For The Sake Of The Song

TCB

2012-01-31T13:27:00.005+01:00

"Pick it for me, James..." And mr. Burton, proud veteran of the Elvis band, takes care of business. Q.E.D.

Gram Parsons - Return Of The Grievous Angel

In The Gluepot

2012-01-29T12:15:00.004+01:00

John Cale alone on a stage is always a joy to behold. The following tracks were recorded live in 1983 at a place called The Gluepot in Auckland, New Zealand. "Looking for a friend, looking everywhere, to go walk down the boulevard, boulevard of friends..."

John Cale - Leaving It Up To You

John Cale - Buffalo Ballet

John Cale - Chinese Envoy

On The Vine

2012-01-27T16:14:00.012+01:00

Recent pickings aplenty in the For The Sake Of The Song headquarters, so let's not waste any precious time. First up: the Owsley Brothers, doing that dirty garage blues thingy very well. Rotten On The Vine is a teaser for their new album Cobalt, out in March. Can't wait, guys. On now to our Canadian pals from Woodpigeon. Love some of their tunes, while others strangely enough leave me cold somehow. This time I'm in luck, as the dreamy title track of their recent ep For Paolo definitely falls in the former category.

Owsley Brothers - Rotten On The Vine

Woodpigeon - For Paolo

That enticing Swedish girl duo called First Aid Kit is at it again as well, and I'm happy to say their brand new set of songs called The Lion's Roar is the first contender for our 2012 end of year list. The country-tinged Emmylou (that's a certain madame Harris of course) is plenty proof of that methinks. And finally, please welcome Anne-Marie Sanderson from the north - will rise again - of England. She plays a hypnotizing guitar and at least to these ears sounds quite a bit like Joanna Newsom on her folky single Endless Eyes. Keep a close watch.

First Aid Kit - Emmylou

Anne-Marie Sanderson - Endless Eyes

And sadly, we have to play you some of the old stuff as well, as a heartfelt tribute to two r&b giants who passed away recently at a ripe old age. Miss 'em.

Johnny Otis Orchestra - The Midnight Creeper (Part 1)

Etta James - Seven Day Fool

Top O' The Morning

2012-01-24T10:41:00.003+01:00

"And I think I'll call it morning from now on... why should I survive on sadness and tell myself I got to be alone..." Presenting a six pack for early risers. Wakey wakey, people.

Gil Scott-Heron - I Think I Call It Morning

Rob Galbraith - Jezebel Of The Morning

Doug Sahm - Catch Me In The Morning

Lighty Singers Of Estill, SC - In The Morning When The Trumpet Sound

The Youngbloods - Four In The Morning

Blind Blake - Early Morning Blues

Megaton

2012-01-22T20:52:00.003+01:00

King Tubby may have been the dub organiser supreme, but Lee Perry wasn't that far behind. So here's Scratch behind that rickety mixing desk of his in the legendary Black Ark studio, with a couple of inventive and - contrary to the album titles - rather laidback tracks from his two tough to find Megaton Dub volumes.

Lee Perry - Freedom Dub

Lee Perry - Megaton Dub

Lee Perry - Big Neck Dub

Lee Perry - Zion In Dub

Remember

2012-01-19T11:54:00.003+01:00

"Romeo said to the graveyard keeper, something must be done..." A somewhat belated tribute to Doll By Doll foreman Jackie Leven, Scottish gypsy with a heart of gold, who left us to play that great gig in the sky last November. Touching obit here.

Doll By Doll - The Palace Of Love

Dutch Treats

2012-01-17T13:30:00.002+01:00

Here's some more hot nederbiet for ya, with vocals in English this time, from a cool compilation I picked up recently called Dutch Beat Explosion. Do try on these rough but utterly charming mid-sixties treats with a strong Beatles influence from the land of windmills, clogs, and coffeeshops. My fave? The amazing Rodys from Groningen Rock City, who come on like a wild cross between the Kinks and Barrett-era Floyd. "Just fancy living between the people without ears..." My point exactly.

The Sandy Coast - Subject Of My Thoughts

Jay-Jays - Today I'm Gay

Penny Wise - Silver Girls

Rodys - Just Fancy

How High

2012-01-15T12:46:00.009+01:00

"In this dirty town, there's nothing going for me..." Presenting a lunar ten pack for your listening pleasure. Just sit back and watch that ole devil come down.

Thin White Rope - Moonhead

Quicksilver Messenger Service - Maiden Of The Cancer Moon

Dead Moon - Dagger Moon

Jonathan Wilson - Valley Of The Silver Moon

Lucia Pamela - Walking On The Moon

Graham Parker & The Rumour - Watch The Moon Come Down

Don Byas - How High The Moon

Freedy Johnston - Down On The Moon #1

Leatherface - I Want The Moon

Sonny Rollins - Old Devil Moon

On A Fence

2012-01-13T17:06:00.004+01:00

High time for some more recent stuff around here. Got Is Growing Faith a tad too late for my end of year list, but otherwise White Fence's second outing could have been a contender. Fingerlickin' lofi jangle that alternately took me back to Alex Chilton, Skip Spence, Syd Barrett, and a plethora of bands on New Zealand's famed Flying Nun label. Grow faith, y'all. And then there's Israel Nash Gripka, whose Barn Doors And Concrete Floors I haven't even fully digested yet. I do know that standout track Louisiana is one tough piece of steaming Stones swamprock though. And last but not least let's shine a light on Diagrams, the new project of Sam Genders, someone I've always greatly admired for his work with Tunng and The Accidental. And as Night All Night shows, he hasn't lost that golden freakfolk touch.

White Fence - Growing Faith

White Fence - When There Is No Crowd

Israel Nash Gripka - Louisiana

Diagrams - Night All Night

New Boogie

2012-01-11T12:03:00.008+01:00

Here's to keeping the adventurous guitar spirit of John Fahey and Sandy Bull alive. And somehow, it even kind of boogies, too.
Chris Forsyth - New Pharmacist Boogie (For Jack)

Straight Life

2012-01-09T17:02:00.004+01:00

"I wanna be straight, I wanna be straight, I'm sick and tired of taking drugs and staying up late..." Following up on a conversation with faithful reader Holly in the post below this one, here's a fun showdown between messrs. Richman and Dury. And as a chaser: a hot quartet of not so straight jazz cuts.

The Modern Lovers - I'm Straight

Ian Dury & The Blockheads - I Wanna Be Straight

Art Pepper - Straight Life

Thelonious Monk - Straight No Chaser

Hank Mobley - Straight No Filter

Cannonball Adderley Quintet - Straight Life

Purple Pants

2012-01-06T21:41:00.008+01:00

Maybe you have to speak the language to really dig these wacky Nederbiet songs... all I know is that I find them totally irresistable. The Softs wear purple pants and grow their hair long, something daddy doesn't like at all, while N.V. Group 65 travels all the way to Morocco to buy that devil weed. Meanwhile, the Dukes go wild in a bar in Turkey, and The Mokum Beat Five (from my native city Amsterdam, a.k.a. Mokum) issues a stern warning against marriage. Wonder what my non-Dutch readers think.

Softs - Paarse Broek

N.V. Groep 65 - Tanger

Dukes - In Istanboel

Mokum Beat Five - Trouw Nooit

Passing By

2012-01-02T21:42:00.005+01:00

"Baby, my love will follow you, as the years go passing by..." Which basically means I'm wishing you a very funky 2012, dear readers.

Albert King - As The Years Go Passing By

The Zombies - This Will Be Our Year

The Rumour - Frozen Years

Leo Kottke - The Driving Of The Year Nail

Patti Smith - My Blakean Year

Howlin' Wolf - How Many More Years

On Your Mind

2011-12-29T19:07:00.002+01:00

"Well, you know, you can’t make it without ever even trying... and something’s on your mind, isn’t it... tell the truth now, isn’t it..." It's always time for a very special voice, and sweet mother K.D. sure had one. Bobby Notkoff plays that exquisite violin.

Karen Dalton - Something On Your Mind

Drink Pet Milk

2011-12-28T00:17:00.002+01:00

Two fine tracks by the always amazing Louvins, from a Pet Milk-sponsored Grand Ole Opry broadcast back in '59. "Blue you found me, blue you left me, and blue I will be from now on..." My point exactly.

Louvin Brothers - Curly Headed Baby

Louvin Brothers - Blue From Now On

Dragons & Owls

2011-12-24T10:44:00.005+01:00

I am a brother to dragons and a companion to owls. Job said that, but I sure can relate. I'm southbound tomorrow, looking for some sunshine, but will write the odd post provided there's WiFi on the menu somewhere. As usual, you won't get a christmas ditty out of me, but I do wish you all a feliz navidad.

