Rockabilly Riot!

 

2025 Charity Shop Purchases # 44 - Brian Setzer - Rockabilly Setzer! All Original

Long suffering Regular readers will know that my brother is a  fanatical rockabilly fan. Accordingly, over the years I have acquired a number of copies of CDs by Stray Cats and Bryan Setzer. To date the only one I actually had as a proper CD was by The Bryan Setzer Orchestra called Dirty Boogie.

That number has now been doubled as I picked up Rockabilly Riot ! All Original as part of the Newton Stewart haul. From 2014 and on the Surfdog label it was his 9th solo studio album.

It does what it says on the tin as the two tracks below demonstrate

Bryan Setzer - Let's Shake

Bryan Setzer - Vinyl Records

Dave Godin's Deep Soul Treasures - Volume 2

 

2025 Charity Shop Purchases # 43 - Various Artists - Dave Godin's Deep Soul Treasures - Taken From The Vaults Volume 2

Another week, another Volume 2 of Deep Soul Treasures -Taken from the Vaults. Unfortunately there was no typewritten letter by Dave Godin tucked into the sleevenotes this time . There are, however, 25 belting tunes given that the standards for this series never slip

Again I am referring you to the Ace Records website for some information on this CD which became Kent Records best seller to date.

As before any and all of the 25 tracks are worthy of inclusion to date. To save me having to make some difficult or random decisions I'm going for three of the songs referred to in the Ace article

You will be glad to note that there are more to come.

Eddie Holman - I'm Not Gonna Give Up

Eddy Giles - Losing Boy

Bessie Banks - Go Now

Hotel, Motel 6

 

Let's face it Hotel California was always going to feature in this series ... just not by The Eagles!

No, I give you Hotel California by Alabama 3 from their 2000 album La Peste. The follow up to the magnificent 1997 debut Exile on Coldharbour Lane it was a major disappointment as were their live shows from this period. Subsequently I have never felt the urge to pick up any more of their records or to go and see them live again.

I was unsure as to how Wooden Wand (the stage name of James Jackson Toth) first came to my attention until I carried out a search on the Blog revealed it was via a Mojo compilation The New Thunder Review. I was sufficiently impressed enough to track down a copy of the 2011 album Briarwood which includes the song Motel Stationary

More hotels and motels next Monday

Alabama 3 - Hotel California

Wooden Wand - Motel Stationary

Cowpunks

 

For this Sunday's Americana compilation I give you Cowpunks  

From 1996 on the UK label Vinyl Junkie  it contains 24 Trailblazing tracks as it says on the cover and here from Discogs is the track list. They also describe the music as Alternative Rock, Country Rock which I think meets my criteria.

The sticker on the back reads HMV £4.99 but I'm pretty sure that I picked it up from Missing Records cheaper than that.

Whenever I have featured this album Freakwater's version of Richard & Linda Thompson's Withered and Died always gets a mention as does Mojo Nixon and Jello Biafra with  Let's Go Burn Ole Nashville Down.

The Coal Porter's have also featured before  with Six Days on the Road but surprisingly He's a Dick by the legendary Americana Supergroup Golden Smog is  only now making its debut on these pages.

Another Americana Compilation next Sunday.

Freakwater - Withered and Died

Mojo Nixon & Jello Biafra - Let's Go Burn Ole Nashville Down

The Coal Porters - Six Days on the Road

Golden Smog - He's a Dick

Saturday Shuffle 116

 

We start this week with New York's finest Jesse Malin. I've seen him twice 16 years apart and both were pretty special. From his 2002 (around the time I first saw him) debut album The Fine Art of Self Destruction here he pays homage to the Queen of the Underground

Jesse is followed by today's cover stars  The Only Band That Matters . Career Opportunities - the ones that never knock, every job they offer you is to keep you out the dock

Apparently The Hicksville Bombers are a traditional Rockabilly band who play a unique style with plenty of double bass and original material.Until the Day I Die is taken from the compilation 21st Century Rockabilly Volume 2 but sounds more Country to me

More Shuffled nonsense next Saturday

Jesse Malin - Queen of the Underground

The Clash - Career Opportunities

The Hicksville Brothers - Until The Day I Die

The Rolling Thunder Review

 

2025 Charity Shop Purchases # 42 - Bob Dylan Live 1975 The Rolling Thunder Review - The Bootleg Series Vol 5

Another week, another album from The Bootleg Series to get your teeth into.

