El Dia De Los Muertos

Side 1 of a cassette compilation featuring Espiritu, recorded 27th July 1997, with Saint Etienne on Side 2.

Vanessa Contenay-Quiñones was the subject of my third ever contribution to the Imaginary Compilation Album series at The Vinyl Villain, posted on 26th November 2020. The ICA focused on Vanessa's wider career, but all of the Espiritu songs featured there appear on this selection too. I'll skip the Espiritu bio as it's pretty much covered in the ICA.

This compilation of singles, B-sides and remixes was pretty hot off the press; the single You Don't Get Me, which provides the closing two songs here, was released on 7th July 1997.

 

Vanessa's had an interesting and varied career since, not least with Vanessa & The O's (with James Iha of The Smashing Pumpkins) and as a solo artist, her 2020 album Voodoo Girl providing some welcome sunshine during lockdown and making an appearance in my end of year 'best of'.

1) Man Don't Cry (Album Version) (1997)

2) Bonita Mañana (7" Version) (1994)

3) Always Awake (Back To Mono Mix By Espiritu) (1997)

4) Conquistador (7" Radio Edit By Phil Harding & Ian Curnow) (1993)

5) Manifesto #1 (Single Version) (1993)

6) Baby I Wanna Live (Album Version) (1997)

7) No Crèo Mas (Demo) (1993)

8) Los Americanos (Single Version) (1993)

9) Francisca (Original Mix) (1992)

10) Another Life (Album Version) (1997)

11) You Don't Get Me (Album Version) (1997)

1992: Francisca EP: 9

1993: Conquistador EP: 4, 7

1993: Los Americanos EP: 5, 8

1994: Bonita Mañana EP: 2

1997: Another Life: 1, 6, 10, 11

1997: You Don't Get Me EP: 3, 10, 11

El Dia De Los Muertos (46:32) (KF) (Mega)

I'm Checking Out Her Rhythms

Time for some Renegade Soundwave, their first selection and only fifth appearance on this blog in total (six if you count their remix of Pop Will Eat Itself).

This selection draws from various singles and album tracks from 1987 to 1995, most of the remixes by RSW themselves. Inevitably, there's an epic remix by Andrew Weatherall, Jagz Kooner and Gary Burns aka the mighty Sabres Of Paradise.

1) Renegade Soundwave (Basstube Shakin') (Remix By Renegade Soundwave & Mark 'Spike' Stent) (1994)

2) Last Freedom Fighter (Album Version By Renegade Soundwave, Steve Osborne & Ben Hillier) (1994)

3) Probably A Robbery (Extended Mix By Daniel Miller & Rico Conning) (1990)

4) Brixton (Sabres Of Paradise Mix By Andrew Weatherall, Jagz Kooner & Gary Burns) (1995)

5) Deadly (Album Version By Renegade Soundwave & Tim Davies) (1990)

6) Kray Twins (Dragon Bass Sound System Mix By Renegade Soundwave, Karl Bonnie & Paul Kendall) (1987)

7) Positive I.D. (Book Of Isaiah Mix By Gary Asquith & Julian Briottet) (1995)

8) Cocaine Sex (Sub-Aqua Overdrive) (Remix By Renegade Soundwave, Karl Bonnie, Paul Kendall & Rico Conning) (Original Version) (1987)

9) Biting My Nails (Bassnumb Chapter) (Remix By Renegade Soundwave & Flood) (1990)

1987: Cocaine Sex EP: 8

1987: Kray Twins EP: 6

1990: Biting My Nails EP: 9

1990: Probably A Robbery EP: 3

1990: RSW In Dub: 5

1994: Howyoudoin?: 2

1994: Renegade Soundwave EP: 1

1995: Brixton EP: 4

1995: Positive Dub Mixes EP: 7

I'm Checking Out Her Rhythms (48:23) (GD) (M)

Out Of The Orbury

Hello, Orbury Common! It's only been eleven weeks since I wrote that I "will be posting about them separately sometime soon" when reviewing their excellent opening set for Katy J Pearson at the Trinity in Bristol on 8th September.

