"Crumbs of Comfort" Jinder (Mighty Village)

It`s always a pleasure to put on a new work by one of the Souths hard working, almost legendary writer/performers and one of the most incredible things his following would have witnessed over the years , is the constant adjustment to social climate and web trends that JINDER`s music has battled through. His projects remain a great example of maintaining a public interest in his forthcoming works and performances, whilst still finding time to almost "leak" great entertaining songs along the way onto the internet that seemingly have nothing to do with the final golden goal. Vital foresight, at a time in which it would be so easy to have heard many an album in many formats before it is finally compiled and released.
And so it is, we come to "CRUMBS OF COMFORT" , a suitably organically looking package offered on Ian Browns` MIGHTY VILLAGE label. So, I`m guessing that this is technically the fourth actual JINDER album and from the very first note , a grunt of new maturity has come out of the tall ones throat, rendering no earlier work less important in any way, but showing the listener that enough thought has been left , stamped produced and developed on in the most thoughtful way and that this is going to be a project for life.
There is a wonderful earthiness in the opening cut "THE BIRDS WILL STILL BE SINGING", a song in which you can hear and feel the roads awaking up in the morning on the way home from endless tours of the UK. Not for the first time currently, do I detect a CAT STEVENS influence on a contemporary singer, which I find quite interesting in an artist that doesnt seem to be on many peoples lips still being an influence. On Track 3, "YOU DON`T HAVE TO BE ALONE", after reading the credits, I was preparing myself for a change in production values as the evergreen STEVE DARREL SMITH, apparently leaves the helm and is replace by JINDER himself and then augmented further by fellow ex MERCURY MEN players SIMON JOHNSOn and GAVIN WYATT.
But fear not, this is not an album of odds and ends, the sound and feel remain a project along the same train line going to the same station from start to finish.  I`m not sure or not whether or not "LET MY LOVE BE YOUR SHELTER" is a new recording of the MERCURY MEN`s offering or not, as I only have a very low quality MP3 of it myself and only know the song. Its crisp and gorgeously represented here with full harmony and radiobility, and being what it is in its genre, could be a hit for artist or anyone at anytime still. The classic "KEEP ME IN YOUR HEART" is also given a treatment and outing on this album, with a higher "rock" value than I have heard before-if you dont know this tune by now-just check it out in any format you want by the way, it`s simply one of those all time classic songs.
I remain confused and amused by the little tune "WEDDING SONG" at track 6 on the album, it`s cuddly impatience made me chuckle a bit in its almost ironic delivery, which may well not have been intended-but thats a live performer for you . Ive listed many more songs by name than I normally would have done in a review of this kind, and due to the high level of writing , its very hard not too, but I will tell you that Im not going to actually name my favourite two tracks on the album at all here, so you can dig them out for yourself.
"CRUMBS OF COMFORT " is an album born by the fireside for you to take down the beach this summer and many more to come, a breaking down of a very long current train of thought into 10 select songs for you. Where are the other ones living this week we wonder??;)

JINDER  "CRUMBS OF COMFORT" Mighty Village 7.5/10

STACKRIDGE/NEW MILTON April 28th 2012

STACKRIDGE + Blackheart New Milton War Memorial Hall April 28th 2012.

Its been a very long time since I visited this historic and tucked away venue in the little cosmos of the New Forest and it is by nature just where you would expect to find the music of STACKRIDGE at any given time in their long history.With an open heart I arrived and with a with a full and wanting more heart I left.
The genius of STACKRIDGEs songwriting is having a knack for filling in all the subject lines that nobody else does in an essential pop melody with just enough thought and musicianship to cross into progressive territory also.("Progressive" again you say..? Odd that-its been that sort of week!)
For a short while, the band were known as the KORGIS and slotted in very well as part of the post punk waves, hitting the airwaves via Radio 1 in the late 70`s and very early 80`s with absolutely classic hits-"If I Had You" and the timeless "Everybodys Gotta Learn Sometime". The latter of which , on the night we were promised the elusive "second verse lyric" for the first time, and I have only just gotten that joke.
Augmented on this tour by the wonderful Clare Lindley on fiddle , vox and couple of other musical creations, she completes the contemporary frontline of the band with Andy Davies and James Warren.
Not that I can attempt to even give you half of a potted history of the band in my own words as I simply dont have one-to me, this is a new territory and very grateful my ears are to it too. Anybody mentioning "plimsoles" "gold fish" and "men in bowler hats" in their tunes is ok in my book. It`s simply so great to hear different words in songs and so refreshing to hear something new to the ears without a single vocal acrobatic, although it surely cant be too long before somebody commits "stackrilidge" and murders one of their world class songs on one of "those" shows.
I loved the experience of pure relaxed entertainers at this show right from when the support act , BLACKHEART appeared earlier. An apparently-"husband and wife"(?) duo from the Wigan era I think I would probably be forgiven for them reminding me of Gregson and Collister, with the addition of some wonderfully played guitar loops taking the place of any drum machines required and an Omnichord, subtly hidden on a music stand by "Mrs" Blackheart.
Anyways, in brief-change your heart-it will astound you... and yes it did. Loved this band and will have a fun time tracking down their back catalogue-catch them on this tour if you can.

