Come My Way: The Best of St. Thomas

 

St. Thomas was the name used by Norwegian folk/alt.country musician Thomas Hansen. He died tragically young in 2007 at the age of 31. He'd taken a combination of drugs, some prescribed, some not, and it seems probable he arrived at his death through an unlucky and unintended combination of the two.  His mental problems had been well-known for several years, something of which he had openly expressed both from stage and in interviews. In his lifetime he released 6 studio albums and one live album. A posthumous album, titled "A Mouse in a Crowded House", consisting of demos recorded shortly before his death, was released in 2016.

The first time I heard St. Thomas was on one of the compilation CDs released by Uncut magazine, back in 2002. The track featured, "Oh I Have Left the Ground", was quite similar to the early/mid '70s recordings of Neil Young, a period of Young I find the most compelling, so I purchased the album it came from soon after. I was also luckily able to see him perform live on stage a couple of times in 2002/2003. 

For this compilation I've picked songs from all studio albums released when he was alive, plus a couple of EPs, and a track he contributed to a Lee Hazlewood tribute album. I decided not to include anything from the posthumous release, to me it's quite obvious most of these songs were nowhere near the finished article and should never have been released. Also missing are any tracks from the "Live in Europe" album, the first draft of this comp did include 3 tracks but I felt they sat uncomfortably with the studio recordings so I removed.

Lastly, thanks to the lovely Sarah who offered some advice/a song suggestion during the making of this compilation. More information about St. Thomas can be found here & here. Info about origin of each track included in download file. Enjoy!

  1. Mysterious Walks (2:39)
  2. Dance to the Disco (4:01)
  3. Twisted Cowboy (3:01)
  4. Oh I Have Left the Ground (3:27)
  5. Ride (3:24)
  6. Be Cool Be Nice (3:23)
  7. Into Your Deep (3:39)
  8. An Artist With a Brilliant Disguise (3:55)
  9. The Mexican Father (3:05)
10. The Railroad (2:53)
11. The Charity Ego (3:23)
12. She Married a Cowboy (3:26)
13. The Present (2:37)
14. People in the Forest (2:45)
15. Sheer Wonder (3:29)
16. Like You Know (3:14)
17. Sugarmilk Coffee (1:56)
18. Strangers Out of Blue (4:06)
19. Falling Down (3:21)
20. The Play (2:42)
21. What Have I Done (2:56)
22. Thinking (2:40)
23. A Long Long Time (3:11)
24. Like the Byrds (3:36)
25. Come My Way (2:58)

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What the Folk is Going On? (updated)

Thanks to a comment from Nihil Yung/Andy, it came to my attention that one of my earliest compilations, posted here, was in mp3 format only, so here's the "rejigged" version in FLAC and mp3. I've also tweaked the cover somewhat, but I've left the original cover in the download files so you can choose which one you prefer. 

  1. Fresh Maggots - Rosemary Hill (3:34)
  2. Comus - Diana (4:34)
  3. Robin Scott - The Sound of Rain (4:26)
  4. Mellow Candle - The Poet and the Witch (2:51)
  5. Subway - All the Good Things (3:54)
  6. The Pentangle - Sally Go Round the Roses (3:35)
  7. Karen Dalton - Something on Your Mind (3:22)
  8. Ora - Seashore (2:50)

  9. Fuchsia - The Nothing Song (8:24)
10. Wizz Jones - Dazzling Stranger (3:03)
11. Spirogyra - The Future Won't Be Long (4:18)
12. Judy Henske & Jerry Yester - Raider (5:12)
13. Alan Hull - United States of Mind (3:05)
14. Gordon Jackson - Song for Freedom (4:49)
15. Catherine Ribeiro + Alpes - Jusqu'a Ce Que la Force de T'aimer Me Manque (2:58)
16. Montreal - What About the Wind? (2:26)
17. Fraser & DeBolt - David's Tune (3:24)
18. Jade - Mayfly (3:33)
19. Oriental Sunshine - Across Your Life (3:28)
20. Ithaca - Journey (4:59)

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Mashing Mole: The Best of Richard Davies [featuring The Moles & Cardinal)

 

How to describe the genius that is Richard Davies...? I'll try to keep it brief!

