Another from the excellent new Eleventh Day Dream record. For Nouveau Realisme artist Yves Klein.
Sunday, June 20, 2021
Aldous Harding - Old Peel
I'm truly a fan of the individual, the eccentric as this blog increasingly attests. Hey, I'm still recovering from the impact of the latest St. Lenox record from earlier on this week. Courtney Barnett is probably my favourite artist of the last decade. Have I established my credentials?
In this respect Aldous Harding is probably just made for me. Hers is the kind of leftfield kookiness that I can entirely endorse as it seems to be underpinned by an essentially offbeat and wonderful vision rather than careerist or showy instincts.
A couple of years back I saw Aldous play in a tiny club in my hometown. It was one of the best gigs I've seen for years. Ever perhaps. At the end of the night she played this as the final song of her final encore. Now she's released it, apparently as a one off statement rather than as a forerunner of an imminent album. Never mind. It says pretty much all that needs to be said about how great she is. Sometimes you have to wait and it's worth the wait!
Shakey # 26 Keep on Rockin' in the Free World
Neil comes through a rather odd decade musically and then reinvents himself again with this song and goes on to record Ragged Glory, truly reunited once more with Crazy Horse and into the Nineties.
Best Ever Albums - Top 1,000 Albums - 968 Avey Tare & Panda Bear - Spirit They're Gone, Spirit They've Finished
A record thats new to me. From the Animal Collective collective. Certainly a very interesting sounding record.
Song(s) of the Day # 2,704 Eleventh Dream Day
Eleventh Dream Day are a group that to those in the know, mean something. The Chicago band, remarkably almost forty years on in terms of their recording career, have yet another album out. Since Grazed their fourteenth in all and first for six years.
Their sound hasn't really changed an enormous amount over the years, they're still something like Neil Young and Crazy Horse sparring with Television, echoes too of Sonic Youth and The Go Betweens but they're definitely older and wiser now and the record reflects this.This is an incredibly mature, assured, fluent and fluid album.
Initially associated, at least loosely, with the Paisley Underground scene, they've done enough since to deserve to be considered in their own space. Their's is the sound very much of a band who set out their stall based very much on the purste deepset love for the sound of electric guitars and their inbuilt redeeming qualities and the sound of male and female voices harmonising together.
These voices are often those of Rick Rizzo and Janet Beveridge Bean the band's founding and core members. To hear their voices coalescing together forty years together and guitars, organs and drums ringing and chiming as their bedrock almost forty years down the line is a quite moving experience, like meeting a couple you met at school decades after you've all left who seem to have made their marriage work despite everything that life has thrown at them.
Because this is a marriage and album that most definitely works in the same way as the latest Teenage Fanclub and Dinosaur Jr. records have worked in recent months and the last Dream Syndicate albums did too. I like the sound of middle aged records, being middle aged myself. There's something hard won and inspiring about their enduring dignity.
Since Grazed has plenty to say and says it loud and clear over the course of its best part of an hour run It's a rather steely and admirable album that weds a sense of loss and accrual to splendid effect. It's a resonant and proud record. One to return to.
Saturday, June 19, 2021
Best Ever Albums - Top 1,000 Albums - 969 Husker Du - New Day Rising
Husker Du were such a force of nature.
Song(s) of the Day # 2,703 Greentea Peng
I am fifty five years old and very much aware of it. When I hear a record like this, Man Made, the debut album from Greentea Peng, very much a Yoof and London album, the sound of multicultural UK, my immediate thought is that I'm not perhaps, the constituency it was made for.
Except that it's clearly a very groovy record and I can very much get behind that. Greentea Peng may not care about the balding, might as well be grandad, at the back of the hall but he cares about her. Because, to invoke a huge cliche, 'this is massive.'
It's the kind of record that we've been making well here in the UK for almost thirty years. Since Massive Attack, Tricky, Leftfield and a bit later Ms. Dynamite. It's determined on the same basic factors. Soul, R & B, Reggae, cool rhythms and literate, righteous rapping underpinned by a vague urban unease. It bubbles away with languid grace. I'm on my second play now and am already preparing myself to buy a copy as soon as I can.
