This New Record Is Quite Nice

David Rotheray with Kathryn Williams: Crows, Ravens and Rooks (Proper Records, 2010)

Here's an unexpectedly lovely song. Mr Rotheray (steady ladies, he's [probably] married [or, at the very least, seeing someone]) used to be in Beautiful South - a band who never really troubled my consciousness much, tbh - and has returned from, frankly, Christ knows where, with an actual folk music album that features not only the lovely Kathryn, but Alasdair Roberts, Eliza Carthy and a "host" of others, all singing what are, from what I can make out, decidedly nice tunes. Having said that, what do I know? Anyhow, all this is out in the middle of August, which is great news, eh?

This Is A Bit Nice

Tara Jane O'Neil: Drowning (K Records, 2009)
From a tiny hamlet called Portland, just outside the the delightful old market town of Oregon, Tara Jane is, literally, really good for the following reasons. She's quite folk, but also quite drone and quite odd and a trifle electronicy. And, you know, that makes her good (in my eyes). Anyway, the album is from the very top shelf of the topper most drawer.

Hello Old Thing, Hello New Thing: 41

Bert Jansch: Baby Blue (Charisma, 1975)
From Bert's - Bert! Why aren't there any pop stars called Bert anymore? - second album for Chrisma, this is a blatant stab at radio friendly niceness. It's so 1975 it actually hurts, but in a good way. From the Maggie May-like intro, to the Motownish piano, it is a work of sunshine, cheese-cloth 'n' flares wonder. Bert's voice may not be to all tastes, but the sentiment is one we can all love. "Strollin' down the high street, I see passers by, shopping at the markets with flowers you buy..." Actually, that doesn't make any sense, does it? But, no matter when the tune is this lovable. This is from a reissue of an album called Santa Barbara Honeymoon. The new, extended version doesn't exist on the intersquizz yet. But it's due out in June.


Balmorhea: March 4, 1831 (Western Vinyl, 2009)
I've only just picked up this Balmorhea record. When I say "picked it up", I mean take it off the shelves where I keep all the bits that come through the door every day, and actually play it. And I really like it. It's a little like Epic45 - *sighs* - if they came from Death Valley rather than Staffordshire. So it's almost completely instrumental, mainly acoustic, impressionisist folk-a-doodle-do a-go-go. They also have the crucial element of reminding me ever so slightly of the Red House Painters which means I sort of love them a lot already. Classic emotional transference. Sad, really. Anyway, this is from an album called All is Wild, All is Silent which is out end of June. I'm really doing the serious plugging today, eh?

New Music That's Also Quite Good

Meanderthals: Bugges Room (Smalltown Supersound, 2009)
Sound the jazz alarm, this is, literally, delightful. Literally in the sense that it fills me with delight when I play it, despite it simply being a recording of some blokes in a room somewhere banging bits of wood and twanging wires and so forth. What's good about that? Well, perhaps lots of things. More of this sort of thing here.


Adam Franklin: Two Dollar Dress (Second Motion, 2009)
When I listened to this I thought, 'Oh yeah, who's this johnny-come-lately, noise-pop, shoe-gazing type?' Then I looked at the sleeve and realised it was the same Adam Franklin who was The Chap from Swervedriver. So, you know, I can forgive him a lot of stuff. This is, literally, good. I'm not crazy about the whole record, but there are some songs of notable quality on it. And this is one.

Faze Action: Danaes' Journey (Word And Sound, 2009)
Simon and Robin Lee are brothers. Brothers who've recorded together for years and years and years. Does this strike anyone else as sort of strange? Could you bear to be in the same small room as your brother or sister for years on end? I mean, I love mine dearly, but there are limits, right? Anyway, this is - hello! - heavenly, if not downright cosmic disco of the tremendously good variety. More of this sort of thing here. Memo to Faze Action - get some new pictures done, innit.

