“Welcome back Dawg”…..so said the Security Officer at Doha International Airport as he scanned my passport. “When’s your next mix, cos Dawg, we sure have missed your mojo.”

It’s been awhile I know, but hey, doesn’t this old dog deserve a break? And boy did I have a break – just amazing.

To come very soon, some highlights of my holiday including a review and playlist of the OFF Festival in Katowice, Poland plus some great jazz from Amsterdam and hopefully a Jazz mix from me Dad (when he can get his list down to 12 tracks).

Yes I did say 12 tracks, and you may have already noticed that this mix is only 12 tracks. I’ve not bought much new music over the Summer so have been enjoying replaying many of the mixes posted here, but I noticed when playing a mix of 20 songs that it can last for up to 2 hours or more – too long sometimes – and one can miss out on the great tracks at the end. So, I thought let’s try 12 tracks and see how it goes (you will let me know what you think yeah?).

So, back to the mix and “Back to Play the Game” – a rather apt title for where I live but it does include some great tracks. Starting with Marcus Bonfanti who was excellent supporting Philip Sayce in Bristol and ending with the man himself on a wonderful version of Cinnamon Girl (still makes me grin as I remember that night). In between is a mixture of tunes, some old some new, that I hope you will like – if you don’t, let me know.

1. Will Not Play Your Game – Marcus Bonfanti (What Good Am I To You?)
Loved this guy live playing solo, bought his CD at the gig, met him, daughters have photo with him, he signed the CD, really nice guy, very talented, very down to earth – would love to see him again with his band. Great song to open the mix with its acoustic intro and Marcus’ gruff vocal “will not play your game mmm mmm” then the band kick in and we’re off… damn its good to be back.

2. Big Thirst – Jim Capaldi (Oh How We Danced)
Founding member of Traffic with his first solo album recorded in 1972 when Steve Winwood fell ill and Traffic came off the road to help him recuperate. Love the feel to the album, especially this song – reminds me of David Crosby’s solo album ‘If I Could Only Remember My Name’ with its timeless melodies.

3. Kiss Of Life – Vega (Kiss of Life)
Heard this song on a freebie from Classic Rock Magazine – I know its 80′s pomp rock, I know it’s a wee bit cheezy and a wee bit stardust and sprinklers – but I love it.

4. Share Your Smile Again – Matt Schofield (Anything But Time)
Recommended by Amazon for buyers of Ruby Electric by Philip Sayce – bought it – love it. Different to PS – smoother, more polished and bluesy but still very very good.

5. Confessions to My Daughter – Ambrose Akinmusire (When the Heart Emerges Glistening)
I’ve been a bit jazzed up this Summer, being at home with my Dad, listening to his music and enjoying his love of Jazz. I heard this song on I think Radio 3, loved it and explored more. Not sure I would say the album is really my cuppa tea as I have a long to go to appreciate what’s going on with this music – but my Dad reckons this guy can play, has great tone – who am I to argue?

6. The Way It Will Be – Gillian Welch (The Harrow & The Harvest)
Featured Dave Rawlings as my 3-in-a-row way back in my January 10 Music Mix – so glad to hear him again on GW’s new album – so glad he’s still using his 1935 Epiphone Olympic guitar for that utterly wonderful sound. It’s also great to hear Miss Welch back and in fine form.

7. Crossing – Wooden Shjips (West)
The album is not as good as ‘Dos’ their last offering but I still couldn’t resist including this bit of stoner heaven – good song.

8. The Feel Again (Stay) – Blue October (Any Man In America)
Know absolutely nothing about this band – but I do love their sound – do you hear a bit of Blue Nile in here? Even the cover looks like Hats not that I’m complaining, great song.

9. There’s A Reason – A.A. Bondy (American Hearts)
New album entitled ‘Believers’ coming soon from this guy who simply blew me away last year when I heard ‘When the Devil’s Loose’ for the first time. This song from his 2008 album is just as strong and to me is what singer/songwriters should all be about.

10. Moonbathing – Tom Middleton (Lifetracks)
Time to get horizontal – I am enjoying myself today – me thinks there could be a few new mixes coming your way soon.

11. Last Orders – Jon Allen (Sweet Defeat)
Q Magazine: “A breathtaking debut”
Clash Magazine: “Rootsy…authentic…heartfelt.”
Esquire: “A young Rod Stewart..”
Uncut: “Could be from Dylan’s ‘New Morning.’ Like Cat Stevens, Nick Drake… Exemplary”
OK! Magazine: “A Little Gem”
Maverick Magazine: “Wow”
Jools Holland: “When I heard this man’s fantastic voice on the radio I had to zap it with my mobile to find out who it was”

Seems like some people like this guy! Not hard to understand really. Great voice, some lovely tunes, great with Chardonnay and Chicken.

