Albums that you have forgotten you love: Come On Feel The Lemonheads

It is difficult to believe that Come On Feel The Lemonheads was released 15 years ago, but it's true...and makes me feel very old! This is by no means the greatest record ever released, but if you are late 20s/early 30-something, you are likely to remember it with fondness. Equally likely is that the first image that will come into your head is Evan Dando in a flowery dress sporting bunches. Don't ask me why, but I loved those pictures of him when I was a young teen...maybe it is akin to Lisa Simpson and her subscription to 'Non-Threatening Boys' magazine!

The picture on the left is not the exact one with which I was so enamoured, but it's the closest that I am able to find on this ole t'interweb. So was the indie-grunge success of The Lemonheads just down to their undeniably easy on the eye front man? This Divinyl thinks not. And my evidence is their 1993 album.

Come On Feel The Lemonheads was, if you like, their country album; for example, Dando could hardly sound more like Gram Parsons on hit Big Gay Heart. Previous release It's A Shame About Ray may be a better all-round offering, but it is this later album that I continue to return to...and which always makes me smile.

The smiles are, of course, a lot to do with reminiscences, but they are also to do with the endearingly simple sentiments, the sunshiney accompanying vocals of Juliana Hatfield (and even Belinda Carlisle) - epitomising that 90s sound - and, whilst the lyrics can be hit and miss, there really are some gems herein.

Try:

"Patience is like bread I say/I ran out of that yesterday" (It's About Time),

"Why Can't you look after yourself and not down on me?" (Big Gay Heart) or

"Would you trust me not to break you/I'm just trying really hard to make you/Notice me being around" (on a song with otherwise questionable lyrics about "booger"s and suchlike - Being Around).

If you haven't listened to this album since those heady teenage days, stick it in the player, or download a couple of sample tracks from here...and smile! These are well written, unfussy songs (ok, with a few dodgy lyrics strewn about!). I know that I can't be objective, and I have no idea what I would think of this album should I be listening to it for the first time now but, you know what, I don't think that it's one that I could ever just dismiss.

Tracks worth revisiting: Into Your Arms, Paid To Smile, Big Gay Heart, Rest Assured, I'll Do It Anyway, Being Around, Favourite T.

Skip past: Rick James Style...a pointless, rambling and, frankly, rather rubbish revisiting of the song Style. Closing Track The Jello Fund...a complete waste of time, particularly as this runs into the 'hidden' track (such a 90s mainstay) which, at 15 minutes and 33 seconds is ridiculous use of studio and CD time...it is mostly tuneless guitar tinkering.

That said, with those disclaimers in situ, this album is still, on the whole, a winner!

mp3: Into Your Arms - The Lemonheads (not to be confused with Nick Cave's irresistably beautiful Into My Arms)

mp3: Paid To Smile - The Lemonheads

mp3: Big Gay Heart - The Lemonheads

*Previous 'you've forgotten you love' album review of Sneaker Pimps with Becoming X.*

Listen up! It's The Correspondents

Wandsworth's The Correspondents make me want to dance! And nothing makes me want to dance...well, except for maybe The Jackson 5 and I Want You Back!

The tunes on their MySpace page are seriously kick ass and they sound like they'd be great fun live...if I could find out where they're playing! There also doesn't seem to be a way to actually own any of their music yet...either in 'get your sticky mitts on it' or download form, but as soon as there is, I'm there!

Describing themselves as "1930s Hip Hop", throwing in some swing and big band sounds, as well as some nifty turntablism, this is proper catchy stuff. In places it reminds me a lot of Chumbawamba (back when they were good) or The Avalanches...with some foot-shuffling, scuffling ska thrown in. And you just have to hear their version of The Jungle Book's I Wanna Be Like You!

They are DJ Chuckles (aka Tim Cole) and Ian Bruce, the former being the DJ/producer and the latter MC/singer/general trouble maker and they site such diverse influences as Ella Fitzgerald, Fatboy Slim and Donovan.

Their story, as told on their MySpace blog:

"The Correspondents formed in a small coffee shop in the French Riviera while waiting for the bar to open. They both set eyes upon the same unfinished glass of 1987 Bordeaux, and after an extremely gentlemanly yet dubiously romantic cuffuffle, managed to spill it down Ian's hand tailored tweed waistcoat. A crime Chuckles is still paying for today.

The Correspondents found that large quantities of port, Swing and Hip Hop go surprising well together.

The Correspondents found that while decks will skip, sound systems will cut out and microphones will feedback... Ian's two tone spats will without fail maintain the contrast of the ying-yang.

The Correspondents spent an illustrious couple of years peddling imitation moonshine in a Glaswegian suburb.

The Correspondents thought about becoming a Phil Collins tribute act... But then thought that time is better spent doing just about anything else.

The Correspondents have heard a rumour that Ian hangs his tie collection on a rhinoceros horn he acquired from an ex-pat colonial adventurer he met once in his local... This is nearly true.

The Correspondents realise that lying is bad, so want to tell you that really they just met in South London."

Catch them now and you can say you were there at from the start...they have only 121 friends and 9 comments on their MySpace page.

mp3: I Wanna Be Like You - The Correspondents

mp3: Course Of Last Night - The Correspondents

mp3: Rentaclown - The Correspondents

(P.s. Apologies to all for my dreadfully sporadic posting, and replying to messages, of late...there is a lot going on in Divinyl World, outside of Blogland...no immediate promises of any improvements on this, but I'm still knocking around and will get back on the horse eventually!)

Cinnamon Girl: Women Artists Cover Neil Young for Charity

The title of this CD (and indeed of this blog post) says it all really. Cinnamon Girl is a two disc, 21 song, all female compilation of covers of Neil Young's music. Well, except for Jill Sobule's track, on which she cheated a little, as you will see in the track listing below. The songs in question are all from the period between 1969 and 1979. And, after what has been a very long wait, it is released tomorrow (February 12) on American Laundromat Records.

