First Playlist of 2011

Here's the first selection of the new year - new and old material. I wonder if the new Decemberists album might transpire to be a better new REM album than the upcoming new REM album. The Broadcast material is included as a result of devastating circumstances. The loss of Trish Keenan is massive, tragic and shocking. It's always good to return to their early albums - I just wish I was doing it for more positive reasons. I will have plenty to say about the Iron & Wine and James Blake albums soon.


The Decemberists - The King Is Dead
Iron & Wine - Kiss Each Other Clean
James Blake - James Blake
Jonny - Jonny (collaboration between Euros Childs and Norman Blake)
Gruff Rhys - Hotel Shampoo
Sidi Toure - Sahel Folk

Broadcast - The Noise Made By People
Broadcast - Ha Ha Sound
Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers - Damn The Torpedos
Sister Rosetta Tharpe - Up Above My Head (compilation)
Richard Thompson - Dream Attic
Richard Thompson - Henry The Human Fly (this seems to have been recently added to Spotify, which serves as some consolation for all the great jazz which has recently been removed).
Oriole - Migration
Oriole - Song For The Sleeping
Van Morrison - Moondance
Van Morrison - Astral Weeks

Richard Thompson Interview

A few days ago, I was lucky to have a brief telephone conversation with the incredible Richard Thompson. The results of that chat can be found here.

Richard had plenty of informed and inspiring things to say about social commentary, the folk music tradition and the idea of music being a process of constant exploration. He is clearly deeply immersed in music and deeply committed to every aspect of his work. I respect him even more as an artist now.