August/September 2012 Reviews

[the masked man]

Many thanks, Angelo, and, yes, I guessed it was probably from you! Anyway, no wonder The Church track sounded familiar, as I have it on a compilation. I'm actually surprised I never explored that band more deeply, as there's good stuff on that comp - I was listening a lot to The Go-Betweens and The Triffids in the 80s, and maybe I felt I'd already achieved my quota of Australian indie rock...

As for Ensiferum, I've just got hold of one of their albums, but haven't played it yet. Looks like I'm in for a treat! They're Finnish, which is a recommendation in itself!

Finally, I was intrigued by the form you enclosed. I don't speak Cantonese, but it seemed to be offering me a sum of $6,000. Excitedly, I went to the website address on the form...and found the money is only available to residents of Hong Kong with an ID card. Oh, well...

[fange]

Finally, I was intrigued by the form you enclosed. I don't speak Cantonese, but it seemed to be offering me a sum of $6,000. Excitedly, I went to the website address on the form...and found the money is only available to residents of Hong Kong with an ID card. Oh, well...

I forgot to grab some blank paper to wrap around the disc and help protect it en route, so i grabbed the only sheets of paper i could find on the benches at the post office, which were - as you've now discovered - an application form for the HK $6,000 Permanent Residents Handout Scheme.

Think about it, Andrew - after just 7 short years living in HK, that 6 grand (about 480 pounds) could all be yours...

[Tapiocahead]

Cheers Grant. I think I enjoyed a lot more than my review makes it sound.

[whodathunkit]

"When I Paint My Masterpeice". A themed disc and hand-crafted packaging all suggest something cosmic and American. All the usual arty coves are present (Byrne, Cale, Hitchcock) and some intriguing surprises.

1, Starts (as it should) with "Painter Man" by the Creation.
2. Some nice flamenco-style strumming and Jonathan Richman starts whining on about Rembrandt and Vermeer. Nice enough but I always had a real blind spot where his voice was concerned. And it does feel more like a lecture than a song.
3. Thought this was just another sensitive girly chanteuse first time I heard it but it has really grown on me, Chagal's the name in the frame ( ) here. Lovely song.
4. Really interesting track this (and I don't mean interesting in it's mix-club sense ). Pretty sure it's John Cale singing about Magritte. New to me and excellent.
5. Rather earnest folky thing. Female vocalist whose voice steers dangerously into Joan Baez territory at times, And a heavenly chorus! Not for me,
6. Still better than this though ! Jolly French song with woman in background going Whizz! She-bamm! Pow! etc. Probably called "Pop Art" or some such and made by a smug- faced couple in matching black polo necks and a haze of Gauloise smoke, That old bore Gainsbourg was probably involved somewhere. On the plus side ,Mrs B loved it, Which says it all .
7. Another "Painter Man" song but a 70s feel to this one. It's no Creation but nice enough.
8. A track from Moss Elixir", probably my fave Robin Hitchcock album - "De Chirico Street". Fantastic violin playing on this.
9. Jagged angular mess of a song about Jackson Pollock by some NY new wave arty types. Should hate it but I find it quite endearing. Wouldn't want a second helping though.
10. Unmistakeably Daniel Johnston. Probably called "The Artist Walks Alone". Interesting (and I do mean that in it's mix club sense) but would I listen to him for pleasure? Probably not.
11. Hadn't heard this for yonks. "Artists Only" by Talking Heads. Still enjoyable if a bit dated. A little bit self-consciously "whacky" perhaps.
12. Pleasant little grungy plodder with nice whiny harmonies. Came and went I'm afraid. The Rembrandts perhaps?
13. More grunge but with a more psychy feel. Enjoyed this one
14. Quirky little song about a "little star painting". Sounds like Syd Barrett's 6 year-old brother. For some unearthly reason I love it .
15. Joni and one of her best songs of more recent years, "Turbulent Indigo". Love it.
16. .....But not as much as this. Find of the mix. Pretty sure it's Astrud Gilberto and a song about Monet, lily ponds, etc. Gorgeous voice, gorgeous arrangement. One of those "time stands still" tracks.
17. A track from Bill Fay's comeback allbum Life Is People which dissappointed me a little. Luckily though, "Big Painter" is easily the best thing on it.

Thanks Debbi. Loved a lot it, hated some of it. Which is as it should be. And coming across something like track 16 makes it all worthwhile.

[beenieman]

Received late. Reviewed late. Clearly we all need to lift our game, myself included.

Track 1 –I like this. The 80’s mash up sound favoured by the likes of Big Audio Dynamite, though not them. Top opener and one I’ll likely slip in to one of my discs someday in the future.
Track 2 – Woke Up this Morning. Alabama 3 right? Theme from one of the best TV series ever, The Sopranos. One of the few shows I wouldn’t fast forward the credits for. It was perfect. “Got yourself a gun”.
Track 3 – Kelis with Trick Me. She seems to be under the radar but she has hits and good tracks. This mix has a good flow as all the songs so far have a similar feel. Modern music has a lot more going on than people who miss the two guitars & a drum rock set up appreciate. It’s the 21st century.
Track 4 – Stuff like this shouldn’t work. It does. Again a producers track with all sorts of things thrown into the mix which shouldn’t add up to a tune but does. I could listen to this stuff on & on.
Track 5 – No idea who this is but I’m a fan. A slow build that had my mind drifting at first but just winds her up till you can’t escape it. Another I’ll be interested in the reveal for.
Track 6 – Took a moment for my ears to adjust. I hadn’t realised how loud the last track had cranked up. This is low key and sounds familiar but I can’t place it. Another winner from the 21st century.
Track 7 – Enjoyed this. Strange lyrics.
Track 8 - I can give you what you want. I can make you ice cream. Fun stuff.
Track 9 – The Noisettes – Don’t Upset the Rhythm. More goodness. Shows how disco has endured through the decades.
Track 10 – No misses yet. Sparks with When Do I Get To Sing My Way. These guys never abandoned their mix of disco & new wave. They still cut it.
Track 11 – This could be Sparks again. Certainly influence by them.
Track 12 – A little offbeat. Getting back to the mashup feel of the opening tracks
Track 13 – Sounds familiar.
Track 14 – I love the cluttered sound of much of today’s music. This works so well.
Track 15 – A pleasant track to end with.

