After all I have said recently about the lack of quality in albums these days, is was going to take something pretty special to make my Album of the Month for October. And while ‘What the Night Delivers’ doesn’t blow me totally away it does have that certain something special that keeps me playing it – again and again and again – a true sign of a great album.

I’ve loved both of Scott’s previous albums ['Passing Stranger'] and ‘Elsewhere’ and was eagerly waiting for this new album – sometimes that can be fatal, the product can fail to live up to expectations. Not so with this album – it’s everything (and more) that this old Dog could wish for.

First impressions were impressive – it immediately struck a chord with me, straight away I could relate to the songs, could listen to the songs, finding new things, hidden treasures with each listen. This album is a gentle wall of sound, an album of slow-motion emotions in songs that steadily build and climb revealing themselves ever so slowly like a virgin on her first night of love.

It’s darker – no, not darker – more sublime, more at peace with itself than the previous albums. Scott appears to me have found his way, has found his way of making music and it is sublime, rarely getting out of 2nd gear, it drives your sub-conscious to places that you didn’t know existed – makes you think – makes you smile – makes you cry. Then makes you want to do it all again.

Highlights for me include…….no no no…..that would be unfair. The highlight for me is the album, it has genuinely made me sit down, put the headphones on and listen to an album from start to finish and enjoy it from start to finish – every song, every melody, every damn thing. Did I tell you about his voice? Just amazing – it’s like every song Scott has sang to the best of his ability – yeah I think it’s his performance on this album that makes it stand out so much – you can hear him, feel him giving the song his best.

You know what? This album has blown me away.

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).

Jo’s music is very organic containing many layers of sound that gets better with each listen and I only really appreciated some of her songs after the third maybe fourth time of listening. She has a haunting voice as displayed on ‘Mekong Song’ but she’s not limited to slow delicate tracks as ‘How Beautiful’ shows with it’s beats and grooves and harmonies – good stuff. I could never get my ears or heart around Joanna Newsom and her harp (too much up her own arse for me) but Jo Hamilton is a bright new talent with a bright new approach to making music – I wish her well.

Jo had been looking for a practical way to expand the array of sounds she could create live, to better reflect the delicately layered sound of her album without having to change instruments. She came across a video of an early prototype The AirPiano – a state of the art instrument controlled simply by moving your hands through the air with the help of the attached computer.

I love this new instrument as it allows Jo to perform her songs as she intended but the AirPiano doesn’t detract from Jo’s talent – she is a good singer/songwriter and does not need any gimmicks or technical wizardry to win the hearts and minds of her ever growing audience.

Visit Jo’s website to buy and download this wonderful album and for more information on her and the AirPiano

Gown was produced by Jon Cotton who produced Scott Matthews’ Ivor Novello Award-winning song ‘Elusive’.

Here’s Jo with another track ‘Alive, alive’ – hope you enjoy.

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

I have always loved to hear new music but lately I’ve not being enjoying all the new stuff I’ve been buying. Why? I don’t really know.

I have listened to lots of new music the past month or so for this blog, and I have heard some good new stuff like Scott Matthews and Joe Henry. But I have also heard a lot of tosh.

So now I’m thinking of not buying any more new albums – but re listening to my existing CDs or buying old classics to rediscover the joy of music – what do you think?

Do you buy new music and feel a little let down, feel that you have better music already in your collection? Let me know.

I asked my 20 year old son this question the other day, why does new music make me want to puke?…and he replied “because it’s all recycled crap – would you eat a chicken sandwich made in 1986? He’s a smart boy my son, with a good sense as to what is right and wrong – especially when it comes to music.

Music, one of the only constants in my life that makes it worth living (snuggled just behind my wife and kids of course), the one thing that will always be there for me, will always make me smile, will always make even the toughest day bearable (albeit with a glass of red to share the mood). So why do I not find comfort in sound these days?
Let me explain my predicament. I love to listen to music – I also love listening to new music, to a new band, or singer or whatever as long as it makes me go “mmmm I like that”. Then I will download it – listen to it – enjoy it – share it with my son maybe – listen to a few more times – – then enjoy listening to it again and again.

Currently my iTunes library has:
14260 songs 73:20:42:22 total time 78.43 GB

You can tell that I like my music but I must admit that I do not listen to everything on it, as on occasions I have downloaded music in haste believing a reviewer when he/she/it tells me that this new record by the next big thing will change my world and gives it 5 stars – when will I learn. I don’t really favour any particular genre, my taste is strictly liquorice – I like allsorts – the first 3 artists on my iTunes library are Aberfedly, AC/DC and Adam Freeland and as I write this I’m listening to Super Furry Animals Songbook so you can see that I’m kinda catholic with my taste in music.

What I don’t like, and this brings me back nicely to the crux of this post, is music that makes me puke. Or maybe I’ll put it another way, I don’t like music:
• that’s hyped up as the next big thing
• that sounds like A Flock of Seagulls should have sounded like in 1982 but didn’t
• that’s been done to death and back then dug up again and done to death again
• that involves pimply young men in black clothes
• that involves any one with the surname Gallagher (unless he’s Irish and can play a guitar like an angel on Sambuca)
• that is produced because the record company thinks it knows what we like
• that NME rate as essential
• when our beloved music critics use words like “angst” and “classic” and “next big thing” in their review
• when everybody loves it for 156 seconds then criticizes the 2nd album for lacking depth
Am I ranting here? Please stop me if I am….but I do feel that I have something to share with you.

Let me give you some examples:
• White Lies – To Lose My Life
• Glasvegas – Glasvegas
• Franz Ferdinand – you chose
• Kaiser Chiefs – you chose
• The Editors – You chose
• Snow Patrol – A Hundred Million Suns
• Peter Doherty – Grace/Wastelands
• The Last Shadow Puppets – The Age of Understatement

Do you get my drift here?

I just want to sit down, relax, put my feet up, have a quick glug of red and go mmmm

The above do not do this for me – so why am I constantly being told that I should buy the above and even more scarily, why I am being told that I should like them and that if I don’t like them then I just don’t know what great music sounds like. Aaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhh.
However, there are some exceptions – and I hope that this post will inspire you to share with me new music that will make me go mmmm but in the meantime let me share with you some new music that I believe is worth listening to:

• Bell X1 – Blue Lights on the Runway
• Fink – Distance and Time
• Death Cab for Cutie – Narrow Stairs
• Scott Mathews – Passing Strangers/Elsewhere
• Paul Heaton – Cross-eyed Rambler
• Nitin Sawnhey – London Undersound

There are not many new artists here – but they are all good, largely ignored by the music press, but enjoyed by music lovers. It is this I find hard to swallow, this that leaves a foul taste in my mouth, this that makes me seek comfort in sound, my sound, the music I like.

So, a question for you… am I missing something here?