lonesome music

Scott Walker breaks my heart

2009-07-18T09:34:00.000-07:00

Do songs ever make you think in pictures? And books?
Do you ever think you're nothing more than some kind of synesthesic mess, just a big tissue of references and cross references and nothing is anything without a meta in front of it?
Or is it just me? Is it because working on a sunny Saturday afternoon just messes with your mind?

Either way, my cognitive pathways are a bit jarred.

So I hear Plastic Palace People and I see Chagall and flying people and I see young Billy Casper and hear Barry Hines' words.

It's quite a melancholic mix, let me tell you. Extraordinary. Tell me that I'm not on my own here. Anyone else?
I suppose I should just be grateful that it's not a slab of meat.

Listen: Scott Walker - Plastic Palace People

Buy, it's less than £3 and, frankly, essential.

I'm off for a long cold drink in a dark room.

Oh - for those of you who might have/heard of colour synesthesia, apparently John Donne's poems are all red and orange. But that's another post entirely.

Billy The Kid

2009-07-14T22:48:00.000-07:00

Somewhere in the early morning haze between the Shipping Forecast and Farming Today, Radio 4 told the nation that today is the anniversary of Billy the Kid's death. That was just the prompt I needed post this belter from Luke Powers - a slice of steel-drenched and sand scorched Texassee to see us on our way.

Luke Powers - Billy the Kid Rides Again (Buy)

And whilst we're on the subject, here are some other Billy-related treats:

Nic Jones - Billy Don't You Weep For Me (Buy)

Super Furry Animals - Don't be a Fool, Billy (Buy)

Bobbie Gentry - Ode to Billy Joe (Buy) (House point if you can tell me what this song is all about, please)

Read

Hope Sandoval - Blanchard

2009-07-09T01:59:00.000-07:00

I have bought many albums multiple times, but the first Mazzy Star album I think holds the record. I wore out two or three copies on tape (one of only two tapes I had whilst living in Cork, the other was Violent Femmes), then on vinyl and probably twice on CD as well (not including my wife's copy). So I'm always interested to hear what's new in the seemingly slow-moving world of Hope. I liked, but couldn't grow to love, the Bavarian Fruit Bread album from a few years back - it lacked the 'Country Music as imagined by Tim Burton' that I came to love and obsess slightly about in Mazzy Star. This new song from a forthcoming album promises a return to those soft edged vocals and burbling telecaster.
Listen: Hope Sandoval - Blanchard

Official

2009-07-03T03:08:00.000-07:00

The weather here has been hot and humid, I lay in bed with the duvet bunched up between me and my wife to act as a heat sump, we were too hot. The rain came at 3.15 this morning, we listened as my 3 year old son got up to watch the lightning out of his window for a bit in the semi-light and then went back to bed of his own accord. We drifted back to sleep worried about open windows, flash floods and our old cooker that is sat in the back garden. Last night our sleep was a little too salty.

I guess I'm going to have to get my 'Summer of Joni Mitchell' underway with some appropriate songs by current artists. Shannon Stephens' is from her new album, The Breadwinner, coming out on Sept 8th. The Blue Roses album is out July 21st.

Listen: Shannon Stephens - In the Summer Heat

Listen: Blue Roses - Doubtful Comforts

Shannon Stephens on MySpace
Blue Roses on MySpace

Fur and Steve - Travelers

2009-06-26T09:13:00.003-07:00

A summer's Friday night is surely the time for a bit of dancing round the kitchen. So, let's have some big cowboy hats and guitars, yodeling and harmonies and, oh, some fiddle and trumpet to see us our way.

Fur and Steve make fantastic country-soaked folk songs about big highways, big heartbreak, the lure of home and the love of friends. It's impossible not to be charmed. Besides, how can you resist a woman called Fur?

Extra points for the trumpet on the album opener and first song posted here.

