The Good Reverend's Hymnal - #8 When My Baby's Beside Me - Big Star

'I never travel far, without a little Big Star' as someone once said. I was, however, a little late starting the journey. I remember unsuccessfully trying to buy #1 Record in one of Virgin's early shops in Leeds. Ardent's distribution problems were legendary and I suppose that the chances of any of their records reaching West Yorkshire were slim. The dawn of the CD era saw many labels pushing their back catalogue out in the new format and one of the first CD's I ever bought was the double header of #1 Record and Radio City.

There is little doubt that Big Star worked best during the brief period when Alex Chilton and Chris Bell were in tandem. Radio City (although wonderful) lacks some of its predecessors sense of purpose and, come the recording of Sister Lovers, Alex was away with the fairies. Listening to the three records together is like hearing a band disintegrate in front of your ears.

The song that makes it into the Good Reverend's Hymnal is the glorious 'When My Baby's Beside Me'. This, quite simply, is how bands should sound. Whenever I hear it it makes me feel a whole lot better and that, as they say, will do for me.

MP3: Big Star - When My Baby's Beside Me

We are to whom we listen

This was the phrase that struck whilst reading an editorial by Lenny Kaye. It is often edifying to know what someone else listens to. I certainly make assumptions about people based on their listening habits. But is Lenny right? And if so do we come to define ourselves through music.

I am always perplexed by those stories from people who say ‘that song got me through my teens/divorce/hard time’ etc. How can a song do that? Unless we take a message from it and act upon that message or receive comfort/guidance. And are there really songs that do that? Most of the musicians I’ve met couldn’t think their way out of a paper bag less bring succour to the lonely and forsaken. Yet some writers undoubtedly have the knack of summing up an experience in a simple pithy line and in so doing bring clarity. My current fave being Bright Eyes when he writes ‘What seems so simple by the moonlight by the morning never is’. I can relate to the sentiments yet could never have put things so simply. Bastard.

So here are the last three things I purchased and have listened to endlessly over the last week. Can I divine some sense of self from these disparate songs? Sorry Lenny, I just can’t see it.

MP3 Nancy Elizabeth – I’m Like The Paper

MP3 Swell Maps – Raining In My Room

MP3 The Sea & Cake – Left On

God Knows: Bob Dylan Redefined

No stranger to a Dylan moment Cat Power is captured here on a 1970 recording for the BBC.

At her best Ms Marshall has a way of worming herself insidiously inside a song to draw out it’s dark interior and on paper Oh, Sister possesses all the hallmarks of the kind of song that will bring out this quality. Sadly she fails to ignite sounding laboured and dull rather than careworn.

Things pick up as she segues into Knockin’ on Heaven's Door with its prescient air of doom. Though I would have loved her to have stopped strumming half way through and just let her voice drift into the awaiting void.

The piece has a certain novelty value as it was recorded at Peel Acres, the home of John Peel, and was one of a number of songs that failed to make it onto The Covers Record. Also recorded was the earlier Dylan song Hard Times In New York Town along with a brief rendition of Lynyrd Skynyrd’s Freebird, Oasis’s Wonderwall and the sessions finest moment Mary J Blige’s Deep Inside.

MP3 Cat Power – Oh, Sister/Knockin’ On Heaven’s Door

Review: The Waybacks - Loaded

The Waybacks have been around for a few years now but the release of Loaded on Nashville's Compass Records reveals, for the first time, a pared down, four piece line-up that seeks to offer a tighter focus to their eclectic sounds.

At the band's heart is singer and guitarist James Nash and he, along with newly recruited fiddle virtuoso Warren Hood, has taken on writing responsibility for the new album. Having two independently strong writers within a band can cause problems. On Loaded however, for the most part, it works, not least because of the quality of the playing which is impeccable throughout. Nash's writing tends to be more bluesy and rhythmic whilst Hood's displays a greater melodic strength – perhaps they should get a few beers in, get the guitars out and see what they can come up with together.