ALR is the record label that was also responsible for the Pixies tribute CD Dig For Fire, which featured the likes of Mogwai, They Might Be Giants, British Sea Power, Joy Zipper and Dylan in the Movies. There is also a tribute to Kim Deal (Ceci N'est Pas un Blog hearts Kim Deal!) out in April, so for your tribute compilation CDs, they are clearly the ones to watch!

Contributing artists include Tanya Donelly, Jill Sobule, Veruca Salt, The Watson Twins and Ceci N'est Pas un Blog favourite Kristin Hersh. A gold vinyl 7" split of Donelly and Luff's songs has already been released (limited to 500 hand-numbered copies...I've got mine!), and the album has been available for a little while on iTunes in the US (which is bugger all use to the likes of me!), but finally it's here in touchable, kissable physical form!

Tanya Donelly says of Neil Young and Heart of Gold:

"I always want to hear everything he has to say. He makes me feel better. I just love this song. I think it's perfect actually - structurally, lyrically, musically. There aren't very many words, but they say everything and I can relate to every single one of them. I love that such strong images and heartbreak and hope all come through in a few lines, and that harmonica is a killer. I just love it."

All proceeds from the CD (and the 7" too) are to be donated to Casting for Recovery, in memory of Norine R. Spadaro (the mother of ALR founder Joe Spadaro), who lost her six year battle with breast cancer in July 2005. Casting for Recovery is a not-for-profit organisation established in 1996 that works with women who have, or who have had, breast cancer, offering support, counselling, education and relaxation. The no-cost-to-the-participant weekend retreats promote physical and emotional healing by allowing women to gather in a peaceful and natural environment and learn fly-fishing. No really...it's all about the fly-fishing apparently!

The track listing for Cinnamon Girl is as follows:

Disc 1

01. Heart of Gold - Tanya Donelly

02. I Am A Child - Britta Phillips (of Luna)

03. Comes A Time - Kate York

04. The Needle and the Damage Done - Lori McKenna

05. Down By the River - Jill Sobule with John Doe

06. Burned - Veruca Salt

07. Cowgirl In the Sand - Josie Cotton

08. A Man Needs A Maid - Dala

09. Ohio - Darcie Miner

10. Everybody Knows This is Nowhere - Carmen Townsend

Disc 2

01. Cinnamon Girl - Euro Trash Girl

02. I Believe In You - Julie Peel

03. Tell Me Why - Luff

04. Ohio - Dala

05. Helpless - Elk City

06. Only Love Can Break Your Heart - Amilia K. Spicer

07. Sugar Mountain - Louise Post (of Veruca Salt)

08. Powderfinger - The Watson Twins

09. Like A Hurricane - Kristin Hersh

10. Old Man - Cindy Wheeler (of the Caulfield Sisters)

11. Walk On - Heidi Gluck (of Some Girls)

I can't wait to hear the whole album! Let's hope that it's less of a mixed bag than 1989's The Bridge: A Tribute To Neil Young as, whilst that featured some great artists (including Soul Asylum, Victoria Williams, Pixies, Nick Cave, The Flaming Lips, Sonic Youth and Dinosaur Jr.) the success of the covers on that seemed to be very hit-and-miss.

Head to MySpace to hear clips from four of the songs (Donnelly, Phillips, Cotton and Hersh).

Or go to Juno to listen and purchase it as downloads.

And of course, get your CDs from American Laundromat Records.

Here are a couple of female cover versions of Young songs for you to download me sweets (not from this album):

mp3: Helpless - Patti Smith (from the album Twelve)

mp3: After the Gold Rush - KD Lang (from the album Hymns of the 49th Parallel)

Album artwork by Katy Horan

Whilst we are (kind of) on the subject of Kristin Hersh, have you checked out CASH Music recently? Kristin has now released three songs over there, and Donita Sparks and Xiu Xiu have also joined up. Keep your eye on it, as it's all getting pretty exciting!

Laura Marling - Alas I Cannot Swim

This one is just a super-quick post to let you guys know that, this week, you can download Laura Marling's excellent album Alas I Cannot Swim in its entirety for only £5.00 from 7Digital. The nifty widget above will let you preview each of the tracks and I think you will see, and I can assure you, that this album is a steal at that price!

It's A Zip: Volume 1

I thought I would experiment a bit with zip files (yes, I am very much learning as I go at this...I am not particularly technically able!), as I've been thinking about posting some kind of weekly 'mix tape'...of a range of music I like, not just new stuff...songs you might not have heard, songs that will bring a nostalgic smile to your wee faces, songs that are just plain great, that kind of thing. It has taken quite a bit of experimenting, I can tell you! But this one seems to work...please could people leave some feedback in the comments...on whether they can indeed download the zip file, the songs are in the right order when it opens etc.? Any constructive criticism very much welcomed. And then if this one has worked ok, I will be back in future with further zip-stylee offerings.

Ok, so this one was thrown together rather hastily just for the sake of the experiment, but the track listing is as follows:

01. Funnel Of Love - Wanda Jackson

02. Les and Ray - Le Tigre

03. Sssipppee - Teeth!!!

04. Suzanne Beware of the Devil - Dandy Livingstone

05. If I Had $1,000,000 - Barenaked Ladies

06. 5 Years Time - Noah and the Whale

07. Bring It On Home To Me - Zooey Deschanel and M. Ward (a great cover of one of my faves - Sam Cooke!)

08. Oleander - Sarah Harmer

09. Strongmen and Acrobats - Laura Sings Liver

10. Chinese Children - Devendra Banhart



Download: Its A Zip Volume 1

Pete Shelley - Homosapien

Another video for LGBT History Month - Pete Shelley with the excellent Homosapien.