I enjoyed this a lot. Thanks. Sounded great throughout.

[Minnie the Minx]

Well thank you sender and I am sorry it has taken me so long to get round to review!

1. This is certainly Pauline Murray, I cannot remember the title, and I love it. I have to get my CDS delivered from the UK

2. A nice bit of soul that I cannot determine the age of - is this new trying to sound old, or genuinely old? Nice tambourines. I like a nice tambourine, me

3. A bit of African music of unknown origin that is foot tappingly pleasant

4. A joint consultation here with husband leads us to think this might be Betty Lavette. Are we right?

5. No idea at all who this is - thought it might be the Belle Stars till the male vocals kicked in! It's all a bit of a mess, this, isn't it?

6. This sounds like solo Chrissie Hynde - am I right?

7. Some honky tonky stuff! Is this Lightning Slim, we wonder? Or Jimmy Reed?

8. This is Joni Mitchell. It's a bit of a giveaway, as she is introduced at the start of the song

9. Is this our very own JSJ?? Hushdrops?

10. Ooh, I like this - sounds very Husker Du but I am pretty sure it isn't - clues please!

11. A lovely showtime musically girlie Garland type song and I have no idea at all who it is.

12. Christ, this is painful. Might fast forward. Sorry.

13. Bob Wills Is this a disc for me or my husband?

14. Could this possibly be Glen Campbell? Or maybe Mike Nesmith? We wonder.

15. This sounds a little bit like Liz Fraser, though I am sure it isn't - though I am prepared to be wrong!

16. A bit like an African Moloko - have no idea who this might be at all!

17. Some pleasant unidentified female soul vocal

18. Some African acapella gospely stype tune - really not my thing at all, fast forward!

19. Ooh, this sounds like Tracey Thorn. Am I right? Am I right?

20. this is Patti Smith singing 'the sun will come out tomorrow' - it sure will, and every other fucking day here


Thanks Sender! Some of this I really liked, though much less keen on the African element, not my thing really - loved the Pauline, Patti and female soul and can't wait to find out who number thirteen is - thanks so much!

[The Fish]

Well thank you sender and I am sorry it has taken me so long to get round to review!

This was my doing. In answer to your question "Is this a disc for me or my husband?
" well certainly it was mostly aimed at you, but I'll own up to devilishly having the intention of stirring a bit of musical debate in the Falkenberg household with one or two of the selections. Anyway Miss Minx, I think you might be cheating with the joint review idea. Should I take a wild guess at which of you identified Lightnin' Slim ?

1. This is certainly Pauline Murray, I cannot remember the title, and I love it. I have to get my CDS delivered from the UK

Well I figured if this doesn't get you on board from the start, nothing will. Pauline Murray indeed with The Invisible Girls

2. A nice bit of soul that I cannot determine the age of - is this new trying to sound old, or genuinely old? Nice tambourines. I like a nice tambourine, me

It's David Ruffin from the Hip-O-Select rerelase of the "unreleased" album, and bizarrely there is a kind of connection between the two that sees this particular pairing open the disc. These are respectively the least and most I have ever paid for a CD (both from Ebay). The Pauline Murray was 1c, the David Ruffin £104 !!

3. A bit of African music of unknown origin that is foot tappingly pleasant

Two things to note here.
1. I was checking to see if you actually played any of the youtubes from my BCB list before voting against it
2. I thought you of all people would recognise the tune instantly as See Jungle by Bow Wow Wow. I love that they not only ripped it off royally but even kept some of the lyrics - odd snatches that sounded like English you can hear "city" and "gang yeah" in there. Anyway it is the Mahotella Queens.

4. A joint consultation here with husband leads us to think this might be Betty Lavette. Are we right?

Not a bad guess but you can tell Michael It's Laura Lee. She did some great stuff on Chess. This is from her Invicta years.

5. No idea at all who this is - thought it might be the Belle Stars till the male vocals kicked in! It's all a bit of a mess, this, isn't it?

Well it's called Maniac so mess is probably right. I love most of the new American quirky stuff, Vampire Weekend, Arcade Fire etc. This is Clap Your Hands Say Yeah, who are leaning more that way after the Talking Heads sound of their debut.

6. This sounds like solo Chrissie Hynde - am I right?

In a word NO. To be honest I half expected you to guess that. I can see the similarities. The Dum Dum Girls who soulnd like some great amalgam of the Shangri Las and The Pretenders.

7. Some honky tonky stuff! Is this Lightning Slim, we wonder? Or Jimmy Reed?

Well done it is indeed Lightnin' Slim (I assume that was your guess and Michael went for Reed ?

8. This is Joni Mitchell. It's a bit of a giveaway, as she is introduced at the start of the song

It is indeed but it's a youtube rip of her very early TV appearances before her debut album even. I love this stuff. If you go to youtube and put Joni 1965 or Joni 1966 in the search there's a few available from old TV shows and she just looks wonderful.

9. Is this our very own JSJ?? Hushdrops?

It is indeed Mr San Juan

10. Ooh, I like this - sounds very Husker Du but I am pretty sure it isn't - clues please!

This one was a bit of a punt. I love this band but BCB opinion seems divided. The Hold Steady. It's big, it's dumb, but hey sometimes you just gotta love big and dumb.

11. A lovely showtime musically girlie Garland type song and I have no idea at all who it is.

Blossom Dearie. I got a track from her on a Bhoywonder mix and loved it. There's a great release feturing 4 albums on 2 CDs for next to nothing. Just the sort of vibe that can hit the spot on occasions.

12. Christ, this is painful. Might fast forward. Sorry.

Well Hatz has been pimping this album on BCB like forever. Judy Henske and Jerry Yester from Farewell Aldebaran. An acquired taste for sure but surprised you hated it quite so much as to me it's not a million miles away from some Patti Smith.

