Still not feeling anything like 100% but I had to drag myself out to grab a few essentials.
While out on my own I usually enjoy seeing quirky things that make me smile but to be honest, this sign on a burger van just made me shake my head in despair.
Who is to blame for this? Parents, teachers, or just modern society?
Your views and comments will be gratefully excepted.
It has been a strange few days.
The sore throat I complained about last time out, developed into full blown 'flu' symptoms with headaches, coughing, sneezing and feeling generally lousy, so consequently I haven't ventured out of doors for the best part of four days. In fact I even had to miss a jazz gig I had paid for. A real downer!
For forty eight hours I hardly moved from the sofa flitting between sleeping and reading, so at least some good came of my inactivity. In that time I read 'Into Thin Air' by Jon Krakauer, his account of a disastrously successful attempt to climb Everest in 1996. While not as thought provoking as his earlier 'Into The Wild', it was nevertheless a very interesting read and I marvelled at the hardships that humans can endure in pursuit of their dreams. While reading of these people undertaking such physically and mentally gruelling activities, I was struggling to make it to my kitchen to fix myself a hot drink.
I followed that book with the latest by one of my current favourite novelists, Haruki Murakami. Unfortunately for me, 'Colorless Tsukuru Tazaki and His Years of Pilgrimage' fell well short of his previous work, the superb 1Q84'. Still, I can think of worse ways to spend 48 hours.
What is particularly weird is that throughout the time I have been unwell, I have not once felt the slightest inclination to listen to any music whatsoever. So the pile of unheard CD's remains, and to it has been added 'Tomorrow's Modern Boxes' by Thom Yorke. Knowing that the next month will bring new releases by Anais Mitchell and These New Puritans, I had better get back to full health a.s.a.p.
I will also report that the time of inactivity on the sofa has played havoc with my sleep patterns which perhaps explains why I am writing this stuff at 3.30 in the morning.
I told you it had been a strange few days.
It's been a busy time of late, most notably through attending a recent wedding and a very recent funeral. Both family events involving meeting up with some people I hadn't seen in a while. Such things encourage us to think of our own lives, and of our own mortality. We support each other, celebrate good times and reminisce about the past. Then we all go our separate ways and some of us will probably not meet up again until the next wedding or funeral. As the Doors said, "People are strange".
Sorry to dwell on such thoughts but I am sitting here nursing an horrendous sore throat, sipping honeyed tea, feeling sorry for myself and gazing at the pile of albums that have arrived in recent weeks and days. After making a big deal of how this year has been rather short of decent new albums, I now find myself inundated, with not enough time to listen to all the stuff.
Besides the ones I have already written about in these pages, I can now add recent releases by the Neil Cowley Trio, J. Mascis, Goat, Pere Ubu, Leonard Cohen and double albums from Lucinda Williams and Tweedy (the latter being Wilco's Jeff Tweedy with son, Spencer). Much as I would love to just sit here and listen to them all now, I'm afraid that there are more pressing things to do so I will arm myself with a pack of throat lozenges and get on with them.
No doubt I will be returning in due course to share my thoughts on at least some of the above albums. Now, where did I put those lozenges?
One of my absolute favourite albums from last year was 'Haw' by Hiss Golden Messenger and only 18 months later they have produced the follow up, 'Lateness of Dancers'.
The title also happens to be the name of a story by Eudora Welty, the American author who wrote several novels and short stories about the deep south. I suspect that the choice of title is no accident.
Hiss Golden Messenger is actually M.C.Taylor ably assisted by long time collaborators, William Tyler and Scott Hirsch plus on this occasion, Mountain Man singer Alexandra Sauser-Monnig.
The album has obvious similarities with it's predecessor yet has a more uplifting feel to it. A far more upbeat album both musically and I feel, lyrically. Besides the quality of the songs, the overall sound is very satisfying (especially on headphones) and I discover new parts each time I listen. For example the swirling organ on opening track, 'Lucia', the fuzzy distorted guitar on 'I'm a Raven (Shake Children) or the subtle picked banjo and strange electronic sounds that suddenly emerge in the chorus of the title track. Then of course there is the wonderful organ that plays out 'Mahogony Dread'. Like it's predecessor, this album is packed full of wonderful sounds and images. And I love it.
It's astonishing to think that in these days when artists are content to take four or five years (or in some cases much longer) to make an album, in 2005, Ryan Adams produced no fewer than three. What's even more astonishing is that they were all great and one of them was even a double album! Incredible!
Since then, the output of Adams has slowed somewhat and it has now been three years since his last album the largely acoustic, 'Ashes & Fire'. However I am pleased to report that he has now re-emerged with a new punk EP ''1984' which I have not heard, and a self titled album which I have. And the really good news is that he has lost none of his songwriting ability.
With the exception of 'My Wrecking Ball', Adams has largely abandoned the more reflective acoustic songs in favour of rockier band numbers. In doing so, to my mind he has delivered one of the most varied and compelling releases of his career. Certainly since that trio of albums with the Cardinals back in 2005. His new band features Benmont Tench on keyboards and on a couple of tracks ('Kim' and 'Feels Like Fire') a certain Johnny Depp on guitar and backing vocals.
On the opening track, the single 'Gimme Something Good' Adams sings "I was playing dead, and didn't make a sound / Holding my breath, going underground". Could he here be referring to his self imposed hiatus from the business of making music in 2009? Throughout the album the lyrics drop hints of things that have happened in the forty years Adams has been on this planet. But nothing is ever totally straight forward where Adams is concerned. How do you separate the fact from the fiction?
Musically I love the trio of songs that begins with 'Shadows' and ends with the superb 'I Just Might' which to my ears contains shades of Bruce Springsteen. In my view this is some of the best work Adams has ever produced, and that is really saying something.
A definite contender for album of the year. Welcome back Ryan.
"And if the sun refused to shine".
So sang Robert Plant on 'Thank You' back in 1969 on Led Zeppelin II and here he is again with the same line to begin the hypnotic 'Pocket Full of Golden' on what is his 10th studio album and the first to feature his new touring band, the Sensational Space Shifters. The blues may not be entirely left behind as 'Poor Howard' is a rewrite of Lead Belly's 'Po' Howard' but the remainder of the album mixes up the genres yet generally appears to be firmly rooted in the folks sounds of England, America and thanks to members of his band, of North Africa.
The African sounds and rhythms are apparent from the outset with the traditional 'Little Maggie' despite the song being firmly rooted in the Appalachian culture of America. It was a song Plant attempted during the sessions for 'Raising Sand' with Alison Krauss but here, it takes on a new life as swirling strings (Juldeh Camara on ritti - a one stringed fiddle, perhaps) are joined by futuristic spaced out tape loops from John Baggott.
Plant's liaison with American culture led to a relationship with Patty Griffin but that relationship ended and Plant found himself adrift in the US. On 'Turn It Up' he sings
"I'm lost inside America, I'm turning inside out
I'm turning into someone else I heard so much about"
and one wonders whether these words were influenced by his less happy times there. I guess that people will be searching the album lyrics for other signs that this is a break-up album and it may well be. Plant explained recently that he played the Incredible String Band's 'The Hangman's Beautiful Daughter' to Griffin and she fell about laughing. Definite grounds for separation, I would say.
The musicianship throughout the album is superb with long time associate Justin Adams providing some wonderful guitar solos as on the aforementioned 'Turn It Up'. And the music is wonderfully varied from the softly rocking 'Up On The Hollow Hill' to the beautiful ballad 'A Stolen Kiss'.
A great album that has been added to the ever growing list of contenders for album of the year. I also look forward to seeing this material played live in November.
As I headed towards this gig on Saturday evening, it struck me that the last time I saw this pairing on stage must have been in 1969 or 1970 on a glorious day at an open air folk gathering in Hexham, Northumberland. Since then I have seen Swarb on a couple of occasions with Fairport Convention and Carthy on numerous occasions, solo, with daughter Eliza and with the Imagined Village.
They each have long and illustrious careers behind them and were quite correctly introduced to the small stage as legends.
