The Soulsavers Soundsystem

When you spend a long time living in the middle of nowhere without your girlfriend around, a young man can end up spending far more time than is healthy on the internet looking for records. Quite often this endless trawl through ends up dredging up yet another slightly crap indie band who've spent too long listening to Babyshambles and adjusting their Trilby.

Every once in a while though you come across a stone cold work of genius that makes you get all giddy and behave like a schoolgirl. The Soulsavers are two dj/producers, from down south somewhere who peddle a sort of slightly-more-sinister Zero7 style pap and i would advise you NOT to check out there album proper as it is sonic drivel.

HOWEVER..

One of the said duo is a serious collector of old soul and funk 7"'s, and he's done us the honour of mixing them together to show off his 'skills' and get some recognition, much like the kleptones did with the awesome A Night at the Hip-Hopera. Whilst the mixing is not technically stunning the selection of tracks certainly is. Track after track of undiscovered classics you can't believe you've never heard, yet possessing the easy familiarity of genius.

Staring at the Radio, Staying Up all Night pt.1
Staring at the Radio, Staying Up all Night pt.2

I'm going to go out on a limb and say it's even better than David Holmes' 'Come Get It, I Got It' mix that dominated about a year of my life such was it's towering brilliance. Staring at the Radio.. goes one better by keeping it's pop sensibilities and not drifting into wilful obscurity. And it has better drumming.

I think you can still pick it up at Picadilly Records. Check their website.

The Elvis Perkins Album

I was going to pretend like my copy of this had only just arrived and make out like i was hot off the presses but i've had it about a month. At first i was delirious with excitement at the prospect but now the sugar rush has worn off i'm not too sure about it. It seems a touch over-produced compared to the slightly more raw solo live stuff i'd heard (check 'Days of Yore'). The album version of 'While you Were sleeping', for example, has some lacksidaisical drumming sprawling over the top of it. Gone is the stream-of-conscious heartbreak and instead i nearly wound up asleep, dribbling on myself. Some of the songs sound a little too twee, whilst others are so untroubled by urgency i end up switching off and worrying about Sparky's secret army
, and the death knell they could spell for organised society.

May Day - Elvis Perkins
It's Only Me - Elvis Perkins

It doesn't even have my current favourite 'How's Forever Been Baby?' on it.

Tomorrow Radiomoog is going to bless you with a VERY special post, containing over two hours of music, that'll leave you slumped in a corner mumbled about 'magic horsies' or something.

Congresswoman Malinda Jackson Parker

We've had some communists before on Radiomoog but never a bonafide member of Government. While it would have been nice* to get some tracks of our own Premier Tony Blair 'riffing' and 'jamming' on his fender, those licks are just too freaking hot for us without oven gloves (or at least a doubled over tea-towel!). Instead we've got Congresswoman Malinda Parker from the proud nation of Liberia to tell us which way the wind blows round her way.

No Bananas - Malinda Parker
Bush Cow Milk - Malinda Parker

It seems that the wind in Liberia has conjured up a deranged Nina Simone who mauls folk songs and tackles societal concerns by half-singing, half narrating modern parables whilst banging on a grand piano.

* by nice i mean shit.

Bogart

Much like Lear raging at the night, so has editor-in-chief Laws been directing his furor at your humble denizen Ellis over his lack of input to RadioMoog these days past. Rudely awaken from my self imposed slumbering exile, like Hemingway drinking away the days in Key West, I am bourn to compose a enumeration of reasons why I have been unable to post. However they may appear spurious and generally lacking of a certain raison d’etre so I shall discard them like so many shards of broken dreams that line the streets of the very town where today’s movies take place. Sit back, pour yourself a scotch and prepare for the much vaunted return of your humble compare, complete with twin review of Bogart vehicles “The Maltese Falcon”, and “The Big Sleep”. My my, that was a sentence of Marxian length but there just didn’t seem a place to drop in a full stop did there?

