unpopular

Grown men with shaved legs!

 

I thought that the trend for Downfall mashups on the interwebs had passed, but perhaps I had just not had one cross my path for a while. Well, this one did today and I admit I laughed aloud. The line about grown men with shaved legs in particular made me chortle. It’s clearly made by Australians given the reference to Ted Baillieu (the premier of the Australian state of Victoria), but even non Aussies will probably get the Shane Warne reference. In case not, um, he’s a cricketer who doesn’t like cyclists. I suspect Jeremy Clarkson is a big fan.

The Sound of Neu Scotland

The Postcard Records connection continues with this, from the (times are tough, but...) We Can Still Picnic crew:

WE CAN STILL PICNIC started life as a digital reissue label, possibly inspired by RevOla and Soul Jazz. Set up to reissue forgotten deleted classics originally released / unreleased on Postcard Records (The Nectarine No9 / Jock Scot / Jazzateers). WCSP soon became a confused beast, splintering into setting up clubs, salons, design / art, pamphlets, broadcasting.

The Sound of Neu Scotland

Committee members include twins Bjorn and Erik Sandberg, Graham Wann, and Andy McColgan, all of whom were former students of academic - theorist - provocatuer Douglas MacIntyre, who founded iconic Glasgow avant-pop label Creeping Bent in 1994. MacIntyre, along with Davy Henderson (Fire Engines / Nectarine No9 / Sexual Objects), provided the stimuli for the new breed that is WCSP, encouraging them to fast forward into the future and establish a new radical chic.

So it goes... it gives WCSP the greatest pleasure to announce the release of WCSP 006 - MAO DISNEY (Fluxing Up The Aesthetic), a 12" white vinyl explosion that captures the best of neu Scotland. Featuring pop aural beautifully packaged, Mao Disney is a trip into the future, informed by the past - get up, use us!! 

 

PERFORMANCE – WAKE THE PRESIDENT / CASUAL SEX / POST / AGGI DOOM / SEXUAL OBJECTS

MAO DISNEY launch

Sat 3^rd March 2012   /   7.30pm   /   £5   /   CCA (Centre of Contemporary Art)

Sauchiehall Street

Glasgow   

WE CAN STILL PICNIC

Present  

MAO DISNEY (FLUXING UP THE AESTHETIC)

SIDE A

1. POST  - Monument to a Lost Cause (Part 1) http://soundcloud.com/creepingbent/post-monument-to-a-lost-cause

2  CASUAL SEX - National Unity  http://soundcloud.com/creepingbent/casual-sex-national-unity

3. SANDFORD - Indiscretion  http://soundcloud.com/creepingbent/sandford-indiscretion-1

4. FLO FERNANDEZ - Lady Carneval  http://soundcloud.com/creepingbent/flo-fernandez-lady-carneval

SIDE B 

1. AGGI DOOM - The Loving Kind  http://soundcloud.com/creepingbent/aggi-doom-the-loving-kind

2. WAKE THE PRESIDENT - This is New  http://soundcloud.com/creepingbent/wake-the-president-this-is-new

3. THE BLESSED OBLIVION – Don’t Weep  http://soundcloud.com/creepingbent/the-blessed-oblivion-dont-weep

4. SEXUAL OBJECTS - You're All Over   http://soundcloud.com/creepingbent/sexual-objects-youre-all-over

 

Like a ghost...

It is with something of a twinge of guilt that I say I had drifted away somewhat from Kevin Pearce’s continuing ‘Your Heart Out’ series of pamphlets. That’s just how life goes sometimes though, isn’t it? Ebbing and flowing. Waxing. Waning. 

The latest instalment however re-connects. And how. 

In it Kevin makes mention of an unfinished book about Postcard records. I was fortunate enough to have been privy to what was completed of that project, and whilst I sympathise with the reasons for it remaining unfinished I am convinced that it would have been one of the great Pop books. Of course it is difficult for me to be objective about Kevin’s words, for he has been such a big influence and inspiration to me over the years. And anyway, it can be argued that there is no place for objectivity when one is talking about Pop.

‘Consequences’ then takes the bones of the Go-Betweens chapter of that project and expands it in typical Pearce fashion to make all kinds of delicious tangential connections. It is, of course, essential and almost painfully evocative reading.

Here is Kevin’s own description: 

Consequences is the latest edition of YHO, and can be downloaded here as a pdf – free for all. This issue is all about The Go-Betweens’ first three LPs and the musical climate in which they were made and first heard. The YHO way of working has been very much about roaring through the pop landscape, making unexpected connections, and zooming off in a new direction to explore whatever turns up. So, for a new challenge, I thought it would be fun to do something different, and write about something more specific like a short sequence of LPs by one artist. And that’s exactly what the new series will be about: context and sequences. This issue is a bit of a feature-length trailer. The ones to come will be far more concentrated and concise. And this one is, unusually, very close to home. It’s a rare glimpse behind the curtain. So please spread the news.