Released in November 2002 as Bootleg Series Volume 5 the album   documents the Rolling Thunder Review led by Dylan prior to the release of the album Desire in 1975,

The Review featured  a diverse cast of musicians and collaborators like Joan Baez, Joni Mitchell, Mick Ronson, T-Bone Burnett, Rambling Jack Elliot  and Allen Ginsberg in a unique, circus-like atmosphere. Intended as an anti-corporate "travelling counterculture carnival," the tour played in smaller venues and aimed to reconnect Dylan with his audience after a long hiatus from touring. The event's spirit was captured in Martin Scorsese's 2019 Netflix documentary, Rolling Thunder Revue: A Bob Dylan Story, which explored themes of memory, truth, and illusion, alongside the music and performances of the tour

The CD contains a fascinating and informative account of the Review by Larry "Ratso"  Sloman 

If 22 tracks over 2 CDs is not enough for you a 14 disc collection  was released in 2019 to coincide with Scorsese's documentary . I can't see that popping up in a charity shop any time soon.

Bob Dylan - Isis

Bob Dylan - Simple Twist of Fate

Bob Dylan - Hurricane

Ward Thomas in Oban

 

It has been a pretty grim year  so far with circumstances restricting us very close to home for the most part.

Things have slightly eased recently so we thought we would resurrect  our night away and taking in a gig.

This year it was UK Country singing twins (Catherine and Lizzy) Ward Thomas who are a particular favourite of Mrs CC. The choice was Dunoon or Oban and we opted for Saturday night and The Corran Halls is Oban. It was actually sunny in Oban which is something of a first and we had a cracking drive up and back.

The main hall was pretty big and can hold up to 730 people although I would say there were no more than 400 there. The audience were pretty staid compared to Glasgow even at £4.00 a pint compared to £6.50. There were a couple of exceptions. There was a spectacularly drunk couple. The woman was having a conversation with a friend on speaker phone during the concert while attempting to video the show. That will give her some idea as to where she was as I would imagine that she would have had zero recollection. She would have lasted 5 minutes in Glasgow before being huckled. There was also a woman a couple of rows in front of us doing an impressive impersonation of the Duracell Bunny.

It was an acoustic set of pretty much mainstream Country. The support act was Sarah Darling from Nashville who was very pleasant but instantly forgettable.

Ward Thomas put on a fairly good and professional show drawing from their 5 albums and two EPs They were accompanied by a male guitarist whose name I'm afraid I've forgotten.

I'd also forgot that they had covered the second song below as the last song in their encore which was quite fitting given their location.

We saw them having their breakfast in the Premier Inn. Rock'n'Roll!

Ward Thomas - Carry You Home

Ward Thomas - Caledonia

The Truckin' Sessions

 

2025 Charity Shop Purchases # 41 - Dale Watson & his Lone Stars - The Truckin' Sessions Volume 2

I saw Dale Watson play in a bar in Austin once. There can't have been more than 20 people in the bar and with the exception of me and my pal Goggs they were all watching some footage of the Gulf War on the TV. Dale eventually called it a day given that no one (apart from us) was actually listening.

This  album from 2009  and on a Dutch label Me and My Americana Records and is Volume 2 of a trilogy. You know what that means, right? That's right, I'm contractually obliged to track down the other two!

What can I say? 14 songs all about trucking! It's just a pity I didn't have a copy in time for my Keep on Truckin' series from early last year. There would have certainly been more than 5 posts had that been the case!

Dale Watson & his Lone Stars - Jack's Truck Stop and Cafe

Dale Watson & his Lone Stars - I Got to Drive

Hotel , Motel ... 5

 

    

We start this week with the classic song Heartbreak Hotel but with a twist.

You are not getting the King  today but rather the Queen in the form of the legend that is Ms Suzie Quatro.

I'm sure Mary Gauthier is no stranger to a Heartbreak Hotel or two and I suspect that the Camelot Motel has been the scene of many a heartbreak in its time.

