Tuesday, 21 March 2023

Anything Goes & Everything Flows DJ Mix 22

Hello and welcome to my 22nd in a series of 60-minute playlists/mixes. 

With these mixes I  try to create the vibe I would get from entering The Variety / McChuills in Glasgow on a Thursday, Friday or Saturday night, where DJ's would (and still do) work their magic to get the crowd in the mood for moving on to a club, or in my case, often opting to just stay in the bar.

In these magical bars that I frequently visited through my 20's, the DJ's would spin incredibly cool tunes, many that I had never heard before, causing me to go up and ask the DJ what they were playing. McChuills and The Variety were places where the music policy was very much anything goes and everything flows.

My last few mixes have been very soul heavy, so with this one I really did just go with the flow. We kick off with a sublime instrumental by the super talented Gruff Rhys, then we have divine Whyte Horses before some old faves by The Avalanches, The Go! Team and Jurassic 5.

They still sound so fresh!

Elsewhere we have a brass band covering Joy Division, retro dance sounds by The Bees, a moment of euphoria by Flaming Lips and some blissful electronic music to get lost in by Underworld and LCD.

Throw in the super cool Misdemeanor, The Funk Brothers, Tim Burgess fronting The Chemical Brothers and an instrumental of The Charlatans Sproston Green to close and ... it's a pretty cool eclectic mix.

Search for Everyting Flows DJ Mix 22 on Spotify or CLICK HERE

Enjoy.


Caitlin's Theme - Gruff Rhys

Ecstasy Song - Whyte Horses

Since I Left You - The Avalanches

Ladyflash - The Go! Team

Concrete Schoolyard - Jurassic 5

Misdemeanor - The CB's

Life Is Sweet - Chemical Brothers w/ Tim Burgess

Tell Me It's Just A Rumour Baby - The Funk Brothers

Love Will Tear Us Apart - Hot 8 Brass Band

Chicken Payback - The Bees

Race For The Prize (Mokran Mix) - The Flaming Lips

Jumbo - Underworld

Us V Them - LCD Soundsystem

Sproston Green (instrumental) - The Charlatans



Wednesday, 15 March 2023

Sympathy For The Devil

Cover version of the month #83
Sandie Shaw covers The Rolling Stones

Choosing to cover the Stones Sympathy For The Devil has to be classed as a bold move. I mean, it's understandable that artists would want to play the song, to jam the song, to feel it out ... as Sympathy For The Devil is an exceptional groove and an incredible song. But to cover it! 

The Rolling Stones recording of the song, over 5-days in June 1968, was captured on film by Jean-Luc Godard and released under the title One Plus One. It's quite something as The Stones really take their time on it. You can find it on YouTube

You see Jagger and Jones working on the vocal melody, soon joined by Richards, looking resplendent in shades. Richards adds a bit of groove, Charlie Watt adds the beat while Bill Wyman looks bored and stoned on bass. 

Richards groove is stripped back, Jagger slows things down and he has been quoted as saying he originally intended it to be a folk-y Dylan number. How things change!

The footage is extraordinary. Richards jamming on a bass, the band taking it down a blues-y route and then just before the 24-minute mark in the documentary, we heard extra percussion being introduced. The groove is back, faster, pacier and it is hugely enhanced. I love the scene with The Stones and friends all crowded round a microphone recording the woo woo's, the camera then pans round a screen and you have Jagger singing the lead vocal. Incredible stuff.

Sympathy For The Devil opened the Stones Beggars Banquet album and became a real highlight of their live sets. Jagger would act possessed and really play to the audience and cameras, as demonstrated on The Rock n Roll Circus album/film.

The groove running through Sympathy For The Devil is simply extraordinary, the Stones are in top form. Lyrically, Jagger touches on Christ, the Russian revolution,  the Kennedy's (with the remarkable line -  I shouted out who killed the Kennedy's, when after all, it was you and me), cops and finally introduces himself as Lucifer.

Decades down the line, favourite bands of mine like Primal Scream (Loaded) and The Charlatans (One To Another) would take inspiration from Sympathy For The Devil, recognising the importance of the groove and how the woo woo's could be sung en masse by their fans.

Sandie Shaw's version doesn't stray too far from The Stones. After all the riff and groove are both so unbelievably strong, why change?!