Being that Bogie is oft favourably recalled as the onscreen personification of Chandler’s rough and ready Heathcliffe-esqe anti-hero Phillip Marlowe it seems curious that his big break came playing Sam Spade. Of course Spade, the smoother talking and dressing private dick was created by Chandler’s rival and peer Dashiell Hammett. Much like Faulkner and Fitzgerald the two authors’s created similar chimerical stories in similar worlds but at different ends of the class structure.

In ‘The Maltese Falcon’ we find Spade immersed in the fantastical pursuit of an object created by ‘The Knights Templar’. A solid gold, jewel encrusted falcon statuette given as a gift to the King of Spain as payment for the island of Malta. In contrast, Chandler’s most famous story (‘The Big Sleep’) finds Marlowe searching for missing girls in the dark underground of Los Angeles, seemingly at ease in a world awash with corruption and taciturn sycophancy.

I manifested copious delectation from both films. They speak to me of a time when earning a buck came second to earning an honest buck. Marlowe and Spade are Bogart and Bogart is man. Take an amalgamation of all his characters, and you have a rough and ready no-nonsense gentleman who has no price. Throughout all his characters a sense of honour underpins his vices. Sure he like scotch too much and treats the cops with disdain but with good reason. He gets the job done and he doesn’t give a fuck what you think about it.

Cinema has been infinitely poorer ever since his type of hero was discarded and replaced by the vague, splenetic, self-indulgent, preening pretty boys that litter our screens today. When did it become heroic to discard honour and nobility and replace them with shiny cars and witless banter? Movies died with Bogie. Throat cancer got him. He knew he had it. Did he stop smoking? Of course not. And he still had Lauren Bacall to take care of him and Sinatra to hold his ashtray.

Here’s looking at you kid.

Ys

Some of the more devoted readers of Radiomoog may remember i fired off a missive a while ago about the elfin freak folk queen that is Joanna Newsom, and her sweet as album 'The Milk-Eyed Mender', which was a shoe-in for my favourite album of 2005. You can only imagine the excitement when a copy of her latest effort 'Ys' arrived at RadioMoogs bunker headquarters.. Sparky even put away his poppers and gimp mask to mark the event. Something he neglected to do even for Remembrance Sunday. As we settled down to listen we found that much like the none-hated-more-than Radiohead she'd done something a little different, except this record was good not shit, and didn't sound like an empyhsemic beggar crying at the bottom of a lift shaft.

What it does sound like is a glorious whirling marionette of allegory and metaphor, stuffed to overflowing with line after line of densely vivid imagery that barely hangs together as a song in the traditional sense. There are only five songs and each is around ten minutes with no discernible verses or choruses. Some might have a problem with the slightly arcane language that'll pop in places, more likely you'll hate her voice. Whilst not as swooping as on 'Milk-Eyed Mender' it still whoops and punches out lyrics and you just can't help feeling the whole thing is an affectation, and once you start feeling that, you're a step away from levelling accusations of fraud and preciousness at her.

If you persevere however her distinctive style burrows right into your head and makes other female vocalists seem flat and dull by comparison. It does take some getting used to, and it might not be a bad idea to get her first album, which seems like Daphne & Celeste compared to this, what with it's rhyming couplets and choruses and stuff. Check 'Days of Yore' for a sample.


What makes each track unutterably brilliant is the fact she uses the same depth to describe a cloud, as she does to being afraid, as though she's hurtling along trying to at once cram everything in and spit it back out again in case it takes up space for something round the corner. We at Radiomoog have stuck at the top of the Album of the Year pile, where it'll probably stay short of the Two Gallants releasing a new opus.

Right, after that i need a cup of tea.

The Speciality Sessions

I'll admit trying to find a picture of Little Richard where he looks halfway normal is a task worthy of Hercules, but i figured if you can rock out like this, then you can get some slack from the mere mortals at Radiomoog. These here tracks are from the Specialty Sessions recorded between '55 and '57 (when Richard packed off to bible college) and reprensent the unimpeachable high point of early rock'n'roll. Semi-screamed electric vocals and virtuoso playing from his two sax men, coupled with the furious piano and drum work ensure that half a century after they were laid down you STILL have to move when you hear them at volume.

