The Long Goodbye: Part 16

Stage 16 of the Grand Tour, and the first of two consecutive stops in the beautiful Baltics. But before we land, a public service announcement.

Stages 18 and 19 will take us to Luxembourg and Malta, and I am really struggling to find decent music to feature. I have no doubt it exists, but it isn't easy to track down. If any of you lovely readers are able to help that would be greatly appreciated.  

No such problems in Latvia, fortunately, which is awash with wonder by comparison. I was lucky enough to visit Riga a few years ago. It's a top town, and I only wish I had been able to stay longer to see a bit more of the country.  Anyway, on with the show.

"Trīsi, Trīsi, Sikspārnīt" - Ingus Baušķenieks

"Sesas Pedas" - Oranžās Brīvdienas

"Lidmasina" -  Jumprava

"Saules Deja" - Vējam Kabatā

"Mana Kafejnica Ir Salauzta" - Dzeltenie Pastnieki

If you listened to all of those you may have drawn the conclusion that the Latvians are an earnest bunch. Let's correct that misapprehension immediately with this first video, featuring what I believe is the only Eurovision entry ever covered by one of the leading lights of Scotland's thriving pirate metal scene (Alestorm - but you knew that). 

Long Ago In Lima...

I recently acquired a great compilation of 1970s Peruvian psychedelia and Latin Soul called  "Cumbias Psicodelicas: Volume 1 Ayahuasca". You can find it on the Bandcamp site of the thoroughly excellent Repsychled label, and at a mere €7 it's an absolute bargain. Here are a couple of cracking tunes from the album to get you in the mood for the weekend.

"El Arbol" - El Comienza

"Kashanga" - El Opio

Among the other delights on "Ayahuasca" is a decidedly groovy version of this old favourite.

More Sounds Of Now!

The lovely people in Promoland have been back in touch, sending me goodies to share with you. And this week's goodies are extra good.

"The Joy of Forgetting" is the new album by Allegra Krieger, a Florida-born Brooklyn-based singer-songwriter, and its a cracking good listen. I'm not very good at describing why I like a record, as regular readers know, so let's just say she has a distinctive voice, strong songs and interesting arrangements that sound slightly off-kilter - making the album ideal listening for the off-kilter world we're living in at the moment.

"The Joy of Forgetting" itself isn't out until 7 August but the latest single "Welcome" came out last week, and here it is. Have a listen then head straight over to Allegra's Bandcamp page to pre-order the album. If you do that you'll get "Welcome" and the two earlier singles from the album for free straight away. Her earlier stuff is well worth a listen as well. 

According to the promo materials, Allegra is RIYL ("Recommended if you like" for those of you not up with tastemaker jargon) Sharon van Etten and Liz Phair. That's probably true, but for some reason the singer she reminds me of most is Devon Sproule. So here's a little bit of Devon as a bonus.

"The Warning Bell" - Devon Sproule

The Real McCrae

What better way 

to start the day

than with a bit of Gwen McCrae

I'm a poet and I didn't know it

"Rockin' Chair" - Gwen McCrae

"For Your Love" - Gwen McCrae 

You may have heard of her ex-husband.

The Long Goodbye: Part 15

We've reached the 15th stage of our 27 stop tour, and we're in Italy. I've been lucky enough to visit many times over the last 30+ years and have never had a bad experience, not even when I got attacked by a Mother Superior after I asked one of her nuns if she wanted to sit on my shoulders to get a better view of the Pope. It was a fair cop.

As well as being one of my favourite countries, Italy may be the home of my great lost love. Five or six years ago I was staying in a cheap hotel in the Trastevere district of Rome and indulged in a bit of light flirtation with the delightful receptionist. When time came to check out, she suddenly clasped me by the hand, looked me deep in the eyes and said "You..." - dramatic pause, even deeper look - "are a beautiful chicken!".  

If it had been a film I would have got half way to the airport before realising I was making a mistake, jumped off the bus, flagged down a Piaggio Ape and headed back to the hotel to propose to her. Now, if lockdown has taught me anything it is that I must seize the day, so that's exactly what I'm going to do when we're allowed out again. Let's hope I'm not too late. And let's hope I can remember the name of the hotel.

Enough of me, on with the music. We start with some sexo and end with some deatho. All human life is here.    

"Sexo!" - Ivan Cattaneo

"Il Vento Caldo Dell'Estate" - Alice

"Noia" - CCCP Fedeli Alla Linea

"Ell" - Rita Pavone

"R.I.P. (Requiescant in Pace)" - Banco Del Mutuo Soccorso

Direct From The Workshop

McCully Workshop sounds too dull to be the name for a psychedelic band, who were normally called things like The 14th Eye or Abigail's Mushroom. But that's what they were, and one of South Africa's finest. Here are a couple of tracks from their 1971 album "Genesis", which is considered by most aficionados to be their masterpiece.

"(We All) Look For The Sun" - McCully Workshop

"Genesis : A) Evolution / B) Overture To Cancel Hate / C) Survival And Genesis" - McCully Workshop

I can't find any clips of the Workshop in their prime on YouTube. There are, however, many hundreds of some outfit called Genesis. Hopefully this will temporarily sate George's craving for ludicrous videos.

   

Warning: May Contain Nuts

Today: songs about peanuts, peanut-based products and purveyors of peanuts. Just because.

"Peanuts" - Little Joe & The Thrillers

"Peanut Butter" - The Marathons 

"Peanut Brittle" - The Actors

"The Peanut Vendor (El Manisero)" - Anita O'Day

"Hot Nuts (Get Em From The Peanut Man)" - Georgia White

"The Peanut Vendor" is one of those tunes that pops up all over the place - here are just two examples.