TalkAwhile - The Folk Corporation Forum

It was sold put at bandcamp and I got one from amazon.  

Live broadcast from NPR. A Richard Thompson Band show from Washington in 2007.  :)

https://www.npr.org/2007/06/22/11167464/brit-folk-legend-richard-thompson-in-concert

Where's the History gone?  ???

How will I know what I was listening to this time last year...? {:-)

It should all sound fresh to you then.  ;D

With my attention span it always sounds fresh  ;D

It was probably some
"prog rock scum come to bum you out"

To quote Bobby Wilcox...

Ooo I hope so!  8)

Can anyone else see the history or am I the only one with only 1 page on this thread?

You're not alone.  It's been wiped...

Sorry, I made a mess of the quotes earlier.

My vinyl copy has just arrived. Disappointed not to get a download card. It is just like the old days. If I want to listen to it in the car I have to hook the record deck up to another machine, press record and copy it in real time!   ;D

Andy Irvine and Paul Brady :  Same.   (Mulligan Records LP, 2022, limited edition purple vinyl).

Miles Davis "Someday my prince will come".

Takes me back to those days when we used to send our films to Kodak/Ilford...

Ha Ha...would that be monochrome or colour prince?!

Very Underrated album in my view...never pops up in those 'definitive' lists of Miles's albums but it's one I return to frequently...

Cheers,

Slippy  [;-)

The Dubliners, Christy Moore, the Pogues, Altan…. 💚🍀💚🍀💚🍀

Is the only difference to my 1978 black vinyl the purpleness ?
I was listening to its magnificence only two days ago via Amazon music

Just put on Christy's Live in Dublin 2006. Earlier it was The Alt, Nuala Kennedy and Damien O'Kane.

Happy St Paddy's Day!  :)

We've been watching 'Holding' on ITV Hub this week. Great cast with actors from Father Ted, The Young Offenders and Derry Girls.

It's a great reissue. You get a booklet and a gatefold.  The mastering is from the original analogue tapes. Im not too keen on the colour,  but it sounds great.

That is such a great album, I wore out my vinyl copy years ago so this could be a reason to get a new copy. So much fabulousness on one record.

I don't know how well known this is, but having heard it described as Hawaiian Wyrd Folk, with Joni Mitchell-ish vocals, and Nick Drake acoustic playing, I had to check it out..

From 1973, These Trails by These Trails

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B8DPr74-NdI&list=PL7927D4D5DDD634F1

Just picked up Rod Picott's "Welding Burns" for a couple of quid. Excellent album. I'll try to catch him on his UK tour soon.

1975's Hissing of Summer Lawns. As we sit in the garden in bright Solstice sunlight...

 Oof! I read that as "Wedding burns"  :o

A friend sent me their spare copy of a recent Steve Hackett live album. I didn't have any Steve Hackett solo material but it was most enjoyable and led me into a Genesis and Peter Gabriel fuelled weekend.

This morning it is an After The Fire playlist of my own devising.

Sounds like my kind of weekend  :D

I'm going to spend the day listening to Acid House and Rave classics, because I need repetitive, mindless rhythms so I can concentrate on some tricky coding  :o  :o  

And following on from that, my new CD reissue of Mike Rutherford's Smallcreep's Day has arrived in the post today. It has been out of print for decades. More Genesis than most Genesis after Duke.

The Hissing etc.  was my entry point with Joni Mitchell.   I still think it's a very fine record, but seldom play it now.  I think her final album, Shine (2007, LP 2019), is one of her finest.

Ah, the good old Hissing Etc.

Jules

Having a first listen to Jethro Tull's The Zealot Gene via Spotify. I was wondering what it would be like, given the comments that have been made about IA's voice, and was surprised that it sounds much better than I had expected. Though as I listened, it seems to me that maybe he has had to adapt his singing voice - there is very little of the trademark sneer in his voice I think.  Anyone else have any thoughts about it?

It's a massively less powerful instrument than it was.  He seems to deal with it by a) doing an awful lot of that sort of 'speaking/singing' thing and b) it is very "forward and up" in the mix.  I can't imagine that would make it easy to reproduce the material live?

I'll be honest and say it's not something I'll listen to a lot.  The material is stronger than the presentation, I think....

Big Session Vol 1. - Oysterband & friends

It is sort of an overlooked Oysterband album and I certainly haven't listened to it in eons though I went to one of the shows and really enjoyed it. I don't know whatever happened to Vol 2.

Small Faces - Live 1966

This week I received my autographed LP and CD from Kenney Jones. It is an amazing snapshot of mid-sixties British R&B/Punk. The recording quality is so-so (drums and bass are mixed down and lack clarity), but Mac's keys and especially Steve's voice are crystal clear. The girls scream between songs, but are mercifully quiet while the music is playing.

Steve Marriott fans must own this. There's a case to be made that he was the finest white R&B singer of his generation, and this recording is further evidence. His voice was a gift from God. This is just loads of fun and I'm so happy Kenney put it out in the world.

I must get that.  I saw Steve Marriott in a pub (possibly the Sir George Robey) in the late 80s and it was one part brilliance to 4 parts depressing.  The poor bloke was struggling.  But in his day....I'm certainly not going to argue with you.

Here's a fabulous Youtube clip of SM in 1985: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XMCgqjYA424

According to setlist.fm, he came through north Texas in 1983 and 1985, playing small clubs. Those would have been my only opportunities to see him, and I confess I was barely aware of his existence back then. Itchycoo Park was the only Small Faces song I had heard. Where's that time machine when I need it?

One of my lockdown discoveries was Ronnie Lane. I knew the name but never heard his own music, and am still only marginally familiar with Small Faces & Faces. Did you happen to catch Ronnie during his latter days in Texas?

Indeed, twice. November 28, 1983 (Reunion Arena, Dallas, ARMS Concert, with Eric Clapton, Jimmy Page, Jeff Beck, and many others. Ronnie closed the show with "Goodnight Irene.") October 14, 1988 (Continental Club, Ronnie Lane and Slim Chance. I didn't know his Small Faces material, at the time, but I remember "Annie" and "April Fool" from Rough Mix, and he opened and closed the show with "Ooh La La," which was poignant given his frail condition. "I wish that I knew what I know now when I was stronger...")

Of the remaining Small Faces, I saw Kenney Jones with The Who in Dallas in 1982 and with ARMS in 1983, and Ian McLagan in Austin twice with his Bump Band at the Lucky Lounge, again at a British Invasion-themed show at ACL Live with Eric Burdon and the Zombies, and leading the band at Auditorium Shores for the Road to Austin all-star show in 2007). To top it off, both Mac and I were present at the Headliners Club when Pete Townshend delivered a somewhat vulgar speech at the SXSW Music Festival many years back.

King of America by Elvis Costello.

I bought the cd re-issue after the cassette I originally bought got mangled. It came with a 21 track bonus cd which if I'm being completely honest I've probably only listened to once.

You say that like it's unusual. That's the case with about half of my entire collection. Madness.

Jules

Madness indeed.  Less is always more.  I'm moving closer and closer to stopping buying music and culling my collection by about 75%.

I listen to that album fairly often as it's my favourite release of his. But I suppose we get suckered in to buying these re-releases with bonus cds which makes it feel like a bargain but we all know we will rarely listen to all the demos etc.

Having been doing radio shows for most of the last 12 years I've accumulated a large number of promo cds but thankfully these days they mostly come as downloads. And I have donated quite a few over the years to my local Oxfam shop.

I do still like browsing in my local HMV but have only been in once so far this year. I bought Frank Turner's new album with added acoustic bonus tracks! I just can't help myself.  ;D

My wife would be very happy if I did that.  ;D  Not sure I'm there yet, though...  I do buy more music as downloads these days, though.

 :o :o I just can't. I fear that at some point there may be a particular track which is the exact thing that I wnat to listen to at that partcular moment and I will no longer have it! I did do a bit of rationalisation a couple of years ago and amongst the albums I think I donated to a chrity shop was Crossroads by Tracy Chapman. For the last few months all I have wanted to do is listen to Crossroads by Tracy Chapman even though I can't really remember anything about it. Similarly I gave my copy of Maria McKee's first album to a friend several years ago and constantly regret it. I don't suffer buyer's remorse. I suffer donators remorse.

 

And just to prove I'm not there yet, I'm about to open the Iain Matthews 'Rockburgh Years' CD set that just dropped through the door...

But you can easily listen to Crossroads and Maria McKee any time of the day or night...only about 4 clicks away..

And I've just come back from Liverpool with a CSN 8-track and a Paul Kantner album I didn't even know exists.  You'll probably see them at the Record Fair one of these days  ;) ;D

Mine came today but I've been back to bed to recover from a sleepless night

I've been listening to a lot of Beatles this past week. It's amazing how much I change my mind over what's the best etc. One thing I haven't changed my mind on, though, is 'Revolution 9'. A real piece of self indulgent tripe - sorry to all who love it. But on the subject of the Fab 4, until I saw the 'Get Back' film recently, I had always thought that the girl's name in 'Get Back' was Lorretta Molly. I'd been 50-odd years under a misapprehension. I still say Molly when I sing along with it.  ;D

Any prog going?  ;D

It is not the same. It doesn't feel legitimate unless I own it and who is to say that it will always be possible? Artists remove stuff from streaming sites all the time. Not everything is on them anyway (After The Fire, who I was listening to the other day being a case in point. Cherry Red really do need to do a complete albums box for them but that is another story) and what happens if they go out of business or there is some sort of technical meltdown that makes them unavailable. No no no, it is unthinkable. I have to have everything where I know where I can get at it at all times even if in reality I will never listen to it again.  ;D ;D

I wouldn't say I love it and tend to skip it when I play the White Album but I gave it a few listens for the first time in years when the big box set came out a few years ago and if you are in the right mood it is extraordinarily dense, detailed and involving. It sort of makes more sense as an adjunct to the extraordinary long version of Revolution 1 from which it develops. You can see their thinking, even if part of their thinking was "let's do this behind Macca's back to piss him off".  ;D

Which is why one digitise all ones CDs....surely?   :)

Yes I do that but you have to have the CD in the first place and I don't believe in getting rid of the CDs and just keeping the digital files. That doesn't feel right. Also I do find that I have to re-rip CDs from time to time because files have corrupted or some such.

Can't be arsed with all that.

