Chalkhills Digest, Volume 12, Number 4

                 Monday, 23 January 2006

Topics:

                      Re: Pod People
        Relph's so much better at this than I am.
                   iTunes Essential XTC
               Spreading the word (take 2)
                music still alive in 2005

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I've forgotten how to use my legs to invade the pitch.

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Date: Tue, 17 Jan 2006 23:23:59 -0500
From: Andisheh Nouraee <andy@andy2000.org>
Subject: Re: Pod People
Message-ID: <212493310457ee7c6a3154c5d5bbde4a@andy2000.org>

"Simon Knight"  wrote:

> I'm also disappointed 'Ordinary People' seems to be an I-Tunes
> exclusive, for those of us who are unlikely to become Pod People.

I write:

You needn't be a Pod person (iPod or otherwise) to use iTunes. You can
download any and all iTunes Music Store tracks and burn them to CD (or
just listen on your computer).

All you need is a credit card, PayPal account or iTunes gift card.

And love!

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Date: Wed, 18 Jan 2006 08:37:34 -0500
From: Duncan Watt <dwatt@fastestmanintheworld.com>
Subject: Relph's so much better at this than I am.
Message-ID: <94EFECD4-8827-11DA-A421-000393D30A40@fastestmanintheworld.com>

Anybody catch one of the doomed, sad 'contestants' on American Idol
scream/roar/bleat the chorus to "Making Plans For Nigel" on last
night's episode? Best part (paraphrased from memory):

Simon: "What was *that*?"

Shamed Contestant: "That was part of a song by XTC..."

Randy & Paula, attempting to look hip after completely not identifying
the song: "Oh, yeah, from the 80's... murmur...yeah..."

Then they went on to pick the best-lookin' people, and of course one
homely kid, too. Oh, and a fat one, just to look PC, even though we
*know* there's no place for them people, right? What's up with Ruben
these days?

Your Pal Duncan

NP: Resident Evil 4 on Gamecube, third time through, Best Game Of 2005
in my book... I know, I couldn't believe it either, Best Game Of 2005
on the lowly Gamecube? Could knocked me over with a feather.

Music's so... early 2000's, y'know?

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Date: Fri, 20 Jan 2006 20:53:41 -0500
From: "William M. Reed" <wreed@cdeducation.org>
Subject: iTunes Essential XTC
Message-ID: <D59EB925-3041-4C7E-881F-774580FDBABE@cdeducation.org>

FYI:  iTunes US now has an "Essential" list of their "Basics", "Next
Step", and "Deep Cuts" XTC songs.  They can be found at:

http://phobos.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewMix?id=113450325&s=143441

Bill Reed
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
William M. Reed
St. Joseph Montessori School
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

------------------------------

Date: Sun, 22 Jan 2006 07:34:21 +0000 (GMT)
From: Paul Culnane <paulculnane@yahoo.co.uk>
Subject: Spreading the word (take 2)
Message-ID: <20060122073421.68569.qmail@web86904.mail.ukl.yahoo.com>

Ok crikey, I'm overwhelmed!

Just wandered down to the pub to get my smokes.  As usual, ran into
some good company, and I stayed for a beer ot two.

But there was rhis bloke playing his music  I enjoyed it, it was fine.
And he's got muscular dystrophy, a terrible affliction.   But you know
what, this fella (Tim or James) sings like a fuckin' angel.  I decided
to buy his CD-EP.  Righto.  But, hey, this thing rocks like all
geddout. It is magnificent, I can't get over it.

I think I might try to infiltrate this beautiful guy's brain and turn
him onto XTC, ha ha!!!

website: go.to/tjjames

Thanxtc for your time.
PORL                          .

------------------------------

Date: Mon, 23 Jan 2006 13:15:53 +1100 (EST)
From: Seb Maury <sebasu101@yahoo.com>
Subject: music still alive in 2005
Message-ID: <20060123021553.66426.qmail@web33409.mail.mud.yahoo.com>

As I glanced over the list of CDs that made me SMiLE in 05, I couldn't
help noticing that for perhaps the first time, the majority of them
were by bands or artists in, shall we say, the later parts of their
careers...

perhaps it's just a function of the fact that i'm getting older as well.

In no particular order, I loved:

* Stevie Wonder: A Time 2 Love.
I thought this was his best and most consistent work since 1980. This
is a bit like damning with faint praise, I grant you, but there were
more than half a dozen great cuts - driving Innervisions-style funk
work-outs and heart-wrenching ballads - that made this a real
come-back.

* My Morning Jacket: Z.
>From a band I had only ever heard of, this made its way into my office
late last year and shot near the top of the list with its elusively
catchy behaviour.

* Lizz Wright: Dreaming Wide Awake.
Her smoky voice pulls on my heart and she's also gorgeous. Fine jazz
singing.

* Patti Labelle: Classic Moments.
This surprised me a little - an album of guilty pleasures (covers)
sung by a maelstrom of energy and vocal unbelievableness. I Keep
Forgetting is one of the best.

* Stars In My Belly: A tribute to Jeff Buckley.
Driving, I was floored and had to stop when I heard what I took to be
a live (or some rare) rendition of "Last Goodbye". Then the
back-announce proffered Paul Greene as the singer and I thought
"who??". Tracked down this independent Australian release for that
track alone.

* Eels: Blinking Lights and other Revelations.
I like the enigmatic cuteness that e brings to all he does. Pain mixed
with jauntiness affects me in the same way that the music of French
composer Francis Poulenc does.A fascinating treasure-trove.

* Supergrass: Road To Rouen.
Apart from hands down the best album title of the year (!), another
delightful half hour from the lads full of surpise, wit and
considerable invention.

* Ben Folds: Songs For Silverman.
Seems like I've had this for years - fits like an unravelling jumper.

* Teenage Fanclub: Man-made
I must confess, after the Jad Fair experiment (on a par with Wilco
meets Billy Bragg in my book - potentially nice but not to my taste),
I wasn't sure how the fannies' new collab would work, however, mr
tortoise adds tasty and sometimes even queasy little keyboard
flourishes to this classic songwriting team. My, Raymond is looking
old though!

* Jill Scott: Beautifully Human
Somewhat cognate with her trailblazing namesake (of sorts), Gil
Scott-Heron, Jill Scott melds classic soul, tasteful R&B, apoken word,
and hip-hop elements in various and wonderful ways. Lush.

* Hot Hot Heat: Elevator.
Major label, difficult follow up album, same influences. Yet I loved
the word-play and crazy, spikiness of this bunch of tunes. Makes me
laugh and sing at volume!

Highly commended: Mads: Confessions...(strangely catchy); Eric Bibb:
Ship Called Love (indie Aussie indigenous soul); Brendan Benson:
Alternative To Love (solid not brilliant); SFA: Love-Kraft
(unassuming, but a keeper).

And I suspect I would have liked Al Green, Solomon Burke and Meshell
Ndegeocello's efforts had I heard them...

Cheers for a great 2006 all, and looking forward to volumes 45 and 46
of the demo series...

Seb

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End of Chalkhills Digest #12-4
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