FMtastic part 4/4 - The Captain

I bought Captain's debut lp This is Hazelville as it was described as a cross between Deacon Blue and the Smashing Pumpkins , needless to say they didnt sound like either of these. At its' heart the band's sound did have a big early 80s pop feel. As with the other bands this week it is less synth and more the guitar + piano + harmonies of Amercian bands at that time.

The band had the added advantage of Trevor Horn producing them so if anything I was a tad disappointed that the lp if anything felt a bit restrained.

They released 2 fantastic singles Glorious and Broke , both of which made the lower reaches of the chart but should have got a lot higher.

A second lp was recorded but the band was a victim of when the venture capitalists got hold of their label EMI and it was never released .. although the band swiftly were.

Broke - Captain

And here is a live version of the other single Glorious

Of all the band's on this week's mini theme , Captain had a sound that you could see lasting and it is a shame the 2nd lp didnt see the light of day. You can get This is Hazelville here

FMtastic part 3/4 - Ghosts

Not to be confused with the excellent The Ghosts that I blogged about recently , Ghosts were also a band that looked like they were headed for big things making the top 10 of the BBC's Sound of Series in 2007.

Wikipedia is a bit short on facts but does have a rather pointless story ...

On 22 February 2007, the members of Ghosts, three of their roadies and Claire Fowler were arrested on suspicion of stealing beers from behind the hotel bar, and broken lamp in the hotel reception. One of the hotel rooms was flooded during the night by a broken toilet (the hotel was going through refurbishment). Both incidents looked very suspicious, causing the hotel manager to call the police.^[3] They were all subsequently released without charge. As it turns out, the hotel night porter had given the band permission to help themselves to the beers in the fridge and keep a tally, he later explained on a myspace page. - Rock n Roll or what!

Like Royworld yesterday , one single sneaked into the top 30 , an lp was released and then ....

However the myspace page does have some new tracks form 2011 and the message from the lead singer that he now goes under the moniker of Ghostwriter. If you like the track I've posted it is worth heading over here to listen to the Ghostwriter tracks, which sounds like they could well have been a Ghosts follow up lp

Here is the opening track of their only lp which you can get here and again a great pop song

Stay the Night - Ghosts

FMtastic part 2/4 - Royworld

Part 2 in this week's series on a group of bands who seemed to look back to to the mainstream pop of the late 70s. Royworld released one lp Man in the Machine. Full of bright shiny pop songs. The slightly overwrought vocals did at times sound like they came from another band. Their debut single Dust got into the charts and so hopes must have been high. Support slots with the Guillemots and We are Scientists followed but the momentum stalled a tad and the band faded away (there is a bit of confusion as to if they have split up or not)

The following track is a great pop song and pretty representative as to the rest of the lp which you can get here

Wish Ourselves Away - Royworld

Here's a great live version of their one hit Dust

FMtastic part 1 The Feeling

Yesterday's post on Supertramp has prompted a week's mini theme. A few years ago there was a weird mini movement of bands who looked back to the FM radio songs of the late 70's early 80s for their inspiration. All catchy tunes . big harmonies , striking piano chords an guitar chords polished by Mr Sheen.

It all really started with The Feeling's 12 Stops And Home lp. Now I know plenty of people who mentioning the Feeling to for some reason gets them frothing at the mouth.

I kind of liked the sugary sound and catchy tunes that made the Lightening Seeds seem like a prog rock band, and cliche as it is the whole lp could have been released as singles

At first it seemed like a bit of an overnight success with the first single going top 10 but the band had been together in various guises and had all spent time as session musicians  and in a covers band before The Feeling's breakthrough. Two more lps have followed and a greatest hits (after 3 lps???) but I've only got the lp as I suspect there is only so much sugar that is good for you.

I've posted my favourite track from the lp. I think the line put the kettle on probably sums up why i like them but also why their sound annoys some people

Kettle's on - The Feeling

This is followed by 2 of the singles both of which will either have you marvelling at their pop sensibilities or quickly moving on

Middle of the Road Monday part 2 Supertramp

I was definitely on my own among my friends as far as this was concerned. In fact Supertramp would often top the bands we most hate polls in late night drunken student arguments. The Supertramp of the over the top , over long noodling songs I'd agree with . However the problem was some of their harmony layered singles were so dam catchy.

The Greatest hits soon became a bit of a guilty pleasure with dreamer , long way home and even the pop by number of It's Raining Again often sneaking onto playlists. However even then the greatest hits has some songs on I cant love even a little bit

It is part of the romanticising of 77 - 79 that in the midst of punk and new wave these 2 songs were giving Supertramp their biggest hits (so much for sweeping away the dinosaurs)

Logical Song - Supertramp

Lasy Sunday - Editors

Top of the shuffle pile this week is a track from the Editors. I like the fact is sounds like it could have been released in 1982


The Big Exit - Editors

Life of Live - Hothouse Flowers

I'm not sure why it took me so long to see Hothouse Flowers live. I had their first two lps which I really liked although didnt play that much. I ended up seeing them more out of chance in that the friends who I saw James with decided we should all go and see someone else as well as the annual Brixton Academy pilgrimage to Sit Down. I think Hothouse Flowers were the only band touring at the time we could all agree to give a go. I thought well at least I'll know a few of the songs.

