New To Me

I heard this the other day and decided to investigate a little further and it appears that I'm a bit late to the party as the band have been going in one form or another since 2008 and were signed by Eddie Pillar to Acid Jazz a couple of years ago. This track was released as a single early last month. The dancer in the video will be familiar. I love it, it's good to see that a new generation are taking northern soul influences and creating something, if not totally new at least refreshingly different from most of the pish around at the moment.

You Just Don't Know

Here is the Ty Karim track that I wanted to post a couple of weeks back.  This track was originally released on the Romark label started by Kent Harris who was also Karim's manager. An original copy of the single would set you back more than three grand. If you like what you hear there is an excellent compilation of all of Karim's output released by Ace which can be purchased here. Karim is another soul singer who was taken before her time when she succumbed to breast cancer in 1983.

Ty Karim - You Just Don't Know

Thirty Years On

The boys in George Square  in Glasgow on Saturday. Max enjoyed it but you wouldn't get that impression from the photo.

Elvis Costello & The Attractions - (What's So Funny 'Bout) Peace,  Love and Understanding

Mellow Sunday

Eddie Hinton is hitting all the right spots at the moment.

btw if you like a bit of northern soul you should check out Marie's new site here

Eddie Hinton - What Would I Do Without You.

It's Friday . . . Let's Dance

Back to Glasgow's finest and most consistent purveyors of quality techno and a release from three years on Soma's sub label Paragraph. The duo have quietly gone about their business and released 12 singles on the label since 2008 all of which are on a par with the one posted, if you haven't heard these I suggest that you take some time out and explore some of these.

This weekend I will be taking Max on his first anti-Trident march tomorrow in Glasgow, sadly my first was thirty one years ago!

Have a good weekend people.

Slam - Chasing Shadows 

The Spirit of Strummer and Jones

At the weekend I decided it was time to reacquaint myself with the Airborne Toxic Event as it had been a while since I listened to them and with a new album and Glasgow gig in the next month it was about time. I decided to start with the second album, All At Once, in the past I have always reached for the debut but the follow up was the first to be pulled from the box. From the opening bars of the first some I had a feeling that this reminded me of someone but it wasn't until just after the four minute mark that it all fell into place, maybe it's just me but I think that Strummer and Jones had more than a passing influence on Mikel Jollett when he wrote this track..

Airborne Toxic Event - All At Once

Ridiculously Talented Trio

Another of the great gigs I attended during my recent absence from blogging was Kitty, Daisy and
Lewis at Oran Mor in Glasgow. All I've got to say is that these siblings have way more talent than a couple of generations of any family deserves never mind within the same brood and when you add in their parents it would make you want to boke (throw up) if the music they made was not so damned good. The music changed from out and out Rock and Roll to R&B then Ska with the three switching instruments and vocal duties throughout. Honourable mention goes to Kitty's harmonica playing, I would like to test that girl's lung capacity as I bet it would exceed all normal ranges for someone of her age and stature!

Here is a track I found particularly good that night although there wasn't a song that I didn't enjoy immensely.

Kitty, Daisy and Lewis -I'm So Sorry

Dig Eat Beats Repeat

Boca 45, or Scott Hendy as he's known to his friends and family is a Dj and producer from Bristol who has been releasing music on labels such as Grand Central Recordings and Jalapeno Records since 2004. Mr Big Sun  comes from his third album, Dig Eat Beats Repeat released last week on Digga Please. If hip hop beats and funk are your bag then this album is something that you really should purchase. The track posted features the stunning vocal talents of Stephanie McKay whose first album has been dug out of the cupboard and played more than once over the weekend and is as good as I remembered. Don't you love it when that happens.

As this album is about as fresh as the loaf I purchased yesterday this track will not be available for download but it can be purchased here

Boca 45 - Mr Big Sun

Ain't Love Wonderful!

Here's an upbeat piece of Detroit soul full of optimism and joy to start off the drudgery of the week. No tale of spurned love or cheating spouses here, no siree! Just one man singing, with some lovely harmonies of how wonderful love is.

Ain't Love wonderful, like many of the soul tracks posted here was the flip side.   The ballad, The Whole World Is A Stage was the first hit for The Fantastic Four, reaching the top ten of the R&B chart in 1967. It was released on Ed Wingate's Ric Tic label.

I have a feeling that if somebody called themselves the Fantastic Four and tried to release a record today they may encounter a litigation case being filed against them by a certain comic book publisher.

The Fantastic Four  - Ain't Love Wonderful 

Mellow Sunday

Aretha singing Goffin and King, what more could you require on a Sunday, apart from another hour in bed obviously.

