How To Fall From Grace And Slide With Elegance From A Pedestal

Celebrating Marianne Faithfull, 29th December 1946 to 30th January 2025.

I was talking to Mrs. K, when Marianne's passing was announced on BBC News, so I was admittedly only half-listening as the prepared obituary was delivered, but the snippets I caught made me increasingly upset.

I know obituaries by their very nature frequently celebrate and devalue a life in a few paragraphs or minutes. Even so, the fragments that penetrated my consciousness seemed to focus on Marianne's achievements in the 1960s, living in the shadow of men (including several Rolling Stones) and the drugs. Of course, the drugs.

What I wasn't picking up was Marianne's incredible achievements beyond the 1970s and 1980s and well into the 21st Century, in the face of prejudice, preconception, misogyny, debilitating and near-fatal health challenges (not least COVID) and inevitably the ravages of time from life lived increasingly on her own terms.

I don't have a huge amount of Marianne's music in my collection, but it charts an incredible journey and a fearless confrontation and defiance of convention. Not just as a singer, but a songwriter (for Grace Jones), a collaborator (Bowie, Sly & Robbie, Patrick Wolf) and an interpreter of other's songs (everyone from Sonny & Cher to The Decemberists). 

Marianne released a single written by Serge Gainsbourg in 1967; forty years later, she revisited another of his songs to celebrate his life. Both are very special interpretations by a unique artist.

I've included a version of As Tears Go By, transmitted as part of a David Bowie special on US TV in 1973. The Rolling Stones regretted passing on the song when Marianne had a hit and belatedly recorded their own version. It's good, but not as good.

I've omitted Sister Morphine, the song Marianne subsequently co-wrote with and for the Stones. Likewise, I've not included the original version of Broken English, the title track of Marianne's 1979 album, opting instead for a remix and a cover version, both from the 2000s.

I bought a secondhand CD of Patrick Wolf's 2007 album The Magic Position (which is brilliant, by the way) and discovered halfway through the song Magpie, featuring a surprising and delightful appearance from Marianne. It's a highlight among highlights and just one example of her continuing relevance and inspiration to future generations of musicians.

Sliding Through Life On Charm, written with Jarvis Cocker, Mark Webber, Steve Mackey and Nick Banks from Pulp, is a semi-autobiographical rollercoaster and provides the title of today's post and tribute selection. To quote the full verse,

I wonder why the schools don't teach anything useful nowadays 

Like how to fall from grace 

and slide with elegance from a pedestal 

I never asked to be on in the first place

You can read much about Marianne, including much in her own words, but we'll never know the whole story, really know Marianne. But what a legacy she leaves.

Rest in power, Marianne.

1) Broken English (Baron Von Luxxury Light Touch Remix By Blake Robin) (Downtempo): Marianne Faithfull (2008)

2) I Got You Babe (Live @ The Marquee, London) (Cover of Sonny & Cher): David Bowie ft. Marianne Faithfull (1973)

3) I've Done It Again (Album Version): Grace Jones (1981)

4) The Crane Wife 3 (Cover of The Decemberists): Marianne Faithfull ft. Nick Cave (2008)

5) Guilt (Album Version): Marianne Faithfull (1979)

6) As Tears Go By (Live @ The Marquee, London): Marianne Faithfull (1973)

7) Hier Ou Demain: Marianne Faithfull (1967)

8) Lola R. For Ever (Lola Rastaquouère) (Cover of Serge Gainsbourg): Marianne Faithfull & Sly And Robbie (2006)

9) If I Never Get To Love You (Cover of Lou Johnson): Marianne Faithfull (1965)

10) Broken English (Cover of Marianne Faithfull): Claudia Brücken & Andrew Poppy (2004)

11) Magpie: Patrick Wolf ft. Marianne Faithfull (2007)

12) Sliding Through Life On Charm (Album Version): Marianne Faithfull (2007)

1965: Marianne Faithfull: 9

1979: Broken English: 5

1981: Nightclubbing: 3

2002: Kissin Time: 12

2004: Another Language: 10

2006: Monsieur Gainsbourg Revisited: 8

2007: The Magic Position: 11

2008: Easy Come Easy Go: 4

2016: Love Hit Me! Decca Beat Girls 1962-1970: 7

2017: The 1980 Floorshow: 2, 6

2021: Luxxury Edits Vol. 3: 1

How To Fall From Grace And Slide With Elegance From A Pedestal (46:05) (KF) (Mega)

Better Do Better Than That

Back in my previous blogging life, I ran a series called Jukebox Juicebox, which randomly reviewed my music purchases at the time. Not to be confused with The Juicebox Jukebox, who apparently "create awesomely positive, fun, educational children's music, videos, and books"

The inclusion of Better Do Better (Wrongtom Wild Inna 81 Version) by Hard-Fi in last Sunday's Dubhed Selection reminded me that I'd reviewed the single back in the day, which led me to dig out the original post from May 2006.