I've been a fan of his work ever since picking up the 12" single by his first band The Moles, "Tendrils and Paracetamol" back in 1991. To say I was stunned with the inventiveness of this 4 track EP would be an understatement. Keen to hear more, soon after they released on CD the album "Untune the Sky", which was originally released on vinyl as a mini-album. The CD included the 4 tracks from that EP, but tracks available on the vinyl and CD versions differed somewhat, which was frustrating. Thankfully the CD reissue of the album in 1999 included tracks from both releases of the album plus the "Tendrils" EP and 3 tracks from a self-titled EP released in 1992.

After recording a Peel session (which apparently Peel didn't like!) in 1992, everything went a bit pear shaped and apart from Davies the rest of the band relocated back to Australia. Davies kept the band name to release in 1994 the rather interesting (and completely different sounding) "Instinct" album. The same year also saw him collaborate with Eric Matthews under the name of Cardinal, releasing their outstanding self-titled album which received much critical acclaim. Cardinal then split, it seemed Davies didn't have much luck regarding longevity of any band he was involved in. After this he released 3 excellent solo albums between 1996 and 2000, and then silence... 

Silence for several years and I thought that was it, we'd never hear from him again. But, in the year 2009 he teamed up with Robert Pollard to record the album "Jar of Jam Ton of Bricks" under the name of Cosmos, though the majority of the album Pollard sang lead vocals. This was a short-lived affair, but thankfully we didn't have to wait too long as Davies got back together with Eric Matthews in 2012 to record a second Cardinal album, "Hymns". While this album wasn't celebrated as much as their debut, it's still full of fine songs of which many would have sat comfortably on that first album. Again this collaboration was a short-lived affair, and we had more silence from Davies until in 2016 he 'reformed' The Moles to record the album "Tonight's Music". This was met with indifference by many who wanted to hear The Moles of old, but even though the album is a bit of a mess as a whole (plus way too long), there is an excellent album hiding in there! 2 years later saw another Moles album, "Code Word", which was rather more consistent than the previous release, I'd go as far as saying it's amongst his best work.

I didn't mean to go on so much about Davies but he's had quite a varied and complicated musical career over the years! For the purpose of this anthology I decided to include 2 tracks from each of the albums mentioned above, apart from Cosmos which I see more as a Pollard album, plus a rare solo single (track 19). It was really tough debating which songs to include, but I felt I had to start and end the mix with 2 tracks from the "Tendrils" EP, my introduction to his work. 

Hopefully you'll enjoy his songs as much as I have the past (almost) 30 years. I recommend every album he has recorded, but for beginners I believe you should seek out the fine collection of early Moles recordings titled "Flashbacks and Dream Sequences", released in 2014.

Finally, a big thanks yet again to Manerg who provided the rather excellent title for this mix, plus his help with the cover artwork.

  1. The Moles - This Is a Happy Garden (4:56)
  2. Richard Davies - Cantina (4:18)
  3. The Moles - Already in Black (2:11)
  4. Cardinal - If You Believe in Christmas Trees (3:56)
  5. Richard Davies - Why Not Bomb the Movies? (2:51)
  6. The Moles - Beauty Queen of Watts (2:24)
  7. The Moles - What If? (4:15)
  8. The Moles - Surf's Up (4:02)
  9. Richard Davies - Coldest Day (3:36)
10. Cardinal - Carbolic Smoke Ball (3:27)
11. Richard Davies - Main Street Electrical Parade (3:21)
12. The Moles - Raymond, Did You See the Red Queen? (3:31)
13. The Moles - Going Down (2:26)
14. Richard Davies - Chips Rafferty (3:17)
15. Cardinal - Silver Machines (3:53)
16. The Moles - Bury Me Happy (3:02)
17. The Moles - Damien Lovelock (1:06)
18. Richard Davies - Stars (3:10)
19. Richard Davies - Cooper Rediscovered Radials (3:30)
20. Cardinal - Kal (4:52)
21. The Moles - Richard Davies 6.0 (4:05)
22. The Moles - Tendrils and Paracetamol (6:41)

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Songs from Beneath the Spaghetti Tree Vol. 52

 

For those not so keen on "modern" music, this volume is dedicated to songs from the 1960s/70s. As usual for these Spaghetti Tree mixes it's quite an eclectic collection, something for everybody I hope... Info about each track (album/year of release) is included in the download file.

Enjoy!

