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Sunday 31 August 2014

Southern Soul Sunday 48


Drew and I have being having a bit of an Eddie Hinton love in recently and I thought it time to share the love with you good people.
An Alabama man Eddie was born in 1944 and was an integral part of the Muscle Shoals sound of the late 60s and early 70s  working alongside the famed Muscle Shoals Rhythm Section.
He formed songwriting partnerships first with Marlin Greene and then with Donnie Fritts with Breakfast in Bed recorded by Dusty Springfield and UB40 with Chrissie Hynde perhaps his most famous composition,
He was also a great singer and terrific guitarist as these two tracks demonstrate.
He was a great admirer of Otis Redding (who isn't?).This admiration appeared to work both ways as after Otis' death his widow Zelma asked Eddie to teach the Redding children to play guitar.
Sadly, as is often the way, he fought a losing battle with the bottle and died of a heart attack at the age of 51

He remains unique. A white boy who truly sang and played in the spirit of the great black soul artists he venerated. Jerry Wexler

Eddie Hinton - Can't Beat The Kid

Eddie Hinton - Sad Song

Saturday 30 August 2014

Saturday Lucky Dip


This week's random selection is Uncut's Unconditionally Guaranteed 6 from July 1999.
Playing it in the car on the way to work this week, which is the nearest thing I get to research, and MC5 appeared on track 2 with 8 mins 35secs worth of Kick Out the Jams merging into the Stones Empty Heart.

Right, I thought, this is going on unless anything better appears on the next 15 tracks. You will have worked out by now that nothing did.
Recorded in March 1972 for a live TV show (which immediately conjures up visions of folk spluttering their tea everywhere) it was released as part of an album Thunder Express in 1999.
Detroit's finest at their most incendiary - oozing passion, talent, energy and noise.
I was never blessed with any musical ability. Had I been I would have longed to be in a band that could make sounds like this.

MC5 - Kick Out The Jams/Empty Heart

Friday 29 August 2014

Angels With Dirty Faces


Cooking Up a Quiet Storm has just returned from a well deserved summer break and features a lovely dub mix from Walter and a country dominated compilation entitled Angel Delight from your truly.

It does not include Angels With Dirty Faces by Sham 69 as a) I don't appear to have it and b) it is probably a bit boisterous when compared with the rest of the songs.
Turns out the only Sham 69 I have is Borstal Breakout from a quaintly named punk compilation Kill All Hippies.
Whereas Jimmy Pursey was a bit of a twat and they attracted a moronic right wing following they had one or two quite good songs and I really should get around to acquiring a Best of at some stage.

More strangely this splendid song by Declan MacManus (him of the recently acquired bus pass ) does not feature partly because the brackets confused me and I wasn't sure if it just called Red Shoes but more probably because I forgot.

Sham 69 - Borstal Breakout

(The Angels Wanna Wear My) Red Shoes

Thursday 28 August 2014

Ya Rocket


Ya rocket is a quaint Glaswegian term of endearment for a person exuding menace who should be avoided at all costs. Occasionally the adjective pure is added to give it even more emphasis - as in "see Boab he's a pure rocket!"
Rocket is also the first track and the hit single from Head First the fifth studio album from Goldfrapp released in 2010 and an album which I picked up for a couple of quid in a charity shop at Clarkston toll on Glasgow's South Side at the weekend.
After the somewhat ethereal Seventh Tree it is a return to their light electronic music described in a leading search engine as Synthpop or Italo disco (so there you go Luca!)
One critic wrote that it sounds as if they've been commissioned to paint the inside of Olivia Newton-John's mind, circa 1980: all strobe-lit synths, feathery vocals, and goofy synonyms for sex

You would buy it on the strength of that.

Goldfrapp - Rocket

Goldfrapp - Alive


Wednesday 27 August 2014

The Killer Goes Country


The original wild man of rock n'roll the Killer himself Mr Jerry Lee Lewis enjoyed huge success in the late 50s and early 60s on Sun Records with a string of tremendous  rock'n'roll records.
However his third marriage at the age of 22 to his 13 year old cousin was perhaps not his best career move.
There then followed a number of years in the wilderness prior to the resurrection of his career around 1968 as a country singer.
In 1968 he recorded Volumes 1 and 2 of Jerry Lee Lewis Sings the Country Music Hall of Fame Hits
I have a compilation of the Best of these two records from 1969
This contains his versions of 20 Country standards two of which are recorded with his sister Linda Gail Lewis.
His singing on these songs does not necessarily differentiate them from the originals. However, when he starts tinkling the ivories he gives them his own unique style.

