Monday. Monday. Monday. Or as it's known at thegeneral's house - "Big Bag Of Relentlessly Tedious Shite". Never mind though, because there is a new album on the horizon which will hopefully make the week feel that little bit better.
Released today (October 7th) on the frankly marvellous Armellodie Records come this unusual little selection of ditties from The Pure Conjecture. Unusual. because it slightly defies pigeonholing, yet at the same time feels strangely familiar. There is a markedly nice contrast between poppy, upbeat instrumentation and nicely tempered, downbeat vocals from Matt Eaton, whilst other tracks are whispy, wistful and float by dreamily.
Standout tracks are Mr Tong, Midnight Dancing and the frankly lovely instrumental Surfin' Sunset. What's Worse? has a great, GREAT opening bassline. thegeneral loves a nice dirty bassline.
You can head on over to the Armellodie Bandcamp page to have a wee sken at the tracks afore ye commit to buying:
Happy Saturday. I know what you're thinking. You're thinking - didn't thegeneral do a post about Mike Oldfield not long back? I also know you're probably about to log off now without bothering to read this. That's totally fine. You can do. Just realise that I know where you live and I am watching you. Very carefully. You won't get away with it...I've seen what's hidden in that tupperware under your spare bed.
Anyway. There is a very good reason for this second post on Mr Oldfield. You see, Tubular Bells - his very first album and the one that launched Virgin Records is 40 this year. 40?! That's only 6 years older than thegeneral. You just can't Adam and Believe it.
To celebrate this next Friday night on BBC4 (11th October 2013) there are going to be some special programmes to mark the occasion. Read about one of them here:
So make sure you tune in and watch if you're a fan. If you're not, there's probably some shit on the other channels you can sit and gawp at. Or you know, put your cardi and cocktail slacks on, go out and get friggin'.
Back to The Bells.
If you're not familiar with it, have a look at this brief excerpt from it on the YooToobs. The video in this instance was made specially to go with it for The Old Grey Whistle Test:
Do you like that? If so, then click on this link to listen to the whole of the first part of the album performed live by Mike and company in 1973
It truly is remarkable in many ways. Not least for it's beauty and uniqueness. The opening has one of the more unusual time signatures you'll find in popular music - the starting piano bars are played in 15/8. The riff that follows played two bars of 7/8 one of 9/8.
It was recorded at The Manor studios - immediately following a session by John Cale, but before the Bonzo Dog Doo-Dah Band were scheduled to go in. Viv Stanshall in fact provides the vocal part, playing Master of Ceremonies on the famous ending to the first section. Hearing his shout of "MAN-do-LIN" is an actual joy. Nerd fact for those who like them: the electric guitar used on the album was a 1966 Fender Telecaster, played by Mike but previously owned by none other than Marc Bolan!
Mike is a bit of a fan of Bach. Many of his earlier works have nods to JS in them - TB more than others. If you listen closely to some of his other tracks, you'll hear little refrains from TB throughout. Most notable is the opening to Crises and his song Five Miles Out.
Composed and recorded largely alone, it's an astonishing feat. Layering and multi-tracking mean that he could continually go back and record till he was satisfied with what he heard. Nerd fans of the album will point out that there are minor inconsistencies in the tracking, that some of the parts are out of sync - but it doesn't matter. It's all part of the charm.
Why does thegeneral love it so? There's a wee story behind it...tuck yourselves in. Make tea and crumpets etc.
Many years ago in the mid 1980s (before the innernets and even before like, DVDs and shit) youngthegeneral was given a Sony Walkman for their birthday. As a small, inquisitive youngster of 8 who was very bored one night, said child asked their father "for summat to listen to on it, like, Dad". Dad pondered for a while then came into the flock wallpapered, pink carpetted lounge and said "You probably won't like it, kid, but have a try at this..." It was a cassette copy of Tubular Bells. youngthegeneral sat cross legged on the sofa (brown patterned with wooden arms) and did not move a muscle or utter a sound for almost 50 minutes (thegeneral's father will tell you this was nothing short of a miracle). That was it. The love affair started and has endured for 25 years. In that time, the vinyl copy has been warped and worn out, the cassette copy has been chewed up and played to death and two CD copies have been lovingly cherished. Since then, Mike Oldfield has gone on to release Orchestral Tubular Bells, Tubular Bells 2, Tubular Bells 3, The Millenium Bell and Tubular Bells 2003 (milking it much?) All are wonderful in their own ways and show how he has adapted and changed with the times, but none contain quite the magic of the original - that said, the orchestral version is simply beautiful.