Jules

I know - 6 mins of one's life one will never get back, eh?   ;)

It wouldn't be 6 minutes if you were starting from scratch now, would it?

Jules

Which is why I only do it if I sell something (or I particularly want something to listen to in that way)... I've just sold a rare TC&I (XTC) live CD on eBay for £60 I think.  I just digitise it as part and parcel of the whole packing and posting routine.

It took me 2 years to digitise about 3,000 CDs.

I still think Steve Marriott is the greatest singer I've ever seen by some distance.

One of the few that I regret not seeing. The first album I ever bought was Small Faces on Immediate. Still play their stuff regularly especially Ogdens. I only ever saw Macca.

I saw Humble Pie in 1974 or 75. His stage presence was immense for a smaller man. We young guys admired him so much.

Claire Hammil  :  October  (Renaissance Records  LP, 2021).

Meet On The Ledge.

RIP Adrian.

With you on all that.

Back on track, listening to the (young) Albions Fighting Room EP and The Vice Of The People album. Sorry I never saw them (I think FC missed a trick in not getting them to Cropredy while they were going), and that they didn't stick around a bit longer.

I saw them, twice I think. Certainly at The Old Market in Brighton and possibly at the GBFF in Skegness. Did they play there? Anyway, they were terrific live and Coalville remains one of my favourite tracks of the 21st century.

They were great at Skeggy. Not what you'd call polished but certainly all the more enjoyable for it.

The new Anais Mitchell . fabulous, if a tad short. If you like Rosie Thomas you'll love this.

The new Hanging Stars album Hollow Heart, very much living up to expectations.

Soft Machine  :  Paradiso  '69 (Ltd. edition Tonefloat  LP, 2021).

The Coral - Coral Island, on bright yellow vinyl. It’s as good as everyone says it is.

Spending the afternoon catching up on some recent releases -

The Asteroid No 4 - Tones of the Sparrow. A really superb piece of modern psychedelia, up there with their best.

Ryan Adams - Chris. Ryan's new album, only available on streaming and crappy mp3 download at present. This really deserves a physical release or at the very least a higher res download as for me it's the best thing he's done in years. A very pleasant surprise.

Midlake - For the Sake of Bethel Woods. For some reason I just can't connect with this. Have liked everything they've done previously but I'm really struggling to get too excited about this.

The Grammys winner Los Lobos album Native Sons.

It was a lockdown covers project consisting of LA bands who inspired them in their early days. It includes two Buffalo Springfield songs and Farmer John which I know from the Neil Young & Crazy Horse version. Good album.

The best version of Farmer John I know was by The Searchers. Neil made a right mess of it imo. But the rest of that album (Ragged Glory) is wonderful.

Jules

The Searchers continued to make fine albums long after their successful years.
Currently listening to Bennett Wilson Poole.

I've tried many of them, but nothing comes close to the Pye Records era for me. Too many attempts to fit in with contemporary sounds on the later albums, which often come off sounding a bit, well, cheesy.

Jules

Pink Floyd - Hey Hey rise up featuring Andriy Khlyvnyuk of Boombox
It's all over the interweb
It's Gilmour, Mason and Guy Pratt with Not on Sawney on keys and a recording Andriy made of the Ukranian folk/protest song from WW1 in Kiev.

https://youtu.be/saEpkcVi1d4

Roxy Music  :   For your Pleasure (Virgin Remastered CD, 1999).

This is the last really good Roxy Music album, imo. Marvellous debut with the self titled, and then this jewel.

Stranded, man...come on  ;) ;D

Here I'm listening to the somewhat erratic tribute album More Oar.  Skippy's last released recording is included in it as a 'hidden track'.  I've always loved it (bass from Jack Casady) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ABGTwxtyzIw

Scottish folksters Manran's latest album Urar.

New member Kim Carnie adds some very pleasant vocals and the review in RnR mag described the contrast in the track Crow Flies as being as if Fairport followed Dirty Linen with Fotheringay. Not sure about that. I'll have to give it another listen.

All week I have been listening to an extended playlist of my favourite tracks of the 21st century to date. The music is great but I am a little disappointed in myself that less than 20 percent of these tunes were made by artists who were not already active during the previous century.

I dig Stranded - played it just the other day.

And I love Diesel Park's West's interpretation of All Come to Meet Her from More Oar. Transcendent!

Jules

You could just stop there. Great band, especially the first album.

Well, it would help if I'd ever heard anything else by them. What's my gateway track?

Jules

I guess it would have to be All The Myths On Sunday for me but almost anything from the debut album or the great B sides compilation Flipped will give you a feel.

They turned up as a late replacement at the first GBFF, playing mainly West Coast covers and were excellent.

That title rings a bell. Was it a minor hit?

Jules

I've heard that they have a whole second career doing that and that they're great at it.

What is GBFF?

Jules

Number 66 with a bullet!  ;D

I think it got quite a lot of airplay at the time though.

"with a bullet"... reminds me to have a listen to the Mothers' Fillmore 71 album. Which might then tempt me to go for the new box of said shows. Damn!

Great British Folk Festival, though why on earth the Diesels would have been there I can't imagine. They are not remotely folk.

Well that's also the case with many acts prforming at many "folk" festivals.

Jules

It was the year several bands wouldnt travel due to the weather. I think that they came from somewhere quite close, Leicester?, and were a last minute replacement . I heard at the time that Rod Clements had dug himself out of 6 ft of snow to get there! It probably has a lot to do with agents as well.

Care of Bandcamp, listening to the new album from Envy of None (Alex Lifeson's new band).  Quite pleasant electronic pop, and as was flagged up ahead of time, nothing like Rush. Nice way to pass some time, but I don't think I'll be investing.

Rab Noakes  :  Bridging the Gaps (Neon records 2CD,  2017).

Although I know of him,  his music is totally new to me. I was gifted this 2CD set, along with one other RN disc.  His voice isn't unlike Alan Hull's (Lindisfarne) and the songs are good, without being overwhelming.

I'm not entirely convinced, Alan, that marketing is your true vocation...  ;) ;D

The new album by Stuart Anthony and Larry Beckett - Mirabeau Bridge

https://stuartanthonyuk.bandcamp.com/album/mirabeau-bridge

Spot on Nick, they're a Leicester band. Were originally The Psychedelic Filberts, after Leicester City's old ground at Filbert Street, but maybe understandably EMI insisted on a name change after signing them.

Watch out for the Mud Shark though Paul....

Cheers,

Slippy 8)

But that's the part that gets me the hottest....

I'm trying REALLY hard NOT to buy that set, but I fear I am not that strong.

 ;D ;D

Megson's covers album Unknown Waters.

They chose songwriters from the NE so there are songs originally done by the likes of Lindisfarne, Martin Stephenson, Jez Lowe and even a version of Chris Rea's Road to Hell which they describe as one of their favourite post-gig singalongs.  :)

Some classic rock this afternoon -

Aerosmith - Greatest Hits
The Animals - Best of
Bad Company (debut)
Black Oak Arkansas - Best of

I first got into BOA when a friend gave me their album X-Rated, for my 21st as I remember, though there are no tracks from that album on the Best of. One of their drummers Tommy Aldridge went on to play with Ozzy and Whitesnake.

Having a vinyl afternoon.

Live At Woodstock - The Butterfield Blues Band
Aja - Steely Dan
Reckless - Bryan Adams

The last of these I probably haven't played for 35 years. It was a big record when I was at college, partly because of Bryan's Reading connections, Reading being where I studied. Soon afterwards I became entirely too snobbish about music and started to regard Bryan's oeuvre as silly. But listening now, it has far less pretensions than I did at the time. And Bryan has always seemed like a decent chap. I am rather enjoying it.

The first two Bad Company albums are two of the best albums produced by any British rock band (IMHO), certainly two I listen to more than most.

Both were brilliant albums but they were followed by some shockers.

It's The Men They Couldn't Hang Here.
Swill's Godforsaken Voyage and Ghosts of Rock n Roll
Cush - Shun Fame
Currently watching The Bounty Hunter DVD

Christy Moore's Traveller, Christy's electronica / techno album - disliked it immensely when I bought it and 23 years have not changed my thoughts - where's that Heart Foundation bag?

Gentle Giant  :  Gentle Giant  (Alucard LP,  2020).

I love the GG Vertigo albums.

As a former Reading resident, I didn't know Bryan Adams had any Reading connections. Do tell...

He lived in the town in the late 60s. It is also where, to paraphrase the song, he got his first real six string. Though he obviously didn't buy it at the five and dime.

Well I never...  

Grateful Dead  : Europe  '72, volume 2  (WB 4LP, 2011).

Marathon listen and record change which I dont do very often. Worthit, mind.

Prompted by a discussion elsewhere, Marillion's Script For A Jester's Tear and Misplaced Childhood.

To be shortly followed by Selling England By The Pound.

Nice CD free with new Mojo, GD Live 1971-1978 . 10 live staples from different live releases. Truckin, Bertha, Wharf Rat, UJB, etc.

Oh thanks for telling me about that...

Bad Company would be a great fit for Cropredy.

Sadly no Ralpher now and Boz is long gone.

Paul and Simon are carrying on rather splendidly, with their ace-in-the-hole Howard Leese in tow. I'm glad I got to see them with Mick twice before his illness, but I have enjoyed them since as well. Never saw Boz. :( All four played Dallas and Houston circa 1999-2000 but I didn't go, for some reason.

I've only seen them once and that was back in '87 supporting Deep Purple. I'd seen Paul Rodgers a couple of years earlier with The Firm.

I saw the originals at the time of the first album. The last time I saw Mick was the last but one Mott reunion and he didn't look great.

Wind Up In Dallas - Jethro Tull (unofficial release, recorded July 2, 1971). Mrs. J From A was at this concert; she recalls leaving her seat and strolling about the venue during an "interminable" flute solo.

Although it's a rough recording, I'm rather enjoying it.  :) And IA's voice is fantastic.

Howard Leese's solo record from a decade or so ago is splendid.

Listening to...

The Specials, Ghost Town
Nirvana, Smells Like Teen Spirit
Rage Against The Machine, Wake Up

Son has his Grade 6 Drums exam coming up...

Wot, no Rush?

The Spirit of Radio is in the Grade 8 syllabus...