  1. The Duke of Burlington - Viva Tirado (Part One) (4:22)

  2. Burnier & Cartier - Parte Capital (3:01)
  3. Homegas - Die for a Dime (1:49)
  4. Woodoo - Kylan Vanhin & Kylan Vanhimman Kuolema (4:13)
  5. Del Shannon - I Think I Love You (4:19)
  6. Franco Battiato - Aria di Rivoluzione (5:00)
  7. Ilous & Decuyper - Eleonor Rigby (4:38)
  8. The Hubbels - City Woman (2:30)
  9. Herbie Hancock - Bring Down the Birds (1:43)
10. The Yardbirds - Turn into Earth (alternate version) (3:08)
11. Propinquity - Miles Before Sleeping (2:32)
12. Edgar Broughton Band - John Wayne (3:10)
13. Bobbi Humphrey - Harlem River Drive (7:40)
14. Ivor Cutler - Everybody Got (2:07)
15. Stackridge - To the Sun and Moon (2:50)
16. Atlas - Töröld le a Könnyeidet! (3:08)
17. Julie Tippetts - What Is Living (2:24)
18. Carrie Nations - In the Long Run (2:48)
19. Le Orme - Figure di Cartone (3:48)
20. Pete Dello and Friends - Harry the Earwig (2:20)
21. David Stoughton - The Summer Had No Breeze (5:08)
22. Bruno Nicolai - Invasamento (2:12)
23. David - Take My Hand (3:44)

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Manerg's Monumental Mix, There

 

With what has now become tradition at the beginning of each year, here are some of my best pal Manerg's favourite tunes from 2019. An excellent mix, including a few artists I haven't heard myself the past year which I'll need to check out. Enjoy!

  1. Sparrow Steeple - Your Mom’s Twin Sister’s Daughter’s Twisted (4:15)

  2. Cate Le Bon & Bradford Cox - Canto! (4:16)
  3. Jouis - Cloud Plough (5:05)
  4. Rose Elinor Dougall - Something Real (5:13)
  5. Death and Vanilla - The Hum (5:11)
  6. Oh Sees - Snickersnee (3:46)
  7. Thom Yorke - I Am a Very Rude Person (3:44)
  8. Fat White Family - When I Leave (5:30)
  9. BaBa ZuLa - Transendance (5:04)
10. Hakushi Hasegawa - I Can See Mountains (3:59)
11. Laure Briard - Marin Solitaire (3:24)
12. Bruiser and Bicycle - Cove (3:15)
13. Olden Yolk - Blue Paradigm (3:58)
14. White Manna - Night in Lisbon (3:53)
15. Vanishing Twin - You Are Not an Island (7:31)
16. Richard Dawson - The Queen's Head (5:17)
17. The Winstons - Impotence (2:40)
18. Kevin Morby - O Behold (3:35)

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Best of 2019 mix, Volume 2

 

It's been quite a prolific year on this blog, which I will bring to an end with more of my favourite songs from the past 12 months. Maybe one day I could compile a "Best of the 2010s" mix...

Personally, it's been a very difficult year, having been evicted from my home of many years and having to move away from South London where I have lived most of my life. Losing my independence, plus not seeing my friends or visiting my regular haunts I've found rather depressing and something I'm still trying to deal with over a year later. Immersing myself into this blog and compiling all of these mixes I've found somewhat therapeutic, helping keep me relatively sane with all the madness going on around where I am living now. Hopefully things will improve in the next year, though of course that could lead to much fewer posts! 

Special thanks to my good friend Sarah who provided the original photo (which I've tweaked a little bit...) for the artwork. Happy new year to everyone and I hope you enjoy this latest collection of tunes.

  1. Pere Ubu - Flicking Cigarettes at the Sun (3:20)

  2. The Winstons - Rocket Belt (3:00)
  3. Sebastian Field - Liberty Bell (5:02)
  4. Boogarins - Dislexia ou Transe (3:13)
  5. Edwyn Collins - Outside (1:57)
  6. Automatic - Humanoid (3:15)
  7. Léo Mirland - Tout est Temporaire (3:50)
  8. Kaleta & Super Yamba Band - Hungry Man, Angry Man (3:58)
  9. Masaki Batoh - Dum Spiro Spero (3:04)
10. that dog. - Drip Drops (2:26)
11. Purple Pilgrims - Two Worlds Apart (3:42)
12. Teeth of the Sea - Fortean Steed (3:56)
13. Karl Hector and The Malcouns - Mother Seletta (8:05)
14. Jangada Pirata - Ah, Não Vai Dar (4:53)
15. Clinic - Ferryboat of the Mind (2:09)
16. Mermaidens - The Cut (3:43)
17. Mikal Cronin - I've Got Reason (3:44)
18. Professor Wouassa - Iba Niawoulo (7:48)
19. Dolphin Midwives - Grass Grow (4:27)
20. Jouis - Effloresce (4:08)

