Spools Paradise

Hello Goodbye....

2012-02-27T21:57:00.000Z

For personal reasons I shall be taking a break from Spools Paradise for, hopefully, a short while. As anyone who reads the blog on a fairly regular basis will know my recent posts have been few and far between recently which is for the same reason.

I love doing the blog and will still try and do the odd posting here and there as well as still trying to check out all the fine blogs that are on the Paradise Links section on the right hand side of the blog.

Much as I love doing the blog, however, sometimes there are more important things in life and whilst I try to sort those things out the blog will have to take a back seat.

Finally I just want to say a big thanks to all those who regularly view and support the blog - you know who you are - it is very much appreciated.

Soothing Sunday....

2012-02-19T10:26:00.000Z

Sometimes you don't really need to write anything to accompany a wonderful piece of music....this is one such occasion...

Simply sublime for a Sunday morning...

The Impressions - Young Mods Forgotten Story

Not The Future Of Rock 'N' Roll....

2012-02-18T15:53:00.000Z

Even for a new band less than 40 minutes on stage seems pretty damn short. But that is precisely what Glasgow got on Wednesday at King Tuts with Spector. If you take away the in between song inanities from Fred MacPherson the set was closer to half an hour.

Was it a good half hour, well spent I hear you blithely enquire. Yes and No is the simple answer to that question. I had seen the comparisons beforehand to the likes of The Strokes and Pulp, but for me I felt for most of the gig that I had been transported back to 1979 at the height of the New Wave scene. I kept thinking of bands like The Jags and The Knack when watching them. Which is no bad thing but those bands were in the first division when you had the likes of The Jam and Joy Division sitting at the top of the Premier League.

I also worry at gigs when the band try to encourage the crowd to show more appreciation and enthusiasm. It did appear to be a fairly lacklustre crowd but that was largely because most of the material was not strong enough to warrant much energy from the sold out crowd. In saying that I have been to a many inferior gigs over the years and I did enjoy the brief set, in particular Never Fade Away and Chevy Thunder. I just don't think they are as good as they think they are and are certainly not "the future of rock'n'roll".

Then I Will Receive You Gladly....

2012-02-15T09:49:00.001Z

Sometimes original is best. When it comes to music more often than not this is the case. And it most certainly is the case when it comes to Cherry Oh Baby.

As with most people I first came upon the track through the Brummie boys, UB40 and to be fair they did a pretty decent cover. But one listen to the original and that falsetto and you wonder why they bothered.

Eric won the Jamaican Festival Song Competition back in '71 and to date there are over 30 covers, most notably the aforementioned UB40 and, perhaps surprisingly, The Rolling Stones. He went on to win the Song Festival another six times and has resulted in him being known as "Mr. Festival".

His high-pitched vocal is filled with an exuberant joy that is displayed to full effect on his most famous tune.

Eric Donaldson - Cherry Oh Baby

Whitney Houston 1963 - 2012

2012-02-12T14:50:00.002Z

I do not own any records by Whitney Houston, unless you include her "collaboration" with The JAMs, but it would be churlish to deny that she was an incredibly gifted vocalist. Sadly she had led a very troubled private life for quite a few years now but should be remembered for the over 400 awards she won for that wonderful, unique voice.

R.I.P. Whitney.

From Iceland To Luton....

2012-02-11T22:02:00.000Z

For that "difficult" fifth album The Fall released an album that still sounds as fresh, invigorating and inventive today as it did back in '82. I would not recommend Hex Enduction Hour as a starting point if you don't know much about The Fall but Hex is their first truly great album.

Recorded in Iceland and an abandoned cinema in Luton, Hex crackles with the kind of fervor you just don't seem to get from bands today. The album is dominated by the dual drumming of Paul Hanley and Karl Burns and the bass playing of Steve Hanley that drives most of the tracks along. Smith himself rarely sounded as abrasive or vitriolic and the album is all the more essential for it.

Hex contains some of the most uncompromising post-punk songs ever committed to a record with Craig Scanlon providing some of the most abrasive and best guitar playing on any Fall album. They even managed somehow to get Hip Priest on The Silence Of The Lambs soundtrack.

Smith has, in the years since, claimed that he thought Hex Enduction Hour was going to be his last-ever, and maybe that explains why for a lot of people it's the definitive Fall album. Admittedly not as commercial as some of their later material perseverance is the name of the game with Hex so persevere and be rewarded with one of the great Fall albums.

The Fall - Fortress/Deer Park

Dot Dash....

2012-02-07T09:43:00.001Z

If you name yourself after a track by Wire are you going to sound like Wire. In the case of Dot Dash the answer is not really. After a few listens to their debut album "Spark>Flame>Ember>Ash" I was thinking more along the lines of The Jam, The Byrds and early Creation bands.

Just as well I like my songs short as the 14 tracks on the album clock in at only about 35 minutes. The album contains some great pop tunes with hooks aplenty. Opening track "The Color and the Sound" sets the tone for the rest of the album with a strong 80's power pop feel to it. All the tracks are fresh and immediate and showcase a band in thrall to the sound of vintage post-punk and jangly indie.

The album won't win any awards for originality but if you like timeless guitar bands with songs that grab you by the scruff of the neck and hooks to die for then maybe, just maybe Dot Dash are the band for you.

Album can be purchased here .

The band have very kindly given me permission to post a couple of tracks....

Dot Dash - The Color And The Sound
Dot Dash - I'm Going Home

Better Late Than Never....

2012-02-06T11:12:00.000Z

There was an almost reverential silence when Kenny Anderson and Jon Hopkins took to the stage at Glasgow's ABC a couple of weeks ago. I had been looking forward to this gig for a while although I wasn't sure how the Mercury nominated album would translate live.

Any concerns were swiftly allayed when they started with the wonderful piano instrumental First Watch. Poignant,thought provoking and just simply beautiful. One of the many highlights of the night followed next with, for me, the highlight of the album, John Taylor's Month Away. Romantic, powerful and effortless came to mind when witnessing this track performed live. The audience was transfixed and with good reason. They then went on to play the rest of Diamond Mine and the crowd was lost in the beauty of these songs with Kenny's plaintive singing and guitar playing being complemented by Jon's delicately understated electronics and some nice backing vocals from none other than KT Tunstall.

With the album done and dusted, the duo played a selection of KC songs, punctuated by the Fife man’s brilliant banter and a great cover of The Only Living Boy In New York before finishing the night on a high with Kenny's own personal fave, My Favourite Girl.

They were only playing a few select dates to tour Diamond Mine and if they decide to play any more dates this year and you haven't seen them perform the album live I would strongly suggest making a date in your diary.

King Creosote and Jon Hopkins - John Taylor's Month Away

Don't Call Them Twee....

2012-01-30T22:37:00.000Z

Spools Paradise Recipe....

Equipment Required - One Blender....

Ingredients - An equal mixture of The Ramones, Mary Chain, The Velvets, Blondie and The Shangri-La's....

Blend all the ingredients together and you should end up with the following....

End Result - Glasgow's finest C86 combo, The Shop Assistants....

Honey drenched wall of sound guitars, one classic album, beloved of yer man Peel and Morrissey, proudly paying homage to pop in its purest form and makers of one of the finest Scottish singles ever made in Safety Net....

The Shop Assistants - Safety Net

Something New....

2012-01-26T14:29:00.001Z

A while back I received an email from a fellow blogger who has a site called Ghost Olympics where he posts his own music.

He describes himself as :

"I'm a man who does music, sometimes, and has a lot of unfinished business. By "business", I mean "songs", and by "songs" I mean "fannying about with computers, sequencers, guitars and four-track tape recorders making rudimentary dance music and indie fringe-flopping, sometimes at once."

There are certainly some interesting sounds on his blog here so why not pop over and have a listen. There's bits of techno, pieces of ambient and enough samples to satisfy anyone interested in music that is innovative and sounds as though he had a lot of fun making.

This is my own personal fave below.

Slow Down, You're Taking Me Over....

2012-01-24T21:30:00.000Z

Sadly there are some gigs from back in the day that I went to that I have no great recollection of due to a spot of over indulgence beforehand. Back in the early 90's we would regularly go to three or four gigs a week on a good week and one that always sticks out for me was Suede at the now defunct Plaza Ballroom. As a couple of mates had a flat just round the corner it was an ideal venue for us and we made the most of any gigs that took place there. In fact the first gig I ever went to with my wife was to the Plaza when we were courting (!!) but that's for another post.

Feted as the 'best new band in Britain' before they'd even released a single, for a short while Suede more than lived up to the hype. Wearing their Bowie and Morrissey influences proudly on their sleeves, Brett Anderson and Bernard Butler foisted their debut album upon the Great British public in the early 90's and produced one of the best albums of the "Britpop " era. Where it really came together was, however, on stage where Suede took the studio sounds to a different level.They were charismatic, gloriously sleazy, glamorous and, above all, exciting.

They had great songs, an incredible guitarist and a front man who knew how to put on a performance. Fair enough he may have believed his own hype but a good chunk of the arrogance was justified.

Although I saw quite a few bands at The Plaza this was the one that always stood out for me - just don't let on to my lovely wife.

Suede - The Drowners

Last Night There Were Skinheads On My Lawn....

2012-01-19T21:45:00.000Z

You must be doing something right if you have one of your tracks covered by the likes of Teenage Fanclub and The Manics. In the case of Camper Van Beethoven they were certainly doing something right back in '87 when they recorded the wonderful Take The Skinheads Bowling.

Still not sure about the "wanna lick your knees" line but Skinheads sounded unique, almost defiant and extremely quirky back upon its original release and still sounds all of those and more to this day. I hadn't heard it for ages until it randomly appeared on the headphones today. There is an energy and rawness to the track that helped make it one of the most iconic tracks of the late 80's. The track is pretty much timeless and in my humble opinion pretty close to perfection.

Many times covered but never bettered, Take The Skinheads Bowling is overflowing with an attitude and swagger that those pesky Gallagher brothers could only dream of.....

Camper Van Beethoven - Take The Skinheads Bowling

Underwhelmed....

2012-01-14T20:11:00.001Z

I have just read and listened to the artists on the BBC Sound Of 2012 list and can't remember a time when I have felt so fucking underwhelmed by a list of so called breakthrough artists. They are not all bad but if this is the best the BBC can find I'm away to listen to my Smiths box set again.

Michael Kiwanuka can certainly sing, with more than a hint of Bill Withers and John Martyn to his voice, but just doesn't convince me. Nice but no cigar. I can, however, understand his placing on the list but most of the others are just baffling. Excepting the mighty Spector. Now these cats are onto something. Hints of Roxy Music and Pulp entwined with the more obvious Strokes influence lend something of an 80's sheen to the Spector sound. Takes a bit of balls to name your band after possibly the greatest producer of all time, but Spector could prove to one of the best new bands this year.

My other tip for the tip pop pickers has to be Cold Specks. I was blown away by the voice of Al Spx when she performed on Later last year. Her "doom Soul" sound on Holland was something special and hopefully 2012 will be the year that the world catches onto the beautiful and disarming sounds from Toronto's finest.

Spector - Never Fade Away

Lush,melodic gorgeousness.......

2012-01-08T22:37:00.000Z

For most listeners to the NME's C81 cassette it was the lush melodic sound of The Sweetest Girl that was the biggest surprise. Up until that point Scritti Politti had released material that was scratchy, noisy and lacking in anything resembling a melody.

Opening with some lovely piano courtesy of Robert Wyatt, and with Gartside shedding his previous, frail, Wyatt-inspired voice for a sweet soul falsetto, Green Gartside, seemingly from out of nowhere, released a track that the New York Times cited as one of the best tracks of '82, and is one of those rare tracks that sounds like nothing else. Just gorgeous.

Scritti Politti - The Sweetest Girl

Not Really A Guilty Pleasure....

2012-01-03T19:13:00.001Z

Spools Paradise doesn't do guilty pleasures but if it did then Laura Brannigan's "Gloria" would certainly be one of them. Not really sure what it is about Gloria but it came on the radio the other day and I was transported back to the early 80's and loved every minute of it. No pretensions just a great pop song that you just feel the urge to sing along to.

Three days into 2012 and there goes whatever street cred I had....