They were astoundingly good that only a bunch of people who had grown up playing together could be. The intensity and energy never let up and Liam O Moanlai's vocals were stunning , reaching a high with what starts as an acapella song but soon morphs into a full on party jig as an encore.

The other highlight was a calypso version of their break through single Don't Go that went on forever. This is one of those songs that although bouncy always brings a light shiver , due to the fact that it was written for a friend in a coma , listen to it in that light and the lyrics do become bitter sweet 

I immediately rushed out and bought everything else by them that I hadn't got. Admittedly some of the later lps could be a bit patchy and didn't really capture the shear joy of their live performance but they were still well worth getting. 

They still are current holders of the ... so much better than I expected award

I've posted one of my favourite tracks that comes from the 2nd lp. One of the best whistling songs going with a walk on the wild side bass and a sing along gospely chorus added into the mix  

Movies - Hothouse Flowers

Here is a shortened version of the Dont Go party version

New Music - Valentine Black

Thanks to 2U I Bestow for featuring this singer/band in their rundown of top 50 artists in Ireland. I rushed out bought the Cd which came through with a rather nice signed beer mat!

Valentine Black is the recording name for Peco McLoughlin, from Kildare. His debut lp is Desire Lines

It has got that slightly rootsy feel I like and reminds me a bit of Scottish singer Kevin McDermott with a hint of Brucie. Some of his vocals also call to mind Duke Special although with a less music hall and a more traditional rock backing, which all makes him stand out against the more reflective singer songwriters.

You can buy the lp either as a digital download or a physical cd from his website here

In the meantime here is one of my favourites followed by one of his early singles which is also on the lp

The Return of the Lotus Eaters - Valentine Black

A Year in Books 2012 - The Family Fang

Imagine a Wes Anderson film in book form and you wont be far away form the Family Fang debut novel by Kevin Wilson.

The novel focuses on brother and sister Annie and Buster Fang. Annie is a B list actress trapped in a super hero film franchise with an self centred scriptwriting boyfriend and a female co star who is turning in to a bit of a stalker. Buster has had one cult and one failed novel , now writes culture pieces for magazines. They are also child A and child B the children of notorious conceptual artists Caleb and Camille Fang

The Fangs' specialism was creating art in real time via a series of events where they would arrive , cause chaos , film it and then leave. After a childhood of being bought up as living works of art and props / accomplices in a play where they haven't seen the script both children have escaped. However , when life reaches it lowest, with Annie dumping her boyfriend at the airport ,  getting her breasts all over the internet and sleeping with both her female co star as well as a journalist sent to intervew her and Buster nearly dies with a hospital bill he cant pay after a William Tell re-enactment using a potato gun , the only haven is home.

When they do come home they are reminded of the damage that life in the Fang Family has caused, as they are sucked back in with Caleb and Camille planning one last great event.

At the heart this is a story of the impact that parents have on their children and how children struggle to cope with the consequences, struggling to find their own way free of the generation before. What Kevin Wilson does is to take this theme to extremes by putting it in a world of quirkiness. As the story progresses we get to learn about a number of the Fang's events which gives the book its main sense of humour, managing to both horrify but also create a bit of a secret wish to be involved, which is the legacy that Annie and Buster are left with.

In making the scenario deliberately extreme there is a risk that the characters descend into caricature and although there are times when he sails close to the wind it all works out in a kind of Royal Tenenbaum way

My only criticism comes at the very end, which feels a bit tagged on with a film within the book scenario that I just didn't get and felt a bit like an unnecessary "where are they now" ending to a film. Ending it about 20 pages earlier for me would have been perfect.

It is an obvious link but if you like your comedy quirky , you have a sense of the absurd and you are a fan of Wes Anderson's films then this is for you 

You can buy The Family Fang here

800th post

After one week of middle of the road I'm not giving up but having a one week break


When I started this blog in my mind I had a 1000 posts and then quit mindset (thinking I'd get to maybe 20 before I realised I was in a time consuming version of talking to myself) Thankfully I started to get hits and then people began to leave comments which I'm always eternally grateful for (I'm sure all bloggers agree they are the main reason to keep going)

Anyway I'm now 4/5s of the way to the magic 1000 as this is number 800. So thanks to everyone who has stopped by and for all the comments and emails (including the one who said they were a hit man and who told me there was a contract out on my life - read about that here!)


