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About normanweatheredmusic

I listen to music.

March 25-31

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This week’s listening was light in the rock/pop categories, but I had a good time listening to these albums. I didn’t listen to any new releases this week, and I think that my listening will continue in that direction for now. I am enjoying listening to a wide variety of old music. I won’t stop listening to new music, but it will not be my focus for now. On with the show then:

Mott The Hoople All The Young Dudes

I can’t listen to Mott The Hoople without hearing David Bowie. Mott The Hoople released four albums between 1969 and 1971 but failed to find success other than a modest following of fans. They were on the verge of quitting after a tour of Europe and poor album sales. David Bowie had been a fan of theirs, and upon hearing about the band quitting, he stepped in and offered them a song that he had written, “Suffragette City.” They declined that song but recorded another song Bowie had written, All The Young Dudes, and he co-produced the album with Mick Ronson. The result was on my turntable, and I’m glad Bowie rescued them. While it isn’t a great album, it is a good album with great moments.

Rich Mullins Rich Mullins

I’ve enjoyed Rich Mullins’ music for a long time. However, he has been out of circulation on my stereo for an equally long time. Continuing my journey through the alphabet, I am reaching the end of the letter M. The album opens with some grungy distorted guitar, and then a “few good men” kick the album to full throttle. A Few Good Men could be a rallying cry for our current world.

“Show me a someone who knows how to struggle

Who isn’t caught in the hold of his luxuries

I just need to see

Someone who was made for trouble

Who could come and help shape our destiny.”

We need someone to struggle with the wealthy clinging to their luxuries, perhaps a seaside villa. We certainly need someone to come and rescue us from the power-hungry despots of our current world order.

While this album has an overtly Christian flavour, enough lyrics resonate with the “everyman” to make a casual listen to Rich Mullins palatable. Lyrics like these from the song Elijah 

“I want to hear some music once again

‘Cause it’s the finest thing that I have ever found.”

The song “Nothing But A Miracle” is aimed at Rich Mullins’s God, but the lyrics could apply to other relationships, such as marriage. My wife and her love are nothing but a miracle. The rest of the album has a similar lyric styling to 80s pop music. It was a good stroll down memory lane, but I feel this album will be out of circulation for a while longer.

Michael Martin Murphey The Best of Michael Martin Murphey

Wikipedia: “Murphey has had a successful music career that has spanned four decades and included such musical genres as folk, country, rock, popular, western, and cowboy music. As a singer, songwriter, and producer, he has contributed some of the best-loved songs of his generation. His songs have been recorded by Johnny Cash, Kenny Rogers, John Denver, Cher, Lyle Lovett, Flatt and Scruggs, Claire Hamill, Hoyt Axton, Roger Miller, Bobbie Gentry, Michael Nesmith, and the Monkees.”

I enjoyed this album, but my palate of taste for Michael Martin Murphey leans heavily towards his cowboy songs. I grew up listening to old-school Country and Western music, which has left an indelible mark on my current choice of C&W listening.

Anne Murray Anne Murray’s Greatest Hits

Wow! I grew up with my parents watching Don Messer’s Jubilee and Singalong Jubilee. Both of these television staples featured Anne Murray as a regular member. These television appearances were a springboard that projected Murray into a successful recording career with 55 million album copies worldwide during her 40-plus years as a musician. Murray has won four Grammys, including the Grammy Award for Best Female Pop Vocal Performance in 1979. There is a long list of her awards on Wikipedia if you want to read more about her.https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anne_Murray

I found myself singing along to many of the songs on this collection of radio staples from the 70s and 80s. Murray retired from both recording and performing after the issue of her final Christmas album in 2008, later explaining, “I did it for 40 years, and that’s long enough to do anything…I wanted to go out, still singing well and not having to make excuses.” I don’t have to justify why I loved listening to this album. It is just plain good.

The Mustangs Best of the Mustangs

I could not find much information about this album besides the fact that it was from my hometown of Edmonton. It is an enjoyable album, not charting, but still OK for a casual listen.

Chuck Mangione The Best Of Chuck Mangione

This two-hour compilation gives a good overview of Mangione’s career. Leaning heavily towards jazz with hints of pop and orchestral music. The Best Of Chuck Mangione will provide a good overview of his 50-year music career. I enjoy jazz music, and this album has good jazz on it, but his jazz isn’t stable in my jazz music listening.

Kenny Hepburn Twangy Guitar

I bought a box of mostly country music and this was in one of the boxes. It is a cool album that lets us glance into early rock and rockabilly music. While not a first or a particularly great album, it is still a fun listen.

Al Martino Spanish Eyes

Most of my blogs have a strong pop/rock/C&W favour to them. This album does not fit any of those handles. I call Al Martino a crooner, a blanket term for a singer who performs with a smooth, intimate style. Some of the early crooners were jazz vocalists of the era, such as Bing Crosby, Rudy Vallee and Frank Sinatra. Al Martino certainly has a smooth vocal delivery that would have worked well with early Muzak in doctors’ and dentist’s offices; it is calm and easy to relax listening to. I don’t usually listen to music of this style. But when I hear good music, it is good no matter what genre style fits into.

The following are late additions, so I don’t have cover shots or comments. It’s all good music.

Buddy Merrill The Many-Splendered Guitar of Buddy Merril

Nana Mouskouri Nana Mouskouri Sings Over & Over

Nana is isn’t my jam but there are millions of other people who enjoyed her music. We always had hundreds of used copies of her album; they weren’t a big seller.

Russ Morgan  Does Your Heart Beat For Me

Maria Muldaur Sweet Harmony

Maria Muldaur Maria Muldaur

I saw Maria Muldaur back in 1988, it was very good.

Jawbreaker Sluttering

Various Jam Session

Herb Alpert What Now My Love

Myles and Lenny Myles and Lenny

I love the electric violin and the use of the violin in rock music. Myles and Lenny hit the nail on the head, I ended up with three copies of this album, all in near-mint condition. I love it.

There, we have it. Another week of delicious music. I have finished the letter M, which is mathematically the alphabet’s middle. I have no idea where it is quantity-wise in my library, I suspect it is near the middle, but I am not going to count them. I hope you take time out of your busy day to kick back and listen to music. It doesn’t matter if it’s one of the above albums or one of your favourites. Just sit back and soak it in. What do you hear? What instruments are being played? How is the singer using their voice in the mix? Is there a good stereo mix? Left or right speaker? In the middle of the room? I like relaxed but focused listening. Keep listening and enjoy your life.

March 17 & 24

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This blog started on Monday, March 17, St. Patrick’s Day, covering my listening for the previous week. It has spun into a blog that carries that forward and blends in with my listening for the week leading up to today, March 24. I am hitting a brick wall when it comes to reviewing music. I can only give generics, but that seems so small compared to what I have been able to do in the past. Regardless, what you see is what you get; I will not cut and paste or plagiarize other people’s reviews.

Steve Miller Band Greatest Hits 1974-78

In 1975, my friend Steve Miller and I quit our jobs at the coal mine in the Crowsnest Pass and headed for Mexico. We listened to a lot of music on that trip, but I don’t recall ever listening to anything by the musician Steve Miller.

Bill Monroe & His Blue Grass Boys – Bluegrass Classics Radio Shows 1946-1948

The header is almost as long as the review—classic early bluegrass music.

The Monkees The Monkees

The Monkees Headquartes

The Monkees More Of The Monkees

These three albums came in a haul of about 100 albums that I paid $20 for. It is a fun trip down memory lane for those of a certain age, and I think I got my money’s worth.

Harry Rusk Canadian Country Hits

Included in those boxes were numerous Canadian albums; this was among them. I couldn’t find much information about Harry Rusk besides the fact that he had a single that charted in 1969; it isn’t on this album. This album is a good listen if you enjoy Country and Western music.

Duane Eddy Twistin’ ’n’ Twangin’

Classic sock party music.

