Stress Down Friday - French Letters (or Gitanes Moi Non Plus)

How did he do it?

What with the 'V' word just around the tomorrow's corner, a seasonal slinky soother could be just what the Écouter ordered. And there's none more slinky and soothing than a splash of Serge Gainsbourg. I don't understand a single syllable of his smokily mumbled mutterings (with the exception of a unexpectedly jarring - "MERDE!"). Maybe he's reading from a Ready Reckoner, the Periodical Tables or selected highlights from the Highway Code - but, whatever he's on about, it's getting him all smoochy doo, and Pepe Le Pew.

Or perhaps, it could be, that almost anything said in French is given the heated underglow of suggestion and smoulder .

As a note en bas de page Mrs PM once claimed, given the choice between Sasha Distel and Serge she'd go for Gainsbourg !

*Makes theatrical gulp, and arm wrestles with what this says about self*


Fin

Serge Gainsbourg - Melody

Stress Down Friday - Apple Turnovers

I'm having a Beatleg remix special on the PM blog today, so it seems a perfect time to drop these two lovelies in as part of the occasional 'Stress Down Friday' series..

Mark Vidler works his mix-magic by morphing The Beach Boys and Beatles into an almost CSN (Our House) sounding gentle melter.

Go Home Productions - Sloop For No One



While Soundhog's pop fusion of The Beatles, Mogwai and Kid Loco becomes an ambient after hours rumbler

Soundhog - A Day In Tracy's Life



And should you fancy a few more tunes that help you more breeze more easily - why not grab my Lazy Sunday mix which features 'A Day In Tracy's Life' tagged at the tail end..

Stress Down Friday - The Chilling Tunes of Choppers and Wolfmen

why not spirit yourself of to P-Mondo for a brand new monster mix of spooky tunesMondo Mania

I'd been planning to wrap up the 'see something scary' Halloween run with the trailer for this and this - my two personal favourite Amicus productions, but I actually fancy a tune or two instead.

Perhaps the moonlit crooning of Dennishopperchoppers (a one man band who plays all the instruments at the same time)? If the dark, rich resonance of Nick Cave's or Julian Cope's vocals ring your bell. DHC's album 'Chop' should be right up your shadowy alley. For a couple of other nuggets and links to his websites dig in here.

I Was Born



Don't Run From Me

'Don't Run From' me is more of a waltz-in-black type anthem, than Chop's typical late night Lynch-scapes and skeletal western soundtracking.



And it just wouldn't be Halloween with a prowl around from The Wolfmen would it? So how about the slinky lunar-tune glide of 'Je T'Aime Madame' - a grower which for me has become one the strongest songs in the Wolfmen's lair..

The Wolfmen - Je T'Aime Madame

Stress Down Friday - Farewell for Five Centres

Well, FC's decided to shut up shop - so that's another one gone pop. Apprentice and Istvanski self destructed. Axe Victim.. sorry - Col, Clair Woo, Matt and Suzy Roman have all had the blog-wobbles - and who hasn't? Knocking out a blog can feel like descaling your brain sometimes.

Anyway let's raise a glass (of Mateus, natch) and say goodbye, for now, to FC - and if you do decide to return to the Blogosphere old chap, don't forget stop in and say hello on either of my pieces of ol' puffery.

Fairport Convention - Meet On The Ledge


Fairport Convention - Meet On The Ledge


Frys 5 Center Bar Ad'

Stress Down Friday - Ivor Cutler

He was in The Magical Mystery Tour you know!

It's Ivor Cutler what can you say? Except that someone once lent me an Ivor album, which I made the clumsy mistake of dozing off to and lumbered myself with half an hour of the most brain-melting mindmares I've ever experienced.

Ivor Cutler - I'm happy


Ivor Cutler - Pussy On The Mat

Stress Down Friday - The Slider

I've only ever belonged to one fan club - Marc Bolan/ T Rex (circa 1987). I lasted about a year, but bailed when an ugly ‘Judean People’s Front/People’s Front of Judea’ style civil war exploded between several militant Marc splinter groups - but at least I’d had a few free photos and a Merry Rexmas card from the Bramleys who ran it.

It's almost impossible (and a disservice to the others ) to put all your Rex in one basket by qualifying a single favourite album - I love the on the cusp, crispness and crackle of Electric Warrior, the chuga-bug boogaloo of The Slider, and the unrelenting Glam anthems of Tanx.

But, today I'm in the mood for the title track from The Slider.

The Slider



And how about few words from Marc ‘ a pervy little twerp’ as he refers to himself in an interview recorded just a few weeks before that fatal car crash.Marc Bolan Interview



US TV Ad' for The Slider album..



Meanwhile on the other side, you can find who connects Marc Bolan and Paul Weller.

Incidentally 20th Century Boy is a great riff to roll with if you're a guitar beginner.

Stress Down Friday - Summer Sounds Like This

Do you remember the summer? It happened one weekend in July , a few days after buying my summer titfer in fact. Ho Hum.