Laura Brannigan - Gloria

Just for a bit of balance here's a great recording of the inimatable Patti Smith recorded at Latitude....

Enjoy Yourself....

2011-12-31T22:00:00.000Z

Happy New Year to one and all when it comes round. My resolution this year is to make my resolutions last for more than a couple of days. Hope you all have a great time and a smashing 2012.

The Specials - Enjoy Yourself (It's Later Than You Think)

Gigs Of The Year 2011....

2011-12-28T21:12:00.000Z

Mostly due to work I have not managed to get along to as many gigs this year as I would like to have. In fact I have probably been to less live concerts this year than any other in the last 20 years.

There are two however that stand head and shoulders above all the rest - one from an artist that I have seen many times and have never left the venue anything other than blown away by him and still not understanding why after over 30 years in "the biz" that so many do not even know the sheer majesty of The Boy Wonder. See the review from mid October here .

The other was just last week when I went along to The Arches to see Bill Wells and Aidan Moffat. They were accompanied onstage by violin, double bass and some exquisite trumpet playing by Robert Henderson, all of which rightfully allowed the lyrics and piano to retain centre stage throughout. Most of the set comprised the tracks from one of 2011's finest long players, Everything's Getting Older, including a spellbinding performance of The Copper Top. Thrown into the mix was a strangely moving cover of Bananarama's Cruel Summer and a lovely Christmas ditty that he wrote for his kids loosely based on The Night Before Christmas that had some great laugh out loud moments involving an alcoholic Santa and some bondage which can be found here .

Moffat somehow manages to distil seemingly small moments in life into startling real, and touching lyrics that, on Everything's Getting Older, are amongst the best he has ever written. This was an excellent show that was equal parts beauty, misery and humour. In fact just perfect for Christmas.

Happy Christmas....

2011-12-23T22:22:00.003Z

Last Christmas was my first as a blogger and not wanting to just post the obvious Christmas best song of all time I decided to post a cover of it. The first comment I received for the post described Billy Bragg and Florence Welch's cover of Fairytale Of New York as a dirge. Which on repeated listens turns out to be a pretty apt description of it.

The comment then went on to say that "Fairytale is up there with Sitting On The Dock Of The Bay and White Man In Hammersmith Palais, it should be left the fuck alone".

There is a very good reason why Fairytale should be left the fuck alone and is considered to be the best Christmas song ever recorded. Although it is a "Christmas" record it could be played any time of the year and would still sound like a classic song. Not just for Christmas this one. Great arrangement, great lyrics that have just the right mix of love, desperation and melancholy and a perfect match of vocals from Shane and Kirsty all combine to make Fairytale the perfect Christmas tune.

"The boys of the NYPD choir
Were singing "Galway Bay"
And the bells were ringing out
For Christmas day"

Happy Christmas one and all.

Tracks Of My Years 2011....

2011-12-21T21:09:00.002Z

As with my albums of the year I was struggling to limit my tracks of the year to a Top 10 as I think this has been one of the finest years musically for many a year. Either that or I have finally latched onto the joy that is Spotify and heard a lot more music this year than any other in recent memory. Either way 2011 has seen some great releases.

Tracks that caught my attention in 2011 included The Horrors homage to late 70's Simple Minds with "Still Life", Spector's hook laden "Never Fade Away", Anna Calvi's "Blackout" and for sheer dump pop genuis you couldn't go wrong with The Vaccines' "If You Wanna".

Good as the above were they didn't quite make it onto the coveted Top 10 list which was reserved for the following - No's 10 - 4 : (in no particular order).....

Tom Waits - Bad As Me
Glasvegas - Lots Sometimes
Milk Music - Out Of My World
Cancel The Astronauts - Seven Vices
King Creosote and Jon Hopkins - Your Young Voice
Real Estate - Wonder Years
Kate Bush - Rubberband Girl

.... and these 3 which are my Top 3 of 2011

Howler - I Told You Once
Aidan Moffat and Bill Wells - The Copper Top
PJ Harvey - The Words That Maketh Murder

As I wrote in my albums of the year postings Aidan and PJ produced two of the best albums of the year also. Howler hail from Minneapolis, home to such luminaries as Husker Du and The Replacements, and while not the most original band in the world they did release 2 mins 53 secs of pop perfection in I Told You Once. The intro reminds me of That's Entertainment before launching into a track that would not have been out of place on the first Strokes album. Great stuff.

Finest moment in any track also goes to Polly Jean and her barely contained anger in The Last Living Rose when she sings....

"Past the Thames river flowing
Like gold hastily sold
For nothing....nothing"

Howler - I Told You Once

Albums Of The Year Part 2....

2011-12-18T20:50:00.000Z

Kenny Anderson's recordings were given new life in 2011 thanks to lush, fresh and flourishing ambient instrumentation of producer Jon Hopkins. Simple songs, beautiful production, understated and subtle throughout. Diamond Mine will stand the test of time like all good well crafted music does. It is a very short album but is reflective, at times poignant and very unique.

I have had a look at all the year end lists and they all seem to have one glaring omission in the shape of Ersatz GB . It may not be a This Nation's Saving Grace or a Perverted By Language but Ersatz GB still trumps most records released this year. Ersatz GB is Smith's 29th studio album, and while not necessarily his best, it certainly demonstrates that his appetite for creating angry, angular, wonderfully warped state-of-the-nation addresses is hardly diminished.

When it came out in February I failed to see what all the fuss was surrounding Let England Shake. I didn't really pay it mush attention until a few weeks ago and will gladly admit to being so wrong. It is an album of outstanding quality and variation with songs that are sparse with powerful lyrics describing the horrors of war from the perspective of the young soldiers who are slaughtered in them. Passionate, thought provoking and clearly a labour of love Let England Shake is a is a sublime piece of work that fully deserves the praise that has been heaped upon it this year.

King Creosote and Jon Hopkins - Bats In The Attic

Albums Of The Year Part 1....

2011-12-14T19:51:00.000Z

For the first time in many a year I'm not sure where to start. For the simple reason that this has been a stellar year for new albums.

I was very impressed by the debut from Anna Calvi. Hailed as "the best thing since Patti Smith" by Brian Eno, Calvi produced a stunning debut that drew comparisons to the likes of PJ Harvey and Nick Cave. But this was very much an Anna Calvi album. It is a supremely confident debut that engages from the first note. Calvi's album blends her big voice with lusty blues guitar and sparse rhythms that resulted in an impressive, passionate debut that that is occasionally overblown but never less than splendid.

Also on my year end radar is the stunning Everything's Getting Older from Aidan Moffat and Bill Wells. Moffat delivers a set of songs that are as funny, poignant, filthy and insightful as anything he's ever written. Wells and Moffat first met when Wells was asked to play piano on Arab Strap’s Monday At The Hug & Pint in 2003. Eight years later they finally released the full fruits of their collaboration. And well worth the wait it was. The album’s masterstroke is The Copper Top.
* In The Copper Top a man retreats to the pub after a funeral to be alone with his thoughts, so sick, as he is, of hearing everyone else’s memories of the recently deceased. Sitting in his fitted suit, only worn twice, he decides: "birth, love and death, the only reasons to get dressed up". Pint sunk, he leaves, glancing back at the copper roof of the pub as he leaves. Having oxidised over the years it’s now "a dull pastel grey’". "Everything’s getting older" he decides, before a mournful trumpet carries the rest of the song away.*
By the end you're left in stunned admiration at one of 2011's finest releases. Eight years in the making it may have been but the debut album by Bill Wells and Aidan Moffat is a special thing, full of gorgeous, jazz-inflected love songs that I just can't get enough of.

I saw Laura Marling a few years back in Ayr Town Hall supporting Glasvegas and she was like a rabbit caught in the headlights. At that gig she was just a fairly average singer songwriter with the odd good tune. Fast forward to 2011 and the 21 year old has obviously swallowed the Joni Mitchell songbook. And I don't mean that in any derogatory way. It is a lot looser than her first two albums and all the better for it. She can still come across as a bit po faced but once she becomes less distant she has the potential to produce even better material.

Notable mentions also to great albums also from Kurt Vile, Tom Waits and the best Paul Simon release in years....

Part 2 to follow....

Bill Wells and Aidan Moffat - The Copper Top

* Courtesy of Drowned In Sound

Never Again....

2011-12-11T17:35:00.000Z

'Twas my annual Christmas work night out last night and although it was a great night I seem to have lost most of Sunday somehow. Mexican may seem an odd choice for a Chrimbo dinner but as we will all be seeing more than enough "traditional" Xmas fare soon enough it seemed as good a choice as any. Think it may be time for a wee hair of the dog....

Velvet Underground - Beginning To See The Light

Oh Mickey You're So Fine....

2011-12-08T15:06:00.000Z

I must admit to having complete ignorance of the music of Mickey Newbury until I purchased the year end music mags and saw his name on their reissue of the year lists with Mojo putting his American Trilogy box set at the top of their list and Uncut putting it second on theirs. The box set contains his three late 60' and early 70's albums plus the by now obligatory album of demos and outtakes - what box set these days would be complete without them !!

Newbury was better known as a songwriter than as a singer, despite releasing over 25 albums, but his soft, beautiful tenor voice rarely reached the charts. His songs have been covered by hundreds of artists with over 1,000 covers documented. Even today, he remains a songwriter's songwriter, lionized by a new generation of musicians including Will Oldham and Nick Cave and it's not hard to hear why with definite hints of Leonard Cohen, Randy Newman and Tom Waits in his songwriting.

Well worth dropping a few hints to your nearest and dearest as a last minute Chrimbo gift....

Mickey Newbury - San Francisco Mabel Joy

Hard as Hell....

2011-12-04T17:47:00.000Z

James Todd Smith III, aka LL Cool J was apparently "hard as hell" back in '86 when he released the classic Rock the Bells. The track is full of LL's unique style, wit, uncanny phrasing and timing and has stood the test of time really well. I was listening to some tracks on a never ending playlist today when Rock The Bells came on and it reminded me of a time when hip hip/rap was not almost entirely centred on sexist or violent bullshit lyrics like a lot of artists that have followed in Cool J's path. LL just liked to have a bit of fun and his early Def Jam material is up there with some of the best hip hop recordings. He may not have produced material as important and inventive as Public Enemy and KRS One but he deserves recognition for bringing hip hop to the mainstream.

Rock The Bells is based around a sparse sound built on nothing much more than a big beat, and clever rapping and stands as a genuine Hip Hop classic.

LL Cool J - Rock the Bells

Hurts So Good

2011-12-01T22:35:00.001Z

The Queen of Lovers Rock released this near faultless track in 1975 and is still one of the most beautiful, soulful reggae tracks laid down by anyone. How could anyone not love this record ?

Susan Cadogan - Hurt So Good

Happy St Andrew's Day....

2011-11-30T06:30:00.001Z

Back in 2008 as part of UNESCO’s Creative Cities Network, Glasgow was named as a UNESCO City of Music in recognition of its musical history as well as the significant role the city plays in promoting music in modern times. With an average of 120 music events, covering an extensive range of genres, being staged in Glasgow every week, the city more than deserved the title.

As today is St Andrew's Day it seemed apt to pay tribute a couple of bands that,although not strictly speaking from Glasgow, have had a huge influence on the Glasgow music scene over the last 30 years or so.

There's not much that I can add that has not already been said before about Edwyn Collins. In light of everything that has happened to Edwyn over the last few years there can be few more inspirational and influential people in Scottish music. I never saw Orange Juice play live but did manage to see him early on in his solo career at Glasgow School Of Art and in recent years I have had the great honour of seeing him live on quite a few occasions including his triumphant gig in the breathtaking main auditorium at Oran Mor. After many thought that we would not see Edwyn play live again he has not only done so but also produced some of the best music of his career and has never sounded better live. We salute you Sir Edwyn.

Today Spools Paradise also pays tribute to a band who are unparalleled among their generation for both their unwavering adherence to and brilliant reinvention of the classic guitar pop of bands like Big Star and The Byrds. If there is a more perfect pop album than Grand Prix it would be hard to find. Blessed with the talents of three formidable singers and songwriters who all share an unerring knack for crafting immediately infectious melodies Teenage Fanclub have consistently released great music for the last 20 years or so. Gorgeous three-part harmonies and beautiful melodies performed and produced perfectly for 20 odd years is quite an achievement. Long live The Fannies.

