Not an A-Z of my CDs

How do I follow my A-Z of my CDs series? Well, it struck me tonight that I could do a series of tracks by artists whose material I don't own...

Whether or not I do follow this route, here's Adele's amazing performance from last night's Brit Awards. This year's awards show was better than many of its predecessors - the format was revamped, James Corden's presenting was surprisingly good (he played it with a pretty straight bat, which worked better than forced jokes do) and there were a number of good performances from a diverse range of acts.

But, for me, the star of the show was Adele. It's (relatively) easy to excite a crowd with fireworks, scores of dancers, lasers and bombast but to hold a venue the size of the O2 in rapt attention with just your voice, a beautiful ballad and a piano takes real talent.

Ladies and Gentlemen, I have no more superlatives, I simply give you Adele:

Enjoy. Then press replay and enjoy again.

Andrew

An A-Z of my CDs: W

So here it is; the complete list of acts featured in my A-Z:

Abba, Beautiful South, Capercaillie, Del Amitri, Eurythmics, Erasure, Franz Ferdinand, Al Green, Lauryn Hill, (Ice, Sea, Dead People), Billy Joel, The Killers, Annie Lennox, Pete Murray, Kylie Minogue, Paolo Nutini, Pet Shop Boys, Finley Quaye, R.E.M., Dusty Springfield, Sharleen Spitiri, Texas and U2 and...

...Dinah Washington. Now I must confess that Ms Washington had not been in the running for this slot (I had been minded to choose a track by Robbie Williams) until I had looked at the make up of the overall list. I hope that her presence gives the end of the list a certain class and distinction. 

Enjoy:

So that's it... I'm now off to think about what comes next...

Andrew

An A-Z of my CDs: U

Well, we've reached the thin end of the alphabet and the second last of my entries in this series as I have nothing for V, X, Y or Z...

For U, though, we have one of the greatest bands of all time: U2. Although I never really got on with their 90's material, the 80's stuff and much of their output over the last decade is in a class of its own.

For this entry I've chosen a real classic, With or Without You from The Joshua Tree. Enjoy:

Andrew

An A-Z of my CDs: T

T is for Texas who are my favourite band. While interest in other bands has waxed and waned, Texas have been a consistent love for over 20 years. I can't wait to hear the new material and album due later this year. For now, though, I present three of their classics!

First, I Don't Want a Lover. Most of the videos on You Tube are of the remix from the Greatest Hits album. I'm not sure when this performance dates to, but it's faithful to the spirit of the original:

Next, a track from White on Blonde, the album that remains their biggest seller and saw them make a comeback in the UK after the (relative) lack of success of Mothers Heaven and Ricks Road here; although these had been much more successful in Europe, particularly France and Belgium. This is Say What You Want:

And finally, a track from their last album, Red Book. This is Getaway:

Hope you enjoyed!

Andrew

An A-Z of my CDs: S (Part 2)

Pretty much anyone who knows me will know that one of my favourite bands (if not the favourite) is Texas, fronted by Sharleen Spiteri. But "T" is next week's entry, so here's Sharleen going solo with "All the Times I Cried":

and here's "Stop, I Don't Love You Anymore":

Enjoy, I did!

Andrew

An A-Z of my CDs: S (Part 1)

This week An A-Z of my CDs is a two-parter. First up, a lady who was featured with the Pet Shop Boys in my entry a couple of weeks ago: the incomparable Dusty Springfield:

Here's the sublime "If You Go Away":

and here's "Son of a Preacher Man":

Enjoy!

Andrew

An A-Z of My CDs: R

After Finlay Quaye last week - which was, I grant you, a bit leftfield - I'm returning to more familiar territory this week with "R".

First though, a word about who it's not. It's not Razorlight, although I had been thinking that it would be when I commented on last week's post. It's also not the superb Eddi Reader who has featured on these pages before. It's not Diana Ross, who once reigned Supreme (did you see what I did there?). Finally it's not Runrig.

No, worthy as all of those acts would have been, I couldn't see beyond R.E.M. I present Nightswimming for your enjoyment:

R.E.M. - Nightswimming on MUZU.

Andrew

An A-Z of my CDs: Q

This week it's "Q"... and I don't have any CDs from artists with Q in their name. I have opted, therefore, to go with a track from an album I used to have on cassette: Finley Quaye's Maverick A Strike. Here's Sunday Shining - a track, like the album, which will always remind me of Ullapool.

Finley Quaye - Sunday Shining

Hope you enjoy! Guesses for "R" below please!

Andrew

P.S. If this looks familiar, it's because I linked to the video on this post. I make no apologies for repeating myself!

An A-Z of my CDs: P

Well after a few days leave, it's time to start regular blogging again with the latest episode in my personal tour of my CDs. This week I was tempted to go with Placebo, Pulp or The Proclaimers but in reality I couldn't really not go with the Pet Shop Boys - making them (by my reckoning) the third eighties pop duo to feature.

So, here's West End Girls:

and here's What Have I Done To Deserve This? featuring Dusty Springfield:

Enjoy! An entry for Q next week...

Andrew

An A-Z of my CDs: N

Firstly, apologies for the tardiness of this week's post - yesterday was a long day and I didn't have the time or energy for posting in the evening. Besides, The Apprentice was on!!

The choice for N was a simple one - I only had one option! I've featured this artist previously but he is so good, I'm more than happy to feature him again. So here's Paolo Nutini with Simple Things - a song about being grounded in life.

The official videos have had embedding disabled, but you can find more here, starting with Coming Up Easy...

