...No Sweeter Genius

The second half of tunes that have tickled my fancy in the first 26 weeks of '26

 

The final thirteen feature a couple of returning artists in The Rotations and Fluke, more than justified in both cases. The rest are new to this selection, even if the names are familiar.

deary has confidently picked up the shoegaze baton and are running away. Thankfully, being shoegaze, it's at a fairly languid pace so you'll have no trouble catching up. And it is worth catching up with their debut album, as today's pick No Sweeter Feeling will attest.

 

With A Sense Of You, The Rotations offer up another song that sounds like it's been transmitted from a parallel universe, very much like our own, just a little...off. The vocals sound like Tom Waits belatedly finding out that Neighbours has been cancelled (again), which only adds to the charm.

 

If you only remember Chad Jackson for Hear The Drummer (Get Wicked) way, way back in the mists of time, then you are in for a pleasant surprise. Genius Of Skank Pt. 1 is not an overreaching title and sums up the track perfectly. This track appears on the excellent Evil Acid Barons double album and is well worth your pennies. Now, when we get Pt. 2, Chad?

 

I enthused about Fluke's gorgeous new double album The Second Bite yesterday, albeit as a side reference to an accompanying Daniel Avery remix of their classic Atom Bomb. This time, I've picked from the album itself. Several of the tracks are subtle tweaks, polishes and updates of the original, others take the song on a bit more of an excursion. Case in point: 1995 single Tosh goes cruising around mid-70s New York, gets funked up and wakes up the following morning, wanting to do it all again. Great stuff.

 

In the 1980s, both The Bluebells and The Kane Gang flirted with the UK record-buying masses. The former have come back in the 21st Century, arguably even stronger than before and latest album This Is... proves more than a match for anything they've done.

 

Whilst The Kane Gang are no more, two thirds of the band have reconvened as Autoleisureland. In many respects, the New Road Movie album sounds like barely a day has passed since Closest Thing To Heaven and Motortown. Your personal history with 80s pop whether you enjoy Autoleisureland's album or not. I like it.

 

In the 2000s, a band called The Strange Death Of Liberal England existed. No, me neither. However, thanks to being a fan of Roberta Fidora, I've been hooked up with TSDOLE's former organ player and their latest project, dee eye why. Debut song Autonomous features Roberta on vocals and is most enjoyable.

 

Spanish DJ/producer Roglar aka Victor Balaguer Alonso nest, getting the remix treatment courtesy of London boy Ian Vale and, as ever, neither disappoint. Fly With Dumbo is pumped up without going over the top...

 

...by contrast with the dappled sounds of Rays Of Sunshine, just one example of why Pye Corner Audio's current album More Songs About The Sun is a gift to the ears. Writer Ian Rankin features on another song and Andy Bell (Ride/GLOK) lends his guitar talent to several others.

 

Speaking of which, Alliance, the GLOK / Timothy Clerkin album from 2025 has been reworked and remixed by a host of contemporary artists. I've gone back to the old school for a remarkable job by Richard Sen. Well, I say remarkable, but I'm struggling to think of a time when Richard has been anything less. The competition is stiff, but this reimagining of The Witching Hour is a standout on the record.

 

The Moonrocks are new to me but their song Cardiac Arrest definitely leans more heavily on the classic rock stylings that the cosmiche that their name suggests. You don't always have to innovate to be fun.

 

That said, Broken Chanter is a perfect example of great pop rock songs that manage to sound familiar and catchy whilst having something fresh to play and say. I've fallen deeply in love with Broken Chanter since being introduced them a few years ago and the latest album is brilliant. 

 

Almost as a response to Scarlet Fantastic's opening call on Volume 1, a year without a summer is almost too much to contemplate.

 

And, as if on cue, rays of sunshine through the window and a nudge for me to get up and get out. 

