Taste The Poison

A brand new Fad Gadget selection today, which was initially inspired by the cover version of debut single Back To Nature by the new electronic supergroup Doublespeak. Comprising Vince Clarke, Neil Arthur and Ben 'Benge' Edwards, Doublespeak in turn chose to release Back To Nature as their debut single earlier this week..

Back To Nature opened The Damage Done, a C90 cassette compilation that I recorded in 1990 and recreated for this blog in 2021. I recorded a further 46-minute Fad Gadget selection in 2024 and so today's collection could be considered 'Side 4' of a mixtape that's been three and a half decades in the making.

Having settled on my today's post, I then realised that today marks the 24th anniversary of Frank Tovey's untimely passing on 3rd April 2002. This post was clearly always meant to be.

Given that creating this selection has pretty much exhausted the Fad Gadget catalogue, bar 12" versions and the odd (with the emphasis on odd) instrumental B-side, this doesn't feel like a barrel scraping exercise in the slightest. In fact, what continues to surprise and delight is how so much of the music sounds like it could have been recorded last week, not decades ago.

The first Fad Gadget album I bought was Under The Flag, Frank's third from 1982, created at a time that the British Army was engaged in war with Argentina over The Falkland Islands. I've listened to the follow up Gag more recently, released two years later and the closest Fad Gadget ever got to a pop album. 1986's Snakes And Ladders by Frank Tovey took it one step further, but he was never going to be O.M.D. or Erasure.

The first two albums, Fireside Favourite (1980) and Incontinent (1981) are wonderfully dark, both in terms of sound palette and lyrical focus, but they are also surprisingly groovy when you least expect it. State Of The Nation from the former and AA-side single Make Room are prime examples of this.

More years have now passed since Frank's death than the entirety of his recording career from 1979 to 2001. Yet, his music continues to inspire and remind us of true innovation, artistry and great, great music.

1) Make Room (1981)

2) Pedestrian (1980)

3) One Man's Meat (Album Version) (1984)

4) Arch Of The Aorta (1980)

5) The Sheep Look Up (1982)

6) Handshake (1980)

7) Innocent Bystander (1981)

8) State Of The Nation (1980)

9) Ad Nauseam (1984)

10) Plainsong (1982)

1980: Fireside Favourites: 2, 4, 8

1980: Ricky's Hand EP: 6

1981: Incontinent: 7

1981: Lady Shave / Make Room EP: 1

1982: Under The Flag: 5, 10

1984: 3, 9

Taste The Poison (46:31) (GD) (M)

For the complete Fad Gadget Dubhed selection, you can pick up The Damage Done (Side 1 & 2) and Watch The Mass Be Served More Trash (Side 3) to add to Taste The {Poison (Side 4)

Inexplicably, you can't buy Fad Gadget or Frank Tovey's music from the Mute Records online shop or via Bandcamp, but you can find their releases on other mainstream platforms.

Six Reasons To Be Thankful

Be Thankful For What You've Got was released as a single in July 1984 by Glasgow soulsters Sunset Gun. 

Featuring the immensely talented Deirdre 'Dee' Rutkowski and Louise Rutkowski and multi-instrumentalist Ross Campbell, and produced by Alan Rankine, it's a bit of a head scratcher why this wasn't a hit.

Fast forward to February 1992 and Massive Attack managed to take the song to #27 in the UK as the lead of their self-titled EP. The week before their chart peak, Massive Attack performed the song on Tonight With Jonathan Ross... well, a version of Massive Attack, at least. 

Whilst vocalist Tony Bryan is up front at the mike, and those in the know will spot guests Luis Jardim and Steve Nieve in the ensemble, there's no sign of 3D, Mushroom or Daddy G.

A couple of 21st Century covers that are new to me, firstly from Sade, performed at the Nakano Sunplaza in Tokyo in May 1986, bootlegged at the time and officially released thirty years later.

