Monday's Long Song

 

Life's Hard And Then You Die was the title of It's Immaterials debut album and probably the best title back in 1986. It was an album full of great pop songs and shows the potential of this Liverpool band. I came back to this album a couple of days ago while I was sorting my CD's once again and I enjoyed this album once again after decades. 

It's Immaterial - Driving Away From Home (Wicked Weather For Walking)

I thought it would never happen again

 

After a very long time I went to watch my team live again. After the pandemic, I didn't renew my season ticket anymore because I didn't want to watch how Stuttgart lost almost every game at home and spoil a whole Saturday away from home. I watched the games particular on a TV-scream at my local pub or missed the games at all and I took the chance to watch them in the stadium when a working mate asked me if I am willing to join him because a friend of him didn't have the time to see the game. So I started at late morning and hit the train to meet the supporters on a sunny and warm day in cult-pub. They were all surprised to see me again after many months and we had a great time talking about this and that with a couple of beers beside. The game itself was what I expected from a team that is close to relegation. Dominating Augsburg over the whole time but not able to create scoring chances until the last 20 minutes. Until then it was a draw 1:1 and Stuttgart started fighting and winning the game. They created in 10 minutes more chances than in the 80 minute before. But not successful because shooting the ball on the post or Augsburg's keeper had every ball safe. You can't imagine how the crowd went crazy when Stuttgart made the final goal to win in the third minute of the extra time. And this is what I sometimes missed during the last months.

Today's song is the new one by Dives, a three piece female band from Vienna that was featured at this place a couple of years ago. I liked their sound inspired by pop, punk, surf and garage with a massive feeling for vocal harmonies. Wanna Take You There impresses with its catchy indie sound, multi-voiced vocal harmonies and a beautiful hookline that won't let you go so quickly. "The perfect late summer/autumn soundtrack: melancholic but extremely danceable.  

Jerry Lee Lewis 1935 - 2022

 

The news arrived that Jerry Lee Lewis died at the age of 87 today. He was a bigamist when he was 18. With 22 a world star, a year later a persona non grata. After he became well known during a tour in England that his third wife, Myra Gale Brown, was his cousin and just 13 years old, the world turned away from him. Before that she had willingly received his songs like "Whole Lotta Shakin 'Going On," "Great Balls of Fire," "Breathless" or "High School Confidential." These were lustful manifestos in the dress of the rock 'n' roll conquering the world, whose craziest tailor he was: Jerry Lee Lewis, whom they called the killer. One of the first to live rock'n'roll and who hasn't cared about anything (and I'm sure I'm not going to call everything he's done good). One of the great ones from the early days of music has left us.

Rest well Killer

Live Music On German TV

In the mid 90's Jarvis Cocker appeared with his band Pulp on the scene. Headdress, greasy hair, no modeling fretting, unbelievable dance style and yet - Jarvis Cocker was and is a sex symbol. Women, whom he did not even dare to look at in his entire youth, worship the man idolatly since he is in the spotlight with Pulp. With Different Class they released their masterpiece and Common People went to the top of the charts. Still a song that explores more than a bit of hip culture like Dead Kennedys did in Holidays In Cambodia.  But in the best days Cocker wrote songs that was nearly close to songs Ray Davis wrote decades ago. Songs that described live and situation in England at these days. I remember when I saw this footage for the first time and I really liked what I saw and heard. A few week later I saw them live and Pulp were at the top of their days and after 26 years you can listen to them with big joy.

 

Vijnana

 

Adam over at Bagging Area featured a song by the latest compilation of Higher Love records on Monday. I thought about featuring this song during this week but he was faster than me. But this doesn't detain me to feature this album at this little place in the internet again. Higher Love records is one of these labels featuring Balearic sounds during the last years. And this compilation shows once again how many artists are able to create a smooth and interesting sound of laid back and relaxed sounds for recreating yourself after a hard days work. As far as I know Vijnana is a remix by Coyote that gave me the most relaxing sounds during the last years. Softly flowing sounds over a floor of rhythmic beats made this one outstanding of many other songs released this year so far.

What Happened To A Former Indie-Rock Band?