The Mighty Upsetter - Flames Of The Dragon

Jack Rose - Song For The Owl

Beasts Of Bourbon - Chase The Dragon

The Champs - Nite Owl

Have To Try

2011-12-22T13:08:00.006+01:00

"Well, I can't afford to live, I guess I'll have to try, undertaker's got a union, and it costs too much to die..." Also known as Money's Getting Cheaper, this is a fine example of Jimmy Witherspoon's jazzy form of blues. And still relevant, too...

Jimmy Witherspoon - Times Gettin' Tougher Than Tough

Big Grin

2011-12-20T09:40:00.002+01:00

And the reissue of the year, you may ask? Well, the majestic Smile Sessions - I went for the 2 disc version myself, as you have to draw the line somewhere - blew the competition right out of the water of course. Pure Wilson genius at work. Here's one of the many fun bonus tracks. "Sleep a lot, eat a lot, brush 'em like crazy..."

The Beach Boys - Smile Backing Vocals Montage

Golden Hiss

2011-12-18T11:09:00.006+01:00

Yes, and here we go again... with the one and only For The Sake Of The Song end of year list. The jury has spoken: here are the magnificent seven of 2011.

1. Hiss Golden Messenger - Poor Moon

2. PJ Harvey - Let England Shake

3. Howe Gelb & A Band Of Gypsies - Alegrías

4. Tom Waits - Bad As Me

5. Bonnie Prince Billy - Wolfroy Goes To Town

6. Josh T. Pearson - Last Of The Country Gentlemen

7. Gillian Welch - The Harrow & The Harvest

Knock once, now knock twice. And stay gold, pony boys...

Hiss Golden Messenger - Call Him Daylight

Hiss Golden Messenger - Westering

Run Paint Run

2011-12-15T09:27:00.007+01:00

Tomorrow night, I'll be spinning the tunes at the opening of a cool exhibition in exposition space Quarantaine in Amsterdam. Definitely a prole art threat, so do drop by if you happen to be in the area. "Someday, everything is gonna be different, when I paint my masterpiece..."

Bob Dylan & The Band - When I Paint My Masterpiece

The Fall - Prole Art Threat

Fever Tree - Man Who Paints The Pictures

Captain Beefheart & The Magic Band - Run Paint Run Run

Different For Sure

2011-12-13T17:19:00.003+01:00

Been awhile since we featured my all-time fave cult - and I do mean cult - band around here, so let's go go go. This majestic barbed-velvet ballad comes from the recently re-released Cable Hogue soundtrack. Let's hear it for 裸のラリーズ! Play loud if you dare.

Les Rallizes Dénudés - But I Was Different

Not Allowed

2011-12-12T11:14:00.004+01:00

Back in '71, the Stones took on Fred McDowell's You Gotta Move with their Sticky Fingers, a song I never had much time for. Don't know what Fred thought of course, but I'm sure both the royalties and the recognition must have made the last of the great Mississippi blues men extremely happy. Had I been in Keith's shoes though, I would have lobbied for a go at McDowell's Mama Don't Allow instead. A song that sounds like it was made for the Stones to cover in all their sleazy early-seventies glory. "Drop down baby, let your daddy see, you got somethin' really worryin' me..."

Mississippi Fred McDowell - Mama Don't Allow

Doug aka Jesse

2011-12-10T11:24:00.003+01:00

Cool news for fans of that ole Hendrix sound: our pals at Drag City are about to release a collection of songs by obscure New Zealander Doug Jerebine. Dude travelled to swinging London in '69, changed his name to Jesse Harper, and recorded a groovy album in Jimi mode. After that, he went to India, joined the Hare Krishna movement, and was never heard of again.

Doug Jerebine (aka Jesse Harper) - Ashes And Matches

Dear New Friends

2011-12-08T12:00:00.006+01:00

Just some recent songs I took a bit of a fancy to. Siskiyou travels to Bonnie Billy country, Haroula Rose does the folky duet thing very well, and High On Stress sure digs the Mats a lot. Widowspeak dreams back to the indie eighties, Wounded Lion plays barbwire pop with a delightful chorus ("LVXLCDM" anyone?), while Centro-matic fondly remembers the Mary Chain. Broaden that musical horizon why don't you, pop kids.

Siskiyou - Dear Old Friends

Haroula Rose - Free To Be Me

High On Stress - Figure Eights

Widowspeak - Gun Shy

Wounded Lion - Roman Values

Centro-matic - Only In My Double Mind

All The Time

2011-12-06T10:55:00.006+01:00

"Four hundred or so people lived in Knockemstiff in 1957, nearly all of them connected by blood through one godforsaken calamity or another, be it lust or necessity or just plain ignorance..." If you like your Americana way raw, you'd better start reading Donald Ray Pollock's The Devil All The Time right away. Unputdownable's the word. True 666 soundtrack below.

Palace Brothers - Idle Hands Are The Devil's Playthings

Sam Collins - Devil In The Lion's Den

The Box Tops - I Must Be The Devil

Prince Arky & The Westerners - 10 Horned Devil

Tampa Red - Worried Devil Blues

Steve Earle - Angel Is The Devil

Money Talks

2011-12-04T11:19:00.006+01:00

Crisis? What crisis? "Every night before I go to sleep, find a ticket, win the lottery, scoop the pearls up from the sea, cash them in and buy you all the things you need..." Presenting a valuable six pack for your listening pleasure. Original artwork - We Breathe Air And Escape - once more by Tinca.

Patti Smith - Free Money MP3

Growling Tiger - Money Is King MP3

Dan Penn - If Love Was Money MP3

Fang - The Money Will Roll Right In MP3

Jason & The Scorchers - If Money Talks MP3

Aretha Franklin - Money Won't Change You MP3

Had It All

2011-12-01T09:50:00.004+01:00

"I can hear the wind blowing in my mind, just the way it used to sound through the Georgia pines..." Here's a moody Stones ballad from the Some Girls sessions, recently released on the deluxe version of that '78 album, which is well worth it for the extra disc of surprisingly good outtakes alone. We Had It All is an oft-covered country classic written by Troy Seals and Donnie Fritts, and originally recorded by ole Waylon for his '73 outlaw masterpiece Honky Tonk Heroes. A year later, Fritts had a go at it himself, on his swampy solo debut Prone To Lean. "You were there to answer when I called, you and me, lord knows, we had it all..."

The Rolling Stones - We Had It All

Waylon Jennings - We Had It All

Donnie Fritts - We Had It All

Just remembered that Dylan played this lament to lost love a couple of times as well during his '86 True Confessions Tour, backed by Petty's Heartbreakers and with soulful help from the Queens of Rhythm. So here goes.

Bob Dylan - We Had It All (live in East Rutherford '86)

Carrying A Torch

2011-11-29T17:03:00.011+01:00

Now here are two impressive torch songs from the early seventies for ya. As far as I know, Asakawa Maki's back catalogue is currently out of print, resulting in steep prices on the second-hand market. So it would be very much appreciated if some cool reissue label took on the complete oeuvre of this fine jazz and blues singer (1942-2010) from the land of the rising sun pronto.

Asakawa Maki - Yo Ga Aketara

Asakawa Maki - Gin House Blues

Easy Does It

2011-11-25T22:35:00.007+01:00

Feeling quite mellow today, so it seems apt to present an easygoing six pack for the weekend. Be cool, calm, and collected y'all. "Well I'm easy, hey, I'm simple like a fool ..." Word.

Boz Scaggs - I'm Easy

Green On Red - Easy Way Out

Ted Lucas - It's So Easy (When You Know What You're Doing)

Billy Joe Shaver - Ride Me Down Easy

Sonny Stitt - Easy Does It

Ron Davies - It Ain't Easy

Another Time, Another Place

2011-11-22T16:58:00.006+01:00

This just in from the news desk: Leonard Cohen's new album, amusingly titled Old Ideas, is scheduled for a late January release. It's the Canadian veteran's first studio effort in eight long years. And here's a promising, solemn taster. "Show me the place for my head is bent and low, show me the place where you want your slave to go..."

Leonard Cohen - Show Me The Place

A Lady In The North

2011-11-21T22:40:00.003+01:00

"She was courted by nine gentlemen, and a ploughboy-lad from Yarrow..." A truly great take on an ancient Scottish border ballad by the wonderful Shelagh McDonald, an early seventies folkie who was lost and found and lost again.