New Music Wednesday In Dub

Peter Murder Tone: Paper Tiger (Jahtari, 2008)
Peter is a middle aged social worker chap from Australia who now lives in the UK. He has no reason to make digital dub records this good. I half-inched this - wholesale - from this marvelous record on which many other knob-twiddling types make merry with the delay units and cavernous reverb settings. Thanks to my old pal Bill at Cargo for this beauty.

This New Record Is Literally Quite Good

The Late Greats: Stereo (Izumi Records, 2008)
I've been spinning through a load of new records (trans: I've been flicking through a huge pile of CDs). There's some great ones (Sam Beeton, Peter Bruntnell, a few on the Tandy Hard album, Unbunny, blahblahblah), anyway, I'd just sort of had enough when I came across this. The Late Greats are kerr-azy and quirky enough to make me want, initially, to throw the thing out of the window (I am quite old), but I persevered and landed on Stereo, which is lovely. A splash of lunacy, but all topped off with a tune you can hum and a thoroughly nice atmos. And they're from Eastbourne. Finally, are they really giving a shout to The Pastels in the chorus?

The Pop Song Is A Wonderful Beast

Beggars: Mars Lane (Heavenly, 2008)
There are certain songs that, however many times they're re-written by generations of pop groups, still sort of get you. Mars Lane is one of those tunes, or, at least, it is for me. I think it's as simple as the intro and the shamble-friendly, eating-toast-in-bed-with-your-socks-on verse. I don't know anything about Beggars other than:

1. I don't much like the name.
2. I do really like this record.

Enjoy!

This Record Is Quite Nice, Actually: 7

Thomas Denver Jonsson: Possession (Kite Recordings, 2008)
This is actually quite tricky as I like pretty much everything on TDJ's new album, but I've plumped for this as it's sort of lovely in a lot of ways. As we all know, Jonsson is a leading light of the Swedish indie-folk scene. Oh yes. He is a little like a rather more attractive, easier-on-the-ear Bonnie "Prince" Billy, with the added appeal of allowing some whistle-ability in to lighten the load a little. I literally think he's quite good. There, I've said it!

Sunshine: Literally A Good Thing

Brent Cash: I Think I'm Falling In Love (Marina, 2008)
The sun is shining over London. This is a good thing. I didn't actually see these two on the way in, but they are entirely appopriately dressed for a spot of Brent Cash. Good old Brent hardly exists on the internet at the moment, but this will change soon thanks to this amazing record which is ambitious and lush and full of wonderful tunes that would sound marvellous spilling out of a Grundig radio in the Spring of 1971. Or on your iPod later today, your choice...

Point of order: on the back cover Brent is pictured wearing a cravat. This too can only be a good thing.

It's New Music Wednesday

Lacrosse: Let's Get Old (Tapete, 2007)
Here's a surprising thing. This here record is made by a bunch of attractive young Scandinavians and it's really good. Like this and this and this. Not that I'm tiresomely predictable or anything.

Oh no.

I Knew This Would Happen

Cats On Fire: I Am The White-Manteled King (Marsh Marigold Records, 2007)
This CD has been sat on my desk for about three weeks and I've "filed" (disposed of or burnt) everything else but this one just refused to move. And I kept looking at it thinking I'd like it. So, today I got round to putting it on. And I do like it. Quite a lot, in fact. I knew this would happen. And, what's more, they're from Turku in Finland, which is is quite near someone I know.

Don't Forget Them

The Elephants: 5 Minutes (Tapete Records, 2007)
According to their Myspace page, The Elephants are "a 6-piece group based in Copenhagen, Denmark, who loves funny instruments". Loves 'em, they do. They also profess to "loves" "Sweden, New York, Brian Wilson and long walks" which makes perfect sense. Anyway, they are - as you might be able to tell from the photo - a pop group. And one, happily, who write really lovely songs that beg to be described by my inner (hugely lame) rock critic as "keening-vocal'd, jingle-jangle, brass-pimpled wig-shakers".

Oh yes.