Jimmy “Arthur” Ordge Tears From A Country Hear

More classic C/W music. Jimmy “Arthur” Ordge was an Albertan who made a bit of a wave in C/W music. He had a few songs that charted, he appeared on Canadian television, and toured relentlessly. I enjoy his music; I’m not sure if I saw him live or on television, but I can remember him from the distant past.

The Moody Blues On the Threshold of a Dream

The Moody Blues Days of Future Passed

The Moody Blues Long Distance Voyager

The Moody Blues To Our Children’s Children’s Children

My musical week had two heavy hitters, one of them being The Moody Blues. They were a band I enjoyed in the past but didn’t dive into deeper than casual listens. They had their unique sound and made some delightful music.

Francine Morrison Sweet, Sweet Spirit

Francine Morrison had a strong and sweet, sweet voice, and my wife and I enjoyed listening to this sweet, sweet southern black church music album.

Montreux Sign Language

Montreux is considered a supergroup of electronica in the contemporary jazz scene. I enjoyed this album, but not enough to run out and buy another one.

Mountain Climbing

Mountain are a band with a long article in Wikipedia that you can read on your own. I will only add that I have a long history with this album. I’m not sure when I bought it, but I know I have been listening to it for a long time. It has held its age very well in my library. It is often cited as an album that started the heavy metal scene. I can hear why that connection exists. I like listening to this recording, and it has remained glued in my repertoire for good reason; it is a good album.

Tina Turner Gold

I gave my wife tickets to Tina – The Tina Turner Musical for Christmas. It was a grand show that both of us enjoyed immensely. Then we came home and listened to the album I gave her, along with the tickets. We should have withheld the album listen for a bit longer because the hangover from the live show was still fresh, and I couldn’t help myself from referencing back and forth. The show was top-notch, but Tina Turner, at her best, was a tough act to follow. She had powerful vocals and owned the show when she let loose.

Van Morrison Astral Weeks

Van Morrison Moondance

I only managed two Van Morrison records this past week; more will come next week. Van Morrison has a style that blends many elements of music. Here is what shows up on Wikipedia: blue-eyed soul, Celtic, rock, R&B, folk, blues, jazz, country and Christian. His music has something for everyone; you may have to listen to all of his records to find it, but it is in there somewhere. I don’t have a go-to Morrison album. I enjoyed playing through all of them. His music has something for everyone; you may have to listen to his complete discography, but it will be somewhere. I don’t have a go-to Morrison album. I enjoy playing through all of them. If you ask the casual man on the street what their favourite Van Morrison album is, you will probably get Moondance more often than not. While it is a good album, I’m unsure about holding down the number one slot. It came early in his solo career, and he was prolific, with 48 solo albums. If someone held a gun to my head and told me to pick a favourite Van Morrison album, I would have to say No Guru, No Method, No Teacher with Hymns To The Silence a close second. There are some that I am relistening to this week, and that answer might change.

Next up, the week from March 17 to 24.

Van Morrison Tupelo Honey

Van Morrison Saint Dominic’s Preview

Van Morrison Common One

Van Morrison Poetic Champions Compose

Van Morrison Van Morrison

I listened to an abundance of Van Morrison over the last two weeks. I have enjoyed the journey, but it is time to move on.

Elton Motello Victim Of Time

This album was a small-time hit with the song Jet Boy, Jet Girl. There was a bit of talk about the song’s contents, Jet Boy, Jet Girl.” It is about a 15-year-old boy’s sexual relationship with an older man, who then rejects him for a girl. Victim Of Time has not aged well from where I listen. It checked all the boxes for a punk/new band in 1977, but not in 2025.

Werner Muller and His Orchestra Percussion In The Sky

A bit of background music for whatever you are doing.

Various The All American Pop Collection Volume 5. I now have all five of these albums. I still love collections like this. I scored a couple of boxes of vinyl last week, and this was in that box.

Various 30 Original Artists Sing Their Original Country Hits

Adding another best-of collection to my collection.

Judy Mowatt Only A Woman

Judy Mowatt had a modest solo career but will most likely be best remembered as a backup singer to Bob Marley. This album was a good listen for a golf ball like me.

Barbara Mandrell The Best of Barbara Mandrell

Pop country. It’s pleasant, but not the country music I enjoy listening to; see the album two stories up; that is the original country I like listening to.

And now for some new music mentions.

Ecce Shnak Shadows Grow Fangs

I have enjoyed listening to this album. It is a bit of fresh music in an era that all too often celebrates the mediocre. Ecce Shnak, Eh-kay sh-KNOCK wanders between gentle sentimental songs, Stroll With Me, to the thunder of ‘Jeremy, Utilitarian Sadboy.’ Shadows Grow Fangs is a thrilling EP that takes the listener along on a journey I was never sure about when it started or where it should end.

Thanks to Shauna McLarnon for Shameless Promotion PR

Tombstones In Their Eyes Asylum Harbour

Tombstones In Their Eyes would be a good title for a spaghetti western. They could use Asylum Harbour as the soundtrack. I listened to the album again while I was writing, and I changed my mind. Tombstones In Their Eyes would work wonders with something like Jonah Hex or The Preacher, some of the new Western-themed shows.

The LA-based psych-rock shoegaze collective is made up of long-time members John Treanor (vocals & guitar), Stephen Striegel (drums), Courtney Davies (vocals), Phil Cobb (guitar) and Paul Boutin (guitar), along with new band members Joel Wasko (bass) and Clea Cullen (vocals).

“‘Gimme Some Pain’ was written in May 2023 – one of the worst years I’ve experienced since way back in my 20’s. Life was falling apart, I was feeling heavy guilt and shame. Suicidal ideation almost every day. I have no idea how I managed to perform normal functions like go to work along with all the other responsibilities I have. All that is background to the song’s creation. I realize that, compared to those in really unfortunate circumstances, my problems are probably pretty petty, but the thing about pain is that it’s a subjective experience,” says John Treanor.

  “I don’t usually write on acoustic guitar but I like to mix it up occasionally. The song is made up of some pretty simple chord progressions that rolled right out. The lyrics are like a mantra repeated over and over. A mantra about where I was and what I was feeling at that time. The chorus, which just came out of my mind as is, turned out great and is in a range where I can sing it with a lot of energy and feeling”.

Singing with energy and feeling is what Tombstones In Their Eyes do. They lasso you and pull you into the arc of their music, and it is very easy to linger there.

This album is another gem from Shameless Promotion PR 

Dragon Welding The Naughty Step

This album is another gem from Shameless Promotion PR . It’s been a good month listening to their tunes. The lyrics of The Naughty Step connected with me on more than a casual basis. The music adds to the allure of the album.

“The lyrical theme of the album overall is me trying to deal with problems that I’ve never quite resolved in my mind, while all the time, new problems appear. It’s never ending and I will continue to write songs about it until I stop caring,” says Andy Golding.

“The song is about that vague feeling you get when your judgement is questioned. You’re pretty sure you’ve done nothing wrong, but you still have the nagging cloak of guilt draped around your sloping shoulders,” Golding explains. “I was at school at a time when corporal punishment was still allowed: beating children with canes and slippers. The line about the ‘punishment boys’ is about queuing up outside the sport teachers office, waiting for the cane, but neither you nor the teacher remembering the exact reason you were there. It sounds Dickensian, but it was the 1980s!” continues Andy Golding.

Full stop. I look forward to what I shall listen to this week. Have fun and listen to the music.

