Neon Coast

 

That's the backlog of  charity shop purchases finally cleared. It looks unlikely that I will hit the ton for 2022 but you just never know.

What is does however is that it gives me a chance to concentrate on some other stuff. On the latest Bandcamp Friday I purchased a download  of Portents the latest album by Californian but now Glasgow based singer songwriter A Wesley Chung  which was released on Storm Chasers Ltd.

He first came to my attention in 2018 with the release of his album Neon Coast. A brief bio courtesy of Sofarsounds.com tells us that he is  an American songwriter/musician based in Glasgow, Scotland.He is previously known for his indie/folk bands The Great Albatross and Boris Smile, while his upcoming solo material ventures deeper intp alt.country and the sounds of his native California. In other words right up my street.

I'm not familiar with his previous bands and some further exploration is clearly required.

As Portents is brand new here are a couple from Neon Coast for your listening pleasure.If you like what you hear, and let's face it you would be foolish not to, pop across to Bandcamp and chuck a couple of quid in his direction.

A. Wesley Chung - Restless

A. Wesley Chung -Neon Coast

Give Out But Don't Give Up

 

2022 Charity Shop Purchases #82 - Primal Scream - Give Out But Don't Give Up

As part of what is loosely called research I did a search for previous Primal Scream posts and it seems that I have picked up some stuff  by them in 2019 and 2020. Nothing in 2021 with Give Out But Don't Give Up just sneaking in under the wire for 2022.

From 1994 and on the Creation label it is one that is not uncommon in charity shops but I have never had the urge to pick it up before. I suspect the reason that I went for it this time round was down to having just read Tenament Kid, the autobiography of Bobby Gillespie.

Another reason that I have not bothered with it before is that the brilliant The Original Memphis Recordings from 2018 which I have featured here before is on the vinyl shelves.

You can't improve on perfection but I quite enjoyed it. Most of you will be familiar with it and the fact that it is a fairly radical shift from it's predecessor Screamadelica with its country rock and blues feel. It is also good to see the late great Denise Johnson get a mention as part of The Scream Gang as opposed to being airbrushed out which seems to have been the case in 2018 when she does not get a mention in the documentary or the booklet accompanying the album.

Primal Scream - Big Jet Plane

Primal Scream - Free

Primal Scream - Call On Me

Tree Bursts in Snow

 

2022 Charity Shop Purchases #81 - Admiral Fallow - Tree Bursts in Snow

Admiral Fallow formed on 2007 but could hardly be described as the most prolific band out there, To date they have only released four albums - Boots Met My Face (2010), Tree Bursts in Snow 2012), Tiny Rewards (2015) and The Idea of You (2021). They are all worth waiting for.

I've now acquired three out of the four the latest being the CD version of Tree Bursts on the Neettwerk label from my now nearest charity shop on Battlefield Rd. My previous nearest one on Cathcart Rd is now a  greengrocers.Tiny Rewards is the one I've still to hunt down

The band are led by Louis Abbot and Sarah Hayes who I saw doing an acoustic set in the Some Great Reward record shop when I purchased their latest offering.

Back to Tree Bursts and here is Louis explaining the title The title refers to the sound and the image of an artillery shell exploding into a cluster of snow-drenched trees... I'm also astounded by the sheer volume of gun related violent crimes throughout the world but in particular in the U.S. The lyric from 'Tree Bursts' was inspired by the idea of the effect that losing friends through violence, in particular during times of war or conflict has on young men and women. They are "the leaves that fall louder than backfire, all orange and halloween red .I'm glad he cleared that up for us.

One which I feel will benefit from a few more listens but  in the meantime here are a couple of tunes to be going on with.

Admiral Fallow - Tree Bursts

Admiral Fallow - Guest of the Government

Albums on both CD and Vinyl - The Unraveling

 

Apologies  - this one has appeared here recently. Well just over a year ago in fact. I had something else in mind for today  but was behind with my posts so needed something quick and dirty. The Drive-By Truckers certainly fit that bill.

From 2020 The Unraveling is Paterson Hood's blistering assessment on Trump's America. For a native of Alabama it was a pretty brave thing to do. In years to come people will look back with incredulity and ask did that really happen. In the UK they will say that's America for you and then remember Johnson and Truss (and probably Sunak too,it is early days).

I'd lost interest in the DBTs by around 2010 which coincided with the departure of Jason Isbel. They were also pursuing a more rockier path which was really not my thing.

