Missed it: Silver Jews' Lookout Mountain, Lookout Sea

Don't know why this slipped the radar 'til now, but it did. In fact, rather like last year's sleeper, Wilco's Sky Blue Sky, it's a real grower whose easy going west coast '70s vibe tricked the listener (well, this listener) into missing something. Try these:

mp3 Silver Jews: Suffering Jukebox
mp3 Silver Jews: We Could Be Looking for the Same Thing

From the old days:

mp3 Silver Jews: New Orleans

Buy here.

Joe Pug: Nation of Heat

Just heard this guy (last night). Wow. From his Nation of Heat ep:

mp3 Joe Pug: Hymn 101
mp3 Joe Pug: Nation of Heat

And a recent live session:

mp3 Joe Pug: At Arm's Length (live at Hear Y'a, get whole session here)

Download drm-free here.

Yuled out (nearly)

Bought the better half's prezzie here last week when I was in Belfast. More importantly, in one small market, three great beer tents. What a great place...

mp3 Pedro the Lion: I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day
mp3 Hayes Carll: Grateful for Xmas
mp3 Alison Crowe: In the Bleak Midwinter

I'm not sure that any of these are available to buy.

More yulery...

For your delight, a picture of a Danish Christmas decoration.... And more of the Chrtistmas album by installments.

mp3 Ron Sexsmith: Maybe this Christmas
mp3 Robert Earl Keen: Merry Christmas from the Family
mp3 John Prine: Christmas in Prison

Buy or download some drm-free here, or download some drm-free here.

Oh yes more Festive Stuff

O yon festive cheer, I hope you like our Christmas boxes. This time, Christmas songs...

mp3 Bruce Cockburn: Cry of a Tiny Babe
mp3 Aimee Man: Calling on Mary
mp3 Damien Rice & Lisa Harrington: Silent Night

Buy or download some drm-free here.

More Festive Fun: Ho Bleedin' Ho

I thought I'd treat you to a piccie of my home made decoration. Isn't it luvverly? As a reward, listen to these seasonal goodies:

mp3 Sufjan Stevens: That was the Worst Christmas Ever!
mp3 Okkervil River: Listening to Otis Redding at Christmas
mp3 Ryan Adams: Hey Parker it's Christmas

More festive goodies to come...

Buy and download some drm-free here, download some drm-free here.

All Bleedin' Right it's Christmas

Against my better judgement I got into the festive spirit by putting up the Christmas tree (and buying the bloody thing, how much?!!!). Here's a lovely piccie:

Now isn't that festive? Why not some festive music too? These are the biz, really.

mp3 The Felice Brothers: Christmas Song (from Tonight at the Arizona)
mp3 Willard Grant Conspiracy: Christmas in Nevada (from Everything's Fine)
mp3 Steve Earle: Christmas in Washington (from El Corazon)

Ther is also a great bit of video of Tom Waits performing Christmas Card from a hooker in Minneapolis here.

More festive cheer tomorrow. Bet you can't wait.

Buy and download some drm-free here; download some drm-free here.

Great Lake Swimmers & Tony Dekker

I loved the Great Lake Swimmers' Onigara. Found this cover of an old Neil Diamond song by their mainman, Tony Dekker:

mp3 Tony Dekker: Song Sung Blue

As a bonus, here's another couple of odd 'uns:

mp3 Great Lake Swimmers: Moving Pictures Silent Films
mp3 Great Lake Swimmers: Song for the Angels (Miracle vesrion)

Buy/download drm-free Great Lake Swimmers here, download drm-free here.

Vetiver: More of the Past

A little while back, Vetiver issued their eclectic covers album Things of the Past. Now comes an ep More of the Past. Again, it's real good fun. Try this one:

mp3 Vetiver: Just to Have You

In the old LP collection lies the original, by Nils Lofgren's first band:

mp3 Grin: Just to Have You

Buy or download drm-free here, download drm-free cheaper here.

Matt Pond PA: Freeep

Matt Pond PA are giving away a free ep, with devilish cunning known as the Freeep.

Try this one: mp3 Matt Pond PA: Hearts and Minds

Download the whole thing here.

Neil Young: '70s

For me, Neil is up there with Dylan. Here, some old gems froim the '70s, two Neil one CSN&Y... unreleased...

mp3 Neil Young: River of Pride (White Line)
mp3 Neil Young: Campaigner
mp3 CSN&Y: Human Highway

These are not, to my knowledge, available elsewhere.

Lest We Forget: The Saw Doctors' If this is Rock and Roll I Want My old Job Back

Back in the '90s The Saw Doctors took over where The Pogues had left off for Oirsih rock'n'roll. They were at their best live, but theri records had their moments too. This 1991 album had its moments:

mp3 The Saw Doctors: N17
mp3 The Saw Doctors: I Hope You Meet Again

From the follow up, try this:

mp3 The Saw Doctors: The Green and Red of Mayo

Buy here, download drm-free here.

Ryan Adams: As it Should Have Been?

Two acoustic snippets live at KCU Austin, minus the MOR sheen. Awesome, as the album should have sounded? This is ****in' brilliant; listen!

mp3 Ryan Adams & the Cardinals: Fix It (acoustic)
mp3 Ryan Adams & the Cardinals: Go Easy (acoustic)

If only....

Buy the album here.

Donny Hue and the Colours: Tell Tall Tales

A fine set of acoustic solo songs from Donny Hue. As the press release says:

The album was self recorded by Donny Hue in Brooklyn in 2008. The story of the Tales from Donny Hue, "I picked these songs up while on the move....on a train, a bicycle, a plane....however you see fit. They come from certain sights and sounds that never leave you alone, that creep up and tap you on the shoulder every now and then, eager for attention. Maybe these aren't meant to be tales, or even songs, but pictures of someplace that I've been or seen. It doesn't matter where they take you, or if they got you where you were going, but at least, even for a moment or so, you saw 'em."

Try this:

mp3 Donny Hue: Good Time Happening

Here's the video.

Links to buy via the links above.

Jenny Lewis: Acid Tongue

The new album from Jenny Lewis took a while to sink in, but now it's taking off. A mix of real old rockers and some very pretty ones. This has a lot:

mp3 Jenny Lewis: Godspeed
mp3 Jenny Lewis: Pretty Bird

Here's a wee bit of video of her & Elvis Costello on Letterman, thanks to Culture Bully here.

Buy here, download drm-free here.

Gladshot: Burn Up and Shine

A fine blast of power-pop from NYC's Gladshot, with some damn fine tunes. Sounds like summer, so not a bad way to brighten up the dark of November. Try these:

mp3 Gladshot: All I Want is You
mp3 Gladshot: He Was Gone

Buy here

More Ryan Adams & the Cardinals Live

Cardinalology (bloody awful title & cover, by the way) is out. To celebrate, one song from it & two older ones from a recent gig (get the whole gig here):

mp3 Ryan Adams & the Cardinals: Fix it (live)
mp3 Ryan Adams & the Cardinals: Oh, My God, Whatever, etc. (live)
mp3 Ryan Adams & the Cardinals: Come Pick me Up (live)

See Fix It Live on Letterman here.

Buy Ryan Adams here.

Vic Chesnutt, Elf Power & the Amorphous Strums: Dark Developments

Having posted about Vic Chesnutt's old stuff, suddenly here's a home recorded collaboration between the man himself and other Athens luminaries. It has electrics, the man's familiar rasp, and sounds less confrontational than his last. Try this:

mp3 Vic Chesnutt, Elf Power & the Amorphous Strums: Mystery

As a bonus, here's a great Dylan cover:

mp3 Vic Chesnutt: Buckets of Rain

Buy here, download drm-free here.