13. Bob Wills Is this a disc for me or my husband?

Just checking you're allowed to stay in Texas dear. Texans would probably be more likely to forgive Ozzy for pissing on The Alamo than they would anyone dissing Bob Wills.

14. Could this possibly be Glen Campbell? Or maybe Mike Nesmith? We wonder.

Glen it is. From his latest and by all accounts last album. Given his condition it was I think brave in a way to sing this (written by Paul Westerberg) That line "Hold me like a breath" gets me every time

15. This sounds a little bit like Liz Fraser, though I am sure it isn't - though I am prepared to be wrong!

Youtubeage again and possibly ? the only collaboration between Jeff Buckley and Liz Fraser.

16. A bit like an African Moloko - have no idea who this might be at all!

I had it in mind that you started a thread on this singer before, although it's almost certainly the first time I've heard her referred to as the African Moloko - Janis Ian.

17. Some pleasant unidentified female soul vocal

Ooh damn with faint praise why don't you This to me is the very definition of sass (and another BCB cup pick you didn't play) Honey Cone

18. Some African acapella gospely stype tune - really not my thing at all, fast forward!

Oh Well - fair enough. This is actually the South African national anthem done Soweto style.

19. Ooh, this sounds like Tracey Thorn. Am I right? Am I right?

Yep EBTG Thought the sentiment here might strike a chord. Homesickness for England and all that.


20. this is Patti Smith singing 'the sun will come out tomorrow' - it sure will, and every other fucking day here

Right on both counts. I love that this is such a bizarre combination of singer and song. In truth I'd say the song is a well crafted show tune and while I wouldn't say I love it necessarily, it usually suffers as being seen as some kind of joke by its connotation with usually being sung by a screaming brat. Anyway proof that I could probably listen to Patti sing just about anything.

Thanks Sender! Some of this I really liked, though much less keen on the African element, not my thing really - loved the Pauline, Patti and female soul and can't wait to find out who number thirteen is - thanks so much!

Well you know who 13 is as you said above, Anyway whichever track you meant, you now know. I guess the second African pick was one too far, but I thought you'd take to the first from the Bow Wow Wow perspective.

Anyway glad you found something here to enjoy.


1. Pauline Murray & The Invisible Girls - Dream Sequence
2. David Ruffin - Each Day Is A Lifetime
3. The Mahotella Queens - Umculo Kawupheli
4. Laura Lee - I Don;t Want Nothing Old (But Money)
5. Clap Your Hands Say Yeah - Maniac
6. Dum Dum Girls - Trouble
7. Lightnin' Slim Lightnin's Troubles
8. Joni Mitchell - Just Like Me
9. The Hushdrops - Kevin Junior
10. The Hold Steady - Constructive Summer
11. Blossom Dearie - Bang Goes The Drum
12. Judy Henske & Jerry Yester - Rapture
13. Glen Campbell - Any Trouble
14. Jeff Buckley & Liz Fraser - All Flowers In Time Bend Towards The Sun
15. Janis Ian - Might As Well Be Monday
16. Honey Cone - Want Ads
17. Mzwakhe Mbuli - Nkosi Sikelela
18. Everything But The Girl - Lonesome For A Place I Know
19. Patti Smith - Tomorrow

[the masked man]

Received late. Reviewed late. Clearly we all need to lift our game, myself included.

Indeed. Sorry I took so long to get this out!

Track 1 –I like this. The 80’s mash up sound favoured by the likes of Big Audio Dynamite, though not them. Top opener and one I’ll likely slip in to one of my discs someday in the future.

It's actually later than that, 2002 to be precise! This is St Etienne with 'Action'.

Track 2 – Woke Up this Morning. Alabama 3 right? Theme from one of the best TV series ever, The Sopranos. One of the few shows I wouldn’t fast forward the credits for. It was perfect. “Got yourself a gun”.

Best TV theme too!

Track 3 – Kelis with Trick Me. She seems to be under the radar but she has hits and good tracks. This mix has a good flow as all the songs so far have a similar feel. Modern music has a lot more going on than people who miss the two guitars & a drum rock set up appreciate. It’s the 21st century.

Couldn't agree more. Great pop song.

Track 4 – Stuff like this shouldn’t work. It does. Again a producers track with all sorts of things thrown into the mix which shouldn’t add up to a tune but does. I could listen to this stuff on & on.

This is The Orb, with a version of 'Perpetual Dawn' remixed by Youth from Killing Joke.

Track 5 – No idea who this is but I’m a fan. A slow build that had my mind drifting at first but just winds her up till you can’t escape it. Another I’ll be interested in the reveal for.

It's a band called The Aloof, who were briefly fashionable in the UK during the 90s. I have two albums by them, which is cut of the same cloth, all moody textures and soulful vocals. This is, I think, their finest moment, though

Track 6 – Took a moment for my ears to adjust. I hadn’t realised how loud the last track had cranked up. This is low key and sounds familiar but I can’t place it. Another winner from the 21st century.

This is Norwegian singer Annie, with 'Anthonio'; she's done at least two albums full of great songs like this.

Track 7 – Enjoyed this. Strange lyrics.

This is the single version of 'Justified & Ancient' by 90s situationists The KLF. It features an unlikely guest vocal from country legend Tammy Wynette.

Track 8 - I can give you what you want. I can make you ice cream. Fun stuff.

This is New Young Pony Club with 'Ice Cream'. Stuff like this was beginning to go mainstream a few years ago here in the UK (this made the top 40 singles), but unfortunately pop's gone all X-Factor now, and is a lot less fun.

Track 9 – The Noisettes – Don’t Upset the Rhythm. More goodness. Shows how disco has endured through the decades.

I'd put this in a similar bracket to the last track. Haven't heard their new album yet.

Track 10 – No misses yet. Sparks with When Do I Get To Sing My Way. These guys never abandoned their mix of disco & new wave. They still cut it.

