The World Won't Listen

Folk on Friday

2010-10-01T19:08:00.000+01:00

Although I love folk music I’ve never been one for the ‘finger in your ear’ warble that some folk musicians produce and gives the genre a bad press amongst disbelievers. Time to establish some favourite pieces on a Friday evening.

Sweeney’s Men (for those who don’t know) were only around from 1966-1969. They were a part of the 60’s folk revival that was occurring all over the UK and Ireland and really struck a chord (ahem) with their musicianship and reinterpretation of traditional Irish songs. What I really like though, is the way they introduce new instruments borrowed from other folk traditions and use this as a starting point for writing their own pieces.

‘Dreams For Me’ is typical of these influences and is a beautiful song. Written by Terry Woods it has a lovely arrangement that almost outdoes Nick Drake in its soft pathos. One for a roaring fire on a cold rainy day with a glass of single malt. Hang on a minute ….

Sweeney’s Men – Dreams For Me

Sarah Brightman & Hot Gossip

2010-09-21T17:38:00.004+01:00

Started singing this for no apparent reason today:

"Im in love with a Starship Trooper; hand in hand in hyper-space"

but then was told by Adam that my lyrics were, in fact, wrong. Pah!

I can't even get that right. Hey at least it's another post after nearly a year and a half.

Sarah Brightman and Hot Gossip - Starship Troopers

Superman

2009-05-23T08:29:00.003+01:00

Ranulph Fiennes is one of my heroes albeit a bit of an odd one. Yesterday, as most people would know by now, he completed the ascent of Everest at the ripe oldish age of 65. In fact he is the oldest British person to complete the feat. We live in an age where such an achievement seems commonplace now. The successful completion of an Everest expedition is now a possibilty for anybody who is relatively fit and healthy and who has the necessary cash to spend on one of the corporate climbing companies who lead (literally by the hand) 'customers' up the mountain. But a trip like this is still fraught by risk. You only have to read a copy of Jon Krakauer's 'Into Thin Air' - an excellent recollection of the ill-fated 1996 Everest challenge - to realise that very real dangers still exist. Fiennes ascent was after all, even for an undisputed action-man, his third attempt.

By most reckoning Ranulph Fiennes is a representative of the ruling class. Eton educated, a distant cousin of the Queen, a Baronet for goodness sake. Hardly a talisman for my socialist leanings. But a talisman he remains. The never say die attitude and a burning desire to see just how far the human spirit and body can go in the face of adversity I see as admirable. Some might way he is a bit tapped, a bit doo-lally. Anybody who can cut off their own frost bitten fingers with a hacksaw, or complete seven marathons in seven continents in seven days just a few months after extensive heart surgery is surely a bit weird. But I would gladly forego a little 'sanity' for a little of that drive. So a hero he is and a hero he shall remain. I hope I keep hearing about more achievements for years to come.

!!! - All My Heroes Are Weirdo's (mp3)

Film Review - Star Trek

2009-05-19T13:16:00.013+01:00

I went to see Star Trek at the weekend and like most other people I have spoken to, enjoyed it immensely. After having grown up with Shatner, Nimoy et al in the late 60's and early 70's, I had always been disappointed with the run of Star Trek films from 1979. The early ones always seemed lost in the translation to the big screen and, lets face it, they were all too old to be in charge of star ships running around playing action heroes. Once 'Alien' had been released all these humanoid aliens seemed babyish and cheap. The later 'Next Generation' films I mostly missed and by all accounts have not lost out in any way.

But having enjoyed Batman Begins and The Incredible Hulk reloads, I figured that Star Trek was worth a go. It does not disappoint. From beginning to end the pace is just right. Talk, action, talk, action all the way in the typical J.J. Abrams way. The narrative is also pitched just right with a script to satisfy all ages. Perhaps best of all are the quality of the performances. I thought that I would not be able to look at Zachary Quinto without thinking of 'Sylar' but very soon that was forgotten. He plays Spock as confused, logical and strong all at once - just as Nimoy had done in his heyday. Chris Pine goes against expectation and produces a performance that is convincing and witty without ever trying to outdo Shatner at his own game. Kirk and Spock are adversaries who learn respect for each other through collaboration. This could easily be a horrible cliche but is well handled by all. Perhaps the real revelation though is Karl Urban as 'Bones' McCoy who drops his 'tough-guy' image and is pitch perfect all the way through.

The art of the summer release is to produce a film with the right blend of up-to-date effects and well paced narrative. Think Jaws, The Empire Strikes Back, Indiana Jones, E.T., or The Dark Knight. All too often these basic rules are forgotten. Refreshingly, Star Trek does not do this. So if you want to see a perfect 'popcorn' movie that doesn't try to be anything other than a sci-fi blockbuster romp, than go and see Star Trek on the big screen. Excellent fun all the way.

Muse - Starlight (mp3)

Greatest Albums of the 80's Part 3

2009-05-18T13:13:00.004+01:00

Unlike The Stones or The Beatles in their later years, Squeeze were never really an album band. To talk about them in the same breath would for some cause mutterings I'm sure. However, for all their short writing career together Difford and Tilbrook were in many ways the equal of Lennon/McCartney or Jagger/Richards. Their output of singles during the late 70's and early 80's was constant in consistency and quality. Such was the plethora of choice I was really tempted to pick '45's and under' as one of my greatest albums. However my purist side meant I was forced to choose one of their studio albums and the third album ArgyBargy I consider to be the best - even more than East Side Story, the Elvis Costello produced effort a year later. This was Squeeze with their classic complement of musicians before Jools Holland left to pursue a solo career. The song writing was quirky and tuneful and full of poetic lyrics about love and loss and romance and youth. I have stayed away from the later joint collaborations - perhaps because I don't want the bubble of respect to burst and I want the best tastes left in my mind. You might well disagree but for me this was singles perfection.

Squeeze - Pulling Mussels (From the shell) (mp3)

Rain

2009-05-18T12:07:00.007+01:00

Yesterday I was in a running race. It was a cross-country race of about 7 miles. And it rained. In fact it rained so hard at the beginning that within 5 minutes I was absolutely drenched. After about 15 minutes the rain stopped but by then the fun and games had began. The rest of the race was extremely muddy with massive puddles blocking our way. The only solution was to charge head-long through them and just accept you were going to get very dirty. It was great fun. After a shower afterwards I felt invigorated. I reckon everybody should try it.

Comsat Angels - After the Rain (mp3)

Chaos

2009-05-17T08:24:00.006+01:00

It's chaos at The Vicarage (ahem) at the moment. A new fireplace, skimming ceilings with new plaster and new flooring throughout the bottom of the house means dust and debris everywhere. I am now living my life on builder time, which is rather like BST but rather more random. Conversations about timings are met with a vacant stare and vague responses - 'well it depends see. The carpenter says he will get here this afternoon ........ maybe.' You know, this kind of thing. I'm sure it will all work out okay in the end, but for now uncertainty is the order of the day.

Badly Drawn Boy - 'Life Turned Upside Down' (mp3)

Greatest Albums of the 80's Part 2

2009-05-16T16:07:00.005+01:00

By contrast to 'The Luxury Gap' the release of 'The Hounds of Love' in 1985 was greeted with almost universal acclaim. And rightly so. After the relative failures of 'The Dreaming' (at least in a commercial sense) Kate Bush seemed at the pinnacle of her powers. The album was commercial enough to satisfy the pop lovers yet musically diverse to keep the legions of hard core fans on board. The big hits all come with the first few songs (Top 10 side 1's of all time is a future posting methinks), but then we have the experimentation of side 2 which provides the extraordinary longevity of the album. Both 'Waking the Witch' and 'Jig of Life' are fantastic. Miami Vice even chose to feature part of 'Hello Earth' in one of their episodes which provoked a storm of interest in the US.

It is always hard for me to choose my favourite Kate production but I guess this would be the album (gatefold of course) I would take to my desert island. Both visual and aural pleasure - yum.

Kate Bush - Cloudbusting (mp3)

Greatest Albums of the 1980's Part 1

2008-10-23T19:07:00.004+01:00

The collaboration by Martyn Ware, Ian Craig Marsh and Glenn Gregory produced one of the great unacknowledged albums of this period, The Luxury Gap was a masterwork of brooding pop synths interlaced with mature socio-political lyrics and a slice of dance floor grooviness. Pop fans of the period really only remember them for the big hits like Temptation while the purists will snub this album for the brasher debut album – Penthouse and Pavement.

Born out the demise of the original line-up for The Human League, they were always the bridesmaid to the fey disco sounds of Oakey et al. I’m not for a minute saying that Dare is in any way a worse album, its just that The Luxury Gap was a bit more grown up. Far funkier than The Human League part 2 and with the genuine satire of tracks like Let’s All Make a Bomb. This was fine, enjoyable song writing of a kind that they would never match.

Heaven 17 - Let Me Go (mp3)

Numb

2008-10-20T22:47:00.004+01:00

When I got to college in the autumn of 1984 I began listening to music in a way that I hadn’t done for years. Sometime around 1981ish I’d flogged all my punk and new wave vinyl for some paltry sum to a fellow sixth former (quite why I still can’t fathom). I know the death of my mum had hit me pretty hard but I switched off almost entirely from new music. I went to Australia (hardly stretching the musical boundaries) then came back and found a new girlfriend who only seemed to like listening to gospel music. I had reached a musical nadir. I worked in a clothes shop for the summer before going to college and failed to recognize the likes of Wham! and Frankie Goes To Hollywood playing over the speakers – even if they were some truly awful cover versions because the shop wouldn’t pay for the originals.

Anyway, I got to college and met Kurt who introduced me to The Fall. I didn’t really have much choice because Kurt played them incessantly. And I hated them. It seemed a sprawling horrible mess of a sound. Mark E. Smith did not make proper music I thought. But something happened at some point. I haven’t a clue when, but the penny dropped and it made sense. I started listening to music with fresh vigour and an open mind. So thank you Kurt. And thank you Mark Smith. If only they made some stuff like this again.

The Fall – Hip Priest (mp3)

Need

2008-07-03T00:34:00.002+01:00

Sometimes you just need Elliott Smith and nothing else will do

Elliott Smith - Needle in the Hay (mp3)

And just for good measure:

Just Open Your Eyes

2008-07-02T00:15:00.003+01:00

Trips to London as an older teenager. A few miles down the track. Off the train and down the Tube. Covent Garden. Pissed (ish). Back on the Tube. Back on the train. Home.

One day outside of St.Pancras and there was this beautiful facade. And grime and filth and hurrying people and pigeons and more hurrying people inside. Lesson learned (and forgotten).

Pet Shop Boys - Kings Cross (mp3)

Well it's near enough I guess.

Oh and I think this is 100th post - eventually.

GETONWITHIT

2008-04-22T12:27:00.003+01:00

So by deleting the post I did before christmas I reckon that this now becomes your 99th post and that means that rather than sitting around like for the last few months saying 'I think I'll do this for my hundredth post' and having established that the next Friday 29th February doesn't fall until 2036 (thank you darlin') so you're not falling back on the 'I'm sorry I only post on Friday 29th February' excuse, you can use this as the impetus to start blogging again. Don't go telling me about deadlines for Year 11 marking, we've had so many deadlines for year 11 marking this year and we've waved them all goodbye as they've receeded into the distance. It will be done.

Listen, enjoy, get on with it.

Belle and Sebastian - Your Cover's Blown mp3
The Cure - The Caterpillar (unplugged) mp3
The Decembrists - Billy Liar mp3

A Blatant Attempt to Boost My Hit Counter

2008-02-29T11:18:00.006Z

What you see above is 'phasing'. I'm still unsure what this means but I think I can hear it happening when it does.

British band Nirvana (You can see it fitting into place now eh?) were the first to use this all the way through a track. Apparently The Beatles with 'Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds' and The Small Faces with 'Itchycoo Park' used the technique sporadically.

I recently dug out an old Island Records sampler album called 'You Can All Join In' made in 1969. It featured most, if not all, of the artists on the Island roster that year; including Stevie Winwood with Traffic, Spooky Tooth, Fairport Convention and Jethro Tull. In addition were the aforementioned Nirvana with 'Rainbow Chaser' - a track that was my favourite on the album. They were formed in the summer of 1967 (probably in a purple haze) and made the kind of progressive, flowery music you would expect from a band that names their single 'Rainbow Chaser'. Their album 'The Story of Simon Simopath' has been described as the first narrative based concept album released.

So all you Nirvana (some US based alternative) fans coming here to find some obscure rarity may be disappointed. But download it anyway and expand your horizons.

Nirvana - Rainbow Chaser (mp3) Buy

Richard Anthony Hewson

2008-02-28T19:23:00.006Z

I have a really awful memory. Ask me to remember the names of students in my year group in sixth form and I would struggle. In fact, if it wasn't for the occasional glance at Friends Reunited about 10-15 would be my limit.

My sixth form years in general are a bit hazy. I remember some of my teachers but none of the content of their lessons. In fact my main recollection is of the sixth form block itself with the Space Invaders machine, two table football machines and the pool table. We used to arrange competitions on all of them and being a lazy sod I would spend the majority of the time inbetween lessons (and sometimes during them) on any one of these distractions. There were also cushion fights and card marathons a plenty.

But the prize of the sixth form block was the hifi system. Students would try to dominate it with their chosen tunes and sometimes the Hendrix set would win, sometimes the punks, and at other times the Motorhead/Rainbow/ACDC crowd. For a short while someone (I forget who) used to put on the twelve inch version of Slide by the Rah Band. I quite liked it I remember and so muggins here bought it.

Now I'd completely forgotten about this until recently they were mentioned by Mick (of Raiding the Vinyl Archive fame) in the comments section of the rather spiffing Ghost of Electricity. Well to cut a long story short I dug it out and did a vinyl rip. And here I present it to you ................ and it is very, very, very dodgy. In fact I still can't work out what I saw in it at the time? This was a young man into all sorts of worthy music and I liked this pop/disco nonsense? I seriously am beginning to think I was abucted by aliens for a couple of years between 1981 and 1983. There is simply no other explanation. Tcch.

