June/July reviews

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bhoywonder
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June/July reviews

Postby bhoywonder » 11 Jul 2016, 13:50

So with the arrival the other day of my mix, I remembered that I'd forgotten all about this, so if you're still waiting on a disc, you might have me to blame. Don't worry, I'm on it.

Anyway, I'm afraid to say I didn't like much of my mix this month. I do appreciate the effor that goes into this, and I don't like to sound negative, btu I just don't really get on with most of this sort of thing...

1. Punk rock. Sounds a bit like the theme to Friends, and for that reason, I’m out. I never liked punk, sorry, it just sounded like a bunch of old people being childish to me. The bit I did like was the guy who sounds like Jad Fair shouting things over the ending.
2. Some nice sounds on this. It’s got a nicely claustrophobic edge to the vocals, neat compression, I guess. The song doesn’t really do much for me, but they sound quite good at it nonetheless. If this was on the radio I wouldn’t change the station, but I wouldn’t turn it up either.
3. As opening lines go “Grandpa pissed his pants again” is right up there. It gets your attention. Sadly, for me, not in a good way. I don’t know what this song is, none of the elements seem to go together, nor do any of the parts give me any pleasure.
4. Oh look, I’m sorry but I can’t even listen to this. I hate everything about it.
5. I quite like the guitar sounds on this, but everything else kind of annoys me. Sorry.
6. This one feels unfinished to me. It feels like a working version of something, I kept waiting for it to kick in but it never did.
7. Seavy guitars, smashing of drums, unhappy singing, despite it being a “la la-la la” sort of thing. It must be tiring to have to play this. It’s not for me, thanks. I just don’t like that sort of thing.
8. This is a bit of a silly thing, a light relief from all that bashing. Seems a bit mean to make fun of Rick Astley for having a fat neck, mind. I don’t mind the odd comedy song, and this was better than the preceding tracks.
9. Sweet Soul Music by Arthur Conley, and how good to hear it! Cracking track, with some fine horns. Weird thing to write a song about, though, isn’t it? Can you imagine it working in any other genre?
10. This one’s quite pleasant. Reminds me a little of Josh Rouse, for some reason. Maybe the atmosphere. It’s very neat and tidy. Sounds like something from one of those films staring Zoey Deschanel, or whoever it is in those films. Cosy, cutesy. This is a cosy, cutesy track.
11. 3/4 time. So often one of my favourite time signatures. Lots of good songs in 3/4 time. This is one of those American singer-songwriters I never really paid much attention to. Ryan Adams or Elliot Smith or one of those guys. Feels a bit more produced and polished than it needs to be, but I quite like this. I’d need to hear it a lot more before I could decide how much, but it certainly makes me want to hear more.
12. Elvis Costello, isn’t it? I don’t get him. What is he? Why does he sing like that? Is it good? Doesn’t it give him a headache? I’m lost. I don’t know what to say about this, it’s inoffensive, I guess. It’s not unpleasant to have in my ears. I’ll tell you what he does do that I really like and that’s a good middle 8, and this is a belter. Comfortably the best part of the song. I guess that’s why he and McCartney wanted to work together.
13. Condition by Kenny Rogers. I actually first knew this song as covered by Supergrass. You ever hear their version? It’s great. But you’d struggle to spoil this, wouldn’t you? Did he ever do anything else that sounded this good? I’ve never thought to find out.
14. Good lord, whatever next? This sounds like the theme tune to a daytime TV show. Did you mean to put this on? I can’t think what would make anybody choose to listen to this. Is this the people who did that horrible Love Shack record? It has the same drum sound. Not for me.

So, um, yeah, well, thanks. I just didn’t really like much of this. But there’s a couple I’m interested in, especially number 11, and, you know, you probably won’t like anything I send you. But thanks all the same, you know?

I also received a bonus disc, featuring, alongside Hendrix and the Byrds, Rick Astley’s Never Gonna Give You Up and Julie Andrews singing My Favourite Things from the Sound of Music :lol:

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Re: June/July reviews

Postby The Fish » 16 Jul 2016, 21:30

This is why I find myself using the words "short" and "straw" when dishing out the mixes :D
As organiser and in the spirit of Mix Club I can appreciate your honesty, your mixer on the other hand.......
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Re: June/July reviews

Postby The Fish » 16 Jul 2016, 21:34

First of two disc I am reviewing this month, both coincidentally from Texas. I'll do them on first come forst served basis, so first up is La Minx.

1) Found this a bit dull on first listen, but I lke the "looseness of it and it has grown on me after further listens.
2)Well it's definitely The Days of Pearly Spencer, but it doesn't sound like the David McWilliams version or the Marc Almond. Probably one or the other or possibly of course someome else. Always great to hear the song whoever sings it.
3) I was put off initially by the glam rock artiness of this and hints of Bowie mannerisms but I grew to like way
it plods along in a catchy groove.
4) Liked the crunchy guitar intro, but then it descended into a bit of fretwankery and not a lot else ging on. Sorry this one just passed me by.
5) This is great of course, but then it was great the last time you included it on a mix to me, probably less than a year ago. I commented then that I hadn't got round to buying the album which I have
obviousy since rectfied. As it happens I've just finished reading Just Kids and M Train back to back, so now I have a new found love for this woman. She now seems more human. I love that in the UK she sits watching ITV rerunrs of Morse and Frost etc Just Kids is obviously the stronger of the two and I found it deeply moving in places.
6) The particlular song didn't quite do it for me, but it's the sort of thing I usually like, dark vocals murder ballad type thing, although I'll take Lanegan over Cave any day.
7) Sounds like Sinead O'Connor style of vocals. Quite lovely.
8) I'm sure I know the song. Bit of a Bobbie Gentry feel. Rather good.
9) I assumed to begin with you were feeling guilty over your "worst thing I've ever heard" comment on my last mix to you
and were giving me the chance to reciprocate. Starts with some horrible arty farty plinky plonkness, followed by some
airy fairy "a sneeze could blow it into the middle of next week" ambient nonsense. It just about redeems itself
though with part three, a not unpleasant mood piece in the vein of John Martyn's Small Hours

Thanks Anna
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Re: June/July reviews

Postby Mike Boom » 17 Jul 2016, 17:04

Great Mix, I really enjoyed every track except one - awesome to hear so much stuff I hadn’t heard before that was right up my personal musical street so to speak.

Track 1. Married Mans a Fool - I only know that cause he says so, in the introduction - but great blues by who I don’t know but basically the really deal.
Track 2. Sounds like the Beach Boys with someone else singing - Im a sucker for this stuff and this sounds great, love it.
Track 3. Some uptempo rock n roll - very Tom Petty - very good, some nice sounding guitar breaks
I am also a sucker for rainy day sound effects!!
Track 4. Gidday Mate ! One from the “Land of the Long White Cloud” - The Chills - Molten Gold - recent Chills still sounding great after all these years
Track 5. No idea who this is but its a fucking great slice of rock n roll - The Man with the Star on the Car . Love it
Track 6. This is a great bit of power pop, feel good sunny pop, and excellent tambourine would could be better - love it.
Track 7. Wow, this really knocked my socks off - fucking great Galveston kinda 70’s production grandeur and a great song, great vocal - killer.
Track 8. Elvis Costello - Turning the Town Red - the theme to a TV comedy about a Liverpool supporter that I never saw and can’t remember the name of. Not his greatest efforts but nice to hear, long time since Ive heard this.
Track 9. Chairman of the Board - Im On My Way To A Better Place - great lead vocal of course, and great song. Love it.
Track 10. Blue Nile - don’t know this song, but Im a big fan of Walk Across the Rooftops I must get some more their albums
Track 11. Dang , who is this ? Its almost the Go Betweens, almost Aztec Camera almost Orange Juice ? Felt ? Its great. One of my most favourite things in the world is a nice bit of guitar jangle .
Track 12. Beautiful - never heard before, don’t know who it is but I am now a fan. Its almost Kate and Anna Mcgarriglelish.
Track 13. More great power pop which I love - this is great.
Track 14. This sounds like XTC , it has that XTC chord change, but it doesn't really sound like Andy Partridge singing ? Its great though, I really like it, it sounds like an outtake off NONSUCH (a personal fave) or something.
Track 15. I love me a lot of Tom Waits but a lot of his really slow stuff just sounds mournful to me now, the only track on the mix I didn’t care for.
Track 16. This is really great. Lovely slice of killer soul , tambourine - check, horns - check, groove - check, great vocal - check - makes you want to dance - check.