They are amazing. I don't know of any other band of their vintage is still producing music than can match up to their initial peak. They were well ahead of their time in the 70s, and have never quite received their due.

Track 11 – This could be Sparks again. Certainly influence by them.

Ha! I see what you mean. This is actually Norwegian gothic metal band Theatre of Tragedy, and it's not their normal style. However, 'Flickerlight' proves they could produce addictive synthpop when they turned down the guitars in the mix.

Track 12 – A little offbeat. Getting back to the mashup feel of the opening tracks

Another band fuelled by ideas, this is Swiss duo Yello with 'Move Dance Be Born'

Track 13 – Sounds familiar.

It was a minor hit in the UK - maybe it charted in NZ too? It's Kid Creole & the Coconuts with 'The Sex Of It', a song written by Prince.

Track 14 – I love the cluttered sound of much of today’s music. This works so well.

This is Röyksopp, who I believe are the most northernly band in my collection (they come from Tromsø, Norway, which is inside the Arctic Circle). They've produced a flawless mass of moody electro-pop in their career; here they use guest vocals from Swedish star Robyn on 'The Girl And The Robot'.

Track 15 – A pleasant track to end with.

Back to the 80s, with Act, a short-lived duo featuring former Propaganda singer Claudia Brücken and Scottish synth wizard Thomas Leer. This was a single, 'Snobbery And Decay'.

I enjoyed this a lot. Thanks. Sounded great throughout.

Thank you! I wanted to do a mix that turned its back on rock and explored the pleasures of art-school pop from the 80s through to the present day, and I thought this was more likely to work with you than with most Mix Club regulars. I'm glad I was right! Funnily enough, the last time I did something like this, The Write Profile was the grateful recipient; it seems like New Zealanders are more open to this music than other BCB nationalities! Here's the tracklist:

1) Saint Etienne - Action
2) Alabama 3 - Woke Up This Morning
3) Kelis - Trick Me
4) The Orb - Perpetual Dawn (Solar Youth Mix)
5) The Aloof - All I Want Is You
6) Annie - Anthonio
7) KLF - Justified & Ancient (Stand By The Jams)
8) New Young Pony Club - Ice Cream
9) The Noisettes - Don't Upset The Rhythm
10) Sparks - When Do I Get To Sing 'My Way' (Sparks Radio Edit)
11) Theatre of Tragedy - Flickerlight
12) Yello - Move Dance Be Born
13) Kid Creole & the Coconuts - The Sex Of It (7" Edit)
14) Röyksopp - The Girl And The Robot
15) Act - Snobbery & Decay

Again, many thanks for the review!

[Duncan]

My disc comes from an intrepid musical journeyman in England. It's filled with courageous choices and starts with...

How do, this is mine. Apologies for the sloppy reveal - pishy computer issues side-lined me there for a while.
Anyway, I love plundering soul, funk and 'world' comps for Mix Club, so the main challenge here was trying to put together something groovy that you weren't already over-familiar with. I could have gone a different route, but the funky ones are the most fun to put together and I knew that you'd be up for some sweaty grooves more than anyone so I didn't want to pass up the opportunity.

1. “Do You Feel It” by Joe Cuba. I love the mood on this one. Its nostalgia is not romanticized just imbued with the pervasive feeling that some pretty heavy shit went down. The vocals have a sort of 70s voice over for a trailer for a blaxploitation film.

I think this is my favourite Fania track, although there's still so much that I haven't heard. The bit where he breaks loose after the first chorus (of sorts) is one the most spine-tingling moments in music. I toyed with using a more obscure Fania release, but this one seemed to set things up the best. My introduction to the label was this sexy little comp:

2. Hard to characterize this second one—lots of percussive noises, some animal sounds, could come from just about anywheres. I'm thinking it might be Latin, one of those tracks that attempts to fuse Afro rhythms with rock music. I like it, but I'm not sure how often I'd come back to this sort of thing. Maybe more than I initially thought as it's got me wondering.

Yeah, you're spot on with Latin/African guess. The band are from Colombia and called Afrosound so that's about as Afro/Latin as you're going to get. They were on the Disco Fuentes label (and contained the legendary Fruko) so you may have encounted other tracks on various South American comps. They were always one of the most experimental of the Disco Fuentes groups, but this track is particularly wild. There's a Soundway comp that features a few of their less out-there cuts, but this one is taken from a highly recommended Vampisoul collection. (oh yeah, and the track is called Dog, Cat)

3. The easy groove of this one is feeling a little light after the gravitas of the first two tracks, but it's deceptive and in fact a pretty perfect and groovy testimonial of a woman wronged. Put me down as an unabashed fan of this one.

A little nugget plucked from my treasured Stax Singles box-sets, this is Where Would You Be Today by a lady called Ilana, about which very little is known. In the notes Bowman comments on the Mayfield production influences which was pretty unusual for Stax at the time.

4. Some frantic ska. I don't really know my Donald Drummond from my Glen Brown. This seems to me representative of that 60s period pre-Bob which is to say it's pretty ace with a zany organ keeping things moving along.

This is the infectious Pepper Pot by Count Machuki. It's from the Jamaican edition of those Funk Experience comps, which are all really strong and inexpensive.

5. Fantastic Cuban? piece. I love that guitar sound, great bass line, and the poly-rhythms are sounding real nice. Smoov vocalist. I wanna dance with a woman in a slinky dress. Hope the wife will oblige.

This is actually Angolan, although that would be far from my first guess too. The artist's name is Luiz Visconde, the track is called Chofer de Praca and is from a rather splendid comp entitled The Soul of Angola. I'd love to explore Angolan music more, the Brazilian link and the folky traditions give it a unique, fascinating sound.

6. I'm not sure I've quite gotten with this one yet. Kent seems to be making a lot of the connection between country and soul. lately This might be one of those crossovers, but the vocalist's histrionics (while impressive) are not quite winning me over. It might be one I could grow to love.

