Everything Flows

Named after the debut single by Teenage Fanclub. 1,000+ blogs! This blog is all about being a music lover in Glasgow; reviews, interviews, memories, old faves, new discoveries (past & present) and more. Thanks for visiting - I hope you discover something amazing you've never heard before, or that you rediscover an old favourite. Regular features/playlists; Never Ending Mixtape / Cover Version of the Month/ Trust Me. Twitter - @murrayeaston Email - murrayeaston {AT} gmail {DOT} com

Tuesday 27 August 2024

Oasis - the reunion

The only way to keep them together?

And so ... it's on.

Oasis are back and their reunion will make a lot of people extremely happy, some very rich, some fans very poor (tickets won't be cheap - prices are notably not being announced in advance of tickets going on sale!) and it will no doubt piss off a few people as well.

I have mixed feelings about it. I always thought that Noel would adopt the approach of Paul Weller, his friend and idol, who has passed up numerous offers to reform The Jam.

However, an Oasis reunion is on a completely different scale. In fact, it may well be off the charts. Early indications are that Noel and Liam will each make 50 million in 2025. Noel, as songwriter, will likely make even more from the increase in streaming, radio plays and album sales.

I'll have a look for tickets, but I'm not excited by paying loads of money to stand miles away from them in a stadium or field. Will there be VIP golden circle options?! How much will they be? Will they play warm up shows?

Truth be told, I found the 8am announcement this morning a little cold. I hope that Liam and Noel will come together for a press conference in advance of tickets going on sale, or issue a full press release with details about how their reunion has come about. The photo (below) to accompany tour dates being announced looked photo-shopped. It turns out that the brothers were in the same room for a shoot. Hopefully they smiled at some point!

The contrast between the Roses press conference to announce their reunion and the accompanying Penny Smith photos of them hugging and laughing is stark. I was also super excited about the Roses reunion, but that was due to the fact that I never caught them live. I kind of did Oasis and got the t-shirt; the small shows, breakthrough shows and Knebworth.

So, while I'm pleased that Liam and Noel are getting together again, I'm not excited ... yet. I suspect that will change when I see them together, laughing, joking, vibing off each other.

Why are people excited by an Oasis reunion? It's the question that TV channels, radio shows and countless social media accounts have been asking.

Well, here are 6 immediate reasons;

Passion and Personality

Liam and Noel kicked down doors that were (and are) very much barricaded to working class kids from a council estate. They had a label (Creation) who believed in them and encouraged them to be true to themselves and their roots. Indeed, Alan McGee wanted their debut single to be Bring It On Down rather than Supersonic. He loved the Pistols punk vibe and the lyrics;

You're the outcast

You're the underclass

But you don't care

Because you're living fast

The Gallagher brothers were up for it, in more ways than one. They gigged relentlessly, took all the drugs they could get their hands on, did all the media going and kept on partying.

Their interviews were hilarious. They spoke like normal people! They'd slag off other bands, talk about girls they fancied, big themselves up, talk about their love of The Beatles, Adidas trainers, Clarks desert boots and their Mam. They wore 'normal' clothes, which Noel beautifully reflects on in the Supersonic documentary when they arrive at Knebworth virtually wearing the same clothes they had on when they started the band. They regularly shopped at M&S!

Oasis were a different world to 'indie' bands or grunge. They were real, authentic, very funny and soulful.

Escapism

The world is a pretty f**ked up place at the moment. Losing yourself in music and songs is arguably even more important than ever. Oasis songs, especially the early ones, were all about dreams and escapism. It's why they have stood the test of time.

Live Forever - Cause I just wanna fly

Fade Away - Fantasy was real, now I know much about the way I feel

Rock n Roll Star - In my mind my dreams are real

Slide Away - We'll find a way, of chasing the sun

Sad Song - Cause it's all just the same at the end of the day

Noel could write something off the cuff that became vital and anthemic, whether the dreamy lyrics of above, or something like stand up beside the fireplace, take that look from off your face line from Don't Look Back In Anger, something his Mum used to say to him. That line is immediately followed by the beautiful;

You ain't ever gonna burn my heart out

As Noel said in an early interview; "It's about the man in the street. When the milkman is whistling your tune, you know you've done it."

