lonesome music

The Unthanks - You are my sister

2011-12-09T03:13:00.000-08:00

Life bumbles along, and months of not being able to listen to music come to an end, wrapped in the cashmere warmth of Mark Eitzel, the Unthanks and Hem. Here the Unthanks make good on their last album, complete with lovely spoken interludes. This is my most listened to album this year already.
Taken from the live album "Diversions, Vol. 1: The Songs of Robert Wyatt and Antony & The Johnsons- Live from the Union Chapel, London", recorded at the end of last year whilst waiting to finish their new album it shows them to be as expert at taking ownership of contemporary songs as older folk songs and tales.

Listen: The Unthanks - You are my sister

Buy it

S'Wonderful - Mark Eitzel

2011-12-09T02:15:00.001-08:00

Stream Mark and Co's louche, jazzy contribution to a programme on the BBC aboutVidal Sassoon - Here

Lonesome on Spotify

2011-11-21T08:35:00.001-08:00

Hello web friends, thank you for your patience,

we have a Spotify Lonesomemusic playlist we'd appreciate you adding to if you can:
http://open.spotify.com/user/h_cos/playlist/1KXb5V5ThDWp2ZGGBlu4fu
or
spotify:user:h_cos:playlist:1KXb5V5ThDWp2ZGGBlu4fu

we'll be posting music soon.

Family bereavement

2011-11-08T06:30:00.001-08:00

Hello web friends, we will be back soon.

AMC - Blue and Grey Shirt

2011-10-28T00:53:00.000-07:00

"Yeah, that's my lucky one."
Listen: AMC - Blue and Grey Shirt

Everly Brothers - Let it be me

2011-10-19T08:40:00.000-07:00

Listen: The Everly Brothers - Let it be me

2011-10-17T23:13:00.000-07:00

Ella Fitgerald and the Inkspots - Into each life some rain must fall

Raining in my heart

2011-10-17T08:27:00.000-07:00

Listen: Buddy Holly - Raining in my Heart

Van Morrison - into the mystic

2011-10-10T04:24:00.000-07:00

Saw this in the Guardian - too good to pass up posting here.

Feel it.

Buy it and the rest of the fantastic Moondance

Thank you Mr Jansch

2011-10-05T12:46:00.000-07:00

If only I could make a thumbpick sound that good. A man of seemingly few words, who, unlike so many people whose music I enjoy, I actually wanted to meet, to see play up close and now that isn't going to happen. I suggest you all go and check his youtube clips, then follow it with some of Davy Graham's and John Martyn's. I'm sure the blogs are awash with tracks, but here are my humble submissions to encourage you to check his albums out:

Listen: Bert Jansch - Needle of Death
Listen: Bert Jansch - Courting Blues

Buy it - better yet get the twofer.

Sanguine

2011-09-30T04:19:00.000-07:00

From the Lonesome vaults...

Listen: The Avett Brothers - Sanguine
Buy it

Listen: Alele Diane - The Pirate's Gospel
Buy it

Nancy & Lee - Summer Wine

2011-09-14T06:24:00.000-07:00

Much enjoyment to be had with this album, for me it almost smells of the leather jacket Nancy is wearing on the cover.

Listen: Nancy Sinatra & Lee Hazlewood - Summer Wine

Buy it:

KC and Jon Hopkins

2011-09-12T13:38:00.001-07:00

Have you all got Diamond Mine yet? I haven't heard a more affecting piece of music for a long time.

I saw KC and Jon Hopkins play the whole album earlier this year at Homegame and again last week in Manchester - but really it's one to listen to at home. Although even the most jocular of banter onstage doesn't negate the emotional punch of it all.

This is the one that really gets me. It's a whisper of a thing, really, about the redemptive powers of fatherhood, my namesake, and it makes me go all tight throated:

Listen: King Creosote and Jon Hopkins - Your Young Voice

Dads and fatherhood at the very front of our minds at the moment, people - please send us positive thoughts.

Buy

Lana Del Ray

2011-09-04T12:21:00.000-07:00

Blah,blah, no posts for ages, will post more soon. Best thing in ages, check it:

adrian crowley - the beekeeper's wife

2011-07-02T09:47:00.000-07:00

It is increasingly rare that I hear something on radio and immediately it seek out to buy, this song was on Cerys Matthews' radio6 show the other week and just about knocked me off my feet. No idea if it links in with the novel, but the music hums with Summer sweetness.
Apologies if this is all old news to you, but if I hear something and start making favorable comparisons with Mr Eitzel (get well soon Mark) and Leonard Cohen I'm going to make sure I listen to as many songs as I can get my hands on.

Listen: Adrian Crowley - The Beekeeper's Wife

Buy it

John Grant, Jesus and a metaphysical question

2011-07-01T06:54:00.000-07:00

Image source and copyright: Leodis, a brilliant archive of old photos of Leeds, with comments. (Comments on this one talk about Woodbine Liz, who I'd only ever thought was Keith Waterhouse character).

I was lucky enough to see John Grant play at the Holy Trinity church last week and it was predictably amazing. Points to note:

- He's got a right pair of lungs on him
- Russian classical piano is a romantic force in any setting (and he's a clever bugger)
- It is strangely satisfying to sing to 'Jesus hates faggots' in a church
- Czars songs still sound ace
- A pleasingly mixed crowd, in all senses (much more so and much more kempt than an AMC audience, but still the same amount of North Face gear)
- And the big question - in the stained glass window, it looks like Jesus is getting the bumps. So, how many bumps would you give him?

Listen: The Czars - Los

Listen: American Music Club - Jesus' Hands (any excuse).

Buy some Czars or, oh come on now, AMC.

Happy Father's Day

2011-06-19T02:48:00.000-07:00

At the risk of a Hi fidelity style cop-out of an ending, today I'm posting this smooth lonesome music you know Scott Walker would have loved in his big hair prime. The whole album is worth a listen. Take it easy now.

Listen: Alice Clark - I Keep It Hid

You can buy it for large amounts of money, or ask nicely...

Boat to Row

2011-06-04T03:43:00.000-07:00

My love of the seaside knows no bounds.

Buy it on a lovely 7" like I did.

Beach Boys - Goin' South

2011-05-22T12:34:00.000-07:00

So early Summer and I'm already hitting the mid-late 70's Beach Boys, it happens every year. This is from their 1979 album L.A., it doesn't come close to their late 60's peak, but I coming to understand the later albums more as I get older myself. Cheesy sax solo, but a great, mournful vocal.

Listen: The Beach Boys - Goin' South

Don't buy it from here - there are much cheaper places.

Schiele

2011-04-14T09:20:00.000-07:00

Just over five years ago this album soundtracked my time in Vienna, fitting really as Schiele's pictures were displayed at the Belvedere and his portrait 'De Familie' made me cry. It was a surprise for me too.

The painting is infinitely more moving than any photograph of it, so go and see it if you have the chance.

The music is equally stark and architectural and fitting for today.

Listen: Rachel's - Egon and Wally embrace and say farewell

Love - Skid, not really a friend

2011-03-18T07:01:00.000-07:00

I'll admit we don't read our lonesome emails often enough, dead country stars tend not to write too often... but it's Friday and I'm going through deleting the deadwood (sorry but neither of us are able to get to SXSW anytime soon, being the the UK) and come across a track from a previously unreleased album by Love (yes that one). It's funky and I misheard the lyrics and thought it was about skin not skid.
It's from an album Black Beauty, and so far it is the only track I've heard, and it's so much better than all the tracks on the woeful Four Sail.