Trenches

Off to the battlefields of the First World War, so quiet fir a few days (this is where we're staying). So, some songs:

mp3 Kevin Coyne: (Take Me Back to) Dear Old Blighty
mp3 John Wesley Harding: Anonymous 1916
mp3 Roy Harper: Berliners

Lambchop: OH (Ohio)

It took me while, but I'm fast coming round the view that this slice of soul infused '70s style rock by Lambchop is, well, the business. Try these:

mp3 Lambchop: Slipped, Dissolved & Loosed
mp3 Lambchop: I'm Thinking of a Number

Buy here.

Bonnie "Prince" Billy: Is it the Sea

Will Oldham again? Yes, the ever prolific one returns with some live material recorded in the Celtic Fringes 2006. Why? Well, here's the reason. Some old songs, some current ones, some traditional, but all wrought anew in collaboration with a Scottish folk ensemble, Harem Scarem. Try this:

mp3 Bonnie "Prince" Billy: A Minor Place (live)

Not (unaccountably) on the album, but from the same tour, here's a magnificent version of a classic:

mp3 Bonnie "Prince" Billy: I See a Darkness (live)

Buy here.

Antony & the Johnsons: Another World

Antony & the Johnsons return with an ep, Another World. Much sounds familiar, bar Shake the Devil's rumbustious r'n'b at halfway. But, if it ain't broke... Try this:

mp3 Antony & the Johnsons: Another World

As a bonus, from their debut:

mp3 Antony & the Johnsons: Blue Angel

Buy here, download drm-free here.

One offs number 1

Some classic songs, from albums or whatever, that weren't that great as a whole. The photo, by the way, is of St Kevin's, Glendalough, Wicklow, Ireland.

mp3 Hothouse Flowers: Sweet Marie
mp3 Turin Brakes: Feeling Oblivion
mp3 Runrig: The Fisherman

Buy here

Dylan's Bootleg 8

Look, it's long been a given for me that his Bobness faded, his voice gone, the never-ending tour a tale of a man who's lost. And yet, Oh Mercy, parts of the latest stuff. Well her comes the latest installment of the Bootleg series. Some leaves me cold, but some.... Oh Mercy had some killer songs (a Lest We Forget to come), but this version just blew me away, with its raw beauty and echoes of Blood on the Tracks:

mp3 Bob Dylan: Most of the Time

From the soundtrack of the movie Gods and Generals:

mp3 Bob Dylan: Cross the Green Mountain.

Wow!

Buy here.

Lest We Forget; Paul Weller's Wild Wood

After The Jam. Paul Weller got lost in '80s soul boy frippery with The Style Council. The early 'nineties saw him reinvent himself, once more from a 'sixties starting point of the soul tinged British rock and demi-mystic folky feel of that era. The result was Wild Wood, which still sounds classic now. Try these:

mp3 Paul Weller: Sunflower
mp3 Paul Weller: Wild Wood

The next one, on the album, was in that acoustic style. Here, live in 1993, it's something different:

mp3 Paul Weller: Foot of the Mountain (live)

Buy here.

Horse Feathers: House with no Home

A new album by the delectable Horse Feathers, all delicate voice and strings, breath and air. Try this:

mp3 Horse Feathers: Curs in the Weeds

They have a great Daytrotter session here, including this version of a song from the album:

mp3 Horse Feathers: Helen

And from their first album:

mp3 Horse Feathers: Finch on Sunday

Buy here, download drm-free here.

Oakley Hall

Been trawling some Daytrotter (more of which anon). Got listening to some Oakley Hall, who have two sessions; I'd forgotten how much their mix of rock'n'roll & trad floats the proverbial sea-going vessel. Here's from the first session:

mp3 Oakley Hall: All the Way Down (daytrotter)

From Gypsum Strings:

mp3 Oakley Hall: Confidence Man

From Second Guessing:

mp3 Oakley Hall: Landlord

Buy here, download drm-free here.