Good Golly Miss Molly (fast Version)
Hey Hey Hey (Goin' Back to Birmingham)
Long Tall Sally

If there's anyone left in the world who doubts the importance of Rock'n'Roll this is for you.

Jay Kay - Gets Headbutted

Radiomoog is 100 today and i thought i'd dish out a little treat. A while back i was trying to explain to a Canadian what a headbutt was, describing how to get the perfect arc etc. Then Look! I came across everyones favourite ass clown taking it straight in the face.

Casino Royale

No, not the Peter Sellers as James Bond and Woody Allen as Jimmy Bond classic/debacle you all know and love, but rather the new Daniel Craig vehicle. By the way did you realise there was a new actor playing James Bond this time? And not only that but he has blonde hair! James Blonde! Holy bastard, what will become of British cinemas most iconic icon if he has blonde hair?? Sweet Jesus some people need to shut the fuck up and revaluate the life path that got them into journalism. Monosyllabic morons of Great Britain, James Bond is not a real person, he is not based on a true story, it does not at all matter who plays him. Provided it is not an American. OBVIOUSLY.
Right the film. Yeah it's ok for maybe half of it. Then after the car crash bit it all goes a bit well, gay. I don't want to watch Bond going out on dates and generally having a girlfriend. I don't care about Q not being in it though. Anyone who thinks John Cleese is funny and brings anything to a movie for about thirty years needs to be taken to Sparky's room of pain for the weekend. Also, another gripe I have is the ridiculously long poker sequence. It felt like I was watching some sort of 999-reinactment of the Gibson cowboy movie Maverick, just not as good. I'm pretty sure we can all guess that it will be Bond not the sneering terrorist supervillain who wins in the end so can we just get this bit the fuck over with and get back to him shooting people and nailing hot chicks? Oh no that's right he doesn't do stuff like this point because he's a sensitive thug or some nonsense.
Why is it that a prequel always sounds like a brilliant idea, but every single time they suck more balls than Andrew after two Pina Colades at the Notting Hill Carnival? I don't know but it's true. The chase at the beginning is good though. Aside from that it kind of made me yearn for a bit of Roger Moore, eyebrow and all. Shouldn't a Bond film be, well, fun? This is not fun. Orson Welles as Le Chiffre. Now that's fun.

Slum Goddess

No, not what all the cats down Soho are calling your Ma, what with her thigh high boots and no teeth, but in fact the title of a song from the 1965 debut of The Fugs; 'The Fugs First Album'. They formed from the same Greenwich coffee shop scene that spawned Dylan and a thousand other worthy protestors, except they mostly sang about partying and breasts. Unsurprisingly, when they coupled this with playing almost exclusively at vietnam protest rallys, middle America hardly took them to their hearts.

The Fugs - Slum Goddess
The Fugs - Carpe Diem
The Fugs - I Couldn't Get High

I've got the first album, which is a deliciously ramshackle effort that makes the Velvet underground look like Phil Spector.

On a Ragga Tip

Now we're back! From Outer Space! You just walked in to find us here with this sad look upon our face(s). Whatever. Are we a plural or a singular? Humdehum dehum.

Radiomoog is back after nearly a month long layoff enforced upon us because the ass-clowns that run EZArchive decided to 'upgrade the EZarchive experience'. Except they didn't tell us. So all the files that Radiomoog had diligently uploaded for your listening and visual pleasure were gone. Whilst this made some members of staff quite angry, others were quite happy to grab the opportunity for some much needed R&R.

However it's not fair to say that we've spent our entire break plotting murder or hanging out in dodgy nightclubs (although in Sparky's case it is.) For instance we noticed that XL Recordings is in the process of re-releasing EP versions of classic rave tracks replete with all the known remixes of said track, providing an excellent excuse to post the original version of SL2's On a Ragga Tip which tore up the top ten back in 1992 when people actually gave a shit about the top ten.

