sarkozy

stone rose ticket

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 

TUESDAY BLUES! Counting Crows - Mrs Potters Lullaby

Counting Crows - Mrs Potters Lullaby (1999)

Some songs have the uncanny knack of putting a smile on my grumpy chops, this is one of them. It features on This Desert Life and is supposedly written about the actress Monica Potter, of whom singer Adam Duritz became "inspired" when seeing in a Movie - probably means fancied.

I'll always have a soft spot for Counting Crows in my life, from my early 20's where I'd have drunken sing-a-longs to August and Everything After, to Rock Star stories of friends who met Adam, and seeing them live a number of times in the last decade - The best of which was seeing them in Bristol Academy, a fairly small venue, which allowed the audience to witness a flawless performance that brought a tear to the eye....

More Tuesday Blues here

WORLD MUSIC CORNER - Boubacar Traoré - 'Mali Denhou' and Ayub Ogada - 'Dicholo'

Here are a couple of soulful beauties. Just let the music do the talking!

 

Boubacar Traoré - 'Mali Denhou'

There's definitely something in their chips in Mali, as it seems to produce a never ending plethora of musical talent. Malian veteran, Boubacar Traoré is no different, incorporating a heady melange of the Mississippi Delta with music from his local region creating a distinct blend of the 'Mali Blues'. Lucky for me, I found this on a sampler and I just love the feel of it, the simple guitar and harmonica accompaniment...Just one of those gems you probably wouldn't normally come across.

Boubacar Traore - 'Mali Denhou'

Boubacar Traoré...too many chips!

Ayub Ogada - 'Dicholo'

This track really wants to make you move and in my case, despite good intentions, very badly. I first heard this in the film the Constant Gardener and I just had to get it. I love the syncopation of the rhythm with his voice and the harmonious female singers, it's a great sound so synonymous with African music. Ayub Ogada has recorded for Peter Gabriel's label, Real World and has also collaborated with the Afro Celts Soundsytem. Born in Mombasa, Kenya and he's a damn site better than the hotel lobby band that used to do a Casio keyboard cover of 'I Just Called to Say I Love You', when I went on holiday all those years ago. But who knows maybe that's where I saw him when he was cutting his teeth.

Ayub Ogada - 'Dicholo'

No I won't do any Stevie Wonder

No blood on these diamonds..Check out more.

TRACKS OF THE WEEK - 23/10/2011

Four tracks that warmed our loins this week. Do you have any for us?

Shell Hunter:-

Gotye - 'Somebody I Used To Know (Ft. Kimbra)' (2011)

The cold is rolling in and I had to scrape the frost off my car for the first time this week. Driving into work at stupid o'clock in the morning in the pitch black has been made slightly more bearable by the few tracks that have stood out for me this week. My better half recommended I listen to this track and it wasn't his usual taste of "obscure American guitar bands", so I gave it a whirl. It has totally grown on me after a couple of listens and is perfect for those quiet, self contemplative drives along the M3 in what seems the middle of the night. Gotye sounds a bit like Peter Gabriel when he gets going and I like the way Kimbra's voice starts off sweet and nice but builds in anger. I'm glad I wasn't involved in this obviously hurtful breakup. Goyte has just released his third album, Making Mirrors and has 2 London dates in his tour next week, but are already sold out! Bummer!

SFW:-

Andrew Bird - Night Sky (2011)

Andrew Bird - Night Sky

Andrew Bird is an artist who I haven't really given the attention that he merits, which is odd as I've got a few tracks of his previously which I really like, but just haven't purchased - I'll be rectifying this ASAP! This song features on the OST for the movie "Norman" (looks a bit happy).

ooh, Andrew Bird has the horn.

Old Pa's Corner:-

June Tabor & Oysterband - 'Love will tear us Apart' (2011)

Thanks Flycasual for pointing me in the direction of this new album by June Tabor & Oysterband called 'Ragged Glory', not only is it an outstanding album and includes a 'Dylan Cover' (7 Curses) but the Rendition of  'Love will Tear us Apart' is nothing short of brilliant. It captures the desolation and desperation of Curtis's heartfelt lyrics. I have never really liked any of the many covers of this song, none seemed to be able to do it justice but this certainly does and I for one will be listening to it 'again' and 'again'.