I'm re-presenting the whole thing, which takes in contemporary releases by Tiga and King Biscuit Time (Steve Mason) too. No edits other than the links, as several of the originals are now defunct, and some formatting here and there. 

I've also added the official videos, which I probably last saw nearly twenty years ago. Wow.

Hard-Fi "Better Do Better”

The Hard-Fi phenomenon has pretty much passed me by, not helped by the rather crap name and uninspiring sleeve designs. Yes, I know, never judge a book by it’s cover and all that… 

Anyway, this single caught my attention and it’s melody has been nagging at the back of my mind ever since. A slower number than the snippets of their Stars Of CCTV album I’ve heard so far, the song focuses on the return of an adulterous ex-girlfriend. 

Richard Archer’s lyrics are refreshingly direct - ‘Can you see me again? / Yeah right, you’ve been kicked out / Do you think that I’m that stupid?’ - and emotionally frank - ‘I cried so much / My face has never been the same’ - as the narrator realises that the wounds are still open, but steels his resolve to reject the girl he once loved. 

The flipside offers a dub by Wrongtom and The Stoneleigh Mountain Rockers, which strips both song and lyrics down to the basics – ‘You’re back, sitting on my doorstep / Your face makes me want to be sick / …it's a physical reaction...’ – making Better Do Better even more raw, in every sense of the word. 

All this, and gorgeous flourescent yellow seven-inch vinyl too. A great single that will undoubtedly repeat Hard-Fi’s success to date. 

Slow dance to this with your ex at the local disco and they'll get the message.

Tracklisting [7"]: 1. Better Do Better (Album Version) / 2. (Wrongtom Wild Inna 81 Version)

Visit the official Hard-Fi website

Jan 2025 update: I abviously didn't follow the UK singles chart at the time. Better Do Better crashed in at #14, providing the band with it's 5th Top 20 hit. However, byt the time I posted my review three weeks later, it had dropped to #46 and continued a slow but steady slide out of the Top 100. 

Tiga “(Far From) Home”

The Canadian retro-futurist pop star is back with another slice from his Sexor album, featuring the seemingly unstoppable Soulwax. 

The original version sounds like the Human League fronted by Stephen ‘Tin Tin’ Duffy, whilst veteran producer Dave Bascombe beefs up the rhythm and melody for the radio mix on the CD single. 

A clutch of remixes wisely retain the vocals, but take the song in wonderfully different directions. Chicken Lips deliver a downtempo but extremely funky take. French duo Digitalism kick off with an intro not unlike Toni Basil’s Mickey, but rapidly entering dancesloor-shredding Chemical Brothers/DFA territory. 

Speaking of the latter, The DFA provide a further trademark mix (which is no bad thing, of course). What really pushes this take over the edge is a keyboard hook that sounds naggingly like Abba’s Gimme Gimme Gimme, as recently used in Madonna’s Hung Up. Four words: It. Works. Better Here. 

A version of Move My Body, the original of which was an exclusive on Erol Alkan’s Bugged Out mix compilation, maintains the quality for the dancefloor, with vocodered vocals and a nagging electro rhythm. 

The 12” vinyl versions offer the full ten-minute DFA remix plus a further Sexor Reprise by Tiga himself. A catchy song, offered in a variety of tempting formats. What are you waiting for? Indulge yourself!

Tracklisting [7”]: 1. (Far From) Home (Album Version By Tiga & Soulwax) / 2. (Chicken Lips Mix)
[CD5]: 1. (Far From) Home (Bascombe Radio Mix) / 2. (Digitalism Remix) / 3. (DFA Remix (Joakim Edit)) / 4. Move My Body (Version 2)

Visit the official Tiga website

Jan 2025 update: Undoubtedly boosted by my buying both the single on both 7" and CD, (Far From) Home debuted at #65...then disappeared from the UK Top 100 the following week. All of the subsequent singles and album listings on the Officlal Charts listing for Tiga are actually for US rapper Tyga. Come on, OC!