43 Presidents: Of Great & Mortal Men

It's here. A couple of years back J Matthew Gerken, Christian Kiefer and Jefferson Pitcher, took up a challenge via the February Album Writing Month: between the three, to come up with a song for each of the 43 presidents of the USA. They posted the demos, and decided to take it further. The result is Of Great & Mortal Men, a remarkable three cds worth of songs featuring a whole roster of leading talent, but maintaining a remarkable coherence. I've got my copy all the way from the USA. Try this:

mp3 The last Cocked Hat (click here to go to label)

Buy from the label here or pay more here

Elvis & Lucinda: some more You Tube

Two of my favourite artists, together. Try these:

Elvis & Lucinda: Indoor Fireworks

Elvis & Lucinda: Blue

Elvis & Lucinda: Wild Horses

Some Footage: Magazine, Neil Young

Looking back, two great bits of contrasting live footage. An old bit of Howard Devoto's band at his icy best and Neil Young with a phalanx of hippies.

mp3 Magazine: Permafrost (live)

mp3 C,S,N & Y: Down by the River (live)

Damien Jurado: Caught in the Trees

It's great to have a new Damien Jurado album. There's a real depth to his body of work now, as well as a bucketful of real sweet melody. Try these:

mp3 Damien Jurado: Gillian was a Horse
mp3 Damien Jurado: Last Rights

As a bonus, here's a song from his last album performed live in the studio:

mp3 Damien Jurado: Denton, TX (live)

Buy here, download drm-free here.

Okkervil River: The Stand-ins

It's the companion piece to last year's The Stage Names, rather as Appendix was to Black Sheep Boy. Try this:

mp3 Okkervil River: Blue Tulip

Released with The Stage Names was a parallel album of demos. Try this:


mp3 Okkervil River: John Allyn Smith Sails (acoustic demo)

Buy here, download drm-free here.

For...

It's my wedding anniversary, so I thought I'd post these to my wife of these 18 years, along with a picture of the fine village of Ventry, where we went on our honeymoon. Hope they ring a few bells for some....

mp3 The Jayhawks: All the Right Reasons
mp3 Broken Family Band: You Get Me
mp3 Richard and Linda Thompson: A Heart Needs a Home
mp3 Gillian Welch: I Made a Lover's Prayer
mp3 John Hiatt: Feels Like Rain

Buy here.

Lest we Forget: The Jayhawks' Sound of Lies

Gary Louris' masterpiece came after Mark Olson quit the band. It is suffused with a quiet bitterness, weariness and longing, some crunching rock and aching twang. At the time it seemed to pass under many people's radar. A pity. Try these:

mp3 The Jayhawks: Sound of Lies
mp3 The Jayhawks: Bottomless Cup

The later song was written and sung by Tim O'Reagan. This is an acoustic take on his later song:

mp3 The Jayhawks: Tampa to Tulsa (acoustic)

An earlier Gary Louris song:

mp3 The Jayhawks: Waiting for the Sun (acoustic)

As a final treat, here's an Olson?louris song sung by Maria McKee, and the men themselves:

mp3 Maria McKee: Precious Time

Buy here.

David Bowie Santa Monica '72

I can recall grabbing a cassette of this bootleg at Camden Town market in the '70s. It's now out released officially. It's Ziggy era Bowie at his absolute peak, with Ronson on electric form and the quieter acoustic moments still understated and beautiful. Try these:

mp3 David Bowie: My Death (live)
mp3 David Bowie: The Width of a Circle (live)

As a bonus, two items from Bowie's recordings from this era for the BBC:

mp3 David Bowie: Hang Onto Yourself
mp3 David Bowie: Moonage Daydream

As a bonus, an old bootleg early run through of a classic. Sounds like it was recorded in a barn, but sounds great:

mp3 David Bowie: Drive-in Saturday (live)

Buy here.

