tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-85171628035913686152024-03-14T13:01:02.701+00:00Is This The Life?one bloke's existence through music (1971-when?)TheRobsterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18277941961790844321noreply@blogger.comBlogger828125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8517162803591368615.post-49340708860950663022024-02-09T06:00:00.029+00:002024-02-09T21:07:51.620+00:00Ten Years... Gone<p><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6cbPaef2dTCD4-lS_6YvwT2AUXPjhmqZST-ajLSIGAA6vMpW5yE6Gvz7fK0mDDR5eGG7WqyLB9caMlXUB5pjU0xeKsTEhRAEOd9bFfieu-QME8yZGSn6N_VR2tj70LZJPBhQkL_JeiCHcfkkvKnivNb3_QgOY7c9MC4hSy14mDG-ikydQFaXRs-2oJ5U/s800/rivers.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="139" data-original-width="800" height="112" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6cbPaef2dTCD4-lS_6YvwT2AUXPjhmqZST-ajLSIGAA6vMpW5yE6Gvz7fK0mDDR5eGG7WqyLB9caMlXUB5pjU0xeKsTEhRAEOd9bFfieu-QME8yZGSn6N_VR2tj70LZJPBhQkL_JeiCHcfkkvKnivNb3_QgOY7c9MC4hSy14mDG-ikydQFaXRs-2oJ5U/w640-h112/rivers.jpg" width="640" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;"><br />Exactly 10 years ago to the day, Is This The Life? was launched. It started off with a clear direction - to document all the significant events in my life and relate them to the music I was listening to and discovering at the time. I achieved that. I also worked in lots of articles about gigs, songs and albums that I wanted to say something about, and showed my love for a number of significant artists who have contributed in some way to all the pleasure and pain I've experienced over the past 52-and-a-bit years.</span><p></p>
<p><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">In recent times though, it's all become a bit of a chore. Partly, it's because there is no clear direction anymore, everything has become a bit random and sporadic. It's also partly down to me not feeling I have much more to say. This could very easily become a blog dedicated to R.E.M. and going by the stats for past R.E.M. posts I've done, I'd probably get more readers and feedback if I decided to do that. Give the people what they want, right? But to be honest, that doesn't interest me. While I love R.E.M. with a passion (and I've certainly talked about the passion a fair bit...), I love new music, new bands, new thrills too. I still go to gigs as often as I can (though hasn't that become so much more expensive post-Covid?), and I'm buying more new vinyl than I have done in more than 30 years (ditto). But recent attempts to write about this have been difficult. To be honest, I've been finding it really hard to sit and write about anything for quite a while.</span>
</p><p><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">And so, after much consideration, I mark the 10th anniversary of my first post with this - the last post to appear on Is This The Life?. This river has finally reached its sea.<br /></span></p>
<p><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">Don't cry. It's really not worth it.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">I've decided to retire the blog for good and instead offer occasional contributions to other blogs as and when I feel inspired to do so. The only things I'll update are my gig list (purely for my own record) and the links to articles I write for others.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">So, the final act - some music. Here are the first three goodbye songs that sprung to mind. They're all 90s indie songs which is a bit of a narrow field, but I can't even be bothered to think about it further. To be fair though, they're good songs.<br /></span></p>
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<p><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">Here's the song that gives this post its title (and includes the lyric at the top of the page):</span></p>
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<p><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">And finally... in my very first post, I quoted Lou Reed and linked to a Velvet Underground track. So my very last post will conclude with another Velvet Underground song, only covered by probably the most influential band of my life, and one I have written countless things about both here and on other sites. So here are some closing credits. Quite literally. This is the very end of the groundbreaking concert movie Tourfilm, documenting R.E.M.'s massive Green Tour thoughout 1989. It broke a lot of moulds with regards how concert films "should" be made. I've broken no moulds whatsoever in terms of how blogs should be written, but it has been (mostly) fun. Hwyl fawr fy nghyfeillion, a diolch.</span></p>
<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube-nocookie.com/embed/MUw9_0fxJHg?si=Ij5JLyPer4PYZhKu" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe>TheRobsterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18277941961790844321noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8517162803591368615.post-76598438349828797812023-12-24T06:00:00.000+00:002023-12-24T06:00:00.125+00:002023: 23 Highlights (pt.4)<p><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijCv3ybHC0jcM2HhU1XxqmH3OrdYEo5H3uriTZ_9jZGWUJWgJLqMkzLsB1Ir9qkN6K38KTZRiubsEmSnJ25QzOaSVMAoilKjymywosmlVLngmLBS-9dOYMj1TSdN3CGQmkRxsi21meHIevRn3zOoALpj2upw1ojRFEUSTeplSgO7HyjFsXidgisZyAwEo/s800/2023-4.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="300" data-original-width="800" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijCv3ybHC0jcM2HhU1XxqmH3OrdYEo5H3uriTZ_9jZGWUJWgJLqMkzLsB1Ir9qkN6K38KTZRiubsEmSnJ25QzOaSVMAoilKjymywosmlVLngmLBS-9dOYMj1TSdN3CGQmkRxsi21meHIevRn3zOoALpj2upw1ojRFEUSTeplSgO7HyjFsXidgisZyAwEo/w640-h240/2023-4.jpg" width="640" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;"><br />The last post of 2023 - and it's a final summary of my 23 fave records of the year, starting off with some great EPs, including a couple of debuts.</span><br /><p></p>
<p><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;"><b>Hallan - 'The Noise Of A Firing Gun'</b><br />
Second EP from a band I'd never even heard of until Steve Lamacq played this brilliant track on his 6Music show. Definitely worth checking them out, they have some very good, powerful tracks in their small canon, full of cutting, cynical and often scathing lyrics about modern society, culture and politics. <i>The Unwomanly Face Of War</i> is inspired by the real-life stories detailed in the book of the same name by Nobel award-winning author Svetlana Alexievich.</span></p>
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<p><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;"><b>Heartworms - 'A Comforting Notion'<br />
Lambrini Girls - 'You're Welcome'</b><br />
Both of these were mentioned back in my short run of posts in the summer, so here's a different track from each. Both EPs are debuts and show a lot of promise.</span></p>
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<p><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;"><b>Micky Dolenz - 'Dolenz Sings R.E.M.'</b><br />
Now this is one that will probably surprise you as much as it surprised me. I normally steer well clear of things like this, but I'd read good things about it so gave it a go. And who would have thought that a 78-year-old former member of a band who were made up for a TV show in the 60s could, in 2023, have made an EP of songs by my favourite band of all time and, in a couple of cases, actually make them sound better? <i>Shiny Happy People</i> is nowhere near as excruciatingly sickly as the original, and <i>Leaving New York</i> makes me wish R.E.M. had made all of 'Around The Sun' as vaguely listenable as this. But this version of <i>Radio Free Europe</i> tops the lot - classic American power-pop with a touch of psych thrown in! Bonkers but brilliant. (Oh, and the sleeve depicts Dolenz outside Wuxtry Records, the very store where Peter Buck and Michael Stipe first met. Nice touch.)</span></p>
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<p><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">And a few more albums to round things off. To be fair, I could have included a few more (H. Hawkline, Shame, even the Tolhurst/Budgie/Lee collaboration etc.), but that would take it over the 23 which kind of defeats the point of having 23 for '23. What a silly rule to make...</span></p>
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<p><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;"><b>SHONEN KNIFE - 'Our Best Place'</b><br />I mean, you know what to expect. You can't be disappointed with a Shonen Knife record. A shame though that my favourite track (<i>Ocean Sunfish</i>) isn't on YouTube to post here, but hey, this will do nicely.</span></p>
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<p><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;"><b>THERAPY? - 'Cold Hard Fire'</b><br />Continuing their recent string of excellent albums, the Northern Irish trio delivered their 16th set of short sharp shocks, trimmed of fat and filler, and as riffy, angry and blunt as ever.</span></p>
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<p><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;"><b>BIG BLISS - 'Vital Return'<br /></b>Not sure how Big Bliss passed me by before now, but their second album sounds exactly like the sort of thing I should've picked up on, evoking classic 80s US 'college bands' like a certain Athens, GA. quartet...</span></p>
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<p><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;"><b>JENNY OWEN YOUNGS - 'Avalanche'</b><br />It's been ELEVEN years since Jenny's last studio album, and this year she released two! The first comprised instrumental ambient pieces, while 'Avalanche' was more akin to what us fans love about her.</span></p>
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<p><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;"><b>SQUID - 'O Monolith'<br /></b>A Squid record is never less than interesting. Their second full-length continues that tradition. "We were keen for things surrounding this album not to make too much sense," they tell us. Box ticked!</span></p>
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<p><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;"><b>EASY STAR ALL-STARS - 'Ziggy Stardub'</b><br />What's that? A classic Bowie record done reggae-style? Count me in! The latest in the Easy Star All-Stars' series of iconic album remakes featuring a host of special guest vocalists, and it's one of the best.</span></p>
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<p><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">As for what 2024 holds? Well the debut album from Sprints is out in January which is hugely exciting - make sure you buy it! A new Idles album is also just around the corner, and Grandaddy have new stuff coming out too! But, if this track is anything to go by, the new Nadine Shah record due in February could already be a contender for album of the year. I mean, this is just FUCKING BRILLIANT!<br /></span></p>
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<p><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">And that's it. You haven't heard much from me this year. Be prepared to hear even less of me in 2024. But there will be an announcement in February so stay tuned. Cheers all.</span><br /></p>TheRobsterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18277941961790844321noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8517162803591368615.post-75744274717754583972023-12-17T11:30:00.000+00:002023-12-17T11:35:46.861+00:002023: 23 Highlights (pt. 3)<p><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGBrnEvxVUVw0MYzLTcBRMXSU9lA8sB3ih2Lc-Xlm5VePDR9-xJQD6bMzX4OkSj1zNbUYhKYPEyghVmHk4pZY7i9fqBEM6VKzYkuoQcV8dWOItPUJ0u1yPG3Muich0v1f8AT6AUzUkoNn8a1s_VX2FeZFgpBqNvgwzxTSbLc-Zy-fr-N5SurHqKHPGbHY/s600/2024-3.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="125" data-original-width="600" height="134" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGBrnEvxVUVw0MYzLTcBRMXSU9lA8sB3ih2Lc-Xlm5VePDR9-xJQD6bMzX4OkSj1zNbUYhKYPEyghVmHk4pZY7i9fqBEM6VKzYkuoQcV8dWOItPUJ0u1yPG3Muich0v1f8AT6AUzUkoNn8a1s_VX2FeZFgpBqNvgwzxTSbLc-Zy-fr-N5SurHqKHPGbHY/w640-h134/2024-3.jpg" width="640" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;"><br />Just in case you're even remotely interested, here's a few more of my fave albums of 2023.</span><p></p>
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<p><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;"><b>We Are Scientists - 'Lobes'</b><br />
Me and We Are Scientists go waaay back. I won't pretend I've been with them since the start, but when they broke through in the UK with their debut album in 2005 I took them in and have followed them ever since. They've been up and down in my affections ever since, but have now put out two successive records that I have loved for the first time in a while. 'Lobes' is a lot more synth-heavy than its immediate predecessor, but it's been done exceptionally well - those tunes really do sparkle.</span></p>
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<p><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;"><b>The Keening - 'Little Bird'</b><br />The Keening is the new solo project of Rebecca Verson, former frontwoman of doom metal merchants SubRosa. She's very much keeping with the doomy feel, but it feels more expansive and broad than her previous band's work. Her label describes 'Little Bird' thus: "A web of lush orchestration, American Gothic sensibilities and wintry murder ballads set against a backdrop of dark, shimmering folk [...] flowing with flute, strings, harp, French horn, piano, organ and hammered dulcimer." It is as good as that sounds.</span></p>
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<p><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;"><b>Teleman - 'Good Time/Hard Time'</b><br />
I like this one as MrsRobster loves Teleman and if she's happy, I'm happy. The album's theme of facing challenges and overcoming them, as well as the way various aspects of nature intertwine in order to survive, grow and evolve, may have been inspired by the loss of founder member Jonny Sanders who left the band in 2020. It's their first record as a trio, but they appear to be doing OK, as <i>Trees Grow High</i> (MrsRobster's fave track) illustrates.</span></p>
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<p><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;"><b>Amber Arcades - 'Barefoot On Diamond Road'<br />
PJ Harvey - 'I Inside The Old Year Dying'</b><br />
I've lumped these two together as I already mentioned them back in my summer trio of posts. Well, in the case of Polly Jean, I posted the first single and my thinly-veiled excitement for her first new proper record in seven years. It took a while to grow on me, but naturally it's brilliant with some wonderfully original flourishes and imbued with some old Dorset dialect in the lyrics. Annelotte de Graaf took five years to deliver her latest record as Amber Arcades, but it was worth the wait. Another grower with, as you would expect, some really good songs on it.</span></p>
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<p><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">Final post next week.</span></p>TheRobsterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18277941961790844321noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8517162803591368615.post-36672962028107560812023-12-10T06:00:00.158+00:002023-12-10T06:00:00.139+00:002023: 23 Highlights (pt. 2)<p><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYar2Kmz3LEN0FhK3Q628RNCyFED6qeKqTP7wGF74n5HjVxIQuXLlsMCx8uqotjsDW-l4k4UdEiMQcW5HwuP0ryVzW869dB2hfC7Qm9z4jOtYx6iok748f2M7FINny7-MPiZ-hIPPxlO8CCXG5xk1_wreBNftK9d8cxRf1UE2lFysfgYIPSaYBdaTud_s/s800/2023-2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="200" data-original-width="800" height="160" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYar2Kmz3LEN0FhK3Q628RNCyFED6qeKqTP7wGF74n5HjVxIQuXLlsMCx8uqotjsDW-l4k4UdEiMQcW5HwuP0ryVzW869dB2hfC7Qm9z4jOtYx6iok748f2M7FINny7-MPiZ-hIPPxlO8CCXG5xk1_wreBNftK9d8cxRf1UE2lFysfgYIPSaYBdaTud_s/w640-h160/2023-2.jpg" width="640" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;"><br />Another selection of my year's highlights...</span><p></p>
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<p><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;"><b>Gaz Coombes - 'Turn The Car Around'</b><br />
Another strong set of songs from Gaz. While his former Supergrass bandmate Danny Goffey still makes records that hark back to their 90s glory days, Gaz is forging a more lasting legacy for himself. 'Turn The Car Around', his fourth solo album, might be his most interesting effort yet. This is my favourite track.</span></p>
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<p><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;"><b>Gemma Ray - 'Gemma Ray & The Death Bell Gang'</b><br />Mind, if Gaz Coombes is pushing the envelope, then Gemma Ray seems to have pushed it, addressed it and sent it to the moon! Her ninth - NINTH! - album is a major departure from her trademark twangy-guitar sound. Not a bad thing - in spite of the love I have for her, I did find her last two records to be far less interesting than her previous work. So this time she's gone full experimental psych mode. Once you get over the shock, the songs start to reveal themselves and you find bits of the Gemma Ray in them you always loved from the start. It's the record that has grown on me more than any other this year.</span></p>
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<p><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;"><b>Boygenius - 'The Record'</b><br />There can't really be many people in the world who have not been made aware of Boygenius this year. I'm always wary of so-called "supergroups" - they're more often than not less than the sum of their parts. But to be fair, anything Phoebe Bridgers is involved in seems to come up smelling of roses. Getting back with Julian Baker and Lucy Dacus after a brief stint together a few years ago has yielded a really good record which covers similar ground to those made seperately by each member, yet the chemistry of them working together does add something extra special to the mix. Like their vocal harmonies *swoon*...<br /></span></p>
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<p><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;"><b>Myrkur - 'Spine'</b><br /> Amalie Bruun - aka Myrkur - is difficult to categorise. She blends dark Scandanavian folk music with black metal to make something that often sounds like neither. 'Spine' adds a smattering of electronics to the proceedings and it resulted in possibly her best record yet. At times spine-tingling, at others terrifying, but never less than gripping.</span></p>
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<p><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">Another batch to follow next week...</span></p>TheRobsterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18277941961790844321noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8517162803591368615.post-25789667959525772232023-12-03T06:00:00.212+00:002023-12-03T06:00:00.131+00:002023: 23 Highlights (pt. 1)<p><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPUMzgl5gEdi0wgvRmfOVGqtKcCpSLgNcAMVm57sbFBuzd69zJrkf7OIJurfChtZ678kI_BlbZBcBOrr_TR2fqOd6Bd7bCN00-OYFZ2wE49f_wSUHW-9beTrTlJ37UpjMWqeNJYu1NrXt9xV53oNHhU2XxBlPqDBVAv3eDjN6fzMcMDnA9peVcqH-b9Ls/s800/2023-1.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="200" data-original-width="800" height="160" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPUMzgl5gEdi0wgvRmfOVGqtKcCpSLgNcAMVm57sbFBuzd69zJrkf7OIJurfChtZ678kI_BlbZBcBOrr_TR2fqOd6Bd7bCN00-OYFZ2wE49f_wSUHW-9beTrTlJ37UpjMWqeNJYu1NrXt9xV53oNHhU2XxBlPqDBVAv3eDjN6fzMcMDnA9peVcqH-b9Ls/w640-h160/2023-1.jpg" width="640" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;"><br />Crikey! Is it that time of year again? That was quick. I shall refrain from the waffle, other than to say it's been a decent year for new music, even if I haven't been to much in the way of gigs this year. It's getting to be very expensive with a few things I really wanted to go to costing more than I'm willing to pay. That said, three gigs are booked for next year already but at least two others exceeded my budget. Concerts, it seems, are now joining the long list of elitist pasttimes that mere mortals like us have been priced out of. I might have to start going to poetry gigs as they are much cheaper (we recently went to one in Cardiff and have another booked in Bath in March).</span><p></p>
<p><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">Anyway, onto the positives - my 23 fave records of 2023 (see what I did there?). As per usual I shall offer up a weekly dose of tunes that have cheered me over the past 12 months, starting with what is possibly my top 4...</span></p>
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<p><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;"><b>Queens Of The Stone Age - 'In Times New Roman'</b><br />
In which Josh Homme and his crew reveal themselves to be big fans of David Bowie circa 1977-1980. 'In Times New Roman' is in many ways a typical QotSA album - the big riffs, the strong melodies, some off-kilter moments - but it also sounds like they went to Berlin with Tony Visconti and Robert Fripp, listened to 'Low', "Heroes", 'Lodger' and 'Scary Monsters' on rotation for a month and then set about making a David Bowie album. Josh even sounds like the great man at times. It is, quite frankly, brilliant and has been played at least once a week since its release around here.</span></p>
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<p><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;"><b>Margo Price - 'Strays' & 'Strays II'</b><br />
Two records, not one, but both are equally deserving of a mention, and in all honesty, I think of them as one. Here, Margo moves further away from her country roots and more into fully-fledged Americana, and with a host of collaborators - who include Sharon Van Etten, Mike Campbell and Lucius - 'Strays' 1 & 2 take us on a psychedelic journey of the mid-west with tales of despair, defiance and hope. It's wonderful stuff.</span></p>
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<p><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;"><b>Coach Party - 'Killjoy'</b><br />
Here's a band who have been floating around for a few years, releasing a string of increasingly well-received EPs and gigging relentlessly. 'Killjoy' is a blast from start to finish, veering from Riot-grrl-infused punk (<i>Parasite</i>) and infectious punk-pop (<i>What's The Point In Life?</i>) to pure melodic indie-pop a la Alvvays and the Primitives (<i>July</i>, <i>Be That Girl</i>). It hurtles through 10 songs in less than 28 minutes but never leaves me feeling short-changed. This is a band to keep your eyes on.</span></p>
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<p><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;"><b>Das Koolies - 'DK.01'</b><br />
On the two previous occasions I've posted about Das Koolies, you lot have completely ignored it. Out of pure spite, I'm posting about them for a third time. With the Super Furry Animals no longer being "a thing", and Gruff Rhys happy to make quirky, melancholic, country-tinged pop songs your nan might like, the "other four" want to take us back to the fields of North Wales with a massive sound system, a fistful of ecstasy pills and brain-vibrating beats. Of course, there'a quite a few indications that they were four-fifths of one of the best and most influential Welsh bands of all time, and many of 'DK.01''s songs have been works-in-progress for a long time (some date back to the early 90s, in fact), but it does sound fresh and original. And not many acts can get away with making their debut album a double!</span></p>
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<p><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">More next week.</span></p>TheRobsterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18277941961790844321noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8517162803591368615.post-89779489796829108992023-07-28T06:00:00.001+01:002023-07-28T06:00:00.138+01:00R.E.M. Top 40<p><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYGN-k4wzqnqXqqaMBTIWPEhTsLgdXAnYbhTAqDRiTsur3KBNeToOeLb5aSwPlUDk2TPCVK18Z7pBMtZjhPVapGU0TXDF3H0dA17M8slOtnMUs7Y8MDo-27nJoSnLPXiS-Ap0_9YiTL5-h3WJjfboBYeI80Fd-6iF6HAo6TEDEw9ZhasMGOQ9vTLWAW70/s600/remt40.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="200" data-original-width="600" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYGN-k4wzqnqXqqaMBTIWPEhTsLgdXAnYbhTAqDRiTsur3KBNeToOeLb5aSwPlUDk2TPCVK18Z7pBMtZjhPVapGU0TXDF3H0dA17M8slOtnMUs7Y8MDo-27nJoSnLPXiS-Ap0_9YiTL5-h3WJjfboBYeI80Fd-6iF6HAo6TEDEw9ZhasMGOQ9vTLWAW70/w640-h214/remt40.jpg" width="640" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;"><br />A quick post to make you aware of <a href="https://remhq.com/news/top-forty-r-e-m-songs-according-to-berry-buck-mills-and-stipe/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">this rundown</a> the members of R.E.M. did for NME. Each member chose their 10 favourite R.E.M. tracks and it makes for interesting reading. Note the (almost) complete absence of IRS-era tracks from Stipe's list? And Bill Berry's inclusion of both <i>Rotary 10</i> and <i>Voice Of Harold</i>. Can't really tell if he took this seriously or not...</span><p></p>
<p><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">It doesn't look like any song is chosen twice, which makes the glaring omissions even more... glaring. I mean, no <i>Fall On Me</i>? No <i>Radio Free Europe</i>? No <i>At My Most Beautiful</i>? Mind, if you had to choose just 10 R.E.M. songs (a la <a href="https://thenewvinylvillain.com/" target="_blank">JC</a>'s Imaginary Albums), there's bound to be some controversy...</span></p>
<p><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">Here's mine (in no particular order):</span></p>
<p><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;"><i>World Leader Pretend<br />Country Feedback<br />Let Me In<br />Finest Worksong<br />Begin The Begin<br />Fall On Me<br />Living Well Is The Best Revenge<br />Life And How To Live It<br />Turn You Inside Out<br />At My Most Beautiful</i></span></p>
<p><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">To be fair, ask me next week and half of that list would be different... </span></p><p><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">Two vids, including a jawdropping rendition of <i>Country Feedback</i> with Neil Young!</span></p>
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<p><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;"> </span><br /></p>
<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/H47es-RsJKw" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe>TheRobsterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18277941961790844321noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8517162803591368615.post-87403759409367912642023-05-12T06:00:00.009+01:002023-05-12T06:00:00.130+01:00Some songs (part 3)<p><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBtc0EUA687jXMZRgmH6AHOF6XdnPskGOWXc9icW9ZXmoziJEmVf2i-pDwGk6mPTjMiJv9kbDJt3uFWdcFVGfZjjuKDHxPRdQC7vZ8gA2fotpD74MtaRvLvnFxIgjy7mFWDJ4yyht5pFuSGSJv_lX5esznOcP0QdrcvsgE4irGw2SycK8Gt9lsaPjD/s800/bc-aa-ldp.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="267" data-original-width="800" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBtc0EUA687jXMZRgmH6AHOF6XdnPskGOWXc9icW9ZXmoziJEmVf2i-pDwGk6mPTjMiJv9kbDJt3uFWdcFVGfZjjuKDHxPRdQC7vZ8gA2fotpD74MtaRvLvnFxIgjy7mFWDJ4yyht5pFuSGSJv_lX5esznOcP0QdrcvsgE4irGw2SycK8Gt9lsaPjD/w640-h214/bc-aa-ldp.jpg" width="640" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;"><br />The last one of these before I slither back into my dark little pit for a while. It's been pleasant enough rearing my head for a few days but the daylight gives me headaches...</span><p></p>
<p><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">To kick off this final little foray into 2023's greatest hits so far, I'm only heading up the road for a band I recently mentioned in a piece I wrote for the great SWC over at <a href="https://nobadgerrequired.wordpress.com/2023/02/26/league-two-music-15-newport-county/" target="_blank">No Badger Required</a>. <b>The Bug Club</b> never fail to put a smile on the faces of MrsRobster and I. Their quirky Velvet Underground-esque stylings have soundtracked many a car journey this year. Their latest single does not appear on their recent album and it's a bit longer than you'd normally expect from them, but it's teriffic nonetheless.</span></p>
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<p><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">Talking of the Velvet Underground... listen to this track off the new <b>Amber Arcades</b> record and tell me it doesn't rip-off <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W3om74erOZI" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Lou Reed's <i>Street Hassle</i></a>. Go on, I dare you! I have to be honest though, I love this track. It's the highlight of Annelotte's new album which is actually a bit of a grower overall.</span></p>
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<p><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">And finally, a bit of an odd one. <b>The Last Dinner Party</b> have appeared from seemingly nowhere. They've played some gigs in and around the London area but before releasing a single song they were added to a bill supporting the Rolling Stones and signed by a major label. They are at pains to deny they have insider connections, but you can tell from their accents they don't exactly hail from an inner city council estate, so there are plenty of suspicions surrounding their seemingly instant rise. All I'll say on the matter is that this, their debut single, is a dead good song. Not one to play in front of yer granny, and it will no doubt be aired on an episode of the excruciatingly awful toff-fest that is Made In Chelsea, but even so, it's a dead good song. And *ahem* nothing matters apart from that...</span></p>
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<p><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">I'll get me coat... TTFN.</span></p>TheRobsterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18277941961790844321noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8517162803591368615.post-20081495524389236062023-05-08T06:00:00.001+01:002023-05-08T06:00:00.138+01:00Some songs (part 2)<p><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEift42vfxjRzGYMogrOM253yYGJp5dBSBtNvvKWcDZeUnWDZjVkv63Z5fYWlI7RPlhr9YcF6P99h3LSD_TH_HJlBMjD3b8OFWXzGUYisjIXfoOC5qZm5Ry-cfnNyefWolssWviUtv2N3ALb8ZmtbGFbZ4X2JmnuyHcRMTmeBt3So4ej0dm4XMb4FD3X/s800/hw-tt-pjh.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="267" data-original-width="800" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEift42vfxjRzGYMogrOM253yYGJp5dBSBtNvvKWcDZeUnWDZjVkv63Z5fYWlI7RPlhr9YcF6P99h3LSD_TH_HJlBMjD3b8OFWXzGUYisjIXfoOC5qZm5Ry-cfnNyefWolssWviUtv2N3ALb8ZmtbGFbZ4X2JmnuyHcRMTmeBt3So4ej0dm4XMb4FD3X/w640-h214/hw-tt-pjh.jpg" width="640" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;"><br />A few more fave tunes from 2023 so far. Starting off with <b>Heartworms</b>, a one-woman project inspired by the racism and sexism faced by protagonist Jojo Orme and her sheer defiance at overcoming it all. She recently released her debut EP on the revered Speedy Wunderground label and she sounds awfully posh on it, but don't let that put you off. She's worked hard to get where she is so she has my total respect. Worth reading <a href="https://www.nme.com/features/music-interviews/heartworms-band-interview-speedy-wunderground-london-radar-3317221" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">this NME article</a> to get a sense of where she's coming from (and you won't get me recommending much written in the NME from the past 15-20 years...) This track and its accompanying video are just sensational.</span><p></p>
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<p><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;"><b>The Tubs</b> are a sort-of indie supergroup based in London, but if they don't make you think of early 80s US college bands a la R.E.M., The dBs and the Feelies, then I don't know what will. Obviously I emailed our old (sadly ex-blogging) friend Brian about The Tubs and they were already on his radar way across the pond...</span></p>
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<p><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">And finally for today - I hope you're already aware of this, but if not... <b>PJ Harvey</b> is BACK! Yes, I know she's never been away really, but she's just announced her first proper studio album since 2016. It's due later in the year, but for now she's given us our first taster.</span></p>
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<p><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">A third and final post may follow shortly...</span></p>TheRobsterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18277941961790844321noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8517162803591368615.post-59091129368813350072023-05-05T06:00:00.008+01:002023-05-05T06:00:00.160+01:00Some songs (part 1)<p><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirGM0I6cRuy3lphKGvBhBrrATVCy2Vl3vI9RLXf_4YLyps19heYcoC7OZguuVMAgaWfHIdgE6f5ExT4bWBmCuioDD5d1RDpwz6NUXXYtDW0DssB4tZVJyoNkYeIOndImZtLdH7sjGcjDIakWnxvp3PsC7USPcGMb4qjtf_GUQx11nnTVTisC3Og_r5/s800/dk-s-lg.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="267" data-original-width="800" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirGM0I6cRuy3lphKGvBhBrrATVCy2Vl3vI9RLXf_4YLyps19heYcoC7OZguuVMAgaWfHIdgE6f5ExT4bWBmCuioDD5d1RDpwz6NUXXYtDW0DssB4tZVJyoNkYeIOndImZtLdH7sjGcjDIakWnxvp3PsC7USPcGMb4qjtf_GUQx11nnTVTisC3Og_r5/w640-h214/dk-s-lg.jpg" width="640" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;"><br />I just felt the urge to share a few tracks that I've been enjoying this year. There will probably be two or three posts to fulfil this agenda. I'll let you get back to your lives then. So in no particular order:</span><p></p>
<p><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;"><b>Das Koolies</b> are basically Super Furry Animals minus Gruff Rhys. And they are, as you would expect, UTTERLY BRILLIANT. Their debut album is coming later in the year, and an EP was released a couple months ago. Here's the title track of said EP:</span></p>
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<p><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">I know next to nothing about <b>Sleaze</b>, but when Steve Lamacq played <i>Daffodils</i> on his 6 Music show recently I was smitten. Think a little bit Pulp, a little bit Divine Comedy and a little bit Lawrence (Felt, Denim, Go-Kart Mozart, etc.)... Despite the jaunty tune, it's a rather sad, almost tragic song about someone desperately trying to save his ultimately doomed marriage.<br /></span></p>
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<p><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">Finishing today on a raucous high. <b>Lambrini Girls</b> is a crap band name, but when their guitars crunch like this, who cares? Another band I know little about, but that will be rectified.</span></p>
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<p><br /></p>TheRobsterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18277941961790844321noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8517162803591368615.post-81227981169218958912022-12-29T06:00:00.001+00:002023-01-08T20:08:37.642+00:0022 in '22 (part 4)<p><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCE9THqPGEfNpG_ybzu7ysVYgIVf6OT3wecG14wMYhCK1wS_WD-oHAMaFFTucV5yS_Y0WehH5sjsk-GT8x6x8MMe7F6xuXH7GFLByipxNXfHsZ41617Ed9jJRqfdf03ATT0US-cNBEeYejF_R0yVfM1HJoOQRvO6KH9i7ZBDHOb_RMo14LGoejwFRc/s600/2022banner5.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="111" data-original-width="600" height="118" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCE9THqPGEfNpG_ybzu7ysVYgIVf6OT3wecG14wMYhCK1wS_WD-oHAMaFFTucV5yS_Y0WehH5sjsk-GT8x6x8MMe7F6xuXH7GFLByipxNXfHsZ41617Ed9jJRqfdf03ATT0US-cNBEeYejF_R0yVfM1HJoOQRvO6KH9i7ZBDHOb_RMo14LGoejwFRc/w640-h118/2022banner5.jpg" width="640" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;"><br />In a year when the UK has become an even bigger laughing stock around the world than ever before (thanks Tories, you've done it again!), the one thing that's kept many of us going is music. Quite frankly, what else do we have? Today, I present the last batch of my 22 favourite albums of 2022 and there's a real international flavour about it. USA, Germany, Sweden, Jamaica, England and, of course, Wales are all represented.</span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">The final seven had to be carefully whittled down from about twice that number, but I think I've made the right decisions. They are not listed in any particular order.</span></p>
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<p><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;"><b>WIDOWSPEAK - 'The Jacket'</b><br />I was unfamiliar with Brooklyn duo Widowspeak before I heard <i>Everything Is Simple</i> this year, and surprised 'The Jacket' is their sixth album. More fool me. I've really been enjoying this record.</span></p>
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<p><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;"><b>xPROPAGANDA - 'The Heart is Strange'</b><br />Claudia Brücken and Susanne Freytag teamed up with original Propaganda producer Steve Lipson for the first time in 37 years and made a record that is far better than it had any right to be.</span></p>
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<p><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;"><b>HORACE ANDY - 'Midnight Rocker'<br /></b>Now 71, Horace Andy shows no sign of slowing down, and his voice is as wonderful as ever. Recorded with Adrian Sherwood, 'Midnight Rocker' has been lauded as one of his best records this century.</span></p>
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<p><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;"><b>FRANK TURNER - 'FTHC'</b><br />After a few ropey overly-woke albums that verged on self-parody, Frank made a welcome return to his hardcore roots (hence the album title). He's certainly at his best when he's like this.</span></p>
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<p><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;"><b>CATE LE BON - 'Pompeii'<br /></b>It took a bit of time to get into Cate's 6th album, mainly because of its pace, but repeated listens have been rewarding. This clip of her at Glastonbury is just brilliant. The chainmail really suits her!</span></p>
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<p><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;"><b>FIRST AID KIT - 'Palomino'</b><br />I had a feeling that the Söderberg sisters were treading water a bit after their last couple of albums, but 'Palomino' restored my faith. A really good set of songs with one or two new sounds creeping in.</span></p>
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<p><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;"><b>EDITORS - 'EBM'<br /></b>Editors' output has been somewhat patchy in recent years, but 'EBM', featuring new member Benjamin Power (aka Blanck Mass), could be their best record in some time. It's certainly been worthy of a few plays here.</span></p>
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<p><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">And a few notable extras I just couldn't ignore. In alphabetical order...<br /></span></p>
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<li><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;"><a href="https://youtu.be/0Y86GEcmcnw" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">BLOC PARTY - 'Alpha Games'</a> (something of a return to form)</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;"><a href="https://youtu.be/yBHB3l1ZtVg" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">BORIS - 'Heavy Rocks III'</a> (the loudest and fastest of their THREE albums this year)<br /></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;"><a href="https://youtu.be/ui8kUKuLBaU" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">FLORENCE AND THE MACHINE - 'Dance Fever'</a> (what a phenomenal song this is!)</span></li>
<li><a href="https://youtu.be/HTb7s4SlFXc" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">HALF MAN HALF BISCUIT - 'The Voltarol Years'</span></a><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;"> (ever reliable)</span><br /></li>
<li><a href="https://youtu.be/rNaBYq1-Tqs" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">SORRY - 'Anywhere But Here'</span></a><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;"> (a very decent second effort)</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;"><a href="https://youtu.be/w2ktnX3q37o" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">THE WOMBATS - 'Fix Yourself, Not The World'</a> (for MrsRobster, who's a fan.)</span></li></ul>
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<p><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">I'm not one to throw a load more negativity into an already very negative world, but for the record, I just want to state how massively disappointed I was with the following records. I had high expectations for these, especially the first one which, considering how long it's been since their previous record, is particularly poor.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">YEAH YEAH YEAHS - 'Cool It Down'<br />ARCADE FIRE - 'WE'<br />GWENNO - 'Tresor'<br />ARCTIC MONKEYS - 'The Car'<br />ALVVAYS - 'Blue Rev'</span></p>
<p><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">And that's it for another year folks. I'm going to let the blog lie dormant again for a bit as I'm not really feeling it right now. We'll see what happens. Ta-ta.<br /></span></p>TheRobsterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18277941961790844321noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8517162803591368615.post-84934994152382439312022-12-18T06:00:00.165+00:002022-12-19T10:19:19.417+00:0022 in '22 (part 3)<p><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjOX7l9G3QBZGYfjDEYdf3ESF-rfOzWwZ8Y9OPAzh3faVt9a3z6QFCpE3G7rdtu-bEFAQJ_QOms2MSKhp7Y6ZMEwSYLpi3ZEkI7dOBfoykBxh5E72azdQVjw7HN5Aw1Rwg9-fEtU44yVMtMSFxHEi1CICu-TjZbZsI7RcviaCp0PEBqyssbzgB6Nt_/s700/2022banner4.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="140" data-original-width="700" height="128" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjOX7l9G3QBZGYfjDEYdf3ESF-rfOzWwZ8Y9OPAzh3faVt9a3z6QFCpE3G7rdtu-bEFAQJ_QOms2MSKhp7Y6ZMEwSYLpi3ZEkI7dOBfoykBxh5E72azdQVjw7HN5Aw1Rwg9-fEtU44yVMtMSFxHEi1CICu-TjZbZsI7RcviaCp0PEBqyssbzgB6Nt_/w640-h128/2022banner4.jpg" width="640" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;"><br />One of the best things about 2022 is that we made it back out on the road again and took in some live shows. Not many - She Drew The Gun, Katy J. Pearson, Cud, David Gedge and Yard Act - but there would have been a couple more if it weren't for illness. We were due to see Little Simz back in the Spring, but I caught the dreaded Covid. Then, last month, on the morning that we were due to shoot off to Cardiff to see the wonderful Stella Donnelly, I got an email to say she had tonsilitis and couldn't perform. A shame, but it is what it is. Hopefully 2023 will bring a few decent shows.</span><p></p>
<p><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">With any luck there will also be some decent albums to rank alongside this year's batch. Here's my third weekly selection.</span></p>
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<p><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;"><b>ALT-J - 'The Dream'</b><br />There's something about Alt-J. I really didn't ought to like them, but they always seem to make me not only enjoy their albums, but also make me want to play them lots of times. And so it was again this year, and I reckon 'The Dream' is my favourite since their 2012 debut.</span></p>
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<p><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;"><b>MATTIEL - 'Georgia Gothic'</b><br />The opening track of Mattiel Brown's third album suggests a change of vocal style from her. The fantastically-titled <i>Jeff Goldblum</i> dispenses with her usual resonant tone in preference of something quieter and smoother. It's a really good song, but I'm glad the rest of the album has her trademark voice all over it. It's what sets her apart from other singer-songwriters. 'Georgia Gothic' is a little less even than its immediate predecessor 'Satis Factory' (which was one of my top five in 2019), but it's still packed with enough good songs to put it in my top 15 this year. <i>Lighthouse</i> in particular is a highlight which will spin round in your head for days. And in case you're wondering, Mattiel is now officially a duo, featuring Brown alongside writing partner Jonah Swilley, hence why they appear together in the video.</span></p>
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<p><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;"><b>ALDOUS HARDING - 'Warm Chris'</b><br />The weird and wonderful world of Aldous Harding got ever bigger and joyous this year with the release of her fourth album, her second to be recorded in Wales and her first to reach number 1 in her native New Zealand. It's got some wonderful - if often strange - songs on it; <i>Fever </i>might be one of the most accessible, yet it's no less intriguing.</span></p>
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<p><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;"><b>LIFE - 'North East Coastal Town'</b><br />Hull. I've never been there, but it's always had one or two decent bands. The Housemartins were apparently the fourth best band from Hull at one point, and they had Fatboy Slim in them, so they couldn't have been half bad. Life certainly appear to be putting in a good case for being in the North East coastal town's top 4. Their newest album continues their tradition of impactful punk with plenty of wry smiles and dry humour, only they're now beginning to sound more accomplished, and all the better for it.</span></p>
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<p><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;"><b>WET LEG - 'Wet Leg'</b><br />Hands up who didn't expect to see this pair in the list. Thought so. Has a new band ever had such an immediate impact as Wet Leg? They've been everywhere in 2022. Love 'em or hate 'em (and there's surprisingly plenty of the latter), there's no denying that Rhian and Hester don't take themselves terribly seriously. Maybe that's the problem with the haters - they object to people having fun. So they just sit alone in their cold dark rooms and post shit on social media in an attempt to feel a little better about themselves. That's what this song is about. It sounds silly on the surface but it's actually about the effect of social media, the people who use it and, more pertinently, how Wet Leg themselves react to it. And how do they react to it? They make a really daft video and layer tweet after tweet (mainly negative ones) over each other as a way of saying "We don't care! Fuck you!" And so say all of us!</span></p>
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<p><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">Next Sunday is Christmas Day and you'll no doubt have far better things to do than read my plop, so the fourth and final part of my rundown will appear a few days later when you've all calmed down a bit.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">Merry thingy, everyone.</span></p>TheRobsterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18277941961790844321noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8517162803591368615.post-80993567186276712962022-12-11T06:00:00.072+00:002023-01-08T20:05:53.716+00:0022 in '22 (part 2)<p><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVBQJz5TFxL-a06bvVAtQ75_H7YhFIHR-HM90MREIh-LGyreNWYmXzu54sS-si_FuCZs-wfaBbTKlRgvKXhONVuz7VbSNDaifx8YjoT9OcU25OVhbixIXnAPLsoqXIvpTqvbL6ZRqkGKLdijgmHmtOTMROCeunki6V9Swq7dNX7ZXLVK45GXJ6r-yf/s3494/2022banner3.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="700" data-original-width="3494" height="128" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVBQJz5TFxL-a06bvVAtQ75_H7YhFIHR-HM90MREIh-LGyreNWYmXzu54sS-si_FuCZs-wfaBbTKlRgvKXhONVuz7VbSNDaifx8YjoT9OcU25OVhbixIXnAPLsoqXIvpTqvbL6ZRqkGKLdijgmHmtOTMROCeunki6V9Swq7dNX7ZXLVK45GXJ6r-yf/w640-h128/2022banner3.jpg" width="640" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;"><br />After last week's somewhat male-dominated selection, it's the turn of the ladies to shine. And yes, despite what some people might say - a transgender person who identifies as female is, as far as I'm concerned, female. So to anyone who wants to argue against one of these inclusions - don't bother; my blog, my rules and you're wrong!</span><p></p>
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<p><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;"><b>EZRA FURMAN - 'All Of Us Flames'</b><br />While I've long been aware of Ezra, I've never really been grabbed by her music for some reason. All that changed this year with the release of her 9th (NINTH!) album, in particular the single <i>Forever In Sunset</i> which is right up there with my very fave songs of the year. It's a fascinating document of her fears and challenges - being a transgender, queer, Jewish woman - set to some of her most confident-sounding music to date.</span></p>
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<p><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;"><b>KATY J. PEARSON - 'Sound Of The Morning'</b><br />Katy's second album continues the pop-folk sound of her debut, but with an extended pallette. She's branching out, though it's not obvious where she's going, so that's going to be a fun journey for those of us who love her. We caught her live in the autumn and she is every bit as good as a live perfromer as her records suggest. MrsRobster is a big fan of <i>Talk Over Town</i>, one of her fave songs of the year.</span></p>
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<p><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;"><b>THE BETHS - 'Expert In A Dying Field'</b><br />This makes my rundown despite it being my least favourite record the Beths have put out to date. There's even a track I tend to skip on it. That said, the rest of it is strong enough to warrant inclusion as it seems whatever they do, they always manage to inbibe it with a great tune and excellent production (all their records are self-produced). I've already bought tickets for their Spring Tour next year.</span></p>
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<p><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;"><b>THE BIG MOON - 'Here Is Everything'</b><br />Three albums in and the Big Moon are showing signs that they might just become rather huge in the not-too-distant future. Following their last record, Juliette Jackson had a baby and the result is an album reflecting on pregnancy, childbirth, fears, hope and unconditional love, though it's done in such a smart way that you can still take something completely different from each song. </span></p>
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<p><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;"><b>PLAINS - 'I Walked With You A Ways'</b><br />You know how much I adore Katie Crutchfield (aka Waxahatchee), so I was eager to see what would result from her collaboration with a singer-songwriter I'm not familiar with, Jess Williamson. Fortunately, it's a gem. It's an unabashed, old-school country album, and a very good one. Both take lead vocals and songwriting duties, but they clearly work so well together, it seems such a shame they've already stated Plains is a one-off project. I'd love to hear what else they could come up with. Here's one of Katie's numbers.</span></p>
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<p><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">Another five next week...</span><br /></p>TheRobsterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18277941961790844321noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8517162803591368615.post-58828334727117284162022-12-04T06:00:00.272+00:002022-12-04T06:00:00.185+00:0022 in '22 (part 1)<p><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4ZrTII-37nDNTjiThoqdAXmnbtXStEYFxomuqYFlOTy9xYS8gh5cE4gUUcmq7acQLbkZtZGdv429OBZkHO_KmMmgD13rPwE2FifcnJlsLAJujtG8gC0IflA9I-2ASxkzagZpDPHGR7yVqgvznLEnetFgEcwyYaK5Of9kmhSDxQ4nP044-BLxdSyok/s800/2022banner2.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="160" data-original-width="800" height="128" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4ZrTII-37nDNTjiThoqdAXmnbtXStEYFxomuqYFlOTy9xYS8gh5cE4gUUcmq7acQLbkZtZGdv429OBZkHO_KmMmgD13rPwE2FifcnJlsLAJujtG8gC0IflA9I-2ASxkzagZpDPHGR7yVqgvznLEnetFgEcwyYaK5Of9kmhSDxQ4nP044-BLxdSyok/w640-h128/2022banner2.jpg" width="640" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;"><br />2022: the year of continual crises. A megalomaniacal leader starts a war with its peaceful neighbour and threatens nuclear destruction of the world. Fuel shortages caused by said war and the world's insistance on sticking with fossil fuels that serve only to make a handful of people extraordinarily wealthy. The rising cost of living in the UK, which is making just feeding their family unaffordable for many, caused by both the above, increased taxes, Brexit and a terrible government. And said government making the UK a laughing stock whilst clinging to power, despite being more divided than any ruling party should ever be, and a staunch refusal to do the right thing and call a General Election to allow someone else to take over and attempt to sort out the whole sorry mess they've caused after 12 years of total neglect and contempt for the people they purport to serve.<br /></span><p></p>
<p><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">Jeez, it's worse than when Bowie died! The one small glimmer of hope is the comfort I've found in music this year (well, that and my daughter's wedding, which was fairly significant...). As I said in last week's little prelude, it's actually been an OK year for good music. MrsRobster and I even went to gigs after a two year absence. So today I'm going to start my annual rundown of my favourite 22 albums of 2022 (hence the post title). This is possibly my top 5, although to be honest there's a sixth one that really ought to feature here as well, but you can't have 6 records in a top 5, so that one will feature next week.</span><br /></p>
<p><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">So shake off all those heavy burdens and negative vibes and take a few moments to enjoy some rare positive energy. </span></p>
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<p><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;"><b>BODEGA - 'Broken Equipment'</b><br />Kicking off with my (and MrsRobster's) favourite album of the year. I'm amazed on two counts really - how Bodega had escaped my attention until 2022, and that I haven't featured them here at all until today! My bad, shame on me. This album brought us huge joy this year, and we shared the love by telling friends about it. A guy MrsRobster works with on the night shift was incredibly grateful to her for the introduction, proving that something so simple as music can brighten up a life. Bodega hail from New York City. Of course they do. Where else could they possibly come from? It's a place liberally sprinkled throughout this record. There's some Talking Heads in there, some LCD Soundsystem, some New York Dolls... It's just a really, really good record and fully deserving of this prestigious placing at the top of my yearly list. Here's just one of its many great songs.</span></p>
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<p><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;"><b>YARD ACT - 'The Overload'</b><br />Hype. Guaranteed to bring out the cynic in me, and it's why I entered into Yard Act's world with a fair degree of trepidation. But, I soon discovered it was a very rare instance of the hype being justified. Heck, <a href="https://youtu.be/b3HSa4CLO8k" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">even Elton John teamed up with them</a>! Yard Act's debut album is not just another shouty post-punk record, it's a statement of the socio-political state of the world, in particular the UK. Some brilliant lyrics, occasionally touching, often funny, but pretty much on point throughout. They are also a phenomenonally good live act, as MrsRobster and I witnessed last weekend. This track pretty much encapsulates not-so-Great Britain circa 2022. Warning: don't listen to this if you are offended by certain words or vote Tory.<br /></span></p>
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<p><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;"><b>FONTAINES D.C. - 'Skinty Fia'</b><br />Talking of hype - Fontaines D.C. could do no wrong when their debut album topped my 2019 list. Its follow-up, sadly, failed to live up to my high expectations. Looking back though, it was clear they were in transition, shedding their first skin and becoming something more mature and accomplished. 'Skinty Fia' is the sound of that transformation having been completed and what we get is a third album which has so much depth and richness in both its music, vocals and lyrics. Opening track <i>In ár gCroíthe go deo</i> (trans: <i>Forever in our hearts</i>) is absolutely spine-tingling, and it sets the tone for the rest of the record. Fontaines D.C. have been reborn.</span></p>
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<p><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;"><b>PIXIES - 'Doggerel'</b><br />Interesting parallels between Fontaines D.C. and Pixies. Both released disappointing albums last time round, but appear to have found their mojos in 2022. Also, Fontaines' debut album was called 'Dogrel', while Pixies have opted for the correct spelling for this one. 'Doggerel' is certainly Pixies' best record since their comeback album 'Indie Cindy' back in 2014; a good, consistent batch of songs with a nice dose of trademark Black Francis screaming. It sounds best, as all Pixies albums should, when played LOUD! It broke my heart to actually diss a Pixies album in 2019, so I'm really glad they appear to be back on form.</span></p>
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<p><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;"><b>CROWS - 'Beware Believers'</b><br />Crows' long-awaited debut album was one of my most-played albums in the car in 2019. Its follow-up has blared out of my Hyundai's speakers rather a lot this year too. It doesn't depart much in style from its predecessor - I'd describe it as agressively melodic punk with scuzzy psychedelic guitars. Some great songs too. Admittedly I don't know much about Crows besides their music, but to be honest that doesn't matter.</span></p>
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<p><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">A lot of loud, shouty stuff this week, and strangely for me nothing female-led. Have no fear, I have a very different pot of musical stew to serve up next week...</span></p>
<p><br /></p>TheRobsterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18277941961790844321noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8517162803591368615.post-22893628343762610352022-11-27T06:00:00.098+00:002022-11-27T06:00:00.178+00:00The 2022 round-up - a prologue<p><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTY73WP6unh4ofBMieX7GGVS9HqgmQvCNrNSJJxS9w_RV5XMCyPALcBY8bmTzmhD6IL0pu0DJjAAnVhs6tTF28IGnC68YiE0MA_wOquCCKc9_nORUs-jhFD0pv6_fzMzj-X8eHGu6STfYcOoyRXjZLpKwVLGFWoywDer_ij0PAcTcK_0t27kEm2NyL/s800/2022banner1.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="161" data-original-width="800" height="128" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTY73WP6unh4ofBMieX7GGVS9HqgmQvCNrNSJJxS9w_RV5XMCyPALcBY8bmTzmhD6IL0pu0DJjAAnVhs6tTF28IGnC68YiE0MA_wOquCCKc9_nORUs-jhFD0pv6_fzMzj-X8eHGu6STfYcOoyRXjZLpKwVLGFWoywDer_ij0PAcTcK_0t27kEm2NyL/w640-h128/2022banner1.jpg" width="640" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;"><br />Yep, it's that time of year again. Starting next week, I'll be posting weekly installments of my favourite albums of 2022. It's not been a bad year for music, to be fair. Some really good stuff has come out. Before all that though, I thought I'd round up a few non-album things that tickled my fancy over the past 12 months...<br /></span><p></p>
<p><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;"><b>THE WEDDING PRESENT - '24 Songs'</b><br />It's been a while since we had new stuff from our beloved David Gedge and his merry band of troubadors. Six-years, in fact, since the epic 'Going, Going...' LP. They've been busy though. A glut of songs collected over the previous few years were finally recorded and released as their ambitious '24 Songs' project. Emulating their 'Hit Parade' venture waaaaay back in 1992, '24 Songs' saw the release of a brand new 7" vinyl-only single each month. The ever-fluctuating Wedding Present line-up means there is a real range of songwriting styles on there as Gedge shared the duties with his various bandmates. I suspect some of the songs will be compiled and released in album form at some point. I have plenty of favourites among the two-dozen tracks, but one of them is September's <i>We All Came From The Sea</i>.</span></p>
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<p><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;"><b>WEEZER - 'SZNS'</b><br />The hardest-working band in rock 'n' roll (probably) released not one, not two, no not even three, but FOUR new records in 2022. Collectively entitled 'SZNS', the project consisted of a quartet of 7-song EPs each released to mark a season - one for Spring, one for Summer, etc. Each record contained a song that incorporated a 'riff' from the relevant piece from Vivaldi's 'Four Seasons'. Saying all that, the Winter EP isn't actually out yet (it's due around Christmastime) but that's just mere pedantry. When it does come out, they will have topped the Weddoes' output by 4 songs, so it's a very noteworthy achievement. This track - from the Summer EP - pretty much sums up my life.</span></p>
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<p><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">And after those seasoned veterans, it's time for some brilliant youngsters...</span></p>
<p><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;"><b>DIVORCE - 'Get Mean' EP</b><br />Now here's a new band I'm getting rather excited about. Divorce hail from Nottingham and have so far only put out three tracks. But each one is bleddy excellent, especially the most recent, an off-beat alternative country murder ballad called <i>Checking Out</i> which is definitely one of my songs of the year. They don't just make great tunes though, they also make wonderful videos that show off not just a theatrical side, but a very humourous one too. All three songs have just been released together as a digital EP called 'Get Mean'. A 4-track vinyl version is due in May 2023 which suggests another song isn't far away. I have high hopes for Divorce.</span></p>
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<p><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">And if you loved that (and let's face it - you did!), here are the awesome clips for debut single <a href="https://youtu.be/Te5xG_ybreM" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"><i>Services</i></a> and its follow-up <a href="https://youtu.be/d8LeNDT26MU" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"><i>Pretty</i></a>. And <a href="https://divorcehq.bandcamp.com/album/get-mean-ep" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">here's where you can buy/pre-order the EP</a>.</span></p>
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<p><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;"><b>PANIC SHACK - 'Baby Shack' EP</b><br />This lot also look like they're going to rip up the place pretty damn soon. Cardiff's very own Panic Shack compiled their first six songs to form the 'Baby Shack' EP which disappeared off the record store racks in less time than it takes to play it. Copies are already changing hands for more than £60 a shot! MrsRobster (who is also a big fan of Panic Shack) and I will be seeing them in their hometown supporting Yard Act TONIGHT! Should be raucous and we're both really looking forward to it. Raw and loud like good punk should be, but a lot of fun too.</span></p>
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<p><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;"><b>SPRINTS - 'A Modern Job' EP</b><br />Dublin has become a proper hub of great music of late. Sprints are the latest ones to have emerged from the Irish capital seemingly fully formed and taking on the world without a care. 'A Modern Job' was released back in March and is their second EP, following on from last year's debut 'Manifesto' and a series of searing singles, including the brilliant <i>Little Fix</i>.</span></p>
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<p><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">I also strongly recommend Sprints' latest single <a href="https://youtu.be/fLTI6gDyxGs" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"><i>Literary Mind</i></a> which just might be their best track yet.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">Next week, the first batch of my 22 favourite albums of 2022.</span><br /></p>TheRobsterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18277941961790844321noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8517162803591368615.post-40027239656183484772022-11-13T06:00:00.024+00:002022-11-13T06:00:00.185+00:00Something And Nothing - a gig (of sorts)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjihJoZOnDm4ff_ZAfCOsFn2tVtIpcvxTaQVu_UJIVgST9RuOsOmqHmdnjQDxJKE6KLz7K61SKlpNLGDR4FnKPZXOOVNoBVFW4zjJuOewCHudxaId2toHJiQGtEYD4Ayd-KWEcReo7IwlJZVdyO3v9RtDDZi2zvWOc0ArYphGkiI7hl4XZ44uxofC04/s600/weddoes-aca.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="278" data-original-width="600" height="296" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjihJoZOnDm4ff_ZAfCOsFn2tVtIpcvxTaQVu_UJIVgST9RuOsOmqHmdnjQDxJKE6KLz7K61SKlpNLGDR4FnKPZXOOVNoBVFW4zjJuOewCHudxaId2toHJiQGtEYD4Ayd-KWEcReo7IwlJZVdyO3v9RtDDZi2zvWOc0ArYphGkiI7hl4XZ44uxofC04/w640-h296/weddoes-aca.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<p><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">I haven't really bothered with gig reviews this year (<a href="https://isthis-thelife.blogspot.com/p/heres-summary-of-my-albums-to-take-to_4.html" target="_blank">though I have still been keeping track of them</a>), but on Thursday night, MrsRobster and I attended a special show by one of our all-time heroes, Mr David Lewis Gedge. The great man has just published the second volume of his autobiography 'Tales From The Wedding Present'. This one is subtitled 'Something And Nothing' and picks up where volume 1 ('Go Out And Get 'Em Boy') left off, covering the period around the release of the band's first album, the evergreen classic 'George Best'.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">I've not had chance to read it yet, but in case you didn't know, it's not your normal autobiography. Gedge has always loved comics, and he has overseen the publication of a few Wedding Present comics over time, featuring different stories from the group's history. The books essentially tell Gedge's story in comic book form. Aided by the wonderful illustrator Lee Thacker, former Cinerama/Wedding Present (and Goya Dress) bassist Terry de Castro, and David's girlfriend Jessica McMillan, Gedge compiled some of the previously published tales along with brand new ones that he and family, friends, acquaintances and exes have recalled.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">So a few nights ago, Gedge, Thacker and de Castro (along with current Weddoes bassist Melanie Howard) came to Cardiff on the second date of the book launch tour. The three - led by de Castro - fed us anecdotes covering not just some of the new book's content, but also some insight into how the project came together. There were some fascinating revelations.</span></p>
<p><i><b><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">(WARNING: If you're planning on going to one of the remaining dates, you might want to skip the next paragraph so as not to spoil things...)</span></b></i></p>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgozg7kb8OiWqVbf3j0Hz5HS4ox5-TZ1UpogtysLTNInow6iT9_zGjCas2w2Ob8pvZRCJE0dTt2PknacrG7GVK5TEfzN8ijXYQ6U4g3giM6MIKCME4-LH982Q-dxVtRuGhuGENoqX1LRjb44-OYuZPJxzhovlkkzyxj0hs0N_5ONNU8i3RjLWJWxgPU/s400/book2.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="287" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgozg7kb8OiWqVbf3j0Hz5HS4ox5-TZ1UpogtysLTNInow6iT9_zGjCas2w2Ob8pvZRCJE0dTt2PknacrG7GVK5TEfzN8ijXYQ6U4g3giM6MIKCME4-LH982Q-dxVtRuGhuGENoqX1LRjb44-OYuZPJxzhovlkkzyxj0hs0N_5ONNU8i3RjLWJWxgPU/s320/book2.jpg" width="230" /></a></span></div>
<p><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">Firstly, we learned that the Kevin in <i>Give My Love To Kevin</i> is not a real person. Like many of Gedge's songs, it was inspired by overhearing a conversation between strangers. When departing one stranger said to the other "Give my love to Kevin", and Gedge thought that would make a good song title! My favourite anecdote was related to the fact that Gedge is absolutely meticulous (read: geeky) in his record keeping to the point where he keeps spreadsheets on everything. Even back as far as the 80s, before he could enter anything onto a computer, he kept a record of which of his loud shirts he wore at which gig. This would ensure he never wore the same shirt twice in the same place on subsequent tours. <i>"In fact, if I wore one shirt in Cardiff, I'd make sure the following year I wore that shirt as far away from Cardiff as I could!"</i></span></p>
<p><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">Following the interviews, the audience was invited to ask questions. I contemplated whether I should ask one. My initial idea was to ask Gedge about all the band members of the past and how some of the numerous sackings had taken place. Someone beat me to it however. So I managed to come up with the final question of the night:</span></p>
<p style="margin-left: 40px; text-align: left;"><i><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">"October 1988, Exeter University. My first ever gig - The Wedding Present. My mate and I were in the lobby just prior to the show and this guy walks right past us. 'That's David Gedge,' I said. 'Nah,' said my mate, 'he wouldn't be here mingling with the likes of us.' But it was you, mingling with the likes of us, and you've done it ever since. Do you think that's an important part of who you are and what you do?"</span></i></p>
<p><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">His response? <i>"Not really no! It's just to stop the boredom of hanging around backstage waiting to go on."</i> He did elaborate a bit though, and confirmed that he actually enjoys it.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">After a short break, David, Terry and Melanie convened for a short semi-acoustic set of songs. It's interesting how well some of the material works in this stripped-back form, even those songs that are usually so fast and frantic. <i>Something And Nothing</i> sounded great, as did both <i>Dare</i> and <i>Crushed</i>. Along with some old crowd-pleasers (<i>Everyone Thinks He Looks Daft</i>, <i>You Should Always Keep In Touch With Your Friends</i>, <i>My Favourite Dress</i> and <i>Brassneck</i>), there was also room for some proper deep cuts, such as <i>Big Ra</i>t from the 'Watusi' album, <i>Close Up</i>, from the Cinerama album 'Torino', as well as <i>Science Fiction</i>, the new single due next week - the 11th monthly single of 2022.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">All this in the wonderful setting of the Acapela Studios, a beautiful converted chapel in the village of Pentyrch, just a few miles outside Cardiff. MrsRobster and I booked a table so we could indulge in the venue's famous pizzas prior to showtime. It's this that helps raise the money for the venue to book its acts. It's a place you really should visit if you're in this neck of the woods.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">So, food, drink, autographed books and David Gedge. Could it really get any better? I highly doubt it. If you get the chance to go along to one of these shows, I very much recommend it. Failing that, buy the book (or books, if you haven't got volume one already).</span></p>
<p><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">Here's a couple of tunes from the night someone I know managed to capture.</span></p>
<ul style="margin-top: 0cm;" type="circle">
<li class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;"><a href="https://mega.nz/file/8wxAnazI#FuCESKNkU-qIu4_XOKA4vuhPwdimDB8t5XdQqDTC4BY" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"><i>Big Rat [live at Acapela Studios, Cardiff]</i></a> - The Wedding Present</span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;"><a href="https://mega.nz/file/dtwDnIKZ#EXt0AkDe2RAcTxK9ALdUY8CxPb1s1JAE0aUZSTtuFTE" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"><i>Brassneck [live at Acapela Studios, Cardiff]</i></a> - The Wedding Present</span></li>
</ul>
TheRobsterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18277941961790844321noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8517162803591368615.post-19224380785130173832022-10-16T06:00:00.001+01:002022-10-16T06:00:00.176+01:00The REiMagined Albums - part 6<p><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1iGmOQIfohkZqTUcFPeHE1mskGE35vnSnxIwgXap2Tf3USe-1smKbG_Uux7YIf_hdgzWHwwuz9wqI24Df7_DtaOpPJsgG4gaGYHPiw88EvKpyByoaoAD-HxYDKfq9WbP6xT80yi6SbC8/s600/lrp2.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="251" data-original-width="600" height="268" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1iGmOQIfohkZqTUcFPeHE1mskGE35vnSnxIwgXap2Tf3USe-1smKbG_Uux7YIf_hdgzWHwwuz9wqI24Df7_DtaOpPJsgG4gaGYHPiw88EvKpyByoaoAD-HxYDKfq9WbP6xT80yi6SbC8/w640-h268/lrp2.jpg" width="640" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;"><br />The final one of these that I'll do and it might be the most controversial yet. For most, R.E.M.'s records on the IRS label are sacred and should be left well alone. And to be fair, there's very little you'd ever want to tamper with on those five brilliant albums. But...</span><p></p>
<p><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">'Lifes Rich Pageant' is a big favourite of mine, yet it's far from perfect and has a couple of things that really niggle me about it. It was only the second R.E.M. record I ever heard so it's one of those I've been exposed to the most over the years. Its first four songs make up what I think is the greatest opening sequence of songs on any album I've ever owned. That's probably what makes it such a big fave. But from that point on it doesn't quite tick all the boxes.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">Some history: 'Lifes Rich Pageant' sounds like something of a statement. After the traumatic process of the making of 'Fables Of The Reconstruction', which almost broke the band and caused Michael Stipe to sink into a deep depression, R.E.M. reconvened to record LRP in March 1986 with renewed vigour. It's a record which sounded like no other R.E.M. record at the time - loud, hard-hitting and, in places, very angry. It was largely the result of six years under Reagan and the political situation in America it garnered. Gone were the claustrophobic jangles of the previous records, gone were the oblique stories in Stipe's lyrics. These new songs had a real purpose about them.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">Except they weren't all new songs. For some reason, the band unearthed some material dating back to their earliest period. At least five of the songs demoed for the record were written and performed as far back as 1980-81. <i>All The Right Friends</i> and <i>Mystery To Me</i> were, in fact, both played at their legendary debut gig (at the abandoned St Mary's Episcopal Church, Athens, GA. on 5th May 1980), while <i>Just A Touch</i> featured at their next show just a fortnight later. Both <i>Wait</i> and <i>Get On Their Way</i> (the latter of which became <i>Why Don't We Give It Away</i>) got their first airings in January 1981. Another LRP song <i>Hyena</i> was written in 1984 and was played a number of times during live shows that year before being demoed for 'Fables' but cast aside.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">Exactly why the band saw fit to revive these long-forgotten songs at this time is unclear, but revive them they did and two of them even featured on the finished record. Originally conceived as a ten-track album, side one was to feature the album's loud, fast songs, while side two its slower, quieter moments. So far down the line were they with this plan, the final album's artwork was produced with this tracklisting.</span></p>
<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKE4EbgCSIIPvTqQPaKGzhf9F5c2wALXB7ciiGLdMc3jr79BV38cV4MWZ0Pkz22vxXGpPhqW0TYKzAfu0shPvUK-jQO-iMtXFHCwGPX3l0wImEGAY_yaKxJZ7vq33gng7LAOr61rmv2-Y/s418/lrp_trax.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="223" data-original-width="418" height="171" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKE4EbgCSIIPvTqQPaKGzhf9F5c2wALXB7ciiGLdMc3jr79BV38cV4MWZ0Pkz22vxXGpPhqW0TYKzAfu0shPvUK-jQO-iMtXFHCwGPX3l0wImEGAY_yaKxJZ7vq33gng7LAOr61rmv2-Y/s320/lrp_trax.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">At some point though, things changed. At a mere 34 minutes, it was deemed to be too short so a couple other tracks were required. And this is where I think 'Lifes Rich Pageant' went a little pear-shaped. The band chose to record one of their newer original songs and a cover version. <i>Underneath The Bunker</i> is a short, silly bossanova piece with few lyrics. <i>Superman</i> was a bubblegum pop song by The Clique which Mike Mills liked. He sang lead on it as Stipe didn't want to - he instead sings backup. Quite why these songs were chosen remains a mystery. So a new (better?) track order was arranged and 'Lifes Rich Pageant' was released.</span><p></p>
<p><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">And this is where I come in. What can I do to make LRP the album it could have been? Well, the first four songs remain untouched. As I said, there is nothing that could make this opening sequence any better. I can well do without both <i>Underneath The Bunker</i> and <i>Superman</i> - b-side material at best as far as I'm concerned. I'm replacing them with two of the demos recorded at John Keane's studios in March '86 instead.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">Which brings me to track 5 which I've decided will be <i>All The Right Friends</i>. It picks up the energetic mood again following the previous two songs, but I've edited it slightly. Being a demo, it is a bit rough around the edges, especially the ending. After dabbling with a couple other versions of the song, I decided to use the final chord of the 2001 version recorded for the Vanilla Sky soundtrack as it's the one that worked best. To be fair, it's still rough, but that's down to my skill level and available resources. (Insert one of <a href="https://dubioustaste.wordpress.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Jez's</a> statutory disclaimers here...) Side one ends with the thunderous rasp of <i>Just A Touch</i>, Stipe's words (borrowing from Patti Smith) fading into the runout groove... <i>"I'm so young / I'm so goddamn young"</i>.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">Side two starts the same as the real LRP with the gorgeous <i>Flowers Of Guatamala</i> and the lively <i>I Believe</i>, while <i>Hyena</i> is transferred from side one. The next two songs gave me problems in that I wasn't quite sure how to sequence them. <i>Mystery To Me</i> was to end side one in my previous draft, but I ended up swapping it with <i>Just A Touch</i>. To be fair, <i>Mystery To Me</i> perhaps sounds a little out of place wherever it goes as it might just be the one weak link in this project. The only other options I had were <i>PSA </i>(the early demo version of <i>Bad Day</i>), <i>Wait</i> and <i>Two Steps Forward</i>. None quite fit the bill though, and <i>PSA</i> sounds way too much like <i>It's The End Of The World As We Know It</i> in its original form. The remade version from 2001 is better but wouldn't fit here.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">In the end I settled for <i>Mystery To Me</i> as the penultimate track, though it is preceded by a little instrumental segue (also lifted from the demos) to make the transition from <i>What If We Give It Away</i> more palatable. You may recognise it as a section of <i>Rotary 10</i>, but at the demo stage it was simply known as <i>Jazz</i>. To finish with, a rather contentious decision, perhaps. Rather than the album version, I've opted for the demo version of <i>Swan Swan H</i>. Now, there's absolutely nothing whatsoever wrong with the original, it's a track I love and, were it not for the presence of <i>Superman</i> tacked on the end, would have been the perfect closer for the real LRP. I do love the demo though, in which the band retains the electric guitars rather than swap to acoustics. Mills' bass riff in the album version is played here on lead guitar, though I'm not sure whether it's he or Buck who plays it. Anyway, this version keeps things interesting for those of you who have never heard it.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">'Lifes Rich Pageant [REiMagined]' is done. Feel free to chastise me for my choices, or for even daring to try it in the first place. It's done now and available below.</span></p>
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<td style="vertical-align: top;"><p><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;"><b>Lifes Rich Pageant [REiMagined]</b><br />
<i>compiled by TheRobster</i></span></p>
<p><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;"><u>SIDE ONE</u> <br />1. Begin The Begin<br />2. These Days<br />3. Fall On Me<br />4. Cuyahoga<br />5. All The Right Friends<br />6. Just A Touch </span></p>
<p><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;"><u>SIDE TWO</u> <br />7. Flowers Of Guatemala<br />8. I Believe<br />9. Hyena<br />10. What If We Give It Away<br />11. Mystery To Me<br />12. Swan Swan H</span></p>
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<p style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://mega.nz/file/A05Q0LYA#apPwmfboQK9r86-WBFrmmt4qMoHYleW467yblgpFp_0" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;"><b>GRAB IT HERE</b></span></a></p>
<p><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">Here's <i>Swan Swan H</i> performed live in 1986 in the Athens, GA. Inside/Out documentary.</span></p>
<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/LohVIMgk_3Y" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe>
TheRobsterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18277941961790844321noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8517162803591368615.post-12449757201580250732022-09-25T06:00:00.031+01:002022-09-25T06:00:00.332+01:00Evil<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3yudx_PVyVccFj5JaLNhVpHbN7Rsbvra6y3ZmVLlQ1ReAUENvybyfizjDMPEbklZvkrOLDu2vSBmD_W_W-j-JJYJCLaL2RSx5cVxMYH2T9ZLemvClvWqpvOzp-fIF2NU_9D4AZ_LtX_U2Jm4K1_8bZ0bZ7Z96xSE_15ULrV4CMMBR7A7YaNcOS-Fd/s800/evil.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="337" data-original-width="800" height="270" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3yudx_PVyVccFj5JaLNhVpHbN7Rsbvra6y3ZmVLlQ1ReAUENvybyfizjDMPEbklZvkrOLDu2vSBmD_W_W-j-JJYJCLaL2RSx5cVxMYH2T9ZLemvClvWqpvOzp-fIF2NU_9D4AZ_LtX_U2Jm4K1_8bZ0bZ7Z96xSE_15ULrV4CMMBR7A7YaNcOS-Fd/w640-h270/evil.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<p><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">Is rock music evil? Of course not. But here's three tracks that literally are <i>Evil</i> - it's their title! First up, the song that inspired this post. I recently revisited Savages' monumental album 'Adore Life', which if you remember, was <a href="https://isthis-thelife.blogspot.com/2016/10/50-albums-to-take-to-my-grave-44-adore.html" target="_blank">a record I got everso slightly excited about</a> back in the day. This live clip is fantastic and reminds me (as if I needed it) just how intoxicating they are/were to watch. We've heard nothing from Savages as a band since this record, though no official word of a break-up. Let's hope they'll return soon.</span></p>
<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube-nocookie.com/embed/q6eIjsOwo2s" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe>
<p><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;"><a href="https://isthis-thelife.blogspot.com/2017/12/is-this-2017-part-one.html" target="_blank">Another record I became obsessed with</a> was 'Holiday Destination' by Nadine Shah. She's also incredible live, so this clip should go down pretty well. A lot of people discovered Nadine through her astonishing performance at the <a href="https://youtu.be/Er2rlIzTydc" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">2018 Mercury Music Prize ceremony</a>. Even more fell for her when they first heard <i>Evil</i> in an episode of Peaky Blinders. I don't care how anyone heard about her, the truth is everyone really should have Nadine in their life.</span></p>
<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube-nocookie.com/embed/FLucTXNqnGs" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe>
<p><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">And finally, perhaps no surprise that Nick Cave would be in here somewhere. The second Grinderman album contained this beast of a track. As you'd expect, any live clip of this lot is rather special and this one is no exception. Yes, Nick is the focal point I suppose, but Warren really steals the show here, rolling around on the floor, howling like a wolf and hollering "EVIL!" like a man possessed.</span></p>
<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube-nocookie.com/embed/hCqyprzAUEA" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe>TheRobsterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18277941961790844321noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8517162803591368615.post-44965153166070469612022-08-28T06:00:00.001+01:002022-08-28T06:00:00.202+01:00The REiMagined Albums - part 5<p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhu-zvSOICvp2pqG37xeYF24l3kLCSiKaQ5jTCStMAtVPdupOg06wpA5EV145aYfGB1lExmlrnPi-21wp3FoP-i5g_tOiXloTsnaWfOPmDiCQIyDo1k_d33Kl-ImfzqcYQB8T5TEY5WEe0/s600/aftp2.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="236" data-original-width="600" height="255" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhu-zvSOICvp2pqG37xeYF24l3kLCSiKaQ5jTCStMAtVPdupOg06wpA5EV145aYfGB1lExmlrnPi-21wp3FoP-i5g_tOiXloTsnaWfOPmDiCQIyDo1k_d33Kl-ImfzqcYQB8T5TEY5WEe0/w647-h255/aftp2.jpg" width="647" /></a></p>
<p><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">A brief return, essentially to clear the decks. This was originally going to be the fourth and final part of my collaborative series with JC last August, but it kind of came at a bad time for us as we'd pretty much burned ourselves out by the time it came around. I'd already written my first section of it, but it sat amongst my drafts unfinished while I cobbled together a couple replacements that I found more interesting. So now I'm reviving it as a solo effort, re-written in places, but essentially offering the same thoughts and ideas as my original. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">The choice of album in question may well come as a surprise to many. Why fuck around with an album that has sold millions - that's MILLIONS, like nearly 20 of 'em - and is widely renowned as a masterpiece, a Holy Grail kind of record? Well, let's not pretend for one moment it's R.E.M.'s best album. Nor is it even their best album of the 90s. It's just the one that sold the most, and that's rarely an indication of quality. But it could be pretty close to perfect if it didn't have a couple of songs on it that I skip each time. You probably know what they are, but there's perhaps a little more to it than that, which is a good thing as this would be a terribly boring read otherwise. So here's my stab at improving AftP:</span></p>
<p><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;"><b>Side One</b><br />1. Drive<br />2. Try Not To Breathe<br />3. Man On The Moon<br />4. Everybody Hurts<br />5. Monty Got A Raw Deal</span></p>
<p><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;"><b>Side Two</b><br />6. Photograph<br />7. Nightswimming<br />8. Sweetness Follows<br />9. Star Me Kitten<br />10. Find The River</span></p>
<p><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">Out go (unsurprisingly) <i>The Sidewinder Sleeps Tonite</i>, <i>New Orleans Instrumental No. 1</i> and (and this is the talking point) <i>Ignoreland</i>. The latter was one of my <a href="http://isthis-thelife.blogspot.com/2021/07/an-rem-summer-imaginary-7s-part-5.html" target="_blank">Imaginary 7"s</a> so you know I like it, but it just feels so out of place on this record, both in its sound and lyrical subject matter. The band themselves had reservations about including it in the first place, so I think taking it out might well be the best decision. I'm replacing it with <i>Photograph</i>, a track they demoed during the sessions for 'Automatic' and then brought in the divine Natalie Merchant to sing on it for a charity album. The only thing it's lacking is some of the production the finished album received. I can imagine it with some lovely strings just giving it that added lushness to make it fit more snugly among these songs. If you imagine them too while it's playing, you'll see what I mean.<span style="font-size: xx-small;">[1]</span><br /></span></p>
<p><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">So side one kicks off as normal. <i>Drive</i> really is a strange opening song, but in an interview in the months leading up to release, Michael Stipe described the album as sounding "pretty fucking weird" and as such, this track really does set the tone for that. To lift things, I've gone for <i>Man On The Moon</i> as track three. The dreaded <i>Sidewinder</i> is just ridiculous whereas this one does a better job at lifting the mood. I'd stick the slightly shorter single edit on though, not that you'd notice the difference, but for vinyl running time it helps.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">Side two opens with <i>Photograph</i> and <i>Nightswimming</i>, the two most different-sounding tracks on the record, then we go deep with the two darkest songs of the set before finishing with <i>Find The River</i>, an undoubted highlight of their career. It has to finish the REiMagined version of the album like it does the original - it just has to.</span></p>
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<td style="vertical-align: top;"><p><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;"><b>Automatic For The People [REiMagined]</b><br />
<i>compiled by TheRobster</i></span></p>
<p><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;"><u>SIDE ONE</u><br />
1. Drive<br />2. Try Not To Breathe<br />3. Man On The Moon<br />4. Everybody Hurts<br />5. Monty Got A Raw Deal</span></p>
<p><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;"><u>SIDE TWO</u><br />
6. Photograph<br />7. Nightswimming<br />8. Sweetness Follows<br />9. Star Me Kitten<br />10. Find The River</span></p>
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<p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;"><a href="https://mega.nz/file/JgA01TqD#cln4PFz45ql7kBZ2G6BOa2GrC8_qkgrUJDnsr4xfepU" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"><b>GRAB IT HERE</b></a><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">There's one final REiMagined album coming soon, but for now l</span>et's finish with the video for <i>Find The River</i>, felt by many as being one of the band's best ever songs. <a href="https://thenewvinylvillain.com/2020/11/29/the-singular-adventures-of-r-e-m-part-23/" target="_blank">Here's what I wrote about it over at The (new) Vinyl Villain in November 2020.</a> <br /></span></p>
<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube-nocookie.com/embed/KIJGlTu5sEI" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe>
<p><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;"> </span></p>
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<span class="MsoFootnoteReference" style="font-family: trebuchet ms; font-size: x-small;">[1] At the age of 51, you'd think I'd learned a bit about myself by now... After I wrote that paragraph about <i>Photograph</i>, I got thinking to myself: "Why don't I try a remix and add some strings and maybe a bit of piano." I mulled it over quite a bit and thought maybe I could find some kind of online synth with a half-decent strings sound I could perhaps create a part for and mix it with the song. And I did. And it was rubbish. More to do with me than anything else, to be fair. "Maybe I'm more suited to a conventional keyboard," I thought. TheDoopster plays piano and has an electric piano in her room. It's got a nice strings sound on it. If I could rig up a cheap method of recording from it, I could do it that way. So I did. And it was rubbish. I used to play piano when I was a kid and wasn't too bad at it, but by the time I got to 16, I jacked it in and decided I wanted to be a guitar legend instead. So the fact I hadn't played any kind of keyboard properly for 35 years just might have had something to do with how bad my attempts were to add strings to <i>Photograph</i>.</span></p><p><span class="MsoFootnoteReference" style="font-family: trebuchet ms; font-size: x-small;">But I wasn't done yet, oh no! If the keyboards/strings didn't work out, perhaps I could fill the sound out with a bit of acoustic guitar and who knows, a bit of mandolin as well. So I took my trusty old acoustic out of the cupboard and gave it a go. And it was rubbish. You see, just because I have a guitar, doesn't mean I play it much. I haven't played any guitar properly since I quit the band I was in some 25 years ago. Sure, I have a little strum now and again when I get an urge, but the fact I no longer have the calluses of a proper guitar player means my fingers bloody hurt after less than an hour.</span></p><p><span class="MsoFootnoteReference" style="font-family: trebuchet ms; font-size: x-small;">So finally, at the age of 51, I've finally learned that while I never pretended to be a musician, I know for a fact I really never will be. And that I should practice playing before I attempt to play anything, even if just for a bit of fun. I also learned to keep the mandolin in the cupboard to save myself the indignity of making yet another instrument sound rubbish. And not to have stupid ideas about thinking I can make an R.E.M. song sound better!<br /></span></p>TheRobsterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18277941961790844321noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8517162803591368615.post-12412612180204424082022-07-25T06:00:00.012+01:002022-07-25T06:00:00.194+01:00A wedding presence<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjutwpvzUm29OC3PnmarYSOYlxOUhu5wTsvOzWD-FnsF8b7f726hoXOER1D-s3DDk5_dPf6AbdgTFi6w5m9JHmfdGF9L09IHBdTSh99ywUHskZuUeTBsHEPQOL1_sIE6tg08zJYLEqi-zmuZjz-IdHKxaw0d0yP4wPzpowPlg4jP0m8Jmqda8O2ki80/s600/wedding.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="382" data-original-width="600" height="408" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjutwpvzUm29OC3PnmarYSOYlxOUhu5wTsvOzWD-FnsF8b7f726hoXOER1D-s3DDk5_dPf6AbdgTFi6w5m9JHmfdGF9L09IHBdTSh99ywUHskZuUeTBsHEPQOL1_sIE6tg08zJYLEqi-zmuZjz-IdHKxaw0d0yP4wPzpowPlg4jP0m8Jmqda8O2ki80/w640-h408/wedding.jpg" width="640" /></a></span></div>
<p><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">Today, my firstborn - known to these pages as TheMadster - is getting married. The whole shebang has been delayed by a year for reasons you're all more than aware of, but I suspect the wait will be worth it. Now, I'm not one for parties at all these days, but I am willing to make an exception for this one.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">By way of marking the occasion here, I'm offering up a few tunes for the happy couple. First up, one for the bride, who as you may know, is a big Frank Turner fan. I will be walking her down the aisle to this:</span></p>
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<p><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">Her groom - who is known in these parts as TheEmster - is into EDM. Never mind, eh. His favourite track of all time is this one:</span></p>
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<p><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">For my part, I've delved into the archives. I was working in Our Price when Goodbye Mr Mackenzie released their second album 'Hammer And Tongs'. I remember we were all mildly amused by it's front cover. One of its singles was this track. The video features Big John Duncan as a priest and Shirley Manson as a bride. What's not to like?</span></p>
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<p><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">And finally, as if the point needs proving that there's always a Half Man Half Biscuit song for every occasion, here's the four lads from The Wirral and a song from their 2003 mini-album 'Saucy Haulage Ballads'. It references 16th Century Renaissance composers, 18th Century British Prime Ministers, and, erm, a former Liverpool goalie. Typical HMHB, then...<br /></span></p>
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<p><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">To the Bride and Groom!</span></p>TheRobsterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18277941961790844321noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8517162803591368615.post-61722022825070000572022-07-03T06:00:00.010+01:002022-07-17T16:32:39.633+01:00Nicked<span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhs9RwDOYp17nnyzdwLeCxeXihSgt7r6S4N5PfBv56LtxniKjuFPzPtZiUP4k_Doj_6qZdHnt0kuSXvhuDP04u1AmzPBleBPJCt1xLHA00Z3bCmDds7dd8uz_aE864QuoCKEjyfyxj1U0GNUhWFNEAaPCqUfW9iTuNhFVQG62UN8EC7YgmeQU7-wYgq/s600/stevie.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="310" data-original-width="600" height="330" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhs9RwDOYp17nnyzdwLeCxeXihSgt7r6S4N5PfBv56LtxniKjuFPzPtZiUP4k_Doj_6qZdHnt0kuSXvhuDP04u1AmzPBleBPJCt1xLHA00Z3bCmDds7dd8uz_aE864QuoCKEjyfyxj1U0GNUhWFNEAaPCqUfW9iTuNhFVQG62UN8EC7YgmeQU7-wYgq/w640-h330/stevie.jpg" width="640" /></a></span></div><p><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;"><br />This one appeared on a playlist while I was cooking a couple weeks ago. TheMadster was visiting. She and MrsRobster sauntered into the kitchen and the three of us just sang and danced through the entire thing. We don't sing well, we dance even less well, but we enjoyed ourselves.</span><p></p>
<p><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">Quite frankly one of the best rock songs of all time sung by one of the best rock voices of all time. A shame then that the video is one of the cheesiest, corniest clips of all time. It looks like it was made on a budget of a few cents and a box of Twinkies.</span></p>
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<p><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">Does it feel like I'm getting all nostalgic of late? Maybe something is making me realise how old I'm getting, how fast time is passing, how sometimes looking back at the past just feels more comforting than looking towards the future. Mind, I think we all feel like that these days. I hate nostalgia and wish it didn't influence the opinions and actions of so many people, but I can understand it, I suppose.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">Yes, something is happening that might be responsible for my sentimental musings, but that will be revealed in my next post in a few weeks time. Pretty sure <i>Edge Of Seventeen</i> will get an airing though. In the meantime, here's someone new-ish who is not only influenced a bit by the great Stevie Nicks, but sounds a little like her too. We'll be seeing Katy J Pearson in the autumn. Her new album is due this week, but here's a track from her wonderful debut, 2020's 'Return'.</span></p>
<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/IGJNt_V_UEE" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe>TheRobsterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18277941961790844321noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8517162803591368615.post-16857217901505481642022-06-19T06:00:00.066+01:002022-06-19T06:00:00.176+01:00As Cud as it gets<p><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgW4sk74oSqyDJ4h-JPyoh8f9jbQtqyybkFi9a48ChM3r_6Z0fkB4nl0LTQ8CrsJZWAWK4qGkC8VqqOOeBaOaUaWajsG1TPhyDG0uwaTuOO0bEVJV_43NV_bhs1JvFBIjVF171fY8T1dJt7fJwXSlJOTMqWR2dQnYGuibn-5r18QsEfcpzMsgEggDt-/s600/cud1.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="273" data-original-width="600" height="292" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgW4sk74oSqyDJ4h-JPyoh8f9jbQtqyybkFi9a48ChM3r_6Z0fkB4nl0LTQ8CrsJZWAWK4qGkC8VqqOOeBaOaUaWajsG1TPhyDG0uwaTuOO0bEVJV_43NV_bhs1JvFBIjVF171fY8T1dJt7fJwXSlJOTMqWR2dQnYGuibn-5r18QsEfcpzMsgEggDt-/w640-h292/cud1.jpg" width="640" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;"><br />I noticed recently that Cud are touring in the autumn and are playing in Newport, no less. This prompted me to dig out my Cud records and play them for the first time in far too many years. They still sound great.</span><p></p>
<p><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;"><i>Through The Roof</i> was a particular fave. It was a song I learnt to play on guitar, and I even gave it a solo airing during an acoustic show me and the singer of the band I was in at the time once played. Cud's original was far superior. The video was shot during a festival in Cadiz and is one of the most joyful things you'll see this week.</span></p>
