Revival

 I've not posted so many musical experiences of late, some compensation. 

Somehow I missed out the winter (not Cameron, now that's a great album), anyway a new playlist. My current obsession is Hen Ogledd, two albums, the latest Discombobulated and a previous one, Free Humans. It being near to an election in Scotland I had to include Joshua Burnside and of course everything is not ok! But let's have some HOPE. Thanks to Hannah Peel for more invertebrate madness, slightly more manic than Moth Book. We speed up and then we kind of slow r i g h t d o w n t o a s o n i c d r i f t i n g . .

 

All music is available to purchase over at Bandcamp, support the musicians directly, if you can.

 

 

The Choral

 This is a thoughtful and important film, sadly the folk who need to heed its message will certainly never watch it, much less act on the message. 

We went to see this at our local cinema https://comriecinema.co.uk/films-events/  where we've seen a good few excellent films in the last year or so. We are lucky to live in a village with a strong sense of community.

 

A piece of genius to use The Dream of Gerontius as the basis for this powerful drama. Highly recommended.  

Anohni and the Johnsons

 A fabulous, wonderful set - https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/m002fbnf/glastonbury-anohni-and-the-johnsons

 

Glasto 2nd

The other set I really enjoyed from Glastonbury 2025 was Raye. From first hearing her, and especially the very wonderful Tiny Desk set in April 2023, https://youtu.be/DL1zyUjzwno (that brass section are phenomenal) I've much enjoyed what she does. 

https://youtu.be/DL1zyUjzwno

The Glasto set was much more polished, all bells and whistles, but Raye's sincerity and honesty (about her life's troubles) (that's sounds gloomy, she's not) have lifted her music to make it more than the just jazzy rhythm and blues. https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/m002f220/glastonbury-raye

 Still to explore Caribou's set, but some other sets I checked out were.... a bit predictable and boring. (Of course I missed Bob Vylan, a duo I've listened to a bit in the past). 

I've just finished reading Tracy Thorn's biography of Lindy Morrison (drummer and original member of the Go-Betweens, who were never a duo!!). I had a couple of their albums back in their day. It brought me back to listening to Tracy's own work, especially the wonderful Distant Shore, and Everything But The Girl's (Tracy and Ben Watt) excellent Walking Wounded. These two albums still stand up today, well worth a listen if you don't know them, and a re-listen if you do. 

This links well to Misbehaviour, which we watched recently.

 Listening to Bill Callahan, Tiny Desk from 2009; I have tickets to see him live shortly. 

Here's a link to the Tiny Desk - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MHVNUrcyJy8

... and listen to Coyotes on Reuscitate - 

You can buy the album, and other Bill stuff, here - https://billcallahan.bandcamp.com/music

 

Well that was a bit all over the place. So here's a playlist - 

 

Glasto 2025

Listening to Loyle Carner, music I like very much, Glastonbury set live. An interesting interview with him on BBC Sounds earlier today as well. Genuinely, an honest and good person, I feel. Someone whose vulnerability is worn on his sleeve. 

Whilst cooking tea, and after listening to Meka's new album The Rabbit, which I'm playing over - favourite track, The Tower, and, it's all good. I revisited a favourite, Fred Again's Actual Life (April 14 to December 17 2020). 

 
Five years later and the Covid epidemic seems almost forgotten, but Actual Life reminds us of the despair, the fear, the uncertainty. On reflection, with its web samples and the moment it captures, it was, and is, a remarkable musical document of a time that was especially frightening to many people, much younger than myself, who had so much to lose; lives put on hold. If you've never listened to it, maybe a time to dig it out of which ever web service you use and listen (again). Because the album, and its two sisters are historical documents, powerful, and musically intelligent.

And here's the link, where LC sings of family and human connection Actual Life is the antithesis, with its dance beats and and longing for friends, lovers and ordinary activity (we've lost dancing) it is a reminder of what governments have so quickly forgotten. Our health service has not recovered from that shock, not provided with the means or the structures, or the urgency to do so. And rather than urgently mend it, the focus is on money - let's make the poor and vulnerable poorer and more vulnerable; and on war; spend more on "defense". Missiles and nuclear armed jets will not defend against a virus, of that I am sure.

 All albums available to buy... on Bandcamp https://bandcamp.com/ 

Celtic Connections

I bought the tickets yonks back, and we nearly didn't get there.... But fortune shone, and despite missing El Guapo's solo set we arrived at the Drygate in time for Catriona Price, accompanied by El Guapo and friends. Catriona is a member of several bands, including Twelfth Day with Esther Swift (see the 104 albums page of this blog). This gig coincides with the Routes to Roots EP release. Routes to Roots is a project long in gestation and the EP is the first release. The idea is to make music influenced by a mixture of folk traditions from across the globe. The band we saw included Chilian, Mexican and Argentinian musicians, singing in their own languages as well as Catriona's very Scottish fiddle and vocals (Orcadian). Catriona's mum and dad were neighbours when we lived in Orkney, and Catriona played a number of gigs whilst we lived there, as well as doing a session or two for the school.

Catriona Price and friends.

The Routes to Roots EP is released, but I can't find a URL at the moment - posted when located.

Following Catriona's gig we went to the late night session that followed at the Drygate. I can't remember or didn't catch all who played, but I was blown away when folk legend and long admired Alasdair Roberts took the stage. A completely unexpected treat. Alasdair played with piper Donald WG Lindsay, three songs and they were sadly gone.... However, other treats were on hand, the wonderful Shacklton Trio from Norwich. English folk, dark, dark lyrics, quite excellent. (All this music is included on the playlist, see bottom of page.)

The next night, following some excellent Italian food, we went to Karine Polwart at the Glasgow Royal Concert Hall. Karine was accompanied by her band and a 284 person amateur choir. Karine began small, unaccompanied, and built the set through well known songs from her back catalogue and latest releases. Brilliant, emotional music, frequently referencing the wild world, beautifully played and sung.

Karin Polwart, band and choir.

https://karinepolwart.bandcamp.com/

Click the pic to purchase music by Karine Polwart. Latest album with Dave Miligan illustrated, Come Away In.

Mairearad Green and Mike Vass (ADAM)https://mikevass.bandcamp.com/

https://mikevass.bandcamp.com/

As usual you can purchase this excellent album from Bandcamp, just click the image above.

We're just back from Celtic Connections in Glasgow. Some fabulous music, but more of that in a subsequent post. Here's something new from Mairearad Green and Mike Vass (ADAM). Like Martyn Bennett (Grit) Mike is interested in using beats and electronica with traditional song structures. Something else from 2024 that slipped under the radar.
 

Scottish Parliament to debate local libraries.

 Here's the link, well done to all the library campaigners and thank you to CILIPS and Mark Ruskell for their support. https://www.cilips.org.uk/members-debate/

Lisa O'Neill, a new single - Homeless in The Thousands (Dublin in the Digital Age), an essential listen. When I go to Edinburgh, Glasgow, London, it's just the same. And this in two of the most affluent countries in the world. I could expect nothing better from the previous UK administration, but here in Scotland, SNP you've had years to do something about this... and what have you done? Lisa spoke about homelessness when we went to her gig at the end of last year. Brilliant music and an important topic that should be kept high on the political agenda.

 

https://lisa-oneill.bandcamp.com/

 

On a cheerier note, prolonged (no choice at 2 hours playing time) and repeated listening, to Cindy Lee have uncovered some influences. I can certainly hear both the Beta Band (3 EPs) and Television swirling around in there. I'm coming to the conclusion the album is some sort of prolonged love song(s).

 

https://cindylee.bandcamp.com/album/diamond-jubilee

Only available from Bandcamp and Geocities - a bit of genius.

Library protest Jan 2025 photos

Here are my photos from yesterday's demo in Perth. If anyone who was there would like a photo, I'm happy to send high quality jpeg please email me, you should have my email, or add a comment to this blog, but don't forget to leave your email address!

