The Go-Betweens: The house that Jack Kerouac built - Video

What can I say? I just couldn't resist after seeing Robert...



PS
You can find news on Forster's forthcoming (!)album here. Great news.

Robyn Hitchcock: I Often Dream Of Trains

Something old and new at the same time from the Robyn Hitchcock catalogue has just been released: "I wanna go backwards", a box with albums of the oxfordian from the early 80's with rare songs, outtakes etc. This made me feel like going backwards too, specifically to what is considered by many his best LP as a solo artist (meaning that the Soft Boys'"Underwater Moonlight"' is nearly everybody's favourite), this "I often dream of trains".
Also, I banged into it while watching a beautifully made documentary on Hitchcock, BBC4's "Sex, food, death..", I saw the title track's video (which you find down here, btw), and realised that "I often..." (the song) must have one of the best arpeggios ever.
Anyway, this is not the IODOT that you can find in the box, but the 1995 CD edition...Although I think I'll soon make up my mind and go buy "I wanna go backwards" as well... In the meantime enjoy this

I Often Dream Of Trains

Learn more on RH @ FoxyTunes
Or @ his Official Site
Or read Pitchfork's review of "I Wanna Go Backwards"

The Go-Betweens:The Acoustic Stories (the MP3's)

I assume many of you, if you are go-betweens' fans, already know the "That striped sunlight sound"DVD, which is divided into two sections: one the proper concert, and two the Acoustic Stories part, where Robert and Grant talked about their career and performed 11 songs out of it in splendid stripped-down acoustic versions. I had been looking for the MP3's of that acoustic performance for a long time but with no luck, then I finally rolled up my sleeves, found the right software and did it myself: it took me some time so I really hope you appreciate it.
I have also decided to create two zip files: one with the "complete"acoustic stories (including all the talks inbetweens songs), and one songs-only.
All of it @ 192k.

Tracklist:

1. Lee Remick
2. Cattle and Cane
3. Part Company
4. Bachelor Kisses
5. Head Full of Steam
6. Bye Bye Price
7. Dive for Your Memory
8. German Farm House
9. Too Much of One Thing
10. Here Comes the City
11. Finding You

The Acoustic Stories
The "Complete" Acoustic Stories

Best of 2007 (& You Let Me Down List)

It took me some time but I've eventually made it...

1-Radiohead: In Rainbows
Being the best band in the world helps, you know.

2-Arcade Fire: Neon Bible
It was hard to beat the blietzkrieg success of "Funeral", but they somehow maneged to make it. I so intensely hope they're going to keep up the good work (and make my dream come true: be the "new" Radiohead. Be so important, so connected to the audience, to the zeitgeist).

3-Low: Drums And Guns
I saw Alan Sparhawk freak out on stage and got how deep this album cut into his brain, into his sould, and how this is not only rock'n'roll, this is no pose. This music is important, it's true.

4-Bon Iver: For Emma, Forever Ago
This man took me by surprise: come out of the blue and with the most impressive and emotional songs a songwriter has penned in quite a long time. Yeah, the names of Elliot Smith and maybe even Leonard Cohen come to mind. I do hope we'll hear from him real soon.

5-John Doe: A Year In The Wilderness
I listened to this so many times that I think I know all the lyrics like a teenager would. Great man too, saw him and talked to him a couple of months ago. And he doesn't make me regret his X days.

6-Panda Bear: Person Pitch
One of 2007's best surprises: I hadn't paid attention to Animal Collective much, mainly because I never really dug their first album, so when I listened to Panda I was totally blown away. The beach boys, one of the best productions (the sounds are modern but yet so warm)...all the good things contained in these compositions will probably make this a huge album also 10 or more years from now.

7-LCD Soundsystem: Sound Of Silver
I liked his first thing, no doubt about it (I'm all for the analogic you know, except for some artists that really lead me to believe they are some geniuses...), but S.O.S. (is it intended?) definetely convinced me he is the one of the few out there who play dance/elctronic stuff worth the buy.

8-Spoon: Ga Ga Ga Ga
Best indie guitar band of the year.