 

 

1) No Sweeter Feeling: deary (Birding)

2) A Sense Of You: The Rotations (Gung-Ho)

3) Love Is Gonna Keep Us Cryin': Autoleisureland (New Road Movie)

4) Nave (Malaphors Mix): Sister Ray Davies (Holy Island Baby EP)

5) Autonomous: dee eye why ft. Roberta Fidora (Bungalow Legs EP)

6) Tosh (The Second Bite): Fluke (The Second Bite)

7) Cardiac Arrest: The Moonrocks (A Room With A View)

8) Fly With Dumbo (Ian Vale Remix): Roglar (I Know EP)

9) Rays Of Sunshine: Pye Corner Audio (More Songs About The Sun)

10) Indian Summer: The Bluebells (This Is...The Bluebells)

11) Genius Of Skank Pt. 1: Chad Jackson (Evil Acid Barons)

12) The Witching Hour (Richard Sen Remix): GLOK / Timothy Clerkin (Alliance Remixed)

13) A Year Without A Summer: Broken Chanter (This Could be Us, You, Or Anybody Else)

  

Summer Feeling, No Sweeter Genius (1:00:47) (GD) (M) 

Fifteen Strings And Infinite Beats

Ninety-one minutes of Andy Bell to breeze through the Easter weekend and blow those blues away.

The original thought had been to revisit Andy's music as GLOK but as I was putting together a shortlist of songs, I found myself pulling in a Ride song here, a solo song there, and I ended up with a list of about thirty tracks, all equally deserving of inclusion.

What I've ended up with is half that, fifteen career-spanning crackers, spanning thirty five years and taking in Ride (then and now), Hurricane #1 remixed by My Bloody Valentine/Kevin Shields, Beady Eye (but no Oasis), remixes of Aviator, Do No Harm, Fe Salomon and Flyying Colours, collaborations with Masal, Pye Corner Audio, Timothy Clerkin and Du Blonde, and quite a lot of GLOK.

I think it turned out alright but then when you're dealing with an artist who is not only incredibly gifted but also phenomenally prolific, it's on me not to screw it up!

1) Aubrey Drylands Gladwell: Andy Bell (2020)
2) Portland Rocks: Ride (2024)

3) Rising Sign (My Bloody Valentine Mix): Hurricane #1 (1999)

4) White Smoke (Remix By Andy Bell): Beady Eye (2013)

5) Pinball Wanderer: Andy Bell (2025)

6) Damascene (GLOK Remix): Do No Harm (2022)

7) Vapour Trail (Album Version): Ride (1990)

8) Indica (Pye Corner Audio Remix – GLOK Re-Edit): Andy Bell (2021)

9) Taxicabs (GLOK Remix): Fe Salomon (2023)

10) The Gift (GLOK Remix): Aviator (2018)

11) Wavygravy (GLOK Remix): Flyying Colours (2022)

12) Perfume (Acoustic Version) (Cover of Paris Angels): Andy Bell (2020)

13) Tidal Love Conversation In That Familiar Golden Orchard (Edit): Andy Bell & Masal (2023)

14) Pulsing (GLOK Remix - Citadel Version): GLOK (2020)

15) Nothing Ever (12" Version): GLOK / Timothy Clerkin ft. Du Blonde aka Beth Jeans Houghton) (2024)

1990: Nowhere: 7

1999: The Greatest High EP: 3

2013: 42.42 (Beady Eye Remixes) EP: 4

2018: Omni: 10

2020: The Citadel EP: 14

2020: The View From Halfway Down: 1

2021: All On You EP: 12

2021: Another View: Andy Bell Meets Pye Corner Audio Uptown: 8

2022: Damascene EP: 6

2022: Low Maintenance EP: 11

2023: Taxicabs EP: 9

2023: Tidal Love Conversation In That Familiar Golden Orchard EP: 13

2024: Alliance: 15

2024: Interplay: 2

2025: Pinball Wanderer: 5

Fifteen Strings And Infinite Beats (1:31:00) (GD) (M)

Like this? Here are some more selections from the Dubhed archives:

Imagine The Sky Filled With A Thousand Suns: Andy Bell (July 2022)

Dirty Starlight: GLOK (September 2022)

Ticket To Ride: Ride (September 2024)

And, as we're four months into 2026, of course there's already new music featuring Andy Bell in the cosmos:

Live It Well

Not a lot of chat today as I've been plagued by power cuts whilst composing this post and it's accompanying selection. Only brief ones, but they've knocked out the PC every time and it's taken increasingly longer to get everything up and running again. And it's raining again.