Edwyn Collins - Don't Shilly Shally
Teenage Fanclub - Neil Jung

Retro Sounds For 2011....

2011-11-29T15:51:00.001Z

Through word of mouth I was recently recommended the debut album from San Francisco indie duo Dominant Girls, and a mighty good recommend it has turned out to be. Every track on the album seem to have an ever present joie de vivre and Invitation is packed with an abundance of great tunes and spot on harmonies. Unashamedly retro, the bouncing grooves and Smiths-inspired jangle of songs such as ‘Take A Bow’ and ‘Hoop Of Love’ would nestle effortlessly on the legendary C86 tape. Main man Ryan William Lynch has also often cited Springsteen and Nile Rodgers as contrasting influences. It makes for an interesting and often infectious melting pot of sounds that adds up to one of the more intriguing releases of 2011.

Dominant Legs - 2 New Thoughts About U

Ice Cream and Pool Halls....

2011-11-28T06:16:00.000Z

Don't know much at all about The Dragsters. I believe they were from Greenock and released three cracking singles in the mid 80's, of which I'm Not An American is the most well known. This was another one I came across the other night when sorting out some old 7" singles and it still sounds pretty good, if very much of it's time. Not too dissimilar to the likes of The Shop Assistants, The Pastels et al. It comes in a hand made sleeve that the band themselves probably had to fold that features black and white images of America over the last century or so that were all name checked in the track including Star Wars, Bonnie and Clyde, drive ins and the Silver Surfer.

The Dragsters - I'm Not An American

Lay This Burden Down....

2011-11-27T14:29:00.000Z

There were many soul singers like Mary Love in the 1960s - very talented, competent performers who were nonetheless pushed to the back of the pack because they lacked exceptional material, or enough personality to truly distinguish them from a crowded field.

Mary has performed over the years with greats such as The Temptations and The Four Tops. When Modern Records signed her in the mid 60's they saw her as their answer to Motown but sadly no hits were forthcoming. She is probably best known for this gem of a track that still gets the floor packed amongst Northern Soulsters.

Mary Love - Lay This Burden Down

Jennifer Wants....

2011-11-26T08:02:00.000Z

From the same Record Mirror single that yesterday's track came from comes toady's offering from Raymonde. Contemporaries of The Smiths and similar in both sound and style, there appeared to be a mutual appreciation society between the two bands. One went on to become one of the the best and most important bands ever whilst Raymonde have sadly faded into obscurity. As far as I know they only released the one album which is currently unavailable.

Today's track was recorded exclusively for Record Mirror and wears it's Smiths influence very proudly on it's sleeve.

Raymonde - Jennifer Wants

I Always Try, I Always Miss....

2011-11-25T07:16:00.003Z

Whilst sorting through some old 7" singles last night I came across a couple that were given away free with Record Mirror back in the mid 80's. Record Mirror leaned more towards the commercial side of things but there were some decent tracks released on the freebie records you would find sellotaped to the front cover including this exclusive remix of one of my fave New Order tracks....

New Order - Sub-Culture (Record Mirror Mix)

Velvet Elvis....

2011-11-24T18:01:00.001Z

According to Wikipedia, A Velvet Elvis is "a painting of Elvis Presley on velvet. It typically represents a costumed torso of Elvis holding a microphone, painted on black velvet (or velvet of some other dark color, such as navy blue, red or purple). This iconic velvet painting is considered an archetypical example of kitsch".

It is also "a neighbourhood bar & grill offering casual dining & drinking in the eclectic surroundings of an original 1910 butchers' shop in the Partick area of Glasgow complete with meat hooks and Edwardian tiling, complemented and counterpointed by a real vinyl jukebox crammed with classic bits of black plastic".

And it was also the name of a self titled album from a four piece from Kentucky that was produced, mixed and recorded by Mitch Easter back in the late 80's. I picked the album up in Virgin in a bargain bin a year or so after it came out, largely because I liked the sleeve and the picture on the back of the album reminded me of the Go Betweens. The album is certainly part of that sound that was sweeping college round at the time inviting comparisons to the Paisley Underground movement and early R.E.M. Don't know much more about them but their eponymous release is a pretty decent album that shows they knew how to write a tune or two and deserved wider attention at the time.

Velvet Elvis - When It Comes
Velvet Elvis - Something Better

At The Country Club....

2011-11-23T21:38:00.000Z

I have just finished reading Tom Doyle's biography of Billy MacKenzie, The Glamour Chase, and would heartily recommend it. As frontman of the Associates, gifted with an otherwordly, octave-scaling operatic voice, MacKenzie, together with partner Alan Rankine, enjoyed Top Twenty chart success in the early 80's. The book is a fascinating insight into the life of one of our most eccentric, endearing, talented and sorely missed pop stars.It is by turns funny, strangely innocent and ultimately ends up as a tragic family story. It showcases a complicated man driven by fame but endlessly pulling away from it. Read the book, put on your copy of Sulk and remember the immense talent that was Billy MacKenzie.

Party Fears Two remains the track that most people remember The Associates for, but for me it was the follow up that was their highpoint. Country Club remains as incredible and enthralling as it ever did and pop music would be much the poorer without it.

The Associates - Club Country (12")

It's In Your Eyes....

2011-11-22T20:38:00.001Z

Over a year in and no posts on one of post punk's most important artists. Step forward Declan Patrick McManus or Elvis Costello to the likes of you and me. I was thinking about this on the train to work this morning and I think it is largely because I feel that he is a tad over-rated. I have a few Costello albums in the house and still listen to and enjoy My Aim Is True and Trust. I also have spot for Punch The Clock and can find tracks from almost all his releases that I could happily listen to. I Want You is one of the best tracks I have heard and any one who penned a track like Shipbuilding cannot be dismissed but sadly I still feel he is over-rated.

The more I think about him the more tracks come to mind that I do actually like including the full on, pounding energy of this track from the NME back in '86, that I lovingly ripped from 7" vinyl just for you.... so perhaps I am completely wrong on this....

Elvis Costello and The Attractions - Uncomplicated (NME Version)

I also forgot about the joy of Costello's love song (!!) to our former PM, Tramp The Dirt Down...

I Could Be A Soldier....

2011-11-21T21:51:00.001Z

The one word that springs to mind when I think of Stiff Little Fingers debut release is integrity. There are very few albums from that era that still retain the same power that they had at the time. Angry, passionate lyrics, Jake Burns rasping vocals and just bloody great songs that make Inflammable Material one of the essential punk albums. Raw, committed and delivered with such anger and sheer vitriol based out of personal experience with no compromise. This album more than almost any other sums up everything that was worthy about the punk era.

Stiff Little Fingers - Wasted Life

Don't Call Me Quirky....

2011-11-20T15:14:00.006Z

I have been listening a lot over the last few days on Spotify to the second album from The Do (there is a slash through the O which apparently means it is pronounced as The Dough). Their 2008 debut album, A Mouthful, became the first number one album in France by a French act singing in English.

The new album is an amalgam of hip hop, folk, rock and so much more. There have been some comparisons vocally to Bjork and their sound has variously been described as quirky and eccentric. This is just lazy journalism. It is a very hard to cateogarise sound that they have but that can surely only be a good thing. Olivia Merilahti's vocals are a unique instrument, at one moment sounding almost like a little girl lost, the next moment extremely playful and mischevious. The soundscapes that she performs over are the work of one Dan Levy but it is clear from the off that this is very much a collaboration.

If you are looking for something original to listen to you might find what you are looking for here

The Do - The Wicked And The Blind

A Timeless Classic....

2011-11-19T18:05:00.002Z

Da Doo Ron Ron is generally regarded as the true beginning of the now famous Phil Spector Wall Of Sound recording technique. Spector originally had singer Darlene Love record Da Doo Ron Ron at Gold Star Studios in Los Angeles. After singing lead on the Crystals' previous hits He's A Rebel and He's Sure the Boy I Love with her group The Blossoms, Darlene Love was still working as a session singer and being paid scale. After singing on Da Doo Ron Ron, she asked for an artist's contract, and Spector responded by erasing her vocals and flying in Crystals lead singer Dolores La La Brooks to replace the lead vocal. The backup vocals were provided by The Blossoms and another one of Spector's favorite backing singers,Cher.

Still one of the greatest tracks recorded by anyone, a timeless, classic pop tune that will still be getting sung 100 years hence..........

For more classic pop visit here ...I don't think I've had 135 comments covering all my postings over the last year or so...one can but hope...

Have a great weekend....

The Crystals - Da Doo Ron Ron

The Voice....

2011-11-18T17:44:00.000Z

There are a couple of male voices that just get me every time and they couldn't really be more different. There is the masterful velvet vocals of one William Smokey Robinson and there is the man described by Elvis as "Quite simply, the greatest singer in the world, Roy Orbison". With his quavering operatic voice and melodramatic narratives of unrequited love and yearning The Big O's three-octave voice put him in a class by himself.

Orbison's voice and incomparable songwriting were pivotal, as well as unmatched, in the development of rock and roll.

I first became aware of Orbison in the late 80's when he starred in the HBO cable special, A Black and White Night with any number of famous musicians lining up to sing along side him including Elvis Costello and Springsteen. The show was a huge triumph and brought Orbison to a whole new audience.

Of all the artists who passed through the doors of Sam Phillips's Sun label in the 1950s, Roy Orbison must have seemed the least likely to succeed but succeed he did.

What a truly magnificent voice he had. The man could sing and then some.

Fave Covers....Part 6....

2011-11-17T09:39:00.000Z

I have previously written of my thoughts here on the exquisite Trinity Sessions album from Toronto's finest The Cowboy Junkies. One of the many great things about that album was the covers they chose to do, which were as good as or in some cases surpassed the originals. This penchant for covering classics continued with the follow up album, The Caution Horses. Once again the music was beautiful and haunting whilst Margo Timmins vocals are as vulnerable and lovely as you would expect.

The cover on the album of Neil Young's Powderfinger is probably the only cover of one of his tracks that I have heard that is better than the original.

Cowboy Junkies - Powderfinger

Something New....

2011-11-16T17:39:00.001Z

Neon Indian is Alan Palomo, the Mexican-born, Texas-raised, brilliantly lucid early 20's synth-wizard who learned his production chops as part of Ghosthunter and honed them in Vega. The new album is a blissful listen of layered ethereal sounds and indistinguishable vocals, with an overall 80s teenage angst that's not too dissimilar to French producer M83's great album of a few years back, Saturdays = Youth. Palomo claims, perhaps not entirely truthfully, that Era Extraña is a search for the meaning of cyberpunk; but even the title, a Spanish wordplay on "strange" and "longing", is elusive.

To The Hip Hip Hop....

2011-11-15T20:18:00.000Z

The early 1970s saw a new culture developing in the New York's Bronx district. In nightclubs and at house parties, DJs and MCs spent countless hours developing hip-hop as an art form. But it took The Sugarhill Gang, and a song called "Rapper's Delight," to get it on the radio.
The song used the backing of Chic’s popular disco track “Good Times”. Originally the song’s composer Nile Rodgers was not credited on “Rapper’s Delight” but that was later changed. Rapper's Delight was technically the second rap record, lagging a few weeks behind The Fatback Band's King Tim III (Personality Jock).It went multi-platinum, eventually selling more than eight million copies worldwide, and set the pace for the rap recording industry. 15 glorious minutes of the bass line from Chic's "Good Times," with a New Jersey crew spieling goofy routines about Superman and bad food on top--is one hell of a party-starter.

Sugarhill Gang - Rapper's Delight

Let's Get Small....

2011-11-14T21:59:00.000Z

Trouble Funk were not the first go-go band but they were the foremost ambassadors of Washington DC's unique contribution to popular music. Go Go was a blend of swinging, up-tempo '70s funk and a '60s-style horn section that was briefly popular over in the UK in the mid 80's when we were "getting small" with the likes of Trouble Funk. The bands do their thing while the musicians and audience yell a whole lot of nonsense with a strong James Brown flavour to the music. Raw, funky, percussive, full-on party music sums them up quite nicely.

Trouble Funk - Let's Get Small

Nine Million Rainy Days....