 

I can't top their Bandcamp bio, so here it is:

 

"Orbury Common is more than Bristol and Stroud-based musicians Josh Day-Jones and Emlyn Bainbridge. It’s a place rooted in their collective imagination, a warped parallel to our own world, with its own strange cultures, customs, landscapes and landmarks."  

 

Their most recent release was the 10-track EP, The Traditional Dance Of Orbury Common, in April. The description can arguably be applied to any of their half-dozen releases since 2018:

 

“It’s a bleary stumble through the nightlife of Orbury Common and aims to draw parallels between ancient rituals and raves, between holy temples and the dancefloor. It explores the primitive and visceral impulse to dance, and imagines scenes of communal frenzy, flailing limbs and vague humanoid shapes partaking in warped, beat-driven worship in the dark.”

I hadn't read this until after I'd seen their live set but yes, that all makes sense. Orbury Common's music is one that has echoes of familiarity yet is very much their own. I hurried over to Bandcamp after the gig and bought their digital back catalogue and I'm looking forward to hearing - and hopefully seeing - what comes next.

Today's selection is a 10-track, 30-minute romp over the Common. A short trip, but be careful not to lose yourself along the way.

1) Club Bucolica (2022)

2) Eloptic Shroud (2020)

3) Geoddessia (Big Sweets Remix) (2020)

4) Devil Gurning (ft. Mermaid Chunky) (2022)

5) Night Owl Drama (2022)

6) The Crooked Bayleaf (ft. Tenchpress) (2022)

7) New Moon Nudes (Single Version) (2019)

8) Playing With Friends (2022)

9) Two Beats Per Annum (2022)

10) Orbs From Up Top (2020)

2019: Building The Goddess Temple EP: 7

2020: Building The Goddess Temple (Remix Edition) EP: 3

2020: A May Stone Wrapped In Wool EP: 2, 10

2022: The Traditional Dance Of Orbury Common EP: 1, 4, 5, 6, 8, 9

Out Of The Orbury (30:54) (Box) (Mega)

Sahel Sounds Souvenir

Yes, it's Sahel Sounds Sunday. No, it's not the start of a series.

November was the first Bandcamp Friday in a long time that I didn't buy anything from Sahel Sounds, more a case of blowing my budget on other music, rather than the well running dry. I'd previously been focusing on catching up with the vast number of Sahel Sounds compilations that have been made available over the years. 

 

However, in October, I did buy a trio of artist albums by Mamman Sani Abdoulaye, Les Filles De Illighadad and Mdou Moctar. The former was a recommendation by The Swede (thank you!) and dates from 1978, sounding like something that would have come from Sheffield via The Human League or Cabaret Voltaire, rather than Niamey, Niger. Hama, hailing from the same capital city, is a natural successor, with an Eighties sound to match anything Jan Hammer and Harold Faltermeyer could put on a TV or movie soundtrack.

I've greatly enjoyed the Les Filles De Illighadad and Mdou Moctar albums and the remaining selection here continues to highlight artists that I want to explore further. And of course, it would be remiss of me not to include King Ayisoba (albeit here in a guest appearance with Atamina) as a thank you to Ernie at 27 Leggies. 

 

If you enjoy this and missed my previous Sahel Sounds selection, you can find it here.