The Rah Band - Slide (mp3)

Visit them on their page at MySpace

Happy Birthday CP - Oops! I Missed Again

2008-02-27T12:07:00.008Z

The Contrast Podcast was 100 this week. So a happy birthday to Tim and everybody who has shared in this marvelous collective. And while I have not exactly set the blogosphere alight with my contribution to CP, I try to download and listen when I can. Some people contribute on a random basis, while others are stalwarts who rarely miss an issue. And this, of course, is the beauty behind it. Well done Tim keep up the good work. Here's to another 100 and more.

This week the topic was 100 (I wonder why?) and here are the contributions:

(00:00) Sharon Jones - 100 days, 100 nights

Betty from The Royal Family

(04:34) Fun 100 - Computer

ZB from So the wind won’t blow it all away

(07:21) Love of Diagrams - At 100%

Bob from Gimme Tinnitus

(11:32) The Soundtrack of our lives - 21st century ripoff

Chris from Phosphorous.net

(15:35) Maxi Priest - Full 100

Mark from Cinema Du Lyon

(21:06) The Byrds - One hundred years from now

Brian from State Fare

(23:56) NOFX - 100 times fuckeder

Marcy from Lost in your inbox

(25:59) Lyres - 100cc’s (Pure Thrust)

FiL from Pogoagogo

(29:11) Generation X - One hundred punks

Dirk from Sexy Loser

(33:03) Carlton Rees - 99 and a half won’t do

Matthew from Song by Toad

(36:35) Nick Lowe - One’s too many and a hundred ain’t enough

Anna from the Music I-Quiz

(39:30) The Anniversary - A hundred ships

SiD from Too Much Rock

(45:23) Shout out louds - 100 degrees

Crash from Pretending life is like a song

(49:26) The Cure - One hundred years

Eiron from A Blog of No Importance

(56:25) The Divine Comedy - I’ve been to a marvellous party

JC from The Vinyl Villain

(01:01:00) The Offspring - One hundred punks

Andy from Circles of Concrete

(01:04:33) The Tragically Hip - At the hundredth meridian

Thom from Better in the dark

(01:08:17) The Pixies - Oh my golly

John from And you’ll never hear surf music again

(01:10:30) The Loved Ones - 100K

James from Appetite For Distraction

(01:13:51) Roy Harper - When an old cricketer leaves the crease

Stuart Dade

Well done to all concerned then. Some wonderful tracks. In time honoured tradition I would now like to offer my own interpretation - so I begin with:

Blur - End of a Century (mp3) Buy

Beloved - A Hundred Words (mp3) Buy

Droopy Drawers Number Forty Four

2008-02-26T14:42:00.007Z

According to Andrew Oswald of Warwick University I should be at an all time low. I am 44 and have been now for 16 days. Fuck. You see 44 is the average age for feeling at your lowest. For the last few years it has all been down hill. In fact from my early twenties I have been heading inexorably for the doldrums, spiralling out of control as I plummet towards middle age. However, it is not the fault of the kids being a constant drain on my limited recourses, nor the fault of my inadequate job or my steadily greying head. Oswald states that there is nothing that can be done to alter my state. No kids, tough, you're still depressed. Filthy rich - well that won't help you either. The U-shaped curve of psychological well-being is fixed and unalterable.

So thats 384 hours of misery so far and 8400 more to go until things start to become a little better. But of course it will only be a small improvement because the theory states that I am at the nadir of the 'u' in my life. It will only get significantly better when I'm about 58 or so and by the time I'm 70 I will be beside myself with happiness. By then all my old friends will be dying off and I will be 'counting my blessings' as I realise what a lucky soul I am.

So how true is it? These things are always difficult to prove one way or another. A trawl through history and you will find a fair few unhappy souls in their middle years. Dante wasn't exactly a laugh a minute was he? But in many (most) ways I really don't give a shit. Some of my friends are divorced, some divorcing and some depressed. Others have a very positive demeanour most of the time. So either Oswald is right only some of the time or they are good actors. Pass the Oscar anyone?

The Smiths - Heaven Knows I'm Miserable Now (mp3) Buy

Tori Amos - China (mp3) Buy

Contrast Podcast

2008-02-07T11:38:00.000Z

Its 1997 at the weekly jamboree that is Contrast Podcast. In my time honoured way I have failed to contribute. But have my submission here instead.

This is the playlist then:

(00:00) The Wannadies - Hit

Tim from The face of today

(02:43) Blur - Song 2

JC from The Vinyl Villain

(05:53) Radiohead - Electioneering

Linda from Speed of dark

(09:52) Cornershop - Brimful of Asha (original version)

Crash from Pretending life is like a song

(15:01) Legendary Pink Dots - Destined to repeat

ZB from So the wind won’t blow it all away

(20:33) Stapleton - International departures

Ross from Just gimme indie rock

(24:23) Old 97’s - Melt snow

Greg from Broken Dial

(28:03) Matthew Sweet - Superbaby

Rick from Are you embarassed easily?

(31:52) Ween - Mutilated lips

Dweller from Child without an iPod

(36:35) Whiskeytown - 16 days

Natalie from Mini-obs

(41:19) Wheat - Summer

SiD from Too Much Rock

(47:47) Bob Dylan - Make you feel my love

Eiron from A Blog of No Importance

(53:19) Everclear - Sunflowers

Andy from Circles of Concrete

(57:21) The Foo Fighters - Monkey Wrench

James from Appetite For Distraction

(01:03:03) Celine Dion - My heart will go on

The Man from S.L.I.M.E.

(01:04:30) Cornershop - Brimful of Asha (Norman Cook remix)

FiL and Gina from Pogoagogo

(01:09:12) Radiohead - Paranoid Android (live on Later)

Stuart

(01:15:56) Ben Folds Five - Evaporated

Marcy from Lost in your inbox

and this is my contribution:

The Chemical Brothers - Block Rockin' Beats (mp3) Buy

How they were ever missed off in the first place is a mystery.

The Day the Music Died

2008-02-03T21:34:00.000Z

Buddy Holly died this day in 1959. The plane crash that claimed his life (as well as Ritchie Valens and the Big Bopper) when only 22 years old, had far reaching effects in the world of rock and roll music. Its hard to believe that Holly recorded songs for only three years.

Buddy Holly - Peggy Sue (mp3)

Weezer - Buddy Holly (mp3)

Buy Holly and Weezer here and here

2007-11-15T20:23:00.000Z

Yeah! Phil Baby

I’m so jealous.

Davy H over at The Ghost of Electricity has beaten me to it and gone and posted about uncle Phil, our much-maligned drummer. Well, as promised, I’m going to go ahead and post anyway because Phil deserves as much praise as possible. This is the start of nothing short of a revolution. A complete re-appraisal of a song writing genius that will put him at the forefront of British musical development.

I first encountered Genesis in a bargain bin at Timothy Whites in St.Albans. There I secured a copy of ‘And Then There Were Three’. This was Phil trying to steady a rudderless Genesis for the first time. Yes it was boring and dull, but you could see the beginnings of the ‘Phil Sound’. And who could forget ‘Duke’, ‘Abacab’ and ‘Invisible Touch’? Well I could for one I suppose but sales prove that this was Phil the ambassador, promoting English prog rock to the world.

And then there was Live Aid with Phil jetting across the Atlantic to do his bit for the starving of Africa. Not a self-promotional bone in his body you see. Phil the magnificent.

Phil is, of course, primarily a solo artiste. ‘Face Value’ was famously produced after his split from his wife and it shows in the tortured lyrics throughout the album. This is Phil in his pomp. The album is full of song writing gems. Well there is a couple at least………… well there is one. ‘Hello, I Must Be Going’ continued where the previous one had left off – no hint of laurel resting from our Phil. And ‘No Jacket Required’ is frankly ……………….. hmmmmmmm ……………………….. I can see where this is going now. Perhaps you are all right.

But NO I will not be put off. Phil is brilliant. Now where did I leave my copy of Sussudio …………………………………?

Phil Collins - In The Air Tonight (mp3)

For You Davy:

Genesis - Abacab (mp3)

For you Crash:

Phil Collins - Tomorrow Never Knows (mp3)

Buy everything Phil here

2007-11-01T20:55:00.000Z

On A Long Black Leash

It's Contrast Podcast time again which you can find right here. Yet again this rather fine series has produced the goods with the tempting theme of lust. And yet again some more the Vicar has failed to make his own entry. Oh dear.

I will rectify this in the future. I know this is probably just procrastination but I earnestly believe that I really want to change and add my pennysworth to the melting pot. I think that I will go throught the back catalogue of podcasts and make my own choices. There that's a start of sorts. I told you I would act. Don't hold your breath too long though.

Soft Cell - Sex Dwarf (mp3) Buy

Ben Harper - Touch From Your Lust (mp3) Buy

2007-10-29T17:29:00.000Z

Hello Again

Just popped over to Fileden to notice that my bandwidth has been exceeded. I've been getting more downloads in the last month than I've ever had. Pah - just goes to show that few people ever read my jottings. As if I was ever convinced otherwise.

However resignation aside I will attempt to get this blog up and running again despite a drought of blogging desire the size of - well a very big thing. So I've updated my account to allow more bandwidth, which will be quickly followed by a little domestic housekeeping to get rid of these old links. I think they are well beyond their sell by date. So download now you mp3 leeches 'cos soon they will be gone.

A couple of favourite tunes to get me back into it then:

Scritti Politti - The Word Girl (mp3) Buy

House of Love - Beatles and the Stones (mp3) Buy

2007-07-30T12:59:00.000+01:00

On The Eighth Day

Well I did absolutely bugger all of course, apart from posting this rather obvious little ad joiner.

The Beatles - Eight Days A Week (mp3)

Buy The Beatles right here

2007-07-29T15:13:00.000+01:00

A Week In Music

Sunday

Sunday is derived from pre-Christian Egyptian astrology.

Well here we are at the end of an eventful weeks posting, and I get the chance to finish on a high. There are many great songs connected with Sunday and I wish I was able to offer all the ones that were on my shortlist. But unfortunately my lack of bandwidth says that this cannot happen.

In 1933 Rezso Seress, the Hungarian composer, wrote 'Gloomy Sunday'; a song that rapidly became known as the 'Hungarian suicide song'. Various people made cover versions - not least Billie Holiday and, of course, the Associates - and it supposedly inspired lots of suicides throughout the world. The claim was not diminished when Seress himself committed suicide in 1968 as did Billy Mackenzie in 1997.

The Associates - Gloomy Sunday (mp3) (buy)

Late 1978, early 1979 saw Blondie riding the crest of a wave. 'Parallel Lines' had hit number one in the album charts. 'Hanging on the Telephone' had been in the top ten, while its follow up 'Heart of Glass' had gone to number one in both the UK and US. How could they equal this? By releasing 'Sunday Girl' to go back to number one. My top ten of 1979 had both hits in it. My friends saw it as infatuation. They were probably right, but it's still a great record.

Blondie - Sunday Girl (mp3) (buy)

In 1990 The Sundays provided something a little different to the shoe gazing wall of sound that filled the indie charts. MBV, Ride, The Jesus and Mary Chain etc were all well and good but with the vocals often removed to the background the jangly sound of The Sundays was very refreshing. They are one of the finest live acts I have seen and Harriet Wheeler was simply gorgeous. So rather aptly I finish with:

The Sundays - Here's Where the Story Ends (mp3) (buy)

2007-07-28T23:52:00.000+01:00

A Week In Music

Saturday

Saturday is named after the Roman God of agriculture Cronus aka Saturn.

So many choices. After the song drought of Wednesday / Thursday comes a veritable flood. I could of chosen Tom Waits - but I didn't. The Jam - but I didn't. Whigfield (ahem) - but I didn't. The list, while not being exactly endless, is still very long. So it comes down to the following:

Saturday Sun - Nick Drake (mp3)

The Saturday Boy - Billy Bragg (mp3)

On Saturday Afternoons in 1963 - Rickie Lee Jones (mp3)

Buy Nick Drake here, Billy Bragg here and Rickie Lee Jones here.

And apologies for the lateness of this post, I started writing it last night after getting back from an impromptu nights camping in Pembrokeshire, but then fell asleep. It's an age thing!

2007-07-27T00:01:00.000+01:00

A Week In Music

Friday

The name Friday comes from the Anglo-Saxon Frigg - the Goddess of beauty. In Latin languages the name mostly comes from Venus who was no shrinking Violet in the beauty stakes herself.

There are lots of musical choices available for the Friday slot. No surprises there then. It seems like all songwriters spend the working week in a state of increasing gloom until Friday comes along. A few drinks later with the creative juices flowing and the worlds their oyster.

The Easybeats - Friday On My Mind (Mp3) Buy

The Donnas - Friday Fun (mp3) Buy

The Cure - Friday I'm In Love (mp3) Buy

Nouvelle Vague - Friday Night Saturday Morning (mp3) Buy

The Nouvelle Vague I've only included because I can't seem to find my copy of The Specials version. Curses.

2007-07-26T10:54:00.000+01:00

A Week In Music

ThursdayFrom the old English 'Day of Thunor', the Latin equivilant is 'Jupiter's Day'.

Thursday was until recently a nothing sort of day. Still a day short of when the real action begins on the Friday. However, a few like minded friends and myself have officially designated that Thursday is the new Friday. We have decided that the weekend is in fact far too short and therefore festivities have to take place a day earlier. We now have a few drinks, play golf and generally relax making Friday a far more inviting prospect. By Monday you feel that the weekend has been a fulfilling experience, rather than all over before it really got started.

That doesn't mean, however, that Thursday has been celebrated in song. It is a day that is shamefully neglected. Come on all you songwriters get writing about it because at the moment there is little to include that is worthy. You know you want to - it's the start of the weekend for heavens sake.

The Futureheads - Thursday (mp3)

Buy The Futureheads here because they they are up with the times

2007-07-25T10:19:00.001+01:00

A Week In Music

Wednesday

Although in English Wednesday is derived from the Norse God Woden, in the Latin languages the Roman God Mercury is responsible. In German Mittwoch literally means midweek which is perhaps the most apt and contemporary description.

Wednesday is perhaps my least favourite day of the week. You're already knackered but still have two days to go at work. This is, or course, the Monday to Friday contingent. In our service based economy the notion of a family based weekend seems to be diminishing by the day. Saturday and Sunday working is now the norm for many.

In popular culture Wednesday means the start of two days of relative musical paucity. But I will do my best:

Spoon - Sunday Morning, Wednesday Night (mp3)

The Undertones - Wednesday Week (mp3)

The Beatles - She's Leaving Home (mp3) [listen and you'll know]

Buy Spoon here, The Undertones here, and The Beatles right here.

