Overground Sounds

Vini Back On Stage Despite Stroke

2010-09-25T13:44:00.001+01:00

Well, I haven't blogged about the Durutti Column for some time (or about anything for that matter), so it's time to correct such an unpleasant situation with some unpleasant but not very current news. Vini Reily suffered a minor stroke a few weeks ago which affected one side of his body. He discharged himself from hospital a few days later and is now reportedly making a recovery, but to what extent remains to be seen. The good news is that he will play a show at the Purcell Room, South Bank Centre, London on the 20th of October. The event is "Paul Morley - The Tony Wilson Interviews". I am not sure what type of set, or for how long Vini will play for. I will be attending despite my reluctance for any Mr.Morley related-matters but it should be an interesting evening regardless.

Some classic Durutti to wet appeties:

Rhythnites - Stand Strong

2010-09-18T20:00:00.002+01:00

Good news! A couple of months ago Rhythmites finally got around to releasing their second album 21 years after the debut "Integration" in 1989. The Somerset-based reggae band have been occasionally active on the festival scene over the last few years, so this new set comes a big surprise.

"Stand Strong" feature some new songs "Fill I Up", "Consciousness" and "Dreamsworld" with some re-recorded tracks that have appeared on EP's over the years like "Rootsy", "Paranormal Dub", and revisit to the classic "A True". The former lead singer Angus is now long gone, replaced with a throatier, gruffer and occasionally out-of-tune gent called Dennis. But they are still the same band with killer horns, with non-threatening guitar solos and the trademark didgeridoo.

Really, this isn't a patch on "Integration" but then I never expected it to be. But it will do, because it's so rare to hear such a competent reggae band with well crafted songs with tight arrangements in this age of computer rhythms. All hail Rhythmites!

Here is a raw clip of the band performing at the launch party in Bath earlier on this year.

A Certain Ratio "Mind Made Up" UK Release

2010-06-21T17:15:00.006+01:00

Just over a year ago I wrote a review of A Certain Ratio's new album "Mind Made Up" which at the time was only released in France. It's now well noting that it has gained a UK release courtesy of the excellent LTM label. Apart from one remix of "I Feel Light", the tracklisting remains the same.

After a year of repeated listening, this would rate as one of their most accessible albums alongside "Force" and "Good Together".

Here is the promo video for the track "Teri".

Play Mr Music Play

2010-05-03T16:29:00.005+01:00

So Overground sounds went very overground for a number of months, due to time constraints and not having a half decent PC. But it is back, albeit in a sporadic format for the time being.

Thanks to all of you who were concerned about my whereabouts. All one of you..

To kick proceedings back off we have a uplifting reggae tune from the little known Derrick Pitter with "Play Mr Music Play", produced by Roy Cousins and released on his Tamoki Wambesi label. Recorded in the early 1980's, I would imagine. Enjoy.

Rabih Abou-Khalil - Selection

2010-01-24T13:00:00.003Z

Lebonese born Rabih Abou-Khalil is an artist that straddles both the world and jazz genres seamlessly, forging a unique blend of styles with his unique brand of oriental jazz and he's been doing it for some time, with almost 20 album releases behind him.

It's hard to pick one album that represents the varied nature of his output, which is why this handy compilation "Selection " will prove essential for newcomers.

By and large Rabih's albums are led by the oud, his chosen instrument, which he is the master of and of course inevitably gives the music an instant middle eastern flavour and will usually be complemented by the backbone of bass, drums and percussion. What makes the sound of his recordings, which constantly range in tempo, so unique are the variations of other instrumentation that is present on the recordings. For example throughout his albums the ney makes a regular appearance on more oriental-based albums like "Taraab", "Roots and Sprouts" and "Nafas". Whilst more brass-based leanings with trumpet, clarinet, french horn, tuba, both alto and tenor sax dominating the sound on more jazz flavoured albums like "Cactus Of Knowledge", "Sultans Picnic" and "Blue Camel". The album "Arabian Waltz" featured a string quartet, whilst the duduk (an instrument associated with Armenia and with Djivan Gasparyan) is the focal point on the album "Songs for Sad Women". On the "Journey To the Centre Of An Egg" you will hear a more slow-paced mellow piano-based sound. While 2008's "Em Portugues" introduced a young Fado singer Ricardo Ribeiro to the fray with stunning results.

The vast majority of Rabih's recordings have come on the Enja label with some earlier works appearing on ECM. It's the former output that this compilation concentrates on and you get one track from twelve different albums including his genius solo set "Il Sospiro", so you get a good perspective of what Rabih Abou Khalil's musical vision is all about. He is also a fine live performer, having seen the man in action a couple of years ago.

It's worth pointing out that the artwork on Rabih's albums are more often than not quite beautiful. Take a look here.

To listen to sound samples from "Selection", this seems to be the best place.

To follow are two clips of tracks "Arabian Waltz" and "Blue Camel" both taken from "Selection",and for good measure they are followed by two tracks from the "Songs For Sad Women" album.

The Passing Of Yabby You

2010-01-14T16:57:00.011Z

Some very sad news reached me yesterday that Vivian "Yabby You" Jackson had passed away at the age of 63.

For a lot of reggae fans like myself, Yabby You's music was the very embodiment of roots reggae, with his songs and rhythms yearning with soul, rawness and heaviness.

His output throughout the 1970's, as both singer and producer was some of the best reggae music ever recorded. Most of these recordings were mixed by dub master King Tubby who was more than partly responsible for the power and weight of Yabby's sound. For me Yabby You ranked alongside Augustus Pablo as one of my favourite reggae artists.

Tracks like "Love Thy Neighbour", "Conquering Lion", "Run Come Rally", Jah Vengeance", "Warn The Nation", "Walls Of Jerusalem", "Chant Down Babylon", "Deliver Me From My Enemy" and the stunning instrumental "Death Trap" have stood the test of time and I have never grown tired of them and doubt I ever will. His first two albums "Conquering Lion" and
"Chant Down Babylon Kingdom" [aka "King Tubby Meet Vivian Jackson") are perfect in every way.

Essential productions of other singers that come to mind are tracks like Michael Prophet's "Love and Unity", Tony Tuff's "No Warrior", Patrick Andy's "Living In Mount Zion", Charlie Morrison's "Selassie Memorial", Dicky Burton's "God Is Watching You", Wayne Wade's "Man Of The Living" and Errol Alphonso's "Chant Jah Victory". Really the list just goes on. He produced some fine work by the deejay's Big Youth and Trinity, but I have never been a huge fan of that style.

Jackson did resurface in the early 90s with a reissue programme and some new recordings appeared, which unsurprisingly never matched the higher heights of those early recordings.

Curiously, although visually a Rastaman, Jackson considered himself a Christian and by all accounts rejected Halie Selassie's divinity.

The man has left an amazing out-of-press back catalogue and I fear it won't be very long until it gets exploited for all the wrong reasons.

Note that nearly all of the tracks I listed above are available on Blood and Fire "Jesus Dread" 2CD set, if you can find it.

Some audio clips follow:

Pop Classics Part 9 - The Mighty Wah

2010-01-09T19:02:00.005Z

Quite simply a great song from Pete Wylie's band The Mighty Wah! from 1982 and a song that gives me a warm glow and sends me spiralling back in time into my elasticated school trousers and plastic shoes.

A pop classic, you better believe it.

And "Come Back" is pretty good too.

Jah Shaka Presents The Positive Message

2010-01-05T11:17:00.005Z

In the world of reggae some things move slow while some things just don't move at all. This set, compiled by legendary roots reggae sound system operator and producer Jah Shaka falls into both categories. This was supposed to have surfaced in 2007 but only saw the light of day towards to end of last year. Some things are worth waiting for.

The concept behind this release is straight forward. Shaka selects his favourite tracks that have appeared on the Greensleeves label over the past 30 years and ones that are truly representative of the much championed Shaka sound.

Although all the tracks are bonafide roots classics, some of which are predictable but I felt that was to be inevitable, so there are no real surprises, but it's great to hear the full length versions of Johnny Clarke's "Jah Love Is With I" and "Bad Days Are Going". Tracks like Black Uhuru's "I Love King Selassie" and Ras Michael's "None A Jah Jah Children No Cry", I have heard so many times I could frankly live without ever hearing them again. Some tracks I never tire of: Norris Reid "Protect Them". Barrington Levy's "Look Youthman", Wailing Souls' "Kingdom Rise Kingdom Fall", Johnny Osbourne's "Never Stop Fighting" and Dennis Brown's do-over of the Marley classic "Slave Driver".

Topped off with classics by Keith Hudson. Earl Sixteen, Eek-a-Mouse. Fred Locks and more, this is a crucial selection, even if you have these tracks, it's nice to have them all on one CD.

Twelve tracks are also available as a 7" box set, but I fear that it might already be difficult to get hold off.

Here are some clips of choice tracks culled from youtube:

Snuff, London, December 19, 2009

2009-12-29T15:27:00.002Z

Ten days ago the newly re-branded venue The Garage (now the Relentless Garage - pesky sponsorship, eh) in Islington played host to the legendary Snuff, a band that I had not seen do a gig since August 1991 when the band played a "farewell show" at the National in Kilburn. The story of this band is too long to go in to, so read all about it here. But in short Duncan Redmonds (vocals/drums) is the only founding member.

Disappointingly the venue was barely half full, but regardless, Snuff played a barrage of old classics including "Not Listening", "Somehow", "Martin", "Caught In Session" and "Nick Northern" and of course obligatory cover versions such as "Soul Limbo" aka the BBC Cricket Theme, "Whatever Happened To The Likely Lads" and The Specials' "Do Nothing".

A lot of people including myself have got a bit older now so there wasn't quite as much stage diving as you would have got back in the early 90's but still a highly enjoyable night to rekindle my younger days. Almost.

I didn't get any pictures of the gig and, so I don't have much in the way of visuals. So here is a clip of the current incarnation of Snuff playing earlier this year at the Shepherds Bush Empire.

Manasseh Back In Fine Style

2009-12-21T14:51:00.004Z

Top UK reggae producer Nick Manasseh returns in mighty fine style with four killer cuts of the "People" rhythm on the Roots Garden label.

The three vocal cuts come from new talent Dark Angel with "People Come To", from veteran soundman Kenny Knots we have "Unbreakable" and from the little-recorded Bob Skeng, a message to all rip-off producers with "Tek Caution". Topped off with a dub cut from Manasseh himself, the rhythm has a mid-80s digital feel to it in the tradition of labels such as Unity and Jah Tubbys.

The four cuts can be picked up on two 7" 45s or you can do what I did and download all four from Boomkat for £2.95. Click here to purchase and for sound samples.

On the subject of Manasseh, Emiliana Torrini's new single "Me and Armini" has got the Nick treatment and it sounds good to me. This isn't the first time the pair have worked together. Who can forget the remix of "Sunny Road" from a couple of years ago. In case you don't know what I am talking about, I have posted an udio clip below along with "Me and Armini"

That Time Of The Year

2009-12-18T10:00:00.000Z

Indeed it's that time of the year again. Eat, drink, be merry and get "Fairytale Of New York" shoved down your throat at every given opportunity. It must be great to have a Christmas hit. You would never have to work again. Think of all that annual revenue from compilations and radio play. In fact wasn't Hugh Grant's character in the Nick Hornby book and film "About a Boy" living off his late dad's earnings.

"Fairytale of New York" was penned by Shane MacGowan and Jem Finer, so I am quite confident that they are OK for a few bob, so it's the other members I feel sorry for. For this time of the year for the Pogues pantomime to be wheeled out once again.

The Pogues split in 1991 when Shane was already long gone (in all senses of the word)and then ten years later that got back together to be perform a series of concerts that proved very successful that they have been doing it pretty much every year since. Not actually existing as a band, so not writing or recording any new music, but just doing a few dates here and there, usually in December and playing the same old songs. Ching ching!

I have seen the Pogues a number of times over the years, notably at the National Kilburn, London 1986, "Picnic In The Park" in a tent in Finsbury Park, London 1987 which were exciting, chaotic, drunken and violent. They were two of the most memorable gigs that I ever attended

I did see a couple of the reunion gigs a few years ago and they were not a patch on those heady dates and seemed to be just going through the motions which was to be expected, but sill extremely talented musicians and songwriters, especially MacGowan who is surprisingly still with us.

They have left an arsenal of classic tunes. Some of my favourites are "Dark Streets Of London", "The Sick Bed of Cuchulainn", "The Body Of An American", "Thousands Are Sailing", "Turkish Song Of The Dammed", "Lullaby Of London". The list goes on. The first three albums - "Red Roses For Me", "Rum Sodomy and the Lash" and "If I Should Fall From Grace With God - are essential

The Pogues are currently finishing a 12 date tour.