 

1) Hey Malale: Andal Sukabe (2022)

2) Lidda: Mamman Sani (1978)

3) Afashee: Prince Buju (2015)

4) Ahiyana: Idassane Wallet Mohamed (2008)

5) Erilegh Ifanata: Les Filles De Illighadad (2016)

6) Home Witches: Asaa Naho (2016)

7) Ndougou: Fagaru Evolution (2010)

8) Terroir: Hama (2019)

9) Kamane Tarhanin: Mdou Moctar (2019)

10) Africa Problem: Atamina ft. King Ayisoba (2016)

11) Souvenir Nam Adjosa: Koudédé (2006)

2010: Ishilan n-Tenere: 7

2013: La Musique Electronique Du Niger: 2

2013: Music From Saharan Cellphones: Volume 2: 11

2016: Les Filles De Illighadad: 5

2016: This is Kologo Power!: 3, 6

2019: Ilana: The Creator: 9

2020: Sahel Sounds Label Sampler 2: 4, 8, 10

2022: Music From Saharan WhatsApp: 1

Sahel Sounds Souvenir (46:12) (Box) (Mega)

Your Cassette Pet!

Side 2 of a cassette compilation, recorded September 1991. 

 

Essentially, this is a trawl through my brother's collection of albums on tape, cherry picking favourite songs to stick on two sides of a C90. The title is nod to 1980's cassette-only album by Bow Wow Wow, which my brother didn't own and therefore isn't featured here, but I had a copy of a copy which my friend had given me.

It's an eclectic mix albeit firmly in 'alternative' territory, with Flesh For Lulu, Marc Almond (here with The Mambas), Bauhaus and Howard Devoto. I was arguably the bigger Depeche Mode fan as a teen but I bought only the singles, whilst my brother had their first three albums, all on cassette. 

Part of the appeal of cassettes was the 'double play' format, where you'd either get two albums for the price of one or a slew of bonus tracks on Side 2. Quite a few examples here: Fashion's Fabrique contained a whole side of remixes, whist Laibach paired Opus Dei with their cover of The Beatles' Let It Be album. 

 

The The's Soul Mining was perhaps the strangest of the lot. The original album on Side 1, the flip side containing 6 songs purportedly planned for The The's aborted album The Pornography Of Despair. Things get off to a reasonably normal start with the re-recorded version of Perfect. And then Three Orange Kisses From Kazan, a real WTF? moment. Initially, I was both shit-scared and morbidly fascinated by the song, but it's long since become a highlight of The The's back catalogue for me. 

 

Many of the artists have 2 or 3 songs on this compilation. This Mortal Coil is no exception, though the late inclusion of a 1:30 edit of Waves Become Wings was clearly to pad out Side 2's running time. With apologies to Lisa Gerrard, who is just getting into her stride when she's unceremoniously faded out, I've retained the edit for this recreated selection.

 

Last but not least, a brace of cover versions by Laibach (a third from Let It be is on Side 1). In both cases, they take songs - by Queen and Opus - that I didn't particularly care for and create bruising, industrial marching songs that take the clichéd phrase "...and make it their own" to a whole other place. 

 

Side 1 may take a while to come, as it features a track from Bristol-band Renegade Flight, who I saw live several times in the late 1980s and picked up a couple of their DIY cassettes from their merch stall. I think I've still got them - and a tape deck - somewhere in a box in the attic, so hopefully I can find and convert to MP3 format in the next 12 months. Just don't hold your breath!

 

1) The Sun And The Rainfall (Album Version): Depeche Mode (1982)

2) Rainy Season (Album Version): Howard Devoto (1983)

3) Subterraneans (Album Version): Flesh For Lulu (1984)

4) Something In Your Picture (Alternative Playback) (Half Frame) (Remix By Zeus B. Held): Fashion (1982)

5) Shame (Album Version): Depeche Mode (1983)

6) Geburt Einer Nation (Album Version) (Cover of 'One Vision' by Queen): Laibach (1987)

7) Who Killed Mr. Moonlight?: Bauhaus (1983)

8) Three Orange Kisses From Kazan: The The (1982)

9) Caroline Says II (Cover of Lou Reed): Marc & The Mambas (1982)

10) Waves Become Wings (Edit): This Mortal Coil ft. Lisa Gerrard (1984)

11) Opus Dei (Album Version) (Cover of 'Live Is Life' by Opus): Laibach (1987)

1982: A Broken Frame: 1

1982: Something In Your Picture EP / Fabrique (Special Edition Double Play Cassette): 4

