The wonderful album cover image is entitled Duality and is once again by alicepopkorn.
May 10 Music Mix notes
I’ve been creating playlists in one form or another for over 30 years but I must admit to be rather excited about this month’s mix – I think its one of the best I’ve done – I think I’ve just about peaked. Now I know I’ve probably said this before and may say it again – but the 22 tracks herewith contained are a fine example of all that is good about music. We have several top banana guitarists, Ms Armatrading, who still thinks she lives in the 80′s, a 3-in-a-row designed to make you happy, some chill out tunes, some new names for you to explore, some old guys to re-explore and Motorhead bringing up the rear the only way Motorhead can – loud and dirty.
Enough of me, download the bugger, turn the volume up to 11 and press play.
Also, please remember to respect copyright law; if you like a song from the mix, there’s a very good chance you will also like the album – so do me and the artist a favour and buy the CD.
Jeff Beck – [01] Over the Rainbow and [02] Hammerhead [Emotion and Commotion]
Two songs from the old maestro to start the mix from his new album Emotion and Commotion. I just love the way he can take an old classic and give it new life, new meaning – he does the same with Nessun Dorma and Corpus Christi Carol which opens the album. Hammerhead is a funky dunky treat for you, full of wah wah and buzzing basslines and all kinds of wonderful things.
We’re already on a roll here.
[03] The Jeff Healy Band – Let it all go [Hell to Pay]
Recently had a good friend round for a BBQ and he brought with him a Healy DVD which I’ve yet to play, but it did make me dig out some of my older Healy music and enjoy once again. His version of John Hiatt’s song is just perfect and reminds me how untimely his death was coming a month before the release of his album, Mess of Blues. I’ve yet to buy this album, will have to right that wrong.
Did you know – Healey was an avid record collector and amassed a collection of well over 30,000 78 rpm records. He also, from time to time, hosted a CBC Radio program entitled My Kind of Jazz, in which he played records from his vast vintage jazz collection and also played trumpet during live performances.
[04] Philip Sayce – Little Miss America [Innerevolution]
Sayce was born in Aberystwyth, but his family moved to Canada when he was two years old but I reckon the first two years were the most important part of life and has clearly shaped and defined and made him the guitarist that he is today. Don’t know much more about this guy apart from that but I do know a great song and just love this guy’s guitar.
[5] Doves – Andalucia [The Places Between]
I’m a big Doves fan and thought their last album Kingdom of Rust was one of the highlights of last year. They now have a Best of released which is superb value for money containing a CD of their hits, a bonus CD of b-sides, rarities and alternative versions as well as a bonus DVD featuring all of the band’s music videos. The first CD also includes 3 new songs with Andalucia being one of them. A great driving rock song that shows a band at their peak and I know my two youngest pups are very excited about seeing them at this year’s Green Man Festival in August – sadly I’ll be back in Doha.
[06] Hothouse Flowers – Movies [The Best of Hothouse Flowers]
At this same BBQ last week my friend also brought round a few CDs for me to borrow with the Best of these guys being one of them. I’ve never been overly familiar with the band but instantly fell in love with the album, with this song one of the stand out tracks for me – great feel about the song.
I reckon I should have more BBQs.
Do you go to the movies
find a friend in a film
holding hands with the heroes
fall in love with the heroine
When you were young and easy
did you like to take the day off
run in the sun and the breeze
nothing to think of
Do you run to the silence
Do you hide in the dark
Do you like to go walking
Alone in the city
Do the soft things hurt you
have you got something to lose
because it’s only water
You’ve got to let it flow through
Get on up into the groove
Chorus:
Do you go to the movies
find a friend in a film
holding hands with the heroes
fall in love with the heroine
Yeah yeah yeah it’s true
Yeah yeah yeah I think it’s you
Yeah yeah yeah can you feel the soul
Got to be the closest thing to rock and roll
And so you take time to thinking heavy
Say you need some medicine (yeah)
So you take to drinking heavy
Do you really need medicine
Really need medicine (yeah)
Chorus:
Do you go to the movies
find a friend in a film
holding hands with the heroes
[07] The Morning Benders – Promises [Big Echo]
The Morning Benders are an indie band from California and a new name to me but there’s certainly promise here. The sound is quite uncomplicated, the theme (an uncertain relationship) is nothing new but the song’s big-beat thump and tangled voices add something that caught my ear and made me want to share with you. Chris Taylor of Grizzly Bear shares a co-production credit with Benders singer/guitarist Christopher Chu and you can certainly hear his influence – I look forward to watching this band grow and hopefully be allowed to develop their style naturally as I’m sure there’s better to come.