After Tubular Bells was released, Mike became something of a recluse, finding the instant stardom and fame hard to cope with. He retreated to a place called Hergest Ridge in Wales to live in seclusion. It was here he came up with his second album, called for the place that had given him such solace. It's a largely forgotten pastoral masterpiece and a worthy successor to The Bells - no one ever really talks about it, but if you've enjoyed reading this and loved hearing the music here, check out Hergest Ridge too. Many fans prefer it to Tubular Bells. Both will always have a special place in thegeneral's heart.
Happy Birthday Tubular Bells. Here is hoping that a new generation of music fans find and love it.
Tuesday evening. Not quite at the midway point of the week, but far enough away from Monday to flick the proverbial V sign and yell "get stuffed" to the post weekend blues.
Today is another Blast From The Past post. thegeneral was quite heartily blown away by a documentary that was on BBC4 on Friday night just gone (27th September). It featured a musician and singer by the name of Nic Jones. Someone who was and is much beloved on the folk scene since the 1960s and a founding member of folk band The Halliard.
He went on to perform with some of folk's greatest acts, people like Richard Thompson, June Tabor and Shirley Collins. In 1980 he released what was to become his most loved and strongest enduring album "Penguin Eggs". From the album, comes this beautiful song "Canadee-I-O"
There isn't a bad track on the whole record. At all. That's really all there is to say. It's a delight for folk fans (and hopefully anyone who just enjoys real, proper music).
Much has been spoken of the car accident that effectively halted his career in 1982, so that doesn't need to be gone over again. Suffice to say, the comeback concert he played in 2012 with his son Joe was probably one of the most moving gigs that's ever been committed to film. Joe is the image of his father in both style and sound. Seeing the two of them together really is a delight.
Jones' style pitches him neatly in the same bracket as Messrs Martin Carthy and Bert Jansch. His guitar playing is adept, it's chippy and lilting. His voice is true, clear and strong. Like Carthy, he tuned his guitar slightly differently to the norm to give it a much more resonant and richer sound - and consequently make it harder for people who are trying to recreate their style to blatantly copy (you try looking for Martin Carthy guitar chords online. You won't find many...) if thegeneral remembers correctly, think the top and bottom strings should be tuned to D rather than E (though don't take my word as gospel, there's a reason why I only pick up and play intermittently and people like Nic Jones made a career out of it...)
Anyway. thegeneral recommends you all take a step back, find yourself a copy of "Penguin Eggs" - and visit http://www.nicjones.net/home to find out more about this wonderful man and his musical legacy.
Happy Monday one and all. Actually, the words Happy and Monday should never feature in the same sentence should they? Let us verily screw that and move on. Anyway, it IS Monday and thegeneral hadn't thought to be posting again so soon. However, something brand new and oh so exciting came to pass and therefore an extra blog post was warranted.
You may remember (I bet you don't, though. You say you do, but I've seen the way you look at other blogs when you think my back is turned...) about twelve months ago, an introduction to a great group from the North East called Arcs and Trauma. You can read the previous post here and I recommend you do.
thegeneral really loves Arcs and Trauma a lot. They are fresh, inventive and full of spirit. They have just, in the last 24 hours, uploaded a new song and video to go with it onto the YouTubes. You can watch and listen below:
The song is called "This Place That I Love" and it's absofuckinglutely brilliant. It's energetic, gets under your skin and makes you feel proper alive. The video is nicely done, it's humorous, got a nice low-fi home-made feel to it which really matches the band's sound. Watch it right through to the end for a nice little out-take too. The song won't actually be released until December this year, but it's a great chance to listen to them and get to know their incredible talent. You can hear the new single here:
And familiarise yourself with their other EPs, which are equally awesome. Noisy, discordant, punky and yet at the same time, really endearing. They're a great band - thegeneral would really like you to give them some of your time.