Some classic clips for you:

Back With Jah Vengeance

2009-12-12T20:01:00.011Z

Well it's been a while since I last "blogged", what with moving house and just general happening's preventing me from doing so. What with so much upheaval, it's been difficult to settle and listen to any music. And when I do get around to it I'm not really feeling it, what with trying to fend off thoughts about DIY.

In the meantime, enjoy one of many killer tunes by roots reggae legend Yabby You. This one features Trinity and is entitled "Jah Vengeance"

The Sound Of Silence

2009-11-20T18:58:00.002Z

A mixture of current happenings such as moving house, the prospect of being off-line for two weeks whilst AOL re-connect me and worse still, the unintentional deletion of all files on my MP3 player (goodbye Sony Sonic Stage) means I won't be blogging for a while. I'm sure I won't be missed that much, if at all. But just in case, there's no need to call the Missing Persons Hotline.

Adios for now, amigos.

Misha Alperin - Her First Dance

2009-11-16T08:00:00.001Z

"Her First Night" on the ever-reliable ECM label is a highly enjoyable album from the Ukrainian musician and pianist Misha Alperin. This, his latest album released in 2008 is a beautiful piano-led mixture of instrumentals which effortlessly combine haunting with melancholic, dramatic with melodic, and some jaunty faster pieces complement the variations in style. Some of the more melodic pieces here are not a million miles away from "The Promise" by Vassilis Tsabropoulos', an amazing album which I raved about here, but that would only be a lazy comparison.

Alperin is joined by Arkady Shilkloper on French horn, flugelhorn and on violincello Anja Lechner. The latter I am fast becoming a big fan of through albums such as "Chants, Hymns and Dances" and "Melos" with Vassilis Tsabropoulos and "Ojos Negros" with Dino Saluzzi and various recordings with Rosamunde Quartett with whom she is a member.

I don't know if it's anything with getting older, but lately I find my musical preferences leaning towards to the more slower paced and mellow side of the musical spectrum. Not a bad thing I would say, for sometimes we need to take a step back from the chaos of daily life. Saying that, I am not a pipe and Horlicks man. Yet.

Key tracks for me include the title track "Her First Dance", "Tiflis" and "April In February", to name just three.

The best place to source sound clips is here.

Staff Benda Bilili - Barbican, London 10/11/09

2009-11-15T08:00:00.004Z

Support on this show came from Muntu Valdo, a singer songwriter from Cameroon. A very able guitar player to say the least, who, as well some very competent warbling, also plays the harmonica. What more could you want? Perhaps add some fancy effect pedals enabling some impressive looping in order to confuse the less technically minded in the audience who probably thought he was miming, add some audience participation and hey presto! After 20 minutes, boredom sets in and I wonder why artists like this can get away with selling CD's at gigs for 15 pounds. This is straight from the label or artist direct to the public without the need for the distributors cut. Something not quite right there. Of course the artist needs some bread, but there is no reason why a CD selling at a gig should cost anymore than a tenner. Simple. Curiously the Staff Benda Bilili CD was being sold for 12 pound and there are eight people needing bread and lots of it too, because by the look of the energy they use up on stage, these guys need their carbs by the lorry load.

There were high expectations for this band tonight, their "Très Très Fort" album has been higly acclaimed worldwide and this, to my knowledge would be their first concert outside of their homeland.

OK, so let's get the important bit out of they way first. Staff Benda Bilili are a group of disabled Congolese street musicians move around in customized tricycles. They also who live in the grounds of a zoo. I say that this is the important bit only because this is the main marketing angle on the group. Take that away and you are left with the music. A very energetic mix of Congolese rhythms and Cuban rumba, with a combination of six vocalists of varying degrees of quality and my favourite bit, a customised hand made one string guitar which on the CD quite sounds manic and naturally is difficult to play in tune, but live it sounded even wilder and the sound gets very, very distorted and the frequency seemed to cause problems for some of the assembled audience. Great! This was very danceable stuff but looking at the stiff Barbican crowd seated as if, quite frankly, that it were a freak show (some looked positively horrified when one of the wheel-chaired musicians leapt from his wheelchair. I half expected someone to go to his aid). I would go as far as to say some of this audience have never experienced anything remotely resembling fun throughout their entire lives. There was a break-off rebel splinter group of dancers of fifteen people or so who were getting some evil stares from the stiff stuck-up posse. For the record, I didn't dance, but I shook my legs a bit.

So to round off, not exactly mind blowing but a very enjoyable evening which reminds me how lucky I am to be living in London (or at least in a few days, quite close to London) where there is such a wide variety of things to do musically and otherwise that is virtually on your door step.

Here is a live clip of the band from a recent TV appearance.

The Cramps - Can Your Pussy Do The Dog?

2009-11-12T21:59:00.004Z

Here is a great clip of The Cramps on The Tube from around 1986 with the curious little ditty - "Can Your Pussy Do The Dog?", a great track from the "A Date With Elvis", one of my favourite albums from that era.

Frontman Lux Interior sadly died earlier this year at the age of 62. This clip shows what a great performer and showman he was, but doesn't come near to what an exciting live experience by The Cramps was like, having being lucky enough to have seen them in concert twice.

The Biggest Reggae One Drop Anthems 2009

2009-11-09T08:00:00.001Z

This is one of two fairly representative compilations on Greensleeves Records of the current reggae music trends currently popular in Jamaica. That is, good, bad and very ugly. The other compilation is "Biggest Reggae Dancehall Anthems 2009". But more about that in few days.

A few years ago the term "One Drop" seemed to refer to the more cultural end of the reggae spectrum. Nowadays it the term is bit looser, seemingly describing everything that is not "dancehall". Although you could describe some of these tracks as "dancehall". Confused? Good. Bear in mind these guys just make music and it's only the record labels that insist on having to lump everything into a genre to help sell records, which is understandable I suppose.

So to "The Biggest Reggae One Drop Anthems 2009". To start off on a positive note, the tracks here that tick some of the right boxes are: Mr. Wiliamz - "No Cigarette", which follows a recent trend by Alborosie of re-licking 80s dancehall rhythms. The tune on this occasion is Triston Palma's "Joker Smoker". Nice vibes on this one, but the subject matter is as old as dinosaurs, while Peetah (Ex Morgan Heritage) & Assassin's "Hot A Road" is a big tune for sure. I haven't heard any new Capleton for yonks so it was enjoyable to hear "Acres". But guess what it is about? Ganja! There's a surprise. Queen Ifrica with "Dem Nah Lear" holds its own. Lukie D could read out a menu and it would still sound good. Even his reading of Jordin Sparks and Chris Brown's "No Air" would be acceptable, if it hadn't been spoiled by the one called M'lonie, who sounds like a drunk teenager on karaoke for the first time. Beres just does what he does best with "Can't Say I Never Tried", while Luciano, Junior Kelly and Lutan Fyah go through the motions.

On the bottom of the pile is Gappy Ranks - "Heaven In Her Eyes". Da'ville - "Missing You Right Now", Marcia Griffiths & Busy Signal - "Automatic (Keeping It Real)" and Glen Washington - "Vibes". All of which are so lightweight they could induce sea sickness and acute nausea even if one was miles away from sea. Romain Virgo's self explanatory "Alton's Medley" is quite frankly just pointless. There are also tracks by Alborose and Sizzla, who have tracks lifted off recent albums.

So enter at your peril. One for the download massive methinks, choice your tracks and then job done. If there is anyone could could sit through this compilation more than once, I salute you and recommend you seek medical advice.

Rabih Abou-Khalil - Arabian Waltz

2009-11-06T08:00:00.002Z

Rabih Abou-Khalil has a new compilation out at the moment entitled "Selection" and it is essential. I will go into more details when time allows. But in the meantime, move the furniture out of the way and and feel this one: "Arabian Waltz".

Radical Dance Faction (RDF) / Military Surplus

2009-11-05T08:00:00.001Z

Radical Dance Faction always used to get tossed on the dodgy "crusty dub" pile. This is true to a certain extent considering they used to attract a hell of a lot of crusties to their gigs (what ever happened to crusties?) and their music certainly could be described as dubby. I saw them live many times during the early 90s. I particularly remember one gig at the Electric Ballroom in Camden and still sticks in my mind as one of the best gigs that I ever attended. I recall that I spent a lot of time on stage that night and I'm not too sure why.

Founded by Chris Bowsher in Hungerford, Berkshire and starting out as Military Surplus in 1986 before becoming Radical Dance Faction. The band had many line up changes before splitting up in the late 1990s. Their music mixed elements of reggae, dub and punk. Chris Bowsher, more than a poet than a singer, spoke rather than singing his lyrics. He was often joined on record and on stage by the more accessible and melodic sensibilities of Linda Goodman.

Bowsher wrote about such topics as the Tiananmen Square protests of 1989 in the song "Chinese Poem". He witnessed the Hungerford Massacre and wrote about this harrowing experience in "Hot On The Wire" and in the poem "Hungerford Poem".

They released two essential albums: "Borderline Cases" and "Wasteland". both currently unavailable. The latter set featuring hot shot reggae drummer Style Scott, a former member of Roots Radics and Dub Syndicate. A third album "Raggamuffin Statement" followed, but that was a dodgy clumsy hotpoch of recordings of live material and demo-quality material.

The band reformed a couple of years ago as Military Surplus/RDF and played a handful of gigs. One of which was in Hitchin early in 2008, which included Murph from the Rhythmites on guitar, and old time Military Surplus member Steve Swann (Dub The Earth and Revolutionary Dub Warriors) on vocals. Below are some of the pictures I took on the night

A new album was planned for last year but nothing has yet emerged..

Here are three audio clips. "Chinese Poem" and "Hot On The Wire" - both mentioned above, and are on the "Borderline Cases" album. The third clip is of "Babylon" which is on the album "Wasteland"

Kroke - Out of Sight

2009-11-03T08:00:00.001Z

I first became aware of Kroke's music through the album "East Meets East" a superb timeless set released in 2003 in which they collaborated with mockney violinist Nigel Kennedy, The album was for me is an absolute triumph and introduced to me this extremely talented Polish group.

Formed in Krakow, Poland in the early 90s, originally a trio, consisting of double bass, accordion, violin, before expanded to a quartet by adding a drummer/percussionist. Originally a Klezmer band, performing "standards" but also writing and performing original compositions, you can almost smell and feel the vibes of being in Kazimierz, the old Jewish distinct of Krakow. I once got very lost there in the fog, but due to my excellent navigational skills found my way out and back to my hotel unscathed.

Anyways, "Out Of Sight" is Kroke's seventh album - not including two live albums "Live At The Pit" and "Quartet - Live At Home". In truth, anyone who has albums like "Eden" and or "Trio" will not have any real need for this. Kroke's sound has changed over the years, but this album is not a good example of it - for that you should check out "The Sounds Of The Vanishing World" or "Ten Pieces To Save The World". For me. this set borders on tedious and some tracks are just plain annoying. I just can't put my finger on it. It's a combination of too much vocals/wailing and unnecessary whistling and musically, in part, it's almost like a bad parody of themselves. Without breaking down each tracks, there are three or four good ones on here, but not enough to recommend because there is nothing new or remotely inspiring on this album.

Criticisms aside, Kroke are still truly remarkable musicians and I urge you to seek out their music and catch them live if you can.

For sound clips from "Out Of Time". Check Kroke's website here.

Pop Classics Part 8 - Styx - Babe

2009-11-01T21:06:00.005Z

Nope, I will not hang my head in shame. You should know by now I don't do "guilty pleasures". There is always something I have always loved about this song. there is a simple quality about it, something that lacks in most of today's' efforts in the "hit parade", where over-the-top production values rule.

Styx originally released "Babe" in 1979, and I picked up the 7" of this in a charity shop in Harrow a few years later and, have since helped it to reach a natural progression back into the charity shop cycle.

A pop classic for real. Lighters at the ready.

Bad Lieutenant - Never Cry Another Tear & Live At Heaven 21/10/09

2009-10-30T08:04:00.002Z

For those at the back of the class Bad Lieutenant are New Order's Bernard Sumner and Phil Cunningham's new project along with Jake Evans. Bad Lieutenant's sound, with a casual listen does come across like latter day New Order, but closer examination reveals there is a lot more going on. Judge for yourself.

On the album "Never Cry Another Tear" they are joined by Blur's Alex James and New Order/Joy Division drummer Stephen Morris, who both appear strictly as guests only. However, Morris has been playing live shows with the group. But more about that shortly.

I have discussed Bad Lieutenant here before and I was quite dismissive about them, to say the least. However, time is a healer, or something, the single "Sink Or Swim" is real grower, and the vast majority of the album is well listenable and as good as any of New Orders 1990s and beyond output.

