Snowed Under

Actual picture taken by me of actual snow

I'm sorry. I've been too busy Tweeting about #uksnow to write a blog post - it's pathetic, it really is. And in other news I've had to computerise the mother-in-law's LP of The Very Best Of Manuel And His Music Of The Mountains since she no longer owns a record player. And Mrs H wants to get kittens. So as you can see, there have been many demands on my time.

I've gone on about all of my favourite snow records (Bon Iver, Aretha) here before, and I really do think it's still a bit early to post Low's 'Just Like Christmas' (even though it's not really a 'Christmas' record).

Can I offer you this as a sort of flip to Ms Ally's ?

Thank you for your understanding.

The Durutti Column - 'Sketch For Winter' (1980)

Meanwhile...

I don't think words are necessary here x

Shake!

WHAM!

Otis ain't messin' around.

And me? I shall require a beverage.

Otis Redding - 'Shake' (1965)

Oh Mersey

Having built up to it nicely with a weekend of listening to Echo & The Bunnymen, the Teardrop Explodes, China Crisis and, er, Gerry & The Pacemakers, I have just ordered Paul Du Noyer's book about Liverpool music from Amazon Marketplace.

So we best have this.

Wondrous indeed.

And not just the quiff.

Billy Fury - 'Wondrous Place' (1960)

Sweet Soul Music

POW!

And if you hear faint crackles, you are hearing a hundred dodgy styluses in a hundred dodgy halls where I played this in my youth and they never failed to dance.

Arthur Conley - 'Sweet Soul Music' (1967)

I shall require a beverage.

Sweet Irma

It's all about the Soul this week.

This song and Bettye Swann's 'Tell It Like It Is' are always connected in my mind since I first heard both on a Stateside compilation I know I've mentioned here before.

Sweet Irma. Still going strong and 70 years young in Feb.

Irma Thomas - 'Wish Someone Would Care' (1964)

Bettye Blue

Blue blue blue.

This came on tonight and was just right.

I work hard all day
Stay home every night
Lord knows I try to do the thing that's right
So tell , tell me baby
What is my life coming to?

It'd be unexceptional sung by almost anybody else but Bettye's definitely one of my top five favourite singers, and don't ask me who the others are, but Frank and Marvin'd be in there for sure.

Bettye Swann - 'What Is My Life Coming To?' (1967)

Potato Roasting Music # 2

In this exciting new series, we post music that sounds good on Sunday whilst a person is roasting potatoes*.

This week -

Davy Graham - 'Anji' (1964)

[*If you ask me, there's too much salt on those]

Slight Reprieve

Well, it's been a strange week, but one that seems at least for now to have ended a bit less grimly than it began.

We have kept that wolf from the door one more time - but we know he's still prowling out there, hungry, and the winter could be hard.

We best light a fire with the coal we have, eh?

-------

I'm afraid I've been a soft old Hector these last few days, flattened by some bug but working, worried about money and Mum, and only my faithful old musical friends Frank, Nat and Tom have fit my mood.

So this ain't no glitzy disco nor bassy funk (can I be excused?) ; but it is kinda Friday, if you think about it.

Leave the porch light on for me x

Tom Waits - 'I Can't Wait To Get Off Work (And See My Baby On Montgomery Avenue)' (1976)

Unforeseen Circumstances

Back before too long I hope.

Potato Roasting Music # 1

In this exciting new series, we post music that sounds good on a Sunday whilst a person is roasting potatoes*

This week...

John Martyn - 'Just Now' (1971)

* I like mine with a dash of rosemary and a garlic clove centre-dish, for flavour. I always parboil first, but not for too long.

Meanwhile...

I've definitely posted this before, but I'm blowed if I can find when.

Searching For The Young Ska Rebels

A bunch of white Brummies singing in cod Jamaican accents notched up a number 25 hit with this Gus 'Space Oddity' Dudgeon-produced blue-eyed ska tune in 1968.

There's a rocking rhythm, pumping Hammond and brio in the brass.

All of which I rather like.

The Locomotive - 'Rudi's In Love' (1968)

'I Was Counting On You Being An Insubordinate Bastard, Palmer'

Lovely mini-series over at Drew's on songs that sound like they're from soundtracks to 60s spy films. This really is, of course. It's a great one for playing in your head as you step suited and booted from the train arriving at Platform 17, in my experience.

John Barry - 'The Ipcress File' (1965)

You Get What You Give

Right, so. This lot have been lurking in comments, and on me iPo, for the best part of a week. And back in the day, the lead singer was lurking in Miss Ally's supermarket, apparently. Tchh. It wouldn't happen in Waitrose.

Anyway, let's let it all out, eh?

Which is your favourite?

I'm torn between The Orb's and the second part of the Two Parts, chiefly on account of Wobble.

Primal Scream - 'Higher Than The Sun' (American Spring Mix) (1991)
Primal Scream - 'Higher Than The Sun' (Higher Than The Orb) (1991)
Primal Scream - 'Higher Than The Sun (A Dub Symphony In Two Parts)' (1991)

It's all being re-released and re-toured*, blah, you knew that.

*which probably means I'll have to pull this in two days' time.