Just Another Gig In Another City On Another Saturday Night....

...and just another bearded old guy in a beanie wandering onto the stage, just as you're coming to the end of your set.

Except, when you're Michael Shannon, Jason Narducy and band, performing the songs of R.E.M., and the bearded old guy in a beanie is Michael Stipe, it's going to be a rather special night.

If you were an audience member at Brooklyn Steel in New York on Saturday (7th), this is exactly what happened.

Michael Shannon and Jason Narducy are currently touring Life's Rich Pageant on its 40th anniversary, and Michael performed a reprise of These Days (track 2, side 1) followed by The Great Beyond, one of R.E.M.'s last great singles of the 20th Century.

The band, sans Stipe, subsequently returned to the stage to play six (count 'em) songs for the encore, but honestly, how do you follow that?!

To quote from another R.E.M. song, "take comfort in your friends". 

And we all have a friend in Michael Stipe.

Take The World At 45

I have JC at The Vinyl Villain to thank for my love of Sister John.

It all started innocently enough on 12th March 2022, with #298 of JC's epic Saturday's Scottish Song series (still going strong, with #495 dropping yesterday).

Sister John were that week's featured artist and JC was spot on when he wrote that,

"I’m guessing that, for the vast majority of you, this will be your introduction to Sister John.  I thought that it would therefore be worthwhile to post one song from each of the three albums, and should you find yourself enjoying and liking what you hear, then perhaps you might be tempted to place an order with LNFG for some vinyl."

I did like what I heard but wasn't sufficiently moved to go to LNFG, aka Last Night From Glasgow, to place an order. After all, I hadn't bought any vinyl for years!

That all changed before the year was out, when JC enthused about the imminent debut album from HiFi Sean & David McAlmont, which was available to LNFG subscribers in 2022, ahead of a general release in 2023. 

Suitably motivated, I took out an annual subscription, and got the album - Happy Endings - and was introduced to a load of other artists that I'd either not heard of at all, or not for a very, very long time.

One of the perks of LNFG membership is access to their digital vault of pretty much everything the label has released since day 1. And it was in the vault that I rediscovered Sister John, namely the three albums mentioned in JC's post, plus singles and one-offs.

2025 saw the release of fourth album, Don't Worry, It's Forever, the first that I've received in glorious vinyl and it maintains the high standard of the previous releases.

Sister John is a four-piece, comprising multi-talented multi-instrumentalists Heather Phillips, Jonathan Lilley and Sophie Pragnell and, at the core, Amanda McKeown.

Amanda also writes all of the songs, which manage the balance between achingly sparse and deeply moving. JC reflected on "particularly enjoying [the music] when I’ve needed to, or wanted to, slow things right down."

He's absolutely right. Sister John's albums would fit comfortably in a playlist including Nick Drake, late period Talk Talk, or Portishead, yet sounds like none of these. And chances are, Sister John may have passed me by altogether, were it not for the recommendation from the blogging community, which would have been a tragedy.

Today's Sister John selection has been sitting on my hard drive and on my phone for well over a month. It was a last minute decision to go ahead with posting it today and it was only when referring back to The Vinyl Villain that I realised that it's pretty much 4 years to the day since that fateful Saturday's Scottish Song post. Sometimes, these things are just meant to be.

So, this is me paying forward. As with JC's original post, I've sampled three songs, one from each of the four albums, plus a 2016 single that also ended up on their debut. More by accident than design, the first half focuses on Sister John's earlier recordings, the second half their output in the 2020s.

I had half a thought to match the compilation title by bringing the selection in 45 minutes. Sensibly, I went with a sequence that seemed to flow and play well as an album in it's own right, so the running time went a bit over, but no regrets.

The closing song here is also the closing song on the current album and is as good a sentiment as any, in a world where it's easy to become paralysed by fear and self-doubt. I should take Amanda's advice myself.

And if you like what you hear, but are unsure whether to buy a Sister John album or, better still, subscribe to Last Night From Glasgow, you know what? Just do it anyway.

