The Listening Club - 22nd December 2024

Salutations and holiday greetings,

Well, it's that time of the year - slinging up lights everywhere that will support them, family members hanging ornaments everywhere else, a spicy drink and a seasonal snack, and some low-offense festive music - non-denominational holiday season greetings to you all.

As is customary around these parts, next Sunday will be our annual #FestiveVortex, for which we require one or two of your favourite new releases of 2024. You can pop them in the dropbox here, and @kleptones will fry them up into a fine bubble'n'squeak for playback next Sunday.

Looking back, last Sunday saw @JimMcCauley take time out from critical panto rehearsals to deliver Underworld's latest waxing, "Strawberry Hotel" which got the assembled grooving and spacing out in equal measures, I'd say. Thanks to Jim for the pick and for sailing the frisb across England to @SimonLandmine, who's got this to say by way of introduction to the last #LC pick of 2024...

"I briefly thought about picking something festive for tonight, almost exactly six months after my last pick ... but nah. This album is one that's been on my increasingly-misnamed 'short list' for quite some time. Earlier this year I was reminded that it's actually a round number anniversary for it, so this might as well be the year in which I post it. Some of you are likely to recognise it from the off, but I'll be interested to know how many, especially of our non-UK contingent. This was admittedly, their big break album and included what might be considered their breakout single, so may have travelled further than other works. Hopefully those who haven't encountered it before appreciate it.

Warning, contains some swearing (from pretty much out of the gate), if you're playing this in a public space (or have small folk nearby). Also contains some complex percussion rhythms (as, it seems, do quite a few of my picks).

Drinking club:

Either some warm lager in a flimsy plastic cup that'll be jostled out of your hand the moment the band starts up, or a whole bottle of vodka, which was something one of the members was going through every day early in the band's career."

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

See you 20:00 GMT tonight.

The Listening Club - 15th December 2024

Greetings folks,

Well then, judging by the number of fairy lights popping up around the immediate neigbourhood (including our own abode), holidays-are-a-most definitely coming. Good for me that my back is recovering for sure. Looking at the calendar there doesn't seem to be any need to take a #LC break over xmas, as a (slim) majority of you expressed a preference for the annual #festivevortex to be held for once during the actual vortex (i.e. the period between xmas and new years when not much happens), so, as always at this point in the year, it's time for me to ask you to consider the past 12 months and pick one or two newly released tunes that had you smiling - a dropbox will appear in a few days to gather them up, then it will be me myself stitching everything together for a fine party on Sunday 29th December. (If you don't have any new tunes to contribute that's totally okay, but if so, we hope you'll still join us for the playback!)

Looking back to last Sunday we found @holette in the chair, captivating the assembled with her pick of Anna Erhard's "Botanical Garden", which seemed to go down very well indeed, it seems. Thanks to Sarah for the pick, and for sailing the frisb over to @JimMcCauley, who zoomed past with this to say by way of introduction to tonight's pick...

"Banging this out fast (ish) because I need to sort myself out for a full panto run-through complete with costumes and makeup, plus sort some lunch before heading out. Hopefully I'll be home in time for the playback!

So then: love this band but honestly, it's been a long time since they've delivered anything to match their early run of albums. Not saying this latest release quite manages that, but it's definitely their first album in a long time that I've had on regular rotation, so I figure they're doing something right.

Got to run; enjoy, and hope to catch you later!"

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

See you 20:00 GMT tonight.

The Listening Club - 8th December 2024

Greetings folks,

Hope you're all doing okay. Grotty week weather-wise here in Amsterdam, and most of Northern Europe it seems, as everyone gets a dose of stormy weather. I am less bothered than usual as I managed to put my back out lugging boxes around, therefore I'm sitting inside feeling a bit grumpy and sorry for myself. So let's get on, shall we?

Last Sunday @Saucer was in the chair, getting emotional in a very modern way with his pick of Alan Sparhawk's "White Roses, My God", which certainly brought forth some discussion, and gained some new fans in the process. Thanks to Mr S for the pick and for sailing the frisb over to @Holette, who brings us this by way of introduction to tonight's pick:

"Greetings from the Wild West of Wales where we've just survived an intense storm with the highest red alert warning. Hearing the siren sound of a Government Emergency Alert on my phone for the first time was suitably dystopian, coming hot on the heels of our apocalypse vortex.

But as the festive season approaches, here's a pre-Christmas cracker of a record for you.

This young artist makes witty, wordy and slightly warped pop. I like their attitude, wonky synths and slacker guitar sounds. 

Fun, and only 30 minutes long, it's an ideal musical stocking filler. 

Aspirational Drinking club: a Snowball"

Right then. Download's here, stream's below:

See you 20:00 GMT tonight.

The Listening Club - 1st December 2024

Greetings folks,

Pinch and a punch and a happy advent calendar opening day to you all, if that's your sort of thing. December already, sigh. A peaceful week here in Amsterdam, grey and rainy sure, but quiet, at least till my desktop decided to start randomly freezing (but the mouse still working). Ugh ugh ugh. So let's get this done before it happens again, eh?

Last Sunday, appropriately it was the #Apocalypse2ThisTimeWeMeanItVortex, which truly hit the spot in a variety of ways. Many thanks to everyone for chipping in tunes, and to @saucer for the mighty effort of assembly. That very same @saucer also finds themselves in the regularly scheduled programming picking chair, so let's go back over to him for tonight's intro...

"Remember discovering new music in physical record stores? Physically browsing shelves? Deciphering handwritten reviews on index cards? Speaking face-to-face with the music lovers who wrote those reviews? Instant access to everything is great but we lost a lot when instant access to music and reviews won. 