Shelagh McDonald - Dowie Dens Of Yarrow

Viva Tropicalismo

2011-11-19T21:24:00.007+01:00

Slowly but surely the temperature's dropping, and me no like at all. So to warm the heart a wee bit, let's hear it for a few tropical, steaming choice cuts from late sixties and early seventies Brazil. Take courage everybody, and don't forget to shake those marácas of fire regularly.

Gal Costa - Mamãe, Coragem

O Bando - E Assim Falava Mefistófeles

Os Mutantes - A Minha Menina

Caetano Veloso - Alegria, Alegria

Gilberto Gil - Bat Macumba

Lula Côrtes - Marácas De Fogo

Two Earthquakes

2011-11-17T22:23:00.008+01:00

Always on the lookout for that elusive holy ghost of music, we're tuning in to Jerez flamenco city tonight. Let's chase the spirit with Terremoto the father (1934-1981) and Terremoto the son (1969-2010) respectively, and see if the earth moves a bit.

Terremoto De Jerez - Ni Testigos Ni Abogados

Fernando Terremoto - Viento De Levante

Lolie Dresses Slowly

2011-11-15T09:01:00.006+01:00

I know I plugged Howe Gelb's recent collaboration with a band of authentic gitano flamenco cats from Spain here before, but as I just can't get enough of Alegrías, here's one more lovely track. "Eso no te pega..." One for the slowly but surely approaching end-of-year lists for sure.

Howe Gelb & A Band Of Gypsies - The Ballad Of Lole Y Manuel

On My Side

2011-11-12T12:07:00.008+01:00

Continuing our time theme for a bit, here are six mighty fine bands from the past you just may not have heard of yet - or am I underestimating you now? "But as sure as you're living, you know the time is now..." Wise words in troubled times.

Spur - Time Is Now

Fifty Foot Hose - If Not This Time

Chambers Brothers - Time Has Come Today

Wake Ooloo - Time To Go

Polvo - Time Isn't On My Side

Laughing Hyenas - Hard Time Blues

Legend Of Time

2011-11-10T11:17:00.008+01:00

Flamenco with a sitar? Well, why not. Based on a poem by García Lorca, Nana Del Caballo Grande comes from Camaróns groundbreaking La Leyenda Del Tiempo ('79), the first ever flamenco-fusion album. As infamous as it was influential, and often called the Sgt. Pepper of the genre, its hasj-scented, electrified experiments caused hardcore aficionados to return it to the shops in droves. Since then, opinions have mellowed considerably.

El Camarón De La Isla - Nana Del Caballo Grande

Nashville To Nantes

2011-11-08T22:26:00.017+01:00

Here's one of those rare pleasant surprises from the email inbox. Forest Mountain Hymnal is the project of Rebecca and Jonathan Moody, a couple of Nashville-ites currently residing in the French town of Nantes. Their Fitcher's Bird is a spooky but très jolie folksong in two distinct parts. "Where do you come from..."

Forest Mountain Hymnal - Fitcher's Bird

Take Me Home

2011-11-06T09:42:00.006+01:00

"River, you keep flowing, like you know just where you're going..." Presenting a Sunday six pack about them always magical waterways. "But river, will you ever take me home..."

David Allan Coe - River

Meg Baird - River Song

Cell - Cross The River

Fear Itself - Underground River

Versus - River

Augustus Pablo - East Of The River Nile (original version)

Dark-Night Songs

2011-11-04T10:22:00.009+01:00

"She warbled and keened at an extreme pitch of emotion unattainable by the young, and the verses of the songs went on and on toward a receding conclusion. They were dark-night songs. Knocked-up girls got stabbed or shot or hit in the head, and then buried in the cold ground or thrown into the black deep river. Pretty Polly. Little Omie Wise. Go down, go down, you Knoxville Girl. Sometimes reproduction did not even factor into the narrative. The man snuffed the girl out because he could not own her, a killing offense if the girl's opinions ran counter to his urges. In the ballads, love and murder and possession fit tight against one another as an outgrown wedding band on a swollen finger..."

That's from Nightwoods, Charles Frazier's new novel, which I happen to be reading at the moment. Good to see that someone knows his classics well. Guy's a mean writer, too, so do snap it up. In the meantime, here's a little soundtrack.

Bill Cornett - Pretty Polly

G.B. Grayson - Ommie Wise

Louvin Brothers - Knoxville Girl

Same Old Same Old

2011-11-02T09:43:00.004+01:00

It may be the same old rock alright, but I like it. Featuring one Jimmy Page on guitar. As the saying goes: hats off to Harper.

Roy Harper - The Same Old Rock

Two Monarchs

2011-10-31T12:25:00.005+01:00

So what me worry? Both the remarkably accessable Bad As Me by mr. Waits and the remarkably tranquil Wolfroy Goes To Town by Will 'Bonnie' Oldham will keep me busy for a quite a while. Out now, so dig in. And if Bonnie Prince Billy's playing in your area (dates here), do check him out. We caught him in Barcelona's cosy Casino L’Aliança last Thursday and were completely blown away. A monarch who rules over all that he sings indeed.

Bonnie Prince Billy - New Whaling

Tom Waits - Satisfied

Viva El Capullo

2011-10-25T22:08:00.003+02:00

Do yourselves a favour and take this overwhelming flamenco trip, recorded live in 2002 in the fair Catalan capital of Barcelona. Which is where I'm heading tomorrow for a couple of days incidentally. ¡Hasta pronto!

Capullo De Jerez - Bulerías

Hold Of Me

2011-10-24T09:48:00.004+02:00

A fine live performance by Gillian Welch, with her trusted partner David Rawlings expertly picking along of course. "There are those who'll laugh and not believe, until you feel that touch upon your sleeve..." Spooky one, folks.

Gillian Welch - Devil Had A Hold Of Me (live St. Louis '99)

It's Where The Heart Is

2011-10-21T09:19:00.013+02:00

"Shotguns freckle the road signs, wind burns 'cross the white line..." Presenting a domestic ten pack for your listening pleasure. Bring it on home, guys.

The Cruel Sea - This Is Not The Way Home

Bob Andy - I've Got To Go Back Home

Ted Hawkins - Bring It On Home, Daddy

Illinois Jacquet - Flying Home

The Spinners - I'm Coming Home

Delaney & Bonnie & Friends - Coming Home

Joe Higgs - Come On Home

Al Green - Call Me (Come Back Home)

Q'65 - Bring It On Home

Johnny Horton - I'm Coming Home

Not For Sale

2011-10-19T12:17:00.007+02:00

From the bootleg vault: a trio of cool post-Mats Westerberg tracks, recorded live at West Hollywood's Troubadour club back in '96. A show that was recorded for a radio broadcast, hence the exceptional audio quality. Paul's performance ain't half bad, either.

Paul Westerberg - World Class Fad (live '96)

Paul Westerberg - Ain't Got Me (live '96)

Paul Westerberg - Love Untold (live '96)

Well Hello There

2011-10-17T10:48:00.007+02:00

Dig the late Rainer Ptacek (you do remember him, don't you?) taking on a Willie Nelson classic with only a dobro for company. "My, it's been a long long time..."

Rainer - Funny How Time Slips Away

Big Rock

2011-10-14T09:23:00.008+02:00

"She tells me she comes from my mother the mountain, her skin fits her tightly, and her lips do not lie..." Presenting a folkish and countryish six pack for musical climbers.

Original big rock candy mountain artwork by the incomparable Joni.

Townes Van Zandt - Our Mother The Mountain

Sunforest - Magician In The Mountain

Harry McClintock - The Big Rock Candy Mountain

The Flatlanders - Keeper Of The Mountain

Linda Perhacs - Paper Mountain Man

Flatt & Scruggs - Foggy Mountain Breakdown

Out On The Mainline

2011-10-12T09:04:00.006+02:00

Pretty? No. Raw? You bet. Intense? Definitely. And that's how I like Neil Young best of all. And while we're talking raw and intense: Neil's 1973 Tonight's The Night tour with the Santa Monica Flyers was just that. Bet you never heard this nearly 34 (!) minutes long live version, recorded in Chicago's Auditorium Theater. Uneasy listening guaranteed, as the source is a very lofi-sounding audience tape. But when you're on a tequila-fuelled trip like this one, who cares? Just sing that song in a shaky voice...

Neil Young - Tonight's The Night (live Chicago '73)

At A Pace

2011-10-10T19:56:00.010+02:00

Bristol's Snails, as their name suggests, take it easy. Way easy. Try on this typically British, subtly arranged folkpop nugget and you'll probably agree it's rather hard to believe we're talking a debut single here. Out now on the Great Pop Supplement label.