1) Gone (2017)

2) Silver Whistle (2019)

3) He Came Down (Single Version) (2016)

4) Lost And Won (2019)

5) Backstreet Swimmers (2017)

6) The Other Side Of Love (2019)

7) Strange Ideas (2021)

8) Thinner Air (2017)

9) Grief (2025)

10) The Bud (2021)

11) Me And Nevine (2025)

12) How Can I Keep It Alive? (2021)

13) Just Do It Anyway (2025)

2016: He Came Down EP: 3

2017: Returned From Sea: 1, 5, 8

2019: Sister John: 2, 4, 6

2021: I Am By Day: 7, 10, 12

2025: Don't Worry, It's Forever: 9, 11, 13

Take The World At 45 (46:43) (GD) (M)

Live It Well

Not a lot of chat today as I've been plagued by power cuts whilst composing this post and it's accompanying selection. Only brief ones, but they've knocked out the PC every time and it's taken increasingly longer to get everything up and running again. And it's raining again.

"Arse!" as Father Jack was inclined to say, well, shout.

In that spirit, here's some joie de vivre courtesy of a dozen songs that have already brightened up my 2026; some only just so as they were released for Bandcamp Friday.

Again, I've found myself with an embarrassment of riches and have compiled 12 of them for your listening pleasure today, and this weekend.

Spare Snare's cover of Say My Name by Destiny's Child has been knocking around since 2001, but it's just reappeared on brand new compilation, Love Your Later Stuff, so it gets in on a technicality. That, and it segues beautifully into the dub of Jezebell's Turn It Yes by Justin Robertson's Five Green Moons.

It was a chance check in with the official Gavin Friday website that led me to the David Holmes remix of The Church Of Love, which snuck out earlier this year. 

And if you enjoy the song by Al MacKenzie (D:Ream) which gives today's post it's title (well, half of it at least) I will be coming back to the Evil Acid Barons album, which is an early contender for compilation of the year... and only a handful of tracks have been released so far.

1) Protector: SAULT (Chapter 1)

2) Life Is Short, Live It Well (Vocal Mix): Al MacKenzie (Evil Acid Barons)

3) Program 70: Pye Corner Audio (Program 70 EP)

4) Love To Watch U: A_M_B_O_S_S (Machine X Human EP)

5) Nothing Ever (Tom Sharkett Remix): GLOK / Timothy Clerkin (Alliance Remixed)

6) Surrounded By Spies (Richard Norris Dub): Placebo (Surrounded By Spies EP)

7) Song Of Siraba (Cosmikuro Remix): A Space Age Freak Out (Song Of Siraba EP)

8) My Electric Dreams (Airsine Remix): Pete Bones (My Electric Dreams EP)

9) The Church Of Love (David Holmes Remix): Gavin Friday (The Church Of Love And Dancing EP)

10) Say My Name (Cover of Destiny's Child): Spare Snare (2001) (Love Your Later Stuff)

11) Turn It Yes (Justin Robertson's Five Green Moons Dub): Jezebell (Turn It Yes Remixes Vol. 1 EP)

12) Môgôya (BOM Nation Remix): Namian Sidibé (Remix EP)

Live It Well (1:07:07) (GD) (M)

Unexpected Item In Bagging Area*

* Before Swiss Adam's solicitor takes further action, I state for the record that this post relates to Bandcamp Friday, not their client's illustrious blog.

Yes, it's that time again when I wade through the mass of emails, all telling me about music that I should be spending my pennies on in the next 24 hours.

Sometimes they're expected. I often receive similar communications in the weeks, sometimes months, leading up to release. Sometimes, they're unexpected, literally dropped in whilst I've been asleep. And knowing how little I sleep, that's no mean feat.

Lots to choose from, here are five that will be ringing through the checkout this Friday:

First up is Bristol's Diz Undone, formerly known as Dizraeli, who I've come to late but feel very glad that I made it. By his own admission, Diz Undone has made a career of (artistically speaking) "distributing explosions that journalists find hard to describe."

He's right, but I like what I hear and Normal, featuring Grove andTom Caruana hits the spot, with a cracking video to boot.

I'm biased, as I'll buy anything that has Bedford Falls Players aka Mark Cooper's name attached to it, but North Star is another satisfying bass-heavy seven minutes "Inspired by The North Star of Andrew Weatherall".

