Named after the debut single by Teenage Fanclub.
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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
Trust Me #31 - The State We're In by The Chemical Brothers w/ Beth Orton
The Chemical Brothers have worked with Beth Orton on a number of occasions over the years. I was reminded of how well they gel when I started watching the excellent BBC adaption of Adam Kay's This Is Going To Hurt the other night. You'll find it on the iPlayer. It's emotional, gripping, real, funny and it has an excellent soundtrack.
In one episode a shattered and fragile Kay stumbles from his work into the dying embers of his friends stag do. The State We're In by The Chems kicks in, a psychedelic folk ballad spliced with electronic goodness. What a choice of song to portray this moment, it works beautifully.
I must have listened to it a dozen times this week. 6 minutes 27 seconds of genius. Lysergic, dreamy, trippy, gentle yet euphoric ... Orton's voice rises and falls at all the right moments, in all the right ways, the Chems bring the beats in just when you need them and create all kinds of glorious noises as they go.
Orton earned the tag of comedown queen in the 90's, The State We're In is the perfect example of why, yet the closing 85 seconds see The Chemical Brothers lift the song to the stars - sublime.
Never said it was sunshine but you took it all of the time
All of the time, all of the time, all of the time
You took it all of the time
Beth Orton's beautiful Trailer Park and Central Reservation albums are being reissued on Record Store Day on 23rd April.
You'll find a list (and links to) of all the previous songs featured in the Trust Me series below.
And you can check them all out via my Spotify playlist by searching for Everything Flows - Trust Me or by CLICKING HERE
I was driving around the other day with my Never Ending Mixtape on shuffle and all of a sudden Wide Open by The Chemical Brothers with Beck came blasting out of my car speakers.
I marvelled at the song and, not for the first time in relation to a Chemical Brothers collaboration, questioned 'what if?'
What if Beck and The Chemical Brothers had got together for an album?
It is something I have thought about many times in relation to Chemical collaborations, particularly in relation to the mesmerising, pulsating, modern psychedelic masterpiece The Golden Path, their work with The Flaming Lips from their Singles 93-03 compilation in 2003.
What if some bright spark had suggested - that really is incredible, lets get together for a week or so and see what we can come up with? I suppose at that time that both the Chems and the Lips were riding high and touring constantly on the back of their success, so that option never materialised. What if?
A full list of Chemical Brothers collaborations is listed below. Here are my own top 5;
1. The Golden Path
Wayne Coyne from The Flaming Lips takes on lead vocals with bandmate Steve Drozd on backing vocals. The song flows superbly and takes the listener on a trip, much like the dreary office worker living in a grey world and dreaming in technicolour glory. Coyne and Drozd apparently sent the Chems a demo thinking they would get another chance to improve on it, but the Chems called them back ecstatic - and that was that.
2. Life Is Sweet
Tim Burgess was into the Chemical Brothers from the off, partying at the Heavenly Social and getting them to remix and produce some Charlatans tunes; Patrol, Nine Acre Court and the Time For Livin' cover being those I remember off the top of my head.
Life Is Sweet is a match made in heaven. The beats and groove suit Burgess, his vocals, melody and style are perfect for The Chemicals. The beats, synths and bass combine in a funky flowing way
I'm driving in the sun
It's a hell of a way down south
Bring me back my love
3. Out Of Control
Bernard Sumner is someone who responds very well to opportunities to work with others. He is a bit of a studio boffin and I love his work with Electronic and more recently a collaboration with Hot Chip on the brilliant Didn't Know What Love Was - check the video to that HERE.
As for Out Of Control, it surges, soars, floats - the guitar break is pure New Order with fizzing laser synth sounds - and then it surges some more. Sumner is in great form and he's joined by Primal Scream's Bobby Gillespie on backing vocals.
Maybe I'm just scared of losin' you
Or maybe it's the things you make me do
4. Where Do I Begin?
Beth Orton was crowned the 'comedown Queen' back in the day. She collaborated with the Chems on a number of occasions and I was torn between this and the glorious The State We're In, but this just wins for me.
It really is a comedown tune. A lovely riff is picked out with all kinds of psychedelic effects in the background. Orion's voice is whispery and gorgeous.
Sunday morning I'm waking up
Can't even focus on a coffee cup
Don't even know whose bed I'm in
Where do I stop, where do I begin
And then the beats come in and it all kicks off in a typically frantic and glorious Chemical Brothers fashion. The video below is an edited version. You can check the full 7-minute album version HERE.
5. Wide Open
The song that prompted this blog. It's sublime, it really is outstanding. The beat that comes in with the synth bass is instantly cool, Beck's vocal is one of his best.
I'm wide open
But don't I please you anymore?