Joan Armatrading – [08] This Charming Life | [09] Diamond | [10] Heading Back To New York City [This Charming Life]
Read the notes on my Album of the Month for more info, but I do, after a little soul searching, think that this album deserves to be my ‘Album of the Month’. Below is an example of the cheesy lyrics but you have to put it all in context, she’s trying to say the things she wants to say to the people that want to hear her and these people will be mostly people who grew up with her in the 80s and won’t give a tosh what I or anybody else says – and will more importantly enjoy the album – I am too.
Heading Back to New York City
Going back to New York city
To do the things I never didI’m heading back to New York city
To see the things I never sawThings like the ABC No Rio oh oh
I’m gonna search this town both high and low
I’m gonna go all the places where New Yorkers go.
I’m gonna see Staten Island gonna take the boat
I’m gonna search every place till I reach zeroGoing back to New York city
You might be by those Asian trees
I’m heading back to New York city
Times square and all those broadway babesAnd if the devil has a playground yeh yeh
You wanna bet New York is the devil’s swing
Let’s shake let’s make a deal
Of all the bright light cities spread around the globe
There ain’t a skyline better than New York New YorkI’m going back to the place I lost my heart
I’m going back to the place I lost my heart
Spend my time trying to find you
Here in New YorkGoing back to New York city
To do the things I never did
I know I’m gonna find you baby yeh yea
I’m gonna search this town both high and low
I’m gonna go all the palces where New Yorkers go.
I’m gonna see Staten Island gonna take the boat
I’m gonna search every place till I reach zeroI’m going back to New York city
Heading back to find youI’m going back to New York city
Heading back to find you
[11] Kaki King – Life Being What It Is [Dreaming of Revenge]
Been listening to her new album Junior on MySpace and was not very impressed. It doesn’t appear to be of the same quality of Dreaming of Revenge, the album that this track is taken from. This song, the first of my slower, chill out section is just great with acoustic guitar, a romantic, dreamy and spacious song, with strings that simply glide along behind the main melody – just lovely. Kaki is actually a fine guitarist and has enhanced her sound on this album by adding some vocals, electric and steel guitar, drums, keyboards, bass, pedal steel and lap steel guitar all of which she plays herself. Malcolm Burn, who has worked with the likes of Iggy Pop, Peter Gabriel and Patti Smith, was the producer.
[12] Cinematic Orchestra – As the Stars Fall [Ma Fleur]
The Cinematic Orchestra is led by composer/programmer/multi-instrumentalist Jason Swinscoe, who formed his first group, Crabladder, in 1990 as an art student at Cardiff College. Crabladder’s fusion of jazz and hardcore punk elements with experimental rhythms inspired Swinscoe to further explore the possibilities of sampling, and by the time of the group’s demise in the mid-’90s.
The Cinematic Orchestra is a perfect name for this band (they are a band as their live CD proves) as the music they create is able to inspire images and ideas similar to a soundtrack with the range of instruments utilized adding a full and proud sound. Ma Fleur as an album gets better with each repeated listen and it takes a while for this song to come alive but it’s a strong track that slowly ebbs and flows around your end – perfect chill out sounds.
[13] Brendan Perry – Utopia [Ark]
Perry is a singer and multi-instrumentalist best known for his work as the male half of the duo, Dead Can Dance, with Lisa Gerrard. My old mucker Spacey introduced me to DCD and while I’ve not mentioned them too much here – too many bands not enough space – I find the music of DCD unique and assigning a musical genre to them is difficult, as its style is particularly eclectic.
Perry’s new album Ark is similar, in fact two songs Babylon and Crescent, were originally composed for the DCD reunion tour of 2005. Utopia is a fine example of what Perry does best, with his voice in good form and heavy synths swirling around creating a labyrinth of soundscapes it brings the chill-out section of the mix to a close. Notes from Perry’s website explain a little bit more:
Ark comprises eight original compositions in total that explore the recurring themes of identity, alienation, war, political corruption and the threat that we as a species now pose to our environment.
Despite the dystopian themes that pervade these eight compositions, there are also expressions of great hope and optimism for a better world to be found within the subtext of the songs. For an Ark as well as being a refuge from the world’s harsher realities is also a vehicle for regeneration and renewal.Ark is not really a concept album in the traditional sense of the term, but rather a series of sustained observations and commentaries on the human condition. Like most of my previous work I had no preconceived notion of what the songs subject matter would be other than to follow my gut instinct, refining and distilling the music and my thoughts as they came to me. One cannot underestimate the influence that living and working in relative isolation has had on the making of this album. A lot of my spare time is spent on the internet with friends or watching documentaries and current affairs programs. It strikes me that one of the great paradoxes of modern living is that we often feel that we are connected and at the very centre of communications despite the fact that we are often both physically detached and remote from one another. Unlike my previous album Eye of the Hunter, which makes extensive use of live guitars, bass and drums, practically all the instrumentation on Ark is derived from sample libraries and synthesizers.
