New To Me...To You...To Me...To You

or, How To Get Away With Two "25 From 25" Albums Lists Whilst Pretending That Wasn't Your Intention All Along, Part Two.

This is the second of two lists, my very loose criteria being the first time I have purchased an album by these artists, irrespective of whether they've been going for years or debuted in 2025.

Again, loads of albums that either remained on the long list or haven't yet made it off the shopping list and as yet are unheard. Honourable mentions to Brian Bilston & The Catenary Wires (sorry, JC!), Ead Wood, Restricted Code, Oklou, Steve Lane, The Morning Early, SPRINTS and Peter Capaldi (yes, him!)

As yesterday, I've listed my 25 picks alphabetically, rather than in order of greatness, but I will also reveal my favourite at the end.

25 From 25 - New To Me

(click on the links to buy these albums...and more!)

1) The Smile You Send Out Returns To You: Constant Follower

2) Gift Of Sorts: Chris Reeve

3) Dan's Boogie: Destroyer

4) Concrete Rockers: Earl Sixteen & The Co-operators

5) Ellen Beth Abdi: Ellen Beth Abdi

6) Mother Of A Thousand: F.O. Machete

7) Phantom Island: King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard

8) Om Verda Mi: Lakeshouse

9) Living History: Later Youth

10) LEDLEY: LEDLEY

11) Clients Of Suddenness: Louise Connell

12) A Danger To Ourselves: Lucrecia Dalt

13) Things Must Change: Montjuïc

14) Might As Well Play Another One: Mumble Tide

15) Ways To The Deep Meadow: Ocean Moon

16) A Dawning: Ólafur Arnalds & Talos

17) Desert Queen: Pearl Charles

18) Disturbia: Phonolab

19) Quad 90: Quad 90

20) Concorde: Res One, Upfront, Badhabitz

21) Don't Worry, It's Forever: Sister John

22) Rapture Party: The Joshua Hotel

23) Red Door Open: The Twistettes

24) Last Exit To Music: Xavier Corbera

25) Things Found In Books: Yvonne Lyon & Boo Hewerdine

I recommend each and every one of these albums, but my #1 of 2025 is the stunning self-titled debut by Ellen Beth Abdi.

I was fortunate enough to see Ellen Beth Abdi supporting A Certain Ratio in Bristol last May, and although I recognised her from appearances on the ACR album 1982 and 2023 EP, I was completely unfamiliar with her own songs.

I was at the gig with my friend Mike and we were both blown away by her performance. I told Ellen Beth as much at the merch stand after; she didn't have any records for sale at the time, but I did come away with a jar of delicious marmalade...now that's a USP!

So, when Ellen Beth Abdi's album emerged in May 2025, needless to say that expectations were high...and then surpassed.

The voice is something else, enough to carry the songs, but Ellen Beth handles the entire record with a sure hand, from keyboards and flute to co-production with Joel Anthony Patchett, this does not sound like a first album.

A highlight of the gig was a cover of Spellbound by Rae & Christian, a tribute to Ellen Beth's musical inspiration, vocalist Veba aka Beverley Green. She does the song - and the singer - justice, both on stage and in the studio, sublime vocal loops layering and layering to create a mesmerising whole.

Ellen Beth's own songs are more than up to the challenge of meeting this high bar. Tenterhooks, the lead single, was a perfect example of this but honestly, there's not a single song on the album that I don't want to play again and again. And I have, since buying it.

I can't wait to hear what she does next.

Double Entrendre

or, How To Get Away With Two "25 From 25" Albums Lists Whilst Pretending That Wasn't Your Intention All Along.

Looking back on 2025 so far, I think I bought more albums than ever, a mix of physical and digital. The latter was ably supported by a further year's subscription to the excellent Last Night From Glasgow label, which accounts for about a quarter of today’s and tomorrow’s featured artists.

A few were purchased at merch stalls following a headline or support slot gig, others on the recommendation of others, including you lovely people out there in the blogging community.

