PROGRAMME 1 SHAKENSTIR RADIO SESSION ON CALON FM


SUNDAY 20 MARCH 2005

OUR MUSICAL JOURNEY STARTS IN IRELAND WITH ITS GREATEST BAND, THE FRAMES.

(TRACK 10) KEEPSAKE

THAT WAS FROM THE BAND’S LATEST ALBUM BURN THE MAPS. LET’S STAY IN IRELAND FOR A FEW MORE MINUTES WITH A SINGER/SONGWRITER CALLED PADDY CASEY. THIS IS THE NEW SINGLE FROM HIS LATEST ALBUM CALLED LIVING.

(TRACK 3) SAINTS & SINNERS

LAST YEAR I SAW THE DUKE SPIRIT PERFORM AND WAS IMPRESSED. THIS IS THE B-SIDE FROM THE NEW SINGLE…

(TRACK 2) NOW BE STILL

ANI DIFRANCO IS INDEPENDENT AND AMAZING. THIS IS FROM HER NEW ALBUM, KNUCKLE DOWN…

(TRACK 2) STUDYING STONES

ONE OF MY FAVOURITE ALBUMS OF 2004 WAS FROM A UK BAND CALLED THE EARLIES. THIS IS THE BAND’S LATEST SINGLE BRING IT BACK, SEE WHAT YOU THINK…

(TRACK 1) BRING IT BACK AGAIN

MARTHA WAINWRIGHT IS THE LATEST IN THE WAINWRIGHT/MCARRIGLE BLOODLINE TO CAUSE A MAJOR STIR IN MUSICAL CIRCLES. HER NEW ALBUM IS DUE OUT IN APRIL AND I URGE YOU ALL TO LOOK OUT FOR IT. HERE’S A TASTER FROM HER 2004 EP.

(TRACK 2) I WILL INTERNALIZE

LAST YEAR I CAUGHT A DESERT ISLAND DISC PROGRAMME FEATURING EMMYLOU HARRIS, AND SHE NAMED HER FAVOURITE SONG AS THIS ONE FROM MARTHA’S MUM, KATE MCGARRIGLE. I LOVED IT AND I HOPE YOU WILL…

(TRACK 17) TALK TO ME OF MENDOCINO

SON AND DAUGHTER RUFUS AND MARTHA WAINWRIGHT ALSO SANG ON TALK TO ME OF MENDOCINO FROM THE MAGICAL ALBUM THE MCGARRIGLE HOUR

SOME OF LAST YEAR’S ALBUMS WERE SO GOOD PICKING TRACKS TO PLAY IS IMPOSSIBLE. SWEET CHARLOTTE RELEASED A BLINDER CALLED THE CHRONICLES OF LIFE AND DEATH AND SO I PULLED OUT MY WELL-WORN PIN …

(TRACK 9) THE TRUTH

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RAINER PLACEK MOVED TO AMERICA FROM EASTERN EUROPE AT THE TENDER AGE OF 4, EVENTUALLY TO BECOME ARGUABLY ITS FINEST COUNTRY BLUES ARTIST. HIS LAST ALBUM, THE FARM, WAS COMPLETED LITERALLY DAYS BEFORE HIS DEATH. IT WAS A MASSIVE TRIAL FOR HIM. BUT PERCHED ON THE PRECIPICE HIS VOICE BECAME GENTLER AND THE SONGS CAPABLE OF MAKING A GROWN MAN CRY. 2 TRACKS FROM THE FRAGILE AND WONDERFUL RAINER

(TRACK 3) OASIS

(TRACK 13) JOY IS NOW

ANOTHER GREAT ALBUM FROM 2004 CAME FROM USA BAND THE FAINT AND IT WAS SO GOOD I HAD SOME DIFFICULTY IN SELECTING A TRACK TO PLAY. PIN TIME AGAIN…

(TRACK 4) SOUTHERN GIRLS IN LONDON SING

THAT WAS FROM ALBUM WET FROM BIRTH.

CATHY DAVEY IS AN IRISH SINGER/SONGWRITER WHOSE DEBUT ALBUM SOMETHING ILK WAS WELL-RECEIVED IN 2004.