The key tracks for me are "Twist Of Fate", "Summer Days", "This Is Home". "Shine Like The Sun", "Runaway" and the title track. Vocal duties are shared by Sumner and Evans. The latter has a slight Noel Gallagher sound about his voice, not such a bad thing, if given the choice between Noel and his ghastly brother Liam.

The live show at the famous London gay club Heaven was a triumph, with the core trio joined by Stephen Morris on drums and an unnamed gentleman on bass, yet despite playing tracks by New Order - "Crystal", "Temptation" and acoustic version of one of the best dance tracks songs ever committed to vinyl - "Bizarre Love Triangle", Joy Division's "Transmission", "Love Will Tear Us Apart" - all great but I have heard them hundreds of times before - along with a Electronic track and a Bernard Sumner guested Chemical Brothers track - I was left wanted to hear more Bad Lieutenant material, which for me spoke volumes.

Some pics I took at the show below, and then some audio clips.

Le Trio Joubran - Masar

2009-10-27T08:00:00.002Z

Check out this killer clip of the Palestinian three piece group Le Trio Joubran, with some great three-way oud action, with a live version of the track "Masar" which is featured on the excellent album "Majaz". Hypnotic stuff.

Saturday Night Jamboree

2009-10-24T20:26:00.004+01:00

Saturday night reggae vibrations with three killer and classic tunes: Dennis Brown & Big Youth - "In Their Own Way", Mutumbi - "Music In The Air" and Jimmy Riley - "Give Thanks & Praise", all dating from circa late 1970s and are all favourites of mine.

Nothing else to be said. Run it!

The Durutti Column - A Paean To Wilson, Kings Place, London 9/10/09

2009-10-23T08:00:00.004+01:00

Two weeks ago my old favourites The Durutti Column played at Kings Place, one of the newest and plushest venues to open in the capital for some time. Tucked away around the back of Kings Cross on York Way, this is one more nod towards the ongoing and eventual regeneration of the Kings Cross area. From grotty to snotty, if you like.

This was no normal gig for DC. Previewed in Manchester back in July over three nights, "A Paean To Wilson", Vini Reilly's personal tribute to his late friend Tony Wilson, who died in 2007. Wilson managed DC for many years, and yet Reilly claims the only payment his manager ever took for the job was an old car stereo and a raincoat.

Along with Reilly and Bruce Mitchell and current Durutti regulars - Poppy Morgan on Fender Rhodes and Keir Stewart - keyboards and bass, they were complemented by two members of DC's mid 80s lineup, namely violinist and arranger John Metcalfe and trumpet player and former member of Simply Red and Olive - Tim Kellett. Together they played an hours worth of - for me, of very captivating and moving pieces of music. The only familiar tunes to my ears were a keyboard/guitar duet between Poppy and Vini which sounded very much like "Royal Infirmary" from "Circuses and Bread" album from 1986 and the encore which consisted of a wild loud feedback-drenched instrumental version of "Requiem For a Mother" from the 2003 album "Someone Else's Party". The keyword in that last sentence was "instrumental", because Tony Wilson was never a fan of Vini's vocal talents and did everything he could to stop him from singing, so it was a fitting tribute that this this tribute is vocal free.

An album has been recorded and a "A Paean To Wilson" will be released early 2010 on Kooky Records. However, copies were available in advance at the Kings Place concert and I have to say the album is a corker, and to my reckoning the first album without any vocals from Vini since the 1979 debut "The Return Of The Durutti Column".

Above are some low quality pictures I took on the night of the concert in London two weeks ago.

Also, to give you a taster, here is a clip from the London gig, below that, a clip from one the aforementioned gigs in Manchester from September and for a very interesting interview with Vini Reilly click here.

Vassilis Tsabropoulos & Anja Lechner

2009-10-21T08:00:00.002+01:00

This is a wonderful piece of music from the Greek composer and pianist Vassilis Tsabropoulos and the German celloist Anja Lechner with a track from the excellent album "Chants, Hymns and Dances" (ECM) with the catchy title "Trois Morceaux Apres Hymnes Byzantins".

Curiously on this clip, the audio is accompanied with pictorial images of Istanbul. Always a good thing, as it is one of my favourite cities.

Lately the music of Vassilis Tsabropoulos has become the soundtrack to my daily commuting life. I urge you to investigate the recordings of this very talented musician.

Augustus Pablo - Three The Hard Way

2009-10-15T20:35:00.007+01:00

This is one of the heaviest reggae rhythms of all time from one of my favourite producers - Augustus Pablo. Recorded in the mid 70s, below are audio clips of three versions of this killer and classic rhythm. First up, a vocal cut by Jacob Miller - "Baby I Love You So", followed by the awesome dub cut mixed by King Tubby - "King Tubbys Meet The Rockers Uptown" and then the instrumental cut "Cassava Piece" featuring Pablo himself on the melodica.

Augustus Pablo, Jacob Miller and King Tubby are all no longer with us. All three died somewhat prematurely. A common theme with many artists and producers in the reggae world.

Strictly rockers style. Enjoy!

Anouar Brahem - The Astounding Eyes of Rita

2009-10-14T08:00:00.004+01:00

The work of the Tunisian oud player and composer Anouar Brahem was first brought to my attention a couple of years ago by my good friend Abdel Halim El Hachimi over at Tales From Bradistan. The album recommended to me was "Voyage de Sahar" (2005). A truly beautiful recording and a revelation to me. It's simple but effective arrangements were based around the oud, piano and accordion. To me that album was, and still is one of the most atmospheric and enchanting albums I have ever heard. For me a desert island disc, no doubt. Not far behind that was "Le Pas du Chat Noir" (2001) featuring the same musicians and instrumentation. Exploring Brahem's work further on his previous recordings, I discovered that this artist is not one who sticks to the same formula. Most of his albums will of course feature the oud as lead instrument which lends itself to a middle eastern sound, but that sound with different musicians can be interweaved easily with anything from clarinet, violin, soprano saxophone, double-bass or more traditional middle eastern instruments such as the nay to create a different feel and vibe on each album, but still underpinned with a very distinctive sound, with almost a brooding haunting feel. Don't expect to be able to dance to any of Anouar Brahem's music, but expect to be moved.

This album "The Astounding Eyes of Rita" - like the recordings mentioned above, are on the ECM label. There have been some wonderful releases on this label recently such as Vassilis Tsabropoulos - "The Promise" and Jon Balke & Amina Alaoui - "Siwan". The musicians on this disc work with Brahem for the first time and they are: Klaus Gesing - bass clarinet, Björn Meyer - bass and Khaled Yassine on darbuka and bendir. The album is not as immediate as "Voyage de Sahar" or "Le Pas du Chat Noir", but much more accesaible than earlier albums like "Conte de L'incroyable Amour" or "Barzakh". "...Rita" begins to make sense after two or three plays and it is definitely one of the best new albums that I have encountered in recent months, and there has been a lot of good stuff around.

It's hard to pick highlights on this, but my current favourites are "The Lover Of Beirut", "Al Birwa", "Galilee Mon Amour" and the album's amazing title track, which there is a clip of below.

Richard Hawley - Shepherds Bush Empire, London 8/10/09

2009-10-12T08:00:00.004+01:00

Sometimes I wonder why I bother going to certain gigs. You know the ones where you just stand there staring at the back of someones head and then people keep pushing past, and then they come back and push past again. The man next you has decided to keep his rucksack attached to his back during the show and keeps slamming it into you. The people behind you keep talking during the quiet bits and you wish they would sod off and go home. And you think to yourself, that you paid 18 pounds for this and you should be enjoying it, but you are trying to, but only as far as enjoying the muffled audio "pumping" out of the nearest speakers that are 50 yards way. For the record I am not that short, it's just that most of Richard Hawley's fans seem to be over 6 feet tall and with high hair.

Of course this is no reflection of the music on the night. Richard Hawley is an engaging, warm and witty performer and this is the third time that I have seen him in concert. He played a blinding set, comprising mostly of tracks from his new album "Truelove's Gutter" and a small sprinkling of tracks from earlier works including "The Ocean", "Hotel Room" (from "Coles Corner"), "Lady Solitude" (from "Lady's Bridge") and "Run for Me" (from "Lowedges"). Amazingly there were no room from the likes of "Tonight the Streets Are Ours", "Serious", "Valentine", "Coles Corner", "Just Like the Rain" or "Born Under a Bad Sign". So Mr. Hawley must have some serious faith in his newer material and so he should have. The highlight for me was "For Your Lover, Give Some Time", the current single.

As I mentioned before in a previous review, "Truelove's Gutter" is a great body of work, but most of the content is "armchair business", so after 90 minutes or so of this gig (it stretched to two hours) I noticed a lot of clock watching going on and lots of bored partners of the female variety, harassing their other halves's to make a hasty exit.

For the encore a surprise guest Lisa Marie Presley was introduced on stage. It turns out that Elvis' offspring and the late Jacko's ex-wife has been working with Hawley on some tracks. It enjoyable enough stuff all round, but of course I saw more of my friend's earlobe than of Ms Presley.

Above is a picture that I managed to take from the bar during the brief few minutes that I managed to see anything on stage. It's not a great photo, but it's better than nothing.

Below is a clip from youtube of "Soldier On" from the gig.

Who Say Me Done

2009-10-10T19:02:00.010+01:00

A week is a long time in Blogland and I haven't updated in almost a week. This is due to being extremely busy with other tasks. However, I have been listening to lots of new music, such as new albums by Anoaur Brahem, Yasmin Levy, Bad Lieutenant and Invisible System. New releases on the Pressure Sounds label - King Tubby & The Clancy Eccles All Stars - "Sound System International", a new compilation on Greensleeves - "The Biggest Reggae One Drop Anthems 2009" as well as attending gigs by Richard Hawley and The Durutti Column. Full reports and review to follow over the few next weeks, so watch out.

The Durutti Column...again

2009-10-04T21:34:00.006+01:00

It's been about a month since my last Durutti Column post, so here goes.

Here are two fantastic clips. The first is from the Cambridge Theatre, London in 1988. Two songs are featured - "Day Is Over" aka "Finding The Sea" and "Red Shoes". The second clip is from 2006 and is taken from a session at the XFM studios Manchester. The song featured is "Alive" fearing Helen Farley Jones on vocals.

Vini and friends play Kings Place, London this Friday, so expect more on this subject. OK!

Richard Hawley - Truelove's Gutter

2009-10-02T15:17:00.001+01:00

Traditionally on rock/pop albums you get all the fast tracks first and then come track 5 you get a lull with a slower track, and then the pace is picked up again until track 9 and 10 when the pace can drop back down again. Richard Hawley's album tracks are usually the other way around, with a snail-paced ballad at the beginning ("Valentine" from "Lady's Bridge" and the title track from "Coles Corner", for example) and then a couple of fast/faster tracks appearing later on. Hawley doesn't do "fast" very often. His last album "Lady's Bridge", contained the most speedier tracks Richard ever released - "Serious", "Tonight The Streets Are Ours" and "I'm Looking For Someone To Find Me". It's all relative though, because after the first track on this album, "As The Dawn Breaks", anything else sounds speedy in comparison.

So in a way, "Truelove's Gutter" is a bit like all the more boring tracks I sometimes skip past on Hawley's previous albums because there isn't one track on here that will get you doing the twist. But really, they are not really boring at all, they are just not as immediate as say "Born Under a Bad Sign", "Just Like The Rain" or "Valentine". So it's a brave move on Hawley's part to release this album. He could have easily taken another route and made more radio friendly foot-tapping material and turn into a modern day Alvin Shardust, or perhaps a Shakin' Stevens. Perhaps not. Instead he has released eight tracks - some of epic proportions, of varying degrees of moodiness and texture which makes for a more than pleasant experience. One for listening to walking along the Thames on a cold winters day. That's one way I will be enjoying this album

Richard Hawley is a serious talent, a natural songwriter and a borderline geniue. In years to come his albums will be regarded as all time classics. Mark my words, people.

As a foot note, if you are a fan of the man you will no doubt have investigated last years release by old time crooner Tony Christie with the album "Made In Sheffield" that Hawley co-produced, if you haven't, then check it out because it's brilliant.

Richard comes to the Shepherds Bush Empire, London on Thursday next week. I will be attending and will be sure to mention it here.

Here are two clips. The audio to "Open Up Your Door" and the video to the current single "For Your Lover, Give Some Time".

Rodrigo Leao and Cinema Ensemble - A Mãe

2009-09-30T08:00:00.002+01:00

This is the great new album from the Portuguese musician and composer Rodrigo Leao. Fans will know what to expect and will be well satisfied. Newcomers can expect lots of sweeping strings, Parisian accordion, melodic piano and heaps of great vocals from guests including Ana Vieira, a regular with Rodrigo, Stuart Staples and Neil Hannon, respectively frontmen with Tindersticks and The Divine Comedy. Not being a fan of either of these two bands, I enjoyed their contributions here immensely.

"A Mãe" is a well balanced mix of vocal pieces and instrumentals and like Rodrigo's previous work - solo or with his previous band Madredeus, will been described as "modern classical orchestral" or "cinematic pop". Whatever you want to call it, it certainly makes my world seem like a better place.

Here are some clips. The first two being from live performances.

Josh Rouse - Quiet Town

2009-09-27T18:05:00.000+01:00

This is such a great song by the American singer/songwriter Josh Rouse. I first heard it on the Robert Elms show on BBC Radio London when it was released in 2006. Then recently I heard it by chance and remembered how much I loved it, but more now because of the sentiment of the song. Because after living in London all of my life, the time has almost arrived for me to leave the city of my birthplace and move a mere 33 miles away to a quiet town. At least, certainly a quieter town.

"This is the life, I want to live in a quite town"

Joel Rubin - Beregovski's Khasene

2009-09-24T14:20:00.004+01:00

"Beregovski's Khasene" is a lovely selection of what is subtitled:"Forgotten instrumental treasures from the Ukraine" - from Joel Rubin and his band, made up of players of accordion, trumpet, violin and with Rubin leading proceedings on clarinet.

This is a worthwhile CD of re-recordings of vintage Klezmer which is more than a decade old, but I recently picked it up by chance in bargain bin and has provided me with much upliftment today, a day of dental trauma..

I can't find any clips online for this album, so you will have to take my word for it's worthy-ness, but if you like Kroke, you can't go far wrong.

Bad Lieutenant - Sink or Swim

2009-09-22T08:00:00.002+01:00

What with the much needed demise of New Order last year, Bernard Sumner has a new project in the shape of Bad Lieutenant, who are basically Bernard, Phil Cunningham - latter day New Order member, and some other bloke. On this, their debut single "Sink Or Swim", they are joined by Stephen Morris, the fantastic drummer from New Order/Joy Division. So what it all boils down to is, that this is basically New Order without Peter Hook. The result is New Order late period/album track type-stuff. Meaning, that it's quite good and very much how you would expect it to sound. Quite good.

A debut album is due in October, but meanwhile here is the video for the single. I wouldn't get too excited.

Johnny Osbourne - Trickster

2009-09-20T08:00:00.001+01:00

Gussie Clarke was one of the most prolific reggae producers during the 1980s, pioneering a heavy digital sound during the latter part of that decade. With Johnny Osbourne - one of the finest voices and one of the most consistent in the genre, they made "Trickster" penned by Hopeton Lindo. This is one serious slab of "hard riddim" With Steven Stanley on the mixing desk at Anchor Studios, Kingston, Jamaica, the end result in 12inch form is no less than crucial.

Konkani Songs (Music From Goa - Made In Bombay)

2009-09-18T08:00:00.002+01:00

Now for something completely different..

This is a fantastic compilation from the excellent German label Trikont featuring obscure and fascinating recordings of Konkami songs from the East coast of India - Goa to be exact, recorded in Bombay between the 1950's and 1970's with a bewildering mixture of Cuban and Latin rhythms, Mexican trumpets, "western" instruments, more than a hint of jazz and not one sitar in sight. Some of these strange influences can be traced back to the presence of the Portuguese in the region during the 16th century. But this is not the time for a history lesson.

With an impressive 22 glorious songs by such artists as Alfred Rose, Lorna, Robin Vaz, Mohammed Rafi, Jacinto Vaz, Annette Pinto and many more, lovingly complied and packaged, this is such a compelling listen and one of the reasons I continue on my mission to find searching for different and exciting

For sound clips go here

Rhythmites - Trowbridge Folk Festival 2009

2009-09-16T08:00:00.001+01:00

Most of you won't care much for this clip. The quality is so-so and the sound isn't all that great. But for those who know, this is a very rare clip of the Rhythm-ites, one of my favourite reggae bands, performing at the Trowbridge Village Pump Festival during the summer. I have written here before about the classic "Integration" album which I'm been informed there is a possibility of getting a release on CD for the first time in the near future and on top of that, a brand new album from a great underrated group that have been together in some shape or form for over 20 years.

Culture Musical Club - Shime!

2009-09-13T08:00:00.001+01:00

I first encountered Taraab music, specifically Taraab music from Zanzibar a couple of years ago when Buda Musique released two fantastic albums: "Zanzibara Vol. 1 - A Hundred Years of Tarab in Zanzibar" by Ikhwani Safaa Musical Club, a set of new recordings and "Zanzibara Vol. 2 - Golden Years of Mombasa Taarab", a collection of classic recordings from 1965-1975 and then delved more into the music, by back-tracking and obtaining earlier releases. I also watched a great film about the "Queen of Taraab" - Bi Kidude entitled "As Old As My Tongue: The Myth and Life of Bi Kidude".

The Indian, African and Arabic influences in Taraab are irresistible with sweeping strings and the lush orchestral arrangements are hypnotic. The players are usually untrained and they play straight from the heart.

Culture Music Club are one of Zanzibar's oldest Taraab outfits, haivng been around for around fifty years. "Shime!" is more of what you would expect, so there are no surprises here. All nine tracks are great and are a great introduction to the music. But I would still direct you towards the two releases mentioned at the beginning of this review.

For clips of the album go here

Here's a clip of Culture Music Club in action.

Delroy Wilson - Dub Plate Style

2009-09-09T18:20:00.000+01:00

Criminally, I have never had much Delroy Wilson material in my collection due to my leaning towards more roots orientated reggae over the years, with Delroy's songs being a bit too light or standard for me, but the tunes on this set are excellent and now I know what I was missing. Of course I already know "Better Must Come" and "I'm Still Waiting". Also, I had previously heard both "Find Yourself Another Girl" and "Joe Ligea" as dub versions from the album "King Tubby's Special 1973-1976" on Trojan.

The tracks on this album are dubplate mixes by Prince Jammy of what were Bunny Lee-produced material dating from the 1970s. Not having the originals myself, this is lost on me, but I imagine that the original cuts are more straight mixes than some of the tracks here that boast quite dubby and are harsher mixes than you would expect. Maybe that's why they appeal to me so much.

Full marks to Pressure Sounds for this. One of the few labels left releasing quality reggae reissues.

Not very interesting I know, but I worked with the late Delroy Wilson's cousin, an ex-Jamaican police officer at an oriental rug warehouse in north west London during the latter half of the 1990's. Now you know.

Anyway, for sound clips click here.

Annoying Music From TV Adverts Part 3

2009-09-06T16:50:00.002+01:00

Yet another tedious-as-hell piece of twee female vocal garbage to be used on a television commercial. This time it's an advert for the Apple ipod "Nano" and the band responsible are Brooklyn based Chairlift with a song called "Bruises".

If you can listen to it all the way through without punching something or somebody I salute you and recommend that you get professional help.

Junior Byles and Rupert Reid - Remember Me

2009-09-04T08:00:00.001+01:00

One of the heaviest roots reggae records ever made. This is a typically dread affair with great vocals from Junior "Fade Away" Byles and the lesser spotted Rupert Reid.

Produced by Dudley "Swaby" Manzie and originally released on the Ja-Man label in Jamaica in the late 1970s, this is the full length "discomix" cut with apocalyptic dub version in full effect.

Available on the Blood and Fire label on the album "129 Beat Street: Ja-Man Special 1975-1978".

The Return Of..........My Obsession WIth The Durutti Column

2009-09-03T08:00:00.001+01:00

All is very busy at Overground Sounds HQ at the moment, so for now, here is an audio clip of The Durutti Column's "Ananda" from the 2008 album "Sunlight to Blue...Blue to Blackness". Those regular readers with an interest in my recent recommendation "The Promise" by Vassilis Tsabropoulos should lend a keen ear to this track.

Crass - Big A Little A

2009-09-01T08:00:00.001+01:00

This has to be one of my favourite punk songs of all time. Coming on the b-side of "Nagasaki Nightmare" (1980), There's nothing I can say about Crass that hasn't been written about before by many others. But for me, personally I was first exposed to Crass in around 1985 and since then have always come back to handful of songs that I rate and can still enjoy and listen to as well as "Big A Little A" such as: "Working Class Rip Off", "I Ain't Thick, It's Just a Trick", "Banned From The Roxy", "Reality Whitewash", "Rival Tribal Rebel Revel", "How Does It Feel", and maybe one or two others. The rest I can live without.

Here are the crucial lyrics and two clips. The first is the audio of the original track and the second clip is a great live clip of Steve Ignorant from Crass on stage with Conflict at the infamous "Gathering Of The 500" gig at the Brixton Academy in 1987.

Eleni Karaindrou - The Weeping Meadow

2009-08-30T08:00:00.001+01:00

Eleni Karaindrou is a Greek composer who has scored many films by her countryman and filmmaker Theo Angelopoulos. I recently encountered her work and was quite intrigued by it, as I have, in recent years become very fond of music of with a cinematic slant by artists such as Rodrigo Leao, Yann Tiersen and Michael Nyman.

I haven't seen the film `The Weeping Meadow' - or indeed any film by Angelopoulos, but judging by this soundtrack I can't imagine it would be a barrel of laughs.

This soundtrack from 2004 consists of pretty much one theme and a few variations, with the instrumentation predominantly consisting of a string orchestra, accordion, double bass, harp and piano. The result is that of a mournful nature, but there are a few moments where the sound elevates into something more joyous.

This is very effecting music and and I am already investigating further recordings by this artist.

Here is an excerpt.

Tarrus Riley - Contagious

2009-08-28T08:00:00.001+01:00

What is with reggae artists having to see their face on the front of sleeve? Usually in some kind of righteous pose with fingers glued together, or sitting on a throne? I personally think it's 50% vanity and 50% laziness on both the artist and the record label's part. I mean, how tedious and predictable.

Tedious and predictable are words that can be used to describe most of the content of `Contagious' . If I hear another female backing singer going "ooh ooh" I won't be responsible for my actions. Is it always the same female singers? Do they keep them in the studio in a cupboard along with the triangles and the tambourines? In fact a lot of these songs would sound by far, so much better without any backing singer.

OK, so maybe I am exaggerating a bit. `Stop Watch' is a killer roots tune, but that's the best it gets. `Young Heart' rides a vintage Treasure Isle rhythm and is more than acceptable, the cover of MJ's `Human Nature' is curiously satisfying. A handful of other tunes are OK, but just go through the motions, including combinations with Vybes Kartel, Demarco and Duane Stephenson. But it's the Etana tune with Tarrus `Let Peace Reign' that had me reaching for the sick bucket. Just think of `We Are The World' meets and aforementioned Michael Jackson's `Heal The World'. Nice sentiments but please, no.

Maybe I am just looking for something within the current reggae scene that isn't there, like something to actually get excited about. But it sll seems to have gone a bit static and stale and anything but "Contagious".

Also, 18 tracks is way too much. I know record labels have to make a product worth buying and more appealing to the consumer, but I miss the days of 10 track albums weighing in at under 45 minutes.

Here is some audio from the album out now on VP Records.

The Royals - Facts Of Life

2009-08-26T08:00:00.001+01:00

One of my favourite reggae tunes of all time, and featuring some of the most miserable lyrics ever to grace vinyl. But in a good way.

Taken from Roy Cousins and The Royals classic 1977 album "Pick Up The Pieces", this is killer roots of the highest order and almost enough to make a grown man cry.

"When you see a big man cry, then you know something is wrong"

Here is an audio clip. Kleenex at the ready.

Pop Classics Part 7 - Vicious Pink - Cccan't You See

2009-08-23T08:00:00.003+01:00

If my memory serves me right, I picked up this at Kilburn market at the time of its release in 1984, on the strength that for some reason I thought it looked "interesting". I took it home, loved it and then played it to death. I awaited its arrival in the top 40 and an imminent Vicious Pink performance on Top Of The Pops. Later research told me that the record reached #67 in the charts. A year later it was re-released, remixed and then reached #97. This was their biggest hit. It took me twenty two years to discover another person who actually heard of the song or the group.

I bought two other singles by the band `Je T'aime' (released a year before `Cccan't You See' when the band were known as Vicious Pink Phenomenon) and `Fetish' (released a year after their "big hit"). Both of them were crap.

A nice slice of tech-disco pop that has weathered fairly well over the years. Not really a "classic" as such but it still gives me a warm glow. So for that reason alone, it qualifies as such.

New Order - 1963

2009-08-21T08:00:00.002+01:00

For me this is easily one of New Order's best songs, but widely unknown due it's lowly status as a b-side of `True Faith'. Both tracks were released in 1987 and were produced by Stephen Hague. If `1963' had been released as a single, it would have been a huge hit, but alas that never happened.

New Order occasionally included it in their live repertoire, but it never got the airing it deserved.

Here is a audio clip of the original and a live clip from US during the 1989 `Technique' tour.

