Magic!

Phil writes: I should have posted Love Letters by Ketty Lester with the Lennon track below:

new Rumer video for Aretha

Joe writes: Similar to the Slow video, but much better

both songs are wonderful

Lennon's 70th

Phil writes: An appropriate time to post this amazing song. There was a decent enough piece about it by Laura Barton in the Guardian recently but she is too young to have been around when his great solo album appeared and to have experienced the shock of this track. There may be echoes of the 'Love Letters' riff but this is a unique and flawless number (and the other tracks are pretty stunning too):

The King Of Spain

Joe writes: Pete Lawrie just told me about The Tallest Man On Earth. I know I'm late on this but I love it. Beautifully simple. A big talent.

Hugh Harris

Joe writes: Big thanks to Emma Kamen who this evening introduced me to Mick Jones (from The Clash, not the one from Foreigner) and then introduced me to this brilliant forgotten track Rhythm Of Life by Hugh Harris. What a day!

Villagers

Joe writes: I did listen to the Villagers album but it's possible I didn't get as far track 10, That Day. Fearne Cotton just played it and it sounded great.



It reminds me of this:

First Be A Woman by Leonore O'Malley

Joe writes: Thanks to Jocks for introducing me to this fabulous (no other adjective will do) track by Leonore O'Malley.

It's worth getting the Horsemeat Disco 2 compilation just to get a good quality mp3 of this.

Nein Mann by Laserkraft 3D

Joe writes: Interesting video and beat

Fuck You

Joe writes: Imagine how huge this would have been if it had been the follow up to Gnarls Barkley - Crazy

love this Sleigh Bells track Tell 'Em

(posted by Joe)

I love the Die Antwoord single

Joe writes: Well done to Radio 1 for adding this



and also Alors on Danse by Stromae in its brilliant original French language version

Taio Cruz - Dynamite

Joe writes: Not only is this the best Taio Cruz single yet but it sounds like a standard to me. It reminds me of Ring Of Fire.

It was written by Cruz, Max Martin, Bonnie McKee, and Dr. Luke, and produced by Dr Luke and Benny Blanco.

Paul Simon

Joe writes: Whether you judge it influence or on quantity of great songs written, Paul Simon is one of the ten greatest artists of the rock 'n' roll era.

He also made a painfully accurate film about being a (fading) rock star, called One Trick Pony. It wasn't available for years but you can now buy the DVD on Amazon.com (you'll need a US or multi-region DVD player though). Here's a scene from it:

The soundtrack to One Trick Pony was possibly Paul Simon's least successful album but it's his second best, after Graceland - every song is a killer.

Rumer does a brilliant cover of Long Long Day from One Trick Pony:

While looking at Paul Simon videos on YouTube, I came across this joyous performance of Diamonds On The Soles Of Her Shoes. Brilliant dancing and even better music:

a reminder about Rumer

Joe writes: I wrote about Rumer on this blog back in March:

http://worldsgreatestmusic.blogspot.com/2010/03/worldsgreatestmusic-writes-i-love-rumer.html

just saying!

I loved reading about Rumer on the A&M Records forum

A second consecutive Laura Marling single that I love

Joe writes: wonderfully retro yet modern and, despite the title, not at all depressing

Joe writes: I've just been doing what everyone else did five years ago

and spent a bit too long watching old clips on YouTube

Aretha Franklin doing I Say A Little Prayer on The Cliff Richard Show:



Nick Cave doing The Ship Song on Songwriters Circle:



Billy Bragg doing Levi Stubbs' Tears:

nice production by Bloodshy & Avant on Sky Ferreira's debut single One

(posted by Joe)

I love the Alicia Keys single

Joe writes: So good it could have been written by Prince in his prime

great song

Joe writes: I may have posted this song before but I think it's great and could even become a standard

Let Me Be Your Lover by Tom Hickox:

Joe writes: I wasn't a Laura Marling fan until now but I love Rambling Man