We didn't really know what a Wonderwall was, or what it meant to be walking down the hall, faster than a cannonball, or what a champagne supernova was. It didn't matter. When Liam sang, we knew, we connected.

Those songs, that voice

You can wait for a lifetime, to spend your days in the sunssshhhiiiiiinnnnneeee

In his recent interview with John Robb, Noel memorably describes his own voice as being like a half pint of Guinness on a Tuesday afternoon. While Liam's is like 10 shots of Tequila on a Friday night!

Liam Gallagher's voice was remarkable. Oasis played 288 gigs across 1994, 1995 and 1996 and Liam's voice just got stronger and stronger, despite his appetite for drugs and alcohol.

When Liam sings lines like; I only wanna see the light that shines behind your eyes it's spine tingling. He looked incredible and he sounded even better. Like no-one before or since.

Liam did become a bit of a caricature of himself, in appearance and voice. In later years his voice seemed shot, but he has worked hard on his lifestyle to get it back, he sounded great on the DM30 tour.

Of course, 30-years on, it is different, but Liam singing Noel's songs is very much the main reason that people are excited by the reunion.

The brothers gonna work it out

I'd love Oasis to walk on stage to The Chemical Brothers Leave Home with the refrain the brothers gonna work it out blasting from the speakers.

Oasis fans worldwide are thrilled that the two Gallagher brothers are speaking to each other again. Never mind the fact that we will undoubtedly have hilarious press conferences and interviews, they will be rehearsing, there might be small and intimate warm up shows (they won't immediately go and play a stadium ... will they?!) and the concerts.

They will also be delighted for their Mum Peggy. Noel and Liam have always spoken so fondly of their Mum, from their very first interviews. It must have been heartbreaking for her not to see them getting on.

Blood's thicker than mud, it's a family affair

The tension

Noel and Liam's relationship has a lot of tension in it! Even the new photos show that! Are they happy about this?! For all that these shows have been booked and tickets are going on sale, the fact is - the relationship will be tested between now and next summer! They will be in the same room A LOT and they are bound to have arguments at times. That's just Liam's nature, he can't help himself. How will Noel react? How will Liam react to Noel's reaction?! Will they make it to next summer? Will it all implode?

But ... that's all part of the charm and attraction. When it comes to the Gallagher brothers, and Liam in particular, you just don't know what is going to happen!

But with tens of millions of pounds at stake, I'm sure the shows will go ahead by hook or by crook!

The first time - a new generation

Lets not forget that for many, this will be their first choice to see Oasis. Many will have seen the brother doing their thing, but not together.

Many people of my age (and older) have introduced younger people to Oasis. Liam's shows attract scores of teenagers pining for Oasis songs. DM30 gave them a a healthy taste, now for the main course!

Friday 23 August 2024

Since Yesterday - The Untold Story of Scottish Girl Bands

The stars of Since Yesterday

Those of you who visit my blog regularly will likely know that I have a younger sister, Carla, who I am immensely proud of. Carla has a fierce creative energy that burns incredibly bright. Over the last 7 or so years, quite a lot of that energy has been invested in the making of a documentary entitled SinceYesterday - The Untold Story of Scottish Girl Bands alongside her friend Blair.

While filming a music video together, an off-the-cuff remark along the lines of 'someone should do a film about Scottish girl bands' resulted in the duo beginning to track down and interview members of bands from the 60's up to present day.

Their time, energy, resilience, empathy, hard work and patience was rewarded earlier this week on Wednesday 21st August when their documentary premiered as the closing film at the Edinburgh International Film Festival.

Photo by Euan Robertson

What began as a hobby quickly became quite serious, as Carla balanced being a music obsessive with top notch detective skills. Carla would phone me up enthralled to tell me about her day with Jeanette McKinley from The McKinleys who released Sweet and Tender Romance on Parlaphone in 1964. A young Jimmy Page played guitar with them, they supported The Beatles and played on Ready Steady Go! and with The Stones at Wembley Arena.

Sweet & Tender Romance by The McKinleys (audio)

Then Carla would tell me about The Ettes who were super DIY punk, Lung Leg who burst out of grunge and riot grrl, Sophisticated Boom Boom, His Latest Flame, The Hedrons and the wonderful tale of getting in a car with Rose from Strawberry Switchblade. Maybe that will make the book ... as there will be so much recorded that didn't make the film.