So fantastic mix really, very interested to see the track list, pretty much loved it from start to finish and was full of stuff I hadnt heard but loved, so a big thanks to Paul.

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Re: June/July reviews

Postby The Fish » 17 Jul 2016, 18:35

Second disc frorm Texas from Mike Boom. Please excuse the sniffyness in the middle. I liked the tracks just fine but taken together it felt a bit like the mix was dozing off, Says more about my attention span than your tastes. Overall though I liked this a lot and the mix certainly finished strongly.

1) There's so much of this stuff around and I probably own most of it. Sometimes feels like you should buy this by weight - I'll take the new Dylan album, this soul comp oh and half a pound of female sunger songwriter please. That's not to say I don't like it. In fact I was all prepared to damn this with faint praise but I ended up liking it more on each listen. Rather good actually.
2) This though clearly stands out from the pile. The late great Laura, nuff said.
3) Still on the female singer songwriter but more rootsy. This is the stuff I gravitate more towards.
Car Wheels On A Gravel Road remains the benchmark for me, but this is just fine.
4) I've been buying a lot of Powerpop after the last 18 months, and i do mean a lot. Having dived in head first I pretty much love anything that follows this kind of template and this is no exception
5) I like the gentle lilt of the instrumental track here but the vocals are a bit thin and get a bit lost in the mix.
6) It's that vocal style again, thinnish that kind of sits over the instrumentation, A bit of a dirge but then I have tracks I love that could be thus described, so a description rather tha a critique. ACtually didn't mind this.
7) ...and again. Didn't mnd this either but I'm running out of things to say. All of this trio lack something that holds the attention (should of course read MY attention)
8) Not much wrong with the three tracks preceding but the mix was feeling like it was getting a bit bogged down, but track 8 to the rescue
A big bold catchy powerpop thrash. just 2:20 no welcomes outstayed here and no hidden depths. Great stuff.
9) ..and we're back in the room. I actually liked this more than the trio abve. More like genuine lo-fi.
10) The image I'm getting here is Jonathan Richman on helium with his balls in a vice !! Weird high picthed vocals (though more yelps of pain)
The song itself is plain dumb. Dumb however is good, from the aforementioned Mr Richman to The Ramones
there's a whole great world of dumb out there. Don't know if I'd call it enjoyable but it entertained for its duration
without any great desire to rewind to the start.
11) This was kind of underwhelmong but it does have a catchy simplicity and dumbness in the plus column.
12) A simple underplayed melody, well sung and rather gorgeous.
13) I'm a sucker for big ballady stuff and so I really dig the two Father John Misty albums. He takes that template and lifts ot t new places.
Indeed I was buying his albums when he was plain old J Tillman
14) This is great too. Love the delicate piano lines.
15) Fantatic electro chamber pop. Reminds of the band Stars, one of my favourite recent discoveries.
16) And the mix finishes strongly with two tracks I feel I should recognise. This s a sort of slightly overblown vocal with big arrangement but all the better for it (Think Whole of The Monn)
17) And a wonderful vocal here that start almost acapella with the merest hint of instrumentation and grows from there. A fine way to finish
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Re: June/July reviews

Postby The Fish » 17 Jul 2016, 19:34

Mike Boom wrote:Great Mix, I really enjoyed every track except one - awesome to hear so much stuff I hadn’t heard before that was right up my personal musical street so to speak.
THanks Gary. Glad you enjoyed it and welcome back to Mix Club

Track 1. Married Mans a Fool - I only know that cause he says so, in the introduction - but great blues by who I don’t know but basically the really deal.

I'll often but not always come up with an idea to "bookend" the mix somehow with two tracks somehow linked. Here the first and last are tracks covered by Ry Cooder which is where I first heard each, The original here is Blind WIllie McTell

Track 2. Sounds like the Beach Boys with someone else singing - Im a sucker for this stuff and this sounds great, love it.

Folkie Bill Fay who vanished for years after two great albums. This is what would have been the third released many years later.

Track 3. Some uptempo rock n roll - very Tom Petty - very good, some nice sounding guitar breaks
I am also a sucker for rainy day sound effects!!

Hiss Golden Messenger

Track 4. Gidday Mate ! One from the “Land of the Long White Cloud” - The Chills - Molten Gold - recent Chills still sounding great after all these years

Yes I was kind of forgetting the coals to Newcastle aspect of this one :lol: Been getting into a lot of Flying Nun stuff in the last year or so, which was something of a mistake as it's nearly all OOP and costs a fortune.

Track 5. No idea who this is but its a fucking great slice of rock n roll - The Man with the Star on the Car . Love it

Old potty mouth himself Andre Willimas here warning of the dangers of bootlegging

Track 6. This is a great bit of power pop, feel good sunny pop, and excellent tambourine would could be better - love it.

As I mentioned in the review of your disc I'm a sucker for a bit of Powerpop. THis is Swedish band The Merrymakers

Track 7. Wow, this really knocked my socks off - fucking great Galveston kinda 70’s production grandeur and a great song, great vocal - killer.

The band is called Rosebud which probably won't mean a lot. It is actually the band formed by Judy Henske and Jerry Yester, so this is basically what they did next after Farewell ALderbaran

Track 8. Elvis Costello - Turning the Town Red - the theme to a TV comedy about a Liverpool supporter that I never saw and can’t remember the name of. Not his greatest efforts but nice to hear, long time since Ive heard this.

The TV show is Scully. Found this just came into my head one day, so thought why not.

Track 9. Chairman of the Board - Im On My Way To A Better Place - great lead vocal of course, and great song. Love it.

A perennial Mix Club standby artist for me.

Track 10. Blue Nile - don’t know this song, but Im a big fan of Walk Across the Rooftops I must get some more their albums

THis is actually an outtake from the Deluxe edition of Walk ACross The Rooftops

Track 11. Dang , who is this ? Its almost the Go Betweens, almost Aztec Camera almost Orange Juice ? Felt ? Its great. One of my most favourite things in the world is a nice bit of guitar jangle .

Well I guess The Smiths were game changers all round and pretty much left everyone trailing in their wake, but this band were briefly back in the day kings of the jangle. The Railway Children

Track 12. Beautiful - never heard before, don’t know who it is but I am now a fan. Its almost Kate and Anna Mcgarriglelish.

REcent band Lanterns On The Lake

Track 13. More great power pop which I love - this is great.

This is something of a one off. This guy only made one album whidh is already OOP and commanding a price - Eugene Edwards

Track 14. This sounds like XTC , it has that XTC chord change, but it doesn't really sound like Andy Partridge singing ? Its great though, I really like it, it sounds like an outtake off NONSUCH (a personal fave) or something.

It is indeed Mr P from the Fuzzy Warbles series Recommended for any XTC fans. Loads of unreleased tracks which wouldn;t be out of place on anXTC album

Track 15. I love me a lot of Tom Waits but a lot of his really slow stuff just sounds mournful to me now, the only track on the mix I didn’t care for.

4 or 5 times I;ve put a track by The Bathers on a mix and every single time the recipient thinks it's Tom Waits.