James Taylor - Mud Slide Slim, CSNY - De Ja Vue, The Band 'Best Of'

Lovely

Currently listening to the rather wonderful 5 disc set “Think I’m Going Weird : Original Artefacts From The British Psychedelic Scene 1966 - 1968”

Ian A. Anderson  :  Royal York Crescent   (Bonfire records LP,  Record Store Day, 2022).

The one that got away. This didn't appear on any RSD list I've seen. It's a bona fide release licensed by Cherry Red.  One of, i think, 3 IAA solo albums from the 70s.

Pie and Vinyl (Yes, they really do sell pies and records!) in Southsea came up trumps and managed to track down the Record Store Day release by Pearls Before Swine “The Exaltation of Tom Rapp” which I was unable to obtain on the day.
Considering it is made up of demos, the production isn’t bad at all, including an excellent version of my favourite PBS song “The Jeweler”

Pie and Vinyl sounds like my kind of shop!  :D

I'm working through the night here so entertaining myself with Mr Fripp including this stunning piece of stunningness: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=laKt80x0E4k and in the small wee hours it'll be Porcupine Tree.

There's only one song for the Small Hours , either Katie Spencer's cover , or John Martyn's original outdoor with the geese ...

The 40th anniversary release of Rush's Moving Pictures arrived yesterday.  I've only listened to the remaster (from 2015, but released on CD for the first time) of the original album so far, and to this inexpert ears it does sound a bit better than the original.  Still have the 2 hours of the Toronto concert from 1981 to listen to - reviews say it is better than Exit... Stage Left (much of which was recorded two days later in Montreal), so we'll see...

That would have definitely sent me to sleep! I could have done with it at 5.30am when I finished tho - I was as bright as a button by then  :-\

Sparks - Past Tense - a 3 disc anthology of hits and key tracks from pop's answer to Gilbert and George. The recent material is particularly good. Genre-defying, intelligent, witty, inventive music, and the most fun I've had for £13 in living memory.

Jules

I've not thought about Sparks for a long long time , I had a friend who got into them and constantly played  me "Kimono" "Propoganda" and "Indiscreet" circa 1975/6
Not sure whether to just relive old times with those 3 titles or to go to the triple CD compilation that Jules' mentioned

That's what I love about this site , offbeat recommendations , for old and new stuff all worthy of investigation !

Graham Nash Live. Excellent. After loving the early CSNY recordings I turned away during the mid period but realised my mistake 20 odd years ago. A much undervalued performer .

Musically, I think I was guilty of underrating Graham's prime era material, but that was easy to do when he was in the company of CS&Y.  There is, however, an arrogance to the man that I find really difficult to warm to, as much as I am desperate to.  At times it touches on the almost Donovanesque!  I'm not sure if 1986's Innocent Eyes counts as "mid period", but that is hideous.  I bought that on the same day as Landing on Water.  My 19 year old self wept bitter little 80's keyboard tears that night, I can tell ya...  ;) ;D

Nothing, absolutely nothing could match the drivel that comes out of his mouth in between such great songs.

Absolutely this. Same here.



 ;D ;D ;D

Jules

I say get the 3 CD set (it's such a bargain) and then get any individual albums you still yearn for afterwards. Apart from anything else, it's a genuine treat to hear their recent stuff which I reckon is even better than their 70s stuff overall (although "This Town..." probably remains their single greatest achievement).

Jules

Oh you lot  >:( I've only gone and bought the 3-CD set   :-X  :-X

You're a bad influence  ::)

Yay! Prepare for lots of fun!

Jules

Me too , are you on commission , probably not at 12.99 a throw
Came on here looking for feedback on the 2 x Sandy releases on RSD2022 , ordered a Sparks compilation  instead , that's TAW !

 ;D ;D ;D

Jules

I don’t know why I don’t already own anything by them, not even a single. It’s possible that it’s because around about the time they were charting, I was given a cassette recorder & I used to tape everything I wanted to listen to, so often didn’t bother buying the single. And I couldn’t afford albums until I started working in 1978.

One of the best bits about TAW!  :D

Revisiting the 3CD set Lesley Step Lightly,  which comprises 3 Lesley Duncan albums.  

All good, but Moon Bathing (1975) stands out.

Brilliant and the other compilation of the earlier stuff is even better. An exceptional singer and songwriter. Her appearance on TOP was a classic, when she tried and failed to keep Elton John and Rod Stewart in check.

It was the same with me, Bridge. Glad to have righted my wrong, albeit tardily.

Jules

Spooky, I bought that last week, it is utterly fabulous

I wish I'd seen that.

Thinking of getting the other double but I already have EarthMother as a CD..

Sad she left us rather early.

Came across an interesting version of 'Matty Groves' on my copy of Joan Baez : Ballad Book, last night. Sorry I can't do the link but it's there on youtube-  live version.

now purchased

I appear to have started a thing!   ;D

Jules

You trendsetter, you!  8)

This board is big enough for the both of yerz!

*stares into the camera lens sporting "unfashionable" moustache*

Jules

Apparently, there is a problem with my package and the delivery of my Sparks CD has been cancelled   ???

So I’ve bought it from iTunes

Will be listening to it today  :)

I hate getting those messages.  See the Magpie Music thread for more of these shenanigans.

Jules

Yes, I saw. Never had it happen to me before tho  >:(

Was this Amazon? I have had this happen a couple of times but I don't think there is anything sinister in it. The price of the product on the site hasn't change. It usually seems to happen when the package is damaged or lost en route. Why they don't just send a replacement I have no idea.

It's so obviously the answer that it hurts.

Jules

Yes, Amazon. Anyway they've lost a sale!

Johnny Cash-Strawberry Cake. A live album recorded at the London Palladium in 1975. Title track notwithstanding, I like this album a lot. The band, and in particular Bob Wooten on guitar were really strong. Wooten absolutely smoking on Big River and Rock Island Line. Also unlike other live albums from this period by Johnny, he sounded really good. Probably as a result of the pills he would stumble on words, but on these tracks he is sharp. Two other interesting things about this one- 1, Lonnie Donegan was in the audience and gets a shoutout. 2, its the only live album I know that gets interrupted by the theater manager calling a halt halfway through due to a suspicious package phone call.

Probably naive of me, but I thought Johnny was off the pills by 1975.

Jules

If you haven’t read Robert Hilburn’s excellent bio of Johnny I’d recommend it. Hilburn dispels a lot of the popular legend, and him ever  being off the pills for long periods is one of them. He did go back and forth with them for years, as related by his family and bandmates.

A mere thirty something years after becoming a Fairport fan I have finally decided to explore some of Swarb's work outside the band. I have been somewhat put off before by the fact that I am not really that fond of trad folk and also to some extent by Swarb's personality in later years which seemed to become somewhat misanthropic.

Anyway, I have already owned Smiddyburn & Flittin' for some years. I am now exploring Swarbrick and Swarbrick 2. I have Alive & Kicking (Swarb's Lazarus) and English Fiddler on order and I am considering Lift The Lid & Listen and The Ceilidh Album.

English Fiddler is very good. I haven't got either of the other two you are looking at, but Raison d'etre is also recommended by these ears.

Lift The Lid and Ceilidh are more like Swarbrick 1 and 2, and less like Smiddyburn. English Fiddler is very good indeed! I like all his solo stuff, with the exception of Live At Jackson’s Lane. Never really warmed to that one

Interesting. Thanks, Rob

Jules

The Free Reed Swarb! box has lots of great moments.

Jules

Including 2 photos of me!!  ;D

Bert Jansch  :  Edge of a Dream  (Earth  Records, gold coloured vinyl LP,  2020).

A very good later BJ album,  originally released 2002.

One to avoid then.  ;) My picture was in a Fairport tour programme once.

One of my favourites. A really good mix of guests on the album ranging from Hope Sandoval to Swarb.

 8)

I was listening to Karine Polwart's Laws of Motion album last night having missed the chance to see her last weekend as we were away. It includes 3 songs co-written with Martin Green so if you're a fan of Lau it's worth a listen.

Picked up the new Edgar Winters' album in my local HMV today. It's a tribute to his brother and guests range from Billy Gibbons to Keb Mo to Ringo Starr.

I don't often buy blues rock albums these days but I'm on track 5 and it is sounding good.

Yes, Bert's albums rarely if ever dropped in quality, though I've never been overly keen on Crimson Moon, which also has some guest appearances.

Mark Radcliffe played a Katie Polwart track this week and I was quite taken with it, not being familiar with her work.

Jonathan Kelly  :   Twice Around the Houses  (RCA LP, 1972, reissue).

Another excellent choice. Delightful man, much missed.

Karine's latest album is a bit different as she was joined by pianist Dave Milligan whereas most of her other recent releases featured her brother Stephen on guitars and Inge Thomson on accordion and percussion.

I've got most of her albums but I think I've only seen her once in concert. She's one of these people I seem to keep missing.

Very much so.

It is rather good, isn't it?  :D

Jonathan Kelly  :   Outside/Two Days in Winter (BGO 2CD, 2004).

Rare Bird  :  Epic Forest  (el CD, 2004).

A Very Unusual Head - The Slambovian Circus of Dreams. Finally released in the UK six months after the US release.

and

On Arrival - Daphne's Flight which took me by surprise as I didn't think it was out yet and  which has alredy been rendered something of a curio by Christine Collister's departure from the band (replaced by Melanie Sykes who is not on the album).

Steeleye Span Live at the Rainbow 1974 from the new boxset.  The Wife of Usher's Well from this concert has been available ever since Original Masters (my introduction to Steeleye), but now the whole concert - well an hour and 10 minutes so maybe not all of it - is finally available.

What's the sound like?

My box set arrived yesterday. I haven't had a chance to listen yet, but I'm really looking forward to getting reacquainted with these albums and hearing the extra  live ones too

Really good, actually, to my (probably fairly unsophisticated) ears.  

Camel self titled and Stationary Traveller, Oldfield Ommadawn. All on vinyl.

Then Current 93 : Earth Covers Earth (Durto  CD).  This last as it's good to have some roughage in my listening diet. Not for the fainthearted.

Currently involved in a Twitter thing about albums from 2015, so have been listening to tracks from:

Robert Pollard - Faulty Superheroes
The Decemberists - What a Terrible World, What a Beautiful World
Father John Misty - I Love You, Honeybear
Circus Devils - Stomping Grounds
The Waterboys - Modern Blues
The Staves - If I Was
Tame Impala - Currents
Death Cab for Cutie - Kintsugi

Jules

The Steeleye box
Belle and Sebastian - A Bit of Previous
Wilco - Cruel Country  

All excellent and will be returned to.

