New Chris Stamey & Peter H projects

HEARD THESE YET?

  

A new album of newly-composed, old-school songs
Don't expect a typical Chris Stamey solo album.

Vinyl-only live EP by the Peter Holsapple Combo.
Limited-edition release; grab it before it's gone.

ROB SEZ: For some weeks now, I've been embarrassed not to be quicker off the mark to spotlight Chris Stamey (and company)'s album, New Songs for the 20th Century, which came out in the summer via Omnivore Recordings. Recently, however, Peter H came to the rescue, with his combo's new live EP — Amplifier: Live at Q Division — giving me cause to spotlight both releases. At this point, the latter is a vinyl-only run, limited to 250 copies. Grab one before they're gone. 

  

Will, Peter & Glenn = Peter Holsapple Combo
Hear, hear!

In my caption for Chris' album above, I added: "Don't expect a typical Chris Stamey solo album." The album title gives you a tongue-in-cheek clue: these are songs for the last century, not this one. Don't expect a dB's redux, or the type of solo material we usually hear from Chris. Think "popular music" a few generations ago — especially the intersection of jazz & pop — and you'll be close. Chris enlisted a slew of talented musicians, including numerous lead vocalists, to record the double-disc set. The goal was to create Chris' own contributions to the Great American Songbook — and I think he's pulled it off. AllMusic's Mark Deming agrees, giving the collection a 4-star review.
  

Here's a video gallery to give you a taste for both releases. 

THANK YOU Marcus Slade & Larry Tucker!

Please leave a comment to let the rest of us know what you think of the music

Manhattan Melody (That's My New York), feat. Django Haskins

composed & produced by Chris Stamey

There's Not a Cloud In the Sky, feat. Ariel Pocock

composed & produced by Chris Stamey

LIVE PERFORMANCES by the Peter Holsapple Combo in 2019

(Peter Holsapple, Will Rigby & Glenn R. Jones)

Shack - Liverpool, UK 2006

Liverpool Academy

Liverpool, UK

May 12, 2006

  

web stream capture via Livegigsonline 

  

sound quality: VG to VG+ (audio equivalent of a nice audience recording; vocals are somewhat distant at times)

01 crowd, intro

Shack live in Bristol, UK 2003 (photos by X Hits the Spot)

02 Black and White 

03 Pull Together

04 Miles Apart

05 Cup of Tea

06 Streets of Kenny 

07 X Hits the Spot

08 On the Terrace

09 I Know You Well

10 Tie Me Down

11 Butterfly

12 Miles Away

13 Meant to Be

14 crowd, welcoming Shack

     back to the stage

15 [unidentified]

16 Comedy

17 Neighbours

18 Queen Matilda

ROB SEZ: I had wanted to close out this month's run of Shack & Michael Head posts with something a bit more spectacular, but I think this will suffice. It's a hometown gig that's got plenty of energy and features a horn section on several songs. I only wish the recording by the (now-defunct) Livegigsonline was sharper, with vocals more to the fore. That said, this is one of the very few full-length Shack shows I know of, and Shack / Michael Head fans will probably eat it up. BIG-TIME THANKS to Shacknet, my source for this share. (If anyone can identify the title of song #15 — or has a different full-length Shack recording to share, please leave a comment.)

MP3@320 (lossy source; no FLAC this time)

Michael Head & The Strands - The Olde World (rare promo CD)

The Olde World
promo-only CD
recorded c. 1993-1995
  

* VERY RARE ALBUM; exclusive to this blog *

  
studio recordings (sound quality: Ex)
  

   

OLDE WORLD is a companion to this CD

ROB SEZ:  This is not the authorized, officially-released Magical World of the Strands, but it is the nearly mythical companion collection from the same 1993-1995 recording sessions. It contains outtakes as well as alternate mixes of the commercially-released tracks. Originally, the plan was to release Olde World along with with a remastered & expanded version of Magical World. The latter appeared in 2015. Promo copies of Olde World were pressed and sent out to reviewers as planned (find reviews of both collections HERE). But then came an unnamed sticking point between Michael Head and Megaphone, his Paris-based record label. Today, Olde World remains a very rare, promo-only item. Recently, I paid dearly for a copy I bought online, which gives me the chance to share it with you here. Fans of Nick Drake and similar artists will want to check out the official album, but fans of the Head brothers' 21st century musical projects will also love this collection. The download folder includes extras such as reviews and a track-by-track rundown from Piccadilly Records in Manchester. Please enjoy.
  
