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White Lies
2008-03-07 04:38:00
The UK music industry buzz band of the year so far as it's not undeserved.www.myspace.com/whiteliesuk
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Chris Barber
2008-03-07 04:26:00
My dad tells me that Chris Barber is 80 this year and just appeared on Later with Jools Holland.The Chris Barber variety of trad or mainstream jazz is the kind of jazz that's closest to my heart. Generally, the band start by playing the melody, led by the trumpet. Then each player takes a solo in turn. Then they all come back in and play the melody again. The end. Magic.There's a scene in a film that perfectly captures how exciting this music can be (or seemed to do so twelve years ago when I saw it). It's the 1959 film of John Osborne's iconic play Look Back In Anger. Richard Burton plays Jimmy, the archetypal angry young man. At the start of the film he walks down into a basement where a jazz band are playing (Chris Barber's). He picks up the trumpet and plays with them. It's dangerous, exciting, poetic - rock 'n' roll, you might say.Climax Rag is the opening track from a legendary concert album, Barber In Berlin. Joe Meek was one of the recording engineers.Duke Ellington...

one of the best ever documentaries about music is back on BBC iPlayer for t
2008-03-02 02:44:00
How Pop Songs Work
More About: Music , Back , Documentaries

To Make You Feel My Love
2008-02-26 04:05:00
To Make You Feel My Love is the best song Bob Dylan has written since the seventies, and one of the best songs he has written. It's a modern standard. The first version I know of was by Billy Joel (before Dylan's own version was released). I also have versions by Garth Brooks, Kelly Clarkson, Caedmon's Call and Josh Kelley. iTunes has versions by Joan Osborne, Louise Setara, Bryan Ferry, Maria Muldaur, Hilary Scott, Lynn Witty and Rob Mathes, Luka Bloom, Jermy Irons and many others. I guess it's one of the most covered modern songs of recent years (alongside You Raise Me Up which I can never understand - why don't people go straight to the source and cover Danny Boy instead?). And now it has turned up on the Adele album. Adele has a great voice but could learn a lot from listening to the Garth Brooks or Billy Joel or Trisha Yearwood versions. Keep it simple Adele! I think the best version is Trisha's.I've always thought this song probably inspired the Lindisfarne song Can't...

one new artist and one newish artist
2008-02-25 03:52:00
I Blame Coco - daughter of a star and future star herself. Excellent voice.Daniel Merriweather - I can't get Chainsaw out of my head. He has also covered a recent track, as his mentor Mark Ronson did with Valerie, and Daniel's is an equally good choice of cover.
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Loneliness: what is the point of it?
2008-02-19 00:33:00
The new Feeling album is out today in the UK.Loneliness is the track I wrote about ages ago having heard the demo.I really rate The Feeling. Their breakthrough was exciting because they were the first band in many a year to be embraced by the UK media despite being neither "alternative" nor passing themselves off as such. Mainstream and proud. I didn't reckon on the inferior bands that have broken through in their wake but I think The Feeling will outlast those bands. This track in particular has a little hint of genuine emotion and depth that the likes of 10cc and ELO definitely had but The Feeling's contemporaries generally lack.The Feeling - Loneliness (iTunes)
More About: Point

my favourite Steve Earle song basically says "Sorry I didn't buy you a Vale
2008-02-13 03:47:00
might come in useful tomorrowSteve Earle - Vale ntine's Day (iTunes)
More About: Song , Steve Earle

I was just reading an interview with my favourites Vampire Weekend in The G
2008-02-10 15:57:00
Brenda Fassie was one of the biggest artists in South Africa, selling millions of each album.There was a plan to break her in Britain with remixes of Vuli Ndlela but nothing ever came of it. What a brilliant track though. Incredible vocal. It definitely could have been a hit in the Northern Hemisphere. It's from her Memeza album which has this extraordinary artwork:I once visited the Cape Town township where Brenda grew up. Here's a photo:Brenda Fassie - Vuli Ndlela (iTunes)
More About: Reading , Interview , Weekend , Vampire , Favourites

