Tuesday 31 December 2013

2013 - Thank Fuck That's Over!




Thanks to everybody who has stopped by during the past year and if you feel strongly about any of the guff posted feel free to comment, as the people in positions of power say feedback is always appreciated.

I know that a few of us have had some things to contend with over the past twelve months some more trivial than others and I will not be the only one glad to see the back of 2013.

All the very best to all of you and we can but hope 2014 turns out to be if not a vintage year,  well at least better than the one finishing.

Why Sturdy Girl? Why not, it was either that or some tossers in tartan and I know which one I prefer.

Jimi Hendrix - Little Drummer Boy/Silent Night/Auld Lang Syne

Monday 30 December 2013

Coincidence? Most Probably



If someone had told me a couple of years ago that a track nearly half a century old by a septuagenarian jazz vocalist would be used to advertise baby milk, I would not have believed them. But then again I never ever thought that I would hear Frank Wilson selling chicken or Al Wilson being used to endorse pish masquerading as wine.

So what do I know?

Only this, that Nancy Wilson (is there something about that surname that lends itself to advertising?) has a wonderful voice and also that (You Don't Know) How Glad I Am is a great song. If you were to press me extremely hard I might even admit that the advert in which the song is utilised to great effect makes me smile but don't tell anyone that is just between us.

Nancy Wilson - (You Don't Know) How Glad I Am

Sunday 29 December 2013

Mellow Sunday

Not usually into this kind of thing, normally it would make my teeth ache with the tweeness but I really like this.

Saturday 28 December 2013

A Box Set Too Far? Well . . , Not Really



A couple of months ago I posted that the Jesus and Mary Chain Box Set was one too far and I couldn't justify the price. Well I eventually thought of a way round that little obstacle, I could justify half of it and if Santa weighed in for the other half we would be sorted. The fat man in the red and white suit duly agreed and now I am the proud owner of # 237/1500.

The album of b sides and rarities compiled from fans votes had one glaring omission for me, the 12" version of Sidewalking which I was sure would be a stick on.

The Jesus and Mary Chain - Sidewalking (extended)

Tuesday 24 December 2013

Merry Christmas



I hope you all have as good a time as you can possibly have and get all that you have wished for.

Our Christmas is going to be a bit of a struggle this year but we will try to make the best of it we can.

The Housemartins - Caravan Of Love


Monday 23 December 2013

Saving The Best For Last.



I know that this will get short shrift with Mr McAllister over at Plain or Pan but I am right by a baw hair, granted.

This is the best Christmas song ever.

Darlene Love - Christmas (Baby Please Come Home)

Saturday 21 December 2013

Ten Albums I've Particularly Enjoyed This Year


Just over half of the album's songs are good the rest are either filler, rubbish or both. Quite a few of the tracks were previously released but it's the Fall and the good songs are better than the best that most bands have to offer. Still won't go back and see them though.



More utterly bonkers but equally brilliant dub excursions from the partnership made in Zion. With titles like Fussball and Don't Rush I how can you go wrong. If The Upsetter's pronouncements and vocals become too much you can always lose yourself in the instrumental versions. Sometimes I really wish I still smoked!



A mash up of blues, prog, krautrock, techno and possible most other forms of contemporary music apart from pop. The first track Golden Arrow sets out the albums stall. The only thing that wastes it for me is the vocals, too post Roger Waters Floyd for my liking. A dub version of this album would be brilliant.


The sounds of summer. Lovely indie pop from the brother of Cults member Madeline Follin. The sort of thing to listen when the sun is shinning with a bottle of Vina Sol. It was slated by Pitchfork which is a bonus.



Weatherall's latest project and absolutely blinding. He has left the rockabilly influences behind and heads back to dancefloor with big fat dubby basslines and more than a hint of the influence of German bands from the 70s. The remix album is an essential companion piece with mixes from the likes of Justin Robertson and Ivan Smagghe.

 

The Frabbit's fourth album was a welcome return to form for me as I found their third offering hard to like, it had it's moments but I never did warm to it. Pedestrian verse on the other hand had me smiling from the off. There are so many good tracks,State Hospital is up there with Backwards Walk and Heads Roll Off. They were also absolutely brilliant live a couple of months ago. 


This is actually a repress, originally released in 2011. But I first heard of them earlier this year. Weegie space rock. A double album contain just 5 track one of which takes up sides c&d. Not the kind of album to put on unless you have time to sit and listen to it in it's entirety.