2007-07-24T10:12:00.000+01:00

A Week In Music

Tuesday

The derivation of Tuesday comes from an old English word 'Twisday' which is in itself derived from the Norse God Tyr. This God was the equivalent of the Roman God Mars and, of course, Mars forms the root of Tuesday for all the Latin based languages except Portuguese.

Perhaps this is entirely apt as Tuesday has traditionally been a day of war in my job. Not because of the fact that most of the working week is still to go, but more because I teach some particularly irksome kids!

Some more Tuesday inspired songs then:

Rolling Stones - Ruby Tuesday (mp3)

Dick Gaughan - Ruby Tuesday (mp3)

Elliott Smith - Hooray for Tuesday (live) (mp3)

Primal Scream - Gentle Tuesday (mp3)

Buy The Stones here, Dick Gaughan here, Elliott Smith here, and Primal Scream here.

Much obliged to Absonderpop for the Dick Gaughan and The Rawking Refuses To Stop! for the Elliott Smith

2007-07-23T21:21:00.000+01:00

Her Favourite Tipple

Davy H over at The Ghost of Electricity had a recent post which named his wifes favourite Saturday night record. I was going to name a track in a comment about what I suspected Mrs Vicar might suggest as her own favourite. However, I thought it might be better to ask her first ........

Well, I got the understandable 'on the fence' reply about changing tastes and mood etc, but I managed to whittle away until I got the following mixed bag of answers:

1970's

Roxy Music - Virginia Plain (mp3)

A Taste of Honey - Boogie Oogie Oogie (mp3) [Get Down!]

1980's

Steve Winwood - While You See A Chance (mp3)

Wham! - Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go (mp3)

Shows you there's no accounting for taste.

Buy Roxy Music right here. A Taste of Honey just here. The rather spiffing Steve Winwood here. And of course Wham! just here.

2007-07-23T08:31:00.000+01:00

A Week In Music

Monday

Traditionally, of course, 'Blue Monday' is the beginning of the working week (not for the Tutu Vicar though because he is on holiday - hurrah). Also has been known as 'Black Monday' after the stock market crash in 1987. Monday (for those who don't know) gets its name from the Moon (shock, horror) and a fine name it is therefore. The moon will provide more reasons for posts in forthcoming weeks.

Monday has also been responsible for providing inspiration for many musicians - just a few of which you can find below:

The Bangles - Manic Monday (mp3) (buy)

New Order - Blue Monday (mp3) (buy)

The Boomtown Rats - I Don't Like Mondays (mp3) (buy)

Wilco - Monday (mp3) (buy)

2007-07-22T21:35:00.000+01:00

Bank Robber

Just noticed that today is anniversary of John Dillinger's death in 1934. The supposed 'Robin Hood' of the gangster world of inter-war America, Dillinger met his end when waylaid by FBI agents outside a cinema in Chicago. Some people even have a 'John Dillinger' day in his memory. Bizarre.

The Clash - I Fought The Law (mp3) (buy)

The Special AKA - Gangsters (mp3) (buy and other ska)

2007-07-16T20:49:00.000+01:00

A Weekend Washout?

The weekend saw the annual jamboree that is the Welsh Masters of golf. This prestigious competition (one of the big tournaments of the year for the Socialist Golf Society) is always witness to golf of the very highest order. Heavyweights of the sport slugging it out over two rounds in order to win the coveted trophy and bathe in the resultant glory.

The only fly in the ointment was the forecast of miserable weather. A warm up round in Staffordshire on Friday night only led to a thorough soaking and a deep desire to get paralytically pissed. Drunkenness inevitably followed, as did the inevitable hangover the next morning. My thumping head was greeted with ridicule by my unsympathetic comrades (justifiable I might add) who were gleeful that yours truly was out of the equation. The round at Celtic Manor was understandably awful.

The next morning saw two things. Firstly my fellow gladiators in a pathetically sorry state after three or four bottles of red wine too many; and secondly the rain pissing it down outside. The course for day two was closed. Damn what do we do? Head for the sun was the answer. So off we scooted down the M4 to Reading. Yes a 100 mile journey only to walk straight into a thunderstorm on the 4th hole. The funniest sight of the weekend was leading a group of panicked golfers hot footing it to the clubhouse to escape imminent death. Although I didn't witness it one of our merry throng even threw himself to the floor after one particularly close bolt of lightning.

The weather is crap. I hate all this rain. It felt like the tournament was being ruined because of it. But the golfers of the SGS were not to be beaten and are made of stern stuff, and the award for the Welsh Masters golfer for 2007 was greeted with universal acclaim. Once again the Socialist Golf Society had prevailed. Golf was the winner but the weather is still shit.

Placebo - English Summer Rain (mp3)

The Pixies - Stormy Weather (mp3)

Buy Placebo here and The Pixies right here

2007-07-11T23:34:00.000+01:00

I Missed Again

The sceptics among you will automatically believe (from the title that is) that the Vicar has gone completely doo lally and admitted to a secret past of Phil Collins albums amongst the varied detritus of his past (maybe or maybe not). But the reality is shamefully in the present. Yet again I have failed in my task of getting on the contrast podcast and I am peeved. This is, of course, completely my fault as yet again I spend the entire week 'umming' and 'aahhing' over a choice of track only to lose out due to my own procrastination. So this week I try to make amends by offering a track now. Yes too late to be on the podcast but not too late to purge my soul.

The topic this week was of course 1967. And many fine choices there were - which you can download right here. Just a reminder then:

Playlist:

(00:29) Jefferson Airplane - Somebody to love

Ross from Just gimme indie rock

(03:33) Erma Franklin - Piece of my heart

Michael from The Yank Sizzler

(07:00) Dusty Springfield - The look of love

Linda from Speed of Dark

(11:18) The Turtles - Happy together

Natalie from Mini-Obs

(14:51) The Impressions - We’re a winner

Ally from dustysevens

(17:12) Kaleidoscope - Dive into yesterday

ZB from So the wind won’t blow it all away

(22:43) Louie Prima - I wanna be like you

Crash from Pretending life is like a song

(27:34) The Stooges - Search and Destroy

FiL from Pogoagogo

(34:03) Green Day - 86

Andy from Circles of Concrete

(37:13) Dave Brubeck Quartet - Take 5

Marcy from Lost in your inbox

(43:07) John Coltrane - Everytime we say goodbye

Alex from Totally True Tales from Texas

(48:39) R.E.M. - Femme fatale

Kristi from Are you embarassed easily?

(51:47) The House of Love - The Beatles and The Stones

Tom from Better in the Dark

(56:20) Prince - Alphabet street

Greg from Broken Dial

(59:06) The Adult Net - Incense and Peppermints

SAS Radio

(01:02:15) Chris Coco with Nick Cave - Sunday Morning

Matthew from Song by Toad

My own choice is 'All Along the Watchtower' from Bob Dylan's 1967 album John Wesley Harding. And, of course some of the cover versions that have come since.

Bob Dylan - All Along The Watchtower (mp3) Buy

Patti Smith - All Along The Watchtower (mp3) Buy

U2 - All Along The Watchtower (mp3) Buy

Jimi Hendrix - All Along The Watchtower (mp3) Buy

And a video version by Neil Young as well you lucky things:

2007-07-04T20:04:00.000+01:00

Feel That Kick Drum

Sometimes, when I have had a tipple too many, the Tutu vicar gets his feet tapping to a funky beat. Inevitably this ends with shaming glances from other members of my family who are acutely embarrassed by my antics. The last time I got 'dancing feet', for instance, my daughter was red faced as I was shown up in front of her young friends. Of course, rarely does this affect me because I am usually in a state of alcohol induced oblivion.

Anyhow, back to the matter in hand and 'the kickdrum'. My choice of said funky beat usually revolves around records that are either:

(a) disco classics from the 1970's

(b) house / trance tracks that have that thumping back beat

So I present to you my choices from option (b)

1. FC Kahuna - Nothing Is Wrong (mp3) - kickdrum at 0:00. A suburb beat right from the off, but just listen when the bass line hook starts at 0:15 (Buy)

2. Chemical Brothers - It Began In Afrika (mp3) - kickdrum at 0:33 (Buy)

3. FC Kahuna - Growler (mp3) - kickdrum at 0:16

4. Leftfield - Space Shanty (mp3) - kickdrum at 1:39 (Buy)

5. Underworld - Cowgirl (mp3) - kickdrum at 1:44 (Buy)

If you have any sense of rhythm I defy you to not tap your feet / nod your head at the times mentioned above. Best of all find a party, drink copious amounts of Stella, red wine or a tipple of your choice and watch with glee as the your friends and family dis-own you completely. Play the game - go on.

2007-07-03T21:07:00.000+01:00

I Can See Clearly Now

Who remembers the days when the majority of TV was monochrome? I recall that the early part of my youth was spent watching black and white, and being amazed when I went round to a mates house to watch colour broadcasts. At some point my parents rented a TV from Grenada Rentals and I got to share the delights that my friends were enjoying. I think it was when I was about 7 or 8 years old - so about 1972ish. Certainly a good 4 or 5 years after the first UK colour broadcast at Wimbledon in 1967.

Who also thinks though, that we lost something at the same time? Just as the talkie meant that the art of visual narrative was partly lost to cinema, the rise of colour (particularly on TV) led to the parallel decline of lighting techniques. As soon as I introduce the idea of monochromatic photography or cinematography to my students, it is met with almost universal ridicule. Even modern movies like Schindlers List or La Haine are distrusted. Or course this only fuels my desire to educate them. Foreign language films, black and white, musicals - they are all fair game.

I was bowled over when I first saw an HD broadcast and I like the idea of realism as well as anybody, but black and white is still good. Its just that at Wimbledon colour looks so much better.

The Icicle Works - Love is a Wonderful Colour (mp3)

Tom Macrae - Bright Lights (mp3)

Buy The Icicle Works here and Tom Macrae here

2007-07-02T21:08:00.001+01:00

Know Your Rights

The Date - 02/07/1964. The place - The White house. The fact - The Civil Rights Act was signed by Lyndon B. Johnson, was passed into law and segregation became illegal throughout schools and other public places in the USA. And given the outrages that had been going on in the southern states throughout the previous 100 years it was not a moment too soon. In fact although 2nd July was the date the bill passed through the senate, it passed through the House of Representatives on the same day the Vicar came into this world five months earlier.

So the Act brought to end the Jim Crow laws and the Democrats were seen as the party of liberation. Although, of course, it was not as simple as that as the Kennedy / Johnson administration were in many ways merely reacting to the inevitable urge of reform that had been gathering pace since the Montgomery Bus Boycott 10 years earlier. Plus, of course, the Civil Rights Act was just the beginning of a struggle to enforce the law through voter registration schemes and employer education. Only a year later the Los Angeles suburb of Watts was to descend into riots emphasising the problems the US was still to face with Black Civil Rights.

But the Act was passed. An important Act. And Martin Luther King had been proved right when he had forecast in 1963 "How Long? Not Long".

The Untouchables - Free Yourself (mp3)

The Clash - Know Your Rights (mp3)

Buy The Untouchables here and The Clash here

2007-07-01T11:07:00.000+01:00

Happy Birthday To You

A double birthday celebration today and a big hug and kisses to all my fellow members of the blogosphere. Tutu Vicar is back after a bit of layoff and itching to get posting. Thankyou for all of you that regularly dropped by only to see Asia once again at the top of the blogpile. Oh the shame of it - but I hope to banish the AOR scoundrels to the bottom before too long.

I noticed that today in 1979 saw the release of the original Sony Walkman. Not exactly the digital revolution I hear you cry, but it was the beginning of the musical portability. Without the Walkman the mp3 player would never have been born despite the evolution that occured over many years involving the CD Walkman and the Minidisc Walkman. Lord sakes we wouldn't even have had Cliff Richard and 'Wired for Sound'.

Daft Punk - Digital Love (mp3)

Also today Debbie Harry enjoys her 62nd birthday. Holy shit sixty two! It is easy to forget, of course, that she was already in her 30's by the time that Blondie were in their pomp. Didn't stop a wet dream or two though (not of course by the Vicar - far too mucky).There aren't many times when I get stumped trying to choose a song for the blog because of the sheer depth of choice on the album. Happy Birthday Deborah.

Blondie - Hanging on the Telephone (mp3)

Buy Daft Punk here and Blondie here

2007-05-31T16:08:00.000+01:00

Dark Days - Part Two

Unfortuately I have no excuses. Well, saying that there might be a tiny excuse as my first girlfriend was into Asia. For a spotty faced teenager, even dumbing down to this extent could be entertained for the promise of some late night fumblings. And dumbing down is surely the end result of listening to this kind of twaddle. Fortunately, the album released in 1982 left my ownership many, many years ago but the emotional scarring is still there.

Just to remind those too young or too disinterested, Asia were yet another supergroup. The principal players were Steve Howe and Greg Downes who both came from Yes, John Wetton from King Crimson, and Carl Palmer from of course - Emerson, Lake and Palmer. And they were shit. And they still are shit judging from the information I found out indicating that they are reformed and touring. In fact, just to prove that there is synergy in this world I found out here that the support group on their US tour are none other than The Alan Parsons Project! Now that is scary.

Just so all you disgruntled fans can't complain too much, I have a full list of UK dates . But for the sane ones amongst us pick the one closest to you and make sure you're out of town. Treat yourself, you know you deserve it.

