A week or so ago I asked for your favourite songs with a name in – thanks for the great response. You’re going to have a hell of a lot of fantastic music to listen to this week. First up is the Dog with 24 songs – no mention of Peggy Sue, but we do have the lovely Sylvie. One thought, why has nobody written a song with the line “Sylvie…you’re gonna kill me”?

Laughing Dog’s Songs for Whoever

01 Sylvie – Harry Belafonte
02 Jesus, Buddha, Moses, Gauranga – Quintessence
03 Jackie Blue – The Ozark Mountain Daredevils
04 Laura – Wyatt, Atzmon, Stephen
05 Amelia – Bell X1
06 Daphne – 1 Giant Leap
07 Judy – Stephen Stills
08 Cath… – Death Cab For Cutie
09 Amelia – Joni Mitchell
10 Jimmy Jimmy – The Undertones
11 Grace – Amy Wadge
12 Billy Jack – Curtis Mayfield
13 Pearly Jim – Richard Thompson
14 Johnny the Fox meets Jimmy the Weed – Thin Lizzy
15 Nadia – Nitin Sawhney
16 Jimmy Jazz – The Clash
17 Song for Suzie 1 – Heads Hands & Feet
18 Emma Lee – Buffy Sainte-Marie
19 Jaqueline – Alabama 3
20 Frederick – The Patti Smith Group
21 Ruby – Dave Rawlings Machine
22 Mr Siegal – Tom Waits
23 Sandi – My Sleeping Karma
24 Margaret Montgomery (1581 – _) – Manning

CheezePeeze’s Songs for Whoever

01 Midnight Moses – Sensational Alex Harvey Band
02 Anna Molly – Incubus
03 Lord Bateman – Jim Moray
04 Fergus Sings the Blues – Deacon Blue
05 Crow Jane – The Derek Trucks Band
06 Jeremy – Pearl Jam
07 Hazy Jane I – Nick Drake
08 Mike Mills – Air
09 Hey Floyd – Jamiroquai
10 Daisy Jane – America
11 Suite Charlotte Pike – Transatlantic
12 Nancy – Audience
13 Nowadays Clancy Can’t Even Sing – Buffalo Springfield
14 Get Miles – Gomez
15 Annie Let’s Not Wait – Guillemots
16 Mr Bellows – John Cougar Mellencamp
17 Personal Jesus – Johnny Cash
18 Hey Joe – Robert Plant
19 Come Alive Diana – Everything Everything
20 Boris the Spider – The Who

Spacepig’s Songs for Whoever

01 Face of Melinda – Opeth
02 Gloria Lewis – Kyuss
03 The Ballad of Balin Longbeard – Glass Hammer
04 To Barbara – Hax-Cel
05 Diana – Comus
06 Julia – Pavlov’s Dog
07 Iris Murdoch Cut Me Down – No Man
08 Mephistophales – CWT
09 Mandy – Fats Waller
10 Little Olive – The Electric Prunes
11 Jesus Gonna Be Here – Tom Waits
12 Marie Antoinette – Curved Air
13 Mrs Prout – Fuzzy Duck
14 Zarozinia – Hawkwind
15 Annie Doesn’t Live Here Anymore – Eartha Kitt
16 Selene- Gong
17 Pamphlet To Mr. M Thompson – Coupla Prog
18 Hannah – Robin Trower
19 Abraham Lincoln – Clutch
20 Eleanor Rigby – Vanilla Fudge
21 Andrea – Guru Guru
22 Alison Gross – Steeleye Span
23 Hector The Hero – Wolfstone
24 The Simpsons – Birdsongs of the Mesozoic

Technoflid’s Songs for Whoever Mix [99mb]

01 Muddy Water Blues (Accoustic Version) – Buddy Guy, Paul Rodgers
02 Give My Love To Rose – Johnny Cash
03 Vera – Pink Floyd
04 Victoria – Ray Davies
05 Mrs Robinson – Paul Simon
06 Daniel – Elton John
07 Jeremy – Pearl Jam
08 You Can Call Me Al – Paul Simon
09 Jesse – Mother Earth
10 Hey Joe – Jimi Hendrix
11 Michelle – The Beatles
12 Clarkson Blues – Chris Rea
13 Josephine – Chris Rea
14 Not Now John – Pink Floyd
15 Suite Judy Blue Eyes – Crosby, Stills, Nash (and Young)
16 Hey Jude – The Beatles