March 9, 2025

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Pink Floyd D S o t M

I use Dark Side of the Moon as a reference to break in new gear, and I bought a new turntable. Therefore, I played this album. I wouldn’t even venture a guess of how many times I have played this album in its various formats. It would easily be in the hundreds. It hasn’t lost any of its lustre for me. I love to turn up the volume just a wee bit, sit back with a book or with nothing, and let the music wash over me. The mixing on this album is impressive. When Clare Torrycomes in, her vocals are absolutely spellbinding. Roger Waters made the mix of sound effects on Money, and once again, the production kept the standard high. The lads, including Richard Wright and Nick Mason, all contributed. I suggest listening to this album and pay attention to the keyboards and percussion. They blend into the mix and create a strong backboard on which Gilmour and Waters build. The four of them work so well together that it is easy to forget Richard Wright and Nick Mason are there. Gilmour and Waters get the front of the stage spotlights, but Mason and Wright are holding them up. Dark Side of the Moon remains my gold standard for all other recordings.

Bee Gees Best of Bee Gees

Best of Bee Gees was the first full-length album that I bought with my own money. It is still near and dear to my heart. The vocal harmonies were exquisite, and the lyrics were engaging while moving out of the standard love song ideation with songs such as New York Mining Disaster, and I’ve Gotta Get A Message To You, which brought a couple of Johnny Cash songs to mind most notably 25 Minutes to Go. Such good songs and top-shelf music that hasn’t grown old for me, I have, though.

The Steve Miller Band – Book of Dreams

A friend named Steve Miller jumped in my Rambler station wagon with me and we drove to Mexico doing the big circle. Down to L.A. through Salt Lake City and Las Vegas, then back up using the coastline highway most of the way to Seatle and a right turn to bring us back to Alberta. Hinton for Steve, I never saw him again. I tried to find him, but Alberta has a lot of Steve Millers. I phoned every Miller in the Hinton phone book with no hits. I guess that chapter has drawn a close.

Where was I? Oh, yeah, the Steve Miller Band, we listened to that album on cassette as we drove. We also got to hear Wolfman Jack live on the radio. We never had a clear station with him on it in Aberta.

The Mighty Diamonds – Changes

Che, Che Changes. NO! Not that one. Changes is the song from The Mighty Diamonds of Jamaica. This album was my in-law’s record, and I feel a tug at my heartstrings every time I play this record.

The Mills Brothers – Golden Anniversary

Golden harmonies. Harmonies seem to be popping up all over my listening lately. I’m not complaining about that. I love the shared singing.

Hank Mobley – Workout

Workout is a jazz album with Hank on saxophone. His style of playing and arranging is called Hard Bop, and this album will show up high on any jazz genre list featuring Hard Bop or saxophone players. Workout is a workout of talented musicians sharing their passion for music.

Mr. Mister – Welcome To The Real World

Pure 1980’s synth/pop. It is easy listening that doesn’t stray too far away from the 3-minute radio-friendly pop of that period. Welcome To The Real World is a good record showcasing Mr. Mister’s take on the music of that place and that time. 

Gerald Mitchell – The Hunt And Other Songs Of Labrador

In 1969, my Dad took a job at Churchill Falls, and we moved there shortly after. Churchill Falls is featured on a song from this album. Gerald Mitchell serves up some fantastic folk music on The Hunt And Other Songs Of Labrador. Accompanied by only his guitar, Gerald Mitchell sings and plays songs showcasing what folk music used to sound like.

The Kinks – The Kinks

The Kinks is a recording full of top-ten hits. I put this CD in my car and listened to it several times while I drove about. I like The Kinks, and I like this album.

Modest Mouse – Strangers To Ourselves

Strangers To Ourselves is the only album I have from Modest Mouse, but it is a good one. Strangers To Ourselves is a double album that gives us close to an hour of music. Lead singer and founding member of Modest Mouse Isaac Brock has a unique singing delivery. You have to hear it. I can’t write how he sings. I nominate Strangers To Ourselves to my island records and a year-end favourite.

So there we have it, my week in music. They are all good albums, but if I had to choose a favourite, it would probably be The Hunt And Other Songs Of Labrador.

March 2

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Another fine week of fine music gracing my ears. Some familiar faces that you may recognize and no fresh music this week.

Kate & Anna McGarrigle Pronto Monto

Kate & Anna McGarrigle love over and over

Sweet harmonizing with thoughtful lyrics. The McGarrigle sisters are a win-win. I need to get more of their music. No, I don’t; I need to listen again to the ones I already have.

McGuinn, Clark & Hillman McGuinn, Clark & Hillman

These are three talented men, but this album is barely palatable pop pulp. Next album, please.

Jethro Tull Aqualung

Aqualung is not pop music; it is hit-you-in-the-face rock and roll with a flute. Aqualung is very easy to consume. AllMusic gave it four and a half stars, and most of the initial reviews were positive. The album is generally lauded and viewed as a classic in retrospective reviews.

Aqualung is a classic in my music realm. I remember buying this album in 1973 and listening to it on my parents’ record player in the living room. Their reviews were harsh. Dad didn’t like any music that wasn’t country and western. ‘Nuff said. My mom is a protestant and protested vigorously about the religious imagery on the album. I bought headphones, and they didn’t critique my music again. Aqualung still gets played frequently. I plugged this one into the car and rock and rolled around the city for a week or two. Good music never gets old.

Bob & Doug McKenzie Great White North

Great White North was worth a chuckle or two. Some comedy doesn’t age very well. This album rides the middle of the road. You will probably find this amusing if you are already familiar with Bob & Doug McKenzie. Let me know how it fared with you if you had never heard of them before today.

Rod McKuen Greatest Hits Greatest

Rod McKuen delivers classic 1960s folk music. It’s not my jam; this should have stayed in the ’60s.

Murray McLauchlan Whispering Rain

Murray McLauchlan Only the Silence Remains

Forget Rod McKuen, Murray McLauchlan is a real folk singer. Maybe a bit more popish than folkish, but still a great entertainer who I would gladly buy a coffee to nurse while I listened to him sing. Perhaps best known for his hit single The Farmer’s Song, he also struck gold with Whispering Rain. Only the Silence Remains is a live album showcasing Murray McLauchlan’s talent as an entertainer. The instrumentation is scaled down to Murray on guitar and vocals and accompanied by Dennis Pendrith on bass guitar. I was fortunate to have heard Murry live, and it was a pleasant evening.

Men At Work Business As Usual

1982 is when this came out. I am sitting here listening to it with my foot tapping and loving it. Listening to this has been a pleasant walk down memory lane. Sure, it’s pop music, but it is well-made pop music. I liked it in 1982, and I like it today. “Who Can It Be Now?” is the opening salvo, and it hit me solidly. “Down Under” is probably a bar anthem in Australia; it is instantly recognizable here in their cousin country, Canada. Unfortunately, I don’t find side two as captivating as side one. Next album, please. Two days later, I am still listening to an earworm of “Who Can It Be Now?“

Bette Midler The Divine Miss M

Bette Midler Thighs and Whispers

I love her singing on these two albums, the only two I have featuring The Divine Miss M. Is it ironic that these are the only two?

Wikipedia: “The Divine Miss M reached the Top Ten on Billboard’s album chart and was later awarded a Platinum Disc by the RIAA. It featured three hit singles—”Do You Wanna Dance?”, “Friends”, and “Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy”—the third of which became Midler’s first No. 1 Adult Contemporary hit. In 1973, the album won Midler a Grammy Award for Best New Artist. “Do You Want to Dance?”, “Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy” and “Friends” were all Top 40 hit singles from the album, with “Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy” climbing to #8 on the Billboard Hot 100 and reaching #1 on Billboard‘s Adult Contemporary chart.”

Thighs and Whisper received mixed reviews from music critics, but most were lukewarm and garnered only two stars on AllMusic. But I liked it. I like both of these records, one that got rave reviews and another that barely caused a ripple, and I like both of them. Go figure, eh?

Mike + The Mechanics Mike + The Mechanics

Top ten music that never really revved up; it may be time to see a mechanic.

So, there you have my music for the last week. I will continue my trip through the alphabet this week and try to squeeze in some new tunes.