I was 11 when i heard it along with the peerless 'Trip to Trumpton' on a rave compilation double tape i bought in motorway service station. Probably the first 'dance' track i ever heard it tilled the mental ground for Xl's own Prodigy and the Chemical Brothers to follow and meant i didn't think the world revolved around the three chords on my Dad's Status Quo albums.

NB. One of the many 'improvements' made by the technogeeks was that the song won't automatically play. Instead you have to hover over the speaker symbol until a control bar appears. Progress.

EZArchive Be Cursed.

EZArchive is 'upgrading'. So everything iis knackered. Cool.

Dan Sartain

Read any review of Dan Sartain's new album, and within 13 words the name Tarantino will appear. Either journalists are idle, or they view the general public as a cretinous heaving mass, who probably only watch two films a year the last one being Pulp Fiction. This is the only frame of reference they give their readers credit for. Here at RadioMoog we don't even give you that much, so instead of saying this should be the 'next Tarantino soundtrack' and lazily expect you to put together a mental montage of 'that band in Dusk til Dawn' and 'that bit where they do the v-sign dance in Pulp Fiction', RadioMoog is gonna harness all it's descriptive powers to tell it like it is;

Yelp! Crash! Thundering Guitarrrrs! Yelping! (about a girl/drink/trouble) Guitarrrs! Swearing (optional) Repeat to Fade.

Dan Sartain - Gun Vs. Knife (7" version)

He had us at the first 'Yelp!'

The Science Of Sleep

To cut to the quick, this is directed by the guy who directed Eternal Sunshine and Waking Life (Michael Gondry) so if you like them it's a safe bet you'll like this. At first I was a little concerned it might be far too whimsical and Gaelic for me but it comes throughout that period ok and turns out to be actually funny. Also this week I watched Lost Highway again and bearing in mind there are only two possibilities with a David Lynch movie (brilliant or stupid) I was surprised that I had earlier miscatergorised this as stupid. It is in fact brilliant, especially the bit where the creepy looking dude calls makes Bill Pullman call him at his house, even though he is standing right in front of Bill Pullman at the time.

Also over here on the glorious debacle that is US network television 'Friday Night Lights' premiered. For some reason it appears that executives have greenlighted a TV show loosely based on legendary Dawson/Jon Voight vehicle 'Varsity Blues'. Through some even more bizarre reasoning Slate have deemed it the best show of the fall. I am starting to lose a little faith in Slate.

Finally good news on the Sparky front. He told me he was about to post on a "raging" acoustic performance by Ben Folds Five that he caught, but the wireless connection in his local organic coffee shop broke. Apparently if he waited until it was fixed he would have missed the poetry slam he was en route to, so he had to pass on posting. Maybe later.

Extra Credit Reading -

http://slate.com/

http://imdb.com/title/tt0354899/

http://imdb.com/title/tt0116922/

New Elvis Perkins Track

Am i excited about this guy or what? His album has been self-released, which is great for the inverse-snobbery indie crowd, and probably means it won't be on a Sony ad for at least 18 months, but it means actually buying it is a right fucking pain. Insound has it but they're American and God knows how long it'll take to get here. Luckily, i've had RadioMoog's man in America pick up a copy so expect ravings about it to appear here soon enough.

Elvis Perkins - How's Forever Been Baby?

This ace track was recorded live on KEXP a while ago and isn't even on the album, so disgustingly good it promises to be. Now go back and check out the other post i did on him. (Days of Yore)

Thank you all for your words of concern regarding my 'episode'. I'm recovering well ta.

Pram and Toys Reconciled.

Every once in a while in a young man's life he is allowed to indulge his more baser instincts. For some, such as our esteemed colleague Sparky, this involves visiting 'Chariots' the East London gay bathouse. For others, such as myself, it was a shameless tantrum at the monolithic figure of EZArchive. At such moments of weakness it is reassuring to know that friends are close at hand to step in and do their best to pay off the relevant authorities. Riding in on this tidal wave of chivalry i give you Ellis.



