Raised Up In The Cornfield

Finally managed to replace my copy of Delusions Of Banjer, that wonderful debut by the inimitable Bad Livers from Austin, Texas. My original copy fell victim to cd rot, I kid you not. To celebrate, here's a prime example of their modern twist on bluegrass, produced by Butthole Surfer Paul Leary. Banjo, fiddle and stand-up bass go wild, folks! And as a bonus track, as it's one of the greatest cover versions I've ever enjoyed, you get to hear them do the Pop, too.

Bad Livers - Uncle Lucius
Bad Livers -Lust For Life

Soul's A Sigh

Mornings heavy with headaches? What have we got here then? A wistful ballad by the Scottish team of Bill Wells and Aidan Moffat (of Arab Strap fame) is what. From last years charming The Most Important Place In The World. And yup, that is an Ikea slogan.

Bill Wells & Aidan Moffat - Far From You

Flow, My Tears

From the only album ('67) the big man recorded for the famous Verve label, this is Roland Kirk - no Rahsaan to his name yet - playing the blues on tenor and two weird other kinds of saxes. Warms the heart, yes sir.

Roland Kirk - Blue Rol

Big Ben

Back to the sunny sounds of Brasil now, with the spotlight on Jorge Ben. A Tábua De Esmeralda ('74) and África Brasil ('76) are my fave albums by the giant from Rio, so here's a smooth but funky track from each. Tastes like the tropics, folks.

Jorge Ben - Os Alquimistas Estão Chegando Os Alquimistas
Jorge Ben - Meus Filhos, Meu Tesouro

Shub Niggurath

H.P. Lovecraft the writer is still a firm cult favourite among lovers of gothic horror, and with good reason of course. But what about H.P. Lovecraft, the band? Anybody still listening to these guys from the psychedelic late sixties, who named their combo after the father of the famed Cthulhu legends? Try 'em out, I'd say.

H.P. Lovecraft - Wayfaring Stranger
H.P. Lovecraft - At The Mountains Of Madness

Travelin' Man

Louisiana blues legend leaves his baby, just because. Intense? You bet.

Robert Pete Williams - Freight-Train Blues

Cold And Clear

Had all but forgotten the lovely ladies of Malaria! until I saw some fine footage of them in an otherwise so-so documentary about West Berlin in the eighties. Riot grrrls way avant-la-lettre. Achtung Achtung!

Malaria! - Kaltes Klares Wasser
Malaria! - Geld

No Consolation

It's starting to look more and more like the obituaries here alas. Not having even remotely recovered from the loss of the Starman, I got the sad news that Otis Clay passed away last Friday. The Arkansas Yardbird, one of the finest southern soul singers ever, was 73. Miss him.

Otis Clay - I Die A Little Each Day

I'll Be Free

Just got the sad news that we've lost one of the true greats of popular music yesterday. I'm stunned. David Robert Jones, 8 January 1947 - 10 January 2016. Miss him.

David Bowie - Lazarus

Nothing New

"Nada de novo existe nesse planeta..." If you like your Brazilian pop both jazzy and baroque, try on Milton Nascimento, the master from Minas Gerais.

Milton Nascimento - Saudade Dos Aviões Da Panair (Conversando No Bar)

Adios Maestro

And while we're on the subject of flamenco, I just got the sad news that Manuel De Los Santos Pastor, better known as El Agujetas or El Agujeta de Jerez, passed away a couple of weeks back. The master with the raw voice was 76 years old. Miss him.

Manuel El Agujeta - Entranas De Mi Cuerpo

Por Fandangos

And the flamenco album of the year, you ask? Just has to be this attractive live recording made in Madrid's Círculo Flamenco. Singing his heart out is Antonio Reyes, a rising vocal star from Chiclana. He's accompanied by virtuoso guitarist Diego Del Morao, who once again proves himself a worthy successor to his late great father Moraíto. Here's hoping this duo will be together for years to come.

Antonio Reyes y Diego Del Morao - Fandangos