December 1st - Falmouth Pavilion December 2nd - Bournemouth BIC Pavilion December 4th - Liverpool Academy December 5th - Perth Concert Halls (Scotland) December 6th - Glasgow Academy (Scotland) December 7th - Ebbw Vale Leisure Centre (Wales)December 8th - Frome Cheese & Grain December 10th - Newcastle Academy December 11th - Nottingham Rock City December 12th - Oxford Zodiac Club (Academy) December 13th - Manchester Academy December 14th - Wolverhampton Civic December 16th - London Shepherds Bush

If you really fancy it here is their most famous song:

Asia - Heat of the Moment (mp3)

which you can buy right here

And for everybody else some alternatives from 1982:

Kate Bush - There Goes A Tenner (mp3) Buy

ABC - Poison Arrow (mp3) Buy

Heaven 17 - Let Me Go (mp3) Buy

Human League - Being Boiled (mp3) Buy

2007-05-28T19:27:00.000+01:00

Feel the Force

Thirty years seems to fly by extremely quickly. There I was one moment queueing for ages outside the Odeon waiting to catch up with the latest craze. And the very next I'm a middle aged (but twinkle-eyed) sloth reading about who their favourite Star Wars character is based on six films (as outlined in this months 'Empire'). Yes, my Dad was right and life does seem to pass by in an instant (rather like the hyperspace button on the 'Millenium Falcon'). In 1977, the world was still excited by the prospect of space travel. The Apollo missions of 1968-1972 were still a fresh (if rather costly) memory and it seemed only a matter of time before mankind would embark on another feat of exploration. After all the shuttle programme was well into its design phase and hopefully this would realise the ambition of cheaper space travel.

I think that Star Wars series has provided more let-downs than highlights over the years (Empire Strikes Back versus all the rest), although the franchise has provided a share of amusement in places. It seems that only 'Lord of the Rings' has the kind of marketing muscle to offer any alternative - and that is a sobering thought. I have all sorts of misgivings about the injustices of the 'Hollywood system' against any other kind of cinema. Injustices that appear to injure the rights of less mainstream directors in the USA, or any director in another country, to make truly thought-provoking films. Indeed, Star Wars and perhaps Jaws before it seemed to sound the death knell for truly artistic film making in Hollywood. Not that either were bad films - Jaws is in fact one of my favourites - but they provided a blue print for change. The rise of the blockbuster saw a parallel decline in films that made you think. Strangely, while Star Wars was investing a new form of conservatism into film a revolution was occuring in music. The Pistols has released 'God Save the Queen' and punk was upsetting 'middle england'. Punk rock filth was causing middle-class fury and it appeared that Britain and perhaps the world would never be the same again.

Ultimately who would have thought that after another thirty years the majority of punks would be forgotten, Strummer and Vicious would be dead, and thirty-five years after Gene Cernan had been the last human to walk on the moon (alledgedly), no other human would have left the earths orbit? But still the legend of 'Star Wars' lives on - what a bizarre world we live on.

Here to make me feel better are a few tasty morsels from 1977 that hopefully will provide inspiration for another thirty years. Somehow I think that 'Star Wars' will outlive them all.

Talking Heads - Psycho Killer (mp3) Buy

Donna Summer - I Feel Love (mp3) (Patrick Cowley Mix) Buy

David Bowie - Heroes (mp3) Buy

The Stranglers - No More Heroes (mp3) Buy

2007-05-24T18:14:00.000+01:00

Dark Days - Part One

Its confession time at 'The World Won't Listen' as a routeway through to my musical soul is opened. Ever since my Dire Straits post a while back I have recieved a degree of ribbing from some quarters about my musical convictions. Not that I'm complaining mind, as the pointed remarks are genuinely deserved. You can't go posting music by Dire Straits without much soul searching. Now Davy H over at The Ghost of Electricity has gone and posted an entry about the 'Wizard of Oz' inspired Toto. Hmmm, just where is all this going I wonder. Will we soon have Matthew at Song, by Toad posting Dollar? How about JC our very own Vinyl Villain revealing that number eight in his 'Great Unacknowledged Albums' series is Shakin Stevens and 'This Ole House'? Or Crash at Pretending Life is Like a Song waxing lyrical about the neo-marxist hidden messages inside 'Agadoo'?

Whatever the outcome I've decided to lay all the cards on the table and come clean. Over the next few postings I will reveal the results of a dark quest into the inner sanctum of my record collection both past and present. Namely the albums that shame me. The ones that continue to gather dust but should have been thrown out years ago. The ones that were thrown out, but their memory still clouds my soul. It will be a hard quest but a necessary one because afterwards I will be exorcised and my demons released.

So to begin:

The Alan Parsons Project - The Turn of a Friendly Card

Just what was I thinking? And to make things even worse I actually possessed three other albums at one point. I first listened to this lot when my brother got the 'Pyramid' album back in the late seventies. They were prog rock and Parsons had infamously engineered Pink Floyd's 'Dark Side of the Moon' in 1973. Remember readers that this was the height of New Wave and Mr Vicar was deeply immersed in The Cure, Magazine, and The Jam. Somehow I was under the false illusion that I needed to widen my musical horizons by listening to Alan Parsons. I think in retrospect I must have been possessed as there seems to be no other plausible explanation for my foolhardiness. In fact, there may well be some credence to this statement. Parsons used to get all sorts of 'artistes' to work as guests on his albums. They included the likes of Colin "brokenhearted" Blunstone, Arthur Lee, Steve Harley and John Miles. Perhaps they were all under his spell. Needless to say that the aforesaid albums have all been consigned to the album scrapheap and are probably propping up some corner of a charity shop as I write. There I feel better already, but only by degrees as there is worse to come. Oh yes far worse!

Visit your local record fair and buy them if you dare my friends - the demons may get you as well. But as an antidote I also post something far more appetizing to your souls. The Cure and one of their greatest albums - 'Seventeen Seconds'. Released in the same year, 1980, to provided some sort of synergy.

The Cure - Play For Today (mp3)

The Cure - In Your House (mp3)

Buy The Cure right here. And if you want to make the same mistakes as the Tutu Vicar buy Alan Parsons here

2007-05-14T20:55:00.000+01:00

Busy Bee

Busy, busy busy. Sorry to all about my absence over the last couple of weeks. The pressures of coursework from students means that this time of year is always hard. My time is taken by others I'm afraid. Still, I hope to make amends (by degrees) over the coming weeks, even though there is much to do before calm returns to Vicar Towers at the end of June. So a few offerings to keep my dwindling band of followers happy:

Elvis Costello - Welcome to the Working Week (mp3) buy

Grinderman - Honey Bee (Lets Fly To Mars) (mp3) buy

Billy Bragg - The Busy Girl Buys Beauty (mp3) buy

2007-04-30T21:06:00.000+01:00

Heartbreaker

Disconsolation. Misery. Abject despair. If your a football fan then you will recognise these feelings. For some fans these days come around more often than those of other supporters, but ultimately all will suffer the slings and arrows of faithful devotion. And this is the time of year when it happens more often than any other. The pain of relegation. The disappointment of finishing one place outside of the play off positions. A play off final defeat. Either at the match or watching on television the misery is writ large on the faces of the supporters. Why do we do it? Just what is the point? The latest failure - after the majority of the season perched proudly at the top of Unibond Premier Division AFC Telford Utd are defeated at home by Burscough who take the title (and automatic promotion) in the process. Oh God why?

Roxy Music - In Every Dream Home a Heartache (mp3) (I still luv ya Bryan)

Squeeze - Another Nail In My Heart (mp3)

And the answer. Well I suppose everybody has their own agenda, but if you listen to Billy Mackenzie ('If there's a cure for this, then I don't want it') I think you'll get the idea.

Associates - Love Hangover (mp3)

Buy Roxy here, Squeeze here and Associates here.

2007-04-26T18:12:00.000+01:00

Architecture and Morality

The past week or two has seen the nations press in a state of frenzy (perhaps slightly overstated) over the comments made by Bryan Ferry to the German newspaper Welt am Sonntag. For those who have been living in a bubble, the controversy surrounds his appreciation of the architecture of Albert Speer and the films of Leni Riefenstahl. The moral outrage has resulted in calls for M & S (that bastion of conservative middle class England) to rid themselves of the modelling contract with Ferry as an 'olive branch' to the people that he has insulted. For instance, Victoria Coren, writing in the Observer said that, 'they should drop the lame-brained Geordie ponce.'

Now I am not not going to make some apologist stance for Bryan Ferry. His comments, although probably meant in sincerity, were completely ill conceived. To go on about a facet of the Nazi regime, that was an intrinsic part of the way that Hitler and Goebbels intoxicated 1930's Germany with lies and deceipt was plain stupid. Especially without putting the thoughts into context. I'm sure most people realise that the iconography goes hand in hand with the political beliefs. But to say that nobody can admire the works of Speer or Riefenstahl for their 'quality' is equally misguided. Speers work was revolutionary. Riefenstahls films before the Nazi stuff were also very good. If we are going to argue that to admire their work is off-limits, then we should be equally severe with Wagner, Ezra Pound or W.B. Yeats.

The Nazis were evil. Hopefully, the vast majority of the worlds population know that. And of course we should never forget it. I hope that Bryan Ferry has not got any sympathy for them because I have long admired his work. But the debate, much like that over Joy Division, leaves a sour taste in the mouth. It just shows you how the shadow of some long dead tyrant like Hitler can linger very long.

Songs for today:

Belle and Sebastian - The Boy Done Wrong Again (mp3) Buy

Heaven 17 - We Dont Need This (Fascist Groove Thang) (mp3) Buy

OMD - Joan of Arc (mp3) Buy (from Architecture & Morality of course)

2007-04-23T22:23:00.000+01:00

They Were Not Always Shit (honest)

First an apology for not posting sooner. Very, very busy at the moment. All manner of shit going down.

So now to the matter in hand and of course I expect to be ridiculed and lampooned unmercilessly. Yes it is Dire Straits. Yes I bought this album (from a little record shop in Hitchin I remember where I was very impressed that the shop owner knew the serial numbers to every record). And yes I still like it to this day. Unlike later efforts where Knopfler et al left all sense behind and embraced Americana with welcome arms, this has an honest simplicity. It is a million miles away from 'Money for Nothing'. You can tell it was made on a budget but not really because of the lack of production. In fact it is the lack of rock histrionics that sets it apart from the rock cliches that punk was trying to rid the charts of in the late seventies.

Disagree with me if you must, but this album is a gem.

Dire Straits - Southbound Again (mp3)

Dire Straits - Wild West End (mp3)

Buy Dire Straits here (buy any of the others at your peril)

2007-04-18T19:56:00.000+01:00

Kings and Queens

Contrast Podcast has the theme of royalty for this week but, despite being an interesting topic to add my own contribution, I managed to somehow miss the deadline. You can find the link right here or look at the blogroll. This oversight is, of course, nothing new as I rarely seem to get round to doing the necessary thinking/recording/sending etc. I see this as a sign of either old age or laziness or stupidity. Probably all three. Anyway I thought I'd take the opportunity of adding my own recommendations to the already fine list below:

Playlist:

(00:58) The Sex Pistols - God Save The Queen
Heather from I am fuel, you are friends

(04:44) Gruff Rhys - The court of King Arthur
Ross from Just gimme indie rock

(08:25) The Battle of Land & Sea - Saltwater Queen
ZB from So the wind won’t blow it all away

(12:00) Echobelly - King of the kerb
Crash from Pretending life is like a song

(16:14) Bishop Allen - Queen of the rummage sale
Kate from The Glorious Hum

(20:14) The King’s Consort - Nulla in mundo pax sincera
Cindy from Adzuki bean stash

(27:03) House of Fools - Live and learn
Andy from Circles of Concrete

(32:00) Elliot Smith - King’s crossing
Spoodles from Robot Hand is the Future

(35:15) The Jesus Lizard - Queen for a day
Bob from Gimme Tinnitus

(37:48) Reverend Horton Heat - King
Tom from Other people’s toys

(41:00) Helicopter Helicopter - Talented socialites
Chip from Atomic Ned

(44:22) Bitch & Animal - Drag king bar
Axydlbaaxr

(49:31) Okkervil River - A King and a Queen
The Duke of Straw from The Late Greats

(52:57) The Kings - This beat goes on/switchin’ to glide
Natalie from Mini-Obs

(59:07) Soft Machine - Kings and Queens
Mark from Cinema du Lyon

(01:04:37) Richard Thompson - King of bohemia
Colin from and before the first kiss

(01:09:05) Mary Lee’s Corvette - Lily, Rosemary and the Jack of Hearts
Jarrod from Living in fear is no good to anyone

And to that list you can enjoy a right royal knees up by listening to:

Wilco - Casino Queen (mp3) buy

David Bowie - Queen Bitch (mp3) buy

UB40 - King (mp3) buy

Queens of the Stone Age - Feel Good Hit of the Summer (mp3) buy

Prince - I Would Die 4 U (mp3) buy

2007-04-16T20:13:00.000+01:00

And on the seventh day......

And so creation was over. Well it was for the record label which drew to close with 'Guerilla' by the Super Furry Animals. A shame for all concerned really as the label had nurtured and promoted the fortunes of many a good band/artist since the early eighties. I suppose the end of label that many considered to be the greatest of 'the independents' was inevitable. By getting into bed with Sony Alan McGee had set the ball of destruction rolling to its ultimate conclusion.

Still, at least the last genuine on Creation was a good one. Full of experimentation it marked a sea change for the Super Furries. Perhaps the winds of change move in opposite directions ...?

Super Furry Animals - Do or Die (mp3)

Super Furry Animals - Northern Lites (mp3)

Purchase some rather fine SFA here - and stay tuned for more Creation stuff in due course

2007-04-14T12:29:00.000+01:00

The Face of Youth Keeps Turning West

The spectre of Ian Curtis, and the legacy of both Joy Division and New Order dwells long in some places. No more so than in the early work of The Beloved. I've blathered on about this band before and without wishing to repeat myself think that they were super-duper. Yes they lost their way later on, but for a couple of years produced almost perfect pop records. And now, of course, Jon Marsh has made his way as a very successful DJ - see here.

In the early period they received regular criticism from the music press for clinging to New Order's coat tails, especially in the bass lines and the production values. But more often than not they won their detractors over with some fine lyrics and, at times, frenzied guitars. Despite the hundreds of CD's on my shelves I still reckon that stuff by The Beloved is the most regularly played. Do people agree with me though? Do they heck. Despite all my best efforts, my pleas for recognition fall on deaf ears from the majority of my friends. I just don't understand. Horses for courses I suppose.

But I keep trying .....

The Beloved - This Means War (mp3)

The Beloved - If Only (mp3)

The Beloved - A Kiss Goodbye (mp3)

So come along, dust off your credit cards and buy The Beloved here. 'Happiness' for only £4.97 is the bargain of the century. Also checkout the free downloads on the Jon Marsh website here

Oh, and while your at it buy the amazing novel by Toni Morrison - 'Beloved' here - probably one the greatest reads you'll ever have

2007-04-12T13:54:00.000+01:00

A Very Small World in the Middle of a Crowd

I've had 'best of' CD of The Ruts called 'Something That I Said' for a number of years but havn't played it in ages. Then I saw a review of the Clinton Heylin history of Punk and Grunge called 'Babylon's Burning' and decided to buy it. You can buy it too from here. Naturally this made me want to revisit the album and just as before I'm amazed by how much The Ruts achieved in such a short time.

