SEVEN WONDERS - The Rules
- It has to be seven things you've discovered in the last month
- It has to be seven things other people can find
- It has to be seven things that have inspired or caused a reaction.
- It has to be a paragraph on each
It doesn't have to be music, it can be a film, a play, a painting, a cartoon, a different take on the familiar etc, but it does have to comply to the rules.
Sometimes we'll have guest features, but we want your inspirations. Submit here.
Go seek them out
SEVEN WONDERS
Seven things that have excited Peter Cowley this month….
Peter Cowley is a writer and support of the arts.
Clive Gregson - Bus Stop Conversations
Having followed Clive Gregson's career since 1980 , when he was with Any Trouble , I was intrigued when he announced that , in 2020 he was going to release a new album every month . June's release was "Bus Stop Conversations" an affectionate tribute to the North of England. One track in particular , "Alderley Edge" caught my eye , as I lived in said village in Cheshire for my first eighteen years. This was not , however, the first song about my childhood home that I have come across , that accolade belongs to Pete and Chris Coe for their 1972 song "The Wizard of Alderley Edge". Clive's offering is a melodic , guitar-driven , mid-tempo rock song that would not have sounded out-of-place on an Any Trouble album.
Robin Gibb - Cold Be My Days
From a song about my childhood home to one about my current one. About a year ago, I moved from the North to the historic market town of Shipston-on-Stour in Warwickshire , near Stratford-upon-Avon. Imagine my surprise when I discovered that the late Bee Gee Robin Gibb had written a song that specifically and repeatedly namechecks Shipston. "Cold Be My Days" is a glorious slice of orchestral chamber pop in which Robin revisits his youth , and his experiences of riding horses with brother Barry. This wonderful track was recorded in April 1970 , after Robin had temporarily left the Bee Gees to pursue a solo career. "Cold Be My Days" was part of the legendary "Sing Slowly Sisters" sessions but was not released until 2015 . How it wasn't released before then is beyond belief.
The Lark Ascending - Ralph Vaughan Williams
One of my favourite pieces of classical music is "The Lark Ascending" by Ralph Vaughan Williams who was inspired to compose it , on the eve of The Great War , by a poem by George Meredith. The piece portrays the haunting song of the skylark and was originally scored for violin and piano . However, in 1921 Vaughan Williams composed an orchestral version and this is the one that has become so well-known and loved. Now, violinist Jennifer Pike and pianist Martin Roscoe have revived the original violin and piano version on cd and it is utterly gorgeous . Without the orchestra, the sheer beauty of Vaughan Williams's evocation of the English landscape shines through. A great discovery.
Magic Bus - The Earth Years
You might think that a band called Magic Bus would be a Who tribute band but you would be wrong. They are , in fact, a band from Totnes, Devon who are steeped in the classic pastoral-prog tradition of the great Canterbury Sound bands such as Caravan, Hatfield and the North and Gong [amongst others]. Being a great admirer of the "Canterbury" bands, I was delighted to discover that Magic Bus are carrying on that splendid tradition into the 21st century . They have released four albums since 2010 , the most recent being this year's "The Earth Years" , which is an aural delight with its quirky blend of jazz-tinged , melodic progressive pop. Another great discovery.
Rumer - Nashville Tears
"Nashville Tears" is the new album by Rumer [ aka Sarah Joyce] on which she covers fifteen songs by Texan songwriter Hugh Prestwood. Hugh-who ? you may ask , as did I. It turns out that Hugh was discovered in 1978 by Judy Collins and since then has had his songs covered by artists such as Crystal Gayle, Trisha Yearwood, James Taylor , Alison Krauss and many, many more. Rumer made a very wise choice in making an album of Prestwood's songs and she sings them beautifully , her voice as clear as a bell and as smooth as silk. A wonderful album which is a joy to listen to.
Snowgoose - The Making of You
I must admit that , until recently, I was unaware of the Glasgow band Snowgoose . I read a review of their new album "The Making of You" and decided to give it a whirl.I was immediately impressed by their lovely blend of folk and rock which reminded me, at times, of classic bands like Pentangle and Fotheringay. In Anna Sheard they have a superb female vocalist and the rest of the band are no slouches either, having been or being members of The Soup Dragons, BMX Bandits and Teenage Fanclub. An excellent and unexpected gem of an album.
Money Heist - Netflix
To conclude my Seven Wonders, not a piece of music but a Spanish crime drama series on Netflix. Money Heist was recommended to me and I became hooked at once. This is no ordinary crime drama but a sensational, gripping tour de force. There's also a lot of it, there are 15 episodes in Season 1 and a further 16 in Season 2 . However, the drama and suspense does not let up for a minute and it is impossible not to get immersed in the story and the main characters. Once you start it , you will not want to stop.
Fatea Showcase Sessions
The Fatea Showcase Sessions are a series of downloads featuring acts that we've really enjoyed and think that more people should get the chance to hear.
Corsair is the current session and features 16 fantastic artists check out the website to find out more about them and download your copy
www.fatea-showcase-sessions.co.uk for all the artist information.
Folk Friday Radio
Check out our shows and many other great shows on: