Sunday, November 30, 2008

The Wolfhounds


Yesterday I listened to all the Wolfhounds albums in quick succession; a pleasingly abrasive (if cumulatively rather dour) experience. You can buy the Lost But Happy compilation (or download the albums, if you don't mind intangibles) here.

The Wolfhounds - Stars in the Tarmac
The Wolfhounds - Me
The Wolfhounds - Rent Act

Monday, November 24, 2008

Claudine Longet



A few years back, I found all Claudine's albums on CD in the bargain basement of Berwick Street Record and Tape Exchange. At the time, I know nothing about her, but I was taken by the cover designs, particularly the Princess-Leia-gone-awry cover of Colours. A little online digging convinced me that I should buy them. Inevitably, they'd all gone by the time I returned.

I've been making up for that oversight ever since. Last week, I finally acquired the CD of her 1970 A&M swansong, Run Wild Run Free. Here's three songs from that, including a novel hoedown-tinged arrangement of 'Everybody's Talkin''; this being Claudine, it's a whispery, dreamy kind of hoedown, of course.

Claudine Longet - Everybody's Talkin'
Claudine Longet - Love Can Never Die
Claudine Longet - Golden Slumbers

Friday, November 21, 2008

Wednesday, November 19, 2008

The Would-Be-Goods

I've been reading The Towers of Trebizond. It made me think of The Would-Be-Goods: a terribly English protagonist in exotic climes. Jessica Griffin has done a fair bit of globe-trotting, lyrically (and in actuality, for all I know). Here's a song about an aspiring traveller, a bonus track from the first CD issue of The Camera Loves Me. And the tale of a different kind of fish out of water, from their new album, Eventyr. You can (and should) buy it here.

The Would-Be-Goods - Bayswater Blues
The Would-Be-Goods - Melusine

Monday, November 17, 2008

Mighty Mighty week! part one


Collectively, the frizziest hair in indiepop. The intro to 'Yours Truly' prefigures 'Babies' by Pulp, perhaps.

Mighty Mighty - Yours Truly
Mighty Mighty - Man or Boy
Mighty Mighty - Let's Call it Love

Sunday, November 16, 2008

JoJo


It's Time for Jonathan Richman and the Modern Lovers came out in 1986. It would probably be among my favourite three or four records by Jonathan if I were nerdy enough to have such a list, which I am, sort of. It has some of the rowdiest guitar on a JR record since the Modern Lovers' debut. It also has the lovely 'Neon Sign', one of his 3rd album Velvets moments.

Jonathan Richman and the Modern Lovers - Let's Take a Trip
Jonathan Richman and the Modern Lovers - Neon Sign
Jonathan Richman and the Modern Lovers - Double Chocolate Malted

Tuesday, November 11, 2008