Still to come the newbies from Drive By Truckers, Tedeschi Trucks and Nell Bryden.  Gawd knows how I could fit in the Al Stewart box.

The new Katie Spencer album - The Edge of the Land.

I've been in touch with her on Twitter and am hoping she'll be able to come over this way to play a gig sometime.

Ayanna Witter-Johnson - Road runner, this album is great, not just a novelty act with amazing technical ability playing the cello, someone who has an amazing voice and understanding and explores genre bounderies and knows how to create unique songs with real proficiency at all the genres that are explored and how they can be combined. I recently saw her live at more music - morecombe and her performance was spellbinding.

Saw her at the LP launch in May , she is great live , her John Martyn covers are brilliant , but some of her own compositions will make them seem an unnecessary distraction , soon , not yet , but soon

Graham Collier - Hamburg 1968.  Jazztastic.  Highly recommended...

https://britishprogressivejazz.com/album/hamburg-1968

I like Graham Collier. And there's some good stuff on the Jazz in Britain label.

Mick Softley  :  Sunrise/Street Singer   BGO 2CD, 2005).

The Dream Syndicate - Ultraviolet Battle Hymns and True Confessions. Out today. After the experimental last album this is more akin to what we've grown to expect from them. The four albums they've done since getting back together have all been excellent but this is the best so far, wonderful stuff.

Hanterhir - Nyns Eus Denvydth Bys Trest - There is No One to Trust. Like a cult B-movie soundtracked by 90s Julian Cope fronting late 70s Hawkwind according to RnR Magazine. Well maybe, but still a welcome return after a four year gap since their last.

The Al Stewart Box has just arrived, I may be some time...........

 Be sure to let us know how it goes  ;D

Here, it's Stephen Wilson, all the albums back-to-back. Currently being awed by he guitar solo at the end of the Drive Home on "The Raven That Refused To Sing". Got a proper prog head on today  8)

I'd've loved to be able to go for that, but I couldn't afford it.  If I win the lottery... (but I suppose you have to buy a ticket to do that :D)

Having listened to it all now, I'd say the sound is excellent - the new remixes are clear and good. The Rainbow concert (74) is actually better than the 76 Boston one, I'd say - I think it was professionally recorded while the other was a radio broadcast.

New Owl Service.  Lovely, lovely, lovely...  :)

https://www.fpg.org.uk/exhibition/english-country-music/?fbclid=IwAR3-5pq-YQ__UP9CWYDkif7O-1ql0sLioVgH4jnS2DWV6Q2hfWvcDxFXoj8

Is that you, Mr Kinnock?   ;D

Jules

Paul McCartney on the occasion of his 80th birthday. I remember when he was sixty four.

Likewise. I'm giving the Wingspan compilation a listen. One of the first albums I bought on cassette was Wings Greatest Hits but that tape went the way of so many. I think I've still got the free poster that came with the album but having bought it on tape I had to send off for it.
 
Have you heard Sean Lennon's cover of "Here, There and Everywhere" which he's recorded for Paul's birthday? It's on FB at - https://www.facebook.com/seanlennon

Fairport 's Festival Bell album.

The lines in the title track that refer to "all the acts and all the music" being somehow incorporated into the bell sets the neck hairs on end. .. To think that the band, the festival, and in some small way most, if not all of us, could be remembered years from now brings a warmth to my heart. Bravo, Chris Leslie!

On a week away from home with no television discovered the excellent Iain Anderson show on Radio Scotland - I apologise for the delay.

   ... the new Mojo CD Break It Up! New York Art, Rock, Poetry and Noise 1956 - 2022 is rather splendid as well.

Ooooh.  That sounds rather intriguing.  I'll check that out.  Ta!

Iceberg - Deke Leonard

Elton John :  Madman Across the Water, Anniversary Edition

 (UMC  4LP boxed set).

I could have put this on the Reissues of Interest thread, but as I've been listening to it most of this week,  it's as well here.

This is and has been my favourite EJ album for a long time. It was also one of the first proper pop records I bought, a very long time ago. It shows just what Elton and Bernie were capable of at the beginning of a very long career. It's not perfect, it takes risks, and sometimes those risks only just pay off.  Everyone knows 'Tiny Dancer',  if only from that film.  'Holiday Inn' is equally catchy. The title track and 'Indian Sunset ' still make me catch my breath after all of these years. And you don't often hear string arrangements like you do on this album.

I hesitated buying it, at the £100 +  price, but I'm so glad I did.

BTW, the bonus material is well worth having. Some piano demos and some great BBC stuff, all fine quality.

Just finished listening to Damian Wilson's Limehouse to Lechlade album, which is rather fine, and one I shall be coming back to again, I'm sure.

Back to basics this morning for a relaxing sunny morning in the garden.

Greatest Hits - The Move
A Hard Day's Night - The Beatles
Greatest Hits - Manfred Mann

I recently purchased what we used to call a music centre back in the day, the main difference with this box being that it has a Bluetooth connection. But it's good to have a functioning tape player again so today I've been listening to the following albums on cassette...

Crosby Stills & Nash - CSN (it's 45 years since it was released)
CSN&Y - So Far
Baker Gurvitz Army - Elysian Encounter

As a fellow member of the People's Cassette Liberation Army (North Western Brigade), I thoroughly endorse this development.

I thought it was The Cassette Liberation Army of the People

What have cassettes ever done for us?

Cassettes and Music Centres
You'll be telling me there's a vinyl renaissance next with picture discs and coloured vinyl
I'd better dig out Kate Bush's Hounds Of Love LP to get up to date with you youngsters
Stranger things indeed!

Drama - Yes

Every so often I renew my 45 year long quest to find a Yes album that I like as much as Going For The One (which to date is the only one of their albums that I really enjoy).

I am quite enjoying this one but I am a bit shocked by how much Trevor Horn's vocals are aping John Anderson rather than injecting his own personality. An error of judgement I think. Into The Lens is very good but  then I already knew that from the Buggles' version.

Drama is awful. Tales from Topographic Oceans is the one!   ;D

Jules

I heard TFTO some time in the late 70s. I have never felt the need to hear it again.

The Yes Album, then Fragile, then 90125. :) I own but never listen to any other Yes. :)

Yes without Jon singing is kind of ridiculous, isn't it?  Or not ridiculous enough?  Or something anyway, but nah...

Jon is nearly everything that was good about Yes. Without him, it's a deal breaker.

Jules

Can't go near 90125. It has the dreaded 80s disease.

Jules

I disagree there...I think it's a corking album.  Yes, massively dated now, but one of the few of that era that stands the test of time for me...

Funnily enough I have just given it a first listen and quite liked it, though I do see where you are coming from

Correctly deployed, I have always enjoyed some of those Trevor Horn kitchen sink productions. I liked the Art of Noise from the moment I heard them and there are elements of their sound on 90125.

Another shout here for 90125 - Alan White (RIP) plays a blinder on it, the sound is diamond hard and the Trevors Horn and Rabin bring a musical cutting edge to the proceedings. I'm slightly biased as Yes are one of my desert island bands - their current output's a bit ropey, but they have enough in the bank to ensure my lifelong devotion.  ;D

As for the Art Of Noise connection, apparently their track Close (To The Edit) is named in homage to Yes epic Close To The Edge, as it uses one of Alan White's discarded drum tracks from the 90125 sessions.

Been listening to Dorothy Ashby the jazz harpist, quite lovely melodic jazz. But considering the contribution of Fred Wess on flute which often has equal prominence on the track, I wonder wether the Harp novelty and female musician at the time was Made more of a selling point. But great music all the same. Definitely more than a jazz novelty.

Gosh my memory is becoming very fallible. I could have sworn Close (To The Edit) came out much earlier than 1986. I now realise that where I first heard that distinctive Trevor Horn production approach was on Buffalo Gals and the parent album Duck Rock by Malcolm McLaren in 1982. I really loved that single at the time. Still do.

Made us buy albums twice when the tape got mangled. Those double play tapes were the worst. Buying the White Album on tape was a mistake but I then found it on vinyl with the photos of the four of them plus a lyric sheet so a blessing in disguise, or something. I also bought Sgt Pepper on tape in the early 80s and then got the 20th anniversary release which was one of the first cds I bought.

Back on topic I was listening to Nick Keir's The Edge of Night earlier.

And don't forget roads. And the aquaduct.

No disrespect Al, as we all like what we like, but I rather like Drama, even though the vocalist sounds like Jon Anderson, not necessarily in a good way. Drama, I think, is my cut off point with Yes. I like GFTO because Rick Wakeman is on it, though it's a good album anyway.

I don't dislike '70s Yes but I rarely have a yearning to listen to anything pre-Drama. Love the Rabin years, in particular.

I sometimes think that Wayne is a photograph of me that someone took and then printed as a negative image.   ;D

Jules

Apropos of nothing, I met someone who said they never listened to any pre-85 Fairport once.  "It wasn't for me" they told me sagely.  We can only conclude that here are many different types of people in this world....

 ;D

A number of people have told me they don't listen to any post-85 Fairport.

In particular, this one bloke who told me "I don't like that Rick (sic) Saunders (sic)."  :D :D

Katie Spencer - The Edge of the Land  

Can't get enough of this brilliant album.  She manages to sound both timeless and up to the minute at the same time.  There really isn't a bad moment on the 39 mins and 20 secs, which let's face it is precisely how long all albums should last.

I think the most recent Fairport album i have is In  Real Time. I'm happy that way.

A lovely day listening to Yes, as prompted by the discussion below (my threads go backwards, I can't change it I'd get confused!  ;D )

I like Drama very much.

That bit in MotL where they hold the beat off for a second or whatever?  Eurgh.  I go to war with it every time I hear it....  It's just so very very wrong.

I dont listen to anything that lasts less than 39 minutes.  ;D  Spoke to her briefly at Beardy when Keith had waylaid her in his search for Polly Bolton.  ::)

Another shout here for Katie Spencer - The Edge Of The Land

Saw Katie down here in Portsmouth a few weeks ago - one of those situations where a friend invites you to a gig and you take a chance on an artist you don't know. She was excellent, pity about the "selective" audience, I'd go and see her again.