From Maidenhead, Berkshire to Gydnia in Poland and reggae/dub specialists Muflon Dub Soundsystem, with Empty Church. There's a vocal and dub version, both featuring Karolina; the latter edges it slightly for me.

Another "no need to try, go ahead and buy" is anything on the Paisley Dark Records label, and Engage by Krabberz is the latest addition to the list. I'm not familiar with Krabberz but the line-up of artists on this remix EP are firm favourites: Airsine, Högt I Tak, Jay-Son and 10:40. All for three quid. A steal!

Lastly, a new single from Transglobal Underground that's so fresh that it's not yet available at the time of posting. Head over to their Bandcamp page after 10.00am GMT to discover double A-side Doin' The Moonshine / Darjeeling Train.

Style Is Surely Our Own Thing, Not The False Disguise Of Showbiz

Well, if I thought yesterday's music heralded the start of Spring, then I'd missed the fact that 3rd March was official De La Soul Day. At least, if you were there for their Tiny Desk Concert. And boy, do I wish I was.

Whilst it's sad that De La Soul is now fronted as a 2-piece of Posdnuos aka Kelvin Mercer and Maseo aka Vincent Mason following Trugoy The Dove aka Dave Jolicoeur's passing in 2023, the latter is with them throughout, whether through frequent name checks, a "would Dave approve?" check when assembling the setlist, boldly emblazoned on Maseo's T-shirt and a name card on the desk, front and centre.

It's a joyous performance, an impressive seven musicians and singers crammed in behind the desk with Pos and Maseo, and a whopping ten tracks in 20-odd minutes, a reminder why De La Soul were - and remain - such a vital force and hugely influential in music.

1) YUHDONTSTOP (3:00)

2) Will Be (1:27)

3) Much More (2:25)

5) Sunny Storms (2:17)

6) Different World (1:45)

7) Breakadawn (2:43)

8) Pony Ride (1:55)

9) A Quick 16 For Mama (2:24)

10) Me Myself And I (3:21)

All You Need Is...

...love, if you subscribe to The Beatles' time-honoured testament. Bobby Thorpe and Psychederek, 21st Century realists and therefore much more pragmatic, assert that all you need is a little emotion.

In fact, so sure of this are they that they've collaborated on a new 4-track EP of the same name, with the title track (actually song 2) as a preview. It's a cheery, chuggy number built around that sampled refrain and the promise of the spring and summer to come.

The EP is available on 12" vinyl and digital and not out in full until April, but you can pre-order and download A Little Emotion now.

This is the first I've heard of Bobby Thorpe, which is my loss as I've discovered that he released the equally wonderful Salford Balearic, last July, self-described as a "100BPM summer chugger". Bobby's not wrong, it's a beauty.

With Bandcamp Friday arriving imminently, you should seriously consider adding this to your shopping cart. I have.

Psychederek aka Lewis Olsen is like an old friend to this blog, always welcome. As a reminder, here are a couple of songs, a wonderful cover (with full band) of 808 State's Pacific State and Screamadereka from 2021, the one that got me hooked in the first place. This and lots more to enjoy - and buy - on their Bandcamp site.

 

"I Used To Listen To This During Thunderstorms A Lot"

Another entertaining and enlightening episode of What's In My Bag? arrived on Monday, thsi time featuring Peaches aka Merrill Nisker.

I have relatively little music by Peaches and the majority of that is her remixes of other artists, but I'm always interested in what she's up to and this 12-minute dip into her shopping bag is no exception.

This one's quite heavy on music-related books and films, so I've added videos for four of her her picks, plus the title track of her seventh album, which arrived last month. All great choices, but I especially enjoyed Eartha Kitt's performance.

1) Sat In Your Lap: Kate Bush (1981)

2) See That My Grave Is Kept Clean: Diamanda Galás (1992)

3) I Want To Be Evil: Eartha Kitt (1962)

4) The Real Me: The Who (1979)

5) No Lube So Rude: Peaches (2026)

 

 

 

 

I Fought The Law And The Law Won

Joe Strummer & The Mescaleros performing I Fought The Law on Later... With Jools Holland, broadcast on BBC2 on 13th May 2000.

I don't post about Joe Strummer nearly enough, but this random shuffle seems apt for a whole host of reasons, at home* and away.