In March 2024, Daryl Hall's long running series Live From Daryl’s House welcomed Rumer and the pair duetted on Be Thankful For What You've Got. There are some nice moments of harmony, but personally I would have been happy for Daryl to stick to guitar on this one and let Rumer carry the vocal.

I've never heard of Orgōne before and I only discovered whilst looking for a clip of Massive Attack performing Be Thankful for What You Got. An unintended slight as they've released at least fifteen albums in the last quarter of a century.

Their nine-minute live in the studio take was recorded in Los Angeles a few weeks before the USA went into lockdown due to the COVID pandemic. 

To finish, what else but the original version, written and recorded by William DeVaughn?

The single got to #31 in July 1974, with a new, more uptempo version peaking at #44 in October 1980. Proof that even William himself couldn't top his first go and to emphasise that point, I've gone for the full seven-minute album version from 1974, for which we should all be thankful.

 

I Hear You Singin' In The Wires

I couldn't have failed to notice that Flea's album Honora was out, but it was pretty much on the periphery until I came across this beautiful cover of Wichita Lineman, featuring Nick Cave,

It's a wonderfully restrained and understated version, delicately constructed around upright bass, tender guitar and gentle percussion, underpinning Nick's world weary voice. Flea's musical contribution is the flumpet, which I'd never heard of before now and had to look up, which eases in during the break and drifts back out again, to great effect.

The original narrative, of a lineman perched high up a telephone pole in the middle of nowhere, on a call to his girlfriend, takes on an extra dimension with the gravitas of Cave's vocals. I can now imagine the titular character as a career lifer, been doing this all his life, doesn't know anything else, aches to be at home with his wife but is afraid of the void that giving up his job would create.

Or maybe it resonates because it's striking a chord with my own life right now. Either way, a compelling cover and a reason to check out Honora in full.

It would be remiss of me not to include the very first version of Wichita Lineman that I heard (or at least remember hearing), on the 1982 compilation Music Of Quality And Distinction: Volume One by B.E.F. aka British Electric Foundation aka two thirds of Heaven 17, namely Martyn Ware and Ian Craig Marsh.

For their version, they roped in their H17 colleague Glenn Gregory and, for me, it hit the spot, on-point vocals and a duet of saxophone (actually two, played by Glenn and Ian) and acoustic guitar, courtesy of David Lockwood.

That was enough to encourage me to seek out the original version of Wichita Lineman, written by Jimmy Webb and recorded by Glenn Campbell. Vastly different in arrangement from the covers in 1982 and 2026, but an astonishing performance from Glenn. 

Wichita Lineman was released as a single in 1968 and, as this performance from 1972 demonstrates, only grew in impact as the years passed. 

Possibly Webb and Campbell's finest moment, in already illustrious respective careers and one of my favourite songs of all time.

I am a lineman for the county

And I drive the main roads

Searchin' in the sun

For another overload

I hear you singin' in the wires

I can hear you through the whine

And the Wichita lineman

Is still on the line

I know I need a small vacation

But it don't look like rain

If it snows that stretch down south

Will never stand the strain

And I need you more than want you

And I want you for all time

And the Wichita lineman

Is still on the line

And I need you more than want you

And I want you for all time

And the Wichita lineman

Is still on the line

Dilate Your Mind

Not my favourite Duran Duran single by a long chalk, but I found myself thinking of Too Much Information yesterday. 

Written by the band, at that time a four-piece comprising Simon Le Bon, Nick Rhodes, John Taylor and Warren Cuccurullo, it was a modest hit in the UK (#35) and USA (#45), faring marginally better in Canada (#25).

I'd not seen the video before and whilst visually it's of moderate interest if overlong, structured around the 5 minute album version rather than the slightly more spritely 4 minute radio edit, it's the director credit that caught my attention.

Nick Egan is more familiar to me for his design work on album art. How's this for starters?

