Corinne Bailey Rae

Hugely acclaimed soul-jazz singer Corinne Bailey Rae has spoken about her emotional new album ‘The Sea’.

Emerging from the jazz clubs of Leeds, Corinne Bailey Rae’s smoky voice and seemingly effortless songwriting skills catapulted her to fame. Her self-titled debut album rocketed to number one in 2006, hailed by critics as the emergence of a powerful new voice in British music.

Married to horn player Jason Rae, the pair seemed a perfect partnership. However the saxophone player lost his life in a tragic accident, overdosing on drugs after a night out with friends.

Retreating from the limelight, Corinne Bailey Rae was finally able to focus on her music earlier this year after a lengthy break. Titled ‘The Sea’ the singer’s second album is a dark, emotional affair clearly influenced by the grief she felt after the sudden death of her husband.

“The record is a personal and intense journey, but hopefully it’s a beautiful record as well,” she told 6 Music. “We’ve worked a lot with string players and using different textures. I think it’s different to anything I’ve ever written.”

On her debut album Corinne Bailey Rae used a variety of different writing partners. However on ‘The Sea’ the singer has worked alone, channelling her feelings into her music.

“I felt it came really naturally, I wasn’t trying to write, but songs just came. It’s not without light but it is a heavier record, and more intense. It’s got more layers and orchestration.”

Corinne Bailey Rae is set to release her new album ‘The Sea’ on February 1st.

Source www.clashmusic.com

Here is her stunning recent performance, on Later…With Jools, of the lead single from the album

“Put Your Records On” – Corinne Bailey Rae

Happy St Andrew’s Day

St Andrew’s Day trails behind Burns Night and Hogmanay in the Scots social calander and does not have the same appeal as say St Patricks Day does for the Irish.

St. Andrew’s Day is the feast day of Saint Andrew. It is celebrated on 30 November.

Saint Andrew is the patron saint of Scotland, and St. Andrew’s Day is Scotland’s official national day . In 2006, the Scottish Parliament designated St. Andrew’s Day as an official bank holiday. Although most commonly associated with Scotland, Saint Andrew is also the patron saint of Greece, Romania, and Russia^.

In Germany, the feast day is celebrated as Andreasnacht (“St. Andrew’s Night“), in Austria with the custom of Andreasgebet (“St. Andrew’s Prayer“), and in Poland as Andrzejki (“Andrews”).

 

“Caledonia” – Dougie MacLean

I dont know if you can see, the changes that have come over me
In these last few days, ive been afraid that i might drift away
And ive been tellin old stories, singing songs
That made me think about where i came from
Thats the reason why i seem so far away today.

CHORUS

But let me tell you that I love you
And I think about you all the time
Caledonia your callin me and now I’m goin’ home
But if I should become a stranger
You know that it would make me more than sad
Caledonia’s been everything I’ve ever had.

Well I have moved on, kept on moving
Proved the points that I needed prooving
Lost the friends that I needed loosing
Found others on the way
I have kissed the ladies and left them crying
Stolen dreams yes theres no denying
I have travelled hard with coat-tails flying
Somewhere with the wind

REPEAT CHORUS

Now I’m sitting here, before the fire
The empty room the forest choir
The flames that couldn’t get any higher
But they’ve withered now they’ve gone
But I’m steady thinking my way is clear,
And I know what I will do tomorrow
When the hands have shaken and the kisses flown I will dissapear.

REPEAT CHORUS

Dougie MacLean

 

New Music – Lisa Mitchell

Lisa Helen Mitchell (born 22 March 1990 in Canterbury, England), is now known as an Australian singer-songwriter, who grew up in Albury, New South Wales.

Her debut EP, Said One To The Other topped iTunes in Australia and its success brought her to the attention boutique London based publisher, Little Victories a subsidiary of Sony/ATV, with whom she signed in 2007. Subsequently, Mitchell relocated to the UK for much of 2008 where she spent the summer working on songs for her debut studio album, Wonder which was released in July 2009.

“Neopolitan Dreams” – Lisa Mitchell

To buy the music of Lisa Mitchell click HERE

The Whip

Caught this while channel hopping last night.

The Whip are a band whose founding members come from Oldham, Greater Manchester, UK formed in 2006. The band’s debut album, X Marks Destination, produced by Jim Abbiss, was released on Southern Fried Records on March 24, 2008.

“Save My Soul” – The Whip

To buy the music of The Whip click HERE

Queen Back In ’75

 

 

Last night BBC2 showed the classic Old Grey Whistle Test Hammersmith Odeon Queen concert from 24th December 1975, I was transported back in time to guitars amd microphones with leads and the memories of watching this on my black & white portable in my bedroom in the days way before video recording was possible.

The Christmas Eve concert was essential viewing as it was one of the rare opportunnities to see concerts on the box.

Santa was good to me that year delivering the at the time all conquering “Night At The Opera”

and what to this day remains my all time favourite album The Who’s  ”Quadrophenia”

 

So sit back and enjoy Queen

One More Chance

Greenock Morton 0 Dumbarton 0

 

“One More Chance” – Candie Payne

 

To buy the music of Candie Payne click HERE

Superbowl Wizard

 

Finally it is official after weeks of speculation The Who will in February provide the half time entertainment for the Super Bowl.

The Who will perform in the BRIDGESTONE SUPER BOWL XLIV HALFTIME SHOW on CBS Sports at Dolphin Stadium in South Florida on Sunday, February 7, the NFL announced today during halftime of the Oakland Raiders at Dallas Cowboys game on CBS.

The Bridgestone Super Bowl halftime show is one of the most anticipated musical events of the year. More than 151 million viewers in the U.S. watched last year’s show.  The Super Bowl and halftime show will be broadcast worldwide in more than 230 countries and territories. 

The Who join an esteemed list of recent halftime acts that includes Bruce Springsteen & The E Street Band, Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers, Prince, the Rolling Stones, and Paul McCartney.

Few bands have had a more lasting impact on the rock era and the reverberating pop culture than The Who .  Emerging in the mid-1960s as a new and incendiary force in rock n’ roll, their brash style and poignant storytelling garnered them one of music’s most passionate followings, with the legendary foursome blazing a searing new template for rock, punk, and everything after.  Inducted into the Rock n’ Roll Hall Of Fame in 1990, the band has sold more than 100 million records worldwide, placing 27 top-forty singles in the United States and United Kingdom and earning 17 Top Ten albums, including the 1969 groundbreaking rock opera Tommy, 1971′s pummeling Live At Leeds, 1973′s Quadrophenia, 1978′s Who Are You, and their most recently acclaimed Endless Wire, their first full length album of new material in nearly two decades.  Last year they became the first rock band ever to be awarded the prestigious Kennedy Center Honors.

Singer ROGER DALTREY, guitarist and songwriter PETE TOWNSHEND, The Who’s two remaining original members, are once again being hailed as rock standard bearers.  Daltrey and Townshend debuted in 1964 with a trio of anthems–“I Can’t Explain,” “The Kids Are Alright” and “My Generation.” Since then they have delivered to the world hits such as “Baba O’Riley,” “Won’t Get Fooled Again,”  “Pinball Wizard,” Who Are You,” and,” You Better You Bet.” Unprecedented demand for their sold out trek across the globe, which began in 2007 and blazed up until the first half of 2009, reaffirmed their reputation as rock’s most influential and robust performing artists.  

This year marks the third time the Bridgestone brand has sponsored the Super Bowl halftime show. 

The BRIDGESTONE SUPER BOWL XLIV HALFTIME SHOW is an NFL NETWORK PRODUCTION and will be executive produced by RICKY KIRSHNER and directed by HAMISH HAMILTON.

From www.thewho.com

 

Friday Fun (Part 2)

“Under Pressure” – Keane

 

To buy the music of Keane click HERE

Friday Fun

Seen It, Done It, Bought The T-Shirt!!

“Mad John” – The Small Faces

 

To buy the music of The Small Faces click HERE

Ogdens’ Nut Gone Flake was a successful concept album by the British rock band Small Faces. Released on 24 May 1968 the LP became a number one hit in the UK Album Charts on 29 June where it remained for a total of six weeks.

The A-side is a mix of early heavy rock with “Song of a Baker”; psychedelic cockney knees-up songs “Lazy Sunday” and “Rene”; and the soul influenced ballad “Afterglow (Of Your Love)“.

The B-side is based on an original fairy tale about a boy called Happiness Stan, narrated in his unique ‘Unwinese’ gobbledegook by Stanley Unwin, who picked up modern slang from the band and incorporated it into the surreal narrative.

The album was featured in the book “1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die”

The title and the design of the distinctive packaging was a parody of Ogdens’ Nut-brown Flake, a brand of tobacco which was produced in Liverpool from 1899

Happy Thanksgiving Day

A Happy Thanksgiving to all my US visitors who regularly drop in to this site.

“Cold Turkey” – John Lennon (Plastic Ono Band)

To buy the music of John Lennon click HERE