"Arse!" as Father Jack was inclined to say, well, shout.

In that spirit, here's some joie de vivre courtesy of a dozen songs that have already brightened up my 2026; some only just so as they were released for Bandcamp Friday.

Again, I've found myself with an embarrassment of riches and have compiled 12 of them for your listening pleasure today, and this weekend.

Spare Snare's cover of Say My Name by Destiny's Child has been knocking around since 2001, but it's just reappeared on brand new compilation, Love Your Later Stuff, so it gets in on a technicality. That, and it segues beautifully into the dub of Jezebell's Turn It Yes by Justin Robertson's Five Green Moons.

It was a chance check in with the official Gavin Friday website that led me to the David Holmes remix of The Church Of Love, which snuck out earlier this year. 

And if you enjoy the song by Al MacKenzie (D:Ream) which gives today's post it's title (well, half of it at least) I will be coming back to the Evil Acid Barons album, which is an early contender for compilation of the year... and only a handful of tracks have been released so far.

1) Protector: SAULT (Chapter 1)

2) Life Is Short, Live It Well (Vocal Mix): Al MacKenzie (Evil Acid Barons)

3) Program 70: Pye Corner Audio (Program 70 EP)

4) Love To Watch U: A_M_B_O_S_S (Machine X Human EP)

5) Nothing Ever (Tom Sharkett Remix): GLOK / Timothy Clerkin (Alliance Remixed)

6) Surrounded By Spies (Richard Norris Dub): Placebo (Surrounded By Spies EP)

7) Song Of Siraba (Cosmikuro Remix): A Space Age Freak Out (Song Of Siraba EP)

8) My Electric Dreams (Airsine Remix): Pete Bones (My Electric Dreams EP)

9) The Church Of Love (David Holmes Remix): Gavin Friday (The Church Of Love And Dancing EP)

10) Say My Name (Cover of Destiny's Child): Spare Snare (2001) (Love Your Later Stuff)

11) Turn It Yes (Justin Robertson's Five Green Moons Dub): Jezebell (Turn It Yes Remixes Vol. 1 EP)

12) Môgôya (BOM Nation Remix): Namian Sidibé (Remix EP)

Live It Well (1:07:07) (GD) (M)

Buy, Buy, Baby Baby, Good Buy

Everything is so laggy today (me included) that I'm going to dispense with the usual chit chat and just say that it's Bandcamp Friday and this half dozen at least are going through my checkout.

Why don't you, um, check 'em out yourself?

Hopefully, normal service will resume on Saturday.

 

 

 

 

 

 

21st Century (Sub)Urban Head Music

Four transporting and transformative tracks from GLOK aka Andy Bell, Rico Conning, King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard and Julian Cope.

All clocking in at 15 minutes long, all locating and locking into an individual groove, ideal whether you're laid back, or stuck in a bank holiday traffic jam, trying to reach your destination. You will get there.

Invocation is the closing song from Pattern Recognition, Andy Bell's debut album as GLOK, unbelievably five years ago now. Andy has described GLOK as "all about the push and pull between electronic and psych in my music". The pulsating electronica, brief vocal snippets and hypnotic rhythms carry the listener along with no sense of the passage of time, just total immersion in the moment.

I knew of Rico Conning's work as a producer, starting with the limited edition remix 12" single of Sometimes by Erasure in 1986, which featured his work. I found my way back to Rico in 2022, courtesy of his remix of This Is Something by Summerisle Six aka Sean Johnston with Jo Bartlett on vocals. 

I then tracked back to Rico's own releases on Bandcamp. Frogmore is a four-track album from 2017 and is a revelation. Rico describes the title song as "a kind of audio diary" of the time he had a cabin "in the misty mountains of Malibu" in the early 2000s. The song is broken down into three distinct phases, the first two mining individual (treated) guitar seams, the third a brief and unexpected vocal reprise. It's wonderful.

King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard are a band that I came to relatively recently and with some trepidation, not least because of the, let's face it, pants name, but also the daunting prospect of a back catalogue comprising roughly one million albums, EPs and live recordings.