Listen: Love - Skid, not really a friend

God bless him.

Bigmouth strikes again

2011-03-14T04:06:00.001-07:00

Not very lonesome, but I thought you might appreciate listening to the Ukranians lead track from their 1992 Pisni Iz The Smiths EP, in which the Smiths are mangled to fantastic effect and everyone feels the need to shout Hoi!
Listen:Batyar (Bigmouth Strikes Again)

Yorkshire Martyrs (0815 hrs only)

2011-03-07T06:44:00.000-08:00

Good news - I'm back in the world of gainful employment. Semi-good news - a longish commute means less Radio 4 and lots more chances to feeling a bit emotional on the train. Or feel a bit helpless and weak during an hour's wait at Retford, but that's all to come.

Celebrating my return to work with a few more worky tunes here, then. [Linking back to these posts has made me curse blogger afresh for eating all of our comments - there were some very special Larkin-like ones. Sigh.]

Listen: Bonnie Prince Billy - No More Workhouse Blues
(I am your favourite horse!) (Buy)

Listen: American Music Club - Job to Do
(Surprisingly noisy towards the end, but good) (Buy)

Listen: Sufjan Stevens - To the Workers of the Rockford...
(Beautiful and will take as long to write out the title as it will to listen to it) (Buy - you certainly get your money's worth with this one)

Any excuse: Listen: Riders In The Sky - Back in the Saddle Again
(No words needed) (Buy)

Emily Portman - Stick Stock

2011-02-18T04:42:00.001-08:00

Greetings, thanks for all the kind birthday messages last week. I'm finding it quite hard to choose songs to post these days, I find myself listening to a lot of audiobooks at the moment, but can recommend the PJ Harvey Let England Shake album as a bit of a return to form. Here's some spooky lady-folk from Emily Portman's lovely album the Glamoury from last year. As an album I think it might be 2 songs too long, but I wouldn't be able to choose which songs would need to go. Tonight I'm off to see one of my form's bands in a local pub - only 10 years after I last taught him. I'll let you know how it goes, but I'm not expecting a folk revival, maybe Muse related rock?

Listen: Emily Portman - Stick Stock

Buy it

Happy Birthday Howard

2011-02-05T06:53:00.000-08:00

It's my lovely brother's birthday today.

Mixtape-maker, hearty laugher, voice of reason, source of wisdom, cheerer-upper and all-round good egg, let's wish him many happy returns.

Here are some songs from a tape he made for me half a lifetime ago.

Listen: Hugo Largo - Turtle Song (Buy)

Listen: Billy Bragg - Must I Paint You a Picture? (Buy)

And because it's the weekend, and I know there's a thunderstorm coming on, but we mustn't let that get us down -
Listen: Furniture - Love Your Shoes (Buy).

Happy birthday Howard XXX

Rest in Peace, Charlie Louvin

2011-01-26T12:57:00.000-08:00

Very sad news about Charlie Louvin.

So, so very many songs to choose from and so much to say, but let's keep it short and sweet with this one that never fails to make me well up. Weathered but not weary, heartfelt but not heartworn, it's a truly beautiful song.

Listen: Charlie Louvin - Love At Home

Buy Steps to Heaven.

Bon Chica Christmas

2010-12-20T06:58:00.000-08:00

Hope you're wrapped up warm wherever you find yourself reading this - here we've got a little bit of snow on the first day of my Christmas holiday, and I'm going through the lonesome music emails, here's the first recommendation for you:

Get yourself over to Bon Chica's bandcamp site and sample and download their 2 Christmassy free tracks.

Echo Chamber : Boca Chica / Snow Angels from Draw Us Lines on Vimeo.

Dottie West - Miss Country Sunshine

2010-12-17T05:28:00.000-08:00

Walking home from TWP on Monday night, Howard and I were having a keep-warm conflab about the country ladies we've been listening to recently, like you (we) do. I tried to give it my best Dottie West impression, but can't really do her (or her 'do) justice, so I'm putting some up here.

I think I first heard these Dottie West songs on the mighty Big Rock Candy Mountain - do go and have a read if you don't already - they've got some right christmas crackers up there at the moment. Why she's not in the Country Music Wax Museum between Crystal and Tammy, I just don't know.

We could all do with a dose of country sunshine at the moment, couldn't we?

Listen: Dottie West - Country Sunshine

Listen: Dottie West - Night Life

Listen: Dottie West - Reno

Buy

What Saturday afternoons are made for #1

2010-12-04T04:16:00.000-08:00

Right, it's been far too indie-boy/girl credible around here lately - what we need is a dose of some proper good stuff.

I know I'll be talking to the right crowd here - but really, can you honestly think of a finer way to spend cold and grey afternoons/your adolescence/a spell of unemployment than with a film, definitely vintage, preferably musical, always with a large mug of tea?

It's a lift-up joy in itself, and then you get the added shibboleth delight of talking about it with a small but archly knowing crew of fellow afficionados for years to come.
Bit like blogging really.

Ah, take it away, Doris: (she can't remember a worse December, and neither can I)

Listen: Doris Day - I've Got My Love to Keep Me Warm (Buy)

This post is inspired by Davy's music to roast potatoes to series - consider it a Saturday afternoon counterpart. I feel an occasional series coming on. Next up, ooh, Rex?

P.S. I used to have this very picture in A3 cardboard prop-up format, as lemon as you like, fresh from Leicester market in the the mid 90s. There was a green Elizabeth Taylor one too. Both lost forever after an over-scrupulous charity shop clear out. Let that be a warning to you all.

Stornoway - We are the battery human

2010-11-26T12:12:00.000-08:00

So this might get taken down quickly, but hopefully I can share a bit of love for a band that loves Fleet Foxes and the Decemberists in almost equal measure, with extra banjo. A late entry for the best album I've heard released this year (are we doing one this year Beth?), Stornaway's Beachcomber's Windowsill start with a touch of plainsong about zorbing and drifts off into sea shanties and the folkier end of rock and pop, but don't let that put you off.

Listen: Stornoway - We are the battery human

Buy it

More rumination on marriage

2010-11-20T12:55:00.000-08:00

Dolly and Porter were never married, but their studio recordings (and by all accounts their live shows) are full of ad-libs that show just how close they were - check this piece of high cheese from 'We Found It'

Listen: Dolly Parton & Porter Wagoner - I've been married just as long as you

But I like to think this is much closer to the truth of their relationship, with its harking back to the music of Dolly's youth. Excuse the vinyl scratches.
Listen: Dolly & Porter - I know you're married but I still love you

Many of their joint albums are out of print, so go for a best of.

dry the river

2010-11-13T07:38:00.000-08:00

Mentioned in the press a fair bit the last few weeks, Dry the River have a free 3 track EP you can download from their website including this one - embedded straight from their Soundcloud:
History Book by Dry the River

It's close harmony and acoustic instrumentation could do with filling out with a bit of mandolin and more fiddle if you ask me, but that might push it a bit too country.

