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.....
"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!"
What You Gonna Do On The Judgement Day? by Prince Far-I & Suns of Arqa -
Hangin'On by Vivian Withers -
I Am A Madman by Lee Perry -
"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!)
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."
Little Miss Sweetness by The Isley Brothers- "Not too much to say about Tamla's most soulful vocal group (probably), here's one of their later tracks from the 1967 'Soul on the Rocks' album which also snuck out as a beeside to 'Put Yourself In My Place' in August 1969. A great track!!!
"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...."
Will The Wolf Survive? by Los Lobos- "No solo otra banda del este de L.A."
Guacamole by The Texas Tornados - "El doble sentido!"
Cuando me Enamoro by The Mavericks - "Raul Malo ha sido comparado con Roy Orbison... ahora comparelo con Andrea Bocelli."
"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."
"My 3......"
Shang-a-Lang by The Bay City Rollers - "Written by the very brilliant Phil Coulter who wrote songs recorded by Elvis & The Dubliners, as well as the very memorable ‘Back Home’ for the England World Cup squad. While the Rollers were sited as a big influence on the Ramones and also what Malcolm McLaren had in mind when he put together the Sex Pistols."
Scorn Not performed by The Dubliners - "Phil Coulter had a child with Down Syndrome and wrote this wonderful song about the condition."
My Boy performed by Elvis Presley -
"Hi to all RPMers............hope you're keeping safe. Here's a selection of what I've been listening to this week....."
Twenty Four Hours by Joy Division - "I'm currently reading Peter Hook's book about his life as a member of Joy Division. Consequently 'Unknown Pleasures', 'Closer' and 'Substance' have all had quite a few plays...."
Mary by Marketa Irglova - "I discovered Marketa Irglova via the film 'Once' - highly recommended."
Heaven by The Psychedelic Furs - "From their 'Mirror Moves' LP - one of the many albums shortlisted for last week's eighties theme...."
"I couldn’t let what would have been John Lennon’s 80th birthday slip by without a track featuring him............."
Don't Let Me Down by The Beatles - "........one of his last songs as a Beatle."
Peaceful performed by Helen Reddy - "I heard on the radio that Helen Reddy had died. An Australian with a lovely voice. I remember her being a guest on TV shows quite a bit in the 70s . Here’s one of her famous hits..........."
You’ll Never Walk Alone performed by Barbra Streisand - "I’ve been watching Barbra's concert, Back in Brooklyn. She’s got the audience under her charm – playing her ‘I am a Brooklyn Girl’. Card - even though she hadn’t set foot there in over 30 years! That’s why I love New Yorkers. This is for all of them. This heartfelt rendition was from the 2001 Emmy awards ( a few months after 9/11)."
"Hi RPMers.........enjoyed your classic 80’s picks last week . Here’s my 3 of the week..........."
The Red Telephone by Love -
Goodnight Moon by Shivaree -
Black Coffee by Humble Pie -
"I’m feeling folky and today there’s a common theme. Hope you are all OK........."
St Ninian’s Isle by Fairport Convention -
Shetland Set by Aly Bain and Jerry Douglas -
Shetland Reels Set by Nigel Gatherer and Sam Gifford -
"Best wishes to all RPM friends. I trust you’ve had a good week, here’s to another one....."
The Announcement by Half Man Half Biscuit -
Sound and Color by Alabama Shakes -
Medicine by Rising Appalachia -
"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..........."
Running On Faith by Eric Clapton (from Journeyman, 1989) - "This album is stuffed with tracks that heralded a return to form for Eric after some really below-par stuff when he was under the influence of all sorts - "There's One In Every Crowd" being a particular low point for me - I even tried to get my money back from Robins Records I was so disappointed with it. Needless to say they didn't do swaps."
Heart Full of Soul performed by Chris Isaak (from eponymous 1986 album) - "This links quite nicely with ex-Yardbird Clapton."
Fortune Teller by Benny Spellman (Minit 1962) -
"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)
I Done Died by Chris Rodrigues & Abby the Spoon Lady -
Longshot by Megson -
"After last week's 80s fest, it's back to normal service..........3 top faves from the turntable......"
Lucifer Sam performed by Nick Mason's Saucerful of Secrets - "As I was reading Nick Mason's Pink Floyd memoir a few weeks ago, his Saucerful of Secrets band's live LP was released.....and it's brilliant! He decided to put a band together to play early Floyd songs which haven't seen the light of day for ages......if at all. Saw them when they stopped off at Cambridge last year....one of the best gigs of the year.....and at last here's the audio document. These songs sound so fresh and alive......here's one of my top numbers."
Mystery Train performed by Elvis Presley with Scotty and Bill - " Currently reading Scotty and Elvis: Aboard the Mystery Train, Scotty Moore's book about life on the road with Elvis.....so, dug out the Elvis at Sun LP to listen to those early tracks which he writes about working out and recording. Interesting stuff. This song is just the best."
Humboldt Currant by Ozric Tentacles - " At last, a new Ozrics recording! Space For The Earth is more psychedelic dance-grooved ethno-rock meanderings from a band in a genre of one. Over the years their song (a term used in the loosest sense, as their music is instrumental in nature) titles have amused and amazed in their humorous ingenuity and abstract complexity..........the Humbodlt Current, also called the Peru Current, is a cold, low-salinity ocean current that flows north along the western coast of South America..........I presume a Humbodlt Currant is a low salinity dried grape.........anyway, get out the strobes from under the stairs, turn out the house lights and with arms held akimbo, spin around in blissed out hippy transcendence.....or summint."