STACKRIDGE + Blackheart New Milton 8/10

The Day After My 50th Birthday!

Absolutely knackered today! Thanks for all the birthday wishes-I certainly tried to respond in person to every single one of you-and if I have missed you-just poke me again for karma and respect;) We had hoped that I would be well enough to have a big massive gig for my 50th and started planning it a couple of years ago-but in January this year it was quite obvious that this was not going to be a very good move for me -besides which-it saved your ears from my live squaking and you can continue listening to the cleaned up studio version of me-he of which-never furgets the lyrics:) Anyways-as I say-I am knackered-and if anyone fancies a session on the web promo of our Julias House appeal, selling Suspicious Minds, please feel free to take the reigns.
Also-do anyone know of a printer who would be able to print a short run of flyers to go on the seats of the Stackridge gig on Saturday, as we have kind permission from the promoters to use the facility , which I can tell you is not an easy thing to get from gigs in which you are not on the bill. Including this weeks sales at this rate and IF all at Saturdays gig downloads the song -it will chart next week and we will be able to hand over a serious amount of money. On a personal note , it will be damned fine to get the icing for the cake in my hometown as a kid , New Milton:)
You are all splendid and very much appreciated xxx
Martin Kitcher 50 years old and one day. West Parley, Dorset.xx

GALAHAD “BATTLE SCARS”

A & R development over the years. Oh yes this is the key-let the band breathe and grow on masses of record company loans, make sure the public want to have the beautifully crafted product at least for Christmas, the look and sound must be essential...

The album I`m playing here at the moment, you could have turned down to barely audible volume at a dinner table and passed it off as an offering from the nightmarish but sadly true stabling illustrated above, heavens! -=it even features progressive music, but I can tell you that I have not heard a delivery like this from a band of this genre, well- ever really, but GALAHAD have not fallen down any holes lately nore ever gotten stuck into  a cliched prog groove of cloning any other act in their class. They don`t actually sound like anyone but themselves and its a sound comforted by being happy with knowing what they are and furthering that knowledge with a passion and longevity that is just so rare in any form of entertainment that is presented with such authoritywith dignity and ,now, after  25 years or so doing what they do, such experience. These guys were doing DIY when anyone else except the indie punk labels were too busy sneering at it-it certainly wasn’t`t a “prog thing” to do-well one would have thought...

None of the songs on BATTLE SCARS have been tugged and pulled in a direction to which they might prove to be better for “that territory” or “that market”, the beauty and integrity of the song-crafting is coming from none of the usual places out of the speakers and thrills  in the perfection of mix and exactly enough playing ,unlike many of the acts that they no doubt would have been listening too in a bedroom away from spiky haired, skinny legged pogoers that were their contemporaries.

This album is a film, but I don’t want it to be-I want it to be a record. From the opening power and dignity of the title track itself we are sucked into this aural movie and its only when we get to “BITTER AND TWISTED” that we realise that the album is such an absorbing work that nothing else is actually getting done. Prog Rock didn’t of course go away, to many people, it just painted itself in a shade that was not as popular as it thought it would be-GALAHAD without a doubt carried on listening to themselves and what their loyal  and indeed lifelong followers, in many cases,  wanted from the music that they create. Surely, that is the best A+R crew in the world and to be able to have the strength in work and deed to turn around and face a new crowd in 2012 and say-“hey people-heres our new record-you might like this as well..”, is an unchallenged gift that acts would pay a great deal of money to have. (they cant of course-it takes too much dedication, work and time!)

And-in case anyone has not mentioned it to you, with the excellent “SIEZE THE DAY”, the prog ship and dance floor have been immaculately fused by a band for the first time and not a computer programmer.

Galahad/Battle Scars  Avalon Records 2012 9.5/10

Martin Kitcher

The Wild Rover The LOXJOX Band

The Wild Rover The LOXJOX Band  Happy St Patricks Day!!!!!!

The Biggest Tree

The Biggest Tree

This is a track from our forthcoming new album.:)

Everyones got one of these, so, I will try to make a decent one too....

..Morning or afternoon!
Well, I have often wondered how people get one of these and now I have one too! Why? Well,m I needed moire though space I suppose and besides which, some of you actually ready it! Seriously, thanks for that, without that simple thing, life would indeed be more difficult.
Sooo, this is just to let you know that we have started this group/page/blog thing or whatever you call it.
Hopefully, I will report my wonderous successes or hilarious failures or evn make interesting politcal comment or more importantly of course, giuve you dent recipes, TV and film reviews and music tips, theres the stuff!

Lets go!

Martin