This was a conscious creative decision on my part as I wanted to imbue the music with the ambience of a neutral electronic soundscape which would in turn mirror a world that is becoming increasingly more dependent upon machines to perform tasks for us.
With regard to the sample libraries themselves, I have made especial use of strings, horns and choir to complement the synthetic soundscapes and which in themselves form a kind of musical motif that underscores the compositions as a whole.
Guest spot 3-in-a-row: words and track selection by Liefste zus
Sigh. I had great plans for my first (and last??) shot at picking three tracks for my lovely brother’s music mix but to honest, it’s all gone a bit potty over here and this selection is a “quick, what 3 songs can I think of quickly and find on my hard disk” sorta selection. You see, all my music is stored on the other computer. The other computer that is dying a sad, lonely death in the corner. I can boot it up for 10 or 15 minutes but then the blue screen of death appears and all attempts to copy said collection go out of the window. That’s okay, I’ll just go to the source cds and pick from there… wait, they’re still all boxed up in the loft since the move. When exactly did you make that great escape to the country liefste zus? Oh um, well, that was about two years ago. Yikes.So, we’ve established that I am a disorganised slattern who shouldn’t be trusted with making a 3-track selection. And that the themes I was dithering between (“songs that make me happy” / “unrequited love” / etc.) have been abandoned. Mostly for the above mentioned reasons but partly because, in a hum-the-theme-from-the-Twilight-Zone kinda way, I too had selected Somewhere over the rainbow and was quite discombobulated to discover that himself had gotten in there first. But my version (by Israel Kamakawiwo, ‘Ole ‘IZ’) is better. So there.
But wait! I do have some music on this machine and I
thinkhope you’ll like at least one of these tracks. And I promise to be far more organised by the next time. Honest.
[14] Robert Randolph and The Family Band – Ain’t Nothing Wrong With That [Colourblind] You’ve just been lulled into a cosy reverie with the Dog’s previous picks and woah! Mr Randolph’s foot-stomping, toe-tapping, finger-clicking, booty-whipping, window-shattering intro hits your speakers. I can’t remember where I first heard this track (following a link on YouTube possibly) but it’s been my favourite cheerer-upper for a long time now. The album from which it’s taken is also rather tasty, with guest spots from Eric Clapton, Dave Matthews, Leela James, et al but this is the one that gets me up out my chair to dance with the mutts and gets an airing at least once a day.
[15] Sometimes I Feel Like a Motherless Child – Inna Barmash (vocal) and Ljova
This song, a negro spiritual from the days of slavery in the United States has been recorded many times but this pure, stripped-back version? Man, a big ol’ lump in the throat every damn time I play it.
[This was a recording for the Metafilter music project - well worth ponying up a one-off $5 to hear regular doses of new music.]
[16] The Boxer – Lee DeWyze
Are you sitting down? I do hope so. It’snot oftenunheard of for an American Idol artist to be mentioned around these ‘ere parts so let’s start off with the confession that yes, I do watch it every year. Well, I say watch… I tape the 60 minute show, enjoy the performances but skip the pre-written, manipulative “judging” by Mr Cowell etc. and can be all done in about 13 minutes. Result!Anyway, contestants were this week asked to pick a song from a list of “inspirational” tunes and, well, let’s not go there but the previously sort of dark horse of the series, Lee DeWyze sang a brilliantly contemporary cover of this Simon & Garfunkel classic. I loved it, hope you’ll give it a chance too. And if you’d like to hear more from him, he has two “pre-Idol” albums for sale on his website.
That’s it from me, back to my liefste broer.
[17] The Chieftains (Feat. Ry Cooder) – The Sands of Mexico [San Patricio]
The musical souls of two nations, Ireland and Mexico, are brought together in San Patricio, the latest album by six-time Grammy winners The Chieftains and begins a 4 song Tex/Mex/Bluesy kinda section to delight your ears a wee bit more.
