The Listening Club - 15th September 2019

Greetings folks,

Well, that late bit of sun seems to have appeared as hoped, so making the most of it picnic-style and "sunniest spot outside a bar we can find"-style has been the order of the days, alongside grabbing tickets for autumn/winter giggage, and starting to seriously look forward to Autumn's saving grace aka Le Guess Who Festival in November already...

Last week here in #LC land, the returning @Jonny_Pigg was in compilation mode presaging the Big Beat revival with his pick of "Dope On Plastic 4" from 1997, to which the assembled jigged and bopped and bantered, as would be expected. Thanks to Jonny for the pick and for sailing the frisb down to London, where @SimonLandmine is waiting with tonight's intro...

"This week, I managed to avoid drastically overthinking my selection (at least at time of writing this), and simply picked an album from my 'Listening Club Shortlist.txt' file. Hopefully people will enjoy it.

I first encountered this band when at university, and house-sitting for a mate over the summer holidays. He gave me leave to listen to his vinyl while there, and it introduced me to a number of acts I'd not previously encountered (including Neurosis, which some of you will probably be glad this is not).

And there was a live album by these chaps, who had, I have since discovered, named themselves after someone else's EP, and who have also covered the work of another artist previously featured on
Listening Club. Some of you may well be familiar with some of their oeuvre, but a few years ago (well, OK, over ten), they decided to have another go at some of it, and recorded and released this, which I am rather fond of as well. I finally got to see them live a couple of years ago, when they were doing one of those anniversary tours which have become popular."

Okaydoke. Direct download's here, and the stream is below:


See you at 8pm BST (GMT+1) tonight.

The Listening Club - 8th September 2019

Greetings folks,

Feeling decidedly autumnal here in Amsterdam, already, and hoping the warms decide to return for a last hurrah before the grey sets in. In the meanwhilst, there's a thrum of tidying and sorting in and around the house, the traditional sort of post-hibernation prep that comes with the time of year, before it's impossible to go outside without layers on. Still, as the festival season comes to a close, the indoor gigging season begins again, hoorah. And so it goes. (Phew, managed to avoid mentioning the current British political shitshow, well done me...)

Last week, @ohmyliver was in the chair, providing a lyrical take on that which shall not be named and much more, in the form of Kano's "Hoodies All Summer", which went down pretty good with the assembled. Thanks to Oli for the pick, and for sailing the frisb up to Tyneside, and the returning @Jonny_Pigg, who has this to say by way of introduction to tonight's pick...

"So, it's been a while, turns out kids take up quite a lot of your time, who knew? Well, everyone I think still, I've managed a return and a frisbaton catch and here we are. 

First thoughts were to the list I still had in mind to work through and pick one, however, I'd not really listened to any of them lately, in fact the last few months have been a rabbit hole of Spotify's making which has introduced and re-introduced me to uncountable tunes which I'd like to play all of. Bands I'd forgotten about/never heard of but should have, songs I'd missed first time round, artists I'd ignored for no real reason. 

The hardest part here was picking an album as most of the tracks tended to be the standout or part of a small group of standout tracks on an album, with the rest not really catching my attention. So I thought about what listeningclub was to me and what I'd missed about it. Basically I like switching off on a Sunday with a drink and doing nowt but listening to music for an hour or so. Nice to chat to people as well and all that, but the switching off from the day and just settling in is a belter.  So, what album did I want to listen to uninterrupted? It's the end of the weekend, it's been a long week with another ahead, something I can switch off to, nod my head, tap my feet and just take it in. 4 albums sprung to mind, after a quick run through the winner was picked. 

Now, this is a 2 cd album of which I hardly ever listen to number 2, but as there's a couple of scratches on cd 1 I've had to edit out 2 tracks so as an encore I've added the first one on the second cd. So get comfy, this isn't going to be like the time I made you all listen to Japanese techno metal.

Enjoy"

Okaydoke. Direct download's here, and the stream's below:


See you at 8pm BST (GMT+1) tonight, while it lasts!

The Listening Club - 1st September 2019

Greetings folks,

Hope all is well and good. September already, really? Still holding on to the warm and sunny as best we can here, aided by a local band just round the corner serenading us with easy listening Latin-American sounds this afternoon. All very neighbourly and civilized indeed.

Last week round these parts, @xpollen8 was in the chair, serenading folks with the electronic stylings of Geotic's "Traversa" which seemed to go down pretty well. Thanks to David for the pick, and for sailing frisb across to post-carnival London, where @ohmyliver has this to say...

"So, I seem to have in my possession the Listening Club frisbee.   

Last week, I started out in a post-carnival glow.  It was a good Carnival.  Amidst the standard roots/reggae sound systems, I even had a bit of a boogie to some Dr Dre, and Drum and Bass.  Oh and Jam Rock, which I heard on 3 different sound systems as I pottered around Notting Hill/The Grove.  I’m not a huge fan of that song, but its bass rattling through the streets of Victorian terrace sounds great.  

So, I was wondering if I could get away with a Saxon Sounds live recording from ‘84.  Or a Channel One one from this year or last year.  Y’know, a big up to the London cultures which have been hugely important to British music, a big up to a still free festival which is a celebration of a London at risk from the rising nationalist effluence. 

But then, politics intruded.  The direction of travel of politics in the UK is alarming, to say the least.  Whilst the shutting down of Parliament by an executive which only has minority support, pushing through a hugely damaging (yet profitable to the right people) change which again has minority support, isn’t technically a coup, it sure fucking feels like the beginnings of one.  The Thick of it, with Alan Moore as script consultant, as you were. 

So I wanted to respond to this.  So something like Jungle Revolution by Congo Natty, or anything by Lowkey, would work wonders.  But then this popped up, like some sort of Grime divine intervention.  

It’s very new (came out a couple of days ago).  It’s from someone who started out in East London’s N.A.S.T.Y crew (alongside D double E, Jammer, etc), won various ‘best newcomer’ awards in 2004/5 and even got props from the then Mayor of London.  

I’ve listened to it a couple of times, and I can understand why it’s getting good reviews all over the shop.  I think I prefer the more introspective 0800-Dinosaur presents Trim, but it’s similar territory."

Okaydoke. Direct download is here, and the stream's down below:



See you at 8pm BST (GMT+1) tonight.   

The Listening Club - 25th August 2019

Greetings folks,

Well. the sunny and warms are back in these here parts, which is jolly nice, although I'm staying inside this arvo with a large fan for company feeling the aftereffects of a long day in the park yesterday. Beer may have been involved, yes...

Last week chez #LC it was me myself and I in the chair, dosing folks up with Alexander Tucker's "Don't Look Away", resulting in a bit of a mixed response, which is fair enough, his is definitely a bit of a marmitey sound for sure. All that was left was for me to sail the frisb across to @xpollen8, who is here with the intro to tonight's pick...

"Sometimes you just need something to chill to, and I've been
turning to this guy a bunch this year.  Also, his videos are super fun.
That's is all!"

Okaydoke. Direct download is here, and the stream is below:


See you at 8pm BST (GMT+1) tonight.

The Listening Club - 18th August 2019

Greetings folks,

Hope you're doing fine. Still pissing down here, off and on, and probably in the UK too, which is a bugger for those attending Lowlands, Green Man or whatever festival. Sure they're making the most of it regardless, I know I would be, but I'm sitting here at home, watching Lowlands on TV (Franz Ferdinand currently) and tapping this out waiting for the rain to stop... or start again... que sera.

Last week, @holette was back in the chair getting the congregation moving with her pick of Donny Hathaway's 1970 debut album "Everything Is Everything". Caps were doffed by way of thanks and the frisbaton was sailed across to me, so...

"Didn't think I had anything in mind, so I was flicking through the collection, thinking a retro pick would be a good idea, when I noticed an old text file sitting in my documents folder titled "Listening Club picks". Inside there was one album listed. So, brushing aside the possibility that someone had hacked into my computer and left it there, let's see what past-me wanted you to hear...

There is still no feeling quite like discovering an artist and finding out they've got a nigh-on 25 year back catalogue to investigate. This is one such person, who's collaborated with a whole ton of interesting folks, and also managed to put together a stack of solo albums, of which this is the seventh. I'm very pleased to have finally made their acquaintance, hope you will be also."

Direct download is here, and the stream's below:


See you at 8pm BST (GMT+1).

The Listening Club - 11th August 2019

Greetings,

Well, wet and windy is back in force across Europe, which is kinda sad for the Dutch, as August is traditionally holiday month here in the Netherlands, to the extent that offices are almost empty, many cafes and takeaways are closed, and public transport runs on a reduced timetable. Still, it's lovely and peaceful outside the tourist zones... even if it is grey.

Last week chez #LC, @saucer was in the chair, serving up Brazilian delights in the form of "Sem Nostalgia" by Lucas Santtana, which certainly got the braincells quizzically tingling. Thanks to him for the pick, and the surprise deflection of the Frisb back in the direction it came from, which means @holette is here again, with tonight's intro...

“I have Iggy Pop to thank for many things: Raw Power; one of the greatest live performances I’ve ever seen; a really cool T-shirt that used to fit me; and (do Iggy voice here) ‘facilitating connections’. These days he’s deliciously intimate company on Friday nights on the radio, during which time he’s introduced me to this artist. 

The voice speaks for itself. It makes me feel calm and uplifted - sadly ironic given the artist’s struggles with mental illness. There are better known tracks to explore if you like this album, but to me it’s a good place to start for the direct emotions,  melody and musicianship.”

Okaydoke. Direct download is here, and the stream's below:


See you at 8pm BST (GMT+1) tonight.

The Listening Club - 4th August 2019

Greetings folks,

Yep, I'm back, after a week of rather hot holiday en France, plus a fine evening here in Amsterdam meeting up with @rougeforever and @mrhig of this parish, a cracking day yesterday bopping at Dekmantel Festival, and today a sweaty afternoon trying to hack the plants around the house back into some sort of sensible shape. So business as usual, and very grateful for all of it.

Thanks to @jimmccauley for keeping the lights on here in my absence, much appreciated, squire! And thanks also to @holette, who got the assembled bopping last Sunday with her pick of Sparks "No.1 In Heaven", and then sailed the frisb across the ocean to @saucer, who has this to say...

"Freshness and surprise are essential elements of music, and, frankly, sometimes my own taste bores me. These days I don’t have many musical friends IRL to pull me out of self-constructed ruts. 

That’s why I was so happy to meet a new musical friend... in an entirely nonmusical context... recently. They were conducting a test of something at work, and I, as a test subject, was lucky enough to get paired with them. This person is radically different from me in just about every respect you can imagine and we get along great: We’re both tickled by the disparities and also by the weird overlaps. She sent me one of her Youtube playlists and I disliked most of it, to my delight (and hers). It was fascinating to listen to.

Here and there among the entries I found points of brilliance, though, in the sense of tracks way outside the boundaries of my usual fare but nonetheless delicious and intriguing. That’s how I found the artist who made this album."

Okaydoke. Direct download is here, and the stream is below:


See you at 8pm BST (GMT+1)