I've Lost All The Fears That Appeared In The Dark

I hadn't planned on posting any "best of 2021" lists just yet. Today's selection started off as a slightly downtempo, chilled mix as a reaction of sorts to yesterday's more frenetic festive fun. There's been so much good music this year that it ended up as a kind of alternative selection of some of my favourite albums, singles and remixes from the last 12 months. I've enthused about Andy Bell, Pye Corner Audio, Jane Weaver, Kelsey Lu, Dennis Bovell, Xan Tyler & Mad Professor, Richard Norris and SAULT previously, and this isn't the first selection to end with a remix of Walking In The Sun by Andres Y Xavi, but for a done-in-one-take sequence, I'm pretty happy with the end result. 

 

The world outside is still shrouded in fog and morning dew, but the sunshine is imbuing the haze with a golden glow that feels somewhat magical. I'll take that.

1) Pervitin (The Saw Torture) (Violeta Vicci Remix): The Orb

2) Ever New (Kelsey Lu's Transportation): Beverly Glenn-Copeland

3) Golden Ratio: Chez De Milo

4) For Alice: The Affectionate Punch

5) Lux: Jane Weaver

6) I Was Alone (Pye Corner Audio Remix): Andy Bell

7) Swanky Modes (Dennis Bovell DubMix Instrumental): JARV IS...

8) Left Dub: Xan Tyler & Mad Professor

9) Meet Me At Midnight (Justin Robertson's Temple Of Wonders Remix): D:Ream

10) Never Make Promises (Interlude): Little Simz

11) All Shall Be Well: The Anchoress

12) Alcohol: SAULT

13) Stay Here (Coyote Remix): Super FU

14) Water (Pulselovers Remix): Richard Norris ft. Bishi Bhattacharya

15) It's Kinda Funny (Cover of Josef K): Douglas MacIntyre

16) Quaquaversal: James Bright

17) Walking In The Sun (Xavi's Pianopella): Andres Y Xavi ft. Rolo McGinty

I've Lost All The Fears That Appeared In The Dark (1:16:01)

Bad Santa IV

Back due to...well, absolutely no demand whatsover, it's Bad Santa, another selection of Christmas songs. Includes a few all-time personal favourites from Half Man Half Biscuit, Ramones and Belle & Sebastian playing James Brown, plus some obscurities and cover of classic Christmas songs. Pye Corner Audio, who I have listened to lots this year (thanks to Adam @ Bagging Area), bring things up to date with their 2020 festive offering. Ho! Ho! Ho!

1) A Daddy's Christmas: Albert Brooks ft. Little Kristi (1974)
2) Thank God It's Not Christmas: Sparks (1974)
3) Everything's Gonna Be Cool This Christmas (Single Version): Eels (1998)
4) The Little Drummer Boy (Album Version) (Cover of Katherine K. Davis, Henry Onorati & Harry Simeone): The Dandy Warhols (1997)
5) All I Want For Christmas Is A Dukla Prague Away Kit: Half Man Half Biscuit (1986)
6) Rock 'n' Roll Santa: Yo La Tengo (2002)
7) Zombie Christmas: Emmy The Great & Tim Wheeler (2011)
8) Santa Claus Go Straight To The Ghetto (Live on the John Peel Show, BBC Radio 1, 18 December 2002) (Cover of James Brown): Belle & Sebastian (2002)
9) Christmas In Waikiki: Morgan (2000)
10) Mele Kalikimaka (Christmas In Hawaii) (Cover of Bing Crosby & The Andrews Sisters): KT Tunstall (2007)
11) Christmas Time Is Here (From 'A Charlie Brown Christmas') (Cover of Vince Guaraldi): Khruangbin (2018)
12) Close Your Mouth (It's Christmas): The Free Design (1968)
13) Chilly Winds (Fink Remix By Fin Greenall): Nina Simone (2008)
14) Christmas Dub (Reprise): Wareika (2013)
15) Omnichord Omnishambles (At Xmas): Pye Corner Audio (2020)
16) Santa's False Teeth: Saint Etienne (2011)
17) Tawel Nos / Silent Night (John Peel Session, 2001) (Cover of traditional song): Melys (2001)
18) Johnny Shrapnel Buys Christmas: Arab Strap (2000)
19) Merry Christmas (I Don't Want To Fight Tonight) (Album Version): Ramones (1989) 

20) Xmas Bubblegum Machine: Sultans Of Ping (1993)

 

Bad Santa IV (56:59) (GD) (M)

Click on the links for the previous Bad Santa selections from 2016, 2017 & 2020

Isaac

Isaac Turner: 23rd November 1998- 30th November 2021.

 

Isaac Turner is the son of Adam, creator of the wonderful Bagging Area music blog. Isaac tested positive for COVID-19 on 24th November, the day after his 23rd birthday, and sadly passed on 30th November. His funeral is today.