We will be checking in again next Monday

Suzi Quatro -Heartbreak Motel

Mary Gauthier - Camelot Motel

Sounds of the New West Vol 7

 

Anyone who has followed this Blog for any length of time will know of my love of Americana. There are 500 plus CDs on the blue shelves with the majority of the them coming from the late 90s/early 00s.

It is fair to say that I haven't really kept myself that up to date with many of the newer acts. This was clearly evident when I picked up Sounds of the New West Vol 7 from the latest edition of Uncut magazine. The only ones I appear to have are from 1998 and 2000 - the series appears to have been resurrected after a considerable gap suggesting perhaps that Americana is making something of a revival.

I was not familiar with any of the 15 acts although I did recognise the name Spencer Tweedy (son of Jeff of Uncle Tupelo/Wilco fame) who appears as part of the duo Case Oats with Casey Walker. For me it is the pick of the bunch and I have therefore sourced a copy of the album Last Missouri Exit which is on the Merge label.

None of the other artists particularly jump out but from the list of the better ones I have scrawled in my notebook I give you Slow Motion Cowboys and Sally Ann Morgan.

Back to the older stuff next Sunday

Case Oats - Bitter Root Lake

Slow Motion Cowboys - Invisible Stars

Sally Anne Morgan - Eye is The First

Saturday Shuffle 115

 

You will probably recognise today's cover star John Lee Hooker. His version of the song Tupelo came up in the shuffle but I was unable to locate it in my Music Folder so the picture is by way of compensation.

Time then to Start Again and there was no such trouble in tracking down the song of that name by Teenage Fanclub from their masterpiece Songs From Northern  Britain.

For those of you still put out by the lack of Mr Hooker worry not as we have some Blues after all with Yearning courtesy of The Black Keys.

We conclude with Simple Minds from when they were good if anyone can remember that far back. Here is the brilliant The American.

More of the same next Saturday

Teenage Fanclub -Start Again

The Black Keys - Yearnin'

Simple Minds -The American

Dave Godin's Deep Soul Treasures - Volume 1

 

2025 Charity Shop Purchases # 40 - Various Artists - Dave Godin's Deep Soul Treasures - Taken From The Vaults Volume 1

When it comes to Soul Compilations few, if any, are as good as Dave Godin's Deep Soul Treasures - Taken From the Vaults Volumes 1 - 5

I had  burns of volumes 1-3, volume 4 on CD and a download of volume 5 until I pitched up in Sue Ryder in Newton Stewart, For £1.25 a pop I was able to upgrade all those I didn't have to CD. Talk about a find!

Volume one sets the tone. I refer you to the bumph and tracklist from Ace Records  which includes some blurb by Dave Godin.

On the subject of Mr Godin Volume 1 had a typewritten note from the man himself  tucked in with the sleeve notes. Talk about a find x 10!. I've included a copy below. One of the highlights of my Blogging career!

Any of the 25 songs could have been included today such is their quality. Three have featured before with the three below taken pretty much at random.

The Knight Brothers - I'm Never Gonna Live It Down

Irma Thomas - Anyone Who Knows What Love Is (Will Understand)

Reuben Bell & the Casanovas - It's Not That Easy

The Best of the Cutting Edge

 

2025 Charity Shop Purchases #39 - Bob Dylan 1965-1966  The Best of the Cutting Edge  - The Bootleg Series Vol 12

I hit gold in the Sue Ryder shop in Newton Stewart. So much so that I have forgiven them for not winning their lottery that week.

I'm beginnig to amass a respectable collection of The Bootleg Series primarily from Charity Shops.Bob Dylan 1965-1966  The Best of the Cutting Edge - The Bootleg Series Vol12 takes my total up to 5 four of which have been charity jobs. A bargain for £1.25

As the title suggests it is mix of alternate takes, rehersals  and demos of songs from these two years. This was when Bob was at his absolute best  and includes versions of most, if not all, of the songs from my favourite Dylan album Highway 61 Revisited. (I've just checked and only versions of From a Buick Six and Ballad of a Thin Man are missing).

It is terrific stuff. Spoiler alert  - there might be something similar along shortly.

