Just a song.....

...to make you feel good...



Australia's Operator Please with 'Just a song about ping-pong"

You On The Run

One of my very favourite bands, The Black Angels, have finally got a new song to hear.

Some of the good things about The Black Angels:

1. Their motto is "Turn On, Tune In, Drone Out"

2. They manage to compress The Velvets, The Doors, The 13th Floor Elevators into a super dense ball of heaviosity

3. Their bassist was born in a cult compound

4. Their first record was a stand against the current war, with songs like "Young Men Dead"

5. They're just fucking fantastic

6. They have an actual instrument called a "Drone Machine" that one of them built from shrapnel

7. They are lovely people

8. They rock like no one else

Click here to dig their music on myspace

Had the internet been invented in 1991

This band iz the kewlest EVA. N E 1 who sez difrent is a berk. LOLz.  roflmao!  

Ten reasons to celebrate.......

.....a favourite songwriter (who could be a performer too).

Just list 10 songs by a personal fave writer. Mine is Carole King.

"Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow"
"You've Got a Friend"
"Up on the Roof"
"One Fine Day"
"Goin' Back"
"(You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman"
"So Far Away"
"It Might As Well Rain Until September"
"Wasn't born to follow"
"It's Too Late"


OK, some are Goffin/King but what the hell, I love these songs.

Weep and Greet

Thanks to goneforeign for the excellent step-by-step guide to the wonderful world of PodBean. If I've followed the instructions correctly, there should be a little PodBean box underneath this garbled message containing my top 5 weepies.

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Bugger, why hasn't the Podbean thing worked...? That's better. See previous post for explanation...

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Leb wohl!

Well, as I mentioned on RR last week, I'm off to the Bavarian Forest for a fortnight, and so am going to miss the final weeks of Our Guru and the social. I thought therefore that I should get my tribute in early, with a list of Tracks That Dorian Really Ought To Have Selected...

First up, from the Biblical thread, is Gilad Atzmon and the Orient House Ensemble with 'Rearranging the 20th Century': 'It Ain't Necessarily So' combined with a couple of other tunes a Robert Wyatt narration on the Creation. Secondly, for space travel, the Esbjorn Svensson Trio's lovely, floaty 'From Gagarin's Point Of View'. Third up, one of my great obsessions, the Polish trumpeter Tomasz Stanko with his version of Krzysztof Komeda's theme from Rosemary's Baby, equally good for babies or sleep. Fourthly, true jazz madness from Bud Powell with 'Un Poco Loco'.

Finally, a great cover version, from the Brad Mehldau Trio, of Radiohead's 'Exit Music (For A Film)'. If the final topic from Dorian has anything to do with exits, or farewells - or great final tracks from albums, as someone suggested this week - could someone nominate this on my behalf? Have a great couple of weeks, and many thanks and best wishes to Dorian...

Bright Tomorrow

Jack White's other concern have released a new LP, straight to the shops - no advance copies - everyone gets to hear the tunes at the same time type gimmick

The song in the above embedded player has Jack's sticky icky thumping fingers all over it-irresistable, blazing, moreish and COMPLETELY vacuous with it. 

-edit- I watched the video again, for some reason the emptiness vexed me, I then went on over to youtube and checked out Fuck Buttons, a new band from Bristol, who release on ATP records, and were recorded by the chap from Mogwai. 

 Music can satiate one's id accordingly and this in itself is a thing of wonder. 

UPLOADING TO PODBEAN

For the benefit of anyone who's had problems with Podbean this is how I do it.
This might look like a lot but it's very quick, all you're doing is clicking boxes.
You've already got your account with Podbean and you've put your MP3's in a file on your desktop.

