Ain't That Always The Way

It's half term up here and I took the week off to look after the boys. I also figured that I would have plenty of time to get a load of blog posts down and bits and pieces done around the house.

 . . . well it's now Wednesday and I have done absolutely bugger all on either the DIY or as you will have noticed the blog fronts. We are going away for a few days tomorrow so I better get my arse in gear.

Paul Quinn - Ain't That Always The Way

White _ _ _ _

Well the Lord Chief  Justice has upheld the 4 year prison term given to the two numpties who encouraged others to riot on Facebook. It makes you wonder what they would have done to Joe and Mick if they had released the single below in 2011 rather than 1977?

The Clash - White Riot

I Got A Letter From The Government The Other Day.

Before I heard Tricky's interpretation of Black Steel if I had read anywhere that somebody was tackling covering Public Enemy I would have thought that they were mad and would have been confident that the results would have been pretty dire.

I wouldn't say that Tricky's version is better, it is on a par with the PE version. I love the way he has dropped the piano sample and replaced it with loud thrashy guitars and poiunding drums. But it is probably Martina Topley-Bird's laid-back delivery of the lyrics which makes this a classic.

Tricky - Black Steel

Btw this was the 1001 piece of nonsense that has been posted on this blog!

Let's Get Ravey

The only problem with this brilliant remix is that it takes far too long for the beat to come in and then it's all over too soon. But that is probably why I love it so much, the anticipation of what's to come.

La Roux - In For The Kill (Skream's Let's Get Ravey mix)

Tightrope

Something a little bit different from the usual stuff you find round these parts.

I bought Archandroid last summer after reading all of the reviews and expected a bit or R&B in the style of Kelis or the like. But the album is a melting pot of different styles and experimentation at times a bit psychedelic at other a bit folky and with quite a bit of a jazz feel. But on the whole,  the concept album about a dystopian future holds together rather well and keeps your attention throughout.

Here is one of the stand out tracks

Janelle Monae - Tightrope

and the brilliant performance from Glastonbury earlier this year.

It's Friday . . . Let's Dance

Is anybody becoming bored of this?

I'm just asking as I think that it may be time to think of a new Friday feature the only problem being I can't think of one. JC suggested just posting "Sturdy Girl" every Friday but I'm sure everybody bar Anon would soon get tired of that.

As I am persisting with flogging the dead horse for the time being. It's back to 1992 for a bit of Italian House remixed by a Mancunian.

TC1992, were  the same guys as TC 1991, surprise surprise. They were also the FPI Project, responsible for the 1990 remake of Going Back To My Roots. They also recorded under a number of other aliases that I will not bore you with.

Funky Guitar came out in 1992, the clue being in the band's name, on Union City Recordings. The version posted is the Justin Robertson mix. The man responsible for Lionrock and the Most Excellent label amongst a myriad of other things.

Have a good weekend people.

TC1992 - Funky Guitar (Lion Rock Inna Milanese Stylee)

Nostalgia's Not What It Used To Be

So, I'm standing there with L, front and centre in the ABC and who comes and stands next to me? The one and only Vinyl Villain, pleasantries were exchange and I was introduced to the rest of his gang, after which he said " well,  are you going to review this then .  . . "  I explained that gig reviews are not really my thing, as I never remember set lists, running orders,  band members etc. But I capitulated in the end as what with him being away and having other things to concentrate on, you people would miss out on hearing how the Boy Wonder's first outing in over a decade with a band turned out. So here is my gig review.

Roddy Frame at the ABC in Glasgow was absolutely fucking wonderful.

Somebody once said nostalgia isn't what it used to be, whoever that was was talking through their arse either that or they have never experienced a Roddy Frame gig. At one point, during Oblivious I was fourteen again, at the school disco, stomach full of butterflies asking the girl of my dreams to dance. During Killermont Street, I was transported to my cold flat in Aberdeen, winter of my first year of Uni, homesick and longing for the security and warmth of home in the west.

It was pretty easy to track my development from petulant teenager to married middle aged man through the music being played last night.

I always come out of a Roddy Frame gig elated but also a little angry that a musician and wordsmith of such prowess has never been given the recognition that he deserves when other numpties from the eighties, take your pick, it's easy, got lauded with praise and sold shed loads of albums. Not that Frame seems all that bothered judging by the performance last night. He looked as if he was loving every single minute and he even made a joke about being on "the fringes of the post punk indie scene".

