Offmessage

Having spent most of the Nineties in a darkened room listening to music that went “bang, bang, bang, bang” at somewhere around 140bpm I felt pretty musically adrift when, sometime around 2001, I started sleeping at the weekends again and techno stopped meaning quite what it had.

To find myself some new musical roots I started reading about all sorts of music, going right back to the Fifties. My theory was that I should start at the beginning and see where I ended up.

Along the way I’ve read some fantastic books*, recommended by some very knowledgeable people. I’m amazed to only just discover the existence of the Continuum 33⅓ series. Nigh on 100 titles, each book the missing sleevenotes of some of the greatest albums recorded. What an amazing list; from the cult, like Zaireeka, Maggot Brain, Radio City, Unknown Pleasures through the classics like Forever Changes and on to pop like Abba Gold and Sign O’ The Times. If anyone’s wondering what to buy me for a gift just start at the beginning of the list – I’ll have one of each, ta

* My favourite music book, by the way, is Fierce Dancing by C J Stone which documents, among other things, the transition from the free festivals of the Eighties to the open air raves of the Nineties. Is there a music book I should have read?

This led me to this.  Which in turn led me to this, which led me to this, which ultimately led me to buy this, which is this week’s favourite album.

Like yer man Boon says, touches of Arcade Fire and Phillip Glass.  I’d add some Flaming Lips and even some Erlend  Øye. Lovely.

Florence and the Machine’s cover of You Got The Love is really starting to get on my tits.  If I hear one more gushing “ooh, what a great version” or, worse, one more person telling me what a great track it is, completely unaware of the original, I shall be moved to violence.

Here, ladies and gentlemen, is John Truelove’s original version – melding Candi Staton’s acapella vocal with Frankie Knuckles Your Love in the one true version. Re-released, remixed, re-recorded many many times this is, for me at least, the one we should all remember.

And please, if we’re going to get gooey about modern cover versions, sod Florence and The Machine and Joss Stone.  Try The XX version instead.

Three albums I’ve been really looking forward to all got released in the last two weeks….

Midlake’s The Courage of Others. If it had been on vinyl I would have worn out my copy of their last album (The Trials of Van Occupanther). While the last one was influenced by the likes of Crosby, Stills and Nash, Neil Young, and early Fleetwood Mac (music I have to admit to loving) this latest one is influenced by Pentangle, Incredible String Band, Fairport Convention and Steeleye Span (music I have a real aversion to). Because of my love of the last album I’ve given this new one more listens than I normally would, but have come to the sad conclusion that it’s just a dreary derivative folk album. Fairport Convention lite at best. One down, two to go

Hot Chip’s One Life Stand. Some of the tracks from Made in the Dark and The Warning are stone cold classics. Live even more so. Again I really wanted to like the latest album. Initially I liked the more direct approach – the dance tracks are more straight down the line, ballads (for want of a better description) are more ballady. By the fifth listen, though, I’ve come to realise that what I thought was deliberately more direct is actually knowingly poppy. This is their attempt to break through. I really wouldn’t be surprised if every track ended up on an advert. And those lyrics about the XBox really can fuck off. Two down, one to go.

Yeasayer’s Odd Blood. Hah! This one really is awesome. A genuine move forward from the equally fantastic All Hour Cymbals. Right now I can’t imagine liking another album more this year. At least one purchase was worthwhile.

Another music post (hey, at least it’s not delicious links about Python…)

In 1969 Sandie Shaw (of Puppet on a String fame, no less) recorded her first self produced album – Reviewing The Situation.  Instead of the bubble gum pop she’d previously been recording this new project was a covers album of tracks by acts like The Beatles, The Stones, Bob Dylan and Led Zeppelin; think of it as an early All Back To Mine or Late Night Tales.

Some tracks are ill advised (Sympathy for the Devil) while others are just straight lounge (Love Me Do) but overall it’s an overlooked slice of the sort of sublime psychedelic pop that swinging London did so well. And there’s just something about her version of Your Time is Gonna Come (the first Led Zep cover ever released) that does it for me every time.

Someone just put the soundtrack to Stop Making Sense on the stereo in the office. God I love that movie.  I guess I watched it at just the right time – it must have been one of Channel 4’s late night showings when I was 14 or 15.  Perfect viewing for a small town kid in awe of the power of rock and roll for whom the only live gig available was the annual Spinners Christmas Special.

Psycho Killer, the opening track.

10 artists who hate their most famous songs.  All great artists (at least the 9 I know) and all the songs do indeed suck. I have an ongoing vendetta against Stairway to Heaven.

The record industry may well be dead (or so they say), but there are some fine ideas being tested out at the moment…

Mos Def is selling t-shirts that come with download codes for his latest album, while The Flaming Lips are selling gig tickets that come with a download code for a ‘bootleg’ taken from the mixing desk on the night you went (quoted from their latest mailer):

the bundle will come with a ticket to see the band live along with an exclusive online digital EP that will contain 3 songs from the upcoming record – “Convinced of The Hex,” “The Impulse,” and “Silver Trembling Hands” plus three additional rare b-side tracks that we’ve selected. In addition to the ep, the bundle includes a digital download bootleg of the same show that you attend, which will be available after the show.

I have to say the Lips idea is awesome – I’m always on the look out for bootlegs, and to get one from the night I was there? well…

http://blip.fm/offmessage – oh look, it’s another web property for me to exist at and update.  That said, it’s pretty compelling.  So compelling, in fact, that I’ve had to try and ignore it.  I’ve often twittered about the music I’m listening to; blip.fm is just that service.

Damn.

Isaac Hayes has died.  It’s easy to remember him for South Park and the Scientology spat that followed, but his work as a session musician and writer for Stax and his own, darker sound made him one of the cornerstones of seventies soul. Here is Walk On By, the opener from his breakthrough album, Hot Buttered Soul. Get the whole album – four 10 minute workouts of dark, brooding, groove driven soul that hasn’t been bettered. This video doesn’t do it justice, but it will give you a taste.