I Am Mark E Smith

 

Just over four weeks ago, the eccentrics of Fat White Family released a new album. Well, it's not exactly new, as it's an album recorded live in the studio in a single day. It is an album that showcases the band at the zenith of their creative powers. Among the thirteen gems gathered here are the bewildering, anarchic crescendo of Hits Hits Hits; the disharmonious ferocity of I Am Mark E Smith; and a previously unreleased track in the form of Parisian Heatwave. On this album, Fat White Family weave together everything that defines them: chaos, brilliance, and their own unique groove. 

The Girl From Greece Sings

 

During the last year many of our blogging community, especially Khayem and Ernie, introduced my to a lot of great new female singer and therefore many thanks. I got to know artists whom I would otherwise certainly have overlooked. As I listened to some of these discoveries again recently, I remembered an album by a singer that I always enjoyed listening to and which, inexplicably, I have never featured here before. 

In 1962 Nana Mouskouri had her first Schlager successes in Germany with White Roses From Athens and became very famous with those old style pop songs. Quincy Jones who was the A&R man at Mercury at the time went to Europe to find some new talents to sign. At the time, Nana was working on an album in France, and Jones was so impressed by her voice that he arranged a recording session in New York with his label colleagues.

The result was an incredible album filled with Jazz standards and a cover by a song by Gilbert Becaud What Now My Love. The songs were sparsely orchestrated, allowing her clear soprano voice to shine through. I am not a fan of jazz, nor do I claim to be particularly knowledgeable about it, but this voice deserves to be praised.

Nana Mouskouri - I Get A Kick Out Of You

Nana Mouskouri - What Now My Love

Nana Mouskouri - Smoke Gets In Your Eyes

Singles Released This Week Years Ago

 

Here is the second edition of a journey through former hits and some eclectic songs from the past this year.

1972: Little Feat

1964: The Searchers

1969: The Byrds

1983: Prince

1965: The Righteous Brothers

1965: The Shangri-Las

1968: Otis Redding

1971: Ike & Tina Turner

1990: Sinead O'Conner

1981: Ultravox

1969: Tommy James and the Shondells

1994: Tori Amos

1971: Janis Joplin

1974: The Allman Brothers Band

1974: Paper Lace

1974: Joni Mitchell

The Piper At The Gates Of Dawn

 

Today, Syd Barrett would have turned 80. Being a musician in the late 1960's and early 1970's was a dangerous business. Drug use not only led to unexpected musical highs, but also to real health crashes. In some cases, however, death was not necessarily the worse fate, as the case of Syd Barrett shows. Too much LSD drove him mad and transported him to another world, from which he never returned until his death. Today he would have turned 80, providing an opportunity to look back on his musical legacy. 

Barrett was the leading figure of Pink Floyd in their very early years and responsible for their psychedelic sound. I am not a great fan of the band and never really got into his solo albums but their debut is still remarkable because Barrett found a way to play a psychedelic guitar like no one before. 

Pink Floyd - Astronomy Domine

Pink Floyd - Interstellar Overdrive

Monday's Long Song

 

In 1978 Bert Jansch, a Glasgow born folk guitarist released Avocet, an album far away from everything else that has been released these days. An album with only seven songs with him on acoustic guitar, Danny Thompson on bass and Martin Jenkins on violin and flute. On this album he has set the bar very high in the folk music scene with his guitar playing. Jansch blends folk with jazz and chamber music to create a wondrous, dreamlike sound that, back when punk rock was just beginning, seemed like it came from a parallel universe. A masterpiece which is still unmatched.

Bert Jansch - Avocet

New Songs On Sunday

 

I must admit that I haven't listened to much music in recent weeks and am behind in discovering new music. But that doesn't mean I won't continue this series. The intention was actually to present songs here that were released recently and don't have a musical focus or are subject to any dogma.

I was quite surprised when I read that Brinsley Schwarz had released a new album called Shouting At The Moon. His band was the spearhead of the so called pub-rock era in the mid 70's and the kind of music I enjoyed much before punk started. Brinsley Schwarz made a unique sound of classic rock and incorporated a whole lot of funk and soul in their sound.

And the essence of their sound you will find on this record. Most of the time, the tempo has been slowed down and a warm bass dominates the songs to make room for guitar and organ. The fact that Brinsley's voice cannot compete with Nick Lowe's does not detract from the songs. For many, this album will be too boring, but for me it's like an old friend dropping by after a long time.

Doctors

 

After a good three weeks, I returned from my annual vacation in Sri Lanka at the beginning of the year. It was relaxing, but unfortunately I had problems with my back and my spinal discs the whole time and couldn't enjoy myself as much as usual, so I came back early to see my family doctor at the beginning of next week to locate the cause of my complaints and take countermeasures. I don't want to complain here, as dengue fever has been rampant in Sri Lanka since the cyclone a few weeks ago. During this time, I have seen enough people who have contracted this disease and had to be hospitalized with high fever.

For this reason, here are some songs about doctors.

UFO - Doctor Doctor

Dr. Feelgood - Down At The Doctors

Robert Palmer - Bad Case Of Loving You (Doctor, Doctor)

Doctor and the Medics - Spirit In The Sky