You can buy it with a couple of extra tracks from here.
also an excellent excuse to post a bit of Moose:

Listen: Moose - This River Will Never Run Dry

I have a load more stuff on marriage and weddings

2010-11-10T08:08:00.000-08:00

First a proper blast of banjo, still not allowed one in the house, that's why I'm getting a shed. Both Roscoe Holcomb's albums are highly recommended. Music with grit.

Listen: Roscoe Holcomb - Married Life Blues - Buy it

Jean Shepard could probably fill an album with wedding, marriage and divorce related songs. I think we've found our Lonesome groove again - check out these beauties:
Listen: Jean Shepard - My Wedding Ring
Listen: Jean Shepard - Don't Fall in Love with a Married Man
Buy it

When we admit our parents were right

2010-11-08T12:08:00.000-08:00

I took a small sojourn from my current occupationless status this weekend to be take up officiant/reverend-duties at the wedding of one of my very best friends. The lakeland horizontal rain held off, hands were fasted, fires were lit, fiddles were played, hearts were warmed.
Happy, happy days. So let's have a bumper crop of (slightly sadder) wedding songs, shall we?

Listen: Tim Hart & Maddy Prior - Sorry the Day I Was Married (Buy)

Listen: Mark Lanegan - Wedding Dress (Buy) (this really gets me)

Listen: The Arlenes - Married Life (Buy)

Listen: The Reeltime Travelers - Too Young to Marry (Buy)

Listen(kind of a little anthem): Tom Waits - Better Off Without a Wife (Buy)

What have I missed? (Apart from good old TS and his private words addressed in public, obviously - still trying to wean myself off of all that).

Jonny - Gloria

2010-11-05T09:50:00.000-07:00

Well, that was an interesting spell. Long story short, I've just been released from a project that required complete radio silence for the best part of a year and Beth is sorting out 'alternative employment options'.

So here's a quick post to tell you that Lonesome favorites ex-Gorky's Zygotic Mynci frontman the gloriously named Euros Childs and Teenage Fanclub's Norman Blake have a free EP of woozy folk pop you can download. It's not tearjerkingly saturated in pedal steel, but I'm sure we'll find our lonesome groove again as soon as we hit a smooth patch.

Listen: Jonny - Gloria

Heron - Love 13 (lone)
Buy It

Something a little more recent, having returned from Maine this is how I've felt all week:

Chatham County Line - Country Boy/City Boy

Buy it

Fallen into a hole...

2010-07-30T09:54:00.000-07:00

It's been quite a couple of weeks here. Changes, folks, changes.

I've been pulled out the proverbial rabbit hole by a night in the excellent company of The Handsome Family at the Hyde Park Picture House, an art deco gem in most unexpected surroudings.

Happily, it's had new seats from when I took Howard there about a million years ago when I was first in Leeds. It was a double bill, starting at midnight, designed to test stamina of both arse and mind. Sorry about that, mate.

Listen: The Handsome Family - The Bottomless Hole

Listen: Smog - The Well.

Buy the Smog record or The Handsome Family one.

Bobbie Gentry & Glen Campbell

2010-06-08T01:37:00.000-07:00

Thanks to the BBC's recent programme on Queens of Country on Bobbie Gentry I'm now well into my fourth album on repeat listening - there's some great twofers on amazon. I went for Mornin' Glory just because I like to hear her yawn, really.

Listen: Bobbie Gentry - Mornin' Glory

Buy it - part of a twofer

iplayer Tammy

I want to be an Unthank

2010-05-28T05:11:00.000-07:00

More Unthank loveliness this week in a hot and euphoric Brudenell. It was the first time I've heard them play Sea Song live - real goosebump-inducing stuff. I'm embarrassed to say that I didn't realise it was a Robert Wyatt song, but it completely makes sense. It's all in the yearning and a bit of gentle brass to ram the emotional punch home. It's the effortless, after-hours feel of it that get me every time. Sigh.

And without wanting to make this a compare-and-contrast 'A' level type question, (although it is the season for that sort of thing), have a listen to these as a pair.

Listen: Rachel Unthank and the Winterset - Sea Song

Listen: Robert Wyatt - Just as You Are

By The Bairns or Comicopera

Passing strange and wonderful

2010-05-13T11:32:00.001-07:00

Grew up near Dreamland.
Visited Moominland. Want to return to Lapland.

Can now tick off Wonderland. Or Wonderland Market, at least.

Hello everyone - it's been a while. What have you been up to?

Listen: Moose - Wonder Where I'll Go (love this)

Listen: Two Dollar Pistols - Don't Start Me Wonderin'

Listen: Love - Wonder People

Buy the Moose (criminally overlooked), the Pistols (hang around long enough and we'll have posted nearly all of this album), or the deluxe super-duper Love.

The Leisure Society

2010-04-12T13:31:00.000-07:00

For Howard, a man who appreciates a good suit and a slice of clever pop.

I do love a band that make an effort, and this lot certainly do. Tres dapper. Last week at the Brudenell there were almost as many people on stage as there were in the audience, with a huge dose of bonhomie and a very high ukelele count. Strings, wind, brass, intellect - they're onto a winner.

I'm posting this up for my lovely brother and for you lovely people, on the off chance that you haven't heard it. The Leisure Society are playing with Neil Hannon as part of Richard Thompson's Meltdown this year - now, that will be a well turned out crowd. Fancy.

Listen: The Leisure Society - The Last of the Melting Snow

Listen: The Leisure Society - The Darkest Place I Know.

Go on, buy it, do.

Glen - If this is love

2010-03-23T02:06:00.000-07:00

It's all gone a bit Glen around these parts recently and I want to join in.

I love a bit of Glen - you've had Southern Nights at least twice over the years, which would be my normal choice, so here's another top pick. It's a two minute-stomper, full of top alliteration and picky guitars. I don't think it was a hit, mind; my sources call it 'curiously unsuccessful'. Ha.

It's on the mighty mighty Galveston, which is worth buying just for the title track, never mind this one and the swoonsome Where's the Playground, Susie?

Listen: Glen Campbell - If This Is Love

P.S. Interesting stuff afoot... When I went back to link to the Southern Nights posts back in 2005 and 2007, they've curiously disappeared. No DMCA email about that one, just gone. Bit irritating that. Same happened to Howard's post last year on Akron Family. I think only I noticed. On the positive side, I did find that some of our ancient comments from 2004 seem to have made it over in the blogger upgrade debacle. Cor, we've been rattling on for ages.

Buy.

Homegame and The Unthanks

2010-03-18T03:48:00.000-07:00

Ah, another euphoric weekend up in Anstruther for Homegame and more folky goodness to share with you. There really is something about waking up to sun on the sea, a diet of refined and deep-fried carbs and being down the pub with some of your favourite pop stars to lift a girl's spirits.

It's always a bit of a pick'n'mix of a bill - this year even more so - and The Unthanks were a very welcome edition and one of the few bands who reduced the rabble-rousing Town Hall into silence. Just gorgeous. And with added clog dancing as a bonus.

And it's not every festival that ends up with a ceilidh - you don't get to strip the willow with the bands at Glastonbury, do you?

Listen: The Unthanks - Annachie Gordon.

Buy it.

Extraordinary indeed

2010-03-09T05:19:00.000-08:00

Sometimes it's the obvious ones that really get you, isn't it?