Jerry Lee Lewis - Heartaches By The Number

Jerry lee Lewis - Oh, Lonesome Me

Tuesday 26 August 2014

Just a Mortal With Potential of a Superman


No Top 10 Albums of All Time would be complete without a nod to early 70's Bowie
His first three albums released on RCA between 1971 and 1973 Hunky Dory, The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars and Aladdin Sane quite literally changed the face of popular music and had a significant influence on society in general.
In the words of Rebel Rebel - "got your mother in a whirl - she's not sure if you are a boy or a girl"
Although he had been on the go for a number of years Bowie seemed to appear from nowhere and took the world  by storm.
I was only 10 when Hunky Dory came out in 1971 and The Jean Genie from 1973's Aladdin Sane  is  the first record of his I can really remember.
Whereas Ziggy Stardust is probably seen by many as his greatest album it is Hunky Dory that I keep coming back to.
It was the album that launched the Spiders  - Mick Ronson, Trevor Bolder and Woody Woodmansey with a certain Rick Wakeman on piano.
And it gives  nods to Andy Warhol and Bob Dylan for good measure..
Not that anyone would ever have only one Bowie album but if you were forced to choose this should be it.

David Bowie -Quicksand

David Bowie - Queen Bitch

Monday 25 August 2014

Tartan Texans -Shoeshine Records


The fourteenth and final installment in the Tartan Texans and it is a bit of a catch all mishmash as we pay homage to some of those who served.
Shoeshine Records which also incorporates Spit and Polish Records is the baby of Francis McDonald of BMX Bandits and Teenage Fanclub fame.
Some great  American names have graced this label -  Steve Young, Tim Carroll, Laura Cantrell and Paul Burch & the WPA Ballclub to name but four.
The last two will feature in their own right at some stage.
However it is only fitting  that we feature some Scottish artists.
Astro Chimp were a one off Shoeshine Records outfit featuring Eugene Kelly (Vaselines, Eugenius), Gerry Love and Raymond McGinley (the Fannies) and the said Mr McDonald
Francis McDonald also features with American singer songwriter Michael Shelly as Cheeky Monkey

From a Glasgow perspective we should also recognise the contribution of the promoters who have brought some great bands to Glasgow over the years - the late Billy Kelly, Tom Hamilton of Death and Taxes promotions and Kevin Morris and the Fallen Angels Club who are still going strong.
And finally a shout out to Glen from the sadly lamented Salvation Sounds record shop in Shawlands Arcade responsible for a significant percentage of my Americana CDs and associated dent in my bank balance.

Astro Chimp -Draggin'

Cheeky Monkey - I Wanna Live With You

Sunday 24 August 2014

Southern Soul Sunday 47


As this series is nearing its completion Southern Soul Sunday is trumping The Blues Collection and featuring Little Milton.
He has previously made a fleeting appearance on SSS30 in the feature on the Mojo Southern Soul compilation.
James Milton Campbell Jr was born in 1934 in Inverness -not the one in the Highlands of Scotland alas but in Mississippi
He grew up in Greenville and was spotted by Ike Turner who was working as a talent scout and signed to Sun Records where he released a number of records between 1952 and 1955.
He worked with some other great labels too most notably Chess, Stax and Malaco and was equally at home playing the blues or singing soul.
According to the Blues Collection sleeve " he has a strong and appealing vocal technique which is complimented by an attacking guitar style, unmatched for its aggressiveness and bite"
But it is his voice we are featuring here on Who's Cheating Who from 1965 and Let's Get Together from 1969.
Majestic

Little Milton - Who's Cheating Who

Little Milton - Let's Get Together

Saturday 23 August 2014

Saturday Lucky Dip


Today's random selection is Mojo - Made in Britain 2007- The best of new British music
There are two of three artists  I am familiar with in the Noisettes, The View and Bat for Lashes.
And then there are a lot of names I recognise but am not too familiar with their music - 1990s, Field Music, The Rumblestrips, Maps and The Young Knives. Pleasant enough tunes but nothing startling.