The first song in this section The Sands of Mexico written by and sung by Ry Cooder is a lovely song. The blending of Mexican and Irish musical styles and instruments is a bold concept and to be honest with you, it sometimes doesn’t gel as it should – especially in the last track Finale. However, there’s much to admire here, not least the dazzling array of instruments to be found – Mexican guitars, button accordion, bajo sexto, trumpets, double bass and drums; and on the Irish side, Moloney’s haunting Uilleann pipes and tin whistle, bodhrán, and flute. The album San Patricio (the Spanish name for St. Patrick) tells the nearly forgotten story of the brave San Patricio battalion – a downtrodden group of Irish immigrant conscripts who deserted the U.S. Army in 1846 to fight on the Mexican side against the invading Yankees in the Mexican-American War (1846-1848). Although the members of the San Patricio Battalion were reviled as traitors and deserters in the U.S., Chieftains’ founder and frontman Paddy Moloney says, “the men of the San Patricio Battalion are remembered by generations of Mexicans to this day as heroes who fought bravely against an unjust and thinly veiled war of aggression.” San Patricio brings their story to life through heart-stirring ballads and effervescent dance songs from both countries, including traditional “sones” that the San Patricios might have heard while in Mexico, and Irish airs and reels that evoke the homeland they left behind.
Love this song as its simplicity is bewitching and tells a great story but the album as a whole sadly fails to inspire.
[18] Chris Rea – Easy Rider [Dancing Down The Stony Road]
Following a severe bout of pancreatitis and a predicted 50% chance of survival from the big C (cancer) Rea promised himself that if he recovered, he would be returning to his blues roots. This near brush with death was the catalyst for a complete change in musical direction and motivation. The result was Blue Guitars an 11-CD collection of 137 blues-inspired tracks and the album Dancing Down the Stony Road.
Rea revealed that “it’s not until you become seriously ill and you nearly die and you’re at home for 6 months, that you suddenly stop to realise that this isn’t the way I intended it to be in the beginning. Everything that you’ve done falls away and start wondering why you went through all that rock business stuff.” So, Rea returned to his blues roots, releasing some wonderful albums simply doing what he does best.
The lyrics for this song reveal much:
Well now come on easy rider
Give me something
For my pain
Well now come on easy rider
Though I know you’re not to blameThe dogs are out to get me
And pull me down, againWell now come on easy rider
Turn this screaming fire
Down low
Yeah come on easy rider
Pull this pain
And let it goThis time around
Don’t think that I can take it
This twisting pain
I’ve come to know
Easy rider
Help me
Easy rider
[19] John Hiatt – Crossing Muddy Waters [Crossing Muddy Waters]
And cutting quite sharpishly into the next song (don’t know how that happened but it sounds good) we have John Hiatt. Where does one start with a guy like this? A fantastic songwriter who has had songs covered by Bob Dylan, Linda Ronstadt, Bonnie Raitt, Eric Clapton, B.B. King, Willie Nelson, Three Dog Night, Joan Baez, Paula Abdul, Buddy Guy, Jimmy Buffett, Mandy Moore, Iggy Pop, Emmylou Harris, Nick Lowe, Rosanne Cash, Jewel, Aaron Neville, Jeff Healey (see track 3 of this mix), Keith Urban to name drop a few – plus he has produced quality music on his own 22 albums since 1974. And while he has never been the popular choice he’s always been music lovers favourite.
Crossing Muddy Waters was Hiatt’s fifteenth album, released in 2000. A raw album recorded with no drummer, it was a purely acoustic album that brought elements of bluegrass music into his Americana sound. The title of the album is an intentional double entendre, referencing blues legend Muddy Waters. It was nominated for a Grammy award in 2001 for Best Contemporary Folk Album.
[20] Miles Davis – Bank Robbery [The Hot Spot]
As recommeded by our blues guru the now infamous UncleRaveyDavey after he heard Solitary Breathing which opened last month’s mix. The Hot Spot blends Miles Davis’ lonely blue trumpet, with John Lee Hooker’s moans and machine-gun electric guitar, Taj Mahal’s country guitar picking, and Ry Cooder’s peerless slide guitar. It’s a musical Dream Team of sorts and is quite staggering. The Hot Spot is a 1990 American drama film directed by Dennis Hopper and starring Don Johnson, Virginia Madsen and Jennifer Connelly. Based on the book Hell Hath No Fury by Charles Williams.
Bank Robbery, for me, is the pitch-perfect blend of jazz and blues—a hard driving, blend… equal parts sophisticated bop and raw blasts of juke joint guitar. It is a moment of absolute, jaw-dropping beauty, in which each artist displays their talent to the full – nice one URD.
[21] The Gutter Twins – The Stations [Saturnalia]
As Oscar Wilde once said “We are all in the gutter, but some of us are looking at the stars.” The Gutter Twins are the stars – a fantastic musical collaboration between Greg Dulli and Mark Lanegan.
The album Saturnalia is dark in places and can be quite hard on the ears but it’s worth the effort as it holds musical treasues that one might find even threatening as The Twins truly bare their souls. Saturnalia sounds mysterious, bleak, even quite desperate in places reminding me of Alex Lifeson’s solo album Victor but the content is the best thing either musician has done in years.
