The Afterword

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An acid folk sampler for the curious

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Checking up on the expected dispatch dates for some recent Bandcamp purchases, I stumbled across this cracking offer from the marvelous Owl Service people – a rich sampler of vaguely psychedelic folk music – so called ‘acid folk’ – that originally inspired the members of the band.

For any of you of a folkish bent you’ll likely have one or two, or even several, of the tunes therein, but here they are in a nice little continuous collection of delightful breadth, and all in full lossless glory for you to freely download.

If you avail yourself of this splendid gift, I’d urge you to invest in a few of the Owl Service’s own titles while you are there. They are prolific and talented as well as generous, and I’ve been delighted by every one of the ones I’ve bought over the years.

https://theowlservice.bandcamp.com/album/acid-tracks-an-introduction-to-the-roots-of-psych-folk

EVRi disgracefully delinquent delivery disaster

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Which is the worst possible courier by which you might be horrified to discover that your latest LP purchase is to be delivered to your door?

It used to be DPD, until they seemed to up their game a year or two back, but now it must be EVRi, the bargain-basement, careless, cack-handed pillocks who seem to gleefully lob everything, irrespective of contents, value or ‘FRAGILE’ markings, into the back of a half knackered white van driven by a gormless idiot primate with a mobile for a sat nav, a soggy old sock for a brain and a carefree attitude to private property that has been entrusted into their ‘professional’ care.

See my latest delivery in the comments.

Any more tales of EVRi hopelessness, or the depressing failures of your own courier-related shoddy experience?

Feat fans – find funds fast for fab fifth

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The Last Record Album – one of the fine albums that Little Feat delivered – is about to get the luxury, wallet-shredding treatment.

For my money, over recent months rather too many lacklustre discs have received these dee-lux reissues, causing a wallet-tightening effect with the suspicion of rampant barrel scraping from mercenary territory. This one, however, is nothing of the sort. It’s one of my all time favourites, even though not Feat’s finest hour.

The eager CD purchaser, we are told, will also benefit from a bonus CD included in the package, but this promise is followed by the tummy tightening phrase, “While Supplies Last“.

It features the band’s electrifying performance at the Charlton Athletic Football Ground in London in 1976.

Message ends.

https://store.rhino.com/en/rhino-store/artists/little-feat/the-last-record-album-deluxe-edition-4cd/603497813865.html

This is a perfect way to spend a few minutes listening to a fine artist

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I’m just putting this here quickly, as I am about to rush off somewhere.

This morning, Katie Spencer has put out another track – the fourth and final instalment – from her forthcoming new album, and it’s a heartfelt personal reflection upon her own early life. If you value great acoustic music with depth and an exquisitely tender delivery, this will light up your morning.

The album is due next month, and you can pre-order it now if it pleases.

View post on imgur.com

https://katiespencerofficial.bandcamp.com/track/it-was-then-that-i-knew-love

A Blast from the Past – a Randomiser thread!!

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Remember when the Randomiser was a thing? It’s been at least three years since we had one of these threads – is this because letting the machine select is no longer cool, hip and groovy? I dunno – but if anyone’s up for it?

You remember how it works – post the first five random selections that your chosen device picks for you (no cheating, of course – it’s an honour thing!). Gimme five minutes and I’ll put mine in the comments.

Hit the button – and let the chips fall where they may…

Misty In Roots – Counter Eurovision LP 50th anniversary edition OUT NOW

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Public Service Announcement. This just popped into my inbox from Bandcamp – sadly, the signed copies bumper edition is already sold out, but the ‘standard’ limited edition vinyl version is still available at the time of writing for £30.

One of the best live reggae albums ever released, this is a doozie. Possibly a doobie doozy if you are so inclined. Get going if you want one, ‘cos I&I reckon they’ll be gone pretty quickly; See Them Ah Come, PayPal at the ready.

https://mistyinroots.bandcamp.com/album/live-at-the-counter-eurovision-79

Katie Spencer has a new album out in October – rejoice!

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Here’s some good news at last: Katie Spencer has a new album ready for release in October this year.

I knew this was due soon, and hoped a release date would be announced soon, so I was delighted to get a link by email this morning to let me pre-order the album. I’ll put the link in the first comment.

If you want to know what Katie’s playing and singing are like, check out my earlier review for a gig my brother and I attended last year. I’ll put a link to that review in the comments too. My brother and I already have tickets for her gig in Calstock, Cornwall, in September, and we’ll be looking forward to hearing more from her new LP when we get there.

If you need more convincing that you should investigate further, ask @Colin-h of this parish, as he’s a big fan too. And if the names John Martyn or Michael Chapman mean anything to you, please do check her out, she’s the real deal.

Serbian blues band anyone?

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Not sure if we’ve had this lot on the Afterword before, but I stumbled upon them and thought they sounded pretty groovy, in a J. J. Cale sort of fashion. Plus I’m fond of a Vettriano painting or two, they are a pretty good visual counterpart to the song, and it’s a neat way to salute his recent passing.

See in the comments.

Add your own favourite blues from an unexpected place if it pleases you.

Ex Beatle?!?

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Tuning in to Auntie’s premier news cast this morning, during a trail for a puff piece on Thomas the Tank Engine, Anna Foster refers to ‘ex Beatle Ringo Starr’. Ex Beatle?!? Do the others know about this? Is Zak available? Are the R4 Today programme’s editors just too young?

Horslips At The BBC – fifty quid at Burning Shed

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Awesome collection that I’m really looking forward to – taking me back to seeing them tear the place up at Exeter University in the 1970s. I’d baulked at paying for yet another mega-box thingamajig, but for this lot, I’ll make a happy exception.

Don’t go to Super Deluxe and stump up sixty three quids when those lovely folk at Burning Shed have got the set for a round £50 plus a fiver for postage. They always package their stuff really well, too, rather than the cheapo-cheapo thin little card envelopes some other retailers use…

The Shed’s a much better option than the Trump’s-arse-licking Bozos over at the tax-dodgers.

Live versions of The Tain and Book Of Invasions with orchestral augmentation from the Ulster Orchestra?

Yes please! Bring it on!

Out at the end of May.

Advice for the young: Don’t study economics, it’s all made up.

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Orange Donald has now demonstrated what we all knew all along – economics is a pretend science; no one knows what’s going to happen next.

The so-called economists all tell us it’s too early to predict, while keeping a straight face. What they’re not saying is that economics is just the 21st century equivalent of consulting the entrails of a newly slaughtered goat.

Charlatans, the lot of them.

Brahms at St. Georges, Bristol – tomorrow night – 2 tickets for free.

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Saturday 15 March 2025 7.45pm Brandon Hill Chamber Orchestra

Maria Włoszczowska – Brahms Violin Concerto

website: https://www.stgeorgesbristol.co.uk/whats-on/brandon-hill-chamber-orchestra-12/

I have two tickets that I cannot use – if you’d like to hear this performance (my favourite violin concerto of all time) I can email them to you, just drop me a PM line on here.