I must mention that the backing band were brilliant and it looks as though he has stolen at least half of Edwyn Collins touring band. The guitarist and also the bass player, neither of whos' name I can remember, which incidently has nothing to do with their ability but more of me having the memory of a particulalry forgetful goldfish these days,  seem to have either been put out on loan or have decided to jump ship. The keyboard player I have seen play with Roddy before but the drummer was entirely new to me. They dealt with the tracks which spanned Frame's whole career with the exception of Dreamland with the respect such classics deserve.

I have only two gripes about the evening.

Firstly, that there was only one new song aired, so no new album anytime soon!

Also the gig was over far too quickly no sooner had he taken the stage than he was off again , okay that is a slight exaggeration, they did play for over an hour and a half but it felt like about ten minutes. Personally and I don't think I was alone in feeling this last night, that they could have played for three hours and it still would not have been long enough.

Oh, and while I'm at it, I'm sure Mr Frame has a portrait locked away in an attic somewhere as he looks no older now than he did in 1990, the bastard!

Nostalgia isn't what it once was, last night it was so much better than that.

Roddy Frame - Rock God

The Boy Wonder Returns

I'm off to see Roddy Frame tonight and I am looking forward to it more than just a little as this will be the first time in over a decade when he has been accompanied by a band. It's kind of hard to remember how good he is when electrified but we have had glimpses over the past couple of years when he was performing with Edwyn Collins, an amazing bit of a guitar wig out during A Girl Like You at the ABC springs to mind.

One thing for sure it will not be dull and let's hope that there will be some new songs showcased as well. i will also hopefully hook up with the Vinyl Villain who shall also be present. The last time the two of us met at a Roddy Frame gig he put the notion of doing this nonsense into my head so who know what might come of tonight?

Here is a track recorded twenty one years ago at the Barrowlands Ballroom in Glasgow. I had the good fortune to be there that night and when I exclaimed that's Mick Jones, the girl I was with just said in a rather bored voice "who?"

Aztec Camera - Good Morning Britain (Live Barrowlands)

Seda Muerta

How about a bit of pounding Techno to brighten up your Tuesday. This mix by Female is one of the best things this side of the new Slam single Chasing Shadows which you really must look out for.  The track just keeps building and building.

Svreca - Seda Muerta (Female remix)

Love Like Fire

I don't really know that much about this band other than they come from San Fransisco and they have been going since 2006. I bought this single on the back of hearing it somewhere, it sort of reminded me of Asobi Seksu who I was quite into at the time. Listening to the single again at the weekend I'm wondering why I didn't go on to buy anything else other than the next single, Stand In My Shoes.

If you feel the need to investigate further see here

LoveLikeFire - William

Do It All Over Again

I'm off to see Spiritualized tonight in the Queen's Hall in Edinburgh, not the best venue in the world but still, I'm excited. It's been a couple of years since the last time I so Pierce and his henchmen. The album release has been pushed back until March next year when there will be a further round of gigs, this time the ABC in Glasgow a much better venue. I'm still hoping to hear some new material this evening.

Here is a laid back BBC session of Do It Over Again, originally on the Let It Come Down album.

Spiritualized - Do It All Over Again

Breaking Into Heaven

I have played this track quite a lot recently and for me it holds it's own against anything from their debut album or the non album single releases.

What really strikes me is the guitar playing there is a certain swagger or looseness about it that isn't quite as apparent on the earlier releases.  It reeks to me of somebody who not only thinks that they can play but has that arrogant belief that they are better than almost all of their peers. The self belief that the likes of  Jimmy Page or Ritchie Blackmore had/have and there in probably lies the reason why I like the track so much, it has to do with spending all that time in my youth with the pseudo hippies and soaking in all of those albums by Deep Purple, Led Zeppelin, Hendrix and the like which has made me a sucker for the sound of a wah wah peddle or a meandering self indulgent guitar solo.

One other thing, doesn't Ian Brown sound like he really can sing on this track,  what happened?

The Stone Roses - Breaking Into Heaven (Full version with wanky intro)

It's Friday . . . Let's Dance

Here's a track from probably my favourite band from the early nineties. It was a real bloody shame that they only released one album but what an album Morning Dove White was. Even now after nearly twenty years of listening I still don't get bored of it and there isn't a duff track on the album.