9-Animal Collective: Strawberry Jam
Same as Panda Bear. More or less.

10-The National: Boxer
Because of that voice. Because of a couple of songs like "Fake empire" and "Start a war".

11-Scout Niblett: This Fool Can Die Now
These days it's hard not to put in a list of the best music around some album with Bonnie "Prince" Billy. He's Midas. Niblett's never been so good though.

12-Okkervil River: The Stage Names
Second best indie guitar band of the year.

13-New Pornographers: Challengers
They make me whistle, holler, sing out loud. And they have Neko Case: my fave indie gal when Chan's not to be seen.

14-Tinariwen: Aman Iman
Love the guitars.

15-Tori Amos: American Doll Posse
Can a Tori Amos' album be still good with scarce piano-driven music in it? . "American..." proves it can.

16-Prince: Planet Earth
He still makes me dance like it's 1999... And I know the lyrics kinda suck, but heck, he's never been no Randy Newman. Anyway by far the best thing he has done since the -much- underrated "Rainbow Children". And before that we have to go waaaaaaaay back.

17-Richard Thompson: Sweet Warrior
He is -probably- my favourite guitar player. No doubt he has written better songs (and the old LP's with Linda make me want to grab my guitar and cry because I'll never be that good, not in a million years..), but still "Dad's gonna kill me" did the trick.

18-The Shins: Wincing The Night Away
I don't know...I absolutely loved the first two, so maybe I didn't give it enoght time. Yet it is hard not to find Mercer music meaningful on a craft basis.

19-Joss Stone: Introducing
I know it's not your indie cup of tea. But -although I may be the only person on Earth to think it way- "Introducing" IMHO is almost as good as "The Soul Sessions". She's not cool? I'm sure your average music critics will declare Amy uncool as well in a couple of years.

20-Alela Diane: The Pirate's Gospel

My favourite (post-new-pre etc etc) folkster of the year.
My favourite (post-new-pre etc etc) folkster of the year.

And now the all new...

YOU LET ME DOWN list:
(In no particular order)

-Bruce Springsteen: Magic
-Interpol: Our Love To Admire
-Giardini Di Mirò: Dividing Opinions
-The Stooges: The Weirdness

-Sophia: Technology Won't Save Us

-Smashing Pumpkins: Zeitgeist

-Wilco: Sky Blue Sky [And to Jeff: Why? Why this lame -and boring- album? I had to see it coming from the awkward title, I suppose...]

PS
Big surprise for Go-Betweens'fans @ the next post.

Western Electric: S/t

Sid Griffin was the leader of the great Long Ryders, which gave some excellent Paisley Underground albums to the history of rock and roll, and after the band split he embarked on a career as a solo artist but gave birth to two new bands as well, one being the bluegrass-oriented Coal Porters, and the other being this one, the Western Electric, whose only result was this self-titled album. What they play is basically the good old rock'n' roll with some country in it (Gram Parsons' ghost is rarely absent when it comes to Sid Griffin's oeuvres), but they don't despise some programming, and some drum machines (!) in the mix.
This may not be his Griffin's best effort(the Long Ryders' days are hard to beat), but at least he gave us an "Emily in ginger", a little masterpiece, and a perfect example of what a simple chord progression (and a far less than complex guitar arrengement) can do. The video speaks for itself.

More about Sid Grffin @ FoxyTunes.



Western Electric

Happy New Year, everyone (with Radiohead webcast)

...and I'll be back soon with Go-Betweens' bootlegs, and I think Rain Parade, Sid Griffin, and (I ought to, you know that) my Best Of 2007 list.

The Go-Betweens:Live @ Flex, Vienna, Austria, July 22, 2003

Yeah, I promised something old, but actually I couldn't resist uploading this bootleg I found some time ago and that (shame on me!) I forgot to post till today. And it's an excellent one too, with a song quite hard to find in GB's recent live tracklists like "Love is a sign".
But I promise the next post will be Paisley Underground-oriented. And again a bootleg, I think.