Take the step beyond though and the rewards are immense. Laminated Denim is a two-song album from 2022, Hypertension comprising the second (digital) side. The most vocal-heavy of the four songs selected today, it's also unexpectedly easy going. With the song title, I guess I was expecting a full-on sonic assault, but despite being 15 minutes long, it's one of their most accessible songs that I've discovered to date.

Julian Cope's never been too bothered about being accessible. Despite writing some of the most catchy, melodic pop songs and being able to get away with ba-ba-ba's where other artists can't, he's also partial to a long-form drone and a dirge. Frequently, Julian's psych excursions can come over like a bad trip (road or otherwise), but when he's on, he's ON.

John Balance Enters Valhalla is the title track of an unexpected five-track album released in 2019; then again, most Cope releases tend to drop without fanfare or warning these days.

A tribute to Geoffrey Nigel Laurence Rushton (né Burton) aka Coil co-founder and "Visionary Voice" John Balance, who died in 2004 at the age of 42. Julian various describes the album as 'mesmerizing', 'upbeat', 'emotional', 'rhythm-laden' with 'hefty grooves', tracking "the various stages of the artist’s journey into legendary Valhalla".

The music meanders, the main groove even popping off into the next room about two thirds of the way through, before giving way to some radio chat, before returning for the final approach, leaving the listener behind and it forges on into the distance. Stirring stuff.

If any/all of this music appeals, I've provided links below to purchase the full albums digitally, although if you're snappy, you can get the last remaining copy of the GLOK album on gatefold double orange vinyl.

1) Invocation (Album Version By Andy Bell): GLOK (2021)

2) Frogmore: Rico Conning (2017)

3) Hypertension: King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard (2022)

4) John Balance Enters Valhalla: Julian Cope (2019)

2017: Frogmore: 2

2019: John Balance Enters Valhalla: 4

2021: Pattern Recognition: 1

2022: Laminated Denim: 3

21st Century (Sub)Urban Head Music (1:01:02) (GD) (M)

Everything Playing At Once

"How did I get here?" as David Byrne once said. I know what he means. It's been a pretty crappy year in many respects, but music - and blogging about music - has been my salve, my safe space, my springboard back into the, at times, sheer madness of the wider world.

"What, no mega-mix?" as Ernie Goggins commented yesterday. Well, I'd always planned a Dubhed selection to sum up 2023 and see in 2024. Thankfully, it's not a 24-hour marathon attempting to squeeze everything in. Instead, it's a much more ear-friendly party mix at a smidge over an hour, sampling 17 tracks (and one interview snippet) including one song which didn't even make yesterday's end of year list!

This may be the only place today where you will hear Balearic, post-punk, downtempo, travelogue, dub, house, alternative, r 'n' b, politics, jazz and psychedelia all cut and pasted together. As I said to Ernie, more manic- than mega-mix. I think it turned out surprisingly well.

 

I have no plans for Dubhed to slow down in 2024, so expect more of the usual make-it-up-as-I go-along nonsense on a daily basis, inspired as ever by the music that soundtracks my life and keeps me going through good and bad times. 

On that note, a massive thank you again to you all for your continued support this year, it really means a lot. I hope that however you are spending New Year's Eve, it's a good one and that 2024 brings you much joy and happiness.

 

Happy New Year!

Blwyddyn Newydd Dda!

Bliadhna Mhath ùr! 

Athbhliain Faoi Mhaise Dhuit!

Bonne Année!  

Ευτυχισμένο το νέο έτος!

Feliz Año Nuevo!  

Щасливого Нового року!

