It’s been a strange week or so… spent 4 days in hospital, another 5 days at home with something called vertigo. I won’t bore you with the details except to say it’s similar to the after effects of drinking a bottle of Sambuca every day!!!

Anyway, it gave me a little time (I say little as my constant use of the PC at work and home was one of the causes) to put together a few new music mixes – with the first one funnily enough called Vertigo.

There’s no particular theme to the mix – it’s just some tunes that stayed in my head as I lay on my bed constantly listening to music (deep joy). On reflection, it has a kind of somber feel to it, with only a couple of tracks able to make you tap your toes, but it does mirror my mood for this past week which has been kind of down. Track 3 by Explosions in the Sky is a good example of this as it doesn’t really fit here – doesn’t really fit into what I would normally do. Track 3 should have been upbeat with big drums, bass, catchy chorus etc. but it just felt so right to put this wonderful but slow down-tempo song here – I hope you enjoy.

But insh’allah all is now good – time to blow up my balloon.

01. Prelude – Pendulum (Hold Your Colour)
02. Troubadour – Kula Shaker (Return of the King)
03. Postcard From 1952 – Explosions In The Sky (Take Care, Take Care, Take Care)
04. Heaven Help – Lenny Kravitz (Greatest Hits)
05. Freedom Exists – Jim Morrison (An American Prayer)
06. Free Man In Paris – Joni Mitchell (Hits)
07. Free – Psilodigm (The Prelude)
08. Pray for Rain (Featuring Tunde Adebimpe) – Massive Attack (Heligoland)
09.Just Chillin’ – Psilodigm (2.5 EP)
10. I Hate The White Man – Roy Harper (Uncut – Give Peace A Chance)
11. Song For My Father – Horace Silver
12. How I Got Over – Darondo (Mojo Presents…Heavy Soul)
13. Ghost Ship in a Storm – Jim O’Rourke (Another Late Night)
14. Blow Up Your Balloon – The Wiggles (Racing To The Rainbow)
15. Blow Out – Radiohead (Pablo Honey)
16. Everything I Do – Whiskeytown (Friday Night Lights Original Television Soundtrack)
17. I Saw The Dead – Villagers (Becoming A Jackal)
18. Between The Rainbows And The Rain – Trace Adkins (Cowboy’s Back In Town)
19. Freedom For The Stallion – Elvis Costello
20. Baboom-Mama Said – Stevie Ray Vaughan (Family Style)

The Vertigo mix (122 mb) will be available to download for the next fortnight (until midnight on 27 May 2011).

Cover image by Daddy0h

“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).

I used to think I was pretty good at Time Management – even professionally trained the subject many times here and in UK. However, I somehow have failed miserably to get December’s Music Mix to you on the first of the month, apologies for that but short of extending a day to 32 hours instead of 24 I don’t know what I can do.

Anyway, onwards and upwards, here’s my latest selection of 20 songs with the sole objective of making you tap your foot and go “mmm I like that”- words are a bit minimal but the music says it all really.

[01] Morning Star – Rick Wakeman, Jon Anderson [The Living Tree]
No it’s not Yes but still very acceptable with Jon’s voice still sounding as good as ever. When will his B****Ks drop?

[02] Over My Head – Crown of Thorns [The Finest of Hard Rock Vol 3]
Saw these guys support Bon Jovi but liked them before that as Jean Beauvoir, the main man behind these guys, always made them a bit funkier than the average rock band – just read that Jean was Gary U.S. Bonds’s musical director at age 13?

[03] Reflection – Bert Jansch & Pentangle [Reflection]
Just discovered that Bert Jansch is one of Spacey’s favorite singer/songwriters – here’s one of my favourite Bert Songs, albeit with Pentangle and the lovely Danny Thompson on double bass.

[04] Sloe Gin – Joe Bonamassa [Live from the Royal Albert Hall]
A big hit on here a couple of months ago with Black Country Communion with me saying “he was born to play in this rock band” – well after this album, Joe sounds to me like he was simply “born to play guitar”.

[05] Lipsill – Dungen [Ta Det Lugnt]
Dungen is a Swedish rock band based in Stockholm fronted by singer/composer Gustav Ejstes – heard about them on the Wolf People’s website and kinda liked.

[06] You Hung The Moon – Elvis Costello [National Ransom]
Produced by T Bone Burnett – not everyone’s cup of tea – but I do like and most certainly respect what this guy has achieved and still enjoy most of his recent output

Three in a row from the Andy Williams’ Silky album
[07] Bonin’
[08] Car with the Star
[09] Let Me Put It In
My Mam is a great fan of Andy Williams, especially at Christmas. I will always remember her playing Andy’s LP’s along with Val Doonican and Perry Como – nice nice nice. Andy seems to have changed a bit lately but I’m sure me Mam would enjoy this album.

