(Another) repost: The go-betweens's Acoustic Stories (the mp3's)

Here's another repost.
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.

Tracklist:

    Lee Remick
    Cattle and Cane
    Part Company
    Bachelor Kisses
    Head Full of Steam
    Bye Bye Price
    Dive for Your Memory
    German Farm House
    Too Much of One Thing
    Here Comes the City
    Finding You

The Acoustic Stories
The "Complete" Acoustic Stories

16 Lovers Lane: Don't Try To Push Me "EP"

I had already talked about this EP. Anyway, it is now on bandcamp as well.

The Go-Betweens: Ep's and Singles (REPOST)

And so here's the first repost. A lot of you left comments for this so... If there are any other GoB's stuff you'd like to see on this blog just let me know.

These are the Go-Betweens' B-Sides to their 2000-years Singles (and the Worlds Apart EP), a quite hard to find treasure. Plus the 7'' edit to Finding You and, as some kind of bonus track, a Suicide At Home live in Munich in 1999.

PS And by the way: Girl lying on a beach is one my favourite Forster's songs ever.

Tracklist:

01 Finding you (7" version)
02 Instant replay
03 The city of lights
04 Sleeping giant
05 The locust girls
06 Crystal shacks
07 Erotic sunshine
08 Woman across the way
09 Stone
10 Girl lying on a beach
11 Suicide at home (The BR 2 Session, live 1999)

 Ep's and Singles

Robert Forster Live Subterania 1991

This one is quite peculiar. The quality of the recording is not so good, actually only half decent. But still: it is quite a set from a period (early 90's) from which boots (of Forster's live stuff) are hard to find. Plus, I love the tracklist, you know I think Robert played in his early career some of his best music (aka the "Danger in the past" record) and some great from the GoBs repertoire (among these: a very rare acoustic redition of Part company).

I have also found a review of the concert from those days, so I'll quote some of it:

[...] Barely communicative, borrowing drinks from the audience, 'Is This What You Call Change' and 'Part Company' are edgy and quavering, open-heart surgery with a battered acoustic. But he has more muscle to call on, a drilled new German band to give his songs a more resolute, wired flavour.

[...] Forster has re-invigorated his old songs, given them sharp new arrangements where Franc Schmiechen's swirling organs is as prominent as the twin guitars. So 'People Say' - "One of the ten best pop songs ever written", claims its writer modestly - gets a stirring exhumation and 'The House That Jack Kerouac Built' becomes the dense, rich epic it always threatened to be.

Forster soon finds his confidence, of course; an arch, detachedly flamboyant performer who behaves like a 19th century poet with an Open University degree in rock 'n' roll. Newer solo material like 'Dear Black Dream' and 'Leave Here Satisfied' balance faintly camp melodrama with cohesive power surges unimaginable in The Go-Betweens.

Last two songs are suppossed to be with Grant Mclennan. No doubt about Clouds, but I can't really hear Grant on Danger in the past.

(The picture is not directly relevant to that concert, but at least it's from the same year, the best I could find).

Tracklist:

01. Is This What You Call Change
02. Love is a Sign
03. Part Company
04. The River People
05. Rock 'n' Roll Friend
06. Hear Out To Tender
07. People Say
08. Dear Black Dream
09. Dive For Your Memory
10. I've Been Looking For Somebody
11. Baby Stones
12. Leave Here Satisfied
13. The House That Jack Kerouac Built
14. The Clarke Sisters
15. Clouds
16. Danger In The Past


Live Subterania 1991

About re-ups...

I don't have much time these days. If I post something I usually prefer picking something new.
I'll see.
(Ok, I've thought about it: I'll try to post some reups in the next weeks, maybe the EP's and something else).

Grant McLennan Live 1995, Brussels

I had promised myself to post more stuff about the go-betweens, so I kind of saw it as a sign when I found this one, a Grant McLennan's concert from his 1995 tour. It is an audience recording, but a very (very) good one. Plus, as you may know if you are a GoBes'fan: there are not many McLennan boots out there (from his solo career). Actually I think I own only another one, (the radio shows) and that's it.

About the actual bootleg: there are quite good songs in here, although I can't really say I love his band or its sound (it may be the recording but the second/electric guitar lacks room and character), mainly because it is some kind of semi-acoustic concert struggling sometimes to sound big. Let's say I find the more stripped down songs (and the ballads) more convincing than the rockers (I have always thought that McLennan's talent was a a natural match with ballads...). Anyway, good versions of Clouds, Horsebreaker star (one of my favourites among his) etc, and some weird stuff (the last I know why, an unreleased one I suppose...really weird, much like Tallulah's Cut it out).

PS The picture is from the "Bands of your town" event (a good way to celebrate this great songwriter). Photograph courtesy of The Go-Betweens Credit: Bleddyn Butcher.

