A few good times in my life
It seems as though the music industry is preparing for Christmas and being stingy with good releases. One of the few noteworthy releases in recent days comes from Avalon Emerson, an American DJ and producer. Originally, she only produced and recorded songs so she could incorporate them into her sets. She obviously enjoyed this way of making music, and the result is a remarkable indie pop song. Her vocals are guttural and clear, and the guitar chords fit perfectly. A truly compelling discovery.
One more round with songs that have topped the charts and some obscure titles.
1972: David Bowie
1973: Kool and the Gang
1978: Chic
1978: The Police
1965: Spencer Davis Group
1977: Sex Pistols
1968: The Move
1884: Stone Temple Pilots
1969: The Band
1966: The Royal Guardsmen
1970: Stephen Stills
1979: The B-52s
This morning, I received the sad news that Jimmy Cliff passed away yesterday at the age of 81 following a bout of pneumonia. He was the one who first got me into reggae in the mid-seventies and, over the years, led me to buy and enjoy a lot of this music.
Born in Jamaica, he set out at a young age to find his fortune as a musician in Kingston. The Harder They Come, in which he sang several songs on the soundtrack and also played the lead role of Ivan, shows that this was not something everyone was fortunate enough to achieve. I saw this film in its original version without subtitles when I was young and must admit that I often didn't understand any of the words spoken. But if ever a film has described the Jamaican music scene, it's this one.
The fact that he also denounced social injustices in numerous songs is most convincing in Vietnam, which Bob Dylan once called perhaps the best protest song ever written. Thirteen years ago, Cliff once again created a reggae album with Rebirth, which unfortunately is played far too rarely.
Rest in peace, Jimmy Cliff.
Jimmy Cliff - The Harder They Come
Jimmy Cliff - Vietnam
Jimmy Cliff - World Upside Down
While going through my inbox, I came across the release of an album by The Surfing Magazines. Their sound, which lies somewhere between garage and surf rock, appealed to me, but somehow seemed familiar. When I finished reading the whole article, I remembered that I had heard the album seven years ago and that it had now been re-released.
The London-based band combines British wordplay with reverb-rich guitar solos and melancholic Americana moments. This is what you get when you cross soothing indie pop with tongue-in-cheek garage folk. A good re-release and a band that covers a song by Jonathan Richman can't be bad.
Today, several artists are celebrating milestone birthdays. That's reason enough to revisit some of their songs.
Let's start with Tina Weymouth, who turns 75 today. In 1981, she and her husband Chris Frantz took a break from Talking Heads and founded Tom Tom Club. With their unique combination of funk and spoken word, the band established themselves in the charts.
Finally Jason Ringenberg turns 67 today. He brought us decades ago a cow-punk version of a Bob Dylan song.
Happy birthday to all of you!
In 2020 Johnathan Gregg, a New York based guitarist started a new project called SUSS where he could play his own kind of guitar dominated music. I featured them on the occasion of the release of their debut album Promise. At the time, I had assumed that SUSS would remain another undiscovered gem. And unfortunately, that's exactly what happened. There were a few words of praise here and there in the press, but it can't be described as an international breakthrough.
Maybe their combination of classic Americana instrumentation with pedal steel, deep tempered guitar and harmonica interwoven with loops and synthesizers. Since they moved from the east-coast to Arizona and New Mexico their sound expanded to ambient country as they say in their own words.
Their latest collaboration was with DJ Dumser, an ambient artist who released his music as Six Missing. The result are these two ambient works that sound like a spherical trip through the desert.
Another eclectic journey through decades of chart hits and long time not played songs for your pleasure.
1976: Stevie Wonder
1965: Crispian St. Peters
1976: Flamin Groovies
1982: The Kinks
1984: Tears For Fears
1964: The Righteous Brothers
1966: The Monkees
1975: Bob Dylan
1975: Blues Brothers
1980: The Clash
1978: The Records
After almost ten years, Tortoise have recently returned with a new album. I've been a fan of this music collective ever since I saw them live 30 years ago. I was fascinated by how perfectly this instrumental band managed to integrate contradictory styles such as krautrock, dub, electronica, and even jazz into a homogeneous sound.
I admit that I lost sight of them in recent years, but with their current album Touch, they are more present than before. The influence of krautrock is unmistakable on many songs. At its best, you could be forgiven for thinking that Neu! had released a new, contemporary album. Motor-driven beats, sparkling guitar riffs, and a touch of synth are the defining elements of their sound. It's good to know they're still around.
Last week, I visited an exhibition at our city museum that summarized the citizen protests in my hometown over the last 50 years. Among other things, we used referendums to prevent a bypass road from being built through a nature reserve and part of the old town from being demolished to make way for a new shopping center.
What could not be prevented was the construction of a new sports hall for one of our high schools. This meant that an old restaurant, which was one of the first places we young people would go, had to be demolished. On the day of the demolition, we took the day off and occupied both the surrounding trees and the roof of the restaurant. It did us no good, except that the police took us away.
What could not be prevented was the construction of a new sports hall for one of our high schools. This meant that an old restaurant, which was one of the first places we young people would go, had to be demolished. On the day of the demolition, we took the day off and occupied both the surrounding trees and the roof of the restaurant. It did us no good, except that the police took us away. Here is a song from their debut that I enjoyed listening after ages and not only because I was in a sentimental mood.
Babe Ruth - Black Dog
Earlier this year I featured the debut single by Jo The Man The Music at this place. At the time, not much was known about the artist other than that she was planning to release her first EP soon. Much more than that behind the strange name Johanna Gußmagg stands a singer/songwriter from a small village in Austria.