So it was especially pleasing to discover tonight's album in a record store. Granted, it was a record store in an airport. So that's weird. When traveling through that airport I schedule time to hang out in the store. And this fall there was this surprising album on display (granted, surprising 'cause I don't keep up with music news), with this artist's vivid portrait on the cover.

I didn't buy the vinyl. Back on home WiFi I took a listen, courtesy of instant access to everything. 

In the slice of the year's new music visible to me so far, this album is iconic. And there I'll stop the story so, if you somehow haven't heard it by now, you get to experience it as I did, without expectations or back story."

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

See you 20:00 GMT tonight.

The Listening Club - 24th November 2024

Greetings folks,

Hope you're all doing as good as can be expected. Another fallout week it seems, as yet more folks finally quit the birdsite and go shuffling around the other social networks - taking no pride in being seemingly ahead of the pack on that one (it's a steady flow, tbh, but that's not much of a story for the media, is it?), though I'm kinda disappointed to find that despite both Bluesky & Threads claiming to be "Federated", for the most part we can't follow or interact with their users like we can with folks on other Mastodon servers, which seems to me to be the whole point of federation, really. Another case of "Meet the new boss, same as the old boss"? Time will tell, but until then, this little gathering will stay on Mastodon, looking forward to federating with everyone, eventually...

Last Sunday saw @vinomadic in the chair, delivering sharp words and guitars from a previous time in the shape of XTC's "English Settlement", which went down pretty well with most folks. Thanks to Mr V for the pick, and for sailing the frisb across to @saucer who has an extra week to ponder because...

...he's got his #vortex hat on, hip hip hip hooray. Or not, as may be the case as it's an #ApocalypseIIThisTimeWeMeanItVortex, for which the aforementioned @saucer has been gathering up your submissions and here is the mighty result. Download's here, stream's below:

See you 20:00 GMT tonight for playback, and may the gods have mercy on your souls.

The Listening Club - 17th November 2024

Salutations folks,

Hope you're all doing good. @kleptones here, back after a fine weekend of deeply varied sounds, food and drink at Le Guess Who, and a seriously well-timed getaway that turned out to be, eh? Big thanks to @saucer for taking care of things here in my absence, very much appreciated.

Speaking of which, next Sunday is last-of-the-month so as usual we're looking for #vortex themes,  if you have ideas, stick 'em in the chat later on please!

Looking back, last Sunday saw @david@social.jazzbutcher.com in the chair, sending out Kara Jackson's "Why Does The Earth Give Us People To Love?" which seemed to soulfully serenade the assembled quite satisfactorily. Thanks to David for the selection and for sailing the frisb over to @vinomadic, who has this to say by way of introduction to tonight's pick...

"ARGH-- it's been a week.

The endless cloudy grey backdrop to the distant threat of rolling thunder did not help-- I may have taken fighting (with) myself to new heights, not just second-  but third- & fourth-guessing myself.

On reflection, I was floored by last Sunday's pick so that I grew irritated-- ashamed, even-- at loitering & picking around music half a century old when there are artists working the current cultural zeitgeist so poignantly.

Thought I could justify this to myself finding a selection evidencing the sound of things falling apart & providing some minimal guide in addressing loss, finding one's way over grief even if only sleepwalking through it.

As you might imagine, going down that emotional rabbit hole proved rather fraught. (There being no lack for candidates, I have THREE more selections all prepped into tag-free single-track files joining the 'closing' 1967 release my linear mind had been keeping ready by the programming bedside, until I'm ready to delete those copies...)

'What, will these hands ne'er be clean? — No more o'that, my lord, no more o' that; you mar all with this starting.'

In the end, a selection of slightly more recent music-- just a bit over four decades old.

Loved it upon first listen at my buddy Carl's in 1982, only bought my own vinyl copy a decade later when I finally had my own flat in Puerto Rico & the audio equipment to play it on...this shouldn't be unfamiliar! Certainly varied enough...

Enjoy!"

Right then. Download's here, stream's below:

Hope to see you 20:00 GMT tonight.

The Listening Club - 10th November 2024

Hey, it’s @saucer here holding the fort, @kleptones away at Le Guess Who!

So, what a week, huh? What a week. Many of us trying to figure out how to digest the American election result, how to respond. I’m personally devastated, terrified, triggered. Compelled to reassess how I look at society, politics, history, psychology, communication, propaganda, ethics, activism. Seems there’s a lot of this going around.

I hope you’re doing OK.

But maybe let’s vinyl scratch away from that… or not? In any case, it’ll be there waiting for us on the other side. For now I’ll move on to the far more pleasant business of recapping last week’s LC.

Last Sunday our beloved Listening Club took a trip back and back again with the double album Odessey & Oracle {Revisited} - The 40th Anniversary Concert by The Zombies, lovingly selected and presented by @iamwahl. 

Much appreciated by most of us on hand. And when all was said and done, the frisbee found itself sailing California way and into the hands of @david, who’s here right now to introduce a pick that sounds like a suitable musical antidote to current events…

“Ok. I'm getting this out of the way before the nukes start raining down.

“Released earlier this year and unintentionally related to my last pick (the previous dude performs and produces), this is the debut LP by a talented contralto songwriter. She was also National Youth Poet Laureate earlier in life.

“Slow and introspective. Precision wordplay concerning relationships and such. Sparse and gorgeous production. A calming balm at a young lady's lived expense. Her live performances are solid.”

Allons y. Download’s here and the stream's below.

See you 20:00 GMT tonight!

The Listening Club - 3rd November 2024

Hola folks,

Hope you're all doing well and good. Still pretty mild for the time of year here in Amsterdam, which presents a nice background in which to watch the run up to the American election through gritted teeth. As with exactly four years ago, hoping once again that common sense prevails and the orange demon and his dodgy mates cult of personality are sent packing, this time for good. Also hoping, as you are, I'm sure, that unlike four years ago, the expected violence doesn't rematerialize. *throws salt over left shoulder and chants demon-banishing incantations*

As mentioned before, I'll be away next Sunday getting my annual dose of global music insanity at Le Guess Who, and it looks like @saucer will be holding the fort here, many advance thanks to him for helping out!