Flycasual:-

Friends - 'His Girl' (2011)

Ooh that's a naughty bass line I thought when I first heard this track! A great Hip Hop feel to it too which also reminded me of those Punk/Funk bands like Tom Tom Club, ESG and Delta 5. But the clincher for me is the bell sound that reminds me of my newsagents where I used to live and going in, buying my Monster Munch (pickled onion), a Crunchie and a copy of Razzle. Anyway this is a top tune from the Brooklyn 5 piece about giving your boyfriend some space (go girl) and not a bad retro style video showing off some super 8 skills (which includes skateboard footage..ooh yeah!).

Another Friends track for you to download here...

Razzle a bit tame and in need of some Refreshers? No fear click here for more TotW.. 

SATURDAY NIGHT JUKEBOX! - Hot Chip - 'One Life Stand'

Hot Chip - 'One Life Stand' (2010)

Hot Chip - One Life Stand

I was really looking forward to my favourite Geek dance group as the support act for the great LCD Soundsystem's last performance. If someone said to me "You'll look back at this evening and laugh" at the time it was happening, I know I'd return it with a face of thunder and probably a jab to their kidney.

This is the epic tale of the journey of the century and the biggest disappointment ever! The meticulous plan was for Flycasual and I to get to London, tube it to Finchley Station, walk the 15 minutes to check in at the Holiday Inn Express in Golders Green to dump our stuff, then make our way to meet London Scouser at Wood Green Tube Station. None of us had been to Alexandra Palace before and nothing prepared us for what was to come. Having completed what we thought was "the hard part" of the journey, we treated ourselves to a can each when we got to the hotel as we'd already been on the road for 2 hours. We thought we'd get the reception to order a taxi as we were running a bit late and according to google map it was a 7 minute cab ride as the crow flies. I should have known we were doomed when the cab rolled up and it was a Mercedes. Too late to opt out we got in and asked how much....£19?! We didn't have enough so called London Scouser to meet us with cash at Wood Green. The journey ended up taking the best part of 35 minutes because of severe roadworks and it was rush hour. London Scouser was a shivering angry mess when we arrived as it was a freezing November evening. He could have been waiting in a nice warm pub for us which was taunting him from across the road. While the three of us argued about whose fault it was, I thought, we're nearly there now, lets' just check out where to go on google map. I found the Alexandra Palace and we followed the little dot for about 20 minutes. It really didn't look right when we made another turning into what looked like a housing estate. I double checked the map with the postcode this time and it turned out Alexandra Palace was also the name of a council estate not far from the actual venue! Feeling rather foolish, we did a 180 and followed the steep incline towards the Ally-Pally.

Dressed appropriately for an evening of queuing

Finally the huge imposing building was in sight, so we joined the queue and took in the fantastic view of London at night from the top of the hill. The queue didn't seem to be moving much and we discovered it wrapped around the building on 3 sides! We were getting very close to the end of our tether and this was not helping. We should've been on our 3rd drink by now! Three quarters of an hour later and we still couldn't see the doors to the venue. Then I heard it, from the other side of the building's thick brick walls, One Life Stand, my favourite song from their new album was playing. Hot Chip had already began and I was nowhere near to getting in, cold, angry and sober! We had already discussed the possibility of blowing the gig off but the guilt of coming that far and not seeing it through was tough. Once in, we noticed there were enormous queues to get to the bar. The bar only accepted tokens which were only available to buy from another area and there were massive queues for them too! Absolutely mortified, there was no way we were going to enjoy the evening in the dark mood we were all in so we left. Couldn't even use the toilets on the way out as they were at the end of an extremely long queue!

Outside, we noticed there were several double decker buses which had been provided by the organisers to ferry people to and from the station. Why had we not been told! We gave our tickets to a couple of fans who thought they could buy tickets on the door so at least we made some body's night! We stomped into the first pub we saw and began to drown our sorrows. It was already 9 o'clock and we hadn't eaten so went to order a burger each. "Sorry we stop doing food at 9" replied bar staff and that was the catalyst to get absolutely blotto! We made our way back to the hotel and found a dingy little pub that decided to have a lock in! Every cloud and all that!

Geek or Chic?

I read an average review of the concert to see what I'd missed but it was the reader's responses which had me hopping up and down in laughter! I couldn't have put it better myself! Check them out here.

Having your own lock in? Click here to refill that glass and boogie the night away with more Saturday Night Jukebox!

GUEST SPOT # 21 - Energy 52 - Cafe Del Mar (Michael Woods Remix)

Come on you music lovers! You know you want to share a favourite track and tell us why you love it! Contact us now to feature on our weekly Guest spot!