1. open Podbean.
2. Click 'Publish a Podcast'
3. Login
4. click 'Publish new show'.
5. click 'Add your audio/video'
6. same page. click 'upload new files.
7. click the green arrow 'upload'
8. on media manager page click choose file' select your MP3 from your desktop and click 'upload'. You will see 'uploading now'
9. When it shows that it's uploaded, choose 'My Playlist' from the top menu.
10. Click 'create a new playlist'
11. Select a player and click continue. If you select a multiple player you'll get a page where you input the titles on the left and select them also from 'your account' on the right and down at the bottom it'll ask for a playlist name - one word.
12. If you chose a single player click 'select from your account' - you'll get a list of all the music you've uploaded, choose your selection and click 'continue.
13. Pull the bottom corner of the box that contains your html code down and select and copy it.
14. Paste that into the 'New Posts' box at the Spill.
Done.

SAMUEL BARBER'S ADAGIO FOR STRINGS BY THE LIBERATION MUSIC ORCHESTRA.

I made a flippent remark in response to TracyK saying that she has a hard time with jazz, the Princess suggested that Bill Evans 'Waltz for Debbie' might be a good starting point to expose someone to jazz and asked if not that, what? I'd like to suggest this one; it's a piece that's been mentioned quite often on RR but I've never seen a reference to this version. It's the Charlie Haden 'Liberation Music Orchestra' and it's from the CD, 'Not in our Name'. It's a jazz orchestration of a classical piece arranged by Carla Bley. If this works there's plenty more where it came from.

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Magic And Loss

It's been a strange week on RR, don't you think? The obvious emotiveness of the topic has attracted so many new posters, many of whom, as I mentioned in a post below, have written beautifully on their choices (I've just read PapaChach's post, 01:16, 25/3, and, well . . . what do you say?). I've wanted to second so many choices, not for the songs, but because I feel the stories should be acknowledged. Making a playlist with those stories in mind seems almost facetious, or even insulting (and although I thought Dorian wrote an outstanding column the week of bereavement, arguably his best, and I really hope it made the book, I still don't envy him this week's task). Much as I love our little community here and there, this has been a really sobering week, and a reminder of harsh realities and plain old reality outside our bubble. And yet, in a way, it's a celebration; these stories attest to the power of music, that this music has at times eased someone through a trying time, or that it keeps a memory alive and fresh, a candle burning; that music can be so evocative, so bittersweet, so necessary, which, for whatever reason, is something I think everyone posting here will agree with. It marks our lives, the passage of time, the milestones, good or bad. To quote TracyK, unlike Prufrock, we measure our lives in slabs of vinyl, and a halfheard song through the window of a passing car can transport us to a where, a when, a who. I feel that some of this week's stories will stay with me when next I hear certain songs, and for that reason alone, and all that it implies, this has been both one of the best and worst RR topics, and I just wanted to mark it in some way.

Cool bands, cool videos

Best band from Belgium, new great song:
dEUS - Slow


Johnny Marr joined them, one of the US's finer bands, coolest animated video I have seen in a long time...:
Modest Mouse - Fly trapped in a jar


Bonus video:
Best band in Belgium, dEUS, joined by original member Stef Kamil Carlens (now of Zita Swoon), do a blistering version of their first hit, at the 0110 Festival against Racism:
dEUS - Suds & Soda (live @ 0110)

Death Cab for Kitty - Greatest Hits

Following Blimpy's post about zebra killers (great name for a band), here's a cats 'greatest hits' movie for you. Make sure there's no-one near who might be disturbed by manic laughter...

AN INTERESTING POP MUSIC DOCUMENTARY

Flashing back to our recent discussion re. insomnia, I awoke Sunday morning at 3am, I turned on the bedside radio and there was a very interesting program just starting, it was a 4 part documentary and the topic was 'Pop Music.' the first segment fit so many of the sort of comments here, it was about mix tapes between an man and his wife and it rang many bells. The second was about Sister Rosetta Tharpe, her origins and influences on rock, her first recording in 1938 was titled 'Rock Me', the next was the origins of the UK's Pub Rock which laid the groundwork for the success of the Sex Pistols and the Clash, and the final segment was about a novel set in LA and structured around a pop group.
When I heard it I wished I could share it so I checked online and I found it, if you have an hour to spare [in 15 min segments] you'd find them all interesting, it's at http://www.wpr.org/book/070401a.html

It's...name....that....SAMPLE!!