Bob Dylan - Queen Jane Approximately - Take 5 alternate take

Bob Dylan - Highway 61 Revisited - Take 3 alternate take

Bob Dylan - Desolation Row - Take 1 alternate take

Just Us Kids

 

2025 Charity Shop Purchases #38 - James McMurtry -Just Us Kids

The BRICC Community Shop in Ballantrae is a veritable treasure trove of floatsom, jetsom, trivia and tat. You can pick up absolutely anything for a very reasonable price.

It is a bit of an Aladdin's cave with stuff piled hither and dither. There must of been about 50 to 60 CDs in close proximity to each other but scattered here and there. Astonishingly among the usual detritus there was a copy of Just Us Kids a 2008 album by James McMurtry  on the German Blue Rose label. They were going for something like 4 for a pound but I had no hesitation handing over a pound for this alone.

McMurtry albums in the wild are rarer that hens teeth and it is very unusual to see one in a charity shop. I only have one other one Too Long in the Wasteland plus a couple of digital ones Complicated Game and The Horses and  The Hounds at least one of which came from fellow admirer Rol

Probably my find of the year so far.

James McMurtry - Just Us Kids

James McMurtry - Hurricane Party

Blog Country 126 -Faroe Islands

 

Non the misappropriated St George's Cross but the flag of the Faroe Islands

When the Faroe Islands popped in for a visit I thought sourcing some music would be pretty tricky and that it would centre around Sea Shanties and songs about whaling. I couldn't have been more wrong.

It turned out that  there is a vibrant music scence and that sourcing songs was pretty easy and as a bonus they were of such quality that I have opted to include seven songs today as opposed to the usual four or so. 

Byrta are an electropop due who 10 years ago  took the Faroe Islands by storm with their self-titled debut album and hit songs such as “Loyndarmál” and “Norðlýsi”. 

Eivør Pálsdóttir, known mononymously as Eivør, is a Faroese singer-songwriter. Born and raised in Syðrugøta, she had her first televised performance at the age of 13.

Teitur Lassen is Faroese musician, composer, singer-songwriter and producer. He is a winner of multiple Danish Music Awards and has toured globally since his debut release, Poetry & Aeroplanes, in 2003.

Greta Svabo Bech is a Faroese singer-songwriter. She first became known for her work with Canadian producer Deadmau5, when Raise Your Weapon was nominated for Best Dance Record at the 2011 Grammy Awards and hit the 100 spot on the Billboard Hot 100.

Lyon Hansen is a singer songwriter whose  music is rooted in blues and folk traditions, and explores universal themes like love and loss with a raw, unpolished sound.

Marius Ziska  has been one of the most important players on the Faroese music scene for many years. His first full album release was under the name Marius when he released the album The Sky Is Our Home (2006). 

Finally we have the band Orka a duo comprising Francine Perry from London and Jens L. Thomsen from the Faroe Islands. They describe their music as a mixture of dark Nordic folk and ambient bass.

Thanks to Wiki for all the info in italics.It saved me a lot of leg work. Hopefully it is accurate.

Another European island nation is up next. Hopefully the quality of the music will be equally good.

Byrta - Norolysi

Eivor - Jaroartra

Teitur - Lousi, Louis

Greta Svabo Bach - Circles

Lyon Hansen - Monkey

Marius Zisca -Going Home

Orka - Oceans of Love

Hotel Motel ... 4

 

Two contemporaneous artists for you today, They both ploughed a similar furrow as solo artists and with bands with one, rightly or wrongly, finding much more fame that the other.

In the hotel corner we have the less famous of the two Graham Parker. Here he is from 1976 with his band the Rumour and the song Hotel Chambermaid from their 1976 album Heat Treatment.

In the motel corner I give you Elvis Costello and the Attractions with Motel Matches from the 1980 album Get Happy.

Arguably although they may nearly have been equally talented only Elvis really made the big time  I was a massive Elvis fan back in the day now I am more inclined to listen to Graham Parker. He seems to be a nicer person.

Graham Parker & the Rumour - Hotel Chambermaid

Elvis Costello & the Attractions -Motel Matches

Awesome

 

Four weeks into the Americana compilations series and we are still to get to an American release, The first three were UK releases and for week four we have Awesome - a compilation of American Bands on a Dutch label named after a German town namely Munich Records

I can't remember where or when I picked up this 2001 compilation but I do remember that on the back of hearing Weightless I immediately sought out the same titled album by Jackpot from  whence it came.