This album however struck a chord and was very much a return to form.Unfortunately I was pretty disappointed with the follow up The New OK.

I bought the album on vinyl after hearing a few songs. The CD came along later unbelivably  as part of  a four for a pound offer in a Dingwall charity shop.

Babies in Cages and 21st Century USA have appeared here before and are both extremely powerful songs.I was tempted to feature them again but there are plenty more to choose from.

I think Paterson has got the history right.

Drive-By Truckers -Armageddon's Back in Town

Drive-By Truckers -Thoughts and Prayers

Drive-By Truckers -Heroin Again

Townes Covered - Loretta

 

A low scoring round last week saw Townes defeating Steve Earle by 4 votes to 1 with their respective versions of Delta Momma Blues.

Townes is still absolutely romping the overall scores  by 5 to the Rest's 0 (or 5.5 to 0.5 if you count Nanci Griffith)

Last week Ernie was extolling the virtues of Steve Earle's cover of Loretta. However I had other plans. I'm now going to post a chunk of a post from September 2013

I had the privilege of seeing Townes live twice before his death on New Year's day 1997.
The first time was at Glasgow's King Tuts Wah Wah Hut and the second was at the County Hotel in Perth.
My pal and I decided to make a night of it and booked into the hotel. Imagine our excitement when we learned that Townes was staying in a room down the corridor.
One beer led to another leading to my pal "accosting "Townes with the demand that he "play Loretta Townes, play Loretta."
To his credit he duly obliged but being somewhat traumatised he forgot the words!
Still a total genius though

The question is would another hero of mine John Prine forget the words if he was in a similar situation? I suspect not. As you would expect Mr Prine applies his usual brilliance to the cover. However, for me, it was always going to be Townes and not just for the sentimental reasons above.

Others, of course, may choose to differ.

John Prine - Loretta

Townes Van Zandt - Loretta

Young at Heart

 

2022 Charity Shop Purchases #80- The Bluebells -Young at Heart (CD Single)

Glasgow 80's Indie Pop band The Bluebells have experienced something of a renaissance over the last couple of years.

They were originally active between 1981and 1986  when they had three hit singles in the UK.They enjoyed a revival in 1996 when Young at Heart was used in a Volkswagen TV advert . It reached number one in the UK singles charts with the band temporarily reforming to appear on Top of the Pops.The CD version is what I am featuring today and it also includes their other two previous hit singles plus Brendan Behan's The Patriot Game

There were a number of other brief reunions to play at festivals, etc prior to Young at Heart achieving a greater accolade than being number one. Yes, the band are featured playing in the Winter Gardens at Glasgow's People's Palace in the last ever episode of Still Game.

Last Night From Glasgow launched their Past Night From Glasgow offshoot  in 2020 with a re-release of their album Sisters from 1984. They are scheduled to release a new album The Bluebells in the 21st Century early next year.

Mrs CC and I saw them put on a tremendous show at the CCA around this time last year and have tickets to see them at Oran Mor in February.

Without further ado here is some jingly jangly pop music to ease you into the weekend.

The Bluebells - Young at Heart

The Bluebells -Cath (remix)

The Bluebells - I'm Falling

The Bluebells - The Patriot Game

Fold Your Hands Child, You Walk Like a Peasant

 

2022 Charity Shop Purchases #79 - Belle & Sebastian - Fold Your Hands Child, You Walk Like a Peasant

Like R.E.M. if I see anything from the back catalogue of Belle & Sebastian in a charity shop that  I don't have I  will pick it up. If you come from Glasgow like I do this is  much easier than in most places.

I think that the only album of theirs that I have actually bought in a record shop and paid full price for is If Your Feeling Sinister and it probably is still my favourite . Since then I have managed to pick up another seven of their albums with three EPs thrown in for good measure.

My latest acquisition is Fold YOur Hands Child ,You Walk Like a Peasant named after some graffiti Stuart Murdoch saw written on a toilet wall. It was their fourth album and was released in 2000 and was their last on the Jeepster label.

It is slightly more democratic than some of their earlier albums in that Murdoch is happy to share lead vocals with Isobel Campbell and Stevie Jackson. Having said that for the two songs I have chosen he sings lead on one and duets with Jackson on the other.

Eight down, three to go

Belle & Sebastian - I Fought in a War

Belle & Sebastian - Don't Leave the Light on Baby