This is Severin’s List
Well it seemed like a good idea at the time……..
A trawl through the morning – a brief musical respite as the sun shines – and a slow descent towards the arms of Morpheus and beyond.
My last attempt at this was a personal miscellany. This is a thematic concept or “hastily assembled bunch of stuff about mornings or nights” to use the technical term.
You probably know most of the songs. It could have been any number of others. These just happened to be on my iTunes rather than vinyl or cassette tape. I’m actually quite surprised at how folkie it turned out in the end.
So anyway. You’re only allowed to shoot one of them. The others get to live another day. And night. And you have to kiss them.
nb – it has become de riguer to provide a commentary with your list of tracks. I break this new tradition with a careless laugh (too bloody lazy innit?).
1) Morning Please Don’t Come – Dusty Springfield
2) Blues Before Sunrise – Elmore James
3) Up In The Morning Early- Olivia Chaney
4) On a Morning in May – Al Bowlly
5) On A Monday Morning – Rachel Unthank and the Winterset
6) Theme of a Wonderful Day – Kuricorder Quartet
7) Tonight – Basement Jaxx
8) When the Evening Sun Goes Down – Half man Half Biscuit
9) Soon After Midnight – Bob Dylan
10) O Sleep Fond Fancy – Richard Thompson/Debra Dobkin/Judith Owen
11) Even In My Dreams – Afro Celt Sound System
Must immediately post my thanks to amylee and severin for stepping in to relieve me.
My huge apologies for letting the side down, but in truth I’m beginning to creak under the pressure of/at work, which will only get worse between now and the end of the month. If you don’t see much for next three weeks, don’t be surprised. I’ll have more than enough on my plate with RR this weekend.
Cheers.
DsD
I’m going to plug you in for Severin’s March 5th slot. If that’s too difficult when the time comes – we’ll work it out from there.
I know what you mean, DsD. Work gets in the way of virtually all my ‘Spilling.
I will try and listen to these though, it looks like an interesting playlist.
Thanks to Amy for finding the missing track and for posting. I’m going out this evening to see Bill Bailey so I won’t see any comments or be able to say anything myself for a while. Shouldn’t really be posting this at work.
Nice list for an early morning listen. I’d only heard 3 of these before ( Elmore, Dusty & Dylan) and normally I’d go for Elmore James as the winner. Perhaps it’s the early hour or just it’s whimsical feel but the aptly named Theme of a Wonderful Day is my #1. Loved it. On the other hand -Afro Celt Sound System? – doesn’t work for me. Not even in my dreams – toss.
Ooh I do love a theme…
Dusty: Not my favourite of hers (those harmonies, while lovely, are somehow too dated-sounding for me to really love), but hey, it’s Dusty. She’s a ledge. And rightly so with that voice. Keep.
Elmore James: I think I prefer an upbeat, piano-based blues to a crunking geetah one. This is ace. Keep.
Olivia Chaney: A bit fol-de-rol for me. But she has a lovely clear voice.
Al Bowlly: He’s not going to sing, is he? That’s probably for the best. I can imagine the plummy voice already. Oh there he is. Actually, that’s a rather sweet voice. Most charming. Keep.
Rachel Unthank: Nice accent for the music. If that makes sense. Bit too gentle for me. I found it dragging a bit despite only clocking in at 3 mins. But nice enough. Keep.
Kuricorder Quartet: Oh I know this one! Did you send it in for a Sakura birthday post last year? Lovely stuff. Keep.
Right, back for the rest in a bit…
Right, me again.
Basement Jaxx: Ah, local boys… They do make great, crisp-sounding records. Fab slinky vocal, interesting effects, lovely bit of genre-bending. Fave so far. Love it. Keep.
Half Man Half Biscuit: Weirdly, he’s reminding a bit of the chap from the Mountain Goats, vocally speaking. Despite, er, sounding nothing much like him. Wonder what it is. Anyway, HMHB were a name I always heard but were too John Peel (and not enough Janice Long) for me to actually listen to. Shame – this is rather jolly. “Are these my ultimate pyjamas?” That is one of life’s biggest questions. Keep.
Bob Dylan: Is this a fairly recent one? I’m sorry, I can’t really be doing with the vocal. He sounds like he’s voiced by Jim Henson. Nice, lilting tune though.
Thompson et al: A bit too trad for me. Cleverly done, I’m sure, but doesn’t move me.
Afro Celts: Weirdly, this is making me feel a bit seasick. And it’s way too long. I’m glad the Afro Celts exist but I don’t know that I really want to listen to them. I’ve always suspected they were for white people with dreads. (nb White people should never have dreads.) Who smoke a bit too much dope and wear a bit too much purple.
I think I’m with fintan, I’m afraid – it’s early bath and bed for the Afro Celt Sound System. Thanks severin – a lovely journey (that would probably have worked even better for me if I hadn’t had a break halfway through).
I agree about white people and dreads but there is no such thing IMO as wearing too much purple.
