Bette Davis Eyes - by My Gold Mask

A new track from the wonderful My Gold Mask - two posts in one day?, I must be on something; just coffee & cigarettes actually, omg!.

Yep, it's a fine cover of the early eighties hit for Kim Carnes, written in 1974 by Donna Weiss and Jackie De Shannon, first recorded by De Shannon for her album - New Arrangement - which if you know me, you'll know I've tried to find so's I can post the original... but I haven't got it yet, maybe tomorrow on a less slothful connection?.

Fine it is then, though I might have left out the nods to Val Garay's production, myself - picky so & so, ain't I just.

♫ Bette Davis Eyes - My Gold Mask

website | myspace

The Library

Do bands ever surprise you by what they sound like after you've seen a photo? - or vice-versa?. I know, I know, books and covers, cameras & lies, but I just can't help observing...

The first track here is by far my favourite from The Life and Times of Rosa Lee - indeed, was this that made me go back & re-listen to the others with fresh ears. Does it scream The Only Ones at you? - does me, I can hear Peter Perrett, singing it, not that I'd cite The Library as sounding similar; oh I'm rambling now - just listen eh?.

♫ Nothing To Lose


♫ Club Amnesia


Wonderfully laid-back 70's slacker vibe going here, which I've a great deal of time for - suits the vocals much better, along with Nothing To Lose, than some of the other five tracks - they are growing on me mind you, think it's the tuning which got me at first, just a smidge lower than nicely low.
♫ Tomorrow Is Better

all from The Life and Times of Rosa Lee (2009)
free download | myspace

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And just so you can rubbish, or at least understand my comparison above - here's a fine song from The Only Ones... 1978 - goodness, what a long time ago.

♫ It's The Truth - The Only Ones
The Only Ones (1978)
buy | website

Summer Rain

A lovely hot sunny day here it was, just wisps of white cloud in an otherwise blue sky - too nice to fret about soaking wet floors in my temporary home, yet fret I did, or rather at the indifference of a man who'd give slumlords a bad name. Could be much worse though - it could be winter with just a teeny gas fire, or I might be flat broke, rather than just passing a few sometimes disagreeable months between bricks & mortar.

90ºF and damp as hell, wasn't a whole lot of fun though, but blow this tip I will, and soon, all being well.


I've skipped the music, both playing and posting, lately - yet today, already improved from some numbingly frustrating phone calls & conversations, I did fancy some, and returned to a lovely numinous version of a song I already liked - Summer Rain by Anna Ternheim, from Leaving on a Mayday, which finally saw a US release this month - hurrah!.

♫ Summer Rain - Anna Ternheim
Leaving On a Mayday
buy


Here's the a cappella version that felt so elevating this evening - It's Anna, along with Nina Kinert, Ane Brun, First Aid Kit and Ellekari Larsson

♫ Summer Rain - Anna Ternheim

Thanks M~ for turning me onto it :) xx

Listen to more & see the video on Anna's myspace


and some yummy tour dates... very tempted by the Amsterdam gig I am... although Salisbury Arts Centre'd be much nearer, but she ain't playing there - next year maybe? - it's a lovely venue, pretty please?.

2009-08-29 Popaganda, Stockholm (SE)
2009-09-13 Stadtgarden, Cologne (GER)
2009-09-14 Fabrik, Hamburg (GER)
2009-09-15 Frannz, Berlin (GER)
2009-09-16 E-Werk, Erlangen (GER)
2009-09-17 Ringlokschuppen, Bielefeld (GER)
2009-09-19 Volkshaus, Basel (CH)
2009-09-20 Fri-Son, Fribourg (CH)
2009-09-21 Jazzhaus, Freiburg (GER)
2009-09-22 de Duif, Amsterdam (NL)
2009-09-23 Alhambra, Paris (FR)


U.S. TOUR 2009
Special guest to Loney Dear / Asobi Seksu

2009-09-30 Casbah, San Diego, CA (US)
2009-10-01 Troubador, Los Angeles, CA (US)
2009-10-02 Slims, San Francisco, CA (US)
2009-10-03 Doug Fir Lounge, Portland, OR (US)
2009-10-04 Chop Suey, Seattle, WA (US)
2009-10-06 Biltmore Cabaret, Vancouver, BC (CA)
2009-10-09 7th Street Entry, Minneapolis, MN (US)
2009-10-10 Bottom Lounge, Chicago, IL (US)
2009-10-11 Grog Shop, Cleveland, OH (US)
2009-10-12 Horseshoe Tavern, Toronto, ON (CA)
2009-10-13 Il Motore, Montreal, QC (CA)
2009-10-14 Great Scott, Boston, MA (US)
2009-10-15 Maxwells, Hoboken, NJ (US)
2009-10-16 Bowery Ballroom, New York, NY (US)
2009-10-17 Johnny Brendas, Philadelphia, PA (US)

Lucinda Williams

You may remember my mentioning the KaiserCartel cover of Lucinda Williams' 'Something About What Happens When We Talk', and her being an artist I hadn't heard of before. Being me, I of course dug out the original, and here it is.

♫ Something About What Happens When We Talk - Lucinda Williams
Sweet Old World (1992)
buy it


I've not yet heard anything more than this album - Sweet Old World, but I'd venture to suggest it may not be her best, a bold supposition perhaps, based more on the sheer quality of some tracks, and yes, truthfully, on a few umm vocal notes not quite reached, which can be a very attractive sound, not always tho' eh - not exactly flat, as Noel Coward said, and certainly, very clearly, not enough to keep her off the stage, and yet my ears bristle a little at times.

Here's what's for me, the best track on Sweet Old World, and another much older song that immediately sprang to mind, in an ooh, country'ish songs about suicide kinda way. A bit obvious maybe, but it's interesting to compare the two different takes on the events & feelings following. Lucinda's is way more direct & descriptive (some very fine guitar & violin btw), set alongside Bobbie Gentry's almost circumspect telling, which wonderfully weaves the thread of everyday meals & remarks into the story, perhaps ultimately more revealing & realistic more than the "here's what happened" approach - reminds me of Reservoir Dogs & Pulp Fiction, in that respect.

♫ Pineola - Lucinda Williams
Sweet Old World (1992)
buy it

♫ Ode To Billy Joe - Bobbie Gentry
Ode to Billie Joe/Mississippi Delta (7" single - 1967)
buy

KaiserCartel - new EP: Rock Island

I'm hardly keeping up with keeping up, am I? - a post now & then, due to fruitless self-re-housing attempts, and the grind (yes) of silly bugger estate agents (realtors) who seem hell bent on making things as opaque and frustrating as possible... an unhappy knack, indeed.

It's far from doom & gloom though, goodness me no, and by way of a musical example, I've been enjoying the new EP - Rock Island - by KaiserCartel, who I regrettably missed when they played nearby in late June; what a bummer!, I'd have liked to see them live.

The Rock Island EP has five songs, including a cover of Lucinda Williams' "Something About What Happens When We Talk" from her 1992 release - Sweet Old World, which is excellent - I hadn't heard of her before, and definitely will be seeking out an album or two, you'll also find the songs - Carroll Street Station, Shira, Stella, and Memphis on Rock Island, that last one being my favourite of the five, although they're all very fine, make no mistake.

♫ Shira - Kaiser Cartel
Rock Island EP (September 1 2009 )
buy | myspace | website




Here's one of KaiserCartel's songs I posted a few months ago - check the others out here- you'll find more on their myspace of course.

♫ Favorite Song (Minneapolis Version)
Okay (And Other Things We Feel) (2008 - Bluhammock)
buy from amazon or KaiserCartel.com