Listen: Fur Dixon and Steve Werner - Journey to Another Side

Listen: Fur Dixon and Steve Werner - Homesick for the Highway Blues

Buy

Official

Midnight shakes the memory

2009-06-22T12:18:00.000-07:00

As a madman shakes a dead geranium.

I seem to have done a fair bit of dead geranium shaking recently (literally and figuratively) and my northern exploits have meant that I've seen a fair whack of midnight sun.

So, let's have some songs about the witching hour to celebrate the nights drawing in.

Listen: Porter Wagoner - Midnight (this is an absolute corker)

Listen: Rhonda Vincent - Midnight Angel

Listen: Buddy Holly - Midnight Shift (oddly, this seems a bit racy)

Listen: Julie London - 'Round Midnight

Buy some Porter, some Rhonda, some Buddy, or, oh yes, yes, some Julie.

Charlie Wadhams Darkness

2009-06-16T02:11:00.000-07:00

A lovely weekend that's taken all of Monday to wear off. That's my son Noah, asleep on the train home from Central London after seeing the London Eye (too young to go on it yet), a lovely lunch and running across Waterloo Bridge.

To keep the soothing thoughts going here's a track from Charlie Wadhams' ep In a Goldmine, that you can download for free from his official website. You can also see the lovely video for the lead track Someone to Kiss.

Listen: Charlie Wadhams - Darkness

Official

MySpace

Rain and Snow

2009-06-06T04:01:00.000-07:00

Last weekend, when this country was having the flags proverbially cracked, I was up to my thighs in snow on top of a glacier. Funny how things go, isn't it?

Obviously this post is just an excuse for me to ramble on about Iceland and The Lonesome Sisters, possibly two of my favourite favourite things. I'd encourage you all to have a go at both.

If you've been hanging around here for a while, you'll know our love of this lot. It's where it all began and how we found our blog name. So, on the off chance that you haven't had the pleasure yet, then do give this a whirl for top-notch old-timey bluegrass harmonies.

Listen: The Lonesome Sisters - Rain and Snow

And whilst we're about it, here are some more snowy delights.

Listen: Emmylou Harris - Roses in the Snow

Listen: Hank Snow - Miller's Cave.

Please buy The Lonesome Sisters, splash out on some deluxe Emmylou or get your hands on some essential Hank Snow.

Gibson Brothers - Ring the Bell

2009-06-04T00:58:00.000-07:00

Apologies for going a bit quiet lately, normaly I'd blame work, but the real reason is that I've been playing my new guitars a bit too much. I've got one of these and one of those. So that's it for a very, very long time. Anyway here's Noah's first non pre-school specific request for music in the car, he's got great taste already. This is the title track from their new album, that I'm very much looking forward to hearing.

Check the official website for some fantastic earlier album covers.

Listen - Gibson Brothers - Ring the Bell

Buy It
Official

Alasdair Roberts - Spoils

2009-05-27T03:34:00.000-07:00

I missed Alasdair Roberts at Homegame so was very pleased to see him in Leeds last night. Picture the scene - room above a pub, fantastic Victorian tiles all round, skinny bloke in directional jeans who looks like he could be in, oh, Maximo Park, gets up and starts singing, well, this. Astonishing.

It's not often that you get the words saturnine and sarcophagi in a song, clever bugger. Top marks all round.

Listen: Alasdair Roberts - So Bored Was I [Dark Triad]

And because every day's a school day, the Dark Triad is the group of personality types that are associated with 'bad boys' - narcissism, Machiavellianism and psychopathy. It's always the quiet ones.

Buy

James Blackshaw interview on Radio 4

2009-05-26T13:16:00.000-07:00

God bless the BBC - an interview with James Blackshaw. Here on BBC - Today, think John Fahey meets Philip Glass.

Listen: James Blackshaw - Cross

Karine Polwart at Homegame

2009-04-20T12:50:00.000-07:00

When your very favourite things are (1) being by the sea, (2) being with friends who just get it, (3) easy pints and (4) music, then Homegame is just about the perfect festival.