A Moment Of Forever and other songs about getting old
2008-02-09 02:16:00
A Moment Of Forever was written by Kris Kristofferson and Danny Timms. It was the title track of Kris's 1995 album which is where I heard it first.Now it's the title track of Willie Nelson's new album. You can hear a clip of Willie's version on Amazon. And you can hear a version by Danny on his own website. But for me the best version is Kris's. It's a good one to put on a CD for your partner at Valentine's Day (if you are planning to spend the rest of your lives together and have a high tolerance for soppiness).A Moment Of Forever reminds me a little of Back When We Were Beautiful by Matraca Berg, a lovely song about growing old.I spent far too long reading an Eva Cassidy website this week and was moved almost to tears once again. Partly because of the story (what a story), but more because of the music - Eva was one of the all-time great singers. Fields Of Gold is a really good song about love changing as couples age. I won't post that because everyone should own the Songb...
More About: Songs

A&E by Goldfrapp
2008-02-05 03:52:00
I like the new Goldfrapp single which I heard properly for the first time today. It's a proper song.Goldfrapp - A&E (iTunes)

tecktonik
2008-02-05 03:26:00
Tecktonik is a dance craze and music scene that is sweeping France and spreading elsewhere. And it's a registered trademark apparently!Alive by Mondotek has just been no. 2 in France and the video shows what it's all about (the track isn't pretty good but the video and dancing are better).For some reason all this reminded me of the classic Freestyler by Bomfunk MCs so here's the glorious extended version.Bomfunk MCs - Freestyler (extended version) (iTunes)

Eels
2008-01-25 12:31:00
There's an Essential Eels album out. Last Stop: This Town is so good they put it on there twice.Eels - Last Stop: This Town (iTunes)

song for Bobby Fischer
2008-01-21 02:49:00
I was away this weekend so I felt sure another blog would beat me to it and post Cue Fanfare by Prefab Sprout in tribute to Bobby Fischer .I recommend The Guardian's Bobby Fischer obituary for the story of a truly remarkable life, written by a fellow chess player.I also recommend Prefab Sprout's debut album Swoon, from which Cue Fanfare is taken. It's raw but dazzlingly intelligent and ambitious (a bit like Bobby Fischer I guess), and it's probably my favourite Prefab Sprout album.Prefab Sprout - Cue Fanfare (iTunes)
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To Care by The Four Tops
2008-01-14 02:21:00
There used to be a record shop in Manchester called Power Cuts that had a big annual sale, selling vinyl cut outs from the US for next to nothing - stuff like Bummed by The Happy Mondays, Mistrial by Lou Reed (not worth 50p), a Hank Williams Jr album, a pressing of the Sally Cinnamon single by The Stone Roses on Revolver Records (1op), and Testing Positive 4 The Funk, the fourth in George Clinton's Family Series of compilation albums. The album is hit and miss but it does contain To Care by The Four Tops track from 1978 and not a fans' favourite but my favourite. The album also has a good front cover (see below), an amusing interview with George Clinton where he explains how cool The Four Tops are, and instructions for what to do if you want to sample any of the tracks on the album.The Four Tops - To Care (iTunes)

Du Hast Den Schönsten Arsch Der Welt by Alex C feat. Y-Ass
2008-01-11 04:49:00
the next Basshunter?Alex C is Alex ChristensenBabel Fish informs me that the title means "You haste the most beautiful ass of the world"Thanks to the excellent Pop Unlimited blog for telling me about this track some time agoAlex C feat. Y-Ass - Du Hast Den Schönsten Arsch Der Welt (not on iTunes UK yet)
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from Shelby Lynne to Dusty to American Music Club to The Carpenters
2008-01-04 04:52:00
Your Lies and Leavin' should have been huge hits for Shelby Lynne when she was first signed to Mercury. She was kind of Norah Jones meets Duffy.Shelby's new album could be her most successful yet. It's a covers album of songs immortalised by Dusty Springfield, plus one new composition. You can hear tracks on Shelby's rather neglected MySpace site.One Dusty classic Shelby doesn't cover is No Easy Way Down, perhaps because Norah Jones also covered it recently. If you don't own any Dusty albums then get Dusty In Memphis - it's as good as everyone says (I guess it has been deleted in advance of being reissued as it's only available second hand on Amazon at present).American Music Club also covered No Easy Way Down, which gives me an excuse to post my favourite AMC track Johnny Mathis' Feet. In some ways AMC were a pre-cursor to the emo and Americana-tinged sound that is so prevalent in North American alternative music today (Arcade Fire etc).Come to think of it, American Music...
More About: The Carpenters

