Music Purchases December and January

Various Artists – Silent Night, Tiny Lights another addition to my growing pile of Christmas albums this is an album released by a great North East label (Tiny Lights) and is 19 tracks of the great and the good of the North East music scene contributing with their version of a Christmas song. Highlights are The Futureheads – Christmas Was Better In The 80’s and The Lake Poets – Johnny Guitar but in truth this is a great album full of gems, get a copy now for next year you won’t regret it.

Bill Withers – The Complete Sussex & Columbia Albums this is a 9 CD box set which basically is all of Bills musical output before he turned his back on the music industry. I’m a huge fan and although I already had some of his albums this is worth every penny as you can’t buy a lot of these albums individually. If all you know of Wither’s is Lovely Day all I can say is there is so much more to his work aside then that slice of summer soul. His honesty of lyrics and his song subject matter is often very different than most soul artists, I Can’t Write Left Handed (written after meeting a wounded Vietnam war veteran) is a case in point.

Led Zeppelin – Celebration Day after catching an edited version of the gig on TV decided I only needed the CD version of the hallowed 2007 reunion gig (only so much of Jimmy Page’s sex face you can take) After listening to the album a number of times I’m kind of glad they didn’t reform, it’s good but not great, and just makes you wish you had seen them in the 70’s.

Tommy Bolin – Teaser I have been trying to track down an album by Deep Purple called Last Concert In Japan which included Bolin (he briefly replaced Ritchie Blackmore in Purple) playing a beautiful version of a song called Wild Dogs a haunting rock ballad, having given up trying to get the album I decided on a solo Bolin album as recommended by @fatfish59 on twitter. It’s an absolute gem of an album a mix of rock jazz and funk with Bolin’s guitar playing at the forefront of the music. A misguided soul who died of a drug seems to fit a lot of the artists I like but this guy was a guitar genius. Worth looking out for.

Neil Young & Crazy Horse – Psychedelic Pill I often think most artists get to a certain age and then their musical output seems to deteriorate in quality but not Young he keeps pushing out new music at an amazing rate and always seems to be pushing himself musically. Role on June when I get to see him live for the first time.

Porcupine Tree – Octane Tree live album by a band that are rockier end of my musical tastes. Complete performance of their album The Incident plus addition disc of ‘best of’ best listened to very loudly.

Van Halen – Van Halen 37 minute debut that introduced Eddie Van Halen and friends to the world. Over the last 30 years Van Halen may have changed forms a number of times and at times become a bit of a parody of themselves but this album had great tunes and a real energy to it.

Yes –The Yes Album bought after reading an article on ‘How to Buy’ I thought the £3 price tag warranted the purchase. Not use if I’m a fan of Yes or not but enjoyed this album although not sure I’ll play it that much.

Kathryn Williams – Little Black Numbers adopted Geordie whose Husband runs a cafe in Newcastle Williams releases album after album to critical acclaim, file under nu-folk if yu want, but really just great tunes delivered without pomp or drama.

City And Colour – Bring Me Your Love this artist was recommended to me who saw them on One Tree Hill and I’m listening to them now as I type. I bought 5 albums today and yet have had this one on repeat since I put it on tells you all you need to know. A great album of acoustic tunes which has me searching for the rest of their albums. Subsequently bought Sometimes.

Band of Horses – Mirage Rock 4^th album is a bit of a departure for the band and has a more acoustic feel to it. It hods to laurel Cnayon circa 1970 which isn't a bad thing for me.

Lucy Rose – Like I Used To an artist that passed me by for most of 2012 until I realised she was the female vocalist on Bombay Bicycle Club’s Leaving Blues. Now I realise this was a big mistake!

The Wallflowers – Glad All Over return to a full band for Jakob Dylan after a couple of solo albums. Mick Jones who features on a couple of tracks which is always a good thing. Jakob will never reach the heights of his father but he does write a good tune full of hook laden choruses.

Rufus Wainwright – Out Of The Game I lost track of Wainwright’s music after Release The Stars as he disappeared into a world of Judy Garland and Opera but this album produced by Mark Ronson brings him back to where he belongs in my opinion. Great tunes and intelligent lyrics all delivered with swagger and a glint in his eye.