Radiohead's In Rainbows album sleeve

as I've just been sent Radiohead's album sleeve, here it is:


and here's my favourite track from the album, which is their best since OK Computer

Radiohead - House Of Cards (buy from iTunes - yes, Radiohead are on iTunes with In Rainbows)

I hate live recordings except for this one

I mean, what's the point? It's like taking a photo of a painting through the window of an art gallery at night, when the lights are off.

I see there's a Garth Brooks compilation out in the UK this week. This gives me an excuse to post one of my favourite songs of all time, The Dance. It's such a great lyric and, I think, the right philosophy to have about relationships (better to have loved and lost...). The original studio version of The Dance is almost perfect but if you want that, buy the album. I've posted a live recording - one of the few I like - where Garth manages to preserve the basics of the original version, while the crowd of what sounds like millions sing along to every word. It's incredibly exciting.

Garth Brooks - The Dance (Live) (there is basically no Garth Brooks music on iTunes at present)

The Dance was written by Tony Arata. You can hear his version of the song and buy his CD at CD Baby.

almost a month on, I can officially announce that the best track from In The City 2007

is Mielato by Patrizia Laquidara



(not on iTunes UK so here's a link to iTunes Italy)

Put A Penny In The Slot by Fionn Regan

I first heard Fionn Regan when Jonathan Ross played this track on Radio 2, and it's still my favourite track of his. Now it's his new single.

Fionn Regan - Put A Penny In The Slot (iTunes)

Anna Ternheim

Anna Ternheim is playing some UK dates soon. More details on her MySpace.

I love her track Shoreline. I first heard it in a weirdly sped up version which I downloaded from somewhere or other. It's a cover of a song by Broder Daniel who were described to me as a Swedish equivalent of The Stone Roses - i.e. very influential on Swedish guitar music without achieving massive sales.

Anna Ternheim - Shoreline (Radio Version) (not on iTunes UK yet)

Anna Ternheim - Shoreline (sped up version) (definitely not on iTunes)

Broder Daniel - Shoreline (iTunes)

two great but very different records for fireworks night on Monday

The Force & Styles record is probably my favourite happy hardcore record. I heard it first on John Peel.

I've never been sure about Embrace but the closest I came to being sure about them was this song.

Force & Styles - Fireworks (not on iTunes sadly)
Embrace - Fireworks (iTunes)

Leona Lewis

I had written Leona Lewis off but Bleeding Love is one of the singles of the year.

This could also be a no. 1 for her if released - a cover of Run by Snow Patrol recorded for Radio 1's Live Lounge yesterday.

Leona Lewis - Run (click here to hear the whole Live Lounge session on Radio 1 Listen Again for a limited time only)

click here to buy Bleeding Love on iTunes

David Ford

I'm a big fan of David Ford. I like the passion and the vitriol. Here's the best track from his new album, a real anthem called I'm Alright Now which I think is his new single in the UK. And the best track from his debut album, which was one of my favourites of that year, I Don't Care What You Call Me, in its full glory (over six minutes long).

David Ford - I'm Alright Now (the label asked me to delete the mp3 link so here's a link to the video on YouTube (iTunes)
David Ford - I Don't Care What You Call Me (iTunes)

Paul Simon dance bootlegs

I really love both of these but I'm posting the links now mostly so that any recent visitors to the blog know it's not just about country music.

Paul Simon - Diamonds Dub by Tangoterje (iTunes link for the original, and a link to buy the vinyl)

Georgie Glamour feat. Simon & Garfunkel - Silence (iTunes link for the original)

Alison Krauss

is a wonderful pure-sounding vocalist who is about to have a no. 2 album chart entry in the US and the UK with Robert Plant.

Other blogs have featured tracks from that album so here are some classics from her catalogue.

Her early compilation Now That I've Found You was successful in the UK, and paved the way somewhat for the later success of Eva Cassidy, then Norah Jones, and then Katie Melua. A great cover of Baby Now That I've Found You was the single which I think I'm right in saying was playlisted by Radio 1. Her cover of Keith Whitley's song When You Say Nothing At All was also great, and inspired Ronan Keating's later hit version. I bet that's the first mp3 blog post to mention both Ronan Keating and Katie Melua.

Her cover of The Three Bells was on an album called Tribute To Tradition that only seems to be available second hand at present. It's a straight cover so I've posted the Browns original as well, but they're both magical. When you're as good as Alison, you can afford to keep it simple.

Finally, Down To The River To Pray (which should be called Down In The River To Pray) was on the phenomenally successful Oh Brother Where Art Thou soundtrack.