Next week, it "O" and, again, I only have one act to feature... but who? Guesses below!

Andrew

An A-Z of my CDs: M - A second bite at the cherry

Those of you who know me, and regular followers, may have been surprised at my choice of artist for "M" earlier, expecting a certain Pop Princess to feature rather than Pete Murray. Well, I can't really not feature Ms Minogue, so first here's "Can't Get Blue Monday Out of My Head":

 

and here's Slow:

 

and finally, a link to the video for Spinning Around, and those Hot Pants!

Enjoy!!

Andrew

An A-Z of my CDs: M

The star of this week's blog was going to be Australian. Unfortunately the record company the artist is signed to has requested You Tube disable embedding. So instead of a video, here's a link:

this week's artist

What, you mean that's not what you were expecting? Well, the album was a gift from my sister on her return from being down under and one of my favourites.

Andrew

An A-Z of my CDs: L

Although there were a number of candidates, there could only be one choice: Annie Lennox. Well done to Stephen for his correct guess.

As it's World AIDS day today, and as Annie is almost as known now for her campaigning work as for her music, I have not featured music videos this week Instead, we have two videos  - this  one in connection with a Rankin exhibition in London's City Hall raising awareness of AIDS in London:

AIDS is, of course, one of the causes Annie feels strongly about. Another is Africa; this video was produced for Comic Relief and features a project for woman living with AIDS in Uganda:

You can find more on World AIDS Day here.

Andrew

An A-Z of my CDs: K

Following on from my entry last week featuring Billy Joel, there were various suggestions made for "K". these included The Kaiser Chiefs - whom I like and have - and The Kings of Leon, whom I do not yet have anything by. Yes, yes, I know, my bad.

I have gone for a current band but neither of the ones above; instead, I have chosen The Killers. First, here's "Mr Brightside":

and here is "Bones":

Next week, L. I may be completely predictable or I may go for something you might not expect. As ever, guesses welcomed below!

Andrew

An A-Z of my CDs: J

After last week's (non-)entry for "I", Raybeard suggested my entry for "J" could be either Elton John or Billy Joel. He was right - it could have been either. In the end, though, I plumped for Billy Joel. Here's An Innocent Man:

Here's a fan-video for "We Didn't Start the Fire". I don't possess a copy of this any more, but I used ot have it as a single, back in the day!

Enjoy. As ever comments and suggestions welcome! Next week it's "K"... Who will I choose?

Andrew

An A-Z of my CDs: I

Today there should be a big hole where my blog should be. I have no "I's" in my collection. And no-one suggested any either!

I did look in Fopp to see if there were any CDs which would suit the bill, but I didn't find any. The most obvious candidate was Idlewild but they are a band who have, somehow, passed me by. I moved on from the Enrique Iglesias CD - and I wouldn't have been tempted by his father's offerings either!

One band in their racks did jump out at me... for their name alone - Ice, Sea, Dead People. Genius. I'm not sure their music is my cup of tea but judge for yourself. This track is called Green Tee:

What would you have chosen? And what are your comments and suggestions for J?

Andrew

An A-Z of my CDs: H

This week it's H and the turn of... (drum roll, please) ...Lauryn Hill. One third of The 'Fugees, her solo album "This Miseducation of Lauryn Hill" brought both critical acclaim and commercial success.

I've chosen what is, for me, the stand out track of the album - although I could easily have selected a number of others - "Ex-Factor".

Unfortunately the official video is not available for embedding and I can't find a good quality recording of a live performance, so here's the audio track with pictures!

You can see the official video here - and leave your comment below with an artist beginning "I" to add to my collection so I can make an appropriate entry next week!

Andrew

An A-Z of my CDs: G

I can't believe how quickly this strand of posts is whizzing by... already onto episode seven and over a quarter of the way through!

Stephen's suggestions as to what he would choose were Genesis and the Gin Blossoms, neither of whom I have any albums by (although I used to have Genesis' 1991 album "We Can't Dance" on cassette). His guesses for my actual choice were Garbage and Goldfrapp and again, I have neither of these. I hope he was joking about Gary Glitter...

The artist I have gone for, after a bit of deliberation, is Al Green. In the end I thought it was about time I featured some Soul! 

First up is a track I first came across on Annie Lennox's cover album, "Medusa" - Take me to the River:

Next is another track I first came across a cover, this time as a single released by Texas between their second and third albums and a version appeared on their Greatest  Hits album.  (It was also included in the North American release of "Ricks Road").

You can comment on this selection and make your predictions for next week by clicking the link below!

Andrew

P.S. I have no CD for "I" - any suggestions as to one I could purchase to add to my collection?

An A-Z of my CDs: F

F is for Franz Ferdinand and their brand of intelligent Art School Pop/Rock.

First, here's "The Dark of the Matinee":

and here's a version of "Take Me Out" from Later... with Jools Holland:

Hope you enjoyed...

Andrew

An A-Z of my CDs: E

This week I've gone for a double-header from two of the finest pop duos that this country has ever produced.

First up, here's a version of The Eurythmics' I Saved the World Today from their 1999 album Peace, sung by Annie... 

(Sadly, all the Eurythmics videos on You Tube have embedding "disabled by request". Given that Annie actively encourages fans to upload her material, one can only assume this is the position of either their record label or Dave Stewart. If you do want to see the official video, click here).

Of course, I could have chosen something more obvious like There Must be an Angel or Here Comes the Rain but that would have been, well, obvious!

Next up it is the much more poppy Always by Erasure:

Who would you have chosen - and who would you choose for F? I think I'll be changing direction with my choice...

Andrew