 

1) Ride A Cloud (Xavi's Campfire Mix - Khayem's Nice 'n' Splicey Edit): The Woodentops ft. Kyoko Sato *

2) Master Of Time: Jah Wobble

3) That Time Of Night (Hardway Bros Meet Monkton Uptown Dub): GLOK ft. Shiarra

4) Lack Of Sleep (Pye Corner Audio Remix): Maps

5) Cleanse Your Guilt Here: Algiers

6) Somehow It Feels Important (Auren Remix): Hairdressa

7) Tender Years: Robert Forster

8) I Laugh Myself To Sleep: David Holmes ft. Raven Violet

9) "do you wanna know what's changed about the music industry?": David Holmes **

10) Many Hands (Retroforward Dubbin' Hands Remix): D:Ream 

11) Brigada (Single Version): Bárbara Boeing ft. Phil Mill

12) Baba Louie: Jaimie Branch ft. Akenya Seymour & Kuma Dog

13) Go On Dub (Adrian Sherwood 'Reset In Dub’ Version): Panda Bear & Sonic Boom

14) 3rd Highlands And Islands Tour: Julian Cope

15) wifi: Spare Snare

16) There Will Be No Crying: Cleo Sol

17) $1 One Vote!: The The

18) Sunday's Cool: 10:40

 

Everything Playing At Once (1:02:45) (KF) (Mega) 

 

* This is possibly the laziest edit I've ever done. I've simply laid a copy of the mix on the other, with a 20-second delay and (roughly) beat matched. I like the repetition of Kyoko Sato's voice, so this version stayed in. 

 

** A snippet from Edith Bowman's interview with David Holmes earlier this month. Well worth an hour of your time.

Version On The Extreme

Sorry, a bit later than usual posting this, due to a Clan K excursion last night and a bit of a lie-in this morning. A warning: this is a big one,  you might need a Thermos flask and packed lunch to get you through.

 

Oh, this is difficult. Even trying to nail down some of my favourite versions - covers, remixes and reimaginings - of 2023 has proved to be an insurmountable task.

Therefore, I've picked out just 23 listed alphabetically by artist. Some I've been enjoying for many months, one in particular (The Woodentops) was a last minute addition, having belatedly discovered it via Swiss Adam's year end run down at Bagging Area.

Strap in, there's a wild ride ahead!

Jango Mango: Ademarr & Joseeph

 

EP released via Roam Recodings in July, featuring the original version plus standout remixes from Darlyn Vlys and Iñigo Vontier.

 

Tender (Cover of Blur): The Anchoress

For the past year or so, Catherine Anne Davies released a cover version per month, available for a limited time on Bandcamp. Many of them were subsequently collected for this year's excellent Versions album. 

Tender, originally released in 2021, didn't make the album cut but it did get a physical release in April, as the third of a series of limited edition EPs. The EP has long since sold out and the song has vanished from t'internet. To give you a taste of how good it is/was, here's an extract (KF) (Mega).

Gorgeous, isn't it?

Njalo: Cee ElAssaad ft. Bongi Mvuyana

Morrocco meets South Africa with stunning results. Njalo has been burning a hole in my speakers since February and comes in three versions: the original full vocal, dub and instrumental; all superb.

 

 

Yeah x 3: David Holmes ft. Raven Violet 

I could have picked any of David's singles, whether with Unloved or Raven Violet, as highlights of the year, to be honest. Yeah x 3 was released in November, with a diverse range of remixes from Panda Bear & Sonic Boom, Jordan Nocturne, X-Press 2 and a couple of beauties from Gary Irwin aka The Vendetta Suite.

 

  

Rusalkas (Transglobal Underground RMX): DjClick & Masha Natanson

 

I was down a specific Transglobal Underground rabbit hole, which led me to the Violins Against Bombs RMX album, featuring 10 reworks of the original 2022 album by TGU along with Fluo Sobre, Rafael Aragon, Dunkelbunt, MiRET and Recycler. Now available as a name your price/free download, so what have you got to lose?

 

 

Unchanged (GLOK Remix): Dot Allison

Dot Allison meets Andy Bell on a dub excursion that evokes yet avoids mimicking the majesty of One Dove. Released in June and a perfect companion piece to their respective releases this year.

 

 

Other Skies: Electric Blue Vision

 

As mentioned in yesterday's post, Sean Johnston and Duncan Gray have been on fire this year with standalone remixes and releases. However, when they come together as Hardway Bros Meet Monkton Uptown, the listener is in for a dub excursion par excellence.  

 

Other Skies, the second single by Electric Blue Vision by Emilia Harmony and Jesse Fahnestock, broke cover in November, the sublime original also channeling the spirit of One Dove. The remixes took the song in wildly different directions, all worth the trip.