Her guitarist goes for it, the beats and percussion are 100 mph at times, the bass is just about keeping it all together and Shaw's voice cuts through everything like a knife. 

At around 4 minutes 10 seconds things slow down and Shaw is almost whispering her vocal, but as the instruments cut, her voice rises with dramatic effect to deliver the line;

I was around when Jesus Christ had his moment of doubt and pain

I made damn sure that Pilate, washed his hands and sealed his fate

Everything comes back in and the closing 50 seconds are absolutely furious as the beats and percussion get faster and faster. Everything eventually fades out. Somewhere, lurking in a studio vault, is the recording. I'd love to hear how long it went on for and if it eventually just collapsed. The drummer and percussionist would probably be in a heap!

Nothing can top The Stones though! Just check the 8-minute + official video from the Rock n Roll Circus. Jagger is on fire, whipping himself, his band and the crowd into a frenzy!

Sympathy For The Devil official video (live from the Rock n Roll Circus)

Album version

Sandie Shaw version

All previous cover version of the month blogs are listed below. 

I've also compiled the Everything Flows Cool Cover Versions playlist, featuring original versions and covers on Spotify. CLICK HERE The Stones original and Sandie Shaw's cracking cover have been added.

Previous covers of the month

13. Hurt
39. ABBA-esque
40. Jumpin' Jack Flash
64. Lola
82. Drop


Saturday, 11 March 2023

Never Ending Mixtape part 80

 


Welcome to the latest update to my Never Ending Mixtape which now has 3,214 songs!

Dig into Juliana Hatfield's Some Girls band - a band that completely passed me by! Thanks to Gary Sloan for pointing me in the direction of this phase of Juliana's long and distinguished career.

Elsewhere we have dream pop, some gems from the sensational Young Fathers album (their current tour looks amazing), we have gems from the legendary Burt Bacharach, songs by Weyes Blood who was sublime at the QMU last month. She returns to Glasgow and the Old Fruitmarket later this year.

I spent a very pleasant evening in the company of This Mortal Coil, so they have a few songs added to the mixtape, likewise with Whyte Horses. There is an incredible 10-minute plus groove by Cornershop and all kinds of other delights to check.

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

Play from the start, click shuffle, or scroll to near the end to play the latest songs that are listed below.

Feel It - Some Girls

Almost True - Some Girls

Launch Pad - Some Girls

He's On Drugs - Some Girls

(Druun) - DIIV

So High - Ringo Deathstarr

Long Live The Strange - Gaz Coombes

Yesterday's Paper - The Bug Club

Ocean - Ren

Ululation - Young Fathers

Drum - Young Fathers

Geronimo - Young Fathers

Fear Is Such A ... - Whyte Horses

Ride Easy - Whyte Horses

None Of My Friends - Liz Lawrence

Something Big - Burt Bacharach

And So Goodbye My Love - Burt Bacharach

Raindrops keep Fallin' On My Head - B.J. Thomas

History - Groove Armada

Everyday - Weyes Blood

Something To Believe -  Weyes Blood

Baby It's You - The Beatles

Thinking About You - Beck 

Fake Protest Song - Whyte Horses

I Walk On Guilded Splinters - Johnny Jenkins 

Another Rider Up In Flames - The Charlatans

I Can't Sleep - The La's

Sproston Green (instrumental) - The Charlatans

Repititioner - Thus Love

Kangaroo - This Mortal Coil

Sixteen/Gathering Dust - This Mortal Coil

Strength Of Strings - This Mortal Coil

This Guy's In Love With You - Herb Alpert & The Tihuana Brass

Brixton Fish Fry - Steve Mason

New Hair New Me - Eyes of Others

I See You In The Shrubs (Andrew Weatherall remix) - Eyes of Others

So You Say You Lost Your Baby - Death In Vegas

The Best Of It (Casino mix) - White Horses w/ La Roux

Spectral Mornings - Cornershop

Window Pane - The Real People






Monday, 6 March 2023

Starboard Hazes EP2


My band, Starboard Hazes recorded our second EP at La Chunky Studio in Finnieston, Glasgow on Saturday 28th January. It was almost exactly a year since James and I had ventured in to record our first EP. 