Aretha Franklin - (You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman

It's Friday . . . Let's Dance

 It has been a rather intense week at work and it's not quite over yet, but I do feel as if a valve somewhere inside has been opened and most of the pressure I have been carrying around for the past four months has dissipated. I can't think of a better way to celebrate than a bit of up beat dance music. I was going to post Release The Pressure by Leftfield but that would be a little bit too obvious and it's not uplifting enough.

I have been wondering recently what was going on with the Chemical Brothers as it has been a few years since they last released anything, four to be exact, After a bit of investigation (checking their website) it doesn't look like their will be any new material in the near future there is a "Secret 7" single for Record Shop Day but that is Let Forever Be, from the third album which came out before the millennium,

I've opted to post the Pete Heller mix of Star Guitar from 2001, This was the second single from the fourth album Come With Us. It was the first of their records to be released as a DVD single,

Have a good weekend people,

The Chemical Brothers - Star Guitar (Pete Heller's Expanded mix)

Don't Need No Easy Glamour

This song has been in my head quite a bit recently. It is just a lovely optimistic song that never fails to put a smile on my face and the album it comes from is a bit special as well.

Edwyn Collins - Make Me Feel Again

Lighten Up Baby

It's Monday so I suppose a bit of soul is the order of the day in these parts. I've got a hellish few days at work to look forward to, something that has been lurking in the background since before Christmas, so roll on Wednesday night when it will be all over. Que Sera Sera as Doris Day might say.

Anyway, back to the music, Lighten Up Baby, not to be confused with "Lightin' Up also by Ty Karim confusingly enough wasn't the track I intended to post today but late last night I realised that I hadn't ripped You Just Don't Know. If the track sounds familiar it may be because the backing track is the same to Somebody Somewhere Needs You, the Ike and Tina version not the Darrell Banks one.

Ty Karim - Lighten Up Baby

Mellow Sunday

Stiff and I went to see Andy White in a beautiful room in the Art Club during Glasgow's Celtic Connections festival back in January, more of which to come but here is one of the songs that he performed that night. To accompany the song we have the picture of a vaguely Latin looking girl on a scooter.

Andy White - Italian Girls on Mopeds

It's Friday . . . Let's Dance

So, I had a few thoughts about replacing this feature during my idleness but couldn't come up with anything better than celebrating the beginning of the weekend with a bit of dance music.

Today's track has been posted before but how often do I get a chance to link a post with an astronomical event so tough, you will just have to live with it.

As I type this it is 09:26 am and it has gone quite dark outside, the sun is about 50% covered and looks extremely eerie through the clouds.

Lemon Interupt - Eclipse

A Reason to Rejoice

There is to be a new Fall album, the thirty first studio album, called Sublingual Tablet to be released on Cherry Red in May and if the live tracks that are kicking about the internet are anything to go by it will be one of the best in years. The last album Re-Mit was released in 2013 and is okay not a classic but not another Are You Are Missing Winner either. After the gruppe's performance at the 6Music festival I may even revoke my self imposed embargo on going to see them live,

Here is a track from the new album , I don't have a clue what Smith is going on about, are those really the words "curly wurly" that I hear?

The Fall - Dedication Not Medication (Live Gateshead 21-02-15)

The Afghan Whigs

So during my enforced absence from blogging I attended a few really good gigs. In fact I've been to more concerts during the first couple of months of 2014 than I did during the previous 6 months. On a very, very cold Tuesday in early February I forced myself into the car and headed to the Liquid Rooms in Edinburgh to see The Afghan Whigs. If I hadn't been taking my mate I might just have stayed at home and listened to a couple of Whigs albums instead. If I had I would have missed a great gig but would probably have saved some of my hearing, jeez it was loud.

I had last seen Dulli and his merry band the previous July in the ABC in Glasgow and although the performance was very good that night the crowd were extremely subdued and the atmosphere therefor a little flat. No such problems in the Liquid Rooms both band and crowd were right up for it. The material was mainly from the latest album Do The Beast but most of the bands other albums were represented and as you would expect from Dulli, there were a few covers some in full, some mixed in with Afghan Whigs songs and a couple where just a couple of lines which has you racking your brains to remember where they are from. The covers are as eclectic as ever from Fleetwood Mac, through Led Zeppelin, Sylvan Esso, Jeff Buckley The Beatles and Bobby Womack.

A word of warning for anyone thinking of going to see the Afghan Whigs or any of Dulli's bands really, he does not take kindly to flash photography at one point he berated a member of the audience about it, the guy stupidly didn't listen and was on the end of the singer's wrath again not two songs later, either a very brave or stupid man as I've always got the impression that Dulli is not a guy to fuck about with.