In 2021 I helped Carla and Blair take their project to the next stage by managing a kickstarter for them. 659 generous people raised almost £29,500 to allow them to develop animation, clear archive footage and bring other people on board. Suddenly, a film was appearing.

Fast forward (and it didn't feel so fast when Carla and Blair were spending weeks on end locked in an editing suite! ) 3-years and the film has arrived!

Since Yesterday is a global story told through a local lense. It's emotional, beautiful, funny, soulful, defiant and it gives a voice to some astonishingly creative, resilient and wonderful women.

The documentary redefines success, celebrating landmark achievements that have been overlooked by the Scottish music scene and the wider industry at large. Sophisticated Boom Boom (morphing into His Latest Flame) were the first band to play The Barrowland as we know it, as they were the support act for Simple Minds. This is something that I am positive the good folk at The Barrowland will look to highlight in the venue after watching the film.

There are harrowing stories about sexual abuse being common at gigs, bands being dropped (or not even being signed) because a member was pregnant or 'could become' pregnant. Rightly, the film highlights the severe lack of diversity in publishing and at festivals.

There are memories of how it felt to get in a room and make a noise with friends, reflections on tours, using cardboard boxes for drums and lots of funny stories - Rose McDowall could do stand up! While I love The Hedrons being interviewed together, they come across as a real gang and they giggle their way through the interview - laughing at the absurdity of 12-songs taking them around the world, but then recoiling in horror as they recall the reason why major labels rejected them.

Peel sessions, demo tapes, Smash Hits covers, Top of the Pops, supporting The Stones, Mick Jagger's catwalk, offers, rejections, fall-outs, make-ups, fanzines, touring, fun .... Since Yesterday covers all this and much, much more.

The interviews are moving, everyone opens their hearts to the camera. Carla's passion for music, her own experiences and strong feminist values must have helped with this. Blair has done a magnificent job in filming and congratulations to all the team for pulling together the interviews, old footage, memorabilia, photos and animation to create something that flows beautifully.

Since Yesterday brings us right up to the present day; Hen Hoose, Amplifi, The Cords and many more. Wonderful teenagers and women who are creating, fighting, advocating, inspiring, pushing boundaries and looking out for each other. The DIY ethic and sense of communities that are being created is exceptionally inspiring; focusing on safety, support, platforms and encouraging creativity and co-working.

Who knows? Maybe in 20-years time there will be another documentary about them.

Who knows where this film will go? Who will it inspire? But right now, my sister and her friends have united Scottish girl bands from the 60's to present day. They have told their stories and documented them on a film that has brought them together. That in itself, is a remarkable thing. I am intrigued as to what will stem and flower from the energy and community that I was part of for a while at the premiere. Well done to all involved.

I'm super proud of Carla and I am super proud of my youngest daughter Rosie who appears throughout the film, discovering all kinds of Scottish girl bands along the way and making friends to form her own band.

Rosie (natural poser!) and her Aunt Carla on the red carpet

Who knows if Rosie will form a band later in life?! She was buzzing at and after the premiere where she met so many strong women. The film could well position these women as role models for young girls who watch it over the months and years to come.

Here are some links (below) to interviews that Carla and Blair did ahead of and at the premiere. Lots more news to come!

The Skinny - interview by Fiona Shepherd

The Herald - interview by Lorraine Wilson

Snack Magazine - interview by Andrew Reilly (page 53 - August edition)

BBC - feature and interviews by Jonathan Geddes

The Guardian - feature and interview by Katie Hawthorne

Holywood Reporter - interview and feature by Lily Ford

Film Authority - feature

The Herald - 5 star review by Barry Didcock

Monday 19 August 2024

I Just Don't Know What To Do With Myself

Cover version of the month #99

The White Stripes cover Dusty Springfield

Yet another cover version where I discover that who I thought was the original artist to record and release a song, was actually covering it.

I Just Don't Know What To Do With Myself came to my attention in 2003 when The White Stripes released the song as a single, taken from their Elephant album that also spawned the massive Seven Nation Army.

At the time, Jack White spoke in interviews about the song as being a Dusty Springfield cover version. While that is true, it turns out that there is an interesting story behind the song, before it was recorded by Springfield.