[10] Racing in the Street – Bruce Springsteen [The Promise]
Again not everyone’s favourite but I do like much of his earlier stuff and this album must be there up with his best work and be recognized as a classic album.

[11] Australia – JP, Chrissie and The Fairground Boys [Fidelity!]
Chrissie Hynde and a new collaboration with her 31-year-old Welsh Ram JP Jones and friends – sounds like a bit of an orgy. However, Mr JP must be doing something right (Play gel maybe) cos Miss Hynde hasn’t sounded this good in years.

[12] Reflective – Panaphonic [Sunrise Light]
From the Funky Juice label a really nice ambient track that has “put me in your best chill out play list” written all over it.

Three in a row from Sandy Denny’s A Boxful of Treasures
[13] 3.10 to Yuma
[14] Rising For the Moon
[15] Sweet Rosemary
Sandy Denny – how can one pick 3 songs of her’s that truly reflects what she was. I can’t but the 3 songs here (plus the final track) do, I hope give you an idea of the lady – I just love her.

[16] Dog Shelter – Burial [Untrue]
51 people gave this 4 and half stars on Amazon – wow does this mean I’m trendy? Beef what you think?

Anyway, thought I would try this song on you – the album can be hard work but when its dark and you want something to create a little bit of atmosphere – this certainly does the trick.

[17] One Bourbon, One Scotch, One Beer – The Destroyers, George Thorogood [Live in Boston, 1982]
George tells us “I’m gonna tell you story” at the beginning of this monster song – and yep he does. It’s mostly a load of tosh but what do you expect from a song called One Bourbon, One Scotch, One Beer – culture?

[18] Inae – Da Lata [Songs From The Tin]
Surprisingly – Da Lata (meaning From the Tin in Portuguese) are a Brazilian-influenced British group formed in the early 1990s. Don’t know much else about them as this comes from a Jazz compilation – but I do know that that it sounds good and makes me wish I could dance a bit better than I can.

[19] Rumo ao Sul – Ana Moura [Leva-Me Aos Fados]
Which leads nicely into Ana Moura, A Fado singer from Portugal. I’m reliably informed by this thing called the Internet that Fado (Portuguese:destiny, fate) is a music genre which can be traced from the 1820s in Portugal and is a form of music characterized by mournful tunes and lyrics, often about the sea or the life of the poor. Could have been written about Barry Island.

[20] No End – Sandy Denny [A Boxful of Treasures]
I know I’m boring and predictable – we finished the last Elektra mix with ‘The End” and now I finish this one with a song called ‘No End’. Don’t care, never will, just love this song and is currently hot favourite to replace ‘Don’t Stop Believing’ as the song I’m buried to – or maybe I’ll do a Funeral mix that lasts for 3 hours – yep sounds good to me.

Hope you enjoy the music here – please let me know which songs you like, which songs you hate – it means a lot to me that so many people are still downloading the music I put here – shokran.

Now I’m off to the Corniche as Qatar has amazingly just won the bid to host the 2022 World Cup and it’s party time in Doha – hopefully home in time for Techy.

The December mix (146 mb) will be available here to download for the next month (until midnight on 31 December 2010).

Just putting the finishing touches to our ultimate BBQ and I couldn’t resist adding one by this guy – this made me play the album last night while chilling out with a lovely Chardonnay and Mrs. D – lovely evening, lovely company, just an amazing album….how can I pick just 2 songs to sample?

1983 – what a year. The Dog had just left school, was a happy young man busy studying in Catering College, busy courting Mrs. Dog, busy playing in my band, busy drinking too much alcohol – all in all a pretty good year. I can, however, remember being totally stunned by this song and can still recall the shivers down my spine on seeing and hearing this guy on The Old Grey Whistle Test.

This song was written by Elvis Costello and producer Clive Langer during the Falklands War of 1982. Costello’s lyrics discuss the contradiction of the war bringing back prosperity to traditional shipbuilding areas of Merseyside (Cammell Laird), North East England and Belfast (Harland and Wolff) to build new ships to replace those being sunk in the war, whilst also sending off the sons of these areas to fight and, potentially, lose their lives in those same ships – Costello has described it as “the best lyrics I’ve ever written”.

Robert Wyatt released the song in 1982 and it reached number 36 in the UK charts in May of the following year, marking the first ever UK Top 40 entry for Rough Trade Records and was number 2 in John Peel‘s Festive Fifty for tracks from that year.

We all hear the word genius being used too frequently these days – but the collaboration between Langer/Costello and Wyatt is simply that – genius.

Is it worth it?
A new winter coat and shoes for the wife
And a bicycle on the boy’s birthday
It’s just a rumour that was spread around town
By the women and children
Soon we’ll be shipbuilding

With all the will in the world
Diving for dear life
When we could be diving for pearls

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