On that occasion we roped in our friend Calum on drums. We hadn't rehearsed with Calum in advance. Indeed Calum thought he was only in to record 2-songs. We persuaded him to record a couple more and the songs Out Of My Mind and Reflected Sunlight were both recorded in 1-take to create a 4-track EP. Calum's skills helped us produce something we loved. 

This time James and I were going in as a fully formed band after the addition of Andy (bass) and Jamie (drums) and we had rehearsed!  

The cover of EP2-Sunshine
Taken in Elie, August 2022

We recorded 3-songs with the magnificently named Gaspard Casanova on production & engineer duties and have again produced something we love. Here is my take on the EP;

  • Sunshine - One of the very first songs I wrote as a teenager! The song only ever had two verses, just using the D and G chords, but it always stuck with me. I guess due to the simplicity and the fact the melody is pretty strong (in my opinion!). Years later I wrote a third verse/chorus/outro section after meeting my wife. I loved the way she would tilt her head to the sunshine and close her eyes. This wasn't a song I intended to bring to the band but last September I was jamming the chords during a break in a practise session, Andy had picked up James guitar while he was out the room and asked me what I was playing. We jammed along with Jamie on drums and by the time James came back we had something! So James then picked up Andy's bass - the joy of having a talented band! I couldn't believe how quickly we transformed it. Sunshine was always an acoustic song and I'd always just played it in a normal tuning. But when we jammed I had my Capo on the 3rd fret and I just kept it there. Now it's kind of Lemonheads-y/Velvets-y and then the outro goes a little Stone Roses. Andy's guitar on the outro is sublime. James switches to bass, creating a very Mani-esque bass groove. Jamie's drumming throughout is superb.
  • Yeah! - I love the groove of this song, just the same 4 chord sequence over and over again. Great to jam on. There is a warmth to it, brilliant lead guitar from James. It's got a real Teenage Fanclub feel to it - obviously a good thing in my book! 
  • I Still Dream That I Can Fly -  A two chord song that was originally inspired by The Jesus and Mary Chain's Why'd You Want Me? Or you could say it rips it off! Garage pop psychedelia. I like the way we build this up, break it down and then let loose. Who knew what fun you could have with 2 chords! I really love the way James introduces the organ sound in the outro. I think we only rehearsed this a few times before going into the studio and we captured it in two takes. I think there is a real freshness to this song as a result. Fun to play in practice, I look forward to playing it live.
  • Sunset - The dreamy psychedelic groove at the end of Sunshine reminded me of the Stone Roses, so I wondered what it would sound like backwards. An old Roses trick that inspired Don't Stop and a number of b-sides. This is the result. Rather gorgeous! I think I sound better backwards! 
All of them are love songs. Sunshine about the heady heights of young love and walks in the summer sun. Yeah! and I Still Dream That I Can Fly have that broken heart, lets try it again/I'll never get over you/keep positive vibe.

The EP is out now exclusively via our BANDCAMP page where you can stream/download. We'll get it up on other sites in the near future.

We play 13th Note next Friday, 10th March with support from Scottish Fault Lines. DJ Phil Redfearn will be playing before, during and afterwards.

The event is SOLD OUT!  Hopefully we'll get another gig in the diary before too long.














Friday, 3 March 2023

Introducing - Eyes of Others

 


Photo by Christopher Espinosa Fernadez

New Hair New Me by Eyes of Others is the best new song I've heard in ages. I fell for it instantly. It's warm, gooey, dreamy and catchy pop music. When I fall for a song in this way, I play it on repeat ... for days. 

Even though I've had New Hair New Me on a loop, playing half a dozen times in a row on at least three occasions, the beautiful thing about this song is that I still find so much in it. I love how fresh it continues to feel, I keep going back for more.

John Bryden (AKA Eyes of Others) leaves loads of space in this single. Everything hangs on a loose funky bass; beats, handclaps, ukulele drifts in and out, a dreamy synth riff, vocals that are sleepily whispered at times, addictively melodic in a playful sing-song-y way at others. 

Sometimes the lyrics are easy to make out, other times they are blurred in the perfect way, the groove, feel and melody being more important.

The accompanying video also has loads of space. Bryden wanders round snow filled landscapes in Norway, down roads, on frozen lakes, wading through drifts, diving headfirst into deep snow, having fun making snow angels and clutching on to his beloved synth.

The single is out now and Eyes of Others self titled album will be out on Heavenly Recordings on May 19th.