Sadly I never got to see them but I did manage to see my other two choices off the album.

I saw Johnny Dowd play in Glasgow and it was pretty intense. My pal had to take refuge in the upstairs bar. At least that was his excuse.

South San Gabriel were a band who were led by Will Johnson who also at the same time led another band called Centro-matic who also appear on the album. It gets a bit confusing as the album Songs/Music which I have is credited to both bands. I'm pretty sure that I have seen both bands live as well as Will Johnson performing solo - do keep up at the back!

The Baptist Generals and The Gourds are probably the best known of the other artists on the record - tracklist here

Jackpot - Weightless

Johnny Dowd - Stumble and Fall

South San Gabriel - Evangeline

Saturday Shuffle 114

 

When it comes to which is the best version of the song Blind Willie McTell I find myself constantly alternating between the original by Bob Dylan and the cover by The Dream Syndicate. Recently a version by Lucinda Williams has been added to the mix.  It was the version by Steve Wynn and the gang which popped up on the Shuffle so for today consider it the best version.

There is an arguement that there is not enough Reggae on the Shuffle. But hey it's a Wonderful World so here is some Jimmy Cliff for you Beautiful People.

The Drive-By Truckers might not agree that 21st Century USA is a wonderful world. Indeed how could it be when the country is being run by the Orange Idiot. Even if I had the money I would not be visiting it at the moment. It is danger of becoming a pariah state even although there are still undoubtedly some beautiful people clinging on by their fingertips.Stay strong.

We shall reconvene and fight the good fight next Saturday.

The Dream Syndicate - Blind Willie McTell

Jimmy Cliff - Wonderful World, Beautiful People

Drive - By Truckers - 21st Century USA

Naked

 

2025 Charity Shop Purchases #37 - Talking Heads - Naked

I've never really had the urge to acquire Naked the eighth and final studio album from 1988 by Talking Heads.This is probably because the seventh one True Stories which I bought at the time was so poor.

However, the completist in me was tempted when I saw it out of the corner of my eye as I finished scouring  the Charity Shop shelves despite it looking in poor condition. Fortunately it scrubbed up well.

I stuck it on with no/low expectations but was pleasantly surprised as to how good it was. Obviously it comes nowhere  near to being as good as the first four but arguably it is  not quite as good as Speaking in Tongues but just about on par with Little Creatures.

I wouldn't say that it has been on constant rotation but I can see it getting an airing from time to time.

I'm glad I took the punt.

Talking Heads - Mr Jones

Talking Heads - Mommy Daddy You and I

Blog Country 125 - Gabon

 

We are back in Africa again this time round  in Gabon or more precisely the Gabonese Republic.

For all things African I find it best to defer to Ernie and I refer you to his African Odyssey post for details as to the geographical placement of Gabon.

After a bit of a struggle I have managed to come up with some different songs and artists to Ernie  (although one appears on his video clips) and  but I suspect that there may well be a drop in quality given I don't have his detailed knowledge.

It is not unusual to find songs referencing the country in question and in this case Creol Ngori or more commonly just Creol who is 36 does the honours with Gabon.

The next artist up is Djezia with Oxygene. To give her her Sunday name Djieza Ghaboub is  a Gabonese singer of Algerian descent.

Oliver N'Goma was a Gabonese afro-zouk and soukous singer and guitarist. He was born in Mayumba in south-west Gabon in 1959. He is best known for his 1990 song Bane.which just happens to be the one featuring today Sadly he died aged 51 in 2010 from kidney failure.

Pamela Badjogo is an Afro -Jazz musican and a fromer member of Les Amazones d'Afrique. Her song today is called Yieh.

We conclude with Patience Debany who was the First Lady of Gabon from 1967 to 1987  and also the mother of Ali Bongo. Her contribution today is On Vous Connait.

A big challenge next time round as we visit a small country synonymous with whaling.There may be sea shanties!