Looking back, last Sunday, as was end of the month, saw a #musicaboutmusicvortex, and oh my word, that really was quite the selection, from the subline to the ridiculous and back again several times. Thanks to everyone who chipped in a tune or two, and to @JimMcCauley for doing the fine construction work. Back in the normal world, we find @iamwahl holding the frisb with this to say by way of introduction to tonight's pick...

"It’s Complicated...

Due to its length I have twice set this option aside in order to present albums of a more conventional duration. It is also difficult to talk about in a meaningful way without giving away all its secrets before pressing Play. Nonetheless, I suspect, as soon as we press Play there will be some who immediately recognize, if not it, what it represents. From the get-go it is obviously recorded live (so no spoiler there). At its heart it is a love letter to a very specific niche in the timeline of music history but it expands to represent much more. There is joy here, and love. Yes, this has been a complicated selection to make and, as it is a double album, it is also a big ask of the #ListeningClub members, so thank-you for your indulgence. NOTE: there will be a brief intermission between sets. Break out your best paisley and bell bottoms...and pass the Pimm’s..."

Right then, download's here, and the stream's below.

See you 20:00 GMT tonight!

The Listening Club - 27th October 2024

Greetings folks,

Hope you're all doing well and good. Still reasonably mild here in Amsterdam, which has allowed for a bit of external tidying and order-unto-chaos before the temps do the full-on plummet bit. Hopefully that will not happen until after Le Guess Who though as zooming through the streets of Utrecht is much easier when there's fewer layers to manoeuvre.. Also I'm still looking for a sub-manager here in 2 weekends time whilst we're away so if anyone can help, lemme know.

Last Sunday saw @wbwolf in the chair for their debut pick of はっぴいえんど / Happy End's 1971 album "「風街ろまん」/ Kazemachi Roman", which went down nice and easy with the assembled. Thanks to Wilford for the selection, and for throwing thr frisb over to @iamwahl who has an extra week to ponder because...

... yep, it's end of month again, therefore #vortex time, and this time a #musicaboutmusicvortex has been decreed, and thanks are extended to @jimmccauley who has made fine work of your submissions, as we shall hear...

Download's here and the stream's below:

CLOCKS HAVE CHANGED! So we will see you at 20:00 GMT, okay?

The Listening Club - 20th October 2024

Greetings folks,

Hope you're all doing good - mild and dry week here in Amsterdam which has been very agreeable, and a bonus for the thousands who have decended for the annual Dance Event, which has been cheerfully filling the streets with sound for the last few days. Whilst I'm on the subject of streets full of sound, worth noting that I'll be away at Le Guess Who in a couple of weeks, so if anyone is available to take over here on Sunday 10th November, it will be very much appreciated, so please let me know if you can help!

Also a double note, next Sunday is last of the month, so we're looking for #vortex themes as usual, if you have ideas, stick 'em in the chat tonight!

Last Sunday saw @aqidraco rocking out in multiple genres with their pick of Unto Others' "Never, Neverland" which got the assembled rockin out and callin' out the influences in equal amounts, i'd say. Thanks to Aqi for the pick and for sailing the frisb over to @wbwolf who is right here with the intro to their debut pick...

"Thank you for letting me do my first contribution to the Listening Club. I hope I can pass the audition.

I refer to myself as 20th Century Wolf, since most of my musical tastes tend to center on 60s to the 90s, so that would be the first clue. For long time listeners, you have perhaps heard the work of some of the members of this band in the Club, but not of this particular band. Music from this album has shown up in the films of Sophia Coppola. This album is critically well regarded in certain circles. It's not on the 1001 Albums list, but it is on the 1001 Mastodon albums. All of the members after the band broke up went onto influential careers as producers, session players and songwriters.

As for the #DrinkingClub, I don't advocate day drinking, but a shochu neat wouldn't be out of line."

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

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

The Listening Club - 13th October 2024

Greetings folks,

Hope you're all good in the hood. Bit of a grey blah week here in Amsterdam, as befits the time of year, so there's not been much doing cept hunkering down and planning future activities, which means... ah, you'll have to wait and see... heh.

During the meanwhilst, @ThatNewSound was in the chair, taking advantage of the situation to share a first listen of Sampha's 2023 album "Lahai", which got the assembled bopping and thinking in equal measures. Thanks extended not only for the pick but also for the frisb fling across to @aqidraco, who's got this to say by way of introduction to tonight's pick...

"I had one artist in mind from the start. Only discovered in the past couple months, they have become a favorite of mine. They just had a new album out and I wanted to listen to that with you all. As it’s probably usual, multiple other possibilities bubbled up that I needed to mull over and listen to the past week. Three of the six, selected themselves out but I got stuck on those other three. Finally Saturday evening I wrote each on a piece of paper and drew, just guess, the one I had wanted to share from the beginning of the process. So, again, just listen to your gut when the music demands to be listened to.

For the ones partaking in the drinking club, I suggest a micro brew of your choice, whiskey or more specific a Bye and Bye. 

Enjoy!

What’s going to be your Halloween costume?"

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

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

The Listening Club - 6th October 2024

Greetings folks,

Hope you're all doing well and good. Amsterdam is in the middle of a fine weather patch, a few clear and mild days always good at this time of year to get out, shop, and enjoy the start of those low sun afternoons that we don't get many of (too much grey), but are very welcome when they do arrive. Also the air is full of unusual global sounds as we start prepping and digging into this year's Le Guess Who lineup (yep, it's that time of the year already), which is as diverse and inviting as always... looking forward!