King Biscuit Time "Kwangchow"

A quick Google search revealed that Kwangchow is “a city on the Zhu Jiangi delta in southern China; the capital of Guangdong province and a major deep-water port”. My knowledge of world geography and history is pretty poor, so I’m not really much the wiser. 

As King Biscuit Time is the solo project of former Beta Band frontman Steve Mason, I didn’t expect the lyrics to enlighten me either. Opening chorus ‘How do you find a head when you got no fluid? / How do you find your heart when you feel no love?’, confirmed that expection. 

It may sound like faint praise but, if you’re a fan of the Beta Band or The Flaming Lips, then you’ll love this unconditionally. For the unconvinced, it’s difficult to know how to sell Kwangchow – and bonus track Tears Dry – other than to say that Mason is producing a more concise, coherent and generally more enjoyable version of his former band’s sound. 

If you remain unconvinced, then check out the remixes. The Doctors Of Love (no, never heard of them either) beef up the drum, ‘teardrop’ keyboard and piano parts to create a song that Primal Scream would kill to inlcude on their forthcoming album. 

Meanwhile, the Suicide D.O.G.Z remix creates a naggingly familiar Eastern-sounding beat, frequently looping the vocals to hypnotic effect. An exclusive Suicide D.O.G.Z remix on the Poptones website cranks up the rhythm and dubs the vocals to birth a sweaty floorfiller. A promising taster for forthcoming King Biscuit Time album Black Gold and an introduction to a couple of remixers to watch.

Tracklisting [CD5]: 1. Kwangchow (Album Version) / 2. Tears Dry / 3. (Doctors Of Love Remix) / 4. (Suicide D.O.G.Z - Faudels Hash Den Remix)

There is no official King Biscuit Time website, so go check out Steve Mason's instead.

Jan 2025 update: Very unlikely assisted by my CD single purchase and reach of my blog review, Kwangchow charted the following week at #84, the last time that King Biscuit Time - and Steve  Mason as a solo artist - cracked the UK Top 100 singles.. There is no justice in the (music) world.

In other diappointing news, the Poptones website is long gone and I seem to have lost the exclusive download-only Suicide D.O.G.Z remix along the way. Gutted!

Cain'd, Fried & Alive, '95-'05, Volume 1: 1995

Just over a week ago, I had the sobering revelation that it was twenty years since I saw Julian Cope at The Fleece (then The Fleece & Firkin) in Bristol on 20th January 2005.

This came with the equally shocking realisation that it was thirty years to the day since I saw Julian perform a benefit gig for the Big Issue at the Bierkeller in Bristol on 29th January 1995.

 

The balance between the years passed since a gig and the age I was when attending said gig is increasingly and unwantingly shifting in favour of the former. Or, roughly translated, how did I get so old so fast?!

By way of compensation/denial (delete as applicable), I'm revisiting these two gigs in a couple of posts via the medium of the Dubhed selection. Yes, in time honoured and slipshod fashion, you dear reader get to listen to the songs that were played that night in a way that bears no resemblance to Julian's actual live performance.

And yet...there's always something in (re)creathing these setlists that highlights how unusual - and great - these shows were, and 29th January 1995 is a great example.

This was a one-off gig, ahead of a longer UK tour (and return to Bristol, this time to the University's Anson Rooms) in autumn the same year, to promote twelfth album 20 Mothers. And yes, I was at both Bristol shows.

20 Mothers was released in August 1995, the Bierkeller gig served as a preview of the album to come, with five songs performed that evening including Try, Try, Try, six months before it came out as the sole single, providing Julian with his first UK Top 30 hit since World Shut Your Mouth in 1986.

The show was also a delight. not only in it's selection of deep cuts - Poet Is Priest from Jehovahkill (1992), Las Vegas Basement from Peggy Suicide (1991) and Jellypop Perky Jean from Droolian (1990) - but also it's size, 24 performances and well over two hours. Though, that's nothing compared to the Anson Rooms, which tipped three hours...