Oh David, you’re so very wrong! 😉 It’s up there with Prefab Sprout’s “Life’s not complete, ‘til your heart’s missed a — beat”. 😄

Her fella, Henry Parker is bloody good too...I heard him first actually.

Blair Dunlop is a fan of Henry's and Iain Matthews has 2 of Katie's CD's

I like "Edge Of The Land " a lot , but as David says do not underestimate Henry Parker , I think he too has a very bright future , such a good guitar player

Also thought I'd listen to some Roy Harper today not a name you see mentioned on here that often
 "Bullinamingvase"

I bought a copy of Henry's album Lammas Fair having seen it recommended by Katie on her Bandcamp page. Edge... gets a thumbs up from me as well.

I've been listening to a mini-album a friend of mine, Jo Gillot, has just released. It has the title of Untitled (Summer '22).

https://jogillot.bandcamp.com/

Saw Katie Spencer at the Great British Folk Festival, last November. Not sure whether it was a case of wrong-place-wrong-time but her short set felt like a real slog. There's no doubt she's an excellent guitar player but I wasn't won over by the material, at all.

As I intimated though, festivals are not always the best places to listen to subtle music.

To get back on topic, I'd strongly urge you to listen to the new album then.  If that's not strong material, I don't know what is.

I've just been listening to Steve Jones talking to Glen Matlock on his Jonesey's Jukebox podcast.  A very entertaining way to spend an hour (although their memories really aren't very good)  ;D

Another long neglected cassette -

EC - Timepieces Vol II  'Live' in the Seventies

Slightly odd choice of title seeing as how most of the tracks were recorded in the early 1980s. I'd forgotten what a good song "If I Don't be There by Morning" is.

Today I have a hankering to listen to Lou Reed, Transformer - an absolute masterpiece and a huge influence on my musical taste. Nothing he did afterwards came close IMHO.

OOo Baby you're so vicious!  :D

Will probably stay in the neighbourhood with Mick Ronson, Heaven and Hull, then move a few blocks down to Trevor Bolder-era Uriah Heep with Innocent Victim, Trevor was a one-time member of Wishbone Ash but no idea which of their albums I'll listen to yet.

'bout time Ash was invited back to Cropredy!

I like Wishbone Ash a lot, but I thought they were dull as ditchwater in 2007.  Personally, my tastes align much more closely with Martin Turner's version of the band.

I saw them do an acoustic version of Argus about 6 years ago and it was brilliant.

Martin's lot?  The Martin Turner re-working of Argus (Argus Through the Looking Glass) is better than the original.  This causes consternation whenever I say it, but it's true  ;) :)

I saw them do an acoustic version of Argus about 6 years ago and it was brilliant.
[/quote]
I'll be seeing WA do Argus on their October tour, at Dorking. Never seen them before despite their being a fave band of mine back in the 70s.

It was Martins lot, the two guitarists were very good but I'd not heard of them. Spanish or Italian I think.

Taken David's advice and spent a few hours this morning given Katie Spencer's music a proper listen. It's confirmed the opinion I formed when I saw her live at the GBFF. Well made, certainly, but not to my taste. To damn it with faint praise, it came across as pleasant background music. Oh well, can't like everything, I suppose.

Bought tickets for next January's GBFF, the other day so I've also been listening to the performers in the line-up, I haven't heard. Adam Beattie, The Mathers Robinson Band and Fred's House have been particularly enjoyable. Looks like I'm going to need a decent CD budget.  :)

No it wasn't.  It was Andy Powell's 'proper' Wishbone Ash

In the same way as Sandy Denny is pleasant background music, I'm guessing?

Yes it was. I was referring to the acoustic version I saw . If there were 2 other guitarists one couldnt have been Andy Powell !!

Apologies, Nick.  Misunderstanding...I thought you were referring to the Cropredy appearance.

It's Hard (40th Anniversary Edition) - The Who

On listening to this today I realised that, not only was it the only Who album I didn't own but I had never actually heard it all the way through before. I now recogise that it is both not as bad but also worse than its reputation.

I'm amazed that they thought Athena would make a good single as it is kind of a mess and One At A Time may be the worst (and most excruciating) thing they ever recorded. There are also some production and performance decisions that don't serve the songs well. The revelation is that all of the four bonus tracks are rather good and their use in place of the originally released versions would improve the album immeasurably. The Roger vocal Eminence Front is splendid and stomps all over Pete's demo quality vocal on the original. Conversely the frail quality of Pete's lead on One Life's Enough adds a touching vulnerability that isn't there on the Roger fronted version. The early mix of Cry If You Want is massive improvement over the heavily processed album version. All in all I would reconfigure the album as follows for an improved listening experience.

1. Dangerous (1997 Unedited Mix)
2. Cook's County
3. It's Your Turn
4. It's Hard
5. Eminence Front (Vocal: Roger & Pete)
6. I've Known No War
7. One Life's Enough (Vocal: Pete)
8. Why Did I Fall For That?
9. A Man Is A Man
10. Cry If You Want (Early Alternative Mix)

Thanks Gub. Hugely enjoyable and informative write up. 👍

R J McKenree - Villager

One of those fictional conceits (from the Tom Cox novel Villager), but a really bloody good one.

https://rjmckendree.bandcamp.com/

'Wallflower" is indeed excellent. Possibly my favourite 'new' release of the year  :D

I like RH rather a lot,  and haven't played Bullinamingvase for some time.  I think for me, personally,  it's too tied to a particular era, and a time in my life which I dont like to revisit.  Ditto Lifemask, which nevertheless is one of his finest albums, imo.

Seconded.

Jules

I've been playing shed loads of Roy lately, as well as learning to play a few of his songs.  Recently bought the Roy Harper book in the  Every Album, Every Song (On Track) series, which got me well and truly back into him.

Jules

I dont think there's really a bad RH album out there. Respect to you for trying to pkay his songs.

Commercial Breaks
Work of Heart

Jules

Commercial Breaks i don't really count as an album.

Work of Heart i like, though its the least Harper ish album he's done.  I took a while to come round to Descendants of Smith, but I really like it now. Loony on the zBus, again, isn't really a proper album, but has its moments.

My favourite discovery from this year's Glastonbury:  Big Thief.  Didn't know them I'm ashamed to say.  Loved their set (available on iPlayer).

I didn't realise that I had to find out what you reckon is a "proper album" before nominating candidates.  ;D

Jules

 I don't mind a little Sandy Denny when I'm in the right mood.  :)

Maybe I was being subjective. i did a quick search and learned Commercial Breaks was recorded at the end of the 70s and not released till 1994. So I suppose I wonder what was wrong with it. I do know it has merited  fewer plays than almost any RH album in my collection.  Loony on the Bus, according to Wikipedia, comprises demo tracks, and RH released it to raise money to start his own company.

Bests,

Alan.

Yes, in fact both records comprise many of the same tracks. He was working in sub-par studios with less than stellar material. He sabotaged the release of Commercial Breaks in 1978, but stuck some of it out on the heinous Loony record, as you say, to make some money to finance his next record, before finally allowing the whole record to come out as originally intended.

The best songs on it were rerecorded for The Unknown Soldier.

Jules

Which is a very good album, imo. I intend to give Commercial Breaks a listen this evening,  to see how good or awful it is 🙂

Expect to be underwhelmed.

Jules

Have to admit I was, but only slightly. There's a feeling of demo ness about some of the tracks.  There are however some good moments -  'Cora',  'Flycatcher'.   The booklet notes go onto the genesis of the album at some length.

Also played Al Stewart :  Chronicles  - best of  (EMI LP,  1991).

Absolutely this.

Jules

The new Porcupine Tree.  Didn't expect to like it, but I do.  Lad's come a long way since I saw them in the Penny Theatre, Canterbury in '95.  I only really went to see a member of Japan in the flesh.

I’m not sure how often our musical tastes coverage David, but I think this time they will  :D

I’m off to download it…

Just discovered an interesting new artist, i.e. Maryen Cairns, a Scottish-Aussie folky living in Guernsey. Writes good songs, there's a touch of Claire Hamill in her voice, and some really interesting instrumental backing. And if you go to her Facebook page, you can get a VG six song sampler download free. Hope she comes over to England soon.

Inspired by comments about Ian McNabb elsewhere, listening to the Icicle Works live from the Town & Country Club in July 1986. Stonking gig!

Im on Maryan Cairns email list, and get loads of stuff. I haven't found the time to catch up with it all, but must do so.

I think a week or so ago David mentioned NMTB and I've just read Dave Goodman's book about the Sex Pistols ,watched the Danny Boyle series on Disney (!) -  so dusted off the original CD
I thought , that's how best to listen to "Never Mind" just the original tracklisting , no extras , no demos , no dodgy live recordings on the expanded or  deluxe 2CD versions
Just the classic album as we heard it on it's release

But
 I miss the B-sides especially "Did You No Wrong" and "Satellite" , both just as enjoyable as the "Never Mind" tracks in my opinion , "No Fun" a little less so

So maybe this is an example of  an album that  warranted an expanded version , at least to capture the b-sides .....
I still think it would have been better if Glen had played the bass and not Steve

Various Strawbs and related stuff,  including  Dave Cousins/Conny Conrad  :  High Seas, which I recently acquired.

Well, he did, for the songs they recorded before he was booted out.

Jules

My schoolfriend Val is big mates with Glen, as she keeps telling me....  ::)  ;D

According to Wikipedia...

Glen Matlock – bass and backing vocals on "Anarchy in the UK" and "God Save The Queen"
Sid Vicious – bass on "Bodies"

Guitarist Steve Jones stated that when Matlock first played him the song it did not sound like 'God Save the Queen': "It was like 'Love Me Do' or something".

The mind boggles!  ;D

And just in case if anyone missed it earlier, do have a listen to the 2 part (Steve) Jonesy's jukebox podcast 'chat' with Glen.  It's like sitting next to 2 old geezers in the Public Bar but in a very entertaining stylie. Glen is now in Blondie btw (at least temporarily).

The words fit. Try it...

(well the first few lines anyway!)

I saw a photo of him with Blondie but read that he's just standing in for their regular bass player who has done his back in.

