Hey Everyone,
Hope all is good this week….getting on with it….bumps and bruises….peaks and troughs….the less said about the iomanaiocht the better i’d say….not a good day at the office…as bad as 96 down the pairc…
Releases, new and reissues, in the Corporation today include CATFISH AND THE BOTTLEMEN, ERIC CLAPTON, NIRVANA, STEVE HACKETT, MARVIN GAYE, TALK TALK, ALAN PARSONS, LEONARD COHEN, ELO, CIARAN LAVERY, MY MORNING JACKET and SPOON.
May was a quiet old month this year, hangover after RSD, not a lot of big releases, sold a few Dylan over the last week alright but in general fairly quiet….its not bad, easy to listen to, subtle, understated instruments and vocally not forced…be better if they were his own tunes.
Really liking the GRATEFUL DEAD tribute album curated by the National boys….great people on it, great versions of some of the tunes….59 tracks across 5 CDs for reasonable enough money i feel.
But June has an awful lot happening starting from next week the 3rd with the first batch of the PINK FLOYD Vinyl reissues.
These are the first four albums, piper at the gates of dawn, a saucerful of secrets, the soundtrack to the film “ More” and lastly the double Ummagumma.
The Piper At The Gates Of Dawn
Pink Floyd’s debut album featuring the original line-up of Syd Barrett, Roger Waters, Richard Wright and Nick Mason. The album includes the classic songs Astronomy Domine, Lucifer Sam and Interstellar Overdrive. One of the seminal psychedelic rock albums of the 1960s.
Stereo version (original LP both Mono and Stereo)
A Saucerful Of Secrets
The band’s second album, originally released in 1968, was the first album to feature David Gilmour, who replaced Syd Barrett on guitar and vocals. It is both the last Pink Floyd album on which Syd Barrett appeared and the only studio album to which all five band members contributed. This is Pink Floyd in transition from Barrett’s psychedelic whimsy to the style of their epic pieces. Classic tracks include Jugband Blues and Set The Controls For The Heart Of The Sun.
Stereo version (original LP both Mono and Stereo)
More
In 1969 the band collaborated with filmmaker Barbet Schroeder to provide the soundtrack to the film More. This was the first of Pink Floyd’s film soundtrack albums, and includes future early 70’s live favourites Cymbaline and Green Is The Colour.
Ummagumma
This was the band’s first double album and has one of their most iconic cover images. One album features Pink Floyd’s then-current live set, while Disc 2 includes solo compositions and performances by each member of the band. Live tracks include Careful With That Axe, Eugene and Set The Controls For The Heart Of The Sun, while studio tracks include Grantchester Meadows and The Narrow Way.
I read Mason’s book there a few years ago and he speaks of Barrett’s departure from the band which i felt from reading it the remaining members of Floyd had a lot of regrets about……Syd had become increasingly difficult to handle and work with…..so they decided not to pick him up for gigs until basically he got the message….rough enough on him.
Supergroup HELLYEAH have an album out next Friday also, group made up of members of PANTERA, MUDVAYNE and NOTHING FACE. This one comes as a deluxe CD or a DLP coloured with souvenir patch and codes.
JESS GLYNNE’s album gets its first press on Vinyl.
There’s a new album from jazz pianist BRAD MEHLDAU TRIO called “ blues and ballads”
ROXETTE have a new album next week as do DEXYS….entitled Dexys do Irish and country….
UNIVERSAL
Universal have the new PAUL SIMON record “ stranger to stranger” on CD, deluxe CD and 180 gram LP with codes. “ Wristband” is the lead single from the record and i like it ( i think a lot of people are not sure about the single)
Universal also for next week have the TRAVELLING WILBURYS collection on 2CD/DVD….CDs has both albums , volume one and volume three plus bonus tracks and the DVD features footage of the band from the first chord to the final mix.
Five truly incredible musicians made a great record together and a damn fine follow up…..Bob was in the zone the day he wrote “ tweeter and the monkey man” .
The triple LP version of the Wilburys collection includes a booklet, poster and an envelope containing 6 postcards.
Kind of expensive all round but especially the Vinyl set…115 euro….its a lot for it….not that we are overly expensive….we are a tenner cheaper than the big dog in the sky…..warning lights….warning lights….be careful mr. record company man….bi curamach.
Universal have another big reissue in THE ROLLING STONES “ totally stripped” which ultimately tells the story of the two studio sessions and three live shows that made up the “ stripped “ project …..Eagle Rock doing this one and it’s in a load of formats….DVD, BLURAY, DVD/CD, DVD/2LP, 4DVD/CD, 4BLURAY/CD.
