Monday's Long Song

 

When I was rummaging through my record collection to find another long song, I came across an old record by Louis Tillet. Tillet was an Australian musician, singer/songwriter, pianist and saxophone player who came to my attention in the early eighties when he was part of Ed Kuepper's Laughing Clowns.

At that time, a wave of Australian bands came to Europe, some of which were great or just very good. The Go-Betweens, Birthday Party and the Triffids are just a few to mention here. While many of these bands wrote catchy or brute songs, Louis Tillet turned to the darker side of music. Many of his songs are rooted in the blues and are performed with piano, saxophone and a sparse guitar and dominated by his voice, which sounds like an aged Nick Cave. This song is from his 2001 live album Live @ the Basement and is typical of his sound.

Louis Tillet - Window Pane

The Candle And The Flame

 

Most of you will know that Australian guitarist, singer and songwriter Robert Forster became famous as a forming member of The Go-Betweens, one of the superbest bands from the 80's that made a few albums that are still highlights which I come back regular. The Go-Betweens were history when Grant McLennan died in 2006. After this Forster made some albums that were also far above the average of songwriting tradition and I always was happy when he released a new album. Now he released The Candle And The Flame, a new album filled with songs for his wife Karin Bäumler who is married to him since more than 30 years. The close relationship of the couple was put to the test in 2021 when Bäumler was diagnosed with cancer. The songs on this album are filled with memories, hope and tragedy of the last decades of their life and many may call them simple but for me I seldom heard better songs about love and optimism during the last years.

Understanding Jane

Last weekend I was searching for a CD in my collection that I wanted to listen and a compilation of Beggars Banquet came to my appearance. I didn't listen to this double CD for ages and was surprised to how much songs I was familiar. There are long forgotten songs on this compilation and listening to the various and very different artists they took me back to 1991 and the mood I was in at this time. You might know that I listen to a lot of new stuff that was released and often I am pleased but I will never forget the music that was a big part of my life way back in time.

The Icicle Works - Understanding Jane
Love And Rockets - Ball Of Confusion
The Go-Betweens - Streets Of Your Town

Labled

Like many other British independent labels Beggars Banquet were formed under the influence of the punk-rock movement. During the years they released a lot of records with quality and taste. Their first release was a classic punk single by the Lurkers. With the subsequent singles the hit the nerve of the time and bands like Tubeway Army and Gary Numan reached high positions in the charts. But Beggars Banquet had also open ears for gothic and new wave. Further along the line the released the records by The Go-Betweens and records by MES's The Fall at his best times. This could be an endless list if I would feature songs by Robert Forster or Grant MacLennan. Anyway, good to look back at the disclosures of this record label with a smile.