The Listening Club - 25th June 2023

Hey there, listening chums! It's me, @JimMcCauley, doing hosting duties again because @kleptones is down the road from here at some pop festival or whatever; nice weather for it. I'm making the most of a quiet-ish weekend, as it's only a couple of weeks until I start rehearsing another show, and then that's likely me mostly out of #ListeningClub until January.

Last week @faberfedor stepped up with his choice of 'The History of The JAMs A.K.A. The Timelords', or as it's known over here, disc one of 'Shag Times' with added Gary Glitter. Naturally it went down a treat, and it leaves us, I think, with just two legit KLF albums unpicked. So big ups to Faber for the pick and for flipping the frisbaton at @eastvanhalen who, of course, has an extra week to come up with her choice.

Because, yes, it's the more-or-less-annual #ListeningClub #LiveVortex (and, come to think of it, the 10th anniversary edition). A number of live tracks chosen by you and lovingly assembled by @saucer; what more do you need?

Download it here or stream below.

Catch you later! (8PM BST, obvs.)

The Listening Club - 18th June 2023

Greetings folks,

Hope all is going good, whatever you're up to. Still dry and hot here in Amsterdam, although some stormy bits and pieces are floating about, maybe we'll get hit, maybe not, it'd be nice to damp the dust down a bit to be honest. Looks like more of the same for us next week at Glastonbury, with a dust-dampening shower forecast for early Tuesday morning, then dry and not-too-hot for the duration of the festival, which, to be honest, is most regular glasto-goers dream forecast. Me? I'm always happy to be leaving the boots and waterproofs at home, especially when long distances have to be traversed... So on y va we go...

Not that it got mentioned last week (oops), but next week, as any fule kno, is Vortex week, and I'm away, so @JimMcCauley (blessim) will be running things here, and someone (@akx or @saucer? I forget, soz) will be compiling our customary mid-year #livevortex, so from you we require one or two fine examples of live musical performance, all the better to celebrate the solstice - dropbox details will follow I am sure.

Last Sunday @EmmaPrice was in the chair, sharing some super-boisterous festival-packing soundtrack in the shape of Call Me Malcolm's "Me, Myself And Something Else", which got the assembled pogoing as one for sure. Thanks to Emma for the pick and for ensuring safe transfer of the frisb across to @FaberFedor, who's here with tonight's intro...

"I stumbled across this blast-from-the-past while looking for something  to play in the club and thought Why not? 

These guys didn't chart over here IIRC but they were big, or at least pretty influential, Over There. I know at least one of these songs charted in the UK, not sure about any of the others. This particular album was a US-only release but still, I'm sure several of you will know these(?) guys from the outset. For those that don't, well, it's time for you to get edumacated [sic].

See y'all tonight!"

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

See you 20:00 BST (GMT+1)

The Listening Club - 11th June 2023

Greetings folks,

Hope you're all doing good and dealing with whatever climate-related issues your part of the globe is faced with right now. FWIW, Amsterdam has moved rather speedily from nicely-summery into crikey-its-boiling territory quite quickly. Not complaining much for now though, although the prolonged dry spell both here and back in Somerset has got me a little concerned for the upcoming festival, as always, it's in the hands of the gods, so I'd better go find my sacrificial dagger then, eh?

Last Sunday it was the @woj that was in the chair, hitting the assembled hard with their pick of TEKE::TEKE's "Shirushi", which got the assembled cheerfully grooving and debating in equal measures. Many thanks extended to the W for the pick, and for sailing the frisb over to @EmmaPrice, who reaches up from her festival packing and deftly catches it, then proclaims this by way of introduction to tonight's pick...

"Greetings all.

Currently sitting amid a pile of sequins and sparkles as I pack for the wonder that is the Glastonbury festival. I shall be spending 8 glorious days in my spiritual home among friends old and new and hopefully making some new musical discoveries to share. This time I've gone with a band who I discovered about a year ago in a small venue near me, I've since seen them live a bunch of times and they're incredible fun as a live act who certainly know how to get the crowd moving. I'm also big fan of their messaging which I'll talk about during the playback.

Hurrah for live music and new discoveries so raise a glass of your finest festival beverage of choice and come have a dance with me."

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

See you 20:00 BST (GMT+1)

The Listening Club - 4th June 2023

Greetings folks,

Yep, @kleptones back again, after a sweet soujourn down to Paris, to eat, drink and swelter in unexpected high 20s heat. A little early in the year for a heatwave, but they do it differently down there, so it seems... 

Thanks to @JimMcCauley for minding the shop last week, and assembling a mighty fine #WorkingVortex whilst he was there. An impressive spread of tunes indeed, thanks to everyone who chipped in. Looking back, we find @woj with the fris, so over to them for tonight's intro...