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Songs from Beneath the Sultana Tree, Volume 1 (revised version)

The second variation on the Spaghetti Tree mixes, this mix has one common theme which shouldn't be too hard to decipher... First posted on mixcloud 3+ years ago, when collecting all the tracks in FLAC to recreate for this blog, I wasn't completely satisfied with the finished result, so I've made a few changes. Below is the original mix as it appeared on mixcloud, it would be interesting to know which one you prefer! The revised version will appear on mixcloud soon. 
Edit: Revised version now on mixcloud

  1. Turid - Song (4:28)
  2. Magik Markers - American Sphinx Face (6:45)
  3. Project Pollen - Scum (4:11)
  4. Melt-Banana - Spider Snipe (2:12)
  5. Lhasa - Anywhere on This Road (4:35)
  6. Throwing Muses - Snakeface (3:28)
  7. Jane Weaver - Oh You Lucky Ones (3:58)
  8. Even as We Speak - Spirit of Progress (3:43)
  9. Viv Albertine - Confessions of a MILF (5:30)
10. Team Dresch - #1 Chance Pirate TV (3:04)
11. Sonic Youth - Flower (3:32)
12. Beverly Copeland - Nothing Beautiful (5:27)
13. Faye Wong - Duòluò (3:39)
14. Nancy Priddy - Mystic Lady (6:30)
15. Jan & Lorraine - Bird of Passage (3:53)
16. Bongwater - Obscene & Pornographic Art (3:19)
17. ESG - Moody (Spaced Out) (4:15)
18. Elizabeth Anka Vajagic - Where You Wonder (6:50)

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Songs from Beneath the Skronk Tree

 

In the early days of the Spaghetti Tree mixes, I deviated from the series a couple of times. These were titled Songs from Beneath the Sultana Tree, and Songs from Beneath the Skronk Tree. This one came about when somebody asked me "what exactly is skronk?" Instead of trying to formulate some kind of answer, I thought making a mix would be a better explanation. 
According to the dictionary, skronk is: "popular music of a kind that is experimental and deliberately discordant." Well, I'm not too sure if any of the songs here would be described as popular, but there's plenty of experimental and discordant sounds to be heard. This mix isn't for the faint-hearted, some might even find some of it (if not all of it) unlistenable! Like my Spaghetti Tree mixes this was on mixcloud only, but have now decided to recreate for my blog. As ever, origin of each track is included in the download file. I hope (some) of you enjoy!

Note: Track 7, by Ruins, is a "bonus track" which wasn't included on the original mixcloud mix.

  1. Laura Huxley - Introduction (0:26)

  2. Slapp Happy - Haiku (3:01)
  3. Dog Faced Hermans - Calley (4:10)
  4. Add N to (X) - Buckminster Fuller (3:34)
  5. Officer! - Apply (3:11)
  6. Paul Vickers & the Leg - Somewhere Between No & Yes (2:46)
  7. Ruins - Hexagon (2:44)
  8. John Hill - Elara (2:56)
  9. The Residents - Daydream Believer (2:55)
10. Krackhouse - My Revolution (1:36)
11. Melt-Banana - Humming Jackalope, Waiting for the Storm... (4:04)
12. Peter Jefferies - Domesticia (2:19)
13. Het - Throw Out That Rag (7:03)
14. Arto Lindsay - In the City That Reads (3:29)
15. Captain Beefheart & His Magic Band - Wild Life (3:07)
16. Picchio dal Pozzo - Uccellin del Bosco (3:13)
17. John Greaves, Peter Blegvad, Lisa Herman - Gegenstand (3:43)
18. Chrome - Fukishima (Nagasaki) (3:29)
19. Spacebox - Sing Sung Song (4:05)
20. The Ex - House Carpenter (4:06)
21. Gurun Gurun - Tsuki ni Te (5:33)
22. When - Those Grey Cats Invisible (3:16)
23. Vertø - Krig (4:56)

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Kendra Smith - In Your Head: An anthology 1982-1995

 

Kendra Smith, born March 14 1960, is an American musician who was a founding member of The Dream Syndicate, a member of Opal, and later recorded as a solo artist. She recorded just the one album with The Dream Syndicate, on their debut album "The Days of Wine and Roses" in 1982. The only track she sang lead vocals on is included here. After leaving the band she formed the "supergroup" Rainy Day with David Roback, from Rain Parade, also featuring Vicki Peterson and Susanna Hoffs from The Bangles. The one album they recorded in 1984 was a collection of cover songs, two of which Smith sang lead vocals on. Those are also included on this anthology.