 

20 years ago a Sheffield based band appeared with thrilling guitar sound with a mixture of post-punk and garage rock on the scene. Arctic Monkeys and their debut album reached very high places in the charts and many called them the next big thing in music. I have to admit that I liked a few of their songs but they didn't really fascinated me. Now they returned with their seventh album The Car and they got a lot of critical acclaim. That made me starting listening to them once again. And after listening to this album I am not sure what I should think about this album. Is it a masterpiece of brit-pop and great songwriting or just another arty album showing their abilities in songwriting and ending in a Coldplay-like disaster? There are songs on this album, written and arranged well like I Ain't Quite Where I Think I Am but overproduced where Alex Turner can't decide if he plays a guitar like Mick Ronson or if he would wallow in a wah-wah-sound. On the other hand he tries to be a crooner like Elvis Costello trying to play an Bacharach-song. All in all every song was heard before in better quality. Sadly I am disappointed by this album. But this is only my opinion - maybe other people would like this one.

Monday's Long Song

 

Another new release I got aware last week was the Hyena Hopscotch Remixes a remix project of an album London based DJ and producer Pete Bones released earlier this year. The original album was hybrid of industrial funk with a massive pop feeling and psychedelic elements. Now the re-work of this album is made by today's most talented DJ's like Duncan Gray, Justin Robertson and Jezebell. This album will be released next week and will reach probably in my years end list.

The Next Big Thing?

 

During the last days I listened to various independent radio stations and it is conspicuous that many of them featured Kid Kapichi a band from Hastings, not far away from Dover. I don't know if there is a music scene but the band soaked up newer British music. Their sound is modern British punk rock located somewhere between the sound and attitude of the Idles, Slaves, Sleaford Mods, Slowthai & The Streets. Surely not a worse taste and the result is I.N.V.U. They envy him - NOT! - the Mr. MTV, who stumbles around with his alligator shoes and his Rolex and can afford to sleep comfortably while the whole world has to get out of bed early. The four musicians have now packed their disgust at this kind of person and his staging on social media into a song. I am not sure if their whole album is as good as this little song that I can't get out of my mind after listening the first time but I am sure the medias will feature them massive during the next weeks.

Live Music On German TV

It was a couple of days ago when I searched on YouTube for something else when I found a live appearance by Julian Cope from October 1987. As mentioned in former post it was a format for young people in public broadcasting where they talked about themes who were the focus for us at the time. Every time after the discussions there were live appearances by mostly unknown bands. In these days it was a compulsory programme for me and my mates to perceive the ability to watch great music on television. Julian Cope played in this few minutes songs from Saint Julian an album that made him popular at my place. Still songs that are great and different to his releases during the last years. 

 

Now Is

 

Ryan Lee West is a British music producer and DJ. He performs under the pseudonym Rival Consoles and produces electronic ambient music with the help of mainly analog devices. Four years ago he released Persona one of the best ambient albums in this year. Now he returned after a couple of releases with Now Is a new full album. I just listened to the title track and a few other ambient songs and I think he is still one that you should have a listen to. Pulsating beats that drive constantly forward and still create a quiet and relaxed atmosphere I could not hear this year in this quality. If only this song will stand the test of time - this one could be an exception

Monday's Long Song

Brain Eno released his first regular studio album after six years and various collaborations. FOREVERANDEVERNOMORE is a another piece of his work as a pioneer of ambient and spatial music showing that he is still relevant in these times. You can find collaborations with parts of his family and Jon Hopkins (probably today's Eno) and some songs sung by him or his sister. This one is a piece I like much because it shows how ambient and electronic music can come together in perfect harmony. 

 

You Want It Darker

 

With "You Want It Darker," the title track of his 14th and last album of the same name, Leonard Cohen had released an impressive number in autumn 2016 shortly before his death at 82. The dark talking blues, in which the deep voice of Cohen, drawn from life, comes eerily close to the listener, negotiated to soft pulsating bass and sacred backing choirs an approaching end of life - "I'm ready, my Lord" is the climax of the chorus.

