ALL IN A WEEKEND –‘First of all let me apologise for totally compromising myself last 
week and trying to appeal to the masses, there is no easy way to say this but here goes ‘I don’t like Ed Sheeran’ and I have no idea why on earth I added him to my ramblings. In my defence I was very tired and well I thought ‘people like him’, he sells lots of records. So sorry, as was quickly pointed out I need to, ‘try harder’, ha ha. It won’t happen again. This weekend has been busy and I’ve got a few nuggets to share with you. ‘London was good but Rough Trade was disappointing, for me anyway. I went armed with my list of records to purchase and I only got 1. I actually felt quite sorry for the young shop assistant, the poor lad needed a translator with my accent. When we did eventually communicate he would have been well equipped with the family fortunes buzzer. I was so disappointed. I bought Noel Gallagher’s new album which I’ve been really enjoying on my iPod.
I treat myself to this book about Krautrock I’ve been wanting for a while. Few friends have
read it and said it’s a good read. I know very little about this genre of music and so I plan to educate myself. I will let you know how that goes.
Today I heard the sad news about the death of Percy Sledge. So let’s kick off by remembering his gift to us. Thank you Percy for your beautiful voice and lyrics and the remarkable soul you have given us. So here it is his signature song and well what’s not to love about this classic soul love song.
SAINT MOTEL ‘ MY TYPE
Saint Motel is an American progressive pop band from Los Angeles, whose music has been
described as everything from “dream pop” to “indie”. The band consists of A/J Jackson (lead vocals/guitar), Aaron Sharp aka “a sharp” (lead guitar), Dak (bass), and Greg Erwin (drums). The group initially came together while A/J and Sharp were attending film school in Southern California. The duo later met Dak at a Sushi restaurant where he worked near campus and Greg who went to a school nearby. The band emphasizes visuals in addition to its music, and its 2009 debut EP ForPlay included a video for each of the six songs. The band’s first full length album, Voyeur (2012), debuted at #18 on the alt specialty radio charts and six of its eleven songs managed to chart or hit number one on the Hype Machine Chart. In 2014 the band released the EP My Type with Parlophone on August 17 in the UK. ‘”My Type” climbed the Top 40 charts in many European countries including Italy where it was certified platinum. The band have embarked on two European and one US tour in support of the EP and are expected to release the full length album later this year. In December of 2014 Saint Motel announced that they were on the Elektra Records roster. The band performed on the main stage at the 2015 Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival.
I heard this for the first time on Sunday night and loved it straight away, love the brass in it. It’s catchy and fun. I want to hear more from them.
RYLEY WALKER ‘ PRIMROSE GREEN
Ryley Walker is an accomplished fingerstyle guitarist, singer, and songwriter from 
Chicago. After a few years cutting his teeth on the city’s indie and experimental music scenes, he began making solo live performances with his acoustic guitar. The first recorded aspect of his complex musical persona arrived with the cassette-only EP The Evidence of Things Unseen, issued in limited edition from Plustapes in 2011. Later that year he released — again via cassette on Plustapes — Of Deathly Premonitions, a four-song collaboration with fellow fingerstyle guitarist Daniel Bachman. Walker’s first widely circulated recording was a vinyl-only three-song 12″ entitled West Wind from Tompkins Square Records in 2013. His debut album, All Kinds of You, was issued by the label in April of 2014. After intensive touring and playing on others’ records, he signed to Dead Oceans in the fall. Recording in Chicago with a cast of improvisational and jazz session aces (including cellist Fred Lonberg-Holm and vibraphonist Jason Adasiewicz), Walker completed Primrose Green, released in 2015. It was the first of his recordings to feature his own vocals. Musically, it blurs the genre lines between folk, rock, jazz, and new music. Couldn’t buy this in London, sold out every place I asked. On its way via the internet though. Love this lad’s music and listened to his first album quite a bit. I’ve heard a few tasters of this album and like what I hear. I love this track, see what you think
DAVID WOODCOCK ‘ THE ADVENTURES OF YOU AND ME
David Woodcock is an English singer-songwriter and musician, currently based in his 
hometown of Southend-on-Sea. He released his debut single ‘Same Things’ in 2013 and his self-titled debut album in August 2014 on Blow Up Records which led to comparisons in the media to British acts such as Blur, Graham Coxon, Ray Davies, Jarvis Cocker and Ian Dury. Record Collector editor Ian McCann said of David: “David Woodcock is a talent, in the classic Brit songwriter tradition. Every observation is honed to perfection” and BBC 6 Music DJ Steve Lamacq described David as “Part Stiff Records, part Brit Pop. A reckless Stephen Duffy or an Essex Jarvis Cocker”.’ His singles ‘Same Things’, ‘Beggars Can’t Be Choosers’ and ‘Open Secret’ have received national airplay on stations including BBC 6 Music and Xfm, and David also recorded a live session for Marc Riley on BBC 6 Music in August 2014. His most recent single ‘Relatively Single Man’ was the winner of BBC 6 Music’s Rebel Playlist with 52% of the public vote. Live, David performs both solo or with a band with a fluid line up of musicians, some of whom also appear on his album. Live, David works the room to the max. He gives his audience tales of lost love, lust, jealousy, memories, regret’s and of living life to its messy limits and all the consequences that entails. Great music and I love his lyrics, see what you think if you don’t already know about him.
