Sunday 27 February 2011

REVIEW x 2 – BY:LARM FESTIVAL 2011 AND THE NORDIC MUSIC PRIZE

A real eye opener, the review pretty much says it all even though I saw even more than that.

The Arts Desk review here: The Arts Desk in Oslo: by:Larm Festival and Nordic Music Prize The Arts Desk

MOJO review here: MOJO Look North

Here’s some more pictures, and thank you to the individual photographers and thank you to by:Larm too.

Below: Deathcrush by Eirik Lande

Below: Dungen by Anne Valeur Erichsen

Below: Jenny Hval by Helge Brekke

Below: Ólöf Arnalds by Helge Brekke

Below: Sleep Party People by Atle Schie


Saturday 26 February 2011

REVIEW - MADEMOISELLE K: JOUER DEHORS

I like this, but wanted it to be much more – Liam Watson would be a good producer.

Review here: Mademoiselle K Jouer Dehors


Friday 25 February 2011

MOJO MARCH 2011 REVIEWS: TAHITI 80 THE PAST, THE PRESENT AND THE POSSIBLE, H BIRD, LA BRUNE ET MOI

France, London and back to France for the grande écran.

For a wee bit more on La Brune Et Moi see here: Edith Nylon in La Brune et Moi





Wednesday 23 February 2011

THE OUTSIDERS - CQ ON RPM INTERNATIONAL


The Outsiders’ CQ is important as other belatedly-recognised classics like The Zombies' Odessey and Oracle, The Pretty Things' SF Sorrow and The Kinks' Village Green Preservation Society. The American writer Richie Unterberger called them “not just the finest Dutch group of the '60s, but the finest group from a non-English speaking country, period.” Perfect Sound Forever said they were “the most underrated band ever.” Holland's Outsiders have a posthumous reputation that grows and grows. Their 1968 album CQ was a benchmark, one of the greatest albums of the late '60s from anywhere.

It’s exciting to be reissuing CQ on CD outside the Netherlands for the first time on RPM International. The album is supplemented by a professionally-recorded 1968 concert of CQ material from The Fanstasio, in Amsterdam, their home town. Mike Stax, editor of Ugly Things, long-time Outsiders' champion and friend of the band has contributed liner notes.

CQ was made by a band with their own identity. As influenced by the music of frontman Wally Tax's Russian heritage as Jacques Brel, songs like “Daddy Died On Saturday", have the intensity of “White Light White Heat” Velvet Underground. “Prison Song” is the atmospheric equal of The Doors' “The End”.

It’s issued on 21 March. Here’s the tracklist:

CQ (Polydor 236 803, 1968)
1. Misfit
2. Zsarrahh
3. CQ
4. Daddy Died On Saturday
5. It Seems Like Nothing’s Gonna Come My Way Today
6. Doctor
7. The Man On The Dune
8. The Bear
9. Happyville
10. You’re Everything On Earth
11. Wish You Were Here With Me Today
12. I Love You No. 2
13. Prisonsong
Bonus tracks: recorded by VPRO live at the Fantasio, Amsterdam, 31 December 1968
14. Do You Feel Alright
15. Daddy Died On Saturday
16. I Love You No. 2
17. Misfit
18. Happyville
19. Prisonsong

Tuesday 15 February 2011

REGGAE ON FILM

With the Reggae Britannia things going on right now it seems a good moment to revisit these.

The reggae on film piece (Shot!) was from Q. The Harder They Come wasn’t in it, as that was covered elsewhere. The coverage of Babylon is from the Guardian.

Click on each image and it should get big enough to read.



Sunday 13 February 2011

LOUISE CORDET ON RPM - THE SWEET BEAT OF LOUISE CORDET

Been working on this, issued in the third week of March.

It’s great to have this out - the first time on CD for Louise. But what’s even greater was speaking with Louise for the liner notes.

After hitting the British charts in summer 1962 with her debut single “I’m Just A Baby”, Louise Cordet issued four more singles, toured with The Beatles and recorded the first version of Gerry Marsden’s’ future hit “Don’t Let The Sun catch You Crying”. She also had a string of France-only releases, sung in her mother’s native language. She toured France with Johnny Hallyday and played L’Olympia. Uniquely for the period, her British label aimed her both at France and the UK. It was as though there were two Louise Cordets – one British, the other French.

Well connected in showbiz via her family, she also snuck into a couple of pop movies. Yet she didn’t carve a career in music and faded away, with only the skeleton of her story known.

Louise reveals how it was probably inevitable that she wouldn’t go on to be a Cilla Black or a Sandie Shaw. Her life in pop was brief, but she never thought it would be more than that. It’s this refreshing outlook that brought her records their immediacy, their vitality.

Here’s the tracklist:
1. I'm Just A Baby (British A-side, 1962)
2. In A Matter Of Moments (British B-side, 1962)
3. Faire Le Grand Voyage (French EP, 1963)
4. Que M'a. T’il Fait? (French EP, 1963)
5. Sweet Enough (British A-SIDE, 1962)
6. Someone Else's Fool (British B-side, 1962)
7. From Me To You (French EP, 1963)
8. L'amour Tourne En Rond (French EP, 1963)
9. She's Got You (British EP, 1963)
10. We Know Why (British EP, 1963)
11. Everytime (British EP, 1963)
12. Crazy Kind Of Love (British EP, 1963)
13. Around And Around (British A-side, 1963)
14. Which Way The Wind Blows ((British B-side/Just For Fun soundtrack, 1963)
15. Don't Let The Sun Catch You Crying (British A-side, 1964)
16. Loving Baby (British B-side, 1964)
17. Pour Toi (French EP, 1964)
18. J'aime Trop Johnny (French EP, 1964)
19. It's So Hard To Be Good (Just For You soundtrack, 1964)
20. Laisse Le Soleil Secher Tes Larmes (French EP, 1964)
21. Dix Mille Fois (French EP, 1964)
22. Don't Make Me Over (British A-side, 1964)
23. Two Lovers (British B-side, 1964)
24. Je N'suis Qu'un Baby (French A-side, 1962)

Friday 11 February 2011

REVIEW – TIM BUCKLEY RHINO HANDMADE REISSUE OF FIRST ALBUM

This is a great thing: on its own his first album is one of the best, but the unheard-before extras are essential.

Review here: The Arts Desk Tim Buckley’s musical prehistory unearthed

Wednesday 9 February 2011

REVIEW – TORO Y MOI: UNDERNEATH THE PINE

This can be lovely – quite a contrast with the cover…

Review here: The Arts Desk Toro Y Moi Underneath The Pine

Here’s a bit of Toro Y Moi from last year.

Tuesday 8 February 2011

REVIEW – ROXY MUSIC: THE O2 ARENA, LONDON


Funny old show, but when great it was terrific. Would’ve been nice to hear All I Want Is You or Both Ends Burning. Or Out Of The Blue…

Review here: The Arts Desk Roxy Music O2

Thursday 3 February 2011

REVIEW x 2 – VANESSA PARADIS: KOKO, LONDON

It wasn’t just the venue, there should have been something more.

The Arts Desk review here: The Arts Desk Vanessa Paradis Koko

The Independent review here: The Independent Vanessa Paradis Koko

Tuesday 1 February 2011

REVIEW – DAPHNE: BLEU VENISE

Great stuff, and it ought to be heard outside France. Release date is 7 February.

Review here: The Arts Desk Daphne Bleu Venise

Here’s Portrait d’un Vertige from the album: