Saturday 31 January 2015

New Music Saturday



Well new to me anyway.

Sometimes a bit of country hits the spot. Never Ending Sky is actually Hannah Bethel's third album, she self released her first when she was only seventeen. She has a really engaging voice that has given me goosepimples on a couple of occasions. I am no country aficionado so couldn't tell you if this is typical of the country music being released at the moment but to these ears it is quite similar to Kacey Musgraves in style, which may have something to do with the fact that Allan Odendorff plays pedal steel on both, I do like the sound of the pedal steel guitar.

Give this a listen as it's worth it.

Hannah Bethel - Frigerator

Friday 30 January 2015

It's Friday . . . Let's Dance.



How about a quality bit of German Techno courtesy of Frankfurt duo Booka Shade remixed by Berlin duo Pan- Pot. Booka Shade have been making music since the mid nineties, this track was released as a limited 12" single in 2010. You have got to hand it to the Germans they do produce quality Techno. I have also found out recently that although they produce very nice cars, they are extremely shit in Scottish winters. You can't have everything I suppose.

Have a good weekend people. I will be layered to the point of not being able to bend or turn as I'm off to the Excelsior stadium to see if the Diamonds can stay in contention for the play-offs which seem such a long way off at the moment.

Booka Shade - Regenerate (Pan-Pot remix)

Thursday 29 January 2015

Songs for Chile



I had forgotten all about Drugstore until El President came up on the mp3 player last week. The song was a tribute to the Chilean President Salvador Allende who was deposed in a coup in 1973. As I was listening to El President I began to think of another song written about Chile and the crimes of the brutal bastard and personal friend, let us not forget, of Margeret Thatcher, Augusto Pinochet who took over the country. I love Dick Gaughan's version of Victor Jara of Chile.

Drugstore - El President

Dick Gaughan - Victor Jara Of Chile 

Wednesday 28 January 2015

Better Late Than Never



I'm only a few days late with this but it's worth it. This was first heard live from Peel Acres on Peel's Burns Night Special on the 22/01/2004.

Of a' the airts the wind can blaw,
I dearly like the West,
For there the bonnie lassie lives,
The lassie I lo.e the best.
There wild woods grow, and rivers row,
And monie a hill's between:
But day and night my fancy's flight
Is ever wi' my Jean

I see her in the dewy flowers,
I see her sweet and fair;
I hear her in the tunefu' birds,
I hear her charm the air;
There's not a bonnie flower that springs
By fountain, shaw, or green;
There's not a bonnie bird that sings, 
But minds me of my Jean.

Camera Obscura - My Bonnie Jean

Tuesday 27 January 2015

What Happened To Dogs?



I really liked Dogs, I saw them a couple few times in the mid noughties and really enjoyed both albums. They were extremely good live and in Johnny Cooke had a very charismatic front men. After the release of the second album, Tall Stories From Under The Stairs in 2007 they disappeared, they resurfaced in 2010 with a cd ep entitled We Are The Dogs and then disappeared for good. Tarred and Feathered was the band's fourth single released in 2005.

Dogs - Tarred And Feathered

Monday 26 January 2015

I've Fallen In Love



Today's slice of soul comes courtesy of the Atlantic subsiduary Cotillion label act  C & the Shells, C being Calvin White and the Shells being Andrea Bolden and Lonzine Wright. Prior to signing to the label they recorded for Calla under the name the Sandpebbles. The song an everyday story of a girl falling for the wrong, ie married man was written and produced by Jerry (Swamp Dog) Williams.

Enjoy.

C & The Shells - I've Fallen In Love

Friday 23 January 2015

It's Friday . . . Let's Dance



SA's excellent week of posts on the work of the legends that were New Order has inspired me to re-post something from the early days of the blog featuring my favourite track from the band.  Well that and if I am honest, the fact that nothing else has popped into my head for posting today.

Have a good weekend people. I will be mostly trying to get the house into some semblance of order having had a new kitchen fitted this week.

It's a dreich Monday night around the middle of October 1987 and I'm standing in the Mudd Club at the Ritzy in Aberdeen, surrounded by students having a good time and getting legless as students do on a Monday or any other day of the week for that matter. I on the other hand am neither happy nor drunk, I am like the weather that night miserable.

I have just returned to Aberdeen after spending the last weekend with my long term girlfriend as on Thursday she is emigrating to Australia. Her father in his infinite wisdom has decided to up root his family due to a selfish dream of living in a land down under.

Into the bargain I am also realizing that this student life is not all it's cracked up to be. Along with the freedom of living away from home comes the dubious pleasures of shit digs, even shittier food and penury.

Then out of the blue this track comes on and I grab a friend and dance. For nearly 7 minutes all of the crap feelings I have been carrying around with me for what then seemed like forever are lifted and I'm smiling and dancing with not a care in the world (without the aid of a disco biscuit).

The healing power of dance music.

New Order - Bizarre Love Triangle (12" version)

Thursday 22 January 2015

In My Life



I don't listen to the Brian Jonestown Massacre nearly as much as I should. Not quite sure why but I keep forgetting about them but when I do stick something on I invariably end up listening to the whole album. 'In My Life' comes from the band's third album 'Take It From The Man' from 1996.