Over on the Mothership I posted a link to a J. Dilla-produced song Where Do We Go. The song was a tribute to Weldon Irvine, who was Nina Simone's band leader, wrote the song Young Gifted and Black and was a mentor to Q-Tip and Mos Def. This edition of name that sample follows his song We Gettin Down...



To the ATCQ song Award Tour...



Also sampled in the song are Malcolm McClaren's Hobo ,
Milt Jackson's Olinga and Charles Earland's Lowdown

Pick yourselves up!

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No Easter Monday for me, I was listening to this on the way to work this morning, and it gave me "la pêche".

The Professor - Music for chilling out on Easter Monday

Having hopelessly over-indulged yesterday we are basically recovering from too much good food. And the Terry's chocolate orange had to eat in bed last night. Just to get rid of it so my post-Easter diet can start today. I am chilling out listening to the man they call 'The Professor' - Manuel Göttsching. Manuel created the band ASH RA TEMPEL in 1970, thus creating the one of the foundations of the "Krautrock" movement about which Julian Cope was later to write (the two of them are pals, incidentally). He recorded 'by accident' the ground-breaking E2-E4 which was regarded as the music which gave birth to techno and has been sampled on dance floors all over the world. Manuel still continues to write and perform music of astonishing beauty and innovation and is, rightly so, regarded as one of the best guitarists in the world. I got to know his music because his lady wife, Ilona Ziok, a film director and producer of extraordinary talent and originality, based in Germany, is a good friend of mine. She does the creative documentaries and he writes beautiful music. I don't think they'll sue my ass for posting this song - one of my favourites - "Saint and sinner" - which is the perfect soundtrack for chilling out today. I'd be interested to hear what you think of this music - Manuel will read it - and will certainly keep you informed about any of his future concerts. He's a really good bloke, by the way. And Ilona's a very loyal friend. I'm proud to know them. Hope you had a lovely Easter, guys.

World's First Best Zebra Slaying Beast

Mewsli is looking a bit manic in this one, only because he's been caught in flagrante with another cat and a donkey! 

 A Menagerie a Trois, if you will.....

WORLD'S THIRD BEST MEDIUM SIZED DOG.

Ejay: How could you possibly say that you don't like dogs, this is Jasmin, the world's third best medium sized dog, as you can see she's lovely.

The River Of Death

...or Songs In The Key Of Waaaaah, part 3. 

If you would like to hear James Dean Bradfield from the Manics singing the song, click here. 

Tenuous indie rock link, click here. 

Songs That Make You Cry

Mostly Autumn's "Heroes Never Die". The intro especially hits me every time.



My first attempt at embedding a YouTube video on this blog. Not sure when and where this was recorded; judging by the lineup of the band it must me at least three years ago.

Raining on My Face

_

Thinking about the crying thing

Yeah, where do I start?

I don't usually cry at music for no reason. It is always linked to emotional states, events, life's usual SNAFUs etc.

Songs don't make me cry because they dip into a D min thing or because they have swelling violas and cellos. I have never usually fallen for those sucker punches - OK, if you read RR you will know that Turandot makes me cry at the big set pieces at the ends of each Act, but even then, it is down to things I remember from living with my ex.

OK, too close to raw there, she said, steering back to the middle of the road.

It is something else mostly, with me. I really think that in the right state of deep blackness I'd blub at the Laughing Gnome.

I am not sure that this week's RR was ever going to be satisfactory. I really couldn't dond anyone. Their songs don't match my emotional lows and I am sure it is the same for others.

Not Dorian's fault, mine. I am just emotionally naked in a personal way.

I think if the topic had been "songs you first had sex to" you would have had more congruency than this one.

By the way, if anyone read my comments about "By the time I get to Phoenix", it still works. I found it on YouTube and, yes, I cried.