(TRACK 3) COLD MAN’S NIGHTMARE

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LET’S STAY IN THE EMERALD ISLE AND GO WITH A SINGER/SONGWRITER THAT REPRESENTED ONE OF MY LIVE PERFORMANCE HIGHLIGHTS OF 2004. DAMIEN DEMPSEY HAS A UNIQUE STYLE AND SINGS ABOUT IRISH SOCIAL ISSUES. THE SENTIMENTS HERE COME PRETTY CLOSE TO HOME…

(TRACK 6) CELTIC TIGER

FROM DAMIEN’S BRILLIANT ALBUM SEIZE THE DAY.

BACK TO THE USA AND ANOTHER OF MY FAVOURITE SINGER/SONGWRITERS. SOPHIE B HAWKINS ALSO POSSESSES A UNIQUE STYLE AND AFTER RECORD COMPANY PROBLEMS IS NOW TREADING AN INDEPENDENT RECORDING PATH. THIS IS FROM HER LATEST ALBUM WILDERNESS

(TRACK 6) SWEETSEXYWOMAN

2004 WAS ONE OF THE BEST ALBUM RELEASE YEARS - EVER. THE NEXT TRACK COMES FROM ONE OF THEM. GISLI IS A NEW STATESIDE BAND WHOSE MUSIC COMES FROM THE GRANDADDY STABLE OF ‘THIS IS HOW MY LIFE IS, AND IT MOSTLY SUCKS!’ – BUT FUNNY WITH IT… EVER HAD ONE OF THOSE DAYS?

(TRACK 5) THE DAY IT ALL WENT WRONG

FROM THE ALBUM HOW ABOUT THAT?.

AND NOW FOR ONE OF THE BEST ALT COUNTRY ALBUMS OF 2004. LORI MCKENNA’S BITTERTOWN BLEW ME AWAY AND THIS TRACK IS ONE OF SEVERAL HIGHLIGHTS

(TRACK 9) MY SWEETHEART

ED HARCOURT GETS BEETTER WITH EACH ALBUM AND 2004’S STRANGERS IS HIS BEST YET. CHECK THIS BEAUTY OUT…

(TRACK 5) LET LOVE NOT WEIGH ME DOWN

THE FRAMES FROM THE ALBUM BURN THE MAPS

(TRACK 6) FAKE

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THE NATIONAL HAIL FROM THE STATES AND LAST YEAR RELEASED ONE OF THE MOST WONDERFUL RECORDS. THE EP IS CALLED CHERRY TREE AND THIS IS MY HIGHLIGHT …

(TRACK 5) ABOUT TODAY

MODEST MOUSE RELEASED A GREAT ALBUM LAST YEAR TOO CALLED GOOD NEWS FROM PEOPLE WHO LOVE BAD NEWS. THIS OPENED THE ALBUM IN GRAND STYLE…

(TRACKS 1 & 2) HORN INTRO/THE WORLD AT LARGE

IN 2004 THE RED HOT CHILI PEPPER’S JOHN FRUSCIANTE RELEASED A SERIES OF NO LESS THAN 6 SIDE PROJECT ALBUMS. MY FAVOURITE OF THE 6 IS AUTOMATIC WRITING BY ATAXIA WHERE HE PLAYS WITH JOE LALLY ON BASS AND VOCALS, AND JOSH KLINGHOFFER ON DRUMS, SYNTH AND VOCALS. THIS IS THE EXTRAORDINARY OPENING TRACK… CHECK OUT THE GUITAR WORK AND GUT-WRENCHING VOCAL

(TRACK 1) DUST

THE NEXT TRACK WAS FROM AN ALBUM THAT POPPED THROUGH MY LETTERBOX AND I’M PRETTY SURE HAS NEVER BEEN RELEASED IN THE UK. BUT THE UMBRELLA SEQUENCE FROM THE USA HAS PRODUCED AN INCREDIBLE ALBUM THAT COULD HAVE BEEN RADIOHEAD’S NEXT RELEASE – IT’S THAT GOOD! CHECK OUT THIS OPENING TRACKS AND I THINK YOU’LL UNDERSTAND WHERE I’M COMING FROM…

(TRACKS 1 & 2) THE DISAPPEARING LINE/ATHENA

MY CHEMICAL ROMANCE AND ANOTHER SUPER 2004 ALBUM, THREE CHEERS FOR SWEET ROMANCE. THIS IS THE ROCKING FIRST TRACK…

(TRACK 1) HELENA

BACK IN 1984/5 I WITNESSED A LIVE SHOW BY LAURIE ANDERSON AND HAVE BEEN HOOKED EVER SINCE. THIS NEXT SONG IS FROM A VINTAGE 1994 ALBUM CALLED, BRIGHT RED…