Feb 24 2025

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It has been a wild and crazy week in my music sphere. A bit of vintage and a bit of new music. I hope you enjoy music as much as I do.

Steve Martin – A Wild and Crazy Guy

Classic Steve Martin. I saw Steve Martin open for The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band in 1987 in The Northern Alberta Jubilee Auditorium. Forty years later, I saw The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band with my wife and son at the same venue. Alas, no, Steve Martin the second time. He didn’t get a very good response from the audience, with only sporadic laughter. I think he got to Edmonton a couple of years before Edmonton got into that kind of comedy. I enjoyed it. I guess I was ahead of the curve.

Mashmakan – Mashmakan

1970, it’s hard to grasp that this album was released over 50 years ago. I have enjoyed it at least 55 times. I remember hearing the song, As the Years Go By, on the radio. It was a massive hit for them, with over 100,000 copies sold in Canada, 500,000 copies in the United States, and over 1,000,000 in Japan. After releasing three tracks from their self-titled album, Mashmakan released this album, and it had a more subdued response than the singles had generated. It garnered a better response from the critics, AllMusic critic Lindsay Planer stated that Mashmakhan blended “intricate progressive rock” and “resilient jazz fusion-inspired rhythms” and that Mashmakhan “consistently came up with brilliant material, rivalling many of their American contemporaries. Allmusic gave the album a solid 4 out of 5 stars. I do believe I will provide it with the same score.

Nick Mason – Nick Mason’s Fictitious Sports

I have the solo albums of all four of the members of Pink Floyd, but for some reason, I have a sentimental feeling about this album. Mason was less bombastic than Gilmour or Waters, and I gravitate towards that, being a reasonably calm person myself. The album was recorded outside of Pink Floyd, which was self-destructing. The band released The Wall in 1979, the end of Pink Floyd as a band. Everything that Pink Floyd released later than that is scavenged from the cutting room floor. Nick Mason’s Fictitious Sports was recorded in October 1979, but its release was delayed for almost two years. From out of the ashes of Pink Floyd, Nick Mason brought together an impressive list of collaborators, including Carla Bley, who wrote all of the songs.

The opening salvo from Nick Mason’s Fictitious Sports reminds me of King Crimson. The opening track, Can’t Get My Motor to Start, slides away from that into a rambling trip. The presence of Carla Bley is undeniable; it has a definite jazz feel to it. I had to listen to it thrice while writing this blog to let the music settle in. Subtle nuances could be easily missed on a more casual listen.

I quite enjoy this album; it is not Pink Floyd. It is Nick Mason’s album. None of the other Floyd band members contributed to making Nick Mason’s Fictitious Sports.

Pink Floyd A Saucerful of Secrets

Nick Mason’s Saucerful of Secrets Live at the Roundhouse

I had to listen to the Pink Floyd version to give me an anchor point for the Nick Mason version of the two songs on this extended single featuring “See Emily Play” and “Vegetable Man.” In all honesty, I can add this to the Floyd albums within my album collection, but it does not reside in any place near the top. The Pink Floyd album is a better listening experience for me. Sorry, Nick, but Fictitious Sports and the original A Saucerful of Secrets trump this recording.

BLOKE – Living Without Expectations

“It promises to be a bold statement from a band unafraid to challenge conventional musical and social boundaries.” –  MYSTIC SONS

The wait is finally over for fans of the experimental noise-rock collective BLOKE, fronted by German artist Jakob Buraczewsk.

In a world oversaturated with predictable sounds, BLOKE emerges from the shadows with a sonic assault that defies categorization. Drawing inspiration from two legendary acts I enjoy, Spacemen 3 and Black Rebel Motorcycle Club.The London/Berlin outfit has delivered a masterclass in controlled chaos, where waves of psychedelia crash against jagged post-punk rhythms and Krautrock persistence. Serving as more than just a collection of songs, their debut EP emerges as a carefully orchestrated soundscape that reflects society’s collective response to recent global events. 

“The project primarily revolves around my personal experiences in creating music and art and contemplates the struggle of being human in the 21st century.” lead singer Jakob Buraczewski adds. “Ultimately, it represents a journey of self-discovery and artistic growth, allowing me to express my thoughts and emotions more freely. I hope that listeners can connect with these themes and find their own reflections within the music.”

Born in the intimate confines of a home studio and meticulously refined professionally, each instrument on Living Without Expectations was carefully re-recorded to achieve the perfect balance of raw energy and polished production.

“It’s a process filled with passion and dedication, where every note matters and every sound contributes to creating something truly special,” says Jakob. The result is a cohesive sonic experience where feedback becomes an instrument of its own, developed through countless live performances and studio experimentation. 

While already released singles’ Money Says’ and ‘Up Tight’ tackle broader political and social landscapes, the EP’s standout track ‘Tomorrow’ delves into more intimate territory. Here, the band explore how past relationships shape our perception of reality, weaving through the hazy fabric of memory. The song reflects how we reconstruct our personal histories, even as time distorts the details. In contrast to the EP’s more outward-looking tracks, ‘Tomorrow‘ captures that universal experience of how memories of lost love continue to echo through our lives, bending and reshaping our understanding of what once was. “Initially, the sound of the track may come across as repetitive, but it is merely building momentum.” Jakob expands, “When it finally bursts into life with the roar of distorted guitars, the effect is truly poignant. This dramatic peak is made even more powerful by the soulful sound of a harmonica, highlighting the deep emotions in the music.”

Straddling the pulsing underground scenes of London and Berlin, BLOKE has emerged as a formidable force in contemporary psych rock. At the helm is German artist Jakob Buraczewski, whose five-year immersion in London’s alternative underbelly has shaped the project’s distinctive sound – a blistering fusion of Krautrock’s hypnotic rhythms, psychedelic textures, and raw garage punk. The band’s reputation for electrifying live performances has earned them spots alongside underground heavyweights like Helicon and Verstärker (Fuzz Club), Data Animal (Dedstrange), Body Horror (Permanent Creeps), and The Shadracks (Sub Pop).

I love this album. It has just the right amount of noise to keep it raw. It has just the right amount of originality to keep it fresh. This album brought the term controlled chaos to my mind. Within the apparent randomness of chaos, Jakob has crafted underlying patterns that create interconnection between and within songs. He uses repetition, similarity, and self-organization to build the songs. “Initially, the sound of the track (Tommorow) may come across as repetitive, but it is merely building momentum.” Jakob

And build momentum, this EP does very, very well. By the time the last strains of Tomorrow fade, I will be hitting repeat to keep the momentum flowing. I will close this discourse with the quote that started it. 

“It promises to be a bold statement from a band unafraid to challenge conventional musical and social boundaries.” –  MYSTIC SONS

It fulfills that promise boldly and courageously.

Living Without Expectations is available across all streaming platforms and in cool cassette and record formats for oldtimers like me who like physical copies.

DISCOVER BLOKE 

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Tonzonen Records/Cargo Records

Mystic Sons

BARK PR

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For all press enquiries, please contact james@barkpr.co.uk or Charlotte@barkpr.co.uk For all press enquiries, please contact james@barkpr.co.uk or Charlotte@barkpr.co.uk 

February 15, 2025

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I had a good listening week. One new artist, new to me anyhow, and some Bob Marley and the Wailers.

Jumping right in, I have been listening to a group that goes by the name Bloke. I wonder what kind of a bloke they are. I get the feeling that they would be a couple of nice blokes. I have to give their new album Living Without Expectations more time to marinate in my brain. First and second impressions are good so I look forward to a more focused listen. Stay tuned.

