Day 246: Come over to the window, my little darling, I'd like to try to read your palm...

Album 854/1031

Elastica - Elastica (1995)

All tracks written by Justine Frischmann, except where noted ^[24].

Original version
No.	Title	Writer(s)	Length
1.	"Line Up"		3:15
2.	"Annie"		1:15
3.	"Connection"		2:22
4.	"Car Song"		2:24
5.	"Smile"	Frischmann, Donna Matthews	1:40
6.	"Hold Me Now"		2:33
7.	"S.O.F.T."		3:59
8.	"Indian Song"		2:48
9.	"Blue"		2:23
10.	"All-Nighter"		1:31
11.	"Waking Up"	Frischmann, Hugh Cornwell, Jean-Jacques Burnel, David Greenfield, Brian Duffy	3:16
12.	"2:1"		2:31
13.	"Vaseline"		1:20
14.	"Never Here"		4:27
15.	"Stutter"		2:23

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elastica_(album)


Golf's verdict: HIDDEN GEM! Cannot believe that The Stranglers get a writing credit on "Waking Up' but Colin Newman and Bruce Gilbert of Wire don't even get a mention. This is a cracking debut album but 'Line Up' and 'Connection' in particular and the whole album owes a massive debt to Wire's 'Pink Flag', 'Chairs Missing' and '154' albums of the late '70s. So if you like this then go find some Wire on Spotify. You won't be disappointed.

Máire's verdict: Golf has always been the bigger fan. Thought it was a fun blast from the past but not much more than that.

Album 855/1031

Incubus - Make Yourself (1999)

All tracks written by Brandon Boyd, Mike Einziger, Alex Katunich, Chris Kilmore and Jose Pasillas.

No.	Title	Length
1.	"Privilege"	3:54
2.	"Nowhere Fast"	4:30
3.	"Consequence"	3:18
4.	"The Warmth"	4:24
5.	"When It Comes"	4:00
6.	"Stellar"	3:20
7.	"Make Yourself"	3:03
8.	"Drive"	3:52
9.	"Clean"	3:55
10.	"Battlestar Scralatchtica"	3:49
11.	"I Miss You"	2:48
12.	"Pardon Me"	3:43
13.	"Out from Under"	3:28

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Make_Yourself

Golf's verdict: HIDDEN GEM! If they were not playing on a Sunday night the day after we are going to be at Auckland City Limits early next year we would be at their Auckland gig like a shot. Like a cross between Jane's Addiction and the RHCPs in a rather good way. Also, it turns out Radio Hauraki have been playing one of their tunes for months and I had no idea it was them.

Máire's verdict: HIDDEN GEM! I really enjoyed this. Never listened to the band before as I assumed it was heavy / thrash metal based on the name. Will definitely be hunting more out.

Album 856/1031

Leonard Cohen - Songs of... (1967)

All songs written by Leonard Cohen.

Side A

1. "Suzanne" – 3:48
2. "Master Song" – 5:55
3. "Winter Lady" – 2:15
4. "The Stranger Song" – 5:00
5. "Sisters of Mercy" – 3:32

Side B

1. "So Long, Marianne" – 5:38
2. "Hey, That's No Way to Say Goodbye" – 2:55
3. "Stories of the Street" – 4:35
4. "Teachers" – 3:01
5. "One of Us Cannot Be Wrong" – 4:23

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Songs_of_Leonard_Cohen

Golf's verdict: HIDDEN GEM! I bought this as one of my 5 for 20 quid CDs in HMV in the early 90s and listened to a it a few times. In those days Máire's ears must not have been ready to Leonard because it never got played much and then got sold on on Ebay when I got rid of most of my CDs a while later (still not sure that was a great idea, despite the rise of Spotify, etc.) Anyway, it was very pleasant to rediscover it after so many years. Albums like these are like life-long friends: you only need a few moments to know that the bond remains unbroken.


Máire's verdict: HIDDEN GEM! Just wonderful.

Album 857/1031

Willie Colon & Reuben Blades - Siembra (1978)

All tracks written by Rubén Blades, except where noted.

No.	Title	Writer(s)	Length
1.	"Plástico"	Rubén Blades	6:37
2.	"Buscando Guayaba"	Rubén Blades	5:43
3.	"Pedro Navaja"	Rubén Blades	7:21
4.	"María Lionza"	Rubén Blades	5:27
5.	"Ojos"	Johnny Ortiz	4:50
6.	"Dime"	Rubén Blades	6:59
7.	"Siembra"	Rubén Blades	5:21

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Siembra

Golf's verdict: Well, not to be too hard on this, because I am obviously not its intended audience, but after a couple of interesting tracks this does seem to then relax into essentially one long salsa workout.

Máire's verdict: Not really my genre but pleasant enough.

Album 858/1031

David Crosby - If Only I Could Remember My Name (1971)

Side one[edit]

No.	Title	Writer(s)	Length
1.	"Music Is Love"	David Crosby, Graham Nash, Neil Young	3:16
2.	"Cowboy Movie"	David Crosby	8:02
3.	"Tamalpais High (at about 3)"	David Crosby	3:29
4.	"Laughing"	David Crosby	5:20

Side two[edit]

No.	Title	Writer(s)	Length
1.	"What Are Their Names"	Crosby, Garcia, Lesh, Shrieve, Young	4:09
2.	"Traction in the Rain"	David Crosby	3:40
3.	"Song with No Words (Tree with No Leaves)"	David Crosby	5:53
4.	"Orleans"	traditional	1:56
5.	"I'd Swear There Was Somebody Here"	David Crosby	1:19

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/If_I_Could_Only_Remember_My_Name

Golf's verdict: A big favourite of the last Pope, tenuously based on the fact that it came second only to The Beatles' 'Revolver' in a 2010 Top 10 Albums published by the Vatican newspaper. If you like CSN(Y) then you will like it. I liked it.

Máire's verdict: Not a fan, to be honest.

Album 859/1031

Herbie Hancock - Headhunters (1973)

Side one
No.	Title	Writer(s)	Length
1.	"Chameleon"	Hancock, Jackson, Mason, Maupin	15:41
2.	"Watermelon Man"	Hancock; arranged by Mason	6:29

Side two
No.	Title	Writer(s)	Length
3.	"Sly"	Hancock	10:15
4.	"Vein Melter"	Hancock	9:09

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Head_Hunters

Golf's verdict: Well this is very jazzy - and not in Soul II Soul or Brand New Heavies way. I can predict Maire's rather abrupt reaction. Whilst not quite as severe, this is unlikely to ever get another play from me either. 

Máire's verdict: Hated it.