Thursday 30 April 2015

Wide Awake



Does anyone remember The Twang? I'm sure they were tipped to be the next big thing by the NME long after that magazine ceased to be relevant but I digress. I bought the first few singles, went to see them at the QM in Glasgow which kind of put me off them, L on the other hand loved them. Up until last week I had forgotten all about them. It appears that they are still going and released their forth album last year. Here is the first single which I still really quite like.

The Twang - Wide Awake

Wednesday 29 April 2015

Turn Into



I think the consensus over at SA's the other week was that Maps was the best thing that Yeah, Yeah, Yeahs had done but it was by no means the only good thing that Karen, Nick and Brian had done. Here is one that I particularly like from the band's second album and as a bonus when you bought it you got a rather good live version of Maps on the flip side.

Yeah Yeah Yeahs - Turn Into

Yeah Yeah Yeah's - Maps (Live Roseland Ballroom 02-05-2006)

Tuesday 28 April 2015

Jump Up And Down And Stomp Your Feet



Daytoner is a producer from the West Country in the UK, known to his friends as Steven Cantrill. He makes quality funk, soul and breaks in his shed in Cornwall enlisting the help of a group of mates. Little Wonder was his first single released in 2009 on Wack Records and it is as funky as fuck.  If you like what you hear, there is plenty more gret tunes on his first album, Sunburst Radio, available here.

Daytoner - Little Wonder

Monday 27 April 2015

My Northern Top Fifty 50 - 46.



This post was inspired by Marie's recent postings over at the sadly closed Spreadin' Some Rhythm Around,  I say inspired what I really mean is stolen but then slightly changed as mine's is a top fifty not forty. The added tunes weren't intentional it was just that I couldn't whittle my favourites down any further, When I plagiarised the idea I decided that I would only include songs that I had on vinyl, restrcting it further to singles only and was going to take the further step to only include original singles but by doing so I would probably not have been able to come up with 40 as a lot of my "northern" singles are either re-issues or pressings. I decided to just pull out of the two boxes, around 400 singles, the best ones and then whittle it down from there. After this initial exercise I had just shy of a hundred singles piled up on the floor.

And then the fun began.

All the records had to be played sometimes two or three times then pitted against others, with the record then going into one of three piles, stick-ons, mibbie's and just not quite good enough. Eventually after a lot of hardship,  having to endure listening to a lot of sweet soul  music I eventually had fifty.

I'm not going to be foolish to say this is my definitive 50 favourite northern soul tracks as next week if I were to try and compile it again a few would be replaced but the top twenty, which we will get to eventually would not change, well not much anyway

So here is the first batch

50. Timi Yuro - It Will Never Be Over For You

Very classy blue eyed soul from the Italian-American singer. One of the great last records of the night. It was strangely for a northern soul in demand record only ever released in the UK.

49. Barbara Randolph - I Got A Feeling.

Mega upbeat feel good tune and one of only two Randolph released for the Motown subsiduary Soul.

48. Booker T and The MGs - My  Sweet Potato

A lovely quite laid back piece of instrumental soul released on Stax in 1966.

47 The Voices of East Harlem - Cashing In

A Blackpool Mecca favourite that was a current release when Ian Levine first spun it in the Highland Room in 1973.

46. Martha Reeves - No One There

I've loved this track since I first heard it on the Tamla Motown Connoisseurs cd that came out back at the turn of the century. An early 70s single which for some strange reason did absolutely nothing at the time. The song was written and produced by Johnny Bristol.


Sunday 26 April 2015

Mellow Sunday



I first heard this track when it was included Cat Power's second album of cover versions, Jukebox. IT was one of two songs that really stood out for me, the other being Song To Bobby. So I had to find out who did the originals and after a quick search on the internet search I discovered that the original of Aretha, Sing One For Me was by George Jackson and released on the Memphis label Hi in 1972.