Smith and Roback went on to form Opal, who released the magnificent album "Happy Nightmare Baby" in 1987. This was their sole studio album, but a collection of early recordings, aptly titled "Early Recordings" was released in 1989. A year later a bootleg album "Early Recordings Volume 2" appeared, this included many rare tracks but sadly the quality of most of these tracks is rather poor. The band did continue after Smith's departure, her replacement being Hope Sandoval, changing their name to the much more successful Mazzy Star.

Smith went solo after this, releasing the mini-album "The Guild of Temporal Adventurers" in 1992 and her excellent final(?) solo album "Five Ways of Disappearing" in 1995. After this album things got a bit murky, apparently retiring to the woods of northern California for 20+ years. When The Dream Syndicate reunited in 2017 for the album "How Did I Find Myself Here?" it was quite the surprise when Smith appeared on it, albeit on the one track "Kendra's Dream", singing lead vocals. A year later she contributed the song "Moon Boat" to the soundtrack for the film Leave No Trace.

I debated whether to include the 2 later tracks, which are both excellent, deciding eventually to only include tracks from her recordings between 1982-1995, plus one "bonus" track from a 1995 Joy Division tribute album. It's a shame she disappeared for so long, but with her sudden reappearance in the past couple of years maybe we'll see her 2nd solo album appear sometime in the near future. We can only hope! As ever, origin of each track is included in the download file.

  1. Opal - Fell From the Sun (4:32)

  2. Opal - Happy Nightmare Baby (2:53)
  3. Rainy Day - Flying on the Ground Is Wrong (3:16)
  4. Kendra Smith - Temporarily Lucy (4:40)
  5. Opal - Empty Bottles (1:58)
  6. Kendra Smith - Wheel of the Law (4:04)
  7. Opal - Sailing Boats (5:58)
  8. The Dream Syndicate - Too Little, Too Late (3:23)

  9. Kendra Smith - Heart and Soul (6:06)

10. Opal - Supernova (4:17)
11. Kendra Smith - Iridescence 31 (3:37)
12. Kendra Smith - Drunken Boat (3:45)
13. Opal - All Souls (2:17)
14. Kendra Smith - In Your Head (4:23)
15. Opal - My Only Friend (3:56)
16. Rainy Day - Holocaust (3:51)
17. Kendra Smith - Stars Are in Your Eyes (3:50)
18. Opal - Magick Power (6:16)
19. Kendra Smith - Valley of the Morning Sun (6:23)

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Best of 2019 mix - Volume 1

 

  1. PicaPica - Cast in Stone (2:37)

  2. Surf Friends - Let's Go Out Tonight (5:34)
  3. Lightning Bolt - Tom Thump (2:41)
  4. Altin Gün - Derdimi Dökersem (3:51)
  5. Juju - Motherfucker Core (7:18)
  6. Pan American - Brewthru (3:26)
  7. Ty Segall - The Arms (3:29)
  8. Twink with Moths & Locusts and Heavy Friends - Fear the Unknown (3:13)
  9. Olden Yolk - Distant Episode (2:22)
10. Rev Rev Rev - Egocandy (3:04)
11. Otoboke Beaver - Binge Eating Binge Drinking Bulimia (0:53)
12. Gruff Rhys - Taranau Mai (3:35)
13. Vanishing Twin - Magician's Success (3:55)
14. Big Business - We Can Swarm / El Pollo (3:48)
15. Lost Crowns - Dandy Doesn't Know (3:37)
16. Laure Briard - Energie (2:42)
17. David Kilgour and the Heavy Eights - Looks Like I'm Running Out (2:53)
18. Badge Époque Ensemble - Enormous Profit (3:43)
19. Gnoomes - Irma (3:29)
20. Molpé - Le Poids (2:40)
21. James Yorkston - Brittle (3:15)
22. Girl Band - Couch Combover (3:34)
23. Lucille Furs - Leave It As You Found It (1:48)
24. Peter Perrett - Love Comes on Silent Feet (2:22)

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