And I may as well throw in Shelley with The Buzzcocks singing Ever Fallen In Love (With Somone You Shouldn't)...a classic. And it even has Sir Jim'll of Saville at the end of the clip! Seriously guys, what more could you ask for? ;o)

What is that song? The MacBook Air ad

Unless you have been whiling away your time under a boulder, you will no doubt, by now, have seen the new MacBook Air from Apple. You are also likely to have seen - and heard- the television advertisement. Apple have been savvy in their choice of sounds once again, as with Leslie Feist's 1234 in their iPod Nano ad. This time, they have plumped for Yael Naim. The song that everyone and his/her dog has been Googling furiously for (long before now) is New Soul and, well, is just gorgeous.

French-Israeli Naim was born in Paris in 1978, but moved to Israel, not far from Tel Aviv, aged four. There she fell in love with the piano and the rest, as they say, is history. New Soul comes from her latest, and sophomore, solo album, which is eponymously titled (her debut being the appallingly-titled In A Man's Womb in 2001) and was released on 22nd October 2007. It was recorded in the studio of her Paris apartment over the course of two years and owes a great deal to West Indian drummer and multi-instrumentalist David Donatien.

On Yael Naim, she sings in not only English, as per the song you have all heard, but also French and Hebrew. And, for me, it is the last of these that results in the most beguiling of her songs...it's not a language you often hear used in contemporary folk-pop music!

New Soul, as I am writing this, is currently the 39th most popular download at iTunes UK, although I understand that it's at #1 in the US. And you know what? The album is great too (although that is nowhere to be seen in the UK top 100 on iTunes). These are not songs that you will find yourself humming or singing along to, but as a whole the album is really rather nice. A lot of the songs sound like lullabies, so it is not one I would recommend as driving music. My concern is that, although I like this album from the five or so listens through I've had so far, her profile will be raised so greatly due to the ad that she will become like a Norah Jones or Katie Melua that I never want to hear again.

It's not that I am some obscure music snob (as this certainly isn't...used by Apple!), you understand, it is just that when something becomes so omnipresent the patina wears thin and it starts to grate...think Dido.

I can appreciate a good pop song...hell, I have Crazy Chick and My LA Ex on my iPod; they are catchy, well-written tunes...good at what they do and hitting the metaphorical nail. Another great pop ditty is Toxic, by the ever more pitiful Britney Spears...and that is covered here by Naim! (Nope, it wasn't just a random tangent). It's a lovely, ballad-y version and plenty nice to listen to but, shoot me for saying this if you wish, in this case I prefer Britney. And that is not something you will hear me say often! Have a listen for yourselves...what do you think?

mp3: New Soul - Yael Naim

mp3: Pachad - Yael Naim

mp3: Toxic - Yael Naim

And I feel that I can't leave without mentioning it, although it matters not a jot to the music, but she's certainly rather easy on the eye too!

Yael Naim's website and MySpace.

Willie Nelson - Cowboys Are Frequently, Secretly (Fond Of Each Other)

Following that brief blip of an album review, back, for now, to LGBT History Month. This one's a song from the Red Headed Stranger. It was debuted by Howard Stern back on Valentine's Day 2006 (should I have waited until the 14th to post this?), however it was written waaay back in 1981 by Ned Sublette.

Video: Willie Nelson - Cowboys Are Frequently, Secretly (Fond Of Each Other)

Check out the lyrics to the song here (the reference to 'Pansy Division' is not homophobic...they are a Queercore band that recorded the song in 1995!).

Whilst I'm here, it only seems right to mention Nelson's song He Was A Friend Of Mine, which was used in the film Brokeback Mountain (and which is a great song)...i.e. from a song about gay cowboys to a song used in a film about gay cowboys, and both from the same artist.

mp3: Willie Nelson - He Was A Friend Of Mine

Album review: Paul Hickey 'Coolhouse'

Rather curiously, an album released in 2005 recently landed on my doormat via a music PR company. Never mind, music doesn't have to be brand spanking new to be good, does it? In fact, I'm a proponent of the argument that the opposite often holds a great deal more true. Anyway, moving on with the review, this particular album was Coolhouse by Paul Hickey.

This is not the kind of CD that I normally would have come across, but it is really pretty good. Coolhouse is not a high budget release, and therefore it sounds like Hickey has been able to record exactly what he wanted, without any record company interferences. The music we hear is honest...it is not 'try hard' and there are no alternative agendas.

All of the songs (12 of them) were written by Hickey, who has played with various outfits in his time - from Chessnut in the 70s, to The Alsations in the 80s, and others including Keep The Faith and The Critters. Coolhouse is his second solo album, after his 2002 debut with Cheap Cabaret. It was recorded in Hollywood...erm, that's County Wicklow folks! Yep, this is Irish music through and through; yet it is not just that, there are many other influences to be heard here.

The opening, and title, track, Coolhouse, is a sultry number about hot nights and cold beer. The vocal here reminds of Chris Rea or Joe Cocker, and there is even a chorus akin to Lou Reed's "coloured girls"...except here it is "la la lah", as opposed to "do do doo"! Those backing vocals come courtesy of Sue Jefferson and Lou Holden of Choral Sex, and work nicely with Hickey's voice, however can sometimes be a bit distracting, and could have done with being a little quieter in relation to Hickey's lead vocals. This is not a big criticism however and, all in all, this is a great opener and a track that you will want to hear again.

Second track And When I Walk is completely different in tone. A simple song (promising "no more funny stuff"), this has even more "la la lahs" and you begin to really hear Hickey's Irish twang.