Enjoy

George Jackson - Aretha, Sing One For Me

Cat Power - Aretha, Sing One For Me (Black session)

Friday 24 April 2015

It's Friday . . . Let's Dance



Unfortunately I'm no longer on the 45. This was going through my head yesterday for some reason. People will tell you that the original is where it's at but for me the fat boy elevates the song from an alright indie track to an absolute belter.

Have a good weekend people.

Cornershop - Brimful of Asha (Norman Cook mix)

Wednesday 22 April 2015

Beginners



On Valentine's night I took L to see Slow Club at the Pleasance in Edinburgh, I really am an old romantic. I was slightly apprehensive as I had loved Complete Surrender so much I was worried that live the tracks may lose something and I would leave pissed off. I need not have worried,  it was one of the best gig going experiences I have had of the last few years. I found myself getting carried away and actually singing out loud on more than one occasion.  That only usually happens when Roddy Frame plays either The Boy Wonders, Birth Of The True or Down The Dip. Anyway, the whole set was absolutely wonderful and nine of the eleven tracks from Complete Control were played  with an absolutely exquisite (not a word I would normally use but I can't think of a better one) acoustic rendition of  The Pieces being a particular highlight and also the song posted from the previous album Paradise.

Slow Club - Beginners (Live WNCY)

Tuesday 21 April 2015

Melanie De Biasio



Sometime last year while listening to Gilles Peterson he played a tune by someone that I had never heard of before which stopped me in my tracks. I found out it was by Melanie De Biasio, I was still none the wiser and so consulted the oracle, apparently she was a a Belgian jazz singer and the track came from her first album The Flow released in 2013. The album was duly bought, played a couple of times and then forgotten, not because it wasn't any good but Complete Surrender arrived and took up residency on the turntable.

At the beginning of the year, again courtesy of Gilles Peterson I learned that a remix version of the album was going to be released instigated by Peterson who also remixes one of the tracks. This was also purchased and has caused quite a bit of stylus deterioration over the past couple of months. On the sleeve notes Peterson states that the original album was remix friendly due to it's minimalism and who am I to disagree. What I do know is that the subsequent album is absolutely stunning, the remixes complement the original recording perfectly.

Melanie De Biasio - The Flow (Hex Mix)

Monday 20 April 2015

Good Lovin' Man



Delores Hall is probably best known, if known at all for being part if the original cast of the hippie musical Hair or for her part in the first two series of Diagnosis:Murder. However prior to this she released this excellent piece of funky soul in 1967. As is often the case this is the flip side, the other side W-O-M-A-N is a very good tune but this one just shaves it for me.

Delores Hall - Good Lovin' Man

Sunday 19 April 2015

Mellow Sunday






This is an absolutely beautiful rendition of the Ewen MacColl classic by James Lavelle featuring the vocal talents of Keaton Henson. The gloss is taken off of the recording somewhat by the terrible pressing of the record, I bought this from new from the UNKLE website and ripped it on the second play, however you will hear the background noise all the way through. I sent it back and a replacement was dispatched which is exactly the same such a pity but I noticed on Discogs that copies are going for north of forty quid!

The record was released and available originally at the UNKLE gig at the Meltdown festival in June last year which Lavelle curated.

UNKLE - The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face

Friday 17 April 2015

It's Friday . . . Let's Dance



I was never a big fan of Florence or her machine. I thought that the first single, Kiss With A Fist was a good song, better than most of the guff about at the time, well good enough to buy on 7" single and then pre-order the follow-up Dog Days Are Over. However I think that my view of Ms Welch went down hill rapidly when I listened to the b-side of that second single, what a fucking travesty, how dare she, who the fuck did she think she was were just a few of the things that went through my head in the just under three minutes of possibly the worst cover this side of Michael Bolton's Dock Of The Bay. So why I bought the 12", A Lot Of Blood A Lot Of Love escapes me at the moment  especially as I had three of the four track on the brace of sevens. It was probably due to the words Optimo and Espacio being mentioned as I have always rated Twitch and Wilkes as Dj's and producers. And they didn't disappoint with what is a cracking throbbing mix with minimum Florence and not much machine unless you count the synths. This is still a bit of vinyl that gets time on the turntable quite often but this record is where me and Florence parted company. L bought the cd of the first album which I think I listened to out of courtesy but apart from the two songs released as the first two singles the rest left me cold.

