Obviously the best Christmas record ever is Fairytale of New York and the best Christmas album ever is the Phil Spector one . Here are three less obvious choices 3) Christmas Song - Dave Matthews Band. From the Platinum Christmas album which also contains two other really good Christmas originals by Dido and R Kelly. Maybe I'll post those next year. 2) O Tannenbaum - The Vince Guaraldi Trio. An essential purchase at this time of year is the A Charlie Brown Christmas soundtrack. This is the [...]
The Proclaimers have just covered this song. I suppose it suits them but it's a straight cover and rather uninspired. Andy Davies, sidekick to Jonathan Ross on his Radio 2 show, was putting together a tribute album where a number of artists covered this song, but I don't think it will ever see the light of day. There's only one version you need to be honest. Wreckless Eric - Whole Wide World ( iTunes )
I didn't actually hear Plastic Little on the radio today but I heard both Jo Whiley (Radio 1) and George Lamb (6music) talking about the fact that were going to play Plastic Little. I wonder what track they played? Certainly not the piece of filth that is Get Close. Janet Street-Porter could read out the phone book and it would still sound good, as long as Close To Me by The Cure was the backing track. My other favourite Cure track is In Between Days (of course). Here's the demo with almost no lyrics - it [...]
The first track from Cat Power's forthcoming Jukebox album has just gone up on iTunes. It's an new original song called Song To Bobby apparently about meeting Bob Dylan, and very nice it is too (here's the iTunes UK link ). The rest of the album is covers plus one new version of an old Cat Power song. All the originals are worth owning, especially Lost Someone by James Brown Live at the Apollo (the other amazing live recording in the world apart from The Dance by Garth Brooks), the Theme From 'New York, New York', Dark [...]
as I've just been sent Radiohead's album sleeve, here it is: and here's my favourite track from the album, which is their best since OK Computer Radiohead - House Of Cards ( link to buy the discbox and buy the download or get it for free if you wish)
I mean, what's the point? It's like taking a photo of a painting through the window of an art gallery at night, when the lights are off. I see there's a Garth Brooks compilation out in the UK this week. This gives me an excuse to post one of my favourite songs of all time, The Dance. It's such a great lyric and, I think, the right philosophy to have about relationships ( better to have loved and lost ...). The original studio version of The Dance almost perfect but if you want that, buy [...]
is Mielato by Patrizia Laquidara Patrizia Laquidara - Mielto (not on iTunes UK so here's a link to iTunes Italy )
I first heard Fionn Regan when Jonathan Ross played this track on Radio 2, and it's still my favourite track of his. Now it's his new single. Fionn Regan - Put A Penny In The Slot ( iTunes )
Anna Ternheim is playing some UK dates soon. More details on her MySpace . I love her track Shoreline. I first heard it in a weirdly sped up version which I downloaded from somewhere or other. It's a cover of a song by Broder Daniel who were described to me as a Swedish equivalent of The Stone Roses - i.e. very influential on Swedish guitar music without achieving massive sales. Anna Ternheim - Shoreline (Radio Version) (not on iTunes UK yet) Anna Ternheim - Shoreline (sped up version) (definitely not on [...]
Bocelli is brilliant. My two favourite tracks are Time To Say Goodbye (Con Te Partiro) obviously, and I Believe. I Believe didn't make it on to his current Best Of album so here it is: Andrea Bocelli - I Believe ( iTunes )
The Force & Styles record is probably my favourite happy hardcore record. I heard it first on John Peel. I've never been sure about Embrace but the closest I came to being sure about them was this song. Force & Styles - Fireworks (not on iTunes sadly) Embrace - Fireworks ( iTunes )
I had written Leona Lewis off but Burning Love is one of the singles of the year. This could also be a no. 1 for her if released - a cover of Run by Snow Patrol recorded for Radio 1's Live Lounge yesterday. Leona Lewis - Run ( click here to hear the whole Live Lounge session on Radio 1 Listen Again for a limited time only) click here to buy Burning Love on iTunes
I'm a big fan of David Ford. I like the passion and the vitriol. Here's the best track from his new album, a real anthem called I'm Alright Now which I think is his new single in the UK. And the best track from his debut album, which was one of my favourites of that year, I Don't Care What You Call Me, in its full glory (over six minutes long). David Ford - I'm Alright Now ( iTunes ) David Ford - I Don't Care What You Call Me ( iTunes )
I really love both of these but I'm posting the links now mostly so that any recent visitors to the blog know it's not just about country music. Paul Simon - Diamonds Dub by Tangoterje ( iTunes link for the original, and a link to buy the vinyl ) Georgie Glamour feat. Simon & Garfunkel - Silence ( iTunes link for the original)
is a wonderful pure-sounding vocalist who is about to have a no. 2 album chart entry in the US and the UK with Robert Plant. Other blogs have featured tracks from that album so here are some classics from her catalogue. Her early compilation Now That I've Found You was successful in the UK, and paved the way somewhat for the later success of Eva Cassidy, then Norah Jones, and then Katie Melua. A great cover of Baby Now That I've Found You was the single which I think I'm right in saying [...]
Frank Callari has also died. Frank managed Ryan Adams and Lucinda Williams so here are two of their best tracks. Ryan Adams - New York, New York ( iTunes ) Lucinda Williams - Greenville ( iTunes )
Porter Wagoner has died. I don't know Porter's own material that well but he helped bring Dolly Parton to America's attention and inspired her song I Will Always Love You - two amazing claims to fame as far as I'm concerned. Dolly claims that Elvis Presley wanted to record I Will Always Love You but this fell through when Dolly refused to give up a share of the writing credit on the song. Maybe it was karma when, many years later, Whitney Houston made it one of the biggest hits of all time. Whitney or whoever did the [...]
I've had this track on my computer for 18 months but I've only just round to listening to it properly. What an incredible vocal. Cham - Ghetto Story ( iTunes )
I was pleased to see that Republic Of Loose have finally found a champion in the British press in Lisa Verrico . They are a truly amazing live band on their day, and Girl I'm Gonna Fuck You Up from their debut album is a solid gold classic as far as I'm concerned. Republic Of Loose - Girl I'm Gonna Fuck You Up (not on iTunes so here's a link to buy the album from Amazon )
(If You Want It) Do It Yourself is a really brilliant Gloria Gaynor track that should be much better known. There's a dance version soon to be released so perhaps the original will be better known before long. Wonderful verse, awesome chorus, a lyric that says a lot, and I'm not normally particularly interested in videos or YouTube clips but skip forward to 2.05 in the below and you'll see why I've posted this one: Gloria Gaynor - If You Want [...]
The World's Greatest Music
Avicii – Two Million
Beck – I Just Started Hating Some People Today
H&M Lookbook Mujer y Hombre Otoño 2012.