Written by the legendary Burt Bacharach and Hal David in 1962, the original version of the song was recorded by an artist called Chuck Taylor. That version was then shelved, until the brilliant Kent Records released it in 1984.

However, back in 1962, Taylor's vocals were removed from the song and a singer called Tommy Hunt recorded his vocals over the top. Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller produced the single, but it failed to chart, despite the top notch songwriting and production team. However, truth be told, neither of these versions do it for me.

Fast forward to 1964 and Dusty Springfield is well in with Bacharach and David, having recorded a number of their songs. Bacharach mentioned I Just Don't Know What To Do With Myself to Springfield. The seed was well and truly planted, the song was recorded and her version reached number 3 in the UK singles charts.

Springfield breathed new life into the song. Much like Love did to Bacharach's My Little Red Book (originally recorded by Manfred Mann and blogged on here).

I'm so used to doing everything with you

Dusty's voice soars effortlessly at times, she drops it down at others and you know it will rise again, often in tandem with the beautiful music arrangement; drums crash, horns and strings float and the whole song just flies along. There is so much more soul and urgency in the Springfield version in comparison to the Chuck Taylor or Tommy Hunt 1962 recordings.

Dionne Warwick greatly benefited from the Bacharach and David song catalogue and seemed to be the perfect singer for many of them. So it should be no surprise to learn that she covered the song in 1966.

Warwick seems so assured, like a confession, like she is talking directly to the love who has left her this way. Springfield's version is a little bit more gutsy, like she is also giving herself a good talking to.

Listen to Warwick's voice from 1-minute 36 seconds after a delicious brief drum roll and pause. It is so effortless, gliding, soaring, swooping ... so beautiful.

I just don't know what to do with myself

I don't know what to do with myself

Baby if your new love ever turns your down

Come on back, I will be around

Just waiting for you

I don't know what else to do

Fast forward to 2003 and The White Stripes have broken through following the release of mega hit Seven Nation Army. Always a band to wear their hearts on their sleeves, performing and releasing many cover versions over the years, The Stripes followed their mega hit with their version of I Just Don't Know What To Do With Myself.

It wasn't just their raw garage rock n roll soul sound that captured my attention! The accompanying promo film was a work of art. Shot in black and white by acclaimed director Sofia Coppola, the video features supermodel Kate Moss looking absolutely sensational in black underwear, strolling around and eventually pole dancing. Moss is super seductive, oozing sex appeal, the way she moves and the way she holds the camera in her gaze is pretty breathtaking to watch.

White Stripes - I Just Don't Know What To Do With Myself (official video)

The change in the middle eight is amplified as Jack distorts his guitar, screams for all his worth and Meg pounds on the drums. Absolutely glorious!

Like a summer rose

Needs the sun and rain

I need your sweet love

To feel all the way

The Dusty Springfield, Dionne Warwick and White Stripes are added to my Everything Flows Cool Cover Versions playlist on Spotify which also features all of the songs listed below. Search for the title or CLICK HERE

Previous covers of the month blogs

1. You've Lost That Lovin' Feelin'

2. Going Back To My Roots

3. Nirvana play The Vaselines

4. Slip Inside This House

5. Top 10 covers by Teenage Fanclub

6. Only Love Can Break Your Heart

7. Time For Livin'

8. Sound and Vision

9. All Along The Watchtower

10. I Am The Walrus

11. Guiding Star

12. You’ll Never Walk Alone

13. Hurt

14. This Guy's In Love With You

15. I Wish I Never Saw The Sunshine

16. California Soul

18. Wonder wall

19. Dancing In The Dark

20. Always On My Mind

21. Ceremony

22. Heroes

23. Different Drum

24. Wild Horses

25. Respect

26. Mr Tambourine Man

27. I Heard It Through The Grapevine

28. Superstar

29. Twist and Shout

30. Purple Rain

31. Baker Street

32. Not Fade Away

33. Stop Your Sobbing

34. I Don't Want To Grow Up

35. Serious Drugs

36. Dancing With Myself

37. How Does It Feel To Feel?

38. Love Buzz

39. ABBA-esque
40. Jumpin' Jack Flash

41. Discoland

42. Varshons 2 by The Lemonheads

43. The Langley Schools Music Project
44. Witchi Tai To
45. Our Lips Are Sealed
46. Sunshine Of Your Love
47. Here Comes The Sun
48. I Think We're Alone Now
49. Don't Let Me Down
50. It's Oh So Quiet
51. Alcoholiday
52. Summer Holiday
53. Who Do You Think You Are?
54. Head On
55. Nothing Compares 2 U