Last Sunday, as was last of the month, we got reasonably seasonal with a #SoupsStewsAndBakedGoodsVortex, which got a wide range of tasty responses, as you'd expect. Thanks to everyone for chipping tunes and @akx for whipping up the mix.

Looking further back, we find @ThatNewSound holding the frisbee with this to say by way of introduction to tonight's pick....

"This weeks pick wasn't any easier than the first. I ignored good advice last time and picked something I loved, this time round I've picked something I haven't heard yet. This artist has a pretty massive following so there's a good chance some of you will get this from the intro to track 1, I'm not sure how I missed it when it was released but I'm looking forward to checking it out with you. For drinking club i'd suggest a dark rum with ginger beer and perhaps a splash of lime."

Right then. Download's here, stream's below:

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

The Listening Club - 29th September 2024

Greetings folks,

Hope you're all doing okay. Bit of a non-week for the most part here in Amsterdam, as the rain and grey take hold, and the most exciting thing happening is the arrival of a new washing machine after the old one decided to konk out a week or two back. That said, The 'The The' gig on Monday was seriously excellent - hats off to Matt and his band for delivering a cracking two hour plus set and getting the sold-out crowd to keep their phones in their pockets for the most part too. Full engagement these days is rare, and to be part of it in a sold out Paradiso is a splendid thing indeed.

Last Sunday we had @nessiest in the chair, delivering a classic debut in the shape of Sinead O'Connor's "The Lion And The Cobra" from 1987, which grabbed everyone that knew it and everyone that didn't in equal measures. Thanks to Vanessa for the pick and for sailing the frisb across to @ThatNewSound who has an extra week to ponder because...

... Yep, end-of-month means vortex time, and this time, a very seasonally appropriate, #SoupsStewsAndBakedGoodsVortex has been suggested, so thanks for all the ingredients, and to @akx for the afternoon cook-in, here's the results... 

Download's here, stream's below:

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

The Listening Club - 22nd September 2024

Greetings folks,

Hope you're all good in your respecive hoods. Nights are drawing in an' all that here, but still delivered a decent weekends worth of sunny weather allowing us the opportunity to indulge in some good al fresco dining and quality stoop-sitting whilst stocks last. And a bit of a bucket list tick-off as The The are playing Paradiso on Monday, which is being very much looked forward to, I must admit.

Speaking of looking forward, end of the month beckons, which means we'll be canvassing for #vortex suggestions, so get 'em out later and we'll see what's what, what?

Looking back, we had @Corin_Ja in the chair, sending everyone slightly elliptical with his pick of Nik Bartsch's Ronin and their 2018 album "Awase", which got the assembled well aligned, I'd say. Thanks to Corin for the pick, and for sailing the frisb across to these shores, where @Nessiest is waiting with tonight's intro...

"One of the unwritten rules of Listening Club @kleptones first told me a decade ago (!) was be careful picking anything too personal in case the commentary stings.

Here we go then. I fucking love this, have done from the first time it brought me to tears as an angsty teen. (It by far transcends the angsty label, don’t worry). When the vocalist passed my first thought was “I’ll pick this for le club one day”. 

A lot of you will know all of this album well. I hope it’s new to some of you and I’ll take the risk on sharing a favourite. Drinking Club pick is a mug of tea and a spliff if that’s what you fancy. The artist would probably approve."

Right then. Download's here, stream's below:

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

The Listening Club - 15th September 2024

Salutations folks,

Hope you're all doing fine. Been a grotty week here in Amsterdam as a nasty northerly wind has swept autumnal vibes onto us with a vengeance. That said, the sun's peeking out and it's a mild afternoon, so let's get this tapped out so I can go make the most of it...

Last Sunday we had @woj in the chair, delivering something new from old with his pick of Wanda Jackson's "This Party Ain't Over" produced by Jack White in 2009, which got the assembled jivin' and swingin' as you'd expect. Thanks to Woj for the pick and for sailing the frisb over to @corin_ja who is here with tonight's intro...

"I think my taste in music could be roughly divided between very popular, top-of-the-charts acts of the 1970s and 80s and somewhat obscure, meditative, downtempo things that have niche appeal. In making a selection for Listening Club I am usually torn between these two poles, anyhow. Do I pick something that everyone probably knows, hoping it'll be a fun experience if most people like or at least are aware of the record in question?

Or do I take a risk with something that probably fewer people will know but that might not work at all, some people might even flee, screaming in horror?

I'll let you decide which option I have gone for this week, and we shall see what happens.

#DrinkingClub suggestion is a Negroni for this one, but don't read too much into that."

Right then. Download's here, stream's below:

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

The Listening Club - 8th September 2024

Salutations folks,

Hope you're all doing good. Summer still hanging on here in Amsterdam, although the forthcoming week sees wet and grey heading our way, which is annoying. Still, the cultural season continues in full force, and Cornelius (and group) played an absolute blinder on Tuesday, so there's not much to complain about, apart from my inability to grasp responsive css and drag my website into the 21st century, but hey, at least I'm finally trying... ;-)

Anyhoo, last Sunday it was me, @kleptones, in the chair, trying to surprise as best I could with my pick of Spurv's 2003 album "Brefj​æ​re" which rocked and folked in plenty of epic directions. Following that, all that remained was to flip the frisb across to @woj, who is right here with tonight's intro...

"As usual, I had several ideas rattling around in my head for this week's Listening Club and was spiralling in on one of them to select but then I had an opportunity to see a film called "Rock Chicks...I Am Not Female To You" this past week and my plans were revised. With a title like that, it's pretty obvious that this pick is by a woman so gendered pronouns it is!. Today's pick was not in the film herself but is still a central figure as a good portion of the film features her former guitarist. While I knew this woman and some of her songs, I realized I wasn't as versed in her long carer as I should have been so di a little reading, did a little listening, and ended up picking this record to grace our earballs today. It's one of her comeback records, to an extent, and has a famous producer but that's not why i selected it. I mostly selected it because it's one of her longer records...and still under 40 minutes long! Anyway, hope you enjoy it!"