So, I've got two lists, loosely separated into artists that I'm familiar with and already owned albums by, the second compiling artists who, regardless of whether they'd been around for ages or just started out, were new to me. So, it's a hodge podge of debut albums and artists that I really only delved into properly with their latest long player. I'm posting the first list today, the second on New Year's Eve.

There are a shed load that I just haven't got around to buying yet and I haven't yet succumbed to streaming so I can't sneak them in on the technicality of having heard them. Apologies therefore include Pulp, Syd Minsky Sargeant, Death In Vegas, Mogwai and Water From Your Eyes, all of whom have released albums that I want to get (and said as much in previous posts), but who remain on my shopping list.

An honourable mention also to those that I did buy but who didn't make onto either list because, well, I had to stop at 25, right? A tip of the hat then to Manic Street Preachers, The Supernaturals, Julian Cope, Gareth Sager and Scanner.

I've listed them alphabetically, rather than in order of greatness, but I may reveal my favourite at the end...if I can decide on one by the end of this post!

25 From 25 - Old Favourites

(click on the links to buy these albums...and more!)

1) Let The Horse Run Free / Rodeo Disco: 100 Poems

2) The Collapse Of Everything: Adrian Sherwood

3) Pinball Wanderer: Andy Bell

4) Dead Souls: Armory Show

5) Metalhorse / Mary And The Hyenas OST: Billy Nomates

6) Mumbo In The Jumbo: Davey Woodward

7) Wise Music In Dub: Dennis Bovell

8) Subconsciousology: Dot Allison

9) Lay Low: Eddie Chacon

10) Nation Shall Speak Unto Nation: Edwyn Collins

11) Rats In Paradise: Emily Breeze

12) Begging The Night To Take Hold: Emma Pollock

13) Twilight: Hifi Sean & David McAlmont

14) Songs For Nina And Johanna: James Yorkston & Friends

15) Junk System EP 1&2: Junk System

16) Lotus: Little Simz

17) New Town Ghosts: Mark Rae

18) Lake Deep Memory: Pye Corner Audio

19) Barb And Feather: Red Snapper

20) Strawberries: Robert Forster

21) International: Saint Etienne

22) MAD!: Sparks

23) Faultline: The Cowboy Mouth

24) moisturiser: Wet Leg

25) Home: Xan Tyler & Dusty Stray

I have loved each and every one of these albums but my #1 of 2025 has to be Billy Nomates.

Not just because Metalhorse is a fantastic album, taking her music to another level, but also because she somehow found the time to write, record and release another album. The soundtrack to Mary And The Hyenas may have been relatively overlooked compared to Metalhorse, but it's every bit an equal. Astonishing to think that Tor Maries was also releasing one-off songs in between both of these. 

Finally getting to see Billy Nomates live in concert for the first time in September, with an excellent band and songs that took on a life of their own on stage, was an unforgettable experience and the push over the line to secure my #1 in a year of varied but brilliant albums.

When I Should Have Been Celebrating My Dad's 60th Birthday....

... I was at Fiddlers in Bristol with Mrs. K for a Minotaur Shock gig.

In fairness, at the time (Sunday 2nd June 2002), Mum and Dad were living in Eire, a gruelling 14-hour door-to-door trip each way, there wasn’t an 'official' party on that date and I'd spoken to Dad on the phone to wish him happy birthday earlier in the day.

I remember that it was an enjoyable gig, not least because it was also being broadcast live on BBC Radio 3 as part of their Mixing It programme, presented by Robert Sandall and Mark Russell.

I might be misremembering this bit, but I seem to recall that we all spent a lot of time sitting on the floor!

A great line-up: in addition to headlining hometown heroes Minotaur Shock, Foehn aka Debbie Parsons, also from Bristol and previously one-half of Third Eye Foundation, plus Manchester trio Mum & Dad, whose releases on Andy Votel and Damon Gough's Twisted Nerve label had caught my ear. 

So on a technicality, I did spend the night with Mum and Dad, just not mine…!

A lovely surprise to find that Future TuesDay has posted the entire show on YouTube. Enjoy!

