Top 50 albums you should own: 40 – 31

40. Love – ‘Da Capo’

Arthur Lee’s long lost masterpiece, Da Capo is often overlooked in favour of the sublime ‘Forever Changes’ and the snotty garage of the eponymous debut. However, in Da Capo, the seeds of Forever Changes and the tough love of the first cut are both present and correct. ‘Seven & Seven Is…‘, the most famed cut from the LP is probably the most exciting single ever released, with a vicious molten headrush accompanied with a frantic gonzo lyric. However, a gentler mood follows the achingly gorgeous ‘Orange Skies’ and ‘Que Vida’ which show that the Spanish fused follow up was no fluke. A masterful LP, one that no home should be without. BUY IT

Pentangle – Or How I Loved To Learn Folk

We’ve another guest writer today, in the form of the talented Simon Hill. He’s recently fallen head over heels for the sounds of the mighty Pentangle (a band much featured on these pages) and wants to let the world know just how great they are. Sounds good to me. Now, over to Mr Hill… (Mof, PopJunkie Editor)

Like many others I have been guilty of often viewing British folk as
simply sea shanties, knitwear and Reeves & Mortimer’s Mulligan
& O’Hare. Quite simply to most, folk is not cool and even to those
who know better, it isn’t as cool as American folk. Over there, folk is
protest singers fighting causes, a wandering beatnik lifestyle,
reflected in the work of Pete Seeger, Woody Guthrie, early Dylan.
Though somewhat new to Pentangle, I want to redress the balance.

A look at Woody Guthrie

On this day in 1967, one of the most important singers who ever lived passed away of Huntington’s Chorea in Queens, NY. Woody Guthrie is the original folk superstar and hero. It was Guthrie who, in the Thirties and Forties, transformed the humble folk ballad into a vehicle for social protest and observation. He paved the way for Bob Dylan and many others, who, via Woody, were moved by their conscience to share experiences through protest songs. Famed for writing ‘This Land Is Your Land’, ‘I Ain’t Got No Home’ and ‘Dust Bowl Refugees’, his colourful life became as legendary as the songs he wrote.

Editor’s Top Ten Picks

Ok, here’s yet another opportunity to impose my records on you with the latest top ten picks.

1. Candie Payne ‘All I Need To Hear‘ – A cracking little seven that needs to be snapped up quick (try ebay) as a limited run of 500 was pressed. A soulful Memphis pop song that takes in Dusty, Stereolab, Broadcast and The United States of America all in one. Fabulous.

2. Bonnie ‘Prince’ Billy ‘The Letting Go’ – Cracking new long player from Will Oldham. Epic country melts into heart-breaking folk with his strongest album yet.

Editor’s Top Ten Picks

Ok, here’s yet another opportunity to impose my records on you with the latest top ten picks.

1. Candie Payne ‘All I Need To Hear‘ – A cracking little seven that needs to be snapped up quick (try ebay) as a limited run of 500 was pressed. A soulful Memphis pop song that takes in Dusty, Stereolab, Broadcast and The United States of America all in one. Fabulous.

2. Bonnie ‘Prince’ Billy ‘The Letting Go’ – Cracking new long player from Will Oldham. Epic country melts into heart-breaking folk with his strongest album yet.

Hail! Hail! Jock’n’Roll!

Have you entered into the great Jock’n’Roll debate? Well, the folks over at Jock’n’Roll want you! They wanna know just what is the greatest Scottish single ever released? If you send them your top Scot 10 (plus a nomination
for the Worst Scottish single ever which will probably see Wet Wet Wet score heavily), then they’ll put together the results into a snazzy little chart/poll for future publication. They’re also after your memories of any of the tracks for publishing too! All in all, they’re looking to create the all encompassing, definitive Scots pop chart of all time!

Read over for more!

Hail! Hail! Jock’n’Roll!

Have you entered into the great Jock’n’Roll debate? Well, the folks over at Jock’n’Roll want you! They wanna know just what is the greatest Scottish single ever released? If you send them your top Scot 10 (plus a nomination
for the Worst Scottish single ever which will probably see Wet Wet Wet score heavily), then they’ll put together the results into a snazzy little chart/poll for future publication. They’re also after your memories of any of the tracks for publishing too! All in all, they’re looking to create the all encompassing, definitive Scots pop chart of all time!

Read over for more!

Primal Scream featuring Dave Gahan (Depeche Mode) and Mick Jones (The Clash) on ‘Loaded’

Bobby Gillespie, once of JAMC, and then, the all conquering Primal Scream, is still best known for being that surly bloke who shouted "aw-yeah!" in the middle of the ScreamTeam’s acidbaggy smash ‘Loaded’. Well, just when you thought you’d actually heard it to death, here it is again, but with added extras. This video, taken from the ’94 Reading Festival, features Mick Jones from The Clash on guitar, and Dave Gahan from Depeche Mode on harmonica. Quite a treat.

Mof Gimmers

Primal Scream featuring Dave Gahan (Depeche Mode) and Mick Jones (The Clash) on ‘Loaded’

Bobby Gillespie, once of JAMC, and then, the all conquering Primal Scream, is still best known for being that surly bloke who shouted "aw-yeah!" in the middle of the ScreamTeam’s acidbaggy smash ‘Loaded’. Well, just when you thought you’d actually heard it to death, here it is again, but with added extras. This video, taken from the ’94 Reading Festival, features Mick Jones from The Clash on guitar, and Dave Gahan from Depeche Mode on harmonica. Quite a treat.

Mof Gimmers

Me and Viva Hate

Something fell through my virtual letterbox in the form of a confessional. A look at, or a review of, Morrissey’s ‘Viva Hate’ LP. Of course, most fans of The Smiths will cherish this piece of work, and if they could, they would marry it. More likely that they’d marry an obscure B-Side, but no matter.

PopJunkie virgin Jonesy raps back and forth in her brain about the drudgery that is a Morrissey solo LP…