Read on for an interview with John.

Bandcamp

Twitter


EF - I've only just discovered Eyes of Others, but you have been releasing music sporadically (in the form of singles and EP's) under this guise since 2017. You're now ready to release an album, did you have a plan? Or have things just got to this stage pretty naturally?

Now that I think about it, I’ve been making music for about 20 years and only now is my debut album about to be released….so really I’m disgusted with myself and my poor planning.

Where have I been all my life?

EF - I love the way you describe your sound as 'post-pub, couldn't get in the club music' - there is a real dreamy quality to New Hair New Me. Did you find that sound from late nights? Did you/do you have a favourite pub/club?

Hmmm it’s hard to trace where exactly a sound comes from but there’s probably some truth in that as I’ve had a few late nights in my time.

But I don’t drink anymore. I just stay home and eat biscuits so I think some sort of home-biscuit-isolation aesthetic permeates the track too.

My favourite pub is the Regent Bar in Abbyhill, Edinburgh. It’s pretty chilled and friendly.

Earlier on in the life of Eyes of Others you were remixed by the late great Andrew Weatherall. Did you learn anything from the way he remixed I See You In The Shrubs? Did that, or any other remixes, give you any new ideas on how to approach creating music?

Yeah for sure. I remember listening to it for the first time and thinking it was a total curve ball. It was like trying to learn a new language, re many listens. 

Once I got to grips with it I was in awe. I  took a lot from Weatherall’s approach with regards to my own music - not to sit still and don’t just give people what you think they want. 

His remix gave me something I didn’t know I wanted. That’s what it’s all about for me really, when something comes along and just shatters what you think you know and opens doors to other worlds.

EF - Do you play everything on your singles to date and forthcoming album? Do you have a favourite instrument?

In the main I played most of the instruments on the record. And there’s some drum programming there too. Stuart Evans (formerly of Green Door Studio Glasgow, now operating at Green Door West - west as in California) mixed and co-produced the record. So he helped tighten up a lot of the demos with some of his own playing.

For me playing an instrument feels like a car that continually won’t start, so Stuart helped massively there. I should perhaps focus and practice more but I do enjoy jumping around various instruments - just picking up whatever and trying to get a tune out of it in that moment because it feels right for the track.

I got an old harmonium recently. I am terrible at it. It’s my favourite.

EF - Will you have a band for live dates? And can we expect some more to be announced?

At the moment there’s two of us playing live. There’s are more dates to be announced but we have the following:

03 March - The Social London

11 March - YES, Manchester (supporting H. Hawkline)

13 March - Hug and Pint, Glasgow (supporting H. Hawkline) 

30 April - Sounds from the Other City, Salford

27 May - Sea Change Weekender, Totnes

9-11 June, Kite Festival, Oxfordshire 

EF - Lastly, what music are you enjoying at present?

I’ve been listening to these tracks a lot; Tom Waits’ Dog Door, Nelly Furtado’s All Good Things Come to an End, and Shu-de’s Aian Dudal.

Thanks to John for taking the time to answer my questions. Check the single, it's sublime. I'll blog on the album when it comes out.





Friday, 24 February 2023

Silent Sigh

Trust Me #49
Silent Sigh by Badly Drawn Boy


Badly Drawn Boy is playing Saint Lukes in Glasgow next month (Wednesday 29th March) as part of a tour to celebrate 25-years of releasing music.

I've really enjoyed revisiting his back catalogue ahead of the show and I'll aim to blog on his brilliantly eclectic debut Bewilderbeast, a real lofi masterpiece, and the lush melodic follow up About A Boy in the future. They are two albums I adore.

But in the meantime I thought I'd write about Silent Sigh, the lead single lifted from About A Boy

Silent Sigh was a big song for me and my girlfriend (now wife) back in 2002 when it came out. We both bought Damon's first two albums, so regardless of who's flat we were in, his music really soundtracked the first year or so of our relationship. I've still got a compilation CD I made for Lynn around this time with Silent Sigh on it.

Melodies pour effortlessly out of Silent Sigh; in the instrumentation and in Damon Gough's gorgeous voice. I find it such a soothing song to listen to.

I've often half joked that you could give Damon Gough an elastic band and he'd get a tune out of it. Actually no joke, I'd love to hear what he could do!

