Love Is In Control (Finger On The Trigger) Extended Version - Donna Summer

Gave this 80s utter banger a few spins last night. The sharp eyed will spot that it was co-written by Quincy Jones and Rod Temperton who, amongst other tracks, penned a little ditty called Thriller for some bloke called Michael Jackson. Given that Rod had homes in LA, the south of France, Fiji, Switzerland and Kent I suspect he did pretty well out of that one. 

 

Dollar Bill - Jack White

Jack White's back with another scuzzed up blues belter, possibly one of the best of his career so far. It's always puzzled me that the blues (and jazz too, but that's a whole different box of brass) ain't more popular than it is when it can be as glorious as this, but that's people for you eh? 

PS: If Dollar Bill floats your boat why not go all the way back to Robert Johnson, a mere 90 years ago, and work forward from there...there's enough great blues to keep your ears entertained until the end of time. 

Chairlift - Bruises

Heard this track on 6Music this morning for the first time in ages and, despite it's slightly dark undercurrent, it has a bit of a summertime vibe too. I've only just found out that the lead singer's Caroline Polachek who's done some great solo stuff over the past few years, like this...

The Rainbow Connection - Kermit The Frog and Debbie Harry

What better track to celebrate Debbie Harry's 81st birthday than her legendary duet with Kermit The Frog... 

When The Saints Go Marching In - Ottilie Patterson

 

Jazz might be having one of its periodic revivals at the moment but 'trad jazz' (which harked back to the style of jazz played in New Orleans back in the 20s and 30s) seems destined to remain consigned to history. That's a shame, as this joyful cover from 1957 proves. If you want to know what some of the trad jazzers got up to back then have a read of George Melly's autobiographies...it'll make your hair curl. 

Scenic Railway - Ervin Jereb

Someone donated a stack of 'library music' CDs to a local charity shop recently and I've been hoovering 'em up. There are some great tracks on them, like this swinging little number from Ervin Jereb. Groovy baby. 

I Want It All - Eve's Plum

Heard this on 6 Music this morning, a blast of classic 90's indie rock grunge from the rarely played Eve's Plum. Copies of the album that spawned it are rarer in the UK than a Prime Minister who lasts more than a couple of years. Now that's rare...