Welcome to the RPM Seven Day Soundtrack, week ending Friday 15th October 2021...with an advance warning: Morra is back!!...but with no (gratuitous) swearing........let's get going. Over to...
"I trust that all RPMers are remaining safe and well and already looking forward to the exciting events planned for "Festival '22," which as you know is to celebrate the centenary of T.S. Eliot's epic poem "The Waste Land."
Meanwhile I have noticed that right here in 2021 there is a young British rocker who is actually worth listening to.... I Know! Who'da thunk it?
Hearing and being impressed by his new album sent me back to listen to his two most openly acknowledged influences, as follows...Best wishes everyone."
Lover, You Should Have Come Over by Jeff Buckley -
Badlands by Bruce Springsteen -
Spit of You by Sam Fender - "Even if you are unimpressed by the music, you've gotta be impressed by the fact he got Stephen Graham in his video!"
"Hello RPMers...Here are three tunes my ears have had the good fortune to be in the vicinity of in the past seven days."
Everdance by Curved Air - "I saw Curved Air twice at Norwich St. Andrews Hall in the early Seventies and again a couple of years ago at The Waterfront Studio - excellent every time. They also appeared at The Weeley Festival in 1971 but, even though I was there, I don't remember seeing them. They're still going strong and if you're not doing anything on the 22nd of March next year, you can pop over to Rio de Janeiro and see them there!"
What's Going On by Marvin Gaye - "Timeless, moving and relevant."
Wooden Ships/Dhama for One by The Ides Of March - "Mash-Up or Medley? Who cares when the source material comes from Crosby, Stills & Nash and Jethro Tull. And, for trivia fans, both original versions come from the debut albums of the bands in question and in each case they were Track One, Side Two. Now, where did I put my anorak....?"
"Here's my random 3 for this week. Just back from a nice few days in Kessingland. The weather was very kind - hardly any rain. Wondering if anybody else is interested in Jean's suggestion to meet up - it's been a while and would be nice to maybe have a drink and a chat with anybody that could make it..." (Sounds like a nice idea...leave it with RPM's eastern comrades. Tim.)
Travelling Soldier by The Dixie Chicks -
"This week I mentioned to a friend that Jayne and I have had a fairly impressive harvest of chillies this year, including Ghost Chillies which are weird. They taste nice and sweet; the burn only hits after a minute or two. I also mentioned that, almost every day I have a burrito for breakfast. The combined contents vary; avocado, tomato, mushrooms, but very rarely do I have beans in it but always cheese, chilli and chipotle paste. From her reaction I think that she was horrified by the concept…
You may find this equally horrifying."
Yum Yum Breakfast Burrito by Parry Gripp -
"I was reminded recently of the oeuvre of Ernie Ford. I first came across his music in the late 1950s via a ten inch, Microgroove, Long Player which included ’16 tons’ Dark as a Dungeon, Chicken Road, amongst it’s tracks) that came second hand from a stall on Southend’s ‘York Road Market’. What I hadn’t realised until recently was that that TEF had an earlier career playing up beat boogie, and western swing, which was hugely influential to younger rockabilly players. He included these two rather whizzy players (who were influential in their own right) in his backing band…"
Stratosphere Boogie by Jimmy Bryant and Speedy West -
"And something rather groovy…"
Occupy by Rising Appalachia -
"Oh you are aweful...my 3."
Chainmail Love (When Knight turns to Gay) from Operation Good Guys -
Trad Tunes performed by The Chieftains - "RIP Paddy Maloney."
"Hi ya all, hope you have had a fulfilling week of music listening. Here’s my 3."
The Rat by The Walkman -
Baby by Imperial Teen -
Computer Face / / Pure Being by Flying Lotus -
"I first saw The Waterboys about 15 years ago and it is one of my most memorable gigs. We saw them in York last week and they are still an excellent live band; Mike Scott always puts on a great show.
So here's my Waterboys extravaganza plus a bonus."
When You go Away -
Bonus Track -
Ladbroke Grove Symphony - "This reminds me off going to my old London head office, which was just off the Portobello Road..."
"Hope you're all well. No links this week, just tunes. Take care & stay safe. Cheers!"
Pixies - Gouge Away (Live at Brixton 1991) - "Back when Frank Black could sing..
Kim is her usual, amazingly luminous self."
Red Eyes (Live) by War on Drugs - "Lengthy, but worth it in my opinion - fuzzy, soaring gorgeousness. Luv the sax bridge, and the pudgy Dave Grohl-alike drummer with his, ahem "interesting" facial expression/gurning."
Coming in Hot by Andy Mineo & Lecrae - "Change of pace for me, don't usually listen to rap & its ilk, but quite like it & very funky dance routine. Music stops at 4 minutes, rest of the video is filler."
"Three familiar names from the Watson vinyl vaults, with two of the tracks that will (hopefully) not be quite so familiar. Hall and Palmer are/ were blessed with excellent voices whilst Dennis Wilson, probably thanks to his 'extravagant' lifestyle, had developed a vocal style akin to Tom Waits and early solo Lennon. Enjoy..."
Johnny and Mary by Robert Palmer - (12" single released August 1980. Island label. Taken from 'Clues' album.)