I think so, but he's on to his second lot of dates and has also played on the new album I believe

A little Toast for breakfast. The newly released archive album by Neil Young and Crazy Horse. Recorded 20 or so years ago but shelved. A curious decision considering some of what Neil has released during that time.

First, a little compilation:

UFO - Too Hot to Handle
Heatwave - Too Hot to Handle
Cockney Rebel - Here Comes the Sun
Glass Animals - Heat Waves
The Who - Heatwave
Lovin' Spoonful - Summer in the City
Donna Summer - Hot Stuff (with inappropriate dancing, obvs!)
Don Henley - Boys of Summer


Then some Gil Scott-Heron - Pieces of a Man and The Revolution Will Not Be Televised

Not really - he re-recorded much of it for Are You Passionate?, and released that instead.

Jules

Frank Zappa - Waka/Jawaka and The Grand Wazoo.

I've not heard these for about 40 years, and tbh never really listened closely until now.  Seems I've been missing out!

(These are the CDs issued in 2012 - taken from the original 1972 analogue master recordings).

Yes, what I mean is that these performances are superior to those on AYP and much of what he has done since.

That's encouraging, as I'm quite fond of AYP and the one track from the Toast sessions that made that record (Goin' Home) seemed a bit sub-par in its execution.

Jules

I guess it is all a matter of taste . I think this a really fine Crazy Horse album, not up there with Zuma obviously but a whole lot better than Greendale or Broken Arrow and at least as good as Sleeps With Angels to my ears.

Broken Arrow was half a good album - the sequencing really let it down. I didn't like Greendale much.

Jules

Listening to the new Kula Shaker album - 1st Congregational Church of Eternal Love and Free Hugs which was released a couple of weeks ago.

Some really nice catchy songs - I was hoping it might be a bit more raga leaning than it is, I thought many of the songs might fit better with Crispian's other previous band The Jeevas , with their wild west type of vibe.

The only disappointment for me was that the cd is presented as a sort of church service. Between every few songs  there is a hammed up vicar giving the service and asking the congregation to turn off their mobile phones and an irritating choir mistress squawking on about leaky roofs, people nicking the church guttering and what's on at the church film club. Barely amusing  on the first listen, intensely irritating each time after that.  Shame.

Hilarious ;D  Crispian is daft as a brush...

I've been listening to the new Christine McVie album 'Songbird'. It's made up mostly of tracks from previous solo albums, but as I'd never heard any of them I was quite happy to get this. In my humble opinion it's a great album, with some fine toons on it. If you want an idea of the style then the majority of them wouldn't be out of place on a Fleetwood Mac album - so it rather depends on whether or not that's the sort of thing that you like. The title track is a new arrangement of the classic song from 'Rumours' - they've taken the original vocals and added an orchestral arrangement. It's nice, but I still prefer the original version.

I've also been listening to the Rolling Stones' best album 'Sticky Fingers' (other Stones albums are available). I love every track on this, with my personal faves being 'Bitch', 'Wild Horses' and 'Can't You Hear Me Knocking' Love it

For my ongoing photo + song lyrics post today I picked a song off an album I have inexplicably not played in quite some time-Carbon Leaf's Echo Echo. I had never heard of them until I saw them open for Great Big Sea years ago now. I've followed them off and on over the years but this is actually the only album I have. Reminder to myself that I must put that right as they really have a great rootsy sound to them I think many here might like.

Early Bert Jansch:

Rosemary Lane  (Sanctuary Records LP, 2016 reissue).

It Don't Bother Me (Sanctuary Records LP, 2015 reissue).

Something YouTube recommended to me - Hedgehog Pie - The Green Lady. Surprised I haven't come across these before, very folk-rock. I can hear Tull, FC, Steeleye Span and a few others. I could hear them doing a Friday afternoon slot at Cropredy if they were still about.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PVxgC2nfrOs

Martin Jenkins (Dando Shaft, Whippersnapper etc) was in them for a while...

Having a Eurythmics day.

Also, Ian Walter Fairburn and Phil Murray (Jack the Lad) were alumni too

Great band, Hedgehog Pie. Be great to have a nice little boxed set of their catalogue.

Saw and enjoyed them at the Charnock Richard festival in 76. Aren’t their recordings in that non release limbo like so many others?

Are they another victim of the Celtic Music @rseh0le5 - didn't know that?

Think they might be

Another one suggested by YouTube (it knows me so well!)

Zakarrias by Zakarrais 1971 It's rather fab :)

Discogs tells me it's folk Rock, Psychedelic Rock, Prog Rock which sounds about right and is right up my avenue!  Also says:
Real Name: Robert Haumer
Profile: Band name and alias of singer/musician Bobby Haumer from Vienna, Austria. Failing to make a mark locally, Bobby went to London in 1970 and gathered a new band featuring guitarist Huw Lloyd-Langton (from Hawkwind) and drummer John Lingwood, later to join Steamhammer and Manfred Mann's Earth Band.
The album they made is a mixture of folk rock and heavy psychedelic with some prog elements. It went largely unnoticed at the time, but has since become a collectable rarity.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DXAPiIaUzZc

Do we know for sure Huw was on the album?

No I don’t, but Wiki entry suggests maybe not…

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_Haumer

Finally got around to listening to 'Ants from up there' by Black Country New Road, and now I can't stop.

It's won't be everyone's cup of tea, but I find it mesmerising. Music that demands you sit and listen, really listen.

The Grateful Dead  :  Europe '72,  50th Anniversary Edition  (WB 3LP,  2022)..

I've been listening (in the car) to Miles Davis' "The Complete Jack Johnson Sessions" - 4 of 5 CDs' worth so far - I wonder if I can play the remainder today as we drive to the Commonwealth Games in Brum... unlikely, given Mrs PT's reaction to the bits she's heard - "it's a racket"!  ;D

Oh well, the other album on the USB stick is the Dead's "Sunshine Daydream"...

Waiting for Columbus box set by Little Feat, including the Manchester show I missed the to being on my honeymoon in July 77.
I haven't bought it but it's all on Amazon music, it's great, they were fantastic.

Joni Mitchell  :  The Reprise Albums,  1968-71  (Reprise 4LP, 2021).

Bob Fox - Dreams Never Leave You

Just back from seeing Bob at the Lake District Folk Weekend. He, rather cheekily, described this album as Fairport with a decent singer. And he started his set with his cover of 'My Love is in America'.

Great album, as I tried to tell him once at a gig - unfortunately he behaved like a complete arse.

'Sing Along! with Eric Hutchinson'. Gospel-tinged country pop, with a nice 'The Bunch' type vibe.

Teleportation not being possible, I have been listening to nothing but Fairport all week, which will continue until Cropredy 2020/21/22 is finished (with the exception of a live show Saturday afternoon). Specifically it has been the assortment of Cropredy recordings from over the years. Enjoy, all who are going or already there!

Leatherat!

Live at Cropredy 2010 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BczxPc7gpYs and whatever else I can find on YouTube after that.

I missed them at the fringe this year, but I'd love to see them on the big stage again - they're a proper Cropredy band :)

I picked up the Edward II Live at Cropredy album at the CD stall by the villages stores, so have been listening to that. I didn't actually buy anything else by any of the bands who were on.  Oh, apart from Iain Matthews and the Salmon Smokers Fake Tan, and the Thompson Family album which kind of count.

I bought the 2CD "Anamnesis" by Ethan Johns (Glyn's son) & The Black Eyed Dogs from the CD tent, purely on the look of the front cover (and a band pic on the back that includes former Crim drummer Jeremy Stacey). Read a couple of reviews before putting it on that likened parts of it to the (Workingman's) Dead and Dylan/Band. Fairly accurate I'd say!

Is he officially former yet?  Are any of them ex Crim yet?  Questions, questions.... ;)

I definitely read they were "on hiatus" again after the last tour finished. Which this (opaquely) implies: "King Crimson at the Shibuya Bunkamara Orchard Hall, Tokyo; Wednesday 8th. December 2021,” Fripp wrote on Twitter.
“King Crimson’s final note of Starless, the last note of this Completion Tour in Japan, moved from sound to silence at 21.04.”

Bob seems to be having a lot of fun with his wife at the moment.

Oh I know...it's just that we've sort of been here before haven't we...but given everybody's age, yeah probably.  Effectively Crimson happens when Fripp wants it to and whoever he wants to play with, that's Crimson if he says it is...that's the nature of it.  I just think of them as (a bit like Fairport) one of those bands that nobody ever really leaves.

Perhaps I should have said "erstwhile" rather than "former". Or just omitted the latter.  ;)

Nah, you're alright, Paul.  Perhaps I should have just kept my musings to myself.

On a related subject, I've been listening to the Exposures box set recently.  It's absolutely top notch.

Anais Mitchell's self-titled release which came out back in January. I enjoyed the album she did with Bonny Light Horseman a couple of years back so thought I'd take a punt on this one.

It's the first vinyl purchase I've made in a while. I found it at my local HMV and also picked up a copy of Neil Young's Noise & Flowers on cd.

What with one thing and another, it feels like a day for listening to Fairport so I have selected my personal career overview playlist. It runs to 125 tracks so I may not get through all of it.

I have reached track 4, Suzanne from Live At The BBC.

Against The Odds 1974 - 1982, the new box set by Blondie. In particular Parallel Lines, one of those extraordinary albums where every track could have been a hit single.

Nic Jones :  In Search of .. (Mollie Music CD, 1998).

Nic Jones  :  Unearthed  (Mollie Music 2CD, 2001).

It's been a very long time since I listened to Tree by Songs From The Blue House, and I can't think why. It is a very fine album.

Jimmy Cliff’s new album Refugees. Though it hasn’t grabbed me initially as much as his last album (Rebirth) there is still much on here to enjoy. And enjoy is something I always get from Jimmy’s music!

I can’t disagree with you.  ;)

Velvet Underground “Live at Max’s Kansas City”
Extended and remastered version (Disc 4 of 45th Anniversary Edition of “Loaded”

Bill , has the sound been improved , I know the original source was a portable cassette recorder , which would please David the cassette fan, but I used to find it a hard listen despite it being a fun performance and a historically important recording
I'm still amazed by some of the higher quality stuff that's come out since the 1969 live compilation in the late 70's  but there must , even in these days of superior sound technologies , be a limit to what can be enhanced with the Max's cassette

And even if you did or could enhance it-  would it be a financially viable undertaking , given the marketplace for Velvets recordings ? There's loads of  old VU recordings to listen to , but never going to be a million seller

And look at "Gold Dust" , are the fans happy when you start messing with old recordings ? (although that involved re-recording some of the instrumentation - different to enhancing what's already there)

Lol.  I very nearly replied earlier saying "one of my absolute faves" :)

The general sound is noticeably improved, but the atmosphere of an audience tape is retained. The extra tracks are worth having too.