1982: Untitled: 9

1983: Burning From The Inside: 7

1983: Construction Time Again: 5

1983: Jerky Versions Of The Dream: 2

1983: Uncertain Smile EP / Soul Mining (Special Edition Double Play Cassette): 8

1984: Flesh For Lulu: 3

1984: It'll End In Tears: 10

1987: Geburt Einer Nation EP / Opus Dei: 6, 11

Side Two (45:55) (KF) (Mega)

I Only Knew The Cat And Dog In My Life

The title of today's selection is a line from the opening song by Suzi Lane, not a phrase that you'd necessarily expect to find in a disco tune, but there you have it.

Here's just over an hour of glitter ball grooves to set up the weekend. A few familiar names: Giorgio Moroder, Carly Simon, François Kevorkian, Shirley Bassey, Tom Moulton, Meco (who discofied the Star Wars theme tune) and Tony Bongiovi (Meco's co-conspirator on one of the greatest Christmas albums of all time and second cousin to this poodle-permed rocker).

 

A couple of other artists are lying low: Carly co-wrote Tranquillo (Melt My Heart) with producer Arif Mardin and then-husband James Taylor; Ain't Nothing Gonna Keep Me From You by Teri DeSario was written by and features backing vocals from Barry Gibb.

 

The common theme with all of these songs is that, with the exception of Fly, Robin, Fly by Silver Convention (#28 between 29th November and 12th December 1975), none of them troubled the UK singles chart. In fairness, several of them weren't even released as singles in the UK. Don't let that put you off. Bin your inhibitions, hit the dancefloor (or kitchen floor, if you're at home) and party!

 

1) Harmony (Long Version By Giorgio Moroder): Suzi Lane (1979)

2) Fly, Robin, Fly (12" Promo Version): Silver Convention (1975)

3) In The Forest (Extended 12" Version): Baby'O (1979)

4) Tranquillo (Melt My Heart) (Disco Mix By Arif Mardin): Carly Simon (1978)

5) Free Man (A Tom Moulton Mix) (Unreleased Acetate 12" Version): South Shore Commission (1976)

6) A-Freak-A (Disco Version By François Kevorkian): Lemon (1978)

7) This Is My Life (Disco Remix By Meco Monardo & Tony Bongiovi): Shirley Bassey (1979)

8) Fantasy (12" Version): Bruni Pagan (1979)

9) Ain't Nothing Gonna Keep Me From You (12" Version): Teri DeSario (1978)

I Only Knew The Cat And Dog In My Life (1:02:12) (Box) (Mega)

Wilko Has Exited The Stage

A tip of the hat and a wave goodbye to Wilko Johnson, born John Wilkinson, 12th July 1947 to 21st November 2022.

 

There will be many, many tributes to Wilko out there, focusing on his work with Dr. Feelgood, Ian Dury & The Blockheads, his solo career, his incredible guitar skills and his undeniable influence, not least on punk. 

 

Wilko was also an energetic interpreter of other people's songs and in 2010 had a crack at The Beatles' One After 909. It's a pretty faithful cover version with spiky guitar stabs and well suited to Wilko's vocals. I love it.

This YouTube clip is probably popping up everywhere, Wilko appearing at David's Book Shop in Letchworth, Hertfordshire on 9th July 2012 to promote his autobiography Looking Back At Me. Wilko talks about his approach to the guitar and performs Going Back Home, co-written with Mick Green, who Wilko cites as his influence and inspiration. It's a wonderful, heartwarming five minutes.

 

It's well documented that Wilko was diagnosed with inoperable pancreatic cancer nearly a decade ago and was expecting to bow out not long after. This amazingly, brilliantly turned out not to be the case and the story is a testament to Wilko's determination not to give up, to go out fighting but also the cliché of the "medical second opinion". No-one tells the story better than Wilko, in an emotional acceptance of the Q Icon Award in 2014.

