I did a quick check and can't believe I haven't added anything by this band to the blog yet. I am a big fan of their 2012 eponymous, debut album with its trippy retro feel. The guitars twang, the singer drawls and the songs cruise along effortlessly. Definitely one to watch.
28 February 2013
26 February 2013
joy division - 'warsaw (dan le sac remix)'
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To misquote Adam West's mayor in Family Guy: "I love a good remix more than I love taffy, and I'm a man who loves his taffy".
To me this now sounds like a mid-80s Fall track. Brilliant!
saint etienne - 'only love can break your heart'
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Some songs become so important to you that you get very protective and live in constant fear that a car commercial doesn't come along and steal its soul. The Foxbase Alpha album and in particular this track are so dear to me that I will probably have a copy of this with me when I depart this earth - in much the same way as the Egyptians took their most prized possessions. I know it's not the done thing but I prefer this cover to the original. I like to think of it as Neil Young writing the words and waiting for someone to nurture it and take it to places impossible to anticipate. You can add Bob Dylan to that list too.
I could...and have waxed lyrical about this song, that album many times and I will again but now I'm going to sit back and put it on loop a few times and sing along. There's worse ways to spend a Tuesday night by yourself.
althea and donna - 'make a truce'
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I bought their 'Uptown Ranking' album recently, expecting a lover's rock meets radio-friendly reggae type of sound. In fairness, all I'd heard was the title track and as lovely as it is, it could never be described as "deep". I was very pleasantly surprised to discover a very spiritual album, much heavier in dub and with a positive message. I didn't have them down as Rastafarians either so that was a double surprise. The third being that they wrote all the songs themselves (although carrying on the tradition of the time of borrowing riffs and hooks from other contemporary tunes). If there is a criticism it's that their youthful female voices sometimes lack the gravitas to give it the full whack. I would love hear them to take a crack at a few of the heavier tunes now they are older. All in all, it's a lovely album.
calexico - 'sinner in the sea'
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The jury is still out on their new album 'Algiers' for me. It reminds me of later Crowded House and veers too often towards the middle of the road for my liking. I'm not accusing Crowded House of being middle of the road, mind. I just would prefer Calexico to sound a bit more Tex-Mex. I am doing them an injustice though as I have only given it a couple of listens so far and really need to get to grips with it properly. Here's a track from the aforementioned long player.
21 February 2013
i am kloot - 'even the stars'
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I'm off to see I Am Kloot perform an acoustic set at St. Bartholomews' Church in Brighton tonight and I'm guessing that the new album will feature quite heavily. I hope this one gets played, it could be my favourite from the album. It's a slow-burner that builds into an anthemic singalong with plenty of orchestral input too.
20 February 2013
17 February 2013
john mayall - 'somebody's acting like a child'
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It's difficult to believe that he's British, he's so totally part of the blues fabric and his name is, with a lot of justification, up there with the very best. I picked up his 'Blues From Laurel Canyon' album today and I am so glad I did. It's jaw-droppingly good and I'm going to make sure both my children listen to it too. I've made it my mission to introduce them to as much great music from as many genres as possible and the blues features very highly. We've done Johnson, Leadbelly, Howling Wolf, Big Mama Thornton, Peter Green and I can't wait until they get to hear this.
16 February 2013
what were the skies like, mr perry, when you were young?
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They were golden. This is a wonderful re-imagining of the Orb classic from the Orb/Lee Scratch Perry collaborative album recently. It's just perfect for a Saturday, don't you think?
15 February 2013
balmorhea - 'pilgrim'
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Balmorhea are an instrumentals-only guitar band from Austin, Texas. They can't be described as post-rock as they are far too minimal to have the crunching 15 minute guitar solos but then again too intricate to be described as ambient. Their influences draw heavily from classical as well as pop and experimental and if pushed I would bracket them alongside Sigur Ros or perhaps Godspeed You Black Emperor. This is the last track from their 2012 album, Stranger and is a sublime piece of musicianship.
blu - 'lucky'
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Ordinarily, underground hip-hop tends to pass me by without me even noticing it's there. I have a suspicious nature and when someone refers to themselves as 'underground' I wonder what that is a euphemism for. More often than not it's an excuse to be misogynistic or glamourising crime but in this instance nothing could be farther from the truth. The album 'Jesus' by Blu is an extraordinarily subtle album and far more cerebral than most commercial rap. I've been listening to this album all morning and will continue this afternoon, I think it's that good.
14 February 2013
elkie brooks - 'sunshine after the rain'
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I don't need to tell you that I'm a self-confessed music geek but I am not (I hope) a music snob. I just love great music, whether it's the songs that makes the hairs on your arms and neck stand up or if it's just 3-minute pop that buries itself deep into your subconscious with an infuriatingly catchy chorus. It's not just an obsession however but also a life-support system. I need music in my life as much as I need air to breathe or water to drink. It rescues me from going insane, it levels me when I need to relax and lifts me when I am feeling low. I won't go into details but I have need of music tonight and I have no idea why but Miss Elkie Brooks is my saviour.
I've always been big fan, she's had some cracking tunes that have stood the test of time and you can't help but love her voice. This song is perfect, I'm deliberately trying to avoid her more melancholy songs and the sentiment of this particular classic is exactly where I want to be.
richard hawley - 'she rings the sunlight'
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I had a pretty horrendous commute this morning with a total of 6 train journeys before I got to work. Just about the only thing that saved my sanity was my iPod and my first proper listen of Richard Hawley's 2012 album 'Standing at the Sky's Edge'. I am mightily impressed and kicking myself that I didn't listen to this earlier. Just take a listen to track 1 for instance. How good is this?
11 February 2013
i am kloot - 'hold back the night'
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I had a first listen of their new album this morning on the way to work and I think they've proved that they are still on top of their game. I'm looking forward to seeing them play live soon too and am expecting this song to play a big part.
10 February 2013
hollie cook - 'and the beat goes on dub'
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This was another of today's CD buys, a Prince Fatty dub remix of Hollie Cook's recent album. Here they are with the Whispers classic. And the beat goes on and on and on.
nara leáo - 'berimbau (ritmo de capoeira)'
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I couldn't resist it, I went on yet another CD buying spree today. Regular readers of this blog will know of the pact I have with my children - I'm not allowed any more than 7 separate CDs in any one purchase. I went for the maximum allowed and one of them was double CD compilation titled 'Bossa Nova and the Rise of Brazilian Music in the 60s'. It kind of does what it says on the tin but I'd also add that it was compiled by Gilles Peterson and Stuart Baker so it comes with quality guaranteed. There's no fillers here with those two acting as curators. I've just started listening to it and am mightily impressed so far. This is one of the more subtle tracks, certainly more minimal (please excuse the oxymoron) than most but still as beautiful and uplifting. Let's lift these gloomy Sunday blues.
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