Two new arrivals:
Jerry Jeff - Steve Earle & the Dukes. I have tended not to listen to Steve's covers albums very much but I know very little of Jerry Jeff Walker's music so this is fresh to me and sounds great.

Seconds Out and More - Steve Hackett. Does what it says on the tin but with added funk. A fun listen

Bridget st John  :  From There to Here - recordings 1974- 1982 (Cherry Red 3CD, 2022).

Had a very enjoyable couple of hours listening to what my brain insists are 'later' Soft Machine albums, despite being the best part of five decades old - Seven, Bundles and Softs.  The pick of the punch is, I think, Bundles which is officially superb.  Never really engaged that closely with the post-Wyatt band before, but I might have to seek out the new expanded Bundles now.

I love that later era Soft Machine, and agree Bundles is about the best.  Softs is good too.

Sarah Davachi https://sarahdavachi.bandcamp.com/

It's kind of electro-ambient droney stuff that often sounds like medieval music whilst still sounding up to the minute.  It ticks a bunch of boxes for me.

Sandy Denny  :  Gold Dust -  the Final Concert  (Island /UMC LP  Record Store Day,  2022).

I'd love this to have been a double,  with all of the material from the 1998 CD release.

I did mention this in another thread but if I can persuade one more person to discover Sproatly Smith by talking about their new album here then I hope you'll forgive me.

Sadly, I imagine only hundreds will ever hear this wonderful album but I still think Ian and co have made some of the very best music of the last decade and a half.  Psych folk tends to be the catch all description but it's not really sufficient.  It's mostly pretty gentle (in a good way) but try River Song#2 if you fancy a wig out.

https://sproatlysmith.bandcamp.com/album/river-wye-suite

OK I surrender , I'll give Sproatly Smith a listen , see how it goes , it's the least I can do after all of the merciless plugging I've done on TAW on  Katie's behalf ,
If I'm not on here to stretch my musical appreciation , then .......

and at least it's not Crass....

Lol.  I literally was listening to Crass over the weekend.  Penis Envy.  Their best, I reckon.  Highly recommended...  ;)

Back in the Grim North of England after a lovely, long trip around Wales. Keeping my spirits up by listening my way through Meinir Gwilym's catalogue.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z9fCBhJeGCY

I reckon there are a few on here that will love this (assuming it's not actually been made illegal to listen to music 'during this difficult time').  It's sort of jingly jangly country-rockin' indie.  Or something...  I loves it anyway.

Rolling On Til Dawn by The Roebucks https://theroebucks.bandcamp.com/album/rolling-on-til-dawn?from=fanpub_fb

Difficult to know what to listen to this morning but I have gone for Misplaced Childhood by Marillion.

I had BBC Radio Scotland on this morning and was reminded that the Queen opened the Forth Road Bridge 6 weeks after I was born and then 50 odd years later returned to open the Queensferry Crossing.

Inspired by searching for Pillows and Prayers (mentioned on another thread) I have stumbled across some rather splendid Robin Trower (Bridge of Sighs) which should see me through to 4pm when I finish work for the day

The new 2022 remasters of The Kinks' Muswell Hillbillies and Everybody's In Show-biz.

This is an era of the Kinks that I am unfamiliar with but it is most enjoyable, especially the studio disc from Show-biz.

Are the previously unreleased selections worth the outlay?

Jules

I'm not really in a position to judge, not previously being familiar with this stuff. They are all just new mixes I believe, three on Muswell including an unreleased song and one on Showbiz but the discs were only a tenner a piece. I think there is also a more expansive box but I didn't go for that.

I am wondering how much further to delve if the reissue campaign continues. They have reached the concept album era and none of them seem to have a great reputation.

I'm a fan of Preservation, especially the largely unloved Act 2, but that's the stop where I get off.

Jules

I had no idea just how unsuccessful the Kinks were in British album charting terms.  Never had a top ten album after '65 ffs (and didn't have a charting album - comps aside - after '68) :o  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Kinks_discography

As a youngster I bought "Supersonic Rocket Ship" on 7" just as it flirted with the charts around 1971 , but didn't buy any RCA albums until I saw the  Kast Off Kinks 46 years later .
Like Jules I've not been tempted very far into the RCA  material , just Muswell for me , and I've got an expanded 2CD for that and Everybody's in Showbiz
Schoolboys in Disgrace ? Is it a lost classic worthy of a 5 CD boxset at £150. Not for me

The appropriately titled Faustus album 'Death and Other Animals'

And now Belshazzar's Feast Live! The Whiting's on the Wall.

Must admit that "Home Lad, Home" has brought a tear to my eye.  

That song frequently has that effect on me, and will probably do so even more now.

Squeezy on Twitter https://twitter.com/squeezyjohn/status/1570546718969827328

Fairport Convention  :   Heyday   (Hannibal LP,  1987).

I bought this when it came out and I still find time for it, when I'm on a Fairport  session.
 
Fairport Convention  :  Full House (Island 'pink rim' LP,  197?).

One of the first Fairport albums I bought, from a bargain bin in a small record shop, back in the dim and distant 70s.  The lack of Sandy on this one bothered me more then than it does now.

Pootling around south Kent for the last few days on holiday with a selection of music in the car.

The album that really cut through was Toast by Neil Young & Crazy Horse. Absolutely first class. It really is a lost (until now) classic.

Other Selections were:
Sounds of Summer - The Beach Boys
Swarbrick - Dave Swarbrick
The Hunter - Blondie
Youngblood - Carl Wilson
Autoamerican - Blondie
The Buddah of Suburbia - David Bowie
Bob Marley & The Chineke! Orchestra

Later today I will be taking a first listen to Fairport Convention Live At Rockpalast.

Nice to finally have an official release from this line up. The sound is great. The playing is mostly tight but the material is unfortunately not amongst their best, largely being taken from the Gottle O'Gear album, which is reflected in the muted response from the audience whose appreciation of Sir B McKenzie is significantly (and rightly) louder than for any other song.

Never mind, the new McNabb has just dropped through my letter box. :)

Elvis Costello - My Aim Is True
The Decemberists - What a Terrible World, What a Beautiful World; The King Is Dead; The Hazards of Love
Status Quo - Hello!

Jules

Great choice Sir but Piledriver would have been better
Five great albums from Piledriver to Blue For You
Peel was a huge fan at the time.

Well, I don't own a copy of that one. Hello! is damned near perfect.

Jules

Once I start a Decemberists' evening, nothing else can interrupt it.

They're so good. Thank you, Andy, for drawing my attention to them in the first place.

Jules

I have been listening to Lindisfarne's final studio album 'Promenade' - weird to think it was released 20 years ago. A great album with some absolute classics on it. My personal favourites being 'This Too Will Pass' and 'This Guitar Never Lies' - Rod Clements has always been a really good songwriter and these two songs are fine examples of his skill.

As for Quo, Piledriver was a favourite when it came out in 1972. Not sure its appeal has been sustained, though. Gerdundula from 1971's Dog Of Two Head is still a favourite, though.

Agreed.

Promenade and its predecessor, Here Comes The Neighbourhood are terrific additions to Lindisfarne's catalogue. Rod's solo albums are well worth a listen, too.

Off to see them again next month. Always great value for money.

Creedence Clearwater Revival “At The Albert Hall”
Recorded in 1970, at which time the 13 year old me was proclaiming them to be just about the best band on the planet.
Listening to this, I may well have been right!

The first album I ever bought, with my saved-up pocket money. The first track jumped but I didn’t have enough money left to go back into Cardiff on the bus and change it   :(

Dog of two head, piledriver, Hello and Quo was a brilliant run of lps by the mighty Quo.

I have been listening to those three albums lately too. And also The Crane Wife.

Thanks for the review. The album is on my birthday list, so we'll see if anyone takes the hint...

It seems expensive for a double CD....or is it a CD/DVD?

The latter I believe

Prologue/Ashes Are Burning and Turn of the Cards by Renaissance.

My only previous record was A Song for All Seasons due to the inclusion of Northern Lights and T'Paper Lads, but I've been meaning to check the earlier stuff for a while, largely due to the championing of ...Cards by a YouTuber I follow.

Wow ! There's a lot of stuff going on here. Listening to all three albums in a row was, perhaps, going to lead to me being a bit overwhelmed, but I'm liking what I hear, and Annie's vocals were obviously going to be impressive, but I wasn't expecting some of what she is doing over the music.

I'll be looking forward to absorbing these a bit more over the next few weeks..albeit in smaller chunks.

I have a question for anybody who may know, though..how do the the first two ex-Yardbirds albums compare to the rest of them ?

It’s a CD/DVD. The inclusion of “Dan’s Acoustic Thing” (actually ‘The Boys of Blue Hill’ on the finished article) suggests that they weren’t exactly overdoing it in terms of seeking out the back catalogue, and for an album that Dave Swarbrick swore was never supposed to be part of the Fairport canon, he seems to have been keen enough to go out and play it as such?
This is the original Rockpalast set list:
01  Come And Get It                            (3'20'')  
02  The Limey's Lament                         (5'05'')
03  Sir B. McKenzie                            (5'45'')
04  Dan's Acoustic Thing                       (1'40'')  
05  When First Into                            (2'30'')
06  Our Band                                   (2'05'')  
07  Lay Me Down Easy                           (5'30'')    
08  Cropredy Capers                            (6'45'')  
09  Dirty Linen                                (4'05'')
                              

Hmmmm.  Ta.  I've spent my pennies, but we'll see how much use it gets....

It is not going to be a frequent repeat listen. I wanted to hear it as a rare professional recording of this line up. It is a missing piece of the jigsaw. I also wanted to hear whether this material improved through live performance. It doesn't really and that is the problem with this set. It is historically important but is undermined by the songs just not being very good for the most part, though I have always liked Cropredy Capers/Frog Up The Pump.