It's the weekend. Or if you're in France, le weekend. Anyway, wherever you are, welcome to it and I hope it's been nice to you so far, brought you breakfast in bed and perhaps a little fondle under the duvet.
Today thegeneral would like to introduce to Rivals - and once again, it's another brilliant act who are releasing on Tiny Lights Recordings (tagline - yep, you've guessed it - DIY as fuck). Now then, this is another heads up. The single isn't actually out until 28th October, but you can mosey on over to the bandcamp page below and have a look:
Listen to the song while you're there, too. It's a metally-slightly grungey-rocky-powery-poppy-punky effort with great lyrics and an energetic vocal:
"Never forget that weakness is the thing that keeps us human"
Which to be honest, no matter how it's bellowed at you, speaks volumes - and as thegeneral is in a bit of a headfuck at the moment, there's never been a better time to remind yourself that this statement is very very true indeed. Gosh, if you ever need waking up or bringing to, then this is the record to do it (especially if you've been lucky enough to have a fondle under the duvet. HAVE YOU??? WELL HAVE YOU??? OWN UP...)
So head on over and give Rivals a listen. The 7 inch vinyl run of the single is limited to 350 copies only, so get in there quick sticks and pre-order if you know you want it, as the band's debut single "Wax" sold out super-duper fast when it came out earlier this year.
Now then. Here's something to comfort and soothe you on this fractious Wednesday evening (and it's more fractious than a toddler without Kia-ora and no Tweenies on the telly). Dent May. thegeneral thinks very highly of Dent May. If you've never come across him before then now is the time to give his lovely music a try.
His new album "Warm Blanket" came out on 2nd September and if you'd like to give the whole thing a listen before you commit to buy, head on over to Spotify and stack it up.
You can also check out his website here: dentmay.com/ and have a look at his previous stuff. thegeneral highly recommends his tracks "Howard" and "God Loves You, Michael Chang".
Dent's music is so warm, so friendly and so easy to listen to. One of his previous songs from an album called "Do Things" is called "Best Friend" and you feel, in listening to him you ARE making a new friend.
But back to the new album.
If you like laid back, chilled out pop with just a smidge of pathos, then this is the album for you. If you don't, then fuck off and find something else. "Born Too Late" is a complete delight and is the stand-out track. "Born too late to tell you I love you, baby, but I want you to know I've been thinking about you lately", it's upbeat, yet wistful and sentimental without being vomit inducing. The same can be said of "Ready To Be Old" too. It's got a really good feel to it, slow and warming.
It's rare you can say you have an album and there isn't a duff track on it. This is one of those rare occasions. Dent May will make you feel happy and content. That's all you need to know.
Welcome to the weekend you craven sluts - no, don't bother moving from your slovenly pit on my account, though you could have hoovered round a bit before I turned up...
It's Saturday and today thegeneral is going to introduce you to a band that are very special indeed. Saint Max and the Fanatics.
Oh my, Saint Max and the Fanatics. OH MY.
This post is really a heads up in anticipation of the group's debut album "Saint Max is Missing and the Fanatics are Dead", to be released at the end of October through the frankly delicious Armellodie Records. However, if you go to their bandcamp page: (link below)
You will be able to hear two of the songs from it (Soul Surrender and She Sings a Lovely Lullaby) well before release date. The album also contains tracks from last year's frankly awesome eponymously titled EP, too - which you can find by looking on the abovementioned site. Also, before you read any further, clicketh ye the YouTube clip below and have a look at them in action:
So, why should you include Saint Max in your record collection? Quite a few reasons. You know when a band instantly make you happy? That moment when you hear an opening riff, or the lead singer merely opens their mouth, an exciting sound comes out and it makes you smile and instantly want to move yo' butt? Saint Max and the Fanatics will do that. Last year's wonderful "A Life Worth Living" and "Let 'em Have It Sunshine" are testament to this - infectious, beautifully written and performed and just a fuckawesome sound. They're punky, they're ska-ish, they're poppy, they're indie but they're never dull or boring. It would be a crime if these guys didn't make it big - there's a genuine charisma and star quality to the band and gosh, oh gosh thegeneral loves them so. Please go and pre-order their album and give them and Armellodie Records your support. That's a giant great big cocking order, OK?
