Josh Harty "A Long List Of Lies"

We’re cool with country. Less so the Nashville big hat brigade, but if it’s honest and gritty, and knows where it’s from as well as where it’s going, what’s to object to? Josh Harty’s a country singer-songwriter from Wisconsin, and A Long List Of Lies (or a short list of alliteration) is his latest; a solid collection of heartfelt paeans to love, loss and a lot of stuff in-between. There are some blues and folk influences buried not too deep under the surface, so maybe the country tag should read Americana. Whatever. If you head over to his MySpace page, have a listen to "Where Did I Go Wrong".

www.myspace.com/joshharty

Today's Playlist

Playing today:

Lal & Mike Waterson "Bright Phoebus"
Classic English folk gone weird.

Sir John Betjeman "Late Flowering Love"
Music / Poetry. Not like Jim Morrison.

Charles Lloyd "Dream Weaver Anthology"
Jazz flute from the West Coast.

23 Skidoo "Seven Songs"
Angular, arty post-punk + bonus cuts.

Professor Longhair "Rock ‘N’ Roll Gumbo"
‘70s Prof. Longhair at his electric best.

Stolen News: BUNNYS IN SPACE

** NASA Astronaut to Take All-Time Fave Album to the International Space Station **

Move over Star Trek . Echo & The Bunnymen’s 1984 album Ocean Rain will boldly go to the International Space Station on June 13th courtesy of astronaut Colonel Timothy L. Korpa.

Korpa, who has been a Bunnymen fanatic since his teens recently contacted the band via their website about his upcoming three-month mission on the ISS. Though Ocean Rain is Korpa’s favorite, he gave the choice to the band to pick which of their albums they would like him to take on his mission, saying that he would snap photos in space with the album and crew of the ISS and give the album back to the band as a souvenir when he returns to Earth. The Bunnymen ecstatically shipped out to Korpa an autographed copy of Ocean Rain right away.

"What an honour," said Echo & The Bunnymen’s Ian McCulloch. "Now it’s official. We are the coolest band in the universe. As a kid I dreamt of being an astronaut, and now in a way it feels like I’m fulfilling that dream. I cannot wait to hear from Tim what it is like to listen to ‘The Killing Moon’ in the actual glow of the moon."

I'm so vain, I probably think this blog is about me...

Culture Vulture was a collaboration between myself and four (sometimes five) other writers. We’d share the reviews, go to the gigs and take the photos. It was a lot of fun. We saw some great bands, heard some top records and met some interesting people. But now, it’s just me. So there’ll be less reviews, less gig reports and far fewer photos. Overall, content will lessen only slightly as instead of a relentless concentration of music related pieces, there’ll an opportunity to do something more personal. I’m not sure if it’ll be interesting to anyone outside of my immediate family and a close circle of friends; indeed, I’m not sure I want my immediate family and the fore mentioned close circle of friends to be reading some of the things that’ll be going up here. We’ll see. Also I’ve always been interested in fiction writing and I’d like to start putting a few things up here. I think the technical term is "vanity publishing". That’s me, a vanity publisher. Sounds just right.

Alan Curtis "More Than I Can Be"

Imagine my surprise! In fact, consider my utter astonishment when Alan Curtis’ CD found its way into my player and the first track, "Ten In Heaven" kicks of like an old ELO tune. Strangely worrying. Luckily things improve quickly - I don’t have time to fall of my chair - and earthier tones come to the fore. I think there’s an Elvis Costello record or two loitering in Curtis’ album racks, so, still stuck in the ‘70s, but generally, that’s no bad place to be. The ‘70s were ace; I loved ‘em, and so does Alan Curtis. His debut borrows plenty from the decade that birthed new wave, glam rock and the singer-songwriter. He helps himself to the bits he likes, files the rest away, and has turned out a collection of rockers, ballads and quality guitar pop. Of course, times were simpler back then, and More Than I Can Be is to be enjoyed on that level. Uncomplicated fun. Isn’t that the best sort?

www.myspace.com/alancurtis11

Our E-Mail Address:

cvdan (at) live (dot) co (dot) uk

Stolen News: OAPS FIGHT AT MELUA GIG

Two elderly women got into a fight at the launch party for Katie Melua's third album, 'Pictures', in LA on Monday night. Blood was apparently shed. I'll just run those things past you again: Katie Melua gig, two old ladies, fight, blood.

The singer's producer Mike Batt said via Twitter: "Another great Katie show at LA album launch. Two white-haired old ladies had a fight, no shit. One got 'glassed' by the other. Cut neck. Wooh".