Winter Coat

Ne’er cast a clout
Afore May is out, except
Your big winter coat

The Man-Machine by Kraftwerk

It’s astonishing that an album from almost 50 years ago still sounds as if it’s been dropped through a time warp from a sci-fi future where man and machine have merged, and icy robots dance in the neon lights of a cyber city. This album was massively influential on many genres of music, from 80’s synth pop and hip-hop, to electro, house and EDM in the 90s and beyond. There are even elements of trip-hop and ambient, which explains why this album sounds both contemporary and timeless.

This version is the remastered one from 2009, but to be honest the original sounded pretty good on the cassette that I listened to on my Walkman way back when. It’s difficult to pick out highlights from this as it’s all excellent, but if pushed I would go for the stunning electronic Motorik beat on Spacelab which is still eminently danceable.

Robot-tastic!

New clothes, Carp

I will wear new clothes
For a special occasion
Such as catching carp

Night Life by Ray Price

This album features a spoken introduction from Mr Ray Price himself promising “songs of happiness, sadness, heartbreak.” 

To be honest, this is mainly about the latter two emotions featuring late night honky tonks, lonesome streets and ending up in jail because you drank a whole bottle of gin. Again. 

 Musically, this has its roots in the Western Swing sound with fiddles handing off to gorgeous sounding pedal steel guitars and back again, with solid double bass and drums keeping the tempo going. Ray Price has a mighty fine singing voice holding everything together. 

 Going back to the intro, Ray urges fans to get in touch and let the band know if you enjoyed the record. Well, I certainly did! 

 Honky Tonk-tastic! 

Pine, Breeze

Evergreen needles
Wind whispers through pine barrens
A peaceful forest sigh

Beautiful Freak by Eels

This came out at the tail end of grunge and got bracketed in with it, leading to a surprise hit for the single Novacaine for the Soul. However, the rest of the album is considerably quirkier, both lyrically and musically, than the typical output of the usual Seattle cob nobblers. The music includes strings, odd little jazz breaks and almost spoken narration on the track “Susan’s House” where the protagonist takes a pleasant stroll though a nightmarish landscape of urban decay and degradation. Lovely.

The only really off putting thing about this is the cover, which has an uncomfortable image reminiscent of a 1930s freak show or similar, which I’m guessing is deliberate given the subject matter of the title track.

Wave, Rake

Evoking great waves

With exquisitely raked sand

Kare-sansui