The Waybacks have been pigeon-holed in the past as bluegrass revivalists but if Loaded does nothing else it will free them from that erroneous label completely. The band draw upon a wide range of influences from the Hammond tinged Atlantic Soul of the excellent 'Nice To Be Alone' through to the Western Swing of 'Tired Of Being Right' and the sea shantyesque 'Beyond The Northwest Passage'. Perhaps the most extraordinary track on the album is the instrumental 'Black Cat' – a vehicle for Hood's fiddle playing - that takes us on a musical journey that starts on the plains of Texas, transports us through Eastern Europe, allows the Spanish sunshine to settle briefly on our backs, leads us onwards to a Parisian café, places a glass of Ricard on the table, before making a convincing case that Stéphane Grappelli has rosined up his bow once more.

Loaded is not a faultless record – there is a little too much inconsistency in the writing for that – but it is never less than a rewarding and thoroughly enjoyable listen and well worth getting hold of.

MP3: The Waybacks - Savannah

God Knows: Bob Dylan Redefined

From a much lambasted album, The Hollies Sing Dylan, this is perhaps the most reviled track. Which is obviously why I love it so. Always for the underdog us English you know. And very English it is too with Alan Clarke giving a stately performance devoid of any emotion or understanding of the songs themes.

Perhaps we shouldn’t be too harsh as I consider this to be one particular Dylan song that should be left alone. It’s narrative being too wrapped up in his legacy to that point.

Alongside the clueless vocal performance the accompaniment is also wonderfully bizarre with a muscular drum sound being out of step with the playful reed and woodwind interludes. The overall effect sitting somewhere between West Coast psychedelia and the pristine orchestration of 60’s UK pop.

The 1969 album concentrates on Dylan’s more romantic songs and that is where it’s strengths lay. ‘I’ll Be Your Baby Tonight’ being the most effective. The same year saw them have considerable commercial success with ‘Sorry Suzanne’ and ‘He Ain’t Heavy He’s My Brother’ as well as releasing the fine ‘Hollies Sing Hollies’ album. Proving that they really didn’t need the frippery of a whole album devoted to a songwriter whose skin they just couldn’t get under.

MP3 The Hollies – My Back Pages

The Good Reverend's Hymnal - #7 Tear Stained Eye by Son Volt

I saw Uncle Tupelo play live once and was disappointed. Farrar and Tweedy seemed desperate to outdo each other and much of the set was a noisy mess. Not long after they went their separate ways.

For all the melody and rich structure that Tweedy brought to Wilco my heart has always been drawn towards the Son Volt boys. Patchy, inconsistent and, at times far too introspective for their own good they may be. But when they can produce songs like this you can forgive them anything.

Walking down Main Street,
Getting to know the concrete
Looking for a purpose
From a neon sign

Can you deny there's nothing greater...

MP3: Tear Stained Eye - Son Volt

God Knows: Bob Dylan Redefined

It has been a hectic week spent in the captivating city of Glasgow. Hence the lack of posts. But here we are at Friday again so the show must go on.
My favoured Dylan cover that I'd been contemplating only exists in the vaults of a BBC archive. A version of Forever Young performed as an entry in the Choir Of The Year competition some eight years ago. Though it failed to captivate in the way Dylans own version did on the 19th September 2000 when I heard it as if sang for my own children rather than the ageing population surrounding me.

As those archives are out of reach we shall contemplate Neko Case. A singer much favoured in the Reverends household whose melodic but unexeptional version of Buckets Of Rain passes the time quite pleasantly. The song always seemed to me to sit rather oddly at the end of Blood On The Tracks. It's upbeat mood, despite its blues signature, had me perplexed after the vitriol that preceded it. As if to say 'right, I've got that of my chest now lets get on with being friends again'.
The fact that Dylan has seldom performed it only adds to the mystique surrounding what is at heart a simple but heartfelt song. Leaving me wondering if he regretted including it at all on his masterpiece.

I much prefer Bette Midler's odd but far more engaging version yet have chosen to overlook it as the author intrudes and somewhat spoils the theme of these reflections.

MP3 Neko Case – Buckets Of Rain