(White Man) In Hammersmith Palais & Tommy Gun (singles): The Clash (1978)

Searching For The Young Soul Rebels: Dexys Midnight Runners (1980)

See Jungle! See Jungle! Go Join Your Gang Yeah, City All Over! Go Ape Crazy!: Bow Wow Wow (1981)

Duck Rock: Malcolm McLaren (1983)

Empire Burlesque: Bob Dylan (1985)

Midnight To Midnight: The Psychedelic Furs (1986)

Kick: INXS (1987)

It's inevitable that Nick would move into video direction and although it's not particularly memorable compared to, say, Rio or The Wild Boys, it does a decent job of conveying the spirit of the song, with rapid edits, fast zooms, use of old news footage and a prop that references A Clockwork Orange.

Too Much Information had remixes to appeal on both sides of the Atlantic, America represented by John 'Jellybean' Benitez, the UK by Ben Chapman. The latter edges it for me.

 

Destroyed by MTV

I hate to bite the hand that feeds me

So much information

The pressure's on the screen

To sell you things that you don't need

It's too much information for me

Hey TV child

Look into my eyes

Here by intervention

I want your attention

Promotion boy

In a suit 'n' tie

He wants you to use it

You're too shot to lose it

It's pumpin' down the cable

Like never so before

A cola manufacturer

Is sponsoring the war

Here comes the news

With love from me to you

Destroyed by ABC

I hate to bite the hand that feeds me

So much information

The pressure's on the screen

To sell you things that you don't need

It's too much information for me

Turn on the tube

Hits you with groove

Advertisin' music

We want you to choose it

These teeth are white

Trainers ultra bright

This band is perfect

Just don't scratch the surface

We covered all the angles

The survey people said

Just put us on the cover

We'd be smilin' anyway

This video was made

With love for you

Destroyed by BBC

I hate to bite the hand that feeds me

So much information

The pressure's on the screen

To sell you things that you don't need

It's too much information for me

Dilate your mind, dilate your mind

Dilate your mind, dilate your mind

Got to give it to me

Got to listen to me

Got to give in to me

Now I'm on the line

Got to give it to me

Got to listen to me

Got to give in to me

Now I'm on the line

I try

Yes, I try

Oh, I try

From The Top Of The Sky To The Place Below

Twelve inches of Siouxsie & The Banshees to start the week.

I realised with horror that the only previous Siouxsie selection to appear here was in September 2021, recreating the gig that I attended in 1988. Time to make up for lost time!

The nine songs featured here are a mish-mash of official 12" versions and bootlegs that have appeared in the 21st Century, either physically or digitally.

I think all of the extended versions featured here manage not to outstay their welcome and work pretty well as a collection. As ever, you'll be the judge of that!

1) Desert Kisses (Black Sand Extension) (2010)

2) This Wheel's On Fire (Incendiary Mix) (Cover of Bob Dylan & The Band) (1987)

3) Fireworks (12" Version) (1982)

4) Shadowtime (Eclipse Mix) (1991)

5) Cities In Dust (Extended 12" Version) (2007)

6) Red Over White (Re-Recorded Single Version) (1984)

7) Slowdive (12" Version) (1982)

8) Dear Prudence (McDoC Evo-XR Remix) (Cover of The Beatles) (2002)

9) Song From The Edge Of The World (Columbus Mix) (1987)

1982: Fireworks EP: 3

1982: Slowdive EP: 7

1984: The Thorn EP: 6

1987: Song From The Edge Of The World EP: 9

1987: This Wheel's On Fire EP: 2

1991: Shadowtime EP: 4

2002: Dear Prudence EP (bootleg MP3): 8

2007: Rare Twelve Inch Collection (Czech Republic bootleg 2x 12"): 5

2010: Extensions Volume 1: A Collection Of New Wave Remixes By Black Sand (bootleg MP3): 1

From The Top Of The Sky To The Place Below (58:24) (GD) (M)

For more Siouxsie & The Banshees magnificence, try my previous selection Peepshow, Creepshow.

Just A Dream

It was beginning to seem like just a dream, but I finally got to see Misty In Roots (again) in Bristol on Friday night.

