Welcome once more to the RPM Seven Day Soundtrack, the place where you get to hear what RPMers have been listening to over the past 7 days. Let's get going....and over to.....

Nina -

"Had these all sorted out for last week, then totally forgot to send them - doh!......Been listening to a lot of reggae recently. I've chosen 3 from Trojan records 80s LPs, which I think kinda speak for themselves; enjoy!"

Alan -

"It's been a strange week (musically) really. A couple of CD's of esoteric music from places as far flung as Iran, Peru, Brazil and Africa have provided great listening whilst taking the occasional trip to the coast or for click 'n collect. At home, Tamla Motown has been providing the 'blue blanket' warmth required during what seems like a return to the very worst of times.........Keep safe and take all the precautions necessary to safeguard everyone you come into contact with in your everyday life. So, without further ado, here's my three choices for this week....................."

Panis et Circenses by Os Mutantes - "Brazil's finest 'Tropicalismo' band and, because of this, the Brazilian Government exiled them to London!! Their crime, under the notorious AI1 Act? That they dared to play electric instruments at a respected 'folk music' festival, mocked the Government and the establishment in general was deemed sufficient to ban them from their own country! Of course, as the Government at that moment was just the latest in a long line of Fascist Junta's, each one more dictatorial than the last, it was always going to end in tears. Selected for you from their self titled 1968 album is the opening track whose title translates as 'Bread and Circuses' (hands up if you speak Portugese?) and counterpoints the ever increasing desperation of the vocalist with the blase outlook of Brazil's elite who were only 'occupied with being born and with dying'. Of course, outside in the 'favela's' the poor were more occupied with where their next meal was coming from! Arranger Rogerio Duprat's use of brass and the 'Blue Danube' as a counterpoint to the sound of clinking glasses and dishes is at odds to the songs overall (almost) Mama's and Papa's harmonies* and creates an unsettling mood which probably reflects the fact that rioting in the streets outside the studio was an almost daily occurrence. Such was the band's status that they have been cited as influences by Kurt Cobain, Stereolab, L7, Redd Kross and, in particular, David Byrne of Talking Heads who compiled the CD I possess."

(* In fact, the band covers the M&P's 'Once was a time I thought' as 'Tempo no Tempo' on the album!)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ETqMNQw-a9M

Bat Macumba by Garotos Suecos - "Previous to Covid 19, the band were packing them in at all Sao Paolo's fleapits. Here's perhaps the closest current outfit to Os Mutantes with a fantastic cover of the Mutantes most 'famous' recording (well, perhaps?). Classed variously (according to whichever snippet of info you can find) as a punk, indie or psychedelic band since their inception in 2005, here it's the latter that is to the fore. The track was issued as a free download when the band played the SESC Ipiranga Complex in April 2012. Not a lot more info easily available but they have had several albums released, some of which were available through Juno."

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vHZqSt0jBag

Philip -

"Buenas Tardes..............When I was in the supermarket the other day, I noticed the trolley of the woman in front of me contained tortillas, paellas, and a poncho. I said "I know what this is- it's Hispanic buying." (....awarded best joke of the week in my book, Tim) Speaking of which...."

"By the way, I read the other day that two of the musicians who work with The Mavericks were eating in a restaurant a week or so ago when they were attacked. What had they done to provoke this attack? They had been speaking Spanish. As Curtis Mayfield once said "There's no place like America today."

Los mejores deseos para todo los RPMers."

Morra -

"My 3......"

John -

"Hi to all RPMers............hope you're keeping safe. Here's a selection of what I've been listening to this week....."

Jean -

"I couldn’t let what would have been John Lennon’s 80^th birthday slip by without a track featuring him............."

Dave -

"Hi RPMers.........enjoyed your classic 80’s picks last week . Here’s my 3 of the week..........."

Piers -

"I’m feeling folky and today there’s a common theme. Hope you are all OK........."

Jayne -

"Best wishes to all RPM friends. I trust you’ve had a good week, here’s to another one....."

Tony -

"My first two tracks made the shortlist for 80's album tracks last time but didn't make the cut (only because of being limited to 3 tracks).

This week I've been revisiting a small box set of recordings made under Joe Banashak's Instant and Minit labels in New Orleans. So my third track is from the Minit label. Joe set this label up in the late 50's after working with Capitol, Imperial, Specialty and other labels in various guises. In 1959 they held auditions supervised by a stand-in pianist called Allen Toussaint and those present included Allen Orange, Benny Spellman, Irma Thomas, Aaron Neville, Joe Tex, Larry Williams, Jessie Hill, Wilbert Smith and Ernie Kador (K-Doe). Not a bad line-up of potential talent! I'll maybe pick a few more for my selections next time..........."

Nina -

"Hope everyone's well & not tiering up.......Gotta dash, Megson are playing soon online, so 3 choices, no chat."

("...hold on a sec.....before saying, "Nina's had 3 already", here's what happened; as explained above, Nina forgot to send her 80s songs on time. I saw them late Saturday, by which time I thought a lot of RPMers will have listened to the 7DS and will therefore possibly miss Nina's songs if I added them late. I held them over for this week....Nina also saying if too late, use them for her choices next time. Then, as I'm putting this all together, I notice Nina has just sent choices for this time, possibly thinking her reggae selection has been ditched(?)....which wasn't the case. I probably won't be this generous again...........Tim)

Tim -

"After last week's 80s fest, it's back to normal service..........3 top faves from the turntable......"