 

Isaac fought for life from day one. He lived with a Mucopolysaccharide (MPS) condition called Hurler's Disease. He spent the first week of his life in intensive care and subsequently experienced bone marrow transplants, chemotherapy and a destroyed immune system as a consequence. Other effects of the condition included deafness, learning difficulties, physical disabilities and a short life expectancy. I was completely ignorant of this condition until I discovered Adam's blog and read his moving, funny, raw, painful and uplifting tales about Isaac and his family.

 

The past couple of years living with a pandemic has been tough for everyone, but especially so for Adam and his family. They went over and above every day to keep their son and themselves safe. COVID-19 is a cruel disease and it's heartbreaking that it took Isaac in this way.

 

Today is Isaac's funeral and also an opportunity to celebrate his life. To quote Adam, "Isaac faced more challenges and difficulties than most people do [but] He loved life and it showed in everything he did."

 

Adam is a huge fan of Andrew Weatherall, who sadly passed in 2020. His musical partner Nina Walsh has set up a JustGiving page and also an auction of some unique Weatherall-related items, all proceeds going to The MPS Society as a tribute to Isaac and his wonderful family. 

 

My thoughts and love are with with Adam, Lou and Eliza today as they celebrate the life of this incredible young man.

 

xxxx 

 

 

 

 

JustGiving page for The Society For Mucopolysaccharide Diseases (The MPS Society)

 

Woodleigh Research Facility (Nina Walsh & Andrew Weatherall) fundraising auction in memory of Isaac

 

Bagging Area

 

Shine Like Stars: Primal Scream (1991) 

It Feels So Good To Be Free

After a week of slipshod sequencing from yours truly, here's Spooky to show how it's done. This came as a freebie cover mounted mix CD with DJ magazine way back in June 2007. The title says it all: the set was mixed live at Auto Cinema in Monterrey, Mexico and is heavy with new tunes, including a mix of their own New Light, the original vocal version providing the title of today's post.

 

1) Pass The Suntan Lotion (Nic Fanciulli Mix): James Talk (2007)

2) Praise (Llorca Mix): Art Of Tones (2007)
3) Bhalobash (Original Version): Mike Monday (2006)
4) Blue Glass: Piemont (2007)

5) Umbrella (Spooky Remix): Chymera (2007)
6) Zoom In: Kupon (Matthew Roberts & Matt Thomas) (2006)

7) The Pressure (King Roc Mix): The Breakfastaz (2006)
8) Static (Satoshi Tomiie Mix): Planet Funk (2007)
9) New Light (Spooky's Strobelight Mix): Spooky ft. Celestine Walcott-Gordon (2007)

10) Latinhead (Tarrentella's Re-Edit): Soul Mekanik (Kelvin Andrews & Danny Spencer) (2006)
11) This World (Wighnomy Brothers & Robag Wruhme Bukklefipps Remix): Slam ft. Tyrone Power (2004)

Live At Auto Cinema, Monterrey, Mexico, 2007 (1:05:03)

Wonder What's Inside

The first Slowdive record I bought was 1993's 5 EP, featuring remixes by Bandulu and Reload (Mark Pritchard & Tom Middleton), from Way Ahead Records in Derby. The first song I heard by the band was probably the single version of Shine, which appeared on the 1991 Creation compilation Sorted, Snorted And Sported. The remix of Shine included here featured on a soundtrack to a US movie that I've never seen. I also collected most of the Volume series (Is it a book with a CD, or a CD with a book?), which includes arguably my favourite version of Some Velvet Morning, after the original by Nancy Sinatra & Lee Hazlewood. Beyond that, though, I only have one of their albums, the 2005 expanded edition of 2nd album, Souvlaki. 

 

Slowdive went their separate ways after 3rd album Pygmalion in 1995 then reunited in 2014, releasing an eponymous 4th album in 2017. The official Slowdive website has been a little quiet since then, but the band is reportedly working on a 5th album and have been confirmed in the line up for the Primavera Sound Festival's 2nd weekend in Barcelona on Thursday 9th June 2022.

 

Today's selection then is heavily weighted towards 1993, the Souvlaki album and accompanying singles, but it's an interesting and varied mix to these ears.