Tracklist: 

01. When Word Gets Around
02. The Sign Of The Unicorn
03. All The Songs
04. Hold On To What You've Got
05. Lighting Fires
06. Coming Up For Air
07. I'll Call You Wild
08. Easy Come, Easy Go
09. Don't You Cry for Me No More
10. Horsebreaker Star
11. Right Here 
12. Dropping You
13. Bye Bye Pride 
14. Haven't I Been A Fool
15. I Don't Want The Days To Change
16. Was There Anything I Could Do 
[encore]
17. Clouds
18. I Know Why

Grant McLennan Live 1995, Brussels

Azra: Singl ploce 1979-1982

Here's another favourite band of mine from ex Yugoslavia: Azra were one of the most popular rock groups of the yugoslavian new wave (if not THE most popular), and even today, fiteen years after their break up, they are something more than a cult not only in Croatia (they came from Zagreb) but also in the rest of the Balkans. 

This album is a compilation with their first singles, spanning from 1979 to 1982 and it contains also music prior to their first eponymous album (1980). It's probably not their best release but it's a very good introduction.

And for those who don't know a thing about yugoslav new rock and about Branimir "Johnny" Štulić (the leader of Azra and now a kind of mysterious exiled artist, totally unwilling to come back to his former country, if you can call it so after the war in the nineties), I'd urge you to view this nice documentary, "Sretno djete", about the Zagreb scene in the eighties (with english subtitles).

This is one of the songs from the compilation. With english translation of the lyrics (from LyricsTranslate).

A šta da radim (And what should I do)

And what should i do
When my friends leave
When a girl leaves
On which I throw my gazes.

And so day by day
On public places with a guitar
Ofcourse someone always comes
to hear me at least furtively

Nothing is important to me anymore
I found a good band
I only want to play
To get my kicks and that's all.

And what should i do
When my friends leave
When a girl leaves
On which I throw my gazes.

People just talk
Why are you so nervous?
People just say
Don't be so horrible.

Human lips whisper
sneak through the city
Stay out of trouble
They will take your head off.

Nothing is important for to me anymore
I found a good band
I only want to play
To get my kicks and that's all.

And what should i do
When my friends leave
When a girl leaves
On which I throw my gazes.

Instrumental

Nothing is important to me anymore
I found a good band
I only want to play
To get my kicks and that's all
To get my kicks and that's all
To get my kicks and that's all

Singl ploce 1979-1982

The Go-Betweens: Live 2005-10-28 Kaserne , Basel , Switzerland

At last another Go-Betweens' bootleg. After this one I'll have to start reposting some of the old ones (most of the old links had to be taken down). So don't worry: there will be many more to come.

Anyway: this is from the GoBes' last tour and it has a quite peculiar tracklist. First because of two song from McLennan's and Forster's solo career: Don't you cry for me no more and Justice (which I like a lot!). Plus there is a nice rendition of the then unreleased Did she overtake you (later recorded in Robert Forster's "The Evangelist").

About the sound quality: this is an audience recording, but don't get frightened by the not so good quality of the first (and part of the second) track: after that the sound does get better. 

By the way: the picture was shot by Martin Schori [Photographs (c) 2005 Martin Schori]. I have taken it from the Go-Betweens'website.

Tracklist:

01. Boundary Rider
02. Head Full Of Steam
03. Caroline and I
04. Magic In Here
05. Streets Of Your Town
06. Justice
07. Bachelor Kisses
08. Did She Overtake You
09. German Farmhouse
10. Darlinghurst Nights
11. FindIng You
12. Don't You Cry For Me No More
13. Surfing Magazines
14. Poison In The Walls
15. Was There Anything I Could Do?
16. Here Comes A City
17. Clouds
18. Too Much Of One Thing
19. Spring Rain
20. The Clock


Live 2005-10-28 Kaserne(New Link)

Ymusic: Beautiful Mechanical

I'm loving these guys.

From NPR: 

"The New York-based mini-orchestra yMusic champions music by young composers whose work combines the complexity of classical music and the tuneful, rhythmic energy of pop. The ensemble consists of six virtuosos: Hideaki Aomori, clarinet, bass clarinet; CJ Camerieri, trumpet, French horn; Clarice Jensen, cello; Rob Moose, violin; Nadia Sirota, viola; and Alex Sopp, flute, piccolo. Each of these players is often busy playing with orchestras, chamber groups, and cutting-edge pop acts such as Bon Iver, The National, Björk, David Byrne, Grizzly Bear, Antony and the Johnsons and Sufjan Stevens" [...]

These pieces of music were composed by people like Annie Clarke (St. Vincent), Son Lux and Shara Worden (My Brighted Diamond).

