Things I’ve got on my iPod…

…that I really should listen to…or delete…

• Blue Man Group - Complex
• Beth Orton - Central Reservation
• Ben Folds - Songs for Silverman
• David Byrne - Grown Backwards
• Garth Brooks- The life of Chris Gaines
• Joe Henry - Everything
• June Tabor - An Echo of Hooves
• Mary Gauthier - Mercy Now
• Terry Reid - Everything
• Willy Mason - Where The Humans Eat

The Village Wakes

A friend of mine forms part of a trio of folk singers and musicians from Birmginham, who call themselves The Village Wakes. He's recently posted some new material on their site here.

If you're interested in folk music I recommend you download the new tracks from their Sir Patrick Spens and other tales EP; I'm particularly fond of Bright Morning Star and Lord Franklin. If you have no interest in folk music, or aren't sure whether you do or not, I'd still suggest you give them a listen; it's a free download, and you might just find something you like.

Zane Lowe

As much as I hate leaving work late - it inevitably means that I'll miss putting my son to bed and spending time with my wife - it usually means I'll get the chance to hear Zane Lowe's Radio 1 show. I've written about this before, only last time Zane wasn't in the hot seat.

Tonight, he was in full-on-boogie mode with Mike Skinner on co-host duties. I've never really heard Mike talk beyond his performances as The Streets, and was curious to see how he would come across. I'm pleased to say he sounds like a pretty decent bloke! Not at all big headed or too intent on playing up the so-called Chav persona he'd created for himself; he gave some insightful answers, and was likable and intelligent on air. Zane Lowe is a credit to Radio 1 - asking some great questions with an enthusiasm that manages to stay comfortably on the right side of embarrassing grovelling: Zane is clearly a fan, but is capable of shelving fanboy slobbering and being objective during an interview. I managed to hear two new tracks from The Streets - Two Nations (a brilliantly written attack on the US) and Pranging Out which comes across as the darker side of Blinded By The Lights. Two great tracks, which make me all the more interested in the new album.

On a Monday night, Zane airs a feature called Freshmeat: Three tracks, three new artists. The audience and guest are invited to rate the three tracks, and the winner stays on until next week. It was during Freshmeat that I came across Tunng, and I've subsequently ordered their first album from Play. They appear to be a chilled-out acoustic trance-folk outfit, and I love the way they sound (have a listen to Tale From Black). Surprisingly, Skinner rated them the highest of the three tracks. Sadly, the audience didn't. I'll write about the album when it arrives.

Everybody have fun tonight!

Blimey, reality TV did something good for a change.

The other night I had a bit of an 80s inspired drive home - I found Rick Springfield's great album Tao on iTunes and gave that a play through for most of the journey. It's every bit as good as a I recall (this was one of my most favourite albums growing up) and is a delicious slice of slightly camp pop-rock. After coming to the end of Tao, I slid the iPod around to Wang Chung's Greatest Hits and had a blast of Everybody Have Fun Tonight and Dance Hall Days. Whilst my favourite Wang Chung album is the To Live and Die in LA soundtrack, EHFT and DHD are quite frankly, awesome. And I don't care if anyone agrees with me or not on this one (I can feel a wave of abuse heading my way actually).

Anyway, I digress: Reality TV. It appears that the mighty Wang Chung appeared on the US version of Hit Me Baby One More Time (in which the artists of yesteryear perform recent pop hits). As a result, they've recorded a new album which due out this year! Their myspace site has a version of "Hot in Herre" by Nelly which should be unspeakably awful but somehow….isn't. I assume they performed this on the show.

I look forward to the album. And remember kids: Everybody Wang Chung tonight!

Brits

Seeing as I've got a draft post called "Brits" I ought to get it posted. I created the draft prior to watching the show (as a reminder to post something, see) so here goes:

KT Tunstall - Yay! A sensible decision amidst a veritable ocean of mediocrity. While she might not be the best thing since sliced bread, Tunstall is living proof that a modicum of sanity still exists. To see an artist who performed at the Cambridge Folk Festival win a Brit is a remarkable thing in itself, to be honest.

James Blunt - WTF? Why does this guy sell so well? He seems like a nice enough bloke, but who would honestly make a conscious decision to listen to this crap?

Coldplay - Oh, how you tease me Chris. "You won't see us again for a very long time". Honest? Can I have that in written triplicate and witnessed by a panel of solicitors?

Kaiser Chiefs - Make them go away please.

Chris Evans - Should be commended for the "so Boy George, did you really call the NYPD out while you had several bags of drugs under your bed?" comment.

Madonna - Not really digging the post Ray of Light image, and is it just me, or did her acceptance speech sound like it should have been coming from Buckingham Palace on Christmas Day?

There, did I miss anything? Oh yes - Prince. The jewel in an otherwise terminally wonky crown. It's like all the last few years of crap never happened

Nick Cave: Birmingham Symphony Hall

I had the chance to see Nick Cave for the second time last night, although Birmingham's gig was quite different to the last time I saw him. In Wolverhampton, Cave had several musicians with him, including a gospel choir on backing vocals. This time, the performance was stripped down to Cave on Piano (with occasional guitar fiddling: "I got that guitar as a Christmas present"), Warren Ellis on Violin (which doesn't just mean playing with a bow, btw), Jim Sclavunos on drums and Martyn Casey playing bass. Personally, I thought the more minimal ensemble suited Cave. It made most of the songs far more personal, and all the more affecting as a result. Highlights were a superb slowed-down, moody version of Stagger Lee, a strikingly vicious rendition of Henry Lee, and a particularly passionate version of Mercy Seat. That said, I don't think Cave failed to impress all night; he was humorous and relaxed, yet at the same time fiery and intense. I'm reasonably sure that within his field, he is without equal. Nobody can create the kind of intense noise that Cave and band can. More importantly, nobody can effectively combine those staggering outbursts of noise with movingly quiet, almost delicately fragile moments. Here are a few tracks I recall (I know I've missed a few, West Country Girl, for a start):

• Stagger Lee
• God is in the House
• Mercy Seat
• Weeping Song
• Abattoir Blues
• Babe, You Turn Me On
• Red Right Hand
• Henry Lee
• Rock of Gibraltar
• Tupelo