12. Cinnamon Girl / I Want You [She's So Heavy] – Philip Sayce (Ruby Electric)
Don’t know what to say here, except that I probably haven’t played an album or a song so much since I was 15. A very special song to me now.

Kaboom, the end… wow, that was short and sweet (sound like my wife now) – 12 songs that I like love, hope you do too.

But you must let me know what you think – it’s so easy just write something in the box below add a name (any name) your email address (don’t worry I won’t sell it on) and you’ll become part of the happy, crazy, music loving family that is musicforthemonth.com.

The Back To Play The Game mix (109 mb) will be available to download for the next month (until midnight on 21st September 2011).

Cover art by DarkElfPhoto.

I can sometimes spend hours putting together a Music Mix – ’tis a labour of love of course as I get so much pleasure from receiving your feedback and of course from listening to the mix myself.

This mix took 3 minutes to create.

Closed eyes – scrolled down on itunes – pressed play at random place – pressed shuffle – 17 songs appeared ready for new Music Mix.

Job Done – Hope you enjoy – keep on shuffling

1. The Coal Hits The Fire – A.A. Bondy (When The Devil’s Loose)
2. Let It Lie – UnAmerican (UnAmerican)
3. House of Rushamon – Colour Haze (Seven)
4. Use It – The New Pornographers (Twin Cinema)
5. Hour of Gold – Emmylou Harris (Red Dirt Girl)
6. Pictures Of Home – Deep Purple (Machine Head)
7. Holographic Universe – Thievery Corporation (It Takes A Thief. The Very Best Of Thievery Corporation)
8. Doolin-Dalton – The Eagles (Very Best of)
9. Home (Feat. Jesse Carmichael) – Big Head Todd & The Monsters (Rocksteady)
10. Several Miles – Ron Sexsmith (Ron Sexsmith)
11. Out Into The Daylight – Mike Rutherford (Small Creep’s Day)
12. Loungin’ – Guru (Jazzmatazz Volume 1)
13. 21st Century Poem – Leftfield (Leftism)
14. Day in Verona – Tom Baxter (Feather & Stone)
15. Gonna Shoot you Right Down (Boom Boom) – Jimmy Rogers, Jimmy Page, Robert Plant & Eric Clapton (Blues Blues Blues)
16. The Wind – Chet Baker (Deep in a dream)
17. Crushed – The Brian Jonestown Massacre (Methodrone)

The Coal Hits the Fire… Crushed mix (114 mb) will be available here to download for the next fortnight (until midnight on 22 January 2011).

Cover image from Deviant

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.

February 2010 Notes for Music Mix

[01] King’s X – Over My Head
What a good song to start February’s Mix. An old band that not many people know and love but have been making great music since the early 80’s. I can remember buying this album in Spillers in Cardiff and being the only guy I know who had actually heard of them (you know that smug feeling I had right!!). I haven’t heard much of them for a while but one of my pups saw this CD and sent it to Santa who promptly delivered it Xmas morning – I like Santa.

[02] Elvis Costello – Monkey to Man
I like this guy – for me he can do little wrong and every album he’s involved with has something on it that makes you go “wow, when will this guy stop writing such great songs”. This album from 2004 showcases what he does best, even including contributions from Lucinda Williams and Emmylou Harris and really does stick two-fingers up to his critics – nice one Declan.

[03] Steve Winwood – Raging Sea
Another of Santa’s gifts – what did I do to deserve pups with such good taste in music – or were they all buy one get one free? Anyway, this song from his Nine Lives album has such a good riff and groove – apparently very hard to play – and demonstrates that quality music is still being made. Unfortunately there aren’t many new bands doing it – thank God for the old gits.

[04] Ian Drury and The Blockheads – Wake Up And Make Love With Me
And talking of gits – here’s one that is sadly missed. What a song, what a groove, what poetry, what a shame he’s not here now to show some of the young arseholes how to make music. One thing I’ve always thought is – shouldn’t it be Wake up and Make Love to me, not With Me? Anyway, I hear there’s a film out soon about the man – let’s hope his music will be heard and enjoyed by a new audience.

