Pere Ubu Datapanik In The Year Zero disc 1.
The Hearpen singles plus the Modern Dance. As with last week's selections I was checking back through some of the cds I had copies of at the camp. Think there are several tracks here that are pretty danceable. The rhythm section was pretty funky in places, possibly more obviously a little later though. Seems to be evident on Dub Housing even if the record title refers more to the effect of wind on Baltimore housing.
& again music I should be listening to a lot more since the first 3 lps at least are classics.
Faces Good Boys When They're Asleep
A compi that again I should be more familiar with. Just getting into listening to it as I read the Acid Jazz Books bio of Ronnie Wood. Interesting book but I don't think I'm a major fan of the writing style.
Anyway, listening to this has me thinking of getting hold of the individual lps. Probably ought to know those much better too.
There's a wistfulness or something that comes in on at least a lot of the early material on here that had me wondering if the Band were a big influence. More soulsearching than their earlier incarnation as the Small Faces or is that true? Rod Stewart's solo material around this time was semi acoustic folky orientated. The first few lps by him are also pretty great. Must find my Reason To Believe set. Shame he's not better known for this stuff than the disco era material.
Creation Our Music Is Red With Purple Flashes
Comprehensive compi of the archetypal freakbeat ensemble. Shame there isn't more of this stuff but this cd is pretty solid, even the covers. Crunchy mod rock with some interesting lyricism.
Every home should have a copy. Hyperbolic me?
Eugene McDaniels Headless Horsemen Of The apocalypse
I first bought this on lp thinking I might have come across a companion lp to Dr John's Gris Gris or something. It's pretty weird but not as ghostly as that. The cd is more noticeably funky than my first impressions of the vinyl had me thinking. & it was heavily sampled by hiphoppers etc.
The lyricism can be a bit overstated. the last track gets a bit patronising to native americans. What I always found strange was how this early 60s soul artist had gone to Europe/Scandinavia hung out with hippies and learnt how to not sing. Listening back to this I think his voice here is more tuneful than I remembered.
Interesting lp anyway.
Pretty Things Parachute.
Always stumble to find a proper description for this lp. Semi acoustic atmospheric post psychedelia? Seems to capture the feeling of what it must have felt like to hang around Notting Hill/Ladbroke Grove at the time.
I really like it and again should play it more frequently.
Henry Cow various live sets from '75 & '76
I had a friend on the solidarity camp asking about some crazy prog stuff I'd played the night before as my walkman on random played through speakers. I first thought he meant Brainticket but it turned out to be these. I've now transfered my archive of their live stuff to an active hardrive which I should have done months ago.
So I'm listening through their tumbling greatness. '75 is about my favourite era of them. I think there were line-up changes shortly before or after.
Some of this stuff reminds me of Bitches Brew played on toothpicks. Must be the xylophone Fred Frith plays or something. I also love his guitar sound. When I first came across the band through their Concerts lp I pictured the guitar sound as a giant black ballbearing continually turning in deep space. yum.
The use of horns is also pretty scrumptious.
Ernest Tubb Texas Troubadour The Hits disc 2
It took a little getting used to Tubb's vocal tone which on first listening is pretty off-key. Might actually be that he improves over the course of the disc.
But the instrumental interplay here's pretty cool anyway. Honky tonk country with a big jazz influence. Tubb was one of the first people to introduce electric guitar in his music too. I like this pre-countrypolitan type stuff quite a bit.
Fela Kuti Black President disc 2
Keep listening to disc 1 & neglecting this side stupidly. Thios is as good as that. Has Roroforo Fight on for one thing 17 minutes of Afrobeat funk groove.
Velvet Underground various
another band I've had most of my archive of on an unused hardrive.
Transfered it onto my main one at the same time as the Henry Cow.
What needs to be said about them? Accentuation on the band acknowledged r'n'b influence that permeates their entire career? Band seem to be the meeting point of uptown cerebrality and downtown body groove. I find it very hard to stand still when things like I'm Not a Young Man Any More are playing, seems to go straight to the hips.
various other bits & pieces I'm sure will come back to me later.
watching
saw the end of Torchwood tonight. Very moving. Won't say more than that since it hasn't appeared this side of the Atlantic yet. But does mean I can go back to camp and not have to wait for my next home trip to catch it.
The Guard. Hadn't realised this was set in the countryside of this county. Found it ribticklingly funny in places. Recommended.
Liam Glesson as corrupt cop.
reading
The Talented Mr Ripley
been wanting to read this since at least the time I saw the film. Somehow not got my hands on a copy til now. Like the writing, but I think the plot hinges on things that would be impossible now with vastly improved information technology over the 50s when it was written. Hope I find the rest of the Ripley books before too long.
Fela This Bitch Of a Life
recommended reading for any fan of the Afrobeat legend
Rock On Wood Terry Rawlings
Interesting read but I'm not a big fan of the writing style. Reworked considerably since the original version apparently. Had this sitting as my bog book for months until I decided I'd try to get through it faster this week.
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