Lost In Music: Bauhaus- Largatija Nick

With bonus ‘Antonin Artaud ‘ and an extremely unresponsive “too cool for school” audience live at the ‘Oxford Road Show ‘, this is Bauhaus at their most feral. Who else could reference The Theatre of Cruelty, the Devil, and Leopold von Sacher-Masoch? Compare and contrast with the conceptual, very eighties video and ask yourself, whyContinue reading “Lost In Music: Bauhaus- Largatija Nick”

Arab Strap Are Fighting…The Seven Signs of Ageing

Rejoice! For arch Falkirk indie satirists Arab Strap are back, and on fighting form. The new single, ‘Glamour Magick’, is excellent, taking a pop at quick -fix solutions for the truly vain and vacuous. It’s a nice antidote to the uptake in cosmetic surgery, weight loss jags and skin remedies across the world. Trust AidanContinue reading “Arab Strap Are Fighting…The Seven Signs of Ageing”

Lost In Music: Richard Dawson- Two Halves

Richard Dawson, the cherubic neo-folk Geordie singer, could bring eloquence to a song about peeling paint on a kitchen wall. His witty, deeply humane slice of life material is why he’s one of my favourite songwriters around. His album ‘2020’ (recorded in 2019 before you- know -what ruined everything) took on pub flooding, racist neighbours,Continue reading “Lost In Music: Richard Dawson- Two Halves”

Sunday Hymn

How’s this for a Sunday banger? I’m not crazy about the whole album ‘The Girl Is Crying In Her Latte’ from which this song came. But this is one of the few tracks I really like. It’s classic Sparks. Who else but the Mael brothers could craft a song about a newborn baby, sensing life’sContinue reading “Sunday Hymn”

Five Of The Best: Tirzah

There aren’t many artists around right now like the mighty Essex -born artist Tirzah. Her music is beautiful, with her soulful vocals wrapped around murky bedroom pop. She’s engaged yet laconic, accessible but enigmatic, hot and also chilled. These paradoxes are what make her so fascinating. Her collaborators speak to her exquisite taste too. She’sContinue reading “Five Of The Best: Tirzah”

Five Of The Best… Michael Jackson

With the recent TV documentary, Michael Jackson: An American Tragedy and the apparent hagiography Michael dividing people, I’ve been thinking a lot about the late singer, dancer and all-round eccentric and somewhat broken man. We’ll never know the truth, will we? And while that’s undoubtedly tainted Michael in many ways forever, he still left behindContinue reading “Five Of The Best… Michael Jackson”

Lost In Music: Clarence ‘Frogman’ Henry

It may be a one hit wonder, but what a wonderful song. Used in many iconic films, this cat, Clarence ‘Frogman’ Henry, had quite the vocal range. One of my favourites ever. Who could forget Corey Haim in The Lost Boys singing along with this. Frogman joined the great lily pad in the sky, thisContinue reading “Lost In Music: Clarence ‘Frogman’ Henry”

Lost In Music: Angine de Poitrine

Seems like everyone has an opinion on oh-so enigmatic Quebec duo Angine de Poitrine at the moment, from Justin Hawkins to outspoken Glasgow comic Limmy. They’re becoming ubiquitous at the moment, possibly with good cause. Styled like a fusion of Tristan Tzara and Strawberry Switchblade with a soupcon of Noseybonk (those phallic noses, ugghhhhh) inContinue reading “Lost In Music: Angine de Poitrine”

Just Step Sideways: Dean Friedman – “Well,Well”, Said the Rocking Chair

Billy Joel , Billy Schmoel. New Jersey legend Dean Friedman is where it’s at, kids. Too funky to be a crooner, too silly to be MOR, he occupied a strange position in the rock music galaxy in the seventies. Some of his music was confessional singer -songwriter, a la Elton John; some was like aContinue reading “Just Step Sideways: Dean Friedman – “Well,Well”, Said the Rocking Chair”