Creol - Gabon

Djezia - Oxygene

Oliver N'Goma - Bane

Pamela Badjogo - Yieh

Patience Debany - On Vous Connait

Hotel, Motel ... 3

 

We are booking in to Room 3 this week. I'll leave it to you to decide whether your preference is a hotel or a motel.

If it is a hotel you may consider booking in to the Hotel Yorba. It is the second song on White Blood Cells the third album by The White Stripes from 2001. They were everywhere then but while I have all their albums I can't remember the last time I played any of them.

From the ubiquitous to the obscure and Findlay's Motel a track on the Gold Luck Morning CD single by the Walkabouts on Sub Pop from 1994. The song was recorded live on June 13th 1993 at The Paradiso in Amsterdam. It was this one that found its way onto the CD player as I wrote this suggesting that I am opting for a Motel this week.

The White Stripes - Hotel Yorba

The Walkabouts - Findlay's Motel

Loose Selections

 

Welcome to the third in the series of Americana compilations. This one will run and run so if you are not an Americana fan make plans for something better to do of a Sunday.

Loose Music is a label based in London and is probably the UK's best and best known label for Americana. I have a few of their compilations which will grace this series in the months ahead.

From 2003  Loose Selections is a compilation celebrating 5 years of Loose Music from Twang to Bang according to the sticker on the front of my jewel case.

As it is a UK label I have decided to feature 3 UK Americana acts (if that makes sense).

We start with the husband and wife team of Steve and Stephanie Pulford who record as The Arlenes. From their album Stuck on Love with the gorgeous Lonely Won't Leave Me Alone.

Although he was born in Wellington, New Zealand Peter Bruntnell is very much a British artist.  His father just happened to be working at the British Commission there at the time. His many albums include Normal for Bridgwater and King of Madrid with Here Come The Swells  being taken from 2002's Ends of the Earth. He is an artist I have seen on a few occasions and he always puts on a good show.

Although they were fronted by Paul Smith a Canadian ex-pat Vera Cruise were very much a Glasgow band. For proof I refer you to the song The Last Time Partick Thistle Won. Again a band I unsurprisingly have seen on a few occasions. Ship Sinking is a previously unavailable demo which does not feature on their album Come Alone and Fall Apart.

Stay tuned for another Comp next Sunday

The Arlenes - Lonely Wont Leave Me Alone

Peter Bruntnell - Here Come The Swells

Vera Cruise - Ship Sinking

Saturday Shuffle 113

 

Another Saturday, Another Shuffle 

Three today which are guaranteed to blow away your cobwebs.

We start with the late great Poly Styrene and her band X-Ray Spex and the brilliant Germ Free Adolescents. If you don't have anything by X-Ray Spex  a) catch yourself on and b) get yourself a copy of The Anthology Your life will be better for it - guaranteed.

Some Rockabilly to follow I think, Once hailed as Rockabilly's Gen X Queen here is  Kim Lenz with her Jaguars with Cool Love taken from the Bloodshot compilation Hard Headed Woman: A Celebration of Wanda Jackson

Last but by no means least we conclude with the mighty Green on Red who are partaking of the Hair of the Dog

For those of you with hangovers play it loud

X-Ray Spex -Germ Free Adolescents

Kim Lenz & her Jaguars - Cool Love

Green on Red - Hair of the Dog

This Earthly Spell

 

2025 Charity Shop Purchases #36 - Karine Polwart - This Earthly Spell.

I think that I am on record on these pages in saying that I would take any opportunity to pick up any album by Karine Polwart that I haven't got

By my reckoning I now have 8 of her 9 albums although my copy of Fairest Floo'er is a burn so technically doesn't count.

I have picked up three so far this year all from the same charity shop on Glasgow's Battlefield Road. I wonder if they were all handed in by the same person.

The latest acquisition as you can see above is This Early Spell from 2008 released on her own label Hegri Music which is a subsiduary of Proper Music. It was released only thee months after Fairest Floo'er and contains original compositions with the exception of the first  track The Good Years which has words by Edwin Morgan and music by Karine and which appeared on Ballads of the Book project a collaboration between Scottish musicians and writers.

As you would expect from Karine the music and songs are of the finest order as demonstrated below.

Only an upgrade of Fairest Floo'er and 2021's Still As Your Sleeping with Dave Mulligan to get.