Beginning in 1978 it was less than two years before lead singer Malcolm Owen died of a heroin overdose aged only 26. Other members of the band were Paul Fox on guitar, Vince Segs on bass and Dave Ruffy on drums. They had a really hard edge that attracted a similarly hard edged clientelle to their gigs, in particular the skin-heads of the late punk era. But because the band put forward a strong anti-racist stance this did not sit well with some of the fans and often the gigs would degenerate into violence. Some have said that this was a contributory factor in Owen's addiction although hard to prove.

There is little doubt that Owen had one of the finest punk voices of the era. His loss was at a time when The Clash were disappearing off to the States and was felt all the worse for that. Unlike the Pistols and the rest of the McLaren posse they dressed like the majority of the punk scene, and just seemed plain ordinary working class lads. After the death of Owen the band continued for three more years, but having the front man taken away left them in an unenviable position and they were unable to create the same success.

The Ruts - In A Rut (mp3)

The Ruts - Jah War (mp3)

The Ruts - Staring at the Rude Boys (mp3)

If you havn't heard The Ruts then take a listen and if you like what you hear then buy the albums here. A measly £6.98 for 'The Crack/Grin and Bear It' is a steal. If you have heard them take another listen and do the same.

2007-04-11T20:01:00.000+01:00

Happy Birthday

I'm not sure how I feel about the blogging world acting as some kind of confessional or as a 'virtual shoulder' to cry on. For a start it kind of goes against the grain. I'm not exactly the 'cry on your shoulder' type, but I suppose dealing with a lot of unknown faces helps, so here goes.

Mrs Vicar and I had a lovely daughter who died. Her name was Beth. It was a long time ago, but the memory does not diminish. She would have been eleven today. She was only a year and a half old when she died and she was very sick, so in many ways she was released from a lot of torment. But there is still hardly a day goes by when I do not think of her. These days I mostly laugh at the memories rather than shed a tear so it is not a tortuous thing at all, in fact it's a celebration. Beth these are for you:

Paul Weller - Sunflower (mp3) buy

Van Morrison - Sweet Thing (mp3) buy

The House of Love - Shine On (mp3) buy

Tori Amos - Cornflake Girl (mp3) buy

2007-04-10T12:23:00.000+01:00

DIY Monday

Spent the the whole of yesterday in the garden with Mrs Vicar and the vicarlets. We had looked out of the kitchen on Easter Sunday to realise that the garden was looking a little... well - crepuscular for want of a better expression. The conifer trees that went down the side and blocked the sunlight would have to go. So we set to work and started lopping and sawing with abandon. Only to realise, of course, that we would have to get up all the trunks and roots. But we managed it, hurrah, and now I ache. Oh god I ache - serves me right I guess for biting off a little more than I could chew.

Tracks for today are therefore:

Wilco - Forget the Flowers (mp3) buy

Pulp - Trees (mp3) buy

Ray LaMontagne - You Can Bring Me Flowers (mp3) buy

2007-04-07T10:01:00.000+01:00

The World's Most Flexible Record Label

Ahh, Stiff Records. I remember them with affection. Suddenly at the end of the seventies, to be really cool you had to be signed to a minor label. And, of course, these were the days when minor labels were really a minor label, not a phantasm, an illusion if you will of the kind of small scale label that exists in today's music industry. The media conglomerates still play this game of trying to convince you that the latest bright young things are 'superior' because they belong to the 'sweaty bollocks' label or something similar. And behind the label, skulking like some lardy monster is 'the major' with its corporate bosses chewing on a cigar, and drinking a brandy after their latest business deal. Sickening.

Back in the seventies it was different. The fatcats were still there, but there were also the true independents and one of them was Stiff. Rather famously, of course, Stiff had their "If it ain't Stiff it ain't worth a fuck" slogan, and this provocative stance increased the 'dangerous' feel of the label to spotty faced teenagers like myself. And then there were the artists themselves. Nick Lowe and Elvis Costello were there for a short time, while Ian Dury and Madness were there for much longer. In fact the single sales of Madness really kept the label afloat until its eventual demise in 1986, although it had already teamed up with the semi-independent Island records in 1983. Yes, it was the 'golden age' of the independents and Mr Vicar the cynic believes it is an age we will never see again.

Lene Lovich - Lucky Number (mp3) buy

Ian Dury & the Blockheads - Inbetweenies (mp3) buy

Elvis Costello - Less Than Zero (mp3) buy

The Damned - Neat Neat Neat (mp3) buy

2007-04-06T10:48:00.000+01:00

Bristol-Hop

For many people the nearest they ever get to Bristol is hurtling past on the M4 or M5. I, however, regard Bristol with rather more fondness. For a start I lived in Gloucestershire for a few years and Bristol was a short drive down the motorway. Apart from Gloucester Guildhall Arts Centre (and at a pinch the Leisure Centre) Bristol was the best place to go and see any bands. The gig by The Sundays (fuck, what year was that?) was just about the very finest that I have seen.

Anyway, I digress. What I really want to talk about is trip-hop, or at least the Bristol version of it which became known as 'Bristol-hop' or 'The Bristol Sound'. I suppose the sound really came out of the acid-jazz stuff that had been around since the late eighties - bands like A Tribe Called Quest, De La Soul, or Arrested Development spring to mind. But suddenly everybody was talking about the trippy, spliff induced songs of Massive Attack, Portishead and Tricky. They became the darlings of the music press and for a while it was impossible to remove them from the covers of 'Select', 'NME', 'Q' etc (well a slight exaggeration perhaps while grunge and brit-pop were fighting their wars). The atmospheric and dreamlike sound was quite clearly an extension of the changes taking place in the culture of the place. The docklands area was thriving and Bristol was becoming a much more 'cultural' place to live and work.

In the mid nineties, the three key albums of the movement were released. Massive Attack - 'Protection', Portishead - 'Dummy' and Tricky - 'Maxinquaye'. All were lauded and applauded and Bristol seemed to be the centre of the trip-hop world. The albums released afterwards though never seemed to reach the heights demonstrated in this burst of creativity and the 'Bristol Sound' was never fully realised. Mind, you only have to listen to the likes of Morcheeba or Moloko to understand their importance at the time. Not that I'm saying that either of these bands are that important - but you get the drift I hope....

Massive Attack - Inertia Creeps (mp3) buy

Tricky - Black Steel (mp3) buy

Portishead - Cowboys (mp3) buy

Beth Gibbons & Rustin Man - Tom the Model (mp3) buy

Bandwidth now sorted - thanks for your patience

2007-04-01T15:32:00.000+01:00

Away Day with Tutu Vicar

One of my favourite pastimes when visiting friends is to hunt through their record collections. This is, of course, a trawl through their lives and the records found therein contain a wealth of memories both happy and sad. Down in Cheltenham for the weekend I discovered these little gems. Hunky Dory is my favourite Bowie album and The Bewlay Brothers is my favourite track from it. You could make a case for just about any of the tracks on the album though. It is a perfect late night record.

David Bowie - The Bewlay Brothers (mp3)

I have been to this house hundreds of times and been to lots of parties. The Remix album of Kraftwerk is a party favourite. And the Jimi Hendrix is just for you Les.

Kraftwerk - Pocket Calculator (mp3)
Jimi Hendrix - Red House (mp3)

Please visit www.adrianspaintings.com for more of the type of image you can see above. The tracks you see today are his!

Buy Bowie here and Kraftwerk here and Hendrix here

2007-03-29T21:04:00.000+01:00

Dylanesque. Part Three.

What makes a good cover version? Ask twenty people this question and you'll get a variety of replies - but there must be some kind of science to it. So what type of covers can you get? -

1. Well established (successful?) band/artist covering a big band/artist song

2. New band covering old (successful) song

3. Old band covering unsuccessful song

Have you fallen asleep yet?

4. New band covering less well known song by established artist (maybe a 'b' side)

5. Same working of song

6. Radical reworking of song

Well you get the general idea. It could go on forever almost. But I won't. Not today at least. But we seem to inherently know when a cover is a good attempt or a bad one. And it could be any one of the permutations above. Anyway here are a couple more for you to peruse over. Make your own mind up.........

Cowboy Junkies - If You Gotta Go, Go Now (mp3)

Marc Carroll - Gates of Eden (mp3)

Buy Cowboy Junkies. Buy Marc Carroll.

2007-03-27T23:11:00.000+01:00

Dylanesque. Part 2.

Its late. I'm tired. Mrs Vicar got a new job today. We celebrated. And I'm pissed.

Howard Devoto/Luxuria - She's Your Lover Now (mp3) Buy

The Specials - Maggie's Farm (mp3) Buy

2007-03-26T21:24:00.000+01:00

Dylanesque. Part One.

Mr Toad from Song, By Toad has done a series of Dylan covers today and as promised last week (I'm not copying honest) I'm going to attempt to do the same. Dylan is probably the most covered artist ever (do you think there are any figures available to prove this one way or another? Or is this just too anal for consideration?) but considering his vast output perhaps this is none too surprising. As most people are aware Bryan Ferry has just completed his regular covers album, with mixed reception it has to be said, this time only covering Mr Zimmerman. I'm certain there will be numerous artists trying their hand with his output for years to come. Here are a couple right now:

The Waterboys - Girl from the North Country (mp3)

I suspect that Mr Toad will disagree with this choice given his posting today (see link above) but I think this is a worthy version, but without the pathos added by Mark Everett. I think the Eels treatment is better by a short head.

Echo and the Bunnymen - It's All Over Now Baby Blue (mp3)

I'm just a sucker for Macca whatever he sings.

Buy the Waterboys here and the Bunnymen here and Dylan here

2007-03-23T19:50:00.000Z

Bob

For my last post in acoustic week I have to keep the floor open to his holiness, Robert Zimmerman. I have to say I've never been the greatest Dylan fan there ever was - particularly with the electric stuff. (Yes I would have been there at the Newport Folk Festival jeering and booing with the best of them). And try as I might I have never really liked 'Blonde on Blonde' or 'Blood on the Tracks' despite the plaudits coming from the music press - and all my friends - and family. But I would be foolish indeed not to realise his impact on the music industry over more than four decades. He is a giant, a leviathan, a behemoth of modern recording, and as such needs just recognition. And anyway I might as well blow the entire bandwidth in one go.

Bob Dylan - A Hard Rain's A-Gonna Fall (mp3)

Bob Dylan - It Ain't Me Babe (mp3)

Buy his Bobness here and look out for other Dylan inspired moments next week.

By the way Crash from Pretending Life Is Like A Song has asked me to send all you in blogland his rather plaintive cries of sorrow for not posting today. There was a rather catastrophic hardware failure in the West Midlands rendering his best laid plans redundant. Service will be resumed on monday.

2007-03-22T21:55:00.000Z

Standing here in the dark

When you go through as much as Mark Everett did before the release of 'Electro-shock blues' it is any wonder that he was able to do any song writing whatsoever. Obviously, for many people writing songs, poetry, literature or painting pictures is a way of releasing pent up emotions that can often not be released in any other way. 'Sad songs say so much' can never be truer in some situations. There are many occasions where I wish that I had the talent to express myself creatively in this way. I guess you either have it or you dont. Whatever my own shortcomings, Mr Everett has this talent in spades. And no more so than on this track:

Eels - Dead of Winter (mp3) Buy

I've being seeing a lot of Imogen Heap in the blogosphere recently. She is, quite plainly, a very accomplished and talented musician - but unfortunately that alone is not enough to make it in the hard-bittened world of the music industry. Her early work, in particular, sound a little too earnest. Its like she was trying very hard to fit into cubby holes formed by other artists such as PJ Harvey or Tori Amos. Lately, however, she seems to be far more happy with her own sound as she lets her undoubted vocal talents lead the songs in her own direction rather than others.

Imogen Heap - Hide and Seek (mp3) Buy

2007-03-21T18:01:00.000Z

Come closer and see

Yes a return to familiar territory today as we revisit The Cure. When The Cure released their last album for Fiction Records it was decided that this was to be a greatest hits effort. Robert Smith decided that this was asking perhaps a little too much of the diehard fans, and so the first pressings of the CD came with a bonus disc full of acoustic versions of many of the tracks. Some of these songs are not particularly great, but a few of them are worthy attempts. First (predictably perhaps) is 'A Forest' and second one of the great lament songs in 'Lovesong'.

The Cure - A Forest (mp3) (Acoustic version)
The Cure - Lovesong (mp3) (Acoustic version)

My second treat comes with Everthing But The Girl. I first went to college in October 1984 and those first few months of freedom shall forever be remembered as the 'winter of sophisti-pop'. Every room in the Halls of Residence seemed to be ringing with the sounds of EBTG, shagging, Sade, more shagging, or The Style Council. (Except mine of course which had no shagging and musically The Smiths, The Cure, The Bunnymen and The Redskins). Yes, those were the days.

Everything But The Girl - Each And Every One (mp3)
Everything But The Girl - Another Bridge (mp3)

Buy EBTG here and The Cure here

2007-03-20T20:24:00.000Z

Theres a Random Painted Highway

I dont really know what is my favourite album of the 2000's but 'A Ghost is Born' would be up there in the top ten. I am rapidly beginning to think that Jeff Tweedy is a songwriting god. I am so looking forward to the release of 'Sky blue sky'. Everything Wilco seeemed to have done in the last ten years seems to have turned to gold. The collaborations with Billy Bragg, 'Yankee Hotel Foxtrot', 'A Ghost is Born' - all are superb. With many of the tracks of the new album now floating around in hyperspace, I've been deliberately trying to avoid downloading any of them in order to listen to the album in one go - 'freshlike'. Lets hope I'm not disappointed.

Wilco - Muzzle of Bees (mp3) Buy

A bit of a cheat I know as its not all acoustic but I do as I please.