 

  

Confessions Of An Ageing Party Girl: Emily Breeze

 

A 2020 single and highlight of this year's Rapture album, March saw the release of a remix by Massive Attack's Daddy G (Grant Marshall) and Robot Club (Stew Jackson). Not available on Bandcamp but available through most of the usual places. 

 

If you're a regular visitor to the essential music blog No Badger Required - and if you aren't, I urge you to start right now - then you'll have spotted that I referenced it over there as my track of 2023. Thanks, SWC!

 

Cello Song (Cover of Nick Drake): Fontaines D.C.

I was slow to listen to Fontaines D.C.'s second album Skinty Fia this year - my mistake - and to their singular take on the Nick Drake back in March. My fellow blog travellers have written about why this is the epitome of what a great cover version should be and they are absolutely spot on. If I heard this in complete ignorance, I'd think it was a stunning song. The fact that it may inspire listeners to check out not just Fontaines D.C. but Nick Drake can only be a good thing. 

Cello Song features on the album The Endless Coloured Ways: The Songs Of Nick Drake, which I could easily have included in my list of favourite compilations yesterday.

Shakatak: Gaudi

Woah, come back. If you're worried that this March 2023 release is a tribute to the '80s white English jazz-funk band, rest assured. Daniele Gaudi delivers another colossal slice of dub, especially on the 'ReRub' version.

 

 

Pez (bdrmm Remix): GIFT

This all started with A Place To Bury Strangers, specifically their remix album See Through You Rerealized which featured separate remixes by GIFT and bdrmm. I wasn't familiar with either band and little trawl of Bandcamp unearthed their respective back catalogues. The two come together on this remix, released in August as a precursor to GIFT's debut album, Momentary Presence, a couple of months later. Check 'em all out.

 

 

Dirty Hugs (Richard Sen Remix): GLOK

The Pattern Recognition album got a 3-track remix EP in March, a great month for releases, in retrospect. Hardway Bros Meet Monkton Uptown and Tom Sharkett from W.H. Lung set the bar high but Richard Sen has no difficulty in holding his own and taking the original 20-minute trip on a wild chase through the city's nightlife.

 

 

 

A Night In Siolim (A Space Age Freak Out Remix): H​ö​gt I Tak

Paisley Dark Records have been a go-to with each release, not just for the high quality electronica but the calibre of remixes. Label boss John Paynter proves that you don't need to outsource to produce something quite special, as his Space Age Freak Out remix from December amply demonstrates.

 

 

I Am The Fly (Cover of Wire): Jah Wobble

The Wob made a raucous return (not that he's ever been away) with a slew of new albums in 2023, August's A Brief History Of Now revisiting his punk/post-punk stylings with fellow traveller Jon Klein. Their cover of Wire's I Am The Fly was an unexpected treat, Klein on vocals and Jah Wobble working his usual bass magic.

 

  

And, as a bonus treat, here's the man himself showing you how it's done (and yes, Mike, he is playing more than one string!)

 

Arabiklan (Rude Audio Remix): James Rod

Another top notch Paisley Dark remix package, this time in May, with an artist that I wasn't that familiar with. James Rod provides two classy originals with Synthetic Glory and Arabiklan, handing them over to Mindbender, Hunterbräu, H​ö​gt I Tak and Man2.0. Rude Audio aka Mark Ratcliff delivers a blinder.

 

Trading Places: Jezebell  

 

I've written previously about Trading Places, issued as a pair of EPs in April, offering up 'daytime' and nighttime' versions. All excellent, but the 6PM version gets a special mention for the delightful cameo by Siouxsie Sioux, expertly woven in by Jesse Fahnestock and Darren Bell. Available as a name your price/free download.

 

 

Phoenix (Cover of The Cult): JIM

First off, apologies that I've completely forgotten which music blog introduced me to this cover version and JIM (Jim Baron) in general, as I doubt I would have found him or the rather lovely Love Makes Magic album otherwise. Originally issued in June, the 10-song album included this fine cover, swapping bollock rock for Balearic acoustica to brilliant effect.