Songs in The Key Of Waaaaaaaah, part 2

Never have the teenage emotions been expressed so eloquently. 

"Shivers" by The Boys Next Door

From behind the veil.

I seem to have suggested a lot of songs this week over on the Mothership, and I've not been very good at explaining these choices. This week, more than any in a long time, I feel like I've just sent in a list and then wandered off. I don't like talking about myself very much, I know, and have had some bad experiences with friends, family and relationships (hardly unique) that have left me more reticent than I'd like, even here in this friendly, safe and relatively anonymous arena. It's not been as fun as usual this week, trying to propose such subjective songs with their unhappy associations, and I'm in awe of those who've written so eloquently and movingly on their choices over on the blog. So, in an attempt to come out from behind the curtain, I'm going to try it here.



The last long-term relationship I was in was probably my most serious. At least for me. It ended in a catalogue of complaints and recriminations, as they do, but the vast majority were directed at me. I wanted to fight for it, and made all sorts of vows and promises, but the decision had been made. About six weeks later, while I was still numbly mourning, she began a new relationship with someone she had met not long before we broke up. I was hugely wounded by this, suspicious, and angry at her too, and very soon, communication had irreparably broken down, a state which continues to this day. Through me, she had gotten really into Magnetic Fields, and we both loved this song. Now, listening to the lyrics, it just takes me back and stirs all sorts of introspective and regretful thoughts. This video makes me even sadder, all that faded glamour.



Jane's Addiction's "Jane Says", along with The Velvet Underground's "Candy Says" (not posted, I'm sure everyone knows it), remind me of a friend I made when I started college. Her life was like a horror story, between abuse, suicide attempts, substance abuse . . . the list went on. While I didn't share her experiences, there was, somehow, a really strong connection and bond between us that's there still. However, the relationship became so intense that it was becoming unhealthy for us both. It was becoming a bit "Dead Ringers" (the Cronenberg film, not that other thing), and was a very mentally confusing time. In the end, we had to extricate ourselves, to untwine. We had no contact for a few years, but then bumped into one another while out one night. Having said that, the reasons these songs make me cry, especially listened to back to back, is that she's had a happy ending - married, a beautiful daughter, trying to get into acting. It's so amazing to see her now and think of her then. I'm immensely proud of her for getting such a life together, and I couldn't be happier for her.





Finally, two versions of the same song. I don't have any particular associations with it, which is why it's probably the hardest to write about, on every level. I just think it's a beautiful song, and the lyrics have a resonance for me. Daniel Johnston's original is so plaintive, the simultaneous hope and despair in his voice, that I can't help but well up. Seeing him play this song in Dublin last year will remain an unforgettable moment for me, and necessitated a moment alone and a stiff drink afterwards. I thought the effect of the song may have had something to do with knowing something about his life, the context of the song as he sings it, but I also saw Spiritualized perform it on their acoustic tour in a church in Nottingham a few years ago, and it had me welling up then too. The surroundings, the version, it was just heartbreaking. I've been hoping ever since that Jason Pierce records his version, as if ever I get married, I want this to be the song we have our first dance to.

Anyway, that's it. I wanted to try to elaborate a little, and have already written more than planned. It's been quite cathartic writing a post like this. Thanks for reading.

blubbing great

some more...just wanted to get my other picture lower on the blog!!

these are happy/sad sweaty eyeball songs for me..as you may have guess.. I'm one of lifes more emotional individuals.

track two should have been mention St. Patricks Day
track five is for the memory of my nan.





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wayward son

love these songs...
wayward song is one of my all time top ten, and yes it is all because of the big little one..made me think of what my dad put up with.
...little eyes played a lot when he was born, along with some of the sleep ones from last week.
various times in my life this galaxie 500 cover has meant the world to me..
the saul williams might be too close to abandonment .. thought provoking.
just didn't know what soulsavers track to go with, but my o/h adores this so...

enjoy in a worried parent kind of way. (ignore otherwise!)

