Day#111 Ry Cooder - My Name Is Buddy
This is "the story of Buddy Red Cat, Lefty Mouse and Reverend Tom Toad in the days of labor, big bosses, farm failures, strikes, company cops, sundown towns, hobos and trains . . . the America of yesteryear".
CD#112 Various - Northampton Under Glass
This is a compilation of various Northampton post-punk bands first released on cassette in 1981 as part of Northampton's Music Collective once featured on The Old Grey Whistle Test with a fledgling Housemartins playing an exchange gig in town. It has two tracks on it which weren't on the original cassette, one of which was part-written by and featured the tortured vocals of . . . me. Not recommended ;O) I have never received a penny in royalties, but such is life.
CD#113 The White Stripes - Get Behind Me Satan
I like The White Stripes, though sometimes I like the idea of The White Stripes more than I like The White Stripes. My Doorbell is ok though.
CD#114 Counting Crows - August And Everything After
Apart from the upbeat Mr Jones it's quite a melancholy album, which suited my mood at the time quite well.
CD#115 Tubeway Army - Replicas
I have this on vinyl which has a small scratch on it that makes a small squeak at the beginning of Down In The Park, a consequence of lending it to a girl I liked.
She told me she'd accidentally scratched it and I assured her that it was fine despite my horror at the damage, and never let on about the squeak.
Because I listened to it a lot I can still hear that squeak even when I listen to the CD . . .
Thursday, 7 April 2016
Wednesday, 6 April 2016
Day 24
CD#105 Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds - Abattoir Blues/The Lyre of Orpheus
This came in a fancy box with a booklet of photos and lyrics, which is probably why it caught my eye as I'm not a huge Nick Cave fan. Despite that I'm enjoying it so it might get played a bit more often from now on.
CD#106 The Levellers - Levelling The Land
The anti-Mumford and Sons of the 90s, and still going it seems.
CD#107 Clive Murray - Earthman
I have to confess I'm not really into instrumental rock guitar, and I bought this because he's a friend. Despite that I really like it, there's more to it than just one guitar sound playing vaguely similar tunes and the backing to the lead instrument is always interesting too.
CD#108 Wilco - Yankee Hotel Foxtrot
Another band that's been on my list because I generally "like a lot of that kind of stuff".
CD#109 Split Enz - Second Thoughts
I love this album, it has everything that made early Split Enz so magical. Dizrythmia is a pretty close second for songs, but it doesn't have all the mad stops and starts. . . or spoon solos.
CD#110 Mull Historical Society - Us
According to Wikipedia this received generally positive reviews and after it was released the record label dropped him. Which seems harsh.
This came in a fancy box with a booklet of photos and lyrics, which is probably why it caught my eye as I'm not a huge Nick Cave fan. Despite that I'm enjoying it so it might get played a bit more often from now on.
CD#106 The Levellers - Levelling The Land
The anti-Mumford and Sons of the 90s, and still going it seems.
CD#107 Clive Murray - Earthman
I have to confess I'm not really into instrumental rock guitar, and I bought this because he's a friend. Despite that I really like it, there's more to it than just one guitar sound playing vaguely similar tunes and the backing to the lead instrument is always interesting too.
CD#108 Wilco - Yankee Hotel Foxtrot
Another band that's been on my list because I generally "like a lot of that kind of stuff".
CD#109 Split Enz - Second Thoughts
I love this album, it has everything that made early Split Enz so magical. Dizrythmia is a pretty close second for songs, but it doesn't have all the mad stops and starts. . . or spoon solos.
CD#110 Mull Historical Society - Us
According to Wikipedia this received generally positive reviews and after it was released the record label dropped him. Which seems harsh.
Tuesday, 5 April 2016
Day 23
CD#99 Paul Simon - Surprise
Perhaps not as coherent as some of his albums, this still has some interesting music and a definite Paul Simon feel to it.
Wiki says there's a new album out this month and the last album is supposed to be pretty good too.