Third is, for me, the stand-out track of the album, and is called Heuston Station. This is no Homeward Bound but, written at a station, this is the most obvious song to compare it to...well, except for the Littlest Hobo theme tune (which, laugh if you like, I love!), due to the lyrics "I'm not searchin'/I'm just wandering on".

My Love and Me is a lovely song about, surprisingly, love. The sentiments here are sweet, no frills and affectionate. By this, track 4, things are beginning to sound more Irish, musically-speaking...a little bit Saw Doctors, a certain hue of Shane McGowan (although, despite singing about beer on his opening track, Hickey does not sound like he's put quite as much moonshine away as McGowan!).

Straying into slightly political territory is track 5, In God We Trust, which Paul tells us a little about on his website,

"In 1986 there was a divorce referendum in Ireland that was defeated by religious power. I felt so angry, at the time, and I wrote this song about the hyprocrisy of the whole event."

A refreshing angle, then, from a country so veined with religion.

Jimmy Cliff comes to town on next track Watch Out Love. The reggae-lite backing here reminds me of Cliff's song Vietnam and has me bobbing my head along each time it comes around.

I can imagine that this album sells very well at gigs as, from what is recorded here, it sounds like Hickey would be good live. As I said before, this is honest music with no pretences. The playing is also very capable and, I can't think of a better way to put it but, I think the atmosphere at a Paul Hickey gig would be a good, happy, friendly one.

There are six further tracks that I haven't discussed, but I think that I have rambled on enough for now! Suffice to say that they are all, also, very listenable and, although this is not the usual kind of music I have been listening to recently, I've played this album a good few times.

The full track listing for Coolhouse is:

01. Coolhouse
02. And When I Walk
03. Heuston Station
04. My Love and Me
05. In God We Trust
06. Watch Out Love
07. Sometimes
08. If I Could Sail That Ocean Again
09. Teach Me To Fly
10. Live Before You Die
11. Revolution On Their Minds
12. See You Again

...and you can buy it here or have a bit of listen and purchase individual tracks over at Indie 911.

Lesbians In Tune - Sapphic songs for LGBT History Month

February is the fourth annual LGBT History Month in the UK, so, in honour of that, here we have some lesbian-themed songs for your delectation. There are 20 of 'em and each song is downloadable by right clicking on the title and choosing 'save target as'.


BD Woman's Blues - Lucille Bogan (from 1935! The "BD" standing for 'bull dyke')

Carolyn - Phranc (an amusing one)

Crimson and Clover - Joan Jett and The Blackhearts

Damn, I Wish I Was Your Lover - Sophie B. Hawkins

Genius - The Murmurs

High School Confidential - Rough Trade

I Kissed A Girl - Jill Sobule

If It Isn't Her - Ani DiFranco (for all the B's out there!)

Iowa - Dar Williams

Lick It - God-des and She (warning - the lyrics to this one are very explicit)

One More Hour - Sleater-Kinney

Prove It On Me - Ma Rainey (another one from an early girl)

Rebel Girl - Bikini Kill

Rim Me Isabella - NEED (surely the best title for a song ever??)

She's Amazing - Team Dresch

She's My Heroine - Skunk Anansie

She's So Lovely - The Butchies

Start Leading Me On - The Cliks

Tell Me Does She Love the Bass - Lesbians On Ecstasy

Where the Girls Are - Gossip

And a further 10 that aren't really lesbian songs, but could be with some interpretation!

Christobel - Joan As Police Woman

For Me and My Gal - Judy Garland (for all friends of Dorothy - what would a list of gay songs be without Judy?)

Gloria - Patti Smith

Just Like A Woman - Charlotte Gainsbourg and Calexico

Let Your Loss Be Your Lesson - Alison Krauss

Oh My God - Pink, featuring Peaches

Past the Mission - Tori Amos (just for the line "I once knew a hot girl")

Secret Love - Doris Day (a coincidence that, in Calamity Jane, she sings this as she is shacking up with Katie? Calam was a butch dyke if ever I saw one! Come on, there is even a line about daffodils!)

Starpower - Sonic Youth

When She Loved Me - Sarah McLachlan (actually a song from a toy to its owner, from Toy Story 2 of all places...but taken out of context...)

And I shall leave you for now with a WTF?? I can't believe this book (below) exists!

Free mp3s from Kellie The Eagle/Joy Tourette

I can tell you very little about Kellie The Eagle...except that I think it sounds good! This is the new name for the artist formerly known as Joy Tourette (she changed the name on 9th January 2008...hey, at least she opted for words, as opposed to some dumb squiggle!), who comes from Norwich, England, played her first solo gig on 20th July 2007 and...actually, that really is all I know.

Her music is beat-driven electro, with some folky influences...a bit Peaches, a bit PJ, vocals-wise, in places, a little bit Lamb. And what I've heard so far is rather tasty.

Have a listen for yourselves (all mp3s free and legal):

mp3: Metal Bird - Kellie The Eagle

And some from alter-ego Joy Tourette:

mp3: Lupine Man - Joy Tourette

mp3: Coqinelle - Joy Tourette

mp3: Autoharp - Joy Tourette

mp3: Duck and Swallows - Joy Tourette

mp3: Circles - Joy Tourette

Go to Monkey Love Records to buy the Joy Tourette EP Cassiopeia - either as a CD or to download.

Track listing for that -
01. Cassiopeia
02. Good Vibrations
03. Charms

Whilst you are there, you could have a gander at Kellie's artist page (still under the name 'Joy Tourette' at the moment)

Visit Kellie The Eagle at MySpace.