With absolutely no fanfare Keiron Hebden released his seventh album under the guise of Four Tet. With 11  in just over 40 mins there is no time for meandering drawn out tunes, all killer no filler. If lead track Kool FM felt like Hebden was covering ground that others had before and made you wonder what he was doing in the context of the album it makes perfect sense. I'm not sure that anybody else could you familiar beats and sounds and make them sound as fresh and exciting as this.




Well these two could probably give Four Tet a run for his money. I cannot put a fag paper between these two albums. Both are incredible collections of music that stand up as separate tracks but as complete albums as well. Probably the Hopkins album is slightly more successful at this as it was designed to be listened to as the soundtrack of a night out from getting ready  through clubbing to the post club chill out. However the last three tracks on the Avery album are an immaculate piece of sequencing which sound just about perfect.



Friday 20 December 2013

It's Friday . . . Let's Dance



It's the weekend when the amateur drinkers take over the pubs and make life unbearable for the regulars with their lack of pub etiquette and their stupid . I used to hate this weekend when I frequented pubs on a regular basis and even more so when I had to serve these people. The ones who either can't remember their rounds when they come to the bar or even more annoying think that you are unable of remember or pour more than one at a time. If I had a quid for every time I heard "cheer up it's Christmas" I would have been able to get extremely drunk for the duration of the festering period.

So if you are going out over the weekend remember two things. the person serving you is not an inept fuckwit, unless you are in a Wetherspoons where they probably are and also if you intend to stay in the same pub buy the bar person a drink when you order your first round that way you will always get served quickly on your return.

I was trying to find a reasonably festive dance track but I don't seem to have one, so here is a good bit of uplifting house from back in 1993.

Have a good weekend people and steer clear of the amateur drinkers!

Staxx - Joy

Thursday 19 December 2013

Scale It Back



It isn't much of a step back from the soundscapes of Burial to those of Josh Davis.

A couple of years ago DJ Shadow released an album which I sat on for a while. Didn't sit down and listen to it for quite a while. I had been slightly disappointed by his previous album, The Outsider, which had it's moments but overall it didn't really do that much for me. The Less You Know, The Better is a bit similar for me it didn't really hold my attention and it took me quite a few attempts to get through to the end and it hasn't been played very much since.

This track Scale It Back is the best track on it for me and what a great track it is to even though it sounds a bit like a Prince pastiche.  I absolutely love the vocals from Yukimi Nagano the singer with Swedish electronic band Little Dragon. The track was released as a single but not as a 7" much to my displeasure.

DJ Shadow feat. Little Dragon - Scale It Back

Wednesday 18 December 2013

Rival Dealer

I haven't been able to stop playing this ep since it arrived last Friday, too late to make the Tracks Of My Year post but I reckon this might even have knocked Doc Daneeka down to third or even fourth place as all three tracks, if you can call the two longer ones tracks, are absolutely essential. You really should own this vinyl or cd.

To paraphrase John Peel,  Burial always different always the same.



Tuesday 17 December 2013

Proper House Music

My laptop appears to still be fucked and so this post will be brief in order that I complete it before it goes all blue on me again and starts dumping!!

In the Tracks of My Year post I mentioned that more than one or two great dance tuneds released this year harked back to a bygone age when house music was , well house music. Today's track is one of those tunes.

You are going to have to make do with a YouTube post as I haven't ripped this one yet, thought I had but obviously not.

The piano, that repeated vocal sample, the beats, pure old school house. Lovely stuff.

Monday 16 December 2013

Christmas In Vietnam



Today's tune is the one that you should have gotten last Monday but on account of me having to use L's laptop which wouldn't entertain the ripping device had to wait until my laptop returned from HP which has now happened but which may just be temporary as I have already had two BSODs yesterday!

Anyway the tune was released on the Jewel label in 1965 and as far as I can acertain is the only thing that Johnny and Jon released. The song is actually the b-side the other being Why Did You Leave Me.

Johnny and John - Christmas in Vietnam

Friday 13 December 2013

It's Friday . . . Let's Dance



Been a busy week. I have had to get the stupid o'clock flights two days running and yesterday was the day of the year that I hate in relation to work more than any. Performance Review time.

"Tell me Drew, how do you think you have done this year?"

"You tell me, after all you are the manager and that's what you get paid for" is what I always want to say

but

"Fine, I suppose" is my usual reply.

To which the response is

"Can you elaborate"

And so, me justifying my existence begins . . .

Back to the music. I loved the stuff that came out on the Skint label, it was music that didn't take itself too seriously but was still good music. The best know artist on the label is Fatboy Slim and Skint became synonymous with the Big Beat genre during the late 90s. The most successful release on the label so far was Lazy by X-Press 2 which reached number 2 in the UK.