"Hard working Yorkshireman Robert served his apprenticeship in the Leeds area Working Mens Clubs and local band The Mandrakes before joining The Alan Bown Set (whose debut album's vocals had to be rerecorded when Palmer took over from Jess Roden just prior to its release), Dada and Vinegar Joe and, ultimately, signing a solo deal with Island Records. His early solo outings were heavily influenced by the funk of Little Feat and the Meters but, in 1978 he began recording in Barbados and quickly developed a more relaxed Caribbean style which garnered some chart success. There was a brief interlude with 'rawk' in 1980 on the 'Secrets' album before he returned to his previous sound, this time with added synths to give it a more 'synth pop' ambience, perhaps 'thanks' to the presence of Harry Human of Subway Farming?. On its release, 'Johnny and Mary' was immediately picked up by Renault for advertising purposes and the song remained a constant feature in various forms throughout the next two decades before it returned earlier this year with yet another cover version. Addictive as House Harkonnen Spice........ I'll still be humming this next Saturday!!!!!"
Something in 4/4 Time by Daryl Hall - (taken from 'Sacred Songs' album released March 1980. RCA label)
"The 'Sacred Songs' album probably deserves an in-depth groan-a-thon from me but I'll spare you (most of) that dubious pleasure on this occasion!! Suffice to say that a musically frustrated Hall had embarked on his first solo album in August 1977 with Robert Fripp adding guitar and occupying the producer's chair. Hall composed all but two of the tracks, with Fripp co-comping those, and the songs were initially recorded with Hall on vocals and piano and Fripp on guitar before being overdubbed with the regular H&O live band. The label had anticipated an all star LA session men back-up to the songs and, when they heard Hall's offering they immediately shelved the whole album as 'uncommercial'. Hall, Fripp and their cohorts then began a campaign to secure the albums release which saw Hall refusing to countenance any new H&O tracks and, additionally, Fripp and Peter Gabriel included some of Hall's compositions on their concurrent recordings. In fact, Hall actually recorded vocals for some of those songs as part of Fripps solo 'Exposure' album. To further increase pressure on RCA Fripp and Hall surreptitiously supplied some of music's most respected reviewers with bootleg copies of the album and this, backed up by a fan led letter writing campaign, probably pressured RCA to release the tracks in their original form. In return, Hall was forced to have most of his vocals removed from Fripps original mix of the 'Exposure' album. Fripp opined some years later that RCA's delayed release of 'Sacred Songs' had denied Hall from being recognised as a creative innovator the equal of David Bowie who was, coincidentally, also employing the services of Mr Toyah for his groundbreaking 'Heroes' (1977) and 'Scary Monsters' (1980) albums which were recorded at almost the same time as 'Sacred Songs' initial sessions and its eventual release date."
Dreamer by Dennis Wilson - (from 'Pacific Ocean Blue' album released 22nd August 1977. Caribou Records)
"Recorded between 1974 and late 1976, this album was released just after the Beach Boys '.... Love You' offering to warm critical reviews but only minimal sales, perhaps due to the temporary rift it caused within the parent group. The Beach Boys album, despite it's group credit, is essentially a Brian Wilson solo album, and a scary one at that thanks to its subject matter and its 'pioneering' use of synthesisers and 'new wave attitude' with the other Beach Boys only supplying back up vocals . Here, on Dennis's only album released before his untimely death, he also has a (part) composer credit on every track but is backed up by most of LA's leading session men, who would generally play on Beach Boys albums, on an equally diverse range of instruments. Dennis himself adds MOOG and Arp synths, violin, viola and cello, tuba and Hammond in addition to drums . As with the Beach Boys proposed follow up to '.... Love you' (the still unissued 'Adult/Child'), Dennis had commenced recording POB's follow up, 'Bambu', but that album remained unfinished until 2017, thirty four years after his death. 'Dreamer' is possibly the nearest B.B sounding track on the album, especially as it features a prominent bass harmonica (played by Dennis) which had been a favourite instrument of Brian Wilsons since their mid-sixties run of classic albums."
"Hi RPM people, coming to you this week from the far north of GB….I hope everyone's having as much fun as you can."
Road To Nowhere performed by The Baby Jaynes - "Because I feel as if we are, and I once was…"
Grady Fernando Comes To Town by Seamus Egan Project - "Caught this one late night on BBC Alba."
Sailing By composed by Ronald Binge and performed by The BBC Concert Orchestra - "For those times when you’re in the middle of the North Sea heading into a Force 8/9, hoping that you’re wrong, but also looking for confirmation that it isn’t going to improve for several hours…."
"So, Jackie got the Waterboys covered "big time", and it was great to be at a proper concert again...what else have I listened to this week? Well, looking back, it's been Motorhead, American "old time" and The Alabama 3...so that's what your gonna get. Here's my 3 faves from the last week."
In The Name of Tragedy by Motorhead - "Continuing my delve into Motorhead's albums from the 2000s, and in retrospect, Inferno (2004) stands out as a high point from that first decade of the new millennium. A very strong set of songs and the band are soooo tight. Could have chosen any of three or four numbers, but this one sneaks it, just because Mickey Dee's double bass drum work is so jaw dropping. Here's a live version at the 2006 Wacken Festival...which sounds pretty much like the studio LP version, in fact. It was always a case of what you see is what you get with Lemmy and crew. If you don't even slightly nod your head to this one, I suggest you see a doctor....sorry, forgot; no chance at the moment, is there? I'd therefore prescribe a dose of Motorhead three times a day, commencing forthwith."
Logan County Blues performed by The Freight Hoppers - "One of the best resurgent, new "old time" bands from the 90s, in my view. If this floats your boat, you will need their album Where'd You Come From, Where'd You Go?...simple as."
Yolanda by Alabama 3 - "Well, can't be helped...here's another from Step 13, as predicted last week."
Bonus Track -
"Lost a true Irish trad music legend this week...Morra's already paid tribute with a Chieftains track, but here's the man himself, solo on the humble penny whistle. I doubt Irish traditional music would be where it is today without Paddy Maloney."
...'Til Next Time...