Incredibly it's been a full nine years since the last album of new original material from Little Feat. Admittedly they followed 2003's 'Kickin' at the Barn' with 'Join The Band' in 2008 but that was something of a stop gap being a trawl through their back catalogue with a host of guest vocalists and musicians. Now they've released 'Rooster Rag' which features mainly original songs and happens to be the first album with new drummer Gabe Ford who replaced Richie Hayward following his death two years ago.
I happen to be one of the many who believe that Little Feat were at their best during the ten year period (1969-1979) that Lowell George fronted the band. Since then their output has been somewhat patchy but I believe this new album is something of a return to form. With only Bill Payne surviving from the original 1969 line up and Paul Barrere, Kenny Gradney and Sam Clayton surviving since 1972, the trademark Little Feat sound remains intact. Additionally I should add that Fred Tackett remains present from the 1987 line up and on this album he adds some very fine mandolin, slide guitar and trumpet.
It has always been hard to categorise the music of Little Feat as they freely switch between blues, boogie, jazz-funk, country and good old rock'n'roll. This album is no exception with Mississippi John Hurt's 'Candy Man Blues' getting things off to a rollicking boogie-woogie start. This is quickly followed by the bluegrass style title track. And so it goes on.
The sensual 'Church Falling Down' features lush mandolin and spooky organ and vocals aside could almost be mistaken for a recent offering by Dr John. 'One Breath At A Time' seems to hark back to 'Rock and Roll Doctor' from 1974's 'Feats Don't Fail Me Now' and one could be forgiven for thinking that it and 'Salome' were out-takes from the 1970's line-up.
I know I'm making a bold statement by daring to make comparisons with the Lowell George incarnation of the band but I really do think that with this album, Little Feat have come very close to producing another great album. Not quite up to the standard of the 70's material but not far off.
It's been a long time coming but it's been worth the wait.
Writing in The Observer recently, Catherine Bennett raised some worrying news for those who have so far resisted the temptations of Facebook. It appears that James Holmes the killer of 12 people in a Colorado cinema and the Norwegian mass killer Anders Breivik, were both 'resisters'. This is concerning news indeed for while I am not a total resister, I do have resisting tendencies. It seems that those who seek to share their most embarrassing photos and random thoughts and actions can now proudly wear the badge of normality.
I initially registered with Facebook for two reasons. One was to access photos posted by my son while he was travelling in South East Asia though this was admittedly short lived while he was experiencing a problem posting pictures on his blog. The second reason was out of idle curiosity. I just had to see what everyone else was going on about. The experience left me unimpressed and it was not too long before my account was deactivated.
Then I found myself feeling excluded while sharing a pint with friends who rattled on about various Facebook related activities they had shared. I must be missing something I thought to myself. I was aware of some people who appeared to be constantly posting comments on one of the many social networking sites so consequently my Facebook account was re-activated. How could I knock it if I had not given it a fair trial?
Now I have experienced three months of being bombarded by notifications of people posting photos, people commenting on photos and people commenting on comments. Occasionally something makes me smile but generally I feel that the time I spend on Facebook is time wasted. Recently that time has diminished to the point where I thought why bother. I should add hastily that this is very much a personal opinion, lest I offend anyone who finds Facebook, interesting, useful or just entertaining. However I have also recently witnessed the less tasteful side of Facebook where two people I know and who deserve better have been subjected to what can only be described as cyber bullying. Shameful and very sad but I guess if it goes on in the real world, then why should we be surprised when it also goes on in the "cyber world" where people can more easily hide their own true identities.
I know that rather than taking the drastic step of closing my account, I could remain as a member and just take a peep every now and then to see what, if anything, is going on. This seems a little bit voyeuristic for my liking, so while considering whether to deactivate my account for the final time, I chanced upon the comments of Ms. Bennett. I hesitated. Would people think me weird, or should I say, more weird than they do now? Would I suddenly feel the urge to grab an AK47 and eliminate a few politicians or bankers? Would I suddenly feel lost and alienated from the world of social networking?
Well, today I have done the deed. My account is now switched off. And the answers to the above questions?
Probably
Occasionally
Not a chance.
Pale And Precious
This is the first in what I intend to be a series of "hidden gems".
From The Dukes of Stratosphear, this is 'Pale and Precious' a pastiche of 'Pet Sounds' era Beach Boys.
The Dukes of Stratosphear was a side project of the band XTC and was intended to pay homage to some of the finer psychedelic bands of the late 1960's.
Listen and enjoy.
Plaudits must go to Free Reed records and music for coming up with some of the best box sets available in the folk music genre. Among the finest must be this 5 disc set from legendary singer/songwriter/guitarist, Richard Thompson.
Housed in a sturdy box, four of the CDs come in jewel cases and represent Thompson at his very best. One disc covers essential Richard Thompson as voted for by fans, friends and fellow musicians. Another features some lengthy improvisational workouts in a live setting. The third disc contains his version of songs by other artists, while the fourth disc has twenty songs by Thompson based upon real life events, real places and real people.