Return

Apologies for lack of posts, but a mixture of a wedding in France and a modem failure stalled matters. So, we'll roll some stuff out over the next few days.

These songs fit right now, but I thought I'd dedicate them to a good friend and the control freak that tried to fuck up his life and, instead, fucked themselves. I can remember Lou Reed once introducing Femme Fatale with the remark "This is as song about someone who was once..."; or of course, Dylan's

I wish that for just one time
You could stand inside my shoes
And just for that one moment
I could be you

Yes, I wish that for just one time
You could stand inside my shoes
You'd know what a drag it is
To see you

mp3 David Ford: I Don't Care What You Call Me
mp3 Will Johnson: Closing Down My House
mp3 Drive-by Truckers: Goodbye

Buy the artist's music here.

Rachel Unthank & the Winterset

Took my time to post Northumbria's finest, but local folk done good with a Mercury nomination. In fact, what got me thinking of this was the Robert Wyatt post a week or two back. So, here's Rachel Unthank & the Winterset's take on the man, and then another.

mp3 Rachel Unthank & the Winterset: Sea Song
mp3 Rachel Unthank & the Winterset: Felton Lonnin

Buy here.

Leonard and Marianne

Back in the 'sixties, Leonard Cohen had a love affair with a young Scandinavian woman. That affair seems to have informed his classic debut album. This morning, BBC Radio 4 ran a programme, where they talked to both of them: for the next few days you can listen here.

mp3 Leonard Cohen: So Long, Marianne

It's really worth doing.

Buy here.

The Avett Brothers: Second Gleam

The Avett Brothers last release before heading off into the Sony paid Rick Rubin world sees them strip away the ornate instrumentation of Emotionalism and head back to the quieter waters of yore. Haunted tales and strong narratives, eschewing the wham bam Pogues go bluegrass moments. Try this:

mp3 The Avett Brothers: Bella Donna

From the original Gleam:

mp3 The Avett Brothers: Sanguine

And, from Emotionalism:

mp3 The Avett Brothers: The Weight of Lies

Buy here, download Second Gleam drm-free with two extra tracks here.

Lest we Forget: Christian Kiefer's Medicine Show

Kiefer's Medicine Show, from 2002, is in many ways a companion piece to his Welcome to Hard Times (more of which anon). A song cycle woven around an old time travelling showman, looking at the Americam myth, with music quite unlike anyone else.

mp3 Christian Kiefer: Bad Dreams
mp3 Christian Kiefer: Slack

As a bonus, one from 2007's Dogs and Donkeys:

mp3 Christian Kiefer: Slow Rivers

And, older one:

mp3 Christian Kiefer: With Fishes

Medicine Show seems out of print, but can be bought here; download drm-free here.

More Ryan Adams live

When his nibs went solo, he did a series of solo gigs and recordings. If you can get them, the likes of Destroyer, 48 Hours & The Suicide Handbook contain stuff that sometimes tops the likes of Heartbreaker, Gold and Demolition. At the same time, he did some great solo shows (or nearly solo shows). One came in Denver 2002, in which he was accompanied by cellist (whose nbame escapes). One is a lovely version of one of his finest songs, the other a remarkable cover that does what all great covers do, completely rewrite the song.

mp3 Ryan Adams: Oh My Sweet Carolina (live)
mp3 Ryan Adams: Brown Sugar (live)

There's a great version of Carolina on YouTube here, and lots of other stuff.

At the time of Easy Tiger, with his band he ran through some of the album's tracks in electric mode:

mp3 Ryan Adams: Two (live in the studio)
mp3 Ryan Adams: Pearls on a String (live in the studio)

More to come... Buy here.