FLAC
  
MP3@320
  

Learn more about the music of Michael (Mick) Head 
at AllMusic and this FB page

    

Michael Head & Shack - Demos, Rare & Live

Michael Head & Shack
demos, rare & live mega post
1990-2012 
via shacknet.co.uk

* 2 SEPARATE DOWNLOADS *

  
FM & web stream captures (sound quality range: VG- to VG+)

  

• Shack - Radio Clyde Session 1990 - 4 songs

• Shack - BBC Radio 1 Session May 1999 - 4 songs

• Shack - BBC Radio 6 Session Sept. 2003 - 3 songs

• Shack - BBC Radio 2 Session Sept. 2003 - 3 songs

• Pale Fountains - BBC Radio Merseyside Session Jan. 2008 - 2 songs

• MH & Red Elastic Band - BBC Radio Merseyside Session Sept. 2008 - 2 songs

• MH & Red Elastic Band - BBC Radio Merseyside Session Feb. 2012 - 2 songs

  

MP3@VAR (varying bit rates, 128 - 320 kbps)

ROB SEZ: I've admired Michael ("Mick") Head's music, usually partnering with his brother John, since their days in the fabulous alt-pop/rock group Shack. I'm especially fond of Head's Nick-Drake-esque Michael Head & The Strands project. A couple of years ago, I collected all the Head-related rarities I could find, including some from the Shacknet.co.uk site. But the latter now appears to be gone or inaccessible. So here they are for those who might enjoy them: in-session live tracks plus interviews. BIG THANKS to Gary Foreman & all at Shacknet for sharing.
  
Michael Head & The Strands

Michael Head - lost in the music, 2016

Demos & Alternate Takes
c. 1993-1995
  
soundboard recordings (quality: VG to VG+)
  
01 Glynys & Jaqui 

02 The Prize

03 And Luna

04 Fontilan

05 X Hits the Spot

06 Poor Jill

07 Wanda

08 Hockens Hey

09 It's Harvest Time

10 Poor Jill 2

11 Queen Matilda

12 The Prize (der der)

13 Glynys & Jaqui

14 Green Velvet Jacket (B-side) 

15 Queen Matilda (Alt. Take 3) 

16 Queen Matilda (Alt. Take 4) 

17 Queen Matilda (Demo) 

18 Something Like You (Live 1998)

19 (mystery bonus track)

MP3@192 (best available bit rate)
   

Learn more about the music of Michael (Mick) Head 

at AllMusic and this FB page

   

Wondermints - Live 1995 + 2000 (Rehearsal Room & Borderline)

WONDERMINTS - Nick W. (center)

Live at the Rehearsal Room 
1995 (exact date unknown)
  
soundboard recording (quality: VG++)
  
ROB SEZ: Fans of classy pop lost another hero recently with the sudden, unexpected death of Wondermints co-founder Nick Walusko, who became an important part of Beach Boy Brian Wilson's musical world in the 21st century. Here's a wonderful essay in tribute to Nick from someone who really "got" him. I've posted several other Wondermints collections here in the past, but here are two more. Like most of the others, these came originally from Angelo at Powerpop Criminals. All thanks to him!
    

The Borderline

London, UK

Nov. 11, 2000

    

audience recording (sound quality: VG+; a club show with great sound)

  

  

MP3@320 (no lossless source available for these)

  

Learn more about the Wondermints' 

music at AllMusic or this FB page

Autumn Defense - North Adams, MA 2010 + 2019

A.D. with strings
Solid Sound Fest
North Adams, MA 
June 30, 2019
   
audience recording (sound quality: VG+)

John Stirratt (left) & Pat Sansone are A.D.

01 [crowd + pre-recorded music] 
02 Estate Remains
03 Winterlight
04 Every Day
05 Spend Your Life
06 Feel You Now
07 Criminal
08 The Answer
09 The Swallows of London Town
10 You and Your Sister 
      (Chris Bell / Big Star cover)
11 The World (Will Soon Turn Our Way)
  
*12 Feel You Now (fades in)
*13 tuning
*14 The World (Will Soon Turn Our Way)
*15 tuning
*16 Feel You Now (partial)
   * = pre-show soundcheck

The Autumn Defense in 2011. Fab photos by Tristan Loper via Flickr

Solid Sound Fest
North Adams, MA
Aug. 15, 2010
   
audience recording (sound quality: VG++) 
  
01 The Sun In California
02 Bluebirds Fall
03 Written In the Snow
04 Every Day
05 Back of My Mind
06 Tell Me What You Want
07 Spend Your Life
08 band intros
09 Feel You Now
10 Huntington Fair
11 The Answer
12 Tuesday Morning
13 We Would Never Die
14 You Can't Have Me (Alex Chilton / Big Star cover)

ROB SEZ: As I write, there's a lovely nip in the air here in our Western N.C. mountains, which reminds me that fall is coming soon. Naturally, this means I thought of a band named Autumn Defense for this week's blog post. Although the band is not new to the blog, Autumn Defense may be unknown to some blog readers. A.D. is a side project of Wilco members Pat Sansone and John Stirratt. Musically & stylistically, their music brings to mind the classier, gentler elements of 1970s-era pop and rock. Sample the sample & see what you think. Massive thanks to J. Noel for recording & sharing the 2019 show, and to B. Murphy, C. Coyle & Owl & Bear for recording, transferring & sharing the 2010 set.

