Sunday, 7 March 2010

moving

I'm moving these shitty little ramblings. New home will be here

Goodbye

Tuesday, 2 February 2010

Oz from Ambulances recommends

Gram Parsons - A Song For You

Karen Dalton - Somethings On Your Mind

Caetano Veloso - Lost In The Paradise

Toots & The Maytals - Broadway Jungle

Joe Higgs - Song My Enemies Sing

The Eternals - Queen Of The Minstrels

Marcia Griffiths - Feel Like Jumping

The Colourblind James Experience - Considering A Move To Memphis

The Hombres - Let It Out (Let It All Hang Out)

Wallace Collection - Daydream

William Onyeabor - Better Change Your Mind

Jacqueline Taieb - 7 heures du matin

Bessie Banks - Go Now

Gloria Jones - Tainted Love

William Bell - You Don't Miss Your Water

James Carr - The Dark End Of The Street

Garnett Mimms - Cry Baby

Timi Yuro - It'll Never Be Over For Me

Big Maybelle - Oh Lord What Are You Doing To Me?

Faye Crawford - What Have I Done Wrong?

Betty Moorer - Speed Up

Pentangle - Travelling Song

13th Floor Elevators - Reverberation

Don Gardener - My Baby Likes To Boogaloo

Etta James & Sugar Pie Desanto - In The Basement

Robin Pecknold of Fleet Foxes recommends

Recommended Listening (by Robin Pecknold of Fleet Foxes)
I have been enjoying this music lately,


JOHN JACOB NILES - I Wonder As I Wander http://www.last.fm/music/John+Jacob+Niles/_/Look+Down+That+Lonesome+Road

Robbie Basho - the Grail and the Lotus http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x5i5eztZa50

Beach House - Teen Dream ZEBRA! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=90ipyWYO3LM

Roy Harper - Stormcock, Folkjokeopus http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m1g0yxLu2Zk

Kentigern - Kentigern

Bobbie Gentry - Delta Sweete http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CZt5Q-u4crc&feature=PlayList&p=302500A8F3F002D4&playnext=1&playnext_from=PL&index=28
(different record)

Past Lives - Tapestry of Webs http://stereogum.com/mp3/Past%20Lives%20-%20Deep%20In%20The%20Valley.mp3

Alice Coltrane - Universal Consciousness

Flower Travellin' Band - Satori http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z5SG8LlIqoY

M. Ashraf - Dama Dam Mast Qalander http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m1g0yxLu2Zk

Sagittarius - Present Tense http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qs-oGEhDP0E

Ravel - Daphne and Chloe http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3S_qCc3xyOk&feature=related ahh!!!

Mulatu Astatke - Ethio Jazz http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6vq3n4plTM0&feature=related

Jackson C Frank - Blues Run the Game http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-Qt0d0hnkbQ

Sibylle Baier - Colour Green http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qyy8bEDi1Eg

Mellow Candle - Swaddling Songs http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vDf-Q2CVGtQ

John Coltrane - Africa Brass

the Fourmyula - Nature http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zlhBkM0zNV4

翻身农女把歌唱 - 少数民族歌曲系列 西藏 (ha)

And finally, a very beautiful cover of Whiter Shade of Pale by THE DELLS, a great vocal group. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IrZcM0z1i8g


Well worth lending an ear

Monday, 21 December 2009

another year over

Merry Christmas


ALBUM OF THE DECADE

Adem....Homesongs




























SONGS OF 2009


Jesca Hoop....Four Dreams


Cate Le Bon....Me Oh My


Euros Childs....Shithausen & Gently All Around


Super Furry Animals....Moped Eyes


Withered Hand....No Cigarettes


Broadcast & The Focus Group....To Be The Colony


Spaceships Are Cool....Let Things Go


Alun Tan Lan....Dyma'r Diwedd


Magic Arm....Rested Bones




ALBUM OF 2009


Ambulances....The Future That Was (well what did you expect?)

The albums of the artists who feature in the songs of 2009 list are all excellent and recommended purchases. As well as these I give special mention to The Soundcarriers who have created a terrific album called Harmonium.

*Many of the artists featured on this post feature in a Festive Bestive podcast put together by the ever super Ted over at Cloud Sounds. Ted has incredibly similar taste to myself when it comes to music ie he likes Euros Childs quite a lot.

Saturday, 19 December 2009

magic arm



click

Just go buy the album Make Lists, Do Something. Wonderful, like The Beta Band & Beck doing McCartney in the best possible way.

*I used to have a magic arm but it's not what it once was. Now it's crab claw.

spaceships are cool





Spaceships Are Cool are cool. Where would you expect to find one of the most inventive bands around? Not in Nottingham. Dreamlike psyche-pop with electronic fidgets.