I have seen the album compaired with Screamadelica and I think this is due to a certain Mr Weatherall being in charge of production and it does have a similar kind of feel about it but I'm not sure if the comparisons are all that helpful. To be honest I play this album a lot more frequently than I play Screamadelica but I don't think that anything here is as outstanding as either Loaded or Come Together. That is not to say that it doesn't have it's standout tracks, it does and for me those are Breakdown, Transient Truth and Why Don't You Take Me. I am not as keen on Weatherall's mix of Fallen as the Darkest Hour mix that was on the original Soma release but that is due to me completely falling in love with that single when I first heard it and flogging it to death. In fact that statement above about One Dove having nothing to match Loaded or Come Together is pish, they do, it's just that the version that does rival those two is not on the album.

Sadly the band split up before completing the follow-up long player so we will never know what could have been. But although Dot Allison went on to produce one really good solo album and three that have their moments she never produced anything nearly as good as this quite underrated album

Anyway today's dance track is one of the brace of Secret Knowledge mixes of the third single to be released from the album, Breakdown. Most people will already have this but I was in a One Dove mood yesterday so . . .

Have a good weekend people

One Dove - Breakdown (Secret knowledge light mix)

Cashing In

Another track which Ian Levine must get the credit for breaking. Due to the music policy in the Blackpool Mecca being a lot less insular than that of the Casino new soul records such as Cashing In were played as well as the more exclusive 60s tracks.

The track was released on Just Sunshine Records in 1973 and was a Leroy Hutson/Curtis Mayfield production that went on to be an anthem in the Highland Room showing that the Blackpool crowd had impeccable taste.

Voices of East Harlem - Cashing In

Giving Up

A couple of years ago I posted a track by Hairy Diamond that sampled this rather brilliant Van McCoy penned track. Mr H put me onto the original track which I have been searching for on vinyl ever since. The only copy that I have so far seen was £40 which in these cash strapped days just cannot be justified. So it looks like I will be stuck with it on a digital format for the foreseeable future but still think that it should be shared.

The Ad Libs are probably better remembered for The Boy From New York City which was released in 1964 and covered by Darts when I were a wean.

The Ad Libs - Giving Up

I Won't Hurt You Anymore

How about a bit of Chicago Blues? Here is the b-side of the latest release in the Jazzman  Juke Box Jam series.

Quite, quite beautiful

Frances Burr & KJ Trio - I Won't Hurt You Anymore

White Label, Stolen Voices.

I'm not sure what this is apart from really good. Is it an edit, refit, cover,  mash-up? I'm buggered if I know.

Ok, so the concept is that 3 musicians got a pile of obscure tracks by people such as Billie Holiday, John Lennon and Dennis Wilson to name but 3 and took the vocal and a few snippets of the tracks and built their own tunes around them in the style that they felt suited the feel of the vocal. So the Billy MacKenzie vocal is given a Memphis era Elvis like production. On the whole it works but I'm not too sure about the cut-up of Small Hours by John Martyn but that maybe because I love the original so much that touching it is tantamount to sacrilege in my book.

The tracks are collected on a vinyl album which can be purchased for the very resonable price of just £10:49 including postage. The track posted is worth that on it's own.

Jean1 is a reworking of an old Supremes song, 5:30 Plane on which Jean Terrell took lead vocal duties and has been turned into the sort of track that northern soul djs have wet dreams about discovering.

White Label - Jean1

Beyond The Clouds

Here is a lovely piece of dub techno to soundtrack what ever it is you are going to get up to today. Me, I will be doing the bloody shopping . Hope you people down south are enjoying the sunshine. It is grey, dank and horrible up here as I suspect it will be over the water as well!

CV313 are the duo who also record under the name of Echospace and have produced some exceptionally good pieces of dub techno, very remeniscent of the Basic Channel stuff. This is the b-side the epic 23 minute live mix of Beyond The Clouds which you can really lose yourself in.

cv313 -Beyond The Clouds (reprise)

Repackage, Reissue, Ripoff

This week saw the repackaging of all the albums of my favourite band of the 80s and also the back catalogue of another group from that period who, seemingly,  if you believe what you read single handedly changed the music scene during that decade.

Anyway, all this repackaging and remastering is beginning to get on my nerves. I know that I have mentioned before that I bought the remastered Screamadelica and I have also said that afterwards I felt like a mug. I just can't understand why these things are remastered, well I can,  it's just to make money. But what it says to me is, at the time we released a sub standard product which we weren't really that proud of and it has been remastered to sound the way it should have in the first place. Well, if that's the case I want a free copy of the remastered album or my money back as the one that you sold me at the time, you sold under false pretences and all the time in interviews you were saying that this is the best thing we've done, blah de blah.

