Yellow & Blue

If this one doesn't remind you of vintage Lou Reed I don't know what will. From Time The Teacher, the stately new album by former Black Swans frontman Jerry David DeCicca. Wrinkled and true indeed.

Jerry David DeCicca - Grandma's Tattoo

And speaking of the Black Swans, here’s a couple of fine tunes from way back when to remember them by. Cock-a-doodle-doo!

The Black Swans - Rooster
The Black Swans - Joe Tex

Jive Five

Haven't heard that much exciting new tunage recently to be honest, but these babies struck me as pretty cool. Let's start off with Woods, who sound a lot more poppy all of a sudden on what is already album #8, With Light And With Love. A track like Shepherd proves they haven't lost that magic touch though. Tasty pedal steel, lads! Meanwhile up in Scotland, King Creosote composed a way interesting soundtrack to a documentary about his home country. It's titled From Scotland With Love, and I love it right back. After the demise of the mighty Black Swans, Jerry David DeCicca now goes it alone. If you like your folk real dark and moody, the resulting Understanding Land will be right up your alley. Amy and Dan from Village Of Spaces have been at it again, too. Welcome In is out on their own Turned World imprint, and if Wheels doesn't charm your socks off I don't know what will. And last but not least, let me present Alice Gerrard, a lady who's been playing folk and bluegrass for over fourty years. Her new offering Follow The Music was produced by none other than Hiss Golden Messenger's MC Taylor, which is a recommendation in itself methinks.

Woods - Shepherd
King Creosote - Cargill
Jerry David DeCicca - Before The Storm
Village Of Spaces - Wheels
Alice Gerrard - Boll Weevil

Wild Weekend Vol. 34

Yes... and here we go again. Wild Weekend #34 is here, and the hits just keep on coming. Soul, new wave, garage, reggae: you name it, we´ve got it. Just have another wild one.

Reading Eric Davidson´s inspiring Gunk Punk book found me digging up all kinds of garagey sounds from the wild nineties again. Enter Seattle´s Fall-Outs, whose short, sharp and snotty Here I Come used to be a favorite of mine back in the days. Moving into soul territory now, with an early seventies, Swamp Dogg-produced gem by the obscure Freddie North. If you ever chance upon the slogan 'Freddie loves Mary' somewhere, I bet you five dollars it was him back when he was still young and in love. "Now I write my letters with a fancy pen, but my mind goes back to the chalk every now and then..."

The Fall-Outs - Here I Come MP3

Freddie North - Sidewalks, Fences And Walls MP3

I came rather late to the Black Swans, whose presence on a just-released split single with Bonnie 'Prince' Billy urged me to check out their earlier stuff. And guess what? It didn´t disappoint at all. Au contraire. Try the moody Shake, with a cool Scarlet Rivera-like gypsy violin, to see what I mean. Cover time now, featuring the new wave pride of Swindon. On their second album White Music, XTC surprisingly climbed Dylan´s rickety watchtower, where a forgotten mouthharp lay waiting for them.

The Black Swans - Shake MP3

XTC - All Along The Watchtower MP3

I take it you´re all familiar with that tired old folk warhorse about that whorehouse down in New Orleans, but did you ever catch Frijid Pink´s motor city version? From 1970, with Bonzo-inspired drums and wicked guitarwork. Find it on their eponymous debut, a more or less forgotten classic. And it´s bye bye for now with a track from Sound System Scratch, an excellent new Pressure Sounds release dedicated once more to the great mr. Perry. And here I was thinking the vaults must be empty by now... Locks In The Dublight is a dub version of his classic Dreadlocks In Moonlight: short but very very sweet.

Frijid Pink - House Of The Rising Sun MP3

Lee Perry & The Upsetters - Locks In The Dublight MP3