The Deep Dark Woods - The Place I Left Behind

Alt-country, americana, folk/country rock, call it what you like, but you know, that sort of thing used to be what I would mostly listen to. But over recent years any new stuff hasn’t grabbed my attention that much. Apart from the Canadian band The Deep Dark Woods. Their recently released fourth fourth album The Place I Left Behind is their best yet (just about edges it over the brilliant Hang Me, Oh Hang Me). The songs are mainly on the theme of the title track. That of leaving a place, looking for somewhere new, getting away, but not being able to escape what you left behind. A truly great album that should get the band some more recognition. Follow link to get the title track The Deep Dark Woods - The Place I Left Behind

Hamell On Trial - Choochtown

I understand that Ed Hamell aka Hamell On Trial is going to record a new album. The last album of new compositions Songs For Parents Who Enjoy Drugs came out in in 2006, so its been a while. That was released on Ani Difranco’s record label Righteous Babe and was produced by her. In the main produced badly. When Hamell plays live he's a sweaty one man band acoustic guitar machine gun attack. None of that was captured as it was on the 2008 live album on his one man show The Terrorism Of Everyday Life at the Edinburgh festival. Without a record label behind him the new album has a small budget. So I’m sure it'll be good as it was with the brilliant Choochtown released in 2000 that was recorded in his basement. When I first heard that album with the intertwining stories about low level criminals and fuck ups in the heart of the city I thought it may be an album that I will visit regularly in years to come. I was right. I heard it today for the first time in a while and it sounds as good as ever.

Anti-Social Eaters

I read today that food and drink in the London Olympic venues is going to be expensive. Really, you don’t say. Of course it will be. That’s a given.
But people will still be queuing up to get a seven quid burger to wash down with their five quid coke. Some people just love stuffing their faces with junk food at sporting events, the cinema and theme parks. Its like everything else going on is a backdrop to the main attraction of food.

But if they want to spend a fortune fine, it doesn’t bother me. What bothers me is the anti-social eaters. I’m talking about the people that think that its perfectly acceptable to eat their lunch on the tube.
A sandwich is bad enough but the people who bring on stinking junk food are a breed apart. I’ve been annoyed with people on the tube many a time. Who hasn’t. What with being squashed against someone with too much perfume or aftershave on. Or bad body odour. Or someone who keeps sniffing or coughs without putting their hand over their mouth.
But Never have I been more annoyed with the person who sat next to me with a Big Mac and fries.
Or the woman who sat down opposite me on a near empty carriage and chomped away on fish and chips. The stink of it.
These people must have no self awareness about what cunts they are.

Killflavour

I downloaded this song a couple of years ago from Last FM. There was no thought or reason why I chose to download a song from a band that I’ve never heard of but what’s the worst that can happen. I download it, don't like it and then delete it.
That’s happened many a time but the song The One, The Rat, The Snake from the Germany band Killflavour was a keeper. From Germany and yes it is Kraut Rock. Great Kraut rock that’s distorted, intense and motors along relentlessly.
On the back of it I downloaded some more stuff more them but wasn’t too impressed by it. Don’t matter though as there’s always this song don’t change this song.

Follow link to Download Killflavour - The One, The Rat, The Snake

Damon Albarn's Pretentions

Damon Albarn has a solo album out. Que broadsheet music writers swooning with descriptions like: prolific musical chameleon.
This time he’s taken his pretentiousness to a new level because the album is apparently “a strange pastoral folk album inspired by the life of 16th century mathematician, alchemist, and philosopher John Dee, who was a trusted advisor of Elizabeth I.”
So I guess he’s wearing his ‘I’m a serious thoughtful musician’ hat instead of his cheeky chap mockney one that he puts on in Blur mode.

Damon Albarn doesn’t play or sing a note on any of the music that I own. None of it has ever interested me. No, not even the album when he went to Mali, recorded a bunch of local musicians and played that toy like instrument that you blow into over the top of it.

The truth is that I’ve never given his music a chance. I just can’t get over my intense dislike of Blur. Their music and especially the floppy haired bass player that these days won’t stop banging on about his bloody cheese farm.
No doubt Damon’s album will sell a decent amount. Mostly to his devotees. Who will play it a couple of times, force themselves to like it, tell people it’s a masterpiece and never listen to it again.

Ride

Been on a bit of a 90s music vibe over the past week. Mainly of the British variety.
It has nothing to do with nostalgia. None of the “remember this song from back in the day, those were great times, I was so young.”
No, its just that The Stone Roses second album sounds just as good now as it did back then (I will keep banging the drum that it is a great album and not a let down).
One band that kind of passed me by at the time but I’ve since got into is band Ride. Quite how I missed them I don’t know. I can’t explain, I mean I didn’t own any music from Ride and yet I had that album from Alanis Morissette.