 

My memory of specifics on the night is hazy and this is one night that the usually dependable Setlist site couldn't help with. Thanks therefore to Steve Doughty, who has amassed a formidable collection of Julian Cope live recordings spanning 1979 to 2012, all available to trade, and including both 1995 gigs.

 

In recreating 29th January 1995, I have taken the usual step of trying to include live bootlegs, demos, radio sessions and rare alternative versions of songs, editing and splicing them together, sometimes ruthlessly, to create an immersive listening experience. 

 

So, you get a 2:43 edit of Try, Try, Try preceded by over seven minutes of Poet Is Priest, the third section of the full length 21+ minute version. There's the latter half of Upwards At 45 Degrees, demo'd for the 1992 tour, and a Teardrop Explodes-era demo of World Shut Your Mouth, as well as an alternative version of Jellypop Perky Jean from 1993, considered as a potential single release.

 

There are a few omissions, which are in italics in the track list below. Socrates Mine Enemy and 'Sting Poem' were spoken word performances. I have no recollection of whether Driving On The Fast Side Of Slow was the same, but as it's the first line of Archdrude's Roadtrip from 1994's Autogeddon, I've included the song. This was followed on the night by Open Up & Bleed, which is a song by The Stooges, but again I have no memory of this and I couldn't find any bootlegs on You Tube.

 

8th February will mark five years since the last time I saw Julian, at the Barbican in London and shortly before the UK went into lockdown. To date, it was the last time he's toured the UK but I'm hoping not the last. As he so eloquently puts it in Las Vegas Basement, Julian was born to entertain and it would be wonderful to see him on stage again.

 

In the meantime, enjoy this trip back in time. I'll be revisiting the 2005 gig soon.

 

1) Julian H. Cope (Live @ Barrowland, Glasgow, 30th September 1995) 

2) Paranormal In The West Country (Part 1) (Album Version) (1994)  

3) Poet Is Priest ... (Full Length Version) (Part 3) (1992)

4) Try, Try, Try (Edit) (1995)

5) Stone Circles 'n' You (Album Version) (1995)

6) I'm Your Daddy (Live @ The Fleece, Bristol, 9th February 2020)

7) Pristeen (Album Version) (1991) 

8) The Great Dominions (Mike Read Session, 27th October 1980): The Teardrop Explodes

9) Wheelbarrow Man (Album Version) (1995)

10) Socrates Mine Enemy / Sting Poem 

11) The Greatness And Perfection Of Love (Radio Trent 301) (1982)

12) Upwards At 45 Degrees (Live Stage Tour Demo Version) (Edit) (1992)

13) Double Vegetation (Live @ Barrowland, Glasgow, 30th September 1995) 

14) Las Vegas Basement (Live @ Wilde Theatre, South Hill Park, Bracknell, 25th October 2011)

15) Sunspots (Live @ The Ritz, New York, 28th January 1987) 

16) World Shut Your Mouth (Instrumental Demo #1, Porta Studio, Liverpool, February 1981)

17) Love L.U.V. (Beautiful Love Version By Hugo Nicholson) (1991)

18) Jellypop Perky Jean (Alternative Version) (1993)

19) Land Of Fear (Single Version) (1984) 

20) Driving On The Fast Side Of Slow (aka Archdrude's Roadtrip) (1994)

21) Open Up & Bleed (Cover of The Stooges)

22) Soul Desert (Live @ The Fleece, Bristol, 9th February 2020) 

23) Robert Mitchum (Live @ Wilde Theatre, South Hill Park, Bracknell, 25th October 2011) 

24) Passionate Friend (Live @ Guildford Civic Hall, Guildford, 18 June 1981): The Teardrop Explodes

Volume 1: 1995 (1:23:36) (KF) (Mega)

Do You Believe In Westworld?

Westworld were a three piece hip-hop-a-rockabilly pop band that had a moment in 1987 when they appeared in the 'unsigned' slot on Channel 4 music show The Tube with Sonic Boom Boy.

Cue lots of major label interest, a signing, nearly but not cracking the UK Top 10 with Sonic Boom Boy (#11 in February 1987).

And then, that was kind of it. A debut album and three more singles failed to make a significant impression. 

I remember buying follow up single Ba-Na-Na-Bam-Boo (#37 in May) but it was more the novelty of a double pack 10" vinyl single that cannily included not one but two versions of Sonic Boom Boy, a US 12" mix and, more importantly, the original demo version that got them on The Tube.