Track 16. This is really great. Lovely slice of killer soul , tambourine - check, horns - check, groove - check, great vocal - check - makes you want to dance - check.

SEcond track later done by Ry Cooder. The original here is Howard Tate



1. Blind WIllie McTell - Married Man's A Fool
2. Bill Fay - Just A Moon
3. Hiss Golden Messenger - Super Blue (Ywo Days Clean)
4. The Chills - Molten Gold
5. Andre Williams - Car With THe Star
6. The Merrymakers - I Want To See You Dance Again
7. Rosebud - Roll Home Cheyenne
8. Elvis Costello - urning The Town Red
9. Chairmen Of The Board - I'm On My Way To A Better Place
10, The Blue Nile - St Catherine's Day
11, The Railway Children - Raiload SIde
12. Lamterns On The Lake - Send Me Home
13. Eugene Edwards - Your Own Nightmare
14. ANdy Partridge - I Gave My Suitcase Away
15. The Bathers - Delft
16. Howard Tate - Lok At Granny Run Run

So fantastic mix really, very interested to see the track list, pretty much loved it from start to finish and was full of stuff I hadnt heard but loved, so a big thanks to Paul.
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Re: June/July reviews

Postby Cosmic American Girl » 18 Jul 2016, 03:17

It's Great to be back in the mix club! :lol:


The Droste Effect was the theme of this disc. All songs have another song referenced somewhere and somehow within. The songs that were referenced is why you got the weirdly chosen and sequenced secondary bonus disc. For what it’s worth here is a run down of the disc(s).

1. Punk rock. Sounds a bit like the theme to Friends, and for that reason, I’m out. I never liked punk, sorry, it just sounded like a bunch of old people being childish to me. The bit I did like was the guy who sounds like Jad Fair shouting things over the ending.

This song is from The Barracudas, an English garage/surf band from the early 80’s. It is (I Wish It Could Be) 1965 Again and the song references many great 60’s songs. The referenced song I chose for the bonus disc was Kicks by Paul Revere And The Raiders.

2. Some nice sounds on this. It’s got a nicely claustrophobic edge to the vocals, neat compression, I guess. The song doesn’t really do much for me, but they sound quite good at it nonetheless. If this was on the radio I wouldn’t change the station, but I wouldn’t turn it up either.

The Jayhawks are one of my favorite bands and this song, Comeback Kids, is from their new album, Paging Mr. Proust. Quite a good album, produced by Peter Buck. In the song Gary Louris is reminiscing about a love and mentions dancing to Fox In The Snow.

3. As opening lines go “Grandpa pissed his pants again” is right up there. It gets your attention. Sadly, for me, not in a good way. I don’t know what this song is, none of the elements seem to go together, nor do any of the parts give me any pleasure.

Play It All Night Long is the mighty Warren Zevon. It was rather controversial when it was released because it was shortly after the plane crash that killed many members of Lynyrd Skynyrd and has the lyrics “Sweet Home Alabama” play that dead band’s song.

4. Oh look, I’m sorry but I can’t even listen to this. I hate everything about it.

This is Built To Spill with You Were Right. Doug Martch completely built the song around other songs lyrics.

5. I quite like the guitar sounds on this, but everything else kind of annoys me. Sorry.

The Way We Get By by Spoon from 2002’s Kill The Moonlight. The song has a line about making love to Some Weird Sin.

6. This one feels unfinished to me. It feels like a working version of something, I kept waiting for it to kick in but it never did.

Flip, Flop And Fly was the song mentioned in this Del Fuego’s song. They were a Boston band from the 80’s fronted by Dan Zanes, who now does a lot of children’s records.

7. Seavy guitars, smashing of drums, unhappy singing, despite it being a “la la-la la” sort of thing. It must be tiring to have to play this. It’s not for me, thanks. I just don’t like that sort of thing.

Another one of my favorite artists, Alejandro Escovedo. The album Real Animal is one he did in 2008. It was much more rock oriented, produced by Tony Visconti and co-written with Chuck Prophet. This song mentions Louie, Louie.

8. This is a bit of a silly thing, a light relief from all that bashing. Seems a bit mean to make fun of Rick Astley for having a fat neck, mind. I don’t mind the odd comedy song, and this was better than the preceding tracks.

Another one of my favorite artists and songs. All Men Are Liars by Nick Lowe. There is kind of a funny story with that one. He was actually inspired to write the song after watching some woman yelling about men being liars on the Oprah Winfrey Show. Astley happened to rhyme with ghastly. Still quite funny, though.

9. Sweet Soul Music by Arthur Conley, and how good to hear it! Cracking track, with some fine horns. Weird thing to write a song about, though, isn’t it? Can you imagine it working in any other genre?

A great song and another one that is just full of references to other great songs. For the extra disc i chose Going To A Go Go.

10. This one’s quite pleasant. Reminds me a little of Josh Rouse, for some reason. Maybe the atmosphere. It’s very neat and tidy. Sounds like something from one of those films staring Zoey Deschanel, or whoever it is in those films. Cosy, cutesy. This is a cosy, cutesy track.

It reminds you of Josh Rouse because it is. I absolutely love 1972! The song and the whole album. It casually mentions It’s Too Late.

11. 3/4 time. So often one of my favourite time signatures. Lots of good songs in 3/4 time. This is one of those American singer-songwriters I never really paid much attention to. Ryan Adams or Elliot Smith or one of those guys. Feels a bit more produced and polished than it needs to be, but I quite like this. I’d need to hear it a lot more before I could decide how much, but it certainly makes me want to hear more.

I’m glad there was something for you to take out of this disc. It is Elliott Smith, Waltz #2 (XO). I still have a hard time listening to him even all these years after his tragic death but what an amazing talent. Cathy’s Clown is the song that it mentioned in this wonderful song.

12. Elvis Costello, isn’t it? I don’t get him. What is he? Why does he sing like that? Is it good? Doesn’t it give him a headache? I’m lost. I don’t know what to say about this, it’s inoffensive, I guess. It’s not unpleasant to have in my ears. I’ll tell you what he does do that I really like and that’s a good middle 8, and this is a belter. Comfortably the best part of the song. I guess that’s why he and McCartney wanted to work together.

This song makes me smile. His version of hell is probably similar to mine if this song is any indicator. Just imagine listening to Favorite Things for eternity.

13. Condition by Kenny Rogers. I actually first knew this song as covered by Supergrass. You ever hear their version? It’s great. But you’d struggle to spoil this, wouldn’t you? Did he ever do anything else that sounded this good? I’ve never thought to find out.

Written by the mighty songwriter Mickey Newbury. I do like the earlier New Edition stuff. I wouldn’t go too far into his solo stuff.

14. Good lord, whatever next? This sounds like the theme tune to a daytime TV show. Did you mean to put this on? I can’t think what would make anybody choose to listen to this. Is this the people who did that horrible Love Shack record? It has the same drum sound. Not for me.

It is the B-52’s. I thought that Dead Beat Club was a perfect swirling disc closer. Definitely one of their best songs if not the best in my opinion. The reference in the song is to 96 Tears.

I obviously had way more fun making this than you had listening. Well, maybe next time...