I have gone for two songs from two albums which I have burns of and  which therefore do not count.
First up is I'm Alive from Gospel Bombs the debut album of the splendidly named Vincent Vincent and the Villains.
Then we have ex Arab Strapper  Malcolm Middleton with the title track from his excellent 2007 album A Brighter Beat.

Vincent Vincent and the Villains - I'm Alive

Malcolm Middleton - A Brighter Beat

Friday 22 August 2014

The Boo Radleys Gatecrash Disco Friday!



Scott on the ever excellent Spools Paradise is currently providing a great service to the blogging community with his fantastic Disco Friday series.

Across the globe people are dusting down their white suits and practicing a few moves.
Not to be outdone Indie favourites The Boo Radleys, from the renowned Creation dance label, are muscling in on Scott's territory with a cover of the classic that is Zoom by The Fat Larry Band

- Zoom just one Look and my heart went boom 
Suddenly and we were on the moon
Flyin' high on a neon sky , oh oh -

Hidden away as track 3 on the CD single of the instantly forgettable Barney  (,,, and me) from 1994
I suspect that Scott will grace us with the original in due course.

The Boo Radleys -Zoom

The Boo Radleys - Barney ( ... and me)


Thursday 21 August 2014

The Working Girls Are Fine


On Saturday's Lucky Dip post I compared Warmer than Fire by Ash to The Teenage Fanclub and The Pernice Brothers.
This led me to looking out The World Won't End the second album by the Pernice Brothers released in 2001 on Ashmont Records.These two songs clearly demonstrate the influence of Bellshill's finest on bands from the other side of the Pond.
Ex Scud Mountain Boy Joe Pernice is joined in the band by brother Bob and a myriad of others.
In a strange quirk of fate he is now in The New Mendicants with Mike Belitsky formerly of The Sadies and Norman Blake formerly of The Teenage Fanclub
Oh, and he is sporting a cracking jumper on this picture from the inner sleeve of the album.

Pernice Brothers - Working Girls (Sunlight Shines)

Pernice Brothers - She Heightened Everything

Wednesday 20 August 2014

The (English/British) Beat


 I was a fan of The Beat back in the day or The English Beat to our American friends and The British Beat to our Australian cousins.
I even recall going to see them in Tiffanys in Sauchiehall Street in Glasgow around 1980. I think it is now a casino.
They came to the fore during the Two Tone movement as a Ska revival band.
Although  I liked them at the time their music seems quite dated and poppy now and not a patch on the originals they were paying homage to. Great logos though.
I suppose however that white middle class youths like myself  in an at the time exclusively white environment owe a debt of gratitude to the likes of them and UB40 for introducing us to exciting new genres of music
Somewhat sadly they are still on the go on the retro circuit in the shape of two different bands following a Drifters like schism. In the blue corner The English Beat starring Dave Wakeling and in the red corner The Beat with Ranking Roger.
Let it go boys

The Beat - Hands Off ,,, She's Mine

The Beat - Can't Get Used to Losing You

Tuesday 19 August 2014

An Icelandic Singer who is Bjork



Given my new found reputation for unoriginality you will be pleasantly reassured that I have decided to follow up yesterday's post on an Icelander who is not Bjork with an Icelander who is Bjork.

This is to give me an excuse to feature It's Oh So Quiet her jazzy swing single which spent 15 weeks on the UK charts in 1995 peaking at number 4 and which represents her biggest hit single to date. I picked up a copy for 50p fairly recently.
It is a cover of a song which was first released in 1951 by Betty Hutton as the b-side to Murder, He Says.
It in turn is a cover of a German song "Und jetzt ist es still" performed by Horst Winter in 1948
There is also a French version from 1949 "Tout est Tranquille" performed by Ginette Garcin and and the Jacques Helian Orchestra.
Bjork is one of those artists I never really got at the time but I find myself enjoying more of her stuff as I get older.

Bjork - It's Oh So Quiet

Bjork - Sweet Sweet Intuition

pulled by the blog police

Monday 18 August 2014

An Icelandic Singer who is not Bjork


Most people, myself included would be hard pushed to name an Icelandic female singer who was not Bjork.