Anyway this one is purely because it is a link to post 1 and is still one of my favourite songs

Damage is Done - Paul Quinn and the Independant Group

Lazy Sunday - The House of Love

Lazy Sunday and top of the shuffle pile this week is from Britpop's John the Baptist. I like at the 2 min mark when the guitars take off.

Sulphur - The House of Love

Life of Live - James

By now an annual visits to see James had become a firm tradition for me and 3 other friends from poly. Each concert was usually preceded by quite a bit to drink and was usually ended with an annual kebab.

Please to Meet You came out after the disappointment of Millionaires. I loved it from the off and when it again undersold and the band called it a day part of me was glad that they had ended on such a high (me and my friends were a bit thrown by the removal of our annual night out!)

The cover features a photo composit of all the band members of that time (not the greatest gimmick in the world I'll grant you)

Among the great tracks (I think there is only one that doesn't hit the heights) was one of their strongest singles and an ongoing live favourite

It had the kind of video that in hindsight was never going to get them on heavy rotation

Most of James's lps end with a ballad and Pleased to Meet You has one of their best

Alaskan Pipeline - James

The Return of Pop - part 2 The Ghosts

Thanks to Ed at the wonderful 17 seconds who first featured this band. Not to be confused with Ghosts who were tipped to the next big thing a few years ago, The Ghosts are a 5 piece London band formed out of the ashes of Ou Est Le Swimming Pool , unfortunately maybe best known by the suicide of the lead singer who jumped from a mast in the backstage area of a music festival.

The lp is called the End and at this point you may expect to be taken on a journey of darkness and sorrow especially as band leader Alex Starling is quoted as saying Ghosts was an opportunity for Palmer to fill the "absolute emptiness I felt at my lowest point … a way of hopefully turning a negative into a positive.

What we get is a joyous lp of pop music that switches between a more electronic backing and mow guitar driven stuff. Like a cross between the Lightening Seeds at their best, sprinkled with Hot Chip and the poppier elements of New Order.

The first 2 singles Ghosts and Enough Time give you an idea of what to expect (including the second one which lifts the intro to OMD's Enola Gay)

The End is a great hook laden debut and you can buy it here

The return of Pop - part 1 Hal

On a post last year I asked "Whatever happened to Hal?"  , an Irish band whose first lp had quirky pop songs and multi layered Beach Boy harmonies. Well 7 years after that first release the band are back with a new lp "The Time the Hour"

I'm not quite sure why the big delay but band members have come and gone (interestingly the 10 tracks here feature 5 different drummers!).

Some of the over the top sugarness has been turned down but there is still that harmony filled west coast feel and pure pop singing along nature of the songs.

On first hearing you do feel a bit "well that is quite nice" but over time the layers reveal themselves and like all lps that stick around you start to explore the hidden depths.

you can listen to a couple of tracks here (down in the valley is the closest in feel to the 1st lp).

The lp also contains this gorgeous harmony drenched ballad

Pure pop and one of the lps of the year so far you can buy Hals new lp here

Middle of the Road Monday part1 - Billy Joel

Well it is time for a new monday theme. After much mental wrestling I've gone for something tried and tested (ie I haven't given it much thought and so had to go with something cliched and unoriginal)

Mondays for the next 6 months will be given over to my guilty pleasures. Now I developed a very keen sense of music snobbery very early, however  my first love of ELO meant an appreciation of an over the top middle of the road FM tune remains still.

I'm going to pick songs in my record collection that my friends really didn't like at all, stuff that I certainly wouldn't rush to be playing if I was trying to impress anyone. They are often singular tracks , by people whose rest of their catalogue would leave me cold

Having said that having been long of the opinion that in terms of music there are two views mine and the wrong one some of these tracks I will have defended to the hilt in many a drunken argument , slip onto the playlists at house parties and sang along defiantly to if they came on the radio.

I've avoided stuff whose fashion comes and goes , eg I've seen the songs of god like geniuses Bacharach and David move in and out of fashion and acceptability. These monday ones have always been a bit a naff

This series will probably have a number of you scratching your head , see my viewing stats crash and burn , but hopefully there will be one or two of you ready to come out of the closet as well

First up is Billy Joel. I've never really listened to his early stuff, but the whole Uptown Girl, Tell hr about it . Still Rock and Roll , etc I found cringeworthingly awful and put me off if I'm honest exploring anything further, and I certainly didn't know anyone who could have put me right

However, ever a sucker for list songs , clever lyrics etc I love this ...

We Didn't Start the Fire - Billy Joel


ps as a side note the fact I'm going to post stuff that are by people I don't normally like means these posts if I'm feeling a bit grumpy may have the odd scathing remark - if its about someone you like please don't take it the wrong way but let me know some songs to try that will point out the error of my ways!!)