Snails - She'd Like An Hour

It's A Sin

2011-10-08T11:05:00.008+02:00

"Walkin' like a man, talkin' like an angel, proud like a peacock, swifter than an eagle..." Yonder comes sin alright. Presenting an original six pack. You're very welcome.

Bob Dylan - Yonder Comes Sin

Iggy Pop - Some Weird Sin

Racingpaperplanes - Kingdom Of Sin

Neil Young - Yonder Stands The Sinner

Gregory Isaacs - Sinner Man

Hank Mobley - My Sin

Bye Bert

2011-10-06T09:25:00.009+02:00

Just received the sad news that Bert Jansch has passed away. The highly acclaimed Scottish guitarist was 67. His work, both with Pentangle and as a solo artist, was dazzling and original, influencing such famous names as Neil Young, Nick Drake, The Beatles, Led Zeppelin and the Smiths. Johnny Marr, guitar player with the latter, once remarked that Jansch "completely reinvented guitar playing and set a standard that is still unequalled today. There are people playing guitar who don't even realize they've been influenced by him one step removed..." Amen to that.

Bert Jansch - Where Did My Life Go? MP3

Pentangle - When I Get Home MP3

The Smiths - Heaven Knows I'm Miserable Now MP3

Soweto Clash

2011-10-05T09:13:00.004+02:00

Let's chill out some to a surprising African reggae track by Nigerian afrofunk, highlife and reggae musician Sonny Okosun. Don't let the rather strange synth sounds at the start put you off, things will get irie soon... I'm busy reading Marcus Gray's Route 19 Revisited at the moment, an extensive and inspiring book on the Clash and the making of their magnum opus London Calling. Happens that Okosun's hit was a personal fave of messrs Strummer, Jones, Simonon and Headon at the time. So much so they even demoed a song that was clearly inspired by Fire In Soweto during their '79 Vanilla Sessions. Check!

Sonny Okosun - Fire In Soweto MP3

The Clash - Where You Gonna Go (Soweto) MP3

Angelology

2011-10-03T23:18:00.004+02:00

"You can walk, you can talk just like me... you can look, tell me what you see..." Presenting an angelic six pack for your listening pleasure. Wings not included, sorry.

Massive Attack - Angel MP3

Talking Heads - Thanks For Sending Me An Angel MP3

Charley Pride - Kiss An Angel Good Mornin' MP3

Jim White - Book Of Angels MP3

Wardell Gray - A Sinner Kissed An Angel MP3

Bobbie Gentry - I Saw An Angel Die MP3

Back To The Lab

2011-10-01T21:01:00.004+02:00

Guess it's about time for another red, green, and gold ten pack around here. Or, to quote the mighty Lee 'Scratch' Perry: "Every time the music reach a stop, instead of killing the music, we take the music back to the lab and perform a medical operation and bring the music back in a new generation..." Seen? Give praise, please: buy some featured albums if you like what you hear.

Junior Ross & The Spear - Judgement Time MP3

Devon Irons - When Jah Come MP3

Aleas Jube - Righteous Land MP3

Johnny Osbourne - Jah Promise MP3

Vivian Jackson & the Prophets - Walls Of Jerusalem MP3

The Twinkle Brothers - Give Rasta Praise MP3

Calvin Stuart - Babylon A Turn Dem Back MP3

The Gladiators - Chatty Chatty Mouth MP3

The Jolly Brothers - Babylon A Fight Rasta MP3

Freddie McGregor - Rasta Have Faith MP3

Alternatively, you're welcome to take the irie zip file route, my babylon brethren. Still up!

Times Have Changed And So Have We

2011-09-29T22:24:00.014+02:00

Just got word that Johnnie Wright, one half of classic brother-in-law country duo Johnnie & Jack, died two days ago at 97 at his home in Madison, Tennessee. Wright, husband of country star Kitty Wells, lost his singing partner Jack Anglin, who was on his way to Patsy Cline's funeral, in a car accident in 1963. They had been on the Grand Ole Opry for fifteen years straight. "This world can't stand long, be ready don't wait too late..."

Johnnie & Jack - This World Can't Stand Long MP3

Johnnie & Jack - For Old Times Sake MP3

A La Tripi-Tripi

2011-09-27T12:02:00.008+02:00

"A la tripi-tripi caramba!" I've always had a weak spot for los legendarios de Los Angeles, but when they sing in Spanish they're really something else. Ok guys, we're rolling...

Los Lobos - El Canelo MP3

Los Lobos - La Guacamaya MP3

Los Lobos - Serenata Nortena MP3

All Saints

2011-09-21T11:12:00.008+02:00

"Well... ya wanna catch a saint, then bait yer hook, let's take a walk..." Presenting a holy six pack for all you hip priests out there. Original artwork by the amazing Tinca.

The Breeders - Saints MP3

Me & Stupid - Dear Saint Rita Of Impossible Dreams MP3

Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds - Saint Huck MP3

Lee 'Scratch' Perry - By Saint Peter MP3

The Grateful Dead - Saint Stephen MP3

Albert Ayler - Saints MP3

With Style And Grace

2011-09-19T14:00:00.004+02:00

Gylan Kain was one of the original Last Poets. As he'd already split before these HipHop forerunners recorded their highly influential 1970 debut album, not a lot of people even know the guy. Shame, that. Just check out the cool 2nd Address, taped in the late nineties with a bunch of jazzy Amsterdam honkies under the moniker of Baby Kain, to hear why. It's not often a song namedrops John Coltrane, James Baldwin, James Brown, James Joyce, Nina Simone, Samuel Beckett, Muddy Waters, and Marc Chagall in what's more or less one breath after all.

Baby Kain - 2nd Address MP3

Soul In Orbit

2011-09-17T13:44:00.012+02:00

Presenting a finger lickin' sixties soul ten pack. Not the big names, mind, but all-killer-no-filler just the same. Cause I felt like it, that's why. Bless your little sweet soul...

Joy Lovejoy - In Orbit MP3

Spencer Wiggins - Uptight Good Woman MP3

Big John Hamilton - How Much Can A Man Take MP3

Eddie Giles - Losing Boy MP3

Barbara Stephens - Wait A Minute MP3

Texas Ray - What's Come Over You MP3

Diamond Joe - Gossip Gossip MP3

Reuben Bell & The Casanovas - It's Not That Easy MP3

Bobby Freeman - I'll Never Fall In Love Again MP3

Al Johnson - Bless Your Little Sweet Soul MP3

Alternatively, take the handy zip file route. Won't hurt you none. Still up!

Summer's Over

2011-09-16T11:11:00.003+02:00

New tunage from these cool folks at Turned World, who previously brought us Village Of Spaces Corners and Uke Of Phillips. Caethua are Clare Hubbard and Andy Neubauer from Maine, who pep up their autumnal psychfolk with a droning bass clarinet. Nice touch.

Caethua - June MP3

Bluegrass Methuselah

2011-09-14T09:15:00.011+02:00

"Now just before I end this song, I want to say to all,

No matters what we undertake, we all must have our fall..."

Banjoist Wade Mainer died last Monday at his home in Flint, Michigan, at 104. He was a true bluegrass pioneer.

Wade Mainer & Zeke Morris - Down In The Willow Garden MP3

Mainer's Mountaineers - The Fatal Wreck Of The Bus MP3

The Troubadour Kid

2011-09-13T13:01:00.005+02:00

"The kid heard Howlin' Wolf every night on the radio, from those airwaves blasting all the way, Nogales, Mexico..." Wherein Tom Russell lovingly salutes Dylan, and the whole North Country with it. Complete with mariachi trumpets, this is the expressive title track of his new album. "Some things never change..."

Tom Russell - Mesabi MP3

Darkest Light

2011-09-10T21:23:00.009+02:00

Presenting an illuminating ten pack. Let it shine over you.

Shirley Ann Lee - There's A Light MP3

Todd Rundgren - I Saw The Light MP3

Horace Andy - Love Is The Light MP3

Television - Guiding Light MP3

Common - The Light MP3

The Smiths - There Is A Light That Never Goes Out MP3

The Lafayette Afro Rock Band - Darkest Light MP3

Holopaw - Losing Light MP3

The Winkies - Put Out The Light MP3

Little Walter & His Jukes - Boom, Boom, Out Goes The Light MP3

Mukhtar Time

2011-09-08T12:34:00.005+02:00

If you're even remotely interested in the rich musical heritage of India and Pakistan, and you've got ten minutes to spare, do check out this amazing ghazal by Mukhtar Begum. Well worth your time, I'd say. For more Mukhtar, her sister Farida Khanum, my all-time fave ghazal singer Ghulam Ali, and other assorted exotic goodies, check out a cool blog called Washerman's Dog, and tell 'em I sent you.

