m_thomp

Whoa! My eyes hurt. That's better.

Helping to cure my illness this week has been JAMC. Feedback will shake the darkness out of anyone.

Dean Learner's new show Man To Man was aired on Channel 4 for the first time last Friday. I missed it. Thankfully You Tube didn't. Here's a clip with horror novelist Garth Marenghi promoting his new film on it.

LCD Soundsystem's new 45:33, which is about 25 seconds longer than advertised, and incorporates so many different rhythms. I'm six minutes in so far and whilst it started off as a sci-fi style groove, it's now turned a bit more funky, and, er, it's starting to change yet again.

That's the one - a little bit more closer to their 1990 days. Te paul Schroeder one I don't think will see the light of day because of Geffen's contract over the material.

What I'm listening to is hard to find. The recording quality is a bit ropey on occassion, bit it offers a bit of light into the songs being a lot better than those that ended up on the album. Much more groove orientated than the albums overdubs of guitars on top of guitars. There is a another version of the album recorded with Paul Schroeder that is supposed to much, much funkier and is in stark contrast to published Second Coming, that recording is supposed to be a complete Holy Grail. I only know of one person who has heard that.

Stone Roses rehearsals for the Second Coming. Funkier and looser than the final album.

The first and last tracks on this album are so f**king good.

I've just seen this via nme.com which now incorporates headlines from uncut.co.uk. Brilliant! It seemed as though they were scratching round some kind of story. But, hey, all publicity is good publicity.

Finally get my homework in: m_thomp's Limey Funk There's a few funky killers on this mix. And a special treat for all Mighty Boosh fans too. Tracklisting: 1. Prefuse 73 - Hot Winter's Day 2. Porn Theatre Ushers - Me and Him 3. Richard X - Finest Dreams 4. Manitoba - Crayon 5. Minotaur Shock - Hilly 6. Deadbeats - Funky For You 7. Koushik - Too Many Ways 8. Beanfield - Planetary Deadlock 9. Midfield General - Midfielding 10. Pole - Heim Enjoy

Is that good? I've been meaning to give it a listen. I loved 'Last Exit'. NP: Koushik - Be With

There are highlights from this year's Cambridge Folk Festival on BBC 4 this Friday. I'll have to set the video if I want to try and catch the Welsh contingent out in force, as, hopefully, it'll be a James Yorkston gig for me on that evening.

It was more of a snatch of it, really. Part way through Stevie Nicks they included a rowdy new guitar heavy middle section to the song, and I thought 'Blimey, they've taken a few cues from Wilco here', next thing Joey is wailing "I'm A Wheel!" into the microphone. But the impromptu cover of Guns Of Brixton made it for me.

Ta muchly. Payment? I wish! I do it for the love of the game. And free tickets.

Bit of shameless self promotion here, but here are a couple of reviews from the summer: Leicester Summer Sundae Weekender includes reviews of sets from Elbow, Calexico, Brakes, Belle & Sebastian, Richard Hawley. and Wales' Green Man Festival including reviews of Calexico (again!), M. Ward, Gruff from Super Furry Animals and many more. Enjoy.

Bad cover, good album.

I thought that was the guy out of Aswad then. Y'know him who was also in Double Deckers? NP:

NP: Califone - Roots & Crowns Been listening to this for a couple of weeks now and it gets better/richer with every listen.

Now that is a good album! One of the year's best.

I love Hour of Bewilderbeast, but I think a lot of the credit for that has to go with the other players and arrangers - namely the guys from Alfie and Doves. Shining would not be a fifth of the tune without Matt McGeever's cello work and arrangements.

One for the Boyoz in the Hood: Shakin' Stevens - This Ole House and Green Door. In fact most of his songs were of a DIY bent. Should've got sponsorship with B&Q.

Not a good comparison for me. Although mellowed, I'm still firmly in the anti-Dylan camp.

Quality wise? Yes, I think it is. Lyrically far, far more coherent. He seems to honed his observational skills - the situations he sings about are perfectly drawn - check out the opening lines in No Return - maybe, they picked up a trick or two when touring with Belle and Sebastian. I think the quieter songs are by far the strongest on the album as they're far more deft. The only quibble is, and it is a minor point, that you feel slightly short changed at the end of it. The songs are so short that experience is over in a flash, but it's always a good thing to leave them wanting more. I

It wasn't me. NP:

NP: Brakes - The Beatific Visions Having caught them a 3 times already this year, a lot of the songs I'm familiar with. It's a lot more muscular and powerful in production than Give Blood, but the quality is still there, especially the slower numbers. Clear they've been influenced by Tennessee. I'm definitely up for going to the gig, chaps. Only just caught up with all the messages today. Will get my ticket shortly.