Energy 52 - Cafe Del Mar (Michael Woods Remix) (2000)

Voted number one by Pete Tong's radio show listeners in the Top Twenty dance songs of the last twenty years, Cafe Del Mar must be the soundtrack to so many chilled out memories! On this week's Guest spot, Jamie may seem like a man of little words but still waters run deep!

Each time I hear this song it reminds me of hot days in Cornwall at the Skydiving Centre when I was a Uni student. This was a great carefree time for me when I could just enjoy the fun of Skydiving and sharing a beer with a great group of friends. I loved the permanent chilled out pace of life in Cornwall and the chilled out nature of this song combined with the great dance rhythms just fitted life.

This track has been remixed hundreds of times so here is the official original mix from back in 1993 to make your own comparisons with!

Click here to release your parachute....and for more Guest spots!

DYLAN COVERS # 19 - GUEST SPOT - Leon Russell, Echo and The Bunnymen, Country Gentlemen, Chocolate Watchband - 'Never Ending Baby Blue Pt 2'

Here is the second Part of DYLAN COVERS first ever Guest spot and is by Brendan Barry.
 
NEVER ENDING BABY BLUE Part 2, Brendan's Top eight covers of  'Its all over now Baby Blue'...

(6) Leon Russell’s ramshackle honky-tonk effort on the extended re-release of ‘Leon Russell And The Shelter People’,
LEON RUSSELL - Its all over now baby Blue

(7) The Country Gentlemen’s sweet-as-honey bluegrass harmony rendition,

(8) Echo and the Bunnymen’s recent powerful Them re-tread,

(9) this one from 60s garage band, the Chocolate Watchband, which provides an imagining of what a Rolling Stones performance of a Van Morrison interpretation of a Bob Dylan masterpiece would sound like.

I think it sounds good.

Click here for Part 1
More musical chocolate? Click here for Dylan covers..

THURSDAY I'M IN LOVE! - Nine Inch Nails - 'Only'

Thursday I'm in love...a chance to share some of my favourite tracks. Innit!

Nine Inch Nails - 'Only' (2005)

Trent Reznor is no doubt a talented musician with a real knack of creating industrial strength soundscapes. With many great songs under his belt, it's a difficult choice but 'Only' from his With Teeth album, is probably my favourite Nine Inch Nails track.

It's a fantastic tune with its beat, dirty bass guitar, piano and what sounds like a Gothic chant (for want of a better description) building up the tension nicely before Trent Reznor delivers his petulant tirade. More importantly it reminds me of a weekend at Sfw's, plenty of beer, music and sampling the fine welsh speciality of sweet and sour pork balls and chips. Sfw had also managed to acquire a copy of the Pro Tools (the recording and editing software alot of professional artists use) version of this song. It showed the numerous 'layers' to the track, the various instruments, sound effects used etc and when they came in and out of the song, as a result I felt I got to know it more intimately the further we stripped it down. Pretty fascinating stuff considering the Beatles only recorded on a four track, live and having to roll with it or redo it should anyone screw up.

Put your wand away...Potter!

It also gave us the opportunity to have a go at trying our hand at a little remixing for ourselves, relishing the thought of being able to dissect one of Mr Reznor's tracks! Alas easier said than done, as our handy work sounded more like a horrific version of an S Club 7 song (well Sfw's one anyway). 

Nine Inch Nails - 'Only'

I'll have one 47, two 38's and some spring rolls pls..oh and click here for more Thursday I'm in love!! 

WEDNESDAY CLUB - The Stone Roses - I Wanna be Adored

MIDWEEK CRISIS? Nobody loves you? Aagh! Come to WEDNESDAY CLUB, we've got the Stone Roses and you will be adored.

The Stone Roses - 'I Wanna be adored' (1989)

You get weekends you remember and you get weekends that fade away forever. 'I wanna be adored' reminds me of a weekend that will be imprinted in my memory banks forever and a fortnight.

Myself and Flycasual were in the U.K for the weekend, I can't remember why we there, but we were staying in the Ibis Hotel at Heathrow. The first thing we did was of course go to Hounslow Highstreet, to the record shop where we bought The Stone Roses' first album and Bummed by The Happy Mondays. At the time the Roses were the hottest ticket in town and we could not wait to hear the album after a string of superb singles. We had a small portable cassette player and when the album started we were disappointed as we thought there was something wrong with the tape, it was so silent and nothing much was happening. Then it started, what an introduction, one of the best of all time. 'I wanna be adored' - great stuff, the album was everything we expected and more.