Droste Effect



(I Wish It Could Be) 1965 Again - The Barracudas

Comeback Kids - The Jayhawks

Play it All Night Long - Warren Zevon

You Were Right - Built to Spill

The Way We Get By - Spoon

Backseat Nothing - The Del Fuegos

Real as An Animal - Alejandro Escovedo

All Men are Liars - Nick Lowe

Sweet Soul Music - Arthur Conley

1972 - Josh Rouse

Waltz #2 (XO) - Elliott Smith

This Is Hell - Elvis Costello

Just Dropped In
(To See What Condition My Condition Was In) - Kenny Rogers And The New Edition

Deadbeat Club - B-52’s


Droste Effect 2


Kicks - Paul Revere And The Raiders

Fox In The Snow - Belle & Sebastian

Sweet Home Alabama - Lynyrd Skynyrd

Manic Depression - Jimi Hendrix

Some Weird Sin - Iggy Pop

Flip, Flop, And Fly - Big Joe Turner

Louie, Louie - The Kingsmen

Never Gonna Give You Up - Rick Astley

Going To A Go Go - Smokey Robinson and The Miracles

It’s Too Late - Carol King

Cathy’s Clown - The Everly Brothers

Favorite Things - Julie Andrews

8 Miles High - The Byrds

96 Tears - ? And The Mysterians

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Re: June/July reviews

Postby Mike Boom » 18 Jul 2016, 14:34

1) There's so much of this stuff around and I probably own most of it. Sometimes feels like you should buy this by weight - I'll take the new Dylan album, this soul comp oh and half a pound of female sunger songwriter please. That's not to say I don't like it. In fact I was all prepared to damn this with faint praise but I ended up liking it more on each listen. Rather good actually.

This is Miranda Lee Richards who sung with the Brians Jonestown Massacre and Sunday Morning

2) This though clearly stands out from the pile. The late great Laura, nuff said.

Mr Blue - Laura Nyro from Nested, I love the line, "....Im a fucking mad scientist too" the swearing seems so out of place on such a laid-back sweet song

3) Still on the female singer songwriter but more rootsy. This is the stuff I gravitate more towards.
Car Wheels On A Gravel Road remains the benchmark for me, but this is just fine.

Abigail Washburn - City of Refuge from the album of the same name, love how the drum picks this up

4) I've been buying a lot of Powerpop after the last 18 months, and i do mean a lot. Having dived in head first I pretty much love anything that follows this kind of template and this is no exception

This is Willy Nile and You Gotta Be A Buddha In A Place Like This from Beautiful Wreck of the World

5) I like the gentle lilt of the instrumental track here but the vocals are a bit thin and get a bit lost in the mix.

Afternoons in Bed - The Bats , Flying Nun band, one of their more laid back numbers, worth checking out.

6) It's that vocal style again, thinnish that kind of sits over the instrumentation, A bit of a dirge but then I have tracks I love that could be thus described, so a description rather tha a critique. ACtually didn't mind this.

The Magician - Andy Shauf from his new album The Party - really love this record, a sort of concept album about, well , a Party

7) ...and again. Didn't mnd this either but I'm running out of things to say. All of this trio lack something that holds the attention (should of course read MY attention)

Life Thru the Same Lens - A Girl Called Eddy - I love this album and wish she would hurry up and release another

8) Not much wrong with the three tracks preceding but the mix was feeling like it was getting a bit bogged down, but track 8 to the rescue
A big bold catchy powerpop thrash. just 2:20 no welcomes outstayed here and no hidden depths. Great stuff.

Lust for Life - Girls

9) ..and we're back in the room. I actually liked this more than the trio abve. More like genuine lo-fi.

A Head Full Of Rolling Stones - David Kilgour - solo album from the Clean head honcho

10) The image I'm getting here is Jonathan Richman on helium with his balls in a vice !! Weird high picthed vocals (though more yelps of pain)
The song itself is plain dumb. Dumb however is good, from the aforementioned Mr Richman to The Ramones
there's a whole great world of dumb out there. Don't know if I'd call it enjoyable but it entertained for its duration
without any great desire to rewind to the start.

Speeding Motorcycle - Yo La Tango - yeah, rather an oddity, Daniel Johnstone calling into a radio station and joining Yo La Tango on a cover of his own song over the telephone.

11) This was kind of underwhelmong but it does have a catchy simplicity and dumbness in the plus column.

Plenty Of Girls in the Sea - MGMT

12) A simple underplayed melody, well sung and rather gorgeous.

Beth - Voom - NZ band Voom, brilliant band from their 1998 Now I Am Me album

13) I'm a sucker for big ballady stuff and so I really dig the two Father John Misty albums. He takes that template and lifts ot t new places.
Indeed I was buying his albums when he was plain old J Tillman

I Love Honeybear - Father John Misty

14) This is great too. Love the delicate piano lines.

Song for Randy Newman Etc - The Chills from their Soft Bomb record

15) Fantatic electro chamber pop. Reminds of the band Stars, one of my favourite recent discoveries.

Pulling Our Weight - The Radio Dept

16) And the mix finishes strongly with two tracks I feel I should recognise. This s a sort of slightly overblown vocal with big arrangement but all the better for it (Think Whole of The Monn)

Just Like Fred Astaire - James

17) And a wonderful vocal here that start almost acapella with the merest hint of instrumentation and grows from there. A fine way to finish

A New Life - Jim James from My Morning Jacket from his solo album Regions of Light and Sound of God


Sunday Morning - Miranda Lee Richards
Mr Blue - Laura Nyro
You Gotta Be A Buddha In A Place Like This - Willy Nile
Afternoons in Bed - The Bats
The Magician - Andy Shauf
Life Thru the Same Lens - A Girl Called Eddy
Lust For Life - Girls
A Head Full Of Rolling Stones - David Kilgour
Speeding Motorcycle - Yo La Tango
Plenty Of Girls in the Sea - MGMT
Beth - Voom
I Love Honeybear - Father John Misty
Song for Randy Newman Etc - The Chills
Pulling Our Weight - The Radio Dept
Just Like Fred Astaire
A New Life - Jim James



Glad you enjoyed most of it Paul, let me know if there is any Flying Nun stuff your looking for.

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Re: June/July reviews

Postby Mike Boom » 18 Jul 2016, 18:23

1. Blind WIllie McTell - Married Man's A Fool
2. Bill Fay - Just A Moon
3. Hiss Golden Messenger - Super Blue (Ywo Days Clean)
4. The Chills - Molten Gold
5. Andre Williams - Car With THe Star
6. The Merrymakers - I Want To See You Dance Again
7. Rosebud - Roll Home Cheyenne
8. Elvis Costello - Turning The Town Red
9. Chairmen Of The Board - I'm On My Way To A Better Place
10, The Blue Nile - St Catherine's Day
11, The Railway Children - Raiload SIde
12. Lamterns On The Lake - Send Me Home
13. Eugene Edwards - Your Own Nightmare
14. ANdy Partridge - I Gave My Suitcase Away
15. The Bathers - Delft
16. Howard Tate - Lok At Granny Run Run

Bill Fay was a surprise - doesn't sound anything like what Ive heard already of his, really like this and will have to get it - I already have the Railway Children Reunion Wilderness - ha, which is why it sounded so familiar - the Bathers are certainly Tom Waitish - will check out the Rosebud

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Re: June/July reviews

Postby The Fish » 18 Jul 2016, 18:41

Similarly I have The Bats and David Kilgour and The Chills and Jim James. :D
We're way past rhubarb

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Re: June/July reviews

Postby Minnie the Minx » 31 Jul 2016, 17:35

Many apologies for the lateness of my review. I am very snowed under with stuff and should have got to this a long time ago.
I have no clue who this disc is from! Which I like.