56. Hey Jude

57. Seven Days Too Long

58. L.O.V.E Love

59. Into Your Arms

60. Heart Of Glass

61. Take Me To The River

62. We Can Work It Out

63. Talking In My Sleep

64. Lola

65. Lost In Music

66. My Little Red Book

67. Isn't It A Pity

68. Walk On By

69. Walk Away Renee

70. Tainted Love

71. Girls Just Wanna Have Fun

72. Listen The Snow Is Falling

73. Mrs Robinson

74. He's Gonna Step On You Again

75. In My Life

76. Caravan Of Love

77. The Only Way Is Up

78. Dancin' Round & Round

79. With A Little Help From My Friends

80. Killing Me Softly

81. Ain't No Mountain High Enough

82. Drop

83. Sittin' On The Dock Of The Bay

84. Sympathy For The Devil

85. I Bet That You Look Good On The Dancefloor

86. Love Will Tear Us Apart

87. Indian Rope Man + bonus Strawberry Fields Forever + This Wheels On Fire

88. Can't Take My Eyes Off Of You

89. Love The One You're With

90. Cum On Feel The Noize

91. Addicted To Love

92. Valerie

93. Ride On Time

94. Let's Dance

95. It Must Be Love

96. I Fought The Law

97. For What It's Worth

98. Do Your Thing

Monday 12 August 2024

Brilliant debut singles part 3

Welcome to part 3 of my new regular feature on brilliant debut singles. When bands/artists appear with a song that is absolutely perfect.

Part 3 features 2 of my favourite bands - Teenage Fanclub and LCD Soundsystem, along with Boston, The Box Tops and Depeche Mode.

I've started a Spotify playlist HERE

Part 1 featured; The Doors, The Undertones, Pet Shop Boys, Stardust and Tracy Chapman

Part 2 featured; Booker T & The MG's, The Jackson 5, Kate Bush, Radiohead and The Sex Pistols

Part 3 features 2 of my favourite bands - Teenage Fanclub and LCD Soundsystem, along with Boston, The Box Tops and Depeche Mode.

11. Everything Flows by Teenage Fanclub

Released in 1990 by Dave Barker's Paperhouse Records, Everything Flows lay down a marker and set a high bar for Teenage Fanclub.

Everything Flows kicks in like it has already been going for a while, like we have burst in on a Fanclub jam. Norman Blake sounds wise beyond his tender years as he sings with poignancy about the passing of time; contemplative and reflective, with honesty and soul.

You get older every year

But you don't change

Or I don't notice you changing

I discovered Everything Flows the following year, just before the band released Bandwagonesque. The chorus still rings so true all these years down the line. I didn't have a plan at 15, I don't really have a plan at 48!

I'll never know which way to flow

Set a course that I don't know

Everything Flows is only 2 verses and choruses (with the second repeated a few time) and then, from 3-minutes 25 seconds, things kick into overdrive with the glorious sound of Norman and Raymond's dueling guitars for almost 2-minutes. They could go on for 2-days and I don't think I'd tire of it.

Teenage Fanclub close their live shows with Everything Flows. It's a chance fof fans to attempt to pogo like days gone by, for the band to jam on (their 2014 Bandstand version seemed to go on for 10-minutes) and for both to unite in the the sublime sound of raw melodic guitars.

Bonus - reminiscing about the Bandstand show caused me to search YouTube and look what I found!

Live on The Beat Room

Live at Kelvingrove Bandstand 2014

12. Losing My Edge by LCD Soundsystem

Everything about this song is cool, clever and funny. Murphy's spoken word, the vast variety of synth sounds, the beats and the way it somehow all hangs together and sounds brilliant.

Over 8-minutes Murphy tells a tale of paranoia - is he losing his edge?

Murphy highlights what his paranoia is based on - hip young kids from France, London, Tokyo, Berlin and Brooklyn coming through in the music scene, but he then balances that by repeatedly coming back to reflect how hip he was/is.