My recollection, borne out by tracking down clips on YouTube, is that the singles pretty much felt like variations on a theme, that theme being Sonic Boom Boy, with unfortunately diminishing returns. Which is a shame as I quite liked the B-sides of the Ba-Na-Na-Bam-Boo single, Bubble Bo Diddley and Nasty 'n' Cheap showing another side and more potential.

Of the original line up (left to right), Elizabeth Westwood continued with Westworld and I believe is still taking an iteration of the band on the heritage 80s live circuit. Bob Derwood Andrews has recently recorded with Generation X. Nick Burton surprisingly pops up frequently in my music collection through his various collaborations with Alex Paterson/The Orb, Ben Watkins/Juno Reactor and Andrew Weatherall.

Here's half a dozen Westworld tunes for your entertainment, including a blink-and-you'll-miss-them cameo from Robert '3D' Del Naja and Goldie in the last selection. 

1) Sonic Boom Boy (The Tube, Channel 4, UK)

2) Where The Action Is (The Roxy, ITV, UK)

3) Silvermac (Official Video)

4) Psychotech (unknown UK TV)

5) Ba-Na-Na-Bam-Boo (Get Fresh, ITV)

6) Ba-Na-Na-Bam-Boo (Official Video)

 

 

 

 

 

The Sun May Fall But The Moon Will Rise

Posted on Friday, recorded on 1st November 2024, The The performed a 5-song set for KEXP in Seattle.

 

23 minutes of music, followed by an 18 minute interview with Matt Johnson by host Cheryl Walters, it's a joy from start to finish. 

 

The full band are in the studio: Matt with Barrie Cadogan (guitar), James Eller (bass), DC Collard (keyboards), Gillian Glover (backing vocals) and Chris Whitten (drums); the sound is tight and crystal clear.

 

Three songs from Ensoulment, plus some beautifully understated arrangements of Slow Emotion Replay and This Is The Day, the former particularly hitting the spot.

 

01:08   Some Days I Drink My Coffee By The Grave Of William Blake
05:35   Kissing The Ring Of POTUS 
09:24   Slow Emotion Replay 
14:19     Where Do We Go When We Die? 
18:54    This Is The Day

23:04   Interview

Someday Roots, Sunday Culture

Today's selection is by way of compensation to Ernie at 27 Leggies for last Sunday's crushing disappointment of posting a mixtape side titled Roots 'n' Culture that was completely devoid of dub and reggae.

No red herrings here, with plenty of bass-heavy rhythms amongst the genre-hopping bakers' dozen of tunes. At least one tune from each of the last six decades and, as far as I can tell, all appearing here (in these versions at least) for the first time. 

Lee 'Scratch' Perry is hidden in plain sight, collaborating with Bob Marley on the opening song and reappearing as the Upsetter on the penultimate track. 

 

There are a trio of tunes from 1982, quite by accident, featuring UB40, Rico ably accompanied by The Specials and one of the greatest voices of all time, Bim Sherman.

 

As you may have guessed, International Beat was a spin-off from The Beat, their debut album produced by none other than Ranking Roger.

 

The 21st Century is well represented by Richard Norris, Adrian Sherwood and Prince Fatty, plus Wrongtom remixing Staines skankers Hard-Fi.

There are a couple of covers, with Rico and The Special AKA taking on the title track of Japanese jazz musician's Sadao Watanabe's 1979 album Morning Island.  

 

For Me You Are by Prince Fatty, Hollie Cook and Horseman has a rather more complicated history. The song was originally titled Bei Mir Bistu Shein and written by Jacob Jacobs and Sholom Secunda in 1932 for a Yiddish language comedy musical, I Would If I Could, performed by Aaron Lebedeff and Lucy Levin.

Five years later, Sammy Cahn and Saul Chaplin got their hands on the song, wrote English lyrics, Germanised the song title spelling and created a global hit for The Andrews Sisters with Bei Mir Bist Du Schön (Means That You're Grand)

 

The name of Prince Fatty's 2012 remake is an approximation of the original Yiddish to English song title translation, To Me You're Beautiful. 

 

Phew, history lesson over, time to enjoy the music!