Once again, she has released a little gem of guitar/indie pop. Nothing less than one of the most beautiful new songs from my neighboring country.
Kieran Hebden released his latest album 41 Longfield Street Late '80s two month ago. Together with William Tyler, an America guitarist they created one of the finest albums this year. The mixture of country, ambient, minimal techno and a bit of psychedelia is extraordinary and still on my turntable since it's release.
He obviously also finds time to devote himself to his side projects. One of these is Le Carousel, where he focuses on electronic dance music. His song, released earlier this year, has now been reworked and refined by Sean Johnston. The result is a steady beat underlaid with a massive bass and voices floating around somewhere.
Everything comes to an end, even going around looking at different houses. We conclude this short series with a few songs that couldn't be more different.
The first one is from the fifth album by Talking Heads in 1983. This song shaped exactly the style of the bands last episode. Combining funk and new wave in an excellent way. It's no surprise that this would become her biggest chart success in the United States.
The next one is a seldom played song by Jimi Hendrix. Perhaps only because he didn't launch into his usual feedback orgies here, instead demonstrating his technical skills with a classic blues number.
When I listened The Cords' debut, it struck me that Scotland seems to have an inexhaustible reservoir of indie pop bands. The Cords are two sisters, Eva and Grace Tedeschi, and they keep it simple with guitar/vocals and drums.
In principle, it's indie/jangle pop, but their wiry minimalism exudes a pleasant charm. They bring the nineties back to life with their short songs, and anyone who liked listening to The Shop Assistants and The Sundays back then should give these two women a listen.
Another post with songs from the last decades. Some forgotten, some still played and some just because they are beautiful.
1962: The Miracles
1973: Steely Dan
1967: The Moody Blues
1957: Jerry Lee Lewis
1958: Richie Valens
1970: The Carpenters
1981: The Go-Go's
1963: Dave Clark Five
1978: Kenny Rogers
1981: Tommy Tutone
1987: R.E.M.
1967: The Lemon Pipers
1972: Slade
A few month ago I featured a song by Viper Patrol, a mysterious DJ who released a superb song for a late night disco. Now he is back via Leeds' Paisley Dark Records and presents two new songs and some remixes. Dancing Voices is a song that slowly takes hold with hypnotic percussion and light acid house and won't let you go. Def Charge is darker in structure, but impresses with its driving rhythm and psychedelic excursions. Both worth to give them a listen.
Since 2011, Mannheim had what was perhaps the best open-air festival in Germany. It was a playground for many mostly unknown indie bands from around the world. Unfortunately, it was not possible for the organizers to host the festival again in the future. As usual, financial uncertainties and declining visitor numbers were the reason for this. I attended most of the events together with my youngest brother, who lives locally, and was able to enjoy numerous musical highlights from many different genres.
Their music is diverse and has clear references to Krautrock and the West Coast sound of the seventies. But fuzz, wah-wah, and folk influences can also be heard repeatedly in their songs. Live, they thrilled me with their sprawling jams. Dripping Sun is from what I consider their best album, Masala Temples, and is a highlight of current psychedelic rock. Unfortunately, the band broke up indefinitely two years ago.
Kikagaku Moyo - Dripping Sun
A few month ago I featured Gulp, a Scottish/Welsh band with Wildflower, which was a superb song for warm summer days. Now Richard Norris took this song and made an excellent remix that brings back the summer into autumn. A great bass-line opens the song until the piano starts playing. Still a very good song.
In 1995, there was a battle between two Britpop bands that was incomprehensible to me as an outsider. Both released singles at the same time, Blur's Country House and Oasis' Roll With It. Not that I don't appreciate both bands, but at the time, the hype surrounding so-called supremacy got on my nerves. Country House is one of the greatest songs Blur ever released and deserves to be played again.
Another week with charted singles, pop and rock songs from various decades for your pleasure
1983: Rolling Stones
1973: Billy Joel
1955: The Platters
1972: Carly Simon
1972: Lou Reed
A few weeks ago, I switched my internet provider because I got a very good deal on a new fiber optic connection. So far, so good. The connection was activated yesterday, but my former provider had already cut off my connection on Saturday night. So I got to enjoy almost two days without internet access except on my mobile phone. Basically, it was a good experience to be disconnected from the internet for once and to devote myself to a good book and go for long walks again. I'm considering whether I should spend one day a week offline in the future.
Last year Justin Robertson released under his alias Five Green Moons one of the most impressive albums for me. Now he's back and has announced his second album for the end of November. Apart from a first song that was released last week, there is hardly any information on the web. He remains true to his style and picks up where he left off last year.
He continues on the path of post-punk and PIL-inspired, dark, hypnotic dub. He was able to get Brix Smith on board for some songs, who adds another mystical touch with her chants. I'm looking forward to the album.
Australian singer/songwriter Courtney Barnett returned last week with a new single. This time less lyrical and reserved, but with edgy riffs and a great bass line. You can still hear her love for Patti Smith, early grunge, and her passion for playing. It's great to have her back.
At the end of this short series, I must mention a club where I experienced some of my most memorable concerts. The Wagenburg Tunnel connects two districts in the north of Stuttgart. In 1985, a club called “Die Röhre” (The Tube) opened in a side arm of the tunnel. It was a long tube with a large bar on the left-hand side. Initially, it was used almost exclusively for parties at the weekend and occasional concerts. It was not until the late 1980s that concerts began to be held there regularly.
A defining experience was a double concert in 1989, when Spacemen 3 and The Wedding Present performed. The latter impressed with their indie guitar sound, but were able to keep up with the psychedelic-tinged guitar feedback, as a bootleg shows.
