Indoor Safari by Nick Lowe & Los Straitjackets.

I thought today I would tell you about an album I have been enjoying for the past ten days or so. It is Indoor Safari by Nick Lowe & Los Straitjackets. Nick has written some great songs in the past which have been covered by other singers, such as (What’s So Funny ‘bout) Peace Love And Understanding which Elvis Costello recorded, The Beast In Me for Johnny Cash, and I Knew The Bride (When She Used To Rock And Roll) for Dave Edmunds. I first realised how good Nick was when a neighbour friend gave me a copy of his The Impossible Bird album, and later I bought Dig My Mood. I rate this new collection of songs as being at least as good as any work of Nick’s long career. I have seen him perform several times, usually as a solo act, but in 2019 I saw him perform with Los Straitjackets at Glastonbury. It was the same night that The Mavericks also played on the Acoustic Stage. 

What a great night that was. Los Straitjackets were amazing, they wore suits, but also Aztec medallions and hid their faces behind Mexican wrestling masks. They might be the best guitar band I’ve ever seen. They are Eddie Angel and Greg Townson on guitars, Pete Curry on bass, and Chris Sprague on drums. You could describe their sound as retro rockabilly surf guitar music. They were founded in Nashville in 1988 and have released about 20 instrumental albums. I think they must have met Nick in 2017 when they recorded a tribute album of Nick’s songs. Nick has said of them, "Apart from being a fantastic rock ‘n’ roll band, they know how to play tons of different styles really well. They can knock you out a version of Bacharach and David's "The Look of Love" with no trouble at all”. Their sound is the perfect accompaniment to Nick’s songs which have always had a retro feel to them. Nick has never worried about trying to sound fashionable or modern. 

Nick is 75 now. When a lot of his contemporaries in music are just recycling past glories it is refreshing to hear Nick come up with a collection of brand new songs with intelligent, often humorous lyrics, even if it is his first new album in about ten years. Nick wrote all but two of the songs here. The album’s title comes from the first track Went To A Party where Nick goes to a crazy party and gets mistaken for Robin Hitchcock. Love Starvation follows a familiar theme in Nick’s songs, namely lack of love in his life. I love the driving beat of Crying Inside which could be said to be a Nick Lowe style answer to Tears Of A Clown by Smokey Robinson.  A Quiet Place begins with a lady shouting “Hey Eddie, Eddie Angel”. It is a sad, but funny tale of someone who can’t get any sleep with cats meowing, neighbours fighting, and drunks singing Sweet Caroline. It was originally a hit, with slightly different words in 1963 for Garnet Mimms (still alive aged 90) and has also been recorded by many reggae bands. Blue On Blue is a poignant ballad sung as only Nick knows how. Jet Pac Boomerang is a lively song of good love gone bad where Nick quotes The Beatles, “Last night I said these words to my girl”. Tokyo Bay is a short and sweet rockabilly romp on a nautical theme. Trombone is the longest track and ironically there is no trombone to be heard. 

Different Kind Of Blue is another sad ballad of lost love set in the cold grey light of dawn. I have shared this song below if you want to hear it. If I had to choose a favourite track, I think it might be that one. Raincoat In The River is an obscure song originally recorded by Rick Nelson in 1965. Lay It On Me Baby is a jaunty optimistic song of love without a cloud in the sky, for a change. The mood doesn’t last though because the final song is Don’t Be Nice To Me which is pessimistic in mood, but that doesn’t matter because it’s only a song, many of Nick’s songs are tongue in cheek and shouldn’t be taken too seriously. I highly recommend this collection of songs by the great Nick Lowe and the amazing Los Straitjackets. 

Nick Lowe, Los Straitjackets - Different Kind of Blue

Van Morrison Autumn Song

John Lennon, Born on October 9 1940. The Beatles - In My Life

New Arrangements & Duets by Van Morrison.

It is Sunday afternoon and pouring with rain; I won’t be going anywhere today which gives me a chance to tell you about a CD I have been listening to for the last few days. It is called New Arrangements & Duets by Van Morrison. When I first heard about this new album I was a bit dubious about buying it because I imagined it would be nothing new and I didn’t like the idea of Van’s songs being given the jazz big band treatment. However, when I heard Steal Your Heart Away with Willie Nelson, and then read glowing reports of the album launch concerts in Brighton I thought I ought to hear it. Now after a few listens I don’t think it is one of Van’s greatest albums by any means, but there are several tracks including one magnificent song that make it a worthwhile addition to Van’s oeuvre. I think the Exile team spared any expense on the bland sleeve design though.

Van & Kurt Elling.