The Weight return: Are Men

I've posted about The Weight before here, and I've been listening to their latest offering Are Men since I was sent a copy. It's no let down; I'm a big fan. The old elements are there, along with what sounds like a lot of good times had in the making. The label deny an alt-country tag; I think it applies still, but with a whole lotta twang. This is fast becoming one of my favourites of the year so far. Try this:

mp3 The Weight: Like Me Better
mp3 The Weight: Sunday Driver

Meanwhile, still not available as far as I can work out, is ST:

mp3 The Weight: Highways

It's out on August 5th; Ten Mile Grace is downloadable drm-free here.

Lest we Forget: Robert Wyatt's Rock Bottom

This was Robert Wyatt's first album back after his accident, leaving him in a wheelchair. It still sounds like nothing else. Wyatt played keyboards, hit all sorts of percussive instruments, had great people with him (such as Fred Frith) and sung his weird and wonderful songs with the same yearning beauty he's brought to everything else since. Try this:

mp3 Robert Wyatt: Sea Song

As a bonus, a later version of another one of the album's great songs, this version from Solar Flares.

mp3 Robert Wyatt: Alifib

Buy Robert Wyatt here, though Rock Bottom doesn't seem to be in print (WHY NOT?).

Ryan Adams live pt 1

Ok, I'll come clean, I'm yet another one of those fans of the frustrating one himself. But, when he's brilliant, he sure us. So, I thought I'd start posting a kind of live stuff by installments. The first two are from a gig in Santa Cruz, California, 2007; he'd just mended his wrist (broken skateboarding, Pewee) and was back on the big bad electric.

mp3 Ryan Adams & the Cardinals: I See Monsters (live)
mp3 Ryan Adams & the Cardinals: I Taught Myself How to Grow Old (live)

By contrast, try these from 1999 back in North Carolina; the first with Caitlin Cary (with him of Whiskeytown).

mp3 Ryan Adams: Dancing with the Women at the Bar
mp3 Ryan Adams: Hey There, Mrs Lovely (a song thta turned up on his most recent ep Follow the Lights, with differnet words)

Buy Ryan Adams here; download his classic Heartbreaker drm-free here.

And Back with some Hold Steady

Ok. All the end of terrm shit and some holiday, time to get posting. To kick things off, today sees the official release of The Hold Steady's newie, Stay Positive. Having had a week on inertia with the old ipod firmly in ear, my digital advance copy has been well listened to and its a good 'un. Perhaps the outstanding track is Lord, I'm Discouraged? The label have asked folk not to post anything, though you could try here; you can hear samples and some observations from the band here.

As a bonus anyway, here's an acoustic live version of a fave from Boys and Girls in America:

mp3 The Hold Steady: Chips Ahoy (live acoustic)

And, from the movie I'm Not There, a Dylan cover:

mp3 The Hold Steady: Can I Please Crawl Through Your Window?

Buy here, download drm-free here.

Shearwater: Rook

Sorry for the lack of posts, been busy. This one took a bit of time to sink in. Shearwater started life as an Okkervil River side project, but now stand i their own right with Jonathan Mielburg as their guiding light and soaring tenor. A dramatic, reflective album.

mp3 Shearwater: The Snow Leopard
mp3 Shearwater: Home Life (with crafty steal from Van Morrison's You don't Pull No Punches but You don't Push the River)

As a bonus, an old one.

mp3 Shearwater: Wedding Bells

They also have a great Daytrotter session here.

mp3 Shearwater: Nobody (Daytrotter session)

Buy here, download DRM-free here.

Willard Grant Conspiracy: Pilgrim Road

Robert Fisher's ever-evolving ensemble return with his most ambitious offering to date. Pilgrim Road features the arrangements of the Scottish composer Malcolm Lindsay and has a a kind of neo-classical gothic twist to it and a vast array of different instruments (anyone out there play the Jerusalem Chuch Bells?). it also features the vocals of Iona MacDonald, on this:

mp3 Willard Grant Conspiracy: The Puglist
mp3 Willard Grant Conspiracy: Vespers

This is in a very different vein from the all out rock assault of Let it Roll; you can download three tracks from the band's website here.

