Take Me Home

Toots and his mighty Maytals reggaefy a John Denver country classic, and West Virginia becomes West Jamaica just like that... Funky? You betcha.

Toots & The Maytals - Country Road

On Borrowed Time

Sad sad news: just found out Lou Reed has passed away. He was 71, and a true pioneer of rock 'n' roll. Miss him.

The Velvet Underground - Sad Song

Fight Hard

In anticipation of today's edition of El Clásico, here's a double helping of soul scorchers. Regular readers will probably know whose side I'm on by now, but just in case: ¡Visca el Barça! Yes Milton, we're gonna make it alright...

Gene Allison - You Can Make It If You Try
Little Milton - We're Gonna Make It

For My Sins

Listen up, you disciples of Fahey, Kottke et al. The always classy Tompkins Square label just released Jesus I'm A Sinner - that's right - by young steel-string picker Daniel Bachman. So what would Jesus do? Exactly. Buy this record, you sinners.

Daniel Bachman - Jesus I'm A Sinner

White House Lawn

Crosby, Nash, & Wilson? You bet. Lush sounds from Laurel Canyon, anno domini 2013. Let heaven and earth collide.

Jonathan Wilson - Cecil Taylor

Cabras De La Montaña

You'll have to do without me for a week, as I'm off to the city of cities to celebrate my umpteenth birthday in style. Noticed just in time the Mountain Goats will be playing Sala Apolo there this Saturday, so that was a no-brainer of course. Tickets in the bag. Been a fan of John Darnielle's work more or less since he started out, but I saw him perform only once so far, back in '95 at the legendary lofi festival Fast Forward in Nijmegen, Holland. From that gig, here's a rare outing of Going To Palestine.

Mountain Goats - Going To Palestine (live Nijmegen '95)

Oak Ash And Thorn

Mystical weirdness from the one and only String band. "I baked sweet pastries for the Queen of Spain, I hid my alchemy beneath the stone of lies, burned at the post my boiling brain made craters of my eyes..." They just don't write 'em quite like this anymore.

Incredible String Band - Vishangro

Special Indeed

A floorfiller of the highest order, thanks to the latest treasure trove in the always amazing Soundway catalogue. Understated afro-funk from Kenya; I just can't get enough.

The Rift Valley Brothers - Tiga Kurira

Never Lost Together

Never a dull moment with mr. Oldham. This time around our bonnie prince recorded a breathtaking, acoustic solo album without a title which - and here it comes - he distributed in person to just one record store, in his native city of Louisville, Kentucky. Cool, huh? No idea if this will ever be released on a broader scale, so you just have to try and track down a copy (vinyl and cassette only) somewhere I guess. Happy hunting!

Bonnie 'Prince' Billy - Triumph Of Will

No Car At All

A joyful reggae take on that funky track first made famous by its originator, soul singer William DeVaughn, and much later revived in grand triphop stylee by Massive Attack. "Diamond in the back, sunroof top, diggin' the scene with a gangsta lean..." Take over, mr. Carless...

Donovan Carlos - Be Thankful

Want more? I see where you're coming from. Here's the original, the triphop, and yet another reggae version. Be thankful please.

William DeVaughn - Be Thankful For What You've Got
Massive Attack - Be Thankful For What You Got
Bunny Clarke - Be Thankful

Take What You Can Get

Finally gonna see Tunng tonite, so I'm cool. Fell head over heels in love with these adventurous British freakfolkers the moment their first album came out, been following them ever since, but somehow they've always escaped me live. "All the talkers lose their breath..." I'm ready. Some rare tracks, you ask? But of course.

Tunng - Shove It
Tunng - No Man Can Find The War
Tunng - Robin

Come Sit

Upon the grass, I mean. And I shall come and sit beside you. Presenting a green green six pack, in remembrance of yet another summer gone by.

Robert Wyatt - Grass
Versus - Blade Of Grass
Jayhawks - Tomorrow The Green Grass
The Bachs - Tables Of Grass Fields
Caretakers Of Deception - Cuttin' Grass
The Red Crayola - Vile Vile Grass

West Again

Paging all you Americana lovers out there: don't miss Israel Nash Gripka's new Rain Plans. Boy can play. Less of a Stones/Creedence influence this time around, and more of a Neil vibe, but that's cool too of course. Gripka's got an extensive European tour coming up; try to catch him if you can. Oh, and here's the inspired title track for ya.

Israel Nash Gripka - Rain Plans