Uncle Rave Dave : Songs for Whoever (From a Certain Era)

01 Planet Claire – The B-52s
02 Enola Gay – Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark
03 Europa and the Pirate Twins – Thomas Dolby
04 Sally – The Members
05 By My Girl Sally – The Police
06 Nellie the Elephant – Toy Dolls
07 Donald Where’s Your Trousers – The Men They Couldn’t Hang
08 Who Killed Bambi – Sex Pistols
09 Mr Brownstone – Guns ‘n’ Roses
10 Johnny B Goode – Peter Tosh
11 Bullets For Bafazane – Johnny Clegg
12 Tyler – UB40
13 Romeo & Juliet – Dire Straits
14 Mr Blue – Yazoo
15 Lassie Come Home – Alphaville
16 Avalon – Roxy Music
17 Ballad Of Lucy Jordan – Marianne Faithfull
18 Diamond Smiles – The Boomtown Rats
19 Johnny & Mary – Robert Palmer
20 Jungle Bill – Yello

Cover art by kekremsi

The Song for Whoever mixes will be available here to download for the next fortnight (until midnight on 8 March 2011).

Update: the Song For Whoever mixes are temporarily unavailable [blame the March hare/a senior moment by LZ while decluttering old files on the server]. They’ll all be back up by lunchtime GMT on Tuesday, 1 March. Sorry!

And they’re back up!

Last weekend we got up really early and visited one of the local beaches at Al Wakra – took a flask of coffee, a stove, some music and me and Mrs Dog watched the sunrise. We do this quite often, but last week the sunrise was amazing and it struck me how perfect the Earth is, how wonderful the simple pleasures of nature are and of course how fragile this planet is.

So while munching on my bacon butty I thought I would put together a music mix to reflect the simple, pure pleasures that surround us – a mix to remind us how perfect our planet is – a mix to hopefully help us to enjoy Earth.

1. Rare Earth – Bombay Dub Orchestra (Bombay Dub Orchestra)
2. Sunrise – Yeasayer (All Hours Cymbals)
3. Morning Light – Smoke Fairies (Frozen Heart)
4. I Feel The Earth Move – Carole King (Natural Woman The Very Best Of Carole King)
5. Sunmachine – Dario G (Sunmachine)
6. In The Sun – Joseph Arthur (107.1 Kgsr Radio Austin – Broadcasts Vol.8 [CD2])
7. This Sky – The Derek Trucks Band (Songlines)
8. Northern Sky – Nick Drake (Bryter Layter)
9. Blood of the Earth – Hawkwind (Blood of the Earth)
10. Call Me The Breeze – Lynyrd Skynyrd (While My Guitar Gently Weeps III)
11. Wild Mountainside – Eddi Reader (Sings The Songs Of Robert Burns)
12. Meadowland – The Treat (Phonography)
13. The Country Life – The Silver Seas (High Society)
14. Sunshine Rain – King’s X (Dogman)
15. The Rain – The Swell Season (Strict Joy)
16. Earthshine – Rush (Vapor Trails)
17. Dreams By The Sea – John Martyn (Solid Air)
18. Sea Song – Doves (Lost Souls)
19. Not to Touch the Earth – The Doors (Waiting for the Sun)
20. Sunset Gates – Gomez (A New Tide)
21. Indian Sunset – Elton John (Madman Across The Water)
22. Red Sky At Night – David Gilmour (On An Island)
23. This Heaven – David Gilmour (On An Island)
24. Earth To Calm – Scott Matthews (Passing Stranger)
25. Moon And The Night – Urban Myth Club (Helium)
26. By The Light Of The Magical Moon – T-Rex (The Essential Collection)
27. Full Moon – Sandy Denny (A Boxful Of Treasures)
28. What A Wonderful World – Wyatt, Atzmon, Stephen (For The Ghosts Within)

Original cover

Cover image by Landahlauts

The Enjoy Earth mix (195 mb) will be available here to download for the next fortnight (until midnight on 20 February 2011).

“Not all the tracks are my preferred choice of music, however it does describe a typical day in my life.”