I’m not complaining here…no no no…. i ain’t….cos it helps me and human nature being what it is, if it helps me i ain’t going to complain about it, so this ain’t a complaint….i do enough of that and i have been banging this drum for a long time anyway….but can we keep rehashing the classics….the coin makers….how long can we throw out THE STONES, THE ZEPPELINS, THE FLOYDS , THE BEATLES of the past worlds to drum up cash…..Oasis truly were the last phenomenon….that’s over 20 years ago….can the wheel be reinvented? Can you do much more with a voice, a guitar, a bass and a set of sticks? ( surely you can touch , affect people with the quality of your songs….surely there are kids in a garage somewhere making mind blowingingly good songs…with meaningful intelligent lyrics backed up by excellent musicianship….you just gotta connect with people….is that the problem?? ….we spend all day every day connecting with people without ever really connecting at all….how do you connect with the youth??
I was always of the belief that it’s only around the corner ….the next supergroup… but it still ain’t happened….Bruce in Croke park AGAIN… I mean come on….how many more times….Bruce was as cutting edge as they come in his day…a young Dylan they said…..Bob allegedly wrote the aforementioned TWEETER AND THE MONKEYMAN as a homage to the young Mr. Springsteen…..that was nearly 30 years ago.
Are THE ARCTIC MONKEYS going to be playing Croke Park in 30 years time???
( arguably the biggest new band this century…16 years old now this century) or will it be an ED SHEERAN reunion tour….no pedals just acoustic guitar because he has arthritis in his feet….i for one have to believe it’s out there, that band is out there ….the industry needs it, music needs it and most importantly the kids of this generation need it.
Was the money put in the wrong places in the noughties , fast buck reality TV shows , microwave dinner pop stars…. Are we now paying the price??….a bit like cork hurling in lots of ways the music biz this century ….it’s bound to come right, were Cork and all that….but will it come right??
There really are no signs of it coming right.
The youth drive change but the biggest album this year for me was Bowie’s Blackstar…a truly great record on its own merits….the next biggest will be the new Radiohead album….both of these connect with the over 60’s and over 30’s respectively ( sorry, couldn’t resist) not with the 12 to 22 age bracket…..that’s where each of us have our favourite bands from, the ages of 12 to 22….test yourself….when did you first discover your favourite band?
But are there enough young people connected in the right way….they love their tunes as much as we did, but just in a different way i suppose….randomness , not connecting to a band really….am i just too old to get what they get or are the youth simply missing out? or will it come back around like a Cork all ireland should??
A young girl rang yesterday….mid to late teens id say…..will i have the new CATFISH AND THE BOTTLEMEN Vinyl for today…?
Ah, fresh air….i love it, i truly do….jack shit to do with anything monetary…couldn’t care less…happy with what i do, happy at home…the rest is all horse manure….pay your bills and try enjoy the ride….dead long enough and all that yada yada.
The youth are the only ones to drive change…so come on people
Let the children lose it,
Let the children use it,
Let all the children boogie.
Universal also have a new album by VOLBEAT and the latest 10” by BLOSSOMS.
SONY
Sony for next Friday have the original soundtrack to the first STAR WARS film made, ‘Episode 4’, on limited gold vinyl..
Dark Funeral also have a new album through Sony..
Sony also have a reissue of THE KINKS – ‘Everybody’s in Showbiz’, half studio, half live triple album..
PIAS
PIAS for the 3rd of June have the fifth album by THE KILLS ‘Ash and Ice’, released via Domino Records, and there is an Indie only exclusive double marbled vinyl..
MINOR VICTORIES eponymously titled debut by supergroup comprising of Rachel Goswell (Slowdive), Stuart Braithwaite (Mogwai), Justin Lockey (Editors), and also includes guests James Graham (The Twilight Sad) and Mark Kozelek. Again exclusive white vinyl for us Indies..
Speaking of exclusives…. We are getting a couple of NOEL GALLAGHER’s last record (great record by the way) ‘Chasing Yesterday’ in signed by the man himself…. Now they are expensive, but if you’re interested pop us a mail…
On the local scene, here’s the new video from JOHN BLEK AND THE RATS latest stunning album ‘Borders’.. This track is one of my favourites on the album… Great drum and bass groovy relationship going on here…
Check this week’s comings and goings at :
Sin é for this week folks,
Thanks for listening,
Ray