CD#100 OP8 - Slush
Another random purchase, this time it was a Quietus piece listing Stewart Lee's 13 favourite albums - I'm yet to try to understand The Fall and I own one or two of the others, so I picked this one and bought it s/h from Amazon.
CD#101 Fun Lovin' Criminals - Come Find Yourself
It's groovy, but it does feel a little empty in places - Scooby Snacks is fun, the cover of We Have All The Time In The World is criminal.
CD#102 The Fratellis - Costello Music
I once played a gig in Camden that took three hours to get to because of roadworks, the audience comprised of four drunk American ladies who weren't there to listen to music and the bloke running the P.A. was covering for the usual guy and only had one CD to play between acts. . .
As a consequence it was a long time before I listened to Costello Music again, but I have done once or twice and there's quite a bit that I like, as long as I suppress the memories of that endless night.
CD#103 The Cranberries - Everybody Else Is Doing It, So Why Can't We?
There's more to this than just the two singles, but they're probably the best bits.
CD#104 Barenaked Ladies - Gordon
I don't own as much of their stuff as I should, only this and a Greatest Hits 1991 - 2001.
I used to have great fun singing If I had $1,000,000 in the car with my daughter, I won't embarrass her by letting on that it took a while to explain the "but not a real green dress, that's cruel" line.
Perhaps not as coherent as some of his albums, this still has some interesting music and a definite Paul Simon feel to it.
Wiki says there's a new album out this month and the last album is supposed to be pretty good too.
CD#100 OP8 - Slush
Another random purchase, this time it was a Quietus piece listing Stewart Lee's 13 favourite albums - I'm yet to try to understand The Fall and I own one or two of the others, so I picked this one and bought it s/h from Amazon.
CD#101 Fun Lovin' Criminals - Come Find Yourself
It's groovy, but it does feel a little empty in places - Scooby Snacks is fun, the cover of We Have All The Time In The World is criminal.
CD#102 The Fratellis - Costello Music
I once played a gig in Camden that took three hours to get to because of roadworks, the audience comprised of four drunk American ladies who weren't there to listen to music and the bloke running the P.A. was covering for the usual guy and only had one CD to play between acts. . .
As a consequence it was a long time before I listened to Costello Music again, but I have done once or twice and there's quite a bit that I like, as long as I suppress the memories of that endless night.
CD#103 The Cranberries - Everybody Else Is Doing It, So Why Can't We?
There's more to this than just the two singles, but they're probably the best bits.
CD#104 Barenaked Ladies - Gordon
I don't own as much of their stuff as I should, only this and a Greatest Hits 1991 - 2001.
I used to have great fun singing If I had $1,000,000 in the car with my daughter, I won't embarrass her by letting on that it took a while to explain the "but not a real green dress, that's cruel" line.
Monday, 4 April 2016
Day 22
CD#95 Gang Of Four - Entertainment!
Funny how some bands pass you by, around the time of this album I was buying Parallel Lines, Replicas and Regatta De Blanc but I'm not sure if I heard any Gang Of Four at all, possibly because I only listened to John Peel now and again.
CD#96 Del Amitri - Waking Hours
I haven't listened to this in years, it might have been another of the four Britannia Music freebies.
It's book-ended by the two best known songs Kiss This Thing Goodbye and Nothing Ever Happens, but it's more than just those two songs and more interesting musically than I'd remembered.
CD#97 Green Day - American Idiot
I like Green Day and despite this being cheesy and more pop than punk with riffs nicked from all over the place, it's great fun. It does go on a bit though, they could have dropped two or three songs easily.
CD#98 Red House Painters - Red House Painters (Bridge)
A recent purchase, in this case because I had them down as worth checking out. I won't write them off after this, but I probably won't be rushing to buy their back catalogue.
Funny how some bands pass you by, around the time of this album I was buying Parallel Lines, Replicas and Regatta De Blanc but I'm not sure if I heard any Gang Of Four at all, possibly because I only listened to John Peel now and again.
CD#96 Del Amitri - Waking Hours
I haven't listened to this in years, it might have been another of the four Britannia Music freebies.