Karine Polwart - The Good Years

Karine Polwart - Rivers Run

A Ass Pocket of Whiskey

 

2025 Charity Shop Purchases #35 - R.L.Burnside - A Ass Pocket of Whiskey

I was pretty surprised to find out that this was the first album by Mississippi Bluesman R.L.Burnside that I had. I  previously had a few of his songs here and there primarily on samplers and compilations from the mighty Fat Possum label.

A Ass Pocket of Whiskey is his 7th album and it was released on June 18th 1986. The songs themselves were recorded at Lunati Farm in Holly Springs, Mississippi on 6th February of that year.

It's like the Curate's Egg - good in parts. Goin' Down South is absolutely blinding but it goes steeply down hill in places with R.L rediced to muttering and cursing. Perhaps that is why The Penguin Guide to Blues Recordings (which may be well worth tracking down) indicating divided critical opinion. The album was recorded in conjunction with the Jon Spencer Blues Explosion. 

This review in Pitchfork is worth a read

I think I'll stick with the Fat Possum samplers and would recommend that you do to.

R.L.Burnside - Goin' Down South

R.L.Burnside - Snake Drive

Little Bird

 

2025 Charity Shop Purchases #34 - Kasey Chambers - Little Bird

Around the turn of the century when I was totally immersed in Americana I saw the Australian artist Kasey Chambers play on a couple of occasions and picked up her debut album The Captain (1999) and Barricades & Brickwalls (1991) 

I subsequently picked up her third Wayward Angel in a local charity shop in 2014. I am now following that up with Little Bird her 7th studio album from 2010, and on the Essence label, which again was a charity acquisition.

Similarities can, or have, been made with Kacey Musgraves in that they both started out more leftfield but have become more mainstream over the years. That is particularly true of Ms Musgraves.

In the case of Little Bird music critic Alex Eremenko writes in Allmusic -Little Bird is more old school, as it peppers the pop hits with honest to God country numbers, complete with banjo and fiddle... With Chambers, the music and the words sometimes tether on the brink of cliché, not archetype. But for the most part, she is still able to deliver her tunes with honesty that makes you think about feelings she's conveying, not her recording budgets, as is the case with many over-processed country stars out there.

I agree with that and it helps to cement her place on the Americana shelves (Blue) as opposed to the mainstream Country ones (white)

Kasey Chambers - Someone Like Me

Kasey Chambers - Train Wreck

Hotel , Motel ..... 2

 

Pedants may argue that this is the third post in this series but they would be wrong there.

Now that Holiday Inn has been rejected it is hotels and motels all the way.

We start with the legend that is Edwyn Collins with a song from his latest album Nation Shall Speak Unto Nation extolling the virtues of his local hotel in Helmsdale.

Not to be outdone Tarnation give us the low down from the Big O Motel. They are a band who have the honour of being the only band that I have never seen twice here and here

Check in for more hotels and motels next Monday.

Edwyn Collins -The Bridge Hotel

Tarnation - Big O Motel

New Highway

 

Last Sunday when I featured the Americana compilation Viva Americana I threatened to feature the whole album in its entirity over the next few weeks. I may well do that at some stage but I have decided that Sunday will now be the place to feature different Americana compilations of which I have many.

For the second post in this series it makes sense to feature New Highway - Return to Viva Americana as it was the 2001 follow up to last week's  featured album.

As you can see from the tracklist there is no reduction in the quality of the fayre on offer. I'm amazed that a copy went for as little as 50p and that the median price is £2.04 - an absolute bargain.

Again the vast majority of the tracks would be worthy of posting here but I have opted for the three below (all from acts I have seen live, although Neko Case and the Sadies were on seperate occasions). On another day it may well have been different .

Another compilation from the Blue shelves next Sunday.

Slobberbone - Engine Joe

Nadine - Closer

Neko Case & the Sadies -Make Your Bed

Saturday Shuffle 112

 

Three songs today from the late 70's/early 80s which for those of us of a certain age surely was a purple patch in our musical education.

We start with this week's cover star Ian Dury and his band The Blockheads  and the brilliant Hit Me With Your Rhythm Stick a well deserved UK number 1 in January 1979.