 

Side One

1) Avalyn 1 (1990)

2) Good Day Sunshine (1993)

3) Shine (Splendiferous Locust Mix By Mark Van Hoen) (1999)

4) Some Velvet Morning (Cover of Nancy Sinatra & Lee Hazlewood) (1993)

5) Machine Gun (1993)

Side Two

1) Dagger (1993)

2) Missing You (1993)

3) Moussaka Chaos (1993)

4) Alison (1993)

5) In Mind (Single Version) (1993)

 

1990: Slowdive EP: A1 

1993: Outside Your Room EP: B3, B4

1993: Souvlaki: A5, B1, B4

1993: 5 EP: A2, B2, B5

1993: Volume Seven: A4

1999: Splendor (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack): A3

Side One (21:48)

Side Two (21:07)

I Dream In Colours And My Dreams Are Only Shades Of You

A soulful selection today, including some popular classics by Nina Simone, Stevie Wonder and Jamo Thomas, with some songs that have only really come into my orbit in the last decade by Soul-Walkers, Patti LaBelle and The Brothers Of Soul. The latter appeared on Mayer Hawthorne's Soul With A Hole Vol. 1 mixtape, which I posted in September. Two sharp sides guaranteed to add a shuffle to your early morning, sleepy-eyed stumble and a smile to your post-work slumber.

Side One

1) Funkier Than A Mosquito's Tweeter (Album Version): Nina Simone (1974)

2) Don't You Worry 'Bout A Thing: Stevie Wonder (1973)

3) Need A Replacement: The Winstons (1968)

4) I Spy (For The FBI): Jamo Thomas & His Party Brothers Orchestra (1966)

5) Dreamer's Hall Of Fame: Jeb Stuart (1969)

Side Two

1) I'm Tired Of What People Say Or Do: Soul-Walkers (1970)

2) I Don't Go Shopping: Patti LaBelle (1980)

3) Can't See Myself Doing You Wrong: Milt Matthews Inc. (1971)

4) A Lifetime: The Brothers Of Soul (1970)

5) Rolling Down A Mountainside: The Main Ingredient (1975)

Side One (18:12)

Side Two (19:01)

They Say A Record Ain't Nothing If It's Not Touching

Many blogs that I follow have frequently posted a "Monday Long Song", so here's my contribution with half a dozen of the beauties, taking you on a journey from (according to Discogs) jazz to goth to experimental ambient dub to techno disco to Afro-Cuban psychedelic rock to hip hop in six meandering decades. Andrew Eldritch may raise an eyebrow at the unusual company, but I think it works. Or maybe that's just where my mind is at right now...

 

Thanks to The Roots for today's post title. 

 

1) If You're Not Part Of The Solution, You're Part Of The Problem (Live @ Lighthouse Café, Hermosa Beach, California, sometime between 24 & 26 September 1970): Joe Henderson Quintet (1970)

2) Never Land (Full Length Version): The Sisters Of Mercy (1987)

3) Gone To Croatan: Jah Wobble ft. Pharoah Sanders & Bernie Worrell (1996)

4) Work (Prins Thomas Diskomiks): Junior Boys (2010)

5) La Puesta Del Sol (Demo): Santana (1968)

6) Water (The First Movement / The Abyss / The Drowning): The Roots (2002) 

 

1970: If You're Not Part Of The Solution, You're Part Of The Problem: 1

1996: Heaven & Earth: 3 

1997: Santana '68: 5

2002: Phrenology: 6

2006: Floodland (Expanded Edition): 2 

2010: Work Remixes (German promo 12" single): 4

 

They Say A Record Ain't Nothing If It's Not Touching (1:09:36)

Can I Get A Hallelujah?

 

I only really properly listened to IDLES during the first lockdown and mainly because I'd started regularly visiting the KEXP site for their live in the studio performances as way of sampling new music. I should have switched on to IDLES sooner, but better late than never. The KEXP performances are great, particularly the 2019 live set from the KEXP gathering space, and I hope that I'll get to see them live in concert at some point in the future, when the world feels a little less crazy. In the meantime, if you're looking for a last minute Christmas stocking filler for a loved one, visit the IDLES website or Bandcamp page for the perfect gift.

 

When The Lights Come On / The Wheel / Meds / Car Crash (Live @ KEXP, 9th November 2021)

Model Village / Mr. Motivator / War / Grounds (Live @ KEXP, 11th October 2020)

Mercedes Marxist / Mother / 1049 Gotho / Date Night / Love Song / I'm Scum / Rottweiler (Live @ KEXP, 29th May 2019)

Heel/Heal / Queens / Faith In The City / 1049 Gotho / Television / Great / Danny Nedelko / Rottweiler / Jealous / Roy / Blood Brother / Unfaithful One (Live for KEXP's International Clash Day @ Studio 9294, Hackney Wick, London, 7th February 2019): IDLES & Heavy Lungs

Colossus / Never Fight A Man With A Perm / Television / Danny Nedelko (Live @ KEXP, 4th October 2018)

Preacher Beats

Today's selection is a David Holmes mix CD that I did for my friend Dave way back in March 2005. Dave and I met in 1998 when I joined the careers service in Bristol; he was one of the ICT team. We immediately bonded over a shared love of music, clubbing and gigs and over the years swapped a ton of mix CDs and DIY rips. David Holmes was a particular favourite, although in hindsight gifting Dave with 5 different homemade CD-Rs might have been a little excessive...

