Bloodshot Records Sampler 15

Regular readers will know that I hold Bloodshot Records from Chicago in very high regard.
The more long suffering of you may remember my Bloodshot Tuesday series from the early days of the blog which featured 20 artists from their stable and many more have appeared since then,

My interest was rekindled and my appetite rewhetted when George pointed me in the direction of Bandcamp where the above mentioned Sampler 15 is available free or preferably for a small donation
Many of my old  favourites feature but I thought it better to share a couple of artists I have not featured here before.
So I give you The Yawpers and some tremendous surf music from the Dex Romwember Duo.

The Yawpors -Doing it Right

Dex Romwember Duo -Blue Surf

Oxfam Singles - Scars

I watched the documentary The Sound of Young Scotland a couple of months ago.
It told the story of FAST records from Edinburgh and Postcard records from Glasgow.
Like most I was more familiar with Postcard than with FAST.
The Edinburgh bands most prominently mentioned included The Fire Engines , Josef K and Scars.
I was familiar with the first two but had no recollection with the latter.
Like many a good bands they didn't last long - from 1979 to 1982 to be precise with one album from 1981 Author!Author!
The disc I came away with is a four track radio session. I've no idea where and when it was recorded but I suspect it may be from their brief comeback in 2010/11 given that They Came and Took Her is titled They Came and Took Her (Again)

Scars - You Turn Me On

Scars - They Came and Took Her (Again)

Burnt Offerings 24

Charlotte Gainsbourg joins the likes of Juliette Lewis and Minnie Driver as actors come singers who have graced these pages
The daughter of Jane Birkin and Serge Gainsbourg she released an album with her father aged 15 prior to releasing three critically acclaimed albums between 2006 and 2011. This is from the first of them 5.55 which reached number one in France

Charlotte Gainsbourg - Everything I Cannot See

I am reasonably confident that Jennifer O'Connor has never been number one in France
From Puynam, Connecticut but based in Brooklyn she is an artist who has never crossed my radar before which is a pity as this song is rather good. She has released half a dozen albums so some further exploration is clearly required.

Jennifer O'Connor - Today

Another artist that I know hee-haw about is the wonderfully monikered Carlos Guitarlos. I'll let the ever wonderful and informative  No Depression take up the story
If only I had given up drinking at 53!


Carlos Guitarlos - Straight From the Heart

Bright Eyes Burning Like Fire

Come back! Come back! I was only joking ... honest.

I habe long been an admirer of the music of Conor Oberst  either as a solo artist or with his band Bright Eyes.
Up until recently however I did not physically own any of his stuff.That changed the other week when I visited my local charity shop and came away with I'm Wide Awake, It's Morning a 2005 album by Bright Eyes. For good measure the person who had handed it in had also stuck a burn of Digital Ash from a Digital Urn which was released on the same day. Not bad for 50p

I'm Wide Awake is the better of the two. In fact I would go as far as to say it is a belter as these tracks will hopefully demonstrate..
I need to acquire more!

Bright Eyes - First Day of my Life

Bright Eyes - Land Locked Blues

Oxfam Singles - Roddy Hart & the Lonesome Fire

Another EP - Bright Light Fever was a 2013 single for Glasgow band Roddy Hart & the Lonesome Fire.It was released on Odd Art Records but subsequently appeared on their eponymous debut album from that same year which was on Middle of Nowhere Records which ended up on the longlist for the SAY Award 2014.

Roddy Hart is well known as a BBC Radio Scotland presenter and as compere for the Roaming Roots Review at Celtic Connections. He has also formed a firm friendship over the years wit the legend that is Kris Kristofferson. He appeared at Glastonbury this year with KK when they were joined on stage by some boy called Johnny Depp.
Tracks 1 and 2 today with the others scheduled to feature soon

Roddy Hart & the Lonesome Fire - Bright Light Fever

Roddy Hart & the Lonesome Fire - Terrifying Time

Billy Joe is Born Again

Country star Billy Joe Shaver made his name as a member of the Outlaw movement and as a hell raiser including an acquittal for shooting a man in 2007, He also lost two fingers after his hand got caught in machinery leading him to altering his guitar style somewhat.
Towards the end of the 90's following a number of family tragedies  he rediscovered religion with a series of albums as Shaver with son  Eddy on guitars and dobro.
Sadly the tragedy continued with Eddy dying following a heroin overdose in December 2000.

1998's Victory from New West is named after his mother whose name was indeed Victory.It's a belter
Stark and desolate yet illuminating - Marc Greilsamer

By the time I got round to seeing him at The Arches his demons and the drugs and/or alcohol had sadly returned.

Shaver - If I Give My Soul

Shaver - My Mother's Name is Victory

Springsteen Covered - Talk to Me

When the Swede and Rol vote for the opposition you know that the Boss' coat is on a shoogly nail.
I can't be bothered checking but I am 99% sure that Patti Smith's version of Because the Night is the first unanimous winner in the Springsteen series and indeed the Dylan series before that.
The score is  now The Boss 8 The Rest 7

The Promise is proving a useful source for accessing Bruce's versions of his songs which have previously been hits for other artists.
Today we feature   fellow New Jersey act Southside Johnny & the Asbury Jukes with their take on Talk to Me.
A band who have had E Street members Steve Van Zandt, Gary Tallent and Patti Sciaifa within their midst over the years.
A lot closer than last weeks choice I suspect.
To me they are much of a muchness so I'll go for Johnny as he needs the exposure plus it may keep the series going for another week (although I'm beginning to struggle for new material)

The Swede, Rol and others of course may choose to disagree.

Bruce Springsteen -Talk to Me

Southside Johnny & the Asbury Jukes -Talk to Me