I bought my first new 7" single in two decades from the Rough Trade shop at the weekend. It's this lovely thing from the lovely Smoke Fairies, which comes in a limited edition pack with a 'free' 5 track CD (which is, let's face it, the EP). What larks!
The Smoke Fairies are two nice girls from Sussex who picked up some dirty blues and slide guitar licks and sad, dark Appalachian bits in the States and Canada that offset their sweet English folk harmonies like a good Kentucky bourbon does a ginger ale. Or something. I like them a lot.
They're supporting Richard Hawley on tour next month, which would seem a winning combination all round, so I'd better get my ticket sorted pronto.
Smoke Fairies - 'Morning Light' (2009)
Their MySpace.
That's right purdy. Is there anything more beguiling than hot slide guitar licks played by a pallid English lass in a sun dress? I ask you.
ReplyDeleteThere is not C&B, there is not.
ReplyDeleteI need to thank you, Mr. Davy sir, for exposing me to the Duckworth Lewis Method a few weeks back. I am a humble colonial and know nothing of this cricket, but that record is a sweet obsession. I wrote a little thingy about it myself on songbytoad.com if you'd care to peruse. Cheers. Oh, and sorry I call you "Davey."
ReplyDeleteSpookily, I have just come back here to read your comment having stumbled on that post at Matthew's...you are too kind dear boy.
ReplyDeleteAs you're no doubt aware they have a song on the latest Word CD. It's immediately followed by the best of this month's selection: 40 Day Dream by Edward Sharpe & The Magnetic Zeros. Check it out if you haven't already.
ReplyDeleteBy jingo - they're a bit different and no mistake.. Thanks for the introduction.
ReplyDeleteC&B is right with 'beguiling'.
Cans on. Bottle uncorked. Darkness. Supine position. Polka-dotted waving clowns. Harmonies in my head.
DVD. News At Ten. Cloud No 9.
Lovely tune - a delight, very autumnal smokish. I just had a peep at their myspace and some other lovelies on the list.
ReplyDeleteMy concert tickets for November/December are Motorhead and The Damned - double bill, and the New York Dolls. But The Blockheads come to Southend this Saturday - and on the freemans too. Smashing!
Tickets for Hawley sold out in York on my birfday.
ReplyDeleteBah.
Or, as my daughter would say .. "That's well rubbish"
Oh, that sounds brilliant. Can't wait to hear Hawley's new album. My music reviewing pal over at the sinking Indy on Sunday says that he hasn't been as gobsmacked by an album since the heyday of the Manic Street Preachers, Richey-period.
ReplyDeleteAaaaaanyway, Davy, today I learnt that two more fine blogs, Music Of The Moment and Frisian’s Other Favorites have been zapped. The former has put up a statement on http://restracks.blogspot.com/
Both blogs specialised in old music; Frisians especially in out-of-print vinyl. Hardly a threat to the music industry...
When I moved from Blogger to Wordporess in December, it was very easy. At a click of a button, Wordpress moved across all content, including comments. There are shortcomings with Wordpress (no Google Analytics!), but blogs don’t get to be deleted at will as at Blogger. And I’ve experienced higher volumes of traffic since moving, which is nice (and perhaps unrelated).
At the risk of sounding like an alarmist salesman for WP, I’m worried that your blog might be next (and I’m copying & pasting this message to other Blogger residents, but I do mean you). C’mon, move before Google and The Man zap you!
Thanks Major - I have cunningly already set up a 'shadow' blog of this one over there, just to be safe. This one looks better!
ReplyDeleteI picked up the RH album yesterday. I'm still getting into it, but first impression is that there are indeed some fine, fine things on it, though perhaps it is not quite the radical departure from/superior to what has gone before, as some reviews have suggested. I still love him to bits, and have managed to snag some tickets for Shepherd's Bush on Oct 8th (sorry Dickie!).
The Blockheads eh Mond? They'll still tear it up live, I bet.
I'll go back and listen to that track Mick, yessir.
Sing Fairies, sing x
Ah, very cunning of you.
ReplyDeleteIf the Hawley has a couple of songs as gorgeous as Valentine from the last album, I'll be happy.
So glad you took the Dude's advice - and welcome to Wordpress :-)
ReplyDeleteHugs,
MissP
xo
Shhh! Miss P! I'm supposed to be undercover. You ain't seen me, right? x
ReplyDeleteLovely stuff, thanks yet again Mr H.
ReplyDeleteYou're going to let all your fans know if you move officially? I hope. x
I'm hoping I won't have to move Greer; I kinda like the old place, to be honest x
ReplyDeleteThere's still a Rough Trade shop?
ReplyDeleteThere are two DD (East & West).
ReplyDeleteNot counting a little one in Covent Garden.
ReplyDelete