I have decided to say no to any re-releases, even Fall ones from now on. The Reids, Marr's and Gillespie's of this world, if you want me to spend money give me something new, fresh, original which is more deserving of my money than say, the new Death In Vegas album (not likely, as it is brilliant)  and if you can't,  fucking retire!

Here is an extremely bad cover version by the Reid brothers

The Jesus and Mary Chain - Alphabet Street

oh, and the demo of Upside Down available on the repackaged Psychocandy

The Jesus and Mary Chain - Upside Down

So Bloody Obvious

I know, still.

Image courtesy of Murdoch Press.

Manhattan Love Suicides - Indian Summer

It's Friday . . . Let's Dance

I apologise most profusely for this being a re-post. Haven't really got my shit together this week and the track that I intended posting today hasn't been ripped from the vinyl yet. So those of you who still have the vaguest interest in this series will just have to do with this piece recycled from February 2009.

Have a good weekend people.

Today we go back to 1993 and an acid trance stormer from the Rising High Collective.
Rising High Collective was one of the many monikers of sadly departed Casper Pound and the vocalist Plavka. He also ran a label called Rising High Records which was responsible for some ground breaking techno and early ambient works by MixMaster Morris and Air Liquide. But Pound's main love was techno and the faster the breakbeats the better.

Fever Called Love is quite soulful and the BPMs not too fast. The version here is the 1993 remix by Hardfloor a German duo who invariably turn the 303 up to eleven in order to get their distinctive squelchy sound.
Enjoy


Rising High Collective - Fever Called Love (Hardfloor mix)

New Scottish Music

It's been a bit of a hectic week work wise, so just a quick post.

Please check out this band here and buy their latest ep, as they are saving up for a plectrum shaped swimming pool I am lead to believe.

Bring Him Back

Here is the second best thing that Emily Drinkard aka Sissie Houston ever did.

Bring Him Back was released on the Congress label in 1966 and is a belter of a soul track. If you've got a spare hundred odd quid you could be the proud owner of the 7".

And the best thing she ever did? Produce Whitney, of course.

Sissie Houston - Bring Him Back

I'm From Further North Than You

Lets start the week off with the second single from what is probably my favourite Wedding Present album, it is certainly the one that I play all the way through the most.

Mr Gedge is second to none in producing rhyming couplets on the subject of love and loss.

The version posted is the 7" single version which was remixed by Klee  a band from Cologne whose singer Suzie Kerstgens can be heard duetting with Gedge on the track.

The Wedding Present - I'm From Further North Than You (Klee remix)

Locked Together

Something nice and soothing for a Sunday.

If you don't already know who King Creosote is you really need to get a grip and sort yourself out.

It is hard to pick a favourite KC album but, for me, I think the album K.C. Rules OK where this track comes from just edges it.

King Creosote - Locked Together

Tune of the Year? Very Probably

The credit for bringing today's tune lies squarely on the shoulders of one Nolan Micron. If you haven't visited Castles In Space you really are missing out as not only does Nolan give us blissed out gems like today's track and some very limited upfront releases which are nigh on impossible to get your hands on by the time they are posted but  also recently delved into the back catalogue of the Warp label to bring us some of the best of their early 12" singles in their entirety and much more besides.

Even though Lemon has been posted before I thought that some people might have missed it and I believe that everybody has a right to hear music as beautiful as this track is.

As I say, it was a couple of weeks ago that Nolan introduced me to this track which bowled me over and I went on the hunt for a physical copy which was secured quite easily but I'm not sure if it would be as easy now. It will have to be something really special to take the mantle of track of my year away from this, something akin to the second coming of Otis Redding.

I am only going to post one track from the ep, the Time and Space Machine third mix. If you like what you hear and I can assure you that the original is even better,  you can go across to Castles in Space where you can download the ep in full or better still head here , buy it and ensure that the Birmingham duo keep making music as sublime as this.

Also I would like to thank Free School for disassociating the vision of that git Toby Young in my mind from the term "free school", as whenever I hear it now I will immediately think of this track and have nice thoughts rather than psychopathic ones.