2011-11-13T21:23:00.001Z

With Bobby Gillespie gone and replaced by an unobtrusive drum machine, The Mary Chain turned down the noise for the follow up to their seminal debut and worked on developing the back-to-basics pop songs that were always underneath. Shorn of their trademark feedback, the melodies are what really shine through on the songs on Darklands. Thought of by some as William's masterpiece Darklands was proof positive that when it comes to delivering a brooding, classic rock n roll album they were second to none.

This track was on Darklands but this version was released on a free 7" given away with Sounds and recorded live in '87 in Detroit.

JAMC - Nine Million Rainy Days (Live In Detroit)

A Jumped Up Pantry Boy....

2011-11-12T19:45:00.000Z

It's a testimony to the outstanding songwriting talents of Morrissey and Marr that a hastily compiled collection of radio sessions , b-sides , and the odd single , is now rightly regarded as one of the seminal albums of the Eighties. Besides Morrissey's lyrics and Marr's obvious talent and skill, it's usually overlooked that the Smiths had a fantastic drummer and bass player as well and Hatful Of Hollow amply showcases what a vital part of the overall sound Mike Joyce and Andy Rourke were.

From start to finish, the whole album is a complete work, and improves on the debut album, especially with regard to production. Handsome Devil is an unqualified classic. Hand in Glove, William, It Was Really Nothing, Reel Round the Fountain, You've Got Everything Now. I could go on forever. I won't, I will just let the music do the talking..........

The Smiths - This Charming Man
The Smiths - Handsome Devil

Never Forget....

2011-11-11T09:19:00.000Z

If you could hear, at every jolt, the blood/Come gargling from the froth-corrupted lungs,/Obscene as cancer, bitter as the cud/Of vile, incurable sores on innocent tongues,/My friend, you would not tell with such high zest/To children ardent for some desperate glory,/The old Lie; Dulce et Decorum est/Pro patria mori.

Bronski Beat - No More War

Standing On The Corner....

2011-11-10T21:30:00.000Z

Even people who generally do not appreciate the music of The Velvet Underground will testify to the greatness of Sweet Jane. Apparently this was Reed's attempt at writing a hit for the Velvet Underground, who as we all know were highly influential, but were completely commercially overlooked. Originally released without the coda we finally got to hear the track as intended on '95's Peel Slowly box set. It is quite simply a seminal track that has one of the best riffs ever recorded.

Velvet Underground - Sweet Jane

Well Jimmy Played Harmonica....

2011-11-09T21:14:00.002Z

The Pogues 2nd session for Peel in December '84 contained amongst the 4 tracks the classic that was Sally MacLennane. Somehow the track only reached number 54 in the chart. Probably sold more right enough than it takes to get in the Top 10 these days. Is there a better drinking song than Sally MacLennane - it's certainly hard to listen to without wanting to grab a drink and join the party. This captures The Pogues perfectly in all their irreverant glory.

The Pogues - Sally MacLennane (Peel Session - '84)

Soul Time....

2011-11-08T20:36:00.000Z

SHIRLEY ELLIS: she was funky yet classy, sophisticated but sassy. Unjustly pigeonholed as a novelty act by many rock historians, Shirley was a unique talent who could rock the joint with the best of 'em, then spin on a dime and hold a packed house of hip nightclubbers in the palm of her hand, spellbound by her cool mastery of a jazzy ballad. I found this description of Shirley Ellis on the web and thought it summed her up better than I ever could.

Shirley Ellis - Soul Time

Some Old Skool House....

2011-11-07T10:03:00.000Z

A bit of old skool House music to kick start a new week. Who says there is no dance music on Spools Paradise ? Soulful House track from '88 that reminds me of good times at the Sub Club. A sweet, killer piano intro and a devastating bassline that drops in with impeccable timing help make this one of the classic House tracks.

Turntable Orchestra - You're Gonna Miss Me

Sun Kissed Gorgeousness....

2011-11-06T08:34:00.000Z

When Dennis Wilson's solo debut, Pacific Ocean Blue was released in 1977 few people had high expectations for it. Oh how wrong the doubters were. Pacific Ocean Blue was a gorgeous masterpiece and is a distinctly personal statement revealing Dennis Wilson to be a talented and gifted performer in his own right. Wilson's style, both in terms of singing and songwriting, is unique. His voice somehow manages to be both rough and fragile at the same time, making his vocals strangely powerful and moving. 12 songs of gripping need and tortured beauty, sung in a craggy, soulful voice by a surfer dreamboy for whom the California dream was real, but sadly not enough.

Dennis Wilson - Thoughts Of You

Great Debut Albums Part 4....

2011-11-05T22:09:00.001Z

Raw, punky, folky, witty, and beautiful - five words to describe the debut album release from James. There is a mania about Stutter that makes the album utterly compelling. The album also achieved a sensitive, soaring beauty that laid the groundwork for some of the great work they produced in the 90's and beyond. Stutter captured them at their essence and stands as an introduction to the creativity they would continue to produce in their later work.

James - Johnny Yen

Coulda Been A Contender....

2011-11-04T14:51:00.001Z

I had not watched any of the Best Scottish Album shows on STV that have been on for the last 4 weeks but decided to watch the grand finale last night. As I had not seen the show I had no idea what would make it onto the album that would comprise the most voted for tracks and, to be honest, it wasn't as bad as I thought it might be. The album would contain three tracks from the 70's/80's/90's and noughties to make a 12 track album. I'm not for a second saying that I would have picked any of the tracks on the final list for my own 12 track album to sum up the best that Scotland has had to offer musically over the last 40 years or so but there's no denying that Sunshine On Leith is a great track and it was also nice to see Mike Scott and Franz Ferdinand in there. Was quite amusing right enough to hear one of the panelists talking about how original Franz Ferdinand were. Obviously he had never listened to The Fire Engines or the bulk of the output of Postcard Records.

Anyway here's a couple of tracks that I would like to have seen included....

JAMC - Upside Down
Orange Juice - Falling and Laughing

Bellshill's Finest....

2011-11-03T21:17:00.000Z

I have just watched the Creation at the Beeb show from last week and it made me think of The BMX Bandits who sadly were not on the show but did release a handful of great tunes on said label. The BMX Bandits seem to have been around forever. I have fond memories of seeing them in Crystals in East Kilbride in the early 90's but their fanbase has never grown beyond the confines of a fervent cult following. Shame that as Duglas and Co have been producing some great work since '86's debut E102.

They spent 3 years on Creation, releasing 3 albums and in Serious Drugs released one of the best tracks by any band on the label. Over the years former band members have went on to greater success but it looks like The Bandits will remain one of Scotland's best kept secrets....

BMX Bandits - Serious Drugs

Stranded Far From Home....

2011-11-02T19:29:00.001Z

Formed around 1974 as Kid Galahad & The Eternals in Brisbane Australia, The Saints released the punk classic (I'm)Stranded on their own Fatal Records label when no other labels wanted to know. Its release in late '76 predated Anarchy In The UK and New Rose and their I'm Stranded Album predated The Damned first album in early '77.

Never as political as bands like the Pistols, The Saints were a scorching rock'n'roll band, full of attitude, capable of unleashing some of the most blistering sounds of the punk era. The Saints were to Australia what the Sex Pistols were to Britain and the Ramones to America.

(I'm)Stranded remains one of the defining tracks of the punk scene and to this day they are still, quite rightly, highly revered in their native Australia.

The Saints - (I'm Stranded)

Dancing With The Rude Boys....

2011-11-01T19:41:00.002Z

With their blend of raucous punk rock laced with reggae and dub, The Ruts were one of the most exciting bands to emerge from Britain's late-'70s music scene. Raised on a healthy diet of reggae, ska, jazz and funk, there was nothing contrived or formulated about the Ruts. Their love of reggae, in particular, wasn’t faked. They had a better feel and understanding of the genre than, arguably, any band before or since. The Londoners were latecomers to punk's party and never quite achieved the kudos of a Clash or a Pistols but in Malcolm Owen, they had and lost one of rock's great storytellers who will always be remembered as an impassioned and powerful performer and as the lead singer of a band who still remain today as one of the key bands of their generation.

The Ruts - Staring At The Rude Boys

One Year Old Today....

2011-10-31T14:10:00.000Z

'Twas one year ago on Halloween 2010 that I done my first post on Spools Paradise and although I haven't posted as often as I would have hoped I have managed 127 posts so far which is not a bad effort for my first year. A large part of this was due to the fact that I have been spending in the region of 4 hours each day travelling to and from work but having got a position closer to home now hopefully that will change.

My first post was about the first band that I saw play live and seemed appropriate for the day that I started the blog. The Cramps are not a band I listen to that often at home but they will always command a special place as they remind me of a certain time in my life and of events and friendships never forgotten.

So this year I have opted once again to go for the band who fused their love of horror B-movies with rockabilly and surf rock, and whose influence can still be heard in many bands today. The Cramps' appeal was largely based on their pulverising live shows and I was fortunate enough to see them live on two occasions and both times they were a welcome reminder of what real rock'n'roll is all about.

Sadly, as we all know, the great Lux Interior is no longer with us and although they became a parody of themselves later on there is no doubting that they were all about keeping it pure, raw and minimal and live at least they stuck to their rockabilly roots and never diluted their impact.

Happy Halloween one and all.

The Cramps - You Got Good Taste

Keeping It Peel Day 2011

2011-10-25T06:00:00.006+01:00

Today is Keeping It Peel Day, a day to honour the memory of the great man himself who tragically died 7 years ago today. Keeping It Peel has been organised by Webbie from the wonderful Football And Music blog and as I started Spools Paradise after Peel Day last year I thought that I would join in this year.

Like many fellow bloggers a large part of my musical tastes and knowledge came from Peel's weekday ten 'til midnight slot on BBC Radio 1. At one point I must have been helping to keep TDK in business with the amount of C90's I was buying to capture the latest weird and wonderful sounds that Peel shared with us. Sometimes I would throw caution to the wind and splash out on some C120's, record the whole show, primed for the Walkman on the way to school. I was a big fan of Kid Jensen and Janice Long's shows but it was the sheer diversity of what was on offer on Peel's show that made it the essential show on radio. That and the dry, sardonic humour between tunes.

I gave some thought as to what tracks to post today and couldn't decide whether to post bands that I had heard for the first time on his show or whether to post some obscure session tracks or simply just to post a few tracks that sum up what Peel's radio shows were all about to me. In the end I opted for three tracks that in their own way encompass all that made John Peel the single most important DJ that these isles have produced.

It was through Peel that I developed a lifelong love of Reggae and, for me, the session version of "Lion Rock" is the ultimate version of Culture's finest moment and one of my favourite session tracks ever recorded for Peel.

The "Gedge" must have done something right to have recorded 22 sessions for Peel over the years. I first saw The Wedding Present live at Glasgow Tech some time round about this session and it was also the first Peel session that I bought on Strange Fruit so track two is from 1986's Maida Vale masterpiece.

And my final choice was the Festive 50 winner in 2000. I went to see Neko Case in concert on the back of this track and was quite simply blown away by her live. Dramatic, gutsy, mysterious, powerful, Neko's voice is quite simply a force of nature. 2000 was the last year that I listened to the Festive 50 in it's entirety and seems like the right place to finish off my small contribution to Keeping It Peel 2011.

Culture - Lion Rock (Peel Session)
The Wedding Present - This Boy Can Wait (Peel Session)
Neko Case and Her Boyfriends - Twist The Knife

Year Of The Roses....

2011-10-22T12:22:00.002+01:00

All the stuff in the news over the last few about The Stone Roses cast my mind back to '89 with the release of their eponymous debut release and to what a great year it was for music.

I was having a look at the NME's Top 50 albums of the year last night and thinking back to the sounds that shaped my early days working in record stores. Notwithstanding Madchester's finest you also had the Daisy Age sounds of De La Soul, Lou Reed's best album for years, the masterpiece that is Doolittle and the heady mix of classic pop songs and guitar laden, dance tracks that constitute Technique. There is an element here of rose tinted glasses but there's no denying the amount of quality albums in '89.

