wacos are terrific live and I feel that they are much better live than on record. Sister John are good both live and on record although I am not totally convinced by their last album or the last time I saw them live.

I'm calling this one a draw!

Waco Brothers -Watch Willie Fly By

Waco Brothers -Walking on Hell's Roof Looking at the Flowers

Sister John - Sweetest Moment

Sister John - Glasgow is a Rainbow

The Return of the Silver Fox

 

2023 Charity Shop Purchases #84  - Charley Rich - The Very Best Of

The late, great Charlie Rich has appeared here before both from his early Rockabilly days and his subsequent middle of the road country.

Apart from songs in various Sun and/or Rockabilly compilations up until now the only thing of his I had was a vinyl copy of his 1973 classic album Behind Closed Doors.

Nothing on CD until I stumbled upon The Very Best Of  from 1997 on Prism in the Canine Rescue Shop in Newton Stewart (or the Dead Dog shop as we call it because of the smell) .A very cheap but not necessarily very cheerful compilation.

I say very cheap. Maybe that should read very, very cheap. I thought it was 25p only to find out that it was actually 10p  (for 20 tracks). I had handed over the 25p and was too embarrassed to ask for change!

You will all be familiar with these three classics.

Charlie Rich - The Most Beautiful Girl

Charlie Rich - Behind Closed Doors

Charlie Rich - I Feel Like Going Home

Faultlines

 

2023 Charity Shop Purchases #83   - Karine Polwart - Faultlines

Both Mrs CC and I are big fans of Scottish singer/songwriter Karine Polwart. We have seen her on a number of occasions and have a good few of her albums.

It was therefore good to add to the collection by picking up her 2004 solo debut Faultlines  on Neon Records from the Sue Ryder shop in Newton Stewart. She had previously recorded as part of the band Malinky.

She certainly hit the ground running with Faultlines winning the Best Album at the Radio 2  Folk Awards. In addition the track The Sun's Comin' Over the Hill winning the Best Original Song and Karine herself receiving the Horizon Award for the best new artist. A star is born.

Wiki notes that the songs on Faultlines cover a variety of topics, and although she has claimed at live performances that they are all quite depressing, many have an uplifting aspect. 

It is interesting to hear something from her which is just under 20 years old and to see how she has evolved over the years. She is certainly not afraid to cover what could be seen as controversial topics.

A good find.

Karine Polwart - Faultlines

Karine Polwart - The Sun's Comin' Over The Hill

The Return of the Blues Collection

 

2023 Charity Shop Purchases #82 - The Blues Collection no44  -Luther Allison - Rich Man

Long suffering readers will know my history with The Blues Collection which was a collection of 92 recordings released between 1993 and 1997 with an accompanying magazine.

Just over ten years ago around Christmas and New Year I bought two job lots of 22 and 17 CDs from my local charity shop which is now a greengrocers. Over the years I have acquired a further 23 mostly from charity shops taking my total to 62.

I used to carry a note in my wallet with the numbers I still had to acquire. This has been superseded by a copy of my spreadsheet on my phone. I even have sub-contacted The Swede to keep an eye out down his way.

The earlier ones are easier to find as more people would have been purchasing the magazine then. The later ones are harder.

It has probably been about two or three years since I stumbled upon one I hadn't got. Then last week in the BRICC  thrift shop in Ballantrae I spotted  number 44 namely Rich Man by Luther Allison. I was pretty sure that I didn't have it and a quick check on my phone led to me parting 50p to acquire my 63rd CD from the series.

Luther Allison was a blues guitarist from Arkansas who was active from 1957 until his death in 1997 aged just 57. The Chicago Reader called him the Jimi Hendricks of Blues guitar. He was also one of the few Blues artists to record on Motown.

Most of the songs on the album were recorded in Paris in 1987 where he adopted a more rock orientated style .Like many Bluesman he moved to and plied his trade in Europe around then.

There is very much of a 70's feel to the music which isn't really up my street. Still it is The Blues Collection so it is a keeper. Don't worry Cold as Ice is not THAT one!

Luther Allison - Rich Man

Luther Allison - Cold as Ice

Saturday Shuffle 26

 

Another Saturday, another shuffle. It's relentless.

You know the drill by now. Three random songs from my gym MP3 player. As an aside I think I am the only person there who still has earphones connected via a cable as opposed to earbuds or whatever.

Let's start with our cover stars Ike and Tina Turner. Mojo Queen is taken from an excellent Mojo magazine compilation Southern Soul from April 2005. One  that you would be happy to pay hard cash for.

Next up we are off to Kentucky and to Harlan County to be precise .This absolute belter by Jim Ford was first brought to my attention by Andy Kershaw on his Radio 3  programme leading me to purchase the album of the same name  This is also available on the 2021 Ace compilation Choctaw Ridge - New Fables of the American South 1968-1973 which is also well worth having.

We end with Gangs a song by Honeyblood from their 2016 album Babes Never Die where singer Stina Tweeddale sings about growing up in the Oxgangs district in Edinburgh.

Ike & Tina Turner - Mojo Queen

Jim Ford - Harlan County

Honeyblood - Gangs

More random nonsense next Saturday

Random Rockabilly Friday Mk III

 

It's time to conclude this brief stopgap mini series with a final blast of Friday Rockabilly.

We are starting with Brian Setzer no stranger to this place either as a Stray Cat and as a solo artist and/or band leader. The not so snappily titled Peroxide Blonde in a Hopped Up Model Ford is taken from  his 2005 album Rockabilly Riot Volume 1 -A Tribute to Sun Records on Surfdog Records.

Another rockabilly guitar legend albeit from an earlier generation was Link Wray. New Studio Blues is taken from a Compilation called Whistle Bait -25 Rockabilly Rave Ups.

Finally (for now) we conclude with Cherry Pie from a band called Jack Rabbit Slim who feature on the Compilation 21st Century Rockabilly Volume 2.

Nothing from Hungary this week I'm afraid.

Brian Setzer - Peroxide Blonde in a Hopped Up Model Ford

Link Wray - New Studio Blues

Jack Rabbit Slim - Cherry Pie

Stevie Wonderful

 

The other day Superstition by Stevie Wonder came on the radio and it just about stopped me in my tracks. What a magnificent song.

It is taken from his 1972 album Talking Book. The early 70s were probably when Stevie was at his peak not that I knew that at the time. It would be much later before I discovered what I consider to be the Holy Triumvirate of his albums Talking Book, Innervisions (1973) and Songs in the Key of Life (1976)

Looking at his discography there was also an album from 1975 Fulfillingness' First Finale. It is not one I have heard or even heard much about and I don't recognise any of the songs. I suppose that is something I should rectify.

In the meantime one from each of the Holy Triumvirate starting naturally with Superstition. You wont hear anything much better today.

Stevie Wonder - Superstition

Stevie Wonder - Living For the City

Stevie Wonder -Sir Duke