Mukhtar Begum - Chori Kaheen Khuley Na MP3

Deep In Love

2011-09-06T15:05:00.003+02:00

Forget that wiz tandem of John Renbourne and Bert Jansch (who plays an Appelachian dulcimer here btw) for a second, and don't even pay too much attention to the pretty vocals of Jacqui McShee. Just wait 'til Danny Thompson's hypnotic bass kicks in. Mingus would have been proud.

Pentangle - A Maid That's Deep In Love MP3

Smiley Smile

2011-09-04T11:14:00.004+02:00

"Give me your smile for the while,
May it guide us through the dark..."

A six pack to while away the time until the Smile Sessions come out. :-)

Sibylle Baier - Give Me A Smile MP3

The Dream Syndicate - When You Smile MP3

Operation Ivy - Smiling MP3

Faust - Giggy Smile MP3

John Prine - Illegal Smile MP3

Dexter Gordon - Smile MP3

Poetry In Motion

2011-09-02T10:22:00.005+02:00

Prompted by a passing mention on the always inspiring Siblingshot On The Bleachers blog, I dug out Prison by the late Steven Jesse Bernstein (1950-1991) last night. A powerful Burroughsian epitaph still. Poetry in motion, expertly set to music by Steve Fisk. "If that mountain falls on me, it's gonna fall on you too..."

Steven Jesse Bernstein - No No Man (part two) MP3

Steven Jesse Bernstein - More Noise Please MP3

Moraíto Revisited

2011-08-31T11:03:00.007+02:00

Since you all liked the songs I posted here two days ago by Moraíto (1956-2011) so much, here's some more of his flamenco guitar wizardry. This time around, he accompanies the terrific singer Manuel Agujetas.

Manuel Agujetas - Soleá MP3

Adios, Maestro

2011-08-29T15:06:00.010+02:00

Somewhat belatedly got the news that Moraíto, one of the masters of flamenco guitar, died earlier this month. He sure had that Jerez touch.

Moraíto - Morao Morao MP3

Moraíto - Sor Bulería MP3

...And Queens

2011-08-27T16:47:00.005+02:00

"Playing with the queen of hearts, knowing it ain't really smart..." As I tend to keep my promises, here's part 2 of a royal megamix. Enjoy and buy some albums if you like what you hear ok?

Dave Edmunds - Queen Of Hearts MP3

The Birthday Party - King Ink MP3
Sparklehorse - Homecoming Queen MP3
Cannibal & The Headhunters - Zulu King MP3
Palace Songs - Agnes, Queen Of Sorrow MP3
Elvis Costello - King Of America MP3
Julie Brown - The Homecoming Queen's Got A Gun MP3
Espers - Dead King MP3
Tav Falco's Panther Burns - Tina, The Go-Go Queen MP3
Junior Byles - King Of Babylon MP3

Of Kings...

2011-08-23T11:35:00.020+02:00

"I used to be a king and everything around me turned around, but I know all I have to do is sing and I'll lift myself way off the ground..." Presenting part 1 of a royal megamix. Stay tuned for installment #2.

Graham Nash - I Used To Be A King MP3

Bob Dylan - Queen Jane Approximately (live Rotterdam '87) MP3

William Bell - A Tribute To A King MP3

Soft Boys - Queen Of Eyes MP3

Minutemen - King Of The Hill MP3

Ike & Tina Turner - Mojo Queen MP3

Henry Cow - Nine Funerals Of The Citizen King MP3

David Bowie - Queen Bitch MP3

Guided By Voices - Weed King MP3

Rachel Sweet - Truck Stop Queen MP3

Answer Me

2011-08-18T13:52:00.014+02:00

"Well you burst on the scene already a legend,
The unwashed phenomenon, the original vagabond,
You strayed into my arms, and there you stayed,
Temporarily lost at sea, the Madonna was yours for free..."

That's from the beautiful Diamonds And Rust, in which we find Joan Baez reminiscing about her time together with then lover and occasional duet partner Bob Dylan in the folky sixties.

"We grew up together from the cradle to the grave,

We died and were reborn and then mysteriously saved..."

Dylan's impressive Oh, Sister is often seen as an answer song of sorts to Diamonds And Rust. You can find a cool pre-album version below, from the 1975 tv special The World Of John Hammond. The dedication at the start ('... to someone out there watching tonight I know, she knows who she is...') is in all probability meant for his old flame Joany, who'd soon accompany him on that legendary 'Dharma Carnival' called the Rolling Thunder Revue.

"And I've known you for a good long while,

And would you kindly tell me, mister...
How in the name of the Father and the Son,

Did I come to be your sister?"

What I didn't know until recently was that Baez a year or so later responded to Dylan's answer song with a country-tinged ditty called Oh Brother! The man with 'eyes bluer than robin's eggs' declined to get back to her after that, at least in song, and a close listen to the rather put-downish lyrics will probably make you see why.

Joan Baez - Diamonds And Rust MP3

Bob Dylan - Oh, Sister (World Of John Hammond version) MP3

Joan Baez - Oh Brother! MP3

Hard Road

2011-08-16T13:43:00.006+02:00

Says former Skunks and True Believers guitarist John Dee Graham, in an old issue of the legendary alt country magazine No Depression, on failing to complete more than three semesters at the University of Texas: "By that time, I had been touring some with the Skunks, and I was missing classes, and I was making really good money. And, you know, once you've opened for the Clash, it's kinda hard to go back to class." Or: it's a hard road, but somebody's gotta travel it.

The Skunks - Earthquake Shake MP3

True Believers - One Moment To Another MP3

Son Of A Gun

2011-08-13T10:41:00.007+02:00

Guns. Never liked 'em, never will. Subject of many a good song though. Here's a small selection. Go tell 'em, Lou. "Don't you mess with me, carrying a gun..."

Lou Reed - The Gun MP3

Junior Walker & The All Stars - Shotgun MP3

Calvin Russell - Living At The End Of A Gun MP3

Unkle - Guns Blazing (Drums Of Death Pt. 1) MP3

Henry Rollins - Gun In Mouth Blues MP3

Tappa Zukie - Stop The Gun Shooting MP3

Fotheringay - John The Gun MP3

The La's - Son Of A Gun MP3

Minutemen - Little Man With A Gun In His Hand MP3

Baba Brooks - Guns Fever MP3

Sweeter Than Ever

2011-08-11T16:13:00.004+02:00

Recently surfaced: a fine, although somewhat distant sounding audience tape from The Band in their prime. Recorded live at the Philadelphia Academy Of Music back in '69, it mainly features songs from Music From Big Pink and The Band, though they can't resist the odd cover of course, like a sharp version of that old Motown chestnut Lovin' You (Made My Life Sweeter Than Ever). Find the complete show over at Music Ruined My Life.

The Band - Lovin' You MP3

Preacher Preacher

2011-08-09T10:26:00.005+02:00

"Oh, I'm gonna get me a religion, I'm gonna join the baptist church... I'm gonna be a baptist preacher, and I sure won't have to work..." The great Son House was a religious man. He even became a preacher for a spell, rejecting the blues as the devil's music. But he had a healthy sense of humor, too.

Son House - Preachin' The Blues Pt. I MP3

Bonnie, Jack & P.G.

2011-08-06T15:32:00.021+02:00

Arrived home last week to find three interesting new songs waiting for me. Let's start with the Bonnie Prince Billy one. Prolific as ever, the Louisville Lion just contributed to the cool song+stories project of Long Haul Productions. Mother Nature Kneels is a dreamy but intense beauty, inspired by a mysterious wave of small earthquakes in Faulkner County, Arkansas. Read all about its background here.

Bonnie Prince Billy - Mother Nature Kneels MP3

Meanwhile, Jack Oblivian - of Oblivians fame of course - will release a new album called Rat City in September. Here's the title track already, a typical piece of raw Memphis garage mayhem with a guitar sound to die for.

Jack Oblivian - Rat City MP3

And last but not least, it's good to see that mr. Pat Gubler is at it again. Four years after the fine Slightly Sorry album, his band P.G. Six is back with a new collection of psychedelic folk songs called Starry Mind. Don't be shy and let the Fairporty taster January satisfy you.

P.G. Six - January MP3

Some Rays

2011-07-15T10:30:00.009+02:00

"Good morning, sunshine, you're all around my head,
Good morning, sunshine, I'm ready to be led..."