Greentea Peng in her words is a 'Psychedelic R&B' singer and songwriter from South East London and keeps her beats loose and the mood mellow for the most part though the lyrics are informed and engaged.
It's melodic and funky and should appeal to parents, and possibly even Grandparents, who remember this kind of vibe from way back when as well as their kids, who might be slightly nonplussed that the oldies like this too.
Aria Wells, who is Greentea Peng, has already, as she aproaches her late twenties, had a varied and worthwhile life experience judging by the variation in mood and mode of attack evident on Man Made and the basic biographical background detailed here . She's already also had a slight nod from Pitchfork's direction so this might well have hipster cache.
Never mind about that Greentea Peng, It Starts With a Birthstone has noticed you too and vastly approves of this. So clearly, the sky's the limit! If you're looking for the place where the UK is at this place or at least should be, there are worse places to look than here.
Friday, June 18, 2021
Shakey # 25 Hippie Girl
Neil releases Landing on Water, one of the strangest records of his career. It tanks.
Best Ever Albums - Top 1,000 Albums - 969 No Doubt - Tragic Kingdom
No Doubt are a difficult one to place in The Rock & Roll Pantheon, whatever that might be. They were very good at what they did but listening to Tragic Kingdom, their breakthrough album, it's difficut to make any kindd of passable case for its 'greatness'. It's a serviceable Pop / Rock record. Don't Speak has a definite, tangible quality. Most of this by comparison seems to be pretty much running on the spot.
This is Uncool - The 500 Greatest Singles Since Punk & Disco # 317 Morrissey
'comiclly, painfully accurate, a last wave to a dying, working-class tradition, as we boarded the plane to Ibiza.'
Song(s) of the Day # 2,702 Pearie Sol
Revenge of the great American Nerd. Part ..... oh, I've lost count. Pearie Sol stands at the end of a long, noble, line of great suburban, eternally adolescent, misfit losers. Robert H. Crumb, Iggy Pop, Jonathan Richman, David Thomas, Jad Fair, Harvey Pekar, Gordon Gano, Daniel Johnston. Eugene in Grease. Pee Wee Herman. That kid in Napoleon Dynamite.
Real Happiness, the first album to come out under this moniker for five years, conforms utterly to expectations of this particular sub-genre. Starngled, wailed, off tune vocals. Raging organ. Garage Rock sound. Pearie is that kid. The really odd one that you get in every class who you see on the street corner, years later, busking for spare change to the bemusement of passing pedestrians, and say to yourself, 'I always wondered what happened to him....'
In Pearie's case you can't help asking yourself to what degree this is all put on. On his Bandcamp Page, it's written 'I used to be sad most of the time now just some time I play teen liver and gauche and played other DC bands too some time write me we talk soon ok?' Hmm. Maybe not Pearie.
This is a world without punctuation or parental control or bedtime. One long kiddies party with jelly, lemonade and games. For the kid you always suspected really needed medication, or perhaps who has actually been on it for years.
Regardless of how mannered it might come across as, (and on occasion the vocals and playig are just that bit too artfully off key), it certainly works. Pearie has all but mastered his given form and Real Happiness barely misses a beat, or perhaps an off beat. It's half and hour of the best kind of maverick, teenage ennui. I've heard this record many times before, but I like this record and more than happy to give this a thumbs up, even though I think he's putting it on a bit.
Because ultmimately this is a rather charming narrative. The one where the bloke in Eraserhead gets the girl in the final reel. Where the geeks actually do inherit the earth. This is truly the perfect 2021 soundtrack to all that.
Thursday, June 17, 2021
Covers # 167 Das Racist
Not sure whether this qualifies as a cover or a set of samples. I leave that kind of thing to the kids. Anyhow, I like it. I imagine Jim would too.
Shakey # 24 Get Back to the Country
Neil's ridiculous Eighties continue. He makes what is essentially a Rockabilly album in Everybody's Rockin'. Then becomes a Redneck reactionary Reaganite and makes the utterly laughable Country record Home Ways. There's some decent music on both albums but the sentiments are quite ludicrous and it's difficult to be entirely sure whether he isn't actually just laughing behind his hand. If he isn't, it's slightly concerning because this is some of the corniest stuff you'll ever hear.