In February this year The Pentangle got together and performed for the first time in over 20 years at the Radio 2 folk awards. Formed in 1967 at the height of the British folk revival they were like a folk supergroup featuring the combined guitar talents of Bert Jansch and John Renbourn. The band was also graced by the sweet vocals of Jacqui McShee, and the Jazz influence of Danny Thompson and Terry Cox. The 'Basket of Light' album of 1969 was a favourite of my folky sister and I remember (sort of) liking the album in spite of my disdain of most things she liked during the late 70's punk/new wave era. By the time I returned to the album about 10 years later I was won over by the accomplished playing of all the musicians. This track is actually a cover version of a Phil Spector track from the early 60's and features on the aforesaid 'Basket of Light'.

The Pentangle - Sally Go Round The Roses (mp3) Buy

2007-03-19T19:50:00.000Z

Let Normal Service Resume

After having the lurgy all last week, its hopefully back to normal as I finish off the curtailed acoustic week.

With all the plaudits bestowed upon Nick Drake over the last few years I feel a little reluctant to make a post about an artist when it feels like I'm joining a bandwagon. There appear to be endless people I know who all say the same thing, 'I liked Nick Drake before he became popular'. Well I think all the arguments are irrelevant because it matters little about when you like a band or an artist. It only matters that you appreciate them in the first place. Each to their own and all that. For all sorts of reasons, both musically and personally I have turned to his three albums for many years. I have been made happy, saddened and enthralled in equal measure. We all know that this is what music is all about.

Nick Drake - Northern Sky (mp3) buy

My second track today comes from Illinois based band Beauty Shop. I don't know an awful lot about them except that they have been around for few years and have released a couple of albums during this time. This track comes from a 2004 release 'Crisis Helpline'.

Beauty Shop - Nightcrawlers (mp3) buy

2007-03-13T19:59:00.000Z

A Shelter in a Storm

Way too much electric stuff over the last few posts, so time to chill out and warm to some rather more mellow sounds. It's Acoustic week at 'The World Wont Listen'.

Joan Armatrading is one of those singers whom I always come back to. In the early years, before she picked up the electric guitar, her music was romantic, enticing and pure emotion. Some of the songs are some of the very best songwriting I have ever heard.

As Crash from the Pretending Life is Like A Song pointed out to me, she was more than a little tarnished by the opposition to 'Red Wedge' and her support of the Thatcher government. But despite this, her undoubted ability seems to make her bad choice of politics bearable. I will keep on listening to those first three albums.

Joan Armatrading - Love and Affection (mp3)

Joan Armatrading - Willow (mp3)

Buy Joan here

2007-03-09T16:16:00.000Z

Too Much Volume

I missed 'Volume 3' and went straight onto 'Volume 4' and although I was still enjoying the magazine the price was prohibitive to a point that it meant less food to eat. As much as I like listening to new music my appetite (or more importantly that of my wife) always comes first.

So this was it to me -the end of 'Volume'. Nowadays free music on other monthly music magazines, or more especially the blog, has meant that finding new music to buy is easier than it has ever been (a point still missed by a few record companies, its worth repeating again and again and ag........).

1. Suede - My Insatiable One (mp3) - new piano version

Any song that contains the lyric, 'on the escalator we shit paracetemol' has got to be worth a listen. This was a track on 'The Drowners' ep.

2. Swallow - Lovesleep (mp3)

Dont know an awful lot about this band except that they were on 4AD. Sounds good though.

3. The Fall - Arid Al's Dream (mp3)

This a bit of a rare one to all you Fall fans. When I first went to college a new friend (Kurt where are you?) played The Fall to death every night for about a year. I think I hated them then but have since learned the error of my ways. This track is just vintage Mark E. Smith.

4. Babes in Toyland - Sometimes (mp3)

Lollapalooza. Riot grrrl. You get the idea I'm sure. I can't say I'm the greatest fan in the world but this is okay.

Buy all these artists at the following links:

Suede - Swallow - The Fall - Babes in Toyland

2007-03-08T09:36:00.000Z

Pump Up The Volume

Today is my 1000th hit party. Hooray! Somebody from Leandro, California was the lucky boy/girl, and will receive the prize of my eternal gratitude. Well done.

Today a few more little slices of musical heaven from the halls of 'Volume' magazine. I think that issue 1 was rather like a promo copy and issue 2 was more like they had envisaged the product when writing their proposals/ treatments. First up today is:

1. The Blue Aeroplanes - Aeroplane Blues (mp3)

This is an alternative mix from the 'Beatsongs' album of 1991. I'll have more about The Blue Aeroplanes in a future post, but they have got to be one of the most underrated bands ever. Live they were just awesome.

2. Blur - Oily Water (mp3)

Taken from 'Modern Life is Rubbish' which has to be my favourite Blur album. Just shows you how different they were from the 'baggy brigade' brush with which they were generously tarred.

3. The Sugarcubes - Hetero Scum (mp3)

I havn't got enough Sugarcubes. Mental note - must get some more.

4. Pulp - She's Dead (mp3)

Released on Fire records just before they hit paydirt this was from the 'Separations' album which was a commercial failure. Little did they know what was just around the corner.

Buy The Blue Aeroplanes 'Swagger' or 'Beatsongs' here and/or Blur with 'Modern Life is Rubbish' at only £5.97 here. You wont regret these purchases.

Buy The Sugarcubes here

Buy Pulp or Jarvis Cocker here - £7.49 for 'Different Class' is a bargain

2007-03-07T10:57:00.000Z

The volume goes up to seventeen

In the early to mid-nineties, those of a certain age may well remember a music magazine called 'Volume' which had about 200 pages in each issue and was the size of a CD case. I remember its format and content seeming to be much more radical than the mainstream music press. Although, I only ever bought the first 4 or 5 it went all the way upto issue 17 with each magazine featuring a CD of all the artists appearing in that issue. Inside each issue was a mixture of interviews, discographies and factual information. There were variety of artists, some new some well established, featured from a range of genres icluding hip-hop, electronic, ambient, indie etc. Many of the acts were a little dodgy but there were some nuggets inbetween. So here we are from Volume One:

1. Throwing Muses - Red Shoes (mp3)

2. The Popguns - Going Under (mp3)

3. New Order - Confusion: DMC Remix (mp3)

4. The Wolfgang Press - Sucker (mp3)

Buy them (in the order you see above) here here here and here

2007-03-05T18:10:00.000Z

When the routine bites hard

Last post on the 'B' Sides of the 90's today. I have to say that this collection isn't the finest set of songs that have ever been produced and is indicative of some of the things that I've said in earlier posts. I don't think I will be attempting something so foolhardy again- at least not from single culled after 1990.

However, that said, I do actually like my two offerings for your perusal. First up is Pavement with a track from the 'Watery, Domestic' ep from 1992. Recorded after the 'Slanted and Enchanted' album from the same year the ep was a bit of a watershed for the band with Gary Young leaving shortly afterwards. Despite all the (wrong in my opinion) comparisons with The Fall I think Pavement were one of the better indie offerings at the time.

Pavement - Frontwards (mp3)

The second track is a bit of a cheat. In 1995 there was a re-release of 'Love Will Tear Us Apart' and although this is not entirely in the spirit of the post it will do for me. It needs no other introduction.

Joy Division - These Days (mp3)

Buy Pavement here and buy Joy Division here

2007-03-02T20:07:00.000Z

No way baby lets go

Two more 'B' sides from the 1990's today. Seen lots of posting about The Wonderstuff recently. Two good albums and then mostly shite, but when they were good they were very good. This one is from the 1994 re-release of 'Unbearable':

The Wonderstuff - Hit by a Car (mp3)

Primal Scream are one of those bands whom you either love or hate. There seems to be no middle ground. I fall very definitely on the love side of the equation.

The self titled 'Primal Scream 'album from 1985 had a track on it called 'I'm losing more than I'll ever have'. The band had obviously decided on a new sound, so that when they teamed up with Andrew Weatherall before the Screamadelica album they decided to remix the album track into a new single. This deconstruction was to become 'Loaded'. The track I have for you today is a remix of the album track in a rather less radical way. It appears as a 'B' side on the 'Loaded' CD single.

Primal Scream - I'm losing more than I'll ever have (mp3)

Buy Primal Scream here and the Stuffies here

2007-03-01T18:14:00.000Z

Going Blank Again

Oh dear! Suddenly I've found myself not having posted for 3 days. This week seems to have flown by. Anyhow, I want to start a couple of blog entries under the umbrella title of 'b'sides since 1990. And today I want to share a couple of my favourite tracks from the early part of this period. I say 'b' sides in the loosest sense of the word, of course, because the CD revolution seemed to have disposed of the flip side in favour of either:

(a) Some ridulous set of remixes by people I've never heard of bearing stupid names like 'DJ Spongebob' or 'Hell Boy' etc. (They also have equally ridiculous names like the 'upside down, inside out mix' or 'Osram lightbulb mix').

(b) 'Live' versions at some dingy club in backwatersville.

(c) An 'EP' featuring maybe one good track and then two fillers that give the word 'filler' a bad name.

The first track is from The Manics 1994 release of She is Suffering. Taken from the album The Holy Bible you might argue that this was the last great Manics album. While I can't say I care for the live version of Suedes The Drowners that pads out the single (see (b) above) - I do like this track:

Manic Street Preachers - Love Torn Us Under (mp3)

The second item is from shoegazing favourites Ride. With one or exceptions I think a lot of the early 90's 'wall of sound' stuff has weathered very poorly. But Ride, My Bloody Valentine and to a lesser extent Chapterhouse all produced some worthy songs. Especially the ones where the vocals were not put so far back in the mix to be unintelligible. The 'b' side is from the 1992 single 'Leave Them All Behind'.

Ride - Grasshopper (mp3)

Buy Manics stuff here and read about the upcoming tour here

Buy Ride here

2007-02-26T19:03:00.000Z

God, that's so gay!

"Give me a sweet"
"no"
"why not? You gay!"

"I'm not coming out tonight"
"that's gay that is"

"Let me have a go on your Nintendo DS"
"not now"
"oh don't be gay!"

I hear this crap at school on a daily basis, and its time to speak up. The kids (not all of them of course - no tar brushing here) repeat this kind of thing without ever thinking about what they're saying (at least I like to think they are, but perhaps I'm just being naive and they are not simply embarressed but deeply engrained homophobes). Of course, they will be the first to cry 'rascist' or 'sexist', and will go around with all the appearance of demanding respect, but the gay world is not even close to being allocated an equal respect. For heavens sake, a number of my students even expressed an inability to watch 'Brokeback Mountain' because they were apparently afraid it would change their sexuality. The slightest hint of any kind of male (or female) contact on celluloid has them in paroxysm's of concern. And it has definitely got worse over the last few years. I know I'm not being paranoid here. Anyhow, rant over, this one is for you if you think these kids are right.

Senseless Things - Homophobic Asshole (mp3)

Get the Senseless Things here

2007-02-24T17:58:00.000Z

Whatever Happened to Leon Trotsky?

The last time I saw The Stranglers was November 1st 1986 at Gloucester Leisure Centre - over twenty years ago. Bloody hell I must be getting old. I've always really liked The Stranglers, even when it was really unhip to do so. In the years 1977-1980 to be a real punk-rocker you mustn't have liked the old art school, middle class punk wannabies. They were tainted with their links to pub-rock and psychedelia in a way that their punk contemporaries never were. I suppose they were just too old. I think what I really liked about their music though (other than the Dave Greenfield organ bits) was their intellectualism. Sure I also enjoyed the angry young man songs of The Ruts, SLF and The Sex Pistols; but I thought The Stranglers were different and what was wrong with that? Perhaps by the time of 'Golden Brown' and 'Strangle Little Girl' my affection for the group was waning somewhat, but I will always hold the first three albums with a great degree of affection.

1. The Stranglers - Something Better Change (mp3)

2. The Stranglers - Hanging Around (mp3)

Buy their output here

2007-02-22T19:55:00.000Z

Nobody Would Know You Were Dead

Anybody in the know would of course realise that this was a portion of a lyric in a Vibrators song from which Stiff Little Fingers realised their name.

"If it wasn't for your stiff little fingers, nobody would know you were dead."

Shamefully, I managed to miss Jake Burns' 48th birthday yesterday so I will try and rescue this lack of apprecation with my blog entry for today.

During my informative teenage years I, like many others, would have my ear glued to the radio during the evening, listening to the dour tones of John Peel. So when Peelie played 'Suspect Device' to death in a bid to win over the new punk generation I was very appreciative of this brash Belfast sound. These were protest songs with a difference. The songs were a million miles away from the visions of Ulster I was used to. Mainland Britain was used to being bombarded by stereotypes written by likes of the 'Daily Mail' and the 'Daily Express'. Musically, SLF were furious but accomplished in their musical style. It was perfect for the time and 'Inflammable Material' still remains in my list of greatest debut albums ever. So the two tracks chosen from this album are 'Suspect Device' itself (though the single version rather than that found on the album), and their cover of the Bob Marley classic 'Johnny Was'. Incidentally, I also like the fact that Bruce Foxton, was until recently, a member of the band. There are probably many people (judging by the strength of feeling diplayed in the blogging world recently) who feel he should of stayed there.

1. Stiff Little Fingers - Suspect Device (mp3)

2. Stiff Little Fingers - Johnny Was (mp3)

Buy Inflammable Material for the bargain price of only £7.49 here and visit the SLF website where there is a list of all the tour dates for March here

2007-02-21T19:42:00.000Z

Springtime Promises

I was over at the ghost of electricity today looking at Davy's post about Heidi Berry. Firstly it got me thinking about spring which is patently only just around the corner (at least according to the wonderful bulbs now appearing in my local woodlands and hedgerows) and secondly about the whole 4AD and This Mortal Coil thing. The 4AD experience provided me with some purely wonderful listening experiences - Pixies, Cocteau Twins, Frazier Chorus and Throwing Muses amonst many others. For those who dont know, This Mortal Coil was an umbrella term for the myriad of artists belonging to the 4AD stable. Although very patchy, when the collective worked well it worked very well. Not least in my two chosen tracks for today. The first is is 'You and Your Sister' featuring the rather lovely voices of Tanya Donelly (Breeders, Belly, Throwing Muses) and Kim deal (The Pixies). Just a wonderful track. The second is the Heidi Berry collaboration with 'Til I Gain Control Again'. Mmmmmmm.