 

 

Queueing At The Checkout

Before I launch into the inevitable final round up of 2025, I thought I'd drop by Amoeba Music's What's In My Bag? series and see what others have been shopping for this year.

My three specific shoppers are Russell Mael, David St. Hubbins and Nigel Tufnell from Spinal Tap (in tribute to Rob and Michele Reiner) and finally David Byrne.

Some great picks from all three. I'm particularly happy that the latter picked Bristol-based IDLES. Maybe David will be tempted to come to Bristol to play a gig or just hang around Longwell Records when it relocates from Keynsham to Clifton Arcade in February.

 

 

Fantastic Expectations, Amazing Revelations

Sadly, Christmas Day is also a reminder that it's another year - currently the ninth - since George Michael passed. 

I won't pretend that I was a huge fan of his music, either as Wham! or solo, but his presence as a singer, songwriter and phenomenal talent cannot be denied.

There's been a lot of TV time dedicated to George's life and music in the past couple of days. I haven't watched any of it, though a pop up in my suggested viewing on You Tube caught my eye.

On Tuesday 9th October 2012, George performed at Manchester Arena and, a third of the way through his set, dedicated a song to an audience member. The fact that the audience member was Ian Brown and the song was one of his own, 2001 epic F.E.A.R. must have been one of those WTF?! moments

George introduces F.E.A.R. as "a song we have never played before…we shall never play again, I should imagine" which is brutally honest though ultimately proved to be true.

"You'll please have to excuse me," explains George. "We've only rehearsed this a couple of times, so it might be a bit...crap", which of course proves to be wholly untrue. 

It's truly magnificent.

And here's the original version.

For each a road

For everyman a religion

Find everybody and rule

For everything and rumble

Forget everything and remember

For everything a reason

Forgive everybody and remember

For each a road

For everyman a religion

Face everybody and rule

For everything and rumble

Forget everything and remember

For everything a reason

You got the fear

You got the fear

You got the fear

You got the fear

F.E.A.R. (you got the fear)

F.E.A.R. (you got the fear)

F.E.A.R. (you got the fear)

F.E.A.R. 

Final eternity arouses reactions

Freeing excellence affects reality

Fallen empires are ruling

Find earth and reef

Fantastic expectations, amazing revelations

Final execution and resurrection

Free expression as revolution

Finding everything and realising

You got the fear

You got the fear

You got the fear

You got the fear

You got the fear

F.E.A.R. (you got the fear)

F.E.A.R. (you got the fear)

F.E.A.R. (you got the fear)

F.E.A.R. (you got the fear)

F.E.A.R. (you got the fear)

F.E.A.R. (you got the fear)

You got the fear

You got the fear

You got the fear

You got the fear

You got the fear

Boxing Day, Fighting Fit, Gloves Off

Boxing Day blues kicking in already?

Fear not, I've created a brand new hour-long Dubhed selection to banish the blues and hopefully not leave you seeing red!

I worried that my 2021 Boxing Day offering was too obvious, being themed around boxes. Four years later, I've clearly not learned my lesson, as today's selection is based on boxing-themed song titles. 

In fact, it turned out that I hit a rich seam of gold in my digging, unearthing enough songs for at least one more selection. 

Left out of the ring on this occasion were The Affectionate Punch by Associates, Pulling Punches by David Sylvian, Punch Drunk by Gene Loves Jezebel, One Armed Boxer by Lee 'Scratch' Perry & The Upsetters, Saved By The Bell by Robin Gibb and of course Born Under Punches (The Heat Goes On) by Talking Heads.

Decayed, my recent series focussing on the 1990s, also featuring boxing obsessed songs like Muhammad Ali by Faithless, Lessons Learned From Rocky I To Rocky III by Cornershop and Heavyweight Champion Of The World by Reverend & The Makers, all left in the changing room on this occasion.

I think, blow-by-blow the fifteen rounds here deliver a knockout selection, an (upper) cut above the rest and proof if needed that I'm in your corner. 

