Bye Terry

Just got the sad news that Terry Callier, folk/soul singer supreme, has passed away at the age of 67. Sure gonna miss you, candyman...

Terry Callier - Dancing Girl

Borne Aloft

Mr. Houck at his bonnie best. "Hiding in the hallways, I am listening..." Indeed.

Phosphorescent - My Dove, My Lamb

Transcedental Love

Although I still swear by John Darnielle in lo-fi mode - dude, I bought their tapes on Shrimper and Car In Car Disco way back when - I can see that higher budgets and cleaner recordings are the way forward for the mighty Mountain Goats. The songs remain gorgeous, and that's what counts in the end, right? Check out a sample from new offering Transcedental Youth for proof.

Mountain Goats - White Cedar

"I remember Lima, I remember the good life..." Ok, for old lo-fi times sake already:

Mountain Goats - Sendero Luminoso Verdadero

Another recent release that really managed to tickled my fancy - and that's no easy feat - is Matthew E. White's Big Inner. Adventurous with a groove. Big? Could become huge.

Matthew E. White - Big Love

For fine snotty vocals and sharp garage guitars, turn to the Electric Healing Sound, all the way from Tijuana, Mexico. Way to go, cholo punks!

The Electric Healing Sound - Victory

And since I'll be away from my desk for a couple of days, I'll leave you marooned awhile with a golden oldie by those postpunk supremos of Wire. Ciao!

Wire - Marooned

Join The Bingo

If you find yourself with nothing to do in Amsterdam, Holland, this Sunday night, do head over to the cosy Nieuwe Anita club. Why, you ask? Well, Simon Joyner, that fine fine singer/songwriter from Omaha, Nebraska, will play a gig there backed by Amsterdam's lofi heroes the Bingo Trappers. Not to be missed, right? And this just in: on Saturday, Joyner will make a solo appearance at Db's in Utrecht as well.

Simon Joyner - Three Well-Aimed Arrows
Simon Joyner - The Last Parade

As for the Bingos, they will finally release a new record sometime this January. About time, lads, it's been a long wait... Sister Planet (vinyl only I hear) will come out on Morctapes/AHT, and here's an exclusive taster. "Hey stupid, there's no lookin' back..."

Bingo Trappers - Long Weekends

Midnight Groover

Found myself on a bit of a Flamin' Groovies trip last week, which included their first singer and guitarist Roy Loney's fab solo stuff. Which is where we come across that rare instant where the song apparently came first, and acted as inspiration for the group name. And a mighty fine song it is, too. Satisfaction guaranteed indeed.

Roy Loney & The Phantom Movers - Phantom Mover

Having A Rave-Up

Really liked the alt-country avant la lettre of that Rave-Ups debut when it appeared back in '85. And guess what? It still sounds pretty good today.

The Rave-Ups - Class Tramp

The Rave-Ups - Positively Lost Me

...And Today

You knew you had it coming, right? Yesterday's gone... And forever came today.

Hüsker Dü - Something I Learned Today
The Only Ones - Lovers Of Today
Eric Ambel - Forever Came Today
Merle Haggard - A Working Man Can't Get Nowhere Today
Mel Street - I Met A Friend Of Yours Today
Blind John Davis - No Mail Today

Yesterday...

Scrambled eggs, ta-da-da... All my troubles seem so far away? Hmmm. Yesterday's the word today however, and it's here. Enjoy this somewhat passé six pack, and don't forget to buy some rekkids if you like what you hear. It's just yesterday after all.

Weird Herald - Just Yesterday
Flamin' Groovies - Yesterday's Numbers
Secondhand - The World Will End Yesterday
The Act Of Creation - Yesterday Noontime
Gravel - Yesterday
Paul Gonsalves - Yesterdays

Funky Business

Wakey wakey, wah-wah cowboys. Light In The Attic, one of the finest labour-of-love reissue labels around, just compiled a platter of steaming old-time swamprock that will make you beg for more. Here's one exemplary track. Now go buy this album. Ain't no bum trip, man...

Dale Hawkins - L.A. Memphis Tyler Texas

¿De donde son?

"La traición y el contrabando son cosas incompartidas..." Mexican magic by way of San Jose, California, 'cause that's where these Rosa Morada natives have been plying their trade since the late sixties. Comes complete with an irresistable accordeon of course, and with real gunshots from una pistola tirada.

Los Tigres Del Norte - Contrabando Y Traición

Zeit!

Got some time to spare? Then check this one out. The perfect cross beween Neu! and early Roxy Music: glam krautrock that gets me any time.

La Düsseldorf - Time

A Heady Discovery

Says cyber guru supreme William Gibson in his highly recommended non-fiction collection Distrust That Particular Flavor: "The Walkman changed the way we understand cities. I first heard Joy Division on a Walkman, and I remain unable to separate the experience of the music's bleak majesty from the first heady discovery of the pleasures of musically encapsulated fast-forward urban motion..."

Joy Division - Disorder