The Mamas & The Papas 20 Greatest Hits

I nominate this album for the Golden Earworm of the Year Award. This collection of sing-a-long classics has 20 great songs. I sang along to most of them. And I got earworms from most of them, which made for interesting times as they jousted for playing time. Appropriate for Valentine’s Day, “Dedicated To The One I Love” has been the earworm of the day. Just look at these songs. If you are of a certain age, these were the songs we heard on the radio and most likely bought at the record store. Interestingly, The Hudson’s Bay store in Grande Cache is where I purchased my first Mama’s and Papa’s record, if memory serves me well (Bob Dylan & The Band, This Wheels on Fire from The Basement Tapes). What my memory does serve me well is that these songs have been a staple of my listening pleasure for a long time. Just look at the line-up of songs on this album. I can’t help but sing along as I peruse this list of songs.

A1 California Dreamin’ 2:39

A2 Dedicated To The One I Love 2:05

A3 I Call Your Name 2:18

A4 12:30 (Young Girls Are Coming To The Canyon) 2:47

A5 Creeque Alley 2:48

A6 Dancing In The Street 3:47

A7 For The Love Of Ivy 3:49

A8 Go Where You Wanna Go 2:26

A9 My Girl 3:35

A10 Look Through My Window 3:05

B1 Monday Monday 3:12

B2 Words Of Love 2:13

B3 Twist & Shout 2:45

B4 I Saw Her Again Last Night 2:50

B5 Dream A Little Dream Of Me 3:24

B6 People Like Us 3:23

B7 You Baby 2:15

B8 Got A Feeling 4:01

B9 Trip, Stumble & Fall 2:35

B10 Straight Shooter 3:10

Manhattan Transfer Extensions

Vocal jazz, pop fusion, and even a touch of disco are featured in this album. This album’s most widely known song, “Birdland” by Weather Report, won the Best Jazz Fusion Performance Grammy Award in 1981.  Jon Hendricks wrote lyrics for the vocalese version on the album, and Janis Siegel received a Grammy for her vocal arrangement of “Birdland.”

Extensions as an album is an extension of Manhattan Transfer as they entered a new era for the group. Extensions was the first album with Cheryl Bentyne, who replaced Laurel Massé in early 1979. It was also their first album with Jay Graydon in the producer’s chair and their first to contain songs that were hits in both the jazz and pop categories. The song “Twilight Zone/Twilight Tone” reached No. 4 on the Billboard Disco chart and No. 30 on the Hot 100. “Trickle, Trickle” reached No. 73 on the Hot 100. The album reached No. 55 on the Billboard Top LPs chart. This album is also a good place to start if you are new to Manhatan Transfer.

Darrel Mansfield The Vision

Darrell Mansfield is an American vocalist, harmonica player, songwriter, recording artist, and performer of various genres, including gospel, contemporary Christian music, blues, blues rock, rock, country rock, and soul/R&B. He is considered a pioneer of the Jesus Music movement of the 1970s and has influenced countless contemporary Christian music and mainstream artists.Darrell Mansfield is good at what he does on this album, which is pretty much straight-up gospel music. Both Christians and the rest of humanity can enjoy a decent album.

Crank up the volume and get ready for some rocking and rolling. Bloke showed up in my inbox labelled as a psych/rock band. I can’t argue with that assessment.

Henry Mancini The Pink Panther

This is classic Mancini, which is another way to say that this album is good to listen to from start to finish. And it’s always fun to hear the instantly recognizable Pink Panther theme song.

Herbie Mann The Best of Herbie Mann

I was busy and distracted while I played this album. That did not stop me from enjoying the album, I had to stop several times just to let the music unfold in my brain. This is an excellent overview of Herbie’s recordings and an excellent introduction if you are new to his music.

Machiavel Urban Games & Breakout

I drew a blank when I pulled the Urban Games album from the library. I did not remember owning this album, let alone listening to it. I pulled it up on Discogs and discovered that I not only had this album, which was released in 1979, but I also had another, Break Out, from 1981. Urban Games didn’t do much for me musically, even though Wikipedia tells me that Urban Games was probably the band’s most successful album. It attempted to move away from the Eurock style and proposed songs leaning on disco (“Dancing Heroes”), hard rock (“The Dictators”), reggae (“Over the Hill”), and Eurock still (“City Flowers”). The album Break Out, produced by Derek Laurence in 1981, did not succeed like Urban Games. I like the Break Out album more than Urban Games. Break Out is more cohesive and consistent, with the band taking a harder rocking approach on the album, moving away from their early sound, which was more synth/psych. The vocals have the swagger and edgy growl that seals the harder, rockier sound they play on Breakout, compared to Urban Games. All in all, these two albums gave me a pleasant listening experience.

The remainder of my week was spent with Bob Marley and the Wailers.

Gold 

Burnin’

Exodus

Legend

Each of these four albums could be called a greatest hits record; two are a collection of hits, Gold and Legend, and the other two, while original, are loaded with songs that should be on greatest hits lists. I listened to these albums in the above order and felt sad when the last song on Legend finished. I have to return to Jamaica and score some of his early stuff. I got my groove on listening to these four albums. I can’t pick the best album from these contenders. I can’t pick one song that moved me (physically or emotionally) more than any other song. Bob Marley and the Wailers have a unique spot in music history. They had a massive role in what was to become a new genre of music, reggae. There were hints of what would become reggae in the island’s skiffle music, rocksteady, and ska by bands such as Toots and the Maytals. Still, Bob Marley and the Wailers put Jamaican music, reggae, on the music map in the same way that The Beatles popularized what was to become rock and roll. It is rare for one person or one group to have such an influence on the future of music.

Bob Marley and the Wailers did that, and their influence can be heard in the reggae music of today’s top artists. It’s hard to imagine rap or hip hop without the influence of Bob Marley and the Wailers. Countless bands and solo artists have recorded their take on the music of Bob Marley and the Wailers. Eric Clapton did his take on I Shot The Sheriff. It peaked at number one on the Billboard Hot 100 and was Claptons only number one in the US. In 2003, Clapton’s version was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame. The influence of reggae can be heard in the music of bands such as The Clash and UB40, as well as in popular culture in movies and novels.

Pardon my rabbit trail. I get on with something I like as much as the Marley music I just listened to and can write page after page. I will no longer detain you on Bob Marley and the Wailers; go out, buy their records, and enjoy their music.

Feb 10/2025

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What follows is Norman’s musical musings for the week of February 4 to 10. Happy listening to all and a good listen to all.

The Norman Luboff Choir – Songs of the British Isles

Songs of the British Isles is the first disc for this week’s listening enjoyment. It is a mellow chill album that Discogs calls folk world and country. It is folk for sure; no brainer on that genre, folks. The world is less certain, but The British Isles are part of this world, so that works. Country? Britain is a country, but this is not the country music I listen to, i.e. Corb Lund. It is about a country, Britain. It is a surprisingly enjoyable album I had forgotten about, but I am glad to rediscover it.

Keith Lyn – Keith Lyn Sings Love Ballads

Keith Lyn Sings Love Ballads is an interesting album from my father-in-law, who brought it here from Jamaica. This album is listed as folk and world music in Discogs; I would label it lounge music. Other than Keith Lyn’s obsession with time, there isn’t much to say about this record. I will cherish it because I had a good relationship with Pops.

The Luminaires – Cleopatra

I very clearly remember buying this album. A fellow vinyl lover tipped me off that a local clothing clearance store had boxes of records for sale dirt cheap. My brother was visiting from Vancouver, so the two of us jumped in my car, and off we went. They did have records for sale; the problem was the lack of titles that I would buy. I did find this Luminaires album with a 4.99 price tag; it came home with me. There is something about the plaintive voice of Wesley Schultz and the intimacy of the songs that pull me into the music of the Luminaires.

I have only listened to two Luminaires albums, Cleopatra and III, but my oh my, what a pair they make. Cleopatra is not a story album. However, the band took five songs from this album and created a video. The Ballad of Cleopatra is a compilation of the story in the music videos for Ophelia, Cleopatra, Sleep on the Floor, Angela and My Eyes, all songs from the album Cleopatra.