It's book-ended by the two best known songs Kiss This Thing Goodbye and Nothing Ever Happens, but it's more than just those two songs and more interesting musically than I'd remembered.
CD#97 Green Day - American Idiot
I like Green Day and despite this being cheesy and more pop than punk with riffs nicked from all over the place, it's great fun. It does go on a bit though, they could have dropped two or three songs easily.
CD#98 Red House Painters - Red House Painters (Bridge)
A recent purchase, in this case because I had them down as worth checking out. I won't write them off after this, but I probably won't be rushing to buy their back catalogue.
Sunday, 3 April 2016
Day 21
CD#88 Joni Mitchell - The Hissing of Summer Lawns
I've got quite a few Joni Mitchell albums, without ever being a huge fan. Having said that they're always interesting lyrically and always have some nice playing on them, so while they rarely make my heart leap they're definitely worth spending time with.
CD#89 The Strokes - Is This It
It needs a question mark, but otherwise the title sums it up nicely.
CD#90 McAlmont & Butler - The Sound of . . .
A little overblown in places perhaps, but nevertheless huge fun.
CD#91 Voice of the Beehive - Honey Lingers
I saw them at a local venue around the time of the first album and despite seeing many punk gigs in the past this was the only gig where I encountered any violence - for reasons I still can't explain some random bloke punched me in the back of the head - twice - during one of the songs - I retreated to the back of the room and my unknown assailant left me alone from then on - weird.
CD#92 Julie Fowlis - Cuilidh
This is a collection of songs from Julie's home of North Uist, sung in Gaelic - no idea what the songs are about but the singing is wonderful and the accompaniment superb, so who cares?
CD#93 Devo - Q: Are We Not Men? A: We Are Devo!
Possibly the first example of me buying random music because of the packaging, I bought the vinyl version of this on picture disc from a shop somewhere in London because it looked a bit mad. It is, wonderfully mad.
CD#94 Mercury Rev - The Secret Migration
Another recent purchase, I knew nothing about the band other than I'd heard the name before. Wiki suggests the earlier stuff might be more fun - it's ok, but it's not saying "buy all the stuff we ever made in case it's as good as this".
I've got quite a few Joni Mitchell albums, without ever being a huge fan. Having said that they're always interesting lyrically and always have some nice playing on them, so while they rarely make my heart leap they're definitely worth spending time with.
CD#89 The Strokes - Is This It
It needs a question mark, but otherwise the title sums it up nicely.
CD#90 McAlmont & Butler - The Sound of . . .
A little overblown in places perhaps, but nevertheless huge fun.
CD#91 Voice of the Beehive - Honey Lingers
I saw them at a local venue around the time of the first album and despite seeing many punk gigs in the past this was the only gig where I encountered any violence - for reasons I still can't explain some random bloke punched me in the back of the head - twice - during one of the songs - I retreated to the back of the room and my unknown assailant left me alone from then on - weird.
CD#92 Julie Fowlis - Cuilidh
This is a collection of songs from Julie's home of North Uist, sung in Gaelic - no idea what the songs are about but the singing is wonderful and the accompaniment superb, so who cares?
CD#93 Devo - Q: Are We Not Men? A: We Are Devo!
Possibly the first example of me buying random music because of the packaging, I bought the vinyl version of this on picture disc from a shop somewhere in London because it looked a bit mad. It is, wonderfully mad.
CD#94 Mercury Rev - The Secret Migration
Another recent purchase, I knew nothing about the band other than I'd heard the name before. Wiki suggests the earlier stuff might be more fun - it's ok, but it's not saying "buy all the stuff we ever made in case it's as good as this".
Saturday, 2 April 2016
Day 20
CD#84 Feist - Metals
One of my top 10 YouTube videos is a live performance of a Ron Sixsmith song, which she sings beautifully, with characteristic vocal mannerisms that are all over this album, great singing and some cool tunes.
CD#85 Grandaddy - The Broken Down Comforter Collection
This has a Neil Young/Flaming Lips feel to it. It's got some great song titles if nothing else, like "Sikh in a Baja VW Bug", "Kim You Bore Me to Death" and "For the Dishwasher".