The track is thus made for Iggy Pop, whose voice also works excellently for narrative singing in the deeper registers.Pop puts on "You Want It Darker" a little more gloomy and tanned, the soundbed sounds a bit more jazzy, but the endless depth of the spiritual number he receives completely. Iggy's version is found on another tribute album for Leonard Cohen released a few days ago. The rest of this tribute album I didn't listen completely but any tribute album is a reason to go back to the originals - especially by Mr. Cohen.

The German Correspondent Returns

After a very long time I returned to a series I thought I closed a few years ago. The reason why I reanimated this series is that a few days ago I returned to a German hip-hop band after a very long time. Die Fantastischen Vier, named after Marvel's super heroes are very popular at my place and they fill big events. I have to admit that I am no big fan of kind of these kind of German music but I have a special relationship to them. It was in the late 80's when me and a couple of pals had nothing else to do than to go to a small venue to watch a new kind of music. They were introduced as a the first band playing hip-hop in German spoken songs. We had no imagination what this could be but we went out after an enthusiastic show. We never heard a sound by German artists like them before. It was sad that these young kids played their show in front of 30 people. A few years later and after a great promotion they got some hits and raised to the top of the charts. I followed them during their early career and on every record they had some songs that were far above the average of every other song German musicians made in these days. At the start of the new century they were one of the less German artists that got the chance for an MTV-unplugged concert. They played live with and orchestra in a cave in Balver in the middle of Germany. I really liked the way they arranged their songs with an orchestra, especially Millions Of Legions, a song with a fantastic groove accompanied by a sitar sound. The lyrics are cryptic and related on a relationship. But this doesn't matter - the music and sound speaks for itself. 

 

I Am A Strange Loop

 

Earlier this year Andy Bell released his last album Flicker one of the best albums released this year. It was on heavy rotation at my place since I fought this record and now he released an EP of remixes from a couple of songs. DJ's like David Holmes and Richard Norris took over the controls and reworked one of the finest songs. The result was a new interpretation of Andy's songs and always a great work. You can hear more of this reworks here. I think that this record will be played more than once at my place.

Wot

It was back in 1982 when everything was possible and nothing was impossible. Ian Burns or better known with his stage name Captain Sensible, co-founder of The Damned and active from the start of the punk movement made a song that was played very often during these days. Wot is just a simple song with no message after all but this bass-line is still one of the best. Just a song that was planed for having fun and this is one reason why I come back to this one still after 40 years. And lyrics that only makes me smile.

Once a lifetime, twice a day
If you don′t work you get no pay.
I been to the east, I been to the west,
But the girls I like best are the ones undressed.
Well, hello Adam, where you been?
I said a′stand aside 'cause I′m feelin' mean,
I′ve had a gutful of you and I'm feelin′ bad
'Cause you're an ugly old pirate and ain′t I glad.

Monday's Long Song

In 2003 a band formed of the three brothers Followill, Caleb, Jared and Matthew ant their cousin Nathan appeared on the scene and brought back guitar lead rock music, long hair and mustaches. That they came from Nashville, where many of us thought there was only country music was nearly unbelievable. Their first album got many critical acclaim and was played in various good pubs at the beginning of the century. I wasn't a big fan of them although I liked many of their songs. For me they were at their peak with their third album Because Of The Times because never before or later they had this various sound and they never made a song like Knocked Up again.

Kings Of Leon - Knocked Up

Tableau

 

Manchester's indie-pop band released their new album Tableau the recent days. I have to admit that I have big fondness to them because they interpret rock/pop in their very own way. On this album they add more different styles to their sound before. Now you can hear a bassline remembering French band Air, a dance track like The Room that morphs into a guitar lead indie song or a the eight minute long Beam/s that starts as a dark shoegaze song and turns into distorted house. Seldom listened this year to an album that had so much different facets.

Violet Drive

Kerala Dust is a band formed in London in 2016 and now living and producing in Berlin. As they said about themself, they grew up with the sound of Tom Waits, Can and Velvet Underground you can hear references to them in their sound. They added to their rhythmic sound a bit of Talking Heads and dancefloor and you have a melange that is incredible. They released their last album earlier this year but I forgot to listen to it. But now I found the time to enjoy their unique kind of music. 