Free School - Lemon (The Time And Space Machine Third Mix)

It's Friday . . . Let's Dance

I'm still on a bit of a drum n bass tip at the moment, so today for your delectation we have a bit of Mercury Music Prize winning Jungle from Roni Size and Reprazent.

Size and crew won the prestigious music award in 1997 for the rather bloated but none the less deserving New Forms. It is an album that I will admit I don't think that I have listened to the whole way through since 1997 but I do pull out the vinyl every now and then and play tracks from it. I think that it has dated rather well, I love the mix of programming and use of real instruments including the double bass.

Coming from Bristol, there have always been comparisons of Size and his partner in both music production and label running Krust and Massive Attack. However Reprazent have released even less albums than Massive Attack at two,  granted they were only in existence for 5 years  but still.

Here is a remix by Origin Unknown of one of the highlights of the album. Origin Unknown are themselves responsible for one of the best and most original drum n bass tracks ever, Valley of The Shadows.

Have a good weekend people.

Reprazent - Heroes (Origin Unknown remix)

It's Not Right But What Was The Alternative?

I did something last week which I moan about others doing all the time. I admit it, I am a hypocrite.

I downloaded the Jezabels album, Prisoner from one of those snidey sites. I am not proud of this fact and it did leave a horrible taste in my mouth but there are mitigating factors.

Firstly, when I went to see the band the other week I fully expected to be able to pick up a copy of the album as it was to be released the following week. I thought that they would have advanced copies for sale but when I asked the guy at the merchandise stall why weren't selling copies I was informed that it wouldn't be available in the UK until February next year, what the fuck is that all about?

Secondly,  I will buy the cd, vinyl would have been better but alas, not to be,  when it becomes available here. So it's not as if I really am taking something for nothing, is it?

But you have to wonder about the not making the album available for purchase at the same time globally or even a couple of weeks later in the UK, not five bloody months later. How many sales are they going to lose out on just from people doing the same as I have done and by next year having lost interest in the album not purchasing it when it is legally available?

What would you have done?

The album is very, very good by the way.

The Jezabels - Catch Me

Livin' In Love

This track was a Wigan Casino anthem which was originally released on Buttercup Records in 1970 but due to the demand in northern cirlcles it finally got a UK release on Route Records. The record with a running time of 3 mins 59, is about a minute to one and a half minutes longer than most northern tunes.

Sheila Anthony was originally a member of the Royalettes who were recording from 1963 to 1967 for the labels Chancellor, MGM and Roulette.

I'm off to Budapest to see the inside of a conference and hotel room for a couple of days.

Shelia Anthony - Livin' In Love

Paradise

It's been a week since Willie the postie popped  the "difficult" second album by the Slow Club through my letter box and it has only been dislodged from the stereo for 7 minute periods since by the new Four Tet 12" single Locked  which really is the business.

Back to the Slow Club, I really like the first album but can only take it in small doses as with sustained play it started to annoy me, the whole shambolic thing on repeated listens started to seem contrived, I know that this is not the case but that's the way I started to feel about it. The new album in comparison reveals further depths everytime I listen to it.

Where the debut  album was sugary and twee this one feels a lot darker and introspective but still with the great hooks and vocal interplay that made  Yeah So, so good in small doses on songs like Trophy Room and When I Go. The third song on Paradise, Never Look Back starts with the lines "Baby Brother in the next room trying to bring him back to life" has got to be the most downbeat lyric since "Girlfriend in a coma, I know, I know - it's serious" and with the hushed tones of the track, first of all you think, christ this is going to be bloody awful but somehow the song in neither depressing nor morbid and is actually quite lovely but I think that may be due to the fact that the tune reminds me of an old soul song which I can't quite put my finger on but maybe not.

It's not all dying relatives and songs of partners walking out the door, there are enough upbeat moments such as Where I'm Walking to keep you from despondency but that's not really true as even on the bleakest tracks there is a warmth and atmosphere that keeps the songs from becoming depressing, it may be something to do with Rebecca's voice but also there is something quite comforting in Charles' guitar playing as well.

When it comes to my end of year lists I think that this album will be somewhere near the top, as will Lights Out the debut by another boy/girl duo Big Deal which was released a fortnight ago.

I do regret not getting off my lazy arse and going to see Slow Club at the Wah Wah Hut on Sunday.

Slow Club - Beginners

Good News, For Some Anyway

There has been quite a smattering of Fall things floating about recently, not least over at The Bagging Area, with two posts featuring the dulcet tones of Mr  Smith in two days.