*Spaceships are cool. Cooler than dwarves for example although dwarves are big in Japan.












FOUND


Edinburgh artist collective FOUND's star is on the rise. Tommy from the group has made a laptop mixtape available as a kind of christmas gift over at their website. Any mix with Shuggie Otis on is fine by me.


Have a listen to the talented experimentalists too. They're rather good.
*Members of FOUND recently won a Scottish BAFTA for their autonomous emotional robot band CYBRAPHON.
**A sardine tin lid makes an excellent quiff for a homemade robot. Perhaps I should contact the guys with this improvement suggestion.


Wednesday, 16 December 2009

sam and the plants

















Sam & The Plants come from the north west of England a make, quite simply, gorgeous music. I could go on about pastoral 60s folk and other whimsy but there really is no point. Just listen and tell your friends.

click

the beep seals




As the end of the year/decade fast approaches we are constantly reminded of who or what was best and such like over the given period. Or, who'll be missed since they passed on but let's keep this light.

In the spring of this year The Beep Seals decided to call it a day. They leave behind a lovely wee album they recorded with Teenage Fanclub's Norman Blake that folks will hopefully stumble upon for years to come. Here's a taster...

click

withered hand (free download)


The ever brilliant Withered Hand are giving away a new song for free. Ergo, help yourself to the first gift that keeps on giving from this here site.

Tuesday, 15 December 2009

the wellgreen


I can't believe I've not mentioned The Wellgreen until now. Just as well nobody reads this rubbish. Anyway, The Wellgreen, purveyors of fine music from the west coast of Scotland with a debut album imminent.



*Stuart Kidd from The Wellgreen is also in 9/10 bands based in Glasgow & the surrounding area. Marco Rea from The Wellgreen is in the rest.


Tuesday, 8 December 2009

jesca hoop

























Jesca Hoop is an American lady living in Manchester. Have a listen to her song Four Dreams. It's one of my favourites this year. She's just released an album called Hunting My Dress too. You might as well just buy it now. It'll save you having to pick it up later.



*Jesca used to be nanny to Tom Waits' children before moving to England. I don't know any children but from what I can remember I'd prefer their company to the perpetual drizzle of Manchester.


Tuesday, 1 December 2009

alun tan lan

click



Alun Tan Lan is amazing. Guitarist in Euros Childs' group and Britains No.1 surf combo Y Niwl, as well as a superfine solo artist to boot.

*I went to school with someone called Alun. He was in a heavy metal band called Rip N' Tear. Must be a very musical name Alun.

Monday, 30 November 2009

eagleowl

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Our final St Andrews day offerings are eagleowl. Beautiful, beautiful slow rolling music from Edinburgh. Their new single is out any day now. Their last single, though sold out, is available to buy as a download. Please go and get both, for your own good.

*I used to work in a shop with Clarissa from Eaglowl many moons ago. It was shit but she seemed thoroughly decent. There were others who seemed thoroughly decent but their bands were pish.

esperi


Seeing as it's St Andrews day here we have another band from Scotland. On Friday my group had the pleasure of playing on the same bill as Esperi. Although sometimes a full band, this performance was a solo outing for Chris Lee Marr and a magical thing it was too. All manner of instruments were sampled & looped through his trusty pedal, building and building a soft textured breeze of lovingly crafted sounds that would not seem out of place on a Four Tet release.
With Christmas coming, click on the click, & buy your ever lucky family some Esperi. I guarantee they'll thank you more for this than bath salts.

schnapps

click
Glasgow's Schnapps make a kind of garage shuffle reminiscent of singer Ian Crawford's previous outfits - Kain and The Gilded Angels. Both of those bands imploded just as it looked like they were about to explode so catch this lot while you can. Music that puts a smile on your face. Sometimes that's all you need.

*If you do need more than this why not drink schnapps. If you've still not got a smile on your face you probably need to lighten up a bit. Have a wank - tickle your balls/ladypart a little, you only live once.

Wednesday, 18 November 2009

jovenes y sexys


Jovenes Y Sexys are my favourite band this week. Hailing from Caracas Venezuela, this duo are giving away their songs for free. You'd be a mug not to take them up on this kind offer.
*I, like these two, have a cat.


Tuesday, 17 November 2009

pascal pinon



click

I don't know an awful lot about Pascal Pinon apart from the lovely music they make. From what I can gather they are 4 young sisters from Iceland who might just take over the world.

Sunday, 1 November 2009

john stammers


click

John Stammers creates beautiful acid folk music. He's released an album on the faultless label Redbricks Recordings. You could do worse than buy everything available from their shop.