This week’s album-length playlist with artists including Pattern Seeking Animals, Peter Gabriel, The Rolling Stones and Carla Bley
This is the ‘Gems’ playlist #6, curated by Ian Sharp of ‘LP’
Welcome to ‘Gems’, the Friday playlist, roughly the length of a vinyl album, featuring 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.
Each ‘Gems’ playlist includes Track Notes (below), giving the source, release dates, and a little background into the song or artist.
‘Gems’. Albums, not algorithms. Created on Spotify and never by Spotify.
Note: some of the artists on the playlist are on Bandcamp. If you enjoy any of these tunes, I suggest you check out each band’s Bandcamp page and purchase their music if you are able. Bandcamp is much friendlier to musicians than Spotify. As Bandcamp now seems to be under threat, at least in its current form, (change of ownership, 50% of staff being made redundant) it’s more important than ever to support Bandcamp artists.1
Side 1 (18 mins)
Pattern Seeking Animals - ‘Underneath the Orphan Moon’ (from ‘Spooky Action at a Distance’, out 27/10/23)
Pattern-Seeking Animals is John Boegehold (keyboards and production), Ted Leonard (lead vocals and guitar), bassist Dave Meros, and Jimmy Keegan (drums), members of Spock’s Beard. So, a prog band? Probably, and trying something different here, as “Underneath the Orphan Moon” is a ballad dealing with a teenage girl leaving a bad situation, and has traces of Elton John. This works for me.
Candidate - ‘Mercy Seat’ (single, out now)
https://www.candidatesite.co.uk/
According to their bio, Candidate is an accessible cult band who can be compared to The Beta Band, The Go Betweens, Julian Cope, CSNY, XTC and REM. This is a memorable single, with an album ’Point Clear’ to follow.
David Holmes ft. Raven Violet - ‘Necessary Genius’ (from ‘Blind on a Galloping Horse’, out 10/11/23)
https://heavenlyrecordings.com/artist/david-holmes/
David Holmes is a Belfast-born DJ & producer. He’s made his own albums and produced and remixed the likes of Noel Gallagher, Primal Scream, Orbital, and Jarvis Cocker. Notably, he was working with Sinead O’Connor on a new album when she left us - Sinead receives a call out right at the end of this infectious, joyful song sounding like a cross between The Human League and The Colourfield.
Peter Gabriel - ‘Love Can Heal (Dark-Side mix’) (from ‘i/o’, out 01/12/23)
Finally, the ‘i/o’ project nears a full release, with all twelve tracks gathered together on various formats in their Bright-Side/Dark-Side and In-Side Dolby Atmos mixes. All of which is an excuse to revisit the project here in ‘Gems’; and we need the message of ‘Love Can Heal’ even more now than when Gabriel first wrote it.
Side 2 (21 mins)
The Rolling Stones ft. Lady Gaga - ‘Sweet Sound of Heaven’ (from ‘Hackney Diamonds’, out now)
‘Hackney Diamonds’ is released today, so here’s the brilliant second single with Lady Gaga challenging Mick Jagger to be at his very best on this gospel-tinged slice of brilliance. So far I’m only on my first listen of the full album - more to say on Monday - but as well as classic Stones riffing what strikes me is the sound of the album. The Stones seem to be back. Again.
The Very Big Carla Bley Band - ‘Who Will Rescue You?’ (from ‘The Very Big Carla Bley Band’, 1991)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carla_Bley
Tragically, sometimes an artist needs to pass on before they can claim the attention they deserve, at least from me. In my defence, “so much music, so little time” is becoming a mantra. Sadly, Carla Bley left us a couple of days ago; I was aware of her existence, because occasionally the music mags I read would leave their usual genres and print a review or an appreciation of someone ‘jazzy’ like Bley. As I was wondering where to begin, a friend posted images of a couple of Bley albums he was listening to as, really, a mark of respect. Big bands have always moved me so a very big band seemed right. Wow. Powerful, of course, tuneful, and almost something Genesis could have done (with a different arrangement, of course).
The Guardian has a good obituary today.
And then …
Nick Mason’s Fictitious Sports - ‘I Was Wrong’ (from ‘Nick Mason’s Fictitious Sports’, 1981)
https://thesaucerfuloflosecrets.com/
(link is to Mason’s current early Pink Floyd project)
As I noted in my Pink Floyd piece, I’m reading Nick Mason’s book. I thought one of his solo albums would make a good soundtrack, so I opened the ‘Fictitious Sports’ album and discovered the songs were written by … Carla Bley. Even better, vocals are provided by Robert Wyatt. I probably should have known this, but one of the great aspects of this ‘LP’ project is Iearning and discovering so much.
Phil Manzanera & Andy Mackay - ‘Blue Skies’ (from ‘AM.PM’, out now)
Finally, here are two of Roxy Music with the opening track of their new album, selected to keep the mood after this week’s side two explored different and exciting waters for ‘Gems’.
A reminder that I’m compiling a Christmas playlist - a ‘double album’ of songs about Christmas or with a Christmas feel. Songs that don’t often feature on the radio, or appear on ‘Now That’s What I Call Christmas’ and the like. It would be great to hear from you - what is your buried treasure track, from any genre? I'll let you know if your song makes the album.
Some great suggestions already - thank you - and some discoveries of my own, so it’s shaping up nicely. Too soon? Well, we’re another week closer!
Bonus Track
Here’s Tiger Moth Tales with a beautiful, moving tribute to David Longdon.
David’s first solo album ‘Wild River’ is released today.
See you on Monday,
Ian
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The Bandcamp embed code doesn’t appear to be working on Substack just now, but the band’s websites will lead you there.
Thanks for recommending The Bus - I really appreciate it!
Brilliant playlist. I'll definitely be looking out for this weekly treat! Thanks for the effort and love you put into this.