The gruppe were playing as part of the Electric Frog festival last Sunday in Glasgow and I am ashamed to say that I decided that the 30 quid a ticket was too steep for the Fall, I know, I wasn't in my right mind when I came up with that one. Stiff who had also taken part in a ninety mile bike ride that day bothered to go and has stated in dispatches that they were on top form. So I missed out big style.

Now to the good news, Cherry Red announced last week that they would be releasing the 29th studio album, Ersatz G.B.  by Smith and Co on the 14th November which will be preceeded by an, as yet untitled single. Now that was good news, coupled with the gig at the Picture House in Edinburgh on the 3rd the beginning of November is looking not to bad to me.

Here's a track from the last album but one.

The Fall - Is This New

Misty Blue

I don't really have that much to say at the moment, you'll be glad to know, so I'll just post the music if that's okay with you.

One thing, I am surprised that this was released in 1975, it sounds to me more of a late 60s early 70s sound to me. But it is gorgeous.

Dorothy Moore - Misty Blue

Just Because

this is bloody brilliant.

It's kinda easy to take Billy Bragg for granted, he's always popping up somewhere with an opinion or two to espouse which is always interesting and sometimes wide of the mark, voting LibDem, doh! You sometimes forget how good he is at his main job..

This came on the personal stereo the other day and I was bowled over by how aggressive the guitar sounded and how clever he is with his lyrics.

Billy Bragg - Accident Waiting To Happen

It's Friday . . Let's Dance

Here is a nice piece of New York  drum n bass from DJ Ani.

I know very little about DJ Ani apart from that she hails from the big apple. The record was released on the Sm:)e Communications label in 1997. Sm:)e was an off shoot of Profile records and released some cracking tunes from Omni Trio, 2 Bad Mice etc and some shit by the likes of Blue Amazon.

I do like a bit of breakbeat.

Have a good weekend people.

dj ani - bio-magnetics

They're Talking About Me

A belter of a northern track for you today which was huge at the Wigan Casino in the mid 70s.

Johnny Bragg apparently recorded the track while doing time in prison in Nashville. Definitely a more constructive use of his time than sewing mailbags.

Johnny Bragg - They're Talking About Me.

Any Way That You Want Me

My first introduction to this song was probably the same as most people my age, through Spiritualized's first single. I realised that it was a cover as the writing credits were for a certain Chip Taylor but it was a good few years until I heard the Troggs version which to me was far inferior to the Spiritualized one. I was not prepared for the Evie Sands version recorded in 1969 when I first heard it in the late nineties which, frankly, pisses all over the other two .

I only knew Evie Sands for her version of Picture Me Gone but to be honest I always preferred the Madeline Bell version. But she definitely nailed this song,  I'm quite surprised that it took me so long to stick it up on here.

Evie Sands - Any Way That You Want Me.

Hollywood, Mon Amour

Swiss Adam earlier today posted Nouvelle Vague's version of The Guns Of Brixton. Which reminded me, if I needed reminding that while in Belfast the other week, I had a vinyl copy of Hollywood,  Mon Amour in my sweaty palms which I decided to put back, as at twelve quid I thought that it was rather steep. A rash move on my part which I'm bitterly regretting now.

Hollywood, Mon Amour is Marc Collin's (one half of Nouvelle Vague) revisionist takes on "classic" songs from 80s films such as Arthur, Top Gun, Rocky III, you get the idea. Surprisingly enough most of the tracks work really well and stripped down and out of context it is surprisingly easy to forget how pish some of these tracks and films were.

Here is my favourite.

Yael Naim - Flashdance . . . What A Feeling

Possibly My Favourite Cover Ever

One of my favourite songs covered by one of my favourite voices. A match made in heaven.

Lone Justice - Sweet Jane

Great Skies

I know that summer is over and if the forecasters are to be believed we in west central Scotland are getting battered by the tail end of hurricane Katia this Monday morning. So it may not be very apt to post a track from an ep entitled Summer Moments but I do think that it is a lovely chilled way to ease us into the working week.

I know naff all about Great Skies but by making music as lush as this they are improving my happines quota by quite a bit. This is lovely

Great Skies - Festival

Orange Sky

Here's is something nice and mellow for a Sunday. I have posted this before and have no apolgies for posting it again as it is a rather beautiful piece of music.