1. This Mortal Coil - You and your sister (mp3)

2. This Mortal Coil - 'Til I gain control again (mp3)

Buy This Mortal Coil here

2007-02-19T10:00:00.000Z

Aaaarggghhh!

At the weekend got back from a nice week relaxing in the sunny southern climes of Dorset. The whole family enjoyed the experience, and it was doubly nice to be away from the PC and do a spot of reading. This was all with one exception. The first monday Mrs Vicar and I were forced to drive over 100 miles back home because we had been burgled. (Believe me 100 miles in old Land Rover Defender seems like an age). Now this made me very angry. Not because of the physical damage of them getting in, or indeed what they stole (which turned out to be very little - the incompetent louts), but the fact that my kids had lost a days holiday with us sorting out the mess left behind. I find it hard to believe that some people are just so callous. Its infuriating. So today I've got two very angry songs. Not directed at anything in particular - just angry because thats how I feel.

1. Alanis Morissette - You Oughta Know (mp3)

2. Siouxsie and the Banshees - Helter Skelter (mp3)

Buy their stuff here and here

2007-02-09T11:16:00.000Z

I thought I saw Lauren Bacall

The last post for my driving theme and my last post for the next week because Mrs Vicar, the kids and I are off to Dorset for some r & r.

For tracks numbers 9 and 10 we're back to the early eighties with a couple of fine contributions by The Clash and Talking Heads. The 'Combat Rock' album saw The Clash in a state of near collapse. Mick Jones was clearly unhappy with how the band direction was going and Topper Headon had his well publiced drug addiction to deal with. The album continued the themes displayed on 'Sandanista' and although many perceive it to be a watered down, commercial effort they were still a cut above most of their contemporaries. Meanwhile, the 'Speaking in Tongues' album by Talking Heads is a classic through and through. The album saw Bryne, Harrison, Weymouth and Frantz at the top of their form. Great for parties, 'slippery people' makes any car mix stand out.

1. The Clash - Car Jamming (mp3)

2. Talking Heads - Slippery People (mp3)

Get your Clash stuff here and Talking Heads stuff here

2007-02-08T11:07:00.000Z

Rock and Roll

The creation of musical DNA is a thing of mystery. With some folks the DNA remains focused on a particular strand. Meaning that there are those who appear to like only one or two genres - r & b and rap for instance. On the other hand, there are others who have a right old mixture of tastes floating about their soul. I would, of course, count myself in this bracket.

When my own DNA was formed, a small part of it contained hard driving, old fashioned rock and roll. It doesn't surface that often, but I do occasionally have a penchant for the likes of Led Zeppelin or Nirvana. The Foo Fighters and Bruce Springsteen are two other favourites and therefore my focus for todays entry. They also work very well on the car stereo.

1. Foo Fighters - All My Life (mp3)

I can visualise myself in a 'Wayne's World - esque' moment with this one. I know very sad.

2. Bruce Springsteen - Thunder Road (mp3)

Written because of the Robert Mitchum film of the same name, I can't honestly say that this is one my favourite Springsteen songs, but it is a fine record. Nick Hornby wrote in '31 songs' that he loves the 'elegiac' nature of the lyrics, despite the energy and references to roaring engines and burned out Chevrolets. I agree with this sentiment completely.

Buy Foo Fighters stuff and Springsteen stuff

2007-02-06T18:57:00.000Z

I Speed Into The Darkness

At the end of the first verse of 'Where's Captain Kirk?', Spizz fires the question 'is this the start of my insanity?'. YES I hear you all cry, because Spizz was clearly a little unhinged. To be fair though, Spizz Energi are still going strong despite the limited output over the years. Check out the website here. It does, however, make a lovely driving song on those days when you have had a shit day and you need to skidaddle home in a hurry (although on my journey home I would have to play it about 15 times over).

Spizz Energi - Where's Captain Kirk? (mp3)

For my second song today I'm deeply indebted to Crash from Pretending Life Is Like A Song. I have to admit I was largely unaware of Rob Dougan despite his success with singles like 'Clubbed to Death' and the associated work on The Matrix and Matrix Reloaded. His voice is just superb and I looking forward to listening to the rest of the album when I get hold of it.

Rob Dougan - I'm not driving any more (mp3)

Invest in Rob Dougan here and Spizz here

2007-02-04T23:23:00.000Z

Liverpool to Hull

The M62 has been mentioned in various songs over the years. The Justified Ancients of Mu Mu, The Human League and It's Immaterial have all had stabs at describing its myriad of charms. And a wealth of charms it must have despite my complete lack of knowledge of most of its length; otherwise why else would it have been the source of so much creative energy.

Roads, of course, have always been inspirational. Think of Highway 61, Route 66, the M6 ('Helen Wheels' - Wings) or even the A1 ('Separated by Motorways' - The Long Blondes). But the M62 seems to have a particular fondness. Maybe it's that feeling of togetherness that the motorway brings when uniting the eastern and western coasts of northern England. Whatever the cause I have two more songs for your perusal:

1. Doves - M62 Song (mp3)

Obviously.

2. Thomas Dolby - The Ability to Swing (mp3)

This is an album track from 'Aliens Ate My Buick' and is great as a going out in the summer arrangement.

Doves can be bought from here and Thomas Dolby from here

2007-02-03T13:40:00.000Z

Drivetime

Last year I watched the Top Gear survey to find out the best driving songs of all time.Well, 'disappointed' was one way of describing my reaction to the results, 'abject misery' is another way. And I suppose a third way is to say that I was resigned to the fact that the majority of the listening public have what can only be described as 'modest' ambitions to broaden their tastes. The eventual selection (not that I can remember the exact detail) was a cliche ridden list that reflects most catalogues of this type. We are talking the likes of Golden Earring with 'Radar Love', Steppenwolf and 'Born to be wild', Mr Mister and 'Broken Wings' - well you get the idea I'm sure.

Anyhow I thought it would be a nice idea to come up with an alternative list and so put my mind to the solution. It was not as easy a process, however, as I first thought it would be. There was a friend of mine who always thought he had the perfect tracks for a flawless mix tape for the car. Now the art of the mix tape is another subject altogether, and a topic for a future blog entry, but his choices did reveal a central conundrum i.e. should the songs be good to drive to, or good songs about driving? I dont think there is a straightforward answer, so therefore I have decided that my next few blog entries will be my selection for the first 10 driving songs on a car tape/CD/MP3 playlist etc. Note that they will not be in any particular order, and nor will they be a complete pick. They will, however, be a mixture of both driving songs and tracks to drive to. So here goes:

1. The Smiths - There is a light that never goes out (mp3)

A strange choice for a driving selection you might think - and you're probably right. Meeting your demise by a 'double decker bus' or 'ten tonne truck' is plainly rather gratuitous, but the implied romance of the song is heartwarming. The fact that it has been covered so many times gives further credence to its greatness.

2. Eurythmics - This is the House (mp3)

This was a favourite of the friend I mentioned before and I concede that it is rather good on a car mix. I think it was the twangy bass played by Andy Brown that does it for me. It was released by Eurythmics in 1982 but didn't do very well - a fact I fail to understand. If anybody out there has the 12" version that they could convert to mp3 and let me have I would be eternally grateful.

Buy The Smiths or Eurythmics or preferably both here and here

2007-02-01T19:06:00.000Z

X-Rated

After sneaking in at the last minute on contrast podcast this week (thankyou Tim) I thought I should explore the theme of explicitness in music and film just a little bit more. My contribution was from the Super Furry Animals with 'The Man Don't Give A Fuck' - I thought I was being quite outrageous at the time, but after I listened to this weeks entries I quickly realised the SFA were in fact quite tame. However, undeterred I thought I'd give you my runners up. Firstly we have The Police with 'Be My Girl - Sally', a track from the Outlandos D'Amour album that I remember thinking was incredibly risque in 1978. Why Andy Summers was writing about blow-up dolls is intriguing. And secondly a track from the criminally under-rated The The with 'Out of the Blue (Into The Fire)'. Any song that has a lyric "She was lying on her back with her lips parted, squealing like a stuffed pig" has got to be up for the possibilities of censorship.

Putting my sensible hat on just for a second, the notion of censorship in film (or music for that matter) is always a topic that stirs emotions in my students. You can circle the issue forever and come up with reasonable arguments on both sides for either reducing or increasing censorship, but nobody ever seems to be influenced enough to change their minds. Its a debate that will run and run.

The Police - Be My Girl - Sally (mp3)

The The - Out of the Blue (Into the Fire) (mp3)

But The Police here and The The here

2007-01-28T22:12:00.000Z

Love equals happiness

Last post for happy week before its time to move on, and two more entries to cheer you up. Firstly a little bit of Motown via Marvin Gaye and secondly Rickie Lee Jones. The link is of course love and I cant really ignore the fact that most love songs are by their very nature also happy songs. Gaye released 'How sweet it is' in 1964 despite his early determination to avoid R & B and concentrate on the 'Sinatra' style. I cant say I've ever been a great fan of either Marvin Gaye or Motown in general but I enjoy the classics and this song is lovely.

Rickie Lee Jones hit big in 1979 when this single was released and the self titled album was a joy to listen to. (For years this song was my test track whenever I bought a new piece of hi-fi). Previously she had only been famous for being on the cover of the 'Foreign Affairs' album by Tom Waits whom she was dating at the time. Although her output was patchy afterwards I always admired the fact that both musically and politically she was always leftfield.

Marvin Gaye - How Sweet It Is (To Be Loved By You) (mp3)

Rickie Lee Jones - Chuck E.'s In Love (mp3)

Buy Marvin Gaye and Rickie Lee Jones please

2007-01-26T21:11:00.000Z

I think I might be happy if I wasn't out with them

I think I've thunk too much this week and missed my chance of stardom on contrast podcast. I should have guessed that 'x-rated' would prove very popular. The early bird catches the worm and all that. Still, at least I have this forum to vent my spleen on the world. So back to happy week for all, and first up today is:

Stevie wonder - Sir Duke (mp3)

A song in remembrance, of course, of Duke Ellington but I like its upbeat tempo and I cant think of many more opportunities to get Stevie Wonder in my blog.

The other is:

The Housemartins - Happy Hour (mp3)

I dont think the song has that much of a feel good lyric, but hey it has 'happy' in the title. And they come from Hull. And Everything But The Girl come from Hull so they must be good.

Getting to the end of happy week now. Brmmm brmmm its driving week soon

Buy Housemartins and Stevie Wonder whenever possible

2007-01-24T23:14:00.000Z

Just take your seat and hold on tight

First up - a plug for the Contrast Podcast, a fine compendium of songs this week under the banner of actor/celebrities, that yours truly appears on. A minor effort (on my part of course compared to the others) in the scheme of things, but I'm sure it will get better. This week is 'X-rated' and I've already got my thinking cap on.

Back to happy week and a couple of little gems to listen to. First up is:

The Beatles - Here comes the sun (mp3)

I have to say I've resisted putting The Beatles up on the site before now but this is just pure happiness perfection. I also have to say it wasn't me that suggested it but my environmentally concerned car sharing colleague. Many thanks uncle.

Secondly:

The Lightning Seeds - The Life of Riley (mp3)

A song about childbirth (not Ian Broudie himself but his son/daughter - I can't remember which) and positive to the last. But my main thoughts about this song revolve around 'Match of the Day' on a saturday night after a few beers. I think it was for the 'match action' bit at the beginning of the programme. Days of bliss!

Dip into The lightning Seeds back catalogue or expand your Beatles collection as you see fit

By the way saw '2001: A Space Odyssey' again at the weekend after a gap of lots of years. I quite forgot how magisterial it was, and how technically advanced. Kubrick truly was a god amongst directors.

2007-01-22T21:27:00.000Z

I rise as the morning comes

Three weeks into January and its monday morning. Its cold and dark when you leave the house, dark when you arrive home later that day. The new years resolutions have all been well and truly tested throughout the past weekend. The next holiday seems ages away and the festivities of Christmas are fast fading into the past. Yes its 'blue monday' folks and I have the perfect antidote. First up are The Boo Radleys with 'Wake up Boo'. I know the lyrics are a bit suspect but the music is so jolly you have to feel bright and breezy. A shame that the band failed to last their dalliance with Britpop. And secondly we have Bill Withers and 'Lovely Day'. A bit predictable perhaps but I really don't care, Bill is in!

1. The Boo Radleys - Wake Up Boo! (mp3)

2. Bill Withers - Lovely Day (mp3)

Buy stuff by The Boo Radleys
Buy a little soul music with Bill Withers

2007-01-21T22:46:00.000Z

I choose my final scene today

The final day of my miserable week and the last two choices to muse over. It has been an enjoyable but exhausting process and is going to have to have some sort of antidote. Thus, you've guessed it - next week is happy week with songs to make you feel that the day is glorious and the world is your playground. But first we have to end the misery on a high. So without further ado I present Elbow with 'Switching Off'. I have seen this band three times now with very mixed results - the first two times they were great but the last time (in Birmingham) they were a complete shambles. Nevermind, a temporary dip in quality I hope. The second offering comes from Sweeney's Men with 'Dreams For Me'. A masterful song from the masters of Irish protest misery, and Terry Woods trying his level best to make me feel downbeat and woeful (a tactic that has often worked in the past I am ashamed to admit). But enough of this - listen to the tracks, rush off to the shops to buy the albums, listen and weep if you have to - but be prepared for joy and happiness on 'blue monday'.

1. Elbow - Switching Off (mp3)

2. Sweeney's Men - Dreams For Me (mp3)

Please buy Elbow here
Please buy Sweeney's Men here

2007-01-18T23:35:00.000Z

You were always so lost in the dark

Oh my god I dont think I can take much more of this. I've become morose and grouchy as the week has progressed and all down to selecting songs that will rip you apart.And you dont get any more gut wrenching than The Cure and Nick Drake. The 'Disintegration' album has always been a favourite, and with the possible exception of 'Faith' probably their best work (you can see the link I'm sure). In addition to 'Pictures of You' I also have a song by Nick Drake. I remember the first time I listened to Drake (1989 after a friend introduced me to her back catalogue) and I was bowled over by the achingly beautiful songs. I couldn't play any Nick Drake for several years after a personal tragedy but have since rediscovered that I can listen to 'River Man' without breaking down completely.

