The Specials - "Gangsters"

I went to a concert at a local venue a few weeks ago. The final act was a Ska band. The Ska band wasn't a touring band or a band promoting an album - it was a local band with an opportunity to play live. In the tradition of the Ska revival of the 70's they jumped around all night. It made me think... if you are a parent of a teenager with way too much energy. Convince them to start a Ska band - that will sort them out. The Specials Ska classic "Gangsters" could easily be the inspiration to all Ska bands that followed.

Steve Earle & The Dukes - "You're The Best Lover That I Ever Had"

In 2015 Steve Earle released a blues album 'Terraplane'. A Texas blues album, so I've been told. I know, yes, he's a Texan but so was Lightnin' Hopkins and that is where you can hear a big part of the inspiration on this project. Particularly on "You're The Best Lover That I Ever Had". Another thing I found out was that at the time of writing and recording this album he was going through his seventh divorce.... so why not record a blues album. Good on you Steve.... you did well to wait this long. Anyway, the reviews were all over the place - but I loved it and still do. "You're The Best Lover That I Ever Had" is a standout and gets a lot of play on Bitter FM.

The Last Dinner Party - "Nothing Matters"

Formed in 2021 in London, 'The Last Dinner Party' released their debut album 'Prelude to Ecstasy' earlier this year after a couple of years touring and perfecting their live performance. The band, led by Abigail Morris, had a UK top 20 hit with their debut single "Nothing Matters" in 2023. For some, including me, the album came out of nowhere and suddenly a musical goldmine was unleashed. They have stated David Bowie as an influence but you can hear so many influences on display throughout the album, Kate Bush being an obvious one to me. The album is cinematic baroque, orchestral, glam, indie pop.... you name it! and with tempo shifts in unexpected directions. "Nothing Matters" is the ultimate single and is no doubt a crowd favourite live.

mr Gnome - Monster's Heart

mr. Gnome are a duo from Cleveland consisting of Nicole Barille on guitar and vocals and Sam Meister on drums and keyboards. They have been making music as mr. Gnome since 2005. 'Monster's Heart' was released as a single with the song 'Sleepwalker' in 2015 - a year after their critically aclaimed album 'The Heart of a Dark Star'. Monster's Heart is beautiful in so many ways. The vocals are spectacular with a ghostly or haunting feel throughout - even when only accompanied by acoustic guitar. The vocals are, without doubt, the key element and they stay true thoughout the song - while the music deviates in all the right places to enhance them. Finishing with a full-on climax.

The House Of Love - "Beatles And Stones"

After Mick Jagger's 80th birthday recently we should celebrate a man in pretty good form - at the age of 80. 80 may be the new 70, as they say, or maybe it's the new 60 because that is what Mick is displaying.

Let's add Paul McCartney to the 'aging artist on a roll' list. Yes, Paul has been playing festivals and the audiences have been on board like it's 1966, okay you know that's overstating it - but he has been going down well with all the generations of festival goers.

Instead of a Rolling Stones or Beatles song, of which there are many to choose from, some already on this blog, how about a song from the perspective of a fan. The fan in question is Guy Chadwick of London band 'The House of Love'. With lines like "the Beatles and the Stones - made it great to be alone".... so true.

We read a lot about the music of the 60's and the division between the fans of the Stones and the fans of the Beatles. The loyalty to their chosen band was from a preference to full on tribal. Although, I'm guessing a lot of people liked both bands, to be fair.

The rivalry between the bands themselves was probably started by Paul McCartney describing the Stones as a blues cover band.

It seems like the rivalry had waned between the band members after the artwork of the Beatles Sgt. Pepper album saluted the Stones. The Stones returned the favour on the artwork of Their Satanic Majesties Request album.

I think they had decided the press were taking it too far and they buried the hatchet.

Dead Man's Bones - "Pa Pa Power"

Dead Man's Bones are a band consisting of Zach Shields and Ryan Gosling, yes that Ryan Gosling. However, when I first discovered this song "Pa Pa Power" I had no idea there was a hollywood actor involved. But he deserves a lot of credit as a musician as well. Their self-titled debut album was released in 2009, which features the Silverlake Conservatory Children's Choir throughout. The album was intended to be a soundtrack to a play but the play was shelved due to rising costs - so the album was recorded anyway. "Pa Pa Power" is dark and haunting and the performance from the choir takes it to an even darker place. Find the original on your preferred streaming platform - the video included here is a live version set in an old folks home and features a different choir, the L.A. Inner City Choir. You can fast forward about 5 minutes to the song but the full video is quite touching and uplifting considering the music.

Karen O - "Body" - Live

The charismatic lead singer for Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Karen O, finally released her debut solo album 'Crush Songs' in 2014. It is generally an acoustic album comprising of songs she recorded over a five year period from 2006. For some it's no more than a collection of demos - but to others, including myself, it is another side of Karen O that was cherished. On 'Body' she adds a touch of the Karen O we know from Yeah Yeah Yeahs near the end. A perfect live rendition - or just a case of "don't let the intimate surroundings change a thing".