(TRACK 13) TIGHTROPE

DOYLE BRAMHALL II IS A LEADING USA BLUES GUITARIST AND A FAVOURITE OF ERIC CLAPTON. IN 2000 HE RELEASED AN ALBUM OF MAGNIFICENT QUALITY CALLED WELCOME. JJ AND I WERE FORTUNATE ENOUGH TO CATCH A LIVE PERFORMANCE IN LONDON. THIS NEXT SONG CONCLUDES THE ALBUM ON A FITTING NOTE… CHECK OUT THE GUITARS – MIND-BLOWING

(TRACK 12) CRY

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SEEN ‘EM, LOVE ‘EM. I’M TALKING ABOUT THE WHOSE SECOND ALBUM THE COLOUR AND SHAPE STARTED MY LOVE AFFAIR. THESE 2 SONGS OPEN THE ALBUM IN STONKING STYLE…

(TRACKS 1 & 2) DOLL/MONKEY WRENCH

OK, LET’S CALM THINGS A LITTLE. THE HANDSOME FAMILY IS A U.S. HUSBAND AND WIFE TEAM I MET AT AN IRISH MUSICAL FESTIVAL BACK IN 99. THE SONG YOU’RE ABOUT TO HEAR IS VIRTUALLY A HOME RECORDING WITH ALL INSTRUMENTS PLAYED BY THE COUPLE. INCIDENTALLY, THIS SONG WAS COVERED BY OUR OWN CERYS MATTHEWS ON HER SOLO DEBUT ALBUM…

(TRACK 1) WEIGHTLESS AGAIN

FROM THE ALBUM THROUGH THE TREES.

AND NOW FOR A BAND THAT SPLIT UP LAST YEAR AND WHOSE MEMBERS HAVE GONE THEIR SEPARTE ARTISTIC WAYS. WHITE BUFALLO RELEASED A SUPERB ALBUM BEFORE THEY SPLIT CALLED LAST OF THE V8 INTERCEPTORS AND THIS IS JUST ONE OF MANY GREAT SONG FROM THE ALBUM…

(TRACK 9) LIVING WATER

SOME PERFORMERS COME IN AND GO IN A FLASH. A YOUNG USA ARTIST CALLED JEPP VISITED OUR SHORES IN 99 AND HAS NEVER BEEN SEEN AGAIN. THIS IS BEAUTIFUL SONG FROM HER DEBUT SELF-TITLED ALBUM

(TRACK 5) BUILT TO LAST

ATHLETE HAS PLAYED IN WREXHAM A COUPLE OF TIMES AND IS A BAND THAT BOTH JJ AND I PICKED TO SUCCEED BIG-TIME. THIS IS FROM THE BAND’S LATEST HIT ALBUM THE TOURIST

(TRACK 1) CHANCES

RAZORLIGHT’S NEW SINGLE

SOME-WHERE ELSE

ANOTHER BAND THAT IS MAKING WAVES IS USA OUTFIT AND YOU WILL KNOW US BY THE TRAIL OF DEAD. SAW THEM PERFORM IN IRELAND A FEW YEARS BACK. SO LET’S HERE SOME NOISE FOR THIS CRACKER FROM THE BAND’S NEW ALBUM WORLDS APART

(TRACK 2) AND THE REST WILL FOLLOW

NEXT WEEK’S SHOW WILL FEATURE A GALAXY OF LIVE PERFORMANCES FROM THE WORLD’S GREATEST ARTISTS, AND OTHERS THAT YOU MAY NOT KNOW. SO I’LL TRAIL THE SESSION BY ENDING WITH A LIVE PERFORMANCE FROM THE DELIGHTFUL NANCI GRIFFITH. THIS IS LOVE AT THE FIVE AND DIME FROM THE ONE FAIR SUMMER EVENING LIVE ALBUM. IT PRETTY WELL SUMS UP IN ONE SONG WHAT MAKES LIVE PERFORMANCE THE ESSENCE OF GREAT MUSIC… THANKS FOR LISTENING

(TRACK 4) LOVE AT THE FIVE AND DIME