The energy just bursts from the screen and clearly infused the audience and fellow performers. Jools on keyboards is no surprise, he does it all the time but yes, that's Warren Zevon on piano at 1:02 and Joe beckons Tracy Chapman to join in at 2:20, as the closing credits roll.

Jools' show frequently comes in for a lot of stick for being a chummy smugfest, but when I don't watch it (I was otherwise engaged on 13th May 2000), I miss out on magical moments like this.

* Metaphorically speaking, I'm not expecting a change of accommodation at His Majesty's Pleasure any time soon!

Tekno Tronik

A welcome return to this blog for Tronik Youth aka Neil Parnell, with a very belated follow up to the first Dubhed selection that I posted in August 2024.

Neil also heads up the NEIN Records label, which has been a go-to for me since discovering it on Bandcamp approx. 6 years ago. I've been on the mailing list since and NEIN releases are a regular addition to my shopping basket.

Last week, I received an offer that I couldn't refuse, an opportunity to buy the entire NEIN Records back catalogue at a frankly unbelievable discount. Even allowing for the considerable number of releases I've previously purchased, it was still such a bargain that I would have been silly not to.

Transaction completed, I've now added well over 1,500 tracks to my collection. It's going to take a long time to sift, sort and listen to it all...!

Tronik Youth music alone is a daunting prospect, with dozens of solo and collaborative EPs and albums, standalone releases, scores of edits and a remix CV that probably edges into three figures on NEIN Records alone.

 

Rather than feel overwhelmed by the sheer volume, much of which I haven't heard yet, I've instead followed my original rule of thumb in creating a snappy, 45-minute selection that can pair with my previous effort as a C90 cassette-friendly side.

As before, today's selection is a mix of Tronik Youth tracks, edits and remixes (of and by), 8 songs in total, spanning 2017 to 2026.

If you like what you hear, head over to NEIN Records on Bandcamp and buy.

Given the treasure trove of music, I can guarantee that I will posting further artist selections from the NEIN Records roster throughoout 2026.

1) Arabia Felix: Sarv + Tronik Youth ft. Monixa (2024)

2) Zulu Whiskey Zulu (Gemini Brothers Remix): Tronik Youth (2017)

3) Bumpy Rider: Tronik Youth (2023)

4) Seedling (Tronik Youth Remix): MAN2.0 (2017)

5) Electric Baby: Tronik Youth (2017)

6) Kill It (Single Version): Tronik Youth (2022)

7) Don't Space (Ands Mega Remix): Tronik Youth (2017)

8) Happy Days (Tronik Youth Remix): Ackerman (2026)

Tekno Tronik (45:37) (GD) (M)

You can find the previous selection, Elect Tronik, right here.

For those of you poised to ping your letters of complaint that I'd hoodwinked you in thinking today's post was all about Belgian rap/dance popsters Technotronic, I offer a crumb of consolation.

The cover art is a crop of the cover for their 1991 album Body To Body, which I put through a LunaPic filter and then further played around with lighting and exposure.

The hand and leg in question belongs to Reggie aka Réjane Magloire, the voice and face of Technotronic for their second album. In looking this up, I was sad to read that Reggie died of a heart attack in October 2023.

#StandaloneSingles

The end of another month and the end of another music challenge on BlueSky, hosted by @tansleyjames.bsky.social.

The challenge? "Throughout February choose 28 of your favourite standalone singles. Post one per day, ranked or unranked. Lead tracks on EPs and singles tagged on to Best Of compilations can be selected, the main criteria is that they aren’t on an artist’s studio album."

I jumped in with an 'unranked and random' selection, initially making it up as a I went along, eventually stockpiling songs that I wanted to use, but using the 'shuffle' function to maintain the random nature of my daily picks. Just two exceptions: my pick for Valentine's Day had to be a song with 'love' in the title, and my penultimate pick, inspired by Swiss Adam, also timed to coincide with the release date of a timely cover version.

I've created two Dubhed selections for your listening pleasure today, a first stand and a last stand, covering picks 1-14 and 15-28 respectively. Amazingly, despite the lack of planning and sequencing, both come in at a smidge over 60 minutes and actually don't jar as much as I might have expected.