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

See you 20:00 BST (GMT+1) while stocks last!

The Listening Club - 1st September 2024

Greetings folks, pinch and a punch and all that.

Hope all is good for you all. Alas, September est arrivé, along with the end of the summer holidays, although the 28 degrees celsius I feel and the skate park block party round the corner that we will soon be attending are both begging to differ. It's been a fun week or two, as the remains of the summer and the start of the Dutch "cultural season" collide, providing opportunities to see odd bits of classical and jazz being performed for free around the city, which is really very nice indeed. Add meeting up with a few old friends here and there for food, drink and fine conversation, and well, what more could you ask for? Oh yeah, Cornelius is playing the Paradiso on Tuesday. So yes, I'm in musn't grumble mode right now, for sure.

Last Sunday, as befits the last of the month, saw us in #vortex mode, this time a #OneLastTuneVortex, which as predicted was quite evenly split between mellow finishes and balls-to-the-wall moments, with only one or two crowd-clearers in attedance. Thanks to everyone for chipping in tunes, and the mighty @Saucer for the tough job of stitching it all together!

Looking back to our regular program, we find it's me, @kleptones, that has the frisb, so let's get italic for tonight's intro...

"Right then. 

Around the turn of the year, if I have time, I bookmark a few "best of year" music lists, particularly for genres of music that's I'm not particularly au fait with or a fan of, just to have a listen to what is considered new and great, on the off chance that something will catch my ear. Most of it gets binned after 20-30 seconds of listening, but occasionally something slips through and makes its way into the permanent collection.

Here's one that slipped through from last year's lists. It's epic, It's Scandinavian and that's probably nuff said for now. Looking forward to seeing what you think...."

Okidoke. Download's here, stream's below:

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

The Listening Club - 25th August 2024

Greetings folks,

Hope you're all doing good - Summer continuing nicely here in Amsterdam, although the occasional chill wind and the first sight of Christmas produce in the supermarkets (yes, really) reminding us that the end of the warms is in sight, so as usual, we're determined to make the most of it, thus you find us returning from a nice day out in the park, ready to get on with this...

Last Sunday saw @holette in the chair, hitting a classic straight out the stadium with her pick of Roxy Music's "For Your Pleasure" from 1973, which got the assembled mostly bouncing in their stack heels as you'd expect. Thanks to Sarah for the pick and for sailing the frisb across to me, @kleptones, who is quite grateful for an extra week to ponder because...

...yep, end of the month means #vortex time, and this time the votes decreed a #OneLastTuneVortex... is that to be one more tune to get the crowd jumping, or one more tune to send them out the door arm in arm, or even one more tune to get the place empty fast so the workers can get home? We're about to find out, as @saucer has gathered and arranged your submissions and offereings - advance thanks to him for the effort.

Download's here, stream's below:

See you 20:00 BST (GMT+1). Time for one last round before the bar closes!

The Listening Club - 18th August 2024

Salutations folks,

Hope you're all doing good. It's Mid-August already? Dammit, I'm only just getting used to this sitting-around-in-considerably-less-clothes-than-usual-sipping-iced-drinks-whilst-pretending-to-be-a-sensible-person-online kind of thing (as usual). So it goes. Hype cat also continues to be very, very happy as the warmness continues, so it's best to follow his lead really... or else.

Also as the mid-August is falling on oddball days, it's a gonna be a #vortex next Sunday, so dig out those ideas and display them chez mastodon for all to see later on tonight!

Last Sunday, whilst astonishingly nursing a fractured tibia (such dedication!), @soundclamp got everyone deep into the fusion with Christer Bothén & Bolon Bata's "Trancedance" from 1984. Big thanks & get well soon wishes to Dan, and extra thanks extended, as before he headed off to A&E he managed to sail the frisb over to @holette, who is right here with tonight's intro...

"No prizes for guessing tonight's pick.  

Aficionados will be able to name that tune in one I expect.

I sensed a frisson of excitement rippling through some Listening Clubbers when I mentioned this band a while back,  so why resist the temptation to share?

For those who don't know it, this album is a wild ride of delicious affectation, darkly weird lyrics, outlandish experimentation and frankly bonkers synths.

Drinking club recommendation: a knock out Cosmopolitan."

Yes indeed. Download is here, stream's below.

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

The Listening Club - 11th August 2024

Greetings folks,

Hope you're all doing good. Been a zoomy week here, as we nipped off to Paris last Sunday (hence the early #LC post and sharp exit) to enjoy some Olympic bidniss and general Parisian activity, mainly of the food and drink varieties, natch, but with a bit of culture here and there amongst the heatwaves. And all very génial it was too. 

Last Sunday, as we chugged off on the train, @eastvanhalen hit the nail squarely on the head with her pick of Roy Ayers' "Everybody Loves The Sunshine" from 1976 which got the assembled moving and grooving as one would expect. Thanks to Steph for the pick, and for sailing the frisb across to @soundclamp, who's right here with the intro to tonight's pick...

"This week’s Listening Club pick was really fucken ponderous because an offhand remark Thurston Moore of Sonic Youth made, music has become very factionalized, burrowed in deep and wouldn’t get out of my head. In the spirit of finding something going against that grain, I’ve yanked out a new old album from 1984 with a fusion of ideas and a really unique pedigree. Hopefully you’ll agree I haven’t failed the assignment."