O, Mama
Ain’t no time to fall to pieces
He has arrived, He has arrived
There by the grace of God go I-
I don’t know what they mean
I don’t know what they mean
And I say-O, Father
Now I can’t believe you’re leaving
Seen thru your eyes, seen thru your eyes
There by the grace of God go I-
I don’t know what they mean
I don’t know what they mean
And I say-I hear the rapture’s comin’
They say He’ll be here soon
Right now there’s demons crawling all around my room
They say He lives within me
They say for me He died
And now I hear His footsteps
All most every nightO, Children
This is where they come to take me away-
From here
I don’t know what they mean
I don’t know what they mean
And I say-
[22] Motörhead – Overkill [Overkill]
So… we’re finally the reached the back end of the mix – and who better to meet and greet us than the old mobsters Lemmy and co. By far the best line-up with Fast Eddie on guitar and Philthy Animal Taylor on drums – these guys knew how to make a bloody great big fat noise; I should know I’ve seen them live 3 times, with this song being one of my favourite ever live songs.
How does The Animal keep this tempo and rythym going for so long, especially when this song is normally played at the end of a two hour show – c’mon the man has stamina. He’s also a bloody good drummer and along with Lemmy and Eddie they never really achieved the musical acolades they deserved (you rarely see these guys in best of lists) – never mind, it brings May’s Music Mix to a spectacular and breathtaking climax.
The Music Mix 10 for May 2010 has now expired but the June mix is now ready – go read all about it!
Hope you enjoyed the music – I’ve certainly enjoyed putting it all together and more importantly enjoyed listening to it.
Laughing Dog
LZ, good to see you posting again; you’re far too quiet. ‘Specially as I done like me a lot of your music.
Props on your brave selection of The Boxer – Lee DeWyze.
My name is UncleRaveDave and I am an American Idol habitue.
I have a group of friends who are professional musicians back in the Land-of-my-birth; back when Idols first started (and we didn’t know better) we used to gather round the TV with copious bottles of red wine and fiercely debate the performance of our favourite(s). Now I’m an expat and my family and I still gather round the TV – only now it’s more of a solitary bottle of the grape – and the debating happens (occasionally) over the Internet. Not quite the same, but it’s still the only time I can count on having my entire family gathered harmoniously in one place for an hour or two a week. We need help.
Anyhoo, Idol still is capable of throwing up some take-your-breath-away moments; the “results” show for the week that produced The Boxer, yielded this beauty with Joss Stone and Jeff Beck:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UCzVunUSBuw
I saw Joss Stone live at the Dubai Desert Rhythm Festival in 2007; I spent 2 days literally front and centre in front of the stage. The very front. Here’s a clip I shot. MAN, Ms Stone has done some growing up since then !
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FXZjP6lwAcc
I actually went to the festival mainly to see Madness (a bucket list moment), but Joss Stone was worth the admission fee too. I’d always thought she had an AMAZING voice, but some of her stuff was a bit too hip-hop for me. The concert bore this out, but the stuff of hers that I liked, I really, really liked. She had a sort-of simple, endearing naivete about her (stopping between songs to have a “cuppa tea” – was probably scripted but came across as quite charming). Btw, Joss Stone was herself the product of a TV talent show, she won “Star for a Night” in 2001, and she also won on “Steps to the Stars”. So there.
Ok, so what has Idol achieved for me with this song. 1) I wasn’t aware that Jeff Beck and Joss Stone have collaborated on a number of this type of song. I Youtubed this song for this posting, and found several other clips to go and investigate. I haven’t yet, but it looks like I’m in for a treat. Yay !
2) Jeff Beck. Who’d've thought ? For me, he always fell into the noisy end of the guitar spectrum, but his work with Joss ticks a lot of boxes for me. Is he, like Clapton, getting more mellow with age ? Can anyone point me in the right direction ? Is Beck/Stone available on any album ?
Finally, LZ, you might be interested in getting hold of “Chart Throb” by Ben Elton. The book “fictionally” takes us through a season of an Idols-type show; it gets a bit silly toward the end but does give the reader some good insights into what (probably) does happen in the world of Idol and its ilk. The blurb on the back page calls it “… a savagely hilarious deconstruction of the world of modern television talent shows.” Or you can just wait for the comments from the other MTFM devotees, I’m guessing they’ll be just as savage …
URD out !
Hi Ravey – Thanks for posting – I have no real opinion about Pop Idol what they do they do very good and me like you have spent time with family watching and debating – which is priceless quality time.
