More Freedom Is A Good Thing

I was just re-reading a few of the lads’ previous efforts and happened across Tiny Dancer’s posting of his first Uncut cd and it reminded me of my first one as well. Unconditionally Guaranteed Volume 5 from June 1999. I remember this cd immensely well as it came at a time when I was immersed in the world of Legend Of Zelda – Ocarina Of Time and I can’t hear any of the songs on it without thinking about that game. I was feeling nostalgic about it a few months ago and bought a Wii specifically for the new Zelda game and yet I’ve had neither console nor game out of the box yet. Perhaps I’m finally putting away childish things – or more correctly, not taking them out of their boxes.

But back to "The Music".

A cursory glance of the track-listings of the cds for the two or three years I used to get the magazine reveals how much it and the magazine in general at that time influenced me. I would go through the whole magazine and make a list of every album I wanted to buy and would then hit the record shops as soon as I had a bit of money. Much of my record collection dates back to those days. Lamchop, Flaming Lips, Tom Waits, Willard Grant Conspiracy, Ryan Adams, The Go-Betweens and many others would all have been discovered much later without it.

When I was a less lazy boy I actually went through my collection of about three or four years’ worth of these free cds and copied all the ones I liked, but hadn’t at the time bought albums for, onto four discs worth of compilations. I present highlights of the first of these to you now.

LA Freeway by Guy Clark was from the first free cd I got. I know nothing about the guy but this is 70s country at it’s finest. If anyone knows any "interesting facts" or can recommend an album / compilation from this lot or anything earlier, then please post a comment below as I really want to buy some; but for now I’ll leave you with some of his lyrics to wet your whistle:

Here's to you old skinny Dennis
Only one I think I will miss
I can hear that old bass singing
Sweet and low like a gift you're bringin'



Guy Clark – LA Freeway


As a quick aside, looking at the track-listing that was from the June 1999 magazine I can’t overlook the presence of the hateful Moby. One Glastonbury I had sun-stroke and lay in my tent shivering and feverish while this being sang Radiohead’s Creep through his computer box thing. It is the worst memory of my life and will no doubt be awaiting me on an endless loop in Hell. Suffice is to say he didn’t make it onto my compilation.

Back to that.

There is this song called Bitch Lounge by Noahjohn who is something of an enigma. It’s kind of "slacker country". I’d forgotten how much I love this track and have just ordered the album Had A Burning as for some reason I never got round to it before. You should get it from here.

The way he sings the lyric:

I’ll call you princess if you want me to. I’ll call you princess.

Makes me want to be in unrequited love.



Noahjohn – Bitch Lounge


Will give you an update in the comments section when I’ve listened to the album.

Next is Scottish Pop by Spearmint. Lovely little band and I keep coming across stuff of theirs on compilations. This one is about their Scottish Pop influences and name-checks all the greats (most of whom were the soundtrack of my late teens). See what you fancy from here.



Spearmint – Scottish Pop


Get A Room by the wonderful Jim O’Rourke is a dark little story about a man who has one night to live and spends it with the wrong girl who just falls asleep. It’s quite stripped down compared to his usual production work but the simplicity works as the drama is all in the wryly funny lyrics.

Maybe if you kick her
But your leg’s getting weaker
And she’s such a deep sleeper
And you would get a snorer
To share your last hour
You sure picked a winner



Jim O’Rourke – Get A Room


Get Insignificance and more from here.

And finally off of this cd is Black Lite Blue by Shelby Lynne, from her album I Am Shelby Lynne - it’s a very strange little song and feels like it’s been plucked from the brain of an alternate reality medieval Virginia Woolf. I’ve no idea what she’s going on about and I’m not sure that it all adds up to anything but it sure sounds purrrty!

And that, after all, is why we’re here.



Shelby Lynne - Black Lite Blue


Ricky Stardust


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