I'm just back from a euphoric few days up in Anstruther where I developed a bit of a crush on Karine Polwart. (And several other Fence-y types, if truth be told). But Karine's the one to post up here - a breath of folky beauty; clear, beautiful and with a huge generosity and warmth.

Listen: Karine Polwart - The Light on the Shore

Listen: Karine Polwart - Follow the Heron

Buy Faultlines or Scribbled In Chalk from Karine's website - more downloads there too.

Love + Hate = Hate

2009-04-08T05:37:00.000-07:00

Yet another corker from King Creosote. Any song that starts with lyrics about an internal magnet that pulls you north is going to be a winner in my book.

Love, loneliness, regret, northern lights and cats to a swirly backing with extra accordian. Sigh.

Listen: King Creosote & HMS Ginafore - Aurora Boring Alias

From an album with HMS Ginafore (filed under 'various artists'). Buy it direct from the Fence Records website.

Anyone else coming to Homegame?

Lonesome Mixtape on When You Awake

2009-04-03T10:13:00.001-07:00

We were delighted when Jody from the fantastic When You Awake asked us to do a mix tape - what an honour. So, if you want more of us, head on over for a kind of Lonesome best of.

It’s made up of songs that we’ve posted over the years and especially loved. We’ve missed out a firm family favourite (Brand New Love) and we would have liked to have featured some more recorders, but we're secretly quite pleased with how it turned out.

Here's the link.

First - Chill - then Stupor - then the letting go

2009-04-02T03:35:00.001-07:00

We love a spot of spectral backing vocals here at Lonesome.

And Rex Harrison, of course.

That's all. Enjoy.

Listen - Frankie Laine - High Noon (Buy)

Listen - John Leyton - Johnny Remember Me (Buy)

Listen - Bonnie 'Prince' Billy - Strange Form of Life (Buy)

Tribute to Utah Phillips

2009-03-20T03:27:00.001-07:00

Oh my. Now here's a tearjerker. Utah Phillips (folk musician, activist, pacifist, hobo, freight train hopper, union organiser and all round good guy) spends 40 years touring, hits hard times, falls ill, his musician pals rally round to record a fundraiser, it grows to become a big project that attracts luminaries of the folky/country scene, it's fantastic, Phillips dies before he can hear it. Sniff.

All profits are going to his family - do yourself a favour and get your hands on a copy.

Please listen.

Listen: Will Brown, Cindy Kallet and Grey Larsen - Going Away

Listen: Sparky and Rhonda Rucker - Reuben's Train

Listen: Ed Trickett - The Telling Takes Me Home

Buy

More Bettelheim than Ariel

2009-03-19T04:45:00.000-07:00

Has there ever been a more exposed and less impressive piece of public art than the Little Mermaid? She looks a bit cold to me. And she's not had an easy time of it all round - never mind the dancing on bleeding legs, just look at the view she's stuck with. The people who chopped her head off a few years ago probably thought they were doing her a favour.

Listen: Josh Rouse - Camping in Copenhagen

Listen: Josh Rouse - Come Back [Light Thearpy] (Best use of the word serotonin in pop ever).

Buy

The Lonesome collaborative playlist - Spotify

2009-03-16T04:07:00.000-07:00

I've been using Spotify for a few weeks, it scrobbles by last.fm and lets me listen to loads of old country blues and classical whilst at work. It allows collaborative mixes - so if you are using spotify and have some recommendations/suggestions feel free to put them on and I'll give them a try. Spotify doesn't have complete coverage so I don't expect it to replace people emailing mp3s any time soon, but there are some great songs. I've started just by adding a few songs with the word lonesome in the title.

The Lonesome playlist

All About Collaborative Playlists

Valentiger

2009-03-13T03:28:00.002-07:00

It's a rare thing indeed that we post videos, particularly of such an upbeat song, but this video was the first time I heard (and saw) Valentiger. I was there thinking 'too upbeat for lonesome' but the song was really strong, the guitar really cool and there was a Jonathan Richman/David Byrne kind of thing going on that I found interesting.