It's been an aural battery recently, folks. Wedding songs (up, down aisles and around the dancefloor), songs on taxi radios on too early/too late/too fragile commutes, the BBC4 Friday 9 o'clocker - all in all, it's been quite an assault.

Listen: John Denver - Annie's Song (floods, people)

Listen: James Taylor - Shower The People

Listen: Leonard Cohen - Dance Me to the End of Love (live)

Buy Denver, Taylor and Cohen.

Your heart is like the Rothko Chapel

2010-03-02T03:27:00.001-08:00

Cold, dark, void yet simple and intriguing.

I found myself in the Liverpool Tate this hungover Sunday morning and, seekinga seat and dim lighting, went in to have a good look at these. I've been singing this song to myself ever since - have you lot heard it?

I first heard of David Dondero (and this beauty) a couple of years ago on the ever-impressive songs:illinois, one of the very finest and most consistent sources of new music out there and, in the way that these things work, went out and found myself some more. David Dondero weaves wandering tales that manage to pack an emotional punch and still have you dancing around the kitchen.

If you haven't heard this before, then do listen hard to the lyrics. He certainly has got a good way with words. And any man that quotes Charlie Parker in the chorus has got to be alright with me.

Listen: David Dondero - Rothko Chapel

Buy the album.

With silence and tears

2010-02-26T02:18:00.001-08:00

Have you noticed that things have looked a bit weird round here recently?

Naughty blogger has had some kind of upgrade and made all the formatting go a bit skew whiff. Now, this isn't the kind of thing that keeps me up at night, but I am genuinely a bit upset that it's eaten all of our comments.

Yep, every single one of the notes that you've left for us, the hidden tracks we've left for you, the ruminations and general whimsy - all gone. Gah.

So here's a few songs to mull over whilst we're getting used to the new quiet.

And if you're out there and like these songs, please delurk, say hello, maybe let us know your favourite song about silence and make a girl feel better.

Listen: Lefty Frizzell - Silence

Listen: Jim Noir - A Quiet Man

Listen: Porter Wagoner - Be A Little Quieter

Listen: Two Dollar Pistols - All the Good's Gone

Listen: Fairport Convention - Quiet Joys of Brotherhood (10 minutes of life well spent).

Buy Lefty, Jim, Porter, Two Dollar Pistols, and Fairport.

Graham Coxon - The Spinning Top

2010-02-05T09:20:00.000-08:00

What was the last song you had on repeat?

This one has kept me company on a series of very long and cold train journeys this week - I've heard it umpteen times and yet I keep finding myself pressing repeat. It's eight and a half minutes of acoustic, finger-plucky, Graham-y/Martin-y clever clogs pleasure, with added glasses. And birdsong.

I'm a bit of a late-comer to this album, which seemed to get a bit of a rough ride in the reviews - it's a step away from the archetypal indie boy towards a bigger and broader musical heritage. Come on in, I say.

I think this could well be Coxon's Weekender (which, I think we can agree, is a very good thing).

Listen: Graham Coxon - In the Morning.

Buy

PS Happy Birthday Howard XXXX

Richie Lawrence - Melancholy Waltz

2010-02-01T03:17:00.001-08:00

I love records that are a bit nuts. Like the Ruth Minnikin last year, this album was a total off-kilter and off-radar surprise. I think that might be a concrete piano on the cover - I once went to a church in Denmark that was made totally out of concrete, hmm...

Anyway, the quirky cover art is just a taster of the random mix of what's inside. It's a pick'n'mix of folky ballads, woozy piano instrumentals, chansons and country. Give it a whirl.

Listen: Richie Lawrence - I Am Weary

Listen: Richie Lawrence - Danielle

Buy it.

Charlie Louvin - Love At Home

2010-01-27T04:33:00.000-08:00

Did you all see these gob-smaking photos in the Observer at the weekend? There's a whole series of 'american legend' portraits - please do click through if you missed them - highly recommended.

I've been meaning to post this since it grabbed me by the throat on the train the other day, and this picture was just the kick I needed. You all know by now that I'm a sucker for anything 'home' related; add to that a cracked and weathered voice and a hint of gospel, and, frankly, I'll be a snivelling wreck. Enjoy.

Listen: Charlie Louvin - Love at Home.

Buy Steps to Heaven.

RIP Carl Smith - the gentleman honky-tonker

2010-01-19T07:25:00.001-08:00

Oh no. Remember last week's post about Goldie Hill and how love led her away from the blues? Well, this is the fella that made her happy enough to stop singing the blues, and he died today.

Carl Smith is the "gentleman honky-tonker", a bit more brushed up that your Hanks or your Ernests, but his is still a proper honky-tonk, steel-soaked, tears-in-your-beer world. There's a real charm to his stuff, perfect for a gentle sway around the kitchen.

Listen: Carl Smith - Guilty Conscience

Listen: Carl Smith - If Teardrops Were Pennies

Buy it

He's also known for being married to June Carter Cash in her pre-Cash incarnation, and they had a daughter called Carlene. Love that.

Frank Sinatra - Cycles

2010-01-18T08:34:00.000-08:00

Okay, so it's the end of the first day of a week working from home and it's not boding well. I've already cracked through a lot of Walker Brothers and Scott, a fair whack of Francoise and now I've got the big guns out with a spot of Frank.

It doesn't look good, people. And I'm taking you all down with me.

Do you all know this album? It's not flawless but there are some crackers on here - and, well, it is Frank. And, oh, just listen to those strings...

Listen: Frank Sinatra - By The Time I Get to Phoenix

Listen: Frank Sinatra - Rain in my Heart

Buy.

Rhett Miller

2010-01-15T05:32:00.001-08:00

Hang on a minute, what's this? Something new on lonesome? Why, yes, newish and very fine indeed.

Rhett Miller (of Old 97s semi-fame) released an eponymous album last year that very nearly passed me by, so I'm pleased to have caught up with this. [Likewise, I nearly missed the Sara Hawkins one - more on that in another post]. It's a cracking album, with unexpected twists and turns and very good company indeed.

Listen: Rhett Miller - Nobody Says I Love You Anymore

Listen: Rhett Miller - Sometimes

Buy

Julie London - 'Round Midnight

2010-01-13T06:23:00.001-08:00

In response to this post by Mr H.

We had quite a few emails about the divine Ms London last time she went up, so here's another, and it's a belter. Swoon.

Listen: Julie London - 'Round Midnight

Do yourself a very big favour and buy it.

Goldie Hill - Don't Send Me No More Roses

2010-01-11T04:40:00.001-08:00

Right, hands up who knows about Goldie Hill? I must confess that I didn't until last year, when my friend Kate shared her copy of this little beauty, a re-release of some of Goldie's unrelentingly miserable hits.

It's full-on 1950's heartbreak, bleak as hell and bloody marvellous. Along with Kitty Wells, Goldie was one of the first women to score a country number one hit. Apparently love and Nashville radio made her go a bit more uptempo in the 1960's, but we're not here for that, are we?

Listen: Goldie Hill - Call Off The Wedding (this starts with the wedding march and a talky bit - joys!)

Listen: Goldie Hill - I'm the Lonliest Gal in Town

Buy it - they're all as good.

