Mountains And Waterfalls

Earlier this year Sally Rogers and Steve Jones aka A Man Called Adam released their last superb album Famarama. It was an album knowing no borders between lo-fi disco, deep house, dub and breakbeat. Most songs were full of melodies and it was an album I often went back since it's release. Now they released a remix-album with four of their songs that show how great these songs are. Not a bad way to start into a rainy Sunday.

Up On Cripple Creek

During these days many albums were re-released as anniversary editions. If you need necessarily need to purchase shouldn't be the question. The main thing for me is to remember when I listened the first time to those records and if it is worth to come back to them once again. In September 1969 The Band mixture of Canadian and American musicians released their self titled second album. Some of knew them as the backing band of Bob Dylan and probably from The Weight a song featured on Easy Rider. In my very younger days it was very unusual to listen to country music in any characteristic and some of had a hidden spot on this music. For me The Band were the link to other country music for me and this record is still worth to come back to it because of the great songs and the superb vocals and harmonies they had.

The Band - Up On Cripple Creek
The Band - King Harvest (Has Surely Come)
The Band - The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down

It's Immaterial

In 1981 It's Immaterial recorded their first session with John Peel. The Liverpool based band formed by former members of pub rock band Yachts and made a fine combination of post-punk and pop. I almost forgot them when I saw that they were featured on a sampler about Liverpool's new sound of the early 80's. Still a band that was underrated and didn't got the acclaim they should have. In better times with less other big bands around in their times they would be great.

It's Immaterial - A Gigantic Raft
It's Immaterial - Imitate The Worm
It's Immaterial - White Man's Hut

Disco Not Disco

In the early 80's New York was the melting pot where a different kind of disco music could grow. It was the hottest music beyond punk and new wave in these days. Sadly a lot of people missed this fantastic sound because only a few DJ's got the intuition of this kind of music and the dance floors weren't ready for them. It was called by the press as No Wave or dance punk but it was essential  club music with it's roots in funk, dub, reggae, Afrobeat and punk. Most songs were based on a floor of a great bass guitar with a straight rhythm and danceable. A few years ago a compilation was released with songs from this time and genre and named Disco Not Disco. A few days ago another compilation was released and also filled with gems from these days. If you listen to the songs they made decades before you can imagine where many DJ's went to school.

Liquid Liquid - Cavern
Shrieback - My Spin (Is A Bassline)
Delta 5 - Mind Your Own Business

Back To The Days Of Glam

When we remember the days of glam we also will remember a few one-hit wonders from this age. Alvin Stardust with his retro-styled Rock 'n' Roll attitude and Gary Glitter with his dazzling glam outfit were those who made me to investigate for the originals they copied. In my very younger days I liked to watch them on TV and they were a kind of hero for a summer until I got involved to the originals they copied for their sound.

Black Is The Night

Like every year in the last months the record companies release best of compilations by any band they could. But this year a lot of releases are about the 40th anniversary of records from 1979 or to celebrate some bands that used to big or named 40 years ago. So it happened a few weeks ago with an anthology of The Stray Cats and a few days ago one by The Damned. They were not the best one around these days but a few of their singles are far over the average and hymns of my very younger days and still worth to bring back to your memories of times long gone by. I am sure everyone has his own memories when you listen to this great moments in history of punk and how The Damned faced the new spirit in new music.

The Damned - Neat Neat Neat
The Damned - Problem Child
The Damned - New Rose
The Damned - Wait For The Blackout

Monday's Long Song

One of the most covered songs in history is Norman Whitfield/Barret Strong's I heard it through the grapevine. First released by Smokey Robinson and the Miracles in 1966 many artists covered this song more or less successful. In 1970 Creedence Clearwater Revival released a version on their album Cosmo's Factory. This album was a million seller almost 50 years ago and it also was played often when I was much younger. I really liked the way they played their unique kind of a swampy blues-rock and it is always a pleasure coming back to the music of my later childhood.

Creedence Clearwater Revival - I heard it through the grapevine