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<p><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">I bought <i>Neurotica</i> on CD single when it came out. It was taken from the band's final studio album 'Showbiz' and, my word, what a transformation. The big, bold sound probably alienated some early fans, but this track, with its chorus refrain of <i>"Lacerate me, lacerate me"</i>, was a proper forerunner of the Britpop anthems we would be exposed to over the next few years. I don't mean that in a bad way, it's a great track.</span></p>
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<p><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">I recently had a discussion with Graham The Bear from Goldie Looking Chain in the record shop he works at in which he lamented the bands who broke up too early and how huge they could have been. Cud were one of those bands who he reckoned, had they stuck around for one more record, would have been superstars. On the strength of 'Showbiz', he could well be right.<br /></span></p>
<p><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">Cud reformed in 2008. While they've never followed up 'Showbiz', they have released a handful of new songs, including this sparkling little gem. No, it's not a cover of the Kinks' <i>Victoria</i> (though I'm sure you remember their fine rendition of <a href="https://youtu.be/AVv2nCyyVHg" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"><i>Lola</i></a> from back in the day...), but it is mighty fine. Who can resist a lyric that includes the couplet <i>"I made a very groovy compilation / To play at a joyful immolation"?</i></span></p>
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<p><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">As much as I love that, I do get a few weird <i>Hi Ho Silver Lining</i> vibes from it... Brrrr!<br /></span></p>TheRobsterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18277941961790844321noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8517162803591368615.post-28140398523297663692022-06-02T06:00:00.003+01:002022-06-02T06:00:00.197+01:00Her Majesty<p><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">Happy fucking Jubilee, everyone...</span></p>
<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/u2d4FD9SRww" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe>TheRobsterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18277941961790844321noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8517162803591368615.post-87237405353548174502022-05-22T06:00:00.002+01:002022-06-20T12:16:31.171+01:00Chemicrazy<p><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVyAek4iFFCPYPJifBwUmNeWDWxPVTDcq7zEzWv2A2xdcIUAT8OEq15Ek-sxQ3Wsb7aBoyCzQysHTi-2Yk3EwSwIXTUovimpm_j8GWkcvdb-DUx8nglyN6mNjMIRJhJWg4TN4sV3wEfn6wmSmg571iwn3X2uwGQNZI4O8lzQwZnTz75ZQbou6CnQQL/s600/TPE-chem.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="299" data-original-width="600" height="318" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVyAek4iFFCPYPJifBwUmNeWDWxPVTDcq7zEzWv2A2xdcIUAT8OEq15Ek-sxQ3Wsb7aBoyCzQysHTi-2Yk3EwSwIXTUovimpm_j8GWkcvdb-DUx8nglyN6mNjMIRJhJWg4TN4sV3wEfn6wmSmg571iwn3X2uwGQNZI4O8lzQwZnTz75ZQbou6CnQQL/w640-h318/TPE-chem.jpg" width="640" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;"><br />A few days ago I was left alone in the house. This is unusual. Not because I need to be supervised at all times (though some people may argue that I do), but just because there's more often than not someone home at the same time as me. On this occasion though, everyone went out to do stuff and I decided I had better things to do at home. Like play records loudly!</span><p></p>
<p><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">During my vinyl binge, I dug out my copy of 'Chemicrazy', the fourth studio album by That Petrol Emotion. It's a record I've always enjoyed since my days working in <a href="https://isthis-thelife.blogspot.com/2014/04/remembering-our-price.html" target="_blank">Our Price</a> where I first heard it shortly after its release in 1990. While never achieving huge commercial success, TPE have long since been regarded as a huge influence in the indie and alternative scenes ever since, in both the UK and US.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;"><i>Hey Venus!</i> and <i>Sensitize</i> are both fantastic singles, and yes, I did have a bit of a jump around to them while they played on my turntable... The videos below look dated to say the least, but they are such great songs, you really don't need the visuals.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">Fun fact: according to their <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/That_Petrol_Emotion" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Wikipedia page</a>, prior to recruiting US vocalist Steve Mack, a certain chap by the name of Paul Whitehouse unsuccessfully auditioned for the role. Yes, <a href="https://youtu.be/18JmieM8SFc" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">this</a> Paul Whitehouse...</span></p>
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<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/oMXbXDUURSM" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe>TheRobsterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18277941961790844321noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8517162803591368615.post-64799876462533266092022-04-17T06:00:00.004+01:002022-04-17T06:00:00.176+01:00Dangerous Times (side two)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijFdeZzF0I_lXqmCaM4BDoLpuPvssoD76yB6aR9RTgP8_EMXeF0UGI1FpxOvlbtmdWBfYjEhDAu5Qx5oRyLtPSKqvlyR-MDSpm1T8vvcGKGi3yzmt9y07nvrjuZgaWQphgDU7DCXQD-is/s600/REM1980-2.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="314" data-original-width="600" height="334" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijFdeZzF0I_lXqmCaM4BDoLpuPvssoD76yB6aR9RTgP8_EMXeF0UGI1FpxOvlbtmdWBfYjEhDAu5Qx5oRyLtPSKqvlyR-MDSpm1T8vvcGKGi3yzmt9y07nvrjuZgaWQphgDU7DCXQD-is/w640-h334/REM1980-2.jpg" width="640" /></a></span></div>
<p><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;"><br />Today we look at the other half of the songs R.E.M. would pen and perform in their first few months together. Those very early gigs often contained quite a few covers, but gradually more original material was written and made it into the live sets. By the end of the year, most of the band's set consisted of originals.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">On 4th October, they played a second consecutive night at local venue Tyrone's OC, a place where they would become increasingly familiar over the next 12 months. Among the set that night were songs that were played during their very first set at St. Mary's Church in April, a few newer tunes and a sprinkling of covers. Observers of the band's earliest shows note the vast improvement of the performances over a very short period. By October, just six months since their debut, they were altogether tighter and slicker. They remained fast and furious - they didn't do slow songs in those days - and occasionally a little ramshackle, but the seeds were beginning to sprout.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">Today's selection of tunes is taken from that Tyrone's show and features 8 more of their very earliest songs, including four they played at their first show - <i>I Can Only Give You Everything</i>, <i>Action</i>, <i>Schéhérazade</i> and <i>Lisa Says</i>. The other four include two songs that would become among their most loved numbers over the next few years.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">The quality of this recording is significantly better than the cassette-sourced stuff I posted on Friday, so I haven't had to tinker much with it at all. I've attempted to remove the audience sound (with mixed results), and I've cropped the beginning of <i>Schéhérazade</i> during which Stipe is heard shouting greetings to audience members. There's still one left in - to someone called Kathleen - which I was unable to edit out. Finally, the original tape drops out at the end of <i>Gardening At Night</i> and I have no other material available to attempt a reconstruction, so I've faded it out.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">That aside, it's still a fascinating document of where R.E.M. were at the time. There were very vague shades of what was to come, but in general, they were an extremely energetic garage rock band yet to hone the skills that would make them the biggest band on the planet by the end of the decade. Today's artwork features two more shots taken at R.E.M.'s very first show - Peter Buck on the front and Mike Mills on the back.</span></p>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSlFEvx2_nnW1LY8dXMAHxnLn0K_Add1OobEhdiEpAWHZs7PjvKIJOF9Pdne5wT-axCJWBu-p4T8bYiOgNvWryAr4Y4iIN5b-1cwd1L9Bt00l5T-mx6uhxsxV8odgWIoRVgVpV1P6UeZI/s862/DT-2.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="431" data-original-width="862" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSlFEvx2_nnW1LY8dXMAHxnLn0K_Add1OobEhdiEpAWHZs7PjvKIJOF9Pdne5wT-axCJWBu-p4T8bYiOgNvWryAr4Y4iIN5b-1cwd1L9Bt00l5T-mx6uhxsxV8odgWIoRVgVpV1P6UeZI/w640-h320/DT-2.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<p style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://mega.nz/file/c1hU0ICQ#tHIUw8dftnK3pJPd5JE3jzyYIa1aQOphMfEcWpRoexs" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;"><b>Grab it here</b></span></a></p><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">That's all for now. <br /></span>TheRobsterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18277941961790844321noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8517162803591368615.post-2634222463905699612022-04-15T06:00:00.033+01:002022-04-15T06:00:00.189+01:00Dangerous Times (side one)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2Dl_CxesPyAMlghsTM7tTmaYr9EMbhtsaU2MJdTYhaWCOTKSDlkHBU6Q35WbAp6xlxDniZYySy0eRtXwKhzITsH7TC6WPiJBp1TN5MK1iQ0nkKl83WhR3NYfewFbGJijmGkG-MXIeGf0/s500/REM1980.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="396" data-original-width="500" height="506" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2Dl_CxesPyAMlghsTM7tTmaYr9EMbhtsaU2MJdTYhaWCOTKSDlkHBU6Q35WbAp6xlxDniZYySy0eRtXwKhzITsH7TC6WPiJBp1TN5MK1iQ0nkKl83WhR3NYfewFbGJijmGkG-MXIeGf0/w640-h506/REM1980.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<p><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">This is something I planned and wrote last year but held back for an appropriate time. As it's Easter - a time associated with rebirth and new beginnings - it's as good a time as any. I suppose you could consider this post a sort of prequel to <a href="http://isthis-thelife.blogspot.com/2021/08/an-rem-summer-imaginary-debut-album.html" target="_blank">this one</a> in which we looked at a totally hypothetical pre-'Murmur' debut album. This time though, we're going back even further...</span>
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<p><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">During R.E.M.'s very earliest months in 1980, they wrote a whole host of songs. Most of them were never recorded, and many were long-forgotten by the time they recorded the 'Chronic Town' EP in 1981/2. It was the recording of that record that was my reference point for my pre-'Murmur' project, using songs that were a solid part of the band's live set around that time. However, it did mean a heap of earlier songs didn't get a look in - and that's where I'm coming from with this post.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">I've decided to pull together all (or, at least, most) of the earliest self-penned songs R.E.M. performed in their first six months together. One or two of them became rather well known among those who bought their records. The others - well unless you're an uber-fan who seeks out obscure bootlegs from the band's embryonic phase, you won't have heard them before.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">I've taken two of the earliest-known recordings of R.E.M. (maybe even THE earliest-known recordings) to provide an almost definitive guide to the band's very first songs. It's in two parts. Today, what is believed to be the earliest recording of the band. In July 1980, the band entered Jackson Street Rehearsal Studios in Athens to practice material for upcoming shows in Atlanta and North Carolina. A tape recorder was present. Eight songs were captured and later surfaced as the very first R.E.M. bootleg, a cassette called 'Slurred'. It's often noted that this recording was made at Wuxtry's, the record shop where Peter Buck worked, on 6th June, but while they did play there on that date, no recordings (if any exist) have ever made it into circulation. It's now widely accepted that this is the Jackson Street rehearsal.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">Seven of these songs were performed at that first gig, with <i>Just A Touch</i> making its debut at their second show a fortnight later at the Kaffee Klub, the same day they decided to call themselves R.E.M. (after, fortunately, discarding other suggestions like Negro Eyes, Slut Bank, Africans In Bondage and Cans Of Piss!)</span></p>
<p><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">As you might expect, the sound quality isn't exactly top-notch, but I've had a little go at improving things. The opening track <i>Dangerous Times</i> is one of my favourites from the era but is incomplete on the tape - the first line is missing - so I've tried to "fix" it. The opening line is "These are dangerous times", which also happens to be the third line, so a little copy & paste puts that right. The opening snare hit has been added from an early live show at Tyrone's (which we'll get to in a day or two...), so it now sounds whole again, though be warned it is rather rough!. Otherwise, everything is as it appears on that tape, just with less hiss and a tad more oomph.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">So here's "Side One" of 'Dangerous Times: the genesis of R.E.M.' presented as a single continuous MP3 as if ripped straight from vinyl. The artwork includes shots of Michael Stipe and Bill Berry at the debut St. Mary's show. Side two will follow on Easter Sunday...</span></p>
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<p style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://mega.nz/file/Jwo2RZbI#NRG3wfBy1Dgj-RN0u-1x9a4aU_4K30dh0CJJgMwZBmo" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;"><b>Grab it here</b></span></a></p>TheRobsterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18277941961790844321noreply@blogger.com0