Miranda Lambert - More Like Her

2009-12-22T05:41:00.000-08:00

Ooh, I do love a good end of year list, don't you? I especially like them when they're not all about the shock of the new, but instead prompt you backwards to go and rediscover treasures from the recent past. That's exactly what's happened here - this song was mentioned by someone in one of the grown-up music mags as the song that they had listened to most this year. That was more than enough encouragement for me to dig it out - so I thought I'd share it with you here.

Listen: Miranda Lambert - More Like Her

And whilst we're at it, cop a load of this one too - one of the songs of 2007:

Listen: Miranda Lambert - Desperation.

Buy it.

Before Country Music

2009-12-06T04:10:00.001-08:00

Get yourself over to River's Invitation and read the piece on Before Country Music (part 1), you can even download a lovely complilation.

Link

Candidate - Swear it will Snow

2009-12-02T14:26:00.000-08:00

This little beauty popped up on the shuffle as I was heading over white frosty hills yesterday morning and it was just a bit of a moment. Isn't it great when that happens?

Did you all hear this Candidate album a couple of years ago? It's a swoony, whimsical and very English pop album that I'm surprised has kept such a low profile. It's a proper grown up album full of good tunes and clever references - a good thing and well worth a revisit.

Listen: Candidate - Swear it will Snow

Oh, and it's got a song on it called Harryhausen, which can't help but make you smile if you've been raised on frequent viewings of Jason and the Argonaut. (And Sinbad the Sailor, too - our Mum can't look at Jane Seymour without mentioning that seagull foot). Bring on the Christmas edition.

Buy it.

Mark Eitzel and Franz Nicolay

2009-11-13T09:58:00.000-08:00

A rainy Monday; deepest, darkest Leeds 6 and two be-hatted miserablists. How's that for a recipe for a fun night? Pretty irresistable from where I'm standing. Eitzel was headlining, of course, and Nicolay admitted he was a bit starstruck and had learned the guitar from Songs of Love. I'm just posting up the cover of Nicolay's album because, well, it's a good 'tache. And he's sporting a similar number.

So, a night of tears in beers, jokey openings and jumping in the crowd for Franz, Rabelasian stories from Mark (samples: "this song is about a whore I knew.... this one's about a sad male stripper"), not many girls in the crowd, handsigned merch and general good times. With extra banjo.

Listen: Franz Nicolay - Cease Fire or Mrs Norman Maine

Listen: American Music Club - Nightwatchman

Buy Franz or solo Mark, or some classic AMC. Sigh.

Invitation to the Blues

2009-10-29T06:42:00.000-07:00

"My heart was all dressed up to go dancing..."
Ah, Julie. If there's a better opening line to a song about having the blues, then I don't think I've heard it.

I like the duality of this pair of songs; they're like binary opposites female/male, slick/rough, knowing/desperate. I can't help but imagine Julie singing this with a wry smile on her lips - and you don't get that with Tom, do you?

Both utterly, utterly melancholy - so just the ticket.

Listen: Julie London - Invitation to the Blues
Listen: Tom Waits - Invitation to the Blues.

Buy some Julie, or some Tom.

Some days just call for a bit of Porter and Dolly

2009-10-29T05:34:00.000-07:00

It's grey and murky outside, it's a bit dark and gloomy inside and you're fed up and fighting the urge to put the heating on - what to do? Only one thing for it - stick on a bit of Porter and Dolly and let yourself be cheered right up.
Fantastic talky bits.

Listen: Dolly and Porter - Fight and Scratch (miaow)

Listen: Dolly and Porter - I've Been Married Just as Long as You Have

And because the woman is bloody marvel, let's have a bit of classic Dolly whilst we're at it.

Listen:Dolly Parton - Dumb Blonde

See, that's better, isn't it?

Track down some classy Dolly and Porter here or buy one of Dolly's best ofs.

Frightened Rabbit - Swim

2009-10-24T03:29:00.000-07:00

...Until You Can't See Land

The sentiment is lonesome, even if the music isn't.

Round up from the last month or so

2009-10-21T00:51:00.000-07:00

As my work with my current project draws to a hectic close, I thought I'd share with you some of the soundtrack to my last few weeks - it's mostly been about the lyric. Me? I'm just about out of words after writing thousands of words of hand-over documentation and the like, so just listen to the songs, write something nice in the comments and go buy the ones that appeal most to you.

Caroline Herring - Golden Apples of the Sun

Listen: Caroline Herring - Long Black Veil [Play]

Caroline Herring Official
Buy it

The Cave Singers - Welcome Joy

Listen: The Cave Singers - Summer Windows [Play]

The Cave Singers - Official
Buy it

The Mountain Goats - The Life Of The World To Come

Listen: The Mountain Goats - Genesis 3:23 [Play]

Mountain Goats - Official
Buy It

Jolie Holland - Escondida

2009-10-16T04:08:00.001-07:00

Howard and I were talking about this album earlier this week whilst we were popping some edamame beans and waiting for this. Now, given that he's a fan of the Be Good Tanyas, I was quite surprised he hadn't heard this. I figured that there must be a fair few of you out there that are in the same boat, so I thought I'd post this to break the drought.

Escondida is a fantastic Sunday morning album, brilliant for keeping you company and keeping your interest, whilst never outstaying its welcome. It's quite a mixed bag and I could have chosen nearly any of the songs to put up here, they're all winners. It ranges from folksy picking to white girls blues to piano and brass ballads. There's even a song called 'Darlin Ukelele' - what's not to love? Here are a couple of favourites, but do yourself a favour and get hold of a copy to sample the full Jolie spectrum.

Listen: Jolie Holland - Old Fashioned Morphine

Listen: Jolie Holland - Do You?

Buy

Linda Perhacs

2009-09-23T00:51:00.000-07:00

Started the day with a little Linda Perhacs, the leaves have edges of yellow and red as Autumn creeps in. I've made the jam, picked most of the apples and all the cobnuts. There was the vague smell of burning leaves in a low mist. I'm still holding out for an Indian Summer, but it looks like I'll be very, very lucky to swim in the sea again this year.

Listen: Linda Perhacs - Hey, who really cares?

Official

Buy It

Lonesomes Up North

2009-08-28T00:54:00.001-07:00

A mix of circumstance and luck has brought both of us up north this week, with the parents in town too.

So to celebrate love, laughter, impromptu teas, train museums, day riders and charity shop treasures, let's have some northern treasures.

Listen: Catherine Howe - Up North (this beauty is making it's third Lonesome appearance in this post - please buy it)

Listen: Jez Lowe & The Bad Pennies - A Call For The North Country (Buy)

Listen: Gene Clark - Lady of the North (Buy)

Happy Birthday to us - Lonesome is Five

2009-08-05T23:16:00.000-07:00

Here we are again - Lonesome is five today. Happy birthday to us.

As we've both said, this site is a bit like a public extension of the kind of rambling conversation that we've been having for a good couple of decades now - we used to swap tapes, then CDs and now we do most of it here on the web.

It's a source of wonder and delight that you lot listen, seem to like it and even join in. So let's celebrate with some cracking old-school country, a bit of folky oddness and a double dose of Eitzel and Gainsbourg. Think that just about sums it up, don't you, Howard?