Or: I'm off for two weeks to catch some much-needed rays.

¡Hasta luego/see you later!

Big Star - Watch The Sunrise MP3

Relatively Clean Rivers - Hello Sunshine MP3

Margo Guryan - Sun MP3

Peter Hammill - Sunshine MP3

The Halo Bit - When The Sun Hits Me MP3

Bob Mould - Sunspots MP3

The Pogues - The Sunny Side Of The Street MP3

Bunny Gale - In The Burning Sun MP3

Rip Rig & Panic - Shadows Only There Because Of The Sun MP3

The Outsiders - Sun's Going Down MP3

Voodoo Working?

2011-07-13T10:40:00.007+02:00

"You wanna hear my long snake moan..." A hissing, slithering six pack for your listening pleasure. "Is my voodoo working?" Buy my snake oil please.

PJ Harvey - Long Snake Moan MP3

Captain Beefheart & The Magic Band - Black Snake Moan II MP3

Townes Van Zandt - Snake Song MP3

The Walkabouts - Snake Mountain Blues MP3

Little Feat - Snakes On Everything MP3

R.L. Burnside - Snake Drive MP3

1-2-3-4

2011-07-11T09:49:00.006+02:00

You can never listen to enough Ramones, especially from the early days. So without further ado, here are da brudders with a couple of live tracks from the bootleg vaults, recorded at The Club in Cambridge, Massachusetts, on 12 May 1976. Rough but great. Take it away, Dee Dee.

Ramones - Havana Affair MP3

Ramones - Listen To My Heart MP3

Ramones - Baby Sitter MP3

Ramones - Oh Oh I Love Her So MP3

Wild Weekend Vol. 66

2011-07-09T09:42:00.010+02:00

It's another Wild Weekend, edition 66 to be precise. A six pack filled with soul, jazzy tropicália, brand new garage rock, rocksteady, and flamenco. And a rather rare Dylan cover by Steve Wynn's Dream Syndicate. Wild scenes inside the goldmine then so.

I'd like to start this issue with a birthday song, as the missus celebrated hers a couple days ago. Many happy returns, my dear. Especially for you, here's Kathy Young, with a soulful lament from 1961, so way before you were even born. A while back, I wrote something in these pages about that great Brazilian piece of tropicália called Cravo E Canela as performed originally by Milton Nascimento, which was succesfully covered later by the combination of Bonnie Prince Billy and Tortoise. And I promised you all another version, by Dom Um Romão, the famous jazz drummer from Rio, to promptly forget all about it. But since it's never too late, here you go. It's called Cinnamon Flower now... check out that wicked guitar, amigos.

Kathy Young & The Innocents - Happy Birthday Blues MP3

Dom Um Romão - Cinnamon Flower MP3

Exciting new sounds alert: presenting Pet Scenes, from Limehouse, London. Their three track debut ep Funk is out now, filled to the brim with intense garage rock & roll. Have these guys been worshiping at the shrine of the holy Birthday Party? Have a bleedin' guess, mate. Meanwhile, we continue with a classic cut by Derrick Morgan, rocksteady producer supreme. In the period between ska and reggae, Morgan just knew he was the ruler, always the ruler. Find it, together with many more of his killer productions, on a boss Pressure Sounds compilation called Red Bumb Ball, Rare And Unreleased Rocksteady '66-'68.

Pet Scenes - Dell Sez MP3

Derrick Morgan - I'm The Ruler MP3

Here's some more classic flamenco I picked up while visiting my beloved Barcelona recently. Singer José Salazar Molina (1924-1977), better known as Porrinas De Badajoz, was no gypsy, but he sure sounded like one. Dude, that's one hotblooded song. And we go out with a question. Ever wondered what would happen if the Dream Syndicate covered Dylan's majestic eighties masterpiece Blind Willie McTell? Here's your chance. "Power and greed and corruptible seed..." Not bad, huh? Not bad at all. Have a wild one!

Porrinas De Badajoz - Vengo De Mi Extremadura MP3

The Dream Syndicate - Blind Willie McTell MP3

Wandering Stars

2011-07-07T13:36:00.006+02:00

"Do you know where you belong? And is your star sign ever wrong?"

Presenting a stellar ten pack to wish upon.

Teenage Fanclub - Star Sign MP3

Portishead - Wandering Star MP3

Billy Bragg & Wilco - California Stars MP3

Thinking Fellers Local Union 282 - Star Trek MP3

Roky Erickson - Starry Eyes MP3

Echo & The Bunnymen - Stars Are Stars MP3

Gordon Jackson - My Ship. My Star MP3

Mountain Goats - New Star Song MP3

Tall Dwarfs - Starry Eyed & Wooly Brained MP3

Sun Ra - Twin Stars Of Thence MP3

Buzz Awhile

2011-07-05T09:55:00.009+02:00

Slim Harpo (1924 -1970) was the man alright. A Louisiana swamp blues king if ever there was one, he never worked full-time as a musician. The trucking business was probably a safer bet. Nevertheless, many of his songs have long since become immortal, and were covered by the Stones, the Yardbirds, Them, and Alex Chilton amongst many others. His old friend and admirer Robert Pete Williams, a legendary bluesman in his own right, paid the 'original King Bee' an impressive tribute on the heartfelt Goodbye Slim Harpo. "Goodbye poor Slim, I see you again..."

Slim Harpo - I'm A King Bee MP3

Slim Harpo - Shake Your Hips MP3

Slim Harpo - Te Ni Nee Ni Nu MP3

Slim Harpo - Tip On In, Part 1 MP3

The Rolling Stones - Shake Your Hips MP3

Alex Chilton - Tee Ni Nee Ni Noo/Tip On In MP3

Robert Pete Williams - Goodbye Slim Harpo MP3

Wild Weekend Vol. 65

2011-07-02T13:22:00.009+02:00

Wild Weekend is back with issue 65, and all is well with the world. Business as usual then so. Some hippy dippy folk, some wild garage rock, some classic flamenco, some outtake Bob. Let the games begin, and have a wild one.

Let's get the show on the road with Peter Perrett's Only Ones, an old fave from hazy postpunk days. I played my vinyl copy of their dark '79 masterpiece Even Serpents Shine so often its grooves were all but worn out, so last week I finally invested in the cd reissue. Good move that, as it came with three bonus tracks, of which I dig This Ain't All (It's Made To Be) the most. Any lovers of pretty, pastoral folk around? Good, because Drag City continues its excellent reissue program with Love Has Made Me Stronger, a forgotten '76 gem by Carol Kleyn. Makes you wonder if co-harpist Joanna Newsom has the original stashed away somewhere... Be sure to pick this one up, and don't forget to check out her interesting life story here.

The Only Ones - This Ain't All (It's Made To Be) MP3

Carol Kleyn - Blackbird MP3

Lofi singer/songwriter supreme Simon Joyner has been running a cool subscription-only record club for a while now called Grapefruit, and their brandnew release Turd Goes Back: Essential Tracks from Secret Secret Sourpuss & Big Tussie contains early recordings of Lambchop's Kurt Wagner. Check out a sample of the album below and sign yourself up why don't you. And speaking of turds: it's high time we played you some raw sixties garage rock once again. "I went to see a wise man, to ask him how to be..." That's one Rabbit MacKay, with a furious track from a masterful, sadly out of print compilation called Turds On A Bum Ride. If it ever pops up on eBay, do yourself a favour and place a high bid.

Lambchop - Came Home Late MP3

Rabbit MacKay - Tendency To Be Free MP3

Picked up a truckload of flamenco for next to nothing while in sunny Catalunya last week. One good score was a definitive compilation of Manolo Caracol (1909-1973), a gypsy from Seville who has been called, and I kid you not, 'the Caruso of the caves' and even 'the Brahms of flamenco'. Great singer, not to be missed. And I'm kissing you goodbye with a delightful Dylan outtake. Got to admit it kinda got lost initially amongst all the treasure found on Tell Tale Signs, installment number eight in the Bootleg Series. It was only last week that I realised this version is superior in all respects to the one released on Modern Times, with an understated arrangement and vocals to die for. "When I heard you was cold I bought you a coat and a hat, I think you may have forgotten about that..."

Manolo Caracol - No Quiero Na Contigo MP3

Bob Dylan - Someday Baby (outtake version) MP3

Loco Means Crazy

2011-06-30T11:14:00.009+02:00

"Crazy moonbeams cover up the sky, oh crazy, you're the light in my eye..." Un poco loco? Good. Presenting a mad mad ten pack. Dig in.