I originally bought tickets to see Pama International, headlining with a full band at The Fleece in February 2025.

The gig was postponed, then cancelled and relocated to the Bristol Beacon, with Pama International moving to a support slot under Misty In Roots. I duly bought tickets for the revised show in September 2025.

The gig was postponed a week or so beforehand, "due to circumstances out of the bands, promoters and venues control." and rescheduled for Friday 27th March 2026. Thankfully, it was third time lucky!

I turned up early, perhaps too early, encountering a very spare crowd, mostly lining the walls of Lantern Hall, fixed on their phones. The show wasn't sold out and heavily discounted tickets and 2-for-1 deals were being offered throughout and right up to the last minute.

The other change was that the support was re-billed as a "Pama International Hi-Fi DJ Set". I don't know what prompted this, but seemingly poor ticket sales would surely have made bringing a full band together and travelling back and forth along the M5 an expensive proposition.

The hour-long DJ set was great, lots of crackly reggae 45s and unexpected sides, but there was no sign of DJ or decks in the room. I like to think that it was all happening live backstage, but it could well have been prepared in advance and piped into the space. Sadly, the lack of connection with the audience meant that few were dancing at this point despite the choice tunes.

Perhaps sensing the restlessness in the room, which at least had started filling up nicely, with a late influx of students and twenty-somethings to bring the average age down considerably, Misty In Roots took to the stage about 15 minutes earlier than billed.

The seven-strong band took their positions and played Wise And Foolish for a good few minutes before front person and founder member Walford 'Poco' Tyson came on stage. In this respect, it was pretty much as for their gig at the Electric Ballroom in London in October 2024.

That was my first experience of Misty In Roots and whilst the location and the vibe was different this time, the band were similarly captivating this time around. I was closer to the stage and I could see a lot more. And smell a lot more. I didn't spot a spliff on stage but the clouds wafting out into the concert space didn't come from a smoke machine, that's for sure.

As in 2024, I just got caught up in the music and I didn't keep track of what was being played and in what order. Apart from Wise And Foolsh, I recall Slavery Days, On The Road, See Them A Come and several others, many stretched out into an extended rhythm, showcasing the chops of individual members. 

After an hour, Misty In Roots left the stage, returning a few minutes later to play a couple of encores, then were off again, this time for good.

For a band celebrating their 50th anniversary, and with the majority of members of a certain age, here is further proof that life is worth living, that causes are worth fighting for and that reggae and dub music is as vital now as it was more than half a century ago.

Misty In Roots are back at the Electric Ballroom on 4th April. You'll be hard pressed to find a better Saturday night out, even in London.

For today's selection, as I'm unable to recall and recreate the setlist, I've instead put togther an hour-long Misty In Roots compilation, a dozen songs, some of which were played on Friday, others which have been included...just because.

I've tried to avoid duplicating songs that have appeared on previous Misty In Roots selections, and I've added a trio of 12" versions, opening with early single AA-side Rich Man and closing with one of my favourites of theirs, Follow Fashion, in it's 10-minute definitive version.

1) Rich Man (12" Version) (1979)

2) Slavery Days (Album Version) (1981)

3) Jah Jah Bless Africa (Part Two) (Single Version) (1981)

4) Horizon (Album Version) (1985)

5) Viva Zapatta (Single Version) (1980)

6) Life Boat (Album Version) (1981)

7) New Day (Album Version) (1983)

8) Wandering Wanderer (12" Version) (1981)

9) Oh! Wicked Man! (Live @ Cirque Royal/Koninklijk Circus, Brussels, Belgium) (1979)

10) See Them A Come (Single Version) (1979)

11) Cry Out For Peace (Single Version) (1981)

12) Follow Fashion (12" Version) (1983)

Just A Dream (1:03:35) (GD) (M)

If you'd like more from MIsty In Roots, Pama International - and The Ruts DC - then look no further!