This weekend I will be watching the Diamonds but unfortunately I think that a play off place me be just out with our grasp, still as long as we finish above Dunfermline I will be happy. Then it's off to see Airborne Toxic Event at the Garage in Glasgow, I haven't bought the latest album yet so the new stuff will be new.

Have a good weekend people.

Florence and the Machine - Dog Days Are Over (An Optimo (Espacio) mix)

Thursday 16 April 2015

Not Another Bloody Fall Cover?



Afraid so.

This time it's the turn of the Monks, the American GIs based in Germany in the mid sixties who have their garage rock sound fallified. Higgle-Dy Piggle-Dy was released in Germany as a split single with Alec Empire covering Monk Time on the flip. Both tracks were part of a CD compilation tribute album to the band called Silver Monk Time.

The Fall - Higgle-Dy Piggle-Dy

Wednesday 15 April 2015

Good Looking Records



There are some record labels that produce beautiful, eye catching records with great covers such as Song By Toad, and the Great Pop Supplement to name just two from which I have recently played records inspiring this post. I know it should be all about the music and with both of these labels the music in no way takes a lower priority to the aesthetics but it is a bit of a buzz when you get something home and put it on the turntable and it looks as good as it sounds and is wrapped in something that has obviously taken time to be lovingly created.


As an example of this take the 100th release on the Great Pop Supplement which was a split 7" with Spectrum, Spacemen 3 and MGMT, the link being Peter Kember (Sonic Boom) was a member of both Spacemen 3 and Spectrum and produced MGMT's second album, Congratulations. The record is pressed on translucent green vinyl housed within a psychedelic hexagonal fold out card sleeve which really is very cool.  It was originally released in 2013 but only 200 of the 1000 pressed  went into circulation as there were legal problems surrounding the leasing of the MGMT track, the final 800 were eventually made available in November of last year. I have to admit that it is a pleasure to open unfold the cover and place this on the turntable just as it is to put on the beautiful clear vinyl Le Thug Place Is ep. If that makes me a saddoe then I will wear that badge proudly.

Spectrum - Bo's Web (demo)

Update 

After Artog's comments I have spent more time than I should have this morning trying to re-fold the thing correctly and eventually,  success!


Tuesday 14 April 2015

Give Me A Little More Time



While searching the lost indies twelves cupboard I came across a single by Gabrielle which I forgot I had, not sure why it had been filed in there. I loved this piece of retro soul at the time and playing it again for the first time in years I haven't changed my view that this was a great track. I was surprised that it was released in 1996 as I would have placed it a few years earlier round 1992/93. There are a couple of remixes on the 12" single from Buckwild and Talvin Singh which are not without merit and a further record with mixes aimed squarely at the dancefloor from David Morales but the album mix is the one for me.

Gabrielle - Give Me A Little More Time

Monday 13 April 2015

I've Got To Break Away



Here is a cracking bit of early 70s New York Soul from Baby Washington. Her first single as a solo singer was released some 17 years previously. During her career she has recorded for various labels including Cotillion, Sue and Master Five, on which this single was released in 1973. Justine Washington, as she was christened last appeared in the UK in 2004 when she performed at the Prestatyn Soul Weekender.

Baby Washington - I've Got To Break Away

Sunday 12 April 2015

Mellow Sunday



This is not for download as it is new and available here. Another lovely piece of vinyl from Michael Head and friends.