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Songs in The Key Of Waaaaaaaah, part 1

"NYC" by Interpol

(For some reason the last minute of this epic is missing off the video)

Tears of a Clown - FP's crybaby playlist

Well this week's RR got off to a lachrymose start with the news that Dorian...OUR DORIAN.... is leaving to go to literary pastures new. We wish him well and hope this his new book will generate sales Dan Brown could only dream of. Wonder what it's about? Sure we'll find out in the fullness of time... And in the meantime it's been fascinating to see what makes you lot brim over. But just what are we reacting to here? There are many different ways in which a song can get our tear ducts flowing, but from what I've observed it seems to be a potent mixture of personal association and recollection, our knowledge of some tragedy in the singer's life or even just a sheer, gut-wrenching performance. This list, I hope, is a mixture of all three, although I've been too chicken to include Ravel's "Pavane". There are stunning vocal pyrotechnics from KD, Luz Casal and Brel which make me just well up in wonder at their tightrope walk between control and emotion. The personal tragedy is provided by Bill Evans's Waltz for his daughter Debbie, our Bergmanesque Swedes and Chet Baker who's life may, at best, be described as 'tormented'. The personal recollection element takes me back to my second year at Uni, in a great shared flat just down the road from the Meadows and opposite the official suppliers to HRH of haggis, no less. I'm instantly transported back to that flat by Tom Waits and Prefab Sprout. I think this week's theme on the Mother Ship actually asks the question I would have asked so it just remains for me to wish you all a Very Happy Easter wherever you are.

Tears Are Not Enough

and with no apologies for Michael Jackson...

Will this be us here?

Now that Dorian is leaving. Will we just be.............................



Followers of the King across the Water?

Pretending to have something in my eye

er.. it's probably my hay fever kicking in early this year..

Three tracks I go all weepy over...

The cello, oboe and generally watery mood of Submarine Bells by The Chills...

Keith Jarrett's solo near the end of Inamorata- not the Live-Evil version, but one recorded 4 days earlier on the opening day of the Cellar Door residency.
Miles Davis' group was at a peak here, blending funk, rock and jazz to devastating effect. Jarrett and Gary Bartz in particular explored some emotional extremes in these performances.

I'll repost Bill Evans' performance of the theme from M*A*S*H, which I posted a few weeks ago, it had me prickling up then...
this thunderous performance is heart wrenching but enormously affirming...

(Podbean player removed)

Swansong of The Guru

So, it is with a tear in the eye that I write this, upon hearing the news of Our Guru's departure from The Mothership I thought it best to set up a post where we can discuss this.

Please comment away. 

He's washing his hands of us!

GOODBYE GURU.

My shoe song

shoes AND songs

Why choose! The best of all possible worlds.

I just wanted to share this...........

Enjoy

JAMAICAN TRAVELS AND THE DOORS OF PERCEPTION

Some weeks ago I posted a piece about a story I'd written about an odd character in Guatemala, it was a work in progress and I didn't know how to resolve it. Since then I've found a lot of new info and written a final 'chapter' and also included a lot more photographs of the art involved. There were several nice comments and some real interest, I think you'll find the finale worthwhile.
I've also updated and rewritten a story that's been sitting on my blog for a while, it involves my travels in Jamaica and I've added more details and quite a few photos to illustrate the events. The music is by Monty Alexander.
I think it's finally working, check it at - http://goneforeign.blogspot.com/

BAD!

Enjoy!

Why

would some people choose these over buying 7 LPs?

Please. I need some rational answers, afore I go insane...

LP Cover Lover

Last week while perusing a sample-lover's website, I was impressed with the beauty of many of the old record sleeves. This week, a friend's website had a link to LP Cover Lover. Some are what-were-they-thinking? funny, and some are just good design.

In which Steenbeck embarrasses herself again with the help of GarageBand

Nervous laugh...