1989 also saw the release of the most under rated JAMC album. Automatic was a touch rougher and more aggressive-sounding than Darklands and the mountains of screeching feedback from Psychocandy had been largely subdued but this isn't necessarily a bad thing, making the album as a whole more accessible than its predecessors. For me the album's not quite as strong as their first two albums, although it does contain some classic Mary Chain tracks such as Head On and Coast To Coast, but still deserves it's place as one of the best albums from a very strong year for album releases.

I didn't try and get tickets the other day for The Stones Roses and haven't really came to a decision as to whether I will if they announce any dates in Scotland. I was fortunate enough to see them at Glasgow Green and although it was certainly not the best gig I have been to the memory of the occasion is still highly vivid and I may prefer to keep it that way.

JAMC - Coast To Coast

Drink A Drink To Before....

2011-10-16T16:16:00.001+01:00

If Roddy Frame had walked onto the stage at Glasgow's ABC the other night and just performed Killermont Street I would have felt like I had got my money's worth. Thankfully, however, he played many more including finishing the main set with the holy trinity of Oblivious, Walk Out To Winter and Pillar To Post.

This was the first time in over ten years that he has played live with a band having probably rediscovered the joys of playing with a band after touring over the last few years as Edwyn Collin's guitarist. The gig included tracks from the first Aztec Camera album right up to a brand new track, White Pony, with Frame declaring that he "might write another one next year" after the rapturous reception he received from an adoring audience. Never mind one new track, a new album would certainly be very welcome and long overdue.

The set was an embarrassment of riches with particular fave moments being Down The Dip, Western Skies, a terrific version of We Could Send Letters and the aforementioned Killermont Street which is easily one of the best songs ever written by one of Scotland's most talented musicians. Frame knows his audience well, and didn’t disappoint ending the show with a rousing Somewhere In My Heart which had a packed ABC transported back to '88 and fully in agreement that "the closet thing to heaven is to rock'n'roll".

I'm quite sure that Roddy and co could quite happily have played for another couple of hours and I'm sure there would have been no complaints from anyone present. As it was we got about one and a half hours from the vastly underrated Boy Wonder, delivering probably the best gig of 2011.

Roddy Frame - Killermont Street (Live At Ronnie Scott's Club,1991)

Save It For Later...

2011-10-13T18:09:00.000+01:00

I don't get to as many gigs these days as I would like so it was good this week to have two bands to see live and after the debacle of The Bunnymen the other week I had high hopes for both. Last night I went along to the ABC in Glasgow to see Roddy Frame's first live outing in over 10 years with a full band and The Boy Wonder delivered and more. I will post a review over the next day or so but until then have a look at Drew's excellent review here that perfectly sums up what a truly outstanding gig this was.

The other gig was to a slightly smaller audience at Apollo 23 on Sunday night where we went along to see The Beat. Ok it wasn't really The Beat but Ranking Roger and some great musicians but obviously minus Dave Wakeling and others. When I say slightly smaller I really mean a lot smaller as sadly only about 150 hardy souls turned out to witness The Beat deliver a set of 2 Tone classics and a couple of covers including a lively version of Rock the Casbah in tribute to Joe Strummer.

From the off we knew we were in for a night of the Best Of The Beat which is exactly what we got. All the hits,one new track and the energy from Ranking Roger in particular was hugely infectious. It's a while since I have done much skanking but really you couldn't stop yourself even if you tried. It's sometimes easy to forget how many top tunes they had when they regularly troubled the top echelons of the charts in the late 70s/early 80's. Tracks such as Mirror In The Bathroom, Best Friend and Save It For Later are more than equals to the best tracks from their more successful contemporaries Madness and The Specials.

It's a shame that more people didn't come along on Sunday as we all had a good night and the band, which included former Dexy's keyboardist Mickey Billingham, were truly inspired. Which is more than can be said about the venue which does not add much to Glasgow's abundance of top class venues. A good gig could have been elevated to a great gig if the choice of venue had been more appropriate.

The Beat - Save It For Later

It's Just Begun....

2011-10-11T09:37:00.001+01:00

Jimmy Castor's "It's Just Begun," was never released as a single but remains one of his best-known classics. The track turned up in Flashdance and in Beat Street in the film's big break dance battle scenes. It also can be found as a sample on Countless rap discs and is still a well played track on dance floors today.

It's Just Begun was probably too far ahead of its time to be a hit in 72 when it was issued. Today it sounds totally contemporary, with Castor's blaring sax figure riding over both fuzz-tone and wah-wah guitar sounds and a groove to end all grooves. "Just watch me now!" shouts Castor and you are instantly hooked.

For a guy who started out singing street-corner Doo-Wop, and recorded the self-penned I Promise To Remember with his group The Juniors for the Wing label in 1956 when he was all of 13 he certainly branched out in many directions and most definitely earned his reputation as the "Everything Man"

The Jimmy Castor Bunch - It's Just Begun

Hand It Over....

2011-10-09T12:50:00.000+01:00

There's a lot of brilliant 60's/70's soul singers : Solomon Burke, Otis Redding, Wilson Pickett, ZZ Hill and Jackie Wilson to name just a few....add the name of Chuck Jackson to the list.

Although Chuck Jackson may never have reached the fame of some of his contemporaries and remains one of the the greatest unknown soul singers there's no denying this guy could sing.

In 1957 he joined The Del-Vikings, one of rock and roll’s first interracial groups. He was with them until 1959 before starting a solo career. It was while he was performing as an opening act at the Apollo Theater that he was discovered by the headliner, Jackie Wilson. Scepter Records signed Jackson, and he had his first big hit with “I Don’t Want To Cry” in 1961. The following year “Any Day Now” was released on Wand, a Scepter subsidiary, and Jackson’s future was assured. Later in the ’60s he bought his contract from Scepter and moved to Motown Records where he had more hits.

He was lost in the shuffle during his four years at Motown, and he's barely been heard from since, although he remains a firm favorite on the Northern Soul scene.

Chuck Jackson - Hand It Over

Bunnymen Blues Continue....

2011-10-06T10:48:00.002+01:00

I was having a look through some previous postings last night when I suddenly realised that one of my more recent ones had "disappeared". I then found it had changed to draft status. At first I thought that I had changed it by accident so I then re-posted the "offending article".

It was only this morning that when checking my email that I found out this was not the case. My bad luck with the Bunnymen seems to be continuing as, yes you've guessed, those lovely DMCA people have visited the blog. Not sure if it's because the track is on Warners or not - maybe someone with more experience of this can enlighten me.

I suppose there is a certain irony in the fact that I have been doing Spools Paradise for almost a year now and only put a disclaimer up last week. Perhaps they just didn't appreciate my Bunnymen review !!

I have re-posted the Bunnymen review with a video of one of the first times that we got to hear the majestic Ocean Rain live on The Tube.

The Redskins - Keep On Keeping On

Two For The Price Of One....

2011-10-02T18:48:00.001+01:00

Just as the special offers end on alcohol at Scottish supermarkets so begins 2 For 1 offers on Spools Paradise.

Today's post features two new bands from Edinburgh who are creating a bit of a buzz at the moment and it's not hard to realise why.

I first heard Cancel The Astronauts new single a couple of days ago here and would have to back up Drew's advice to help them buy their plectrum shaped swimming pool and buy their new EP. The five piece from Edinburgh seem to hark back to the period when bands thought about the b-sides to their singles as all three tracks on the EP are excellent. Ed at 17 Seconds has been championing this band for a while and they seem to be getting better and gaining in confidence with every release.

Cancel The Astronauts - Funny For A Girl by Argos Barks

Bwani Junction first came to my attention this very morning with an article about them in today's Sunday Herald. As mentioned in the piece guitarist Dan Muir's father, Gordon, was at one time manager of The Bhundu Boys and was taught some guitar licks from Rise Kagona from Zimbabwe's finest. Given that their indie rock sound is heavily influenced by jit or afrobeat, they have already picked up inevitable and lazy comparisons with Vampire Weekend. I saw one description today that labelled them as ‘Tropical Punk Rock with Scottish Overtones’. Whatever the label is ultimately doesn't matter. What does matters is whether they make decent music and of that there is no doubt.

It's A Shame About Ian....

2011-09-29T18:39:00.011+01:00

Considering they are one of my favourite bands of all time I'm not really sure why I have never done a post on Echo And The Bunnymen before. Sadly this was not the post I intended but is a review of sorts of the "show" they performed last night at the Royal Concert Hall in Glasgow.

Ocean Rain is,for me, one of the greatest albums made by any band and last night was a one off opportunity to see and hear it performed in its entirety accompanied with strings.

From the off it was fairly obvious to everyone attending that Ian McCulloch had enjoyed a bevvy or three before coming onstage. The show was split into two parts with the first being a 40 minute set comprising mostly classic Bunnymen tunes such as Rescue, Dancing Horses and a terrific version of Never Stop. So far so good. During this part there was a lot of banter between McCulloch and the crowd, most of it lighthearted and in no way shape or form did it affect the performance.

I have no idea what occurred during the interval before the band re-appeared to "perform" Ocean Rain. McCulloch's mood had changed completely and instead of banter we had him challenging members of the crowd to come on the stage for a fight and generally being abusive to sections of the crowd. His ramblings between songs were largely incoherent, some lyrics were forgotten and most tracks were not finished. Sadly it got worse with McCulloch storming off stage seemingly due to him not liking the crowd's singing. There was quite a lot of abuse being thrown at him from the crowd also but most of it was understandable in the circumstances.

After about 20 minute the band re-appeared with only the pinnacle of the album still to play. Instead of the band playing Ocean Rain, however, they played The Killing Moon again at McCulloch's request. Then the most bizarre twist of the evening occurred when he walked over to where Will Sergeant was playing guitar and after watching him for a few seconds threw his mic down whilst berating Sergeant and then exiting stage left leaving the rest of the band and the six piece string section not knowing whether he would return. As there was no sign of that the show was effectively over.

In the end we did not get to hear the mighty Ocean Rain but sadder than that was the condition of McCulloch himself who was in no fit state to perform for whatever reason.

I have over the years seen Echo and The Bunnymen live more than any other band and, for me, they are still one of the best bands that Britain has ever produced and one of the best live acts I have seen but after last night I'm not sure how much longer we will see them perform for.

Ocean Rain was proclaimed by McCulloch upon it's release as "the greatest album ever made" and although that may not be entirely accurate it is certainly up there with other great albums and deserves it's place at the top table.

I just hope that Ian McCulloch can sort himself out and that we still get the chance to see Echo And The Bunnymen play live like only they can.

Great Debut Albums....Part 3

2011-09-25T17:03:00.000+01:00

Appearing during a low point in UK music history, Life's a Riot with Spy vs Spy took the music back to basics - just Billy Bragg and an electric guitar. Life’s a Riot presented Bragg as an unlikely cross between Woody Guthrie and Joe Strummer — one guy with a handful of songs, a powerful belief in the common people, and a big distorted electric guitar, blasting out songs about love and politics.Play it today and it still crackles with an immediate, righteous energy.

Life's a Riot played a huge part in forging my worldview and sadly so little of what he was singing about back in 1983 has changed. Seething with anger and sexual frustration, Billy's songs spoke to the young and alienated for whom the Thatcher revolution meant nothing. The songs still stand up today particularly the classic New England, The Busy Girl Buys Beauty, Lovers Town Revisited and To Have and To Have Not which is unfortunately as relevant now as it was twenty five years ago.

At a mere seven songs and 16 minutes, Life's a Riot is a short release but somehow seems just right. His broad Essex accent increases the coarse appeal, accentuating the reality of the songs and providing the perfect conduit for a suite of lyrics that matched polemic with romantic observation. If you like your music cut back to the raw and full of emotion this is the Bragg album to have.

Billy Bragg - To Have And To Have Not

From Margate Via California....

2011-09-24T09:15:00.001+01:00

I came across Two Wounded Birds yesterday when I had a bit of time to check out some new music on the web and although summer appears to be most definately over in the West Of Scotland for this year I was very taken by their obvious love of the tunes of one Brian Wilson.

The Beach Boys comparisons come more to the fore with titles such as Keep Dreaming Baby and Summer Dream, although it quickly becomes apparent that even their most upbeat tunes are tinged with more than a hint of darkness. There's bits of early rock'n'roll and hints of Duane Eddy amongst many others and some of the tracks would sound great on a Tarantino soundtrack. There is also a clear punk ethos to the band’s music as well with a clear link to both the Ramones and one of the founding fathers of the genre, Doctor Feelgood.