Alison Krauss - When You Say Nothing At All (there's only a live version on iTunes but it sounds OK)

Alison Krauss - The Three Bells (not on iTunes)

Jim Ed Brown & The Browns - The Three Bells (iTunes)

Alison Krauss - Down To The River To Pray (iTunes)

country music death no. 2: Frank Callari

Frank Callari has also died. Frank managed Ryan Adams and Lucinda Williams so here are two of their best tracks.

Ryan Adams - New York, New York (iTunes)

Lucinda Williams - Greenville (iTunes)

country music death no. 1: Porter Wagoner

Porter Wagoner has died. I don't know Porter's own material that well but he helped bring Dolly Parton to America's attention and inspired her song I Will Always Love You - two amazing claims to fame as far as I'm concerned.

Dolly claims that Elvis Presley wanted to record I Will Always Love You but this fell through when Dolly refused to give up a share of the writing credit on the song. Maybe it was karma when, many years later, Whitney Houston made it one of the biggest hits of all time. Whitney or whoever did the vocal arrangement could have asked for a share of the writing in the new version because they add some wonderful melodies.


Porter Wagoner - I've Enjoyed As Much Of This As I Can Stand (iTunes)

Dolly Parton - I Will Always Love You (iTunes)

Whitney Houston - I Will Always Love You (iTunes)

Cham - Ghetto Story

I've had this track on my computer for 18 months but I've only just round to listening to it properly. What an incredible vocal.

Cham - Ghetto Story


(iTunes)

Republic Of Loose

I was pleased to see that Republic Of Loose have finally found a champion in the British press in Lisa Verrico.

They are a truly amazing live band on their day, and Girl I'm Gonna Fuck You Up from their debut album is a solid gold classic as far as I'm concerned.

Republic Of Loose - Girl I'm Gonna Fuck You Up (not on iTunes so here's a link to buy the album from Amazon)

(If You Want It) Do It Yourself

(If You Want It) Do It Yourself is a really good Gloria Gaynor track that should be much better known. There's a dance version soon to be released so perhaps the original will be better known before long. Wonderful verse, awesome chorus, a lyric that says a lot, and I'm not normally particularly interested in videos or YouTube clips but skip forward to 2.05 in the below and you'll see why I've posted this one:



Gloria Gaynor - If You Want It (Do It Yourself) (iTunes - and there's at least one awful re-record on iTunes as well so make sure you buy the right version which clocks in just under six minutes)

Midlake (updated)

I didn't like Midlake until I heard playing in a second hand clothes shop the other day (thanks to Shazam for identifying it for me).

Despite having grown up an indie kid, I don't really get that whole North American indie intelligentsia Arcade Fire/Interpol/Shins/Bright Eyes thing apart from a couple of tracks here and there. This is one of those tracks - it's kind of beautiful.

It also reminds me a little of The Last Time I Saw Richard by Joni Mitchell, possibly my favourite track from possibly my favourite album of all time, Blue

Midlake - Bandits (iTunes)

Joni Mitchell - The Last Time I Saw Richard (iTunes)

Warren Beatty vs Carly Simon vs Helen Reddy

Carly Simon had had breast cancer when she recorded The Bedroom Tapes album, so called because a studio had to be built in her daughter's old bedroom to enable her to make the album. She thought it might be the last album she was able to make, and used it to settle some old scores. There are some wonderful and vitriolic tracks on there, my favourite of which is Scar. You're So Vain is famously rumoured to be about Warren Beatty and I have it on good authority that Warren may also be the old flame who makes an unsavoury appearance in Scar.

Carly Simon - Scar (not on iTunes US - which surprises me as the album gave her a commercial comeback there - or UK which doesn't surprise me as the album was barely released here)

Carly Simon - You're So Vain (iTunes)

I discovered Helen Reddy recently and mistook her voice for Carly Simon's at first.

Helen Reddy - Angie Baby (iTunes)

Love Becomes A Savage

Stephen Duffy's group The Lilac Time have a new album so here's my favourite Lilac Time track, Love Becomes A Savage.

buy from iTunes

Blueberry Pancakes

I heard Blueberry Pancakes by Fink on Colin Murray's Radio 1 show last night. A singer songwriter track with pleasant echoes of the grunge era.

buy from iTunes

Rogue Wave

I downloaded Publish My Love by Rogue Wave weeks ago and finally got round to listening to it tonight. I've forgotten why I downloaded it but I'm glad I did - it's good, but not as good as another track I found by them tonight, California.

buy California on iTunes