This is only the second song I've ever tried with garageband, and the first time I've tried to record a voice, so...HA HA HA

Battles with Deezer, Part II

I finally admitted defeat with the Irish playlist I wanted to post with Deezer. Then, browsing through the site, I found a number of songs I wanted to post, some of which I hadn't heard in some time. However, I must be doing something wrong still, as it keeps coming up blank, saying "Undefined" in its text box. Mnemonic mentioned the same problem in the "How To" section, but I didn't see any solutions. Anyone have any ideas how to fix this digital jukebox?

What I'm listening to right this second right now, part 3

1. Be amazed! by what you can do with cardboard and photocopies

2. Wonder! what side of marmite his voice will fall

3. Try! to decipher the lyrics and their meaning

4. Dig! the fab backing vocals that kick in for the outtro

5. Be warned! that this song can become a serious earworm if heard more than once

"Brave Bulging Bouyant Clairvoyants" by Wild Beasts

Dub it Down

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Yesterday I was listening to Mikey Dread's song Jumping Master, and I realized that dub exactly fit my mood at the moment. So here's a sampler of dub songs. If I had more room in podbean, there'd be more songs. I guess this fits under the category of "What I'm listening to right now."

Growin' a Beard

Oh bother, it's not St Patrick's Day any more and I've lost my chance to tell you about the beard-growing competition they have in Shamrock, Texas, where the competitors shave on New Year's Day and then don't shave again till the winner is chosen on St Patrick's Day...there's a half-hour documentary about it with music by the Gourds!

You can find out about it here.

Mikey Dread RIP 1954 - 2008

How to hyperlink in blog comments

To link to another website in blogger comments:

Click here to have to explained by someone else

Aaah, Paris '68 - what heady times they were.....

Me too, me too!

Umm, enjoy the guitar? (and the hand claps)

What I'm listening to right this second right now, part 2

1. Dig that hypnotic riff

2. Feel the tension rising

3. Wonder at the beards!

4. Wonder why there aren't more counting listy songs

5. Listen as the backing vocals blast the song into orbit

6. Wonder if they're all members of some sort of polygamous cult

7. Feel the yowl!

8. Was that a goose?!

9. Put the record on again cos it's so moreish.

"Dart For My Sweetheart" - The Archie Bronson Outfit

Top o'the mornin' to ya

Seeing as how it St Paddy's day, our minds turn to things Irish, like Bushmills, the Troubles, dead Kennedys, and rain. And, of course, Irish music. The Black family have a long musical history, but Mary & Frances have both done some good pop. So here's Frances' from the 'Talk to me' album, and Mary from her rock album 'Shine'. I'd post Bell XI's wonderful 'Lampposts' but the only one I have is copy protected. Finally, back when Van the Man was just a singer in a band, here's Them with 'Here comes the night'
Leaving aside U2, what are your favorites from the Emerald Isle?

DANNY BOY - THE NATIONAL ANTHEM!

OK, Just because today's the big day, at least on this side of the pond, we're going to celebrate by singing the national anthem. So you won't feel left out I've given you a fair selection, though I had to exclude Aaron Neville, Charlie Haden, Al Hibbler, Don Byas, Tony Bennett, Rufus Wainwright, Roy Orbison, Glenn Miller, Bill Evans and possibly hundreds of other versions. So, everybody on their feet with their glasses raised: Ladies and Gentlemen, the National Anthem...

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It had to be re-posted, I'm afraid...

I still find it hard to top this as a cover: 

DYLAN?...

OK, I'll see your Dylan's "I want you" and I'll raise you a Toot's "Maggies Farm".

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Starless and Bibleblack

Deezer has added unrequested songs including one I don't possess but Stan Tracey should be there.

Move away from the Lucky Charms!

Seeing as I'll most likely be fulfilling my patriotic and semi-legal obligation to get ratarsed tomorrow, I wanted to post some songs by lesser-known Irish artists today, hopefully for your listening pleasure. Sadly, Deezer hates me. Anyway, happy St. Patrick's Day! And if you don't have any Irish in you, would you like some (old-school chat-up line, also obligatory, unfortunately)?

The 1978 Dylan version of "I Want You"

Thi is the one that gives me the chills down the spine.