Beautiful Despair

Apologies to those of you who come here looking for the latest tips from the world of Unpopular Pop, but this post is about the rather more gnarled topic of The Day Job. Normally I would have posted it on my dedicated education-themed blog (a blog that is, as the Poptastically astute amongst you will recognise, named after an XTC b-side) but it didn’t sit comfortably there, perhaps because fundamentally it’s about looking at a problem and, frankly, wondering if one is really capable of dealing with it. 

You see, I’m in the middle of an advertising project with my GCSE Graphic Design students at the moment. We’ve had a few lessons recently where I’ve felt many of them fumbling about in the pit of uncertainty, but on Monday this week it was clear that they were starting to climb out. Students sculpted their friend’s hair into mohicans; they drew delicate patterns around eyes and cheeks with eyeliner; they scurried outside to take photos of buildings and landscapes. In short, they really started to take ownership of, and to direct their learning.

As the two hour lesson went on I pitched in some ideas for them to take on board. The key idea was about editing; about boiling ideas down to the essential ingredients and throwing away what you no longer need. About making emotional connections.

It strikes me now, as I grapple with the task of leading colleagues on our journey towards transformed learning supported by mobile technologies, that I might do well to treat this challenge in the same way. 

It’s a big challenge isn’t it? And as I find myself in the same pit of uncertainty and despair that my students experienced I must admit to feeling a marked sense of inadequacy. I can’t see the route out and everything I reach for to steady myself crumbles in my hands. Perhaps it’s good to be reminded of these feelings so that we can better understand our students’ learning experiences. Perhaps it makes us stronger.

Only time will tell.

Oh, and for the Pop sensation seekers amongst you here's a song to keep us all going:

  

Cathedral

Did you pick up a copy of the beautiful Felt book? My copy arrived from Rough Trade last week and it is gorgeous. It is so good to see such an artefact out there, even if it is in a necessarily limited edition of 1000 copies. I spoke to Lawrence about doing something very similar well over a decade ago. It was just after a book by Kevin Pearce had been abandoned and I foolishly thought I might be able to do something. There were some ideas about collecting Felt/Denim ephemera such as plectrums, tickets etc into the book. There were ideas about extracts from Lawrence’s diaries. There was tentative talk of Lawrence coming to Devon to do some writing. Then my real world got in the way. Juggling a full time teaching career, my Tangents website and such a project was simply unfeasible and the idea slipped.

So whilst I admit to a pang of jealousy in seeing this project come to reality I have nothing but admiration for those involved. The text is spare, essentially some key insights from Lawrence and a lovely introduction by Bob Stanley to set context to the glorious collection of photographs. As such it’s a perfect companion to the ‘Foxtrot Echo Lima Tango’ book that came out in the middle of 2010, and last year’s ‘Ballad of the Fan’ by JC Brouchard. It really does set up a wonderful trinity.

Coincidentally, Bob Stanley has written this weekend about ‘Crumbling The Antiseptic Beauty’. It’s a treasure.

Now, who’s up for excavating, curating and celebrating the Denim story?

Burst the balloons

 
I love this group. I can't think of many contemporary groups making a racket that is so splendid. Why aren't there queues of record labels at their door offering them the world? Or at least a 7" and an album... Terrific video too. Gotta love those Art students, no?

7 & 7 is

Some of the WIAIWYA singles club subscribers have been indulging in a mix swap recently. I have been terribly late with putting mine together but the arrival of a splendid mix from club member #88 in some lovely hand made packaging made me determined to get my act together this weekend. So, despite my workflow being disrupted somewhat by a burst pipe in the attic at lunchtime, today has been spent bringing the project to fruition. You can see the complete mix package in the photos above and below, and if you are really interested in how it all came together you can see the Flickr set in which I documented the whole process here. Initially intended as a one-off for #89, I decided to follow through on the whole seven theme and do a print run of that number. Each one is subtly different of course thanks to the hand-pressed print and painting of the wee gouache circles. First five people to hit me up on twitter (@unpopular) get a copy. Here’s the tracklisting:

7 Days - Acid House Kings
The Girl At Number 7 - Would-Be-Goods
Quarter To Seven - The Fairways
Seven Clubs - The Pines
Seven Days In September - Ginger Snaps
Tram #7 - Pants Yell!
Seven Days - Animals That Swim

Seven Kinds Of Sin - Sad Lovers And Giants
7th Generation Mutation - St. John Green
Martin, Doom! It's Seven O'Clock (Stereolab mix) - The Boo Radleys
Seven Years of Letters - The Twilight Sad
Seven Years - The Fallen Leaves
Seven Years Old - The Chills
Soul Seven - The Undertones

The Rolling Stones

Pictures on my wall. Grab 'em before they've gone.