And before I stretch my efforts to insert boxing references too far, it's time to hang up my gloves, know what I mean, 'Arry?

1) The Boxer (Album Version): The Chemical Brothers ft. Tim Burgess (2005)

2) Knockout Position (DJ Muggs Remix): Kaliphz (1995)

3) Another Blow On The Bruise: Gavin Friday & The Man Seezer (1989)

4) Sucker Punch: Fujiya & Miyagi (2006)

5) Fighting Fit (Album Version): Gene (1996)

6) Southpaw (Fluke's Glassjaw Remix): Trisco (2005)

7) Lazyitis (One Armed Boxer): Happy Mondays ft. Karl Denver (1989)

8) Lightweight: Marco Rossi (2024)

9) Down And Out: The Jon Spencer Blues Explosion (2015)

10) The Boxer (Cover of Simon & Garfunkel): Bob Dylan (1970)

11) Still Fighting: The Sabres Of Paradise ft. Denise Johnson (1993)

12) Knuckle Sandwich Nancy: Slade (1981)

13) Reign Of Blows: XTC (1984)

14) Boxerbeat (Album Version): JoBoxers (1983)

15) Boxing Clever: The Selecter (2023)

1970: Self Portrait: 10

1981: Till Deaf Do Us Part: 12

1983: Like Gangbusters: 14

1984: The Big Express: 13

1989: Each Man Kills The Thing He Loves: 3

1989: Lazyitis EP: 7

1993: Sabresonic:: 11

1995: Seven Deadly Sins: 2

1996: Drawn To The Deep End: 5

2005: Push The Button: 1

2005: Southpaw EP: 6

2006: Transparent Things: 4

2015: Freedom Tower No Wave Dance Party 2015: 9

2023: Human Algebra: 15

2024: Since Returning From The Moon: 8

Boxing Day, Fighting Fit, Gloves Off (1:01:50) (GD) (M)

Ding Dong! (Five Times)

Wishing each and everyone one of you a day full of love, good vibes and festive fun.

Today's fistful of treats should cater for those wishing for a merry and/or maudlin Christmas. Enjoy!

1) Christmas, It's Not A Biggie (Live @ KEXP): Say Sue Me (2019)

2) White Christmas (Live @ Live Lounge, BBC Radio 1) (Cover of Bing Crosby): London Grammar (2017)

3) Happy Xmas (War Is Over) (Live @ Live Lounge, BBC Radio 1) (Cover of John Lennon, Yoko Ono & Plastic Ono Band): Michael Kiwanuka (2024)

4) The Cherry Tree Carol (Live @ KEXP) (Cover of traditional song): Mark Lanegan (2014)

5) Christmas Wrapping (Live @ The Quay Sessions, BBC Scotland) (Cover of The Waitresses): Belle & Sebastian (2017)

  

 

 

Decorated, Understated, Over The Top

As a first-time subscriber to Roberta Fidora's Neighbourhood, this year has seen some unexpected treats drop through the letterbox, in addition to access to Roberta's vault of releases under her own name and previously as CURXES, plus any new songs as they emerge. All for less than the cost of half a dozen cappuccinos from your favourite cafe per year.  A bargain, in other words.

My first festive treat as a neighbour arrived this week: a Christmas card, designed by Roberta with a personalised message inside. No question, the best of the bunch received at Casa K this year. Wonderful.

To complement this, Roberta's also released a seasonal song, Christmas Trees, and it's a belter. Even a casual browser of this blog will have sussed that when it comes to Christmas songs, I'll embrace pretty much all of it, however cheesy or played to death (though I will draw the line at Mariah Carey and Ed Sheeran).

That said, as my Bad Santa offerings attest, I tend to lean more heavily towards the slightly off-kilter and frequently jaded take on this time of year.

Following in the tradition of It's Christmas And I'm Crying by Du Blonde (2023) and Boxing Day Sales by Richard Dawson (2024), Roberta delivers a deliciously downbeat narrative against an upbeat, jingly jangly backdrop.

