Aged & Mellow

Drawing by Rachel Poli (she’s on Facebook – befriend her)

So whilst preparing some other business for some other day, a couple of songs came up on my Itunes that I hadn’t heard for a while but forgot how brilliant they were, and I figured they’d be worth sharing in the typically illegal way of making them available to download. Of course if you like them, buy them.

Aged & Mellow Blues – Little Esther

Contains the lyrics:

“Junior might be young and stronger,
But I’ll take grandpa ‘cos he’s had it longer”

Fortune cookies anyone?!

Against The Sky – Vashti Bunyan

One of those female folk singers whose voice seems to be constantly trembling but never actually trembles. Certainly treads a fine line between sublime and grating – but I reckon sublimity wins out in the end. Vashti Bunyan’s work has resurfaced again, having lain neglected for quite a while, after her song “Another Diamond Day” appeared on what else but a mobile phone advert, T-Mobile to be precise.

The Dark End Of The Street – James Carr & Aretha Franklin

Did I say a couple? Sorry. Apparently written by Dan Penn and Chips Moman in under thirty minutes whilst on a break from cheating in a game of cards. Prior to writting this song Penn and Moman said they had wanted to come up, “the best cheatin’ song. Ever.” (Wiki article) Anyone got a better one? There have been so many covers of this track, but the original with Aretha Franklin on backing vocals is still the best.

Desire (Moodyman Remix) – Jose James

We had to have some house didn’t we? New on Giles Peterson’s Brownswood Recordings label.

Desire – Carl Craig

From 1994. Carl Craig was even then, well, a lot better than everyone else.