It is indeed from a Kent comp, although this one goes back a bit further. It's on the fourth volume of Dave Godin's Deep Soul Treasures. I dropped it in as a bit of a change of pace, but it's definitely worth persisting with - I love how over the top it all is. It's by a chap called Jimmy Robins (and it's called I Made It Over) but I don't know anything else by him.

7. Funky goodness of Maze with Color Blind.

I'd forgotten about this track but then it popped up while I was playing a cheap Blue Note funk compilation. It's a bouncy beast for sure. The comp is also better than the crumby cover might suggest.

8. Almost all instrumental (there is some chanting) extended funky freakout. You could try to not like it, but what would that get you?

This a fairly new disovery: Indonesian funk! The track is Saman Doye (and is a funk-rock rendition of a traditional Papuan folk song) by The Black Brothers. Check this out:

9. The menacing bass line of Amnesty with Free Your Mind. I know this one from the Cold Heat comp. The bass covers some ground. The horns come in to help lighten the mood inviting us in. Good choice!

Aye, this is as good as psychedlic soul gets. The Cold Heat comp is the same place I found it. Used copies appear to be available on Amazon for £160!

10. 10 is so good. When I first listened I was a little concerned about the muddiness of the organ, but I realized that it was okay when the sax starts to command center stage. The organ blending in with the rhythm section to create one filthy jam.

Mulatu Astatqe - Yegelle Tezeta. Jazzy Ethiopian groove. This is from a comp made by the guys that ran the Shrine club night in London. The CDs misleadingly called Afrobeat, but it's mostly soukouss, highlife, etc.

11. The beginning of this sounds like Albert Ayler, but then the band finds this kickass groove. Each backing part taken independently is a little repetitive, but they coalesce into this uptempo hullabaloo. That horn smokes-- sounds like a late 60s Freddie Hubbard. Can't wait for the reveal.

King Errison - Alone. A legendary session man but he also recorded stacks of his own stuff. This is one of his more obscure tracks, dug up by the chaps who put together this groovy latin comp:

12. Love Addict by Honey and the Bees is a muthafucking jam. Mixer, let's join forces to spread the word. This track is soulful pop perfection.

I'm up for spreading the love. Let's start now:

13. Congo Boogaloo? Sounds like one of the Fania guys invited a 70 soul singer for maximum crossover appeal. Hard not to get up and shake what you brought. I love it when the soul singer says “I don't what your saying, but right!” at the end.

That's pretty much exactly what it is.The Band is Kako & His Orchestra. The soul singer is Jerry Williams. The track is Kako's Booglaloo. It's on an old Harmless comp. And that's my favourite bit too.

14. I'm not sure how far east I should go with my guess as to where this was recorded but it is most certainly garage. I'm pretty sure, mixer, that you are a fan of the Soundway label and if my guess is right that you have championed that Siam release they put out a while back, so I'm guessing this might be a track from that. It's wild-- could also very easily be an Indian garage track. I'll stop now.

Yeah, that Thai stuff is superb, but you don't have to travel quite so far for this one. It's from Turkey, but it's pretty different to everything going on there at the time (and anywhere else for that matter).The artist's name is Selda and her albums were rediscovered and rereleased by the Finders Keepers label a few years back. The track is called Ince Ince.

15. Beautiful Brazilian piece. Probably from that golden age of Brazilian pop when people were mixing western influence with Bossa rhythms, though this is certainly less rock than Os Mutantes and some of those other cats. My guess is Milton Nascimento, though this is pure speculation as he is someone I've been meaning to delve into and haven't gotten around to yet. The orchestration and backing vocals at the end marry so nicely with the tropicalia rhythms. One of my many faves on this disc.

Jose Mauro - Obnoxious. From the short-lived (but terribly good) Quartin label.

16. This one survives a very shaky start. That intro is dire and I hate the backing vocals, but the lead navigates this through the dicey landscape of inspirational pabulum with deft skill. I can't place the voice, but it's wonderful. I hope her hard knocks wisdom and let-it-all-out delivery are in service of better material elsewhere.

Betty Fykes - I Can't Lie To My Heart. Bit of a random one this, I was looking for something slower to go out on and it caught my attention while I was skipping through iTunes. I don't know anything else about her (it's on a Goldmine comp and they've never been any good at liner notes) but the voice really stood out. The backing vocals are definitely a bit naff but there's a low-budget charm to the whole thing.



So there you have it: 9 flat out classics, 4 strong tracks, 2 possible growers, and only one not my bag. A very high percentage. Thanks for your thoughtful assemblage![/quote]

Glad it went down well. If you fancy some further listening then just give me a shout. Cheers

[T. Willy Rye]

Thanks Duncan! Have already ordered that Quartin comp. The Shrine Afrobeat and Angola Soul comps have been added to my wishlist. The Playtime comp is going to require some sleuthing!

Again, thanks for leaving no stone unturned.

[beenieman]

Thank you! I wanted to do a mix that turned its back on rock and explored the pleasures of art-school pop from the 80s through to the present day, and I thought this was more likely to work with you than with most Mix Club regulars. I'm glad I was right! Funnily enough, the last time I did something like this, The Write Profile was the grateful recipient; it seems like New Zealanders are more open to this music than other BCB nationalities! Here's the tracklist:

1) Saint Etienne - Action
2) Alabama 3 - Woke Up This Morning
3) Kelis - Trick Me
4) The Orb - Perpetual Dawn (Solar Youth Mix)
5) The Aloof - All I Want Is You
6) Annie - Anthonio
7) KLF - Justified & Ancient (Stand By The Jams)
8) New Young Pony Club - Ice Cream
9) The Noisettes - Don't Upset The Rhythm
10) Sparks - When Do I Get To Sing 'My Way' (Sparks Radio Edit)
11) Theatre of Tragedy - Flickerlight
12) Yello - Move Dance Be Born
13) Kid Creole & the Coconuts - The Sex Of It (7" Edit)
14) Röyksopp - The Girl And The Robot
15) Act - Snobbery & Decay

Again, many thanks for the review!