1. Vaguely gothy sort of Sisters of Mercy ditty, sounds like a cross between them and Editors. Don't dislike, but at the same time, it ain't moving my hips but this is very up my street
2. VERY up my street. Clearly batty high pitched female and really gorgeous electro hook. Yes, very sweet indeed.
3. Some sweet guitar on this, and an almost desert like ambience about it. It sounds like a bit like Thom Yorke, but it almost sounds a little high pitched for him. Is this the new Radiohead?
4. Another vaguely disco electric track that is sweet enough. Sounds a bit like Mika? Nice enough
5. Belle and Bloody Sebastian! :D (I like it - I like it)
6. Nice female vocal on this slowish ballad, I think it sounds very Julia Holterish but Baron is here and he says he thinks it's a 1960's tune. I think it sounds too contemporary for that. WHO IS CORRECT?
7. This is that beautiful piano piece that I know and can't name.
8. Fuck, this is a gorgeous vocal that sounds like Dusty Springfield except just lacking a bit of her depth and velvetiness. Lovely.
9. Um this is just the wrong side of hipster for me.
10. Is this Prince? Doing Joni Mitchell? Lovely
11. Joni Mitchell - Chinese Cafe - gorgeous

Very sorry for my late review. This was a lovely disc, really lovely. The only track I was less than keen on was track 9. Thank you so much compiler! I am very very excited to see the reveal.
You come at the Queen, you best not miss.

Dr Markus wrote:
Someone in your line of work usually as their own man cave aka the shed we're they can potter around fixing stuff or something don't they?


Flower wrote:I just did a google search.

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Re: June/July reviews

Postby Minnie the Minx » 31 Jul 2016, 17:46

The Fish wrote:First of two disc I am reviewing this month, both coincidentally from Texas. I'll do them on first come forst served basis, so first up is La Minx.

1) Found this a bit dull on first listen, but I lke the "looseness of it and it has grown on me after further listens.
2)Well it's definitely The Days of Pearly Spencer, but it doesn't sound like the David McWilliams version or the Marc Almond. Probably one or the other or possibly of course someome else. Always great to hear the song whoever sings it.
3) I was put off initially by the glam rock artiness of this and hints of Bowie mannerisms but I grew to like way
it plods along in a catchy groove.
4) Liked the crunchy guitar intro, but then it descended into a bit of fretwankery and not a lot else ging on. Sorry this one just passed me by.
5) This is great of course, but then it was great the last time you included it on a mix to me, probably less than a year ago. I commented then that I hadn't got round to buying the album which I have
obviousy since rectfied. As it happens I've just finished reading Just Kids and M Train back to back, so now I have a new found love for this woman. She now seems more human. I love that in the UK she sits watching ITV rerunrs of Morse and Frost etc Just Kids is obviously the stronger of the two and I found it deeply moving in places.
6) The particlular song didn't quite do it for me, but it's the sort of thing I usually like, dark vocals murder ballad type thing, although I'll take Lanegan over Cave any day.
7) Sounds like Sinead O'Connor style of vocals. Quite lovely.
8) I'm sure I know the song. Bit of a Bobbie Gentry feel. Rather good.
9) I assumed to begin with you were feeling guilty over your "worst thing I've ever heard" comment on my last mix to you
and were giving me the chance to reciprocate. Starts with some horrible arty farty plinky plonkness, followed by some
airy fairy "a sneeze could blow it into the middle of next week" ambient nonsense. It just about redeems itself
though with part three, a not unpleasant mood piece in the vein of John Martyn's Small Hours

Thanks Anna


Two things. I never used to put the month and name of any of the mix discs, which meant that I never had any clue what I had sent anyone, which meant I was repeating myself on occasion. I thought I had stopped doing that, but then I looked at the title of this list that I sent to you and it says 'february mix disc' and I'm wondering why the fuck it said February.

I don't know what's gone on there. I apologise.

Let me give you my list :

1. Deerhunter -Desire Lines
2. Marc Almond - The Days of Pearly Spencer
3.Mick Ronson - Only After Dark
3. Opal - Relevation
4. Patti Smith - This is the Girl
5. Rowland Howard - Golden Age of Bloodshed
6. Sinead O Connor - Thank You For Hearing Me
7 - Grace Jones - I've Done It Again
8. Royksopp - 40 Years Back

Glad you enjoyed most of it!
You come at the Queen, you best not miss.

Dr Markus wrote:
Someone in your line of work usually as their own man cave aka the shed we're they can potter around fixing stuff or something don't they?


Flower wrote:I just did a google search.

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Re: June/July reviews

Postby Minnie the Minx » 15 Aug 2016, 00:32

WHERE'S MY REVEAL???????

:D
You come at the Queen, you best not miss.

Dr Markus wrote:
Someone in your line of work usually as their own man cave aka the shed we're they can potter around fixing stuff or something don't they?


Flower wrote:I just did a google search.

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Re: June/July reviews

Postby whodathunkit » 17 Aug 2016, 15:40

Oh fuck, a mix from the gaffer this time and I'm late reviewing. No excuses. Forgot all about it. Senility strikes again :? .

1. Starts with a nice strummy meandering country-rock ballad. Unfortunately the vocals are a little too idiosyncratic with the occasional unpredictable lapse into a croaky falsetto. Very strange.
2. "Don't You Rock Me Daddy-O". Great title though perhaps not one of Lonnie's best - a little on the demure side. Good to hear it though.
3. Nice song, just wish someone else was singing it. J.Richman. He gives me the willies.
4. And I finally stop moaning. Lovely ballad, great arrangement, classy vocals. Up with this sort of thing.
5. One of those Fat Possum crew. Like but don't love. Goes on a bit.
6. A shitty little song made into something rather lovely by lots of echo, phasing and other 60s studio trickery. A real silk purse, sows ear job.
7. Don't know this but I know my Scott so I'm guessing he was still with his "brothers" on this one. Again the song aint much but those sweeping strings, the cavernous vocals and a touch of pizzicato make a lovely track.
8. I'm thinking early JJ Cale here. Creepy swampy thing. A highlight.
9. Very 60s cheeky cockernee song about walking down Charing Cross Road. Sound effects, brass band, hymn tunes, etc all chucked in. Loved it.
10. Witty little song in the Belle and Sebastian vein with some nice synth work. Scandinavian perhaps?
11. A ridiculously catchy pop song with every sort of processed/speeded-up instrument sound and chipmunk vocals. Felt a little bit dirty liking this but it's hard to resist.
12. Punky power-pop number. Quite catchy, like these sort of things usually are, but nowt special.
13. Back up my street. Acoustic countryish stroller. M/F duet. Has an easy American John Martyn feel. Nice bit of fiddle at the end.
14. Nice bit of fiddle throughout this one. Bluegrass stomper. Run that rabbit, dozee-do, etc. Predictably the best thing on here.
15. More of a mainstream country ballad. Some feller bellyaching about his divorce. Beautifully done though. A touch of the Zevons in the vocals. A bit more wit in the lyrics would have helped though as well as the complaining.
16. About time some soul turned up. And a corker it is too. Tortured female vocal (in the nice sense). "Until then I'll suffer" And I'll enjoy.

Apologies again for this delayed review. 2 or 3 gems and the rest was pretty good. Should be an intriguing reveal
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Re: June/July reviews

Postby Nick Danger » 18 Aug 2016, 16:02

From across the sea comes my mix this time and it carries a message from even farther away. Yes, it a Space Mix! All the fun without any of the annoying anal probing. Thanks mixer for an entertaining listen.

