Welcome to the RPM Record Club Seven Day Soundtrack week ending Friday 8th December 2023. More great noise from the collective's sound systems; over to...
"A belated song in memory of Sean McGowan."
Lullaby of London performed by Oysterband and June Tabor - "I would have liked to have had the version of this Shane MacGowan / Pogues song as played by Tim's old band Folklaw, but that's not on Youtube. So this is the version they based their's upon..."
"Welcome to RPM Kevin, I hope you enjoy your time with us.
My three this week are the result of late night radio listening, with best wishes from me to the RPM faithful."
A Peregrin by Paddi Benon and Grace Lemon with James Patrick Gavin -
The Winter’s Not Forever by Mogwai -
Snowflake by Terje Isungset and Maria Skranes -
"Hello everyone. At a time of inflated living costs, you may not welcome the prospect of more bills, but here are three I hope might bring you some comfort."
Eid ma clack shaw by Bill Calahan - "Ever had a great idea in the middle of the night and had to re-evaluate it in the morning?"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rqUqZDarYi4&ab_channel=silenuic
Never Ending Happening by Bill Fay - "Virtually unknown in the 60s but rediscovered with cult status in the 90s. This song comes from an album of new material released in 2012 - fifty-one years since his previous album! You can watch him performing this on Jools Holland's Later, but this studio recording has a lovely cello countermelody at the end."
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4d_MATccsMQ&ab_channel=DeadOceans
Hard Luck and Heart Attack by Bill Mallonee & Vigilantes of Love -
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d57LnV9AJ7U&ab_channel=Woodward
"Have a good weekend!"
"Hi Everyone. Firstly, a warm welcome to Kevin. Secondly, thanks to you all for your selections last week, especially to David for a track by the very wonderful Starry Eyed And Laughing. I first saw them on March 18th 1975 as a student at St. Osyth's College and was really impressed. The Social Sec, who had been given a copy of their first LP by their agency, kindly taped it for me and it was on my Sanyo cassette player constantly (making way for Steely Dan and David Crosby on occasions). I subsequently bought my own copy of the first LP and the second LP 'Thought Talk' a bit later, a track from which was one of my RPM choices a while ago. (Tim the archivist will probably tell us which track I picked and the date I picked it!!)
(One Foot In The Boat by Starry Eyed & Laughing chosen Week 8 of the Isolation Room Listening Booth, Friday 15th May 2020, Tim the Archivist 😁.)
On Thursday I heard the sad news of the passing of Benjamin Zephaniah and at the earliest opportunity I put his 'Us An Dem' LP on the turntable..... Forty minutes of thoughtful reflection. I have a few of his books and recordings which I'm sure I'll return to over the coming weeks. I saw him recently(ish) at Norwich Arts Centre; a superb performer and a warm and caring human being. R.I.P."
Religious War by Benjamin Zephaniah -
Me Love Me Mudder by Benjamin Zephaniah -
Want To Be A Soldier by Benjamin Zephaniah -
"Hi folks. Hope you're all well. Thanks as ever for the scrummy musical smorgasbord.
I've been quiet the last few weeks as was kitesurfing & wandering in Brazil & (briefly) Argentina. Just returned to the UK, seated next to a lovely lass from Cromer on the flight from Sao Paolo - small world.
Had a bounteous & extremely enjoyable musical catch up this eve, so thanks as ever to all contributors + creator/instigator/curator Tim for RPM, the gift that keeps on giving.
Welcome to Kevin, I enjoyed your choices v much. I like Fado music, although the Portugese language makes my head hurt.
Didn't hear any Samba in Brazil, sadly, or any decent music for that matter so here's Columbian & Pierto Rican offerings + a hard-core salsa dance number from an Argentinian + Chilean couple. Respect + gratitude that the salsa classes I used to attend in Kings Lynn bore no resemblance! 😁"
Cumbia Sobre El Mar by Quantic Flowering Inferno -
Idilo by Argentina - "...accompanied by some Cuban dudes."
Karen + Ricardo at the 2023 Chicago Salsa Congress - "Not sure who the music's by, was transfixed by the twirling..."
https://youtu.be/ZZU_ZUxx-Bo?feature=shared
"Take care all. Cheers!"
(Nina also asked for a bonus track, which is included within the 3 from Piers. Tim.)
"I know that I have posted this tune before, but last time it was played by the composer Tom Anderson accompanied by Aly Bain. As I played this on my concertina at a sing around yesterday, Wednesday (That’s me virtue signalling at full throttle!) I thought it appropriate to drop it in again as it is a glorious tune and this is a nice version."
Da Slockit Light by Alasdair Fraser and Natalie Haas -
"As I wrote the above, Jayne came into the room and I was told that Benjamin Zephaniah has died. A man who did his best to make the world a better place. Goodbye BZ!
As we roll through December opening the doors of our advent calendars perhaps this message is worth recalling."
(Also requested by Nina....Tim.)
Talking Turkeys!! by Benjamin Zephaniah -
"And finally, something that has been around for a few months. From a band that I still consider rather modern, from ‘This Stupid World’ (their 17th album!) by Yo La Tengo, a pretty nice groove...."
Tonight's Episode by Yo La Tengo -
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d9-G4v9gA7M
"Stay warm all!"
"Here's my 3 for the week, with best wishes to all as ever."
Me And The Elephant by Gene Cotton - "Amazing stuff in Planet Earth III last Sunday regarding animal interaction with humans especially where monkeys have worked out how to steal glasses, shoes, phones etc from humans and then use the stolen items to barter for food from the erstwhile owners. It reminded me of this old song somehow."