It certainly hit the spot with this New Zealander.

A superb mix and definitely a keeper.

Thanks.

[Duncan]

Right, first off, massive grovelling apologies that this took so long. I've participated in every Mix Club since day one and this is the first real blemish on my record, so please forgive me. I lost internet access for a while but I'm all up and running again now.

Anyway, on with the show:

1. A bit of Broadcast to kick us off. It's been a while since I've heard anything by these guys and it took a couple of spins for it all to come back. It's fab, and has an odd detached warmness, if such a thing is possible. I think that it's time to dig out those early LPs again.

2. Late punk, but coming at it from a more playful angle than your average set of snotty oiks. I love the squelchy beat. Daft, in a good way.

3. Ah, a spot of Maximo Park. I used to lap this stuff up back in that brief electro-funk-punk era. I interviewed this lot in about 2007. Nice chaps. One of them gave me some celery. Rock and roll. I've moved away from this style of dancey indie over the last few years but it was good hearing it again. The dominant synthy bits are particularly pleasurable.

4. Some chunky, cheeky, cheery turntablism. I was really into this kind of thing at about the same time as Maximo Park, so this is another enjoyable flashback to a gloriously fun period of un-productivity for me. I don't recognise the track but it could well turn out to be something that I own somewhere. Good stuff.

5. Those wacky chaps LMFAO. Some of the rhymes are pretty terrible but it obviously never takes itself very seriously so it's hard to get pissy about it. Daft, in a slightly less good way, although I'd be lying if I said that that the relentlessness of the beat didn't cause frequent instances of involuntary bobbing.

6. The mighty Tribe at their mightiest. When's the last time you heard a funky diabetic?

7. Mr Mark Ronson. The first time I heard this (on that music television that the kids have these days) I loved it unreservedly despite my natural BCB instincts. This is a song that should be really annoying but it's actually charming and addictive and joyous. As a man who's 30 going on 16, I feel that I can identify with the sentiment.

8. Rhianna. Big glossy pop that sounds great when that fat bass kicks in. I could happily dance like a twat to this. And I have done. And am doing so again right now.

9. Another blast from the recent past; CSS's Off the Hook. It's a little bit generic but it's a decent enough track taken from what was a pretty exciting album for me at the time. It's a shame that it all went a bit pish after that.

10. The Chemical Brothers' psychedelic career highpoint. Cracking drumming.

11. Don't know this one. Dirty US rock from the late 70s (I'm guessing). Not really my musical centre of gravity, but that's not necessarily a bad thing. It's pretty raw and powerful and was probably loads of fun to watch live.

12. Oh shit, there's a horse in the hospital. I'm not sure how one reviews this, but I would like to know more about this inappropriate equine.

13. I think that I vaguely recognise the vocals but they're in a context that I'm not familiar with, or they just sound a bit like someone else that I can't quite finger. It's not bad song or anything but after all the dancey punky pop that came before, it all seems a wee bit MOR. I'm not convinced by the production.

14. This one doesn't really do anything for me either I'm afraid. Again, I wouldn't say that I dislike it, but it just kinda plods along without engaging me.

15. This is one of my favourites, though. Dreamy indie pop with floaty indecipherable lyrics and chugging krauty beats. My instincts want to suggest Stereolab because it sounds like their ballpark, but that's probably a fairly lazy comparison. Lovely stuff.

16. Lo-fi ambient waves of noise with an irregular pulse. I do get a lot out of this kind of hypnotic minimalism, although you have to be in a certain mood. One for the wee small hours.

17. Similar feel to track 16, although this one centres around some delicate piano feathering. Great way to go out - it brings a very satisfying conclusion to proceedings. Especially looking forward to the reveal on this one (and the previous track) because it's definitely an area that I'm keen to explore with more purpose in the future.

Really enjoyable stuff, cheers. Lots of different styles, lots of camp fun, lots of prettiness, and lots of evocative reminders of music I've let slip away. One or two tracks weren't really my bag, but even they were perfectly listenable, so that's a pretty successful hit rate I reckon. Thanks loads (particularly for your patience while I fannied about).

[Minnie the Minx]

1. A bit of Broadcast to kick us off. It's been a while since I've heard anything by these guys and it took a couple of spins for it all to come back. It's fab, and has an odd detached warmness, if such a thing is possible. I think that it's time to dig out those early LPs again.

Yes, Broadcast are pretty bloody wonderful are they not! And oft played in this house...

2. Late punk, but coming at it from a more playful angle than your average set of snotty oiks. I love the squelchy beat. Daft, in a good way.

He hee! Adam and the Antz and 'Lady'

3. Ah, a spot of Maximo Park. I used to lap this stuff up back in that brief electro-funk-punk era. I interviewed this lot in about 2007. Nice chaps. One of them gave me some celery. Rock and roll. I've moved away from this style of dancey indie over the last few years but it was good hearing it again. The dominant synthy bits are particularly pleasurable.

Correct sir, and I agree re: the synths. The guy in MP who plays the synths goes nuts when they play live and is a pleasure to watch

4. Some chunky, cheeky, cheery turntablism. I was really into this kind of thing at about the same time as Maximo Park, so this is another enjoyable flashback to a gloriously fun period of un-productivity for me. I don't recognise the track but it could well turn out to be something that I own somewhere. Good stuff.

This is the Handsome Boy Modeling School! Worth investigating.

5. Those wacky chaps LMFAO. Some of the rhymes are pretty terrible but it obviously never takes itself very seriously so it's hard to get pissy about it. Daft, in a slightly less good way, although I'd be lying if I said that that the relentlessness of the beat didn't cause frequent instances of involuntary bobbing.

yep, sloop got me hooked up on this jam and it still entertains me.

6. The mighty Tribe at their mightiest. When's the last time you heard a funky diabetic?

I don't know man, I don't know man, I don't know I don't know!

7. Mr Mark Ronson. The first time I heard this (on that music television that the kids have these days) I loved it unreservedly despite my natural BCB instincts. This is a song that should be really annoying but it's actually charming and addictive and joyous. As a man who's 30 going on 16, I feel that I can identify with the sentiment.