Best Ever Albums - Top 1,000 Albums - 970 Bruce Springsteen - Tunnel of Love
It's Bruce isn't it? Therefore, it's pretty good.
This is Uncool - The 500 Greatest Singles Since Punk & Disco # 316 Raze
'Every genre has to have its cheesy bedroom tune.'
Song(s) of the Day # 2,701 Supreme Joy
I'm still deriving great listening pleasure from At George's Zoo, the latest from San Francisco's Cool Ghouls, months down the line from its release. They're a band who seem to innately understand that just because your sound is rooted in the past, in their case the Psychedelic West Coast sound of '67, it doesn't need to be irrelevant or date stamped in any respect.
It's great to be able to listen to another release from their stable in Supreme Joy's debut Joy, released at the end of May. They're a side project from The Ghouls Ryan Wong, cut from he same cloth as his main 9 to 5 but allowing him to explore and innovate on his own terms.
It's a truly lovely album. Recorded in Wong's Denver basement at the height of the American political, Covid and Black Lives Matter unrest last year, it's a testament to the value of glass half full thinking. Predicated in deep love of sparkly Sixties guitar pop music but never mired in the past.
A particular pleasure is Palace of Oranges, whic seems to re-imagine a moment where Gram Parsons and Bobbie Gentry chose to drop out and relocate to Haight Ashbury together. There's plenty else to relish and wallow in here. I only wish I could post more of it but it doesn't seem to be on YouTube yet. In any case, I urge you to hunt the rest down. Joy.... does what it says on the tin.
Wednesday, June 16, 2021
The Boys With the Perpetual Nervousness - Songs From Another Life
Calling yourself after an early Feelies track, (with admittedly, an added 's'), doesn't perhaps show the broadest of career ambitions and intentions. It indicates a certain disposition and approach and The Boys With the Perpetual Nervousness' second album from earlier on this year Songs From Another Life conforms utterly to expectations.
This brings to mind, (or at least to my mind), an immaculately preserved set of 7 inch singles in plastic sleeves in a living room of a hipster whose youth is far behind him now but still has the memories and souvenirs of years spent in dank, Indie venues to fall back on whenever they're required. June Brides, Soup Dragons, Felt and erm Teenage Fanclub. For the template for The Boy With the Perpetual Nervousness first and foremost is Teenage Fanclub. This fact is evident from just three minutes in its company.
Not that there's anything wrong with that, particularly if you like me, have an eternal fondness for the TF worldview. Songs From Another Life doesn't once wander from the path of Byrds devotionalism that the Fannies first laid down with such loving persistance back in the Nineties.
In some ways this approach is desperately,desperately conservative, but the Perpetual Nervousness boys have a knack for this particular suede jacketed jangle and aficionados of this particular artform will not feel short-changed.
Shakey # 23 Transformer Man
Neil signs with David Geffen and makes the hilarious Trans. It's not a record without its merits but it's still hilarious. Whether deliberately or not is still clear.
Best Ever Albums - Top 1,000 Albums - 971 Wishbone Ash - Argus
A Prog album I can for once, get very much behind. My older brother had a copy of this on cassette as I was growing up and I can still happily endorse its twin guitar approach.
This is Uncool - The 500 Greatest Singles Since Punk & Disco # 315 Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds
'a rush of sound that refuses to separate instruments into their usual primary-colour boxes.'
Song(s) of the Day # 2,700 Personal Space
Brooklyn band Personal Space with interesting, spartan indie-isms on their latest record a Lifetime of Leisure. It comes across as springing from a lifestyle, political activist approach to virtually everything. It's dry, minimalist and utterly groomed.
With a sound that seems to owe something to mid-Eighties XTC and is also reminiscent of Dave Grohl's more downbeat early Foo Fighters moments, Lifetime of Leisure sets up its stall immediately sonics wise and then sticks to minor variations of the formula established there from thereon.
