TC Time

Well, Wallonia turned out to be very nice indeed, with unexpectedly good weather to go with the expectedly good food and beer. I would particularly recommend a visit to scenic Dinant if you are in the area. 

I didn't pick up much Belgian music because CDs are rather pricy there, with most new ones being €18-20 or more. But some scouring of the discount racks and second-hand shops of Namur unearthed a couple of bargains. 

One of these was a best of TC Matic, one of Belgium's leading post-punk-funk ensembles. They were active between 1980 and 1986 and had very limited commercial success at the time, with only their debut single "Oh La La La" bothering the Belgian charts at all. The band developed a bit of a reputation in other parts of Europe though, and hung out with the likes of PiL and Simple Minds, and I think their better stuff has stood the test of time pretty well.   

"Putain Putain" - TC Matic

"Middle Class And Blue Eyes" - TC Matic

Apart from the scenery, the other thing that the town of Dinant is best know for is being the birthplace of one Adolphe Sax. You can visit his childhood home and admire the many giant saxophone sculptures that adorn the town. In tribute to Mr Sax, here is the thing that on its own justified his life's work.

Muluqen Magic

Just a quick one today as I'm getting myself ready for my first overseas work trip in two years starting early tomorrow. Back in the time of The Great Before I would have considered three days work in Brussels to be fairly routine, but now its a source of great excitement.

I'll leave you with the random combination of some solid slabs of 1970s Ethiopian soul courtesy of the mighty Muluqen Mellesse and some videos from the vibrant 1980s Belgian scene. I'm staying on in Belgium for a few days to do some sightseeing down south in Wallonia, and hopefully will return with some local musical treats for you all. See you in a week or so.

"Alagegnhwatem" - Muluqen Messesse

"Yemendjar Shega" - Muluqen Messesse

Single Song Sunday

It is a bit of a scaled down Single Song Sunday today. Please don't think that shows lack of enthusiasm or dedication on my part. It is just that, compared to the sort of song we normally feature in this slot, there are not that many versions of this one knocking about.

"My Rainbow Valley" was first released by Robert Knight in 1967, but the most successful version is the one by Love Affair that went to No. 5 in the UK the following year. Maybe it was dropping the "My" that did the trick. Having previously taken their cover version of Robert's "Everlasting Love" to the top of the UK charts, they obviously decided to stick with a winning formula.

What else is there? Why, a jangly 1980s version, a 1969 Icelandic cover which is a pretty straight copy of the Love Affair arrangement, and of course the Mandatory Reggae Version. There is also a less than brilliant 1980s version from Finland in the videos.  

"My Rainbow Valley" - Robert Knight

"Rainbow Valley" - Love Affair

"My Rainbow Valley" - Dolly Mixture

"Í Draumalandi" - Björgvin Halldórsson

"Rainbow Valley" - The Heptones

Freak Folk Friday

A track from "II" by Espers came up on the old random shuffle the other day and it prompted me to listen to the whole album for the first time in years. I had forgotten how good it is. Don't make the same mistake, folks.

"Moon Occults The Sun" - Espers

"Dead King" - Espers

Tig Time

Some old timey R 'n B for you today from Jimmy Tig & The Rounders. 

Jimmy Tig (James Tigner Jr as his dear old Mum knew him) was a singer, drummer and bandleader who was born in Atlanta in 1938 and sadly died there just under 70 years later. Keeping it in the family, after his own recording career ended in 1970 he started producing and writing for his son Eric, who apparently had a single out on Hi Records when he was a mere seven years old. 

Although they never had much commercial success, The Rounders were obviously a good training ground for up and coming performers as the members included Bobby Purify and Mighty Sam McClain at one point or another.

"Smalltown Girl" - Jimmy Tig & The Rounders

"Foolish Lover" - Jimmy Tig & The Rounders

I could not find any video clips of either Tig Senior or Junior, so here's the Mighty Sam McClain instead.

X-Rayted

Another Monday, another reggae compilation. I might have to make this the last one otherwise it might turn into a "feature" and I don't need the stress that goes with that. 

Anyway this time out it is "X-Ray Music", a dub compilation released on the Blood and Fire label in 1999. I found the CD in a 50p box with no sleeve and no track listing on the CD itself, but when I saw the Blood and Fire logo I knew it would be a good buy. And so it proved.

Many of the big names are there - Tubby, Jammy, Scientist and Scratch - but I have chosen a couple of lesser lights for your enlightenment and entertainment today.

"Moses Dub" - JoJo Hookim

"Cool This Dub" - Phillip Smart

Back when the tracks on "X-Ray Music" were recorded Jammy was a mere Prince. He has long since been crowned a king, rightly so, and he has a new album out this Friday. It is called "King Jammy Destroys The Virus With Dub" and it comprises new takes on old tracks. I was sent a couple of them in my capacity as international tastemaker and I'm very pleased to report he is sounding as good as ever. 

You can order a copy of the album here and elsewhere, and the video for lead track "Closed Border Dub" premieres on YouTube on Friday to coincide with the album release. And here is an hour-long documentary about the great man from 2006 to help keep you occupied while you are waiting:

Outlaw Country

I was rooting around in the "10 CDs for £5" box in my local second-hand record shop the other week when I came across "Tenderheart" by Sam Outlaw. Subsequent research revealed it made No. 3 in the UK country charts when it came out in 2017, but it had passed me by at the time (as had the fact there is a UK country chart to be honest). Be that as it may, I gave it a go. 

Mr Outlaw - not his birth name, you will be surprised to learn - hails from Southern California and describes his style as "SoCal country". It's not traditional country by any means and there is a definite California soft rock vibe in places - one track even uses the phrase "peaceful easy feeling" - but its a lot closer to the real thing than the vast majority of the drivel they try to pass off as country these days. 

Here's a couple of my favourite tracks on "Tenderheart". You can find it and all of Sam's other releases on Bandcamp should you be so inclined.

"She's Playing Hard To Get (Rid Of)" - Sam Outlaw

"Look At You Now" - Sam Outlaw

 Now here's a proper outlaw for you.