Merry Chris-mix 2024

As is traditional I've trawled Mr You Tube and found yet another cracking Christmas mix for you to play as you roast yer nuts by the fire. This one's courtesy of Miguel Beteta-Woodward and, at the time of writing, it has a mere 24 views so give it a spin and show him some festive lurrrrrrrrrrve. 

Right, that's it. I'm off on my annual digital detox. Wishing you a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year! 

Last Christmas - Chilly Gonzales

Heard this beautiful instrumental version of Wham's Last Christmas on 6 Music last night and, as Chilly himself mused, it really reveals the strength of the composition itself. 

Christmas Was Better In The 80s - The Futureheads

Another cracker (see what I did there?) of a Christmas track that get's far too few plays every year. Stick this on after Noddy and The Pogues. And, yes, Christmas was better in the 80s...mind you, let's face it, most things were. 

Get Behind Me, Santa - Sufjan Stevens

Struggling for some alternatives to Slade, Wizzard and Kirsty and The Pogues? Try a little Sufjan Stevens! 

Jack, That Cat Was Clean - Dr Horse

Another cool pick up from last weekend was a 2CD compilation of mod tinged jazz tunes called That Cat Was Clean! which features this little gem courtesy of Dr Horse. Hipper than lorry full of artificial hips in Hiptown. 

Spanish Horses - Aztec Camera

Picked up an Aztec Camera hits collection over the weekend and heard this track for the first time in years. Not too shabby eh? 

She Does It Right - Dr Feelgood

They may be wearing flares but there's more than a touch of punk attitude to Dr Feelgood's performance in this classic clip. Wilko in particular looks poised to start pogoing at any moment...

Condensation - Sports Team

 Glossy indie pop perfection from Sports Team! Lurvvvving this track right now. 

(Round, Round, Round) Blue Rondo a la Turk - Al Jarreau

Chuffed to pick up a no barcode mint condition early pressing of Al Jarreau's classic Breakin' Away album on CD for 50p...yep...50p...yesterday. Is it me or do bits of this track sound like it influenced System Of A Down's Chop Suey? 

Les Fleurs - Ramsey Lewis

There are a few versions of Ramsey's interpretation of Les Fleurs out there, I've got a live one on a compilation album that doesn't seem to be online but this one will do. Sublime...

Adriana Again - Elbow

It took me a long, long time to get into Elbow but eventually the sheer number of great tracks that they'd built up over the years coupled with Guy Garvey's humbleness (try listening to his 6Music show on Sundays) won me over.  Their latest is a bit 'cooler' than some of their other stuff too, proving that they really do know their arse from their... 

Pinball - Brian Protheroe

 Rarely heard minor hit from the voice behind Channel 4's First Dates!  

Groove Is In The Heart - Deee-Lite

No autotune. No miming. And she dances her tights off too. No idea who filmed this back in 1990 but thank groove-ness they did. 

Skunk Funk - Galliano

Dug out an Acid Jazz compilation last night and this was one of the tracks on it. Reminds me of being a student in Brighton waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay back in 1992. What a different world that was eh? Happily, after a quick 26 year break, Galliano reformed last year and released a new album recently too. Bring back the 90s, that's what I say. You could get a kebab and three pints and still have change from a shilling.  

Hey Man - Misty's Big Adventure

Almost two and a half years have passed since Grandmaster Gareth went to that great jam jar in the sky and it's still hard to accept that I'll never have the chance to see one of the best bands that ever made an entire video in a car wash live ever again...

Makossa Blow - Manu Dibango

 If this doesn't get you shaking your tail feather into the weekend then nothing will...

Audacious - Franz Ferdinand

Another grower from Franz Ferdinand, quite possibly one of the best singles they've released in my very humble opinion. Slightly bonkers to think that they've been around over 20 years now though. I well remember buying and watching the DVD single (remember them?) of Take Me Out and thinking that I'd arrived in the future...

Quincy Jones RIP

If this was the only track that Jones had produced it would be more than enough in my book, but it's just the tip of a ruddy huge musical iceberg of stone cold classics that includes Off The Wall, Thriller and We Are The World, which raised the equivalent today of £222million for charity. And where would Austin Powers be without Soul Bossa Nova eh? 

Finally here's an all too rarely heard classic from the 80s that Quincy co-wrote as well as produced. 

Let's Have A Kiki - Scissor Sisters

Chuffed to hear that Scissor Sisters are back, it's a shame that Anna's not going to be touring this time but apparently she's working on other stuff. Although she's irreplaceable hopefully the band will have some guest vocalists on hand...Vanity Fairy would be great! 

Altered Images / Vanity Fairy @ Exeter Phoenix – Friday October 25th 2024

 

After waiting roughly 40 years to see Altered Images this was the third time we’d seen them since 2022. At this rate they’ll be taking out a restraining order against us.

First up though, Vanity Fairy, a one woman disco extravaganza (check out her outifits) with an equally delicious sideline in witty between song banter. Hot on the high heels of supporting Last Dinner Party she dazzled the early birds with an album's worth of instant classics. 

If Kate Bush had grown up in Studio 54...

Playing the whole of fourth album, Bite, Altered Images (although only Clare Grogan remains from the original band) kicked off with a particularly groovy Bring Me Closer which was only narrowly beaten by a sublime purr through classic Don’t Talk To Me About Love for first set highlight. Grogan’s in fine voice and form and it’s clear that she’s loving this phase of a career that started waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay back in 1979. Yes, really. 

After a quick break they returned for bangers old...I Could Be Happy and Dead Pop Stars...and new, courtesy of 2022's top notch comeback single Mascara Streakz. GWR cancelling the last train home stopped us from staying right to the end...oh the joys of relying on public transport...but too much pop perfection may well have proved fatal at our age.