And nodata is back...

Yes, it is:
http://nodata.tv/ 

Zabranjeno Pušenje - Pozdrav iz zemlje Safari (1987)

I haven't posted anything in a very very very long time, I know. Trapped in the maze of annoying social networks... So, I decided to be back with something unusual, that is actually something I'm getting fond and that I'm starting to know only now: (ex) yugoslavian rock. I know: it sounds weird. And mostly so if you have never heard someone sing in that language (i.e. serbian, croatian, bosnian or slovene). And I never had...until some weeks ago. But now that I got used to it I have to say it is worth it.

But now let's cut the crap.

Zabranjeno Pušenje were a band from Sarajevo, Bosnia, active in the 80's. They were part of what was called "the new primitives" (kind of a garage rock with ironic lyrics). They were also part of a famous bosnian comedy tv show (Top lista nadrealista)...and in fact irony is a big part of this band just like lyrics meant a great deal among ex yugo bands. But I'll talk about that some other time.

"Pozdrav iz zemlje Safari" is their third album, from 1987. After the war the band split (it is a bit more complicated than that: the singer joined the No Smokng Orchestra -"no Smoking" is the english translation of Zabranjeno Pušenje- in Belgrad while other members stayed in Sarajevo and kept the old name).

The download link is taken from the blog jugorockforever.

Here's Balada o Pišonji i Žugi + the english translation of the lyrics (from lyricstranslate.com). And then one of my favourite songs off this album, "Kako je Velika Britanija postala probušeni dolar album" (long title indeed! I don't know what it means this time...).

The ballad of Pišonja and Žuga

Pišonja and Žuga remembered pretty well

What Lepi told them last night

"There is party at the seaside, there are chicks at the seaside

Seaside is the source of life, right, Moke?"

Moke also said that

Foreign girls fuck really good

And that he, when he was in a camp in Zaostrog

Had sex every other night

Pišonja and Žuga could listen to them

Through the whole night

Pišonja and Žuga had

Hot seventeen year old blood

Pišonja and Žuga

The same night Pišonja and Žuga

Stole a cassette recorder from The handicapped center

And right after it they stole a bus

Of a bus company from Hrid

Pišonja speeded up

That hot summer evening around 10 pm

"And now, to the seaside!"

Yelled Žuga as loud as he can

Pišonja was driving and smoking tobacco

Žuga loves brunettes, Pišonja loves blondes

"And after the seaside, to the wide world,

Only brave people become famous

And then, goodbye, Breka shacks!"

Yelled Žuga and turned up the recorder

"You're getting a postcard from safari in African countries

Bye, roaches!"

Pišonja and Žuga, two faithful comrades

Are taming dangerous curves

Please, watch after them, Queen of speed

Cops blocked the road

Somewhere around 11 pm

Boogie-woogie was playing in the bus

When he saw cops while he was driving

Around 50 miles per hour

Pišonja told Žuga: "Tie yourself, we're flying!"

A horrible crash cut the air

Even sparkles were flying

Next moring people were talking and swearing

That they found air exhauster and rearview mirror

Hundreed and fifty feet farther in a ditch

Pišonja and Žuga, two faithful comrades

Are taming dangerous curves

Please, watch after them, Queen of speed

While they were carrying Pišonja into an ambulance

He saw Moon above himself and said

"God, how can some people go there

And me and Žuga can't even go to the seaside!"

After that he swooned

And he couldn't hear

How, up in the sky

The yellow Moon laughed for a long time

Pišonja and Žuga

Pozdrav iz zemlje Safari (1987)

Giraffe: There Is No Devil

This is a wonderful album. Released through a netlabel (12rec), "There is no devil" is James Gardner/Giraffe's second album: if you appreciate the likes of Bon Iver or other soft and intense music, this album is for you. Probably Gardner's career is not one for international charts and he is not a well known artist, but still this music deserves real attention: I really fell in love with it. Just start listening to it and you'll soon be in awe by his songcraft. Seriously: listen to the whole album.

And you can buy it here (in any format you like) or download it for free via the internet archive.

16 Lovers Lane: Don't Try To Push Me EP

16 Lovers Lane are a band from Verona, Italy. “Don’t try to push me” is their first release. Their name is an obvious homage to the Go-Betweens' sixth album with the same title. If my followers or others bloggers who like this blog feel like posting about this EP, I would appreciate it a lot.

I have to say that I'm fond of this EP and I'm close to the people who made it, so I'll just stop here. But I really would like you all to tell me what you think about it. Or just contact them via myspace or facebook.

For more info, see here @ Clinical Archives.