You're slipping away from me
You're drifting away from me
If you haven't heard it then stick your headphones on and drift away in a song that flows superbly. There are little twists and turns along the way; the one day just gonna see me section is stunning, the bass really kick in at one point and the song just keeps flowing and building.
Chemical collaborations
Life Is Sweet - Tim Burgess (Charlatans)
Alive Alone - Beth Orton
Setting Sun - Noel Gallagher (Oasis)
Where Do I Begin? - Beth Orton
Out Of Control - Bernard Sumner (New Order)
Let Forever Be - Noel Gallagher (Oasis)
Asleep from Day - Hope Sandoval (Mazzy Star)
Dream On - Jonathan Donahue (Mercury Rev)
The State We're In - Beth Orton
The Test - Richard Ashcroft (The Verve)
Galvanize - Q-Tip
The Boxer - Tim Burgess (Charlatans)
Believe - Kele Okereke (Bloc Party)
Hold Tight London - Anna-Lynne Williams
Left Right - Anwar Superstar
Close Your Eyes - The Magic Numbers
No Path to Follow - Willy Mason
All Rights Reversed - Klaxons and Lightspeed Champion
Do It Again - Ali Love
The Salmon Dance - Fatlip
Battle Scars - Willy Mason
The Pills Won't Help You - Tim Smith (Midlake)
Wide Open - Beck
Born in the Echoes - Cate Le Bon
Neon Lights - Annie Clark
EML Ritual - Ali Love
Go - Q-Tip
The Golden Path - The Flaming Lips
For I Wish I Never Saw The Sunshine, as with many songs featured in my monthly Cover of the Month blog, I heard the cover version before I heard the original. In 1996 Beth Orton released Trailer Park, a stunning album, recorded with seminal producer William Orbit. The album earned Orton the tag of 'Comedown Queen' due to its popularity at post club parties in the small hours of the morning.
Orton's wistful voice and the organic nature of acoustic guitars and strings mixed superbly with electronica to create something special. The standard of the songwriting was exceptional; She Cries Your Name, Sugar Boy and Someone's Daughter being particular favourites of mine.
I Wish I Never Saw The Sunshine was the penultimate song on the album and it absolutely melted my heart. I quickly discovered that this song was written by Jeff Barry, Ellie Greenwich and Phil Spector and originally released by The Ronettes. Orton actually released her version on a limited edition 7-inch before it appeared on the album.
Upon hearing the original, this swiftly became my favourite song by The Ronettes. I think the lyrics, performance and production are spellbinding. I had the good fortune to see Ronnie Spector at The Arches a number of years ago and I Wish I Never Saw The Sunshine was my personal highlight from a very memorable night.
The Ronettes version starts with a heart tugging vocal over gorgeous strings and horns.
Baby do you know what you did today
Baby do you know what you took away
You took the blue out of the sky
My whole life changed when you said goodbye
And I keep crying, crying
Spector's Wall of Sound kicks in for the bridge to the chorus, the drums really go for it.
Oh baby
Oh baby
I wish I never saw the sunshine
I wish I never saw the sunshine
Cause if I never saw the sunshine
Then maybe, I wouldn't mind the rain
The simplicity of the lyrics is incredible; look how many mentions there are of baby and the repetition in the first two lines and the chorus. Yet look at how much we learn in the first verse and the poetry involved in the line 'you took the blue out of the sky' and in the chorus.
The Orton version begins with a fragile riff being picked out on acoustic guitar and Orton's voice is beautifully fragile and soulful. When she sings 'I keep crying' you can almost feel the tears.
The chorus doesn't have the dramatic Wall of Sound that The Ronettes version has, yet it is powerful in a different way. The delicate guitar riffs sound exquisite, yet everything is secondary to Orton's voice.
The second verse is heartbreaking with the lyrcs emphasising the pain and isolation being felt post break up. Ronnie Spector's voice soars at the end of the second line and into the chorus with crashing drums and everything taking off.
Every day is just like the day before
All alone a million miles from shore
All of my dreams, I dreamed with you
Now they will die and never come true
Orton's version is even more heartbreaking for me. Listening back to them both I get the feeling that Ronnie is going to be OK, her heart is broken but she'll get over it. With Beth Orton I get the feeling that she may never recover. Her heart hasn't just been broken but smashed to pieces.
After a second chorus there is a slight reflection before going straight into another chorus and then an extra bit at the end with the line Oh this pain, I wouldn't mind the rain, there wouldn't be this pain for extra effect.
And I know there wouldn't be
This cloud that's over me
Everywhere I go
Oh baby
Oh baby
I wish I never saw the sunshine
I wish I never saw the sunshine
And if I never saw the sunshine baby
Then maybe, I wouldn't mind the rain
Oh this pain
I wouldn't mind the rain
There wouldn't be this pain
I wouldn't mind the rain
I wouldn't mind the rain
Beth Orton has released a new album Kidsticks and plays St Luke's in Glasgow on 2nd October.