Ladies and gentlemen, I give you Emiliana Torrini born in Kopavoger to an Italian father and Icelandic mother.
She co-wrote Slow for Kylie's Body Language album and performed Gollum's Song in the film Lord of The Rings- The Two Towers.
She has released a number of albums since 1995 starting out on JAPIS an Icelandic label before moving onto One Little Indian then Rough Trade.
These two songs are the singles from the 1995 album Fisherman's Woman on Rough Trade.
An album described as "softly haunting" containing " shiveringly sensitive songs"and in a  quote from the Sun "each delicate note hangs in the air like a freeze-framed raindrop"
Any album that can reduce The Sun to poetry is surely worth a listen

Emiliana Torrini - Sunnyroad

Emiliana Torrini - Heartstopper

Sunday 17 August 2014

Southern Soul Sunday 46



As a surprisingly anonymous recent commentator recently  kindly pointed out I am clearly incapable of an original thought.
It will not, therefore, come as a surprise to you that I am again revisiting an artist who has previously featured on Southern Soul Sunday.
Candi Staton graced the pages of SSS 9 back in December 2013 with a cover of Mary Gauthier's Mercy Now and her disco classic Young Hearts Run Free.
This time round we are going further back in her long and illustrious career with a couple of early recordings from her FAME Years.
First up is I'm Just a Prisoner (Of Your Good Lovin') a George Jackson and Eddie Harris song from 1969.
We then fast forward to 1972 with the self penned The Thanks I Get For Loving You.
Classic Southern Soul.
More unoriginal thought tomorrow

Candi Staton - I'm Just a Prisoner (Of Your Good Lovin')

Candi Staton - The Thanks I Get For Loving You

Saturday 16 August 2014

Saturday Lucky Dip


Unlike last week's offering Uncut's Sensation Nation from October 2002 does not claim that any of the 19 tracks contained therein will change the world
I shall (temporarily) spare you some Americana although there are fine tracks by Jeff Finlin. Kelly Willis and Allison Moorer.
Solomon Burke also features with the splendid Don't Give Up on Me.
No, instead you are getting Unsatisfied a track 1984's Let it Be from the Replacements written by the genius that is Paul Westerberg
The second track is Warmer Than Fire  by Ash from 2002's Intergalactic Song Sevens an album I am not familiar with. It puts me in mind of The Teenage Fanclub and The Pernice Brothers which lets  face it is no bad thing

The Replacements - Unsatisfied

Ash - Warmer than Fire

Friday 15 August 2014

She Wore Red Dresses and Told Such Sweet Lies



If I were to choose my top 20 albums of all time and could choose more than one per artist there is every chance that Dwight Yoakam's first four albums would feature.
Starting with Guitars, Cadillacs, Etc, Etc (1986) then Hillbilly Deluxe (1987), Buenas Noches From a Lonely Room (1998) and finally If There Was a Way (1990).
This was a complete purple patch when Dwight could do no wrong and in my view was the best singer on the planet at this time.
Sadly, and somewhat inevitably, it was not destined to last.
If I was to select one for the Top 10 Albums of all time it would have to be Buenas Noches.
And here are two good reasons - the absolutely beautiful Buenas Noches from a Lonely Room (She Wore Red Dresses) and his tremendous cover of the mighty Buck Owen's Streets of Bakersfield.

If anyone can come up with a better Country album I'll eat my stetson!

Dwight Yoakam - Buenas Noches From a Lonely Room (She Wore Red Dresses)

Dwight Yoakam -Streets of Bakersfield

Thursday 14 August 2014

Tartan Texans - Jill Jackson


When will this series ever end I hear you cry. Soon is the answer as this is the thirteenth and penultimate post in the series.
We have had artists from Glasgow, Edinburgh and Dundee and this time it is the turn of Paisley.
The fairer sex have featured as members of The Sunshine Delay and The Hazey Janes but this is the first time a female solo artist has featured
Jill Jackson has previously appeared twice in my Paisley buddies series once in her own right and once as the lead singer of Speedway
The first post in particular was one of the ones which has generated most hits suggesting that she has a loyal fan base out there.
Her main musical influences are Dolly Parton, Joni Mitchell, Shelby Lynne, Shawn Colvin, Rolling Stones , Emmylou Harris and Mary Chapin Carpenter so she certainly warrants a place in any country series. She does not mention Abba but she does an excellent cover of Dancing Queen.
I have seen her a good few times over the years mainly as a support act at King Tuts and she is always well received.
She has also done the 50 States in 50 Days tour with Kevin Montgomery.
One more post to go!