In this respect it could also be labelled a Pop Math Rock album. Lacking in warmth but blessed with technique, it's a solid, crafted record.
Tuesday, June 15, 2021
Silver Synthetic - Silver Synthetic
Utterly undemanding. Almost like MOR for the All Tomorrow's Parties set. New Orleans' Silver Synthetic's eponymous debut album rides into town, heads into the saloon and takes its place at the bar alongside the other rocking hombres.
Somewhere between Teenage Fanclub, Kurt Vile, early Kings of Leon and Cosmic Rough Riders, Silver Synthetic is utterly loose and at ease in the saddle. Favouring being laid bad to fully rocking out the record chugs along like the most dependable part of the posse.
There aren't any particular surprises at any point. The record establishes and maintains a melodic and assured cantering groove for itself and keeps it going all the way back to the ranch.
You can't help but feel that Bobby Gillespie, Alan McGee and possibly even 'Whispering' Bob Harris would wholly approve of this. Take it Easy, as someone once advised. By the end of my first listen I had a lovely, warm, inner glow.
Song(s) of the Day # 2,699 John Sharkey III
Rather taking Gothic Country from an album from John Sharkey III called Shoot Out The Cameras.
Monday, June 14, 2021
Shakey # 21 Human Highway
Neil records Comes a Time, his biggest commercial success since Harvest and possibly the happiest record he ever made. He also gets together with Peggi.
Song(s) of the Day # 2,698 St. Lenox
'I'm not a religious man, but I can understand religion...'
Andrew Choi, (St. Lenox's), latest album, Ten Songs of Worship and Praise for our Tumultuous Times is the kind of deeply satisfying personal statement that gives you faith that music will continue to have something to say, no matter what, if you ever doubted it.
It's a fabulously nuanced record. One to dive into and listen to in its entirity, then wind back and listen to again. Owing as much in some ways to the Springsteen and The Band tradition as it does to the more obviously apparent DIY Half Japanese and Sufjan Stevens one, Choi is fabulously engaging company and clearly has plenty to say. Mostly it seems about the constant search for reasons to believe and the urgent need for us all to do so. Particularly now.
Each song presents itself as a short parable of American smalltown life. Choi sets up his stall and unfurls his gloriously ambitious narrative, half spoken, half sung over a shifting, musical backdraft predicated, by glorious, swirling organ. It a wonderful, on occasion almost an overwhelming experience.
The record does have a spiritual , yearning quality, as suggested by its cover. This may not be of a particular demoninational type. Choi's and this record's innate, devotional quality, seem to be fuelled as much by joy of being alive as any particularly, specific religious inspiration. Although there are certain specific references indicating he had a christian upbringing, it's all deeply moving, regardless of whether or not you have a particular personal faith of your own.
Still, whatever it is that fuels the St. Lenox fire, I'm a committed fan now. He's clearly a very good and very gifted man. I fell for this record utterly on first listen, it's one of the most individualised and fascinating albums I've heard this year and I'll be back again and again over future weeks and months to drink from its font. Fabulous, fabulous record! Praise your lord of choice.
Sunday, June 13, 2021
Albums of the Year - 1985
Probably one of the key years of my life. The one I went on a gap year six months in Switzerland and on to university. Here's the Best Ever Albums list for 1985:
1. Kate Bush - The Hounds of Love
2. Tom Waits - Rain Dogs
3. Dire Straits - Brothers in Arms
4. The Smiths - Meat is Murder
5. The Jesus & Mary Chain - Psychocandy
6. The Cure - The Head on the Door
7. Tears For Fears - Songs From the Big Chair
8. The Replacements - Tim
9. New Order - Low-Life
10. Prefab Sprout - Steve McQueen
And here is mine. Just from records I own myself. Seems like a pretty fine, year for music for me.