1. The first track serves as my welcome, a table setter if you will for the theme - "Ladies and gentlemen we are floating in space."
2. More greetings, 2001 space odyssey musical licks, buried vocals, and children. A few proper guitar chords and we are taking off.
3. Atmospheric synthetic instruments, is that an electric hand saw? I wish I could see the visuals that must go with this soundscape. I'm creating my own and they're pretty impressive. The volume rises and then . . .
4. We get a country boy opining on flying saucers, martians, and little green men, he's a believer. He's about to go to the Bible for his proof when . . .
5. We get the first proper music in the mix. A nice electronic instrumental. Synth rubber band chords, spare drums, and some kind of synth woodwinds. I like this. Very spacey of course.
6. A country/Americana tune. This is the first appearance of real instruments I think. Its very pleasant, lopes along nicely with lyrics about lights, zodiac, and distances. Sounds pretty modern.
7. Full fledged rockabilly, a genre I rarely hear these days. Its wants me to "Look at that moon shining up yonder." It goes well with the track before. Refreshing and nice.
8. More interplanterary music sounding like it's being sung from inside a barrel. Not much happening musically but it serves the theme.
9. Space reggae! I like some reggae and this is nice musically. I'm not sure what he's on about but the rhymes disgrace with outer space. Something about my musical soul.
10. It's a Billie Holiday tune from I'm guessing the 30s. This is in her prime before her voice declined. I love this. I'm always happy to see multiple genres in a mix. Sounds like a small combo, I'm guessing Teddy Wilson's. Wonderful stuff.
11. We're jumping forward in time here, psych rock or rather psych prog. It's interesting, short, and mysterious.
12. Still kind of psychy sort of singer/songwriter. Lyrics about heaven and hell, atmospheric horns and strings. The voice sounds familiar. This is pretty good.
13. Proggy, spacey . . . British? Things sweeping down and taking him on board. He's doesn't sound too happy about it either. Lots of nice instrumentation. I like this a lot.
14. Another genre, barrelhouse piano blues. I'm a fan. Lost love, aching heart, maybe things will be better in the morning. Good stuff.
15. This is a pleasant instrumental from pretty far back I'm guessing. Nice sax playing. Sounds like a small combo. A real highlight, I like this a lot.
16. This is Telstar, right? A classic that serves the theme well. Nice to hear.
17. Synth space prog to close. Pulsing rhythm with a smattering of vocal speaking. It definitely reinforces the space theme and is an appropriate close but it runs way too long.

Thanks to my mixer. I'm always up for a good theme. I was entertained and enjoyed the multiple genres.

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Re: June/July reviews

Postby The Fish » 18 Aug 2016, 20:23

whodathunkit wrote:Oh fuck, a mix from the gaffer this time and I'm late reviewing. No excuses. Forgot all about it. Senility strikes again :? .

Tut tut Mr Thunkit. Luckily your previous record earns you a bit of slack, but I shall expect you to stock up on the senility pills and shape up next month :D

1. Starts with a nice strummy meandering country-rock ballad. Unfortunately the vocals are a little too idiosyncratic with the occasional unpredictable lapse into a croaky falsetto. Very strange.

New discovery to me. I like this band a lot. Tall Tales & The Silver Lining

2. "Don't You Rock Me Daddy-O". Great title though perhaps not one of Lonnie's best - a little on the demure side. Good to hear it though.

Would you have preferred My Old Man's A Dustman ? :D

3. Nice song, just wish someone else was singing it. J.Richman. He gives me the willies.

Im OK with JR but I can see how a little goes a long way

4. And I finally stop moaning. Lovely ballad, great arrangement, classy vocals. Up with this sort of thing.

Maybe the quietest band in the world. They make the Cowboy JUnkies sound like Metallica. Hem

5. One of those Fat Possum crew. Like but don't love. Goes on a bit.

Not Fat Possum but more a soul maverick. Darondo. This is acually from what would have been the second album, released years later.

6. A shitty little song made into something rather lovely by lots of echo, phasing and other 60s studio trickery. A real silk purse, sows ear job.

Pisces - A 60s obscurty, or is it? This is supposedly an album from the 60s unreleased at the time, finally realesed years later, although there are those who suspect a hoax and that this was recorded around the time of release with the invented back story. I guess we'll never know

7. Don't know this but I know my Scott so I'm guessing he was still with his "brothers" on this one. Again the song aint much but those sweeping strings, the cavernous vocals and a touch of pizzicato make a lovely track.

WEll exactly. The Walker Brothers

8. I'm thinking early JJ Cale here. Creepy swampy thing. A highlight.

I've spent the last year or two, hunting down some worthwhile obcurities, initially due to having too much time on my hands due to redundancy and now due to having oddles of spare cash bieng back in work. This one was a real find. The only album from John Randolph Marr, who I think had a track on one of those Counry funk comps

9. Very 60s cheeky cockernee song about walking down Charing Cross Road. Sound effects, brass band, hymn tunes, etc all chucked in. Loved it.

One of the better known 60s English psych albums was by the Picadilly LIne. This is the band they morphed into Edwards Hand. We;re into the 70s so it is a bit 2out of its time" but still holds up

10. Witty little song in the Belle and Sebastian vein with some nice synth work. Scandinavian perhaps?

I hear Prefab Sprout here rather than B&S. THis is an obsure makeshift band from bits of other obscure bands. Roman A Clef

11. A ridiculously catchy pop song with every sort of processed/speeded-up instrument sound and chipmunk vocals. Felt a little bit dirty liking this but it's hard to resist.

Paisley Underground stalwarts The Three O'Clock

12. Punky power-pop number. Quite catchy, like these sort of things usually are, but nowt special.

Catchy does it for me. I'm an absolute sucker for stuff like this. The Lolas

13. Back up my street. Acoustic countryish stroller. M/F duet. Has an easy American John Martyn feel. Nice bit of fiddle at the end.

One of my albums of the year Sam Beam and Jesca Hoop

14. Nice bit of fiddle throughout this one. Bluegrass stomper. Run that rabbit, dozee-do, etc. Predictably the best thing on here.

Another recent discovery. There are of course better known "newgrass" artists out there but this band are their equal for sure. Shame about the name THe Red Clay Ramblers which does conjure up images of wooly jumpers and folk night down the local.

15. More of a mainstream country ballad. Some feller bellyaching about his divorce. Beautifully done though. A touch of the Zevons in the vocals. A bit more wit in the lyrics would have helped though as well as the complaining.

Another artist who obviously looked at his pension fund and followed Bob Lind in arising from 40 years of slumber. The recent comeback album by Emitt Rhodes

16. About time some soul turned up. And a corker it is too. Tortured female vocal (in the nice sense). "Until then I'll suffer" And I'll enjoy.
She shuld get as much recognition as Irma Thomas but alas Barbara Lynn remains sadly underrated

Apologies again for this delayed review. 2 or 3 gems and the rest was pretty good. Should be an intriguing reveal


THanks for listening (and listening and listening and listening and listening and finally reviewing :D )

1. Tall Tales & The SIlver Linng - Bury Me
2. Lonnie Donegan - Dom't You Rock Me Daddy-O
3. Jonathan Richman - Corner Store
4. Hem - Seven Angels
5. Darondo - King's Men
6. Pisces - Motley Mary Ann
7. The Walker Brothers - I Can See It Now
8. John Randolph Marr - Sarah
9. Edwards Hand - Characters No 1
10. Roman A Clef - PSBTV
11. The THree O'C;ock - WHen Lightnng Starts
12. The Lolas - Ballerina Breakout
13. Sam Beam & Jesca Hoop - Sailor To Siren
14. THe REd Clay Ramblers - Rabbit In The Pea Patch
15. Emitt Rhodes - Dog On A Chain
16. Barbara Lynn - Until Then I'll Suffer

We're way past rhubarb

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Re: June/July reviews

Postby bhoywonder » 19 Aug 2016, 09:37

Nick Danger wrote:From across the sea comes my mix this time and it carries a message from even farther away. Yes, it a Space Mix! All the fun without any of the annoying anal probing. Thanks mixer for an entertaining listen.

I don’t often do themed mixes, but I really enjoyed this one. I’ve since found umpteen great tracks I wish I’d included. Next time…


Nick Danger wrote:1. The first track serves as my welcome, a table setter if you will for the theme - "Ladies and gentlemen we are floating in space."


An extract from the extended version Spiritualized’s classic Ladies & Gentlement We Are Floating In Space. The album gets a lot better than this ;)

Nick Danger wrote:2. More greetings, 2001 space odyssey musical licks, buried vocals, and children. A few proper guitar chords and we are taking off.


