Pod 11: Illumination(first published January 2011)
After struggling to come up with a single idea for a title for this podcast, I finally settled on 'Illumination' for two reasons. First, it is the title of one of the tracks and acts as a tribute to its singer who passed away prematurely just a week or two ago. Secondly, and perhaps more importantly, it shows the breadth of diversity in music that constantly entriches our lives. Simon Cowell would have us all believe its about young pretty boys and girls, a Christmas number one and loads of money in his bank account. But Cowell can kiss my lily-white arse. If you really want to light up your life with music, you have to open your mind, go in search of it and immerse yourself in the wonder of what amazingly talented people there are out there beyond horrible mainstream TV and radio. Ten more examples of such delight are presented here in another illuminating podcast.
1. Rachel Goodrich The Black Hole (2008, Tinker Toys)
It's
hard to classify an artist like Rachel Goodrich. Is she pop, folk,
indie, retro? Her music seems to cover all these grounds and more. She
has a new album - her second - due for release next month.
2. Broadcast Illumination (2000, Extended Play 2 EP)
The sad passing of Broadcast's Trish Keenan
this month proved to me once more that life is a fragile thing and that
it matters not if you are good or bad, talented or not, it gets us all
in the end, sometimes, like Trish, far too soon. Broadcast were/are
extremely well respected in electronic-indie circles and this track
illustrates beautifully their atmospheric minimalist psychedelia.
3. Joy Division Dead Souls [pitch corrected] (original 1980, Still; this version 2010, A Recycle Sampler)
Thank the lord for nerds. If it weren't for the kinds of music geeks over at thepowerofindependenttrucking, neworder-recycle or smithsrecycle,
we wouldn't have brand spanking new remasters of iconic music like this
new version of the track which originally appeared on the b-side of
'Love Will Tear Us Apart' pitched too high. These guys are working
through the back catalogues of New Order, Joy Division and the Smiths to
clean-up and correct the originals far better than the so-called
professionals who have continually messed up with each set of official
re-releases. Yes indeed, nerds of the music world - take a bow!
4. Signe Tollefsen Down By The Water (2011, Baggage)
Dutch/American
singer-songwriter Signe Tollefsen is a rising star in Holland and is an
in-demand support act for established artists. Her newest release, a
six-track EP, contains intriguing re-interpretations of other people's
songs. Nestling between versions of tracks by Michael Jackson and David
Bowie is this amazing take on PJ Harvey's 1995 single. It's only
January and I think I've already found one of my tracks of 2011.
5. Frank Turner Try This At Home (2009, Poetry Of The Deed)
Like
a 21st Century Billy Bragg, Frank's folk-punk is gaining him an
increasingly massive following thanks in no small part to his hectic
live shows and festival appearances. I love the sentiment of this track
- music is in all of us and we could all do something a damn-sight more
meaningful and relevant with a guitar than many of today's "rock
stars". Do it!
6. James Vincent McMorrow From The Woods!! [edit] (2011, Early in The Morning)
The
debut album from this Irish singer-songwriter draws on the "darker,
less spoken about aspects of life, solitude, disillusionment" in novels
by Roald Dahl, John Steinbeck and F Scott Fitzgerald. Musically, there
are obvious parallels with Bon Iver, but James is picking up enough
plaudits on his own merits without the lazy comparisons. By the way, I
had to tweak this to make it more podcast friendly, using the intro of
an earlier version of the song, and cutting out a bit of 'dead-airtime'
in the middle. So what you get here is a unique mix!
7. Miranda Sex Garden Lovely Joan (1992, Iris)
Back in August, podcast number 3 included a track by the Mediæval Bæbes featuring Katharine Blake.
I said I would post something by her original band - so here you go.
Miranda Sex Garden began as an a capella trio busking in Covent Garden
singing traditional English madrigals. Over time, their sound mutated
into avant-garde gothic darkwave. This track marked the start of that
process; the song itself dates from around the turn of the 19th/20th
centuries.
8. Future Of The Left Arming Eritrea (2009, Travels With Myself And Another)
Cardiff
band formed from the remains of Mclusky and Jarcrew in 2005. Certainly
one of the noisiest things I've featured in a podcast to date
but nonetheless rousing and original. Triv question: what is the link
between Future Of The Left and Frank Turner (above)? Answer at the
end...
9. Saint Etienne Mario's Cafe (1993, So Tough)
It
may come as a bit of a surprise to those who think they know me to
learn that one of my all-time favourite albums is Saint Etienne's second
'So Tough'. There is something distinctive about the London trio's
brand of pure pop that sets them apart from everyone else and I find I
can still listen to this record without a hint of irony. This is a
wonderful observation of everyday London life as told by the gorgeous
voice of Sarah Cracknell.
10. Leadbelly Goodnight Irene (1947, Complete Recorded Works 1939-1947)
Arguably
the greatest folksinger/storyteller of all time, Huddie William
Ledbetter, with one of his many signature tunes. The origins of the
song are disputed, but it is generally agreed that Leadbelly pretty much
made it his own, and this version of it, his third, was from the last
session he recorded before his death two years later.
And
the answer to the triva question: current Future Of The Left bassist
Julia Ruzicka was once a member of hardcore punk outfit Million Dead,
fronted by Frank Turner.
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