Listen: George Jones - I've Aged Twenty Years in Five (Buy)

Listen: Mark Eitzel - Chanel No. 5 (Buy)

Listen: Sir Richard Bishop - Elysium Number Five (Buy)

Listen: Charlotte Gainsbourg - 5:55 (Buy)

Listen: Steve Wynn - Highway Five (AMC cover) (Buy)

Listen: Serge Gainsbourg - Wake Me at Five (Buy)

35 Rhums and French Fancies

2009-07-31T04:23:00.000-07:00

I went to see a film called 35 Rhums last night and the music was fantastic, a mix of gallic whimsy, bassoon, strings and melancholia. Spot on lonesome. Especially when accompanying shots of people looking a bit glum on trains, and we all know how I feel about that.

So - to coin a phrase - imagine my surprise when the titles popped up and it turned out that the soundtrack was by Tindersticks. Perfect, somehow. Sadly, there don't seem to be any plans to release it, but you can hear the music from the closing titles on their MySpace here.

In the meantime, here are some ooh la la echoes of what the soundtrack reminded me of. Ah bon.

Listen: Calexico - Old Man Waltz

Listen: Yann Tiersen - L'autre Valse d'Amelie

Listen: Jeff Buckley - Je N'en Connais Pas La Fin

Buy Calexico's The Black Light here, Yann Tiersen's Amelie soundtrack here, or get a mawkishly overpackaged Live at Sin-e here.

Howard here - In a bizarre francophonic simultaneous post here's what I had planned to post today:

Montreal's Monogrenade sound like a francophone The Acorn on this track Ce Soir, taken from their brand spanking new debut EP "La saveur des fruits". It's a bit pacier than we normally post, so steady yourself or sit down before clicking the link.

Listen: Monogrenade - Ce Soir

MySpace

Buy It

Scott Walker breaks my heart

2009-07-18T09:34:00.000-07:00

Do songs ever make you think in pictures? And books?
Do you ever think you're nothing more than some kind of synesthesic mess, just a big tissue of references and cross references and nothing is anything without a meta in front of it?
Or is it just me? Is it because working on a sunny Saturday afternoon just messes with your mind?

Either way, my cognitive pathways are a bit jarred.

So I hear Plastic Palace People and I see Chagall and flying people and I see young Billy Casper and hear Barry Hines' words.

It's quite a melancholic mix, let me tell you. Extraordinary. Tell me that I'm not on my own here. Anyone else?
I suppose I should just be grateful that it's not a slab of meat.

Listen: Scott Walker - Plastic Palace People

Buy, it's less than £3 and, frankly, essential.

I'm off for a long cold drink in a dark room.

Oh - for those of you who might have/heard of colour synesthesia, apparently John Donne's poems are all red and orange. But that's another post entirely.

Billy The Kid

2009-07-14T22:48:00.000-07:00

Somewhere in the early morning haze between the Shipping Forecast and Farming Today, Radio 4 told the nation that today is the anniversary of Billy the Kid's death. That was just the prompt I needed post this belter from Luke Powers - a slice of steel-drenched and sand scorched Texassee to see us on our way.

Luke Powers - Billy the Kid Rides Again (Buy)

And whilst we're on the subject, here are some other Billy-related treats:

Nic Jones - Billy Don't You Weep For Me (Buy)

Super Furry Animals - Don't be a Fool, Billy (Buy)

Bobbie Gentry - Ode to Billy Joe (Buy) (House point if you can tell me what this song is all about, please)

Read

Hope Sandoval - Blanchard

2009-07-09T01:59:00.000-07:00

I have bought many albums multiple times, but the first Mazzy Star album I think holds the record. I wore out two or three copies on tape (one of only two tapes I had whilst living in Cork, the other was Violent Femmes), then on vinyl and probably twice on CD as well (not including my wife's copy). So I'm always interested to hear what's new in the seemingly slow-moving world of Hope. I liked, but couldn't grow to love, the Bavarian Fruit Bread album from a few years back - it lacked the 'Country Music as imagined by Tim Burton' that I came to love and obsess slightly about in Mazzy Star. This new song from a forthcoming album promises a return to those soft edged vocals and burbling telecaster.
Listen: Hope Sandoval - Blanchard

Official

2009-07-03T03:08:00.000-07:00

The weather here has been hot and humid, I lay in bed with the duvet bunched up between me and my wife to act as a heat sump, we were too hot. The rain came at 3.15 this morning, we listened as my 3 year old son got up to watch the lightning out of his window for a bit in the semi-light and then went back to bed of his own accord. We drifted back to sleep worried about open windows, flash floods and our old cooker that is sat in the back garden. Last night our sleep was a little too salty.

I guess I'm going to have to get my 'Summer of Joni Mitchell' underway with some appropriate songs by current artists. Shannon Stephens' is from her new album, The Breadwinner, coming out on Sept 8th. The Blue Roses album is out July 21st.

Listen: Shannon Stephens - In the Summer Heat

Listen: Blue Roses - Doubtful Comforts

Shannon Stephens on MySpace
Blue Roses on MySpace

Fur and Steve - Travelers

2009-06-26T09:13:00.003-07:00

A summer's Friday night is surely the time for a bit of dancing round the kitchen. So, let's have some big cowboy hats and guitars, yodeling and harmonies and, oh, some fiddle and trumpet to see us our way.

Fur and Steve make fantastic country-soaked folk songs about big highways, big heartbreak, the lure of home and the love of friends. It's impossible not to be charmed. Besides, how can you resist a woman called Fur?

Extra points for the trumpet on the album opener and first song posted here.

Listen: Fur Dixon and Steve Werner - Journey to Another Side

Listen: Fur Dixon and Steve Werner - Homesick for the Highway Blues

Buy

Official

Midnight shakes the memory

2009-06-22T12:18:00.000-07:00

As a madman shakes a dead geranium.

I seem to have done a fair bit of dead geranium shaking recently (literally and figuratively) and my northern exploits have meant that I've seen a fair whack of midnight sun.

So, let's have some songs about the witching hour to celebrate the nights drawing in.

Listen: Porter Wagoner - Midnight (this is an absolute corker)

Listen: Rhonda Vincent - Midnight Angel

Listen: Buddy Holly - Midnight Shift (oddly, this seems a bit racy)

Listen: Julie London - 'Round Midnight

Buy some Porter, some Rhonda, some Buddy, or, oh yes, yes, some Julie.

Charlie Wadhams Darkness

2009-06-16T02:11:00.000-07:00

A lovely weekend that's taken all of Monday to wear off. That's my son Noah, asleep on the train home from Central London after seeing the London Eye (too young to go on it yet), a lovely lunch and running across Waterloo Bridge.

To keep the soothing thoughts going here's a track from Charlie Wadhams' ep In a Goldmine, that you can download for free from his official website. You can also see the lovely video for the lead track Someone to Kiss.

Listen: Charlie Wadhams - Darkness

Official

MySpace

Rain and Snow

2009-06-06T04:01:00.000-07:00

Last weekend, when this country was having the flags proverbially cracked, I was up to my thighs in snow on top of a glacier. Funny how things go, isn't it?

Obviously this post is just an excuse for me to ramble on about Iceland and The Lonesome Sisters, possibly two of my favourite favourite things. I'd encourage you all to have a go at both.

If you've been hanging around here for a while, you'll know our love of this lot. It's where it all began and how we found our blog name. So, on the off chance that you haven't had the pleasure yet, then do give this a whirl for top-notch old-timey bluegrass harmonies.

