Only had half an ear on new records these past couple of days, since Mark and I have been sifting through your many, many nominations for Great Lost Albums, following our special the other month. Pretty amazing discoveries there, that are going to keep us busy for a while.
Post-electoral shenanigans notwithstanding, quite a day in prospect; another run at the six and a half hours of the Jack Rose tribute album (I’m writing next month’s Wild Mercury Sound magazine column about it, in theory), then Joanna Newsom at the Festival Hall tonight.
One of those weeks where the distractions of putting a magazine together and, right now, England vs Pakistan, have conspired to limit blogging activity. Michael Yardy: I am dumbstruck.
Slightly shorter playlist than usual this week, since I finally downloaded and began investigating the six and a half hours of astounding music that make up the “Honest Strings” Jack Rose tribute. Can’t recommend that one enough: I have a vague plan to write much more about it for my next column in the mag version of Uncut.
Big name week here, as you’ll see from some of the new arrivals on the playlist below. A couple of things worth flagging, though: the second Diskjokke album, which should work for those of you enamoured with Lindstrom and Prins Thomas; and one last Jack Rose EP, a rowdy electric session with a No Neck Blues Band spin-off. I’ll do the business on these soon.
Slightly depressing as it is to plug a designated day on which people should buy music in a shop, a probably unnecessary reminder that Record Store Day is this coming Saturday. Quickly flicking through the listings, one highlight: Rough Trade East have Michael Rother signing copies of a new Neu! 12-inch, which is presumably from the “Neu! ‘86” part of the forthcoming boxset.
A beautiful day, in London at least, and one which inspired me to find some salute-to-the-sun music for heading into work. “Unbroken Chain” and “What Would I Want, Sky?” worked pretty harmoniously as I was crossing Millennium Bridge; just wondering if something akin to spring has changed your listening habits in any way?
One of those weeks when a big bunch of new things arrive simultaneously, I’m pleased to say: I think there are only three of this lot that have been on previous playlists.
Very much enjoying the Blues Explosion comp and the Trembling Bells second, which I’ll endeavour to write about early next week, Also, yes, the Ariel Pink stuff is great in a generally unnerving way: one track I have reminds me powerfully of, well, Christopher Cross.
Apologies for the spotty service here recently: deadlines, deaths and a mildly debilitating virus have meant there hasn’t been much time to look after the blog in the past week or so.