This is the third in the series, mostly collating Holmes' remixes of other artists from the years 1994 to 1999, and I love it. It's a good example of how exciting David Holmes was back then and why he's still up there today, creating music and DJ sets that make you pause and wonder at the brilliance of it all. I saw him perform live several times in the 1990s and 2000s, including a gig by The Free Association which I wrote about in a previous post. David Holmes' latest single, Hope Is The Last Thing To Die, is one of my personal musical highlights of 2021.

The other thing that Dave and I have in common is the same birthday, today. Dave sadly succumbed to cancer in 2009 and I think of him and miss him a lot. We knew each other for a little over 10 years and I will be forever grateful for that. Every birthday, I raise a drink to him and listen to music, some which came out after he passed, but which I know would make him smile and move. This one's for you (again), Dave.

1) Talk About The Blues (For The Saints And Sinners Remix By David Holmes): The Jon Spencer Blues Explosion (1999)

2) Wish You Were Here... (David Holmes Vocal): The Aloof (1996)

3) Blow The Whole Joint Up (Let's Slash The Beats Mix By David Holmes): Monkey Mafia (1995)

4) Smoked Oak: David Holmes (1995)

5) Die Laughing (David Holmes Mix 1 By David Holmes, Jagz Kooner & Gary Burns): Therapy? (1994)

6) Failure (David Holmes Remix): Skinny (1998)

7) Hoops (David Holmes Mix): Ruby (1996)

8) I Thought I Caught (David Holmes Remix): Delakota (1998)

9) Live From The Opium Den (David Holmes Main Mix By David Holmes, Jagz Kooner & Gary Burns): Justin Warfield (1994)

10) This Is Fascism (Experimental Plastic Racism) (Remix By David Holmes) (Cover of Consolidated): New Fast Automatic Daffodils (1996)

11) The Holiday Girl (Don't Die Just Yet) (Remixed By Arab Strap): David Holmes (1997)

Preacher Beats (1:19:18)

Loop Da Loop

Side 2 of a mixtape, cobbled together in 1999, and capturing my love of rolling beats. Darren Emerson has produced a 2021 highlight with his remix of That Time Of Night by GLOK, which got me digging back into his excellent remixes from the late 1990s, presaging his departure from Underworld at the start of the 21st century. This was jumping on point for today's selection.

 

This selection opens with Ben Watkins aka Juno Reactor, with a single that I was surprised to discover actually made it to #45 in the UK singles chart back in February 1997. This song particularly appealed to me at the time as it sampled Watkins' previous band Sunsonic, who I also loved. The song in question, Kind Of Loving, only made it #83 when it was released in May 1990.

I won't pretend that I was a huge fan of Sasha at the time, although I vaguely recall seeing him DJ once at Renaissance at The Conservatory in Derby around 1994. However, I really liked his remix of Talk To Me by Hysterix and his own single Magic featuring Sam Mollison (a #32 UK hit single, no less).

 

By the 1992, Thompson Twins were finally down to the core duo of Tom Bailey & Alannah Currie and had 'gone dance'; the following year, they had teamed up with Keith Fearnley to become Babble. The Saint (#53 in January 1992) isn't bad, but I think I would have bought the single more for the David Morales mixes, which elevate the song considerably.

 

I love Everything But The Girl and Walking Wounded was a revelatory album when it came out in 1996. Before Today must have been the third or fourth single, managing a respectable #25 in March 1997. Darren Emerson did a couple of mixes and this is the best of the two, even at nearly 10 minutes, feeling too short. 

 

Go was Moby's global Twin Peaks-sampling smash, hitting #10 in the UK in July 1991. This remix, under his Barracuda alias, appeared in 1992 on The Ultimate Go EP, which I got a few years later on a German import CD single.

 

Age Of Love by Age Of Love first came out in 1990 but I don't think I would have become aware of it until I heard the Jam & Spoon remix around 1992. It eventually became a hit single in the UK in July 1997, peaking at #17, and has been remixed and re-released numerous times since. This version dates back to the original Belgian release and, at only a smidge over 5 minutes, feels like it should go on for at least twice as long.

1) Jungle High (Original Mix): Juno Reactor (1997)

2) Magic (Sasha's Voodoo Dub): Sasha ft. Sam Mollison (1994)

3) The Saint (8th Street Dub) (Remix By David Morales): Thompson Twins (1992)

4) Before Today (Darren Emerson Underwater Remix 1): Everything But The Girl (1997)

5) Go (Barracuda Mix): Moby (1992)

6) The Age Of Love (Boeing Mix By Roger Samijn): The Age Of Love (1990)

Side Two (45:52) (Box) (Mega)