I was going to say that The Fall never had much success in the singles charts. However, they charted 14 times but reached no higher than number 30 with There's a Ghost in My House. In another  and better world Totally Wired would surely have been a top 10 hit.

Searching for the Young Soul Rebels criminally was not a number one album for Dexy's Midnight Runners in 1988 although Geno hit the top of the Singles chart. Tell My When My Light Turn Green was not released as a single but could never be accused of being an album filler.

All killers, no fillers again next week on SS113

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

The Fall - Totally Wired

Dexys Midnight Runners -Tell Me When My Light Turns Green

In Memory of Catholic Action

 

2025 Charity Shop Purchases #33 - Catholic Action - In Memory of Catholic Action (Promo CD Single)

Catholic Action are, or more probably were, a 4 piece Glasgow band led by Chris McCrory who  with Annie Booth  also released  the EP  Clean Living under the name Slow Weather in 2020. Thanks to JC  for the background information

The band themselves released two albums In Memory of Catholic Action in 2017 and Celebrated by Strangers (2020)

They are/were one of the many acts who I am more familiar with the name than the music. I was therefore curious to give the promo CD single a listen as it contains two tracks from the debut album.

I must admit I quite like what I hear and will now keep my eyes peeled for the album.

I also appear to have a song in my Music folder by them singing the praises of Rita Ora.

Catholic Action - Doing Well

Catholic Action - Black & White

Catholic Action - Rita Ora

More Blacks, More Irish, More Dogs

 

Niall Conlon

We are living in uncomfortable times.

My sister-in -law recently bought a print of the painting above for the living room in her new house.

It's an admirable sentiment that any right minded (as opposed to right wing) person would sign up for.

It is much preferable to No Blacks, No Irish, No Dogs which just happens to be the title of the autobiography of John Lydon and look how he turned out.

My brother-in-law has had some new carers recently from Africa and Asia as few people from this country seem willing to work in the essential care services for the minimum wage.

In response to dog whistlers like  the Daily Mail, BBC, GB News, Farage and Starmer - Say it loud, say it clear, Refugees are welcome here

The Dream Syndicate - Black

Van Morrison & the Chieftains - Irish Heartbeat

David Bowie - Diamond Dogs

Hotel. Motel ....

 

I've slightly altered the raison d'etre of  this series

I had previously called it Hotel, Motel, Holiday Inn  which some of you will recognise as a line from Rapper's Delight by the Sugarhill Gang. However I have no songs with Holiday Inn in the title

Checking for Motel songs it seems as I have as many, if not more, than Hotel songs so it is only fair that they have equal footing.

To kick off the reinvigorated series here are a couple of suggestions from Ernie 

Peter Case - Entella Hotel

Louden Wainwright 111 - Motel Blues

Sugarhill Gang - Rapper's Delight

Viva Americana

 

On the back of Jason & the Scorchers appearance on yesterday's Saturday Shuffle I felt the urge to listen to the compilation Viva Americana in it's entirity

From 1998 on the Boka label I bought it along with its sister New Highway from the much missed Salvation Sounds record shop in Shawlands. There are few better as an introduction to some of the lesser known Americana acts

I an seriously tempted to subject you all to it in its entirety over the next few Sundays but that may just be self indulgence on my part.

While I swither about this here are three belters to whet your appetite.

Chip Taylor - Americana

Cathryn Craig - I Don't Believe It Yet

Sid Griffen -Cadillac Elvis

Saturday Shuffle 111

 

It's Nelson time as we reach Saturday Shuffle 111. For non- cricket lovers here is a brief explanation of the superstition associated with the number 111.

Glasgow band Savage Mansion might have a problem standing on one leg given that they appear to have The Shakes .Here is the title track from their latest album.

I would imagine that Bjork has quite probably performed standing on one leg. Here she is with Sweet Sweet Intuition one of the tracks from her It's So Quiet CD single 

From one of the great Americana compilations Viva Americana we conclude with Jason & the Scorchers who appear to have One Last Question.

In answer to your question Jason, Saturday Snapshots will return nex Saturday.

Savage Mansion - The Shakes

Bjork - Sweet Sweet Intuition

Jason & the Scorchers - One Last Question