February Birdie Songs: Lurchio, Get Me Banjo!
Posted on Feb 4th, 2010 by Alan @ 11:48 pm

I love mandolins and banjos. The brightness of their tone puts a smile on my face every single time I hear one, without fail. It’s possibly got something to do with a childhood memory of my grandad playing his banjo – although I only heard him play 2 or 3 times as he wasn’t the kind of guy who liked being the centre of attention. I’ve got no talent for string instruments myself, I learnt to play the mandolin part of Losing My Religion when I was a student and bought one of my own about 10 years ago, which to my shame I still can’t play.

Here are some of my favourite tracks featuring these glorious instruments – and posting this blog has inspired me to get the mandolin down from the attic and learn how to play it. Or at least play along with REM again.

Click here for the mix tape!

Playlist:

  • Porcupine Tree – Last Chance To Evacuate Planet Earth Before It Is Recycled (iLike) (buy)
  • Sufjan Stevens – The Upper Peninsula (iLike) (buy)
  • Eddie Vedder – Rise (iLike) (buy)
  • Yes – I’ve Seen All Good People (iLike) (buy)
  • REM – Losing My Religion (iLike) (buy)
  • Sufjan Stevens – Decatur, or, Round of Applause for Your Stepmother! (iLike) (buy)
  • Nickel Creek – When You Come Back Down (iLike) (buy)
  • Eddie Vedder – No Ceiling (iLike) (buy)
  • Rod Stewart – Mandolin Wind (iLike) (buy)
  • Sufjan Stevens – The Dress Looks Nice On You (iLike) (buy)
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    Filed under: Mixtapes
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    No-Man – Mixtaped
    Posted on Dec 5th, 2009 by Alan @ 2:04 am

    The Birdie Mix - December 2009

    What better way to blog about the release of the No-Man DVD “Mixtaped” than with a No-Man mixtape? I meant to do this back in August/September after going to the preview screening of the DVD (a documentary called “Mixtaped” on one disk, and a live show called “Returning” on the second disk) but as usual lack of time won the battle with my good intentions.

    Like a lot of people I came to No-Man through Porcupine Tree, and probably like a lot of people they were a slow-burner for me. Nowadays while Porcupine Tree excite me and I eagerly await every next release, I find I listen to No-Man just as much if not more than them.

    The documentary DVD is unusual in that with most bands if you like them enough to buy the DVD you probably know pretty much everything about them already. But No-Man have led such a low-key existence that it’s packed with surprises. Who would have thought, for example, that it was Tim Bowness and not Steven Wilson who had the sillier hair! Although Wilson does beat him in the daft hat stakes. There are a few gaps in it though, for example when talking about the One Little Indian years they mention that they would regret “what would come next” without saying exactly what it was.

    The live DVD is great, although I was a bit surprised that they “rocked up” their live sound. Never having seen or heard them live I’d always imagined more of a jazz club feel to their shows – having said that it’s a terrific performance and it is no surprise that they’re as tight as a gnat’s chuff.

    Check it out, and enjoy it.

    Playlist:

    1. Walker (from the compilation “All The Blue Changes”)
    2. Break Heaven (from “Loveblows & Lovecries”)
    3. Things Change (from “Flowermouth”)
    4. Angeldust (from “Flowermouth”)
    5. Pretty Genius (from “Wild Opera”)
    6. Sweetside Silver Night (from “Dry Cleaning Ray”)
    7. Night Sky Sweet Earth (from “Speak”)
    8. Only Rain (from “Returning Jesus”)
    9. No Defence (from “Returning Jesus”)
    10. Back When You Were Beautiful (from “Together We’re Stranger”)
    11. All Sweet Things (from “Schoolyard Ghosts”)
    12. Truenorth (from “Schoolyard Ghosts”)

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    Filed under: Mixtapes and No-Man
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    Sir Vincent Lone – Rove On Wraith Of Raith
    Posted on Oct 23rd, 2009 by Alan @ 10:56 pm

    splashes

    About time I resurrected the blog, eh?

    I went to see Jackie Leven at the Kirkcaldy Polish Club (HEY!) last night and he was superb. I just had to post this track by his good friend Sir Vincent Lone – as Jackie said in his intro last night, “the first line is brilliant”.

    Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.

    Find out more about Jackie and Vincent here, and buy Troubadour Heart here.

     — 

    Filed under: Jackie Leven
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    Clement Freud R.I.P.
    Posted on Apr 16th, 2009 by Alan @ 9:55 am

    Very sad news, the man was brilliant.

    Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.