Jill Jackson - Long Way Round

Jill Jackson - Wanted

Wednesday 13 August 2014

Feisty


The Reminder by Feist was the 3rd album from Canadian Indie singer Leslie Feist released in 2007
Such is the power of advertising that prior to 1234  featuring on an Apple iPod nano commercial it was averaging 2000 downloads per week. This swiftly rose to 73000 total downloads and the single rose from 102 to number 8 in the UK charts.
Time Magazine ranked it as the second best single of 2007 and it won a Juno award as Single of the Year in her native Canada.
Maybe it's just me, but I much prefer the next track on the album  Brandy Alexander co-written with fellow Canadian and one of my new heros Ron Sexsmith.
Up until posting this I had in my head that the album was called The Remainder - I was wrong there

Feist - 1234

Feist - Brandy Alexander

Tuesday 12 August 2014

Penguin Eggs


Nic Jones' 1980 album on Topic records Penguin Eggs was voted the 2nd best folk album of all time on the BBC Radio 2 Mike Harding Folk Show - second only to Fairport Convention's Liege and Leaf.
I was not familiar with it but having watched an inspiring documentary on BBC4 on his recovery from a serious road accident in 1982 which resulted in many broken bones and temporary paralysis I thought I would make it my business to acquire it.
And what a terrific album it is too- 9 tracks , mainly traditional and with a nautical theme, and not a dud among them.
For those like me wondering as to the origin of the album title look no further than the lyrics of The Little Pot Stove where to the crew of a whaling ship fresh penguin eggs are seen as a culinary luxury.
Despite permanent injuries following his accident which have impinged on his guitar playing and stopped him playing the  fiddle he has made a welcome return to music as part of  the Nic Jones Trio -with his son Joe amd Belinda O'Hooley and as a duo with his son.
If you get the opportunity watch the documentary The Enigma of Nic Jones - Return of Britain's Lost Folk Hero it will be an hour of your life well spent

Nic Jones - The Humpback Whale

Monday 11 August 2014

I'm The Man


I'm The Man  the 1979 second album from Joe Jackson got a rare airing recently and very good it is too.
The successor of Look Sharp also released in 1979 and the predecessor of 1980's Beat Crazy.
The album generated Joe's biggest chart single It's Different For Girls which reached the dizzy heights of number 5 in the UK singles chart.
However you are not getting that. Rather you are getting tracks 2 and 3 Geraldine and John followed by Kinda Kute
Joe appears in the role of a spiv on the album cover with the album reaching number 22 in the UK charts and number 101 in the States.
Fairly shortly thereafter Joe began to meander down the jazz route.
No discerning record collection, however, should be without his first two albums.
He once had a pint of Guinness in Portsmouth with a pal of my pal Raymie.

Joe Jackson - Geraldine and John

Joe Jackson - Kinda Kute

Sunday 10 August 2014

Southern Soul Sunday 45



Donald Randolph, better known as Don Covey has previous featured on SSS 3 as Don Covay and the Goodtimers from the great Sanctified Soul album and as part of The Soul Clan on SSS 41

These two songs from 1965 are taken from Don Covay - The Platinum Collection on Atlantic
Don Covay was born in Orangeburg, South Carolina in 1938 before moving to Washington and is thankfully still with us.
Like many of his contemporaries he started in a gospel group, in his case a family group The Cherry Keys (not to be confused with The Cherry Tree, a pub in Netherton) prior to going down the secular route with the Rainbows a band that often featured Marvin Gaye.
He was also a chauffeur for Little Richard, which must have been an interesting gig.
As well as a singer he has written songs recorded by Aretha Franklin, Wilson Pickett, The Rolling Stones and The Small Faces amongst others.

I'm beginning to struggle for material for this series. I'll struggle on to 50 then take stock with either more tracks from some of those previously featured or else a more generic Soul Sunday feature.

Don Covay - Seesaw

Don Covay - Come See About Me

Saturday 9 August 2014

Saturday Lucky Dip


This week's offering is a Mojo CD from June 2007 Music is Love -15 Tracks that Changed the World.

15 Tracks that Changed the World.??  I shall list them

Apache Drop Out,  Cinnamon Girl,  Move it on Over,  John Hardy,  Like a Rolling Stone ,  Airbag (Radiohead  FFS - I had to look it up), Autobahn,  Strange Fruit,  Light my Fire,  I Want to Hold Your Hand,  River,  To be Young Gifted and Black,  Femme Fatale,  Free Money and Sympathy for the Devil

Some seminal songs in there I'm sure you'll agree. But 15 tracks that changed the world -Come On!!
Rather it is more of an excuse to churn out some covers of  standards.
However any excuse to feature the great Jeffrey Lee Pierce and The Gun Club and the equally great Pauline Murray and Penetration is fine by me.

The Gun Club - John Hardy

Penetration - Free Money

Friday 8 August 2014

Similar but Different


The other night I was listening to and thoroughly enjoying The Essential Charley Pride.
Although it does not compare to the majestic Crystal Chandeliers I was particularly taken with track 2 Does My Ring Hurt Your Ringer from 1967 and written by Don Robertson, John Crutchfield and Doris Clement.

I was pretty sure that I also had this by Buddy Miller and I eventually tracked it down to a Hightone Records Anthology.
Imagine my surprise to find that this was a totally different song Does My Ring Burn Your Finger written by Buddy and his good lady Julie.

Oh and yes I am totally aware that these song titles represent an open goal for Mr Finbarr Saunders and his Double Entendres (F'nar, f'nar!)

Charley Pride - Does My Ring Hurt Your Finger

Buddy Miller -Does My Ring Burn Your Finger

Thursday 7 August 2014

Another Rabbit Song


I used to be a fairly frequent purchaser of Mojo and Uncut as anyone who has read my Saturday Lucky Dip series can testify.
However there are only so may 30 page spreads one can take on Michael Stipe's inner angst or the legacy of John Lennon.
So now I only ever purchase if I'm going away for a few days and looking for something to read and some new music to listen to.
To this end I recently bought the August Uncut and sure enough there is a 30 page article about Eric Clapton farting in the 70's.
There is however also a terrific CD of new music with lots of artists I am not familiar with to check out.
Peter Matthew Bauer,William Clark Green, Papercuts, Sam Doores and Polly & the Billet Doux seem to be the pick of the bunch.
Then there is an achingly beautiful song called Rabbit by actress, singer songwriter and upright bass player Amy LaVere. It puts me in mind of Jenny Lewis..
It is from her new album Runaway's Diary on Archer records.
I am somewhat reticent about posting such a new tune but I figure if it is being promoted via Uncut it may be ok to promote it via other forums.


Amy LaVere -Rabbit

Wednesday 6 August 2014

They'e Selling Postcards of the Hanging

A few posts ago I got into a debate with GeorgeScott and Walter about posting what we thought were the top 10 albums of all time.
George has already done so and was encouraging us to do the same.We mostly felt that this was a moveable feast with five or six obvious ones with the rest changing over time and depending on one's mood on a particular day.
One album which would definitely feature in my list would be Highway 61 Revisited,  Bob Dylan's 6th studio album from 1965.
This song needs no words from me.
It is absolutely majestic and a shining example of the work of the greatest poet and songwriter on the planet

Bob Dylan - Desolation Row

Tuesday 5 August 2014

Some Good Hooks



Ellis Hooks first came to my attention when his 2002 debut album on Zane records Undeniable featured on the Paul Jones Rhythm and Blues show on BBC Radio 2.
Accordingly it has always been filed in the Blues section but a recent play suggests that it would be equally at home in the Soul section.He puts me in mind of the likes of Little Milton and Eddie Hinton in this respect.
Born in Alabama in 1974 to a Cherokee mother and an African American Baptist sharecropper he was the 13th of 16th children
He hitched across the States and Europe prior to ending up busking in New York in his mid 20s
He recorded 7 albums between 2002 and 2007 with names like Dann Penn, Steve Cropper and Wayne Jackson involved
Oh and Ernie just to reiterate it is Ellis Hooks we are featuring today and not the mighty Elkie Brooks!