Badly Drawn Boy didn't only have melodies pouring out of him, he was super prolific, releasing a trilogy of EP's through 1997-1998 and then some singles that led towards the release of Bewilderbeast on XL/Twisted Nerve in 2000.

I vaguely remember an NME/Melody Maker feature from around this time where people turned up to see a live performance and Gough had an old TV with videos of him playing. He was always different, staying clear of the hype. 

Gough then released two albums in 2002. The About A Boy soundtrack and Have You Fed The Fish?  There have been a further 6 since then.

Live, Badly Drawn Boy was utterly brilliant. The first time I caught him was at the QMU where he came on stage swigging from a bottle of Jack Daniels, proceeding to get wrecked, climbing on top of amps one moment, playing beautifully tender acoustic or piano ballads the next. On one song he played the top part of the piano while a band member played the bottom. I couldn't take my eyes off him.

Second time, at the Barrowland, he was even more wrecked and had to be taken offstage for some strong coffee to try and get him to  sober up. A photo of his kid was projected on to a big screen to help. I think he was really struggling being on tour and away from his family. 

However he was brilliant. My sister Carla was at this show with me and caught his sweaty towel when he threw it in the crowd at the end. She left it in the bathroom when we got home and our Mum used it the next morning. She was pretty disgusted when she found it it was Badly Drawn Boy's used towel from the Barrowland! Carla and I still laugh at this story. ;-)

But back to Silent Sigh. A warm melodic piano riff leads to beats, Damon singing ooohh aaahh and then a tumbling vocal melody comes in.

Come see what we all talk about

People moving to the moon

Silent Sigh never feels rushed, although the aforementioned tumbling vocal melody does have a sense of urgency to it, as it if it just spilling out of Gough. The pace is perfect, the piano riff, beats, bass and vocal melody are beautifully layered. The first verse is repeated with the introduction of backing vocals to harmonise with Damon, who then just keeps it going, sounding like he is utterly in the zone, lost in the melody, groove and music. 

I can listen to Silent Sigh on repeat, lost in the melodies and its beauty. I could listen to the piano melody for hours on end, it's so warm and gorgeous. And Damon's voice is heartwarming. Genius. 

Silent Sigh video

Silent Sigh live on Later with Jools

Silent Sigh live at T in the Park

A list of all previous songs I've blogged about in my Trust Me feature are listed below, along with links to each blog. Silent Sigh join them.

I've also collated them all into a playlist on Spotify that you can find by searching for Everything Flows - Trust Me , or you can CLICK HERE

Previous Trust Me blogs

1. Something On Your Mind by Karen Dalton
1A. Crimson and Clover by Tommy James and the Shondells
2. I Am, I Said  by Neil Diamond
3. Where's The Playground Susie?   by Glen Campbell
4. If You Could Read My Mind by Gordon Lighfoot
5. Gimme Some Truth by John Lennon
6. Gone With The Wind Is My Love by Rita and the Tiaras
7. In The Year 2525 by Zager and Evans
8. The Music Box by Ruth Copeland
9. The Ship Song by Nick Cave
10. Sometimes by James
11. I Walk The Earth by King Biscuit Time
12. Didn't Know What I Was In For by Better Oblivion Community Centre
13. When My Boy Walks Down The Street by The Magnetic Fields
14. The Man Don't Give A F**k by Super Furry Animals
15. All Flowers In Time Bend Towards The Sun by Jeff Buckley and Liz Fraser
16. Are You Lookin' by The Tymes
17. A Real Hero by College & Electric Youth
18. Feelings Gone by Callum Easter
19. Sunday Morning by The Velvet Underground
20. Did I Say by Teenage Fanclub
21. Don't Look Back by Teenage Fanclub
23. Belfast by Orbital
24. Clouds by The Jayhawks
25. Dreaming Of You by The Coral
26. Everlasting Love by Love Affair
27. Walk Away Renee by The Left Banke
28. Teenage Kicks by The Undertones
29. Shaky Ground by Sneeze
29. Rill Rill by Sleigh Bells
30. I Can Feel Your Love by Felice Taylor
31. The State We're In by The Chemical Brothers w/ Beth Orton
32. Sunshine After The Rain by Ellie Greenwich
33. Losing My Edge by LCD Soundsystem
34. Mondo 77 by Looper
35. Les Fleurs by Minnie Riperton
36. Rat Trap by The Boomtown Rats
37. How High by The Charlatans
38. I Can't Let Go by Evie Sands
39. Pop Song 89 by R.E.M.
40. Summertime Clothes by Animal Collective
41. There She Goes by The Las
42. We're Going To Be Friends by White Stripes
43. Autumn Sweater by Yo La Tengo
44. Sister Rena by Lomond Campbell
45. Revolution by The Beatles
46. Lazarus by The Boo Radleys
47. Wrote For Luck by Happy Mondays
48. American Trilogy by The Delgados
49. Loser by Beck 




