Deadly Storm

"Last night I saw the new, new moon, with the old moon in her arm..." Impending doom or what? Take it away, Sandy.

Fairport Convention- Sir Patrick Spens

Beast Upon Me

Alas, we're not too impressed with the new Phosphorescent album to be honest, muchachos. Except for one remarkable track called The Quotidian Beasts that is. Ramshackle and doom-laden, it's yet another recent example of the ongoing influence of Neil Young's Ditch Trilogy, and I guess that isn't so bad. Quality never goes out of style, you know?

Phosphorescent - The Quotidian Beasts

Boogie Shoes

Let's start the week with a boogieing six pack why don't we. Don't blame it on the sunshine, don't blame it on the moonlight. And please don't blame it on the good times, either. Just snap them fingers.

Delmore Brothers - Freight Train Boogie

Jimmy Bryant & Speedy West - Stratosphere Boogie

Al Simmons - Old Folks' Boogie
Howlin' Wolf - House Rockin' Boogie
John Lee Hooker - Snap Them Fingers Boogie
Skip James - My Last Boogie

Dull History

"Interest is kept and money is made by changing the scenery..." Indeed. Early Scritti is always a joy to behold. Take Scritlocks Door, from their 2nd ep, which dates it 1979. Just dawned on me it's sort of a rap record avant la lettre.

Scritti Politti - Scritlocks Door

Have To Be Going

Just got the sad news that Jason Molina, founder of Songs: Ohia and Magnolia Electric Co., no longer walks among us. Miss him. Here's a farewell transmission of sorts.

Songs: Ohia - White Sulfur
Songs: Ohia - Lioness
Magnolia Electric Co. - Farewell Transmission
Magnolia Electric Co. - Don't Fade On Me
Molina & Johnson - Almost Let You In
Jason Molina - Get Out Get Out Get Out

Bag Of Tricks

"She's got one magic trick, just one and that's it..." Presenting a tricky quartet of songs for your listening pleasure.

M. Ward - Magic Trick
The Tapes - A Little Trick We All Know
The Triffids - A Trick Of The Light
Earl King - Trick Bag

Dew On The Vine

"Two dollars when I'm hard up, religion when I die ..." A delicious take on a thirsty ole folk traditional.

Uncle Tupelo - Moonshiner

And speaking of Uncle Tupelo, Son Volt's finally got a new album out. Entitled Honky Tonk, it looks like Jay Farrar travelled all the way up to Bakersfield this time around. Taste!

Son Volt - Brick Walls

Stand In My Way

For those of you owning Lowell George's swan song Thanks I'll Eat It Here on vinyl only: you're missing out on a fine bonus track to the cd reissue. The previously unreleased demo of Heartache is a melancholy little song starring renowned westcoast backing vocalist Valerie Carter on co-vocals. Incidentally, I just found out that the fat man from Feat produced Carter's debut album Just A Stones Throw Away back in '77. Anyone ever heard that one?

Lowell George - Heartache

Change Is Now

"If I can't change your mind than no one will..." Presenting a six pack that probably won't change your mind. Or your life for that matter. But as the saying goes: a change is as good as a rest.

Sugar - If I Can't Change Your Mind

Mason Proffit - Voice Of Change
The Fleshtones - I've Gotta Change My Life

William Onyeabor - Better Change Your Mind

Danger Mouse - Change Clothes

Big Mama Thornton - The Big Change

Stay High

Blu never misses a flight, and his rapping companions Donel Smokes, Definite Mass, and Dubble Oh probably won't stay grounded for long either. A flowing little HipHop track I came across by chance on the iPod yesterday night.

Blu - Down To Earth

One more in that vein then? Well, why not. His majesty Geedorah - actually the esteemed MF Doom in disguise - features mr. Fantastik on this lazy, wacky track. "Are you serious?"

King Geedorah - Anti-Matter

Hot Spot

"Robert Johnson and the devil, man, don't know who's gonna rip off who..." Quite a wonderful track from St. Nick's new outing, the one featuring his model missus in all her raging glory on the cover. Higgs Boson Blues is both dark and funny, name checking not only the most legendary blues singer of 'em all, but current teen idols - so I'm told - Hannah Montana and Miley Cyrus as well. And soundwise, I bet ya Neil's On The Beach was on heavy rotation chez Cave all of last winter, which is not a bad choice. Or is it too much of a rip-off?

Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds - Higgs Boson Blues

Blue So Blue

If you like your women blue, look no further and get this wonderful collection of mostly acoustic femvox rarities on the Past & Present label forthwith. Out a couple of years already, but a fresh discovery for me. These late sixties and early seventies ladies may never have hit the big time, but their folky to mildly psychedelic exploits are of breathtaking quality just the same.

Karen Beth - In The Morning
Amanda Trees - Queen Wilhelmina