Label boss, Damien Harris also produced music under the guise of the Midfield General.  Reach Out was released in 2000  and failed spectacularly to set the heather on fire. It's a good tune though

Have a good weekend people.

After a hiatus of three weeks due to away matches, cup ties and called off games normal service will resume this week as I will be watching Airdrie getting gubbed by East Fife. East Fife, oh how we have fallen!

Midfield General feat. Linda Lewis - Reach Out (Full mix)

Thursday 12 December 2013

I Don't Believe It!



A few years ago I was sitting dosing on the couch around the middle of December when I was suddenly brought back to full consciousness by the sounds emanating from the television.

That's the Raveonettes I exclaimed with more than a hint of disbelief in my voice as I heard the finest Christmas tune of the past twenty years soundtracking an advert for a bloody garden centre! I was rather upset. Even now as I play the song I can see that bloody advert.

The Raveonettes - The Christmas Song

Tuesday 10 December 2013

G-L-O-R-I-A



There have been numerous versions of the Van Morrison penned track but for me only three of them make the grade, the original, of course and the versions by Shadow of The Night and Patti Smith.

At the moment my favourite version is Patti Smith's rendition included on her 1975 debut Horses and produced by John Cale.

Patti Smith - Gloria

Monday 9 December 2013

Fucking Bawbags!

Apparently you aren't allowed to mention D A's name in full, he must not need the publicity. Those complete tossers at the DMCA have taken down the Tracks Of My Year post due to a complaint for the track that I had at number 4 in my chart. I will re-up the post with the offended artist removed from the list. Such a pity as his album was going to be number two in my albums of the year post but now it to will not appear.

. . . and it continues just had a copyright infringement email from Box.net for the Fall tune. It never rains but it pours!

I Suppose It's Time




The Christmas tree went up yesterday in our house. My only contribution,  as always was to make sure that it was plumb and put the fairy (angel) on top. L does the rest so well it would be churlish of me to get in her way. I was banished to the dining room where I spent the afternoon drinking tea and listening to various Roddy Frame and Aztec Camera albums. As I have said before The North Star is a criminally,  much overlooked album,  it has a very redemptive feel to it which suited yesterday's ambiance.

That was a rather long winded preamble to me stating that it is probably time to start posting some festive related tunes. I am not against Christmas songs per se, it is just that you can't seem to get away from them from about September onwards these days and most of them,  lets face it are complete shite,  written with the main intention being  that they become hits and the writers can live off of the royalties for the rest of their days, absolutely fuck all to do with writing good songs. The only thing worse than the completely crap exploitative Christmas songs are the "ironically" covered ones that tend to be recorded by guys with too much facial hair in jeans way too tight to be healthy trying to appeal to the too cool for Christmas indie types that secretly love the festivities as much as the rest of us.

I used to have complete disdain for all Christmas records with the exception of The Phil Spector Christmas album but over the years I have mellowed slightly and enjoy enough of these kind of songs to fill a cd, maybe two at a push but don't panic  I will be posting sparingly,  as we would not want to over do the festive cheer would we.

Here is the first of my choices, a bit of Yuletide realism.  An absolute belter from the Jewel label released in 1965.

Johnny and John - Christmas in Vietnam

Well that was what I was going to post but this fucking laptop won't recognise the ripping device so here is an equally as good bit of Christmas realism from Frightened Rabbit. I have included both the choral version (my favourite) and the one with Scott's vocals, well it is the season for giving after all.

Frightened Rabbit - It's Christmas So We'll Stop

Frightened Rabbit - It's Christmas So We'll Stop (Choir version)

Saturday 7 December 2013

The Tracks Of My Year



Right, it's that time of the year again, below are the tracks that I have played and enjoyed the most this year. After compiling the list I was not in the least surprised that more than half of the tracks and eight out of the top ten were dance tunes, there have been so many strong ones this year from the boundary pushing Koreless to the out and out retro groove of T-Kut it has been a rather brilliant twelve months.

I make no apologies for the inclusion of Robin Thicke as I think that it is a great song, the video is a bit choice and Thicke is a bit of a prick but you can't have everything.

The number one tune was nearly not top of my list due to Matthew Toad not putting it on his RSD 12" and making me buy some superb Barney's beer in order to obtain the download, which was a hardship but the tune is just too good and it would have been churlish to demote it just on format fetishism. But I do still live in hope that it will be released on vinyl at some point and have even gone to the extent of trying to demand it of the band via their Twitter account.

There are a couple of tracks which had they been released earlier would have made the list, Hold On Love by Erol Alkan and the new Burial single to be released next week. The former because I haven't played it quite enough yet and the Burial one I haven't actually heard but it's Burial so it's unlikely to be shit.