Christmas Trees comes in two versions, with a radio edit dropping the cusses (or should that be CUXXES?) whilst loving none of it's bite. 

I've shared the words below, but you can also find a lyric video on YouTube. 

Head on over to Bandcamp for Roberta's music and maybe even join the Neighbourhood. 

Having been subjected to a 10 second loop of Let It Snow! Let It Snow! Let It Snow emanating from an inflatable monstrosity in the garden opposite Casa K for 15 hours a day for the past four weeks, I know where we'd rather be!

It’s late December

And I am quite depressed

(Put the tree up but can I skip the rest?)

Carols are being drowned out by the neighbours’ shit

(Ho ho ho)

(Really tried but I’m just not feeling it)

Nothing is magical

It’s a massive lie

(Reasons for the season are running dry)

People are miserable and yet still they buy

(As if Christmas could be quantified)

And all the gifts are too expensive

And there is really no incentive to buy

Anything

All around me

All around me

Those Christmas trees

But I feel like

  in January

All the trimmings

All the singing

Hey, can you not?

But the register keeps ringing in the shops

Sleigh bells are grating

And so are children’s choirs

(Shut up, please) (And the volumes seem like they’re getting higher)

You can shove them up your pa rum pum pum pum

(Father Christmas too, he can just do one)

And all the gifts are too expensive

And relatives are argumentative

If they’re still around

(But quite a few are dead!)

All around me

All around me

Those Christmas trees

But I feel like

I’m their branches in January

All the trimmings

All the singing

Hey, can you not?

But the register keeps ringing in the shops

Consumerism

Forced tradition

Yes it is and no it isn’t

Can you hear what I hear now?

Well that’s because you never listen

Buy everybody tat

Don’t touch the thermostat!

Do I have to interact with

Any of this festive crap?

Joyeux noel?

See you in hell…

And all the gifts are too expensive

And none of them are quite inventive enough

(Overly sentimental)

For anyone you love

All around me

All around me

Those Christmas trees

But I feel like

I’m their branches in January

Decorated, understated, over the top

Until their needles drop…and then it finally stops.

(Ho ho ho, Merry Christmas)

My World Is Filled With Cheer

In 1970, Donny Hathaway recorded and released This Christmas, his singular take on the festive fare doing the rounds at this time of year.

In 2020, record label Rhino commissioned an official video - Donny's first - to celebrate the song's 50th anniversary. Glorious animation by comic artist Lonnie Milsap.

If you're compiling a soulful Christmas compilation, then this is a must-have.

Hang all the mistletoe

I'm gonna get to know you better

This Christmas

And as we trim the tree

How much fun it's gonna be together

This Christmas

Fireside is blazing bright

We're caroling through the night

And this Christmas will be

A very special Christmas for me

Presents and cards are here

My world is filled with cheer and you

This Christmas

And as I look around

Your eyes outshine the town they do

This Christmas

Fireside is blazing bright

We're caroling through the night

And this Christmas will be

A very special Christmas for me, yeah

Shake a hand, shake a hand now

Fireside is blazing bright

We're caroling through the night

And this Christmas will be

A very special Christmas for me, yeah

Hang all the mistletoe

I'm gonna get to know you better

This Christmas

And as we trim the tree

How much fun it's gonna be together

This Christmas

Fireside is blazing bright

We're caroling through the night

And this Christmas will be

A very special Christmas for me

Merry Christmas

Shake a hand, shake a hand now

Wish your brother merry Christmas

All over the land, yeah

Merry Christmas

Merry, merry Christmas

That's Why There's No Big Present On The Kitchen Shelf

2025 was CMAT's year, without a doubt. Skip back to December 2020, and Ciara Mary-Alice Thompson teamed up with Ronan Kealy aka Junior Brother to release the alternative, acoustic festive fare that is Uncomfortable Christmas.

You can this, plus CMAT's pre-global superstardom catalogue on Bandcamp; Junior Brothers also put his wares up there.