The opener from the splendidly title From Whales to Jupiter and Beyond the Stars to Rainbohemia, by the Moonflowers, a sensational psychedelic rock band of hippes from Bristol, where I live in the south west of England. This album dates from 1993. For the last 1o years or so, I’ve played bass in the bass of the guitar player on this. Good guitar, isn’t it? The guitar he plays it on has a dinosaur fossil embedded to, as he explains, make it rock. They were a wonderful band, and this album is a belter. If you are at all intrigued, look up their song Smile In the Face of Evil and Dance on youtube.

Nick Danger wrote:3. Atmospheric synthetic instruments, is that an electric hand saw? I wish I could see the visuals that must go with this soundscape. I'm creating my own and they're pretty impressive. The volume rises and then . . .

Tangerine Dream, with a track called Sunrise in the Third System, which I believe is from their 1971 Alpha Centuri album, but I have it on a fabulous collection called Sunrise In The Third System: The Pink Years Anthology 1970-1973. I don’t know much about TG, but have 4 or 5 albums now, and often put them on when I can’t think what to play, or am bored of what I’ve been playing. As I’ve got older, I find I more and more enjoy hearing less-traditional songs and music. This is pretty funny while also being pretty cool.

Nick Danger wrote:4. We get a country boy opining on flying saucers, martians, and little green men, he's a believer. He's about to go to the Bible for his proof when . . .

Ha! Yeahm, this guy is great, isn’t he? This is an exceprt from a fabulous collection on Righteous Records, called Moonage Timequake: Celebrating The Lunar Landing, which we’ll be revisiting shortly. It’s a bunch of space-inspired music from the 50s and 60s, and they stuck this cat in the middle of it. I’d love to hear what he goes on to say though!


Nick Danger wrote:5. We get the first proper music in the mix. A nice electronic instrumental. Synth rubber band chords, spare drums, and some kind of synth woodwinds. I like this. Very spacey of course.

I’m not sure there is such a thing as ‘proper’ music, personally, but I get your meaning, and I’m glad you like this track, as I think it’s beautiful. It’s a guy called Ron Berry, the track I called Sea of Tranquility, and it comes from an abolutley amazing new 4-CD box set out this year on Cherry Red called Close To The Noise Floor: Formative UK Electronica 1975-1984. It really is an excellent collection, I urge you to investigate it if you like this.
Nick Danger wrote:6. A country/Americana tune. This is the first appearance of real instruments I think. Its very pleasant, lopes along nicely with lyrics about lights, zodiac, and distances. Sounds pretty modern.

Real instruments? We’ve had guitars, keyboards, drums, organs, bass guitars, synthesizers… but of course, I know what you mean ;) This is pretty modern, you’re right there. It’s a London musician called Adem (he was in Fridge, if you ever heard them – great band!), with a song called These Lights Are Meaningful, from his Love & Planets album, which was out on Domino Records in 2006. I can’t think of many other songs about the moment the writer discovers that there is a message in the stars that means we’re not alone in time and space! The whole album is worth listening to if you like this, it’s a great record, kind of a concept album about how love and space are intertwined, but better than that makes it sound!

Nick Danger wrote:7. Full fledged rockabilly, a genre I rarely hear these days. Its wants me to "Look at that moon shining up yonder." It goes well with the track before. Refreshing and nice.

It’s a cracker, isn’t it? Carl Mann with Look at that Moon, taken from the Sun Records Story comp.

Nick Danger wrote:8. More interplanterary music sounding like it's being sung from inside a barrel. Not much happening musically but it serves the theme.

Sun Ra with Interplanetary Music, also lifted from the Moonage Timequake comp. Sun Ra was clearly off his head, but always worth a listen (if only in short bursts!).

Nick Danger wrote:9. Space reggae! I like some reggae and this is nice musically. I'm not sure what he's on about but the rhymes disgrace with outer space. Something about my musical soul.

Your Ace From Space by the mighty U-Roy. Bright, isn’t it?

Nick Danger wrote:10. It's a Billie Holiday tune from I'm guessing the 30s. This is in her prime before her voice declined. I love this. I'm always happy to see multiple genres in a mix. Sounds like a small combo, I'm guessing Teddy Wilson's. Wonderful stuff.

Right on all counts – this is Teddy Wilson’s 1935 version of I Wished on the Moon, with Billie Holiday. This has been recored by Sinatra, Ella, Bing et al, but I love this band’s version.

Nick Danger wrote:11. We're jumping forward in time here, psych rock or rather psych prog. It's interesting, short, and mysterious.

It’s the Circulatory System’s Stars, taken from their fabulous eponymous 2001 album. They’re my personal faves form that whole Elephant Six scene. The album’s well worth investigating.

Nick Danger wrote:12. Still kind of psychy sort of singer/songwriter. Lyrics about heaven and hell, atmospheric horns and strings. The voice sounds familiar. This is pretty good.

It’s the Flaming Lips, with Vein of Stars, from their 2006 album At War With The Mystics, which I think is a great and overlooked album from them. I’ve gone bak to it time and again in recent years. Love that band.

Nick Danger wrote:13. Proggy, spacey . . . British? Things sweeping down and taking him on board. He's doesn't sound too happy about it either. Lots of nice instrumentation. I like this a lot.

This is Radiohead, with Subterranean Homesick Alien from their 1997 album OK Computer, which is an absolute classic, to my mind. Wonderful band, amazing album, really. He never sounds happy about much, but they’re the best guitar band of the last 25 years, to my mind. Brilliant guitars.

Nick Danger wrote:14. Another genre, barrelhouse piano blues. I'm a fan. Lost love, aching heart, maybe things will be better in the morning. Good stuff.

Tampa Red – what a guy he was! This is Big Stars Falliong, an is taken from the recent Ace Records collection, Dynamite! The Unsung King Of The Blues. Worth investigating.
Nick Danger wrote:15. This is a pleasant instrumental from pretty far back I'm guessing. Nice sax playing. Sounds like a small combo. A real highlight, I like this a lot.

Jamaica is the destination for Starry Night, by Tommy McCook & The Supersonics, which is took from a great disc called The Birth Of Trojan: Duke Reid Rocksteady 1967. I love the sound of those early rocksteady records, perfectly blending the sounds of the Caribbean with those of the American south. Glorious.

Nick Danger wrote:16. This is Telstar, right? A classic that serves the theme well. Nice to hear.

Telstar, right. The first UK record to hit number one on the Billboard chart, I believe.

Nick Danger wrote:17. Synth space prog to close. Pulsing rhythm with a smattering of vocal speaking. It definitely reinforces the space theme and is an appropriate close but it runs way too long.

Yeah, miles too long, isn’t it? Self-indulgence was part of the attraction of the Orb’s Adventures Beyond the Ultraworld, from which this track comes. It’s called Back Side of the Moon, and features a bunch of samples from the Apollo missions, of which I am a huge fan.

Nick Danger wrote:Thanks to my mixer. I'm always up for a good theme. I was entertained and enjoyed the multiple genres.


My pleasure! I’m glad you enjoyed it. Shout if you need further enlightenment!

1. Ladies & Gentlemen We Are Floating In Space (excerpt) – Spiritualized
2. There We Will Find the Sun – the Moonflowers
3. Sunrise in the Third System – Tangerine Dream
4. Flying Saucers In the Bible (spoken word)
5. Ron Berry – Sea of Tranquility
6. Adem – These Lights Are Meaningful
7. Look At That Moon – Carl Mann
8. Interplanetary Music – Sun Ra
9. Your Ace From Space – U-Roy
10. I Wished on the Moon – Billie Holiday
11. Stars – Circulatory System
12. Vein of Stars- The Flaming Lips
13. Subterranean Homesick Alien – Radiohead
14. Big Stars Falling – Tampa Red
15. Starry Night – Tommy McCook & The Supersonics
16. Telstar – the Tornados
17. Back Side of the Moon – the Orb

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Re: June/July reviews

Postby whodathunkit » 19 Aug 2016, 09:52

Minnie the Minx wrote:Many apologies for the lateness of my review. I am very snowed under with stuff and should have got to this a long time ago.
I have no clue who this disc is from! Which I like.