Interesting fact (or maybe not) - The xx are the only band who have appeared in this list every year in the four years that it has been compiled


  1. Le Thug - Swam
  2. Doc Daneeka - Walk On In 
  3. Jon Hopkins - Immunity
  4. Blank as a complaint from the fuckwits at the DMCA pulled the post for the mere mention of the artist and track. There was no download link.
  5. Dauwd - Heat Division
  6. Koreless - Sun
  7. The Amazing Snakeheads - Testifying Time
  8. SCB - Dissipate
  9. The xx - Chained (Jon Talabot and Pional remix)
  10. Pillowtalk Soul Edits - The Real Thing
  11. Gregory Porter - Hey Laura
  12. The Fall - Loadstones
  13. Four Tet - Kool FM
  14. Best Coast - Fear Of My Identity
  15. Casual Sex - Stroh 80
  16. Unkown Artist - Lost My Shoes On Acid
  17. Sade - Give It Up (Vin Sol and Matrixxman edit)
  18. Jagwar Ma - Come With Me (Weatherall mix)
  19. Frightend Rabbit - Backyard Skulls
  20. Robin Thicke - Blurred Lines
  21. T Kut - Let Me Take U (Track'N remix)
  22. Improper Trax - The Heat
  23. British Sea Power - Machineries Of Joy
  24. Jagwar Ma - Come With Me (7" mix)
  25. Pixies - Indie Cindy
  26. Le Thug - Sense In Scotland
  27. Jay Patrick Ahern, Morgan Packard - Time Stops (feat. Alala One)
  28. Darkside - Golden Arrow
  29. Camera Obscura - Do It Again
  30. Battlebox II - 3D On Jupiter
  31. Gesaffelstein - Pursuit
  32. John Newman - Love Me Again
  33. Haim - Falling (Duke Dumont mix)
  34. Airborne Toxic Event - The Fifth Day
  35. Billy Bragg - Handyman Blues
  36. Primal Scream - Invisible City (Daniel Avery Drone City mix)
  37. The Cosmic Dead - The Black Rabbit
  38. Warpaint - Love Is To die
  39. Alden Tyrell & Gerd - Luv Thang
  40. Big Deal - Swapping Spit

Friday 6 December 2013

It's Friday . . . Let's Dance



What a difference a week makes this time last week I was feeling very smug having installed a new hard drive on my laptop all by myself. Alas it seems that a fucked hard drive was only part of the problem and after a week of further BSODs  the machine is winging it's way to HP as I type with a return date of no earlier than the 17th!

I have to admit that not having my personal laptop in my office has done wonders for my productivity as those who follow me on Twitter will attest to.

Anyway, back to the music. I think a bit of bass heavy, dubby progressive house is the order of the day and who better to deliver it than Leftfield. I think that the duo's first album has stood the test of time extremely well.

Have a good weekend people.

Leftfield - Space Shanty

Wednesday 4 December 2013

Thirty Years Ago, Really



One of the best debut albums ever was released thirty years ago this year and tonight I am going to hear it live in it's entirety for the first time in my life and I cannae wait. I have been looking forward to this ever since it was first announced and my excitement was ramped up a little further after my first trip to the Glasgow Concert Hall last week as the acoustics are very good.

Those of you who don't follow Pete Paphides on Twitter might have missed this brilliant piece on the travails of a fourteen year old Aztec Camera fan. Like Pete I wanted a suede jacket with fringes but had to make do with an Italian army jacket. I still remember Oblivious on Top Of The Pops and  buying High Land Hard Rain from John Menzies as soon after as I had saved up enough money and ever since then the songs of The Boy Wonder have soundtracked a lot of the highs and a few of the lows of my life.

I am particularly looking forward to hearing Back On Board live. 

Aztec Camera - Back On Board 

Roddy Frame - Down The Dip (Paisley Abbey)

Tuesday 3 December 2013

Super Soakers



I think that Baghdad Batteries is a bit of an underrated Orb album. It is not one that is often mentioned when people discuss Dr Alex's output. It also has a bit of a misleading subtitle, "Orbsessions Vol 3" as unlike the first two in the series this is all new material and intended as an album and not as a collection of sessions coupled together. It is still unmistakably the Orb but with little of the quirkiness and samples of previous excursions. It is probably the album that I play most by them these days.

The Orb - Super Soakers

Monday 2 December 2013

Happy

This made me smile today

Give Me Just A Little More Time



Another piece of popular soul which reached number three in the UK charts in 1972. Some of you may know it from Kylie's version from 1991 which made it one place higher in the charts.

Chairmen of The Board - Give Me Just A Little More Time

Sunday 1 December 2013