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

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

The Listening Club - 4th August 2024

Salutations folks,

Hope you're all doing good. Summer finally in full flow here in Amsterdam, which is pleasing the locals, especially Hype Cat, who is happily spending some good long days napping in the nearby undergrowth, occasionally reaching out a paw to catch a passing mouse. It's definitely his favourite time of year for sure, bless.

In equivalently chill mode, last Sunday we joined together for a #RelaxationVortex, which saw a fine variety of sounds that soothe, not all mellow either. Thanks to everyone for chipping in tunes, and to @akx for blending everything together.

Back to regular programming, we see @EastVanHalen holding the frisb, with this to say by way of introduction to tonight's pick:

"Good summer Sunday afternoon/evening/etc everyone,

For this week’s LC pick, I knew I wanted an album that feels just right for those warm, languid days that are deepening into late summer, and I remembered this - something I had thought about playing before, but which had dropped off my radar until I was recently reminded by…a meme. Don’t @ me. I also first heard this artist because they used one of the songs on this album in a commercial - I’m not proud, just glad to have heard the guy, and that he’s getting paid :) He’s also been sampled by pretty much everybody, so if you haven’t given his work a spin you still might hear something you recognize.

So sit back, get some languid funky vibes going, and enjoy. For #drinkingclub, make it long and cool."

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

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

The Listening Club - 28th July 2024

Greetings folks,

Hope you're all doing good. Another summer-ish week here, which is very pleasant, also enjoying as Amsterdam and the Netherlands in general slows down a bit; historically August is the month when residents and denizens go off on holiday, leaving the city much mellower for a few weeks (well, outside the touristy areas anyway). Plenty of stuff still going on though, as it's Pride this weekend, Dekmantel has 10 days of DJs booked, and there's that big sporty thing happening down in France too which is only a few hours away. Not bad at all, really, eh?

Last Sunday we had @FaberFedor discussing generational culture shifts using "Enconium: A Tribute to Led Zeppelin" as his example, which got the assembled pondering and getting down in equal measure, I'd say. Thanks to FF for the pick, and for sailing the frisb across to @EastVanHalen, who has an extra week to ponder because...

Yeah, #vortex time. And this time a #RelaxationVortex has been called for, so @akx has put his mixing boots on and merged the collected receipts into a sweet sweet blend. Thanks to everyone who chipped in!

Download's here (right click, save as), stream's below:

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

The Listening Club - 21st July 2024

Greetings folks,

Hope all is going well for you all. A pretty soggy week here in Amsterdam, reprieved by several lovely hot days late in the week but still not quite the level of Summer that I'd prefer. Of course I'm being demanding, but I'm on sabbatical, dammit, and nothing ventured and all that, eh?

Next week = end of month, so #vortex time again - please raise your theme suggestions this evening, thanks!

Last Sunday saw @ogili seeding the dancefloor with the classic "Motown Chartbusters Vol.1", which got the assembled shimmying and shaking like there was no tomorrow. Thanks to Oliver for the pick, and for doing a solid job of making sure the frisb landed well, in this case into the hands of @faberfedor, who's here with tonight's intro...

"Despite appearances, I'm not a Baby Boomer. 'Nam wasn't my war; Kennedy wasn't my president; the Beatles weren't my band. I identified more with GenX but I didn't quite fit in there either.

I recently learned there is a generation between the Boomers and GenX: [Generation Jones]. We were the original latch-key kids. Riding Schwinns with banana seats.  Staying out till the streetlights came on. Those kids from "Stranger Things"? Yeah, that was us. Without the Upside Down, fortunately.

I'm not sure if it's because I've found a cohort, I'm getting old,  or what but I'm digging out old albums, listening with older ears, and appreciating them even more.

Which brings us to tonight's selection. It's not a "rare gem" from myhalcyon days or anything like that but I think y'all like it. Y'all will immediately recognize what this is from the opening strains, I'm sure. 

Unless there really was an Upside Down."

Right then. Download's here, stream's below:

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

The Listening Club - 14th July 2024

Greetings,

Hope you're all doing well and good. Bit of a week, eh? Focussing on the positives, England are back in the Euros final again, and no doubt hoping for a better result than last time - not that I am a massive football fan, but I like a good match as much as anyone, and this should hopefully be one of those, so forgive me whilst I attempt to multitask here and there later this evening...

Last Sunday we had @eryngium in the chair, deliveing St.Vincent's latest release "All Born Screaming", which rocked the assembled in a wholly positive way, I'd say. Thanks to Erin for the pick, and for sailing the frisb across to South London, where @ogili is waiting with tonight's intro...

"Well. This has been difficult.  I would say the dog’s ate my excuse, but we have a cat, and he’s just giving me a hard stare.

Was going to go with Happa’s excellent Baesianz Mixtape 002.  A spacy journey into Persian music by an Anglo-Iranian producer who started out as a Dubstep producer but has morphed into something more experimental.  But that’s only on soundcloud, and I’ll link it afterwards.

But then thought, nah, f*ck it.  Let’s go for a big hitter   A compilation sure, but of songs by a songwriting team and backing band which have had an extraordinary influence on music post 1960. 

You know them, you may love ‘em, you may hate ‘em.   But being given an album by one of the artists on here at the age of 14 or so hugely influenced my music tastes. 

Oh and I’ve added on at the end my favourite track from this label, which is not on this comp."

Download's here, stream's below:

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

The Listening Club - 7th July 2024

Greetings folks,

Hope you're all doing well and good. yes it's @kleptones back from the fields and mostly recovered, I think - A fine time was had by all, since you ask, and 99.9% dry and not too boiling too, which is as good as you can get really. Looks like Amsterdam saved the rain up for us as it's been grotty and showery all this week but as I'm in a party retro-reverie mood, the weather can do one for a change. Also some politics and football has been happening, both of which (at least for now) seem to be of a reasonably positive outcome for stuffy old England, and I think the last time both of those happened together I wasn't even born, so that's something to gently reflect on, I think...

