The Big To-Do

I looked out The Big To-Do by Drive-By Truckers last week as I was contemplating featuring The Birthday Boy.I then gave it the first listen for a while.
From 2010 it was their 8th studio album and the last of theirs I bought. Also it is only the post Jason Isbell one that I have. There is probably a correlation between these two sentences.
I preferred when they were a triumvirate with Jason, Patterson Hood and Mike Cooley sharing the song writing and singing.
On The Big To-Do 8 of the 12 are written and sung by Patterson Hood with Mike Cooley and Shonna Tucker weighing in with two each.
Patterson states that it is very much a rock album and he is right.. Nothing wrong with that but they and me were beginning to go in different directions.
Having said that it is not really a bad album and I have gone for two of Mr Hood's numbers today. Two great stories as is his want

I've probably mentioned this before  Patterson is the son of the great bass player David Hood of the Muscle Shoals Rhythm Section/Swampers fame.

Drive-By Truckers - Drag The Lake Charlie

Drive-By Truckers - The Wig He Made Her Wear

British Motown Chartbusters

Picked up for 99p in the Salvation Army Shop in Stanraer.
Ok so it's not in the greatest condition. Hardly surprising perhaps given that it dates back to October 1967 and has I suspect been on the turntable at a party or two over the last half a century.

All the songs are pretty good with the possible exception of Blowin' in the Wind by Stevie Wonder.
Today's choices have been dictated to an extent to tracks that are in reasonable nick. The odd snap, crackle and pop but no sticking or jumping.
And yes George I have managed to squeeze in another Otis in the shape of Mr Williams from the Temptations who as it turns out have not featured before

Jr. Walker & the All Stars - How Sweet It Is (To Be loved By You)

The Temptations -(I Know ) I'm Losing You

The Class of 2006 - November

I approached the counter of Cancer Research in Stranraer with a River Detectives CD in one hand and £1.50 in the other.
"There is a sale on" said the lady "four CDs for a pound"
"That's ok " I responded "I don't see any others I like"
"There are plenty more in the back shop if you want a look"
Sure enough there were about 200 or so stacked up on the floor and pretty exclusively rubbish.
Compilations, dodgy 80's stuff and plenty of country but bad country.
I couldn't see anything I fancied but felt obliged to come away with something seeing as how I had been granted access to the back shop.
I went for Patty Lawless (bad country - since recycled) and two Uncut Playlists from July and November 2016.
Somewhat perversely November first as it was the first one that got an airing
An excellent number from the excellent Pernice Brothers from their album from that year Live a Little.
Followed by Tilly and the Wall a band I had heard of but was not familiar with until Strangeways posted an excellent ICA at JC's place) with a track from their album Bottom of the Barrel

July next week

The Pernice Brothers - High as a Kite

Tilly and the Wall -Rainbows in the Dark

Back to Forever

Lissie's 2010 debut album Catching a Tiger has long been a favourite at CC HQ.
So I was quite chuffed to pick up a copy of the 2013 follow up Back to Forever in a charity shop a couple of weeks ago.
However the jury is still out. There is a noticeable change of direction from the  more folky and acoustic Catching a Tiger to the rock rockier Back to Forever. It is more shouty and sing along anthems almost as if she is auditioning for the support slot on a Bon Jovi stadium tour.
Perhaps I'm being too harsh and it will grow on my after a few listens.
Let's hope so.
It has certainly been critically acclaimed which probably shows how much I know.

Lissie - Sleepwalking

Lissie -Cold Fish

Burnt Offerings 27

Burnt Offerings is a day late this week but I hope you agree that it was worth the wait.
Three totally different types of tunes for you this week
Some psychedelic soul to kick off with courtesy of  Shuggie Otis, son of  legendary blues man Johnny Otis
Us Glaswegians always have a chuckle at his name given that we use Shug or Shuggie as a nickname for anyone called Hugh.
I should really get some of his stuff and I suspect that 1974's Inspiration, Information from where this track comes from is probably a good place to start

Shuggie Otis - Aht Uh Mi Hed

Next up are  recently re-formed English shoe gaze darlings Slowdive with their take on Lee Hazlewood's classic Some Velvet Morning. A song which I read has also been covered by Primal Scream, Vanilla Fudge and Lydia Lunch.
A band I am not very familiar with but one I know that many of my blogging colleagues hold in high esteem

Slowdive - Some Velvet Morning

Finally we head to Mexico to touch base with Luis Gerardo Garza Cisneros a former member of Zurdoc and Vaquero better known to you and I as Chetes.
This song as many of you will recognize was the third single from his 2006 debut solo album Blanco Fácil

Chetes - Que Me Maten

More random nonsense next week

56 Today

I'm 56 today.
For a wee while I thought about going into denial and then I released that I was a year nearer to retiring and getting my pension.
I got myself into a bit of a state thinking what to put on today.
I've done birthday songs, artists who share my birthday and my birthday number songs in the vinyl and CD section.
So this year I finally decided to see who was number1 in the UK and US in 1961 and it looks as though I have come up with a couple of reasonably good numbers
The Everly Brothers here and Bobby Lewis over the pond.
Any poor sod born today gets Wild Thought by DJ Khaleed (featuring Rihanna and Bryson Tiller)


The Everly Brothers - Temptation

Bobby Lewis - Tossin' and Turnin'

For those distraught that Burnt Offerings has not appeared here today tune in  tomorrow

The Return of the Blues Collection - Otis Rush

Those of you with long memories will recall that a few years ago I picked up a job lot of just under
 40 of the 92 CD s in The Blues Collection which was one of those magazine series with a different artist and CD each month..
I've featured most of them but nothing for a while.
Occasionally since I have picked up a couple or a single one here and there taking my current total up to 44.

I recently picked up no 19 Otis Rush with I Can't Quit You Baby in the Community Shop in Wigton along with a double of no 25 by Robert Cray which I have recycled to charity.
This album also known as The Cobra Sessions features tracks recorded in Chicago between 1956 and 1958.
I am happy to report that Otis is still going strong at the age of 82 surely some kind of record for a bluesman.
The third Otis to grace these pages after Messrs Redding and Clay.

Otis Rush -All Your Love

Otis Rush - Double Trouble