Live music review: Johnny Flynn and The Sussex Wit, Newcastle Cluny 28/01/08 (plus Jay Jay Pistolet and Dot To Dots)

On Monday I went to see current homme du jour and 2008’s ‘next big thing’ Johnny Flynn. I am (obviously) not as up on the latest trends as some, so had only really heard the songs on his MySpace and read quite a bit of hype, but didn’t have much personal knowledge of the band. In true ‘ones to watch’ form, the audience was a trendy, indie kid kind of crowd…not the usual folk who frequent the kind of gigs I attend, in fact about half the average age! This was all hairbands and hoodies, designer labels and designer hair-dos.

First up were local (Newcastle) band Dot To Dots, who I had not heard of before…it seems that they have only been performing together for around six months to date. Dot To Dots are a five piece band, with the whole male/female singer combo going on, a cellist, and drums which were, initially, far too loud in comparison to the voices (although this is not their fault). They were certainly tuneful, but this really wasn’t anything exciting…lyrics were generally amateurish (e.g. “love is strong, our love is true”) and the harmonies came off sounding like The Beautiful South on a bad day.

Female vocalist Mags looked entirely miserable throughout, as did the cellist, Sarah (who tried her hand at xylophone, unsuccessfully, on one song…amazing that she can master the cello, yet it is too taxing to play the xylophone in time!). Co-lead vocalist Chris, on the other hand, seemed much more in the spirit, sounding a bit like Jake Shillingford from 90s band My Life Story (anyone remember them?) and was, to my mind, responsible for holding it all together. It’s early days for this band and I’m not sure that they have what it takes to shine through the masses of hopeful local indie groups but, as far as warm-up acts go, they really weren’t half bad.

www.myspace.com/dottodots

On next was Jay Jay Pistolet. I was, at the outset, quite bemused by him turning up on stage, just one man and a guitar, as I had misread the flyer and was expecting Jay Jay and The Pistolets. Pistolet was much more chipper than our previous ‘entertainers’, and even got a laugh out of taking to the stage and announcing that he had only ever seen Newcastle on ‘Booze Britain’! This was pleasant, strumming, singer-songwriter stuff…again inoffensive, but nothing very special…each song sounding fairly similar to the last. And yet again some of the lyrics were spectacularly awful, e.g. “I promise you that I will make amends if you promise me you’ll always be my friend” and rhyming “Hollywood” with “Holly could”. In places he sounded a little bit Devendra Banhart (a sub-standard version, admittedly), and I wouldn’t complain if he appeared on a future billing, but wouldn’t rush out to catch him again either.

www.myspace.com/jayjayandlespistolets

Last up it was, of course, Johnny Flynn and The Sussex Wit, who opened with their current single The Box (which you can download a live version of here). This was a great start, and things only got better as Flynn then picked up a banjo for the second song (Eyeless In Holloway). Bedecked in a checked flannel shirt, with floppy blonde hair and good looks (bordering on ‘foppish’), Flynn looked something like an 80s Neighbours bit-part. In fact, the South Africa-born, London-based Flynn is a trained Shakespearean actor (aged only 24!), and this really shows through in the lyrical content of his songs. The words here are witty and thoughtful (e.g. “a heart…the one I’ve got is shoddy, I need a brand new body” – seriously, this really worked), without being too ‘clever clever’ and somehow always keeping on the right side of silly or articulate-for-the-sake-of-articulate.

The sound is sometimes anti-folk ish (Flynn has spent some time on the New York anti-folk scene with the likes of Adam Green, Jeffrey Lewis and Regina Spektor), sometimes country-blues, with Flynn turning his hand to not only guitar and banjo, but mandolin and even trumpet! At times this band really reminded me of The Pogues (only less ravaged…and less Irish), and the Nick Drake references that have been bandied about are clear to see. But in other places ‘The Wits’ sounded more like a Carter Family-esque family band, with sister Lillie Flynn on chief harmonies, and with some Simon and Garfunkel style songwriting thrown into the mix.

The third song they played was upcoming single Leftovers (due to be released 25th February), which is a cracking good tune. Everything was ridiculously catchy, sounding like something you might hear at a barn dance or hoe-down…I never dance and was tapping my foot pretty much constantly throughout; even on the slower fourth song, to which we invited to “sway”. The tempo changed again for the fifth song of the set, for which Flynn picked up a fiddle (is there an instrument this fella hasn’t mastered? Perhaps the Dot To Dots should have thought about roping him in to accompany them on xylophone!) for a song about furrows, burrows, foxes and frocks that made me want to link arms with a stranger and dos-e-dos.

This was definite head-bobbing, toe-tapping music, and by last song Tickle Me Pink, which has a great beat (kudos to the drummer throughout, in fact) there really didn’t seem to be anyone who had not been completely won over. And, despite the earnestly style-conscious audience, there seemed to be no over-considered, purposeful trendiness on Flynn’s part.

Neither was there an encore, but I think that this was a wise call, as the band had already treated us enough, and it left us wanting more. A band that I would definitely recommend catching live if you can (this current tour continues into March, so if you live in the UK there may well be a gig near you...check MySpace for dates)…I am certainly a new convert!

Oh, and just in case you felt you needed to know, I can tell you that Johnny Flynn’s favourite type of biscuit is the custard cream…a good and humble choice, and one which you should bear in mind should he ever show up at your house for tea!

www.myspace.com/johnnyflynn

mp3: Eyeless In Holloway - Johnny Flynn and The Sussex Wit

mp3: The Box - Johnny Flynn and The Sussex Wit

Jeffrey Lewis: The Complete History of Punk Rock

Back with more later, but for now you've just got to watch this! More from my man of the moment, Jeffrey Lewis. This time it's a (not quite) complete history of punk rock in 8 minutes, 23 seconds!

Jeffrey Lewis - I insist that you listen to this!