1. The Cure - Pictures of You (mp3)

2. Nick Drake - River Man (mp3)

Please buy The Cure here and also be blown away by purchasing the great Nick Drake here

2007-01-16T21:45:00.000Z

Kiss me out of desire - not consolation

There are many different types of heartbreak of course. My first heartbreak was one of two that I can recall. Either it was a pet greenfly disappearing mysteriously (and tragically) out of my matchbox, or it was failing to hold hands with Carol Hillier at country dancing in the infants. I'm unsure to this day which came first, but both seemed to be the end of the world at the time. Whether out of a sense of loss or frustration the feelings of grief and regret are often overwhelming. Obviously this is the reason why so many records are written in this state of misery.

So two more to tug at the heartstrings, hope you enjoy them.

1. Jeff Buckley - Last Goodbye (mp3)

2. Jane Weaver - Once You'd Given Me Up (mp3)

Buy Jeff and Jane here and here, because you know you want to after you dry your eyes

2007-01-15T20:44:00.000Z

Separate from the rest, where I like you the best

Its heartbreak time on 'The World Won't Listen'. Another theme you lucky reader. Great songs to feel miserable by. I've shed a few tears over these thats for sure.

First up is New Order with 'Love Vigilantes', track one on 'Low Life' probably the finest of their albums. When thinking of favourite New Order songs it nearly always is the first on my list.

Second is 'Between the Bars' by Elliott Smith. Such a talent and such a waste, this appeared on the 'Either/Or' album. They say that the geatest sad songs occur in a state of abject despair. Poor Elliott must have been in perpetual misery for he produced some of the very finest.

New Order - Love Vigilantes (mp3)

Elliott Smith - Between the Bars (mp3)

As a bonus you fortunate person I've included the Hungry Lucy version of 'Love Vigilantes' for you to compare.

Hungry Lucy - Love Vigilantes (mp3)

Buy Elliott here , New Order here and Hungry Lucy here

2007-01-14T21:20:00.000Z

For A Minute There, I Lost Myself

Last day of the track number 6 extraveganza. And we leave on a high. One from one of the very best albums of all time, the other from the darlings of the modern music press.

1. Radiohead - Karma Police (mp3)

Oh my God! This was just fantastic. It still makes me come out with all the superlatives when I listen to it. I've got just one piece of clothing that I'm too sentimental to get rid of - a Radiohead t-shirt from the 'Pablo Honey' tour showing a baby with scarey red eyes - priceless.

2. Arctic Monkeys - Still Take You Home (mp3)

I have to say I was sceptical when I first heard about the 'Arctic Monkeys' but I've been proven wrong. Whether they will stand the test of time with the problem second album remains to be seen. Until then they are there to be enjoyed.

Buy these two sublime acts here and here

2007-01-12T18:05:00.000Z

Now I know how Joan of Arc Felt

I've missed a day - poo! Got to set myself some lines as punishment - 'must try harder', 'must try harder'.

Back to the task inhand and two from the eighties today.

1. Echo & the Bunnymen - The Killing Moon (mp3)

Going off to college. Let off the leash. All night sitting listening to records, drinking coffee, toasties, a whip round for the beer. 'Ocean Rain'. Those were the days.

2. The Smiths - Bigmouth Strikes Again (mp3)

Roll forward in time two years to 1986. Dissertation time, so time to roll up the sleeves. Pah! Lets listen to records, drink coffee, 'The Queen is Dead', toasties ................................. you get the idea.

Buy Smiths here
Buy The Bunnymen here

2007-01-10T22:56:00.000Z

The Hardcore and the Gentle

Two from the early 90's in our continued odyssey of greatest tracks coming in at number 6:

1. Bjork - Big Time Sensuality (mp3)

I think there is a common theme in my appreciation of women artists - i.e. the fact that most of then are completely bonkers. Bjork is, of course, no exception and fully deserves the reputation foisted on her by most of the music press. Along with 'Human Behaviour' and 'Violently Happy' this album struck a real chord as I was about to begin teaching. Happy days indeed.

2. Suede - The Drowners (mp3)

The buzz and hype surrounding the release of 'The Drowners' and 'Metal Mickey' was huge in the early 90's. It was inevitable that Suede were never going to live upto the virtual deification status given them by the NME, but the tracks still have a resonance lost to many of the songs of this time.

2007-01-09T21:45:00.000Z

Old but distinguished

Two rather old school favourites for today in the track number 6 stakes, but brilliant nonetheless.

1. Fairport Convention - I'll Keep It With Mine (mp3)

I remember the first time I listened to this was at my sisters in Norfolk back in the early eighties. The album this comes from is 'What We Did On Our Holidays' in 1969. The guitar playing of Richard Thompson and voice of Sandy Denny combined to superb effect in this beautiful and haunting song.

2. John Martyn - Dreams By The Sea (mp3)

People are usually very nostalgic about programmes they watched when they grew up. In the true spirit of companionship, I in turn was very nostalgic about 'The Old Grey Whistle Test' remembering the fantastic songs played live in the BBC studio with Bob Harris to guide us. Then over the Xmas period BBC4 was kind enough to air the 'Best of.... Whistle Test' for the early 70's, selected by Bob himself. Great I thought as I eagerly sat down to watch my recorded episodes, but what a load of bollocks! If this was the best then the rest must have been awful. With one exception ........ John Martyn playing this song fantastically. A mate of mine went to see him in the 80's and he was totally pissed (fell off the stage I recall) - I think you had to catch him on a good day. One drink inflicted leg amputation later I must see him before the guitar gets hung up forever.

2007-01-08T16:05:00.000Z

And the Winner is ......track number 6!

I know it is a familiar chestnut to do the very best track number one of an album or even track number 1 of side 2; but in the digital world of CD how about track number 6? In an effort to get my posting up and running on a more regular basis I am unashamedly going to do a post a day (all this week you lucky few people out there) for my favourite tracks sixth in the running order.

The only problem today is that I'm at work (boo hoo) and not able to access my collection until later. I will edit this in due course but until then we have do with my rather dim memory. So without further ado the first two on my list are:

1. The Jesus and Mary Chain - April Skies (mp3)
Of course track number 6 on the Darklands album. The Reid bothers go all melodic.

2. Massive Attack - Unfinished Sympathy (mp3)

Massive Attack in their pomp. Not only one of the very best number 6's in existence this regularly makes appearance in best single of the nineties or even best of all time. Stunning.

2007-01-04T21:26:00.000Z

Songs and Images of a Lifetime - 1967

Van Morrison - Brown Eyed Girl (mp3)

Quite a tough choice with a wealth of great tracks this year (Aretha Franklin and Respect in particular). But overall he just shades it with this fantastic record by one of the greats. This is one of those tracks where I wonder whether to listen to, but when I do I'm always amazed by its utter brilliance.

'Cool Hand Luke' - director: Stuart Rosenberg

With Bonnie and Clyde also in the frame, this may seem like a strange choice, but I've always loved Newman as an actor and this film seems to sum up what he was about. I love the loner, anti-hero figure in most cinema and here Newman plays it to a tee. He makes an excellent job of portraying Luke descending from a good guy eager to please, to a world-weary bad guy fed up and demoralised. The tagline 'What we have here is a failure to communicate' is probably the first one I ever remembered. The egg eating scene is legendary and the support given by George Kennedy as 'Dragline' is superb throughout.

Buy your Van Morrison right here

2006-12-20T10:34:00.000Z

I like A Nice Cup Of Coffee In The Morning ……

I like tea more than coffee. There I’ve said it. It’s true. For an everyday drink that is refreshing you cannot beat starting the day with a nice cup of tea. (A mix of breakfast and earl grey with milk is just about perfect). But there is something about coffee that is really appealing. For a start I love the bewildering array of choice that you have just to begin the process. You can have Turkish, Cappuccino, Espresso, Latte, Mocha or Americano; and that’s before you start selecting the origin of the beans – Guatemala, Africa, Java, Hawaii ……… the list is almost endless. The actual process of grinding the beans and then producing the coffee is an art form. It becomes a comforting process in which the full ranges of auditory, olfactory and kinaesthetic senses are used. I love preparing, making (and of course tasting) coffee. It is the perfect way to end a meal and the ideal mid morning perk-me-up. If only I enjoyed drinking it as much as tea.

Blur – Coffee & TV
Squeeze – Black Coffee in Bed

Buy coffee here
Buy Squeeze here
Buy Blur here

2006-12-05T11:42:00.000Z

Theres Nothing on the TV, Nothing on the Radio

Went to Wales Rally GB at the weekend, and apart from getting wet and muddy had a great time. As usual the event was dominated by the Scandinavian drivers and they took the majority of the top places. Now this got me thinking. Scandinavians have often been vilified for their lack of musical talent (Norwegians at Eurovision springs to mind), so what is around at the moment that is Scandinavian and good? After all, at all other levels of art the Nordic countries have produced the goods. Strindberg, Bergman, Ibsen, Hallstrom ......... the list is considerable with artists, writers, composers and filmmakers, but popular music? All right there was ABBA but they have never floated my boat. More recently of course, Gwen Stafani and Roxette - woooh! There is, however, a very positive side and my choices for today reflect this. There is no doubt (no pun intended) that there is thriving musical scene, in Sweden in particular, and long may it continue.

MP3's

Shout out Louds - The Comeback
The Hives - Main Offender
Razorlight - America (alright a bit dodgy but ....)

Buy Shout Out Louds here
Buy Razorlight here
Buy The Hives here

2006-11-30T17:52:00.000Z

Favourite Artists (No. 3) - Fluke

Back in the early 1990's I sold my flat with the grand intention of swanning off to Australia. There I would drink copious amounts of beer, sunbathe and hopefully meet the girl of my dreams. In the end I moved 2 miles down the road into a rented house and met the girl of my dreams here in England. It was at this house that my housemate introduced me to Fluke (Jon Fluger, Mike Tournier, Mike Bryant). At the time his sister was going out with one of the guys in the band (which one I am unsure - I think it was one of the Mikes) and they had only one album released - 'The Techno Rose of Blighty'. In a country that had gone mad for all things 'baggy' or 'Acieeed' they seemed to take a very mature slant on techno. Certainly Alan McGee at Creation records was suitably impressed to give them a chance alongside all of his other indie acts. I also remember listening to Annie Nightingale who one evening said that 'Techno Rose .....' was an album that she returned to on repeated occasions because of its brilliance.

After a gap of a couple of years and a mini live album ('Out - In essence') they went on to release 'Six Wheels On My Wagon' which was their stab at the mainstream. The album had far more of a 'House' feel with some appropriate floor filling tracks in the early part of the album. Later still came 'Oto' and 'Risotto', both which realised some measure of critical acclaim. 'Risotto' especially, was well received by the music press and saw the release of their two most well known singles in 'Atom Bomb' and 'Absurd'. The band also saw a successful link into computer games with their part in the soundtrack to 'Wipeout 2097'. The group came to an effective end at the turn of the millenium with the departure of Tournier although they lived on with DJ appearances and 'Best of..' albums. There was even a comeback album in 'Puppy' but this could not live up to the early work.

Tracks (mp3)

Fluke - philly (Jamorphous mix)
Fluke - Electric Guitar (Humbucker)
World of Twist - She's A Rainbow (Fluke: Right Foot Yellow Mix)

2006-11-22T09:29:00.000Z

Such a Shame

Two items of shame that I'd like to share with you:

Shame Number One: The Death of Robert Altman

Although I could never say that Altman was top of my lists of the greatest directors, he was always in there somewhere. A true maverick, Altman was one of the original 'Hollywood Renaissance' filmmakers, along with Francis Ford Coppola, Martin Scorsese and company. But amongst them all he was the one able to draw a stella all-star cast. I first watched M*A*S*H after having consumed many episodes of the TV series, immediately I loved its sense of authenticity (something that the TV series never really had). Later, of course, there were others I've seen - Nashville, Short Cuts, The Player, Gosford Park and others that I have disgracefully missed. As soon as my current Woody Allen fixation is satisfied I'll be instructing my DVD club to send me plenty of Altman.

Shame Number Two: The Lack of Knowledge About Ken Loach

I talked to my year 13 students on Monday and said that I had seen 'The Wind That Shakes the Barley' over the weekend. Shamefully, nobody had heard of the film and even more shameful had they heard of Ken Loach. I was gobsmacked by this lack of knowledge of the most important English director of the last 40 years. I mean the film itself had won the Palme d'Or at Cannes and he had won a fellowship of BAFTA the previous year. Nobody has made more humanistic films about the lot of the working class in Britain. This emptyheadiness by these students has got to change. I'm going to have a Ken Loach season at school and they will have their eyes opened.

Mp3 track of the day:

PJ Harvey - Shame (Peel Session)

2006-11-18T11:19:00.000Z

Girls, Girls, Girls

The five best songs with girls names in the song title. I would have had 'Charlotte Sometimes' but that was in an earlier post so discounted for the rules of this particular conundrum. The Beatles alone seemed to have quite a few but I've only allowed myself one. So anyway ......

Jimi Hendrix - The Wind cries Mary
Elvis Costello - Alison
The Beatles - Michelle
The Ramones - Sheena is a Punk Rocker
10cc - I'm Mandy, Fly Me

And just for the record five more that definitely would not have made the list .......

Chris de Burgh - Patricia the Stripper
Barry Manilow - Mandy
The Knack - My Sharona
Neil Diamond - Sweet Caroline
Marillion - Kayleigh

2006-11-11T15:53:00.000Z

Songs and Images of a Lifetime - 1966

The Beach Boys - God Only Knows (mp3)

In music terms probably the easiest choice I'll have to make. I know in many ways this is cop out and that this song features in many 'top this' and 'top that' lists but ultimately 'God Only Knows' is just a classic pop tune. Featuring sublime vocal harmonies, and a technical ability that other bands and songwriters could only marvel at before going back to the drawing board to try and catch up. Sublime.

The Good, The Bad & The Ugly - Dir. Sergio Leone

I have always been a great fan of the western genre, and I grew up watching John Wayne and Henry Fonda movies on a sunday afternoon. When I first watched this film I was entranced. It seemed so different to the other westerns I had been reared on and I couldn't get enough of the spaghetti variety. Most Leone fans would argue that Once Upon a Time in the West was his best effort, but I disagree. The Good, The Bad & The Ugly is a better balanced and better acted film altogether.

Buy Beach Boys here