Tracklist:
01. Poison In The Wall
02. Too Much Of One Thing
03. In Her Diary
04. Old Mexico
05. Right Here
06. Surfing Magazines
07. Streets Of Your Town
08. Spring Rain
09. Love Is A Sign
10. Baby Stones
11. The Clock
12. 121
13. Love Goes On!
14. The House Jack Kerouac Built


Live @ Flex

The Oscillation: Out Of Phase

Whew, I'm kind of busy these days, so I'm making it (again) brief:If you love Krautrock this new band will give you something new (to think of something old). I mean: the cover'll do it, won't it?
By the next time you'll have more old stuff, but I haven't made up my mind yet. Paisley Underground or Go-Betweens?

Out of phase

Radiohead: In Rainbows CD 2

'Nuff said, I suppose. The famous second disc from the famous discbox.


In Rainbows CD 2

The Go-Betweens: Live Club Soda, Montreal, 1987

Here is another great Go-Betweens' bootleg, the Live in Club Soda, Montreal 1987, from the Tallulah tour. The sound quality is very good, it probably got recorded straight from the soundboard. And I have to admit that I particularly like this period (1987-88) because of the 5-pieces line-up, I find their sound so tight, so strong, maybe GB's at their best (as a live band, a rock band).

Tracklist:

1. In The Core Of A Flame
2. Head Full Of Steam
3. Right Here
4. Twin Layers Of Lightning
5. Cut It Out
6. Learn To Live Again
7. I Just Get Caught Out
8. Part Company
9. Bye Bye Pride
10. The Clarke Sisters
11. Spring Rain
12. The House That Jack Kerouac Build
13. Don't Call Me Gone
14. Apology Accepted

Live Club Soda, 1987

Cowboy Junkies 2

Here is the new to Cowboy Junkies' Tinity Sessions Revisited:

Trinity

Cowboy Junkies: Trinity Sessions Revisited

In this period I'm not goint to post a lot because I have some work to do. So: only a few posts and even fewer words.
In this case: here is the revisitation of the Cowboy Junkies' masterpiece, "The trinity sessions" live and with some guests (Ryan Adams, Vic Chesnutt and Natalie Merchant).
I'll try and put more bootlegs of the go-betweens sometime quite soon.

Trinity Session Revisited

The Go-Betweens: Live in Vega, Copenhagen 2000

At last another GB's bootleg, let's say, and though the sounds is a bit metallic it is all worth, in particular because of some classics from their repertoire (Spring Rain, Bye Bye Pride, and a gorgeous Bachelor Kisses) and the great finale with Easy Come, Easy Go, from Grant's solo career, where he tells Forster to play "more, more" during the solo, and an acoustic Rock'n'Roll Friend.

And yeah, more to come.

1. Intro
   

2. Your Turn, My Turn Intro

3. Magic In Here

4. Right Here

5. Head Full Of Steam

6. Baby Stones

7. Strets Of Your Town

8. Orpheus Beach

9. He Lives My Life

10. German Farmhouse

11. Going Blind

12. Draining The Pool

13. Bye Bye Pride

14. The Clock

15. Spring Rain

16. Spirit

17. Bachelor Kisses

18. Easy Come Easy Go

19. Rock 'n' Roll Friend

Live in Vega, Copenhagen 2000

Joy Division: Still (Live Disc)

As you can also read on a very good (as always) review @ Pithfork (here), Joy Division's albums (the "real ones", i.e. "Unknown Pleasures" and "Closer", plus the "Still" compilation) just got re-edit with a bonus disc of live material. Generally speaking I'd say that the live recordings already published -The BBC sessions, the Les Bains Douches one, and the Preston one- are better quality (as sound), but this "Still"is definitely the best in the pack, so here you are.