The music in this album is subtle; it doesn’t slap you in the face, but if you listen to it, there is a strength therein that augments the lyrics. I can not casually listen to these two albums. They demand that I pay attention. I listen to the music; what is it saying? What instruments are playing? How does the music work with the lyrics? Etc. I can not casually listen to Luminaire’s albums. They are top-notch listening experiences for me. They have good lyrics that move beyond the tragic love trilogy, love found, love lives, and love lost. There are stories in these songs. Some of the stories are self-contained. Some of the stories spill out and mingle with other songs. i.e. The Ballad of Cleopatra. Other songs support the cohesion of the album. I like this album, but not as much as I like their next release, III.

The third album from the Luminaire’s is the tale of three members of a dysfunctional family struggling with addiction. I struggled with addiction for many years of my life. My Dad and extended family on both sides lived in addictive lives. I was clean and sober for 15 years, and then, for my 16th birthday, I got blind drunk and maintained that pace for 20 years. And then, on May 11th, 1989, a date seared into the fabric of my soul, I quit drinking and drugging. That went amazingly smoothly; however, it was a brutal fight to quit smoking, but that eventually happened and stuck. I still drink coffee. I say all that to show how this album speaks to me on multiple levels.

The songs are often difficult pills to swallow as they tell the stories of this family and the addition that flows generational. The album was supported by a 44-minute visual accompaniment written by Schultz with director Kevin Phillips. The film follows three generations of the working-class Sparks family as they struggle with addiction and dysfunction in the Northeastern United States. The third album from the Luminaire’s III, is a powerful album; I recommend it with five out of five stars. It is well-scripted, well-played and well-told. I add a special invite to this album for anyone struggling with addiction, be it a family member or yourself, clean or sober. While I doubt it will trigger a relapse, it undoubtedly carries a strong message about addiction and how it flows from one generation to the next. My favourite line from this album comes in the first song, Donna: “Your mother never was one.”

That brings us to the end of the letter L in our journey through the vinyl world of Norman. Next up is, it goes without saying, is the letter M. If it goes without saying why did I say it? I look forward to some exciting music in the M catalogue.

But first, we have some new music that I just scored.

Gram Parsons GP/Grievous Angel

I heard this playing in Record Collectors Paradise and liked it so much I bought it. I played it through when I got home, but it will need another listen to soak in some of the nuances because a lot is happening between the grooves.

Humble Pie – Rockin’ The Fillmore

I must have bought this album in the late 1970s, and one song off the album seared a memory node in my skull. That song is Walk On Gilded Splinters.

“I Walk on Gilded Splinters,” originally written and recorded by Dr. John, is often interpreted as walking on something seemingly beautiful or valuable on the surface but is actually painful and dangerous, like walking on sharp pieces of gold; it’s a metaphor for navigating a treacherous situation that appears glamorous or alluring on the outside, with the “gilded splinters” representing hidden dangers or pitfalls. Walking on gilded splinters can be seen as navigating a life where external appearances can be deceiving, and one must be careful not to be fooled by superficial beauty. 

I don’t know why I remembered this song from a two-disc set. I just now listened to the whole album; it is decent music. But, it is not an album I will be pulling out to listen to frequently, but occasionally, when the gilded splinters poke me as I walk over them.

Mad At The World – Mad at the World

Mad at the World is Christian synth-pop from 1987, it should have stayed there. I liked the cover art more than the music.

Taj Mahal – The Real Thing

I can remember the first time I listened to this album. Clear as a bell, I will share the back story if you don’t mind. It was about 1980, and I had just arrived in Edmonton to start a new job. I got the job, but I needed a place to crash until I had enough money to rent my own place. I stayed (overstaying?) with my cousin and his wife. I had left most of my belongings at my parent’s in Red Deer, including my albums and stereo. So I bought a cheap portable record player, a small suitcase type, and a set of cheap headphones. I cut the speaker wires in the player, cut the plug end off of the headphones and spliced the wires together so I could listen to music without bothering anyone else. Or so I thought. It was Friday, and I had retired to my bedroom with a dozen beer and a couple of new records. 

I was into the box several beers and listening to one of the new albums, The Real Thing by Taj Mahal, when I heard some shouting. It came from my cousin’s wife. She was ranting about how the scratching noise from my record player was driving her crazy, and she wanted me to move out ASAP! I then heard her bedroom door close with a mighty slam. I was shocked by how good her hearing must be to hear the noise that a record needle makes without any amplification. I lifted said needle out of the groove and pondered the situation. While I was pondering, I had to take a whiz, I never did have a good bladder. As I walked back to my bedroom, my cousin’s wife’s best friend, who had been visiting, asked me if she could talk to me. She was attractive, and I had enough beer in me to lower my inhibitions, so I complied. She then told me that I had to move out because my cousin and his wife wanted the room I was in for the baby that they were expecting. I told her this was news to me, but I was ok with that and told her I would move out by the end of the month when I got paid. And that is how I came to have Taj Mahal’s album, The Real Thing, seared into my memory.

I listened to some other Taj Mahal albums this week. My favourite is Recycling the Blues & Other Related Stuff, but they were all a good listen.

I was shocked to realize how long it had been since his albums had graced my turntable. I really must try to visit some of these albums more frequently.

I know what the problem is. When I had 50, or even a hundred albums, I would flip through them trying to find something to listen to, and my fingers would alight upon Recycling the Blues & Other Related Stuff, and I would listen to it. I now have about 1500 vinyl albums and don’t flip through them, so I embarked on my quest to listen to every album, starting with ABBA. I am just getting into M this week, so it was a pleasure to listen to my humble collection of Taj Mahal records.

I also realized that all of my Taj Mahal records are from the first 6 years of his recording career, from 1968 to 1974, and I do not have any of his CDs. Weird!

Taj Mahal The Real Thing

Taj Mahal Giant Step/De Old Folks At Home

Taj Mahal The Natch’l Blues

Taj Mahal Oooh, So Good’ N Blues

Taj Mahal Recycling the Blues & Other Related Stuff

Taj Mahal Mo’ Roots

February 3

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February, time flies, 1/12 of the year is gone. What do I have to show for it? I have a new turntable and speakers. I cleaned my office desk and moved things around a bit. I volunteered for a couple of hours at RCP and took 2 new CDs home. I was happy to find a sealed copy of the LSU album Wakin’ Up The Dead. The other was a near-mint copy of the Van Der Graaf Generator album Still Life on CD. I have continued my odyssey through our vinyl collection and have nearly made it out of the letter L. I’ve also received some good music from Big Stir Records, Shameless Promotions, BARK and Mystic Sons PR to review. Yeah, it’s been a good start to the year.

What follows is a blend of my writing and the press release from Big Stir Records for the album Parting Is Such Sweet Sorrow by the band Sorrows

From Big Stir Records, I have been listening to the album Parting Is Such Sweet Sorrow by the band Sorrows. This album was recorded in one night back in 1981. There is an interesting backstory to this album. Feeling angry and alienated by their label and the label’s lack of support and empathy for their work, the band took those emotions into the studio and recorded this album in one all-night session. The raw emotions come pulsating from the speakers as the band vents and rage with their voices and music. While the album certainly has a 1981 vibe to the punk and post/punk era it was created in, the new mixing brings a fresh appeal to an already exciting recording session.

From the opening salvo of the song Never Mind with the power of the lyrics, “Never mind, never mind, never mind, just leave me alone!” we get a taste of the energy in that recording studio. From the Rolling Stones, Sorrows, borrow “Have You Seen Your Mother, Baby, Standing In The Shadow?” and give an already great song a fresh energy boost.

This is not the only song with a retro vibe and shows the influence of other bands from that era. Ricky Street tells us that “What A Good Boy” is clearly inspired by my love of early Who records. I did my best to craft a lyric that felt in keeping with the kind of modtastic feeling their records possessed at the time. While the music is all mine, I also owe a lot to Joe and Arthur for channelling Pete Townshend and really bringing it home.”

