Kevin Shields - City Girl (Emporer Norton, 2003)

All-too-rare appearance by MBV's Kevin Shields.

As a tribute to the scarcely credible news that, no-really-this-time-they'll-definitely-come-out, the My Bloody Valentine remasters might come out in May, here's one of the few new tracks Kevin Shields has released since 'Loveless' came out in 1991.

For two years, I used to get emails from Amazon that let me know that the latest (re)release date for the remastered version of 'Loveless' was actually fiction and, no really, the release date was now the twelth of never. Allegedly, a compilation of the Creation EPs is due out in May but, well, I'm not holding my breath and, aside from a few odds and sods, I've got these peerless tracks anyhoo.

But listening to this track from the 'Lost In Translation' and its nonchalent, laconic charm, it's hard not to hanker after something more - new or otherwise - from the guitar of Kevin Shields.

Download Kevin Shields - City Girl (Lost In Translation, My Bloody Valentine, mp3) (Divshare)

Eurythmics - Julia (Long Version) (Virgin, 1984)

Wistful, haunting track from the 1984 soundtrack.

For a long time Eurythmics were my favourite band. I haven't really listened much to them for years - apart from their Krautrocking debut album 'In The Garden' (yes, really).

Between the pomp-rocking stadium angst, they did release a number of edgy, even challenging, albums. This soundtrack to the Richard Burton and John Hurt version of 1984 is suitably dark, mainly comprising rhythm-heavy, chanted moodiness and echoing the fusion flavours of 'My Life In The Bush Of Ghosts'.

However, right in the middle of the album is this simple, haunting ballad that spins yearning and loss from a minimal pallette of piano and synths.

Download Eurythmics 'Julia' (1984 OST, mp3) (Divshare)

The Necks 'Angle Of Repose' (Live at Sydney Festival, 2011)

Live improvisation for film soundtrack recorded at the Sydney Festival, January 2011.

More gliding, gently building and shifting improvisation from The Necks. 'Angle Of Repose' was recorded live as an improv against a projection of the film 'The Boys' in their home city of Sydney, Australia back in January. Oddly, they released their soundtrack to 'The Boys' as an album - but this is a completely new piece.

Utterly enthralling, stick on your earphones or make 45 minutes of free time to drift away to this ullulating, barely-there mood that sits somewhere between Miles Davis' 'In A Silent Way' and Triosk's scratchy jazz from a few years ago.

Download The Necks 'Angle Of Respose' (live, jazz, improvisation, mp3 download) (Mediafire)

Constellation Records 2011 Sampler (13 Tracks inc Tindersticks)

Generous sampler of 2011 releases from the mighty Constellation label.

Constellation has evolved from just being Godspeed You! Black Emporer's label with a few (admittedly awesome) postrock luminaries alongside - Fly Pan Am, Do Make Say Think, Sofa...

This showcase of 13 tracks from their 2011 releases includes tracks from Tindersticks Claire Denis soundtrack box, former Godspeed/Silver Mt Zion man Efrim Manuel Menuck, delight chamber music of Esmerine, Colin Stetson's twisted jazz and more besides.

Happy christmas.

Tracklisting:
01 SANDRO PERRI - Love & Light
02 PAT JORDACHE - Phantom Limb
03 SISKIYOU - Twigs and Stones
04 COLIN STETSON - The Stars in His Head (Dark Lights Remix)
05 EVANGELISTA - Artificial Lamb
06 EFRIM MANUEL MENUCK - Our Lady Of Parc Extension...
07 MATANA ROBERTS - Pov Piti
08 ESMERINE - Walking Through Mist
09 TINDERSTICKS - Children's Theme (White Material)
10 SISKIYOU - Always Awake *
11 SANDRO PERRI - Love & Light (Max Gross Remix) *
12 EFRIM MANUEL MENUCK - Carpenter's Orphan *
13 TINDERSTICKS - Le Rallye (Vendredi Soir)

Download Constellation 2011 sampler (alternative, post rock, soundtrack mp3 downloads) (via cstrecords.com)

Portishead 'Theme From 'To Kill A Dead Man'' (Go! Beat, 1994)

Noir-ish, moody, theme from an imaginary Bond film. Epic stuff.

Early Portishead b-side that lays out the blueprint for their John-Barry-meets-Wu-Tang-Clan-uptown early sound. Kindred spirit of Roy Budd's Get Carter soundtrack and Harry South's Sweeney end-theme.

It opens with great sweeps of backwards piano, undulating bass wobble, evolving slowly with twanging guitar, atmospherics, more backwards loops and some gorgeously sombre piano.

By the time it eventually builds to cloudburst with epic, Axelrod drums and a funereal string section, you're hooked.

Pretty awesome.