Joss Stone, for me is probably the best singer (male or female) to come out of UK this decade. I have all her albums, actually quite unusual for me, and simply cant find fault with any of them. I also like her attitude, she’s a spunky sort of gal who knows what she wants – she recorded her latest album ‘Colour Me Free’ without the knowledge or approval of her record company who (when finding out) tried to block and change – but boy did she fight and although I believe some changes were made most of the album is as she wanted – ballsy or what? As she says on Amazon “I kind of woke up one morning and wanted to make an album. It’s very, very raw. It’s a bunch of musicians, writers and myself and we’re just jamming, basically.”
One more thing Beck and Stone collaborated on this album with ‘Parallel Lines’ and on Becks new album ‘Emotion and Commotion’ with the song that you posted ‘I Put A Spell On You’ and ‘There’s No Other Me’.
Will post samples of these for you soon
I was just about to post, now that I’ve started listening to the mix and see that Beck is right up there in front – doh ! – and have done some more homework on the album, I see that Joss Stone is there too. Friggin’ marvellous.
Youtube shows me they’ve also done “People Get Ready” (yay !), and “Parallel Lines”.
A serendipitous day for URD
Dear UncleRaveDave
Not sure if I want to marry or adopt you
‘Twas Crystal Bowersox that did People Get Ready, FANTASTIC performance on stage but the recording is a little disappointing methinks. Are you able to hear/download the Idol tracks where you are? If not, let me know!
Video: http://www.americanidol.com/videos/season_9/performances/?ref=ai9_hp_video_itunes_perf
Another mega long-time Joss Stone fan here too, I love your description of the Dubai concert! I always have a soft spot for her (voice apart) because she reminds me of the dog’s eldest pup, i.e. very sweet but a gobby mare
Then again, I swear they based Phoebe Buffay on my niece too! I hadn’t seen the Stone/Beck segment (the 2 hour “give back” shite is on the Sky box waiting for me to watch it with a nice big pile ofironing tonight!) but man, that girl can sing, eh?
So are you able to see Idol over there? Who do you think will win and who do you think *should* win? (I think, well, hope that it’ll be Mamasox on both counts but meh, who knows and frankly, who cares, she has a great career ahead of her no matter what, vis Adam Lambert. Ooops, did I just say the AL words? Go wash my mouth out with soap and water!
p.s. Dog, yes please to those samples!
Hey Mr LD great mix again not sure if its the best though I thought last months was good with The Editors and magazine. I think its the best pic though Mrs LZ has done it again
Thanks Sinny I wonder why you think last months mix was so good?
I have deliberately avoided listening to the mix as I have decided to save it for when I am relaxing on the beach with the cocktail in hand.
I had been hoping for something a bit more suited to the surroundings, maybe a bit tropical sounding, but I see that the Gaels are well represented with Brendan Perry, Hothouse Flowers and The Chieftains in the mix. It’s going to be like being back home again – no chance of homesickness then.
Still, it will be interesting to see the local reaction to Overkill anyway.
See ya all next week.
Hey Mr SP enjoy your hols I think you will enjoy Mr LD’s lastest mix I listened to it again last night its a grower and I do like Mrs LZ’s 3-in-a-row plus the new Doves song and The Morning Benders. Not sure bout Joan armatrading not my cuppa of tea but the Miles Davis song is really cranky but the best song has to be ‘As the Stars Fall’ pure chillout bliss
I’m sure the Turks will love Overkill
It appears that Laughing Dog has declared this month’s Music Mix to his best, I quote “I think it’s one of the best I’ve done – I think I’ve just about peaked”. Well sorry to be the source of bad news but this mix is certainly not the best you have produced.
It’s good, in parts, but it does depend on one’s preferences, likes and dislikes. I, for one dislike too much guitar orientated music; I’m not a great blues fan and fail to relish song after song containing many of these elements. There was hardly any diversification or distinction present which forlornly had me reaching for the next button on my laptop.
There is, however, some light amongst the doom and gloom with LZ creating a rather quaint and atypical 3-in-a-row which delighted my ears and made me explore further.
Sadly this for me was the highlight, in my humble opinion January’s and February’s was far superior
Hi Ken, you are right of course, its all a matter of opinion – why don’t you send me what would be your best playlist, would love to see what tracks would be in there.
Also, LZ is a bit worried as you liked her 3-in-a-row – so come on old chap “lets get critical, critical” as the lovely Olivia Newton John once said
Well, I am a bit late getting in with my thoughts this month, so there’s nothing new there then is there? At least this month’s mix has been around a bit and I think I have made the best of it by introducing plenty of people to music that they had never heard before so it does appear to be worthwhile. So what have we got then:
Jeff Beck – Somewhere Over the Rainbow: Possibly the strangest version of this track ever, which always goes down well in my book. Not saying that I will be rushing off to buy it, but it is good to hear that old chestnut revitalised.