A mad old time, one big racket

I hate the smell of your winter jacket

I hate to think how long you've had it now

A dying fire was not long roaring

Technically it's no Christmas morning

But I won't leave till the drinks stop pouring out

I could feel you moving from the back of my...

The one thing I don't want is a holiday fight

Everybody laughs but it leaves us in the wreckage

Oh and I didn't wanna sit next to you

I hate this season of uncomfortable truths

And trees that lie like the way your eyes used to

When you looked at me

When you looked at me

No surprise

That's why I suit myself

That's why there's no big present on the kitchen shelf

Just a trail of white from the fire to the roof

Is it a new year when the sleigh bells ring?

Did this turkey die for my sins?

Is it okay to be nervous all of the time?

Oh and I didn't wanna sit next to you

I hate this town, that's why I had to move

And trees that lie like the way your eyes used to

When you looked at me (Uncomfortable Christmas)

When you looked at me (Uncomfortable Christmas)

When you looked at me (Uncomfortable Christmas)

When you looked at me

Bad Santa VIII

Lord help me, is it that time of year again...?

Something that seems to have become an annual tradition, it's the last Sunday before Christmas and here's another Bad Santa selection, 25 tracks in just under an hour and cheaper than an inflatable reindeer to stick in your front garden.

I'll continue to post throughout the festive season and hopefully I will get to replying to your lovely comments...thanks for your patience!

1) Away In A Manger (Cover of traditional song): Josh T. Pearson (2011)

2) Last Christmas (Instrumental): Wham! (1984)

3) Holiday I.D.: Bullet Boys (1988)

4) Christmas Boogaloo: Big Boss Man (2000)

5) Mary's Boy Child / Oh My Lord (Single Edit): Boney M. (1979)

6) Blue Christmas (Remix): Dead Or Alive (2000)

7) One Christmas Catalogue: Captain Sensible (1984)

8) Lonely Pup (In A Christmas Shop): Adam Faith (1960)

9) Christmas (Baby Please Come Home) (Cover of Darlene Love): Holiday Sidewinder (2018)

10) Frosty The Snowman (Cover of Gene Autry & The Cass County Boys): Cocteau Twins (1992)

11) Got A Cold In The Node For Christmas: Gayla Peevey (1954)

12) Back Door Santa: Clarence Carter (1968)

13) Xmas In Motherwell: The Plimptons (2011)

14) Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas (Cover of Judy Garland): The Beths (2019)

15) All I Wants Is Truth For Christmas (Demo): The Anchoress (2024)

16) Eggknock: Jonwayne (2018)

17) Child's Christmas In Wales (Album Version): John Cale (1973)

18) Father Christmas (Cover of The Kinks): The Joyzine Christmas Band (2025)

19) It Will Still Be Christmas: The Boy Least Likely To (2020)

20) Christmas Ain't Christmas, New Years Ain't New Years Without The One You Love: The O'Jays (1973)

21) Christmas Alone: Yacht (2020)

22) Frosty The Snowman: Santa Sabbath (2015)

23) A Christmas Message From John & Yoko: John Lennon & Yoko Oko (1971)

24) Christmas Lullaby (Full Length Version): Shane MacGowan & The Popes (1996)

25) Seasons Greetings: Jonwayne (2018)

Bad Santa VIII (56:43) (GD) (M)

And, if you are a glutton for punishment, here are the previous Bad Santa selections from 2024, 2023, 2022, 2021, 2020, 2017 and 2016. 

Links are currently inactive, but I will have them up and running in the next day or so...

Concert Climax

From a gig perspective, 2025 was fantastic. Here are my lucky 13 of the year:

1st Feb: John Grant / Big Special

6th Mar: Alan Sparhawk / Circuit Des Yeux

22nd Apr: Mark Eitzel

13th May: Andy Bell (Erasure) / Hifi Sean & David McAlmont

9th Jun: Little Simz

11th Jun: Butler, Blake & Grant / Charlie Noordewier

9th Jul: Josh Rouse / Later Youth

24th Sep: Billy Nomates / Cirquemily (Emily Sadler)

30th Sep: Edwyn Collins / The Hanging Stars

10th Oct: Robert Forster & His Swedish Band

18th Nov: Water From Your Eyes / Morgan Garrett

24th Nov: The Sabres Of Paradise

8th Dec: The Charlatans

Click on the links to read all about my experiences. I've not reactivated any of the related Dubhed selections on this occasion, instead opting for a brand new 20-song session.