Saturday, 18 February 2023

Anything Goes & Everything Flows DJ Mix 21


Welcome to my latest 60 (ish) minute mix, my 21st in the series!

I love this mix and I'm writing as I groove away in my kitchen. It eases in, there is almost a false start after the first song builds, only to go back to scratch for Fun In The Church.

The grooves in this mix are sensational. The musicianship is off the scale, the arrangements are awesome, the energy is electric - leaping out from the music and the soul is strong and true.

We have a double dose of David Axelrod, gospel, funk, soul, a number of cover versions and at the centre of the mix are 4 songs by Chairmen Of The Board from their incredible Skin I'm In album from 1974. I have Andrew Divine (a real DJ in Glasgow!) to thank for turning me on to this sensational album. What a run of songs!!! When that if it feels good it's alright vocal kicks in ..... WOW!

Hoping to get to Andrew's night at the CCA on Feb 25th.

Ending with the soul shaking, spine tingling, rip roaring I Can Feel Your Love by Felice Taylor. I hope you enjoy this 'mix'.

Search for Everything Flows DJ Mix 21 on Spotify or CLICK HERE


Heaven Bound - Sharon Jones, E.L. Fields Gospel Wonders

Fun In The Church - Cannonball Academy, Nat Adelrey Sextet & Fleming Williams

Funky Thithee - Shuggie Otis

Give Me Your Love - Sisters Love

She's A Bad Girl - Lee Moses

Get Up Off Your Knees - David Axelrod

You're So Vain - David Axelrod

Morning Glory - Chairmen Of The Board

Life and Death in G & A (Part 1)

White Rose (Freedom Flower)

Life and Death in G & A (Part 2)

Higher Ground - Ellen McIlwaine

You Don't Love Me - Barbara and the Browns

I'm Just A Prisoner (Of Your Good Lovin') - Candi Staton

Kissing My Love - Spanky Wilson

Gimme Shelter - Maxayn

I Can't Move No Mountains - Margie Joseph

California Soul - Brenda and the Tabulations

I Can Feel Your Love - Felice Taylor







Saturday, 11 February 2023

Loser


Trust me #48 Loser by Beck

I remember adverts in the NME and Melody Maker with the line I'm a loser baby so why don't you kill me and a release date. The lyric intrigued me. This was a time where singles were promoted for a good couple of months before their release. 

And then I heard it. Loser by Beck was like nothing I had ever heard before. And the video was like nothing I had ever seen before.

Opening with a dirty slide guitar riff over funky hip hop beats, we're then introduced to Beck through the opening line.

In the time of chimpanzees I was a monkey

Beck doesn't let up, letting loose with an incredible flow of stream of conciousness/oddball lyrics.

The chorus begins with soy un perdedor which literally translates (in Spanish and Portuguese if my googling skills are up  to scratch) to I'm a loser. The chorus is repeated twice with Beck throwing in ad libs in between -  double barrel buckshot / get crazy with the cheese whiz

Soy un perdedor

I'm a loser baby, so why don't you kill me?

I was very fortuantate to see Beck play King Tuts in Glasgow in November 1994 (I have ticket number 4) and I have vague (but fond) memories of being right down the front. Tuts was absolutely rammed. Health and safety wasn't a common phrase back in 1994! People seemed to be literally hanging from the ceiling.

Subsequent trips to Tuts would lead me to discover the bench along the far side that people would use to stand on for a better view. But the 18-year old me was right down in the mix.

Beck danced, breakdanced and generally just looked super cool. I'm not sure if I have experienced anything quite like it since. 