1) Keep On Skanking: Bob Marley (1972)

2) Golden Morning Song: Bim Sherman (1982)

3) Better Do Better (Wrongtom Wild Inna 81 Version): Hard-Fi (2006)

4) Rock Steady: International Beat (1989)

5) Foundation Style: Richard Norris (2024)

6) Two Versions Of The Future: Adrian Sherwood (2006)

7) I Won't Close My Eyes (Remix): UB40 (1982)

8) Jah Vengeance / Jah Bible: Yabby You & Trinity (1980)

9) For Me You Are (Single Version) (Cover of Aaron Lebedeff & Lucy Levin / Andrews Sisters): Prince Fatty ft. Hollie Cook & Horseman (2012)

10) Tapper Roots: Tapper Zukie (1979)

11) Easy Dub: Alpha & Omega (1994)

12) Rumplesteelkin: Upsetter (1973)

13) Easter Island (Cover of 'Morning Island' by Sadao Watanabe): Rico ft. The Special AKA (1982)

 

1973: Rhythm Shower: 12

1979: Tapper Roots: 10

1980: Jah Jah Way: 8

1982: Across The Red Sea: 2 

1982: Jungle Music EP: 13

1982: UB44: 7

1989: The Hitting Line: 4

1990: The Best Of Bob Marley 1968-1972: 1 

1994: Safe In The Ark: 11

2006: Becoming A Cliché: 6

2006: Better Do Better EP: 3

2012: Prince Fatty Versus The Drunken Gambler: 9

2024: Oracle Sound Volume Three: 5

Someday Roots, Sunday Culture (47:54) (KF) (Mega)

When You Don't Have Anything Left, She's Got The Music

Almost a month through 2025 already and although there's a lot of incoming new music to be excited about, I'm still immersing myself in the albums and singles that I bought last year.

Today's selection therefore is wall-to-wall 2024 and back-to-back female voices. So many to choose from, I did an entire selection as part of my end of year round up and here are 11 more.

I got the albums by Jane Weaver and Beth Gibbons relatively late in the day, so I'm continuing to discover more about them on each listen. Others, like Ibibio Sound Machine, Xan Tyler and Jo Bartlett, I've had for some while and played and played and played them.

Isobel Campbell delivered two for the price of one, with Bow To Love available on shiny disc with a French language counterpart, Place à l'Amour. I can't choose between them, I love them both.

Of the tons of great singles and EPs out last year, the Blueprints Revisited EP by Ammonite aka Amy Spencer was a welcome discovery via a remix she did for David Holmes. David reciprocates on the EP, though I've opted here for a lovely remix by South Korean duo Salamanda aka Uman (Jimin Sung) and Yetsuby (Yejin Jang).

Anzu by C.A.R. was already a favourite in both its original version and GLOK remix by Andy Bell. Then Sean Johnston came along and delivered a couple of Hardway Bros remixes that blew the bloody doors off.

There were also a couple of international musical pairings for one-off singles that grabbed my attention. Björk (Iceland) teamed up with Rosalía (Spain) for Oral, remixed by Olof Dreijer (Sweden). Meanwhile, Tanya Donelly (USA) collaborated with Gabi Lima (Brazil) on the rousing Golden Cut. 

I've been listening to a lot of Tanya's music since I posted about her last August, revisiting her back catalogue and catching up with her 21st century music. She really is an incredible songwriter and performer.

If any of these take your fancy, click on the album/single title and buy, buy, buy!

1) Motif: Jane Weaver (Love In Constant Spectacle)

2) When You Don't (Salamanda Remix): Ammonite (Blueprints Revisited EP)

3) Reste Calme, Suis Ta Voie: Isobel Campbell (Bow To Love/Place à l'Amour (ltd 2x CD))

4) Golden Cut: Tanya Donelly & Gabi Lima (Golden Cut EP)

5) She's Got The Music: Jo Bartlett (Ghost Tapes 1 To 9)

6) Ziggy: Xan Tyler (Holding Up Half The Sky)

7) Anzu (Hardway Bros Remix): C.A.R. (Anzu EP)

8) Dejalo: Charlotte & Reinhard (Guardian Of Sleep EP)

9) Oral (Olof Dreijer Remix): Björk ft. Rosalía (Oral EP)

10) Touch The Ceiling: Ibibio Sound Machine (Pull The Rope)

11) Lost Changes: Beth Gibbons (Lives Outgrown)

When You Don't Have Anything Left, She's Got The Music (45:30) (KF) (Mega)

So Hard To Let My Old Self Go

I had planned an Edwyn Collins selection but my tech has been on a go slow - perhaps mirroring my physical and mental state after a taxing week at work (still not over) - so I've unfortunately had to park that for now and focus solely on Edwyn's new single, Knowledge.