Bim Sherman at Southern Studios

2009-08-18T08:00:00.002+01:00

This is a classic clip of Bim Sherman, Bonjo Nyabinghi (African Head Charge) and Skip McDonald at Southern Studios in 1990 with a stunning acoustic reading of Bim's classic `Tribulation'.

The late Bim Sherman is one of my favourite reggae singers, and this is a rare clip of the man in action performing live.

The Durutti Column - Love In The Time Of Recession (Japanese Edition)

2009-08-16T16:00:00.001+01:00

Last weekend the Japanese edition of the Durutti Column's latest album `Love In The Time Of Recession' (released in the UK, March 2009) landed in my hallway. Well, not quite. I had a customs fee to pay, so had to collect it from the post office - £13.12 to be exact and that was on top of what I had to pay for the actual CD (£17.00)and the shipping cost (£4.00)from Japan. All for 3 bonus tracks. A bargain! At least it would be if any of them were any good.

Out of the three bonus tracks, it's hard to pick anything positive. `Duet For Piano and Guitar' (mis-titled as `The Secret Between The Blade And Me') is just a variant of `Painting', a track already on the album. `The Secret Between The Blade And Me' (mis-titled as `Duet For Piano and Guitar') carries on in a similar minimal vein, and sounds a bit like a C90 tape being mangled and features Vini Reilly's laziest vocal for sometime. The last bonus track `Everybody's Laughing (I Don't Care)' is not too bad at all, but is a filler for sure.

The album as a whole is excellent which some great tracks on there. `In Memory of Anthony' is a heartfelt ode to Vini's good friend and mentor, the late Tony Wilson, `Rant', `Loser' and `I'm Alive' are more traditional style Durutti tunes with drummer Bruce Mitchell in full effect. Which leads on neatly to the albums highlight, an instrumental piece entitled `For Bruce' with beautiful guitar playing and a very effective sample from an unknown source. Another highlight is `Lock Down' featuring a sample from the reggae dancehall artist Movado, which might seem a strange choice of sample for the Durutti Column, but it isn't the fist time they have used reggae as a source of sample. Other tracks are guitar and piano piece accompanied by Poppy Morgan, Reilly's current girlfriend, on piano. The results are varied. `Wild Beast Tamed' is an instrumental masterpiece whilst the aforementioned `Painting' and `My Poppy' have their merits but would have been more enjoyable to me as instrumentals. I have nothing against Vini's vocals, especially on tracks like `Gun' and `Big Hole' from the album 2006 `Keep Breathing', for example, but the vocals here just don't stand up.

Was it worth the money and the effort? Yes, but for the life of me I don't know why.

For samples (of the UK release) click here.

Full track list:

1. In Memory of Anthony
2. Rant
3. More Rainbows
4. I'm Alive
5. For Bruce
6. Painting
7. Wild Beast Tamed
8. Rainbow Maker
9. My Poppy
10. Loser
11. Lock-Down
12. The Secret Between The Blade And Me
13. Duet For Piano And Guitar
14. Everybody's Laughing (I Don't Care)

Here is a clip of The Durutti Column on BBC2's Culture Show, featuring an interview with the band and footage of one of their recent "Paean To Tony Wilson" shows in Manchester.

Richard Hawley - For Your Lover Give Some Time

2009-08-14T08:00:00.003+01:00

`For Your Lover Give Some Time' is business as usual for Richard Hawley. A beautifully crafted ballad with lush strings which leaves you wanting more. Excellent stuff that bodes well for the forthcoming album `Truelove's Gutter', Hawley's 6th, due for release in September. This is the first single to be taken from it.

`For Your Lover Give Some Time' is currently available for download on itunes and amazon.

Here is the video for the single:

Last Shop Standing - Whatever Happened to Record Shops? - Graham Jones

2009-08-12T08:00:00.001+01:00

This is a very interesting and worthwhile read for anyone with a passing interest in the current state of the music business, in particular record shops, or lack of them. When I first started buying records in the early 1980's, my trips to Spin It in Willesden were the highlights of the month. Nowadays I am still unable to walk past a record shop without having to enter. Of course, I use the term "record shop" loosely in today's terms, as you would be hard pushed to find any vinyl lurking alongside the CDs, DVDs, video games and books on any high street store you might enter. However if you look hard enough, scattered across the county there are record and CD shops who are struggling to survive and are now thinking of inventive and varied ways of surviving in these days of file sharing, downloading, both legally and illegally, as well as the simple fact that the majority of the public, especially youngsters have little or no interest in owning music, and not certainly not in a physical form.

Graham Jones tackles the subject with obvious enthusiasm, which is unsurprising as his "day job" is visiting record shops and selling stock to them. In this book "Last Shop Standing - Whatever Happened to Record Shops?", Jones encounters some of the store owners and staff he has met up and down the country over the years and has many an anecdote to tell. He discovers how these shops are continuing to trade, as well sharing his story of how he got started in the music business in the first place.

Jones is no writer, and that is obvious, with quite a few grammatical errors (like this blog!) and sometimes schoolboy essay-style writing (like this blog!) but in this case, it is not that important because the tales he tells are compelling, funny and moving.

Last week I witnessed Graham doing a reading from the book in Broadway Books, Broadway Market, Hackney and thoroughly enjoyed the evening.

Buy the book here.

Masar Group - El 'Aysh Wel Melh

2009-08-11T08:00:00.003+01:00

Released in 2006, this is a very enjoyable album of what you could loosely call "Oriental Jazz", although it's really more oriental than jazz, it has to be said. For me, just the right balance and it hits the right spot.

Masar Group are four very talented musicians, three of which are Egyptians - Hazem Shaheen, Nawar Abbessi and Hani Bdei playing oud, piano and percussion respectively. They are joined by the very able Miles Jay, an American gentleman on contrabass, a type of double bass apparently.

The musicianship on this set is excellent, especially when the piano takes the lead on the tracks `Remal' and `Eh el Ibara'. The latter I am sure I have heard before somewhere, but I may be wrong.

For sound clips and to purchase click here.

Be sure to check out Hazam Shaheen's solo album `Things That I Miss', previously reviewed on this blog.

Pop Classics Part 6 - Soft Cell - Say Hello, Wave Goodbye

2009-08-08T16:32:00.012+01:00

Another trip down memory lane into the 1980's for some of you folk, but not for me. I only really fell for this song a year or so ago when I heard it by accident coming out of an ex-work colleague's PC speakers.

I have absolutely no interest in Marc Almond or Soft Cell and would pay hard cash never to hear their version of `Tainted Love' ever again, but this track`Say `Hello, Wave Goodbye' from 1982 is genius.

Great song, shame about the video.

Orquestra Arab De Barcelona - Maktub

2009-08-05T08:00:00.001+01:00

`Maktub' by Orquestra Arab De Barcelona has been out for a few months, but I have just stumbled this album and and I'm glad that I did, for it is very enjoyable and well worth a punt.

As made quite clear by the name of the band, they are indeed an arab music-orientated band based in Barcelona, with musicians made up of players from Morocco, Catalonia and Greece with a rich mixture of violin, oud and piano dominating the sound. Stand out tracks for me are `El Viaje De La Verdad', `Sufi'. `Gloria A TI' and `Mi Tierra'. For sound clips check here.

The sound is never boring, fusing mainly arab musical and vocal influences with a mizture subtle Catalan and Spanish styles, as well as jazz flavours, but on the whole sticking to the roots

Here are two clips of the band in action live.

Killing Joke - Love Like Blood

2009-08-02T18:31:00.008+01:00

I was never really a fan of Killing Joke to any real extent, but the superb single `Love Like Blood' made a huge impact with me when it was released in 1985.

Killing Joke were fronted by the charismatic and scary looking Jaz Coleman who has had a very interesting career, not only in the music business, but within literature and as an environmental campaigner . Folk who only associate Mr Coleman with Killing Joke should do well to read here.

This is a clip `Love Like Blood' from the Channel 4 show The Tube circa 1985.

Big Audio Dynamite

2009-07-31T08:00:00.001+01:00

When `This Is Big Audio Dynamite',was released in 1985, I instantly became a fan of the band known as BAD. for no other reason, that `Medicine Show' and `E=MC2' were fantastic singles. I had no real interest in either Mick Jones or the Clash, and didn't know what Don Letts who or was, and frankly still don't.

The albums `No. 10, Upping St' (1986) and `Tighten Up, Vol. 88' (1988) followed and had some great tracks as well, but from that point, I lost interest.

Here are a selection of some of my favourite Big Audio Dynamite tracks from various video and live performances of varying quality from youtube.

Tommy McCook & The Supersonics - Pleasure Dub

2009-07-29T08:00:00.001+01:00

Another worthwhile release from Pressure Sounds, one of the last remaining decent reggae reissue labels. This is a dub set dating from the early 70's, consisting of mostly early reggae and rock steady hits out of Duke Reid's Treasure Isle stable. With dub cuts of big tunes such as The Paragons' `Riding High On a Windy Day' and`The Tide Is High', `Cry Tuff' by Alton Ellis abd Phyllis Dylan's `Woman Of The Ghetto', as well as some tracks that are unfamiliar to my ears.

Originally released without an artist credit, but with Tommy McCook's horn work being in the forefront of most of these tracks, the late hornsman gets his name on the sleeve for this re-release.

Mixed by Errol Brown, the dub techniques are quite primitive and are based around lots of echoed vocals, occasional reverb on the drums and a small dash of phaser here and there. So, the main attraction here are the rhythms, all of which are excellent. And as a bonus on the CD Pressure Sounds have culled an extra seven cuts more that were featured on the original LP release, including two killer cuts on the `Ali Baba' rhythm.

For soundclips clikc here.

Massive Attack and Sinead O'Connor

2009-07-26T20:31:00.005+01:00

I've never really been a fan of Massive Attack and always found them to be quite boring, with the exception of one or two tracks with Elizabeth Fraser on vocals, and these two aural treats. Both of these tracks feature the much derided and very talented Sinead O'Connor with `A Prayer For England' and `Special Cases' from the 2004 Massive Attack album `100th Window' You'd be hard pushed to hear a vocal delivery with more sincerity and passion than on these two tracks.

The AK47's - Don't Call Me Vanilla

2009-07-24T08:00:00.003+01:00

The AK47's, also known as the Tottenham AK47's, were one of the bands were involved in the squat or so-called crusty scene in London in the early 1990's, along with bands like Back To The Planet, Radical Dance Faction, Community Charge (from Manchester), Ruff Ruff `n' Ready, Citizen Fish, The Sea, Senser, Credit To The Nation and countless others. The AK47's played, what could be best described as punk-fused reggae, using anarcho political, and even Irish Republican messages over dubby rhythms. For me they had a raw edge and were great live and evoke some great memories.

The LP `Don't Call Me Vanilla' was released on the Rugger Bugger label in 1991, and I have just listened to it for the first time in a few years. Some songs on the album to were and still are, lyric-wise a tad naive, what with the promotion of "food for nothing" on `Downward Spiral', some curiously insightful lyrics on the troubles in Northern Ireland for a band from England on `Spirit Of Resistance'/`Tiocfaidh Ar La', and advice for us not to trust the middle classes, vicars and MP's from left wing parties on `Cop Cars'.

The album kind of annoyed me at the time, and one of the reasons is mentioned above. However, there are some very good songs on here including `One Hand' (about women left at home with the kids ironing while daddy's off fighting a revolution..) and `Chillin' - an instrumental.

Back in 1990 I preferred the intelligent meanderings of Chris Bowsher's poems with Radical Dance Faction, or Citizen Fish and Dick Lucas's ceaseless energy and positive lyrics, which were so clever that anything else at the time from bands of a similar ilk, such as the AK47's just sounded banal and irrelevant in comparison. But at the time, it was all about where the next party in a timber yard in New Cross was happening.

No clips available for this one. Happy hunting!

Vassilis Tsabropoulos - The Promise

2009-07-22T08:00:00.003+01:00

I know this is the second ECM release to be mentioned on this blog in one week, but I just couldn't let this one pass by without a mention. `The Promise' really is one of the most beautiful and captivating albums that I have heard for a while, and has already become one those albums that I know I will treasure and play for the rest of my life. No joke.

If solo piano music is your thing, in particular, that of the more melodic, atmospheric and unpretentious variety. This is for you. Music like this deserves needs respect and needs the right setting.

I can't warrant any real comparisons on this, but if forced I would say Keith Jarrett without the jazz-iness and with more melody.

Vassilis Tsabropoulos is a very talented Greek pianist and this is second solo album on ECM. His collaboration with German cellist Anja Lechner 'Chants, Hymns and Dances' is also well worth investigating.

Here is a clip of `Pearl' from `The Promise'.

And click here for a clip of the title track, as I am unable to post a direct link on this occasion.