The Red Elastic Band - Velvets In The Dark

Thursday 9 April 2015

Sweetest Child



A few weeks ago Brian posted I'm Gonna Soothe You from Maria McKee's second album over at Linear Tracking Lives and his revelation that that album was the only one that he had by McKee prompted a few comments pointing him to various other high points in the singer's repertoire as a solo artist and also with her previous band Lone Justice. All this discussion brought back memories of a collaboration in the early nineties with Youth and Throb from Primal Scream,  sending me on a quest to the cupboard of lost indie twelves. After a bit of searching and a good clean I put it on. It hasn't dated all that well although McKee's voice and Young's guitar are great, it's mainly the production very 1992 and reminded me of Zoe's Sunshine On A Rainy Day also produced by Youth a couple of years prior to Sweetest Child. On the flip there is a really horrible "Celtic Moon mix" which is best avoided. Probably not in anybody's Top Ten Maria McKee recordings but not too bad. I think I remember reading somewhere  that she was living in either the UK or Ireland when this recording was made.

Sweetest Child - Sweetest Child (Extended mix)

Wednesday 8 April 2015

New To Me



I heard this the other day and decided to investigate a little further and it appears that I'm a bit late to the party as the band have been going in one form or another since 2008 and were signed by Eddie Pillar to Acid Jazz a couple of years ago. This track was released as a single early last month. The dancer in the video will be familiar. I love it, it's good to see that a new generation are taking northern soul influences and creating something, if not totally new at least refreshingly different from most of the pish around at the moment.

Tuesday 7 April 2015

You Just Don't Know



Here is the Ty Karim track that I wanted to post a couple of weeks back.  This track was originally released on the Romark label started by Kent Harris who was also Karim's manager. An original copy of the single would set you back more than three grand. If you like what you hear there is an excellent compilation of all of Karim's output released by Ace which can be purchased here. Karim is another soul singer who was taken before her time when she succumbed to breast cancer in 1983.

Ty Karim - You Just Don't Know

Monday 6 April 2015

Thirty Years On



The boys in George Square  in Glasgow on Saturday. Max enjoyed it but you wouldn't get that impression from the photo.

Elvis Costello & The Attractions - (What's So Funny 'Bout) Peace,  Love and Understanding

Sunday 5 April 2015

Mellow Sunday




Eddie Hinton is hitting all the right spots at the moment.

btw if you like a bit of northern soul you should check out Marie's new site here

Eddie Hinton - What Would I Do Without You.

Friday 3 April 2015

It's Friday . . . Let's Dance



Back to Glasgow's finest and most consistent purveyors of quality techno and a release from three years on Soma's sub label Paragraph. The duo have quietly gone about their business and released 12 singles on the label since 2008 all of which are on a par with the one posted, if you haven't heard these I suggest that you take some time out and explore some of these.

This weekend I will be taking Max on his first anti-Trident march tomorrow in Glasgow, sadly my first was thirty one years ago!

Have a good weekend people.

Slam - Chasing Shadows 

Thursday 2 April 2015

The Spirit of Strummer and Jones



At the weekend I decided it was time to reacquaint myself with the Airborne Toxic Event as it had been a while since I listened to them and with a new album and Glasgow gig in the next month it was about time. I decided to start with the second album, All At Once, in the past I have always reached for the debut but the follow up was the first to be pulled from the box. From the opening bars of the first some I had a feeling that this reminded me of someone but it wasn't until just after the four minute mark that it all fell into place, maybe it's just me but I think that Strummer and Jones had more than a passing influence on Mikel Jollett when he wrote this track..

Airborne Toxic Event - All At Once

Wednesday 1 April 2015

Ridiculously Talented Trio



Another of the great gigs I attended during my recent absence from blogging was Kitty, Daisy and
Lewis at Oran Mor in Glasgow. All I've got to say is that these siblings have way more talent than a couple of generations of any family deserves never mind within the same brood and when you add in their parents it would make you want to boke (throw up) if the music they made was not so damned good. The music changed from out and out Rock and Roll to R&B then Ska with the three switching instruments and vocal duties throughout. Honourable mention goes to Kitty's harmonica playing, I would like to test that girl's lung capacity as I bet it would exceed all normal ranges for someone of her age and stature!

Here is a track I found particularly good that night although there wasn't a song that I didn't enjoy immensely.

Kitty, Daisy and Lewis -I'm So Sorry