There will probably be two or three that I only discover in 2013 (indeed I have the Allah La's album on order from Monorail) but for the time being, these are my albums of 2012.
One Day I'm Going To Soar - Dexys
The magnificent return of Kevin Rowland. A quite incredible album, autobiographical, funny, moving and full of energy, love and care. I would strongly urge anyone to check out this exceptional album, ambitious and grand, the album that Rowland has been dreaming of delivering for decades.
Oh I know that I've been crazy, and that cannot be denied
But inside of me there's always been, a secret urge to fly
Electric Cables - Lightships
Gerry Love from Teenage Fanclub released a gorgeous album full of his trademarks; melody, hooks, mentions of the sunshine, the city, the countryside, escaping.... A lot of care has gone into this album, the guitar riffs, melodies played on xylophone and vocally are gorgeous, I love it. Timeless.
Light of the North - Miaoux Miaoux
The release of this album absolutely delighted me having previously worked with Julian (Miaoux Miaoux). Released on Chemikal the album received fantastic reviews and must surely have whet the appetite of many for the next installment. Check out the absolutely stunning 'Stop the Clocks' for starters if you haven't already, the musical trip of the year.
In Space - BMX Bandits
Duglas T Stewart rejoins us on planet earth with a band of Bandits to release an incredible album, following on from 'My Chain' and 'Bee Stings'. Stewart is in the best songwriting form of his life, heavily influenced by favourite and classic artists like Wilson and Bacharach. Check out 'The Unforgiven' for an incredible vocal performance from Stewart and a possible career highlight. Also a very personal album for me as my sister Carla (TeenCanteen) has a song 'Fireworks' covered by the Bandits.
A simple thought when all our words are gone....the unforgiven
Even though I love you so, you make me feel funny
Like there are loads of fireworks exploding in my tummy
In Our Heads - Hot Chip
It was a busy year for Hot Chip with side projects including The 2 Bears and New Build also releasing excellent albums. The best was from the main project though, their debut for Domino. The album starts in a rich vein with 'Motion Sickness', 'How Do You Do?' and 'Don't Deny Your Heart' all showcasing a band on truly top form. This form continues throughout the album and the closing 'Let Me Be Him' and 'Always Been Your Love' are just beautiful.
Coexist - The xx
Sparsely beautiful, heartbreakingly so at times. The xx follow up their exquisite debut with a sublime second album. The songwriting, performance, structure and production make them stand out a mile from their peers.
Oh No, I Love You - Tim Burgess
My love for The Charlatans and Tim Burgess is probably well documented through the history of this blog but I didn't anticipate this album. Written with Kurt Wagner from Lambchop, Burgess turns in a performance that showed the depth of his skills as a writer, performer and collaborator. 2012 was a memorable year for Tim with the release of his autobiography, co-managing a label, a tour with The Charlatans, curating some festival stages/tents and launching his own brand of coffee! Whatever next? A breakfast cereal anyone?
Oh no, I love you
Hello, I love you
Sugaring Season - Beth Orton
Beth Orton returned in October this year after a 6-year absence with a beautiful album. Beth's voice has never sounded better, rising, falling, sounding sweet, innocent and full of hope at times and then full of regret and experience at others.
Sweet Heart, Sweet Light - Spiritualized
Jason Pierce delivers yet again. No real surprises, we have the hushed, fucked up vocals, religious overtones, drug overtones and when Pierce finds a melody and hook he loves he hammers it home in mantra style fashion. There is one little surprise, his 11-year old daughter guesting on the gorgeous closer 'So Long You Pretty Thing.' Her name?....Poppy...
So long you pretty thing, save your little soul
The music that you played so hard on your radio
All your dreams and diamond rings and all that rock'n'roll can bring you
So long, so long
Blunderbuss - Jack White
Jack's back, well he never really goes away does he? This is a tremendous collection of songs full of White's unique delivery of melody and some exceptional guitar playing. 'Take Me With You When You Go' (the albums closing song) absolutely floored me when I first heard it and I had to play it about 5 times in a row. It flows superbly but then goes off in a completely new direction at around 1 minute 55 seconds, coming on like Sufjan Stevens for a few seconds before White comes in with a great guitar riff and a vocal melody that leaves you breathless. Simply stunning, no-one else can touch him when he is in that kind of form. In the zone!
So there you have it, I also liked the albums from New Build and 2-Bears (Hot Chip offshoots), Alabama Shakes and Bruce Springsteen. I seem to be the only person who found the Django Django album to be massively disappointing considering the hype.
