Candie Payne - I Wish I Could Have Loved You More (Deltasonic, 2007)

Strident 60s-inspired clattering breakbeat pop

Candie Payne emerged on the back of a handful of killer 7"s that dealt in the breakbeat 60s pop stylings of early Saint Etienne. Moody, strident and full of atmosphere.

This third single was the title track of her debut album and crackles with a certain Portishead/Spy Theme vibe. It's devastatingly good.

Download Candie Payne 'I Wish I Could Have Loved You More' (Deltasonic, indie pop, mp3) (Divshare)

The Blue Nile & Rickie Lee Jones - Easter Parade (Linn, 1990)

Minimal, heartbreaking, beautiful.

More poignant, beautiful minimalism, this time a Blue Nile b-side from 1990.

Paul Buchanan's yearning, soulful voice and haunting piano says so much with so little. It's the sound of a large, empty space where the fairground used to be, the cold of winter burning your cheeks. The sound of an empty railway station on the way home from heartbreak.

Rickie Lee Jones' voice mingles perfectly and the point at which their combined musings take off (2:22) is spectacular. In a restrained, longing kind of way.

Download The Blue Nile & Rickie Lee Jones - Easter Parade (1990)

Scott Walker - It's Raining Today (Phillips, 1969)

Peerless, lugubrious elegance. And what a cover photo too.

Ah, Scott1, Scott 2, Scott3 and Scott4. Is there a better run of albums by an artist? Answers on a postcard...

Pick almost any song - the Scott Walker originals or the Jacques Brel covers - all are beautifully constructed, orchestrated and sung. The themes are intriguing, challenging, surprising.

'It's Raining Today' shimmers into being on cloud of gossamer strings, a warm, rich guitar strums out a gentle progression. And then, then.. the voice. A steady, sonorous voice that rises up from a sixties bed-sitting room and reminisces on love and loss.

Spectacular.

Download Scott Walker - It's Raining Today (Scott Walker mp3) (Box.net)

Green Man 2011: The Leisure Society 'Cars (Gary Numan Cover)' (Wilkommen, 2009)

Who knew!? Clipped, chamber pop take on Gary Numan's finest moment works a treat.

The Leisure Society aren't headlining Saturday at The Green Man but I've posted plenty of Fleet Foxes already this year.

So Saturday at The Green Man is represented by this quirky and gorgeous cover of Gary Numan's 'Cars' from The Leisure Society.

I doubt they'll play this tonight - they haven't the last couple of times I've seen them - but I'm looking forward to hearing most of the new album 'Into The Murky Water' which is one of the albums I've listened to most this year so far. They sounded great live at Hop Farm back in July too.

Download The Leisure Society 'Cars (Gary Numan Cover)' (Folk pop mp3) (Mediafire)

My Life Story 'Funny Ha Ha EP' (Mother Tongue, 1994) (zip)

Proto-Britpop orchestral pop elegance from My Life Story.

This is an early self-released EP by the wonderful My Life Story who were a kind of flamboyant, major-key parallel band to The Divine Comedy or The Auteurs, releasing some gorgeous orchestral and baroque string-driven pop.

Busting a twelve-piece, heavily orchestral line-up, singer/songwriter/driving force Jake Shillingford cut a maverick figure in the pre-Britpop years - maybe something of a precursor to the wonderful Patrick Wolf, though going a little easier at the dressing-up box.

My Life Story later signed to EMI but never made the breakthrough they deserved and faded away, seemingly embittered by the experience of being processed through the major label machine. According to the Jake Shillingford website, he now lectures on the importance of autonomy in the music industry.

This EP shows them in fine form. 'Funny Ha Ha' is piled with swirling strings, catchy melodies, memorable lyrics and is utterly irresistable with 'Funny Peculiar' a companion, stripped-down chamber/lounge version. 'The Lady Is A Tramp' is a driving, strident groover and 'These Words Are Haunting' is a moodier end-of-the-relationship ballad, draped in picked and strummed acoustic guitar and some crazy flute.

A top quality EP package.

B-sides/rarities and greatest hits CDs are available direct from Jake Shillingford's online store and are highly recommended.

Tracklisting:
1. Funny Ha Ha
2. The Lady Is A Tramp
3. These Words Are Haunting
4. Funny Peculiar

Download My Life Story 'Funny Ha Ha EP' (320k mp3, ZIP) (Mediafire)