R.I.P. Levon Helm

Phil writes: Another member of the legendary band follows Richard Manuel and Rick Danko offstage. One of the extraordinary things about the Band was the sheer excellence of every member. None of them was really ever the same after the surely premature decision to dis-Band, though the reformed band (minus Robbie Robertson) of the nineties was very good by any standard and I reckon they made better albums than RR.

Here's Levon Helm at Woodstock singing possibly the best Band song (and in his view, and the view of other members of the Band, like much of their material, this was a co-operative writing effort  -  like the vocals  - though, as so often, Robertson managed to get the credit).

Abba - The Visitors

Joe writes: Abba's final studio album The Visitors is reissued on Monday. Conceptually this is my favourite Abba album, being released in the year that Anni-Fred and Benny divorced (Björn had already split two years earlier). I must say, listening again, it's not the most consistent album but it does contain two classic songs of heartbreak, One Of Us and The Day Before You Came.

The Day Before You Came:

Listening again now, I'm sure this must have been the inspiration for one of my favourite Pulp songs,  Something Changed:



And here's One Of Us:

Jessie Ware - 110%

Joe writes: The new Jessie Ware tune is even better than the last one. A few people have tried to fill this niche recently but Jessie seems to be doing it right.

And a Bang* on the Ear - The Waterboys

Phil writes: Mike Scott of the Waterboys has tweeted a link to a review of his latest concert where he apparently dedicated this song to the original Lindsay mentioned in the song who was present at the concert. Great opportunity to post this rollicking song.



*A 'bang' is a kiss.

Grown Up by Danny Brown

Joe writes: Nice hip hop tune. Who does his delivery remind me of?

Everyone gets to sing with Emmylou eventually

Phil writes: The Band are no exception though this footage had to be slotted into the movie and is not of an actual performance from the concert.

CSYN - Our House

Phil writes: Our House by Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young is on some advert at the moment. Happy to say I can't remember what it's advertising - apart from this great song from an almost great band.

Plan B - Ill Manors

Joe writes: I guess this barnstorming single takes Plan B into the territory once occupied by The King Blues:

Ill Manors borrows its backing track from this German hip hop track Alles Neu by Peter Fox, which in turn samples Dimitri Shostakovich's Seventh Symphony.

yesterday The King Blues announced that they are splitting up

Joe writes: I worked with them on the album Save The World, Get The Girl which is full of great tunes and lyrics*. Here's one of its lesser known songs, The Schemers, the Scroungers and the Rats:




And here's the poem Zane Lowe played last night to mark their departure, What If Punk Never Happened:




I will always remember the first time I heard an entire crowd shout along with the words "Viva la punk, just one life, anarchy", and the last time, when they were headlining the Roundhouse in their spiritual home of Camden a few months back.

Zane played their demo a couple of times, but didn't play them again until the guy behind the counter in his local organic greengrocer said to him "Why don't you play The King Blues instead of all that rubbish you do play?". They were a people's band.


* Footnote - after George Galloway won a by-election last week I wrote on Twitter that one of my favourite King Blues lyrics is "A peace movement needs fire in its belly, but Galloway's lapping up milk on the telly" (which he did as a contestant on Celebrity Big Brother). Someone then tweeted me asking what song this is from - good question. I think it was from an early version of Save The World, Get The Girl, and they changed it before the album came out because it was no longer topical. They may have done this at my suggestion and I wonder now if it was a mistake.

The Weight - The Band

Phil writes: Watching 'The Last Waltz' again I was reminded again how magnificent The Band were, never mind all the guests. I think this is my favourite Band song and one of my all-time favourite songs period. The Staples Singers are the icing on the cake here.

Dry Your Eyes - Neil Diamond

Phil writes: I've just seen 'The Last Waltz' on a big screen for only the second time. I've got it on DVD of course, but watching that, even on a decent TV, is not quite the same thing. This must be the best ever film of a live gig, if only because of the astonishing and extraordinarily varied line-up. Neil Diamond would not seem to be an obvious choice as a guest with The Band but this is a storming performance clearly enjoyed by all concerned.

Vomit by Girls

Joe writes: I just discovered this via Shirley Manson's Facebook page. It's very Out On Blue 6.

I can't stop listening to the Swedish Eurovision entry, Euphoria by Loreen

Joe writes: Surely this will win Eurovision and become a worldwide hit.

"I'll kiss you one more time, and leave you on the rolling river shores of changes"

Joe writes: I heard this Phil Ochs song Changes when Digits covered it for a Gordon Lightfoot tribute album. Phil's version sounds ponderous once you've heard Gordon sing it.

Spose - Pop Song

Joe writes: Big tune, funny video. Do people who aren't in the music business find this equally funny I wonder?

Laura Marling - All My Rage

Joe writes: Another great single from Laura Marling

 

Ice Prince feat. Brymo - Oleku

Joe writes: This is the other current Afrobeat tune I like apart from Oliver Twist by D'Banj (I've researched this thoroughly by listening to the whole of DJ Abrantee's Afrobeats mixtape volume 1). It's by Ice Prince from Nigeria.

Kate Bush & Peter Gabriel - Another Day

Phil writes: An intriguing version of an excellent Roy Harper song.
 
 

The Smiths - I Know It's Over

Joe writes: A YouTube cover reminded me of this magical track from the album The Queen Is Dead.

Azure Blue - Chesil Beach

Joe writes: I keep listening to this Azure Blue tune Chesil Beach - great groove and melody.