Last Sunday, while I was getting drunk in a field shaking a leg to some vicious jungle, @JimMcCauley was taking care of business here, and also making fine work of the annual #livevortex, which sounded very good to these ears on the replay, so big thanks extended to everyone for chipping in tunes, and Jim for wrangling the assemblage into a smooth flow.

Looking back over the fence, we see @Eryngium clutching the frisb with this to say by way of imtroduction to tonight's pick...

"I recently read one of those studies that circulate every few years, claiming that most people stop seeking out new music after their mid-thirties, preferring instead to keep listening to the familiar music of their teens and twenties. The fact that we’re all here means I don’t think that applies to anyone reading this, but it inspired me to pick a 2024 album for this week’s selection, and to continue my effort to listen to new-to-me artists in general. This artist has been releasing albums for more than 15 years, but I only really started listening to them in the last few years."

Right then. Download's here and the stream's below:

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

The Listening Club - 30th June 2024

How do, listening chums! @JimMcCauley here, holding the fort while @kleptones is off at some sort of arts festival that's happening not very far from me. Looks like they're having good weather for it, at any rate. And this is one of those rare Sundays when I'm not tied up with some sort of theatrical shenanigans; won't be long until I'm mostly booked up with rehearsals until January.

Last week I was at a production meeting for a play I'm not even very involved with (someone asked very nicely if I could help), so I missed @SimonLandmine's pick of Frenchy And The Punk's 2010 album, 'Happy Madness'. Seemed to do the job for the assembled, though, so thanks to Simon for the pick and for scoring a hit with the frisbaton first time. And of course @eryngium has an extra week to consider her pick because...

That's right, it's the 2024 Live Vortex! 19 tracks, lovingly assembled and all that. Got to tell you, this one's a bit bootleggy in places; as well as the inevitable gain adjustments along the way I've had to break out the EQ a few times, but I'm giving it a good listen-to as I type and yeah, I think it's been worth the effort.

Download's here, or stream it below (assuming I don't forget to actually publish my upload this time).

Catch you at 8PM! GMT!

The Listening Club - 23rd June 2024

Greetings folks,

Hope you're all doing good. Feeling a bit heatwavey here in Amsterdam, which is nice as we're about to head off to the Somerset fields for a bit of the old tent, booze and music life, and the weather there doesn't seem that bad either (fingers crossed it holds out for the duration).

And yes, next week, whilst we're away will be the #LC annual summer (well it is on the western hemisphere where most of us are, afaik) #livevortex, helmed this year by @JimMcCauley - many advance thanks extended to them for taking care of things in my absence. So what we need from you sometime soon is one or two fine live performance recordings - dropbox details will appear on the mastodons later today for your selections.

Looking back at last week, we found @Saucer following up thematically from the previous week's pick, but under sad circumstances as we enjoyed Françoise Hardy's "If You Listen" from 1972, recorded in London with some fine (yet sadly anonymous) English musicians. Thanks to Mr S for the pick, and for valiantly getting the frisb across to @SimonLandmine, who's here with tonight's intro...

"As ever, on receipt of the frisbaton, a trawl through my increasingly-misnamed .txt shortlist was required. This one has been on there for an indeterminate while (with a somewhat inexplicable note

next to it saying "blame @wojsvenwoj", although I no longer have any idea why - I can only presume it was relevant when I wrote it!) This is an act I've seen live a couple of times, and this was their fourth

album, although opinion seems divided whether it came out before or after a change of name. (Wikipedia thinks it was after the name-change, but the sleeve on my CD disagrees, so it looks like it

might have been released under both.) In any case, the lineup remained the same throughout, it was only the name that changed. This album is out of print in either guise, regardless, but they're still going

quite a while later, occasionally getting some critical notoriety, and have another album out soon.

Drinking club recommendations are probably either a rich red ... or a warm can of weak lager."

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

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

The Listening Club - 16th June 2024

Greetings folks,

Hope you're all doing well and good. It's all go here in Amsterdam, as chez Kleptone gets ready for our forthcoming excursion across the water and into the farms of Somerset, and the piles of camping shizola that that entails (and getting everything ready to play some music on said farms, of course), also cleaning up the place for a house guest, and dealing with hype cat's regular seasonal mouse-flavoured offerings. All that and more besides, all soundtracked by the cheers of the neighbours as the Netherlands get on in the Euro 2024 ball kicking tournament. And the weather finally shows signs of improvement after a pretty feeble start to the summer round these parts, and just in bloody time, if you ask me...

Speaking of which, gonna be a vortex in two weeks, so thanks go in advance to @JimMcCauley who will be minding and creating that in my absence. Also now is the time to discuss the theme, whether to go with tradition or change the record, so to speak... speak now or etc.

Last Sunday saw that very same @JimMcCauley taking a fine conceptial leap with his manifestation of a chapter of  Rob Chapman's "Unsung : Unsaid" concerning a possible tracklist for a covers album performed by Nick Drake. An impressive and plausible selection, that got the assembled pondering considerably. Thanks to Jim for the mental stretch, and for flipping the frisb over to @Saucer, who's here with tonight's intro...

"Speaking of the Multiverse as we were last week, right? ...would you sometime sense an alternate timeline, or other, faintly resonate with you, your own ...that strange circumstance as echo? 

I don't know. Then again, I'm a sentimentalist who sees *everything* as poetry. You don't know how it ends. Or starts. This week's LC selection could be an echo of an echo. Of an echo.

Hope it resonates with thee.

Drinking club selection: Same as they're having for Listening Club over on Earth #71, or perhaps not."