This album has far more in common with 2003's Regard the End, which featured some of the same musicians. This is a wonderful song:

mp3 Willard Grant Conspiracy: Fare Thee Well

He can also be seen performing this and two other songs solo here (Fare Thee Well is especially brilliant).

Buy here.

Josh Ritter Live

Maybe I'm not alone in not being swept along by the tide of approval of The Historical Conquests. In any case, Josh Ritter still cuts it live. Here are a few samples:

mp3 Josh Ritter: Kathleen (4 Songs Live)
mp3 Josh Ritter: Good Man (live in Dublin)

E-music have put out an ep of him solo:

mp3 Josh Ritter: Wolves (live at the Record Exchange)

NPR in the states have a performance at the Met with the violinist Hilary Hahn here; try this:

mp3 Josh Ritter & Hilary Hahn: Girl in the War (live at The Met) HIGHLY RECOMMENDED

As a bonus, here he is backing Kathleen Edwards:

mp3 Kathleen Edwards: Mercury (live)

Buy here, or download drm-free here; Lots on You Tube here.

I See Hawks in LA: Hallowed Ground

The California Country band I See Hawks in LA return with a new album Hallowed Ground. As before, witty and perceptive songs rock and roll along with a real country lilt with echoes of the likes of The Flying Burrito Brothers. Try these:

mp3 I See Hawks in LA: Pale and Troubled Race
mp3 I See Hawks in LA: Never Alive

Their last album, California Country featured this:

mp3 I See Hawks in LA: Midnight in Orlando

As a bonus, that album featured this great song about the eponymous US senator's stand on the Iraq war. Here's a great live version:

mp3 I See Hawks in LA: Byrd from West Virginia (highly recommended)

You can hear more here, buy here or download drm-free here.

The National: Apartment Story

The National released a new ep, The Virginia ep with a dvd A Skin, a Night. In reality, most of its is out-takes, demos etc from last year's brilliant Boxer. The lead song is pretty darn fine however:

mp3 The National: You've Done it Again, Virginia

You haven't heard Boxer? Well, you should; try this:

mp3 The National: Fake Empire

This is one of my early faves, off their eponymous debut:

mp3 The National: Cold Girl Fever

The Virginia ep also features a lovely song from their Daytrotter session:

mp3 The National: Lucky You

Buy dvd/ep here and download ep drm-free here.

Lest we Forget: Graham Parker & The Rumour's 'Stick to Me'

Back in the mid-seventies, Graham Parker was touted as a to be big thing. Emerging from the london pub rock scene that saw the likes of Nick Lowe make their name, Parker's big push was his 1977 album Stick to Me. It went for broke withe big E-Street band style arrangements and Stax horns. Unfortunately, the 24 track masters went wrong, and the band were forced to record it damn near live in thestudio, which gives the record a raw quality. Unfortunately, in 1977, the album seemed out of place to many; compare Elvis Costello's debut. As such, it got lost. A shame, as these samples show:

mp3 Graham Parker & The Rumour: Stick to Me
mp3 Graham Parker & The Rumour: Watch the Moon Come Down

As a bonus, a live version of tghe Anne Peebles classic (done brilliantly on the album itself):

mp3 Graham Parker & The Rumour: I'm Gonna Tear Your Playhouse Down

Buy here.

Bonnie "Prince" Billy: Lie Down in the Light

Will Oldham returns with a remarkably sunny record, rooted in country but heading to all sorts of places, and very different from last times The Letting Go. This time, it's Ashley Webber singing too, and a few stray instruments, Try these:

mp3 Bonnie "Prince" Billy: For Every Field There's a Mole
mp3 Bonnie "Prince" Billy: I'll be Glad

As a bonus, here's a live version from Edinburugh in 2006 of his classic song:

mp3 Bonnie "Prince" Billy: I See a Darkness (live)

Buy here