broken links
2007-12-22 20:21:00
most of the mp3 links on this blog will be broken for a week or sosorry about this - not sure why this has happened
More About: Links , Broken

Going To California
2007-12-13 03:06:00
A lovely, simple, plaintive track from Led Zeppelin IV that didn't make it on to MothershipLed Zeppelin - Goin g To California (iTunes)

more Chasing
2007-12-06 12:08:00
This time for Gemma Hayes who was Mercury Music Prize-nominated a few years back.This is from her forthcoming third album The Hollow of Morning which is short and dark (my kind of album).Chasing Dragons is an "end of relationship" song (as are many of my favourite songs), and for me it's the best thing she's done.Gemma Hayes - Chasing Dragons (not on iTunes yet)

Lisa Hannigan (and Damien Rice)
2007-12-06 03:38:00
There is new solo material coming soon from Lisa Hannigan who sang vocals on both the Damien Rice albums but is no longer working with him. I'm really excited about this new material. Damien is possibly my favourite artist of the millennium so far and Lisa could be great on her own.So here's a seasonal a capella cover from Lisa, and her own version of Cannonball. I've also posted the Billie Holiday version of Don't Explain which Lisa covers, as does Cat Power on her forthcoming covers album.I really think the second Damien Rice album should have sold better. The record company blame the artist for refusing to allow them to do radio mixes until it was too late. I think they picked the wrong second single in Rootless Tree. Anyway, I suspect in time the album will be recognised as a classic. The first half of the album is one awesome, brutal song after another. My favourite is probably The Animals Were Gone - such a great opening line and title. All the lyrics are great in fact. An...

Chasing Pavements and Rainbows
2007-12-06 03:18:00
The new Adele single is properly great. A cool artist, doing a song that is basically Gabrielle. It's going to be huge.I keep wanting to call it Chasing Rainbo ws which is of course Shed Seven's finest moment.Adele - Chasing Pavements (not on iTunes yet)Shed Seven - Chasing Rainbows (iTunes)

Christmas Records
2007-12-03 12:09:00
Obviously the best Christmas record ever is Fairytale of New York and the best Christmas album ever is the Phil Spector one.Here are three less obvious choices3) Christmas Song - Dave Matthews Band. From the Platinum Christmas album which also contains two other really good Christmas originals by Dido and R Kelly. Maybe I'll post those next year.2) O Tannenbaum - The Vince Guaraldi Trio. An essential purchase at this time of year is the A Charlie Brown Christmas soundtrack. This is the opening track - a jazz piano trio version of The Red Flag so not obviously Christmas-y, but the whole album really is.1) A Kind Of Christmas Card - Morton Harket. Great uplifting track from former A-Ha frontman that should have been a massive hit. Shades of All The Young Dudes.Dave Matthews Band - Christmas Song (there is a version on iTunes but it's "album only")The Vince Guaraldi Trio - O Tannenbaum (iTunes)Morton Harket - A Kind Of Christmas Card (not on iTunes sadly)
More About: Records , Cord

Whole Wide World by Wreckless Eric
2007-11-30 02:55:00
The Proclaimers have just covered this song. I suppose it suits them but it's a straight cover and rather uninspired.Andy Davies, sidekick to Jonathan Ross on his Radio 2 show, was putting together a tribute album where a number of artists covered this song, but I don't think it will ever see the light of day.There's only one version you need to be honest.Wreck less Eric - Whole Wide World (iTunes)

Plastic Little and The Cure
2007-11-20 18:39:00
I didn't actually hear Plastic Little on the radio today but I heard both Jo Whiley (Radio 1) and George Lamb (6music) talking about the fact that were going to play Plastic Little.I wonder what track they played? Certainly not the piece of filth that is Get Close. Janet Street-Porter could read out the phone book and it would still sound good, as long as Close To Me by The Cure was the backing track.My other favourite Cure track is In Between Days (of course). Here's the demo with almost no lyrics - it sounded great even in that form.Plastic Little - Get Close (not on iTunes so here's a link to buy another track of theirs)The Cure - In Between Days (demo version) (here's a link to buy the original on iTunes)

Cat Power's latest covers album
2007-11-20 00:17:00
The first track from Cat Power's forthcoming Jukebox album has just gone up on iTunes. It's an new original song called Song To Bobby apparently about meeting Bob Dylan, and very nice it is too (here's the iTunes UK link).The rest of the album is covers plus one new version of an old Cat Power song. All the originals are worth owning, especially Lost Someone by James Brown Live at the Apollo (the other amazing live recording in the world apart from The Dance by Garth Brooks), the Theme From ?New York, New York?, Dark End of the Street, and Don't Explain by Billie Holliday. I've restrained myself to posting just one of the originals, my new favourite Janis Joplin track, Woman Left Lonely, written by Spooner Oldham and Dan Penn (the latter of whom also co-wrote Dark End of the Street).iTunes should do an album of "Buy the originals". I think I'll suggest it to them.Janis Joplin - Woman Left Lonely (iTunes)
More About: Covers , Album

Radiohead's In Rainbows album sleeve
2007-11-15 13:12:00
as I've just been sent Radiohead's album sleeve, here it is:and here's my favourite track from the album, which is their best since OK ComputerRadiohead - House Of Cards (link to buy the discbox and buy the download or get it for free if you wish)
More About: Album , In Rainbows , Adio , Rainbows , Sleeve

I hate live recordings except for this one
2007-11-13 12:04:00
I mean, what's the point? It's like taking a photo of a painting through the window of an art gallery at night, when the lights are off.I see there's a Garth Brooks compilation out in the UK this week. This gives me an excuse to post one of my favourite songs of all time, The Dance. It's such a great lyric and, I think, the right philosophy to have about relationships (better to have loved and lost...). The original studio version of The Dance is almost perfect but if you want that, buy the album. I've posted a live recording - one of the few I like - where Garth manages to preserve the basics of the original version, while the crowd of what sounds like millions sing along to every word. It's incredibly exciting.Garth Brooks - The Dance (Live ) (there is basically no Garth Brooks music on iTunes at present)The Dance was written by Tony Arata. You can hear his version of the song and buy his CD at CD Baby.
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almost a month on, I can officially announce that the best track from In Th
2007-11-13 11:03:00
is Mielato by Patrizia LaquidaraPatrizia Laquidara - Mielto (not on iTunes UK so here's a link to iTunes Italy)
More About: Track , Month , Anno , Mont

Put A Penny In The Slot by Fionn Regan
2007-11-09 16:15:00
I first heard Fionn Regan when Jonathan Ross played this track on Radio 2, and it's still my favourite track of his. Now it's his new single.Fionn Regan - Put A Penny In The Slot (iTunes)

Anna Ternheim
2007-11-07 12:08:00
Anna Ternheim is playing some UK dates soon. More details on her MySpace.I love her track Shoreline. I first heard it in a weirdly sped up version which I downloaded from somewhere or other. It's a cover of a song by Broder Daniel who were described to me as a Swedish equivalent of The Stone Roses - i.e. very influential on Swedish guitar music without achieving massive sales.Anna Ternheim - Shoreline (Radio Version) (not on iTunes UK yet)Anna Ternheim - Shoreline (sped up version) (definitely not on iTunes)Broder Daniel - Shoreline (iTunes)
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