Bud Powell - Un Poco Loco MP3

Patsy Cline - Crazy MP3

Daniel Johnston - Crazy Love MP3

James Brown - I'll Go Crazy MP3

King Tubby & Friends - Real Gone Crazy Dub MP3

The Feelies - Crazy Rhythms MP3

Slick Slavin - Speed Crazy MP3

O.V. Wright - I'd Rather Be Blind, Crippled And Crazy MP3

Meat Puppets - Crazy MP3

El Lebrijano - Lo Mismo Que Un Loco MP3

Truckin' With The Cat

2011-06-28T19:54:00.004+02:00

Hi-de-ho, partners. Like double entendres? Wanna hear two very funny, risqué novelty songs, in a jazzy Western Swing style? Here ya go. The Modern Mountaineers ('37) use a saxophone, a jazzy guitar and J.R. Chatwell's hot fiddle to get their message across. Listen closely to find that their lead singer Smokey Woods doesn't actually sing 'trucking' all the time... Meanwhile, the Light Crust Doughboys ('38) are all stressed out, looking for their lost kitty. More fine fiddling on this guaranteed earworm. "My pussy has no stripes, and besides it ain't never smelled like that..." Meow.

Modern Mountaineers - Everybody's Truckin' MP3

The Light Crust Doughboys - Pussy Pussy Pussy MP3

Sparkle City Break

2011-06-22T10:26:00.009+02:00

I'm off for a few days visiting the coolest city in the world. Maybe meet a hobgoblin or two. In my absence, please make do with this sparkling theme time ten pack. Hasta luego/back soon...

Shuggie Otis - Sparkle City MP3

Blind Willie Johnson - I'm Gonna Run To The City Of Refuge MP3

Bob Dylan - Marchin' To The City MP3

The Only Ones - City Of Fun MP3

Sonic's Rendezvous Band - City Slang MP3

Mark Stewart & The Mafia - Liberty City MP3

Luscious Jackson - Citysong MP3

The Fall - City Hobgoblins MP3

Pink Fairies - City Kids MP3

Horace Silver - Break City MP3

Foxtrot, Lope And Pace

2011-06-20T11:27:00.007+02:00

Phase one, in which Doris gets her oats...

Presenting a galloping six pack.

The Beatles - Dig A Pony MP3

Charley Patton - Pony Blues MP3

Bob Dylan - New Pony MP3

Paul Siebel - Pinto Pony MP3

Lee Dorsey - Ride Your Pony MP3

Ween - Mister, Won't You Please Help My Pony? MP3

Wild Weekend Vol. 64

2011-06-18T10:35:00.007+02:00

Hello again and a warm welcome to Wild Weekend, issue 64. As no real interesting new stuff struck my eardrums this week alas, we'll just have to make do with a bunch of oldies goldies. No probs, as we're talking tracks by Delroy Wilson, Sir Doug Sahm and Louis Jordan amongst others. And a Japanese star fruits surf rider. Now is that wild or what?

We'll start with a fine song from a very fine album: Doug Sahm's '74 Tex-Mex masterpiece Groovers Paradise. Sir Doug's got the blues bad and boy does he wants you to know it. "Got your big Eldorado, take you where you wanna go..." Featuring the ultra-tight Creedence rhythm section of Doug Clifford and Stu Cook, which makes this a guaranteed groover. Carl Gardner, lead vocalist and founder of legendary fifties hitmakers the Coasters, died this week. He was 83. Here's personal fave Yakety Yak, which as most of their hits was written by that amazing duo of Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller. Don't you dare talk back...

Doug Sahm - Devil Heart MP3

The Coasters - Yakety Yak MP3

"Caldonia, Caldonia, what makes your big head so hard?" Dunno, but this sure is an infectious jump blues tune from 1945, featuring wild vocals and an even wilder sax. At the height of his career, Louis Jordan was known as the king of the jukebox. In hindsight, he became known as the father of rhythm & blues and the grandfather of rock 'n' roll. With good reason, as you can hear below. And we continue with a so-called kbd - after the cool Killed By Death series of albums - punk oldie by Austin's the Inserts. Their sole single from '81, it's got a great bass sound and neurotic vocals. Find it on a recommended compilation called Bloodstains Across Texas. If there's interest, I'll do a ten pack of this stuff one day. Sign up in the comments please.

Louis Jordan - Caldonia MP3

Inserts - Doctor's Wives MP3

One of my faithful readers brought to my attention that I overlooked the crucial Conquer Me by Delroy Wilson in last Tuesday's conquering reggaethon. He was right of course, so I'm glad it's never too late to set the record straight: here's the extended version in all its Studio 1 glory. Note that the riddim was used by Dr. Alimantado for his Can't Conquer Natty Dreadlocks smash which was already on the playlist. And we'll make our exit with that postmodern madman from Japan called Cornelius and a trippy '97 song with a great title. Sayonara!

Delroy Wilson - Conquer Me MP3

Cornelius - Star Fruits Surf Rider MP3

Wear It All The Time

2011-06-16T10:16:00.005+02:00

"Hit me like a hurricane,
I don't even know your name,
Kiss me in the Hollywood rain..."

A pair of supple pop beauties. Try 'em on for size.

The Chills - I Love My Leather Jacket MP3

The 6ths - Heaven In A Black Leather Jacket MP3

Conquering Dreads

2011-06-14T09:23:00.009+02:00

"Without love you're like a ship that's lost its anchor, lost at sea in the swirling tides..." Presenting a conquering ten pack, inna strictly roots stylee of course. Cause you just can't conquer natty dreadlocks, seen?

Prince Alla - Only Love Can Conquer MP3

The Meditations - Rasta Shall Conquer MP3

Linval Thompson - Jah Jah The Conqueror MP3

Dennis Brown - Conqueror MP3

Bob Marley & The Wailers - Duppy Conqueror MP3

Dr. Alimantado - Can't Conquer Natty Dreadlocks MP3

Stranger & Gladdy - Conqueror MP3

Yabby You - Conquering Dub MP3

Cornell Campbell - The Conquering Gorgon MP3

Aggrovators - The Conqueror MP3

Wild Weekend Vol. 63

2011-06-12T10:29:00.007+02:00

Wild Weekend, take 63. A little something for everyone as usual, though I obviously dig it all. Be it reggae or soul, freakcore or flamenco-jazz. Or is that jazz-flamenco? Doesn't matter really. Just have a wild one.

Kicking off with a Nostradamus alert. "There's something burning away at me so deep inside, I can't hide it anymore..." Could it really be that the way underrated Supreme Dicks foresaw the recent Arab Spring nearly twenty years before the fact? Answers on the proverbial postcard, and please don't miss this rather magnificent piece from '93. Our weekly reggae track comes courtesy of Enos McLeod. Enos was a fine singer who sadly never really hit it big, and it sure doesn't help that the excellent career overview The Genius Of Enos on the mighty Pressure Sounds label is long out of print already. Demand a repress, my Babylon brethren.

Supreme Dicks - The Arabian Song MP3

Enos McLeod - Jericho MP3

In the new music department we've got a beauty of a song by Village Of Spaces Corners, the collective formerly known as Uke Of Phillips. Pastoral freakfolk, like Pentangle crossing paths with the Sun City Girls. You can order their new disc Alchemy And Trust, which took three years to make and offers a guest role to the great Michael Hurley, here. Do it now, I'd say. Meanwhile, we continue with a way-too-obscure soul diva. Mitty Collier recorded her best work for the famous Chess label in the sixties, and the heartily recommended compilation Shades Of Mitty Collier is choc-a-bloc with scorchers as I'm Satisfied. "Nobody else can do what you do to me... oooh baby that's just how it ought to be." Indeed.

Village Of Spaces Corners - Ovums Influence MP3

Mitty Collier - I'm Satisfied MP3

Jazz and flamenco may not be the most likely bedfellows, but it's known to work. Especially when Spanish sax great Pedro Iturralde teams up with guitar virtuoso Paco De Lucía. A song like Adios Granada, recorded sometime in the late sixties, almost effortlessly brings you the best of both worlds. And we make our exit tripping back to the early nineties with Victims Family, freakcore students supreme at the renowned NoMeansNo academy. Loose the screws, close the blinds, go wild and enjoy.

Pedro Iturralde con Paco De Lucía - Adios Granada MP3

Victims Family - Caged Bird MP3

No Mercy

2011-06-10T09:24:00.005+02:00

"Death never takes a vacation in this land..." I know which version I prefer. But Jerry Garcia & co's brooding jam - from Live/Dead - is not bad either, I'll give you that.

