Gems | #4 | 06/10/2023
The weekly hidden - some in plain site - ‘Gems’ playlist/album.
Also available on Apple Music.
Welcome to ‘Gems’, a Friday playlist, roughly the length of a vinyl album, featuring rock(ish) tracks I’m enjoying at the moment. These may be new, or they may go back years. One of the tracks will usually be from the album or artist I’ll be writing about in the next dive into an album, which goes out every Monday evening.
On Monday I’ll be writing about Pink Floyd’s ‘The Dark Side of the Moon’, (link is to the Floyd’s own 40 track playlist) and ‘Time’ is included here. Not a hidden rock gem, clearly, but there’s so much activity around ‘Dark Side’ at the moment, now seems as good a time as any to think about the album. Of course, Roger Water’s ‘Redux’ version is out today - I’ll include some initial thoughts about this unusual release too.
Each ‘Gems’ playlist includes Track Notes (below), giving the source, release dates, and some brief thoughts.
‘Gems’. Albums not algorithms. Created on Spotify and never by Spotify.
Side 1
Major Parkinson - ‘Take the Prescription’ (feat. Peri Winkle) (single, out now)
https://majorparkinson.bandcamp.com
Norwegian band Major Parkinson returns with a new single. This borders on being catchy (Apple Music has classified the genre as ‘Britpop’, which isn’t … er … quite right). The band has hopped across genres in their previous work, and details are scant regarding their new material so far - is this single representative? The link is to their Bandcamp page because the official website just informs us “Something is happening. Check in later!” and shows a countdown at zero. Anyway, this is an entertaining, earwormy listen.
Fred Abbott & The Wild Unknown - ‘Deep Down‘ (from ‘Shining Under the Soot’, out now)
https://www.fredabbott.com/about/
The guitarist from Noah and the Whale has a new album. This track is a fine slice of rock, driven by pounding drums and chunky guitars. “Deep down you know there’s nothing but right now” is a fine way of approaching music (even if he’s reaching for something deeper). Abbott is now a producer and session musician, as well as making his own music.
Wilco - ‘Infinite Surprise‘ (from ‘Cousin’, out now)
Wilco frontman
writes regularly here on Substack. He’s now published three books (well, he will have done when his latest ‘World Within a Song’ is out on 7th November). Musically, this builds slowly in intensity, with an increasingly insistent guitar under a melodic vocal; a real grower.CMAT - ‘Whatever’s Inconvenient‘ (from ‘Crazy Mad, For Me, out 13/10/2023)
CMAT is Ciara Mary-Alice Thompson, an Irish country/pop singer-songwriter with both a sense of humour and fragile vulnerability. Reminds me a little of the brilliant Aimee Mann in the verse, and strings are used well to swell the chorus. This is from CMAT’s second album, and I’m really looking forward to hearing the entire record.
Side 2
Pink Floyd - ‘Time (2011 remastered version‘ (from … now let me think … oh yes, ‘The Dark Side of the Moon’, out since 1973 in one version or another)
https://www.pinkfloyd.com/tdsotm50/
It’s hard to select one track from ‘TDSOTM’, and you’re probably only too well aware of the album (for better or worse). As I said in the intro, I’ll be writing about the album and how it’s fitted into my life on Monday - for now, listen with fresh ears to the power of the song and, especially, David Gilmour’s mighty, iconic, guitar solo.
Kathryn Tickell & The Darkening - ‘High Way to Hermitage‘ (from ‘Cloud Horizons’, out now)
https://www.kathryntickell.com/
Kathryn Tickell has been responsible for traditional folk playing finding its way into a contemporary rock setting, including collaborations with Sting and the Penguin Cafe Orchestra. This track from her latest album is lively in its own right, and sets us up nicely for the Afro Celt track that follows.
Afro Celt Sound System - ‘When You’re Falling‘ (from ‘Vol 3: Further in Time’, 2001)
https://afroceltsoundsystem.com/
The Afro Celts are a remarkable concept. I first saw them live as a new band at WOMAD. They’re signed to Peter Gabriel’s Real World label, and play a blend of ‘celtic world folk rock’ that, at its best, is hypnotic, danceable, and deeply moving. Gabriel is a guest on lead vocals here. Included partly as a tribute to the band’s leader, Simon Emmerson, who died recently. I’ve a feeling he’s one of those artists whose contribution will grow to greater recognition posthumously. This is a good, catchy, pop song; not necessarily typical of the ACSS project, but might just be your way in if you need one.
Grace Potter - ‘Good Time’) (from ‘Mother Road, out now)
A joyful slice of bluesy rock, resulting from a post-pandemic road trip across the US undertaken to restore Potter’s mental health after trauma. And yet here she is with a track - I’m yet to explore the full album - guaranteed to bring a smile to your face if this genre is in any way your soul food.
What music are you currently enjoying that you would like to share more widely?
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Bonus video
'Always' is the first single from the remastered and expanded first solo album 'Wild River' by the late David Longdon. Video by Steve Cadman. Album is released on 20/10 2023
Lots of great stuff in that playlist, Ian! I never heard of a couple of your picks! I love Major Parkinson and can't believe I hadn't heard them before, considering their pedigree! What a fantastic song - it's got elements of art rock, pop, prog and even some whistling!
Fred Abbott and The Wild Unknown are also 'unknown' to me. Though their sound is super familiar -- very 80's Americana/stadium rock; a bit John Cougar Mellencamp, a little of the more upbeat Bryan Adams stuff. I mean that as a compliment! His song, "What Kind of Trouble," sounds like it was an outtake from the "Footloose" soundtrack.
I also didn't know CMAT. Really love this, too. I wonder if she knows her initials match the acronym for the Common Management Admission Test. Very lush and gorgeous melodies. Also has an '80s vibe.
The rest I am familiar with, except for Kathryn Tickell. However, I hadn't heard the songs by Afro Celt Sound System or Grace Potter. Peter Gabriel's voice sounds amazing here; then I realized this was from 2001. Not that his voice still isn't solid, but it's not as nimble as it is in this song. Funnily enough, I worked as a videographer at the WOMAD festival in 2000, though I'm not sure if ACSS played the shows I was at.
Looking forward to reading what you have to add to the canon of verbiage on DSOTM! I tried to come up with a new take on that album by writing a false history of the making of it a few months ago...
https://earworm.substack.com/p/pink-floyd-breathe-in-the-air