Ellis Hooks - Something 4 Everyone

Ellis Hooks - Your Love is Too Strong

Monday 4 August 2014

If I Had a Boat


Much to my surprise the former Mr Julia Roberts, Lyle Lovett, he of the gravity defying hair above, has not previously featured on CCM before. So time to put that right.
He appeared in the mid 80's along with the likes of Steve Earle and Dwight Yoakam and got me and countless others interested in country music also  leading us to seek out their influences as you do and discovering the likes of Buck Owens, Townes Van Zandt and Lefty Frizzell to name but three.
These two songs are taken from his second album 1988's Pontiac
Thereafter he had a brief flirtation with jazz before returning back from the dark side to come up with a number of other great country records.
As well as a singer he has acted in a number of TV series and films including  Robert Altman's The Player in 1992 where he met said Ms Roberts and they were married briefly from 1993-1995 an eternity by Hollywood standards.

Lyle Lovett -If I Had a Boat

Lyle Lovett -L.A. County

Sunday 3 August 2014

Southern Soul Sunday 44


It is Southern Soul Sunday dynasty week with father and daughter Stax stalwards Rufus and Carla Thomas featuring.
Rufus first shot to fame as an artist on Sun with Bear Cat an answer song to Big Mama Thornton's Hound Dog.
 After being released by Sun he became a prominent DJ in Memphis and was one of the first artists and mainstays of the newly formed Stax label being mostly famous for his Walking the Dog.
Another claim to fame but one I suspect he didn't boast about was that he is the only father ever to have debuted in the Hot 100 top ten after his daughter Carla who had a top 10 two years previously with Gee Whiz(Look at his Eyes)
After his death in 2001 at the ripe old age of 84 a street was named in his honour just off Memphis' famous Beale Street.
Carla Thomas is the Queen of Memphis Soul .She wrote Gee Whiz (Look at his Eyes) when she was 15 charting in 1961 when she was a 19 year old University student. This was the first of a myriad of hits including B-A-B-Y and of course Knock on Wood and Tramp with Otis Redding.
After all that build up here are a couple of their lesser known numbers

Rufus Thomas - Last Clean Shirt

Carla Thomas - Little Boy

Saturday 2 August 2014

Saturday Lucky Dip


After last week's celebrations we are back to the now traditional Saturday Lucky Dip.
This week it is the turn of Good Morning Vietnam 3
Part of a cheap and cheerful 3 CD box set and also available singly
For a while I had the first two and it was only somewhat later that I acquired the third in a charity shop somewhere.
Absolutely nothing to do with the film of the same name but an excuse to churn out some standards from the late 60s and early 70s.
The first two contain the type of stuff you would expect - the likes of Jefferson Airplane, Mama's and Papa's, Barry MacGuire, Donovan, Steppenwolf etc,etc.
The third is a little bit more eclectic or barrel scraping depending on your view.
Canned Heat, The Band and Eric Burdon are hardly surprises. There is even some soul in the shape of The Temptations and Ike and Tina.
Then it gets a bit silly - Blue Oyster Cult, Black Sabbath and Deep Purple.
Finally it loses it altogether - ELO and Leo Sayer -FFS!
As I say, eclectic!

The Stories - Brother Louie

The Shirelles - Soldier Boy

Friday 1 August 2014

Road Trip Songs - Nevada to Newe


Dave Manning is an interesting guy.
He spends half his time touring the American west in his VW Van and the other half in a one room cabin with his Scottish wife in the countryside of Aberdeenshire.
The newly released  album Road Trip Songs was recorded in two places. The piano and the voice were recorded at the House of Newe in the Scottish Highlands.The harmonica and clarinet were recorded in Kaiser Wash Canyon in Arizona.

He writes long songs and lots of them. His voice is "often compared to Tom Waits and his style of piano playing varies widely from soulful ballads to blues, country to boogie woogie"
If you buy the album and don't like it he will apparently give you your money back.
He is realistic enough to know that in this day and age  his songs may be downloaded and all he asks is that you leave something in the digital tip jar on his website were some free downloads are also available

Somewhere Tonight is about wide open spaces,long distances, and a late night bar in a tiny room
Dave Manning - Somewhere Tonight