I was there in 1968

I was there at the first Can show in Cologne

Is Murphy losing his edge? How can he be? He was there at the first Suicide practices in a loft in New York City, working on the organ sounds. He was the first guy to play Daft Punk to the rock kids at CBGB's and everyone thought he was crazy.

The squelchy synth bass is slightly distorted, sounding super cool as Murphy yells I was there!

Murphy goes on, trying to convince himself as well as those listening. He's never been wrong, he heard everything first, he was in the DJ booth at Paradise with Larry Levan.

Yet then there are better-looking people with better ideas and more talent. Paranoia that we all face as we get older!

As the song develops, through Murphy's inspired rant, the music builds in tandem, that squelchy distorted bass continues though, underpinning everything.

I heard that you and your band have sold your guitars and bought turntables

I hear that you and your band have sold your turntables and bought guitars

Murphy asks, have you seen my records? Then listing a number of bands and artists ending with The Sonics, The Sonics, The Sonics, The Sonics before the song veers off into a glorious hook you don't know what you really want that is repeated time and time again.

Official video / Full length version / Live at Madison Square Garden

13. More Than A Feeling by Boston

Riding in on a sublime chiming guitar riff, More Than A Feeling is quickly into the bridge to the chorus, with the bridge being an incredible guitar riff following the line;

I close my eyes and it slips away

The chorus is sky scraping with backing vocals repeating lead line and song title.

It's more than a feeling (more than a feelin)

When I hear that old song they used to play (more than a feeling)

I begin dreaming (more than a feeling)

'Til I see Marianne walk away

The chorus slows for a final line - I see my Marianne walking away

A fizzing guitar solo kicks in after the second chorus. The guitar playing really is sensational throughout - intro, bridge riff, solo ... it all sounds utterly incredible.

The third verse really hammers home how much the singer/author regret letting Marianne slip away. This was more than a feeling. It was the real deal. What a song!

A little known fact is that this massive HIT was a DIY home production. Songwriter Tom Schulz had a home studio. The production is first class and Schulz also creates a spine tingling feel (pardon the pun).

Official video

Remastered audio

14. The Letter by The Box Tops

Alex Chilton was only 16-years old when he delivered this astonishing vocal performance for The Box Tops debut single. Coming in under 2-minutes, The Letter flows superbly. Chilton sounds like a veteran soul singer, hurting bad as he comes in after a mere 4 second intro.

The structure of the record is incredible. I can't decide what is the chorus. It's like there are two choruses, then a bridge. Chilton and The Box Tops don't pause for breath, it's straight back to the opening chorus, bridge and then the first chorus again. There is a simple and effective introduction of strings over a keyboard riff for a lovely 20-second outro. And that's it, 1-minute and 52 seconds of brilliance. BOOM!

The Box Tops - The Letter (Upbeat TV 1967)

15. Dreaming Of Me by Depeche Mode

Released in February 1981 on Mute Records (Mute 13), Dreaming Of Me starts off quite spacey, as if an astronaut is trying to tune into a frequency (over beats) to speak to colleagues back on earth. Then, 11-seconds in, Vince Clarke starts to play a super catchy synth riff that plays throughout the song after each verse and chorus.

Dave Gahan's vocals sound just nicely detached, the lyrics to the verses are a little abstract, yet everything comes together as a pop song with the melody, synth riff and the dreaming of me hook in the chorus.

The production (by the band with Daniel Miller) is absolutely exquisite. There is a freshness to everything. This is pure Pop (with a capital P) with Vince Clarke as the conductor. Clarke is an absolute pop genius and he left Depeche Mode by the end of the year, after the release of debut album Speak & Sell to go on and form Yazoo and then Erasure.

Depeche Mode went down a very different path following Clarke's departure. I guess it is safe to say that it worked out well for both parties. Martin Gore took over the responsibility of songwriting and whereas Clarke's songs were very thought out and structured, Gore would only enter the studio with the words and melody, leaning more into the producer, his band mates and the studio as a tool to create and experiment.

However, as debut singles go, the fact that this still sounds so fresh and interesting over 40-years down the line speaks for the quality of the song and production. Outstanding left field pop music.

Dreaming Of Me (remastered video)

Friday 9 August 2024

Never Ending Mixtape part 92

Hola, Bonjour, hey, hi, hello

Welcome to the latest additions to my Never Ending Mixtape, my Spotify playlist that I add to on a regular basis and do a round up monthly blog.