Bad Dream – A strong drink, a bad morning – Another lonely day – I Don’t Live Today – This House is Empty Now – Evil Woman – Kill Pussy Kill – The Medication Is Wearing Off – Gay Bar – Fell in Love with A Boy – Here He Comes (Lover Man) – Lover Man – Plastic Fantastic Lover – They Can’t Take That Away From Me – Nasty Naughty Boy – Suck You Dry – Dressed to Kill – F@cking Boy – Kill Boy – Police Car – Remorse and Regret, , Going To Your Funeral [Part I] – Lover Come Back To Me – Going To Your Funeral [Part II] – Rien Moins que T’Aimer – Funeral for A Friend (Love Lies Bleeding) – Someone Saved My Life Tonight – Jesus – Save Me.

The Day in the Life of Ken mix (154 mb) will be available here to download for the next fortnight (until midnight on 20 January 2011).

Hello and welcome to another selection of my favourite new and old songs to make your month a more musical one. I’ve been thinking that I should maybe try something different with the mix, maybe different music, but the stats tell me that this the most visited part of the site – so why should I change it. So what we have is 20 songs, some Bowie, Hawkwind, Doobie Brothers, even Elton John and Leon Russell. Plus, of course, some new guys that I hope you will enjoy, especially Wolf People who have made my Album Of The Month with a simply amazing album that I simply cannot stop playing.

Usual rules apply: download – press play – listen – enjoy.

[01] John the Revelator – Son House [Original Delta Blues]
Starting the mix a little differently with Eddie James “Son” House, Jr., an American blues singer and guitarist who pioneered an innovative blues style featuring strong, repetitive rhythms, often played with the aid of slide guitar – he also spent time in the Mississippi State Penitentiary for allegedly killing a man in self defense.

 
[02] Motorway City – Hawkwind [Levitation]
From John the Revelator to Dave the Orgone Accumulator. To get the full effect of this song you have to experience it like I did at Treforest Polytechnic aged 15. To so this you’re going to have to get buckets and buckets of dry ice, dazzling white lights and turn the volume up to 196 – only then will you come close to the memory I have of this song and this band – makes my eyes water every time (must be the dry ice).

I was playing this song in the car on my way into work the other day and had another special moment – imagine this. I work in the middle of the Industrial City in Qatar, petro-chemical plants, oil refineries and other plants – lots of orange flames from the outlet chimneys and furnaces, it’s a very foggy day, it’s 5:40am, not a soul around –

“A Motorway City,
Well it ain’t the same
Lighting up the night sky,
With an orange flame”

Then I exited on the right – spooky.

[03] Leave Them All Behind – Ride [Going Blank Again]
To be honest I don’t know that much about these guys except that they were formed in 1988 in Oxford and included Andy Bell, Mark Gardener, Laurence “Loz” Colbert, and Steve Queralt. I do know that Andy Bell played with the ‘Gobshite Twins’ but I won’t hold that against him as he probably has a mortgage like us all. What I do know is that I love this song – hearing traces of ‘Baba O Riley’ in the intro to the song it grows and grows into a magnificent song.

[04] Nobody – Doobie Brothers [World Gone Crazy]
Old song – new album but still bloody good showing us that no can do it quite like the Doobie Brothers. My overriding memory of these guys must be when they supported Foreigner in 1980 something and just blew them away. The aromatically herbal smell that filled the arena, the aging hippy dancing with himself, the Long Train that just keeps on runnin’ – these guys are just so good. Includes Micheal McDonald on one track.

[05] Sandman – Flynville Train [Redemption]
Not the Doobie Brothers, of course, but a good driving country sound that are according to their website are “God-fearin’, women lovin’, workin’ men, playing stick-to-your-ribs music with twangy, dirty guitar riffs, and nostalgic vocals as gritty as a long dirt road” – like it.

 
 
[06] Everybody’s Talkin’ – Harry Nilsson [Everybody's Talkin']
Written by Fred Neil in 1966, the song became a global success for Harry Nilsson in 1969 and describes a desire to retreat from other people to the ocean. Could be cool beanz unless one lives in Barry Island where there’s more floating turds than seagulls – not nice.
Great song though.

 
[07] Just Couldn’t Tie Me Down – The Black Keys [Rubber Factory]
No apologies for playing these guys again (I know Spacey won’t complain) and it has the kinda riff that you don’t really want to end.