Clearly I say these things for effect mainly – I own several purple tee shirts myself. I draw the line at jester’s trousers though.
purple is the best of all colours to wear.
Dusty – With Bish on this one. Not really my thing, but with those pipes, couldn’t kick her out of bed.
Elmore James – Oooh! More than a kiss, he gets to stay the night. Yeah baby.
Olivia Chaney – I really liked this.
Al Bowlly – Candidate for the toss here, just not my basket of cookies. Too MGM i think.
Rachel Unthank – Ended up loving this one. The accent too.
Kuricorder Quartet – Another gem. Loved it.
Basement Jaxx – Not quite my thing, but more my thing than Al. So it gets to stay. For tea, anyway. Ok, maybe dessert too, it grows on you.
Half Man Half Biscuit – Never really quite got these guys. From the few i’ve heard posted on the mothership anyway. But agree with Bish, this is pretty jolly. Smooch.
Bob Dylan – Bobster does country, eh. New to me. Sounds like Keef doing country. That’s not a bad thing. It’s not love, but he still can stay for a one-nighter anyway.
RT – Well, i feel about his voice the way Bish feels about Dusty’s. I love it. Too little of it here, and sounded a bit church hymn to me. But still lovely even if not totally up my alley, so i won’t kick it out.
Afro Celts – Ooh. At first i thought we could smoke a spliff and it could stay awhile, but i’m afraid i’m with Bish and Fintan here. After the spliff i’m sending it home. No, maybe not. I’m chilled now and it’s growing on me.
So all things considered, i’m still kicking Al out. Elmore can marry me.
Lovely list though, thanks, Steve!
Thanks for making the post (and others) possible.
Hmmm.. toss up between 4 here, not keen on the Afro Celts and Basement Jaxx. Can’t deal with the blues either but for me it’s ta-ta to the Kuricorder Quartet. I’m afraid those tootling flootlets cut right through me and make me physically uncomfortable.
tuesday sees me chained to the stove trying to feed the hungry hordes – all one of him – so these lists make a fine backing, and thanks for posting
I wouldn’t usually throw any away .. but i’m happy to make an exception for the half biscuits – painful
For a fine morning song i recommend the twanging strings of the Hillside Village doing their ‘Healing Feeling’
Ha! I loved Afro Celt Sound System. Maybe because it’s great to jam to and I’m primed in line with amy’s suggestion. I’ll probably have to let one with a finger in it’s ear go but I’ll decide which later.
Finally got back for another (quick) listen. Despite being unconvinced by HMHB, I’m going to bid farewell to Ricky T and his lady friends. I’m glad people make efforts to preserve songs like this and to sing them sincerely but it’s just a bit too po-faced for my liking.
Initial reaction was this wasn’t going to be a list for me but prepared to give it a listen as I’ve discovered to my absolute delight that there are some real gems out there that wouldn’t have initially got past the censors or my preconceptions.
Dusty – great voice but not for me.
Elmore James – loves it!
Olivia Chaney – sorry skipped
Al Bowlly – think this could be out
Rachel Unthank and the Winterset – not for me
Kuricorder Quartet – comme ci comme ca
Basement Jaxx – this surprised me; was prepared to dump this but actually quite listenable
Half man Half Biscuit – once you get past the tootling this one’s alright
Bob Dylan – Dylan’s never been mt thing but a friend is trying to ‘educate’ me to his ‘greatness’ still not there, though an alright song.
Richard Thompson/Debra Dobkin/Judith Owen – a bit madrigals for me
Afro Celt Sound System – keep.
It’s either AB or RU & the W think in the finally reckoning it’s Al Bowlly.
Thanks for the play list; not my cup of char as they say but some enjoyable songs in there.
First time I’ve partaken in one of these, here goes…
1) Dusty- just gorgeous, don’t know how i’ve not heard this before – is it from her 70′s period?
2) Elmore James – brilliant!
3) Olivia Chaney – wasn’t sure at first, felt like a bit of a Vashti Bunyan rip off, but fully won me over by the end.
4) Al Bowly – Am going to stick up for Al here as he is getting a bashing – I think it is hard to appreciate now just how good he was then, the orchestration and playing on this is totally first rate and his voice is class (plumy or not!) – he’s staying.
5) Rachel Unthank and the Winterset – Does nowt for me, 2 listens in, her voice grates a bit, feels a bit faux folky and the song just blunders along – could lose.
6) Kuricorder Quartet – brought a big smile to my face – the recorder does that every time, lovely.
7) Basement Jaxx – always mixed feelings with BJ, this is a strong one though, like the mix of influences and sounds, it doesn’t get boring.
8) HMHB – always love them, and how could you ever ditch a song with the line “I’m going to see the bootleg Beatles as the bootleg Mark Chapman”?
9) Bob Dylan – pure class
10) Richard Thompson – ditto really, sometimes I forget how good his voice is, but this bit of acapella reminds me.
11)Afro Celt Sound System – lovely dreamy sounds, perfect for drifting off in a Day in the Life type list – keep.
