The Listening Club - 24th September 2023

Greetings folks,

Hope you're all doing good.. Summer seems determined to hang on for a tiny bit longer here in Amsterdam, which is fine, as we can keep on finding "end of summer" shit to do.... Still not quite ready to give up the shorts just yet... as always :)

Last Sunday we saw @akx in the chair, delivering a modern classic in the shape of Daft Punk's "Discovery", which got the assembled bobbing and bopping as would be expected. Thanks to Aarni for the pick, and for not needing to throw the frisb, as it has already been pre-ordained to hit @AqiDraco next Sunday, but first...

...#vortex time. And o my brothers and sisters, I don't quite know how we got here, but here we most definitely are, combining ourselves into a (most probably a world first) #TapasSneakersAndGiantPuppetsVortex, which has brought forward one of the most varied selections, both in terms of age and style, that I can recall (I know I say that every time, but seeeeriously, you guys). As usual, some are beautifully literal, and some... well, I'm looking forward to hearing the back stories, put it that way.

Direct download is here, stream's below.

See you 20:00 BST (GMT+1). Bring a strong bottle. Or several.

The Listening Club - 17th September 2023

Greetings folks,

Hope you're doing good - Not bad here in Amsterdam, a warm week, so we've been making the most of it in true end-of-summer get-the-most-out-of-it style, checking out an annual city sculpture fest, stopping in at the terrace bar at the Hilton for a chill drink, popping out to the westerpark for a picnic and a bit of city wildlife watching etc. Plenty fun to be had, as always.

Reminder that next thirty days hath September, which means next Sunday will be a #vortex, so we're after suggestions for a theme if you have one...

Last Sunday we zipped back to November 1967 in the company of @vinomadic for "Buffalo Springfield Again", although a first time listen for many, ho ho, and a treat for a good chunk of the assembled. Thanks extended for the pick, and for managing to achieve #LCs first ever double-throw (don't ask), to both @AqiDraco, who will be in the chair in a fortnight, but also to @akx, who's right here with tonight's intro...

"Yesterday, one thing led to another and one bar turned to four and I only got back home this morning at 4 AM, so I'm a bit out of writing juices and I'll keep this short and sweet.

This is a classic album that I suspect not everyone has heard in its entirety (well, almost entirety – I cropped the last track out because it was too long).

#drinkingclub: no thanks, not today, but if you do indulge, something French. A French 75 counts as French."

Right then. Download's here (right-click-save-as), and the stream's below...

See you 8pm BST (GMT+1)

The Listening Club - 10th September 2023

Greetings folks,

Hope you're all doing good. Hot as balls here in Amsterdam, as it is for most of this bit of the planet (I think) at the moment, which, for those of us who like nothing better than to sit around in shorts drinking beer (or another agreeable alcoholic beverage) and eating small tasty snacks, is, as you'd expect, mighty fine, notwithstanding the fact that it really, truly should be a lot cooler at this time of year, right now. Ahem. Ah well. Fuzz the Hype Cat is super happy too, as this is also his idea of bon temps, especially if there's some cool undergrowth to hide inside and watch the world go by, and he's also well into the small tasty snacks (as you'd imagine)... so it goes.

Last Sunday we saw @erimichkea making their debut pick with Narla's 2020 album "Till The Weather Changes" (ironic title given the circumstances here, innit?), which went down pretty damn well, I'd say. Thanks to Erin for the pick and for sailing the frisb over to @vinomadic (aka @zensolo), who is right here with tonight's intro...

Greetings--

I'd felt a strong itch to move on from the musical year 1967-- and an exclusivity of November releases, at that!-- upon meeting a musician staying at the Carlton Arms who generously shared links to download a couple of his albums, but... due to the usual technical difficulties, this will have to wait for a later occasion, so--

...thought at least I'd sail away from 'This royal throne of kings, this scepter’d isle' and further cross the North American continent all the way to the modern sprawl spread out from el pueblo de Santa María de Los Ángeles-- an arguable capital of pop music where, blandished by the promises of the business representatives, there assembled a musical band of young but experienced players in the year 1966 who indeed, as promised, quite quickly found success.

Three-fifths of the members being from Canada, the usual centrifugal forces of drugs & women were aided & abetted by issues with work & visa permits, so that this, their second album of recordings, was a diverse, fragmentary, if impressively ambitious, endeavour. It's one of the reasons I've hesitated so long to share this, as the collection walks a shaky tightrope between 'eclectic' & 'disjointed'.

The frontmen-- a partly different three-fifths of the personnel-- found even greater success in their subsequent individual-- or not-so-individual-- projects, so quite a few of the assembled music mavens may quickly divine the identity of this act. 

I trust it will still provide some reem entertainment. 

Welcome back my friends, to the show that BEGINS back in November 1967-- Enjoy!"

Right then, download's here, stream is below:

See you 20:00 BST (GMT+1) tonight.

The Listening Club - 3rd September 2023

Salutations,

Hope you're doing good. More bon temps here in Amsterdam, as we enjoy a most-welcome late summer mini-heatwave. Sympathies going out to the poor folks over in the Nevada desert at Burning Man, who are dealing with some seriously squelchy weather - as a veteran of many bad-weather fests, here's hoping everyone makes it out of there without incident or injury... partying can be real hard work sometimes.

Last Sunday chez #LC saw the assembled tackle one of the hot topics (sorry) of the aforementioned climate issues with a #firevortex, which saw @saucer gather and assemble a fine mix of times from y'all. Thanks to everyone that participated! Looking back we find @erimichkea holding the frisb with this to say by way of introduction to their debut selection...

"Thank you to the Listening Club for the warm welcome and for sending this week’s album selection over to me for the first time.  Because it’s my debut here, I picked the debut album from this artist.  Hope you enjoy!"

Right then, download's here, stream's below:

See you 20:00 BST (GMT+1) tonight.