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Wednesday 26 August 2009

Tuesday 18 August 2009

David Gray with Neil MacColl plugging new CD - Live mini set


Pretty much as it says really - follow the link for a clip of David Gray singing tracks from his forthcoming CD Draw The Line




Thge new material sounds really quite strong to me - an artist I really like but I know he gets bad press!


Sunday 16 August 2009

Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers - Runnin' Down A Dream Documentary Film

I spent this weekend (well part of it) watching the Tom Petty and The Heartbreakers film / DVD "Runnin' Down A Dream". Four hours of footage including some fantastic behind the scenes footage including band, solo, with Stevie nicks, with the travelling willburys, etc etc some great material. It is a brilliant film and I heartily recommend it to any rock fans - not just Petty fans.

On the music I had honestly forgotten how good some of his material is and his iuntegrity and determination shine through.

The 4 disc set is available at a good price right now.

Here is the trailer:

Nanci Griffith - The Loving Kind




I picked up the new Nanci Griffith album during the week and after a few plays I would say it is pretty good and generally a return to form, I think she seems to have gone back to basics a little bit and has done away with the overwrought and overproduced arrangements which have characterised her work, probably since Late Night Grande Hotel.




In the sleeve notes, Griffith frankly acknowledges: ''During the past few years, I'd lost something in my heart for writing songs'', and harmony vocalist Peter Cooper says he realised part way through the making of The Loving Kind that, ''Nanci Griffith was writing folk songs again''.




The songs are simple and uplifting for the most part and in feel it reminds me a lot of Little Love Affairs.




The track listing is as follows:





1 The Loving Kind
2 Money Changes Everything
3 One of These Days
4 Up Against the Rain
5 Cotton
6 Not Innocent Enough
7 Across America
8 Party Girl
9 Sing
10 Things I Don't Need
11 Still Life
12 Tequila After Midnight
13 Pour Me a Drink
This EPK should give you agreat feel for the album.

Saturday 8 August 2009

David Byrne - Edinburgh Playhouse

Another fantastic gig by David Byrne, after my 10/10 review for his April 2009 gig at Glasgow Royal Concert Hall I am delighted to say this was another absolutely superb performance from a band who know the material inside out and are just so polished and so talented. It was brilliant.....though as I usually find the Edinburgh audience took a really long time to get on their feet and really enjoy the show. The set was, as you would expected for such a heavily choreographed show, very similar to the Glasgow one but a couple of nice changes including Road to Nowhere in the encore. Will post the set list and photos / video clip in the morning!

I cannot locate a definitive set list I am afraid.


Great review here:

http://www.independent.co.uk/incoming/david-byrne-playhouse-edinburgh-1770228.html





Tuesday 4 August 2009

Tutti Frutti - Released At Last

Without doubt one of the best programmes to come out of Scotland the magnificent Tutti Frutti has long last been released on DVD by the BBC. I think there were a load of legal problems around the release being sanctioned but thankfully these have been resolved.

The acting and the script are just wonderful and combines great (Scottish/Glasgow) humours and rock'n'roll, can't get much better!

Basically the BBC description of this show sums it up: "This was a corking comedy-drama featuring dazzling Decalogue and all-round knock-out performances. Robbie Coltrane was particularly outstanding as the rotund but sexy Danny, and Emma Thompson was appealing as the sharp, strong and independent Suzi. Their romance was played out against a background of funny, dramatic and touching scenes depicting a band, well past its best-by date, suddenly finding a new lease of life. Adding to the heady brew was Richard Wilson as the Majestics' hilariously dour manager Eddie (almost a prototype Victor Meldrew), and Katy Murphy as his lippy secretary Janis Toner. A joy."