I can hear the music
I can feel the music
Tell me if you hear the music say yes
1. Well, well, well!!! What's up everybody? Thanks for dropping in again for Barfly Session 48. By now, you shouldn't need me to tell you how welcome you are or how grateful I am that you're here. That - as they say - is a given. So what is new since last time we spoke? St Patrick's Day came and went and it's my wedding anniversary this week so we'll mark both occasions accordingly. Also, I've changed my route to and from work which means I don't get to see the familiar faces and sights from the last 4 years. Funny how they make such an impression. I used to be able to set my clock by the old fella who collects his newspaper at 8.15am each morning and the lady with the limp who walks her two little dogs past the Scotland Road bus stop. Now onto new sights, faces and distractions to keep me entertained. Early days so not much to report but I do like the little shop situated opposite the church that I now drive past which is called "Bread & Wine (For Your Daily Needs.)" I'm amused by that. Anyways, onto tonights music. Currently back outside by the fire and I know the perfect song to open tonight's session. It's the first song off Damien Rice's "O" album and it happens to be my favourite too. Such a sucker for strings and raw, untempered emotion when it works as well as this. Played this album to death over the years but this is my fire pit song. Happy belated St Paddy's Day.
1. Damien Rice
Delicate
2. Keeping the Irish flame flickering, I think we'll play this by Fontaines D.C next. Early on in my working life I worked with an older bloke called Roy. We were poles apart in terms of character at the time and it's only with the benefit of hindsight and life slowing down that you realise just how decent and disciplined a man he was. He gave plenty of advice through my early twenties that I probably should have taken more notice of and he turned a blind eye when he knew I'd sloshed down an extra pint of Guinness in on my lunch break. He loved his golf, his cigars and his old records. He was a good man. This blog will be more personal to me of course but it does feel right and correct to put those words down on a page. This one's for you Roy.
2. Fontaines D.C
Roy's Tune
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3. Track three tonight is a new discovery for me and I'm crazy about this next song right now. I love everything about it. I've played it constantly since first hearing it and the clarity of the voice is stunning. It works so very well with the cracking of the logs in the flames and this song also introduced me to the omnichord which is Lael Neale's trademark instrument. This song is taken from her album "Acquainted With Night" which only came out this year. Not really a red wine drinker but surely this would sit right alongside a Merlot on a spring evening. Only one way to find out.
3. Lael Neale
Blue Vein
4. I feel I should probably speed things up a little bit at this point but I'm kind of liking this pace now and the songs are suiting this Friday evening like a warm glove. This next song is a cover of a Psychedelic Furs song from 1984 but I prefer this stripped back effort by Robyn Hitchcock. I think it's a real heart-on-sleeve record and I love it for that.
4. Robyn Hitchcock
The Ghost In You
5. Here's another artist and song I stumbled across only recently. With our government laying out plans for lockdown recovery and beer gardens across the nation being allowed to open up for business again next month, I thought this track would be apt. Bristol singer/songwriter Josh Le Blond is the man behind the track. It's got a great tone throughout and I put this one away for us to share tonight. Have a listen to this and see what you think. As always, feel free to send any recommendations, requests or comments through to me. I aways like reading your comments so yeah, go ahead and write to me using the functions somewhere near the bottom of this page.
5. Josh Le Blond
Cider In The Sun
6. For me, one of the most interesting parts of doing this blog is checking the analytics and seeing where all you folks are checking in from. Last week it was a happy surprise to see we had a viewer logging on from Uganda. I was really stoked by that. I made a mental note to include more African music and here is an opportunity to play one of thee most soothing pieces of music you'll hear this year. The man behind the track is "Cape-Jazz" pianist Abdullah Ibrahim. Could be converted back onto red wine at this rate. This is just wonderful. God bless my new Ugandan friend. I hope you enjoy this one.
6. Abdullah Ibrahim
Maraba Blue
7. As previously mentioned, this week marks our wedding anniversary so I delved into The Horse & Feather archives to see how I could mark this occasion on our blog this evening. I came up with this exquisite song from Langhorne Slim and Jill Andrews. It is perfect. Siobhan, a long time ago I wrote on a card that I had set my compass to follow you through any stormy waters and here we are with our battered sails still going strong. Where the hell would I be without you? With my hand on my heart, I thank you for E V E R Y T H I N G
So, I build a boat to sail
I swear I'll never fail you.
Oh, we'll sail into the sun
Take my hand and run
Into the sea of love
7. Langhorne Slim & Jill Andrews
Sea of Love
