In My Dream

Happy birthday to Kristin Hersh, born 7th August 1966.

It was only when I had the thought of compiling a Dubhed selection for this singular talent that I realised that I haven't digitised my Kristen Hersh and Throwing Muses CDs (and I don't as yet have any albums by her other band, 50 Foot Wave). 

So instead here's a short selection of 'official videos' mostly covering her solo releases but throwing in a couple of band efforts towards the end. Oh, and in April Kristin released an EP of sessions from her 2023 album Clear Pond Road, so I've included the closing song (and Bandcamp llink) to that as well.

Your Ghost (ft. Michael Stipe) (1993)

A Loon (Strings Version) (1994)

Echo (1999)

In Shock (2007)

Ms Haha (2023)

Counting Backwards: Throwing Muses (1991)

Staring Into The Sun: 50 Foot Wave (2022)

Palmetto (Clear Pond Session) (2024)

Have a great one, Kristin!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I Wonder If They'll Ever Claim Us

Finger on the pulse as always, a YouTube catch up with Kelsey Lu brought me to Mykki Blanco and their collaboration on French Lessons from last July.

I've heard of Mykki Blanco but, apart from a guest spot on a track on Tricky's 2014 album Adrian Thaws, I don't own or have knowingly heard any of their music. French Lessons is a wonderful single (in addition to Kelsey Lu, also featuring a contribution from Anonhi) with a striking video directed by Felix Kalmenson. 

I was sufficiently intrigued to check out another single from March 2022, Family Ties, this time featuring Michael Stipe. Apart from the fact that it's great to see and hear Stipe singing again, it's another strong narrative matched by a stunning, stark video directed by Kit Monteith and Krishna Muthurangu.

 

Mykki Blanco released their fifth album, Stay Close To Music, in October 2022 with a further single to promote it. Carry On is the closing song of the album, with a guest vocal from Jónsi, Sigur Rós front person and solo artist. 

Although I take Iffypedia with a pinch of salt, it's probably a better start than any ignorant and ill-informed effort on my part to outline the basics 'about' Mykki Blanco after half an hour's onliine 'research'. Suffice to say, theirs is a complex, challenging and ultimately optimistic journey. I've also posted the lyrics to Carry On below, which tell their own story of being a Black American trans rapper living with HIV and evolving and developing as an artist in the public eye over the last ten years.

The first Bandcamp Friday of 2023 lands tomorrow. I've added Stay Close To Music to my shopping list.

 

Black and gay
I wonder if they'll ever claim us
HIV, I've got HIV, can I still be famous?
Will they wait 'til I'm dead to give me credit
These thoughts run through my head
I try to dead 'em and just bless God instead
I've been with the shits since 2012, my nigga
Made it out of personal hell, my nigga J-Lo, the cell
I figure this, life is but a gift
Let me clean my chakras so I can talk to you proper
Beware of false idols, poppin' off like they prophets
Profitin' from your pockets, that shit's not cute
That's just not you
The light inside is blinkin'
I know all these people thinkin' I'm about to show out
Clarity over clout
What's the point of being blessed if your head's a fucking mess?
Mama, cue the drama, kill the trauma
Say it like the Dali Lama
Be kind, be wise
Keep that mental temple simple
All truth no lies

 

Carry on and keep on givin' all
Go on, don't give up
Carry on and keep on to Xanadu
No chain, no lock, no leash
Carry on and keep on to Xanadu
Go on, don't give up
Carry on and I won't let you down
No chain, no lock, no leash

 

Deep sleep, the dreams I keep, dead of the night
Push me, I got to win, yo, I got to fight
For every little queer, every kid alone with fear
Every kid that's dressin' up and dressin' out, just being them
Seeing them on CNN, they spoutin' hate
This country blood was never really that fucking great
Black imprisonment, genocide, the Indian
Immigrant detention men, dope fiend these kids again
My life, young jet set and feminine
This is for my sisters, for my sisters, keep blessin' them
I look inside my soul, I ain't stressin', man
I know who I am, God bless them man

 

Give me your hand, I'll never let you go
Give me your hand, I'll never let you go

 

Carry on and keep on givin' all
Go on, don't give up
Carry on and keep on to Xanadu
No chain, no lock, no leash
Carry on and keep on to Xanadu
Go on, don't give up
Carry on and I won't let you down
No chain, no lock, no leash

No chain, no lock, no leash
Nobody gon' stop, step on my feet
Hands up, don't shoot, can't breathe
My people gon' rock, gon' win, gon' sing
No chain, no lock, no leash

 
Nobody gon' stop, step on my feet
Hands up, don't shoot, can't breathe
My people gon' rock, gon' win, gon' sing
No chain, no lock, no leash
Nobody gon' stop, step on my feet
Hands up, don't shoot, can't breathe
My people gon' rock, gon' win, gon' sing
No chain, no lock, no leash
Nobody gon' stop, step on my feet
Hands up, don't shoot, can't breathe
My people gon' rock, gon' win, gon' sing

 

Carry on and keep on givin' all
Go on, don't give up
Carry on and keep on to Xanadu
No chain, no lock, no leash
Carry on and keep on to Xanadu
Go on, don't give up
Carry on and I won't let you down
No chain, no lock, no leash

 

Carry on and keep on to Xanadu
Go on, don't give up
Carry on and I won't let you down
No chain, no lock, no leash
No chain, no lock, no leash
No chain, no lock, no leash
No chain, no lock, no leash
No chain, no lock, no leash

ElevenPercent Of EarthPercent

The biggest digital purchase I made during Bandcamp Friday was the EarthPercent x Earth Day compilation album, (re)released for 24 hours only, offering up 100 songs for £25.00. I took the plunge, figuring at best that 25p per track was a pretty good deal and if even a third of them were halfway decent, it was still a decent price. 

 

There were enough artists to pique my curiosity - JARV IS..., Dry Cleaning, Peter Gabriel, James, Brian Eno, The Weather Station - as well as a few that I'd heard of but not heard much by, plus many that were completely new to me.

 

The track listing has changed slightly since the previous release, swapping out some tracks and replacing them with new additions. It's meant that I've been spared Coldplay's contribution so I'm not complaining.

 

A whopping 17 of the 100 are given to Anna Calvi's soundtrack album for Peaky Blinders Season 5 which, isolated from the BBC TV series, has already had a few plays in it's own right so I'm already feeling that this was a worthwhile purchase.

I'm about a quarter of the way through the remaining songs and, unsurprisingly, it's a bit hit and miss. As the album is sequenced alphabetically by the artists' first names/words, I've gone for a random shuffle, listening to 45-minute, album-sized chunks over the past few days.

The big draw is perhaps Michael Stipe, who has released very little solo music since R.E.M. ended in September 2011. Future, If Future is a co-write with producer Andy LeMaster, who's only other appearance in my collection is a rejig of R.E.M.'s The Lifting, which appeared on their free download R.E.M.IX album in 2002. On a couple of listens, it's...okay. I'll leave it at that.

Today's selection is 11 songs that I've enjoyed listening to so far. I really like The Big Moon, who I've not heard before, and The Pictish Trail, JARV IS... and The Weather Station do not disappoint. Dry Cleaning made me kick myself again that I didn't see them live earlier this year. Nick Mulvey is a name that I've often seen but not heard. A Prayer Of My Own seemed like a natural choice for a closing song and I'm encouraged to check out more.

 

I've said very little about EarthPercent itself, the environmental charity founded by Brian Eno - you can read more here.

 

1) Act Now: Hannah Peel ft. Ulster Orchestra

2) Leaving (Niklas Paschburg Rework): Hania Rani

3) Her Hippo (Live): Dry Cleaning

4) This Way: The Weather Station

5) Beautiful Beaches (Conservatory Version): James

6) Nuclear Sunflower Swamp (Acoustic): The Pictish Trail

7) BIG: The Big Moon

8) Growing Pains: tummyache

9) Future, If Future: Michael Stipe

10) Depressive Disco: JARV IS...

11) A Prayer Of My Own (LaJoya Remix): Nick Mulvey ft. Liz Wathuti

ElevenPercent Of EarthPercent (45:09)