I come awake
with the gift for womankind
you’re still asleep
but the gift don’t seem to mind
rise on this occasion
halfway up your back
sliding down your body
touching your behind
you look so self-possessed
I won’t disturb your rest
it’s lovely when you’re sleeping
but wide awake is best
ow, wake up and make love with me

wake up and make love
wake up and make love with me
I don’t wanna make you
i’ll let the fancy take you
and you’ll wake up and make love
you come awake
in a horny morning mood
and we’ll have a proper wriggle
in the naughty, naked nude
roll against my body
get me where you want me
what happens next is private
it’s also very rude
i’ll go and get the post
and make some tea and toast
you have another sleep luv
it’s me that needs it most
ow, wake up and make love with me
wake up and make love
wake up and make love with me
I don’t wanna make you
i’ll let the fancy take you
and your’ll wake up and make love
wake up and make love with me
wake up and make love
wake up and make love with me
wake up and make love
wake up
wake up
wake up
wake up

[05] Mumford & Sons – Sigh No More
You may think I don’t like any new bands – wrong of course – I’m always on the lookout for something fresh that makes me go “mmm…I like that” and this band do. Their album is full of great harmonies, great songs and a guy that knows his way around a banjo. I wouldn’t say “I have been completely mesmerized by this maelstrom of musical wizardry. It is the most uplifting music I have heard for many a year” as some guy wrote on Amazon but it’s good, good enough for me to include here.

[06] Ruthie Foster – Heal Yourself
What a voice, as good as anything you’ll hear this year – what a shame the album title makes me want to puke. Anyway, ignore that and you will discover the joy that is Ruthie Foster, backed by a great band the album offers a stylish and well-designed framework for Foster’s booming voice on such songs as Sister Rosetta Tharpe’s “Up Above My Head” and Eric Bibb’s “A Friend Like You”. Her own songs don’t really reach the same heights but it’s still gospel/blues at its very best.

The Phantom Band – [07] The Whole Is On My Side [08] Folk Song Oblivion [09] Island
As my notes on this band in February’s Album of the Month post reveal, I do like this album. I also like the fact that the band can do it live as my pups reckon these were one of the highlights of last year’s Greenman Festival – now you can’t say this about all new bands. The three songs chosen here showcase the band at its best and demonstrate that they do allow a song to breathe (the 3 songs are over 20 minutes long) and flow together really well.

[10] Elton John – Captain Fantastic and The Brown Dirt Cowboy
Yes you hear right – Elton John, that fat, gay, bald arsehole that makes bland, boring music for the coffee table. That’s now – but cast your mind back to the five years between 1970 – 1975 when he was a young and talented singer/songwriter and produced (with Bernie Taupin of course) a series of classic albums that are quite simply stunning. Listen to Tumbleweed Connection, Madman Across the Water, Honky Château, Goodbye Yellow Brick Road and of course Captain Fantastic And The Brown Dirt Cowboy and you will hear genius.

Captain Fantastic raised and regimented, hardly a hero
Just someone his mother might know
Very clearly a case for corn flakes and classics
“Two teas both with sugar please”
In the back of an alley

While little Dirt Cowboys turned brown in their saddles
Sweet chocolate biscuits and red rosy apples in summer
For it’s hay make and “Hey mom, do the papers say anything good.
Are there chances in life for little Dirt Cowboys
Should I make my way out of my home in the woods”

Brown Dirt Cowboy, still green and growing
City slick Captain
Fantastic the feedback
The honey the hive could be holding
For there’s weak winged young sparrows that starve in the winter
Broken young children on the wheels of the winners

And the sixty-eight summer festival wallflowers are thinning

For cheap easy meals and hardly a home on the range
Too hot for the band with a desperate desire for change
We’ve thrown in the towel too many times
Out for the count and when we’re down

Captain Fantastic and the Brown Dirt Cowboy
From the end of the world to your town

And all this talk of Jesus coming back to see us
Couldn’t fool us

For we were spinning out our lines walking on the wire
Hand in hand went music and the rhyme
The Captain and the Kid stepping in the ring
From here on sonny sonny sonny, it’s a long and lonely climb

[11] A A Bondy – When the Devil’s Loose
A. A. Bondy, also known as Scott Bondy, is an American folk/alternative artist and his album almost made it as my album of the month but was pipped at the post by The Phantom Band – and even I couldn’t justify having two. It was also very hard selecting two songs from it as they are all so good.