The story of Sorrows – Arthur Alexander (vocals, guitar), Joey Cola (vocals, guitar), Ricky Street (vocals, bass) and Jet Harris (drums) – is breathtakingly brief. Still, it has taken nearly five decades to play out. Rising from the ashes of the revered Popees in the late ’70s, they were blending hooks and harmonies with punk rock energy on stages like CBGB and Max’s Kansas City just as the new wave and power pop sounds were about to break through to the mainstream. Their 1980 debut, Teenage Heartbreak, showed what they could do, and the timing was right for a follow-up to catapult them to the same stages as The Cars, The Knack, and Cheap Trick or earn a place among the genre-defining likes of 20/20 and The Plimsouls. History and the band’s label had other ideas, and the 1981 debacle of their overproduced-against-the-band’s-will second album nearly ended the band. A wave of defiant anger and an undimmed gift for pop songcraft fueled the band’s writing and onstage energy for a time before their ultimate breakup. Still, that final phase of Sorrows and a clutch of terrific unreleased songs seemed lost to the back pages of rock history.

Things began to change forty years later as, on the opposite coast in LA, the band’s Arthur Alexander found himself back in the game as a solo performer with his acclaimed albums One Bar Left and … Steppin’ Out! (and his relentless live shows with Arthur Alexander Band) picking up right where he’d left off. But Arthur and his Sorrows bandmates had been pursuing the rights to the material on the ill-fated Love Too Late album all along, and finally, having secured them (as well as the session masters), recreated the album as they had envisioned it, leading to the surprise 2021 release of Love Too Late… the real album. Much to the delight of fans old and new (and critics worldwide), it was a revelation. The record was set straight, and it was clear to everyone who listened that Sorrows should have been huge.

But the story wasn’t complete then, any more than it had been in 1981, and we flashback to that year to tell the tale of the final chapter, now soon to be heard in all its raucous splendour on the aptly-titled Parting Is Such Sweet Sorrow. Because our heroes, stung by the label interference that had tried (and failed) to remake their music into bland Top 40 fodder, had retrenched to a sound that was, if anything, a more raw and powerful brand of rock and roll than ever before. It’s crystal clear that the experience had given them something to prove, and you can hear that immediately when the lead track “Never Mind” comes blasting out of your speakers, with Alexander defiantly declaring, “Never mind, never mind, never mind, just leave me alone! Never mind, never mind, never mind, I’ll work it out on my own!” It’s well-earned fury at the music industry’s machinations and thus as relevant now as then. Still, as the album progresses, you can hear that same fire fueling all of Arthur’s originals. There are seven undiscovered gems from his pen, including the single “Out Of My Head,” the heartfelt, in-the-moment elegy for John Lennon’s “Cricket Man,” the rockabilly-infused scorcher “Let Me Know,” the revved-up Buddy Holly tribute “Kiss You Later” and the intense drivin’ song, “Too Much Love” which he describes as “classic Sorrows.”

But Parting Is Such Sweet Sorrow is the band’s album and a singular and cohesive record. Far from a posthumous collection of outtakes or leftovers, it’s a document of its time and was created on purpose in one night in 1981. The band, still stalking the stages of NYC while smarting from their treatment on the Love Too Late album and feeling a need to reclaim their identity, reconnected with Mark Milchman, who’d co-produced their debut, and booked into the iconic Mediasound Studios where their initial magic was born, for an all-night marathon session. “We just wanted to play a bunch of new songs we had been working on and rock the demons out of our system,” recalls Arthur. “We went in late in the evening, set up our amps, drums and mics in the middle of Studio A – ‘The Church’ – all out in the open as if we were on stage, then we plugged in and just let ‘er rip! By the time we left the studio, the sun was up, and we had our next album!”

In addition to capturing the band firing on all cylinders as a performing unit, the session yielded terrific new originals from Ricky Street (“What A Good Boy,” “Just One Fool To Blame,” and “Love Ain’t Nothing (Without You)”) and Joey Cola (“That’s Your Problem”), heard here for the first time. And the covers show the band uniting in their mutual love for the music that inspired them. Their takes on classics by The Rolling Stones and Eddie Cochran are jaw-dropping one-take wonders that could only be delivered by a band with something to prove. The closing cover of The Pirate’s “You Don’t Own Me” is absolutely blistering (and, given what Sorrows had just been through, perhaps the record’s definitive statement of purpose).

Parting Is Such Sweet Sorrow is a miracle on more than one level. It’s too inspired and rambunctious to be bittersweet, but it might be the album the band was meant to create from the beginning. “When I started this band, part of my musical vision was of a band juxtaposing a bit of a ‘down,’ melancholic vibe, with an uplifting, relentless, kick-your-teeth-in drive, energy and aggression,” recalls Arthur. And while he, Joey, Ricky and Jett might have wished the tale would end differently, the magic preserved here is a pure realization of that vision. It’s a monster of a swan song, and Arthur’s 21st-century mix of this nothing-to-lose, go-for-broke 1981 session packs more punch than any record label would have countenanced at the time of its recording. It’s sweet indeed, and at long last, Sorrows can lay claim to a trilogy of albums worthy of their talents and a legacy that will resonate for many, many years to come.

The album sees release at last on February 28 on Vinyl, CD and Streaming and is up for pre-order/pre-save now:

BIG STIR RECORDS

Burbank, CA / Distributed Worldwide

Copyright © 2024 Big Stir Records

All Rights Reserved.

Design © Big Stir Records

Next up, we have the UK synthpop duo Dragon Welding presents ‘We Dance Among You,’ the second offering from ‘The Naughty Step’ album, out February 28 via Dimple Discs. This insanity is captured in a dynamic ‘stop-start’ animation. Dragon Welding was founded by Andrew Golding of UK indie noise-pop legends The Wolfhounds, who shares, “The next generations of people will look back at our generation in absolute horror. It’s about those hiding amongst us in plain sight. Profit over the planet every time with a complete disregard for the next generations…” 

Bandcamp  https://dimplediscdragonwelding.bandcamp.com/track/we-dance-among-you

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=waTKLSwzfMA

I watched the video, which is rare for me. I am not an alumnus of early MTV. I was captivated by the video and the music. So, I listened to the whole album. It is good, and I can see why it might encourage us to dance.

‘We Dance Among You’ is out now via  Bandcamp.  ‘The Naughty Step’ album, set for release on February 28, is now available for pre-order. Vinyl and CDs will be available from Rough Trade, Amazon and Resident Records.

‘The Naughty Step’ album pre-order  https://orcd.co/dragonweldingnaughtystep
Vinyl & CD pre-order  https://www.amazon.co.uk/Naughty-Step-Dragon-Welding/dp/B0DSPH4N5N
Get tickets  https://wegottickets.com/event/645621

Publicity by Shameless Promotion PR

On My Turntable

Spacemen 3 – A Perfect Prescription

A Perfect Prescription is a perfect trance/psychedelic/drone music album. I found Spacemen 3 through the band Spiritualized, started by band member Peter Kember after Spacemen 3 disbanded. I listened to this album twice a couple of days apart, and each listen revealed more details to me. They only recorded four albums over the space of five years while they were a band. I also have Playing With Fire and their live album, Performance. I will start shopping for their other two studio albums. I also have the Spiritualized album, And Nothing Hurt, which is also an excellent album that we will experience when we reach “S.”

Lulu Belle and Scotty – Down Memory Lane

Down Memory Lane is what Country & Western music sounded like before it got gentrified and became pop music in 4/4 time. I grew up listening to my Dad play music like this with nothing but his voice and his guitar. We lost his voice in 1999. I have his guitar hanging on the wall in my office.