At the time this homemade mix of latiny loose grooves soundtracked those handful of sunny evenings. When the heat disappeared, so did this mix. But it's back again - for one week while I'm off - and then its gawn for good (the mix that is not the sun).

There's also a shiny new companion piece 'Lazy Sunday' on the other side if you fancy collecting the set.

See you in seven days(ish)

*offline*'Summer Sounds Like This'*offline*

Variety Lab - London In The Rain
Big Muff – My Funny Valentine
Physics – Leaving Monte Carlo
Scubba (featuring Moana) - Fool To Cry
Rouge Rouge – L'amour
Ohm G & Bruno – One
Grandadbob - Hide Me (Al Usher Dance Mix)
The Streamers – Zwing Ting
311 Porter - Surround Me With Your Love (Mental Overdrive Mix)
Stigmato Inc. - Reality Check
Nouvelle Vague – Ever Fallen In Love
Patricia Marx and 4 Hero – Menino
Ralph Myerz and the Jack Herren Band – L.I.P.S.T.I.C.K
Ralph Myerz & The Jack Herren Band - Think Twice
Parov Stelar - Kiss Me Twice
Nouvelle Vague – Dancing With Myself
Pink Martini - Sympathique

Sunflower photo by Chocolate Girl 64

Stress Down Friday - Fresh Ayers

Well I'm off to the country for a week then, and Kevin Ayers always hits the spot when stretching out in the Cotswold's green and spacey acres.

Kevin Ayers - 'Cold Shoulder'



'Cold Shoulder' is taken from his 2007 album 'Unfairground' - which is a holiday perma-play and just as full and fruity as any of Kev's vintage lazy summer shufflers like 'Shouting In A Bucket Blues', Stranger In Blue Suede Shoes' and...

'May I'

Stress Down Friday - All The Way From Memphis

Forget the Vegas suits and capes, the 'Burger King' tribute acts, Teddy Boys (why are they always ginger?), the tackery, quackery and clunky iconography.

It's all about the music.

Elvis 'Any Day Now'



Davey H's long haul hunt for the Percy Sledge version 'Any Day Now' is over, and he's sharing it right here.

Stress Down Friday - 'what a waste of gunpowder and sky'

I haven't found this tune anywhere else (of course it's bound to be on the very next blog I read). So I'll fire it up here.

Aimee Mann -'4th Of July' (live version)


Aimee Mann -'4th Of July' (studio version)

Stress Down Friday - French Lessons

Although I'm fluent in theatrical flailing and gesturing I don't actually speak a second language - I know a few scraps of French, but couldn't structure or shape a single sentance of any use.

So this track intrigues me, not just with its hypnotic loose grooves and repetitive riffing on a 'Get Carter' style bass motif - but what exactly in the name of Serge Gainsbourg is Yves Montand 'lapin'ing on about.

I'd be eternally greatful if anyone could explain the essence of his monologue as I'd love to know what's getting this homme so heated

Yves Montand - Pour Faire le Portrait d´un Oiseau



'Pour Faire le Portrait d´un Oiseau' is taken from volume 1 of the always excellent Hotel Costes series

NEWS JUST IN................

I've found a cartoon with the same title as this tune - although I'm still 'non' the wiser after a viewing...



FIN

I've just had confirmation from a real life Frenchman (a myspace friend of mine Mr Number Neuf) That the title translates as 'To make the painting of a bird'

Stress Down Friday - Brian Eno

After drafting the architecture for Ambient Music, set dressing Bowie's Berlin trilogy, giving the Talking Heads a musical make over and creating one the most seminal sample albums ever ('My Life In The Bush Of Ghosts').
Eno also found time to crack off three albums of Electrokraut Robot Rock with Moebius,Roedelius and Plank..

'The Belldog' is a gentle melter taken from 'Begegnungen' that makes mention of "dark sheds" and "random code".

The Belldog



Eno on control, consumerism and religion - this is who I'd love to see as the Mayor of London .

Stress Down Friday

This.... is Mr Ernest Ranglin- you may not know the name, but I guarantee you will have heard his playing at some point - Ernest is Jamaica's King of the Strings and has lent his laid back guitar style to tracks by Prince Buster, Jimmy Cliff, The Skatellites and most famously.. Millie's 'My Boy Lollipop'. This tune is taken from one of his more recent recordings 'Below The Bassline' where his sunshine shuffling style is set to an acoustic Jazz/Reggae infusion.

Before the phrase " Jazz/Reggae infusion " has you reaching for the remote, hang on for a just one mo'... this really is worth a spin and I guarantee ' Below The Bassline' is the perfect soundtrack for sipping on a sunblushed summers evening .

Ernest Ranglin - 54-46 Was My Number.mp3




If you fancy something more uptown, uptempo - why not see what's shaking on Planet Mondo.

If you're after something more downtown, downtempo - why not try a mellow melter from Johnny Adams.