Two Wounded Birds are romantic, rock and roll obsessives who create well-crafted, timeless pop that sounds more like it comes from California than the unlikely environs of Margate....

Two Wounded Birds - Keep Dreaming Baby by Vinyl Junkie Recordings

Ritorno Dalle Vacanze....

2011-09-23T14:59:00.001+01:00

I wasn't really sure when I finished work a couple of weeks back for my late "summer hols" whether we would be going away anywhere. As it turned out we decided to have ourselves a break over in Italy thanks to a friend of my wife whose sister has a flat in a lovely little town called Laveno, which is about 40 miles away from Milan.

Laveno is a lakeside town on the western shores of Lake Maggiore, lined with beuatiful porticoed buildings and there are elegant 17th and 18th century villas throughout the town as it rises to the meet the lower slopes of Mount Sasso del Ferro. It really is a stunning little town that had the added advantage of no tourists - apart from us obviously !! As it sits on the shores of Lake Maggiore there are plenty of boat trips you can take including a boat and train all day trip that that we took into Switzerland and back. Fabulous scenery all the way and a truly stunning train journey back with the Swiss alps in the background.

Another "highlight" was the cable car from Laveno to Mount Sasso del Ferro which is affectionately known as the "bucket lift". This is due to the fact that the two-man cabins are open top and resemble giant buckets. I freely admit that it was one of the scariest things I have ever done as you go up the mountain for 16 minutes to a height of 3484ft in nothing more than a large metal container that just holds 2 people and is completely open to the elements with just a door handle keeping you in....

All in all, lovely place, lovely people, great food but as always it's also nice to be home....

The Pixies - The Holiday Song

Arcadian Kicks....

2011-09-13T19:04:00.002+01:00

Anyone who has followed Spools Paradise since I started the blog in late October last year will be aware I don't do too may postings on "new" bands.

Over the next few weeks I intend to redress the balance slightly and post some musings and sounds from newish bands that have caught my intention.

Fisrt off is a five piece from South Staffordshire called Arcadian Kicks. Two girls, three boys all in their late teens who are heavily influenced by the likes of Blondie, early Fleetwood Mac and Led Zepellin and are managed by Jon Brookes from The Charlatans.

Combining melodic harmonies with hard-edged sax, soulful guitar and pounding rhythms, this is one young band that are worth checking out. They have described their sound as "Spectoresque, Fleetwood Mac, Led Zeppelin... a bit of light shoegaze and Yeah Yeah Yeahs mixed up"

Don't know much more about them but I like what I have heard so far....hopefully you will too....

Black & White (Unmastered) by The Arcadian Kicks

The Honey Tangle....

2011-09-11T18:00:00.000+01:00

Drawing from influences such as Blondie and The Byrds, Brix Smith and various ex members of The Smiths amongst others, took a break from guitar duties with The Fall to release one album under the moniker of The Adult Net.

"Glossy, jangly, sweet-natured pop music that would sound perfectly at home in the Top 40 radio play lists of some alternate universe" was the best description I could find and pretty much sums up what they were all about.

It may not be the best album ever made but is still a great album for a warm summer's day so obviously not the best album for today in the West Of Scotland...

Never mind, just lie back and enjoy the sugar sweet charm of The Adult Net and just imagine you are somewhere warm...it works...honest...

Adult Net - Where Were You(When I Needed You)

Scotland's Best Kept Secret....

2011-09-04T13:17:00.000+01:00

Hard to believe that it is two years since the last album release from Scotland's best kept secret, Trashcan Sinatras. Quite why Trashcan Sinatras are not a household name is simply beyond comprehension. Their albums should be available in every store, their songs played on every radio station, their back catalogue discovered and rediscovered by music fans of all ages. Maybe one day....

Beautifully crafted pieces of pure pop magic is a description I like when it comes to the music of Irvine's finest. They do take a while between albums, but when they do emerge with another collection it's always worth the wait. Perfect music for a Sunday afternoon sitting outside on the patio.

There's not much more that I can add to the acclaim already heaped upon this band. It's such a pity that more people are not aware of the strength of the songwriting and gorgeous melodies that they have been releasing for over 20 years now.

In The Music was, for me, easily the best album of 2009. It's a beautiful, melancholy treasure of an album with genuine heart and gorgeous melodies throughout that is the perfect album for a warm summer's day and as there appears to be some sun in the sky in the West Of Scotland today this seems to be the perfect day for a perfect album....

Trashcan Sinatras - I Wish You'd Met Her

I've Searched The Secret Mists....

2011-08-30T21:40:00.000+01:00

I have found myself recently listening to a lot of female vocalists for no apparent reason, it just seems to be what I am enjoying listening to - a bit of The Cocteaus, Hope Sandoval, The Sundays, Kate Bush, Maria Mckee and in particular the sublime vocals of Tracey Thorn. I fell in love with her vocals back in the day and fell back in love with them on last years wonderful return to form, Love and Its Opposite. Somehow I seemed to miss out on them when they veered towards the dance floor, although like the music of The Style Council which I didn't really enjoy at the time I have came to appreciate that period more as time goes by.

However the track that has been on repeat the last few days is EBGT's cover of Weller's timeless, romantic folk ballad, English Rose. It is very faithful to the original but the perspective of a female vocalist seems to add a new level to the song. There is a certain honesty about Thorn's vocals that makes her believable and personally I could listen to her all day long...........

Everything But The Girl - English Rose

He'd Be Gunned Down Cold By The CIA....

2011-08-28T17:46:00.000+01:00

For their third album The The became a functioning group for the first time, and the renewed focus the new musicians bring to the project is staggering. It does help that one of those new musicians was none other than Johnny Marr himself. Somehow their debut, Soul Mining, passed me by on it's initial release so my first intro to the majesty of Matt Johnson was through 1986's classic, Infected. The album seethes with lyrical rage and contains some of The The's finest moments but does sound slightly dated nowadays.

Mind Bomb not only avoids the dated musical gimmicks of its predecessor, but stands as one of the few albums to successfully fuse the sensual and political, pairing deep, sexy grooves with some of Matt Johnson’s strongest lyrics. Several of the album’s lyrics focus on the dichotomy between religious faith and freedom of choice married to music that is catchy, memorable and beautifully crafted. As well as raging against religious fundamentalism, superpower foreign policy and political misinformation, Matt Johnson also writes beautiful, aching, uncomfortable love songs which really get under the skin, literally, of human relationships.

If you need proof that there was good music that came out of the 80's, look no further than The The.

The The - Armageddon Days (Are Here Again)

A Perfect End....

2011-08-24T22:12:00.001+01:00

Galaxie 500's final studio album, This Is Our Music, was the all time classic that both On Fire and Today had hinted at. The end of the band had been unfolding for quite some time prior to its release, with several of the songs sounding much like apologizes from Dean Wareham to his young mates Damon and Naomi.

This Is Our Music is one of those albums that gets better with each listen and contains quite a few of Galaxie 500's best tunes and it also has the richest production, with greater focus on keyboards and layered guitars. They never made it big, but during their short run, Galaxie 500's often quiet and always beautifully rendered music had a profound impact on a few people and that is way more than most.

Galaxie 500 - Melt Away

Some Sunday Jit Jive....

2011-08-21T17:52:00.001+01:00

Probably the best known Zimbabwean guitar band, the Bhundu Boys brought the Harare sound to the UK and Europe in the mid 80s to much acclaim. Mixing Zimbabwean styles with rhumba influences from the Congo, the Bhundus labelled their fast-paced guitar music jit-jive. They were heavily championed by John Peel and Andy Kershaw in the mid 80's and looked at one point that success was just around the corner but it was not to be....

The full story of the demise of the original Bhundu Boys reads like the script of a tragic Hollywood movie but sadly it was all true with a suicide and AIDS related deaths amongst the many tragedies that befell them. The all-too-literal death of the Bhundu Boys would be a tragedy in any context, but it stings all the more because their music was so replete with the promise and joy of being alive.

The Bhundu Boys created their best work before they ever reached Britain. The Shed Sessions - a still-available compilation of tracks from their early albums - knocks several spots off their 1988 major label debut, True Jit which was slickly and soullessly recorded by Sade producer Robin Millar. The early recordings remain natural, effortless, packed full of personality and just full of bloody great POP tunes.

Forget the major label stuff but The Shed Sessions is well worth adding to your "world music" collections.

The Bhundu Boys - Hupenyu Hwangu

By All Means Necessary....

2011-08-14T18:01:00.000+01:00

One of the most important and influential hip-hop groups of the latter half of the 1980s was undoubtedly Boogie Down Productions.

Led by the often brilliant and incendiary MC KRS-One, B.D.P. were pioneers of both hardcore and political rap and were also among the very first hip-hop artists to incorporate elements of Jamaican ragga and dancehall into their style.

In the time between their debut album 1987's Criminal Minded and the follow up, By All Means Necessary, founding member DJ Scott La Rock was tragically murdered and this had a profound effect on KRS-One, which is very apparent in the lyrics on By All Means... where he makes social commentary on the state of rap music and on American society in general. The first track "My Philosophy" is an example of what hip-hop was meant to be about, not what it has evolved into. KRS-One had a vision of entertaining as well as educating his audience and on By All Means... he emerges more as a teacher with some of his most intelligent and conscious lyrics.

By All Means Necessary is up there with the best work in hip hop and can be purchased here .

Boogie Down Productions - My Philosophy

Slendour In Silver Dress....

2011-08-12T21:03:00.000+01:00

Opening track on the legendary C86 NME cassette and 1 and 25 seconds of pure pop perfection....Number 4 in Peel's Festive 50....not bad for a b side....

Here she comes again
With vodka in her veins
Been playing with a spike
She couldn't get it right

Splendour in silver dress
Velocity possessed
The world was hers again
It fell apart again

I don't need anyone to hurt me
No, not anyone at all

Cause my so-called friends have left me
And I don't care at all

Leave me alone
Leave me alone
Leave me alone

Classic, short but sweet Byrdsian magic from Bobby and co...bit of an influence on some Manc lads who just wanted to be adored....

Primal Scream - Velocity Girl

There's Something About Jonathan....

2011-08-07T18:59:00.000+01:00

Jonathan Richman is what might be termed an acquired taste. Fortunately I acquired the taste a few years back and still retain it to this day.

The Modern Lovers album is often cited as being the "bridge between the Velvet Underground and the Ramones" and that's not too far off the mark. The album is a thrilling slice of rock and roll, informed by equal parts suburban-kid anxiety and three-chord (or less) cool. The Modern Lovers' eponymous debut was actually recorded in the early 1970s,though officially it wasn't released until 1976 and contains the greatest two chord song in rock history in the classic Roadrunner.

He was not the first geeky, awkward outsider to become a rock star, but he was one of the first to flaunt it so openly. In addition to Richman's obvious influence on punk, his whimsy, silliness, and geekiness is apparent in Talking Heads, They Might Be Giants, Weezer, Fountains of Wayne and many, many others.

The album is about the joys, the pains and the trials of a young man who wants to find a place for himself in the modern world, fantasizing about getting the unobtainable girl, or wanting for things to be the way they used to be and should be required listening for anyone interested in historically important albums in the evolution of rock n' roll.

The Modern Lovers - Pablo Picasso
The Modern Lovers - Girlfriend

Black By Design....

2011-08-04T16:09:00.000+01:00

As much a book about what it was like to grow up whilst searching for an identity in Britain during the 1960's and 1970's as it is about the heady days in the late 70's as part of the 2 Tone movement, Pauline Black's powerful autobiography is a great read.

Black by Design is a moving story – of where we come from, what makes us strong and carries us through, of being a woman in the music industry, of life after musical success and reinventing yourself, of finding yourself.

Formed in 1979 and once described as “conspiring to make dancing the only way to walk", the Selecter led the ska revival movement, along with 2-tone labelmates, The Specials & Madness. Mixing punk, ska & reggae, their debut album Too Much Pressure successfully reflected the social and political issues of the early Thatcher years in Britain and gave a voice to disaffected youth across the racial divide.