I went with my old friend Grant Mitchell who was deeply into American independent music. From memory he had some of Beck's pre Mellow Gold releases. I distinctly remember a mixtape he made me with a great song It's All In Your Mind which came out on his One Foot In The Grave album. It was completely acoustic and raw. Really beautiful. Beck had been around for a while on the anti-folk scene before breaking through. I'm not sure if this was before or after Tuts.

Loser was a complete breakthrough single for Beck. It was everywhere. He just didn't seem to give a flying f**k about things which made him even cooler. One of the b-sides was a song called MTV Makes Me Want To Smoke Crack, but he was on MTV all the time.

It's 30-years since the small label Bong Load had 500 copies of Loser pressed as a 12-inch single for released in Mach 1993. It blew up an major labels were soon chasing Beck's signature. 

Re-released in January 94 in the USA and February 94 in the UK and Europe, Loser blew up and things were never the same for Beck again. 

Loser official video

Loser on Top of the Pops 

Loser live at Reading Festival 1995

MTV Makes Me Want To Smoke Crack

A list of all previous songs I've blogged about in my Trust Me feature are listed below, along with links to each blog. Loser join them.

I've also collated them all into a playlist on Spotify that you can find by searching for Everything Flows - Trust Me , or you can CLICK HERE

Previous Trust Me blogs

1. Something On Your Mind by Karen Dalton
1A. Crimson and Clover by Tommy James and the Shondells
2. I Am, I Said  by Neil Diamond
3. Where's The Playground Susie?   by Glen Campbell
4. If You Could Read My Mind by Gordon Lighfoot
5. Gimme Some Truth by John Lennon
6. Gone With The Wind Is My Love by Rita and the Tiaras
7. In The Year 2525 by Zager and Evans
8. The Music Box by Ruth Copeland
9. The Ship Song by Nick Cave
10. Sometimes by James
11. I Walk The Earth by King Biscuit Time
12. Didn't Know What I Was In For by Better Oblivion Community Centre
13. When My Boy Walks Down The Street by The Magnetic Fields
14. The Man Don't Give A F**k by Super Furry Animals
15. All Flowers In Time Bend Towards The Sun by Jeff Buckley and Liz Fraser
16. Are You Lookin' by The Tymes
17. A Real Hero by College & Electric Youth
18. Feelings Gone by Callum Easter
19. Sunday Morning by The Velvet Underground
20. Did I Say by Teenage Fanclub
21. Don't Look Back by Teenage Fanclub
23. Belfast by Orbital
24. Clouds by The Jayhawks
25. Dreaming Of You by The Coral
26. Everlasting Love by Love Affair
27. Walk Away Renee by The Left Banke
28. Teenage Kicks by The Undertones
29. Shaky Ground by Sneeze
29. Rill Rill by Sleigh Bells
30. I Can Feel Your Love by Felice Taylor
31. The State We're In by The Chemical Brothers w/ Beth Orton
32. Sunshine After The Rain by Ellie Greenwich
33. Losing My Edge by LCD Soundsystem
34. Mondo 77 by Looper
35. Les Fleurs by Minnie Riperton
36. Rat Trap by The Boomtown Rats
37. How High by The Charlatans
38. I Can't Let Go by Evie Sands
39. Pop Song 89 by R.E.M.
40. Summertime Clothes by Animal Collective
41. There She Goes by The Las
42. We're Going To Be Friends by White Stripes
43. Autumn Sweater by Yo La Tengo
44. Sister Rena by Lomond Campbell
45. Revolution by The Beatles
46. Lazarus by The Boo Radleys
47. Wrote For Luck by Happy Mondays
48. American Trilogy by The Delgados



Monday, 6 February 2023

(Sittin' On) The Dock Of The Bay

Cover version of the month # 83

Peggy Lee covers Otis Redding

Otis Redding started writing (Sittin' On) The Dock Of The Bay in the summer of 1967, finally hitting the studio in November to begin recording, returning on 7th December to finish it.

On 10th December Otis was tragically killed in a plane crash. The single was then released on 8th January 1968 and became the first posthumous number 1 single.

It's an incredible example of the art of songwriting; the picture the lyrics paints, the emotion in the vocals, the arrangement, the musicianship, the space in the song ...

However, I'm not going to write about the original. Plenty has been written about this sensational song and performance by Otis and his band over the years. Instead I'm going to focus on a  cover version by Peggy Lee.

Lee wasn't the first to cover Dock Of The Bay, that may well have been King Curtis who released an instrumental version the same year as the original. Sergio Mendes & Brasil 66 released super chilled version in 1969, while over the years Michael Bolton, Glen Campbell and also The Reddings (a band containing two of Otis' sons) have been inspired to record the song.

But the cover version that blew me away when I heard it was one by Peggy Lee that my great friend Phil introduced me to.

Opening with a funky breakbeat and a stab of horns, the bass is outrageously funky in the background (and this continues throughout). Lee's vocals are crystal clear, and feel calm in comparison to the funky jazz instrumental behind her. 

Things lift at 1-minute 29 seconds, listen to the drum rolls! The horns sound euphoric and Lee's voice soars effortlessly.

Looks like nothings gonna change

Everything still remains the same

I can't do what ten people tell me to do

So I guess I'll remain the same

There is a delicious looseness to this performance, although if you listen closely the band are working their socks off. The backing vocals are perfect, while Peggy lee's voice is utterly sublime.

Otis' original and Peggy Lee's version are added to my Cool Cover Versions playlist on Spotify.

Check Otis Redding's first take (demo) below on YouTube. Co-writer Steve Cropper makes seagull noises and whistles. At the end Otis says to Steve "you're not gonna make it as a whistler" and I think he was right!

Otis Redding official video

Otis Redding - take 1 of Sittin' On The Dock Of The Bay

Peggy Lee 1969

All previous cover version of the month blogs are listed below. To listen, search for Everything Flows Cool Cover Versions playlist, featuring all of the songs below, on Spotify or CLICK HERE

Previous covers of the month

13. Hurt
39. ABBA-esque
40. Jumpin' Jack Flash
64. Lola
82. Drop

Saturday, 4 February 2023

Heavy Heavy

Here is my track-by-track take on the new Young Fathers album after a couple of listens.


Young Fathers Heavy Heavy explodes into action with the opening track Rice. The bass is heavy ... heavy, the beats are tribal, the melodies flow and there is a gospel choir.

I Saw has a powerful urgency, the bass is reminiscent of Massive Attack, the groove allowing so much to go on over the top of it. There is a lot going on and it's f**king magical. The layers, the production, the hooks and harmonies. 

An Ethiopian choir (I think) is introduced on Drum as the song builds beautifully and Young Fathers introduce a mantra that becomes hypnotic.  

Hear the beat of the drums and go numb, have fun, go on
We don't need all the ones to have won, so have one, someone
And then some

Tell Somebody has a falsetto vocal over a dreamy organ and synth sound. Young Fathers work it up  again, the drums CRASH and again they layer things up with so much tender care. Sublime. When things drop back to the organ you realise what a trip you've been on. Lost in the music. This is beautiful.


Young Fathers are really in the zone on this album. The dreamy vibe continues with Geronimo, the band create another beautiful groove. This just feels so good. And then over the groove they just run with it over a get on, get off mantra.

I'm on the verge of somethin' divine that's gonna keep me in line
Most of my life I've been thinkin', got the feelin'  I'm caught in a bind
Being a son, brother, uncle, father figure, I  gotta survive and provide
My momma said you'll never please your woman, but you'll have a good time trying

Shoot Me Down kicks in to bring you out of a trance like state after the trilogy of Drum, Tell Somebody and Geronimo. The band are soon back into a groove, there is another stunning falsetto. And then the band take flight for the outro. It's cut short,  I'd have likes to hear it go on, but Young Fathers have ways of grabbing your attention. 

Ululation is sheer joy, the music and the euphoric tribal woops. It's pretty cinematic, widescreen, in technicolour, this is euphoric.

Oh baby won't you let me in
My mind is saying sink or swim

Sink Or Swim has more instantly memorable vocal melodies, layered up to into a dreamy mantra, the beats are so infectious. 

Holy Moly is darker, but gospel style piano chords are introduced halfway though and then things explode into a joyful chorus

Don't feel ready, ready to erect
My back's still broken from all life's effect
I still think about the words that you said
Oh, you said,oh, you said, you said,  you said

Closing with Be Your Lady, beginning all tender and then going all gloriously glitchy electro, Young Fathers Heavy Heavy is 10 songs in under 33-minutes. It delivers so much but leaves you wanting more.

Those lucky enough to see them on their forthcoming tour are in for a real treat.