McLusky - "To Hell With Good Intentions". OKAY SO MCLUSKY. THEY'RE FROM WALES. THEY'RE DEFUNCT. PEOPLE HAVE HEARD BITS AND PIECES, OF COURSE YOU HAVE. IF YOU LIVE IN THE UK MAYBE YOU'VE HEARD MORE THAN BITS AND PIECES. MAYBE YOU'VE SEEN THEM LIVE. MAYBE YOU'VE STOOD NEXT TO A SPEAKER AT A MCLUSKY SHOW AND GOTTEN FUCKING PUSHED RIGHT OVER, SHOVED LIKE HANDS ON SHOULDERS AND FACE TO GROUND. YOU LAND ON THE GROUND AND YOU'RE A LITTLE DAZED AND THERE'S SPILLED BEER ALL OVER YOUR HANDS. BUT THIS SONG IS STILL PLAYING, YEAH? IT'S STILL PLAYING AND THE BASS-LINE SAYS ONLY ONE THING TO YOU AS YOU LIE ON THE GROUND. IT SAYS: GET UP. SO YOU DO. YOU GET UP AND THE DRUMS ARE HITTING, THEY'RE HITTING, THEY'RE HITTING EACH OTHER AND YOU'RE WORRIED THEY'LL START HITTING YOU. SO YOU DANCE. YOU DO AS MCLUSKY SAY. YOU DANCE. THIS IS THE HEAVIEST DANCE PARTY YOU'VE EVER ATTENDED, BECAUSE YOU'RE A COWARD WHO STAYS HOME AND LISTENS TO NICK DRAKE INSTEAD OF GOING TO THE CLUB WHERE THEY PLAY SOFTCORE HARDCORE, HEAVY MUSIC LIKE THIS TO DANCE TO. OH YES, I KNOW YOUR SCENE. BUT NOW YOU'RE DANCING, AND I'M TYPING ALL IN CAPS, AND THE ONLY PLACE WE CAN GO FROM HERE IS A CITY LIKE BRATISLAVA OR DETROIT OR SOMETHING. A CITY WHERE THEY BUILD CARS OR CONCRETE OR SOLID BLOWS TO THE CHEST.

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Odetta - "I've Been Driving On Bald Mountain / Water Boy". SHE'S AN AMERICAN FOLK SINGER FROM THE 1950S AND 1960S. SO WHY AM I STILL PERSISTING WITH THESE CAPITAL LETTERS? WHY AM I PERSISTING WHEN IT'S SO HARD TO READ? WELL BECAUSE ODETTA'S VOICE IS AS HEAVY AS MCLUSKY'S SNAP 'N SNARL. BECAUSE SHE SINGS WITH A SOULFULNESS THAT SLEDGEHAMMERS THROUGH INDIFFERENCE. BY THE TIME SHE STARTS SINGING THE SOUND OF AN EXPLOSION - I'M TALKING ABOUT THE SECOND MINUTE, WHERE SHE MAKES A SOUND LIKE MOUNTAINS FALLING, LANDING ON CITIES, DEMOLISHING THEM, BREAKING HEARTS, YES A SOUND WITH HER VOICE, - YOU'RE CAUGHT UP IN THE BREATHLESSNESS OF IT, THE VOLLEYING RUSH OF A WOMAN AND A GUITAR AND AN UPRIGHT BASS. JUST THAT: BUT OH HOW IT'S HEAVY.

and then there's the second half, the "Water Boy" bit, and for a long while things are bluesy and lonesome, sincere without too much shoving. but then. but then. but then - THEN THE MOUNTAINS ARE BACK. THEY'RE BACK. THEY'RE FALLING FROM THE HEAVENS AND THEY'LL GET YOU TOO.

I've only just discovered Odetta, because I'm a fool. She's playing Triptych at the end of April. I bought Odetta Sings Dylan, which the above track isn't from. But do listen to "Baby, I'm in the Mood For You". Listen to the robustness of the arrangement, the drums strutting all over, cocking and peacocking, shaking and shimmying, Odetta just the solid voice of confidence and desire; and the ability for love to make it happen, yes to make it happen, yes love can make it happen. It can.

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A beautiful post about The Clientele over at Molars.

Happy Birthday, Tiny Showcase! Many happy returns to Jon and Ms Finch!

You must listen to the sloppy, jubilant version of "Amazing Grace" by The Chowder Shouters, over at Otherwise Unavailable.

We Heart Prints is a good thing.

Yesterday's post by Jordan, on this very blog, simultaneously solved my lady troubles and (re)justified the existence of this blog. I am lying about the lady troubles thing.

My friend Anca has a terrific not-really-love-story up as part of the NY Collective's Collectanea, including a radioplay version that will make your skin tingle.

Tuwa's got a cheerleading post about a Florida band called Morningbell - and I do like the yelling from the back of the studio, the whistling, the handclaps. Better still is the track by Tigs, who collaborates with the Yeah Yeah Yeahs' Nick Zinner to do something blues-punky and full of galeforce winds.

The Drama is selling a small portfolio of William Schaff prints. (!)

And finally, I am now contributing to Wired News' new music-related blog, The Listening Post, along with Wired News columnist Eliot Van Buskirk.