Video for Williamsburg Will Oldham Horror

How I only heard about New York's Jeffrey Lewis for the first time about a month ago I really don't know, but this is the kind of new music I want to be listening to. 32 year old Lewis is both a comic book artist and a prolific musician...both in terms of recorded output and general wordsmithery. His highly literate lyrics are witty, sweet, cutting, insightful, surreal...the whole shebang. At times it feels like he's an impish child who has devilishly pulled at the end of the ribbon holding a bulging Santa's sack closed; and that sack is chock full to the brim with words, ready to spill out all over the pavement, bouncing all over the place like marbles and running amok.

Part of New York's current 'anti-folk' scene, in which the emphasis is placed on lyrical creativity and sonic innovation, as opposed to technical musicianship, this is a young man with a ludicrous amount of words, and who isn't afraid to use them! Those of you currently getting into the Juno soundtrack (which I have been meaning to write about for a while...I just never seem to get around to it) will like this; although Lewis' tunes are very varied, they remind of The Moldy Peaches in places.

And this is not just some strange coincidence. Lewis has previously collaborated with Kimya Dawson, has appeared on stage supporting Adam Green, and has provided the artwork for several of their album covers.

As for the comic books - he produces his own series, Fuff (formerly Guff) and, elsewhere, is responsible for characters such as Baby Shoes, who "has legs growing out of his head and he's addicted to shooting truth serum". He site his illustratory heroes as Dan Clowes and Alan Moore...and even based his senior year thesis on the latter's Watchmen.

Making music since 1997 and signed to Rough Trade in 2001 he has, to date, released four albums (official albums that is...there are plenty more mix-tapes and self-releases knocking about) - 2001's The Last Time I Did Acid I Went Insane, 2003's It's The Ones Who've Cracked That The Light Shines Through, 2005's (2006 in the US) City and Eastern Songs and, most recently, 2007's 12 Crass Songs (due to be released in the US on 28th January).

As the title would suggest, this most recent album features twelve Lewis reworkings of songs originally by the British, pacifist, anti-capitalist anarcho-punksters Crass. What once were high energy, vitriolic and aggressive-sounding (don't get me wrong, brilliant sounding) diatribes have been transformed into subdued psychedelic folk music. Before you tune out completely, let me tell you that somehow this really works. What the songs have lost in urgency, they have gained in buckets in terms of being able to appreciate their excellent, thoughtful lyrics. I'm not quite sure how, but none of the message seems to be lost, and a lot of Lewis' covers come off sounding almost pretty.

Rock Louder put it pretty darn well in their review. And you should also head across to Wikipedia to read about Crass if you need to.

I can't get enough of Jeffrey Lightning Lewis (I read somewhere that he was named that by his beatnik parents!) at the moment and I'd love you to join me for the ride.

Have a look at an example of his comic book work here (more examples at his own website; link below). The cover to 12 Crass Songs is itself a 16 page fold-out comic book strip, and is just gorgeous!

Visit Jeffrey Lewis at MySpace.

Visit his website for info. on Lewis' discography, tour dates, comic books, general news...or to play Space Invaders!

Buy his albums! Or, if you prefer, you can download 12 Crass Songs on a by song basis from, the very aptly named, Juno download.

From 12 Crass Songs:

Jeffrey Lewis - Where Next, Colombus? (sic)
Jeffrey Lewis - Big A, Little A

And the Crass originals:

Crass - Where Next, Columbus?
Crass - Big A, Little A

Also check out The Gasman Cometh, Systematic Death and I Ain't Thick, It's Just A Trick.

From It's The Ones Who've Cracked That The Light Shines Through:

Jeffrey Lewis - Back When I Was 4
Jeffrey Lewis - Gold
Jeffrey Lewis - If You Shoot The Head You Kill The Ghoul

From Gas Money Tour EP:

The Jeff Lewis Band - Swamp Thing
(A cover of Schwervon!...on this EP, each band covered 3 of the other's songs)

Speck Mountain...I think I like them!

Whilst my music reviews are on a Stockholm bent, now seems a good time to mention Speck Mountain. Nope, they're not more Swedish indie-pop, they're actually from Chicago (or are at least based there...the individual members come from Portland, Detroit and Los Angeles), but they do have a song by the name of Stockholm.

This is about as different to Those Dancing Days as you could get, save for having a female vocalist. Nevertheless, it is rather lovely...and may even be suitable for the comedown you feel after spending an evening bopping away to Those Dancing Days.

Vocals here are courtesy of Marie-Claire Balabanian, who would definitely be in the running for a trophy if there was ever a Hope Sandoval soundalike competition. Then we have some organ drones courtesy of Kate Walsh (not the Kate Walsh of Tim's House fame, a different one), and some nice lazy guitar from Karl Briedrick. The songs are as much about what is not there as what is...hang on, I'm not making myself very clear there, am I? What I mean is that space (as in room to move, not Giddy Stratospheres) within the songs provides as much of their atmosphere as does the instrumentation. To summarise them in one sentence I would say something like: Laid-back lullabies for the disenchanted.

Oh, screw it, just have a listen for yourselves!

Listen if you like: Downtempo sounds in the vein of Mazzy Star.

mp3: Speck Mountain - Blood Is Clean (in which the intro. sounds like The Doors)

mp3: Speck Mountain - Hey Moon

mp3: Speck Mountain - Stockholm

N.B. In my opinion, their song Backslide is best avoided, as it is a relatively dirgy attempt at electronica that can be somewhat painful on the ear. And whilst their song Summer Above is just lovely when the vocal kicks in, you do have to sit through almost two instrumental minutes before getting to that. In other words, I like Speck Mountain, but my endorsement does come with a slight disclaimer of 'good when they get it right'.

Visit Speck Mountain at MySpace.

Buy their album, Summer Above, here.

Those Dancing Days...I can't stop listening to bubblegum pop!

It is not very often that I write about pop music, but this is one bandwagon that I am definitely going to be leaping on. This is Those Dancing Days.