 

 

Bridge To Heaven (Sonic Boom Bass Remix): John Massoni

Another chance discovery this year whilst searching for Sonic Boom related items was his collaboration with John Massoni on the 8-track EP, Think Of Me When You Hear Waves. A further Sonic Boom remix of Bridge To Heaven, stretching things even further to just under ten minutes, shimmered into view in August.

 

 

Willow's Song (Richard Norris Ritual Mix): Katy J Pearson 

Katy J Pearson recorded a whole bunch of covers for The Wicker Man EP, released in October to celebrate the film of the same name's 50th anniversary. Katy had originally recorded Willow's Song as the closer of her 2022 album Sound Of The Morning and the Richard Norris remix came out in June this year. A strong contender for remix - and track - of the year and perfectly aligned with his own mighty dub workouts as Oracle Sounds.

 

Edge Of The Edge Dub (Adrian Sherwood 'Reset In Dub’ Version): Panda Bear & Sonic Boom 

August - another solid month for great music - saw the third iteration of the Reset album, following the original and 'Songbook + Instrumentals' versions. Here, Adrian Sherwood puts the entire thing through a dub rinse which promises much and somehow manages even then to exceed expectations. Much as I love Noah Lennox and Pete Kember's collaboration, Reset In Dub takes the music to another plane of existence.

 

 

Expansions Dub (Cover of Lonnie Liston Smith & The Cosmic Echoes): Prince Fatty ft. Shniece McMenamin

Not the only cover version that Prince Fatty shared in 2023 though arguably one that I wasn't expecting at all. With Shniece on the mic and Fatty at the controls, the listener is in safe hands and the dub version feels even more like a big aural hug. Another August highlight.

 

 

Fitzroy Avenue (BFP Acid-Flex Mix By Bedford Falls Players): Warriors Of The Dystotheque ft. Joe Duggan

 

We're on the home stretch now with yet another Paisley Dark winner, going all the way back to March. This is a generous 8-track digital EP, with a bonus hidden ninth 'No Effects Vox' version, i.e. just Joe Duggan. Tons of great remixes by Mindbender, H​ö​gt I Tak, Hunterbräu, Ed Mahon, Jezebell and this one from the ever excellent Mark Cooper aka Bedford Falls Players.

 

 

 

Ride A Cloud (Coyote Remix): The Woodentops 

The Woodentops released Ride A Cloud, with remixes by Coyote and Andres y Xavi, in June and somehow I managed to miss it completely. Thankfully, Swiss Adam to the rescue with his own end of year round up meant that I discovered this wonderful 3-tracker and it's ended up here just in time to wind things down after that marathon workout.

 

  

Tomorrow, I'll be trying hard to pick some more 2023 favourites. Heaven help me.

Live Circuit

It's fair to say that I didn't make a significant contribution to keeping live music alive in 2023. Even if I'd make it to all the gigs I'd bought tickets for, I wouldn't have hit double digits. In the end, I managed three and a half music events, one poetry performance and one stand up comedy gig. 

 

But I enjoyed every second of every one that I made it to, revisiting some great venues, seeing artists I never thought I'd see, sharing the experiences either with family or friends (a shout out to Mike here).

 

Here's a rundown what I could've - and did - see in 2023, the hits and near misses.

 

The year should have got off to a cracking start with a chance to see Luke Haines (The Auteurs) and Peter Buck (R.E.M.) at Strange Brew in Bristol in February.  

 

Unfortunately due to a family illness I had to skip the night but managed to find someone else to go in my place. Mike was also there and shared his thoughts on the night:

"The good news is it wouldn't have changed your life. I think it is in that category of 'glad i went but no real revelations to speak of'.

What I hadn't realised was Scott Macaughey would be playing as I imagine you know he was essentially a member of REM's touring party for 15+ years. Both Buck and Scott had aged quite a bit since i saw them with the minus 5 at the Fleece but two great musicians nonetheless.

 

[...] the songs were pretty much the Haines/Buck 2 albums [...] and I thought the songs from the first album stood up a bit better than the most recent. 

 

Other observations - there was a point where the 50+ male brigade wanted a photo of Mr Buck for their collection and if we had been on the Thekla it might have tipped the boat over but normal service was resumed pretty quickly. 