The final disc in the package comes in a mini replica album sleeve and contains fifteen real rarities. Unreleased songs drawing on live recordings, demos and studio out-takes spanning the period between 1971 and 2005. Add to all of this glorious music a superb 172 page book written and researched by Nigel Schofield, and you will realise what great value this package represents (the book alone sells separately for £12.99). Incidentally you also get a replica 1952 Vincent brochure. Fans of Richard Thompson will understand the significance of this.
Oh and I almost forgot to mention that as a purchaser of one of the first 5,000 of these sets, I also received a unique bonus CD drawing together Thompson contributions to Free Reed packages by other artists including Martin Carthy, Ashley Hutchings, Albion Country Band, Elvis Costello and of course, Fairport Convention.
You can read the full details of this wonderful set on the official Richard Thompson website, Beeswing. (http://www.richardthompson-music.com/boxedset.asp)
The package is still currently available from Amazon at £48.47.
Put it on your Christmas list.
Back on 7th April 2012, I posted a blog about the book 'Electric Eden' by Rob Young.
At the time I considered putting together a playlist of many of the tracks and artists referred to in this excellent book. A lack of time and motivation prevented me from doing so but now it appears that Mr. Young has put together his own collection and it is now on sale.
Here is the blurb from the Spin website:-
Based on the bestselling book by Rob Young, Electric Eden lets you hear how Britain’s traditional music was transformed by folk singers, guitar geniuses, psychedelic troubadours and jazz virtuosos. A generation of musicians drew inspiration from a rural paradise that nurtured the Indian summer of British folk-rock in the late 1960s and early seventies – an Albion dreamtime where mythical landscapes, creative isolation and pastoral time-travelling combined to forge the golden age of folk-rock.
This unique 2CD package was entirely compiled by Rob Young, author of the bestselling book, and includes a thorough and fascinating sleevenote written by Rob which details the story behind the selections. It comes in a stunning gatefold digipak sleeve which has a stickered front cover detailing the album's contents and features such purveyors of the genre as Fairport Convention, John Martyn, Bert Jansch, Pentangle and Nick Drake.
The full track list is as follows:
CD1 ACOUSTIC EDEN1. Peter Bellamy - ‘Oak, Ash and Thorn’ 2. Traffic - ‘John Barleycorn Must Die’ 3. Bert Jansch - ‘The Waggoner’s Lad’4. Fairport Convention - ‘Stranger to Himself’ 5. Archie Fisher - ‘Reynardine’ 6. Bread, Love and Dreams - ‘Brother John’ 7. Bill Fay - ‘Garden Song’ 8. Water Into Wine Band - ‘Stranger in the World’ 9. Tudor Lodge - ‘Willow Tree’ 10. Comus - ‘Diana’ 11. Meic Stevens - ‘Yorric’ 12. Magic Carpet - ‘The Dream’13. Sweeney’s Men - ‘The Pipe on the Hob’ 14. Tim Hart & Maddy Prior - ‘False Knight on the Road’15. Dr Strangely Strange - ‘Dark-Haired Lady’16. Albion Country Band - ‘I Was a Young Man’17. COB - ‘Music of the Ages’ 18. Roger Nicholson - ‘The Carman’s Whistle’19. Bridget St John - ‘Fly High’ 20. John Martyn - ‘She Moves Through the Fair’
CD 2 ELECTRIC ALBION
1. Richard Thompson - ‘Roll over Vaughn Williams’ 2. Steeleye Span - ‘The Lark in the Morning’ 3. Unicorn - ‘Country Road’ 4. Fairport Convention - ‘A Sailor’s Life’ 5. Trees - ‘Glasgerion’ 6. Fotheringay - ‘Gypsy Davey’ 7. David Bowie - ‘Black Country Rock’ 8. John Martyn - ‘Glistening Glyndebourne’ 9. Mike Cooper - ‘Paper and Smoke’ 10. Shelagh McDonald - ‘Mirage’ 11. Spirogyra - ‘Disraeli’s Problem’12. Mick Softley - ‘Time Machine’ 13. Shirley Collins & The Albion Country Band - ‘Murder of Maria Marten’ 14. Pentangle - ‘Jack Orion’ 15. Incredible String Band - ‘Painted Chariot’ 16. Nick Drake - ‘Voices’
Although I already own many of the tracks, I have a feeling that this collection might be winging its way to the White Room in the very near future.
The Cambridge Folk Festival last Sunday marked a welcome return to the stage for Nic Jones. When his career was tragically interrupted due to serious injuries sustained in a road accident in Cambridge in 1982, the folk music world was robbed of one of its greatest talents. His seminal album 'Penguin Eggs' (1980) remains one of the best albums in the folk genre and the songs have influenced many musicians since. In recent years Nic has made a couple of guest appearances at various events but Cambridge marked his first full return to the stage.
Flanked and supported by his son Joe on guitar and Belinda O'Hooley on keyboards, Nic Jones received a rapturous welcome from the crowd eager to see and hear him perform again. Among the more well known audience members eagerly awaiting his performance were most of The Unthanks, Anais Mitchell and Pete Kennedy from Nanci Griffiths' band. Although appearing physically frail Jones sang a selection of folk classics as well as a version of the Radiohead song 'Fake Plastic Trees'. It seems that Jones is a huge fan of the band.
Whether he will ever return to become the musical force he once was remains to be seen but it is wonderful that after 30 years he has made his return to the stage.
Welcome back Nic.