As above, I've been slow to post about this: Charity Chic was on the case last weekend and I have to echo his sentiment in describing a new release by Edwyn as being "good news for the New Year".

Narratively speaking, Knowledge could be read as an autobiographical piece, Edwyn seemingly looking back at his life with a sense of loss for what once was,

"The more I know of this old world,

I don't feel safe,

I don't have faith"

But of course, being Edwyn, optimism and determination shine through,

"In my youth, I was shy and awkward,

Anyhow, I made it count.

That's the point,

Keep on going,

It's the same for everyone."

The video shows Edwyn in his beautiful home turf of Helmsdale in Scotland, with the latter part of the song cutting to clips of younger Edwyn performing with Orange Juice and solo as he sings "so hard to let my old self go".

This is not a regretful song: the key line in the chorus - "Knowledge is a friend of mine" - gives hope that whilst we may lose things along the way, we may gain in other respects, be it faith, wisdom or that life simply goes on.

Musically, it's classic Collins: melody, rise to chorus, joyous brass; I cannot listen to Knowledge without feeling uplifted. Edwyn's talent as a tunesmith is undiminished.

Edwyn's new album, Nation Shall Speak Unto Nation (his 10th!), is out on 14th March. It's not yet available for pre-order via Bandcamp, but you can get the physical formats (and so much more) via his website.

Wouldn't Know What Socialism Is If It Punched Him In The Dick

Lambrini Girls had a fleeting mention in last week's round up of new stuff, but I had to share this.

A couple of weeks ago, Lily and Phoebe were interviewed at Rough Trade in Bristol by the Pint-Sized Punk (Arlo to his loved ones), 14-years old and putting seasoned, grizzled music journalists to shame with his interview questions and style. Case in point:

"People* are already saying [Who Let The Dogs Out] is going to be an Album Of The Year. 

How's does it feel knowing it's going to be downhill for the rest of the year now?"

Their reactions and responses are priceless...and well worth twenty minutes of your time to watch the whole interview.

* And by 'people', Arlo is clearly referring to Jez from A History Of Dubious Taste, who said as much earlier this month. And he's right.

Today's post title comes from Filthy Rich Nepo Baby, which Lily cites as one of her favourite lyrics on the album (Phoebe defers the question as she wrote them). Here they are performing the song for KEXP last August:

Lambrini Girls were asked which of their songs they would perform as the UK entrant in the Eurovision Song Contest. Having decided that they "couldn't get away with" Cuntology 101, Phoebe and Lily settled on God's Country "because we fucking hate England" and they would "throw tons of Victoria Sponge cake at the judges" for their double standards.

The campaign to get Lambrini Girls to Switzerland for the finals in May begins now.

All hail

God's Country

Big Ben, Number 10

Oxford and Cambridge

Small talk about the weather

Outside detention centres

Union Jack, oil from Iraq

And God save the King

All hail

God's Country

Daily Mail, bacon baps

Racist uncles want their country back

Flag Shaggers

Maggie Thatcher

Oh Britannia

God save the King

"Great Britain"?

Are you sure?

All hail

God's Country

Bankers pay no tax

Grandma can't afford heating

Strong and stable, you're joking

Pizza Express in Woking

Can't afford to eat there

But a paedophile can?

All hail

God's Country

I'm sorry bestie

But it's giving austerity

Three Lions

Close the borders

Our state is lawless

But God save the King

"Great Britain"?

Are you sure?

"Great Britain"?

Are you sure?

"Great Britain"?

Are you sure?

"Great Britain"?

Are you sure?

Keep calm and carry on

While the state is corrupt

This is not democracy

And it's never coming home

"Great Britain"?

Are you sure?

Whilst the rich are getting richer

And the poor are getting poorer?

Keep calm and carry on

Whilst the state is corrupt

This is not democracy

And it's never coming home

Three Lions

Close the borders

Our state is lawless

But God save the King

"Great Britain"?

Are you sure?

"Great Britain"?

Are you sure?