Gems playlist 1
Every week, an LP-length playlist of tracks interesting to me just now, complete with notes.
‘Gems’ is a weekly playlist, the length of a good old-fashioned vinyl album, featuring rock 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 I’ll be writing about in the next Monday ‘LP’ post.
Each playlist arrives with notes, indicating why I think you should give the track an opportunity to refresh your ears if you haven’t already.
Although you won’t hear it this way (there won’t be vinyl edition of these ‘albums’, clearly) I’ve split the listing into Sides 1 & 2 and sequenced the tracks as I would if this was a physical product.
‘Gems’. Albums not algorithms. Created on Spotify and never by spotify.
Side 1
Downes Braide Association - Look What You Do (from ‘Celestial Songs’, out now)
The Downes Braide Association specialise in ‘melodic prog’. This track from their new, fifth, album exemplifies their approach and the spoken word introduction is almost an accidental manifesto for ‘Gems’: “Sing out a celebration of Celestial Song” - followed by a gorgeous guitar solo. DBA are Geoff Downes of Buggles, Yes, and Asia fame; and singer-songwriter Chris Braide.
Thea Gilmour - Nice Normal Woman (from ‘Thea Gilmour’ released 06/10/23)
This is not typical Thea Gilmour, if anything she does is ever ‘typical’. She’s covered an entire Dylan album (‘John Wesley Harding’) and recorded posthumous ‘duets’ with Sandy Denny, as well as many albums of original songs. If this glimpse of the new album tells us anything, it's that there will be nothing nice and normal about it. There’s so much going on here - an almost rapped vocal, cut-up sounds, the nice normal chime of a musical box, over an almost dance-mix backing.
Public Service Broadcasting - A Candle Which Will Not Be Put Out (from ‘This New Noise Live’, out now)
Originally played live with an orchestra as a BBC Prom in 2022, the whole album is a celebration of the history and importance of the perennially under threat British Broadcasting Corporation. Public Service Broadcasting are masters at cutting found, documentary-style spoken work clips into complex, usually instrumental electronic/symphonic music.
The Who - Goin’ Mobile (from ‘Who’s Next | Life House’ released today)
According to Spotify, this is the least streamed track from ‘Who’s Next’. I’ll have more to say about this on Monday - what other album could I write about in the week when one of my favourite bands releases a massive boxed set of their key project, with the classic album representing only the tip of the iceberg. In my early days of getting into The Who this was the first of their albums I bought (well, Meaty Beaty Big & Bouncy was the very first, but that’s a compilation) and this, slightly less complex track than some on there, connected immediately. This is the 2022 remix by Steven Wilson (see track 7).
Side 2
The Rolling Stones - Angry (from ‘Hackney Diamonds’ released 20/10/2023)
When I decided to start compiling these playlists I was reluctant to include bands like the Stones and the ‘Oo. I thought it would be better to boost lesser-known releases, and there will be an element of that. But. The Stones are back, sounding great, rocking, and thoroughly enjoyable. That’s why we love rock music, isn’t it?
Cat Power - She Belongs to Me (from ‘Sings Dylan’ released 10/11/23)
Earlier I wrote about Thea Gilmour covering a Bob Dylan album. Here’s Cat Power with the opening track from her cover of a Dylan show - the 1966 Royal Albert Hall concert. Is there a point? Hearing the full release will answer that, and this cover is a good beginning.
Steven Wilson & Ninet Tayeb - Rock Bottom (from ‘The Harmony Codex’, released 29/09/23)
‘The Harmony Codex’ is described by Wilson as “a beautiful and experimental 65 minute labyrinth of a record, with almost every one of its 10 tracks taking a different musical approach. I really hope you will all get to hear the album as intended - a continuous musical journey, or a piece of 'cinema for the ears'.” Well, we can’t do that for a couple of weeks, so here’s the current ‘single’ featuring David Gilmour-style guitar and enhanced by the presence of Ninet Tayeb, who also wrote the lyrics. Wilson is an expert remaster/remix producer and has created many spatial audio mixes for those with the necessary technology. More about ‘The Harmony Codex’ in a future Monday ‘LP’ post (I’ll be listening to the standard stereo mix).
Djabe & Steve Hackett - Carpet Crawlers (single, out now)
You’re probably familiar with the song - it was a live staple for Genesis, and one of the best-known tracks on ‘The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway’. You’re probably familiar with Steve Hackett, ex-Genesis guitarist and with a successful solo career. You might not have met Djabe before. They describe themselves as “the number 1 jazz/world fusion band in Hungary.” The band have collaborated with Hackett from time-to-time over the past few years, and currently have a new live album that omits this and does include other Genesis covers. This version is less proggy and more songy than the Gabriel-sung original.
Did you enjoy this playlist? What did you make of the tracks? I’d love to read your comments!
Thanks for your comment Nigel. I wasn’t sure about offering playlists (as someone who writes about the sanctity of the album) so I appreciate your taking the time to post.
I’m writing about ‘Who’s Next’ tomorrow. It’s just about my favourite Who album too.
I do think around 40 mins is right for an LP, but by all accounts the Steven Wilson album is rather good, so we’ll see. He’s mentioned the next record could be an entire album with Ninet - so yes, take my money Steven 😊
Great playlist and idea, I wish I had thought of it haha