 

Whilst the news of Wilko's passing immediately resonated with those of us of a certain age and interest in music - or, it has to be said, the Game Of Thrones fanbase - not everyone got it. Journalist Robert Peston's intentionally cryptic tribute Tweet got a lot of people into a frenzy, thinking that high street retailer Wilkinson's had gone under.

 

I've never watched Games Of Thrones and I've no idea if Wilko's acting skills came anywhere close to his guitar work, but it's easy to see why he would have been a good fit visually speaking. From his mop-topped days with Dr. Feelgood to his latter years as a close shaven solo artist, Wilko was an arresting sight. The chronology is all out of whack, but Wilko always struck me as the personification of a comic character by the legendary Jack Kirby, whose art I adore.

 

I don't have much in the way of Wilko Johnson's music in my collection, certainly not enough to pull together a half-way decent selection at short notice, so I trawled YouTube for another video to close this post and came across this blistering performance from 1991, accompanied by fellow Blockhead Norman Watt-Roy on bass.

It's completely and utterly brilliant.

 

Bye bye, Johnny. Be seeing you, Wilko.

See Your Eyes Reflected In The World

I don't own any albums by Robyn Hitchcock and each time I hear one of his songs, I make a mental note that I really should get one or two. I'm still failing spectacularly.

Robyn has been a regular feature on music magazine compilations over the years, whether his own material or cover versions. This way, I have amassed a default collection of about a dozen songs by Robyn solo, with The Venus 3 featuring Peter Buck, plus the odd track with The Egyptians or going way back to his early days with The Soft Boys.

Here's a nine song selection, half original songs, half covers, some predictable, a couple more unexpected, all sequenced into forty minutes of aural delight.

I've resolved again to dive into Robyn's extensive album back catalogue. I know there are a number of Robyn Hitchcock fans out there who visit and kindly leave comments so a plea for help: any suggestions or recommendations about where I start?!

 

1) Belltown Ramble: Robyn Hitchcock & The Venus 3 (2006)

2) The Ghost In You (Cover of The Psychedelic Furs): Robyn Hitchcock (2014)

3) Let Me Roll It (Cover of Paul McCartney & Wings): Robyn Hitchcock (2001)

4) Propellor Time (Early Version): Robyn Hitchcock & The Venus 3 (2008)

5) Tangled Up In Blue (Live In The USA) (Cover of Bob Dylan): Robyn Hitchcock (1999-2000)

6) Raymond And The Wires: Robyn Hitchcock (2017)

7) Kung Fu Fighting (Cover of Carl Douglas): Robyn Hitchcock (1990)

8) Ordinary Millionaire: Robyn Hitchcock & The Venus 3 ft. Johnny Marr (2010)

9) Heaven (Live @ The Marquee, London): Robyn Hitchcock & The Egyptians (1985)

See Your Eyes Reflected In The World (40:10) (Box) (Mega)

Ain't No Blood In My Eye

Forget about Black Friday, here's The Black Keys. Dan Auerbach and Patrick Carney have been blasting their stripped back vocals-guitar-drums sound out of the USA since 2001. I belatedly joined with fifth album Attack & Release in 2008 and have periodically dipped into their back catalogue and new releases ever since.

The Black Keys are also beloved of music magazines like Mojo and Uncut, frequently troubling their cover-mounted freebie CDs. The selection of a dozen songs comes from a handful of albums and compilations, clocking in at just under three quarters of an hour. Play loud.