The only place today that you're likely to hear Bee Gees followed by Orbital, The Shirelles paired with David Holmes, Stevie Wonder rubbing shoulders with A Certain Ratio and Ellen Beth Abdi, and samples of ABC, Bad Manners and Mazzy Star liberally sprinkled throughout.

I've tweaked and adapted the original BlueSky posts to provide a track-by-track 'sleeve note' for your added entertainment.

I've Gotta Get A Message To You by Bee Gees was The Brothers Gibb's 2nd #1 in the UK and a standalone single, although it was added to the US edition of 3rd album Idea when the song cracked the Top 10 there.

From the Brothers Gibb to the Brothers Hartnoll, it's a testament to how many good tunes Orbital had that Omen didn't make their debut album. And if you can remember this rave, you weren't there...

Young Parisians, the debut single by Adam & The Ants, flopped when released in October 1978. By 3rd February 1981, it was enjoying a 2nd week at #9 in the UK, during the height of Antmania. La deuxième fois sera la bonne!

Again, I Wait For The World was recorded for Blancmange's greatest hits compilation in 2024, the song is every bit as good as their peak period pieces.

As a lifelong DMs wearer, My Docs by Kiss AMC was an easy pick for me. Top production from Greg Wilson and getting guest spots from Noddy Holder and Frank Sidebottom in the video was a genius move.

New year, new HANN. Titchiest Kitchen In Britain is the latest in a line of fab standalone singles, with a cheeky DIY video to boot. "Not enough room to tickle a kitten" indeed!

From '26 to '62, with It's Love That Really Counts (In The Long Run) by The Shirelles, a shivering classic written by Burt Bacharach and Hal David.

Johnny Favourite by David Holmes would also be a dead cert for a debut singles challenge. Strap in, I've included the 15+ min Exploding Plastic Inevitable Mix by David, Jagz Kooner & Gary Burns in today's selection. Stunning.

Fast forward three decades from 1994 to 2024 and Real Magnificent by Fluke featuring Leah Cleaver. Comeback of the decade and rarely a more apt title for a song. 

I have loved Seconds Too Late by Cabaret Voltaire since my brother bought The Golden Moments Of Cabaret Voltaire CD in the late 80s then included the track on a mixtape for me.

A more recent love is Nzaumi by Ndalani 77 Brothers. Eternal thanks to Ernie Goggins creator and curator of the superb 27 Leggies blog for introducing me to this late 70s Kenyan classic a couple of years ago, during his African Odyssey. Funky as hell!

The original of That's What Friends Are For by Deniece Williams was a UK #8 in 1977, but Janet Kay's cover the same year is the definitive version for me. 

Always ahead of the game, I suspect that Sparks released the Madder! EP in 2025 just so they could appear in the #StandaloneSingles series :-)  I've chosen opening song Porcupine, which comes with a typically fab video, starring the equally fab Self Esteem.

For Valentine's Day, I picked a song for all the lovers out there.  What else, but Laser Love by T. Rex? How on earth did this single stall outside the UK Top 40 in 1976?!

(deep breath, then on with the second half...)

I think Never Change by MC Buzz B got withdrawn from release in 1991 as Bruce Hornsby wasn't happy with the sample of The Way It Is, inspired though it was. 

I was cheating a bit with this pick as Never Change appeared on MC Buzz B's album Words Escape Me! However, the song was stripped of the offending Hornsby sample, which changed the song completely (and to it's detriment) in my book!

MC Buzz B later fronted a clutch of classics by Lionrock aka Justin Robertson. 

Iron Lion Zion was an unreleased Bob Marley song, recorded circa 1973, discovered in the vaults nearly two decades later, then remixed, released and a UK #5 hit in 1992.

When my friend John wanted to educate me in the brilliance of Belle & Sebastian, Dog On Wheels was one of the songs that he chose. It worked.

Face To Face by Goodbye Mr. Mackenzie is a harrowing account of rape and it's aftermath, including the failure of the legal system. Three decades on, rape, sexual assault and domestic abuse remain hugely under reported crimes with shamefully low conviction rates for those that make it to court.

Weakness is track 2 of the Island Head E.P. by Inspiral Carpets and one of their finest songs, full stop.