If any of these images would be useful for any of the the individual library campaigns, or for SORL please email me and I'll send highest quality jpeg that I have (plus a reduced size image). You need to include the photo reference - they are numbered (not necessarily in numerical order, please check) below each image.

I've not posted photos of children here. If your children were at the demo and you would like my photos email me. There are photos of the four children with the placards and of one of the two children who spoke.

NB photos are for private use, use by the campaign(s) - including press releases - but not for commercial use otherwise. Politicians, if you want to use my images please contact me first, thanks. If used for publication etc a photographers credit is necessary (e.g. Photo by Alastair Forsyth).

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Many thanks to everyone who attended the demo, it was bitterly cold. Special thanks to Jen for MC (despite getting me to speak) and to all the speakers. Thank you to Unison, who responded at very short notice to my email, and to the Labour Party and Green Party who both responded to my late notice Facebook messages.

I'm sure we made an impact, there were Perth and Kinross Councillors present who did not speak and will now have to think carefully about how they respond to our messages. The SNP Councillors' contribution was disappointing in my view as they do not seem to be understanding our message about the financial value of libraries to the Council and how libraries support the Social Care and Education budgets. For every £1 spent UEA research shows that libraries contribute £6 in community value, in other words libraries contribute significant savings to those Council budgets. There are local authorities across the UK who do understand this message and do not make cuts to their library provision because they understand the financial contribution the libraries make to other budget heads.

2024 lists - best album (Cindy Lee?)

 I trawl the lists, and indeed there are many of them. But it's a good way to dig out some great music. Nip over to Spotify and see if the lists have been posted there, maybe. But, you won't find this there.....

Diamond Jubilee by Cindy Lee

You're going to have to mozy on over to Bandcamp (click above) to get your fix of this wildly extravagant  madness $20 is a steal, I promise. In an age when the 37 minute album has returned (which I much appreciate, don't get me wrong), comes this sprawling, crazy, wonderful, entirely loopy and brilliant extravaganza. Have I listened all the way through? Not quite, yet.... Although the first couple tracks have had numerous replays as I couldn't quite believe they existed; and the whole album is like this. Do I love it already? Apply the affirmative. Something to lift the spirits, to play over and over, to reaffirm a positive belief in this world. So thank you, Patrick Flegel for 2 hours of wonder. You can find out more about Cindy Lee here (and please remember to send Wikipedia a couple of ££ - we need it to survive without corporate crap infestation).

Adaption

 I was in London, for various reasons, and having an afternoon available, having negotiated a crowded shop or two I headed to the Saatchi Gallery. I'd not been there before, but the photography exhibition by Anastasia Samoylova had some rather excellent reviews. https://www.instagram.com/p/DDSH_ZnxLEN/?img_index=1

I was completely blown away by this work. The work is subtle, thoughtful and complex. There were a couple or three images, particularly in the Image Cities section that I especially enjoyed, and could live with. The scale of this introduction to AS's work is breathtaking. I love the referencing of earlier photographers, and artists. But the political point is that our world is slowly, but surely drowning. For an intelligent species we are so fucking stupid.

Outside the Saatchi (photographer unknown).

 Whilst in London I snapped away, mostly in a couple of cemeteries for wildlife recording reasons, but, I quite liked these snaps which are as is usual  for me opportunistic; I rarely plan pictures.

Phone.

Half of London walk around not seeing, just looking down. A higher proportion are not hearing, their listening is elsewhere.

Perhaps that's why we all need to be reminded...

Music; a new album by Advance Base, the four minute storyteller.

Horrible Occurences, buy here (click)

Not to everyone's taste perhaps and, like a book of short stories, Owen Ashworth's tales often unravel slowly, but usually within four minutes.

The next was an accidental discovery, I think it popped up, as things do, on Spotify and instead of ignoring it as usual I pressed play. A younger, somewhat more obtuse version of Bill Callaghan? Maybe/ not. The stories are complex, the instrumentation likewise. This album is a gem.

Heavy Metal by Cameron Winter, to purchase, click.

Could this be my favourite release of 2024, time may tell.