Similar album covers

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I've noticed a few of these over the years, but here are some of my favourite 'similar' album covers.

Thanks to my friends including Mike (the man!) Butler who's contributed a few as well. Let me know if you have any of your own in the comments section below..

 Updated on 02/02/2017 with Bleached Vs alt-J

alt-J 'Dissolve'

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Bleached 'Can You Deal?'

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Chi Lites 'Give More Power To The People'

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Sharon Jones 'Give The People What They Want'

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Space Daze "What Did You Say"

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Yo La Tengo "Painful"

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Itch - The Deep End

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Alex Turner "Submarine" OST

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Oddisee - Tangible Dream

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Jonathan Wilson- Fanfare

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Ruth Granton- People Help The People

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Gabrielle Aplin "Panic Cord"

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Yo La Tengo- And Then Nothing

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Paul Kelly- Conversations With Ghosts

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Ty- "Closer"

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Grover Washington Jr- "Mister Magic"

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Blomma- "Minilogue"

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Bloc Party - "Four"

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Kid Cudi- Indicud (2013

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Royksopp- Melody AM (2001)

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Mount Moriah "Miracle Temple"

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Swell Maps

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Jim Jones "Burning Your House Down"

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The Gaslight Anthem "The 59 Sound"

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  Rhett Walker "Come To The River"

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Weezer "Weezer"

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The Feelies "Crazy Rhythms"

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Alkaline Trio "This Addiction"

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Tim Hughes "Love Shines Through"

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We're Down Til The Underground

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The Black Seeds "Dust & Dirt"

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The Temper Trap "The Temper Trap"

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Heartless B's- Arrow

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Phoenix Foundation- Buffalo

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Lisa Hannigan "Passenger"

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DJ Rashad 'Double Cup

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Saint Etienne "Words & Music"

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James Brown "In a Jungle Groove"

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Various "In The Christmas Groove"

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Race Horses "Furniture"

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How To Dress Well "Total Loss"

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Lee Fields "Faithful Man"

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Michael Payne 'Nosey Neighbour' from The Fast Show

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Strictly Reserved For You

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A soul funk flag bearer for Daptone, Charles Bradley today previewed a track from his forthcoming album 'Victim Of Love'. With his trademark gravelly vocals that would have James Brown raising an eyebrow and perhaps a cursory nod of approval, Strictly Reserved For You represents a less politised track from Bradley whose new album is telling stories on relationship. As ever his sound is deeply rooted to a 70's sound and is suitably weather beaten with female harmonies in all the right places.

Needless to say but this track is making me excited for the album in Spring!

Lonnie Liston Smith & Spotify

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Recently the rather , er ace, Ace Records decided the time was right for them to have their catalogue up on Spotify.

One of the gems amongst the many they have is this space jazz album from 'Expansions' Lonnie Liston Smith. Starting off with this seminal track, this groove album is not to be missed. I've added it to my 'music for 2013 playlist which will mostly be new albums and singles but will contain some older discoveries and re-discoveries from this year as well.

In other news there's a new album from Nicole Willis & The Soul Investigators, their first since 2005 (single track now added to the playlist), Bonobo who premiered his track 'Cirrus' this week and Charles Bradley via Daptone all coming up in the first few months of the year!

Please check this out and subscribe :)

Till I Met Thee (Acoustic)

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Cody ChesnuTT rocked up for the Nowness blog and recorded an excellent acoustic version of 'Till I Met Thee' , a real highlight from his album Landing on A Hundred

Cody Chesnutt: Til I Met Thee on Nowness.com.

Playlist: Supa Soulful

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Supa Soulful (Click Here to open playlist)

Another of the playlists that i've been working on for a few months as i've been collecting some decent RnB from the archives and some newer tunes too. 

I've been quite enjoying some of the sparse but soulful crunk recently from artists like Cymphonique, Lulu James and Aluna George and decided to bridge that against some classics and lesser known gems too..

As Aluna George says 'You Know You Like It' !

2012- End of Year Review

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Quite fitting that the 50th blog post is a review of this years best records (in my view anyway!), but firstly thankyou for reading this and for the support!

So below are my favourite 10, chosen because i think they'll stand the test of time and are great records.

Please comment on my choice and let me know what music has inspired you or that you would put in your end of year lists.

Happy 2013 too!
Simon 



MUSIC
Top albums of 2012 (in no order)

Tame Impala- Lonerism
Psychadelic space rock at it's finest and there other it's also sonically stunning. Lonerism is as complete an album, a piece of art, as you're likely to hear this year, maybe this decade.

Menahan Street Band- The Crossing
After their superb debut 'Make The Road By Walking' Tommy Breneck & co keep standards high with an altogether more wintery record of blues and thought provoking melancholy.

KWJAZ- KWJAZ
San Fran's Peter Berends, whose two track LP is all dub, jazz, dreamy loops and twinkley keys. The 22 minute duration of each 'tape' would make Tangerine Dream proud as he journeys between delayed electronica, radio crackle and muffled, blurry moments of genius; inviting us to listen to someone else’s cloud 9.