The Cure's 1980s singles pop up frequently in others' #StandaloneSingles picks (and rightly so). Wrong Number is an underrated gem, released to promote the Galore singles compilation in 1997. As always, The Cure also deliver a rather wonderful video.

My next choice is Can't Stop Jumping by Bim Sherman and Dub Syndicate from 1983, specifically the 10" version produced by Adrian Sherwood and featuring Dr. Pablo. The single was a double A-side with Keep You Dancing, equally wonderful.

My Sahel was an all-star, one-off single to promote the My Sahel initiative mysahel.org in 2023.  Credited to Vieux Farka Touré, Amadou & Mariam and OMG Oumy Gueye, featuring Bassekou Kouyaté, Songhoy Blues and Tal National.

Originally a one-off digital single by The The in 2007, Mrs Mac reached a new audience in 2023 as the 7" B-side of $1 One Vote! One of Matt Johnson's deepest, darkest songs.

Stevie Wonder was 17 years old when he co-wrote and recorded I'm Wondering in 1967. I'll just leave that fact there.

When A Certain Ratio and Ellen Beth Abdi get together, magic is guaranteed. Day By Day is the opening track of the superb 4-track 2023 EP.

I was a fan of The Dream Academy but not so much their 1985 standalone single, a cover of The Smiths' Please Please Please Let Me Get What I Want. Thanks to John Hughes' used of the song in Ferris Bueller's Day Off, it grew on me!

The 12" of Tarantula was the first Colourbox single I bought and it remains my favourite song of theirs, but the cover by This Mortal Coil was the first version that I heard, in 1986. 

There are several other varied and fine covers out there including Beck (2019), Diane Birch & The Phenomenal Handclap Band (2010), Maria Usbeck (2016) and, released just yesterday, Darkinari & Pandit Pam Pam (with thanks to Swiss Adam at Bagging Area for the heads up on the latter).

And, to close...

Four Tet released Into Dust (Still Falling) last June. It's Kieran Hebden at his best, with an aching hint of Hope Sandoval/Mazzy Star to melt your heart.

First Stand

1) I've Gotta Get A Message To You: Bee Gees (1968)

2) Omen (12"): Orbital (1990)

3) Young Parisians (Single Version): Adam & The Ants (1978)

4) Again, I Wait For The World: Blancmange (2024)

5) My Docs (7" Mix): Kiss AMC (1990)

6) Titchiest Kitchen in Britain: HANN (2026)

7) It's Love That Really Counts (In The Long Run): The Shirelles (1962)

8) Johnny Favourite (Exploding Plastic Inevitable Mix): David Holmes (1994)

9) Real Magnificent (Single Version): Fluke ft. Leah Cleaver (2024)

10) Seconds Too Late: Cabaret Voltaire (1980)

11) Nzaumi: Ndalani 77 Brothers (1977)

12) That's What Friends Are For (Single Version) (Cover of Deniece Williams): Janet Kay (1977)

13) Porcupine: Sparks (2025)

14) Laser Love: T. Rex (1976)

Last Stand

1) Never Change (7" Mix): MC Buzz B (1991)

2) Iron Lion Zion (7" Mix): Bob Marley (1992)

3) Dog On Wheels: Belle & Sebastian (1997)

4) Face To Face (Single Version): Goodbye Mr. Mackenzie (1987)

5) Weakness (Single Version): Inspiral Carpets (1990)

6) Wrong Number (P2P Mix): The Cure (1997)

7) Can't Stop Jumping (10" Version): Bim Sherman / Dub Syndicate (1983)

8) My Sahel: Vieux Farka Touré, Amadou & Mariam, OMG Oumy Gueye ft. Bassekou Kouyaté, Songhoy Blues & Tal National (2023)

9) Mrs Mac: The The (2007)

10) I'm Wondering: Stevie Wonder (1967)

11) Day By Day: A Certain Ratio ft. Ellen Beth Abdi (2023)

12) Please Please Please Let Me Get What I Want (Single Version) (Cover of The Smiths): The Dream Academy (1985)

13) Tarantula (Second Version) (12"): Colourbox (1983)

14) Into Dust (Still Falling): Four Tet (2025)

First Stand (1:05:02) (GD) (M)

Last Stand (1:02:13) (GD) (M)