Musings on the byways of popular culture
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I so hope this gets to number 1, not that I care, but just to make a point. At last someone in the music bizness has the bottle to make a strong stand. I have been disgusted with the deafening silence. Ufff..
When people wonder what you would have done in World War 2, it’s whatever you are doing right now.
https://metro.co.uk/2024/05/07/macklemore-floors-fans-moving-pro-palestine-song-hinds-hall-20792968/
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New Jeff Rosenstock album released on 1st o’ Jan. Free to download from his Bandcamp, though please support Jeff & give him some money, some of which he always donates to good causes anyhow. Jeff is one o’ the good guys, with a big heart & a small ego, & tons o’ passion & talent. Go check him out. Also, Daniel Romano has announced 2! new albums today, also, on his bandcamp. If yer a fan go get! And a new Titus Andronicus announced for March, but with a new video out today. Life is good! Well actually it’s a bit shit, as I got a new coil in today which hurt like hell but now it’s settled to just a kind o’ naggy pain, & a nice bill from my local council for money they say I owe ’em for over a grand, which I ain’t got, & I’ve knackered my keyboard by knockin’ the dregs o’ a glass o’ water over it so now the s, the x , the w & the no. 2 don’t work unless i cut & paste ’em from somewhere, which is a feckin’ pain!! but music makes it bearable. Thank fuck. Happy » Continue Reading.
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What does it sound like?:
Oh I have loved this man’s music since I first heard it in 2015 after it came recommended on a Sparklehorse fan website. Like Sparklehorse, it shared a certain “otherness”, slightly out of kilter with the rest o’ the world, slightly sad, but lost in wonder, gazing at the stars. Luckily, we have a lesser wait for his second album than the 53 years it took him to do his first. Have had a copy of this album for the last month & I am completely head over heels in love with it. I’d say it’s a deeper, more sensual album than his first. You’ve got to live with this one a while to appreciate all its hidden depths, & give time to lose yerself in its earthy beauty. It really IS a beauty, some of it heart achingly so. A textural odyssey through Mr. Corley’s life & thoughts, with a sideways foray into more esoteric realms for added bonus. His first album was just whetting the appetite for this one. This one’s an epic. One o’ those albums where ye don’t want the track yer listening to end, but then the next ‘un » Continue Reading.
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Now an adopted Irishman, John finally reappears, with a new album, A Short History Of Decay, recorded in Canada with Michael Timmins of Cowboy Junkies at the helm, on July 14th, & a slew of live dates, 3 in July, 14th – Rhythmtree Festival – Isle of Wight 19th – The Slaughtered Lamb – London 22nd – St. Mary’s Church – Guildford Then in Sept. 12th – Talking Heads – Southhampton 13th – Prince Albert – Brighton 14th – Tunnels – Bristol 15th – Castle – Manchester 16th – TBC – Leicester 17th – Naked Lunch – Liverpool 18th – Broadcast – Glasgow 19th – Sneaky Pete’s – Edinburgh 20th – Basement – York 21st – St Pancreas Old Church – London 22nd – Old Cinema Laundrette – Durham Seems like there’s also going to be a documentary, also called A Short History Of Decay. Just thought y’all might like to know. 2017 is going to be an excellent music year.
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New album, Zero Moon, getting a release in early June, but up for a listen now, if yer interested, on Bandcamp. Have an early copy o’ this & have been filling my lugholes with it in the last week or so, & I am in awe. More of a slow burner than his previous, but a deep & meaningful record, some of which deals with his having had a heart attack & almost dying on stage & having major surgery to deal with that, & the slow recovery afterwards. There’s nods to visionaries Williams Blake & William Gibson, no stranger to visions himself. Songs full of joy & moving beyond belief. Will have to try & do a proper review at some time, though this is a guy I find it hard to be objective about. Am loving this album so much already am jumping on a plane in a couple o’ days to fly back to Eire to go see him play it live with a bunch of Irish mates he’s hired in Kilkenny. 1st date kicks off tonight. If you get a chance, go see this man & his ramshackle bunch of musical friends. Ye won’t regret it.
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Venue:
The Green Note, Camden
Date: 24/05/2016
Well I never planned on being here, much as I never planned on listening to this man in the first place, but sometimes planets rearrange themselves to make it so, & so, here I am, in I’m fairly sure is the teeniest venue I think I’ve ever been in, to see the great man DC & his merry band of top backing musicians up close & personal.
His album “Available Light” completely captured my heart last year. It was a slow burn, crept up quietly, but is so full of depth & truth & spirituality (in the purest of senses) that it has grown to rank amongst my most favourite albums of all time. I have bought numerous copies to give to all my most favourite people who I know love a good tune. Anyhoo, a couple o’ weeks ago I text my sister, who lives in Eire, to go see this guy, who’s playing at a small bar in Cork, telling her he’s a must see. Would love to myself, but the only gigs are in London & Leeds, both too far to travel to for me. I hear nowt, until » Continue Reading.
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What does it sound like?:
Saw Phil playing late last year with the very wonderful Hiss Golden Messenger. Phil was also the support on that tour & I recognise some of the songs on this disc from that night. He struck me as a very sweet, soulful, spiritual individual on that night & this album is a fine testament to that too.
A joyous album full of southern fervour & good ol’ bluesy stompers, & some simple sweet little bluegrass tunes & a great Charlie Parr cover. Frazey Ford adds her distinctive vocals on one track, Anybody Else. Some great players on here, fab musicianship from all concerned. Particularly likin’ the funky bass underlying a lot of the tunes on here. A short album, 32 minutes, but then ya can go right back to the start & play it again, & ya probably will. Looks like it’s well before time that Mr. Cook steps out of the shadow of some of the great players he’s been backing these many years & takes some spotlight for himself, spreading joy & harmony galore as he goes.
What does it all *mean*?
I dunno. What does anything *mean*? If you like honesty, » Continue Reading.
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8 years they’ve been lost in the musical widerness, & now returning with an EP & some live dates. This is very, very good news. (Mind you, last time I saw ’em live the bass was so loud it was making my throat vibrate. A most peculiar feeling I must say)
http://thequietus.com/articles/18027-listen-the-earlies-return
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We all have those songs, stored somewheres in our heads or on a dusty cassette from long ago (if we’re lucky), that we hope we will someday, somehow, track down. Being a determined sort I’ve hunted down most of mine, though there’s 2 that have eluded me for years. Found this on another music blog today & am planning on using some of his methology to nail at least one of my elusive musical butterflies, & thought it might be useful to some to post it here too. Happy hunting. http://markfgriffin.com/2015/02/18/need-help-identifying-song/