"Today's selection comes from a band I only found out about in the past few weeks. Came across a song of theirs and the combination of instruments and styles and energy caused my head to explode and made them a slam dunk candidate for my next #ListeningClub pick. Unfortunately, that song turned out to be from a yet-to-be-released album. Fortunately, they released their debut album in 2021 and it's just as good as the song I did hear so that is what we are listening to today. Even more fortunately, the sophomore album arrives this coming Friday so if you dig this and want more, you won't have to wait long! Enjoy!"

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

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

The Listening Club - 28th May 2023

Hey there, listening chums! @kleptones is en vacances this weekend so it's me, @JimMcCauley, doing the do for the first time in quite a while. Unfortunately I won't be joining you this evening as I'm assisting at an audition (having actually auditioned for the same play last weekend), but maybe I'll be back in time for the last few minutes. Who knows?

Okay, so last week it was @simonlandmine at the decks with his pick of the soundtrack LP from the famous 1993 film, 'Judgment Night', a very-much-of-its-time blend of raps and loud guitars that I'd never heard of, despite it being right up 1993 me's alley. Needless to say it hit the spot, so thanks to Simon for the pick and for flicking the frisbaton at @woj...

Who, of course, has an extra week to think about a pick. You know the procedure as well as I do; it's vortex time! I've been spending the morning assembling the #WorkingVortex, shepherding, cajoling and occasionally strong-arming 27 tracks into more or less the right order. Thanks to everyone who lobbed in a tune or two!

Download it here, or stream it below.

Enjoy! 8PM BST and all that, maybe catch you later on. Cheerio!

The Listening Club - 21st May 2023

Greetings,

Hope you're all doing good. Nearly-summery here in Amsterdam, as it stays bright and dry, but there's one hell of a cool breeze harshing the warm mellow, and restricting the early wearing of shorts, which is a shame. Still, forecast is looking good for next weekend, which is fortunate, as I'm off for a long weekend trip down to the land of cheese and wine (and baguettes)...

...and it'll be #vortex week also, so all hail @JimMcCauley, who will be tending to things #LC related in my absence. And get your thinking caps on for #vortex ideas too...

Last Sunday we had @AqiDraco in the chair, who, despite not quite ending up with the album they'd intended, still managed to charm the assembled with the one delivered, "A Greater Good (History 1998–2008)" by Neuroticfish. Thanks to Aqi for the pick and for sailing the frisb across to @SimonLandmine, who's here with tonight's intro...

"This album is now about thirty years old, and likely seems like old hat now, but at the time, the concept was somewhat groundbreaking.

I've owned it since it came out, and it's been on my increasingly-misnamed 'shortlist' for quite some time, but a conversation a while back pushed it up several notches. I know that it's familiar to a couple of you, and there were a few singles that came from that got some club play in a few venues (and that I still play for folk occasionally), but hopefully Listening Club will appreciate hearing the whole thing this time.

Parental advisory: This album had that logo/sticker on the front cover that indicated that the lyrics included a few swears - some tracks more than others.

DrinkingClub: Pick something from the early 90s, possibly something that combines two unexpected ingredients and might be drunk in a borrowed Winnebago. Or maybe just gin and juice."

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

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

The Listening Club - 14th May 2023

Greetings folks,

Hope you're all doing good. Sunny and warm here in Amsterdam, with yesterday definitely winning the award for "Start of the summer" as it was nicely simmering. Kinda odd as we've had a very late spring (the wisteria is finally out and looking lovely, a good few weeks later than usual), but not complaining, afternoons spent lazing around in parks on picnic blankets drinking beer and watching the herons nesting high above us is, well, always time well spent in my opinion...

Worth a note that I'll be away in a couple of weeks time (weekend of 28th May) which will also be a vortex, so reaching out in the customary channels for assistance. Will also be away end of June also, as it's that Pilton party again, so there's a very advance heads up. Nice to be on top of one's diary for once.

Last Sunday I was off getting my ears smashed in in the best possible way watching Gnod, whilst the #LC assembled had @faberfedor laying Bruce Springsteen's legendary lo-fi bonanza "Nebraska" at their feet. Much boss conversation was had, so thanks to Mr. F for the pick, and for sailing the frisb over to @aqidraco, who has this to say by way of introduction to tonight's selection:

"I had my audio file all ready and uploaded online on Wednesday. It did not quite feel right. It was more a selection of availability rather than choice. I had all these criteria, one specifically, of wanting to share something German which that first one was. I listened to more German options throughout the week but none really quite felt like the “one”. Then today, Saturday, I nixed it and uploaded the album I really wanted to share and listen with you together on Sunday. You probably know a number of their more famous songs. This album is more, well, experimental. It is an album I discovered through Mastodon only a few months ago. I keep coming back to it.

As choice of beverage, I dare you to try something new, something experimental, outside of your usual choice of beverages and invite you to join me on this soundscape escape.

Happy Mother’s Day, please thank your mother for listening to that same chord / music over and over and over again."

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

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