They are both 73 years of age now and were happy to remain seated during their performance. Of course Swarbrick's health problems have been well documented in the past. He underwent a double lung transplant some years ago and most famously in 1999, the Daily Telegraph published an obituary after he was admitted to hospital with a chest infection. His playing has not diminished one bit and on the evidence of Saturday night, nor has his sense of humour. He is a very funny guy.
I also discovered that Martin Carthy can do a fair impression of Prince Charles.
Regarding the music, I did not take notes of the songs they played but among them were 'The Royal Oak', the darkly humorous 'My Son John' and a personal favourite, 'John Barleycorn'. Of course being just up the road from the Newcastle suburb that gives the song it's name, they had to play 'Byker Hill'.
There may have been the odd stumble over words or a couple of fluffed guitar phrases but the wonder is that these guys can remember all this stuff. Yet one must remember that they are truly steeped in the 'folk tradition' and have been playing this music for close to 60 years. Swarbricks explanations of some of the complex time signatures were informative and very, very funny.
They deservedly got a rousing ovation and I left feeling honoured to have been in the presence of two genuine legends.
Although Opeth have been in existence since 1990, I confess that to the best of my knowledge I have heard nothing by them. Perhaps the fact that Wikipedia describes them as a a Swedish heavy metal band has something to do with that. I may have wide ranging tastes in music but aside from the first couple of Black Sabbath albums, I have managed to steer clear of heavy metal.
Nevertheless someone suggested I may enjoy the most recent Opeth album, 'Pale Communion' and when comparisons were made with Steven Wilson and Porcupine Tree I felt compelled to give it a listen. I'm pleased that I did!
It just goes to show that one should not pay too much attention to the labels that critics and others are inclined to attach to artists these days. Far from being a heavy metal band, I detect in this album shades of prog-rock, folk, jazz, blues and what I suppose could be called, new age. But there I go with the labels again.
I understand that front man Mikael Akerfeldt has toned down his usual death metal vocals for this album and they have been replaced by a mellower sound that would not be out of place on a folk-rock album particularly on parts of, 'Moon Above, Sun Below'. This one track features some blistering rock, sublime electric guitar, almost CSNY vocal harmonies and some even more sublime nylon strung guitar. It may be almost 11 minutes long but I never get bored listening to it.
Following the rather less successful instrumental, 'Goblin' the seven minute 'River' begins with a catchy melody featuring acoustic guitars and beautiful harmonies before the whole thing takes off in a wild race between electric organ and guitar.
Even better is 'Voice of Treason' with its hypnotic riff, synthesised strings and driving drum patterns. Then to end the album come the lush, stately strings that take us into 'Faith in Others'. In it's beauty it reminds me of the closing title track to Steven Wilson's 'The Raven That Refused To Sing'. It is gorgeous and about as far removed from death-metal as one can get.
The new direction taken by Opeth over the past couple of albums may be causing some consternation among some of their long-standing fans as they yearn for the harsher death-metal sounds, but for one I am grateful for this change in focus. There's nothing wrong with a bit of very well done prog-rock. And after all, it's only a label you know.
After what has been in my view a slow and uninspiring year for new music, I am delighted to report that there are a glut of exciting new releases heading this way or already being played in the White Room.
The Brighton duo Royal Blood were recommended to me earlier in the year after they had developed something of a reputation for great live gigs. Despite only being formed in 2013, they have already played Glastonbury twice as well as Reading and the South By Southwest festival in Austin Texas. At the time of the recommendation they only had a four track EP for me to enjoy but thankfully they have now released their eponymous debut album.
Three of the tracks from the EP are now joined by a further seven originals and from the first notes of 'Out of the Black' one is struck by what a great sound these guys achieve with just guitar and drums. Obvious comparisons have been made with the Black Keys though to my ear the White Stripes would be a closer fit owing mainly to the Jack White-like vocals of Mike Kerr. Despite the limited instrumental input, the album is varied and interesting throughout its forty-odd minutes duration.
A very welcome injection of new blood (sorry, I couldn't resist) for my 2014 compilation though sadly I will miss them when they visit these parts in October as I am already booked to see Dave & Phil Alvin that night. Shame!