Showing off their artistic qualities



We went out that night to the Red Lion pub on the London Road, as I remembered there was music usually playing. That night it was 'Napalm Death', but unfortunately we were not allowed in, Flycasual was too young and a little embarrassed as I remember.

There was another two memorable events that took place that weekend. We watched live in the hotel, Nelson Mandela being released from prison, also the startling news, Mike Tyson had been knocked out by Buster Douglas, the impossible had happened. What a weekend.

I have just heard the news that they are to reform. Fools's Gold!

What the world is waiting for....more Wednesday Club! Click here.

TUESDAY BLUES! Ray Charles - Don't Let the Sun Catch You Crying

Ray Charles - Don't let the Sun catch you crying (1959)

As winter approaches, sometimes you need a song to warm you up, to be a musical companion as the nights draw in.  This evokes the classic 'Rat Pack' tunes of the 50/60's and when men were men, suits were a must, and you'd probably have a drink of whiskey before, during and after work - a bit like Mad Men, but without the sunshine.

I was never a big Ray Charles fan, but that was due more to ignorance and not having any of his albums than not liking him.  That all changed when I heard this. The sweeping string arrangements, jazz-brush drumming, and exquisite piano playing takes you away to a time when music was real and couldn't be further away from the XFactor.....although even Simon Cowell would be gushing if Ray turned up and started playing this for him!

"...X-Factor? I got the xxx-factor.."

....I've got the Tuesday Blues because Saturday is so far away....

LOW TIDE MONDAYS - The Bluetones - 'Sleazy Bed Track'

LOW TIDE MONDAYS...Revealing the best pickings from the flotsam of my mind

The Bluetones - Sleazy Bed Track (1998)

17 years and 6 albums later, The Bluetones have decided to call it a day. It's a sad moment for me as I have really been with them all that time. From their humble beginnings in Hounslow in 1996, when they released their UK number 1 debut album, which launched them into mega Brit pop fame, to their last ever Farewell gig at Shepherd's Bush Empire this September. It's almost like they slipped out the back door.

The Bluetones' songs hold so many memories for me growing up. I remember being given their first album 'Expecting to Fly' for my 14th birthday from my best friend who was supposed to be accompanying me and my parents to a weekend in Paris. At the last minute, she revealed that she didn't have a passport, so disappointed, I went alone. It was a great sunny weekend as it happened, and I won't forget going into HMV on Champs-Elysees and finding 'Slight Return' playing!

The Bluetones - In Loving Memory, 1995 - 2011

After their second album, I gradually grew out of them and into my grunge phase until I met my now husband who revealed he'd loved them from the start too. We began seeing them at least once a year when they were touring. It was at one of these very concerts at Shepherd's Bush, on December 12, 2003 that my husband proposed. In true rock and roll style he said "If they play Slight Return as their encore, I'll propose." "Yeah whatever," was my response. We'd seen them at least 5 times between us and they had avoided the song each time. Sure enough it was the last song of the night and he said the words(probably under duress too as it was obviously a surprise to him). I was delighted of course and the rest as they say is history. We played it at our wedding and I can't listen to it without getting a bit misty eyed.

However, Sleazy Bed Track has to be my favourite song because of its sparse, laid back, romantic guitar and snare combination. I feel the lyrics have managed to suitably capture the pain felt in a emotionally trapping relationship. Despite it being a sad and emotive song, it doesn't stop me wanting to hear it over and over. It was also great Sleazy Bed Track got the recognition it deserved by featuring on the Scott Pilgrim Vs The World soundtrack(great film)! Anyone else got any Bluetones memories? Share them with me in honour of their passing!

Heathrow is home!

The Bluetones - Slight Return

The Bluetones - Sleazy Bed Track

TRACKS OF THE WEEK - 16/10/2011

It's Sunday, it's time for the tracks of the week. Here are four tatties to dip into your gravy. Do you have any Yorkies for us?

Sfw:-

Radiohead - Give up the Ghost (2011)

This is for all the people who dismissed the King Of Limbs, I always said it would be a slow burner and Give up the Ghost is just (another) gem that when heard in isolation reminds you why Radiohead are one of the National Treasures...