Abahachi: The Singles

We have the technology! Possibly. You may recall that, a few weeks back, I was asking how to go about transferring old songs from cassette to digital. Well, having tracked down some free software for the PC, this is the result - assuming that I've managed to get to grips with Podbean. Now, I would like you to keep in mind that these songs were recorded well over a decade ago, and a lot of things - among them recording technology, my guitar playing and my state of mind - have improved enormously since then; moreover it was my birthday last week, so naturally I'm feeling insecure and fragile... Enough already. Ladies and gentlemen, I give you a selection from the musical fumblings and lyrical solipsism of Joe Shlabotnik!

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DREAMS.

Since the topic is sleep I have an odd one though it's more music related than sleep. Several years ago on a visit to UK I was going through the usual jet lag, my body was 8 hours behind so I was going to bed and just laying there. I'd take my iPod and listen to it, usually on shuffle. One night I finally fell asleep and had a very vivid dream, I was with a group and we were walking through a park where there was a music event going on, hundreds of people with picnics and kids and blankets spread on the ground. Some distance away there was music and we headed towards it and as we approached it was a female group and one beautiful young woman rose up and took the solo lead; she was wonderful. Then some way off we heard a different group and headed there, this time it sounded like North African and there were a group of men playing percussion, one singing solo and the group responding, a call and response tune. I don't remember any more of the dream after that but when I awoke I remembered it vividly and I still had the ipod on and it was still playing, I wondered if what I'd dreamed was iPod related so I scrolled back through the playlist checking each tune and sure enough there was the N. African tune and right before it the solo woman! I wish I'd written down the titles but I didn't and now they're gone, just part of a dream. Anyone else had one of these.

Sleepy sweet

slightly less tired..i'll add some extras hopefully.
Really like the ms.john soda from a cd called no p.or d.
elvis perkins 'while you were sleeping' might get into this weeks RR thought I'd give an alternative.
Prams 'sleepy sweet' will probable grate, but this and LCD Soundsystem 'never as tired.....' kept me humming when my son was little.


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le Blogotheque - Concerts a emporter

From France, not unlike the Black Cab sessions, bands and artists performing their songs mostly in the streets of Paris, here is Stephen Malkmus, with a song from his great new album:

#86.1 - Stephen Malkmus - Hopscotch Willie
by lablogotheque

here you can find all the 'Concerts a emporter'

And, as an added bonus, Stephen Malkmus & the Jicks cover REM in San Fransisco:

Stephen Malkmus and the Jicks
by lablogotheque

cover me.

a few covers..I collect them.
when this was on RR I came up with 6 cdrs worth and that was 2 years ago.
added MBV for those interested.
sorry bout the lack of pictures..once i've learn't to use photoshop and the graphics pad..i'll cover it all in pics.
hope you enjoy...bring on the frazier chorus revival..!


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the perfect beat

I was thinking maybe the 'Spill is good for posting things you're tempted to post because they contain a small element of the topic and you love the song, but you don't want to clutter RR. For instance, the Perfect Beat, which I think is a near perfect song, contains the line "It's lifted right from the sounds that you hear in the hood when you sleep," but obviously, too tenuous to waste Dorian's time with. Also this post is an excuse to ask the question...Does anyone else think it's less fun when people are being more careful about donds? Conversation seems to have abated, and dondage seems to represent the whole idea of sharing music that we love. ***Middle of the night musings have caused me to reconsider and retract the question. I do believe more thoughtful consideration is valuable in all things.***

Original Sloth Band

In an RR post, debbym asked where she could get an OSB recording. Pretty difficult to do. The records are rare and apparently are now collector's items. The album I have, Whoopee After Midnight, was produced by an independent label - Sloth Records, in Toronto in the 60s. (It actually belongs to a former roommate who I have lost contact with.) The group is a trio consisting of brothers Ken and Chris Whiteley and Tom Evans.