Listen: The Lonesome Sisters - Rain and Snow

And whilst we're about it, here are some more snowy delights.

Listen: Emmylou Harris - Roses in the Snow

Listen: Hank Snow - Miller's Cave.

Please buy The Lonesome Sisters, splash out on some deluxe Emmylou or get your hands on some essential Hank Snow.

Gibson Brothers - Ring the Bell

2009-06-04T00:58:00.000-07:00

Apologies for going a bit quiet lately, normaly I'd blame work, but the real reason is that I've been playing my new guitars a bit too much. I've got one of these and one of those. So that's it for a very, very long time. Anyway here's Noah's first non pre-school specific request for music in the car, he's got great taste already. This is the title track from their new album, that I'm very much looking forward to hearing.

Check the official website for some fantastic earlier album covers.

Listen - Gibson Brothers - Ring the Bell

Buy It
Official

Alasdair Roberts - Spoils

2009-05-27T03:34:00.000-07:00

I missed Alasdair Roberts at Homegame so was very pleased to see him in Leeds last night. Picture the scene - room above a pub, fantastic Victorian tiles all round, skinny bloke in directional jeans who looks like he could be in, oh, Maximo Park, gets up and starts singing, well, this. Astonishing.

It's not often that you get the words saturnine and sarcophagi in a song, clever bugger. Top marks all round.

Listen: Alasdair Roberts - So Bored Was I [Dark Triad]

And because every day's a school day, the Dark Triad is the group of personality types that are associated with 'bad boys' - narcissism, Machiavellianism and psychopathy. It's always the quiet ones.

Buy

James Blackshaw interview on Radio 4

2009-05-26T13:16:00.000-07:00

God bless the BBC - an interview with James Blackshaw. Here on BBC - Today, think John Fahey meets Philip Glass.

Listen: James Blackshaw - Cross

Karine Polwart at Homegame

2009-04-20T12:50:00.000-07:00

When your very favourite things are (1) being by the sea, (2) being with friends who just get it, (3) easy pints and (4) music, then Homegame is just about the perfect festival.

I'm just back from a euphoric few days up in Anstruther where I developed a bit of a crush on Karine Polwart. (And several other Fence-y types, if truth be told). But Karine's the one to post up here - a breath of folky beauty; clear, beautiful and with a huge generosity and warmth.

Listen: Karine Polwart - The Light on the Shore

Listen: Karine Polwart - Follow the Heron

Buy Faultlines or Scribbled In Chalk from Karine's website - more downloads there too.

Love + Hate = Hate

2009-04-08T05:37:00.000-07:00

Yet another corker from King Creosote. Any song that starts with lyrics about an internal magnet that pulls you north is going to be a winner in my book.

Love, loneliness, regret, northern lights and cats to a swirly backing with extra accordian. Sigh.

Listen: King Creosote & HMS Ginafore - Aurora Boring Alias

From an album with HMS Ginafore (filed under 'various artists'). Buy it direct from the Fence Records website.

Anyone else coming to Homegame?

Lonesome Mixtape on When You Awake

2009-04-03T10:13:00.001-07:00

We were delighted when Jody from the fantastic When You Awake asked us to do a mix tape - what an honour. So, if you want more of us, head on over for a kind of Lonesome best of.

It’s made up of songs that we’ve posted over the years and especially loved. We’ve missed out a firm family favourite (Brand New Love) and we would have liked to have featured some more recorders, but we're secretly quite pleased with how it turned out.

Here's the link.

Tribute to Utah Phillips

2009-03-20T03:27:00.001-07:00

Oh my. Now here's a tearjerker. Utah Phillips (folk musician, activist, pacifist, hobo, freight train hopper, union organiser and all round good guy) spends 40 years touring, hits hard times, falls ill, his musician pals rally round to record a fundraiser, it grows to become a big project that attracts luminaries of the folky/country scene, it's fantastic, Phillips dies before he can hear it. Sniff.

All profits are going to his family - do yourself a favour and get your hands on a copy.

Please listen.

Listen: Will Brown, Cindy Kallet and Grey Larsen - Going Away

Listen: Sparky and Rhonda Rucker - Reuben's Train

Listen: Ed Trickett - The Telling Takes Me Home

Buy

More Bettelheim than Ariel

2009-03-19T04:45:00.000-07:00

Has there ever been a more exposed and less impressive piece of public art than the Little Mermaid? She looks a bit cold to me. And she's not had an easy time of it all round - never mind the dancing on bleeding legs, just look at the view she's stuck with. The people who chopped her head off a few years ago probably thought they were doing her a favour.

Listen: Josh Rouse - Camping in Copenhagen

Listen: Josh Rouse - Come Back [Light Thearpy] (Best use of the word serotonin in pop ever).

Buy

The Lonesome collaborative playlist - Spotify

2009-03-16T04:07:00.000-07:00

I've been using Spotify for a few weeks, it scrobbles by last.fm and lets me listen to loads of old country blues and classical whilst at work. It allows collaborative mixes - so if you are using spotify and have some recommendations/suggestions feel free to put them on and I'll give them a try. Spotify doesn't have complete coverage so I don't expect it to replace people emailing mp3s any time soon, but there are some great songs. I've started just by adding a few songs with the word lonesome in the title.

The Lonesome playlist

All About Collaborative Playlists

Valentiger

2009-03-13T03:28:00.002-07:00

It's a rare thing indeed that we post videos, particularly of such an upbeat song, but this video was the first time I heard (and saw) Valentiger. I was there thinking 'too upbeat for lonesome' but the song was really strong, the guitar really cool and there was a Jonathan Richman/David Byrne kind of thing going on that I found interesting.

The Album from which it comes - Power Lines to Electric Times has some more lonesome style tracks - two of which are posted below, but I'd recommend pretty much all the songs on the album.

So what else can I say to persuade you of merit? The album managed to bring to mind Crooked Rain Crooked Rain without the lyric

Listen: Valentiger - Courses

Listen: Valentiger - Never Ready
Official

Buy it

The Water Callers - Springboard

2009-02-27T04:01:00.000-08:00

Close harmonies? Tick.
Pedal steel? Tick.
Spot of banjo? Tick.
Real life brothers? Tick.

Right then, can't argue with this. We're onto a winner with the new Water Callers album. It's no-nonsense americana in its finest sense and it draws a line straight from the Everlys (swoon) to the Avetts. Enjoy.

Listen: The Water Callers - Look, Sweet Girl

Listen: The Water Callers - She Was the One.

If you're lucky enough to live in North Carolina, you can buy from local shops like Chaz's and Offbeat in Durham. For those of us not in the triangle (or even the right continent), mosey on over to their MySpace page or buy their last one from CD Baby.

Some more AMC

2009-02-21T02:26:00.000-08:00

We don't always get too many comments left on Lonesome, but we do get lots of emails - we love hearing from you. And it's always a pleasure to hear from fellow AMC fans.

So, for Marc, here are a couple of the songs from the second CD released as part of a set for Johnny Mathis' Feet back in 1993.

Listen: American Music Club - Dallas, Airports, Bodybags (Home Demo)

Listen: American Music Club - The Amyl Nitrate Dreams of Pat Robertson

There's a whole set of Mercury demos available, too, if you're feeling completist. For everyone else, and just on the off-chance that you haven't got it yet, hurry on over and download Everclear free here.