CD#86 Big Star - # 1 Record
Critically acclaimed and poorly served by the record company this was never a hit, and I find it a bit hit and miss. There are some strong tunes on here though, my favourite being Ballad Of El Goodo, which Counting Crows do a great cover of.
CD#87 Homespun - Homespun
Written/played by Dave Rotheray from The Beautiful South and sung by the wonderful Sam Brown, lovely.
One of my top 10 YouTube videos is a live performance of a Ron Sixsmith song, which she sings beautifully, with characteristic vocal mannerisms that are all over this album, great singing and some cool tunes.
CD#85 Grandaddy - The Broken Down Comforter Collection
This has a Neil Young/Flaming Lips feel to it. It's got some great song titles if nothing else, like "Sikh in a Baja VW Bug", "Kim You Bore Me to Death" and "For the Dishwasher".
CD#86 Big Star - # 1 Record
Critically acclaimed and poorly served by the record company this was never a hit, and I find it a bit hit and miss. There are some strong tunes on here though, my favourite being Ballad Of El Goodo, which Counting Crows do a great cover of.
CD#87 Homespun - Homespun
Written/played by Dave Rotheray from The Beautiful South and sung by the wonderful Sam Brown, lovely.
Friday, 1 April 2016
Day 19
First up today is a new one, brought back from Exmouth yesterday.
CD#77 Husky Rescue - Ghost Is Not Real
Wiki says they're a Finnish ambient pop band. They're not bad, nothing earth-shattering but nice enough to chill out with.
CD#78 Iggy Pop - The Idiot
There are lots of people out there that love this album, I prefer Lust For Life.
CD#79 Pink Floyd - Endless River
Another new one, bought as part of a 3 for £10 deal, which is probably about right - it's not rubbish and good for a relaxing Sunday morning, but lacks a little something compared to the better bits of Pink Floyd.
CD#80 Blondie - Plastic Letters
I like this period Blondie as much as I like the later, more slick version, Clem Burke's drumming is magnificently mad in places and the lyrics are definitely more random.
CD#81 Sam Phillips - Fan Dance
Not easy to characterize, Sam writes and performs some wonderfully quirky songs, I first discovered her around the time of the album Don't Do Anything, this is a couple of albums earlier but very much cut from the same cloth.
CD#82 Crowded House - Crowded House
I've got their second album on vinyl and this one on CD, and that's all, which is a surprise because I like a lot of their work (though I like Split Enz a lot more, especially the crazier stuff).
CD#83 of Montreal - Skeletal Lamping
An intriguing mix of material wrapped in the most complicated CD packaging I've ever seen, which unfolds to create a multi-coloured cardboard sculpture.
CD#77 Husky Rescue - Ghost Is Not Real
Wiki says they're a Finnish ambient pop band. They're not bad, nothing earth-shattering but nice enough to chill out with.
CD#78 Iggy Pop - The Idiot
There are lots of people out there that love this album, I prefer Lust For Life.
CD#79 Pink Floyd - Endless River
Another new one, bought as part of a 3 for £10 deal, which is probably about right - it's not rubbish and good for a relaxing Sunday morning, but lacks a little something compared to the better bits of Pink Floyd.
CD#80 Blondie - Plastic Letters
I like this period Blondie as much as I like the later, more slick version, Clem Burke's drumming is magnificently mad in places and the lyrics are definitely more random.
CD#81 Sam Phillips - Fan Dance
Not easy to characterize, Sam writes and performs some wonderfully quirky songs, I first discovered her around the time of the album Don't Do Anything, this is a couple of albums earlier but very much cut from the same cloth.
CD#82 Crowded House - Crowded House
I've got their second album on vinyl and this one on CD, and that's all, which is a surprise because I like a lot of their work (though I like Split Enz a lot more, especially the crazier stuff).
CD#83 of Montreal - Skeletal Lamping
An intriguing mix of material wrapped in the most complicated CD packaging I've ever seen, which unfolds to create a multi-coloured cardboard sculpture.
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