Kurt Elling is the guest vocalist on the first two tracks Ain’t Gonna Moan No More, and Broken Record. I admit I had never heard of him before, which shows my lack of knowledge of jazz music. Wikipedia told me he has been nominated ten times for Grammy awards and has won twice as best jazz vocalist. He has a great voice, and I love his scatting away to his hearts content. I also like the tenor sax playing of Alan Skidmore, trumpet of Guy Barker and percussion of Teena Lyle. I must say though that Broken Record is one of my least liked Van songs. I wish they had chosen something else. Chris White is responsible for eight of the new band arrangements on this album. I think he must like Van’s Enlightenment album because he chose to rearrange two Enlightenment songs. I’m not all that keen on what he has done with Avalon Of The Heart, a song I have always loved because of its spiritual connection to mystical Glastonbury and the holy grail. I don’t think these lyrics are suited to the big band jazz swing treatment. 

Van & Curtis Stigers.

Close Enough For Jazz is a song I have never been that keen on. I think this must be about the fourth time Van has recorded it. I don’t know what Paul Moran thought he could add by wheeling it out again. Curtis Stigers is the guest singer here, but I’m sure they could have found a better song for him. I’ll Be Your Lover Too is one of the best songs from the Street Choir album. This arrangement was recorded in 2014 so I think the backing vocals of Dana and Jolene must have been added recently. Four sax players, two trumpets and a trombone give a rich sound to the re-working of Only A Dream. I also like the piano playing of Jim Watson. So Quiet In Here is the first track which for me makes it all worthwhile. I always think of it as a companion song to Into The Mystic, maybe because they both mention foghorns. With this arrangement I think Chris has been much more sympathetic to the original spiritual emotion of the song. Van’s voice sounds wonderful, especially as it fades away at the end, “Way out in the distance, foghorns in the night, sailing for some other shore”, Quite brilliant. 

Van & Joss.

I like Joss Stone, as a person and a singer. I think Van likes working with her as well. I remember them singing Wild Honey together one sunny evening at Glastonbury Abbey a few years ago. She sings Someone Like You with Van here. I’m not that keen on what they have done to The Beauty Of The Days Gone By. On the Down The Road album it was a bittersweet wistful song of nostalgia, here it has a Las Vegas jazz lounge swing treatment. By contrast the next track The Masters Eyes I think is magnificent. (I have shared it below, so you can judge for yourselves) To me what makes it so outstanding is the celestial backing vocals of Larry Batiste, Nona Brown, and Omega Rae Brooks. Also, Van’s vocals, he sings it like he means it, unlike on some other tracks. Paul Moran is responsible for So Complicated and Choppin’ Wood, neither of which are favourite songs of mine. To my ears So Complicated is a bit like Broken Record. I know Choppin’ Wood means a lot to Van because its about his father, but this version doesn’t improve on the original for me. You Gotta Make It Through The World is Van’s ‘survival’ song from A Period Of Transition but is one of his lesser songs in my humble opinion. 

The album ends on a happy high note with Van being joined for two songs by Willie Nelson and his legendary Martin acoustic guitar Trigger. Willie effortlessly breathes new life into What’s Wrong With This Picture and Steal My Heart Away. Willie has such a rich distinctive voice that he can make anything sound great. I was pleased to see that Jay Berliner turns up for these songs, also Lukas Nelson, Tony Fitzgibbon on fiddle. Bobby Terry steel guitar, and Mickey Raphael on harmonica. In summary, I think this for me is a mixed album with some lesser tracks, but also some excellent ones with So Quiet In Here and The Masters Eyes sounding especially great. It is all down to personal taste, some people like the big band sound and others like a more acoustic folkier sound. I like it when Van the alchemist mixes up several genres of music into something that he makes uniquely his own, and I’d like to hear an album of new original songs by Van, but I don’t know if that will happen. One thing is for sure, Van’s voice is still as good as ever. Cheers.

Van Morrison - The Master's Eyes.

Sober October Diary: Beneath October Skies.

I could feel yesterday’s jabs in both of my arms when I woke up this morning, but I soon forgot about that. It was a beautiful sunny day again. I had intended going for a long walk, but it was an early kick-off for my team today at 12.30, so I just pottered around in my garden this morning. There are still plenty of flowers in bloom (See photo). Then I listened to Crystal Palace v Liverpool on Talksport which included updates on my team Peterborough United (The Posh) v local rivals Stevenage. Posh managed to win 2-1, Kwame Poku scoring the winner in the 4^th minute of injury time. They are struggling to find some form this season though because of selling their best players at the end of last season. 

This afternoon I went for a bit of a walk, looked in the charity shops, and went as far as Aldi although I wasn’t desperate for anything, just thought I should have a walk. Apart from a couple of phone calls I haven’t spoken to anyone since Wednesday. Next week I’ll be a bit busier. If it’s raining tomorrow as predicted, I’ll try and write a bit about the music I’ve been listening to. See you tomorrow.