One of the tracks from that debut was a cover of Time Hard by The Pioneeers retitled as Everyday. Without doubt The Pioneers were one of the best vocal groups of the early reggae era. Time Hard first appeared in the early 70's and is quite simply one of the most uplifting songs to listen to which is quite a feat considering they are singing "Every day things are getting worse"

The Sixties was the golden age for Jamaican vocal trios. During this incredibly creative decade, a multitude of singing groups burst upon the island’s music scene, but of these only a relative few possessed the talent and determination to endure, and in that select category along with The Wailers and The Maytals were The Pioneeers.

The Selecter - Every Day
The Pioneers - Time Hard

In Praise Of....Natalie Merchant

2011-07-31T17:07:00.002+01:00

My first introduction to the music of Natalie Merchant was, as was the norm at that time, through hearing My Mother The War being played by John Peel.

Originally released in '83 My Mother The War reappeared two years later in a rerecorded version on the criminally underrated album The Wishing Chair.

The shifts in style on The Wishing Chair are fascinating - it's sometimes hard to believe it's the same band you were listening to moments before. The album was produced by the great Joe Boyd who allowed bands to sound like themselves which was good news for Natalie Merchant and Co.

10 000 Maniacs made lots of fine music in their time but they never again put together an entire album as musically and lyrically rich as The Wishing Chair. The album has a very homespun, folky feel to it and is undoubtedly a less accessible album than the Maniacs' more pop-focused later work, but is all the more appealing for it. Over the years Natalie Merchant has been accused of being a bit po-faced and serious but this album proves that there was a time when the girl could rock.

Over the last 30 years or so Natalie Merchant has produced some of the finest music from across the pond and The Wishing Chair should be an essential addition to anyone's collection.

A brilliant, timeless masterpiece from start to finish. Can be bought here

10,000 Maniacs - My Mother The War

Great Debut Albums....Part 2

2011-07-31T16:03:00.000+01:00

If you enjoy intelligent, melodic pop of the 80s jangly guitar pop variety as made famous by the likes of Aztec Camera and Orange Juice you could do a lot worse than the debut album from Del Amitri.

Jangly guitars , heartfelt singing and superb lyrics dominate on one of the great lost little gems of the era. It's astounding how different this is from anything Del Amitri went on to make. While Del Amitri went on to great fame during their A&M career - nothing they ever did came close to matching the sheer pop brilliance of their self-titled debut album. I have always felt that there was a certain charm to this album that was missing from all the subsequent releases.

I have always maintained a liking for the music of Del Amitri throughout the years but for me it will always be the self titled debut that gets aired around these quarters and which remains in my eyes a great debut release.

Del Amitri - Hammering Heart

The Mekons....

2011-07-26T21:39:00.000+01:00

Dan Dare fans The Mekons emerged from the same Leeds University scene that also brought us the mighty Gang Of Four. Over the years they have transformed their sound from the anarchistic pounding of blokes who couldn't really play to a group versed in a wide variety of styles from punk to country and folk to reggae.

Whatever the scenario, what has remained consistent throughout The Mekons' existence has been great music performed with style, grace, and a ribald sense of humour, including this gem from '78....

The Mekons - Where Were You

Post Number 100....

2011-07-24T20:29:00.001+01:00

Ever since I can remember music has always been my passion and more than likely always will be. I would like to think that I will still go along and see live music for quite a few years to come and still have that insatiable urge to hear something "new." I've never been that sure where the sometimes near obsessional interest in music came from as either my mother or father were that into music - unless you include Lena Martell or Sydney Devine, both of which I remember being subjected to regularly when growing up.

Looking back it now seems fairly obvious that I would have ended up at some point working in something to do with music - and so it transpired that my first job would be working for a well known "music specialist" where I spent many a happy year. At 18 years old I thought I had died and gone to heaven especially when someone told me on my first day that you can "play anything you want as long as there's no swearing in it". At that time most of the stock was vinyl as CD's were just starting to come out. I spent an eternity working out what would be the first record that I would play much to the annoyance of my co-workers who just played any old shite that came to hand and couldn't understand why I was taking so long.

Eventually I went over to the 12" filing area searching until I came to what I was looking for...I still vividly remember hearing that distinctive, melodic baseline leading into....

"And this I know

His teeth as white as snow

What a gas it was to see him

Walk her every day

Into a shady place

With her lips she said"

...and thinking I could get used to this - getting paid to listen to your favourite records all day. It was a bit like that in the early days but even record stores had to change and adapt to the simple fact that they needed to make money to survive

What did not change, however, was my love of the purveyors of the ever wonderful "Gigantic".

Black Francis, Joey Santiago, David Lovering and Kim Deal released 5 albums between 1987 and 1991 containing some of the best and most influential music that has been recorded by anyone. Although I had been a big fan of bands like The Jam, The Specials and Madness I was too young to see the live in their prime. The Pixies arrived at just the right time for me and along with The Mary Chain and New Order they very quickly became "my band".

I first saw The Pixies live round about the time of Surfer Rosa at the QMU and was completely blown away by them and have remained a huge fan ever since. Paramount to the greatness of Surfer Rosa is Kim Deal, whose thick basslines propel each song perfectly, and hold their own well against the thunderous drumming and crashing walls of guitars. Kim's vocals are of note as well, serving as the perfect foil to the psychotic howls of Black Francis. Mostly she serves as a background vocalist, but she contributes some killer lead vocals as well, such as on "Gigantic" or the infectious "River Euphrates".

Surfer Rosa is a classic and is one those great albums you don't ever consider skipping a track on. The utter lack of pretension and the gleeful performances make "Surfer Rosa" a joy to listen to. It has everything - dark humour at its darkest, playful melodies, madcap shrieked vocals that sound like nothing from this world, some great Santiago guitar playing and a great unpredictability within the songs. Steve Albini's production is nothing short of superb, he captured them at there rawest and the album is a strong contender for the best album of the 80's.

Tracks 5-7 are the core of the album - the Kim Deal penned Gigantic is catchy, upbeat and somewhat anthemic considering the dark undercurrent of the lyrics. The quiet verse, heavy chorus structure would be a huge influence on Nirvana's songwriting. River Euphrates is frenetic, intense and hard-hitting with the album's catchiest melody. Where is My Mind? is the pinnacle of this album. It's beautiful, melodic, catchy and haunting. A classic by any definition.

Surfer Rosa, while not as musically intricate or well-constructed as later releases, leaps out of the speakers with a certain urgency and excited energy that the Pixies would never match. Everything sounds so uncontrolled and immediate, as if it came so naturally.

At the time of it's original release the sound that The Pixies gave us was something fresh and new. 23 years later Surfer Rosa is still an exciting and quite addictive rush of adrenaline matched by few other recordings.

Often imitated, but never bettered...

Pixies - River Euphrates
Pixies - Where Is My Mind

Because Vile Evils Are Vile Evils...

2011-07-14T16:23:00.002+01:00

In early 1978 Subway Sect went into the studio to record their debut album with Mickey Foote. Unfortunately the tapes were lost and the album remained unreleased. However in 2007 Vic Godard decided that it was time to record the songs with their original spirit and sound so that they could be properly heard so he re-grouped Subway Sect and put them back into the studio to record the "legendary" album that should have came out in 1978.

They may not have been the most competent musicians around at the time - but that was hardly the point really was it ? The urgency and delivery of this music makes it an essential listen if you're interested in the late 70's time period.

Although the album was never released at the time they did release one of the tracks from the sessions as a single. Ambition is one of the best songs of that era. My own personal introduction to the song was via one of the many great NME tapes called Pogo A GoGo. It just seemed to stand out from the crowd when I heard it - you get the trademark scratchy guitars of the time tied to an inane keyboard sound, Goddard's seemingly sarcastic vocals and what appears to be some sort of arcade game playing in the background. It really shouldn't work but does brilliantly. They only released 2 singles in the 70's but in Ambition they produced one of the defining songs of the punk era.

Subway Sect - Ambition

Do You Remember ? ....

2011-07-07T18:37:00.000+01:00

After 4 albums on the legendary SST label Husker Du finally took the plunge, or the money depending on your point of view, and signed to a major label, that of Warner Brothers.

Their first release on Warners could have went either way but fortunately Candy Apple Grey turned out to be a classic. There is an abundance of emotion, intelligence and power on Candy Apple Grey equalled by few others. Pretty much every track here is amazing, especially the Grant Hart compositions.

Candy Apple Grey has always been a peculiar album in the Husker Du catalogue because of several reasons - it has 3 ballads in it, it only has 10 songs and it's the only of all their albums in which Grant Hart's songs are actually better than the ones composed by Bob Mould. Most of the songs are about breakups including the blistering "Don't Wanna Know If You Are Lonely" which has to be Hart's finest moment. This is some of the most emotionally powerful music ever created; it's certainly not an easy album to listen to but if you are willing to persevere this is an album of quality songwriting, musicianship and production that is a great introduction to a great band.

They showed other bands that it was possible to record uncompromising music on a major label without losing any integrity or creative control.

Can be bought here ....

Husker Du - No Promise Have I Made

Soul Sunday....

2011-07-03T17:43:00.000+01:00

In a distinguished career as a singer, songwriter and producer, William Bell has come to define the essence of "soul." Born in Memphis but based in Atlanta since 1970, William Bell was one of the pioneers of the classic Stax/Volt sound, joining such other illustrious musical forces at that label as Otis Redding, Sam and Dave, Isaac Hayes, Booker T. & the MG's and The Staple Singers.

He had one of the Stax label's earliest hits with the classic "You Don't Miss Your Water" back in 1961.He is probably best known for "A Tribute To A King", his own personal tribute to Otis Redding but if you dig a bit deeper there's a wealth of great material out there. For a start there is this compilation that is well worth investigating. If you are feeling a tad more adventurous this double CD from Stax contains two albums of sublime material from one of the most underrated and understated soul singers of all time. Just listen to opening track "I Forgot To Be Your Lover" and feel your heart melting to this soul classic. Sublime....

William Bell - I Forgot To Be Your Lover

Great Debut Albums....Part 1

2011-06-29T20:21:00.000+01:00

Twenty years ago a young band from Ireland released a debut album of near flawless indie pop tunes called "Immigrants, Emigrants & Me". That band was Power Of Dreams.

Listening to it at the time it was hard to believe that so much confidence and ambition could have came from a band still in their teens. The tracks on the album were direct, raw and, above all, truthful. That there was so much passion, energy and great tunes packed into a debut release was astounding. The lyrics seemed to touch a chord with everyone who heard the album. Most tracks are about lead singer, Craig Walker, being dumped by the love of his life and are shot through with an honesty and craft that belied his tender years.

Over the next four years, they released a further three albums and continued to play shows worldwide, including four return visits to Japan. However, commercial success never quite matched the level of critical acclaim achieved and so the four members went their separate ways in 1995.

According to the band's website they are currently working on a new album so hopefully in the not too distant future we should see some new material.

They were once described by Alan McGee as “A genius band who should have been massive” and he was right.

Power Of Dreams - The Joke's On Me
Power Of Dreams - Maire I Don't Love You

Some Trenchtown Roots....

2011-06-28T20:57:00.001+01:00

More accessible than many other roots outfits, The Mighty Diamonds boasted soulful, gorgeously pure harmonies and tight, catchy songwriting. They were devout Rastafarians, but balanced their spiritual and political messages with sweet romantic material, which gave them a more universal appeal than militant groups like Culture or Black Uhuru. Their sweet sound and polished choreography were distinctly inspired by the Motown groups of the '60s.

They were formed in 1969 in Trenchtown, an area of Kingston made famous by a certain Mr Marley and finally started to receive some recognition in the mid 70's and in 1976 they signed to Virgin Records and released the classic Right Time album. In 1981 they recorded a track called "Pass The Kouchie" which went on to be a bit of a hit, selling over 4 million copies, when covered by 5 teenagers from the U.K. called Musical Youth.

The Mighty Diamonds always brought a startling emotional commitment to their best material, and their debut album, Right Time, still stands as one of roots reggae's all-time classics.

The Mighty Diamonds - I Need A Roof

Watch Your Step....