Screaming Trees / Success

2009-07-19T09:44:00.001+01:00

Screaming Trees (not to be confused with the US rockers of the same name) were a great duo from Sheffield originally consisting of Sean Maloney and Mark Swancott, They emerged in the late 80's. An inventive experimental pop dance band with a couple of great singles `Iron Guru' and `Asylum', using some clever samples. I discovered them by chance as a lot of promo copies of their singles ended up in bargain basements of Music and Video Exchange shops in London. I suspect their record label Native had high hopes for them.

The debut album `Fracture In Time' (1987) - interestingly featuring Richard Hawley on guitar on one track, was followed up with `Tangiers' (1989) a minor hit that made the top ten of the indie charts in 1988. A year later the second album `World Crash' was released. This saw the band change their name to Success which was ironic in the extreme as that was something they never had a sniff at. One more single `Trip Wire', produced by Richard H Kirk, was released and that was that.

Their releases are well worth picking up if you should be lucky enough to find any of them, especially the singles.

Here is a clip of the `Tangiers' video from the ITV's The Chart Show in 1988.

Pop Classics Part 5 - Sad Cafe

2009-07-17T08:00:00.007+01:00

Over the last few years in the UK there seems to be a growing trend for "Guilty Pleasures" club nights. The concept is, in my eyes that a bunch of half-wits listen to what they see as wack cheesy pop or AOR which they really love and enjoy, but pass it off as being ironic whilst of course they are huge Hot Chip fans. So I guess Sad Cafe , a bonafide AOR band could be described as a guilty pleasure, but I don't believe in such a thing as I have no guilt, because these two tracks are monsters! I owned both records - "Everyday Hurts" (1979) and "Strange Little Girl" (1980) - when they were released when I was at a tender age. For some reason that I can't fathom I had 2 copies of `Everyday Hurts'. I also bought the follow up to these two gems - "My Oh My" (1980), which didn't reach the higher heights of these two killer tracks.

Sad Cafe were from Manchester, but you don't hear them mentioned when it comes to the regular TV and radio retrospectives on that city. Funny that.

I couldn't find any footage of "Strange Little Girl", but you get some great TOTP action of "Everyday Hurts".

Jon Balke & Amina Alaoui - Siwan

2009-07-14T17:38:00.014+01:00

On the surface `Sivan' on the ECM label is quite a dark affair, but scratch below the surface and you will find joyous melodies to brighten up your day. OK, I wouldn't go that far. This is a very sobering experience which needs your full attention, and that means listening to it more than once to be able to fully judge. Music should never be that obvious. And some of the best music needs a bit of work on the listeners part, otherwise we'd all be listening to The Kooks or something worse (if that's possible).

Arranged by Norwegian jazz pianist and composer Jon Balke, the sound of the violin - or several of them, dominates proceedings, with trumpet from Jon Hassell, cello, double bass, harpsichord, percussion and topped off with enticing vocals by the Moroccan singer Amina Alaoui. It moves along at a predominately slow pace and like most artist albums nowadays, goes on a tad too long.

Essentially the album is what will be lumped in with "world jazz", taking in influences from the Arab world as well as the Balkans and other European regions.

Here is an audio youtube clip of `Ya Safwati', taken from `Siwan'

We Don't Want Your F**king War

2009-07-12T15:06:00.008+01:00

After the death toll of British soldiers reaches 184 n Afghanistan, topping the 179 killed so far in Iraq, I am reminded of one of the greatest ever anti-war songs by the legendary anarcho punk group Crass with `How Does It Feel' released in 1983, a comment on the Falklands War and lyrics aimed at the head of Margaret Thatcher, A record that resulted in an attempted prosecution by the government under the Obscene Publications Act.

The lyrics still strike a chord today, especially the lines:

"Throughout our history you and your kind
Have stolen the young bodies of the living
To be twisted and torn in filthy war"

"You say "Think of what those young men gave"
As you try to bind us in your living death"

For full lyrics click here.

Kroke & Nigel Kennedy - Ajde Jano

2009-07-10T07:00:00.001+01:00

Here are two beautiful pieces of music from the Polish band Kroke alongside Nigel Kennedy taken from the 2003 album `East Meets West', which is well worth checking out. The first track is `Ajde Jono' featuring Natasha Atlas on vocals, and the second is `Lullaby For Kamila'.

A Sketch For My Summer

2009-07-04T06:00:00.003+01:00

I am off on my summer holidays now, so as a going away present, I will leave you with a great clip of The Durutti Column performing `Sketch For Summer' from 2007, and a clip from a private gig by Vini Reilly from last year performing `4 Sophia', what sounds like a variation of `Gathering Dust' and `Pigeon'.

Be good.

Roots Garden Showcase Part 1 & 2

2009-07-02T08:00:00.008+01:00

This is how contemporary roots reggae should sound. And it's made in the UK, fancy that. Brighton-based Roots Garden label have been behind some of the more interesting reggae 45's over the past two years or so. With Nick Manasseh in the production chair, that's no real surprise.

All the tracks here are great, but from `Volume 1', I lean towards Bob Skeng `The Lion' with its wicked vocal and simple but effective horns riff and Dark Angel - `Free Da Minds' with its hard 80's style digital rhythm and from `Volume 2' - Freddie McGregor's `Rally', a re-cut of his Studio One classic `Rastaman Camp' and Earl Sixteen with `Gold Dust', coming like an 1980's Channel One production.

`Roots Garden Showcase Parts 1' and `2' - with 4 vocal tracks and four dub cuts on each 12" slate have been out for a while but should still quite easy to pick up. They can also be bought digitally from here or here along with other productions from the same stable. Check the same source for sound clips too.

Here are some audio clips from Part 1.

Annoying Music From TV Adverts Part 2

2009-06-30T07:00:00.003+01:00

Following on from "Annoying Music From TV Adverts Part 1", this piece of "music" has been polluting my ears for about two years now. One can only imagine the amount of money that Lloyds TSB have spend on this advertising campaign. I for one do not bank with this company, but if I did, I would have transferred my meager savings elsewhere by now, quite simply because of the aural assault on my ears on a regular basis. "Why not just switch over?" - I hear you cry? This does not work, even if I hear one note of this, it is as bad as hearing the full tune and the damage is already done. It hasn't gone unnoticed that there are many variations of this tune popping up now and again.

A Soviet-born Austrian named Elena Kats-Chernin is responsible and the track is called`Eliza's Aria' from a ballet named `Wild Swans', so you know what section of HMV you need to take your sledgehammer to on your next visit.

Hazem Shaheen - Things That I Miss (Hagaat Wahshany)

2009-06-28T12:00:00.003+01:00

Hazem Shaheen is an Egyptian Oud teacher and player as well as being a member of both the Eskenderella and Masar groups. `Things That I Miss (Hagaat Wahshany)' is his first solo outing on disc. This set concentrates on some satisfying solo pieces by Hazem, but the tracks that really stand out are on the two tracks in which he is joined by piano, double bass and percussion - `Problem' and `Things That I Miss'.

Albums like this don't really offer the listener anything particularly exciting or new, but are still well worth a listen. This album doesn't seem to be readily available outside Egypt at the moment, but until it such time you can listen to clips here

Here is an audio clip of Hazeem, albeit not a track from the reviewed album.

Pop Classics Part 4 - Talk Talk - It's My Life

2009-06-26T08:00:00.004+01:00

Quite simply, Talk Talk's `It's My Life' is one of the best pop records ever recorded. It sounds better today than it did when it was first released in 1984. An attempt of a cover version by No Doubt could only be described as laughable. The only good thing about that version was that hopefully it steered some folk into sourcing the original, so they could then throw Gwen and co's effort into the bin.

Also, my wife and I chose this song as our "wedding dance tune" when we got married a couple of years back. She danced, I wobbled.

You might have noticed that all of my "Pop Classics" selections so far have been from the 1980's. This is a reflection of the period of time that I was first exposed to pop music to any real extent. nothing to do with some rose-tinted view of this decade that seems to be in fashion right now. There was a lot of great music during the 1980's, but of course a lot of rubbish as well.

Alborosie - Escape From Babylon

2009-06-25T08:00:00.005+01:00

If you're looking for those big Alborosie tunes from over the past three years or so like:`Kingston Town', `Rastafari Anthem', `Herbalist', `Sound Killa' and `Waan The Herb' you're in the wrong place. Alborosie's first album `Soul Pirate' came out quietly last year when his management had a huge price tag on his head, and no record label rose to the bait - or so I've heard, and they ended up having to release it themselves in limited quantities

So most reggae folk know the story by now. Alborosie, a Sicilian-born reggae artist who moved to Jamaica to be close the roots of his beloved reggae music and the vibes of rastafari. This makes him an easy target to ridicule but he carries it off well and has a lot more credence that some of his Jamaican-born peers. Some have called him a one trick pony, sounding like he is stuck in a 1980's Black Uhuru time warp, with lots of comparisons to Michael Rose, the former front-man of Black Uhuru. Alborosie can put those criticisms to rest now, as they don't really apply to many of the songs on `Escape From Babylon'. However, our man does borrow styles left right and centre. There is something very Bob Marley about the sound of `America' and something very Eek-a-Mouse about `Real Story'. Saying that, he has created his own style and it's that he have to concentrate on.

With a lot of these songs the delivery, melody and phrasing are good enough even if the lyrics are somewhat uninspiring or lacking. For instance on the chorus of `No Cocaine' Alborosie recycles lyrics we have heard a hundred times before. But maybe I am just nit-picking? If people like that style, then more power to him. Gramps Morgan from the now defunkt Morgan Heritage pops up on `One Sound', which sounds like a hit, but is it just me or we have heard this song a few times before? The late Dennis Brown is resurrected on `Can't Stand It', originally a vintage Joe Gibbs production, whilst Horace Andy's vocals are borrowed on `Money' which is of course a revamp of Andy's classic `Money Money'. You also get the obligatory `"girl tune" in the shape of `Good Woman' and customary "binghi" tune `Likkle Africa'.

There are some very good tunes on here and my personal pick of the bunch, I have included audio youtube links below.

Like Sizzla's latest release on Greensleeves, Tony McDermott has had his pencils out once more, which makes this album a more attractive proposition.

Anouar Brahem - Leila Au Pays Du Carrousel

2009-06-23T08:00:00.004+01:00

With a simple combination of oud, piano and accordion, this is the mesmerising `Leila Au Pays Du Carrousel' by the very talented Tunisian musician and composer Anouar Brahem taken from the album `Le Pas Du Chat Noir' on ECM.

Panama! 2: Latin Sounds, Cumbia Tropical and Calypso Funk On The Isthmus 1967-77

2009-06-21T10:32:00.001+01:00

Another excellent compilation from the Soundway label who come with the goods time after time. As usual this ticks all the right boxes, lovingly compiled, great label scans, excellent sleeve notes, 24 page booklet. And it comes on a double vinyl too. What more do you want? It's releases like this that you have to own. Downloading the likes of this wouldn't be half as satisfying.

`Panama! 2: Latin Sounds, Cumbia Tropical and Calypso Funk on the Isthmus 1967-77' does what is says on the tin and continues where Volume 1 left off, but this time concentrating on a very slightly later period. It's very hard to pick out individual tracks, but here is little in way of fillers on this, with rare tracks culled from LP's and 45's. A joy to behold.

Here's me waiting for `Colombia 2'.

Check out this preview video.

Rubik - Carrion EP - Domestic 12"

2009-06-19T08:00:00.006+01:00

The thing I hate about records like this, is that you would have to be on some kind of drugs to be able to describe them in any real detail. Or worse, a Wire magazine reviewer. To these ears the first track on this EP from Rubik - `Carrion' is an excellent danceable crunchy techno-paced tune with dark overtones with some scary samples that progresses into an "Amen Break". `Substance' is a nice plucky acoustic guitar piece that goes straight into `The Shadow' - a full assault on the ears. Some might describe it as a "bag of noise". I won't. Tech-metal? Whatever, Rubik sounds like he knows what he's doing. Something for everyone, I would say.

Domestic is a London-based label who up until now have only released digitally, the `Carrion EP' is Domestic's first "physical" release. The good thing about this label is that it doesn't stick to one style. which is a good thing for us, but a nightmare for records shops. What section do they put it in? Good thing there aren't many record shops left or we would have mass panic on our hands.

For sound samples and purchases, I would visit here. I would also direct you towards `Venus' by Donald Yule, a superb solo piano piece.

A Certain Ratio - Dingwalls, London 15/06/09

2009-06-18T08:15:00.005+01:00

I first saw A Certain Ratio at an event called "Factory In The Park" in Finsbury Park in London in June 1987, at this point ACR had already been together for 10 years. They have been around a while. You do the maths. Not that much has changed, apart from a few different record labels and with the odd exception of a small number of chops and changes of band members. And a few more balder heads.