A teenage, all girl, five piece from Nacka in Stockholm, Sweden, these lasses make the most infectious girl group sounds that these ears have heard in a long long time. This is the music that all girl groups should be making...sod your Simon Fullers.

Those Dancing Days sound like Crash by The Primitives, or a modern Shangri Las, i.e. 60s girly pop for today. But there is more to them than just that...we hear some Northern Soul, some indie, and some sunshine! We have Hammond organ, synths, drums, great vocals courtesy of Linnea Jonsson, and a lot of catchy upbeat songs. This is as sweet as a cake with pink icing...but not toothache sweet.

Expect big things from these girls. Their single, Hitten (video below), will be released by Wichita Recordings as a single on January 28th. If you can't wait that long, you could do a lot worse than getting your hands on their domestically-released five track EP...every one's a corker. And there are two of them for you to sample for yourselves below.

Roll on summer! (Which, incidentally, is also when their debut album is likely to land).

Video for upcoming single, Hitten

mp3: Those Dancing Days - Hitten

mp3: Those Dancing Days - Dischoe

For good measure, included below are the song that the band were named after and an aptly named one from Carla Bruni...the latter just because it is lovely.

mp3: Led Zeppelin - Dancing Days

mp3: Carla Bruni - Those Dancing Days Are Gone

Show them some love on MySpace.

Buy their five track EP (it's pricey because it's a Swedish import, but it's SO good!)

These are not the greatest songs in the world, these are just a tribute: Musicians remember musicians

I posted a music video of The Mamas and The Papas recently and doing so got me to thinking about how much I love Mama Cass. And so I thought that I would share with you a great song written as a tribute to her. But I didn't want to stop there, so decided that I would compile a set of tribute songs...tunes that give the nod to musicians that have sadly left us to attend that big ole Woodstock in the sky. There are some great tunes here...eulogies for those who are always worth remembering for their contribution to the world of music. All songs can be downloaded as mp3s - just right click on the song title and choose 'save target as'.

Mama, I Remember You Now - Marit Bergman (no online lyrics available for this one)

We start, predictably, with the song mentioned above. A lovely song in honour of the great Mama Cass from the Swedish singer Marit Bergman. The song is gorgeous and sunshiney...very much in keeping with the sound of Mama Cass herself.

Cass, we remember you not just now, but always.

Bonus factoid: Did you know that Keith Moon, some four years later, died in the same London flat as did Cass Elliot?

Read more about her here.

Or learn about The Mamas and The Papas.

Pearl - The Mamas and The Papas (lyrics)

The Mamas and The Papas paid their own tribute with their song Pearl, from the album People Like Us. This was in remembrance of Janis Joplin who, despite leaving us at the age of only 27, left behind some incredible and truly groundbreaking music...a white girl with a belting bluesy wail that, whilst powerful, showed every inch of her vulnerability and (some might say self-imposed) struggles.

"Here's a prayer for honky-tonk Pearl -

Hope she finds someplace outta this world

Where she feels at home"

Musical contemporaries Jerry Garcia and Joan Baez have also paid their respects to Janis:

Bird Song - Jerry Garcia (lyrics)

In The Quiet Morning - Joan Baez (lyrics)

But my very favourite ode to Ms Joplin has to be that of American folk singer Dory Previn. This tells the touching story of Joplin, in August 1970, buying a headstone for the unmarked grave of, perhaps her greatest musical influence, Bessie Smith.

"she got it for her grave-site on a temporary loan

but she forgot she had not paid for her own"

Stone For Bessie Smith - Dory Previn (lyrics)

Read about Janis Joplin or Big Brother and the Holding Company.

Bessie Smith - Bob Dylan and The Band (lyrics)

Next up a song that really is about Bessie Smith, courtesy of Bob Dylan and The Band, from The Basement Tapes. The profound influence of Bessie's music can not be understated and you all should crank this up in tribute.

Read about her here.

A Tribute To A King - William Bell (lyrics)

Whilst all the above songs followed neatly on from one to the next, I really was unable to think how to follow Bessie Smith. I decided to plump for A Tribute To A King, for little other reason than it is very good indeed; in my opinion one of the best songs on this list, and another very worthy honouree in the shape of Otis Redding.

Read about Otis and his wonderful soulful voice here.

From a king to The King...none other than Mr Elvis Presley. First up we have Gillian Welch and her testimonial in the form of Elvis Presley Blues, from which the very best line has to be:

"He shook it like a chorus girl"

And he certainly did. It's amazing to think now about exactly how racy Elvis' dancing was considered - this was the age of rock n roll and rebellion...a time when teenagers really came into their own.

Elvis Presley Blues - Gillian Welch (lyrics)

It's obvious from the title that Welch's song is about Elvis Presley, but here's another one that you may not have realised was a tribute to The King:

Black Velvet - Alannah Myles (lyrics)

It was "a new religion that'll bring ya to your knees"...here was a (beautiful) young man mixing up elements of black and white music, country and rhythm and blues, and really causing a bit of a stir in the process! Again, his risque dancing is given a mention, "The way he moved, it was a sin, so sweet and true".

And why not check out the tribute album from Wanda Jackson (whom I bloomin' love!) I Remember Elvis.

I can't imagine that you need to read up on Elvis Presley, but if you do, you can do so here.

Another song that you may not know to be a tribute is Don McLean's American Pie. Yessiree, this one's about Buddy Holly, who also made massive contributions to what it meant to be a teenager in the 1950s.

American Pie - Don McLean (lyrics)

Another one (obviously) about Buddy Holly is:

Tribute To Buddy Holly - Mike Berry (lyrics)

But how about Three Stars, which memorialises not only Holly, but also Richie Valens and The Big Bopper, who died along with him in the same plane crash. Again this is a tribute from a musical peer, who lost three friends to that plane crash, as the world lost three of its singers.

