Fireproof

On Friday I played a video clip of  Dawn Landes' version of I Won't Back Down the hidden track from Fireproof a 2008 album by her on the Fargo label.
I think it is only fair to share a couple of tracks from the actual album with you .The hidden track is probably the most accessible of the songs on what is a wee bit of a strange record and one I'm never  quite sure what to make of.
It is the middle one of her five albums to date.
She has worked with Sufjan Stevens, was briefly married to fellow musician Josh Ritter and plays the glockenspiel with the band Hem. She is also a member of all -girl trio The Bandana Splits.
Busy lady.

Dawn Landes - Bodyguard

Dawn Landes - I Don't Need No Man

Rock 'n' Roll's a Losers Game

Glam rockers Mott the Hoople have featured before back in the early days of CCM and it is about time they featured again
Although they were on the go from 1969 to 1980 with the obligatory reunions they peaked during the early 70's with the classic line up around 1974 pictured above  of Dale "Buffin" Griffin , Ariel Bender,  Morgan Fisher, Overend Watts and Ian Hunter.
Sadly drummer Buffin finally lost his child like dreams dying in January this year at the age of 67

Mick Ronson got briefly involved and when he and Hunter left in 1975 they renamed  themselves Mott but were never the same again.
They did leave us with some cracking songs though

Looking at the title of the second song I really should have played this 12 days ago

Mott the Hoople -All The Way From Memphis

Mott the Hoople - Ballad of Mott (March 26 1972, Zurich))

How Low Can You Go

I popped into a local charity shop the other day to hand in some books and came away with Trust an album by Duluth, Minnesota band Low from 2002.
And what a truly mesmerizing and atmospheric album it is too. I have a couple of their other albums together with the Christmas EP but I think this  one may well be the best of the lot.
From the era when husband and wife Alan Sparhawk and Mimi Parker were accompanied by bassist Zak Sally.
I hope that this picture is from that area - if not as Mr Loaf was fond of saying two out of three ain't bad

I've heard them described as slowcore or lo-fi. Bloody fantastic would be my description

Low - (That's How You Sing) Amazing Grace

Low -Canada

Bluegrass Monday #4

Four weeks in and we pay homage to the man attributed as creating Bluegrass mandolinist Mr Bill Monroe.

The genre takes his name from his band The Blue Grass Boys who in turn take their name from their home state of Kentucky.
From 1946 to 1948 Monroe led what became known as the classic bluegrass band - fiddler Chubby Wise, bassist Howard Watts, guitarist/vocalist Lester Flatt and banjoist Earl Scruggs.
You may recognize the latter two names who may well feature again later in this series.
You will also be familiar with the second song which was a big hit for a certain Elvis Presley and which has been covered by a myriad of others.
Taken from an excellent compilation Columbia Country Classics - The Golden Age Volume 1

More Bluegrass next Monday

Bill Monroe & his Bluegrass Boys - Molly and Tenbrooks

Bill Monroe & his Bluegrass Boys - Blue Moon of Kentucky

Some Sunday Northern Soul

I thought that I had previously posted Northern Soul favourite Major Lance but I was wrong there.
He first came to my attention as a featured artist on the Craig Charles Funk and Soul Show on 6 Music one Saturday evening when there was nothing on the telly.
This led me to acquiring a Best of featuring his stuff on the Okeh label pretty pronto.

Out of Chicago he has the voice and I suspect the moves. The songs come from the golden pen of Curtis Mayfield, the production is by Carl Davis  with the arrangements by Johnny Pate.
Terrific stuff

Major Lance - Delilah

Major Lance -Um, Um, Um, Um, Um, Um

As a bonus how many of you remember the Gospel Sunday slot on Jim McLean's Rabbit?
George forwarded me this outstanding clip which I felt compelled to share with you

Stranraer Americana Revisited - Wagon

A further visit to Stranraer yielded another couple of slices of Americana.
Wagon was a name mooted by The Swede when he was trying to guess what was coming next in the recent series.
At the time the name didn't mean much to me but I subsequently discovered that I have at least a  couple of their tracks on various Americana compilations (of which I have many)
Therefore when I saw Beauty Angel Queen going for 75p it was a bit of a no brainer. The fact that it was on the mighty Glitterhouse label sealed the deal.
From St Louis I don't know much about them other than that they appear to have at least two other albums No Kinder Room and Anniversary

The final slice (for now at least) next Saturday

Wagon - Everything She Owns

Wagon - Still Amazed

She's a Good Girl, Crazy 'bout Elvis

Free Fallin' by Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers was my recent holiday earworm - especially the line in the above post title - it's been rolling round my head ever since.
To keep it company here is fellow Full Moon Fever number I Won't Back Down
If I knew how to edit MP3's when it comes to hidden tracks you would also be getting the Dawn Landes version.
Until then you will have to make do with the You Tube version







Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers - Free Fallin'

Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers - I Won't Back Down