Rodriguez- Searching For Sugarman OST
Anyone who had previously discovered Cold Fact would have enjoyed the documentary on the reclusive singers life, released over the Summer but the soundtrack CD, melded the best of that album as well as follow up Coming From Reality resulting in a superb collection.

Nneka- Soul Is Heavy
If you enjoyed Lauryn Hill’s Miseducation album there’s something in this from the Nigerian singer. It’s Soulpop with some very well written RnB too.

Lee Fields & The Expressions- Faithful Man
This isn't Fields changing his game to make modern Funk, it's more him sticking to his guns as at 61 he's stepping out from behind the shadow of James Brown along with contemporaries such as Charles Bradley & Bobby Womack to keep Funk on it's game. Faithful Man is life, love and politics, without being too preachy or soppy, showing very much that the man still got it.

The Magnetic North- Orkney: Symphony of the Magnetic North

A concept album telling the tale of the Orkney Isles that is cinematic and folky. A blend that really works, honing the musical talents of Hannah Peel and Erland Cooper of indie act Erland & The Carnival.

DJ Format- Statement of Intent
Cut from the hem of the Endtroducing//Jurassic 5 era, Formats debut album Music For The Mature B-Boy propelled him from bedroom tinkerer to one of the scenes most respected beat junkies. This third outing, the follow up to 2005's if you can't beat em, join 'em, we find him in fine fettle, chopping up crate dug records and partnering with Canadian MC Abdominal. The first half of the album is definitely for the breakers amongst us, whereas the second half takes on a funkier sound as he teams up with Nostalgia 77, Mr Lif & Edan amongst others. Copper Canyons is worth a mention, cinematic, slightly oriental and mysterious, it's a much cooler version of the x-men theme tune. Other highlights include Remember... , Notes In Quotation and the bond-esque Mayor of a Ghost Town

First Aid Kit- The Lions Roar
The Swedish sisters suffer the opposite of second album blues on this fantastic follow up to 'The Big The Black & The Blue' with some compelling country Americana.

Quantic & Alice Russell- Look Around The Corner
Recorded in Cali, Colombia, We were given a pre-release teaser with the title track and it's Rotary Connection/Minnie Riperton influenced sound, a real corker. But it was KCRW (possibly one of the best stations in the US for indie music) , that broke another highlight 'Light In The Window', a cover of Marvin/Diana Ross's original and one of Russells favourites. Delivered with a tonky, slightly off-key piano, it sounds deeply authentic. Travelling Song gives us a taste of the tropics with it's melodic bossa flair whilst the fun Su Suzy sounds like a long lost and sweet R&B record. The mid-tempo I'd Cry meanwhile is just a great track to kick back to whilst enjoying a pina colada. This is the album to kick back to, open the windows to and welcome the summer in.

Download: 

Best of the rest:
Triptides – Sun Pavilion
Fans of Real Estate need look no further for their next fix. 
Patterson Hood – Heat Lightning Rumbles In The Distance  
Superb storytelling & campfire songs from the Drive-By Truckers frontman
Substantial – Home Is Where The Art Is  
Rap steeped in life and learning from the Maryland MC
Hollie Cook – Prince Fatty Presents  
Superb Dub Reggae versions of Hollie Cooks debut
Tanya Lacey – Head Chef  
A real talent from Bristol, if you like Kelly Rowland then this will appeal
THEESatisfaction – awE naturalE  
Cool & sassy beat meets RnB, will appeal to fans of Erykah Badu, Georgia Anne Muldrow




BOOKS

Up Pohnpei, Paul Watson
A book that was hard to put down (and caused me to be tired at work for a few mornings!) Watson tells the story of two plucky Brits venturing into the unknown from their comfy couches in West London with the aim to coach an Island team of misfits to international glory. A fantastic book and highly recommended especially if you're into sports and football.

The Life & Times of Sam Cooke, Daniel Wolfe
A compelling read and recommended reading for any fan of Sam, soul or American black politics from the mid fifties into the early sixties. 

The Crossing

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A lonesome figure walks across snowy tundra on the second album from Brooklyns finest.

With a debut album of instrumental funk that contained plenty of refreshing summer grooves, Tommy Breneck & co. follow with an altogether more wintery record of blues and thought provoking melancholy on The Crossing.

I've got to be honest, pretty much everything about this record is likeable. Stop right there i hear you say, 'that means this review will probably be pretty boring and full of compliments'. But it's actually the imperfectness of the record that creates it's beauty.

For instance, there's a sort of wearyness to the sound of most of the bands instruments, the kind of sound a horn would make when it's been on the road alot is apparent here and for that reason it's a little dog eared in places but full of charm.

Opening with the title track, MSB make the most of intricate harp play as it's tempered by a Knightrider-esque bassline and equally as cool, without the kitsch.

Lights Out sounds like a Bill Conti soundtrack, an uplifting call to battle  that Rocky would have been pleased to train to. Later on in the album we're taken to another soundtrack scenario on Seven in The Wind. Three men staring at each other ready to draw weapons. Ennio Morricone could have written this record and with it's slide guitar reverb and slow horn play, it's completely engrossing.

And if this album veers away into melancholy and recession blues, then the only exception is the sunny 'Everyday a Dream' which could have easily fitted onto the bands first album Make The Road By Walking.

*****