The first time I heard Orange Sky was nearly nine years ago when life was much simpler, no kids and a job that didn't involve shit loads of travelling. To beat the boredom of working in an office all day I found KEXP on the net and would spent most of the day listening to the station and picking up on songs and artists I had never heard of before. My favourite show was and still is, on the very few occasions I get to hear it,  Jon In The Morning but which starts at 2 pm over here. Until 6 music came along, no other station had a playlist nearly as diverse as KEXP and you would here thing like the Pixies and the Jesus In The Mary Chain at 8 am/2pm.

After hearing Orange Sky for the first time, I couldn't wait for the next day so I could play the show back and hear the song again and subsequently played the track to death. It was about 6 months later that I managed to source the 4 Songs ep that the track was from and I don't think that a fortnight has passed in the eight years since when I have not played this track.

Alexi Murdoch - Orange Sky

How Good Is This ?

  "Sunporch" By Walls by Kompakt

Ripperton

Last night this track came on the mp3 player on the way back from The Smurfs. I'm not sure if J or D, Max's pals were that impressed but I sure as hell was. I could vaguely recall hearing the track before but was at a loss as to who it was by or even what it was called but it was a brilliant piece of Tech House. So when I got home I flicked back through the tracks and found out it was an unreleased track by Ripperton or Raphael Ripperton as he is know to his mother, so I have absolutely no idea where I got it from.

All I know about the man is that he is a Swiss DJ and Producer, apart from this track, the only other stuff I have got by him are some belting remixes for Ellen Alien,  Thom Yorke and Silicon Soul, hence the name being familiar. I think that I will need to delve deeper into this man's work.

Ripperton - Siboney

It's Friday . . . Let's Dance

It's been another one of those weeks that's found me traipsing up and down this not so green and not so pleasant land and it doesn't look as if they travel will abate for some time to come yet. Still on the plus side I had a week sans air travel and I have decided that the only way to travel to our overcrowded capital city is to take the sleeper and to come back up the road First Class, how long I will be able to get away with this I'm not sure but it is still somewhat cheaper that flying to Heathrow or London City. Another thing that it has in its favour is that there are no surly security staff or even surlier BA Stewardesses to try and deal with.

Just get on with the music I hear the few of you who haven't already lost interest and gone over to The Bagging Area for your weekly dose of Rockabilly or for cocktails and dreams with Mr H.

Today's track comes from Italy and the duo Sultana and was originally released over there in 1993 but which came to my attention in remix form the following year when it was released on the Union City Recordings  label which had already brought us the delights of Metropolis, TC1991 and Mombasa.

This remix was an early attempt by John Digweed,  who along with his partner in crime would turn into two behemoths lording it over the dance music of the mid to late nineties and who would dictate the way that dance music progressed and as a result inflict the shite that trance was on the world. This remix is good though it does hint at what the future held.

Have a good weekend people

Me, I'm off to the pictures with four seven year olds to watch the bloody Smurfs. Life on the edge, eh?

Sultana - Te Amo (Digweed dub)

Phoebe's Song

While watching the Jezabels last night I was reminded of another band who I have resigned myself to never getting to see as they never seem to leave New York, The Caulfield Sisters.

Hardly the most prolific act in the world, a couple of tracks released on a couple of compilations a cd ep a split 7" single and a couple of download only eps in their seven year existence.

Here is a track from the excellent debut cd ep from 2004, Playing with Fire which was released on Joe Spadero's rather brilliant American Laundromat Records.

As for the Jezabels, on last night's performance they are destined for greater things if their is any justice in the music industry which we know there is not. So if you get the chance go and see them before they bugger off back to warmer climes down under. Also check here for a more comprehensive review and Colin assures me he got some great photies of the gig as well.

Kid Canaveral were not too shabby either, as I've said before, you owe it to yourself to own Shouting At Wildlife, get it here

The Caulfield Sisters - Phoebe's Song

Right, I'm off to get the Sleeper down to the big smoke!

The Jezabels

If I make it up the road in time from Manchester,  I will be at the Wah Wah Hut tonight to see the Jezabels on their first tour of the UK outside of London and I must admit I have been really looking forward to this gig since it was announced and posted is the reason why. I have never gotten sick of this track since the first time I heard it which must be nearly two years ago now.

The Jezabels - Disco Biscuit Love

One More Hurt

I can't think of a more uplifting way to ease into a new working week than to the dulcet tones of Candi Staton.