Download Portishead 'Theme From To Kill A Dead Man' (Trip Hop, downtempo, soundtrack, mp3) (Mediafire)

Listening Post - Mogwai 'Earth Division EP' (Rock Action, 2011)

Orchestral diversion from formerly noise-hungry post-rockers.

New EP released on Monday 12th September. Whilst 'Get To France' is a typical Mogwai song title, the sound is rolling Soviet Rachels piano and arch cello. Edgy and a little sinister.

'Hound Of Winter' is moody acoustic balladry with icy strings and 'Drunk and Crazy' is distorted sequencers in a OneOhTrix Point Never kind of way. 'Does This Always Happen?' is more piano and strings restraint, building up layers of cinematic mood.

A welcome departure.

Tracklist:
1. Get To France
2. Hound Of Winter
3. Drunk and Crazy
4. Does This Always Happen?


Earth Division EP by Rock Action Records

Harry South 'The Sweeney (Closing Theme)' (1975) (mp3)

The opening music of The Sweeney is a classic TV theme tune, a blaring alert to the arrival of the slag-busting, hard-drinking, bare knuckle boxing, shooter-toting officers of the Flying Squad.

The closing music, however, has always held a fascination for me. It's an almost pastoral, downbeat take on the theme, reflecting a different side to the series - Regan and Carter drinking themselves into an early grave, the contents of an innocent pensioner's shopping bag strewn across the precinct after a bungled blag, their frustration at the 'establishment' power-brokers pulling the strings to nix a conviction they've worked months (well, all episode) to secure...

The full version of the closing theme - included on 'Shut It: The Music Of The Sweeney' - lets the meandering melody play out to its full extent with electric piano breakdown, radiant brass, sax and trumpet solos, just the occasional chikka-chikka guitar subtly referencing the all-action nature of the opening theme.

What's also nice about the album (sadly currently out-of-print) is that, alongside the seventies library music funk there's dialogue snatches from the series so you can practice your Regan impression, you slag.

Download Harry South 'The Sweeney (Closing Theme)' (Sweeney mp3) (box.net)

Beck 'Everybody's Gotta Learn Some Time' (Hollywood Records, 2004) (mp3)

Indulgently soporific version of The Korgi's melancholy hit.

It skulks in on a dirgey, cheap organ sound. It's just that and Beck's cracked voice until bass and guitar join for the chorus. A sun-breaks-through string part lightens the mood before a slow-motion drum pattern comes in for the second verse.

The instrumental break adds an AOR fuzz guitar solo for good measure and the song drifts to a close seemingly on endless loop.

Nice.

Download Beck 'Everybody's Gotta Learn Some Time' (mp3) (Mediafire)

Tindersticks 'Claire Denis Film Scores 1996-2009' (Constellation Records/Live, 2011) (mp3s)

Seeing Tindersticks perform a selection of their film music with projected visual accompaniment at the Queen Elizabeth Hall this week reminded me what a powerful, sympathetic sound they can create.

I've loved the majority of their studio albums but not engaged too much with their soundtracks. That would seem to be a mistake as there is a real depth and variety there.

The jazz-inflected 'Trouble Every Day' was a highlight amongst highlights and they played cues from the six soundtracks they've made for French director Claire Denis with incredible lightness and control. It's a control that contrasts with their some of their early work which had an endearing shakiness to it.

To try some of this for yourself, Constellation have made a handful of mp3s available on their website.

'Children's Theme' from the 'White Mischief' soundtrack highlight the variety - a flute and picked electric guitar foundation augmented with resonant bass then a sonorous horn-like part and drums creating a kind of twisted folk.
Download Tindersticks 'Childrens Theme 1' (mp3) (Constellation)

Whereas 'The Black Mountain' from 'L'Intrus' is more avant garde with a cold wave of synth augmented by clanking, delayed guitar clips and topped with a gorgeous rich solo trumpet.
Download Tindersticks 'The Black Mountain' (mp3) (Constellation)

All the Claire Denis soundtracks have been collected onto a very lovely box set on Constellation (vinyl or CD) and the live show tours through the summer with UK live dates in the Autumn.

Highly recommended.

Roy Budd 'Main Theme - Carter Takes A Train' (Get Carter OST, 1971)

One of the most evocative opening pieces of film music I know, Roy Budd's Main Theme from Get Carter melds small jazz group groove with atmospheric soundtrack ambience to great effect.

The composition creates a perfect sense of locomotion, the percussion driving on against the springy double bass and tabla. The almost glutinously reverbed harpsichord and then electric piano hold it all together.

It's been covered by artists as diverse as The Human League and Stereolab but the original is just perfection.

Download Roy Budd 'Main Theme - Carter Takes A Train' (mp3) (Rapidshare)