Jeff Beck – Hammerhead : And old Mr B goes back to doing what he does best, simply stunning us with his axe work. I do fear that Jeff’s best work is now behind him and that any of the number of youngsters coming up are going to overshadow him. Until they do, this will keep us going nicely.
The Jeff Healy Band – Let it all go: I never really ‘got’ this guy. Yes it’s competent enough, but it doesn’t really do anything for me, not very exciting and really not strange enough for my taste.
Philip Sayce – Little Miss America: And here’s one of the youngsters who could just outshine Mr Beck in the years to come, and I can even forgive him for being a Welshman! Certainly a lot more gutsy than Healy’s track and shows a lot of promise. Have to keep an eye on this guy.
Doves – Andalucia: ‘Fraid I can’t join in the enthusiasm for this band. They did appear to be well received by the locals in Turkey for some strange reason though. To me they sound too much like countless other bands of their ilk. I’m not saying they’re not talented or anything like that, just that they don’t really appeal to me or my ‘out there’ tastes.
Hothouse Flowers – Movies: Unlike Mr D, I do know this band quite well having seen them live several times through the ’90′s. Very hard working band at the time who never really achieved the recognition they deserved, if only for the effort they put in. They just somehow seemed to be missing that spark that would have raised their profile alongside the likes of The Waterboys. I don’t think that this song really does them justice either. If it had been my choice, I would have selected Don’t Go.
The Morning Benders – Promises: And here’s another I have never heard of. And probably won’t come across again either. In these days when, if you aren’t a Simon Cowell discovery, you need something really special to shine, I fear that this lot are doomed to insignificance. Again, nothing really wrong with them, I just can’t see them as capable of doing anything special enough to get noticed.
Joan Armatrading – This Charming Life: Mr D seems to have found a soft spot for Ms Armatrading, but I feel that on here anyway, he’s up against a brick wall. This one sounds really dated already. I have to admit that when playing this to my new found friends on holiday, I skipped this track completely.
Joan Armatrading – Diamond: A little bit better, but only a little bit, and that’s only because of some moderately interesting guitar work.
Joan Armatrading – Heading Back To New York City: Again a reasonably dire song saved slightly by the guitar work.
Kaki King – Life Being What It Is: Again, never heard of this artist but it sounds OK. I played this one a couple of times through the headphones while lazing by the pool and it worked really well. Then one day we took a drive up through the mountains while playing it and decided that I had to hear the whole album. Haven’t got it yet but it is on the way. Hope I’m not disappointed.
Cinematic Orchestra – As the Stars Fall: Strange one this. Starts off lazy and dreamy then before you know it, just freaks altogether – great stuff. Unusually for me, it was the drums I noticed before anything else. Certainly worth another look.
Brendan Perry – Utopia: Nirvana!!!!! This CD is released here next month and my pre-order has been in for ages. Even better, we’re going to see him play live next week. Living here on the edge of the universe does have its advantages every now and then. Seems to be a bit of a departure from his previous solo CD and more a return to the style of Dead Can Dance. Which, for me anyway, is a good thing. Not that there was anything wrong with Eye of the Hunter, just that I prefer this style of music. Also recently picked up a copy of a live concert he done in France in 1999 – simply stunning.
Robert Randolph and The Family Band – Ain’t Nothing Wrong With That: So let’s raid LZ’s collection and see what we can find. This is a totally new name to me but it sure does appear capable of creating a funky atmosphere. It’s the kind of track that I would like to hear played in my local rather than all the heavy metal they play all the time – good drinking song if you ask me. Anyway, to put this theory to the test, I insisted that the DJ at our holiday hotel slap it on to see what happened. And – surprise surprise, the dance floor filled up immediately. So much so, that the DJ insisted on burning his own copy for use throughout the summer – well done LZ, you’ve saved the tourists from the Birdy Song and the Hokey Cokey!!
The Boxer – Lee DeWyze: Is it just me or is the running order a bit out of synch? Anyway, I got this one next. I believe that Pop Idol is a talent contest of some kind, but I have never lowered myself to watching it. This song may just be justification for that stance. OK, so the guy can possibly sing a bit, but why anyone would play this version when they could just instead play the proper Simon & Garfunkel version beats me.
Sometimes I Feel Like a Motherless Child – Inna Barmash: As LZ correctly points out, there are countless versions of this song. Not much point in debating how this compares to some of the more famous versions, just appreciate it for what it is. Maybe gets a bit needlessly high pitched at times, but haunting nevertheless.