So for me, only one to ditch and that’s Rachel Unthank.
Funny, I couldn’t warm to Dylan in this case, or RT and friends, much as I love them most of the time. Heigh ho, nonny no etc.
The Dusty track is from 1969 and is a duet with Tom Springfield who wrote the music. I think Dusty wrote the lyric.
I love the morning ones, the evening / night-time not so much. A playlist of two halves.
Dusty and Elmore both brilliant. Pretty sure that’s a Burns poem that Olivia Chaney is singing, a farmer who didn’t like early mornings, good thing he was food at poetry. Al Bowlly sings Hoagy Carmichael, this is beautiful and I can only imagine the loud guitars and inhaled vapours have affected amylee and Chris’s sensibilities. Can I vote especially for this one to stay ?
Rachel Unthank made me smile, a gloomy northern Monday song with enough harmony to promise that the week will get better. I liked Kuricorder, and Basement Jaxx I don’t know much about, but what I know, I like. Lots of fun.
HMHB I liked in patches, Bob sounded a bit off-form with that one, I like RT but I think their voices weren’t right for a madrigal. Maybe it worked in concert.
But I’d have to vote the Afro-Celts out. Shuddering at the memory of parties where right-on people thought their music was somehow African, Celtic or in any way good for a party.
Looks like the battle lines are drawn on these eleven. Hoagy Hoagy Hoagy ! !
Hey, DP, i never once claimed to possess any class whatsoever.
Baskets and cookies as you say. I would never dare accuse you of possessing anything too hoity or indeed toity. (Do you say “hoity-toity” over there ?)
I’m on Al Bowlly’s side, DP. He’s cool, man….
There was a round at our local quiz night where you had to get the title of 10 AB songs. It wasn’t a popular round (and has been oft quoted in comparison to later oddities). I found myself being quite charmed.
Sorry Chris, not the first time I’ve owed you an apology for saying you said something you didn’t say. It was the inhalation and the Afro-Celts that you and amylee were discussing, not the Al Bowlly. I’d have loved that quiz round !
1. Dusty Springfield – fully expected to hate this, but it’s rather lovely. Cynicism postponed. Damn! Stop mellowing, woman … (nice picture, too).
2. Elmore James – Lovely bit of blues.
3. Olivia Chaney – nice but twinkly. I’m thinking small people skipping about in smocks, waving daisies.
4. Al Bowlly – Ah. Waltzing round the kitchen with Michael Gambon, scratching vigorously. Lovely.
5. Rachel Unthank – nice voice but all a bit dismal. Been there, got the tee shirt.
6. Kuricorder Quartet – Oooh, it’s a bit ’70s sitcom. Thinking “The Good Life”, or something of that ilk.
7. Basement Jaxx – Ole! Or something. May have my genres in a twist. Not keen on the vocal or the jazzy bits but nice vibe. Damn. More mellowing.
8. Half Man, Half Biscuit – hang on, let me get my squeaky school recorder.
9. Not a Dylan fan. It’s a bit syrupy. Haven’t mellowed THAT much.
10. Folksie, but nice.
11. Smooth, baby (in Barry White voice). Love this (tosses dreadlocks).
It’s HMHB or Dylan and I think Dylan has to go and sleep in the bath. It’s not you, it’s me.
Thanks, Severin!
A little bit late to these, but looking forward to them. Although I’ve heard of most of the artists, I have to say all the songs are actually new to me! I wouldn’t throw any of the first half out, Al Bowlly is new to me and quite charming.
HMHB did not start promisingly for me, it might be kindest for me to say that I am glad that they exist and that other people enjoy their music.
Mellow Dylan is fine by me, although the country guitar sound made me sneeze, I thought I’d dislike Afro Celt Sound System, but the mellow vibe appealed to me. I’m afraid HMHB are going to have to step outside, but a really enjoyable list.
…the country guitar sound made me sneeze…
Love it! Not a clue how or why a sound makes you sneeze, but I still love the idea!
I have an allergy to country, you see
a pleasant hours listening all round – thanks – and much more palatable than I thought it was going to be.
Keep Basement Jaxx (much less bangin’ and more jazzy than I thought it would be) or Bob (is he copying Tom Waits??!) and lose the kaftan crews, either Olivia Chaney or Richard Thompson and friends. Cheers!
Updated Schedule -
Feb 19 – Panther
Feb 26 – Ali
March 5 – DsD
March 12 – Punky
March 19 – Fintan
March 26 – Beltway
April 2 – SHA
April 9 – Tfd
April 16 -
April 23 -
April 30 -
‘Kaftan crews’ – whatever do you mean, panthersan?!
Self-confessed Al Bowlly fan here, I’ve been listening to him every day for months now. Not too keen on the recorder per se, I’m afraid, so I’m saying goodbye to the Quartet. Lovely list, severin!
Am trying to listen and respond severin but laptop is in on warranty repair and I am making do with a kerosene-powered oldy. Plus still trying to find stuff from house move. Nothing personal. Will get to them soon(ish)