Monday's Long Song

Bert Jansch was a Scottish folk musician born in Glasgow and a forming member of Pentangle which got many critical acclaims for their unique combination of folk, jazz, blues and rock. Janscch was also one of the leading members of the early 60's British folk movement. He released Avocent for me one of his best albums 40 years ago and he showed me on this record how acoustic guitars can make a save and warm sound. You can call me retro but this a kind of music I will always listen to.

Bert Jansch - Avocet

Six Strings That Changed The World

A few days ago I saw a documentary about how the guitar affected music and history. Starting in the 20's of the last century when Woody Guthrie sung for the refugees in California with the machine that kills fascists over the folk scene in the 60's when Dylan first played electrical to Jimi Hendrix showed us the influence guitar had. And it ended in several revivals during the last decades when bands made music based on massive guitars. I take this to an occasion to feature some tracks from my younger days when the musical taste of many was focused on guitar slingers.

James Gang - Funk #49
Jeff Beck Group - Plynth (Water Down The Drain)
Tommy Bolin - Post Toastee

Matthew Keeps Me Pirrie

Another new and a bit obscure sound came to my ears a few days ago. Scottish DJ Denis Sulta released an EP with tracks he produced during the last years. The name of it Aye Spoake Te Sumwuhn & They Listenhd and the Bowie-esque cover invited me to give him a chance and listened. It is impossible to categorize the songs to only one genre. He is going to experiment with jittery drums, abrasive rhythms and warped tempos. This one is one of the straightest songs. A fine house track with chunky basslines and deep beats. Worth to be heard.

Rev It Up

The last days in office were horrible because I have to finish some works until I will have my usual break at the end of the year. Lot's of work was put on my shoulder that should be finished before I got the order. So it is normal that I come home after an almost ten hour shift quiet tired and I just want to sit, relax and listen to some music that makes my finish my day. At this times I often stand in front of my records and don't know which one to pick out to listen to. The recent days I found a record from 1988 that I didn't listen for ages. It was the second album by Jerry Harrison Casual Gods. Harrison is famous for playing guitar and organs with Talking Heads and he didn't got the critical acclaim he should have. Listening to this album once again he shows me that he is able to write and produce great songs. Casual Gods is not the highlight of the late 80's but an album that stood the test of time. I enjoyed listening to these superb songs after a very long time.

Jerry Harrison - Rev It Up
Jerry Harrison - Man With A Gun

Memphis Blues Again

There were many blues men that tempted blues rock to the music that we used to listen for long times. I could name many but today I would like to use just one artist that was underrated for many years in history. Bo Diddley was a link for me from classic electric blues to what we heard in the early 60's until now. He played the guitar like none before and after. A musician based in the the tradition of original blues and inspired many artists ages later. Bo Diddley played a guitar between lead and rhythm and it was great and inspiring. I got back to an old compilation a few days ago and was surprised how fresh his music sounds today. Timeless.

Bo Diddley - Bo Diddley
Bo Diddley - Who Do You Love
Bo Diddley - I'm A Man

Interplanetary Mind Travel

One of the most obscure albums this year was released by Dream Division, the stage name of London based producer Tom McDowell and named Transcend. It is a weird travel into space like seldom before. McDowell invites us with his soundtracks that could work on various horror movies by John Carpenter to follow his way. Not the usual way I go but a sound I couldn't detract from and it was a a complete record I used to play various times during the last days. If you will name an album spaced out this year this will be one of those you can name.

Monday's Long Song

After the split of Edinburgh's fine punk/new wave beat band The Rezillos a few members formed The Revillos to celebrate their very own kind of a new wave incarnation of surf and Rock 'n' Roll. They didn't released much music regular. As far as I know beside a regular album only a compilation a few years ago. Now they released another compilation of outtakes and rarities. This one is one of their longer songs - a psychedelic trip starting as another surf inspired tune that turns into a fuzz and feedback inferno. Great stuff.

The Revillos - Hellbent (entering Psychosis by the Back Door)