 

The beauty of last night was the fact that a music legend at 66 is still happy to play small venues." 

 

So my first gig of 2023 ended up being a trip to Cheltenham with Clan K in March to see comedian Dave Gorman. It was a matinee show, something of a novelty for us, at the Everyman Theatre in the town centre, a lovely old building. We were up in the gods, with a great view of the main stage.

Mrs. K and I have enjoyed Dave Gorman for many years, including his show on TV channel Dave (what else?) called Modern Life Is Goodish. Which was handy as Powerpoint To The People is essentially an extended version of that, only with plentiful effing and jeffing from the outset. Lady K didn't know of Dave Gorman at all but had a great time too. And home in time for tea. Win-win.

I was especially gutted to miss The Anchoress at Gloucester Guildhall in May, not least because Catherine Anne Davies had been forced to postpone and reschedule dates a couple of times in the last couple of years. 

My only consolation was that I got to see her (on TV at least) join Manic Street Preachers on stage at Glastonbury in June where, frankly, she smashed it. She also released the superb Versions album, collecting covers that she'd recorded and released individually during lockdown and beyond, including a sublime rework of Bizarre Love Triangle by New Order.

In June, I also finally got to see Dr. John Cooper Clarke, with support from Mike Garry, at The Forum in Bath.

Suffice to say it was a superb night, as I enthused at the time.

In August, I managed one and a half gigs. The half measure was a Clan K excursion to Bristol's legendary venue The Fleece to see Bad Manners. 

Well, two thirds if I'm being pedantic, as I got to experience 10 of the 15-song setlist. You can find the full sorry story here. Great support from local band Belishas. Mrs. K and I contemplated heading back to The Fleece on Boxing Day to catch Bad Manners' annual festive show. Considering that yesterday was spent trying not to succumb to a food-induced coma, I'm glad we decided against it.

For our second gig in August and someone I never expected to see live in concert, Mrs. K and I spent an evening in the company of John Cale and band. The fact that we also got to experience it in the intimate surround of the Subscription Rooms in Stroud was a real pinch me moment. 

Somehow, I found the words afterwards because I was feeling pretty speechless afterwards. 

Another opportune gig - and my first in 2023 with Mike - was Mozart Estate and Half Japanese at Strange Brew in Bristol in September. Two very different but compelling acts with charismatic front people in Lawrence Hayward and Jad Fair respectively. Not in the least bit daunted by this, local support act Bruno & The Outrageous Methods of Presentation more than met the challenge, led by 17-year old Bruno Bof-Wilkinson. My only regret is that we missed most of the latter, arriving just in time to catch the tail end of their set.

 

As I wrote at the time, a slightly mad - if slightly under-attended - night out in a great venue which I hope to spend more time in next year.

Another missed opportunity was GLOK (aka Andy Bell) playing an intimate gig at Moles in Bath, which would have been my first time for both artist and (incredibly) venue. Unfortunately, fate intervened and I was unable to go on the night. 

As if that wasn't gutting enough, 43 days later on 5th December Moles announced that they were closing their doors with immediate effect. After 45 years of hosting everyone from Wolf Alice to King Crimson to Sleeper to James to Laura Marling to Daniel Avery to Pulp to Katy J Pearson, it's a sad end and a reminder of how much the incumbent government has shafted grass roots music, particularly in the last few years. 

 

My final gig of 2023 was Jah Wobble's Invaders Of The Heart featuring Jon Klein performing Metal Box Rebuilt In Dub in the bowels of the Thekla, a cargo ship-cum-venue in Bristol's central harbour area.

Of course, Jah was a founding member of Public Image Limited and recorded the original album so if anyone is qualified to rework the songs, it's him. And he and the band played a blinder, peppered with some truly hilarious asides and anecdotes throughout. It was another great night in Mike's company, a surprisingly punctual set and early finish (due to the Saturday club night straight after) but I can't think of a better way to have ended my gig-going in 2023.

Without wishing to tempt fate, Clan K already have tickets for three gigs in March, July and August 2024, and there's an impressive line-up of artists performing in Gloucestershire, Bath and Bristol from January onwards, so I am hoping to get over the line into double figures this year, whether with family, friends or solo.