Sequenced in chronological order of when I saw them, the whole thing kicks off with Shithouse by Big Special, who set the bar impossibly high for all the support acts to follow, though pretty much all of them rose to the challenge. Charlie Noordewier and Later Youth were especially good. 

As for the headliners, John Grant, Hifi Sean & David McAlmont, Billy Nomates and Robert Forster were on my wish list for a long time, whilst Mark Eitzel, Andy Bell and Little Simz were completely unexpected and completely brilliant.

Bernard Butler, Norman Blake, James Grant and Josh Rouse sold me their vinyl at the merch stand, signed it for me and proved to be lovely blokes to chat with.

Water From Your Eyes were a revelation. Speaking of which, Edwyn Collins brought tears to my eyes, as did Alan Sparhawk. And the previously unimaginable thought of seeing The Sabres Of Paradise reform and play live was hugely emotional. 

Another first to end the year, with an exceptional show from The Charlatans. 

I already have a clutch of tickets for 2026 and, if this year is anything to go by, it's going to be bloody brilliant.

1) Shithouse: Big Special (2024)

2) Black Belt (Dungeonesse Remix By Jenn Wasner): John Grant (2013)

3) Megaloner: Circuit Des Yeux (2025)

4) Can U Hear: Alan Sparhawk (2024)

5) Nothing And Everything: Mark Eitzel (2017)

6) Celebrate: Hifi Sean & David McAlmont (2024)

7) Put Your Empathy On Ice: Andy Bell (Erasure)

8) Lion: Little Simz ft. Obongjayar (2025)

9) Dear Diazepam (Live At Deep Litter Studios, Devon): Charlie Noordewier (2025)

10) The 90s: Butler, Blake & Grant (2025)

11) Arcane Love: Later Youth (2025)

12) My Love Has Gone: Josh Rouse (2005)

13) Moon Explodes: Billy Nomates (2025)

14) Ava: The Hanging Stars (2025)

15) Nation Shall Speak Unto Nation: Edwyn Collins (2025)

16) Good To Cry: Robert Forster (2025)

17) The Mirror: Morgan Garrett (2025)

18) Playing Classics: Water From Your Eyes (2025)

19) Wilmot (Edit): The Sabres Of Paradise ft. Wonder (1994)

20) For The Girls: The Charlatans (2025)

Concert Climax (1:19:12) (GD) (M)

If There's Something Inside That You Wanna Say

The Beta Band, reformed and rejuvenated, returned to KEXP last Saturday (13th) for a four-song session, their first in over two decades.

The band:

Steve Mason (vocals, guitars)

John Maclean (piano, sampler, vocals)

Richard Greentree (bass, vocals)

Robin Jones (drums, vocals)

The songs:

00:26   Push It Out (Los Amigos Del Beta Bandidos EP)

07:27    Dr. Baker (Los Amigos Del Beta Bandidos EP)

12:08    Dog's Got A Bone (Champion Versions EP)

17:46     Dry The Rain (Champion Versions EP)

24:30    Interview by DJ Morgan Chosnyk

Touring to promote and celebrate the reissue of The Three E.P.'s, ironically this session covers the first and the third, missing out second E.P., The Patty Patty Sound.

The interview:

Worth listening to, not least for Steve's (mostly unsuccessful) attempts to get Robin to answer questions, and a final anecdote about getting into trouble on tour with Radiohead.

The effect:

Thirty four minutes of sheer joy. 

This Is The Place...These Are The Days...We Are Love

What better way to complete my 2025 gig list than with The Charlatans at The Forum in Bath on Monday 8th December?

