Welcome to the RPM Record Club Seven Day Soundtrack, week ending Friday 5th January 2024, the taking-it-into-the-new-year edition. If you need extra entertainment, then go to the Top 5s of 20023 and 2023 Review for some thought provoking debate. In the mean time, over to...
"Happy new year everyone! Hope you enjoy these offerings."
Float On by Modest Mouse - "...from the brilliantly titled album 'Good news for people who love bad news'
Slurf Song by Michael Hurley - "When my wife and I perform this, we skip the verse 'We fill up our guts...' to avoid causing offense to people with delicate sensibilities!"
re:stacks by Bon Iver -
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V9E2E8_Fhto
"Happy listening and thanks for all your great contributions!"
"Happier New Year to all RPM folks. My three this week are all musicians who I have seen equally happy playing intimate solo acoustic sets or with a larger ensemble."
"First it's John Fullbright, who I once saw opening the first night of a 3 day festival. On his first song he snapped a string, but without breaking sweat he walked over to a piano and carried on with the tune."
High Road by John Fullbright -
"Next, it's the usually taciturn James McMurtry who was the "curator" of a festival I attended in Vermont. James being the headliner too, played exactly the same set 2 nights running not realising I guess that some folks had weekend tickets.
Too Long in The Wasteland by James McMurtry -
"Finally, a man who plays live ways less often than he should, but when he does it's always to standing ovations in my experience."
The Ballad of The Big Hulk by Bill Callahan -
https://youtube.com/watch?v=JCtbDTUfUbQ&si=87nD97-hEE66WQC0
"That's All Folks."
"Happy New Year to you all .
Like me you have probably noticed that there has been a great deal of talk of stopping ‘small boats’ lately… media that used to use slogans that demonised asylum seekers and economic migrants rarely even mention any human element anymore. Mention of the ‘people’ involved is downplayed. No one calling for an end to ‘illegal migration’ seems to speak of the drownings which continue in the Mediterranean and the channel or the cause of the mass movement of people. The formulaic use of the terms ‘little boats’ and ‘small craft’ have replaced displaced persons and refugees. The problem is often stated as lying with people traffickers…
Perhaps politicians realise that the general public might become far too compassionate when they come to terms with the fact that behind the headlines are people with personalities, hopes dreams fears and reasons for being where they are now? "
Deportees (Plane Crash At Los Gatos) by Woody Guthrie -
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qu-duTWccyI
"BTW, Ten years ago the 'deportees' were given a memorial bearing their names - check out 'The Last Internationale' video on youtube if you are interested."
"This is a bit more cheerful. Since hearing it played I have had the tune Kitchen Girl running around in my head for weeks."
Kitchen Girl & Cattle In The Cane performed by Norman & Nancy Blake -
"I recently received a 'Christmas catch up' from an old friend who upon gaining his bus pass, (a few years ago) left his job in the NHS and migrated to the far east. He has since married and settled happily in Japan. Dave and his wife live close enough to the epicentre of the recent earthquakes to have felt the buildings sway. They are lucky to have managed to get tickets for this guy’s forthcoming sell out concert in Kobe, during which he will celebrate his 21st birthday."
Synchronicity II performed by Kent Nishimura -
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UmH1KbW4zKo
"I hope to see some of you around the bonfire at the Elsing Wassail on Saturday evening..."
"Hi folks. Very Happy New Year to you all, looking forward to sharing more interesting musical discoveries in 2024 with you. Here's my choices; 2 new(ish) to me + 1 to commemorate Elsing Wassailing..."
Tekken 2 by Bombay Bicycle Club -
Eat My Words by Divorce -
"Here's my 3 for the week, with best wishes to all in RPM for 2024. In spite of suggesting that my own family don't buy me any music-related presents last Christmas, my new partner's family have given me the (admittedly enjoyable) task of wading through HMV's sale items to use their lovely loaded plastic gift cards. I'm looking forward to another year of discovering new sounds knowing that there are bound to be lots of nice surprises waiting for me among our fabulous eclectic weekly selections."
All Night Long by Joe Walsh -
You Ain't Going Nowhere by Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers -
"Which brought to mind..."
She's My Baby by The Travelling Wilburys -
"A happy and healthy new year to all RPMers. Perhaps this is the year we'll finally be rid of this appalling "Government."
I thought the line-up on Jools Holland's Hootenanny was particularly strong this year, and featured three very talented young female singers. ( I had an early night and recorded it- after all, who needs to stay up till midnight to see a display of smoke pollution in an Ultra-Low Emissions Zone?).
The three singers referred to above..."
Olivia Dean performing You Can't Hurry Love -
Muireann Bradley performing Candyman - "Wow! I didn't think any of today's teenagers would be aware of such music, let alone be able to sing it and fingerpick it so compellingly. I'm smitten (in a grandfatherly way of course)."
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YnFEEnzgg_A
"Best wishes as always."
"Hello RPMers, looking forward to another great year of your fascinating listening habits! Here are three I've played this week..."
Retro Rockets by The Stranglers - "Sentiments at the heart of RPM..."
A Smile Is Diamond by "O" - "I saw this band a few times in the mid-seventies, once at the legendary Marquee Club in Soho. Amazing!! I have their first four LPs and although they built on their particular style with each release, they didn't fit in with the prevailing musical trends of the late seventies and faded away....such was the fate of many bands around that time."
So Called Loving by David Essex - "This is from a Northern Soul compilation CD I have on my car stereo at the moment. Yes, it is the same David Essex who had hits with Rock On (a classic!) and Hold Me Close. Also an artist we've seen in concert a few times; what an entertainer!"
"Here’s a serene entry into 2024 for you lovely RPMers as we head into another music-filled year."
Dawn Blessings by Bex Burch -
"Happy New Year everyone...here're my 3 this week..."
Stay On The Outside by Whitey -
Chimes Broken by Holy Fuck -
I'm So Tired by Fugazi -
"Whilst having a very nice pint of local stout in the Endeavor, Whitby, these 3 were played one after the other over the not too intrusive but vibey sound system..."
Honky Tonk Women by The Rolling Stones -
Purple Rain performed by Etta James -
I Heard It Through The Grapevine by Marvin Gaye -
'Til next Time...