1) Howlin' For You (Album Version) (2010)

2) Yearnin' (Live @ WMBR Studios, Cambridge, Massachusetts) (2003)

3) Ohio (2010)

4) Meet Me In The City (Cover of Junior Kimbrough) (2006)

5) Gold On The Ceiling (Live @ Electro-Vox Recording Studio, Los Angeles, California) (2011)

6) She Said She Said (Vinyl Version) (Cover of The Beatles) (2003)

7) Remember When (Side A) (2008)

8) Just Couldn't Tie Me Down (2004)

9) Mellow Peaches (Cover of Big Joe Williams) (2021)

10) Just Got To Be (2006)

11) Bullet In The Brain (Radio Edit By The Black Keys & Danger Mouse) (2014)

12) Weight Of Love (2014)

 

2003: Leavin' Trunk EP: 6

2003: The Six Parts Seven / The Black Keys EP: 2 

2004: Rubber Factory: 8

2006: Chulahoma EP: 4

2006: Magic Potion: 10

2008: Attack And Release: 7

2010: Brothers: 1 

2010: Greetings From Akron Ohio: Home Of Devo & The Black Keys EP: 3

2011: Tour Rehearsal Tapes EP: 5

2014: Bullet In The Brain EP: 11

2014: Turn Blue: 12

2021: Delta Kream: 9

Ain't No Blood In My Eye (43:56) (Box) (Mega)

Heaven Leads To Hell

Side 2 of a mixtape, recorded 13th July 1997 and featuring a selection of 1990s favourites.

First appearance on this blog for German acid techno duo Hardfloor aka Oliver Bondzio and Ramon Zenker. Mr. Anderson was an early single on the Harthouse label, typical of the Hardfloor sound with hard beats and a chorus of Roland TB-303 bass synthesizers in the breakdown. 

 

Propellerheads aka Alex Gifford and Will White were everywhere in the mid-late 1990s, collaborating with Dame Shirley Bassey and composing the theme tune to The Graham Norton Show on Channel 4. They were also ubiquitous remixers and this, combined with Manic Street Preachers' James Dean Bradfield on vocals, helped (excuse the pun) propel Lopez by 808 State to #20 in the UK singles chart in February 1997.

A Man Called Adam aka Sally Rodgers and Steve Jones called in another duo, Glasgow heavyweights Slam aka Stuart MacMillan and Order Meikle, to remix Bread, Love And Dreams from their debut album The Apple. The sleeve of the single features Sally Rodgers' arse but there's not a single bum note (sorry, no more puns) in this remix.

 

I bought the 12" single of Sincere / 3-Wheel Crash by Robin Reliant for the sole reason that it was on the Finiflex label and it turned out to be a safe bet. Robin Hickman is joined on The Unstable Mix of the latter by John Vick and Fred Parsons aka Mr. Samples and Phunky Torso for ten minutes of progressive house, which really hits the spot.

 

Bumble were an early 1990s act that sought to marry club beats with traditional Irish music. 1992's West In Motion was released on U2's Mother label (yes, really). It caught the attention of Andrew Weatherall who provided an epic twelve minute remix, which itself laid the groundwork for his subsequent and equally epic remix of Peace Together with Sabres Of Paradise. The original cassette compilation featured Bumble's own club mix of the track, featuring Breda Mayock on vocals. I've swapped it here, mainly because I haven't ripped the 12" single in full but also because it gives me an excuse to include an alternative Weatherall mix, which appeared on a white label 12" and the CD single. 

 

Rounding things off is System 7 aka Steve Hillage and Miquette Giraudy, with the lush synth-rinsed breakbeats of Interstate, as remixed by Doc Scott. I'm a huge fan of System 7 and the duo's ongoing thirst for collaboration with contemporary artists. Simultaneously urgent and calming, this mix of Interstate is eight minutes but could have stretched to at least twice the length and not outstayed it's welcome. 

1) Mr. Anderson: Hardfloor (1994)

2) Lopez (Hard On) (A Progressive Mix By The Propellerheads): 808 State ft. James Dean Bradfield (1997)

3) Bread, Love And Dreams (Slam Mix): A Man Called Adam (1992)

4) 3-Wheel Crash (The Unstable Mix): Robin Reliant (1993)

5) West In Motion (Andrew Weatherall Drum Mix): Bumble (1992)

6) Interstate (Doc Scott Mix): System 7 (1995)

Side Two (46:55) (Box) (Mega)