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    April Birdie Songs
    Posted on Apr 9th, 2009 by Alan @ 10:16 am

    The Birdie Mix - April 2009

    Playlist:

    1. Tartan Specials – No Team GB (iLike) (buy)
    2. Simple Minds – Glittering Prize (iLike) (buy)
    3. Big Country – Fields Of Fire (iLike) (buy)
    4. Jackie Leven – My Spanish Dad (iLike) (buy)
    5. Blackfield – Summer (iLike) (buy)
    6. Elliott Smith – Junk Bond Trader (iLike) (buy)
    7. LEO – Ya Had Me Goin’ (iLike) (buy)
    8. Del Amitri – Driving With The Brakes On (iLike) (buy)
    9. Jellyfish – Bedspring Kiss (iLike) (buy)
    10. Pink Floyd – Coming Back To Life (iLike) (buy)

     — 

    Filed under: Mixtapes
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    KEEP THE FAITH!
    Posted on Mar 25th, 2009 by Alan @ 4:06 pm

    believe

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    Filed under: The Beautiful Game
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    No Team GB!
    Posted on Mar 24th, 2009 by Alan @ 4:22 pm

    The Tartan Specials keep on knocking out belters like this, go to www.tartanspecials.com for more!

    Get the Flash Player to see this player.

    For more information on the risks of a GB team at the 2012 Olympics, go to www.noteamgb.com

     — 

    Filed under: Tartan Specials and The Beautiful Game and Video Killed The Radio Star
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    March Birdie Songs
    Posted on Mar 16th, 2009 by Alan @ 11:31 am

    The Birdie Mix - March 2009

    I make no secret of the fact that I like a bit of prog now and again. When it’s done right there’s nothing better… but of course when it’s not done right all the stereotypes are true. There is an awful lot of really really atrocious music in the genre. I won’t name and shame, they know who they are.

    So here are some of the good ‘uns, starting off with Genesis followed by the song that got Marillion pigeon-holed as a Genesis rip-off band. I never really heard the similarity other than a couple of exceptions – this one, which was only ever released as a B side (to their first single in 1982) and “Incommunicado” which I always thought was Marillion’s attempt at “Sussussussudio”. Or something.

    Then there’s a romp through some of my favourites from both prog’s salad days of the early 70s to the coffee and wafer thin mint days of the 21st century.

    Enjoy – I’m never going to do a 3 hour mix tape again!

    Playlist:

    1. Genesis – Supper’s Ready (iLike) (buy)
    2. Marillion – Grendel (iLike) (buy)
    3. Pink Floyd – Echoes (iLike) (buy)
    4. Porcupine Tree – Moonloop (iLike) (buy)
    5. The Mars Volta – L’Via L’Viaquez (iLike) (buy)
    6. Rush – 2112 Overture / The Temples Of Syrinx (iLike) (buy)
    7. Marillion – This Strange Engine (iLike) (buy)
    8. Genesis – Firth Of Fifth (iLike) (buy)
    9. Yes – Heart of the Sunrise (iLike) (buy)
    10. Frost* – Milliontown (iLike) (buy)

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    Filed under: Mixtapes
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    Yes is bad, but we love it
    Posted on Mar 12th, 2009 by Alan @ 12:17 pm

    In a similar vein to the Yes Is Bad post from last month, my brother sent me this video. Daftly progtastic, no?

    Get the Flash Player to see this player.

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    Filed under: Video Killed The Radio Star
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    February Birdie Songs
    Posted on Feb 11th, 2009 by Alan @ 11:38 am

    The Birdie Mix - February 2009

    Playlist:

    1. Inspiral Carpets – Saturn 5 (iLike) (buy)
    2. REM – Don’t Go Back To Rockville (iLike) (buy)
    3. Elbow – Any Day Now (iLike) (buy)
    4. Porcupine Tree – The Rest Will Flow (iLike) (buy)
    5. Willard Grant Conspiracy – Flying Low (iLike) (buy)
    6. Elliott Smith – Independence Day (iLike) (buy)
    7. Bob Dylan – Like A Rolling Stone (iLike) (buy)
    8. Justin Currie – No, Surrender (iLike) (buy)
    9. Chris Difford – For A Change (iLike) (buy)
    10. Francis Dunnery – Hometown (iLike) (buy)

     — 

    Filed under: Mixtapes
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    This blog is intended as a way to spread the word about music I really like, and encourage others to support artists who are making great music. "Try before you buy", if you like. If you hear something you like here, go and buy it - I'll post links to online shops where you can buy each track I blog about.

    If you're reading this and you are the artist, or their record company, and you don't want a track I've posted to be available to hear in this way just email me and let me know - I will be more than happy to take the file down straight away. I've heard of other bloggers getting threatened with letters from lawyers, and there is absolutely no need to waste your money on that with me!