 
 
 
 
Album of the Month : Wolf People [Steeple]
[08] One by One From Dorney Reach
[09] Castle Keep
[10] Silbury Sands
And talking of riffs – how’s about One by ‘One From Dorney Reach’ for a song? I don’t believe these guys have bought a new record since 1974, so prepare to be transported back to the 70′s again (a la Cheesy’s recent mix) and indulge yourself in some seriously good music. Wolf People are Jack Sharp, Joe Hollick, Dan Davies and Tom Watt the drummer who sounds like the bastard son of Keith Moon and Animal from the Muppets.

The album was recorded in wildest West Wales and I think you can hear this in the songs as there doesn’t seem to be any rush to proceedings – let the cows cross the road, let the tractor overtake, let’s go down the pub to drink some Cwrw Best Bitter, listen to some Fairport Convention on speed and press record.

I may have a hard time selecting my album of the year in a few weeks – but this is definitely a contender. My youngest pup saw these guys at the Greenman festival this year and they were BETTER live.

[11] Between Heaven and Hell – Zakk Wylde [Book of Shadows]
Slowing things down a wee bit with the lovely Zakk Wylde or Jeffrey Phillip Wielandt to his friends. This guy has a pretty impressive CV playing with the likes of Ozzy and founding the heavy metal band Black Label Society. He’s also a Les Paul fanatic who loves to customize his guitars with bulls eyes and the like. Great song again.

 
 
[12] The Phantom Band – The None of One [The Wants]
These guys made my album of the month way back in February of this year
and their new album confirms to me that this band are a band for the future. Their new album ‘The Wants’ is a strong step forward and an excellent addition to my CD collection – highly recommended.

 
[13] You Never Leave LA – Teitur [Let The Dog Drive Home]
I’ve mentioned this guy on here before with his last album ‘The Singer’ and here’s another example of an artist getting better with each album with his new album ‘let the dogs drive home’ demonstrating a new found maturity that reminds me of Randy Newman.

 
 
Three in a Row Part Deux : Bowie

[14] Diamond Dogs – David Bowie [Diamond Dogs]
[15] Changes – David Bowie [Hunky Dory]
[16] Station to Station – David Bowie [Station to Station]
Legend is a word that can be over used – but how else can one describe someone as talented as this guy. I remember in school when it was not so cool to like this guy (gay overtones in a valley town) but even then I could appreciate what this guy was about. Plus of course he has the ability to change and keep himself fresh and vital – something sadly lacking with some artists today (mentioning no names Kings Of Leon).

Having Bowie as my 3-in-a-row also gave me the chance to play one of my favourite songs – put your headphones on and play ‘Station to Station’ a few times – then let me know what you think.

[17] Eddie You Should Know Better – Natural Four [Heaven Right Here on Earth]
I don’t even know where I got this song from – but while shuffling on my ipod the other night this came on and I thought “just gotta put this song on a mix so you can hear it as well”. Tis a great example of genius not being given a chance – great song – great band – so smooth – so cool beanz – but what did Eddie do?

[18] Gone to Shiloh – Elton John & Leon Russell [The Union]
Two albums called The Union on this month’s mix – who says I cobble this thing together? Gone to Shiloh is a masterpiece, one of the best thing Captain Fantastic has done in years. It’s a civil war song with Neil Young’s playing piano and singing a fab middle verse, and Mr Russell looking like Santa on the cover but sounding devilishly good throughout.

[19] Come Rain Come Shine – The Union [The Union]
Recommended by Mr Spacey so there’s a fair chance that it’s going to be first class – and it is.

The Union brings together former Thunder guitarist Luke Morley and ex-Winterville front man Peter Shoulder and the combination of old and new works really well. It’s not Thunder (don’t know much about Winterville) – it’s a lot fresher and modern but it still has great tunes. Peter sounds like David Coverdale at his peak and it has this 80′s rock feel but with a 2010 twist – does that make sense?

[20] Spheres Side (Es Vedra) – The Orb [Metallic Spheres]
Final song and what a song – read my review to understand how I feel about this song and album – but more importantly enjoy the music.

 
 
 
 
Ok, another mix ends – hope you enjoy (I have, still do, always will).

The November mix will be available here to download for one month (until midnight on 30th November 2010).

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