International Roots (Misty In Roots + Pama International) (September 2025)
Misty Ruts (Misty In Roots + The Ruts DC) (October 2024)

Dubby Happy People (April 2023)

A special thanks to fellow audience member Colin Macqueen, who took the excellent band photo heading this post, plus the close up of Poco, which I borrowed from his posting on BlueSky.

A Glitch Repeats

Sixty minutes, ten tracks, one decade in the life of MAN2.0 aka Mark Bailey.

My recent NEIN Records catalogue buy has significantly boosted the quantity of MAN2.0 music and remixes in my collection, and this is only a good thing as I've been a fan since I discovered Mark via his remixes and releases on Paisley Dark Records a few years ago. Last year, he took the next logical step by launching his own label, Embryonic Soundwave.

Today's selection plucks selections from the past decade, spanning 2017 to 2025 and trying to avoid repeating tracks (or at least versions) that I've previously used elsewhere on this blog.

Starting off with the brilliantly-titled Anti-Chug, the selection takes in remixes for Perry Granville, Tronik Youth and Soft Cell, as well as MAN2.0 releases including last year's superb CTRL ALT DEL and wrapping up with Cosmikuro's stunning rework of 2023 single Red Shift.

May your weekend be full of sunshine, inside and out. I think this is the ideal soundtrack.

1) Anti-Chug (Single Version): MAN2.0 (2017)

2) Fake Robots (MAN2.0 'Counterfeit Machinery' Remix): Ulises Arrieta & Javier Martinez (2019)

3) CTRL ALT DEL (Tronik Youth Remix): MAN2.0 ft. Precious Blood (2025)

4) Turbo Rave (MAN2.0's Cabin Fever Remix): BT COP (2020)

5) It's A Mug's Game (MAN2.0 Edit): Soft Cell (2022)

6) Shake Up Your Mind (MAN2.0 Remix): Steady State (2021)

7) Glittering Lights (MAN2.0 Remix): Perry Granville (2023)

8) Seedling (Single Version): MAN2.0 (2017)

9) Don't Space (MAN2.0 Single White Female Remix): Tronik Youth (2017)

10) Red Shift (Cosmikuro's 'Hold Your Breath' Mix): MAN2.0 (2023)

2017: Abandoned EP: 9

2017: Heavy Machinery EP: 8

2017: Plan Your Journey EP: 1

2019: Fake Robots EP: 2

2020: Turbo Rave EP: 4

2021: Shelter Me: Beats For Beds: The Remix Album: 6

2022: FREEDLS: Sexy Dinosaur From Outer Space: 5

2023: Glittering Lights EP: 7

2023: Red Shift (Late) EP: 10

2025: CTRL ALT DEL EP: 3

A Glitch Repeats (1:00:09) (GD) (M) 

All of these - and more - are available to buy online and if this music pushes your buttons, tickles your fancy or sugars your plum, then I highly recommend MAN2.0's Operator EP, on Embryonic Soundwave, last December.

Nights At The Circus, Twenty Years Ago

And now for something a little different...

On Saturday 25th March 2006, Mrs. K and I saw Nights At The Circus at the Bristol Old Vic and I reviewed it the following day for my old blog. I thought it would be fun to share it with you.

"Nights At The Circus" by Angela Carter

Adapted by Tom Morris & Emma Rice

It's 1899 and Europe eagerly anticipates the coming of the new century, none more so than vaudeville, and especially sensational trapeze artist Fevvers. As the name suggests, Fevvers has wings, but are they real or just another illusion to mask the harsh reality of circus life? Cynical New York Times journalist Walser is determined to prove the latter and finds himself on a inexorable journey toward discovery, liberation... and love.

I'm a belated fan of Angela Carter and have so far read only three novels: Shadow Dance, The Magic Toyshop, both from the late 1960s, and 1977's The Passion of New Eve. All of these feature Carter's characteristic approach of investigating - and challenging - sexual identity and so I expected much the same from this adaptation of her 1984 novel. Tom Morris and Emma Rice have inevitably pruned Carter's original work for the stage, occasionally at the expense of narrative cohesion and characterisation. However, Kneehigh Theatre's energetic - and often cheeky - production guarantees that the end result makes up for any potential criticisms that this somehow "isn't Angela Carter".

