There are some funny names out there. In my Release Radar playlist this week there was a single called by a band called . I did listen to it and it's OK but not up to Crotchety blogging standard. (For the incurably curious it's on Spotify here.) Curiosity then seized the helm of the mental ship and took…Read more Tea Time
rock
Pain Killer (Summer Rain)
It's been a typical British summer this year. Anchored in the Atlantic Ocean just off the western edge of mainland Europe these islands get weather that is politely called 'changeable'. In Ireland they have a saying: if you can see the hills, rain is coming; if not ... it's raining already. A little farther east,…Read more Pain Killer (Summer Rain)
Blowin’ Free
Crotchety Man was always small in stature. He came from small stock. Even his surname is thought to have come from the French for 'low'. (The Norman Conqueror throws a long shadow in these parts.) Small he was, but not stunted - more pigmy than masai, more hobbit than dwarf, everything in proportion. Inside that…Read more Blowin’ Free
Hall of Fame
Delving blindfold into the laundry basket of titles earmarked for Track of the Week today the hand of fate picked out Hall of Fame by The Script. Sometimes choosing a song is the difficult bit; this time it's what to write. You see, there's not much to say about this single except that it's a straightforward…Read more Hall of Fame
Oczy Mlody
The title of this post is not quite gibberish. The words are Polish. Individually they mean 'eyes' and 'young'. Unfortunately, 'oczy' is feminine plural and 'mlody' is masculine singular. And, to make matters worse, the words are in the wrong order for the phrase 'young eyes'. Not that this bothers The Flaming Lips who chose…Read more Oczy Mlody
Magic
I shall be away from the temptations of the blogging machine this weekend so, this week, the Crotchety notes will be published in advance of the usual Sunday date and may be somewhat staccato. ----- For my Track of the Week I've chosen Magic by Bruce Springsteen. There's no particular reason for this; it just struck…Read more Magic
Brass In Pocket
There's been a deliberate focus on new songs recently on Crotchety Man so I think it's now time to remember an old favourite. Brass In Pocket was the first big hit for The Pretenders in January 1980. Chrissie Hynde never liked the song but the public loved it and she still plays it when she's touring…Read more Brass In Pocket
Moroccan Roll
Brand X are back. And how! Here's a splendid live version of Malaga Virgen from their 1977 album Moroccan Roll. This was recorded just a few months ago on the band's reunion tour of the US. https://vimeo.com/195527081 If that performance doesn't leave you panting with excitement and aghast with admiration I'll ... I'll ... errm ... I'll…Read more Moroccan Roll
Wild Fire
What would you get if Lou Reed was to take a walk on the wild side with Joni Mitchell? Well, I'll tell you. You'd get something that sounds a lot like Wild Fire, a track from Laura Marling's sixth album Semper Femina, which is due to be released on 10th March. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0EUdZFcq-QE Laura Marling has…Read more Wild Fire
Little Fictions
There has been a lot of talk recently about "fake news" and its equally alarming cousin, "alternative facts". Some say those alternative facts are nothing to worry about; they are just white lies, little fictions that reveal a deeper truth. Pictures of the crowd at Donald Trump's presidential inauguration may have shown fewer people than at…Read more Little Fictions
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