You can listen to the whole EP here:

Don't Try To Push Me EP

The Go-Betweens: Live in Brisbane 1986

It's been very long since the last time I posted some "new" Gobs' bootleg, and this one really had to be uploaded, being from one of their most interesting periods (their shift from a 4 piece combo to a 5 piece, with Amanda Brown on violin and oboe duty mostly) and sounding simply great.
The tracklist is amazing, with some pearls too: some very good backing vocals by McLennan on Don't let him come back (this could be its best live performance ever, imo), a good rock-sounding Head full of steam, a beautiful (and quite rare) version of Twin layers of lightning, an edgy rendition of That way, and an extra funny People say.
About the recording: this comes from a soundboard, hence the very good quality (there's only a light hiss in the background).

PS Check out these Gob's posters I've found surfing the web.

(Picture taken from the Go-Betweens' Songbook)


Tracklist:

1. In The Core Of A Flame
2. Head Full Of Steam
3. Right Here
4. One Thing Can Hold Us
5. Don't Let Him Come Back
6. Bachelor Kisses
7. Twin Layers Of Lightning
8. Bye Bye Pride
9. Five Words
10. That Way
11. The House That Jack Kerouac Built
12. To Reach Me
13. Palm Sunday
14. Spring Rain
15. Apology Accepted
16. Cattle & Cane
17. People Say

Brisbane 1986

Brian Eno: Bless This Space (From "Drums Between The Bells")

Brian Eno - bless this space (taken from Drums Between The Bells) by Warp Records

Bon Iver: Full album in streaming

You can listen to the the whole new Bon Iver album in streaming @ NPR's First Listen.

The Go-Betweens: Ep's and Singles (REPOST)

These are the Go-Betweens' B-Sides to their 2000-years Singles (and the Worlds Apart EP), a quite hard to find treasure. Plus the 7'' edit to Finding You and, as some kind of bonus track, a Suicide At Home live in Munich in 1999.

PS And by the way: Girl lying on a beach is one my favourite Forster's songs ever.

Tracklist:

01 Finding you (7" version)
02 Instant replay
03 The city of lights
04 Sleeping giant
05 The locust girls
06 Crystal shacks
07 Erotic sunshine
08 Woman across the way
09 Stone
10 Girl lying on a beach
11 Suicide at home (The BR 2 Session, live 1999)

Ep's and Singles

Taiga Blues: Neuanfang

This an album from a scottish duo released by Cakes & Takes Label:but not your average kind of quiet folky duo, not at all. They are in fact an eletric band, playing with many influences, mostly 70's stuff (above all, and my favourite one: Krautrock), and they are a very joyous and groovy band.
Listen.

Download for free/Buy it here

Bob Dylan is 70: Dylan &The Band - A Tree With Roots 3 & 4 (The Genuine Basement Tapes) REPOST

And this is the repost of volumes 3 & 4.

A Tree with Roots 3
A Tree with Roots 4

Bob Dylan is 70: Dylan & The Band - A Tree With Roots 1 & 2 (The Genuine Basement Tapes) REPOST

Here's the whole repost, for Bob's 70th birthday:

I don't know if there is any need to go and explain what the basement tapes are (btw, after dylan's famous motorbike accident -probably an exaggereted one- his Bobness himself decided to take some time for himself, some time in the country -Woodstock was the place, just playin' round with The Band some old american music -some would call it Americana these days- and improved some new tunes, the most of it in a totally free way, with no push whatsover), but the fact is, and this has to be stated clear, the basement tapes which later got to be released through Sony were never intended to be for the public audience and, more important to us, they were just the tip of the iceberg.
Meaning there were loads of songs (and songs and songs...) left in Dylan's archives (want me to name one? The stuning "I'm not there", which gave the name for Todd Haynes's bizarre biopic last year), and all of that soon came out labelled as "Genuine basement tapes", a 5 CDs collection full of interesting material though not lacking flaws(i.e. the recording quality being the major one, and then, well, maybe too many takes or some not-so interesting short bits or sketches of songs, but hey, de gustibus...).
So what is "A Tree With Roots" then?
Quite easy to tell: the same genuine tapes, remastered, but with an order which kind of tries to make some sense out of the mass of pretty random music compositions. All of it compressed in a 4 volumes edition, and here am I giving you the first two (what'll you find in these? I'd say some little gems like Lock your door, Bonnie ship the diamond, or Dylan and the Band covering Bells of rhymney...but these are just some of my faves, and there are 58 in here, so knock yourself off and your own ones). And wait for 3 & 4 (with Going to Acapulco, the now famous I'm not there and the very core of the basement tapes, I'd say)

Want to to know more on ATWR? Check this page here (for the complete tracklist, the story and some notes). Or wiki for the whole story behind the basement tapes.

Enjoy, enjoy.
Next (in a couple of days): Vol. 3 & 4.

A Tree With Roots Vol. 1
A Tree With Roots Vol. 2