The play gets off to a cracking start as a female singer in top hat-and-tails drag (ex-Casualty star Adjoa Andoh) sings a Dietrich-esque ditty called "Die, Century, Die". As she departs, the spotlight is immediately thrown on Gísli Örn Garðarsson's world-weary reporter Walser, who has secreted himself in the front row of the stalls. As he continues to make wisecracks, a gesturing arm poking through the stage curtain accuses, admonishes then invites him onto the stage. Walser is then overwhelmed by the chorus (played to camp comic effect by Carl Grose, Amanda Lawrence, Andy Williams and Ed Woodall), parading around the stage in their gowns and ill-fitting Y-fronts. Walser's subsequent - and forcible - eviction by the chorus via the stalls is interrupted by Fevvers' (Natalia Tena) appearance on the trapeze. Immediately, both characters and audience are captivated by the sight of the winged performer singing "I'm Only A Bird In A Gilded Cage". From this point on, Walser is inexorably drawn towards Fevvers, though his path is obstructed by humiliation and danger.

The production tackles a number of challenging aspects of the narrative in highly inventive ways, not least the Siberian circus sequences, with wild tigers conveyed by flame-filled buckets and scraping handsaws. The minimal sets are also effective, with backdrops solely consisting of curtains and frequently exposing the usually hidden backstage area. In many ways, this helps to create the illusion of a working circus, with lots of activity on the periphery whilst the 'main performance' is taking place. A musician (Stu Barker) sitting sidestage throughout also provides a great foil for the hapless Walser, who becomes increasingly frustrated by his fellow's inability to notice to the series of bizarre events occurring before their eyes. As expected in Carter's work - and indeed, circus stories in general - the dark underbelly is revealed, most horrifically through Ed Woodall's performance as Boffo The Clown. Up to this point, the audience have automatically applauded each musical performance. However, in a jaw-dropping number, Boffo waxes lyrical about his wife-beating, as he enacts this abuse upon his frail, bruised partner (played to great effect by Amanda Lawrence). Another sinister turn is provided by Andy Williams as The Colonel, a man possessing "diamonds that could make you shit" and an avid collector of wings, who has become obsessed with Fevvers' own unique enhancements. Yet, humour is ever present to balance this, particualrly in Fevvers' guardian Lizzie - in typical gender-challenging fashion played by Carl Grose - whose loathing of the opposite sex manifests itself in her habitually pissing into men's socks.

The play does suffer from being overly long, particularly in the first half, but the actors make every effort to keep things moving at an attention-grabbing pace. My only other criticism would be that the necessary filleting of the original novel has removed some of the guts of the lead characters. Although the performances by Natalia Tena and Gisli Orn Gardasson as Fevvers and Walser respectively are strong, it feels that there's not enough substance in the script to elevate their characters from likeable to people that the audience can truly empathise with. However, this is a small niggle at what is otherwise an imaginative and entertaining production. An added bonus is that it will make you want to seek out Angela Carter's original work, which can only be a good thing.

Wow. Hard to believe that was twenty years ago. Reading the review brought a flood of vivid memories. Mrs. K and I rarely go to the theatre these days, but we were so fortunate to live in Bristol at the time, with so many theatres and so many great productions within walking distance of our home.

Now, not forgetting that this is supposed to be a music blog, I have two related songs and videos for you. 

Nights At The Circus is the opening and title track of the 2007 debut album by Bishi. I didn't discover her music until 2021, thanks to a guest vocal on Richard Norris' single Water, but I've been a fan ever since. And yes, Bishi's song and album title was inspired by Angela Carter's novel. Great video, too.