Face A:

Glass - Field Mouse (Bandcamp)
Just for fun - Alpaca Sports (Soundcloud)
Thanks For Letting Me Stay - My Darling YOU! (from 'Sorry' 10" on Luxury)
Liquid Summer - Diamond Messages (YouTube)
I'm Not An Antidote - Happy Hands Club (Soundcloud)
Picking Holes - The Machine Room (Bandcamp)
Painted Room - My Lady of Clouds (from 'Your Name In Secret I Would Write')
Emmylou - First Aid Kit (YouTube)

Face B:

Summer - Audrey Ryan (Bandcamp)
Muffled Manor - Sunshower Orphans (Bandcamp)
The End Of Silence - Porcelain Raft (from The End Of Silence)
Half Light - RM Hubbert with Emma Pollock & Rafe Fitzpatrick (from Thirteen Lost & Found)
Swim Up Behind Me - Amen Dunes (YouTube)
The Rolling Stones - Hello Shark (Bandcamp)
Colorado - Guy Capecelatro III & Craig Werth (Bandcamp)
Our Cat - Advance Base (Soundcloud)

longshot for your love

It's a longshot I know, but if any of you happen to be in KL this weekend and are at a bit of a loose end you could do a lot worse that pop along to this album launch party for Ferns' 'Fairweather Friends' album. I included the album opener on the first Unpopular mix of this year and if you haven't investigated it yet then hey, take a minute to check out their Bandcamp or Soundcloud pages. Me, I'll probably be drinking a Belgian beer and watching the last episode of 'The Rotters Club'.

In the half-light

RM Hubbert first came to my attention via my good friend Graham who had seen him play in support of Aidan Moffat and Bill Wells in Copenhagen. He pointed me at the fine ‘First & Last’ album; an accessible yet complex and challenging set of guitar instrumentals. Perhaps I should have known about Hubbert through his work with Glasgow post-rockers El Hombre Trajeado and indeed it’s possible I did. Their 1999 ‘Shoplift’ EP spins as I write this and sounds strangely familiar. Perhaps the Appliance lads played this for me all those years ago. It is too long ago to remember.

Whatever, the new ‘Thirteen Lost & Found’ collection on the legendary Chemikal Underground label sees Hubbert hook up with a range of friends as collaborators, and it is stranger and stronger still. There is a gorgeous track that shows off Aidan Moffat’s unparalleled storytelling skills, to which Hubbert’s intricate yet restrained picking is as eloquently suited as Bill Wells’ instruments on last year’s ‘Everything’s Getting Older’ triumph. Another highlight is ‘Gus Am Bris An Latha’ with John Ferguson on banjo. It’s a beautiful number that resonates with the spirit of the Western Isles and is for me the best of the instrumental pieces on the record. 

Elsewhere, well, I could pass on the collaboration with Marion Kenny & Hanna Tuulikki, and Alasdair Roberts never did float my boat, but such is often the nature of pick and mixes like this. Everyone has a different opinion on the coffee cream after all. 

The choicest selection for me then is the appropriately titled ‘Half Light’, on which the always wonderful Emma Pollock turns in a typically affecting vocal performance over a beguilingly bleak backing provided by Hubbert and Rafe Fitzpatrick. It’s all icicles and chilling air winding around dying embers; a perfect February moment.

Now it frankly shocks me to realise it is nearly eight years since I came across Tibi Lubin. When Joe Foster unveiled their ‘I Don’t See You As A Dead Girl’ collection I wrote that they joined lines between the likes of Claudine Longet, Slumber Party, Marine Girls and Young Marble Giants. Given that My Lady of Clouds is effectively former Tibi Lubin singer songwriter Katie Stewart in solo mode, its no surprise then that I once again summon the spirit of those greats to help pin down ‘Your Name in Secret I Would Write’. It really is a lovely contemporary folk pop album, blessed with simple strums and such a charming vocal delivery that is both deliciously warm and cooly distanced in the same breath. The splendid cover of Jean Ritchie’s ‘Now Is The Cool Of The Day’ gives you an idea of where Stewart is coming from, but it’s on her own numbers where she really flourishes. So for example there’s a six minute tale of an encounter with a firefly sent by Orpheus that’s as strange and strangely beautiful as anything by Joanna Newsom. Or what about a playful pop moment that makes reference to the Sufi poet Rumi whilst musing on body language? Not that you need to be a well-read intellectual to enjoy this album. The fact that it has been working its way into the corners of my heart is surely proof of that.