The Chieftains (Feat. Ry Cooder) – The Sands of Mexico: Not really a typical Chieftains sounding song, but good anyway. This one also went down well in Turkey (but not at disco time). I did have to explain quite a lot of the background to the locals, but once they heard it they could relate quite well to it considering the political situation in their own country.
Chris Rea – Easy Rider: For some unknown reason, I have never paid much attention to this guy. Maybe I should have a rethink. Love that raspy voice, and the guitar ain’t half bad either.
John Hiatt – Crossing Muddy Waters: Good to hear some bluesgrassy (is that a real word?) stuff for a change. Dig out that moonshine Hank! Very enjoyable, more of the same please.
Miles Davis – Bank Robbery: Now then – the first jazz I ever listened to was Miles Davis’ Get Up With It, all thanks to one of my Uni lecturers. The first Bluesman I ever listened to was John Lee Hooker. So I was expecting great things from this one. Was I disappointed? Not a bit of it. And, on offer for next to nothing on Amazon so this one is also winging its way to me as I speak.
The Gutter Twins – The Stations: Mr D says ‘the content is the best thing either musician has done in years’. I can’t really argue with that, but then I never was a fan of either QOTSA or Afghan Whigs.
Incidentally, I did work with a cousin of Greg Dulli for a while a few years ago. he continually tried to persuade me that they were the best band on earth, but never quite manged it.
This song is OK in places, but again I won’t be rushing off to buy it.
Motörhead – Overkill: I used to think that music couldn’t get any heavier than this. Boy was I ever so wrong? I also seen this line up of Motorhead several times. I consider myself lucky that I did as in my opinion they never came close to that line up again. I also consider myself lucky that I was a mere teenager at the time as I know that nowadays I couldn’t stand more than about 3 or 4 songs of this frenetic aural assault.
I would also like to advise Mr SA, that this one didn’t cut the mustard with the Turks the way that he thought it would.
Highlights this month? Without a doubt, Brendan Perry. Also up there are my new discoveries, Kaki King and Robert Randolph and The Family Band. With some exciting new Miles Davis to look forward to and Chris Rea to be investigated, I have to disagree with Ken and declare that this mix really does live up to expectations and that in my own humble opinion, the diversity is as great as ever.
Now, my next holiday is to Cornwall, what are you going to come up with for that one then Mr D?
He’s bad, he’s back he’s in a good mood!!!!
Hey Mr SP welcome back from ur hols sounds like it was a good one. Its good to read ur rants about Mr. LD’s mix you (must be one of my fav bits of this website) sound like you have enjoyed it cant believe you tried to convert the locals nice one habibi
I’m thinking about going to Cornwall this summer as well, when u going?
Hi Spacey – I agree with Sinny your notes on the mix are one of the highlights of musicforthemonth and I do appreciate the time you take to listen to the music and to capture your thoughts. I don’t always agree with you but always appreciate.
Appears you like most of the mix – ta very muchly
Hmm, I find it strange that you can’t believe that I tried (and succeeded) to convert the locals Sinny. Isn’t that what holidays and foreign countries are for? One of the DJ’s at the hotel has asked me to send over some music for him. Any suggestions? Bear in mind that even though he is a DJ, he doesn’t have a clue about music.
Well not quite that bad, he has had me for a week after all, so now he knows little bits of Gong, Hawkwind, Porcupine Tree, Siena Root, just the usual, and, thanks to Mrs SP, also some Oingo Boingo. Now I really want to let him know what he’s missing out on so all suggestions will be carefully considered. Oh, and I might add, he also knows how to find this website and I am attempting to get him to start posting so watch out.
So we could have a MFTM convention in Cornwall this summer could we? Now that would be really interesting, do you think anyone would speak to me after we had met up for a taster of the scrumpy?
The plan (although at this stage it is only a plan) is to go the first week of August. Just for a few days though. Mrs SP’s parents are coming over from Germany and they want to meet up (dunno why, they’ve already met me once, very few people come back for a second go, maybe they couldn’t believe it the first time).
Might be fun to meet up though, provided you promise not to bring any Oasis with you. The one thing you will need to bring is a healthy appetite for the local brew.
Now I remember why I hadn’t bothered much with Chris Rea! It was because of Road to Hell. Not that that song was particularly bad, just a bit MoR ish for me.
But having heard the song Mr D gave us, I decided to have another go and found The Blue Jukebox going for pennies on Amazon Marketplace. It arrived today and it’s really quite good.
I hadn’t realised that he discovered his Blues roots after his illness, but that CD is really quite accomplished. Yet another re-discovery, thanks Mr D.
Hi Spacey – glad you like Chris Rea. I know what you about his MORishness (is that a word?)
I’ve been tempted to buy his Blue Guitars collection but I’m not sure I’ll play all 11 cd’s enough.