Maddy Prior, revered and decorated lead lady of stalwart folk rock icons Steeleye Span, has compiled an impressive legacy as a solo artist as well.
Having previously explored Arthurian history, myth and legend with her 2001 Arthur the King LP, in 2003 Prior offered up Lionhearts, a song cycle set in the time of Richard I and Eleanor of Aquitaine.
“Salisbury Plain” is just the kind of tale she’s regaled fans of Britfolk with since 1969 or so.
In Prior’s words, it’s “a timeless story of a young man who believes he has to have money to keep his young lady happy”.
Troy Donockley’s low whistle adds an appropriate accent of mournful melancholy.
The Lord have mercy on his poor soul/For I think I hear the death bell toll
Spanish singer Rosalía’s momentous fourth album Lux is a trove of bold sounds and bold themes, with lyrics in 14 languages.
“La Perla” (“The Pearl”), featuring a collaboration with Mexican trio Yahritza y su Esencia, was a chart-topping single in Spain.
The song is presumed to be about the singer’s ex-fiancé Rauw Alejandro. Its title refers to a historic neighborhood of old San Juan, Puerto Rico, but also is a term used derisively to mock a sexually promiscuous person.
Classy instrumentation. Blunt message. Weren’t we just expressing out admiration for Lily Allen for a bold, confessional breakup record?
Thank God for men who suck at relationships and the women who keep making great art from it.
Lyric translation:
Hello, thief of peace minefield for my sensitivity Playboy a champion spends the money he has and also the money he doesn’t
He’s so charming star of unreason a mirage Olympic gold medal to the bastard you have the podium of great disappointment Local disappointment national
heartbreaker an emotional terrorist the world’s biggest disaster
It’s a pearl, no one trusts it, it’s a pearl
one of great care
The king of the 13, 14 does not know what it is to contribute he is the center of the world and then what else will matter?
You finally go to therapy you go to the psychologist and also a psychiatrist, but what good is it if you always lie more than you talk, they will make you a monument to dishonesty.
I don’t feel sorry for you who stays with you drains himself always invites himself if he can lives in someone else’s house Red flag walking tremendous disaster he will say that it was not him who was his doppelgänger
Well, of course not referring to him as an icon would be a reductionist narrative for him, you know what I mean? Never lend him anything, he won’t return it Being a loose cannon It’s his specialty
Loyalty and fidelity is a language that will never understand
His masterpiece his collection of bras if you ask him for help will disappear
Local Disappointment: National Heartbreaker: An Emotional Terrorist, The World’s Greatest Disaster
It’s a pearl, no one trusts it, it’s a pearl, one of great care
Richard Thompson: “Alexander Graham Bell” (Live) (2006)
Richard Thompson is known as a superb songwriter and a dazzling musician. But his secret weapon–his wry wit–is known mainly by those fortunate enough to have seen him live.
His between-song banter is dry, gently mocking–and intelligent. Basically, the polar opposite of Paul Stanley.
When asked by his child’s teacher to come into school and play some Egyptian songs “which is not as easy as it sounds”, he gave them “My Daddy is a Mummy”:
“Stylistically I place this somewhere between the two Memphis'”, he says, and…well damn if it isn’t an accurate description.
“Alexander Graham Bell”, stylistically closer to guitar jazz, is equally fun and actually quite enlightening.
Neither song is the type to be found on one of his studio albums, which are more serious-minded affairs.
It’s too bad this side of Thompson is relegated to concert performance and the “rarities” disc of a box set.
While Shirley Manson and company’s third album, 2001’s Beautiful Garbage, may have lacked a smash hit such as “Stupid Girl” from their debut or “Special” from Version 2.0 it may be their best record overall.
Though deep cut “Drive You Home” hasn’t been chosen for even multidisc “best-of” compilations, it says here the brooding, achingly melodic track deserves more love.
Between the release of Wings at the Speed of Sound in 1976 and 1978’s London Town, the strangest of all McCartney’s solo work was released under the pseudonym of Percy “Thrills” Thrillington.
Getty images
The Thrillington album, as the cover slyly suggests, was an orchestral instrumental version of Paul and Linda’s Ram LP, recorded in 1971 and shelved for six years as attention shifted to Wings band projects.
There are more recent analogues: James Mercer’s “flipped” version of the Shins’ 2017 Heartworms LP (titled The Worm’s Heart) reinterpreted the album and reversed its running order. Pretty cool.
But Thrillington, which has never officially been credited to Paul McCartney, is truly outside the box.
With arrangements scored by Richard Anthony Hewson and recorded over three days of sessions in June of ’71, the record is truly a fresh, fun spin on a legendary album.
On its release it had some critics mystified as to whether McCartney himself was involved or not, making for some interesting album reviews.
As for the hoax, McCartney publicized the album’s release by taking out enigmatic ads in UK music papers–mentioning the character of Percy Thrillington but never associating himself in any way.
He and Linda even found an obscure Irish farmer–a guy they knew couldn’t be traced for verification–to model as Percy for photo ads perpetuating the deception.
Because Thrillington was believed by most to be a McCartney work, it became a collector’s item, but remains the least-heard of his albums.
Paul finally officially came clean in a 1989 interview, saying, “It was me and Linda–and we kept it secret for a long time”.
No Te Va Gustar and Julieta Venegas: “Chau” (Live) (2019)
No Te Va Gustar (“You Won’t Like It”) might be the best band name of all time.
On the occasion of the Uruguayan band’s 25th anniversary they released Otras Canciones, an intimate, acoustic-leaning live performance album remixing their past material with help from plenty of guest stars.
“Chau”, featuring Latin pop legend Julieta Venegas, was a single that preceded the album’s release.
Don’t pass up the video. These guys are tight, the arrangement is punchy, and it’s a joy to watch pros like them and Venegas nail this live performance.
You will like it.
Lyric translation:
We were both looking at the sea When the afternoon died How our thing died I swear I didn’t know
I looked to my right I saw you disappear I screamed with all my might And I noticed you couldn’t hear me
I stayed all night in the sand I tried to make something worthwhile I can’t get, change, or correct What runs in my veins
Heart Today don’t stop beating You walked away one day Now, you decided to come
It’s been more than a year and you’re not there I would have given my life and so much more Just to see you again
I couldn’t afford to give in to your crying I’m not going to open the wounds Of having loved you so much
I listened, but I let it go I remembered, how free I was I can’t get, change, or correct What runs in my veins
Heart Today don’t stop beating You walked away one day Now, you decided to come
Heart Today don’t stop beating You walked away one day And now, you decided to come
Heart You walked away one day Heart You walked away one day Heart
Every Moment Has A Song 