Robert Plant – 3 In A Row:
[12] Robert Plant & the Strange Sensation – Another Tribe
 
 
 
 
 
 
[13] Scott Matthews – 12 Harps (duet with Plant)
 
 
 
 
 
 
[14] The Honeydrippers – Sea of Love
 
 
 
 
 
 
What can you say that hasn’t already been said about the great man – I know – Robert Plant dances like a tin of beans. Don’t think I’ve heard that before but it’s true, and if you watch him live (as I have done a lot lately) you will agree that his has no groove, no mojo, the man can’t dance.

But, of course this doesn’t matter much when you’re recognized by 93% of people with ears to be one of the outstanding vocal talents of the 20th Century. And he’s still doing it – still contributing fantastic music – still singing – still delighting us. Long may it continue.

[15] Lee Morgan – The Sidewinder
My Dad is a big jazz fan, has been for over 50 years – he even saw the likes of Duke Ellington and Count Basie play live when he was a youngster. Now I don’t follow his obsession with jazz but I did spend some quality time with him last summer when he played me his favorite jazz tracks and albums. One of these was Lee Morgan who was a prolific recorder, both on his own and with the likes of Art Blakey’s Jazz Messengers and John Coltrane. This track is just perfect with its groove and style and superb soloing from Morgan on trumpet, Joe Henderson – tenor saxophone, Billy Higgins – drums, Barry Harris – piano and Bob Cranshaw on bass – mmm …nice.

[16] Susan Tedeschi – Back to the River
Couldn’t find any Derek Trucks in Doha but I did find his wife – and what a pleasant surprise this is. I hadn’t heard anything from her before but have really enjoyed this album – great songs, great guitar; really tight band reminds of Bonnie Raitt… oooh back to the river…
 
 
[17] Chris Smither – Someone Like Me
This song is from Time Stands Still which is the eleventh album from Smither in a career that started in the 70’s with his first album I’m A Stranger, Too!. Also worked with Bonnie Raitt writing Love You Like A Man for her. What I really like about this guy is not only his range of emotion – you can hear in his voice that he’s led a life worth living, but it’s also how he shapes and develops these songs. They’re simple songs but convey a deepness, a message that only artists who know themselves can achieve.

[18] A A Bondy – Mightiest of Guns
The hardest thing for me was only picking two songs from this album as it’s all so good. This is the opening track and sets the scene with its wonderful melody and crisp vocal – it’s one of those rare albums that once you have played it; you feel you want to play it again straight away.
 
 
[19] The Boxer Rebellion – Misplaced
This song is just massive and it’s one that almost slipped under the radar as it took me ages to really appreciate it. I’ve always enjoyed the album, it contains some good songs, Evacuate and Soviets to name but two, but it wasn’t until one night while playing with my shuffle that this song came on and just blew me away. It has layers and layers of wonderful sounds that just ooze quality – the guitar and vocal working together so well – the pace and silence make this a treasure reminding me of Coldplay’s first album. Bet Chris Martin wishes he could write songs like this now.

Misplaced
Given chances you won’t take
Shy away from the heart ache
Just a means to an end

Your quick fix
In the ring of the conflict
With nothing to work with
And nothing in mind

And then
We’ll rise
With fire in our eyes
And take you by surprise
Make up, deceive
a voice to receive
A light that never leaves

Slow right down

Lost love
With little to speak of
These feelings of bad blood
Must go quickly away

Your loose ends
Realising your true friends
In a war that no one wins
Let the sleeping dogs lie

[20] Big Big Train – Summers Lease
The last track on The Difference Machine album and what a way to end what is an excellent album. It is sort of old school progressive rock, sounding especially like early Genesis and Yes but hey who cares – I hear great melodies, strong songs, a wonderful flute and a band that are doing what they want. This song is one of many highlights (see also Perfect Cosmic Storm) and shows a more modern and folkie side to the band – incidentally visit their website for loads of free stuff including now a four hour podcast with interviews with the band and what influenced them.

[21] Drive By Truckers – Goodbye
And the time has come to say goodbye for another Music Mix and I can’t think of many better ways than with the Drive By Truckers – such a good band, such a good song. The only problem with these guys is that there are so many albums to buy – not only from the band itself but all the solo albums from past and present members.

They’ve been called the Lynyrd Skynyrd for the indie-rock set, but that tag does the band a bit of a disservice as they are their own band and have created their own sound and produced some excellent albums.

Anyway, enough of me – I hope you have enjoyed another installment of my favorite tunes. Remember to let me know if you like or dislike a song or if you wish to chat about anything else related to the music here.

The Music Mix 07 [a 154mb zip file] will be available for one month from today – until midnight on 28 February 2010.

Please support the artists – if you like a track, buy the album!

Laughing Dog