Mr Richland's Favorite Song by Harry Nilsson - "This song is taken from the album Aerial Pandemonium Ballet on which Harry re-worked songs from the Aerial Ballet and Pandemonium Shadow Show albums."
Hypnotic Mover by Lone Star - "I gave the album that this track is taken from ("Firing On All Six") a spin this week - haven't played it for years. Not to be confused with the USA band Lonestar who had a hit with "Amazed" some time back, this Welsh band was short-lived unfortunately and this album deserved to do better."
"Firstly, my thanks to Philip for the mention and the Sonny Rollins track.
I was sad, but lucky to see the great man on what proved to be his last concert in the UK at The Barbican in 2012 before he gave up touring.
Secondly can I add my welcome to Kevin. (I don't feel like the new guy anymore).
When posting last week I alluded to a 4 day music trip called Roots on The Rails Cowboy Train that I made from Vancouver BC to Toronto back in 2006. So, here are 3 of the performers from that Trans Canada train."
"First up it's Rosalie Sorrrels who sadly passed in 2017 after a somewhat tough life on and off the road."
If I Could Be The Rain by Rosalie Sorrels -
"Next, Wylie Gustafson with the tale of the Yahoo yodel and the dispute of the ownership and Wylie's payout."
Yodeling Fool by Wylie and the Wild West -
"And finally, Sourdough Slim seen here with Robert Armstrong, the multi talented cartoonist, illustrator painter and musician from R. Crumb and His Cheap Suit Seranaders. Sadly Robert missed the train."
Sweet Georgia Brown performed by Sourdough Slim and Robert Armstrong -
https://youtube.com/watch?v=J98rI-2qCPE&si=TJ18T0RxJZfxsuDQ
"That's All Folks."
"Interesting article in last Sunday's Observer business section, thought provoking not least because it presented the opinion not of some young tech-savvy whipper-snapper but of a seventy-one years old veteran of the music business. His view was that the recording industry should stop issuing records on vinyl or on CD and that all recorded music should in future be made available through downloads, this being a way in which the industry could contribute to easing the climate crisis. I had never thought about this before, but now wonder if I should rethink my antipathy towards this delivery medium. Any thoughts anyone?
(Have you covert surveillance on my laptop, Philip?!
This was what my end of year roundup topic was going to be for 2022...but I couldn't formulate all my thoughts in time, so didn't publish anything. I was going to have another go at the subject this year, especially as this is the first full year I haven't bought any vinyl or CDs but have indeed downloaded my new releases and some back catalogue recordings as well.
What about this for an idea?
If anyone has thoughts upon the matter of records / CDs and the climate crises, then email them to me and I could put together an end of year discussion piece....
What do you think? Tim.)
Meanwhile here are this week's three selections, two from Robert Finley's superb new Dan Auerbach produced album, with a number from Betty Lavette sandwiched between them."
Nobody Wants To Be Lonely by Robert Finley -
In The Meantime by Betty Lavette -
Alligator Bait by Robert Finley -
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5QeGVv5p8_Q
"Best wishes to everybody."
"Hi RPMers, hope you are well. Here’s my 3 this week."
Better Call Saul by Little Barrie -
Perfect Skin by Lloyd Cole and the Commotions -
Feelin' by The La's -
"Again, It’s the old 45s for this week’s choices. I’ve picked the lesser known sides of some Rolling Stones Hits. Have a good week folks and a belated hello to our newest member. Hope you enjoy RPM as much as the rest of the gang."
The Spider and the Fly by The Rolling Stones -
Long, Long While by The Rolling Stones -
Play With Fire by The Rolling Stones (Live Montreal 1989) -
"My musical week triangulated with these debuts from North of the border, straddling a 40 year time span."
An Gobhainn by An Dannsa Dub - "Scottish folk dub from 2022 debut album. Just discovered these this week.
I must confess, I'm struggling to engage with a lot of material emerging from the current "folk scene" at the moment; a feeling particularly strengthened this week after researching artists with Luke for FIAF 2024. Looking on websites such as Folk Radio UK and Folk on Foot (chart show) for example, it seems that one consequence of the covid pandemic lockdown is a proliferation of uninspiring, introspectively obsessed, mono-tune singer songwriter clones. After just a few hours of listening I was loosing the will to live, tbh....and Luke had been doing this for weeks!!
Looking up An Dannsa Dub, an unfamiliar name spotted on the bottom of a festival poster, these were like a breath of much needed fresh air...and also brought some relief to my grumpy+jaded-old-git mood."
Harvest Home by Big Country - "Debut single from 1982. Re-recorded for their first album The Crossing released in 1983. I always thought of Big Country's debut as one of the finest and most original Scottish folk rock albums ever. Why bother with all that huffing and puffing into bagpipes when all you need is an electric guitar through an MXR M-129 Pitch Transposer? Answer me that!"
Erin (The Coast of Austria / Toss the Feathers / Farewell to Erin / Captain Lachlan MacPhail of Tiree) performed by Wolfstone - "From 1991 debut album... and I'm still mystified why Wolfstone never 'made it big' in the wider world outside of Scotland. Maybe too folk for the heavy rock brigade and too heavy rock for the folk brigade? Jackie, myself and our friend Tim (Folklaw bassist/singer) crammed into the very small (...and long defuncted) Boat Race in Cambridge in about 1994 to see the lads give a brilliant performance...those were the days. Last studio album was in 2007, after which I thought the band had called it a day, Duncan Chisholm the fiddle player going on to become a very respected solo artist with some superb albums of self composed music as well as playing with the likes of Julie Fowlis. I've discovered this week that the band are still going, but just seem to play a few festivals each year, mostly in Spain; obviously warmer than Scotland."
'Til Next Time...