Tonight's moderately attended show kicks off with an unexpected Q&A session with Jeremy Kerr and Martin Moscrop. They spoke about their sizable back catalogue and how difficult it was putting set lists together I asked them whether there was any chance of hearing any songs in the set from the 1989 A&M crossover-attempt `Good Together', an album that I really like. Although I already knew the answer, Jeremy laughed and said he was embarrassed about the album and that it made him cringe. So I took that as a no then.

The band took to the stage and knocked out a great set, combining the old and the new (including tracks from the latest album `Mind Made Up' - still unavailable in the UK) and the inbetween. Highlights for me were `Mickey Way' and `Knife Slits Water' - two tunes that both have the bass line as the chorus. How cool is that? All in all, a good night was had by all.

Here are some pictures that I took on the night.

As there is not yet any footage from the gig at Dingwalls, here are two clips of ACR recently performing in Portugal.

`Shack Up' and `Knife Slits Water':

`Si Firmir O Grido':

Bushman - Most Wanted

2009-06-16T08:00:00.005+01:00

Continuing a series that started in 2007, `Most Wanted' is a worthwhile mid-price compilation from Greensleeves Records, with not so much of a best of more like a "reflection" of the output of Bushman, who is what I would call a mid-table artist, never really having a big hit but quietly plodding along with some good and occasionally above average tunes. That is not really a criticism as such, just pretty much the "norm" in reggae music right now.

This collection culls tracks from the three of Bushman's albums for Greensleeves' namely `Nyah Man Chant',`Total Commitment' and `Higher Ground'. Also with tracks taken from VP's Records `Signs' album and some extras thrown in for good measure such as `Step Pon Culture' on the `Bingie Trod' rhythm,`Mek Wi Try', a combination tune featuring Morgan Heritage and a live version of `Cannabis'.

Boasting an all star cast of producers such as Steely and Cleavie and King Jammys, you can't go far wrong.

A nice mixture of roots and borderline-dancehall, and of course there are tracks on here that I could live without and some I would have liked to have seen included, but isn't that the very nature of this type of compilation?

Well worth a dabble for a newcomer. Like this? Try the album `Total Commitment'.

Here are two of the tracks featured on `Most Wanted'. Audio only.

The Genius Of Liz

2009-06-14T10:00:00.006+01:00

After writing about Robin Guthrie the other day I got the urge to dig out some of the music of Elizabeth Fraser. and so I did. I can't write anything about her that hasn't been written before. She is one a remarkable talent, and a rare occasion where the use of the word "unique" is 100% applicable.

Here are some of my favourite examples of her work with various bands and artists.

The first clip is `Carolyns Fingers' by the Cocteau Twins from the 1988 album `Blue Bell Knoll'. The second is the video of This Mortal Coil's breathtaking cover version of Tim Buckley's`Song To The Siren' from 1983. The third clip is by the French musician Yann Tiersen with `Mary' from the 2005 album `Les Retrouvailles', and finally `Primitive Painters' from 1985 by the indie band Felt. Enjoy!

Pop Classics Part 3 - Propaganda

2009-06-12T07:00:00.004+01:00

Sometimes I might ask somebody if they remember Propaganda, the answer is usually in the negative, this is a mystery to me. The German group Propaganda recorded two bonafide classics in 1984/85 in the shape of `Dr Mabuse' and `Duel', both produced by Trevor Horn. `Dr Mabuse' was more harsh and germadic that its follow-up `Duel' which was more of what you would call a standard but very effective pop song (ie very catchy). Overshadowed perhaps by ZTT (Zang Tuum Tumb) label-mates - the overrated Frankie Goes To Hollywood and the gimmicky Art Of Noise. Propaganda kept recording and releasing music right up the early 1990s but nothing could ever top these two gems.

John Foxx & Robin Guthrie - Mirrorball

2009-06-10T07:00:00.004+01:00

This is a very interesting release and you probably know exactly what it will sound like. Is that a good thing or bad thing? Who cares. As you would expect from the ex-Cocteau Twin's Robin Guthrie, the sound of this for the most part is not a million miles away from the Cocteau Twins' sound, in particular the Simon Raymonde-less `Victorialand' period.

All the usual reference points are here, so I guess it's time to throw in words like lush, ethereal and hypnotising... How about ambient? This is topped off with vocals - or should that be voices, from John Foxx, who to be honest I have never had any leaning to as a solo artist or as a member of Ultravox, with whom Foxx was a founding member.

On first listen I found Foxx's "vocals" tedious and verge on annoying, but after a few tracks things start to make sense. For me at times the lack of an understanding of lyrics can be a good thing, whether it be in a foreign language or just plain gibberish - like this. 99% of the lyrics I hear from today's modern singers are just are nonsense or garbage anyway. so in this sense, like Elizabeth Frazer's style, Foxx's voice here is used as an instrument to full effect. Pretentious, moi? Gregorian chanting anyone?

So I guess you could call call this an ambient album, but that doesn't necessarily make it an "ambient album". Same way someone who reads the guardian newspaper isn't necessarily a "guardian reader". Savvy?

`Mirrorball' is out now on John Foxx's Metamatic label.

Here are a couple of tasters.

King General - Broke Again

2009-06-07T07:00:00.021+01:00

Re-working or versioning of old rhythms tracks is nothing new in reggae music, in fact it's been an epidemic over the years with some producers being too lazy or uninspired to create new works. However, those critisms are not applicable in this case, because what makes this special is the inspired choice of rhythm. Originally an obscure 80s tune called `Sunny Gets Blue' (Curiously a Johnny Mathis track disguised as a "sound system burial" tune) by Naturally on a U.S 12". Lyrically `Broke Again' is spot on and topical, commenting on the credit crunch consuming the globe at present and with one hell of a catchy chorus. The production from London's highly respected Conscious Sounds crew is great, with two further dub versions of the same rhythm.

King General cut some fine tunes in the mid 90's then seemingly vanished. It's good to see him back again and with an album in the pipeline. Here is clip of `Got To Be Conscious' which will be featured on the forthcoming album.

This 12" single is topped with an additional 5 cuts of two other tunes from Idren Reality and The Dubateers on the B-side making this a very worthwhile purchase.

Here is a youtube clip of `Broke Again', then below is footage of the recording of `Got To Be Conscious', a track that will be featured on the forthcoming album.

`Broke Again' is now avaiable from the usual outlets.

The Heliocentrics & Mulatu Astatke - Inspiration Information Vol. 3

2009-06-05T07:00:00.003+01:00

Mulatu Astatke is legendary Ethiopian producer, musician and arranger and is known as the father of Ethio-jazz. In recent times he gained a new audience due to his music being used in Jim Jarmusch's 2005 movie `Broken Flowers' and the excellent compilation of his work `Ethiopiques - Vol. 4: Ethio Jazz & Musique Instrumentale 1969-1974'.

`Inspiration Information Vol.3' sees Mulatu team up with London-based group The Hellocentrics, with an attempt to re-capture that sound of those classic recordings, whilst adding their own individual stamp. Mulatu acts as arranger and player on this recordings, and it really works well, with prime slices of crunchy guitar, lovely piano work, flute, double bass, superb brass work and some big drum breaks complimenting the Jazz/Funk grooves.

All the tracks are great with `Cha Cha' sounding the closest you could ever get to that vintage sound. Other standouts for me include `Addis Black Widow' and`Chinese New Year' for managing to be both super slick and ultra-raw at the very same time, which is some feat.

Here is a clip on the recording of the album.

Annoying Music From TV Adverts Part 1

2009-06-03T08:17:00.004+01:00

From time to time I come across music that I find truly unbearable. It doesn't happen very often but when it does it hits a raw nerve. More often it is a piece of music that will accompany a television advert. In other words a piece of music that arrives uninvited into my home. In this, a first of a new series I will unveil some crimes against music in this particular medium.

This current advert from Honda is a prime example. It's not hard to see what the problem is here. Anyone who has ears would surely have to agree. Tedious in the extreme are the annoying childish girly vocals that continue in same offensive manner for a full minute. I detest this piece of music so much, that if I actually had a driving license and road tested the "Honda Insight" to discover that it was the most capable of cars, and that it came at a very reasonable price. I wouldn't buy it out of principle simply because of the vulgar musical content of the advert. And I would probably drive it into a wall.

The pair responsible for this musical abomination are Berend Dubbe and Gwen Thomas. Who ever they are, may they stay away from dark alleys.

Here is the offensive item in question.

Omar Souleyman - Live In London 29/05/09 Review

2009-06-02T21:36:00.001+01:00

To be honest a few words could never do this show any justice, but here goes.

Omar Souleyman is a legend in his native Syria, having released in the region of 500 cassettes since 1994. He mixes Syrian folk and pop styles with - at times, techno-paced rhythms topped off with over-the-top frantic Arabic-style keyboard solos. In recent times Omar has been championed by the likes of The Wire magazine and Damon Albarn, just to name a couple. Last year the US label Sublime Frequencies released a compilation of the best of his cassette material `Highway to Hassake' and have recently released more of the same on a mini-album entitled `Dabke 2020'.

Last Friday Omar and label-mates Group Doueh touched down in London at the Dome, Tuffnell Park as part of the Sublime Frequencies Tour. The venue was sold out, the place packed with eager and curious folk, most of which would have only been familiar of Souleyman from footage on youtube. Omar did not disappoint taking the stage to a heroes welcome. and then working the crowd up into a collective frenzy. Only on a couple of occasions did the pace drop from relentless and it was never less than captivating. Backed by the able keyboard player, a baglama saz player and the curious sight of Omar's literal right hand man, who was introduced as a poet, who on regular intervals would whisper words into Omar's ear for our man to sing to the assembled masses.

Really, this is a case of having to be there. Just make sure that next time Souleyman comes to your town you are there. Trust me.

These are some snaps I took on the night. And below that, a clip of the massive `Leh Jani'.

Jimmy Radway and The Fe Me Time All Stars - Dub I

2009-05-30T08:00:00.005+01:00

`Dub I' was originally released in 1975 on the Micron label in Jamaica, but at the end of last year, top reggae reissue label Pressure Sounds got around to remastering and re-issuing it. I have listened to a lot of dub albums over the years, and frankly there are not many that can be digested in one sitting without slipping into a coma. sounds harsh, but true. Thankfully`Dub I' isn't in that category, this very enjoyable indeed.

Produced by Jimmy Radway - hardly a household name within his genre, produced a modest quantity of excellent tracks during the mid `70's period. A pick of the vocal cuts ended up on a great compilation entitled `Keep The Pressure Down' which came on Jimmy's Fe-Me-Time label just a few years back.

What makes this dub album worthwhile is that the rhythms are great, and the mixing by Errol Thompson is superb, varying from subtle - by letting the rhythms run with little mixing, to traditional dubbing-it-out style, utilising the mixing board to full effect. Also, there are a lot of versions to familiar songs such as `Warning' - Desmond Young (aka Desi Roots), `Black Cinderella', `Mother Lisa' and `Happiness is My Desire' both by Leroy Smart. I can't work out what versions of African Brothers `Lead Us Father' - which I believed to be a Sugar Minott production - and Glen Brown's `Slaving' rhythm are doing on here? I am sure there is a good reason, as reggae production credits are a notoriousy complicated matter. Answers on a postcard please.

The CD has 5 bonus tracks. Listen to samples here. Below is a clip of a great Jimmy Radway production. A dub version can be found on the album.

Pop Classics Part 2 - Black - Wonderful Life

2009-05-28T07:00:00.004+01:00

A track that I have never grown tired of, despite it being overused on TV shows and adverts over the years is the gorgeous `Wonderful Life' by the English group Black, a simple but very effective, emotive and uplifting song, that pushes all the right buttons.

`Wonderful Life' had been originally released and had flopped in 1985, only to be re-recorded and re-released two years later with greater success, hitting the UK top ten in 1987.

Like The Korgis featured in my first "Pop Classics Part 1", Black are best remembered for one tune and one tune alone, despite numerous releases over the years.

Below is a clip of the video of `Wonderful Life' followed by a cover version by the Doom Metal Hungarian group Nevergreen. Enjoy!

A Certain Ratio - Mind Made Up

2009-05-27T11:22:00.008+01:00

This is the first A Certain Ratio album for over a decade. As per usual, it's arrival hasn't really caused anything more than a mere ripple amongst their die-hard fans, like me, who have followed the band through their career, all the way back to the Factory Records days.

`Mind Made Up' doesn't hit the spot right away and needs at least two or three listens until some of the tracks make sense. For ACR it's business as usual, with a nice mix of funky pop with with some darker elements and the odd slice of spikey guitar, with understated vocals from Jeremy Kerr, contrasting with Denise Johnson's soulful warbling.