The Brian Jonestown Massacre - In My Life

Wednesday 21 January 2015

How Good Is This?



I'm not a huge fan of Laura Marling, in the past I have liked a few songs that I have heard which led me to purchase the first couple of albums but if the truth be told I haven't listened to them much. The tracks I do play quite frequently are New Romantic and Young Love the Mystery Jets song she guests on. Last weekend I heard Short Movie on the Huey Morgan song and have been on Youtube quite a lot over the weekend playing the song. I do hope that this is released as a single.




Tuesday 20 January 2015

I Want To Give You My Everything



This is a rather good piece of modern soul from the French group Cherry B and The Sound Makers. It is a reworking of a Carl Douglas song from 1975. It was released a couple of years ago on the excellent outta sight label which has delivered some much needed represses of some essential soul records.

Cherry B and the Sound Makers - I Want To Give You My Everything

Monday 19 January 2015

Too Much For You




Today's slice of top quality soul comes out of Los Angeles although Bobby Angelle (Angelle Boudreaux) originally hailed from rural Louisiana. Too Much Much For You was originally released on the Money Label in 1967. As far as I can find out Angelle released six singles between 1965 - 1969 and then left the music business. He died of a heart attack in 1995.

Bobby Angelle - Too Much For You

Sunday 18 January 2015

Mellow Sunday



I just noticed this morning that we have passed the two thousandth post mark on the blog, today's will actually the 2005th !

I absolutely love this song, the harmonies make me all warm inside and the banjo does things to me that I never thought a banjo would.

The Be Good Tanyas - It's Not Happening 

Saturday 17 January 2015

New Music Saturday



I received an email from Oliver Davis late last year introducing his band Puppet Rebellion to me and I really liked what I heard and so I contacted him for further details about the band he duly replied with the below bio.

"PUPPET REBELLION was written in capitals just now to get your attention. Once they have that attention, they will draw you in further with their uncompromisingly heartfelt lyrics and edgy, in your face contemporary musical arrangements which are meticulously designed to move your body and mind.

There are many artists out there vying for your time, but a quick glance at Puppet Rebellion's already impressive list of achievements prov to show that this fiercely independent band is the real deal. Having formed in January 2013, the band have already amassed a huge following on social media, helped in no small part to their close ties with both Manchester football clubs, having been seleected by Manchester City FC for their "Goal of the Month" feature and being played half-time at Old Trafford during a Manchester United Champions League game.

The band have so far released two critically acclaimed EP's ("Chemical Friends" and "By No Means"), tracks of which can be heard when they play their status affirming and sold-out enegetic shows around the nation's Northern Capital (including main support slots with 'Catfish & The Bottlemen' & 'Reverend and the Makers') and other venues across the UK.

So many bands, so little time. Make sure you give Puppet Rebellion the attention they deserve"

How could I refuse. You've got to give it to the Mancs, they never knowingly undersell themselves. You can find more tracks by the band and buy the eps here






Friday 16 January 2015

It's Friday . . . Let's Dance




We have made it to Friday once more. It has been a bit of a week I was in Luton on Tuesday and Wednesday and the flight up the road on Wednesday night was fine until the last five minutes of the approach which had me shitting myself, not literally I hasten to add, although if it had lasted much longer I'm not sure if that would still have been the case. I am always amazed at the number of people who can sleep through such situations, I doff my cap to them.

Let's have a little jig to an extremely prolific producer with many aliases including Black Riot, House of Gypsies and Hardhouse to name but three. Todd Terry's productions were sample heavy with nods to hip-hop and in an identifiable Chicago style. The track posted comes from Terry's second album (thanks Luca),  Todd Terry Presents Sax, This Will Be Mine" from 1991.

I have recently been reading Acid House The True Story by Luke Bainbridge which brought back a few memories, however after finishing it I was wondering if I had been dreaming through the years 1987-1989 as apparently acid house only happened in London and Manchester.

Have a good weekend people


Todd Terry - House Is A Feeling

Thursday 15 January 2015

The Pale



George over at Jim McLean's Rabbit posted Buffalo by Stump last week and I automatically thought of The Pale for some reason, not sure why as they sound absolutely nothing like each other. Dogs With No Tails was the first single from the Irish band's first album and the only thing that I ever bought by them so I can't tell you if anything else is any good but I do like this single.#

The Pale - Dogs With No Tails

Wednesday 14 January 2015

Frankie and Johnnie



I knew that their had been quite a few versions of Frankie and Johnnie (Johnny) over the years but didn't realise until I consulted the oracle that there has been at least 256 by the likes of Dylan, Elvis and Lindsay Lohan (for fuck's sake!). This quite raucous Rockabilly version comes from Bob Vidone And The Rhythm Rockers was released in 1959.

Bob Vidone and The Rhythm Rockers - Frankie and Johnnie


Tuesday 13 January 2015

Competition Ain't Nothing



This track always transports me back to 1987/1988 and the function rooms of various dodgy pubs in deepest Lanarkshire where the males out numbered the females in a ratio of about 5:1 and the feeling that it called all kick off at any minute ever present. Looking back I'm not sure what possessed us to go to "scooter club do's", certainly not the prospect of hooking up with a member of the opposite sex.