I picked this up in Belfast last week while digging about Head and I have to say that there is a lot of over priced vinyl in there at the moment, quite a few bargains as well, a load of Mr Scruff twelves at 2 quid a pop.

Back to the track, not a typical northern tune, more of a crossover thing but an absolute peach by anybody's standards. Recorded during Candi's now famous sessions at the Fame studios in 1970 and released on Kent  as a taster of the "Evidence:The Complete Fame Records Masters" which will be more than worth the price tag. This track is brilliant, I think that Candi Staton is one of the most underrated female soul singers and I believe that the reason for that may be the success of You've Got The Love in the early 90s , people either associate her with that or Young Hearts Run Free. If you don't already have it you should seek out the Candi Staton album released on Honest Jon's a few years back or the new collection mentioned above to hear Candi at her best. I defy anybody to listen to He called Me Baby without getting goose bumps.


Candi Staton - One More Hurt

What I Should Have Posted This Morning

Kris Kristofferson - Sunday Mornin' Coming Down

Please Stop!

The kitchen table and every other suface in the room is strewn with empty or half drunk bottles, cans and glasses.

A few weeks ago L decreed that we were going to have a small soiree, for no reason that I can ascertain. Maybe she was sick of the kids leaving a trail of devastation in their wake and thought that it would be a good idea to let some adults and I use the term loosely, in on the act.

Anyhoo, last night they came, drank, ate chili and A's wonderful Victoria sponge and left not really a trail of devastation but a heck of a lot of clearing up to do which I just don't feel up to at the moment as somebody is using a pneumatic drill on the inside of my skull, oh and the kids are due back from Gran's anytime now.

All I want to do is get back under the duvet with an ice cold bottle of Irn Bru.

Spiritualized -Cool Waves (Live in Iceland)

Far Nearer Foamo Refix

A  few weeks ago I was banging on about the Jamie xx track, Far Nearer being the song of the summer, well summer is just a distant memory up here in the north of Britain but something dropped into my inbox that added a little sunshine to a rather wet and grey Saturday morning.

Ctel, from Acid Ted sent me a link for a remix, or refix if you're down with the kids like me,  for the Jamie xx track mentioned above by Foamo. There is also a promo clip for a cracker of a track,  Ocean Drive which is  released on Monday, go here for the gen.

The refix isn't that radical  but does just enough to make the track more dance floor friendly making the track just that bit sunnier, if that was possible.

Jamie xx - Far Nearer (Foamo refix)

Cults /Luminary Youth

I went to see Cults on Wednesday night at Nice n Sleazy in Glasgow. I had high hopes for this gig and had been waiting a while for it to happen due to it being postponed from June.  I'm not going to do a gig review as when I'm at a gig I spend too much time straining to hear the bands over the ever constant fucking chatting that seems to take place these days to actually try to memorise set lists and the like.

To all you scenester fuck wits that go to gigs and chat fucking inanely at the top of your fucking Bearsden/Milngavie affected voices,  here's something to note the rest of us really don't give a fuck what you had for your dinner, or who you were seeing last night, we paid good money, granted in this case not that much to see and hear the bands not fucking you!

Anyway the band were good, not great and at a forty minute set even shorter than your average Fall gig when Smith is not in one of his can't be arsed moods. I'm not sure how far they can go with the limits in their sound, I think if they had went on any longer they may have become boring. Another factor which contributed to this only being an alright gig was the venue. Nice n Sleazy is not one of the best small venues in Glasgow, the view if you are to either side can be obscured by pillars and the sound isn't that great.

Stiff summed the gig up pretty succinctly on the way out " not a bad way to spend a mid week night, a band worth the 7 quid ticket price that didn't go on too long, But I've seen them now and don't have any urge to see them again soon".

Luminary Youth - Stay Outside (Cults remix)

It's Friday . . . Let's Dance

It's still Friday, barely, but better late than never. Quick post tonight as just back from Belfast.

When the sounds are as good as they are on this tune, who needs long winded words about things being timeless, classic ground breaking even. All of these words and a shit load more apply to Brian Dougan and Gary Cobain and the music they have and continue to produce under their various guises and Papua New Guinea is only one of the many high points in their career.

The track posted has Weatherall turn an absolute classic into a lost in space type epic journey.

Have a good weekend people.

The Future Sound Of London - Papua New Guinea (Andrew Weatherall mix)