Should I, after tea and cakes and ices,

2009-02-20T03:10:00.000-08:00

Have the strength to force the moment to its crisis?

Cor, this week has been a long and hard one.

But life is better with a cup of tea.

So, which songs have I missed?

Listen: Neil Halstead - Elevenses (link removed after DMCA complaint)

Listen: Tindersticks - Tea Stain (link removed after DMCA complaint)

Listen: The Kinks - Afternoon Tea (link removed after DMCA complaint)

Listen: Kings of Convenience - I Don't Know What I Can Save You From. (If you haven't heard this for a while, give it another listen; I'd forgotten how good it is).

Download the Halstead Transmission, and buy Tindersticks, Something Else, and/or Quiet Is the New Loud. And put the kettle on.

A lonesome valentine

2009-02-14T00:36:00.001-08:00

Time for a lonesome valentine.

Let's not forget that it's not all roses.

Listen: American Music Club - Keep Me Around

Listen: Dolly Parton - When Someone Wants to Leave

Buy AMC's Mercury and Dolly's Jolene.

Dory Previn - The Lady with the Braid

2009-02-08T12:33:00.001-08:00

I found myself singing this to my best girl friends this weekend and was met with blank looks. Now to be fair, this is far from a rare occurence, but it is one that can easily be put right.

So - Dory Previn, yes as in Andre (pre-Mia) - quietly bonkers, hugely melodic, good on the words. A fine 1971 vintage of total lady folk quality.

Hand crocheted indeed.

Listen: Dory Previn - The Lady with the Braid

There's a new compliation out which would be a good place to start - buy it here

Claire Holley - Hush

2009-02-06T10:05:00.000-08:00

Is Mississippi the showboat state? I can't remember. Either way, there's nothing overtly showy about this one, just plain, unabashed, good quality songs. Claire Holley's discography goes back a decade, but I confess this is the first I've heard of her. And I'll be seeking out some more.

Just when you think it's all sugar sweet girl acousticness to do the crossword to, you'll tune into the lyrics and feel a bit, er, unsettled. Delightful.

Listen: Claire Holley - Wedding Day
Listen: Claire Holley - Edge of a Storm

Buy
Official

End of the World

2009-02-02T11:38:00.000-08:00

I'm still on that fifties/early sixties kick I started, the buddy holly anniversary has just pushed it along, so as well as classic rock and roll I'm now getting to hear songs that were in the hit parade when there was a hit parade, not necessarily rock and roll, but big production ballads like this one. I've just realised I have two versions of this, Skeeter Davis and Julie London, they're both great but Skeeter gets posted because she has a better name. It's got a great talky bit.

Listen: Skeeter Davis - End of the World

Buy it

Desperate Man Blues | Pitchfork.tv

2009-02-01T08:54:00.000-08:00

Desperate Man Blues | Pitchfork.tv - you can have too many records.

John Martyn RIP

2009-01-29T14:35:00.000-08:00

So soon after Davy Graham's passing just a few weeks ago, it is with great regret and a tear that I heard of John Martyn's death on my way home from work this evening. Although I never saw him play live, he was and remains responsible for some of my favorite music. Like Graham, I found his interviews and lifestory intimidating, a bear of a man with very human failings and a wilful streak a mile wide. Again I'm just posting the first thing I heard him play on the radio - but this really was just the start point, he was 18 and had many more amazing albums ahead of him.

Listen: John Martyn - Back To Stay

Buy it

Eilen Jewell - Letters from Sinners and Strangers

2009-01-23T08:47:00.000-08:00

Now then, why wasn’t this girl all over everyone's end of year lists? I'm coming in with a very late 'honourable mention' here – Eilen Jewell's 'Letters from Sinners and Strangers' is a cracker.

I first heard Eilen's Boundary County over at the ever-reliable songs:illinois and was smitten enough to seek this out last year, before spending most of autumn dancing round the kitchen to it. These are barbed and wry songs a-plenty, wrapped up in a swooning vocal and enough old-timey musicianship to seduce you into thinking they’re honey sweet. Oh no. Recommended.

And in a year where my resolutions are to a) get back on line and b) get into gin-based cocktails, let's start here, shall we?

Listen: Eilen Jewell – High Shelf Booze

Listen: Eilen Jewell – In The End

Buy

John Paul Keith and the One Four Fives - New Album

2009-01-12T08:52:00.001-08:00

There's a new album from John Paul Keith and his ever trusty One Four Fives called Spills and Thrills. It's full of stripped down 50's/early 60's style rock and roll that manages to stay the right side of pastiche using joie de vivre and some fantastic playing. All the talk of recession seems to have simplified my music tastes of late - this and James Hunter have soundtracked my return to work. Dig the twang.

Listen: John Paul Keith and the One Four Fives - Rock and Roll Will Break Your Heart

MySpace

Buy the single - Lookin' for a thrill 7"!

Buy the album

Littlejoy - Brand New Start

2009-01-04T14:47:00.000-08:00

I hope you all had a good break - the longest Christmas/New Year break in twenty years for most people apparently. I thought we'd start with this from Littlejoy. Apparently someone in the Strokes is involved with this rather lovely album featuring a healthy amount of ukulele and other acoustic instruments, but don't let that put you off. The album is peppered with moments of real inspiration and yes, joy. As good a way to start the year as any.

Listen: Little Joy - Brand New Start

Myspace

When You Awake

2008-12-21T13:21:00.000-08:00

In an audacious move to thwart the urge to list the year's best of, here's been the most listened to blog mixtapes of the year by a very country mile - When You Awake is over there on the left in the blogroll, but if you haven't sampled the delights of their previous artist cover compilations try the latest - Merle Haggard Goes Twang, just click the title of the compilation beneath his biog.

btw. 1. Fleet Foxes, 2. Dennis Wilson. Everything else is just noise.

Davy Graham - Ballad of the sad young men

2008-12-16T12:24:00.000-08:00

Responsible for at least two of the best guitar albums ever - Folk, Blues and Beyond and Folk Roots, New Routes, I was greatly saddened to hear that he died following lung cancer yesterday. I was introduced to him following exposure to first Nick Drake and then John Martyn, both of whom I understand were avid apostles. Together the three of them have served to inform my own playing over the last 20 years, with Davy being by far the most wilful and difficult to get to grips with. I think in part this is simply because he refused to stay within any sort of comfort zone. Fiercely intelligent, I think I would have been too scared to have guitar lessons - not practicing wouldn't have been an option.
I also love the fact that he was so immaculately dressed (not everyone can get away with a sombrero) when all around him were hippies in various states of dishevelment.
In interviews and on record he gave the impression he was always studying one or more exotic branches of string based music ripe for assimilation into his repertoire, but I've posted the very first of his songs I heard.

Listen: Davy Graham - ballad of the sad young men

Official

Guardian Obituary

Take down notices & clearing out the server

2008-12-09T04:27:00.000-08:00

We've just received our second take-down notice in as many weeks for posts stretching back to last New Year/Easter. Frankly we're struggling to understand why Connie Francis's representatives have it in for us...

Anyway, I will be clearing out the server of mp3s posted before October this year this coming Friday, just so you know.