2011-06-26T17:08:00.001+01:00

Ted Hawkins was almost pre-destined for a troubled life, being the unwanted son of a prostitute and alcoholic mother and an absent father. A the age of 12 he was sent to a reform school where, fortunately for us, he started to show a fascination with the guitar. During his teens he continued getting into trouble with the law but also continued his love of music. As well as teaching himself guitar Ted was by now getting noticed as a bit of a singer, being heavily influenced primarily by the emotive vocals of Sam Cooke.

In the mid 60's he packed himself off to L.A. to try and make it in the music industry. It was here in the early 70's whilst busking on Venice Beach that he was discovered by producer Bruce Bromberg who encouraged Ted to record some songs in his own personal blues style, rather than the cover versions that had been his mainstay up until then. Unfortunately, Ted's habit of getting mixed up with the local police had followed him to California and he spent a number of years in jail. During this time he lost contact with Bromberg and the 1971 recording sessions were left just gathering dust.

Eventually in 1982, out of prison and free from an earlier heroin addiction, Ted once more met up with Bromberg and the tracks that they had cut 11 years earlier were released as an album, Watch Your Step on Rounder Records. True to form, Ted wandered off after making this one album and it was another four years before he could be pushed into a studio to record again. This time the session produced the 1986 release, Happy Hour and this was the record that was to be the catalyst that launched his career around the world.

Part of the problem with Ted's music was that it was almost impossible to categorise with elements of soul, gospel, country and blues all merging together to create a unique sound that was distinctly Ted Hawkins. Over in the U.K. his music was picked up and championed by Andy Kershaw. At one point in the late 80's you would rarely tune into Kershaw's show without hearing at least one track by Hawkins.

It wasn't until 1994 that he finally came to the attention of the US public, when Geffen Records picked up on his talent and persuaded him to record what was to be his final album, 'The Next One Hundred Years'. Sadly, just as sales of this record were taking off, Ted suffered a stroke on the 28 December 1994 and died a few days later on New Year's Day.

Ted Hawkins dark and often quirky songs are balanced with a suprisingly upbeat sense of humour. With his rough-edged soul/country voice and simple acoustic guitar, Ted brings you into his moody world and all his tracks are sung with a total investment of emotion and with an oddly lyrical twist that frequently has a beautiful sweet edged melody that is completely at odds with a somber theme. There is an intensity about Ted's singing and playing that was completely captivating back in the mid 80's and is still so to this day.

Ted Hawkins - Watch Your Step
Ted Hawkins - Bring It On Home Daddy

Picture On The Wall....

2011-06-22T22:12:00.002+01:00

1983's Festive 50 was largely dominated by New Order, The Smiths, The Fall and The Cocteau Twins which was certainly no cause for complaint in these quarters. There were 2 tracks, however, that always stuck out for me - the first was Good Technology in which The Red Guitars itemise the sundry achievements of modern science over a quite stunning melodic soundscape.

The other was The Natural-Ites and The Realistics who made it into the Top 10 with Picture On The Wall. I still remember buying the single the day after I first heard it on Peel and was one of the first tracks to get me listening to reggae music. There's a real feeling of joy and spiritual power in the vocals and the melody and counter melodies of the horns are simply sublime. Peel played this song to death and it's very easy to appreciate why he loved this track so much.

The Natural-Ites and The Realistics - Picture On The Wall (12")

Clarence Clemons 1942 - 2011

2011-06-19T19:49:00.000+01:00

The powerful sax playing of Clarence Clemons lit up so many of Springsteen's classic tracks that it is almost impossible now to think of The E Street Band without "The Big Man".

His saxophone solos became a signature sound for The E Street Band on so many key Springsteen tunes and always added to the song rather than being showy and overshadowing them. Clarence was a vital part of Springsteen's sound over the years and was a truly wonderful musician and by all accounts a truly wonderful man.

I have been fortunate enough to see Springsteen a couple of times in concert and to see "The Big Man" up close and personal playing the solo on Jungleland was truly magical.

R.I.P. Clarence

And I Don't Wanna Get Over You....

2011-06-16T20:02:00.000+01:00

There are good pop songs, there are great pop songs and then there are Undertones pop songs. With their debut in '79 they made one of the best pop records of all time. Not a single track over the 3 minute mark and no need for there to be. No excess,no waste, just pure pop perfection. The band played with such unabashed joy that even tracks that hint at the darker side of life - Jimmy Jimmy, Family Entertainment - are delivered with such a sense of optimism that was lacking in so many other bands of that era.

The Undertones never seemed to take themselves that seriously, just a bunch of mates having a bit of a laugh but somehow they managed to release 4 great albums in their short time in the limelight that contain many, many timeless little masterpieces that spoke directly to their fans with lyrics they could all relate to. They made it all seem so easy which I think is part of their lasting appeal alongside the fact that almost their entire output still sounds as fresh today as it did when it first came out over 30 years ago.

A couple of years back Salvo released another Undertones Best Of but this one also included a second CD of demos, out takes and live tracks including these 2 tracks...

The Undertones - Get Over You (Live)
The Undertones - The Love Parade (Demo)

Get Over You is Live at The Lyceum in '78 and shows that all you need is 3 chords and a great tune while The Love Parade is a self produced demo from '82 that Damian O'Neill thinks is vastly superior to the recorded version and I would have to agree.

Memphis Isn't All That Big....

2011-06-14T22:03:00.000+01:00

For the best part of 20 years Colorblind James and his ever changing ensemble made some of the most intelligent, heartfelt and original music to appear out of the U.S. of A. It's difficult to find a genre of music that did no find it's away into the recordings of his band, The Colorblind James Experience. There's elements of Rock'n'Roll, country, folk, jazz, gospel, polka and a bit of Tex Mex thrown in for good measure. An early critic described their music as "The sound of the working class ascending to heaven." That's a pretty decent approximation of their sound.

Their three minutes of fame came to them in the late 80's when John Peel and Andy Kershaw started played tracks from their eponymous debut which eventually reached Number 5 in the Indie Chart. The pinnacle of the album and the track that got them a coveted slot in the Festive 50 was Considering A Move To Memphis where James considers the consequences of relocating to Elvis' hometown sung to a tune that blended all the finest musical elements of the band into a perfect six and a half minutes.

** This posting is for my best mate as, due to suffering from an ever increasing tendency to forgot what I done 5 minutes ago never mind remember dates of birthdays each year, I managed to completely forget his birthday a couple of weeks ago so this is for you mate.

Colorblind James Experience - Considering A Move To Memphis

Live and Direkkk....

2011-06-12T09:00:00.000+01:00

With a few exceptions live albums, per se, are generally not that good. One of the exceptions is Aswad's Live and Direct. The band is on fire and the album captures the moment perfectly. This is Aswad at their very best full of energy and oh so sweet bass lines playing some old fashioned reggae with lots of brass. The rawness of the sounds adds to the overall feel with that tight as you like horn section making this a classic.

Of course we all know that Aswad captured some chart success later on with some "soft reggae" offerings that don't really do the band justice but if you only ever buy one Aswad album this is the one to go for. Crank it up loud and enjoy not just one of the best reggae albums of all time but also one of the best live albums. Few live albums manage to capture perfectly a band at the height of their power. Live and Direct does just that.

Aswad - Roots Rocking

Respect Yourself....

2011-06-11T09:15:00.002+01:00

Finishing off Soul Week on Spools Paradise is one of the all time classics. Respect Yourself came together after Stax Records singer Luther Ingram told Stax house songwriter Mack Rice that "black folk need to learn to respect themselves" and the rest, as they say, is history.

Pen a lyric about self empowerment for African Americans during the time of the Civil Rights Movement, add a solid funk groove, give the song to The Staple Singers, team them up with the Muscle Shoals Rhythm Section and you end up with one of the finest soul tunes ever recorded with Mavis Staples' delivering what has to be one of her most uplifting and soulful vocal performances.

The track has been covered many times but none of the covers come anywhere near the original.

The Staple Singers - Respect Yourself

Singing The Blues....

2011-06-10T06:45:00.004+01:00

You would know you've written a pretty decent tune if you hear it being covered by the likes of Otis Redding and Alex Chilton. That was the case with Lowell Fulson's and his 1965 hit, Tramp. Never afraid to experiment, Lowell stated off playing his beloved blues but by the mid 60's whilst on Kent Records he was playing funk injected sounds that restored him to R'n'B stardom. With a strong baritone vocal and some mean blues guitar playing Lowell Fulson made a great contribution to the popularisation of blues music in the 50's and 60's.

One of his best known tracks, Reconsider Me was later recorded by someone by the name of Elvis and was selected by The Rock'n Roll Hall Of Fame as one of the 500 songs that shaped Rock'n'Roll.

Few bluesmen managed to remain contemporary the way Lowell Fulson did for more than five decades. And fewer still made such a massive contribution to the blues scene.

The Tramp Years can be ordered here .

Lowell Fulson - Tramp

Soul Thursday....

2011-06-09T14:09:00.000+01:00

Felice Taylor started off on the Valiant label as part of a trio with her sisters, but her greatest success came on the Mustang label where she released 3 singles which were all co-written and produced by none other than The Walrus Of Love himself, Barry White.

Her vocals were very reminiscent of Diana Ross , which is certainly no bad thing. She later recorded for the legendary Kent label and also with The Equals in the U.K. Sadly there do not appear to be any recordings after the early 70's.

From 1968, I Can Feel Your Love is a bit less sugary than some of her earlier recordings with a truly great rhythm intro....

Felice Taylor - I Can Feel Your Love

Also found this crackin' video on Youtube of another Felice classic.

Sun, Chess, Stax....

2011-06-08T22:50:00.000+01:00

Although he was often compared to both BB King and Bobby Blue Band, Little Milton never quite achieved the crossover success of either of them.

Little Milton originally recorded for Sun Records, before releasing material for Chess and Stax. His early recordings were very blues influenced but his albums from the 70's on the Stax label are most definitely of the soul variety. He was backed often by Stax stalwarts The Memphis Horns and combined with his distinctive choppy guitar sounds and his gritty, expressive vocals made some great soul tracks that are up there with the likes of Sam Cooke and Bobby Bland.

He also recorded some tracks for the now defunct Checker label in the 60's including this little number that reached Number 1 on the R'n'B chart in the mid 1960's....

Little Milton - We're Gonna Make It

Every Little Bit Hurts...

2011-06-07T22:03:00.000+01:00

Described by author Nelson George as "the most beautiful woman ever signed to Motown," Brenda Holloway is remembered not only for her stunning looks but also for a sweetly soulful singing style.

Brenda caught the eye of Berry Gordy in 1964 while singing along to a Mary Wells track at a disc jockey convention in California and became the first West Coast artist to sign to Motown. Her firs single Every Little bit Hurts was also her biggest hit and landed her a support slot on The Beatles 1965 US tour.

Brenda had an early retirement from The Biz at the ripe old age of 22. She did thankfully return to recording in the early 80's when she released a gospel album after spending the best part of 20 years in the church. She then went on to record some material for Ian Levine's Motorcity label in the late 80's as she had always remained in the hearts of fans of the Northern Soul scene in the U.K.

Brenda Holloway was one of the best and perhaps most under-rated female vocalists ever to record for Motown. Hard to believe she was only 17 when she recorded her first single for Motown.

Brenda Holloway - Every Little Bit Hurts

When The Revolution Comes....

2011-06-06T21:45:00.000+01:00

On May 16th 1969 - Malcolm X's birthday - Jalal Mansur Nuriddin, Omar Ben Hassan and Abiodun Oyewole officialy formed The Last Poets. They almost single handedly laid the groundwork for the hip hop scene that emerged in the late 70's.

In 1970 they released their first album which contained withering attacks on everything from racists to government to the bourgeoisie preceding politically laced albums by the likes of Marvin Gaye and directly influencing the work of later rap bands such as Public Enemy and Boogie Down Productions. The album reached the Top 10 U.S. album chart but before they could mount a tour Oyewole was sentenced to 14 years in prison for armed robbery. The follow up album, This Is Madness even landed them on Nixon's Counter Intelligence Programming Unit and had tracks that were more radical and politically charged than the debut offering.

Several albums followed but none had the same impact as those first 2 albums both of which contain music of style, force, intensity, creativity and passion and are fundamental building blocks of rap and hip hop music.

The Last Poets - When The Revolution Comes