THE ISLEY BROTHERS ‘ SUMMER BREEZE
The Isley Brothers are an American musical group originally from Cincinnati, Ohio, 
originally a vocal trio consisting of brothers O’Kelly Isley, Jr., Rudolph Isley and Ronald Isley. The group has been cited as having enjoyed one of the “longest, most influential, and most diverse careers in the history of popular music”. Alongside a fourth brother, Vernon, the group originally performed gospel music until Vernon’s death a couple years after its original formation. After moving to the New York City area in the late 1950s, the group had modest chart successes during their early years, first coming to prominence in 1959 with their fourth single, “Shout”, written by the three brothers. Initially a modest charted single, the song eventually sold over a million copies. Afterwards the group recorded modestly successful works for a variety of labels, including the top 20 single, “Twist & Shout” and the Motown single, “This Old Heart of Mine (Is Weak for You)” before recording and issuing the Grammy Award-winning hit, “It’s Your Thing” on their own label, T-Neck Records. Initially influenced by gospel and doo-wop music, the group began experimenting with different musical styles incorporating elements of rock and funk music as well as pop balladry. The inclusion of younger brothers Ernie Isley (lead guitar, drums) and Marvin Isley (bass guitar), and Rudolph’s brother-in-law Chris Jasper (keyboards, synthesizers) in 1973 turned the original vocal trio into a self-contained musical band. For the next full decade, the siblings recorded top-selling albums including The Heat Is On and Between the Sheets.
Throughout their career, the Isley Brothers have had four Top 10 singles on the United States Billboard chart. Sixteen of their albums charted in the Top 40. Thirteen of those albums have been certified gold, platinum or multi-platinum by the RIAA. The brothers have been honoured by several musical institutions including being inducted to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1992.[8] Five years later, they were inducted to Hollywood’s Rockwalk and in 2003, were inducted to the Vocal Group Hall of Fame.’ I have never owned and Isley Bros record so I was over joyed to find this one on Camden Market for ‘4. Here is a track to remind you how amazing they are and to see a glimpse of summer coming, what a perfect summer night song.
NADINE SHAH ‘ FOOL
I mentioned this a few backs that my niece produced the video for Nadine’s latest release. 
So as you can imagine I am very proud and as all Aunties tend do, I am shamelessly plugging it.
Nadine Shah is a local lass from Whitburn, born to Pakistani-Norwegian parents. She’s a songwriter and musician. A regular theme in her reviews has been comparisons to both PJ Harvey and Nick Cave. The 23-year-old has just released her second album, Fast Food, and its winning rave reviews for its combination of dark, brooding lyrics.’ Sporting black in everything from her scraped-back hair to her guitar, Shah cuts a formidable figure. An amazing haunting voice and I love her music, see what you think and of course my Nieces video.
JACKIE MOORE ‘ IF
I love hearing new music and the latest releases but every now and again a golden oldie 
comes along that I have either forgotten about or never heard and this is one of them.
Jackie Moore born 1946, Jacksonville, Florida is an American R&B singer. She is most well known for her gold single 1970 song “Precious, Precious,” which reached #30 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart in March 1971. This disc sold over one million copies, and received a gold disc awarded by the R.I.A.A. in March 1971. Also noteworthy was her 1979 disco hit “This Time Baby,” which hit #1 on the Hot Dance Music/Club Play chart. The track reached #49 in the UK Singles Chart. Moore also had a pop chart hit (#42) with Bunny Sigler and Phil Hurtt’s upbeat “Sweet Charlie Babe” in the fall of 1973, which she recorded with the Philadelphia Strings and Horns.
‘If’ is the B side to ‘Sweet Charlie Babe’ and it has very poignant message in its lyrics. Love it.
I’ve been asked to contribute a playlist for an online radio show. Quite chuffed but also rather scared to have to pick 30 songs to be played. I was also asked if I would like to do the voice over! I went into emotional melt down. I am no Lauren Laverne and after my Rough Trade shenanigans thought it was best the Geordie handed the job to someone else.’ Have you ever been asked your favourite songs? Bloody hard, to reel them off. I asked our own TF editor his faves months ago and I’m still waiting for his reply.’ *gentle reminder
Here is one of those said faves from my list, enjoy and keep on keeping on”..
GIRL AFRAID