Old Pa's Corner:-
Mountain Goats - Beautiful Gas Mask (2011)

I just Can't stop playing the Mountain Goats's new album, 'All Eternal's Deck'. I keep getting a new favourite, first it was, 'Damn the Vampires' quickly followed by 'The Autopsy Garland' and at the moment 'Beautiful Gas Mask' is my 'rave'. Great voice and great lyrics, a bit of Alt-Country feel or even a bit of R.E.M. I asked my wife what track did she like of the three? she replied  'they are all depressing',  the perfect answer for me! I just love them, give them a try. I hope they will 'bleat' for you too.

Pet Sounds

Flycasual:-

DRC Music - Hallo (feat Tout Puissant Mukalo and Nelly Liyeage) (2011)

Despite a 9 year gap since 2002's Mali Music, Damon Albarn continues his love affair with African music with an new project, in DRC Music (Democratic Republic of Congo). He visited with a collective of producers (notably long term collaborator Dan The Automator) with the ambitious premise to record the album in 7 days and all the proceeds to go to Oxfam's work in the country. During the week local Musicians would come and go recording sessions with Damon and his crew, who would then blend the traditional with the modern to create the album Kinshasa One Two. Hallo, for me is probably the stand out track, showing that despite the time frame, the gifted mr Albarn definitely has an ear for a tune. Talented musicians, good music, good cause, job done! 

Shell Hunter:-
Nick Waterhouse - Is That Clear (2011)

You know that new sound you're looking for? Well, listen to this!

Is That Clear by Nick Waterhouse


I love it when an artist revisits a genre of yesteryear and does it well, much like Marty Mcfly performing "Johnny B Goode" in Back to the Future. Nick Waterhouse is 25, based in San Francisco and obviously has a passion for 1950's R & B American music, even using vintage analogue equipment to give it that authentic retro crackle. Full of sax, clinkin' pianos and rocking guitars, it'll have you swinging your partner all over the place in an instant. If you like this, check out his 4 track EP released in August, which includes a great cover of Them's "I can only give you everything". If it's not for you, I guess you folks aren't ready for this yet, but you're parents are gonna love it!

Hey doll face, wanna get up to some back seat bingo?

Where we're going we don't need roads but you still need tunes...click here for more tracks of the week!

SATURDAY NIGHT JUKEBOX! - Shapeshifters - 'Lola's Theme'

'

Shapeshifters - 'Lola's Theme' (2004)

The mild summer weather is holding on for dear life and while the sun has still got his hat on, I will continue to bask in the summer tunes. This was one of my top 3 songs of 2004 and I loved it so much I must have put it on 3 CD compilations that year! A mega music faux pa!

Lola's theme - Not a shifter!

As my husband and I love discovering/rediscovering music and sharing it with each other(what a good idea!), we create a new CD compilation every few months when we have a "glut" of tracks old and new. Usually consisting of 20 songs of our choice(no questions asked), we alternate tracks so we both benefit from the exposure of new music which we might not otherwise have heard, mixed in with our latest obsession! One of my all time favourite mixes was simply titled "Summer Break" in which I enforced the criteria of "up beat, summery songs to listen to when its hot!" This CD was made especially for a weekend break to Bournemouth which so happened to be during one of Britain's rare but extremely enjoyable heatwaves! 

Bournemouth Beach, Summer 2004

Whenever I hear Lola's Theme, I am transported to that drive down to Bournemouth during which the CD had it's maiden play. There were smiles on our faces, our sunglasses were on, the flip flops were packed and the uplifting lyrics extended the promise of a glorious weekend! The trouble is, we weren't the only people with the idea of spending it with our toes in the warm sand....it seemed the whole of Britain was on the beach that day! The scene was straight out of a "Where's Wally?" (or Waldo for our American friends) book; kids digging giant holes and running around with melting ice creams, mums screaming at them to put sun block on, dads looking miserable because they wanted a beer in the nice shadey Wetherspoon's pub near by, and groups of insecure spotty teenagers wishing they had the confidence to display their new Primark bikini's or shorts. You really can't beat a sunny British summer's day!

Shapeshifters - Lola's Theme

Want more Saturday Night Jukebox summer smashers? Click here!

GUEST SPOT # 20 - Roddy Frame - Small World

Fancy doing a guest spot? Then contact us, we'll be glad to hear it!