Here is the final track from the Black Love album, recorded live in London last July on the previous tour, See how long it takes you to realise what the cover is at the beginning of the song.

The Afghan Whigs - Faded

Twenty Four Years and Counting

Tonight SLF will be playing the Glasgow Barrowland Ballroom for the 24th St Patrick's Night on the bounce. So I thought that it would be only right to post something by the band and this also fits nicely in with SA's recent series on Johnny's many mentions in music.

Stiff Little Fingers - Johnny Was (Live Glasgow Barrowlands 17-03-06)

So In Luv

So what been happening?

I was forced into inactivity when my laptop went into meltdown, literally. The fan stopped working and when I put it in for repair, it was found that bits of it had melted! But they managed to get it going again but then the graphics card decided to give up the ghost. So a new, much cheaper laptop was purchased last week and I'm ready to type pish and force upon you songs that I think are worth a listen once more.

As it's Monday let's have a bit of soul. Here is a cracker of a track originally released on Oakland label Era in 1967 and as is the norm in this Monday slot, that's about all I know about the record.

Enjoy

Othello Robertson - So In Love

Leather Girls

Today's track would go quite nicely with yesterday's offering. It originally appeared as the first two tracks on Death in Vegas's third album Scorpio Rising but by the time of the release of the second single from that album it was one track, confusingly titled Leather/Girls on the single 12" release, however listed as Leather Girls on the double pack. No matter what when you listen to it you don't need to be a genius to hear when one track could potentially stop and a further one begin.

By the way, you get some "interesting" results if you type leather girls into a search engine.

Death In Vegas - Leather Girls

Coves

I first heard of Coves at the tail end of last year, their name being mentioned in the same review as The Raveonettes, so I had to investigate. Apparently they have been doing their thing since 2011, so as ever my finger is right on the pulse. Their sound puts me in mind of Cults but a bit heavier and more dare I say it psychedelic. I bought the album which I found enjoyable enough to seek out a couple of earlier singles which brings me to today's track. The a -side of the 2013 released Beatings 12" is a very good song in it's own right full of twangy guitar and echoey vocals but the b - side remixed by Brendan Lynch is the one for me, a strung out soundfest.

Coves - Beatings (Lynchmob bonus beats)

I Love You Baby

Today's tune was number 429 in the original Northern Soul Top 500. An out and out dancer, originally released on the Veep label in 1967.  Cindy Scott also released music under her real name of Sundray Tucker and she can be heard duetting with Stevie Wonder on Ordinary Pain from the Songs In The Key Of Life album. She also has some quite famous relatives in soul music, her sister was Supreme, Lynda Lawrence ,  Bunny Sgler is a cousin as was Tammi Terrell.

Cindy Scott - I Love You Baby

Mellow Sunday

Prior to hearing this cover version I had never herd the original which I then found out was from an x factor winner. I much prefer this version.

Mystery Jets - Bleeding Love

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

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)

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 

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

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

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

Mellow Sunday

Cowboy Junkies - Misguided Angel

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)

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

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.

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

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

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 

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

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

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

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

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

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

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.

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

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)

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 

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

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.

Hogmanay

As I've mentioned a few times, I'm not really one for celebrating New Year. I struggle with all the fake bonhomie and people trying too hard to have a good time. But L rather likes it as she is a far more sociable human being than I am.

I would like to sincerely thank everybody who has stopped by here, skimmed over the pish spouted and downloaded the tracks, especially those who have taken the time to comment, all of which especially the ones that disagree with me are most welcome.

So all the best and I hope 2015 is as good a year as you wish it to be.

And raise a glass to "Sturdy Girl" wherever she may be.

I have struggled to find a pertinent song for today and so decided just to go with one of my "21 Best"

Rilo Kiley - With Arms Outstretched

A True Love Just For You Love

I am not sure why this track doesn't get played much more than it does, as for me it's up there with the best that anybody on Motown ever produced. Come On And See Me was Tammi Terrell's second single for Berry Gordy's Detroit label released in 1966 and  inexplicably only reached the dizzy heights of number 80 in the Billboard chart and 25 in the US R&B Chart and I don't think that it was even released over here in the UK! It is a song that never fails to make me feel better.

Tammi Terrell - Come On And See Me

Merry Christmas One And All When It Comes

It really is unseasonably mild up here in what should be the frozen north but with Max and Leo it is utterly impossible to forget that it is Christmas. I hope that you all get from Santa what you wished for and have a great day. Me, as has become the norm I will be following Delia's instructions to the letter with no deviations and hoping that everything turns out okay.

Eat, drink and be merry as some wise person once said.

The Housemartins - Caravan Of Love