Right then. Download's here, stream's below:

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

The Listening Club - 9th June 2024

Greetings folks,

Hope you're all doing well and good. Maybe a little better than me, who managed to return from the UK (aka Plague Island) with a fine sinus / throat infection that's left me coughing and sputtering for most of the week. So it goes. Hoping it clears up soon, as I'm busy getting myself ready for Glastonbury - yes it's that time of year again, so if anyone out there feels like taking care of business here on Sun 30th please let me know! - as always with Glastonbury it's a vortex Sunday too, and customarily a #SummerVortex comprising of live performances, but it may change this year, it's up to y'all... 

Last Sunday saw @Vinomadic continue his pilgramage through late '67 with his pick of The Jimi Hendrix Experience's "Axis: Bold As Love", which got the assembled grooving and a wowing as only that man can. Thanks extended for the pick, and for sailing the frisb across to @JimMcCauley, who wasn't available for an intro, but forwarded this email by way of explanation...

"Dear Joe,

I understand from Andrea in the office that you are in America at the moment and might be away for a while but I'm sending this anyway while thoughts are fresh. I hope you will afford it the courtesy of your attention when you return.

I've been giving some consideration to what I should do next.

Not exactly agonising but thinking very carefully about how I present myself on the next record, assuming there is to be one! [...] I think I might step away from my own compositions for a while and attempt an LP of other people's endeavours. [...] And while interpretation of other people's songs might not appear to be my forte I thought it might be fun to spend some time working on fresh arrangements for the songs I have come up with so far. (See list below.) When you return from America perhaps you can tell me if this a good idea or merely a frivolous one. It might be just a passing impulse, I don't know, but perhaps something impulsive might be just what I need just now. [...] I would love to hear your thoughts. Be as honest as you wish.

The songs I’ve come up with so far are as follows:"

Well then. Download's here, stream's below:

See you 20:00 BST (GMT+1)

The Listening Club - 2nd June 2024

Greetings,

Hope you're all doing good. Tapping this out early as I'm taking a week away from Amsterdam to visit my mum and help her out with some home diy stuff inbetween the rainstorms. So let's get on...

Last Sunday, as was end-of-the-month time, we agreed on a #CarStereoBangerVortex, which brought forth a wide range of vehicular soundtrack options, not all as gung ho as some would imagine. Many thanks to everyone for chipping in tunes and to @akx for gathering and assembling the results. Looking back we see @vinomadic holding the frisb with this to say by way of introduction to tonight's pick...

"Welcome back to your Summer Rock History course, my dearest all!

This selection had been prepped-- & waiting for the stars to align-- since the last time I caught that glittering frisbaton-- or even sometime before that.

I fear the act is all too easily recognisable. I hesitated to inflict it on the assembled club at least partly for that reason...there's also something of a loaded emotional connection, as this was my late brother's favorite rock artist.

Like other November 1967 releases (--this one actually released December 1st!) I've shared, it's a sophomore swerve-- using newfound credibility with record label & industry suits after commercial success of the inaugural foray into the charts to explore, experiment, test the creative waters whilst still putting together a saleable pop music  product...there *does*, however, seem to be just a bit of filler, some slightly weaker tracks?  Working the tightrope between rootsier R&B-flavoured numbers & out-n-out psychedelic rave-ups with varying degrees of integration & success...

I'm actually quite interested in the Club's opinions on this! 

Without further ado...we could play a game: What's an appropriate drinking club match?

A pint, not to overthink it? Or something a bit more recherché & dare one say, psychedelic?

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

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

The Listening Club - 26th May 2024

Greetings folks,

Hope you're all doing good. Pretty rainy here in Amsterdam, as the early Summer promise seems to have fizzled into grey showers, which is a shame. Fingers crossed for the forseeable though, as I get even more weather obsessed as we start counting down to Glastonbury at the end of next month...  *stares at long range forecast and crosses fingers firmly*

Last Sunday we had @akx in the chair, delivering warm electronics in the form of Röyksopp's third album "Junior" from 2009, which got the assembled bopping considerably. Thanks to Aarni for the pick, for sailing the frisb over to @vinomadic (who has an extra week to ponder), and for the below...

...because yes, it's vortex time again, and this time the crowd decrees a #CarStereoBangerVortex, and it's that @akx again who has weaved a route through your stop-off selections, as he says "for recording onto a C120 cassette and popping into a vintage Toyota Corolla" - props to him for the work!

Download's here (right-click save-as) and the stream's below:

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

The Listening Club - 19th May 2024

Hola, folks

Hope you're all doing good. Summer seems to have arrived well and truly and maybe a bit earlier than expected here in Amsterdam, which is very pleasant indeed (hope it lasts!), although lacking a certain something as @nessiest is away for the week somewhere even warmer for a bit of peace, tranquility and yoga, therefore I should apparently be sat in my smalls eating beans from the tin (there's a mental image for y'all), but sadly it's not true - I've ordered pizza! (also have correct amount of clothes on, sorry to disappoint)

Genial reminder that next week is last-Sunday-of-the-month, which means #vortex time, so get your suggestions ready for later tonight, ok?

Last Sunday saw @iamwahl rocking the assembled hard with his pick of Joe Satriani's "The Extremist", which got everyone reaching for their air-six-strings and more besides, yikes. Thanks extended for the selection, and for sailing the frisb across to @akx, who's here with tonight's intro...

"It looks like summer is finally happening in Finland with clear weather and 20+ Celsius all week! That also means there's been lots of drinking beer and rosé and cocktails interwoven with hedge trimmingand other garden work, of course... Took a bit of hmming and meh'ing and "nah, not that"ing in front of the album shelf to finally spot this one that suits the weather and mood, and I'm frankly surprised these Norwegians (who I've seen live back in the day, being the opening act for Moby) have, according to the #listeningclub records, only shown up twice, and only in vortices..."

Right then, download's here (right click - save as) and stream's below:

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