I've got a huge soft spot for MR and being a cyclist I dig the sentiment of the choon

8. Rhianna. Big glossy pop that sounds great when that fat bass kicks in. I could happily dance like a twat to this. And I have done. And am doing so again right now.

Not Rhianna mate - this is Katy Perry!

9. Another blast from the recent past; CSS's Off the Hook. It's a little bit generic but it's a decent enough track taken from what was a pretty exciting album for me at the time. It's a shame that it all went a bit pish after that.

Yes it is a shame isn't it?

10. The Chemical Brothers' psychedelic career highpoint. Cracking drumming.

Aye, I agree

11. Don't know this one. Dirty US rock from the late 70s (I'm guessing). Not really my musical centre of gravity, but that's not necessarily a bad thing. It's pretty raw and powerful and was probably loads of fun to watch live.

This is the Dead Boys and Sonic Reducer, one of my all time faves.

12. Oh shit, there's a horse in the hospital. I'm not sure how one reviews this, but I would like to know more about this inappropriate equine.

Taken from Dr Octagon, 'General Hospital'

13. I think that I vaguely recognise the vocals but they're in a context that I'm not familiar with, or they just sound a bit like someone else that I can't quite finger. It's not bad song or anything but after all the dancey punky pop that came before, it all seems a wee bit MOR. I'm not convinced by the production.

You will recognice the vocals certainly! This is Patti Smith from her new album, which has proven a little devisive I think. I love it.

14. This one doesn't really do anything for me either I'm afraid. Again, I wouldn't say that I dislike it, but it just kinda plods along without engaging me.

Fair enough! Dean Warehams cover of 'I Deserve It' (A Madonna song)

15. This is one of my favourites, though. Dreamy indie pop with floaty indecipherable lyrics and chugging krauty beats. My instincts want to suggest Stereolab because it sounds like their ballpark, but that's probably a fairly lazy comparison. Lovely stuff.

This is Atlas Sound and you are correct about the singer of Sterolab who features on this track.

16. Lo-fi ambient waves of noise with an irregular pulse. I do get a lot out of this kind of hypnotic minimalism, although you have to be in a certain mood. One for the wee small hours.

This is Air. Lovely stuff.

17. Similar feel to track 16, although this one centres around some delicate piano feathering. Great way to go out - it brings a very satisfying conclusion to proceedings. Especially looking forward to the reveal on this one (and the previous track) because it's definitely an area that I'm keen to explore with more purpose in the future.

This is the glorious Richard Hawley. You must investigate his stuff further. Make sure you get a copy of 'Coles Corner' where this track comes from.

I'm glad you liked the most of this, mate! Shout if there is anything you want to investigate more...

1. Broadcast, Come on Lets Go
2. Adam and the Ants, Lady
3. Maximo Park, Girls who Play Guitars
4. Handsome Boy Modelling School, Holy Calamity
5. LMFAO I'm in the Bay Bitch
6. Tribe Called Quest, Oh My God
7.Mark Ronson, The Bike Song
8. Katy Perry, Firework
9. CSS Off the Hook
10. Chemical Brothers, Let Forever Be
11 Dead Boys, Sonic Reducer
12 Dr Octagon, General Hospital
13 Patti Smith, Amerigo
14 Britta Philips and Dean Wareham, I Deserve It
15 Atlas Sound, Quick Canal
16 Air, Night Sight
17 Richard Hawley, Last Orders

[Duncan]

Cheers Min. On the back of this mix I've revisited a lot of albums that I'd forgotten about and had a pretty good time, so cheers for the memory tickle.
I've heard little snippets from both Atlas Sound and Handsome Boy Modelling School, both of which I remember enjoying, so I'll definitely look in to those guys a bit further. I'm surprised that the last track is Richard Hawley, I didn't expect him to sound anything like this. Is this track in any way representative? And does getting Rhianna and Katy Perry mixed up mean that I'm officially old enough for full BCB membership now?

[Minnie the Minx]

Cheers Min. On the back of this mix I've revisited a lot of albums that I'd forgotten about and had a pretty good time, so cheers for the memory tickle.
I've heard little snippets from both Atlas Sound and Handsome Boy Modelling School, both of which I remember enjoying, so I'll definitely look in to those guys a bit further. I'm surprised that the last track is Richard Hawley, I didn't expect him to sound anything like this. Is this track in any way representative? And does getting Rhianna and Katy Perry mixed up mean that I'm officially old enough for full BCB membership now?

The Hawley track is not representative at all, it's a real one off, but a lovely one!

I can't comment on the Rhianna issue. Only you and your soul can answer that.

[Cosmic American Girl]

"When I Paint My Masterpeice". A themed disc and hand-crafted packaging all suggest something cosmic and American. All the usual arty coves are present (Byrne, Cale, Hitchcock) and some intriguing surprises.

Apologies for my inexcusable tardiness. My New Year's resolutions was to stop being a mix club slacker.

1, Starts (as it should) with "Painter Man" by the Creation.

1 Painter Man- The Creation

Seemed like the only way to start of the disc.

2. Some nice flamenco-style strumming and Jonathan Richman starts whining on about Rembrandt and Vermeer. Nice enough but I always had a real blind spot where his voice was concerned. And it does feel more like a lecture than a song.

2 No One Was Like Vermeer-Jonathan Richman

I have a real soft spot for Jonathan Richman, but I can see why his voice and songs could be a little hard for others to love.

3. Thought this was just another sensitive girly chanteuse first time I heard it but it has really grown on me, Chagal's the name in the frame ( ) here. Lovely song.

3 Painting By Chagall-The Weepies

This is one of my my favorite songs on here. It is just such a sweet song. It doesn't jump out at you but just have to smile every time you hear it.

4. Really interesting track this (and I don't mean interesting in it's mix-club sense ). Pretty sure it's John Cale singing about Magritte. New to me and excellent.