 

Handsworth Revolution

 

As a side effect of the punk movement was that many bands included reggae sounds into their own music and a British version of reggae came with a big wave to my ears. One of those were Steel Pulse a band named after a place where they came from, Handsworth a district of Birmingham. They released their debut album back in 1978 and were together with Black Uhuru compatible to many of my friends in these days. Their sound is different to roots reggae from Jamaica and not similar to the sound systems and the music that was was produced in many studios in Kingston but their legacy is that they introduced me to dive deeper in reggae and explore many artists that I wouldn't know without their inspiration. They also got big with their political attitude and forcing anti-racism themes - necessary in the late 70's.

Steel Pulse - Prodigal Son

Steel Pulse - Ku Klux Klan

We Are One

 

Another new artist came to my ears when I checked my inbox. As usual I deleted most of the promotion mails that arrived during the last weeks. Only a few got a chance and I followed the link to their newest releases. For this reason I found We Are One the new album by Boxheater Jackson and I didn't repent it. Just the name made me curious what kind of music is behind this name. Boxheater Jackson is the project by Cornwall based DJ Big Vern Burns. He learned a lot of Andrew Weatherall and his collaboration with Genesis P. Orridge was also a big influence for this album that is filled with cosmic acid house. So many ideas, great beats and songs that it is hard to pick out only one. We Are One is filled with classics and a joy of rhythmic pleasures (as Brother Joseph said). 

The Great Adventure

 

Yesterday we had bank holiday remembering the German reunification once again. I went out to meet some friends for some drinks and talking about this and that. When I came back after a good time I had to go to check a musical recommendation one of my friends gave me. The name Max Essa was new to me and also his music. In the web I couldn't find more that he is producer and DJ since the 90's and released some songs on Warp and Is It Balearic labels and now living in Tokyo, Japan. You can file his music under balearic but it is too easy and not fair because he is celebrating relaxed guitar sounds over a true balearic beat. Not the next big thing but one you surely have a listen to.

Monday's Long Song

 

During the last days I often listen to a project I found a few weeks ago. The Flying Mojito Bros are two American DJ's and producers exploring the possibilities of connecting the late 60's with today's club music. These cosmic cowboys describe their music in their own words

With their boots firmly planted in dusty 70s sunsets, their pan-USA productions take cosmic country funk and rock to modern dancefloors via NYC latin disco and baggy acid house – on a bed of hefty contemporary rhythms.

Think the first summer of love meeting the second – Crosby, Stills and Nash at the Haçienda, The Doors at Shoom, The Orb at Woodstock.

I really like the idea not only paying reference to funk and soul and taking focus on forgotten bands.

CSN - Carry On (Flying Mojito Bros Refrito)

Sleepwalker

 

A couple of weeks ago I featured the new release by Psychic Ill at this place. It was not really a new album because it was the start of a new series of releases featuring bands playing on live at Austin Psych Fest (or Levitation as it was named later). This event started as a one day festival back in 2008 and expanded to a tree day event the following year. This series captures key moments in psychedelic rock history and live music in Austin. New latest release of this series features live appearances by the beautiful Moon Duo from 2012/2014. Ripley Johnson and Sanae Yamada were on a high level at this time and show how great psychedelic music could be played by a small band. There are live highlights from their early recordings on it and I feel sad that I never had a chance to see them live.

Moon Duo - Sleepwalker

Moon Duo - Goners

Sharon

In 1989 I was overwhelmed when I first listened to the debut by Cowboy Junkies. The Trinity Sessions where recorded in an old church in Toronto and the sound of the band was reduced to a slow countryside mood and worked well by the fantastic voice of Margo Timmins. The band is still active and released more than 10 albums since then. I have to admit that I lost the connection to them during the last years but I still come back to their masterpiece regular. Now they released a vinyl album from another session from 1989, a stripped down version of their second album The Caution Horses and added with some great cover versions. It's on the same level as their debut and listening to these album I think the songs work best when they played in an intimate mood. This album is released as a limited vinyl edition only and is available on the band's page. Sharon can't beat their debut but it also another great recording worth to be listened and a good start into the last quarter of the year.