Shoutalongawitchseason volume 3

The third Xmas compilation is the last of the real singalong ones, tomorrow (maybe) I'll post some tracks that are more listenalong than singalong. Now that you've got some lolly in your pockets after christmas, go out and buy buy buy!!!

• Andy Gibb - Wherever You Are (from After Dark, 1980)
• Brinsley Schwarz - Surrender To The Rhythm (from Greasy Truckers Party, 1972)
• Country Joe & The Fish - Pat's Song (from I Feel Like I'm Fixing To Die, 1968)
• Cream - What A Bringdown (from Goodbye, 1969)
• Dion - I Used To Be A Brooklyn Dodger (from Return Of The Wanderer, 1978)
• Guy Clark - Desperados Waiting For A Train (from Old No. 1, 1975)
• Paul Kennerley et al - No One Would Believe a Summer Could Be So Cold (from White Mansions, 1978)
• R.E.M. - Wolves, Lower (from Chronic Town, 1981)
• Steamhammer - Passing Through (from Mk II, 1969)
• The Chameleons - Childhood (from Strange Times, 1986)
• The Church - She Never Said (from Of Skins And Heart, 1981)
• The Monkees - What Am I Doing Hanging Round (from Pisces, Aquarius, Capricorn and Jones, 1968)
• The Three O'Clock - Tomorrow (from Sixteen Tamourines, 1983)

http://rapidshare.com/files/9116948/iPod_prima_3.zip

Hey - I'd love to hear what you all think of these compos so pleeeeeeez comment!

It's Ladies' Day Today

Helen McCookerybook has contacted me to say that there's a compilation of her work available from Rough Trade at http://www.roughtrade.com/site/shop_detail.lasso?search_type=sku&sku=256585 - I don't know how much of the H&H album is on it so until I find out I'll leave the link up.

In the meantime, more prima iPod tracks.

Today I'll feature the ladies that make me stop whatever I'm doing to listen more carefully. Once again, all these tracks are available on album and I'd urge you to go and buy them if you like these samples. Every album mentioned is excellent.

• Barbra Streisand - A Quiet Thing & There Won't Be Trumpets (outtake from Butterfly, 1974, included in Just For The Record compilation)
• Francoise Hardy - Si Mi Caballero (from La Question, 1971)
• Jack Off Jill - When I Am Queen (from Clear Hearts Grey Flowers, 2000)
• Janis Ian - She Must Be Beautiful (from God And The FBI, 2000)
• Laura Nyro - Beads Of Sweat (from Christmas And The Beads Of Sweat, 1970)
• Nelly Furtado - Island of Wonder (from Folklore, 2003)
• Sally Oldfield - Broken Mona Lisa (from Mirrors, 1982)
• Shelagh McDonald - Mirage (from Album, 1970)
• Siouxsie and the Banshees - Lullaby (from Tinderbox, 1987)
• Sonic Youth - Tunic (from Goo, 1990)
• Pentangle - Hunting Song (from Basket Of Light, 1969)
• The Seekers - Georgy Girl (from The Seekers Greatest Hits, 1966)
• Throwing Muses - Tar Moochers (from Shark, 1996)

http://rapidshare.com/files/8636159/iPod_prima_2.zip

Singing Out Loud On The Underground

Every so often my iPod (which I keep on shuffle most of the time) whacks me with a track that is so good that it - literally - stops me in my tracks. Last night it was 'Welcome Now' - as perfect a piece of pop as you will ever hear although hardly typical of Eyeless In Gaza - that had me singing aloud at the top of my voice as I exited Seven Sisters station. I got a few odd looks...

As luck would have it, after Welcome Now the iPod played 'Just Walk In My Shoes' by Peter Jay And The Jaywalkers (with the magnificent Terry Reid on lead vox), and then 'Who Do You Love' by Quicksilver which, along with the Greasy Truckers version of Spunk Rock, pretty much justifies the existence of live albums on its own.

Anyway, here is the first of a number of compilations that I'm going to post over Christmas. Unlike my other postings, all of these tracks *are* available on albums and I'd urge you to go out and buy the originals because you won't be disappointed.

JHB prima ipod tracks volume one

• David Crosby - The Wall Song (from Graham Nash David Crosby, 1972)
• Deke Leonard - Razor Blade And Rattlesnake (from Iceberg, 1972)
• Eyeless In Gaza - Welcome Now (from Back From The Rains, 1986)
• Julie Driscoll, Brian Auger & The Trinity - Let The Sunshine In (from Streetnoise, 1969)
• Keith Christmas - Forest And The Shore (from Pigmy, 1971)
• Modern English - Tables Turning (from After The Snow, 1982)
• Paul McCartney - Monkberry Moon Delight (from Ram, 1971)
• Stephen Stills - Cherokee (from Stephen Stills, 1970)
• The Comsat Angels - Island Heart (from Time Considered, 1984)
• The Doors - Queen Of The Highway (from Morrison Hotel, 1970)
• The Faces - You Can Make Me Dance, Sing Or Anything (from Snakes And Ladders - The Best Of The Faces, 1974)
• The Sound - Temperature Drop (from Heads And Hearts, 1985)

http://rapidshare.com/files/8513854/iPod_prima_1.zip

Airlift In The Desert

Here's another - to my mind - unique album.

The Lines were a post-punk band that toured with bands like The Cure, Bauhaus, The Birthday Party and so on. I don't know very much about them except that this is their second album and it's quite different from the first (Therapy) - much more atmospheric. I always think of it along with the Aeriel FX album, not sure why.

The band comprised Nicholas Cash, Richard Conning, Jo Forty, and Michael Linehan, and they recorded for Red Records.

There's not much info about them on the Web but you could try http://www.torchsongonline.com/thelines.html for a start.

Interesting thing - the final track (Respit) is the first track (Stripe) backwards. It sounds great either way!

The Lines - Ultramarine (1982)

1 - Stripe
2 - Airlift
3 - Tunnel Party
4 - Ursa Major
5 - Flood-Bank
6 - Fury
7 - Ultramarine
8 - Respit

IMPORTANT - I received an email from Dan Selzer of Acute Records (http://www.acuterecords.com) saying that the Lines albums are about to be released on CD - hurrah!
For that reason I've removed the link and deleted the file from RS.

Jackafello he left home

What can I say about Sudden Sway? Not a lot because I don't know very much. But I can pretty much bet you've never heard anything like this - unless you've heard this.

And yes, Meesta Maelstrom, the computer data was appended to the Traffic Tax Scheme.

Sudden Sway - To You With ReGard (1981)

01 - Alleluia! The Psychic Sons
02 - Pretty People Again
03 - Dance Of Joy
04 - Tales Of Talking Town

Sudden Sway - The Traffic Tax Scheme (1982)

01 - Sir Savoir Her Valoir (humhear)
02 - Me Says Conscience (humsing)

http://rapidshare.com/files/8111075/Sudden_Sway.zip

An apology to Claire Hamill

Claire just emailed me to say that she was angry with me for posting her albums. I apologise for doing this. At the time I didn't realise that they were available from her Web site at http://www.clairehamill.co.uk. When I did realise that, a few hours later, I deleted the files and so the Rapidshare links don't work.

Sorry Claire.

I Will Never Pass This Way Again

Somebody asked, in a comment, whether I had any Helen And The Horns.

Yep.

Nestling snugly between (Ofra) Haza and Help Yourself is my *autographed* (by Helen McCookerybook) copy of their only album. It's another lost gem from a totally unique band - and if you don't believe me, what other (loosely) country band do you know of with a lineup of acoustic guitar, trumpet, trombone, and alto sax?

Told ya.

Helen And The Horns (1985)

01 - Lonesome Country Boy
02 - Girl Versus Boy
03 - My Black Rose
04 - Oh Boy
05 - Northbound Train
06 - Two Strings To Your Bow (live)
07 - Snakebite (live)
08 - Southern Belle (live)
09 - Pioneer Town (live)
10 - Freight Train (live)

http://rapidshare.com/files/6300889/Horny_Helen.zip

Important!!!

My old Rapidshare account runs out in about five days time, so all the links to rapidshare.de will expire soon after. This means that most of my previous posts will have dead links and I don't intend to reupload them. Basically that's everything prior to the Microdisney stuff.

So if you want any of the Miracle Legion, Longdancer, Byzantium, etc., I suggest you grab them now.

Cheers.