4 Magritte-John Cale

This is from the 2003 album HoboSapiens. The whole album really is quite interesting.

5. Rather earnest folky thing. Female vocalist whose voice steers dangerously into Joan Baez territory at times, And a heavenly chorus! Not for me,

5 Mark Rothko Song-Dar Williams

Sorry this one didn't work for you.

6. Still better than this though ! Jolly French song with woman in background going Whizz! She-bamm! Pow! etc. Probably called "Pop Art" or some such and made by a smug- faced couple in matching black polo necks and a haze of Gauloise smoke, That old bore Gainsbourg was probably involved somewhere. On the plus side ,Mrs B loved it, Which says it all .

6 Comic Strip-Serge Gainsbourg

Of course you are right. It is Serge and Brigitte Bardot. Mrs. B has good taste.

7. Another "Painter Man" song but a 70s feel to this one. It's no Creation but nice enough.

7 The Painter-The Cryan' Shames

My feelings exactly. It is pretty hard to beat the Creation song but this one deserved a spot. just not the top one.

8. A track from Moss Elixir", probably my fave Robin Hitchcock album - "De Chirico Street". Fantastic violin playing on this.

8 DeChirico Street-Robyn Hitchcock

I couldn't agree more. It is a great song on a great album by one of my very favorites.

9. Jagged angular mess of a song about Jackson Pollock by some NY new wave arty types. Should hate it but I find it quite endearing. Wouldn't want a second helping though.

9 A Portrait of V. I. Lenin in the Style of Jackson Pollock, Part 1-The Red Crayola With Art & Language

It is from one of the Red Crayola/Art & Language collaborations.

10. Unmistakeably Daniel Johnston. Probably called "The Artist Walks Alone". Interesting (and I do mean that in it's mix club sense) but would I listen to him for pleasure? Probably not.

10 The Story Of An Artist-Daniel Johnston

This song always chokes me up. It really does say a lot about life, aging and how creative people often feel. For all the hype generated around his illness, sometimes going beyond that and really listening to his songs can be insightful but it does take some wading through.

11. Hadn't heard this for yonks. "Artists Only" by Talking Heads. Still enjoyable if a bit dated. A little bit self-consciously "whacky" perhaps.

11 Artists Only-Talking Heads

They were certainly great in their time and still fun to listen to sometimes.

12. Pleasant little grungy plodder with nice whiny harmonies. Came and went I'm afraid. The Rembrandts perhaps?

12 Escher-Teenage Fanclub

Don't know if I'm going up or down...but I don't mind.

13. More grunge but with a more psychy feel. Enjoyed this one

13 Max Ernst- Mission Of Burma

The drumming. The glorious drumming. I'm a fan of Mission If Burma for many reasons but man, Peter Prescott's drumming always floors me.

14. Quirky little song about a "little star painting". Sounds like Syd Barrett's 6 year-old brother. For some unearthly reason I love it .

14 Lichtenstein Painting-Television Personalities

I'm sure that Dan Treacy would definitely approve of your Syd comparison.

15. Joni and one of her best songs of more recent years, "Turbulent Indigo". Love it.

15 Turbulent Indigo-Joni Mitchell

While there are many songs about van Gogh this is may be the best.

16. .....But not as much as this. Find of the mix. Pretty sure it's Astrud Gilberto and a song about Monet, lily ponds, etc. Gorgeous voice, gorgeous arrangement. One of those "time stands still" tracks.

16 Lilies By Monet-Astrud Gilberto

I so love her! There is just something about her. I was sitting at Starbucks the other day on my lunch and reading. She came on the muzak and instantly I was captivated, as always, and had to just stop and listen.

17. A track from Bill Fay's comeback allbum Life Is People which dissappointed me a little. Luckily though, "Big Painter" is easily the best thing on it.

17 Big Painter-Bill Fay

Really? I wasn't disappointed by it at all. In fact after I listened to it the first time I put on headphones and gave it a second listen.

Thanks Debi. Loved a lot it, hated some of it. Which is as it should be. And coming across something like track 16 makes it all worthwhile.

I'm glad you found some things on here to love. It was a really fun one to make and once again sorry this is so late.

1 Painter Man- The Creation
2 No One Was Like Vermeer-Jonathan Richman
3 Painting By Chagall-The Weepies
4 Magritte-John Cale
5 Mark Rothko Song-Dar Williams
6 Comic Strip-Serge Gainsbourg
7 The Painter-The Cryan' Shames
8 DeChirico Street-Robyn Hitchcock
9 A Portrait of V. I. Lenin in the Style of Jackson Pollock, Part 1-The Red Crayola With Art & Language
10 The Story Of An Artist-Daniel Johnston
11 Artists Only-Talking Heads
12 Escher-Teenage Fanclub
13 Max Ernst- Mission Of Burma
14 Lichtenstein Painting-Television Personalities
15 Turbulent Indigo-Joni Mitchell
16 Lilies By Monet-Astrud Gilberto
17 Big Painter-Bill Fay

[whodathunkit]

1 Painter Man- The Creation
2 No One Was Like Vermeer-Jonathan Richman
3 Painting By Chagall-The Weepies
4 Magritte-John Cale
5 Mark Rothko Song-Dar Williams
6 Comic Strip-Serge Gainsbourg
7 The Painter-The Cryan' Shames
8 DeChirico Street-Robyn Hitchcock
9 A Portrait of V. I. Lenin in the Style of Jackson Pollock, Part 1-The Red Crayola With Art & Language
10 The Story Of An Artist-Daniel Johnston
11 Artists Only-Talking Heads
12 Escher-Teenage Fanclub
13 Max Ernst- Mission Of Burma
14 Lichtenstein Painting-Television Personalities
15 Turbulent Indigo-Joni Mitchell
16 Lilies By Monet-Astrud Gilberto
17 Big Painter-Bill Fay

Cheers Debbi. "Lichtenstein Painting"!! . Makes a bit more sense now - though not much. Plenty of keepers on this one. Thanks again.