Jimmie Lunceford Blues In The Night Vol. 4

Vintage jazz/blues/swing fusion album. Jimmie Lunceford was active in the music scene in the 1930s and 40s. While only attaining modest sales of his records and a reputation for underpaying his band, Jimmie Lunceford never broke through to the level of success of other bands like Duke Ellington and Tommy Dorsey. This album is still a good listen and a history lesson on what the big bands played 100 years ago.

Led Zeppelin Physical Graffiti

I have tried several times over the years to really ‘get’ Led Zeppelin. To this day, it has not happened. I listened to this in my car for about a month. It is two discs, and I still don’t get LeZep. Moving on…

Corb Lund Losin’ Lately Gambler

Corb Lund Cabin Fever

Corb Lund Counterfeit Blues

Corb Lund Things That Can’t Be Undone

Where to begin writing about Corb Lund and his music? I was introduced to the man and his music when he did a couple of live shows as part of a free festival downtown. I was working in the Herb Jamieson and a couple of my co-workers got excited about it and went to watch him. I had the next day off, so I went downtown with my family to catch his show. I immediately heard why my co-workers liked him. He played music that resonated with my “Hurtin’ Albertan” core. I have been to numerous shows featuring Corb Lund since then.

Corb Lund started his music career fresh out of Grant MacEwan College, studying jazz guitar and bass. Lund and three of his classmates formed the hard rock/metal band The Smalls in 1989. They toured hard and released four albums plus one compilation over their time together. Noted for technical ability, speed guitar attack of Dug Bevansand arching vocal style of lead singer Mike Caldwell, whose wide vocal range is well showcased in the band’s cover of Natural Woman as it appeared on their last release, My Dear Little Angle. Caldwell was known for his considerable vocal skills, unassuming stage manner, and refusal to banter with audiences. Corb Lund is more recently known for his work with his roots and country project Corb Lund and the Hurtin’ Albertans. Lund formed his country trio, the Corb Lund Band, in 1995. He focused exclusively on Country and Western music when The Smallsbroke up in 2001. Digging into his roots in the farming communities of Taber, famous for their corn, Cardston and Rosemary, Lund found a voice in C/W that suited his voice and lyrics better than heavy metal had. He spends his downtime on his ranches between extensive tours and recording a dozen albums. I thoroughly enjoyed listening to the four vinyl albums that I have at hand. I have a couple more on CD that I will savour another day. I don’t want to overdose on Corb Lund’s music; I want to savour it.

All his albums are good in my world, but I mostly gravitated to Counterfeit Blues by Corb Lund and the Hurtin’ Albertans. Ranging from the sly humour of “Five Dollar Bill” and “Truck Got Stuck” to the redneck anthem “Roughest Neck Around,” Corb Lund hits the C/W sweet spot in his songs. There is no mistaking his country roots and his love of the rodeo life on songs like “Buckin’ Horse Rider” and “(Gonna) Shine Up My Boots.” It’s good music that even non-cowboys could enjoy, but the cowboy in me relishes music like Corb Lunds.

January 27, 2025

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It has been a very interesting week, very interesting indeed, but not super silly. I brought the week in with yet another shot of Bob Dylan, Empire Burlesque this time. That makes my twentieth Dylan album, and the time has come for a respite from Bob; too much of a good thing can be too much. However, I can’t part ways without mentioning my take on Empire Burlesque. I concur with the general reviews that this is an ’80s album; it has that feel. It is also eclectic, with a revolving door of talented accompanists, bringing a different taste to the album’s flavour. I won’t rate this album in the top echelon of Dylan albums, but it is still a pleasant listen and thus avoids the fate of Dylan’s self-titled 1973 album, banishment, never to be heard again.

Moving on, I listened to Resurrection Song by Mark Lowry—a shot of white Christian Bible belt church music. Just as popular music artists go on tours to take their messages to the masses, popular Christian artists also did that. They would go from town to town and church to church. The bigger the artist, the bigger the churches. Mark Lowry was of the Southern Baptist flavour and was an accidental comedian. As the backing tracks for his songs were set up and guitars tuned, he would do monologues that he noticed were bringing laughter to his routine. He began making that a staple of his shows and was quite good at it. Mark scored one mega-hit with the song “Mary, Did You Know?” I can remember a missionary that our church supported singing this song. It was a powerful performance. This album isn’t of that calibre, but as far as white Baptist singers go, this is par for the course.

Next, we have a different flavour of gospel music: black southern gospel, John Littleton Et The Clarence Jones Family, and Steel Away. This album seemed uneven to my ears and never really got a head of steam going, which is unfortunate because there is some excellent music to be heard on this album. I will do bin diving to find more from either of these two artist groups, John Littleton and The Clarence Jones Family.

K.O.G. Zone 6, Agege (feat. Franz Von & Gyedu-Blay). I have been listening to modern African jazz lately and enjoying what I hear. This album is more in the world music category but excellent in any genre. I’ve listened to it several times and am sure more spins will come.

Next in the queue, we have Nick Lowe. I have been listening to his music since his first solo album, Pure Pop For Now People. I am, in fact, listening to that album now. This album is titled “Jesus of Cool” in the UK and has some different tracks; check out Wikipedia for the long story. From his days in the band Brinsley Schwarz to playing bass in another band, Rockpile, Nick has had a stellar career and collaborated with some of music’s heavy hitters, including his once-upon-a-time wife, Carlene Carter.

I went on a binge with Nick Lowe this week: Pure Pop For Now People, Labour Of Lust, Nick the Knife, The Abominable Showman, Rose of England ( Nick Lowe and his Cowboy Outfit), Pinker and Prouder Than Previous, and closing with Love Starvation/Trombone/Tokyo Bay/Crying Inside.

These are only his solo albums, and I don’t have all of them. Elsewhere on our journey through the alphabet, we will encounter Nick in the records of Elvis Costello, Ian Gomm, Rockpile, Dave Edmunds and many others. Nick also produced albums for Dr. Feelgood, The Rumours and others and collaborated with Johnny Cash and a laundry list of others. Nick genuinely plays well with others. 

I listen to the first two albums by Nick Lowe most frequently, Pure Pop For Now People and Labour of Lust. Two album titles hint at the wordplay in Nick Lowe’s songs. These albums came out in 1978 and ’79, fertile years for New Wave music for which I was a sponge. Although he didn’t have a long list of top ten hits, he did chart a few times and a couple of heavy hitters written by Nick Lowe and covered by others charted. He is best known for the songs “Cruel to Be Kind” (a US top 40 single) and “I Love the Sound of Breaking Glass” (a top 10 UK hit), as well as his production work with Elvis Costello, Graham Parker, and others. Lowe also wrote “(What’s So Funny ‘Bout) Peace, Love, and Understanding,” a hit for Costello and “I Knew the Bride (When She Used to Rock ‘n’ Roll),” a hit for Rockpile bandmate Dave Edmunds.

Nick Lowes’s influence is impressive. Paraphrased from Wikipedia:

In 2011, The New York Times claimed: “The 40-year career of the English singer-songwriter Nick Lowe constitutes a paradox: the songs he has written are better known than he is.” Alex Turner of the Arctic Monkeys described Lowe as one of his favourite lyricists. In another interview, he said he was “blown away” and sent “back to square one” by Lowe’s songwriting.

Wilco covered the Nick Lowe song “I Love My Label” as the B-side to “I Might” (2011) on their dBpm label. Nick Lowe toured with Wilco for their album The Whole Love and made guest appearances on his “Cruel to Be Kind” and (along with Mavis Staples) appeared onstage for a cover of The Band‘s song “The Weight.” The quality of this video sucks, but it gives a hint of the power that occupied the stage that night. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9qn75TFZA5k&t=4s

So there we have it, a week dominated by Nick Lowe with brief interludes by others. Happy listening, and  “If the Good Lord’s Willing and the Creek Don’t Rise,” I look forward to exploring our musical journey again next week.