Being a bit of a Yardbirds fan I think they're better but I reckon most would disagree. For me the original band were more adventurous and more experimental than the later band. I much prefer Jane Relf to Annie Haslam, no doubt Annie is technically better but I always felt her delivery was a bit too precise and lacked emotion in comparison.

The first is the one to go for but Illusion was a bit of a cobbled together effort, a contract fulfillment job. The original band started to fall apart when they were half way through recording it when Keith Relf and Jim McCarty decided to take a more back seat role writing and producing and bring in replacements. In the end they couldn't get a settled line-up together and four of the original five had to get back together to finish it. It has it's moments but it's not the place to start.

Listening to BBC Radio 4's Front Row from August which was about Ralph Vaughan Williams and features Paul Sartin.

If you get time etc. Check out Live At Carnegie Hall. Superb live double album.

CELEBRATE by Good Good Blood.

https://foxfoodrecords.bandcamp.com/album/celebrate

What's it like? Well, as I've got older, I find it harder and harder to describe/categorise what a band sound like. I have no idea how to describe them, or even how I actually came across Good Good Blood! I've accumulated lots of their stuff alongside other bands on the Fox Food Records label. Somehow, I heard something, liked it, and here I am with their latest. Anyway, I guess the best description of their sound is "something that David MJS and Ian would probably agree on."

Cheers

Nick
 

Lol.  Good stuff...I best have a listen then ;) ;D

 This man has supernatural powers of prognostication!  :o

It IS rather good  :D ......Thanks so much Nick.

Meanwhile, I've been tucking into a mix put together by the webmaster of the 'Raven sings the blues' website - full of "cable knit riffs and soaring chamber melodies" :

https://www.mixcloud.com/RavenSingsTheBlues/way-behind-the-sun/

Thank you Col and Alan, muchos apprecianes, or simla.

Interesting!  It's far far too good to be released on a name your price digital only gig.  What do we know about Mr Smith, then?

He is very prolific, both as a writer/recorder and as a producer. Some stuff he puts up for pay-what-you-want on the Fox Food site, other stuff has a minimum charge (such as on the bands' own sites, e.g. https://goodgoodblood-tl.bandcamp.com/)

Fox Food Records has a big catalogue of interesting artists. I particularly recommend Old Amica, Yani Martinelli, and Captain.

One thing that should appeal is that Fox Food specialise in limited edition cassettes. Unfortunately, every cassette on the Merch page is sold out at the moment - you'll have to keep eyes open...  

I'm not sure it's legal to admit this in public but, hey...Devolver, the new free download album from Ryan Adams

To my fans,
Today I want to say THANK YOU and I love you, in the language we speak to each other - with music. DEVOLVER is for you, please feel free to download for free - this is your party and this album is me celebrating you.
In my darkest moments you lifted me up, creatively and personally and that love was instrumental in how I got here today, to safety and in a place of healing - one year sober.
Please accept this album as token of my appreciation for all the love you have shown me through the years, for your encouragement to continue on when I didn’t think I could and for standing with me, rebuilding this dream house brick by brick.
Sometimes the trick is to strip it all back, to keep it so simple life has a way to throw you some curb balls - to devolve back into the apeman and embrace the wild spirit in our bones. This is that album and it has been my honor to have been given the chance to find myself and be myself fully - embracing my music and my life as it comes - in its own way - free of the patterns of the past.
So thank you. This one’s for you.
You are truly loved and appreciate with all that I am.
XO
DRA
DEVOLVER free download link: http://ryanadams.ffm.to/devolver.ofp
#RyanAdams #Devolver #Sober #Sobriety #NewMusicFriday

UPDATE: Some of it is dumb but catchy, some of it is just dumb.  Free is probably about the right price tbh.  Disappointing.

Catching up on a couple of new releases that dropped through the letter box yesterday

Ian McNabb - Nabby Road. Still a bit early to judge this, sounds pretty good on first listen if maybe not quite as exceptional as his previous two.

The House of Love - State of Grace. Probably more of a Guy Chadwick solo effort now that he's cut the rest of the band adrift and brought in three replacements. Still a very strong album, Guy reckons it's the best set of songs he's written for years and I wouldn't disagree but would prefer if the other guys were still around.

I got my copy of Nabby Road yesterday. Cut from the same cloth as his last trilogy of albums, Ian seems on a golden musical streak at the moment, long may it continue...

Saw the wonderful Kapreka's Constant at the Brasenose during this year's festival. I don't know if any other Talkawhilers other than Will Sawers were there.

The simply brilliant new Album "The Murder Wall " (about the attempts to climb the north face of the Eiger), its  has been on my car CD and on You tube a lot for me since. I think I love this one. Symphonic Prog at its very best.

For those who don't know them give this a try.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y_nPefoC9p4

 

Judee Sill's two albums for Asylum. I'm a recent convert. What an incredible talent she had for words and music. And what a bizarre and tragic life she led. She left behind some outstanding records though.

Jules

Listening to albums from 1979. So much absolutely wonderful music that year.

Since you ask, "Highway to Hell" by AC/DC came out in 79. As did Blondie's "Eat To The Beat", Ry Cooder's "Bop 'Til You Drop", Hawkwind's "PXR5" and Joe Jackson''s absolutely immortal "Look Sharp!".

Prince, The Roches, Rickie Lee Jones, George Harrison, Mick Taylor and The Specials all brought out eponymously titled albums.

The Police's "Regatta De Blanc", Squeeze's "Cool For Cats", Supertramp's "Breakfast In America", Tangerine Dream's "Force Majeure", Roxy Music's "Manifesto" and Mr Zappa's quite obscene and definitely fabulous "Joe's Garage" all shuffled onto this mortal coil, along with Philip Glass' "Einstein On The Beach".

Joni Mitchell brought us "Mingus". Tom Petty's "Damn the Torpedoes" and Fleetwood Mac's "Tusk" also appeared.

Not bad for the so-called "Punk" era.

I'd add to that list After The Fire Laser Love, Bob Dylan Slow Train Coming, Bruce Cockburn's sublime Dancing In The Dragon's Jaws, Dire Straits Communique, Jethro Tull Stormwatch, Rush Hemispheres, Sky's first album, Steve Hackett Spectral Mornings and UFO's Strangers In The Night.

And The Clash London Calling (despite often getting the greatest albumof the 80s tag, it was released in December 1979), Ellen Foley Nightout, Buggles Age of Plastic, David Bowie Lodger, Elvis Costello Armed Forces, Ian Hunter You're Never Alone With A Schizophrenic, Neil Young Rust Never Sleeps, Nick Lowe Labour of Lust, Randy Newman Born Again, Nils Lofgren Nils and The Ruts The Crack

Yep, a pretty good year. I've always found George Harrison's 1979 album a bit bland though. Love the first two singles but it is one of my least favourite of his albums.

Here's an illustrated guide to my favourite albums of 1979, in release order. I'm particularly fond of Nick Lowe, The Stranglers, Neil Young, Culture, The Clash, Dave Edmunds, and Serge Gainsbourg.

Jules

The Seventies definitely went out with a bit of a bang, quality-wise. My top twenty from '79 would look something like:

Toto - Hydra
Jefferson Starship - Freedom At Point Zero
Firefall - Elan
Toyah - Sheep Farming In Barnet
McGuinn, Clark & Hillman - S/T
Lindisfarne - The News
Kiss - Dynasty
Dan Fogelberg - Phoenix
Chris de Burgh - Crusader
The Henry Paul Band - Grey Ghost
Kansas - Monolith
Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers - Damn The Torpedoes
Gene Parsons - Melodies
REO Speedwagon - Nine Lives
Camel - I Can See Your House From Here
Alan Hull - Phantoms
Pablo Cruise - Part Of The Game
Magnum - II
Ronnie Lane - See Me
The Marshall Tucker Band - Running Like The Wind

At least Jules has listed some Lp's I bought in 1979 , most others look like a list of who was on The Old Grey Whistle Test that year , plus I love the odd one that doesn't look right
 (Serge , Toyah)

Particularly liked Tom Verlaine's solo debut

'79 was "post-punk" central

PIL Metal Box; Wire 154; Cabaret Voltaire Mix-Up; Fall - both Live at the Witch Trials and Dragnet

If I had to choose one album that sums up the year to me (in retrospect) it's got to be Rust Never Sleeps

What a great, diverse range of musical tastes on this board!  :D

Probably a tie between Labour of Lust, Laser Love and You're Never Alone With A Schizophrenic for me, though Schizophrenic was the one I was obsessed with at the time.

London Calling, being released so late in the year, dominated the first half of my 1980.

Laughing to myself once again over the fact that Wayne and I have not one record in common.

Jules



Edit: Correction: one album

Er...Damn The Torpedoes? I'm slightly surprised you don't have the McGuinn, Clarke & Hillman record too. Having said that, I don't either despite being a Byrds fan.

Apologies, yes, one album.

MC&H were far from great. I like the odd song here and there, but it was music made out of second guessing. The Byrds had been trailblazers. Here they were also-rans.

Jules

Forgot a crucial one earlier. The Pretenders debut album, one of my all time favourites, released 27 December 1979

I think it was late December here and early January 1980 in the States. Most listings have it as a 1980 release, but if we're saying '79, then I would agree.

Nilso Lofgren looks like Adam Ant on that LP cover.

Jules

Hmmm, I'm not seeing it.

When the Day is Done, first solo album by Ali Heath from Alfa 9. Streaming only atm, physical to come shortly, really excellent album.

Not Quite the American Dream, new album from Diesel Park West with a CD of demos thrown in too.

Must listen to that . Saw him once solo and his songs were brilliant. Normally a bass player he was playing a 12 string strung like a six string because his fingers were so big. Phil from Alfa 9 should be mentioned in my interview for the new Fairport book.

I have every Byrds album but dont have that.

Just the Lindisfarne for me and I have shedloads from that era.

New Springsteen single from forthcoming album of soul covers. As good as you’d expect, but not very different from original to my ears.

I'm in an REM mood, which may or may not be a good thing  :-\

Currently Automatic for the People but shall pick one next at random - possibly Out of Time or their last Collapse in to Now

I'm so glad I saw them before they split  :)

Yet another appalling Neil release upcoming, chaps...

Trite lyrics, dire lazy instrumentation, repeated tropes...  It's hideous.  

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oscgx4g4fDk

  ;D

But who cares when hhe has given us Toast this year, which is nothing short of a masterpiece.