FLAC

MP3@320
  

 Learn more about Autumn Defense' music 
at the band's web site and AllMusic

    

Continental Drifters - WFUV-FM 2001

LOSSLESS REPOST

Idiot’s Delight live session

WFUV-FM (Bronx, N.Y.)

July 5, 2001

FM recording (sound quality: VG++)

VICKI PETERSON

&

PETER HOLSAPPLE 
  
heart & soul

of

Continental

Drifters
 

  

SIGNIFICANT THANKS to the taper and to TheBynumite for sharing

ROB SEZ: This isn't one of those live sessions in which the talking bits and the music bits are easily separated. To enjoy this one, it helps to settle in for the chat, because Vin Scelsa was one of the pioneers of free-form FM radio. The man has the gift of gab (as illustrated here as he tells the Drifters about his cousin Judy from Jersey City). Got mystery bonus material? Yes, and you won't have to look too hard to find it.

01 Vin Scelsa intro

Offbeat, yes. But usually not downbeat...

02 chat 1 + song intro

03 Highway of the Saints*

     (initial false start)

04 chat 2 + song intro

05 Cousin

06 chat 3

07 chat 4

08 Live On Love

09 chat 5 + song intro

10 Tear My Stillhouse Down+

11 chat 6 + song intro

12 Too Little, Too Late

13 chat 7 + song intro

14 That Much a Fool

15 chat 8 + song intro

16 Crescent City^

17 chat 9

*Pat McLaughlin cover

+Gillian Welch cover
^Lucinda Williams cover 

FLAC

MP3@320

CONTINENTAL DRIFTERS:  
Russ Broussard
Susan Cowsill 
Peter Holsapple
Robert Maché
Vicki Peterson
Mark Walton

Read the history of Continental Drifters.
Learn more about their music @ AllMusic

Murray Attaway - Delirium (unreleased studio album) + bonus

LOSSLESS REPOST

Delirium
unreleased solo album by former Guad Diary frontman
mid-1990s
  
studio recording (sound quality Ex-; might be from a multi-gen. source, but it still has impressive sound quality)

    

Murray in the 1990s
photo by mixtapehero

Murray in the 2000s
photo by Shelia McIntosh via Flickr

WHAT'S THIS? This was to be Murray Attaway's second solo album, but for reasons unknown to me, it remains unreleased. To my ears, it sounds similar to his first solo album In Thrall (which I love), so I'm guessing the decision not to release it was unrelated to its artistic merits, which are considerable. The great Don Dixon produced.
  
REPERCUSSION: At the dB's now-defunct message board, Peter Holsapple referred to a recording session "that Murray did later on with Bill Bonk on bass and guitar, Will [Rigby] on drums, me on assorted instruments and Don Dixon producing and I believe playing bass. I couldn't tell you whether those recordings ever got released, but Murray, ever the sly dog, was sending around tapes of the songs calling the collection 'How I Spent My Thirties'." ROB SEZ: I have no reason to think this is not that very recording.

BY REQUEST

BIG THANKS to lilpanda for sharing this one with the fans

1. Prince Charming
2. Curve of the Earth
3. If the Walls Could Talk 
4. The Sun at Dusk
5. You Are There
6. Heroes In the Water
7. Long Hard Ride
8. Delirium
9. I Had an Answer
10. In a Dream
11. Free at Last
  

BONUS:

In their heyday, on the waterfront

Guad Diary interview with live tracks
"SoundCheck" Local TV arts program
Athens, GA
May 16, 1998

audio rip from video source (sound quality Ex-)

1. Part A
2. Part B

This has 3-4 great live songs from a show in Athens, GA — interspersed with segments of a rather random and disorganized interview. Apologies for the lack of tracking and setlist; I just felt a little lazy this week...
  
FLAC
  
MP3@320 (snag this also if you want the bonus stuff, which is only available in lossy format)

Go to AllMusic to learn more about the music of Murray  Attaway HERE and Guad Diary HERE