The Reverend Gary Davis - Death Don't Have No Mercy MP3

The Grateful Dead - Death Don't Have No Mercy MP3

And since we're on the subject of Garcia, and I'm still full of that fantastic Patti Smith gig I saw last Wednesday, here's the beautiful ode to Captain Trips she opened with. "One common wire, one silver thread..."

Patti Smith - Grateful MP3

Patti Tonite

2011-06-08T10:02:00.004+02:00

"They called her the queen of Sheba, laid her down in Ethiopia..." As I'm going to see living legend Patti Smith play this evening, here's some rare stuff from the bootleg vaults. Three exciting tracks from Teenage Perversity & Ships In The Night, recorded live at the Roxy in Los Angeles in 1976. Pay special attention to her impressive take on Birdland, complete with near-breathless spoken intro. "If we rip apart the ozone, there's gotta be another zone under it..."

Patti Smith - Real Good Time Together (live LA '76) MP3

Patti Smith - Pale Blue Eyes/Louie Louie (live LA '76) MP3

Patti Smith - Birdland (live LA '76) MP3

Better Metal

2011-06-06T16:04:00.004+02:00

Leave it to the Calexico gang to provide the perfect soundtrack to all your imaginary westerns.

Calexico - Minas De Cobre (For Better Metal) MP3

Wild Weekend Vol. 62

2011-06-05T11:07:00.008+02:00

A not-so-sunny Sunday brings us edition 62 of Wild Weekend, which this time around features two brand new acts, a reggae classic complete with mondegreen, and a lost lofi Dutchman to boot. Is that wild or what?

Gonna start with the gorgeous Bettye LaVette though, as I just bought a much recommended collection of the soul diva's late sixties Memphis recordings with the Dixie Flyers. Thirteen songs and not a dud between them, with We Got To Slip Around my current fave. "You've got another woman, and I've got another man..." To think it wasn't even released at the time, because the version by its author Charles Hodges utilized the same backing track. Roots reggae up next. A good friend asked me recently if I was familiar with Max Romeo's War Ina Babylon album. The answer was a clear yes of course, as I've treasured that Lee Perry produced classic more or less since it came out in the year of our Jah 1976. This pal also told me that when he was young, he always thought Maxi sang "I'm gonna put on an Ajax shirt" in I Chase The Devil. And that's a mondegreen that even puts Hendrix's "Scuse me while I kiss this guy" to shame...

Bettye LaVette - We Gotta Slip Around MP3

Max Romeo & The Upsetters - I Chase The Devil MP3

Two new bands up now, as it's certainly not all old, mothbally stuff around here. The Zermatts hail from smoggy LA, do the lofi pop thing, and use a cool organ to boot. Ramshackle and fun, so worth keeping an eye on I'd say. God bless, you guys. Mount Moriah from North Carolina stumble around in Americana territory, and they do it well. They have a fine singer in Heather McEntire, plus a guitar player who definitely treasures some Crazy Horse and Allmans in his record collection. And since they proclaim in the lovely Only Way Out that "the only way to love something is to give it away...", here you go.

The Zermatts - The Babes In The Woods MP3

Mount Moriah - Only Way Out MP3

Most bands from the noisy Amphetamine Reptile records stable always sounded a bit the same to me, but I make an exception for the Cows. They certainly were loud and uncompromising, too, but used a certain neurotic weirdness to differentiate themselves from the pack. Try their ingeniously titled Cunning Stunts album from '92 to see what I mean and don't look back. And it's closing time with someone who once was the lofi pride of Holland: Joost Visser. He made headway with De Artsen, but missed out when the rest of that band hit the big time with Bettie Serveert. Visser soon made a rather uneven solo album, on which highlights like Fingers In The Wind were promising to say the least, but it seems he has withdrawn from music altogether since then. Come on man, it's comeback time already.

Cows - Heave Ho MP3

Joost Visser - Fingers In The Wind MP3

Three Times Two

2011-06-03T11:50:00.003+02:00

"Oh I could've loved you better, didn't mean to be unkind, you know that was the last thing on my mind..." Mr. Grand Ole Opry, Mr. T and the Possum team up with the Backwood's Barbie, the Coal Miner's Daughter and the First Lady of Country Music respectively. Three mouthwatering duets.

Porter Wagoner & Dolly Parton - The Last Thing On My Mind MP3

Loretta Lynn & Conway Twitty - Lead Me On MP3

George Jones & Tammy Wynette - Two Story House MP3

The Numbers Game

2011-06-01T10:54:00.010+02:00

Because it all adds up in the end anyway, here's a somewhat mathematical ten pack for your listening pleasure. Buy some albums if you like what you hear, mi amigos da musica. I've got your number.

Wire - The 15th MP3

Mantis - 199(7)1 MP3

The Outcasts - 1523 Blair MP3

Ry Cooder - 634-5789 MP3

Pere Ubu - Cloud 149 MP3

Prince Pompidou - 70 Times 7 MP3

Dead Moon - 54 40 Or Fight MP3

The Godz - 1+1=? MP3

The Haunted - 1-2-5 MP3

Easter Monkeys - Heaven/.357 MP3

Never Did A Thing Wrong

2011-05-30T10:02:00.008+02:00

"Woman hold her head and cry, 'cause her son had been shot down in the street and died from a stray bullet..." Three years after Marley's grim original, Belfast's Stiff Little Fingers saw that Johnny Was didn't just fit the Kingston ghetto: it happened to be just as relevant for the situation around them in Northern Ireland. The resulting cover remains one of the most blistering examples of the punk-reggae hybrid.

Bob Marley & The Wailers - Johnny Was MP3

Stiff Little Fingers - Johnny Was MP3

Wild Weekend Vol. 61

2011-05-28T10:28:00.010+02:00

It's the day of the Champions League final, so it sure is gonna be a mad Wild Weekend. While waiting for the kick-off in nervous anticipation, let's get down with edition #61. Spotlight on the soul of Raw Spitt and the swamp rock of the Scientists, while we've got the Blind Owl blues and listen to a reggae psalm. Make it a wild one, y'all, and don't forget: ¡Visca el Barça y visca Catalunya!

Let's get into the groove with a guy who called himself Raw Spitt. Can't go wrong with a moniker like that, right? Try his very soulful anti-Vietnam scorcher Songs To Sing from '71, and join me in wondering why this protégé of the mighty Swamp Dogg never hit the big time. Time for some bible studies now, with the one and only Prince Far I. Nearly everything the Jamaican voice of thunder put out in his long career gets me in an irie spirit, but his '76 debut Psalms For I, lyrically based on the old testament psalms and the Lord's prayer, is probably most precious of all. "Wake out of your slumber and answer your call..." Pray on.

Raw Spitt - Songs To Sing MP3

Prince Far I - Psalm 1 MP3

John Fahey's the man alright, so when one Sean Siegfried sent me a link to his Bandcamp page telling me he was heavily inspired by the steel string acoustic guitar pioneer from DC I was all ears. As you should be, too, because the guitar instrumentals on Siegfried's debut album Backwoods are - to say the least - very promising indeed. Pick it. The North Mississippi Allstars are the sons of legendary Memphis producer and session player James Luther Dickinson, and for that reason alone they can do no wrong in my book. Here they are now, serenading last week's birthday boy from Duluth. The understated arrangement was suggested to Luther and Cody Dickinson by their dad from his hospital bed, only shortly before he died. Postscript: for a labour of love containing seventy (!) more fab Dylan covers, go visit the Boogie Woogie Flu.

Sean Siegfried - Sam's Brewery MP3

North Mississippi Allstars - Stuck Inside Of Mobile With The Memphis Blues Again MP3

Antipodean rockers the Scientists were grunge precursors both in sound and looks. They recorded many a great song in their early eighties heydays, but Swampland just has to be the best of them all. "In my heart there's a place called swampland... nine parts water, one part sand." No worries, mateys. And we call it a day paying tribute to Alan 'Blind Owl' Wilson (1943-1970). Never mind Bob 'The Bear' Hite, Wilson always was my fave vocalist in Canned Heat. Check out the groovin' Change My Ways, in which he sounds a likely successor to the throne of Skip James, to see what I mean. "I've been alone so long, got to change my ways..."

The Scientists - Swampland MP3

Canned Heat - Change My Ways MP3

And as a stop press bonus track, here's the wonderful Gil Scott-Heron. Just received the sad news that he died yesterday. Miss him.

Gil Scott-Heron - Lady Day And John Coltrane MP3