1. Vaguely gothy sort of Sisters of Mercy ditty, sounds like a cross between them and Editors. Don't dislike, but at the same time, it ain't moving my hips but this is very up my street

Shearwater tend to do pompous and anthemic rather than hip-shaking. And yet they are one of my faves. Go figure."A Long Time Away" from their latest effort, Jet Plane And Oxbow.

2. VERY up my street. Clearly batty high pitched female and really gorgeous electro hook. Yes, very sweet indeed.

Obviously I must have thought this was a banker because, looking back through old mix club threads, I find I've sent the bloody thing to you before! :lol: French-Canadian Keren Anne and "My Name Is Trouble". Mind you it's gone down much better this time. Perhaps I should try again sometime with Track 9. :D

3. Some sweet guitar on this, and an almost desert like ambience about it. It sounds like a bit like Thom Yorke, but it almost sounds a little high pitched for him. Is this the new Radiohead?

Funny you should say desert-like. It's called "Desert Island Disk". And yes it is from the excellent new Radiohead album, A Moon Shaped Pool

4. Another vaguely disco electric track that is sweet enough. Sounds a bit like Mika? Nice enough

Should have been a contender. Everybody raved about him in the late 90s and he never sold squat. Lewis Taylor and "Lovelight"

5. Belle and Bloody Sebastian! :D (I like it - I like it)

From last years (disappointing) album,Girls In Peacetime Want To Dance, probably the only decent track "The Cat With The Cream"

6. Nice female vocal on this slowish ballad, I think it sounds very Julia Holterish but Baron is here and he says he thinks it's a 1960's tune. I think it sounds too contemporary for that. WHO IS CORRECT?

Well, it's retro but they do it bloody well. LA duo The Bird And The Bee with "I'm A Broken Heart"

7. This is that beautiful piano piece that I know and can't name.

Stop the world for 2 and a half minutes. Erik Satie's Gnossienne No 1.

8. Fuck, this is a gorgeous vocal that sounds like Dusty Springfield except just lacking a bit of her depth and velvetiness. Lovely.

One of the great female singer-songwriters. And yet my favourite album of hers is a collection of covers. Laura Nyro and "The Wind".

9. Um this is just the wrong side of hipster for me.

Jens Lekman is always a risky choice. Whimsical or fey? Idiosyncratic or pretentious. You are the jury.Oh dear :D . This one's called "Some Dandruff On Your Shoulder"

10. Is this Prince? Doing Joni Mitchell? Lovely

Much as I love Joni I've never thought she's the most coverable of artists. Till I heard this . His Princeness of course and his gorgeous version of "A Case Of You"

11. Joni Mitchell - Chinese Cafe - gorgeous

Seemed like a natural ending. The orchestral version from the neglected Travelogue double album.

Minnie the Minx wrote: Very sorry for my late review. This was a lovely disc, really lovely. The only track I was less than keen on was track 9. Thank you so much compiler! I am very very excited to see the reveal.


Glad you enjoyed it.

1. "A Long Time Away" - Shearwater
2. "My Name Is Trouble" - Keren Anne
3. "Desert Island Disk" - Radiohead
4, "Lovelight" - Lewis Taylor
5. "The Cat With the Cream" - Belle and Sebstian
6. "I'm A Broken Heart" - The Bird and The Bee
7. "Gnossienne No 1" - Erik Satie
8. "The Wind " - Laura Nyro
9. "Some Dandruff On Your Shoulder" - Jens Lekmen
10. "A Case Of You" - Prince
11. "Chinese Cafe" - Joni Mitchell
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Cosmic American Girl
Posts: 2842
Joined: 27 Jan 2007, 02:15
Location: second star to the right

Re: June/July reviews

Postby Cosmic American Girl » 25 Aug 2016, 06:05

Apologies for the late review. Work, Tony’s radiation therapy every day and volunteering for a big cake show have stretched my time the last month.

A lovely disc all about rain. Most of the songs were familiar but all great and sequenced nicely. Many of these songs hold very fond memories for me so it was a great listen and I have listen several times.



1) Crying In The Rain-The Everly Brothers About as perfect as a song can get.

2) Rain- Beatles

3) I Wish It Would Rain- The Temptations

4) Baby The Rain Must Fall- Glenn Yarbrough

5) Summer Rain -Johnny Rivers I almost used this song on my disc for this month but in the end it didn’t fit in right.

6) Listen To the Rhythm Of The Falling Rain -The Cascades

7) Riders On The Storm-The Doors

8) The Rain, The Park And Other Things -The Cowsills I adore The Cowsills!

9) See The Sky About To Rain- Neil Young What a great song!

10) Here Comes That Rainy Day Feeling Again -The Fortunes

11) ? The only one on here that I wasn’t familiar with.

12) In The Rain- The Dramatics My favorite rain sound in a rain song.

13) Kentucky Rain- Elvis

14) Walking In The Rain -Jay And The Americans

15) Raindrops - Dee Clark

16) Rainy Night In Georgia- Brook Benton

17) Have You Ever Seen The Rain -CCR

18) A Hard Rain’s Gonna Fall -Dylan OK, technically not about real rain but…

19) Purple Rain- Prince How else would this conclude.

Thank you for a nice disc that will be kept around for those rainy days.

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Nick Danger
Posts: 882
Joined: 16 Aug 2011, 20:54

Re: June/July reviews

Postby Nick Danger » 25 Aug 2016, 14:25

Cosmic American Girl wrote:Apologies for the late review. Work, Tony’s radiation therapy every day and volunteering for a big cake show have stretched my time the last month.

A lovely disc all about rain. Most of the songs were familiar but all great and sequenced nicely. Many of these songs hold very fond memories for me so it was a great listen and I have listen several times.



1) Crying In The Rain-The Everly Brothers About as perfect as a song can get.

2) Rain- Beatles

3) I Wish It Would Rain- The Temptations

4) Baby The Rain Must Fall- Glenn Yarbrough

5) Summer Rain -Johnny Rivers I almost used this song on my disc for this month but in the end it didn’t fit in right.

6) Listen To the Rhythm Of The Falling Rain -The Cascades

7) Riders On The Storm-The Doors

8) The Rain, The Park And Other Things -The Cowsills I adore The Cowsills!

9) See The Sky About To Rain- Neil Young What a great song!

10) Here Comes That Rainy Day Feeling Again -The Fortunes

11) ? The only one on here that I wasn’t familiar with.

12) In The Rain- The Dramatics My favorite rain sound in a rain song.

13) Kentucky Rain- Elvis

14) Walking In The Rain -Jay And The Americans

15) Raindrops - Dee Clark

16) Rainy Night In Georgia- Brook Benton

17) Have You Ever Seen The Rain -CCR

18) A Hard Rain’s Gonna Fall -Dylan OK, technically not about real rain but…

19) Purple Rain- Prince How else would this conclude.

Thank you for a nice disc that will be kept around for those rainy days.


I was your mixer this month CAG and I apologize for not being more challenging with my song choices. I had a disc drive failure issue at the time and wasn't able to create a new mix. This was a theme mix I had previously made for my friends and relatives and knowing your love of themes I thought it would be ok. I didn't want to drop out of mix club while I dealt with my hardware issue.

The track you didn't know was Rain and Snow by the Be Good Tanyas.

I'm also very fond of this mix and it seems to have a universal appeal to other people I've given it to.


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