The Album from which it comes - Power Lines to Electric Times has some more lonesome style tracks - two of which are posted below, but I'd recommend pretty much all the songs on the album.

So what else can I say to persuade you of merit? The album managed to bring to mind Crooked Rain Crooked Rain without the lyric

Listen: Valentiger - Courses

Listen: Valentiger - Never Ready
Official

Buy it

The Water Callers - Springboard

2009-02-27T04:01:00.000-08:00

Close harmonies? Tick.
Pedal steel? Tick.
Spot of banjo? Tick.
Real life brothers? Tick.

Right then, can't argue with this. We're onto a winner with the new Water Callers album. It's no-nonsense americana in its finest sense and it draws a line straight from the Everlys (swoon) to the Avetts. Enjoy.

Listen: The Water Callers - Look, Sweet Girl

Listen: The Water Callers - She Was the One.

If you're lucky enough to live in North Carolina, you can buy from local shops like Chaz's and Offbeat in Durham. For those of us not in the triangle (or even the right continent), mosey on over to their MySpace page or buy their last one from CD Baby.

Some more AMC

2009-02-21T02:26:00.000-08:00

We don't always get too many comments left on Lonesome, but we do get lots of emails - we love hearing from you. And it's always a pleasure to hear from fellow AMC fans.

So, for Marc, here are a couple of the songs from the second CD released as part of a set for Johnny Mathis' Feet back in 1993.

Listen: American Music Club - Dallas, Airports, Bodybags (Home Demo)

Listen: American Music Club - The Amyl Nitrate Dreams of Pat Robertson

There's a whole set of Mercury demos available, too, if you're feeling completist. For everyone else, and just on the off-chance that you haven't got it yet, hurry on over and download Everclear free here.

Should I, after tea and cakes and ices,

2009-02-20T03:10:00.000-08:00

Have the strength to force the moment to its crisis?

Cor, this week has been a long and hard one.

But life is better with a cup of tea.

So, which songs have I missed?

Listen: Neil Halstead - Elevenses

Listen: Tindersticks - Tea Stain

Listen: The Kinks - Afternoon Tea

Listen: Kings of Convenience - I Don't Know What I Can Save You From. (If you haven't heard this for a while, give it another listen; I'd forgotten how good it is).

Download the Halstead Transmission, and buy Tindersticks, Something Else, and/or Quiet Is the New Loud. And put the kettle on.

A lonesome valentine

2009-02-14T00:36:00.001-08:00

Time for a lonesome valentine.

Let's not forget that it's not all roses.

Listen: American Music Club - Keep Me Around

Listen: Dolly Parton - When Someone Wants to Leave

Buy AMC's Mercury and Dolly's Jolene.

Dory Previn - The Lady with the Braid

2009-02-08T12:33:00.001-08:00

I found myself singing this to my best girl friends this weekend and was met with blank looks. Now to be fair, this is far from a rare occurence, but it is one that can easily be put right.

So - Dory Previn, yes as in Andre (pre-Mia) - quietly bonkers, hugely melodic, good on the words. A fine 1971 vintage of total lady folk quality.

Hand crocheted indeed.

Listen: Dory Previn - The Lady with the Braid

There's a new compliation out which would be a good place to start - buy it here

Claire Holley - Hush

2009-02-06T10:05:00.000-08:00

Is Mississippi the showboat state? I can't remember. Either way, there's nothing overtly showy about this one, just plain, unabashed, good quality songs. Claire Holley's discography goes back a decade, but I confess this is the first I've heard of her. And I'll be seeking out some more.

Just when you think it's all sugar sweet girl acousticness to do the crossword to, you'll tune into the lyrics and feel a bit, er, unsettled. Delightful.

Listen: Claire Holley - Wedding Day
Listen: Claire Holley - Edge of a Storm

Buy
Official