Ah, now I remember. Where else could you dance all night to the sounds of northern soul, ska, psychobilly and punk, with absolutely no prospect of hearing Duran Duran, Wham or any chart pap,  certainly not the local discotheque.

J.J. Barnes -  Competition Ain't Nothing

Monday 12 January 2015

Happy Birthday Boy



It's Leo's birthday today, he;s the same age as the blog. His love of "Too Much Apple Pie" and the Theme From The Wild Geese is well documented, however over the past 6 months or so he has developed an appreciation for the works of Kevin Rowland, especially the track posted, he is also rather fond of I'm Always Going To Love You and Incapable Of Love but he does question Kevin and Maddy's need to use swear words, every single time!

Dexys Midnight Runners - Thankfully Not Living In Yorkshire It Doesn't Apply

Sunday 11 January 2015

Mellow Sunday



Today's track got lodged in my head last night so there was nothing else for it but try to find it. I had to rake about in the cupboard to find the cd single, I could have gone up the stairs into the office and played it on iTunes but where would be the fun in that. By the time I had located it,  it had started to snow heavily outside and this just seemed to fit perfectly. The photo however doesn't. I did try to take some but they all came out shite,  Comrade Colin I ain't. So I therefore went back to the photies of scooters that don't really fit with the series anyway.

Trembling Blue Stars - One Wish Granted.

Friday 9 January 2015

It's Friday . . . Let's Dance



This blog was six yesterday. I forgot all about it until last night. I'm quite surprised that it has lasted this long to be honest and some of you will will be wishing that it hadn't no doubt.

Anyway, let's get on with the series that has lasted as long as the blog if not quite as long as the repeats of Friends on E4.

If the ep, Un. Sub that today's track comes from had been released prior to me making my Tracks of My Year post last month at least two of the tracks would have ranked highly in the list. The ep is the product of Glasgow based duo Mia Dora and released on the city's Optimo Trax label. The twelfth release on JD Twitch's  excellent label  and I imagine has been flogged to death with the crowd going nuts in the Sub Club. The ep has had the same effect upon me that those early acid house records had in 1988 my only gripe about Un. Sub, the track is that it is too short , it could go on twice as long and it still wouldn't be long enough. Two words for you,  Cowbell madness. If you like what you hear you really need to invest in the ep, because all four tracks are absolutely essential.

Have a good weekend people.

I'm not making this available for download as it is a new release. Please buy it.

Mia Dora - Un.Sub

Wednesday 7 January 2015

Former Lover



I'm not sure why this was never released as a single as it is just lovely, much better the the album version. It seems a bit weird to go to all the trouble of producing a single version of the track and then not releasing it. The original version of the song can be found on the Tiger Bay album, this version is from a limited edition fanclub only cd from 1996 entitled "Nice Price". In the booklet for the cd it states "This is the way Saint Etienne could have sounded with a little less time, a little more flexibility, or a lot less help from our friends.

Saint Etienne - Former Lover (single version)

Tuesday 6 January 2015

Work!



I've not really got a lot to say at the moment, I'm totally fed up! As I'm typing this I've been back at work for a day and already I'm wishing it was the weekend. I'm not quite sure when I stopped enjoying the daily grind but I am over this working for a living lark. I know that I should be glad that I have gainful employment but it really doesn't feel that way at the moment.

Frightened Rabbit (with Archie Fisher) - The Work 

Monday 5 January 2015

One-derful! Stuff



A couple of weeks before the Christmas break I bought a great double album of gorgeous Chicago soul called "The One-derful Collection!" and by Jove it is that. The One-derful! label is probably best know as one of the labels Otis Clay recorded for. He features predominately on the album with three tracks but all of the rest of the artists are as good if not as well known as Clay and Betty Everett who also appears with a couple of classy tracks. According to the sleeve notes this album is just the first installment in a six part series! If they can maintain the quality that there is on these two platters then I will certainly keep on buying and there is quite a lot of source material as there will also be volumes concentrating on the sub-labels of Mar-V-Lus, M-Pac!, Halo, Midas and Toddlin' Town.

Here is one of the twenty five highlights on the twenty five track album. If you have any interest in Chicago soul you really should purchase this album.

Joe and MacK - Prettiest Girl

Friday 2 January 2015

And The Winner Is



A few weeks ago I posted that I had been asked to contribute to the long list for the Blog Sound of 2015. . .

Well, today I can announce that the definitive, winner of the poll, with double the points of any other of the contenders was Lapsley.

I featured a track by her which had been sent to me back in July last year which also made the tracks of my year. At the tail end of the year she signed for XL, with her first ep being released next Monday on download. I'm not quite sure if there will be a vinyl release of this as on the website it is only available for pre-order from the US which could end up quite annoying!

I am a bit concerned that my voting for her might just be the kiss of death as none of the artists I have predicted to go on to greatness over the past decade or so, The Raveonettes and Airborne Toxic Event being two prime examples,  have failed to set the heather on fire. Let's hope Holly Lapsley Fletcher does better.