Three Stars - Eddie Cochran (lyrics)

In 1989, on their album 11, The Smithereens remembered those left behind, with a song for the widow of Buddy Holly, itself a 60s-influenced piece of jangly guitar pop.

Maria Elena - The Smithereens (lyrics)

Read about Buddy Holly here.


Lady Stardust - David Bowie (lyrics)

Moving on, we have another gender-swapping tribute, although this one makes more sense.

In 1972, David Bowie paid his respects to a compeer loved and lost on his infamous album The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders From Mars.

This song is about Marc Bolan...off stage, "The boy in the bright blue jeans", on stage the titular "Lady Stardust". Bolan was another artist who was controversial in his time, for his feminine appearance, glamming it up with feather boas and sparkly make-up on stage:

"People stared at the makeup on his face
Laughed at his long black hair, his animal grace".

Read about Marc Bolan here.

And go here to read about Tyrannosaurus Rex/T-Rex.

Next up is a song for Gram Parsons, courtesy of The Eagles (the nearest thing to a link between this and the last track that I could think of was that Bolan and Parsons died in the same week...although as this was four years apart, I think we'll just do without a link!).

My Man - The Eagles (lyrics)

Read about the not-talked-about-nearly-enough Parsons here.


Giving up on linking between songs altogether, we have Sonic Youth singing about Karen Carpenter, and her sad death at the hands of anorexia-related heart failure.

Tunic (Song For Karen) - Sonic Youth (lyrics)

Sonic Youth also did a fabulous cover of The Carpenters' song Superstar, which is worthy of inclusion here despite being a cover and not a tribute simply because it is so good. Apparently even good enough to be used by trendy indie film makers (it's on the Juno soundtrack).

Superstar - Sonic Youth (lyrics)

Go here to read about Karen Carpenter.

Or read about The Carpenters.


Last up we have a song for a much more recently deceased, although still massively influential, musician. That musician is Kurt Cobain, remembered here by Neil Young.

Sleeps With Angels - Neil Young (lyrics)

To read more about Kurt Cobain, go here.

Or read about his band, Nirvana.



Well, that's our nice round top ten done, but I feel it is my duty to crank it up to eleven and add a bonus track...we can't blow this joint without mentioning Johnny Cash right?

Nickajack Cave (Johnny Cash's Redemption) - Gary Allan (lyrics)

Tot them up, that's 19 songs...enough for another mix CD! Get downloading and burning folks!

Who? Ruth Notman, with her debut album 'Threads'

Nottingham's 18 year old Ruth Notman has, with her debut album, Threads (released on Mrs Casey Music on 19/11/07), achieved a very lovely thing. The album contains a mix of skillful covers and original material; the former have obviously been chosen carefully and work very well. Notman opens proceedings by greeting us with a consummate version of Nic Jones' Billy Don't You Weep For Me, before moving swiftly on to the definitive stand-out track of Caledonia by Dougie MacLean. Her piano playing is delightful and understated and she is joined by some very capable musicians, including being accompanied with some vocal harmonies by none other than Bella Hardy.

Notman reached the finals of the BBC Radio 2 Young Folk Award in 2006 and comes Kate Rusby approved - Rusby has been quoted as saying "Fantastic...really special" and "I was just totally blown away...absolutely brilliant" - which is high praise indeed for a girl who is still so wet behind the ears.

The praise is well deserved and this is a name that I have no doubt that you will be hearing, certainly in folky circles, with increasing frequency. On Threads she has achieved an accomplished and confident melding of the traditional and the modern. The only let down is the bonus track What's Going On? (nope, not a Marvin Gaye cover). This, according to the CD cover is "Ruth in a different style", i.e. pop in the vein of Kelly Clarkson or Avril Lavigne, where she comes off sounding entirely unremarkable.

This said, if Notman sticks to what she is (very) good at, and I have a feeling that she will (let's chalk this down to being a youthful experiment...we all make mistakes, don't we Kate Rusby? What were you thinking in agreeing to duet with Ronan Keating??), I am sure that she will become another superb example of the thriving young, British folk scene.

Listen if you like: Kate Rusby, Eliza Carthy, Martha Tilston, Rachel Unthank.


mp3: Ruth Notman - Caledonia

mp3: Ruth Notman - Still I Love Him

Visit Ruth on MySpace.

Buy the album.

And the winner is...

Congratulations to Canuck Chick from Bamboo Blitz, for it is she who will be receiving the Stealing Beauty CD.

E-mail me your details at the address on the left and I shall get it to you post haste!

Well done...and thank you to those that entered.

Easy on the ear: This is Bear Country

I have been meaning to post about Bear Country since I was introduced to them by Matthew at the wonderful Song, by Toad.

I can't impart a great deal of information about them, as Google searches have proved pretty fruitless. I can tell you that they are based in Omaha, Nebraska. I also know that their first album, Our Roots Need Rain, was released on June 4th 2006. But all you really need to know is that those sumptuous pipes belong to Susan Sanchez. The sound? Shimmering, female-fronted Americana-pop. In terms of vocals, if you think Camera Obscura you'll be on the right track. This is happy music, replete with lush strings and handclaps (well, you know I am fond...in several senses of the word!).

I am in agreement with Matthew that Up Up Away and Coolie Trade are two very gorgeous songs...the best of the mere seven that I have heard to date, and so I am just going to post the same tracks.

mp3: Up Up Away (from Our Roots Need Rain)

mp3: Coolie Trade (from the upcoming album Coolie Trade...due out Spring 2008)

So now you can visit Bear Country without even having to worry about your comestibles!

Listen to Bear Country at MySpace (the song Red over there is also very comely).

For more great Americana, check out Dear August.