The playlist has jumped from 3,896 songs to 3,934 with Attack Of The Glam Soul Cheerleaders by Ette. AKA my sister Carla J Easton. I enjoyed revisiting her Homemade Lemonade album recently. Recorded with friend Joe Kane in a garage lock up, the album has a real freshness to it.

So we are fast approaching 4,000 songs on a playlist/mixtape. To think of the hours I used to spend making C90 tapes for family and friends. With this playlist, if I'm listening to something I like, I just add it on. No thought goes into the song order.

As a result, you'll find a super eclectic playlist with all kinds of music. I like to just stick it on shuffle and see where it takes me.

As always, I hope you discover an incredible song you've never heard before, or that you rediscover an old favourite that you haven't listened to in ages.

Here are some of this months additions.

Search for Everything Flows Never Ending Mixtape on Spotify or CLICK HERE

Recent discoveries

Death of an Interior Decorator by Death Cab For Cutie

Together by Nine Inch Nails (thanks to the incredible soundtrack on The Bear)

Nobody's Baby by Sharon Jones and the Dap Kings

Live On by The Flying Stars Of Brooklyn NY

If I Got It, Your Love Brought It by Aaron Frazer (pictured below)

New releases

Dreamers On The Run by BMX Bandits

That's How I'm Feeling by Jack White

Superstar by Hinds (pictured above)

Old favourites

Flutes by Hot Chip

Every Night by Paul McCartney

I Say A Little Prayer by Aretha Franklin (pictured below)

Instant Karma by John Lennon

Thursday 8 August 2024

Such Great Heights

Trust Me #76

Such Great Heights by The Postal Service

Such Great Heights bubbles into life with a persistent and beautifully bubbling synth riff that is allowed to run for a full 23-second before bass and a slightly distorted beat are slowly introduced. All coming to fruition at 40-seconds as Ben Gibbard begins to sing about being hopelessly head over heels in love.

I am thinking it’s a sign

That the freckles in our eyes

Are mirror images and when we kiss they’re perfectly aligned

Gibbard is a prolific singer-songwriter who began releasing music in 1997 under the moniker Death Cab For Cutie in the form of a cassette titled You Can Play These Songs With Chords. Gibbard seems to have barely paused for breath since!

Included in Ben’s discography are 11 albums with Death Cab For Cutie (which became a band after his cassette release), 5 solo albums (including one that covers Teenage Fanclub’s Bandwagonesque in its entirety) and Give Up by The Postal Service.

Gibbard was particularly prolific in 2003 when he released the aforementioned Give Up, the sole album by The Postal Service and Transatlantic by Death Cab For Cutie.

To celebrate the 20th anniversary of these albums, Ben is taking them on the road, including a show at The Hydro in Glasgow. Being such a fan of Teenage Fanclub, Ben has invited the band to support them. Surely he’ll be joining them for a song or two?!

Ben also wrote the absolutely stunning Me & Magdalena (video) for The Monkees 2016 album Good Times, released to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the band. Norman has covered it several times, so that could potentially be another collaboration at The Hydro?

Anyway, back to Such Great Heights, I remember downloading it on iTunes. I can’t remember how I discovered it. I used to go on iTunes binges as they would cleverly let you listen to 20-30 seconds of the song to entice you to check it out and download if you liked it. So, I think it came from an iTunes binge and I subsequently bought Give Up on CD.

Such Great Heights has Ben missing the love of his life as she is out on the road. He hopes she hears this song on the radio and it will guide her home.

Official video

The song breaks to a cracking scratchy guitar solo at 2-minutes 31 seconds. It sounds beautifully out of sync in comparison to Gibbard’s crystal clear melodic vocal and the sublime synths. Once finished, the slightly distorted beats return for one final run through the chorus and everything slowly fades to leave the synths bubbling away, as per the intro.

There is something about this song that just grabs me; the synth sounds, heart on sleeve declaration of love, Gibbard's vocals, the beats and guitar .... it all combines gloriously. Interestingly, the band/project name came through Ben's collaborator Jimmy Tamborello writing and recording instrumentals and sending them to Gibbard as DAT's via post. Gibbard would edit and add vocals and then post them back. Jenny Lewis also came into the project and became an official member of the band.