Some random thoughts of the day... mainly cos I'm sick of looking at that Orb Live picture already. Here's a different one. By Pieter Bruegel.
Firstly, more reasons to like Sex Trothler. He first got my attention with his bloody marvellous RA Podcast from last summer which keeps popping onto my playlists on a semi-irregular basis, thanks to its general smacky-wacky-jackingness, the weird and wonderful versions of various tracks that he rocks out, his sleazy voiceover... and those ad breaks of course. Now he's done one for Bodytonic that is different but equally beaut. Still has a strangely humorous backdrop but with more of the head-down party beats this time, and less of the lounge lizard disco-pop. Get on it here.
DJ Harvey (he of Black Cock fame...) has been on my list of folk to investigate further for a while now, so I had a listen to this set on the seemingly endless stream of excellent mixes that come from Rico Passerani's Soundcloud account. You'll be pleased to hear that it's ace - back to more of the lounge lizard disco-pop again.
Nextly, this week's 6Mix is by Christopher Tubbs, a New Zealander currently residing in London. It's described as Afro Techno Balearic or somesuch bollocks, and he is frankly a whiny little Kiwi prick, but his selection of tunes is spot on. Have a wee listen anyway.
There's a good radio drama on the Beeb at the mo (yeah I know - I'm just a sucka for a bit of radio drama though) called Eye of the Cricket. It's a detective story set in New Orleans - based on a James Sallis novel, who I'd never heard of, but he's a jazz writer when he's not writing detective novels, and his brother's a reasonably well-known philosopher. Anyway, it's an interesting take on a detective story so far, lots of literary and jazz references. The reason I post this on here is (a) cos it's good and you should have a listen to it and (b) the soundtrack itself is ace... Sun House, Patty Kline, and some Chris Smither. Which made me want to say that...
Chris Smither is fucking amazing (just in case I haven't already bent your ear about it at any point in the last 15 years). He's an American singer and guitarist in the blues/folk vein with some mean finger-pickin styles inspired by/completely blagged off Mississippi John Hurt. His songwriting is the real stone cold killer though - deep, meaningful, witty by turns, never cliched or contrived, and he pulls off some of the most unexpected rhyming couplets you're ever likely to come across. I'd recommend the songs Winsome Smile, Happier Blue, and I Am The Ride to give you a first taster. I would have put links to these songs on Youtube but they're not on there. You won't regret buying any of his albums anyway, especially Happier Blue, Up On The Lowdown, or Small Revelations. If you must use some other means to test it out first, do so... Then buy 'em all, cos he no doubt needs the support!
And finally, this made me smile on Monday morning. Had to conclude that I really would quite like a Button myself. Amongst her more impressive achievements are this and this.
Thank you. That is all.
PS actually it's not. For any of you who haven't been keeping up to date with the latest audio emissions from the GK Machine, get on it here. He's just done his first ever remix. Congrats Machine. And you should download some of his mixes whilst you're there, cos they're just as brilliant as ever. Lovely.
That is all. No really.
still waiting for a chance to sit down and listen to some of this stuff . . . I hate havin to actually dae hings. This radio drama sounds interesting, I have a bunch of old 'creepy' radio dramas from the forties like 'The Shadow' and 'Strange Doctor Weird' - Had never occurred to me that the genre might have moved on some since then and actually have something worth listening to. The Archers has a lot to answer for.
ReplyDeletelisten to this: http://www.mediafire.com/file/u3f9rj0q3cr95hf/Philip%20K%20Dick%20-%2003%20-%20We%20Can%20Remember%20It%20For%20You%20Wholesale.mp3
ReplyDeleteI really like this DJ Harvey mix, it's going down well in the 40 degree heat I'm currently struggling with. Cheers for the Phil K Dick McKenna - I do love Dick. Can't get enough Dick. I'm a total Dick-head.
ReplyDeletethe harvey mix is dead good eh? you can get his essential mix from waaaaay back in 1998 too, from here.
ReplyDeletei pure love radio drama, radio 4 and radio 7 have hunnerds, check it all out. will give that PKD a listen soon Mr McKenna :)
Around the World in 80 Days with Leslie "Ding-Dong" Phillips is worth a listen by the way.
ReplyDeleteI say...
Yes, I've often thought that Tullsworth. Great. I can listen to the opening of that audio over and over again and it never fails to Amaze. I just finished his novel 'Counter-clock World' .... first fiction I read in about 8 years. It is fairly brilliant. Time is moving backwards. This is a world governed by 'The Hobart Phase.' The dead are old-born, dug up from their former graves under the influence of anti-time, and begin to live backwards, growing progressively younger. Cigarettes when smoked grow longer. The familiar existentialist private-eye story mutates under this peculiar liasion with time, compounded by dream, snuff, fine-aged sogum, and LSD-grenades. I figure I'm gonna steadily work my may through all the Dick I can get my hands on.
ReplyDelete''However, the LSD had by now reached her; she had begun to fall into a groveling heap, an expression of awe on her face. Bending over he grabbed her by the shoulder, repeating his question.
'On-the basement-level,' the reply, with agnoizing slowness, came at last. And then the elderly Erad dissolved into a private world of colors; he left her to it and hurried on, once more out into the hall.
The hall resounded with people and noises. But everyone has devolved into a personal realm; there remained no interpersonal action, no coordinated effort. So he had no trouble making his way to the elevator; no one paid any attention to him.
He pressed the button, and after a fantastically long period, the elevator arrived.''
Dick also quotes Andrew Marvell 'To his Coy Mistresses'
'But at my back I always hear
Time's winged chariot hurrying near;
And yonder all before us lie
Deserts of vast eternity.
.... the worms shall try
that long-preserved virginity.'
Yeah I've got counter clock world actually, still not read it. So much Dick, so little time. Nothing has yet beat Valis for me though, it's awesome.
ReplyDelete