Friday grab bag

If the good Lord´s willin´and the creek don´t rise, every Friday night will be grab bag night here from now on. A selection of songs that caught my fancy over the last week for one reason or another. Old, new, borrowed, blue: everything goes.

First up is Tyler Ramsey, who´s better known as the bearded guy in Band Of Horses. No One Goes Out is a song from his brand new solo album A Long Dream About Swimming Across The Sea (Echo Mountain records). Beautiful melancholia. It reminds me of a certain Neil Young track, but the title won´t come... Anyone?

Tyler Ramsey - No One Goes Out MP3

Next are the Bongos, a nearly forgotten power pop trio from Hoboken, NJ. Their sparkling album Drums Along The Hudson from ´82 - which includes In The Congo - finally got a cd release last year by Cooking Vinyl. Hurrah!

The Bongos - In The Congo MP3

Gram Parsons can do no wrong in my book. Here´s a lovely Stones-cover off the second Flying Burrito Brothers album Burrito Deluxe (´70). For more hot Burritos and Parsons stuff do yourself a favour and head over to the mighty Setting The Woods On Fire blog. Rumour has it Paul put up some tracks from a newly released Burritos live album...

Flying Burrito Brothers - Wild Horses MP3

Julian Cope is as mad as they come of course, but in a very pleasant way. I particularly like his Peggy Suicide album (´91), featuring Beautiful Love. Great moog, great trumpet, great song. Did you know Copey is a fine writer as well? His autobiography Head-On may very well be the best book written by a so-called rock star. Sorry Bob, Chronicles is great too of course.

Julian Cope - Beautiful Love MP3

Here´s an oldie for you, from Harry Smith´s amazing Anthology Of American Folk Music box set. One of the most powerful blues vocals ever recorded. I always thought Blind Willie Johnson sang "Who´s that riding...", and had this vision of John The Revelator speeding through a biblical landscape on a big black stallion, cape a-flowin´. I now know that John is actually writing (and the book of the seven seals at that), but I don´t think I can ever shake that image when I listen to this song. Oh well.

Blind Willie Johnson - John The Revelator MP3

Tonight´s closer is my favorite popsong of 2007. Vampire Weekend hail from New York City, look square as hell and just released their self-titled debut on XL records. Cape Cod Kwassa Kwassa is full of jumpy hi-life guitars straight from Africa´s townships, neurotic Feelies-like vocals, a namecheck for Louis Vuitton luggage (surely a first in a song?) and an irresistable beat. "Is your bed made? Is your sweater on?"

Vampire Weekend - Cape Cod Kwassa Kwassa MP3