A Bird In A Gilded Cage was written in 1900 by Harry Von Tilzer and Arthur J. Lamb and has been covered dozens of times since, including by a 6-year old Molly Ringwald on her Molly Sings album in 1975 ("She's little Molly, but she sings big"!)

I couldn't find Molly's rendition online, so instead I've gone for a glorious technicolour version by Barbara Cook, performed on a 1965 episode of US entertainment series The Bell Telephone Hour.

And, to close, I should add that I've read considerably more of Angela Carter's novels in the past two decades!

 

Waxing Lyrical

Three mailshots from Soulwax, Follytechnic Music Library and Leo Zero, all containing the musical equivalent of a volcanic eruption (I should hasten to add, in respect of impact, not catastrophic devastation).

First up is a standalone single from the brothers Dewaele, spending a magical mystery tour in Abbey Road Studios 1, 2 & 3 to come up with this absolute banger. Beats, vocals, keyboard stabs, squelchy bits, you name it, it's got it, delivering seven minutes and twenty five seconds of club- and ear-friendly pop goodness. 

It's incredible to think that the first release from Follytechnic Music Library was barely three years ago. FML1 was an album of Hot Chocolate edits, so it seems fitting that the latest, FML39, features another sweet thing, namely Blancmange.

A dozen skillful edits from their 1980s period, mostly singles, of which I've plumped for the most obvious, Living On The Ceiling.

Every FML is a labour of love and a delight to the ears. Individual releases are name your price, or you can buy the full discography (currently at 46 items) for a tenner. You will not regret it.

Leo Zero has been a longtime hero of mine when it comes to edits and mash-ups, and he's been on a creative streak with the former in the past 12 months, with a slew of new releases.

The past few days have seen nine more added to the catalogue, covering a diverse range of artists from Sade to The Seeds, Christopher Cross to The Clash and, perhaps the most unexpected of all, Dinosaur Jr.

I was tempted to feature the latter but instead I've gone for Beverley Knight's cover of I Wanna Be Your Lover by Prince, performed for BBC Radio 2's Piano Room back in 2019.

Leo has turned that stripped down, three-minute version into a nine-minute dancefloor behemoth. I love it.

And a belated happy birthday to Beverley, born 22nd March 1973. What a legend!

 

Don’t Get Why It's So Hard To Find Some Peace And Quiet

Courtney Barnett is one of those artists who I'm predisposed to like, but I haven't obsessively bought everything that they have released. 

I think I would have been flicking through a music magazine - Mojo or Uncut, most likely - in late 2014/early 2015 when I saw a picture of Courtney and was immediately captivated by her eyes. I then read the article and I was even more intrigued.

Pedestrian At Best was my first listen, followed by Depreston and Kim's Caravan, all three appearing on Courtney's debut album sometimes i sit and think, and sometimes i just sit. I was won over.

Fast forward a decade to October 2025, and Stay In Your Lane, the first sniff of a new song from Courtney's fourth album (sixth, if you count a collaboration with Kurt Vile and a soundtrack) entitled Creature Of Habit.

Site Unseen (a duet with Waxahatchee) followed in January, with 'visualisers' for two more songs last month then a fifth song, One Thing At A Time dropping on Tuesday. 

Site Unseen is the best of the three videos, albeit essentially a fun promo for Juliana and Nicola GIraffe aka Giraffe Studios. Album opener Stay In Your Lane is my favourite song. I love Courtney's solo to close One Thing At A Time, but I'm less convinced that, at 4:42, it's a single and the video is a bit of a naff distraction, if I'm honest.

 

Some of the Aussie inflections and edges which made Courtney's vocals stand out have been smoothed out since those songs I first heard in 2015, but I still can't help but smile when I hear that voice and guitar. I wouldn't always describe it as 'in perfect harmony' - and I'm glad it's not - but a singer and musician who are quite happily co-habiting. 

I'm looking forward to hearing Creature Of Habit in full this weekend. You can find it on Courtney's website, on Bandcamp or a clutch of other retailers.