The album features 14 songs, all "recorded as we would play them live - without overdubbing" according to the liner notes. My favorite cuts are The Sheik of Araby, I'm a Vulture for Horticulture (which I suggested in the "I am" category a while ago) and The Johnson Rag, adapted from the Jimmy Dorsey Version. It includes a wild kazoo solo. Really. (The Sheik of Araby features a slide whistle solo) The song swings and I've put it online for you at http://breakoutreport.com/song/johnsonrag.mp3 but will take it down after a week or so. The most well known song on the album is a cover of The Silhouettes Get a Job. One of the songs, a spiritual called He's Coming in Glory, is done a capella.

Regarding "I Just Want to Be Horizontal", the cover notes say the only other version of the song at the time was by Pat Flower and his Rythym.

Ken Whiteley went on to a highly successful career as a record producer and he still performs with the trio of Scarlett, Washington and Whiteley as well as doing solo work. The latter trio has three albums on the Borealis label and Ken has a couple of solo albums on the label as well as a duo with brother Chris. All, I believe, still available. You can see Borealis collection of records for sale at http://www.borealisrecords.com/record.html and a biography of Ken Whiteley at http://www.borealisrecords.com/a_whiteley_k.html

Some of the the more recent music is available on iTunes including the SWW trio's version of Horizontal.

Top 10 cover versions

I don't know if anyone has done this before but how about a list of cover versions that are better than the originals?

I'd be amazed if it wasn't on RR but I can't be arsed to look.

Anyway, list out 10. Here are mine;

Jimi Hendrix "All along the watchtower"
The Byrds "Mr Tambourine man"
Siouxsie and the Banshees "Dear Prudence"
Rage against the machine "The ghost of Tom Joad"
The Grateful Dead "Walk me out in the morning dew"
Bryan Ferry "Jealous Guy"
Pet Shop Boys "Always on my mind"
Tim Buckley "Dolphins"
Jeff Buckley "Hallelujah"
Guns and Roses "Live and let die"

Love to see what other people come up with.

One thing struck me though, the number of Dylan songs that have brilliant cover versions.

The Opposite of Insomnia

When I was younger, I used to think I had mild narcolepsy, I didn't really, but it's now developed into the ability to fall asleep at will, very easily in almost any situation.

The only thing that stops me going to sleep at night is when my mind starts working overtime, this is combatted by watching/reading/listening to something until I drop off, and the fact that I sleep on a really expensive latex mattress (nae springs attached!)

The song that springs to mind is this one; "Sleeper" by Audioweb:

Incidentally, this post was started last night, but I fell asleep halfway through writing it. 

Counting sheep - FP's insomnia soundtrack

Macbeth knew all about insomnia. From the moment he knocked off old Duncan, sleep became a serious issue in the Scottish royal household. Just after the deed, he hadn't even had time to wash the blood off his hands, when the panic attacks were already setting in:

Methought I heard a voice cry "Sleep no more!
Macbeth does murder sleep," the innocent sleep,
Sleep that knits up the ravell'd sleave of care,
The death of each day's life, sore labour's bath,
Balm of hurt minds, great nature's second course,
Chief nourisher in life's feast...

And his good lady wife, having egged him on to top the old man, starts having sleep issues of her own, as she becomes a white-faced somnambulist desperately trying to wash the blood from her own hands. I suppose Shakeaspeare was getting at the fact that sleep is a kind of barometer of the soul, of the inner workings of the mind. Now I wouldn't consider myself to be an insomniac. Not really. But when I have huge amounts of work, as now, I often annoyingly find myself waking up at four in the morning going through lists of stuff and planning strategies to deal with it all. Listening to this week's list, I realise that I've sub-consciously created the musical equivalent of a duck-down pillow. It's music to try and slumber off to. Except that by the time we get to the Dutronc song, I seem to have given up trying to sleep...

But what we really want to know is: Who are the real insomniacs out there among you? And how do you deal with it? Any tips on getting back to sleep?

Sleep Perchance ?

I couldn't resist the pic

Take your mind off Wayne with the following list