Smoooth

Like black velvet. Yessir. Featuring the great Red Garland on piano. Feeling blue and sentimental yet?

Arnett Cobb - Black Velvet

Meet The Wilsons

Hurray once more for the mighty Tompkins Square label, as the wise people in charge there just re-released Bill Wilson's fine fine Ever Changing Minstrel album, originally recorded in 1973 with the same bunch of pickers you hear on Dylan's Blonde On Blonde. In honour of that, here's a ten pack of boss tunes by guys called Wilson. Brian was off somewhere alas, but brother Dennis showed up instead. Better get ready!

Bill Wilson - The Good Ship Society
Dennis Wilson - Love Surround Me
Larry Jon Wilson - Sapelo
Jonathan Wilson - The Way I Feel
J. Frank Wilson & The Cavaliers - Last Kiss
Elder Roma Wilson - Better Get Ready
Delroy Wilson - A Place in Africa (aka Addis Ababa)
Ernest Wilson - I Know Myself
Flick Wilson - Don't Give Up Your Culture
Wilson Pickett - Toe Hold

Born To Be Hurt

"It makes no difference if you're rich or poor, or if you're smart or dumb..." Sandy Posey's country-flavored '66 hit version of Born A Woman - penned by the rather mysterious Martha Sharpe - will always remain the ultimate interpretation for me. Nick Lowe's rocking gender bender of sorts from '77, which incidentally I was familiar with long before I even realised it was a cover, comes a close second though. "A woman's place in this old world, is under some man's thumb..."

Sandy Posey - Born A Woman
Nick Lowe - Born A Woman

Hop On In

"You've got nothing to fear if you're sharing a beer with the son of God..." The Lord moves in mysterious ways indeed.

Terry Allen - Gimme A Ride To Heaven Boy

To The Top

In Roky we trust. "Climb the ladder of your own design in my fire engine..." Go on, you know you want to. The boys from Television often climbed said ladder in concert, to great effect. This blistering take was recorded at CBGB's, way back in 1975.

13th Floor Elevators - Fire Engine
Television - Fire Engine (live '75)

Bag Or Trainload

"It's so sweet, yeah, yeah, I can't stop smokin' yeah..." Presenting a rootsy six pack. Have a toke of collie herb, why don't you. It's cool. Light that chalice.

Tommy McCook - One Trainload Of Collie
Hopeton Lewis - Cool Collie
Sly & The Revolutionaries - Collie
Horace Andy - Collie Herb
Dillinger - One Bag Of Collie
King Tubby & The Aggrovators - Collie Dub

Don't Go

These desert cats always deliver. Exhibit A, from the new Calexico album Algiers: a lilting song in the loving tongue of Spanish, featuring Jacob Valenzuela and Jairo Zavala on vocals. Keywords: corazón, linda, and amor of course... And that's claro que si.

Calexico - No Te Vayas

Come Blow Your Horn

"Put your heart on a platter and see who will bite..." Tempest finally dropped into my rusty ole mailbox yesterday, and boy is 71-year-old Bobby D. on form again. This little boy blue's highlight so far, after only a couple of late nite spins? A spooky, southern-style ballad called Scarlet Town. Delicate, understated arrangement, complete with fiddle, mandolin, and banjo, all the while packing a weird punch or two in the lyrics. "Set 'em up Joe, play Walkin' The Floor, play it for my flat-chested junkie whore..." Say what?

Bob Dylan - Scarlet Town

Questions Questions

No answers. My man Bonnie Billy's recent plan to remake some of his older songs has given us another beauty though. Check out Three Questions, featuring the impressive Angel Olsen on co-vocals. Space guitar courtesy of Emmett Kelly. "The birds have stopped their singing, and the insects have shut up..."

Bonnie Prince Billy - Three Questions

Heavenly Way

Repent forthwith and get hip to these timeless gospel blues recordings of the legendary Gary Davis. On Got On My Traveling Shoes, the blind Reverend sings and plays together with his mate Kinny Peebles, who was also known under the wonderful name of Sweet Papa Stovepipe. "I know my crown gonna fit me well, I tried it on at the gates of hell..."

Reverend Gary Davis - We Are the Heavenly Father's Children
Reverend Gary Davis & Kinny Peebles - Got On My Traveling Shoes

...And Dads

"Father come with me today, see the pillars in the sky..." As promised, here's a second parental six pack. Cool stuff if I may say so myself, pop kids. Don't miss that Annette Poindexter soul gem in particular. Now dig in.

Hickory Wind - Father Come With Me

Little Madness - Mother Country
Horace Silver - Song For My Father
Annette Poindexter & Pieces Of Peace - Mama

Linda Martell - Color Him Father
Don Varner - Mojo Mama

And thanks to the much recommended 27 Leggies, here's a bonus take from weirdsville on an old English music hall ditty. Cor blimey indeed, guv.

The Very Things - When Father Papered The Parlour

Of Moms...

"What is a mother to do, when she's cursed with children like you..." Presenting a parental six pack for all you moms and dads out there. Part 2 coming soon, so don't touch that dial.

Crowder Brothers - We All Love Mother
Shep & The Limelites - Daddy's Home

The Creamers - Mom Watches T.V.
The Gories - Let Your Daddy Ride
Killdozer - A Mother Has A Hard Road
The Very Things - The Bushes Scream While My Daddy Prunes

And as a bonus track, 'cause something went wrong somewhere, here's Hooker's classic original as well. Lucky you.

John Lee Hooker - Let Your Daddy Ride

Universal Champion

Michael James Williams, better known as Prince Far I, is no stranger to these pages. The one with the voice of thunder was probably my fave toaster of them all. Here he envisions a 15 rounds boxing match between natty dreadlocks and Babylon. And behold: "I can see some blood comin' from Babylon nose..."

Prince Far I - Natty Champion

Fiesta Grande

Listen up, my faithful flamenco friends, for this one sure is special. Vocalists Antonio De La Malena, Mijita Hijo, El Barullo, El Chico, El Torta, and Manuel Moneo take turns singing their hearts out, accompanied on guitar by the masterful Moraito Chico and Niño de Periquín. A true flamenco feast, over thirty minutes long. ¡Agua!

Antonio De La Malena, Mijita Hijo, El Barullo, El Chico, El Torta y Manuel Moneo - Fiesta Por Bulerías

Look See

"Plain as your eyes can see, read what the sign says..." So stop, look, and listen, mi amigos da musica.

Jim Sullivan - Plain As Your Eyes Can See

Plush - Three-quarters Blind Eyes
Ed Askew - Little Eyes
Thelonious Monk - There's Danger In Your Eyes, Cherie (take 2)
Warne Marsh - Smog Eyes
John Coltrane - The Night Has A Thousand Eyes