There's A Lifetime Of Stories Here

I bought the latest album from James Yorkston on Friday and it's been on repeat throuout the weekend.

As the title suggests, Songs For Nina And Johanna features James duetting with Nina Persson (The Cardigans) and Johanna Söderberg (First Aid Kit); Nina gets five songs, Johanna four and there's one solo from James halfway through.

It's a joy from start to fiinish, and despite it's late August release, the album is the perfect soundtrack to what has really felt like the end of summer and the start of autumn these past few days.

Both voices are a fine complement to James voice, dry, wistful, on the cusp between spoken word and trying not to disturb the neighbours. Nina lends beautiful melancholy, Johanna an exuberant uplift; the combination is a treat for the ears.

I've pulled together seven videos, spanning four songs. Starting with a surprisingly and delightfully restrained remix of A Moment Longer by Vince Clarke, and including three songs performed for Monitor Sessions in Stockholm, Sweden in June.

Go on, buy the album, your life will be better for it.

1) A Moment Longer (Vince Clarke Remix): James Yorkston & Nina Persson

2) Oh Light, Oh Light (Official Video): James Yorkston & Johanna Söderberg

3) A Moment Longer (Monitor Session, Stockholm): James Yorkston & Nina Persson

4) Love / Luck (Monitor Session, Stockholm): James Yorkston & Johanna Söderberg

5) Love That Tree (Monitor Session, Stockholm): James Yorkston & Nina Persson

6) Love / Luck (Official Video): James Yorkston & Johanna Söderberg

7) Love That Tree (Official Video): James Yorkston & Nina Persson

 

 

 

 

 

 

Bag It Up, I'll Take It

Bandcamp Friday beckons and my shopping bag demands to be fed yet again.

Here are a dozen hors d'oeuvres to whet your appetite. What else will I bring home?

1) Brand New Me (Brand New Me EP): Saint Etienne x Confidence Man

2) Better (All That Is Over): SPRINTS

3) Housin' (Planet Roll): Wagon Christ

4) Greasy Off The Racing Line (Tremor): Daniel Avery ft. Alison Mosshart

5) Weeping Roses (Lomond Campbell Remix) (Subconsciousology): Dot Allison

6) Tales Of Freedom (Cosmikuro Remix) (Tales Of Freedom EP): Jay-Son

7) Thinkin' Bout U (Mercury) (Thinkin' Bout U EP): Psychederek

8) A Moment Longer (Songs For Nina & Johanna): James Yorkston ft. Nina Persson

9) Militants (Atomized Dub) (Imploded Versions EP): The Bug vs Ghost Dubs

10) Under the Bed (Buddhist Hipsters): The Orb

11) Porcupine (Madder! EP): Sparks

12) Everybody Needs (On The Edge Of A Lost And Lonely World (Deluxe Edition)): Humanist ft. Emily Breeze

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

  

Too Punk To Funk

2007 mix, which I think I may have put together for a friend's birthday. Definitely a snapshot of a moment in time, when it was all about indie disco and big beats. The cover is a remixed image taken from the We Never Know CD single by Nicolette. A long time since I've heard some of these songs and many of the acts are now consigned to history, but I'd forgotten how good some of these remixes are.

 

1) Girl And The Sea (Cut Copy Remix): The Presets ft. Kendal Cuneo (2005) 

2) Gravity's Rainbow (Van She Remix): Klaxons (2005)

3) X-Ray (South Central X-Ray Vision 'For Those With Eyes To See' Remix): The Maccabees (2007)

4) Please (Remember 1992? Remix): Paul Hartnoll ft. Robert Smith & Lianne Hall (2007)

5) Jique (MSTRKRFT Remix): Brazilian Girls (2006)

6) Stop Me If You've Heard This One Before (A Chicken Lips Malfunction): Mark Ronson ft. Daniel Merriweather (2007)

7) Save Me (Coldcut Remix): Nina Simone (2007) 

8) Backfire At The Disco (KGB Remix): The Wombats (2007)

9) Office Boy (CSS Remix): Bonde Do Role (2007)

10) Sexy Results (MSTRKRFT Edition): Death From Above 1979 (2005)

11) Me And My Man (Whitey vs. Chromeo 'Fly Whitey' Mix): Chromeo (2004)

12) Standing In The Way Of Control (Soulwax Nite Version) (Khayem's Cheeky Re-Edit): Gossip (2006)

13) Broken Drum (Remixed By Boards Of Canada): Beck (2005)

14) You'll Never Change (Album Version): GusGus (2007)

15) Woozy With Cider (Jon Hopkins Remix): James Yorkston (2007)

 

Too Punk To Funk (1:17:42)