1. Prefab Sprout - Steve McQueen
2. R.E.M. - Fables of the Reconstruction
3. The Pogues - Rum, Sodomy & the Lash
4. Tom Waits - Rain Dogs
5. The Smiths - Meat is Murder
6. Dexys Midnight Runners - Don't Stand Me Down
7. The Jesus & Mary Chain - Psychocandy
8. Suzanne Vega - Suzanne Vega
9. Meat Puppets - Up on the Sun
10. Prince & The Revolution - Around the World in a Day
11. Propaganda - A Secret Wish
12. Husker Du - Flip Your Wig
13. Green on Red - Gas, Food & Lodging
14. Big Audio Dynamite - This is Big Audio Dynamite
15. Lone Justice - Lone Justice
Shakey # 20 Barstool Blues
Missed out on my reading of Shakey yesterday as I went out for a long walk.
Frank 'Pancho' Sampredo joins The Horse and brings back some fun to their table. They record Zuma and Like a Hurricane together and tour then Neil dumps them for C,S,N&Y.
Neil Young. 'I played Zuma for Carole King. 'I told her we'd really been working hard at it and we'd got something good - a real record. She just listened to it and said, 'Neil, why don't you make a real record? She was...nice about it.'
Best Ever Albums - Top 1,000 Albums - 974 Frank Zappa - Apostrophe(')
Zappa. Pretty much the one major artist I don't really get on with on any level. This is a fellow mellow example of what he does. But I still didn't get very far.
This is Uncool - The 500 Greatest Singles Since Punk & Disco # 312 Prefab Sprout
'Girls & Cars evil twin.'
Saturday, June 12, 2021
Friday, June 11, 2021
Sleater-Kinney - Path of Wellness
I've had some good times with Sleater-Kinney over the years. Mostly in the early part of this century when I first saw them on Italian television while I was in Catania, Sicily, by chance, playing You're No Rock and Roll Fun, still my favourite song of theirs. It feels like a novelty song in some ways, but the best possible ways. Most of all, it's the sound of three people doing exactly that. Having some Rock and Roll Fun.
Twenty years on they've parted company and come back together and started makeing records again. Crucially, they've also lost a member, drummer Janet Weiss, who left in 2019, apparently because of the long cited, 'musical differences'. This leaves them with their core, Corin Tucker and Carrie Brownstein. Their latest album Path of Wellness, is just out.
It doesn't really sound like 'Rock and Roll Fun', particularly. Why should it? They're almost thirty years down the line now. Path of Wellness sounds like a well written, well played and well produced Rock record, trying to make sense of a world that seems increasingly difficult to make sense of. It has the customary Sleater-Kinney howls, shrieks and yelps of indignation. It has some hooks that you might be able to tease something more out on repeated plays. But on my first play through of this, I'm not sure I really want to do so.
Because, first and foremost, it's not much fun. It's rather earnest and worthy. Sleater-Kinney were always serious, they always had plenty to say, and plenty of ideas and sounds worth investigating. But this seems a bit strained somehow, like a long and difficult looking reading list for a university seminar course. Like a book you feel you ought to read, rather than one you particularly wish to. I'll give it a couple more plays to see if it works its spell on me. I like this lot but I'm not sure, for me at least, that Path of Wellness is a keeper. In the words of that song, it feels like 'a piece of art that no-one can touch.'
Shakey # 19 Separate Ways
More hard times. The horrific sounding 1974, Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young tour. Neil splits with Carrie Snodgrass, his long time partner, and mother to his son Zeke. He records Homegrown, one of his most personal and heartfelt album. It isn't officially released for many years. Decades in fact. Probably for this reason. It's certainly a very good record.
Best Ever Albums - Top 1,000 Albums - 976 Mercury Rev -Yerself Is Steam
A quite bonkers record but a very good one, and one I own. Before David Baker left the band and they went on to unexpected but wholly deserved commercial as well as critical success.
This is Uncool - The 500 Greatest Singles Since Punk & Disco # 310 House of Love
'(Guy Chadwick), had one of the least fashionable sounds. But never mind, because The House of Love made throwback classics and provided further proof that Creation was on the verge of living up to Aan McGee's brags and boasts.'
Song of the Day # 2,695 Biig Piig
Very interesed in hearing more Biig Piig, if this is anything to go by.
Thursday, June 10, 2021
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