The Charlatans formed in 1988, released their first album in 1990 (this year's We Are Love being their fourteenth) and have played thousands of gigs in the past three and a half decades. Yet, this was the first time I have seen The Charlatans.

Better late than never and with the opportunity to see the band in the intimate setting of The Forum, a beautiful old school theatre in the heart of Bath. There was a palpable sense of excitement as I approached the building, even more so once I got inside.

 

There was a palpable sense of excitement as I approached the building, even more so once I got inside. It was a mostly seated show, stalls and balcony, with a relatively small section at the for standing tickets. Thankfully, I'd managed to get the latter and got right into the cente, a few metres from the main stage. As we waited for the main event to begin, a series of phrases appeared on the backdrop screen.

Tim Burgess had announced just prior to the start of the We Are Love tour that the support for The Charlatans would be... The Charlatans. Yep, one band, two sets, and the promise of some deep cuts as well as a fair chunk of the current album. 

And boy, did they deliver! Twenty four songs, including encores, over the best part of two hours, with barely a ten minute break between the first and second sets. 

We Are Love was well represented, with eight out of the eleven songs performed, Kingdom Of Ours opening both the album and the first set, the title track the second set and Now Everything the three-song encore. 

My knowledge of The Charlatans back catalogue is patchy at best. To my shame, they are one of those bands who have always been there and in that respect, I've kind of taken for granted that they always will be and have been pretty slack in checking out their albums, despite what is indisputably a run of great singles.

So, it was very much a case that there were plenty of songs that I was unfamiliar with, but with the knowledge that a big hit was almost certainly coming next. Kingdom Of Ours was followed by a thrilling version of Weirdo; Let The Good Times Be Never Ending from 2015's Modern Nature into Blackened Blue Eyes and Then.

And there are so many classics: North Country Boy...Just When You're Thinkin' Things Over...One To Another...even if they didn't get to play someone's favourite song, say, How High, Love Is The Key or Me. In Time, I can't see how anyone could find fault with the song choices for this show.

The band were really on it and enhanced on several songs by additional percussion from Loz Colbert of Ride (to the left of the photo of Tim playing guitar near the top of this post). Apparently, Loz had joined them ad-hoc on an earlier date and they'd all had such a good time that he tagged along for the rest of the tour!

  

Which kind of summed up what an evening in the company of The Charlatans was all about. Tim is a heartwarming frontperson, embracing the audience (metaphorically not literally) and welcoming everyone in. 

I'd expected to be packed at the front like a tinned sardine, but the opposite in fact: I was so lost in the moment that it was easy to forget that I was in a room with The Charlatans and about 1,500 other people, such was Tim's connection with everyone.

He blew kisses to the balcony, he took photos, he played guitar on a few songs, he sang wonderfully and he looked like he was enjoying the night every bit as much as we were.

The second set closed with The Only One I Know and Get On It, The Charlatans left the stage, returning to the stage for a third and final time for an encore. Now Everything got a huge response, as did all of the songs from We Are Love, before things ramped up even further for Tremelo Song and Sproston Green, the closing song of debut Some Friendly and a final wig-out to wind up what had been a life-affirming evening and an absolutely fantastic way to experience The Charlatans live in concert for the first time.

We Are Love is on my Christmas list and I hope Santa decides that I've been a very good boy this year. As for The Charlatans, on the strength of this show, they have been exceptionally good.

Set 1

1) Kingdom Of Ours

2) Weirdo

3) For The Girls

4) North Country Boy

5) Many A Day A Heartache

6) Oh! Vanity

7) Let The Good Times Be Never Ending

8) Blackened Blue Eyes

9) Then

Set 2

10) We Are Love

11) Tellin' Stories

12) Out On Our Own

13) Deeper And Deeper

14) Just When You're Thinkin' Things Over

15) Toothache

16) Here Comes A Soul Saver

17) Appetite

18) In The Tall Grass

19) One To Another

20) The Only One I Know

21) Get On It

Encore

22) Now Everything

23) Tremelo Song

24) Sproston Green 

Oh, and for the first time this week, all of the photos used today were taken by me on the night...!