Something about the Go-Betweens' Vienna boot: I've read all the comments and I'm glad that some of you requested a re-up, but unfortunately there's been also some very impolite comments and in particular a rather rude one (which I haven't published) that urged me to re-up that same vienna concert. So: I'm writing this blog and uploading this music merely for fun, as a hobby, with no interests of sort and surely not in order to get insulted by anyone. It really bothers me that some people don't get that "for free" doesn't mean "at their will". That's the reason why you won't see the vienna concert soon. But you will, maybe not in a short period of time, yet you will, mainly because of all the kind words in the (published) comments.
And the next one will be a GB's bootleg too.

Still (Live Disc)

The Go-Betweens: Fools In Love - Live @ Cabaret Metro Chicago, 1st April 1989

And at last another bootleg from the great GB's, and a very good one indeed: in fact although the sound quality is not excellent (but still quite good) this is a great performance from what IMHO is their peak and their best line-up, the one that toured to promote the "16 Lovers Lane" album. There are also some quite impressive moments in here to prove my theory: the beautiful Clouds with a tambourine and an almost velvetesque mood (1968-9 period by the way), and an incredible rendition of Quiet heart with an over the top drumming by Lindy Morrison that can't help but take you back to Moe Tucker (and Robert playing the harmonica à la Dylan).
It's a pity that in the end The clarke sisters got cut (and I think one song is missing), but hey, what the heck.
And this is not the end: more (bootlegs) to come!

PS
Great Long Ryders bootleg in the surprise link.

Tracklist:

1. Don't Let Him Come Back
2. Was There Anything I Could Do?
3. The house That Jack Kerouac Built
4. Clouds
5. Dive For Your Memory
6. Cut It Out
7. I Just Get Caught Out
8. Twin Layers Of Lightning
9. Quiet Heart
10. Streets Of Your Town
11. Bye Bye Pride
12. Right Here
13. Spring Rain
14. The Devil's Eye
15. Love Is A Sign
16. Love Goes On
17. Casanova's Last Words
18. The Clarke Sisters
19. Karen

Fools in love

REM: Live

No need to explain with REM, right?
But next post: another Go-Betweens bootleg!

REM Live 1
REM Live 2

The Go-Betweens: Tallulah demos & Liberty Belle Alternates

It's been a while since my last post on the Go-Betweens (a whole month!), so this is for all the fans that (just like me) can't get enough of the band from Brisbane.
So, what is it all about? It is alternate takes from "Liberty Belle & The Black Diamond Express" (actually only the vocal tracks are different from the masters), and demos of "Tallulah" (although 3 out of 5 are already included in "Tallullah"'s expanded edition's second disc).
And I promise I will be back soon with some more from Forster/McLennan & co.

Tallulah demos & Liberty Belle Alternates

Radiohead: In Rainbows

You can have it for free officially (just click here and order it choosing to pay O.O if so), or you can pay whaever amount you want (but pay attention that the bitrate is 160k, that is llike a common "leak") but if somehow you can't here is the download to Radiohead's new album "In Rainbows".
Enjoy!

In Rainbows

Radiohead: Live Ladyland Studios 2003

I suppose I'm one of the million people who are are dying waiting for "In Rainbows", the new Radiohead LP, so when I bumped into this very good recording of an advance concert for "Hail to the thief" (which was then yet to be released) I couldn't resist and now here it is.
It's 11 songs (including a semi-acoustic rendition of Fake plastic trees and No suprises).

PS Check out the surprise link if you really can't wait till October 10th for LP7

Live Ladyland Studios

Thurston Moore: Trees Outside The Academy

A new album this time, and what album: no less than Sonic Youth's main man's solo. And not only "Trees outside the academy" is excellent, but it is also a non free-form music album, i.e. all tracks in it are proper songs (verse-chorus, etc), and -even more surprisingly perhaps- Thurston Moore has gone acoustic to play them. Definitely a good moment for the SY fans: first "Rather ripped" (which got us back good old sonic riffs and songs) and now Moore's solo, an album full of turns, of surprising moments, in a few words a very fine pop record, one that never allows you to see its direction, to see what's coming next. And never let you down.

Select "Keep broken files" before unpacking it.

Trees outside...reviewed @ Pitchfork
Trees outside...review +Q & A @ Uncut
Sonic Youth @ Wiki

Trees outside the academy