Roddy Frame - Small World (2002)

The second of this weeks guest spots goes to 'er indoors, Sophie. A fabulous and moving song which reminds us of some pretty tough times. Made worse now, by the fact that what Roddy was singing about wasn't what we thought. An easy mistake to make, we've all done it...Still there are those Star Wars references! If any of you have misinterpreted any lyrics then let us know in the comments!!

The North Circular, Halloween and Roddy Frame

For a couple of exhausting years, I worked for Lidl, the discount retailer. As a District Manager, I clocked up thousands of miles a year, travelling across London and the South East, visiting stores and carrying out various duties at the regional head office, located on the industrial banks of the Thames in Kent.

Part of the role involved covert operations:  following lorries delivering to stores at night (to ensure goods weren’t offloaded halfway) and testing the security of the warehouse by walking in, taking a case of (very cheap) whiskey and seeing if anyone stopped to challenge us.
This was all endorsed by the Powers That Be and, although I did experience a slight frisson from this pseudo-foray into the criminal underworld, it largely involved spending cold and lonely hours in various dodgy locations in my trusty Passat, wishing I was tucked up bed at home.

And so I found myself after one such late visit, on the North Circular, near Barking I think. A grim stretch of road at the best of times but truly bleak at midnight on the 31st October after another 18 hour day.

I was listening to the radio and this song came on. I’d heard it before and loved it so much that I bought the album, Surf, which is still one of my favourites.
It contains the line “floating in a car, past the gates of Must Destroy Dot Com”. I always thought this must be a US company as I had never heard of them before but imagine my surprise when, at the very point Roddy was singing the words, I glanced to my right and saw a large warehouse with these words emblazoned on the side!
As it was, the song’s lyrics really summed up the loneliness I felt during that time and that night, which was coincidentally Halloween , they took on new significance – Spooky!!
It gave me great comfort and I like to think that some friendly spirits were watching down on me, seeing me safely home without falling asleep at the wheel.

Before writing this post, I googled Must Destroy.com and can only find one reference to a document disposal business but no evidence it still exists.
Then I thought I’d check the lyrics of the song. Turns out, Roddy and I were singing completely different words...Gutted.

Sorry love, you thought I wrote what?

Anyway, the album is brilliant – his lyrics are gorgeous, although I think my version of Small World is much better...

Roddy Frame - Small World

More guest spots here!

DYLAN COVER # 18 - GUEST SPOT - Never Ending Baby Blue Part 1

Smoking a Tab

This week is our first, in a two part 'Dylan Cover' guest spot and comes from an old school teacher during Flycasual's days in Saudi Arabia. His class was the original school of rock, he was funny, he was good at maths, he almost led us to footy glory in Dhahran 88', he's Brendan Barry:-

Never Ending Baby Blue

No other Dylan song has yielded so many great covers as It’s All Over Now Baby Blue. One of the main reasons for this is that Them’s magnificent and highly original 1966 arrangement has itself been covered and reworked by so many bands.

Including  Bob himself, I can count at least 9 versions that are worthy of stone cold classic status.

(1) Dylan’s own version, especially the one with his Blonde on Blonde voice from ‘Live 1966’,

(2) Them’s jaw-dropping reconstruction mentioned above.

  (3) Grateful Dead’s fluid and seamless live version from ‘Vintage Dead’

(4) The Byrds’ stunning stinging staccato outtake from ‘Turn Turn Turn’,

(5) Joan Baez’s classic crystal clear clarion call delivery from 1965.

Part 2 will be next week (I can't wait)

Are there any other Dylan fans out there who'd like to do a guest spot on 'Dylan Covers'? Let me know in the 'comments' and we can arrange a spot.

THURSDAY I'M IN LOVE - O.M.D.- 'So in Love'

Thursday I'm in Love..a chance to share some of my favourite tracks!

OMD - So In Love by jpdc11

O.M.D. - 'So in Love' (1985)

I'm not sure what the Los Zetas Cartel would make of this video but the song is great!

I recently heard the track 'Messages' on the radio, I was working at the time and it stopped me in my tracks (not hard to do). It had been a while since I had heard any O.M.D. and it was long overdue, simple but brilliant synth pop which they did so very well in the early 80's with some real classics, Souvenir, Maid of Orleans, Joan of Arc to name but a few. They were certainly part of my soundtrack growing up.

But my personal favourite would have to be 'So in Love' from the album Crush. It just reminds of a time when my mum was away and my dad and I were home alone. I didn't fully share my dads enthusiasm on having the freedom of the house, as he was in charge of the menu and that meant overcooked pasta and tuna bolognese for two weeks (even being known to cool down a particularly fiery Madras with some toffee flavoured yogurt).

