not maxed out yet

Where I continue finding music to listen to...

A Girl Called Eddy: Does the rest of the world (bar these antipodes) stock the non-alcoholic drink "Clayton's Tonic"? Do other countries use "clayton's" in the way we very often do, referring back to the brands original advertising - "the drink you have when you're not having a drink"? If not then they're really missing out on a very exciting way of discussing A Girl Called Eddy. She is the Aimee Mann we can have whilst Aimee's finishing off her next masterpiece. As you'd expect, AGCE's lyrics aren't quite as touching and her melody's aren't quite as memorable but it's still quite likeable if lacking any real punch.

A Hawk And A Hacksaw: A guy from Neural Milk Hotel doing slightly off-putting wacky psychedelic music. Lots of banjo and accordion and organ and so on brushed with some light electronics. Gave me a headache last time I listened to it - not conducive to re-listening.

Adam and the Ants - Dirk Wears White Sox / Kings of the Wild Frontier: These have just been re-issued and the reviews all pointed to a belated critical elevation above the level of well crafted and supremely advertised pop rock. One of my only real brushes with the famous came when I stood next to guitarist Marco Pirroni at the Wag Club in London in 1984. He was all dressed up in his ant finery and had a couple of lovely ladies hanging on his arms. He was also surprisingly tall. The club (and the hip parts of London) were in a big band jazz fixation at the time so Marco hung around for a few minutes while "Take The A Train" was doing it's business, looking completely bemused until he and his entourage left in a huff. BTW, one or two good songs on 2 cds indicates to me that my initial impressions were on target - "Ant Music" is still a fantastic song.

Carla Bley - Social Studies / Mike Mantler and Carla Bley - 13 and 3/4: We're getting into the area where you can see them drifting up their own backsides (although some would say that was always the case). Social Studies shows a noticeable decline in inventiveness although it still has many of the qualities I like about her work. 13 and 3/4 is very, very solemn composers at work, thank you very much.

Buffalo Daughter - Pshychic: The one, great, great track (Cyclic) mixes spaced out Gong-like synths with minimalist organ repetitions and the rhythm guitar style used by Heart or The Runaways. Then it adds a vocal line slightly reminiscent of "White Lines" but sung by a Brazilian pop star. The rest don't quite meet this odd-ball mark but it's a wonderful find none-the-less.

JJ Cale - To Tulsa and Back: Cale's slowed-down, back-porch take on roots music was a constant among the surfers and dope heads in 70's Australia. Therefore, I hated it without even thinking about it. But, as with many of the bands I forcefully detested at the time, I've come to acknowledge their melodic craftmanship if nothing else. Nothing much has changed musically for JJ in the intervening 30 years - here you find the easy backwoods shuffle, the mumbled drawl that constitutes his singing style and the no frills classy musicianship. The lyrics are mostly appalling but I can ignore them quite easily. All in all it's much better than the current crop of roots musos like Ben Harper and the millions like him.

Campag Velocet - It's Beyond Our Control: Slightly avant UK rock band with an abiding love for A Clockwork Orange. The shouty vocals get in the way and the songs remind me of too many other English bands but they do it all with style. I don't know if that means I like it.

Dogs Die In Hot Cars - Please Describe Yourself: As per Campag except they don't go on about ACO and utilise a reggae beat every so often. Absolutely annoying.

Bill Fay - Time of the Last Persecution: Another hard done by singer/songwriter from the early 70s whose output is only now being re-discovered (at least by me). A thin voice over non-standard song structures and up-front string arrangements with a slightly psychedelic feel. A 'grower' as they say.

Bobbie Gentry - Chickasaw County Child: I knew "Ode to Billie Joe" and "Fancy" from my earliest transistor listening in the late 60s but this comp is a real revelation. The country soul stuff is all wonderfull, ranging from the semi-talked epics, though lovely string filled ballads and onto R&B / rock stompers. Unfortunately, it's obvious that her producers felt the need to make every secound song follow the template of Ode but we can only try to forgive their venality. This also includes examples of her earlier crooner / folk-pop material which is less interesting but still quite excellent in parts.

Philip Glass - 600 Lines: 2 pieces of harsh minimalism from 1968. Almost too brutally rigid for their own good.

The Hold Steady - Almost Killed Me: The music is pretty much standard Chicago rock - hey, just what we all need: more descendants of The Stooges and The MC5. But the vocals are a cross between the stream of consciousness poetry of Sue Tompkins from Life Without Buildings and the bleary rantings of Denis Leary.

Holy Modal Rounders - 4 releases: Sorry, I just don't get it. I know they're favourites of many people but, come on, it's all a joke, isn't it?

Klang - No Sound Is Heard: The new band for ex-Elastica guitarist Donna Matthews. A stripped down take on indie with new wave twists and a penchant for the weird flourish. Excellent stuff from someone who, by all accounts, should be long gone.

Langley School's Music Project: What seemed like a good idea for the single track I'd heard wears very thin over a full length cd.

The Lilys: A tinge of R.E.M., a tweak of Rain Parade and a pinch of The Church. Mix with Brit-pop. Results may be a bit flat.

Terry Reid - Seed Of Memory: Fairly interesting blues rock singer / songwriter with a easy style, good songs and lovely musicianship. Sort of like Free or similar bands. He played live with the Stones and was asked to sing for Led Zeppelin but he pushed Plant at them instead. Seemingly not bitter at all.

Reigning Sound - Too Much Guitar: I agree.