Stand-outs are `Everything Is Good', `Skunk', `Way To Escape', `Rialto 2006', `Bird To The Ground' and the latin-flavoured percussion work-out `Very Busy Man' which reminds me of `Tribeca` and the live favourite `Si Firmir O Grido'.

Note that this album has only been released in France on the Le Maquis label.

ACR are playing some dates over the coming months:
29 May 2009, Primavera Festival, Barcelona, Spain
31 May 2009, Fundação de Serralves, Porto, Portugal
15 June 2009, The Beat Happening Sessions, Dingwalls, London
4 July 2009, Brudenell Social Club, Leeds, UK
6 September 2009, Offset Festival, Chigwell (near London), UK
3 October 2009, Le Plan - Factory Festival, Nr Paris, France

Here are two clips of ACR. This first is of the band in the studio recording `Mind Made Up' and the second is `I Feel Light', the opening track from the album.

DuOud - Ping Kong

2009-05-26T10:44:00.005+01:00

DuOud have already released two successful albums - `Wild Serenade' and `Sakat' (alongside singer and musician Abdulatif Yagoub). This album`Ping Kong', like the previous ones will have the purists quaking in their boots, but let their boots quake away because this is great stuff.

DuOud aka Smadj and Mehdi Haddab are french-based oud players who combine their north African roots (Tunisian and Algerian, respectively) and contemporary electronic beats to create thier own unique sound. But there is of course more to it than that. The first track `Johnny Guitar' sounds like a score to a spaghetti western movie, other tracks sample Public Enemy (`Nude For Death'), use thrash guitar (`Gensiskan') and fuse drum n`bass (`Oud Art Corps'). Other tracks such as `Luthausore' follow a more traditional path, but are still topped off with DuOud's modern touches.

This is an excellent set and I would it recommend to those who enjoy Oojami or the output on the Barraka El Farnatshi label from the likes of Aiesha Kandisha's Jarring Effects, Amira Saqati etc

To point you in the right direction, here is a clip of DuoOud from 2004 playing `Zanzibar' taken from the album `Wild Serenade'.

New Order - Live and Very Dangerous

2009-05-25T07:00:00.004+01:00

New Order have always been one of my favourite pop/rock groups. I have always felt that they were very misunderstood, making the decision to follow their own path, rather than continue in the footsteps of Joy Division, which I guess they did for at least two singles and one album. For those who know, for along time they remained unconsciously punk in their attitude, regardless of the music they were producing. This was especially prevalent in their live performances, not playing tracks from the current albums, hap-hazard with regular bum-notes, out of tune singing, mis-timed, forgotten and improvised lyrics. These clips are a great example. The first, a clip from a hometown gig at the Hacienda, Manchester in 1985 and the second, a clip from a one-off BBC music all-dayer TV show called `Rock Around The Clock' in 1984. The first clip is notable for Bernard Sumner's guitar-throwing strop during `Sunrise`, and the second clip, out of tune singing and swearing during `Blue Monday' from the same culprit.

Anouar Brahem - Vague

2009-05-23T07:00:00.003+01:00

This is a clip featuring the music of Anouar Brahem, the Tunisian Oud player and composer, with the track `Vague'. All I will say is that this is a very beautiful piece of music. Enjoy.

Duncan Redmonds - Bubble and Squeak

2009-05-22T07:00:00.007+01:00

This is a great collection of tracks from Duncan Redmonds (Snuff, Guns `n` Wankers, Billy No Mates, Toy Dolls), who over the past 5 years been taking every opportunity to collaborate with like-minded souls who he has either been in bands with, played gigs with or just bumped into. The result of these sessions is `Bubble and Squeak'.

Collaboraters include Frankie Stubbs (Leatherface), members of No Means No, members of both UK and Japanese branches of Billy No Mates (Duncan's "solo" project), and reunions with Simon Wells (Ex Snuff/currently Southport) and Guns `n' Wankers, just to name a few of the guests.

As always with Duncan's projects, there is lots of humour and nothing ever gets too serious. What you do get is heap of lively punk pop ditties, catchy choruses and even a Donovan cover version. What more do you need?

In the absence of You Tube clips of the above project, here ar some live clips of Duncan in action with Snuff, Guns `n' Wankers, and Billy No Mates.

Sizzla - Ghetto Youth-Ology

2009-05-21T13:00:00.001+01:00

There used to be a time when a new Sizzla album was something to get excited about, especially when it came on Greensleeves Records. That time has now long passed and the same can be said for most of the other so-called "name brand" reggae artists out there right now. This album is a disappointment but I didn't expect much else. Sizzla's output has been deteriating over the past few years, to say the least.

`Ghetto Youth-Ology' kicks off with `Jah Love', the first utterance being fulled by some nasty "auto-tune" which rears its ugly head later in the album. Sizzla is obviously in need of some help in the vocal department because the chorus of `Babylon Ease Off` is so off-scale it would take more than auto-tune to fix his voice which is now long beyond repair. It has been said by some that this off-key warbling is just part of Sizzla's style. Sounds like laziness to me.

The only glimmer of light comes with `Ghetto Utes a Suffer` which is excellent, but that track and a handful of others such as `Gwaan Bear', `Future Is Yours' and `Qualities in Life' were voiced at least 10 years ago and have been dumped on new backing tracks, because the Firehouse Crew, legendary backing musicians and producers of this set have had some of these tracks in the can for sometime now. Another plus point is that the production is tight, with a good range of mostly one drop and roots rhythms.

It has to be said that the single `Black Man In The Whitehouse` is the closest we get to a borderline decent contemporary Sizzla track.

The excellent illustrated sleeve comes from Tony McDermott, who was responsible for the vast majority of artwork on the Greensleeves label for the best part of the last 30, most notably those Scientist LP sleeves back in the early `80's.

Here is a low quality clip of the title track:

Ugur Isik - Cello Invocations

2009-05-20T13:10:00.001+01:00

Although Istanbul-born Ugur Isik is very an extremely gifted musician and cello player, I really do wonder under what circumstances one would want to listen to this album. Perhaps, like me on a whim and just took the chance, and never to play it again. To say the mostly-instrumental "Cello Invocations" is dark, depressing and doom-laden would be taking things too far. But it is most certianly dark. The very sound of a solo cello - at times multi-tracked - in minor keys will always make me think of a scary movie. However the lead instrument is topped off at times with some percussion and sporadic vocals, which does take some of these well-crafted pieces to different level.

Ugur's influences at work here are spiritual, with Islamic Sufi, Christian and Jewish "rememberance cermonies" being at the core of the inspiration of this work, which gives an indication towards the nature of less than jovial feel of the album. Not that all music has to be jovial, far from it. Make of this what you will, it's not my bag, but I will hang onto it in case the mood takes me. But I hope that doesn't happen for a while.

Pop Classics - Part 1 - Korgis - Everybody's Got To Learn Sometime

2009-05-18T20:53:00.003+01:00

The other day I heard a clip of this track from a TV show and then I remembered how much I loved it, having bought it on 7" many years ago. Released in 1980, "Everybody's Got To Learn Sometime" by The Korgis is an example of pop perfection. It has been covered by the likes of Glasvegas, Erasure and Baby D, to name a few.

Geoffrey Gurrumul Yunupingu - Gurrumul

2009-05-18T17:05:00.000+01:00

It seems like I have been a bit slow on the uptake on this one. Having only heard the track "Wiyathul" a week ago on a CD sampler with the World Music magazine Songlines and being most impressed, I thought I had to investigate further and check out the album. So I did.

Geoffrey Gurrumul Yunupingu, or simply Gurrumul, as he is known, isn't your run-of-the-mill artist, he is a blind-from-birth singer/songwriter/multi-musician, an indigenous Australian from Elcho Island, off the coast Northern Australia, who sings in the Yolngu language. There's nothing so strange about blind singers, but to the best of my knowledge I haven't got anything remotely Australian in my music collection whatsoever(However, I did own a cassette called "The Chant Of The Ecaluptus" featuring recordings of solo Didgeridoo tracks, which was great, for at least 30 seconds..) "Gurrumul" is a beautiful set of 12 songs sung in Gurrumul's native Yolngu language with a smattering of English. The vocals here are very fragile, sometimes double-tracked into harmonies and the arrangements boasting just acoustic guitar, occasional unintrusive electric guitar and little else. The beauty of this album is it's simplicity. The subject matter on some songs "Bäpa" and "Gurrumul History (I Was Born Blind)" could be percieved as depressing, but I found them to be quite inspiring and positve. The tempo of all the tracks are slow, there's nothing to dance to here. Only the last track "Wukun" picks up the pace, but just a little bit.

Gurrumul played a show at the Union Chapel, London last Wedneday, but I hadn't heard of him until Thursday. Shame, as I would have attended. Also it would seem that he appeared on the BBC's "Later With Jools Holland" televsion show a couple of weeks ago which means he will probably be a big star here in the UK, just like he is back in Australia where he has won several well-deserved awards.

Here is a clip of Gurrumul performing "Bäpa"

Rhythm-ites - Integration - 20 years on

2009-05-16T15:52:00.000+01:00

It is now getting on 20 years since the Rhyhm-ites released the "Integration" LP. I bought this album in Rough Trade, Talbot Street when it was first released for no other reason that is was on the Bluurg label, a punk imprint ran by Dick Lucas (Subhumans, Culture Shock, Citizen Fish). Expecting some sort of ska punk thing, like Culture Shock, Dicks band at the time, I was horrified to discover, on listening to it for the first time that this was actually a "proper" reggae album. After the initial shock, never having ventured into reggae to any real degree before this point, I decided to give it a go and to my surprise within a few days I was hooked on the 8 songs on the album. Six months later I was officially obsessed with reggae music, going to shows and buying vast numbers of albums and 45's whenever I had to chance or had the cash.

I did see the Rhythm-ites a number of times, usually at the now defunkt Sir George Robey, a pub in Finsbury Park in the early and mid `90s. They always were fantastic and I have always considered them a real musicians band. No going-through-the motions for them. All three long-term members - Murph - Guitar. Gary - Drums and Flash - Bass are three of the most competent musicians I have ever heard within any genre. Just listen to this album and you may well hear what I mean. It's a crying shame that this album is no longer available having only gained an LP release back in `89, never getting a CD issue and is not available on i-tunes and other digital outlets. Your only chance is to try ebay and discogs and the usual suspects.

Apart from this album, to my knowledge the Rhythm-ites have only had a handful of tracks released on various compilations, one CD EP and one 12" single. The Somerset-based band are still together today albeit with line up changes and different vocalists based around the core members, usually playing 2 or 3 times a year around the festival circuit. Although, in my opinion they are one of the best life reggae bands from the last 20 years, they have never really existed within the reggae scene, more likely to play a festival or support an anarcho band. "Integration" remains one of my favourite albums of all time and if you haven't heard it, then it's your loss.

Trebunie-Tutki & Twinkle Brothers - Songs Of Glory

2009-05-15T17:07:00.000+01:00

To call this a curious release is an understatement to say the least. Trebunie-Tutki are a Polish folk band from Bialy Dunajec, a village at the foot of Tatra Mountains, led by Krzysztof Trebunia, while the Twinkle Brothers, led by Norman Grant, are a reggae group originally from Jamaica but have based in the UK for a considerable time. So, what we have here is essentially Polish folk meets roots reggae. Now, really this isn't a fusion that would normally set pulses racing, but you would be wrong. The two bands first got together while the Twinkle Brothers were touring Poland in the late 1980's/early 1990's and they ended up recording a heap of material together. Only one album - "Higher Heights" got a UK release, which was well received from many quarters.

"Songs Of Glory" reunites the two parties to continue where they left off. For the most part it's solid reggae rhythms throughout, with swirling violins with confident vocals from Norman Grant and Krzysztof Trebunia and the gang, with the vocals alternating between English and Polish. It makes for an uplifting experience. I truly don't believe that it is possible to hear the opening track "I Built My House" without a smile on your face.

I don't know what the availability of this CD is outside Poland, but seek and I am sure you shall find, because you will be rewarded with a lavishly packaged CD complete with a 40 page booklet with information in both languages. Below is a taster from the album.

Nizar Rohana - Sard

2009-05-14T17:38:00.000+01:00

Oud-led albums can go one away or the other. Either they can bore you within an inch of your life or they can magically transport you to another world - a better place. Happily Nizar Rohana's first solo album - "Sard" ("Narration" in Arabic) - falls into the latter category, with Palestinian born Rohana's masterful oud playing dominating proceedings and complemented by three other able musicians sharing duties on percussion, double bass and qanoun. The majority of the tracks are medium-paced - just the right tempo, I would say. For me the standout tracks are "Iraq", "Emm el Zeinat" and the title track solo piece "Sard". Five out of the seven pieces are original compositions and are a great introduction to a player that I suspect we will be hearing a lot more from in the future.

The video is a clip of Nizar performing a track from the album entitled "HiJaz".