Go on...get in there my son!!

But it wasn't all bad, with my mum away it meant my dad had a musical carte blanche without fear of reprimand and so a mini music festival ensued. Crush was one of the albums that was on heavy rotation and I loved it. I was also fascinated by the album cover as it really fit the mood of the album well, the sunset, the couple in the car will he won't he score? (it certainly didn't look promising). Just the hopeless romantic in me, even at 12 years old.

You'll be pleased to know that I didn't contract rickets and that my dad, now is actually a pretty mean cook.

O.M.D. - So in Love

O.M.D.- Messages


Thurrsday I'm Love... Click here for more!

WEDNESDAY CLUB - John Lennon - God

 MIDWEEK CRISIS, your dreams are fading, come to WEDNESDAY CLUB where 'Dreams never end'

JOHN LENNON - God (1970)

The battle raged on, who is the best, Lennon or McCartney? Then George entered the frame with the brilliant 'All things Must Pass'. I loved Paul's self titled first solo album. He's the one with all the melody, think of 'Yesterday', think of 'The Long and Winding Road.' We love you Paul.

When Lennon released his first solo album 'Plastic Ono', after a couple of tremendous singles, 'Cold Turkey' and 'Instant Karma', he jumped straight to the top of the debate ladder. What an album! Great stripped down songs. He even introduced the 'F' word, which did not seem out of place on the magnificent 'Working class Hero'. But what stood out for me was 'God'. "No more Beatles, no more Zimmerman, the dream is over, the dream is over, the dream is over". A line I have borrowed and used more times than I care to remember. His follow up album 'Imagine' cemented his position. I loved his dry humour, his bitterness, his cynicism.

Even Dylan gave a bittersweet acknowledgement by saying "He's improving".

Then came Paul's 'Band on the Run',  the debate was opened up again!


Who do you like best? John, Paul, George or Bingo.

New Member to the 'Tune Doctor Team'

More Wednesday Club? Click here!

TUESDAY BLUES! Sun Kil Moon - Carry Me Ohio

Sun Kil Moon - Carry Me Ohio (2003)

A dip of Americana here - Sun Kil Moon are former Red House Painters singer Mark Kozeleks band (named after Korean Boxer Sung-kil moon) which I first heard back in 2003.  I know its not for everyone, but I love his eerie ghost-like voice, singing overs gorgeous guitar melodies with a sprinkle of melancholy that makes me want to listen over-and-over again it features on the album Ghosts of the Great Highway.

A few years ago I took my lovely wife to Dublin to see him live (It was the nearest venue - honest!) and I thought he was brilliant but I admit my plan slightly backfired as a combination of the local Guinness, exhaustion and his quiet singing style was a musical tranquilizer and almost put us both to sleep

"...look at this guitar, you are getting very, very sleepy..."

..I've got the Tuesday Blues, because Saturday is so far away! (Click here for more)

YES YES Y'ALL - Shabazz Palaces - 'Are You....Can You....Were You? (felt)'

Shabazz Palaces - Are You....Can You....Were You? (felt) (2011)

A lot of Hip Hop acts these days tend to follow a tried and trusted formula so it's rare to find an act like Shabazz Palaces who are original, innovative and fresh. They are among a rare breed of underground Hip Hop acts this year that have come through and are not afraid to break the mould. Although not a big fan, the rather rude and controversial, don't take him home to meet your gran, Tyler, The Creator and his crew are another example of an artist not afraid to push the boundaries. What I like about them is that they inject some life, in a genre which is increasingly becoming monotonous with pretty much everyone sounding and saying the same thing.

I've been listening to Shabazz Palaces's album, Black Up, over the last few months and it's taken a little effort due to it's non-conformist style but the obscure beats and soundscapes make for rewarding listening. In fact, if you ever wondered what what Hip Hop would sound like if it was on Star Wars this is it, Jabba the Hutt would book them.

Tales from Shabazz Palaces.....Live tonight 21h30 @ Mos Eisley Cantina

Shabazz Palaces are led by 'Butterfly' of Digable Planets fame, one of my favourite Jazz influenced Hip Hop groups who had success in the early 90's with some classic releases. If you like your music abstract and a little off kilter then Shabazz Palaces is for you. The force is strong with them.

Download another sample here

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