He too has chosen to flee his native land for the safety of Canada after a misunderstanding. Even though Sparky hasn't managed to find his way out of the 'sensations room' at Chariots in order to post yet, i decided the North American continent was to large to be covered by one man alone and called in Drew to represent RadioMoog on the West Coast.

Take him to your bosoms.

Hello

Salutations. Andrew is currently suffering the effects of living and working in a small backwater of an Empire whose sun long ago set. Our other member of staff the honorable Mr Sparky is equally suffering. He is I believe, pledging Phi Beta Kappa fraternity right now so his time is occupied with warming up the toilet seat for Ox, and drinking beers from the cup of shame whilst being spanked by Lance.

Therefore it is left to me to tend to the loyal devotees of RadioMoog. If I have the time - and I do - I aim to expand our narrow music related scope to take in all things cultural. Much like early 'Playboy', sans the naked girls, celebrity interviews and top notch columnists. Rather than the tiresome likes of Gore Vidal and Hunter S.Thompson writing about politics and pop culture we shall perhaps substitute myself writing about Canadian TV and weather. Which is blatantly a lot more stimulating.

I'm sure you all know that Peterman has his 'fall' catalogue out now so until next time you should all go pick out your autumnal wardrobe.

http://jpeterman.com/Default.asp?bhcd2=1161105736

RadioMoog is Unwell...

Actually Radio Moog is in perfect health. I was going to post up a couple of new Elvis Perkins tracks i'd come across, but... EZArchive had other ideas. Seen as i'm now working like 50-60 hour weeks i don't get much time to post, and i can't be fucking bothered doing battle with my bloody file-sharing service every time i do.

Take it easy.

I'll probably be back in a while, in the meantime go back over some of the nuggets here. All the links should be active til January 2007.

Amede Ardoin

Black Creole accordionist Amédé Ardoin greatly influenced Cajun music through his over thirty seminal recordings, including "La valse de amities." Born in L’Anse des Rougeau around 1899, he was the first artist to record South Louisiana’s black Creole music, or "musique créole." Ardoin appeared on the Brunswick, Vocalion, Decca, Melotone, and Bluebird labels. A cousin of renowned black Creole accordionist Alphonse "Bois Sec" Ardoin, he crossed racial boundaries by performing with noted Cajun fiddler Dennis McGee. As well as all that, he had some mad skills with that squeezebox.

Amede Ardoin - Amadie Two Step
Amede Ardoin - Blues de Bastille

However he stepped too far, when, at a dance in that oasis of tolerance that was the Deep South around 1941, he wiped away sweat with a handkerchief offered by a white female. After the dance he caught a severe beating from the enlightened townsfolk and died a couple of months later from his injuries. Ahhhh, the land of the free (tm)

A post about FABRIC..

Where i don't call it any names at all. Get yourself a ticket as soon as possible, to see some of the finest Djs in the world. That said my man Ade went to FABRIC last night and said Dj Yoda was shit. That's hardly surprising though, since he's been hawking the same DJ set for four years.

I've already ordered mine.

New RjD2 Track

Actually not so new, seen as i checked the release date and it was the 27th of July. Like a bullet from a gun. Mind, you wouldn't have had any idea it was out at all so i could have lied and said it was released this morning and i had my copy hand delivered in an envelope of pure gold sealed with swan's tears or something. Not that it's relevant but earlier i stood on a fucking upturned plug, except i only caught a bit of it and my whole weight went down on one of the pins and it fucking hurt. I tell you only because i feel that you should appreciate the immense emotional stress i labour under to bring you regular(ish) musical updates.


RjD2 - Here's What's Left

Me, i'm not too sure about this track. It seems a bit too much like some downbeat electronic shite peddled by the likes of Fila Brazilia and Zero 7. I was going to post up his AWESOME breezeblock mix to show what it's really all about except FUCKING EZARCHIVE has stopped working. Again.