World Wide Woozle episode #521

Hello enormous listening world, welcome back. Take a seat, turn up the volume and get ready for more music.

Midnight Oil have released a new song. Thank you to the many readers who made sure I was aware of this! I've had quite a few listens to it now and I'm a bit in two minds. On one hand I can see how it might translate well into a live show, but as a studio recording it feels a bit flat for some reason. Sacrilege? Maybe. Burn me at the stake at your leisure. The drums are almost devoid of any variation and the guitars are a bit muffled and buried in the mix. Garrett's vocals sound really good though. No instances of him struggling to reach the notes. The lyrics have a lot to say and the Oils are one of the few bands that can sincerely sing from the point of view of Indigenous Australians. The track picks up some energy as it progresses but overall it lacks a little of the spark that I associate with Midnight Oil.

Midnight Oil - Gadigal Land - https://youtu.be/F50PFu_xNJQ

DJ K-Dub sends me a lot of fantastic recommendations. So much so that I have a list to work though! I'll get to one of hers in a minute but a conversation earlier in the week reminded me of the band, Vintage Trouble. Their first album was almost perfect but the follow up...meh...it was kind of meandering and went nowhere for me. Live footage, however, confirms that Vintage Trouble are a tour de force when they are on stage. To that end, here's the band ripping through an old Ike and Tina Turner number. Their influences are clear!

Vintage Trouble - Baby Get It On (live) - https://youtu.be/eipXthVqu_4

The Main Squeeze are from Bloomington, Indiana in the USA. I was first attracted to their work when someone recommended that I listen to their guitarist. It's true; he's phenomenal! The rest of the band are no slouches either and I really enjoy their take on classic songs as well as their originals. This is their latest cover...wow!

The Main Squeeze - Layla - https://youtu.be/365wR-wilqA

OK, back to one of the tracks that DJ K-Dub sent me. I know nothing about this performer except that his song deserves much more than a few hundred views. Great voice, tasteful guitar and lyrics that matter. If you delve into his back catalogue there's a wide variety of styles and some wonderful harmony vocals. I'll keep Luke Jackson on my playlist for a while I reckon.

Luke Jackson - I'm Not Okay With This - https://youtu.be/Rz4eZxyKi8U

I've been a Stryper fan since about 1987. For me, they were successful because their sound, whilst obviously influenced by bands like Van Halen and Iron Maiden, is very distinctive. No-one has the Stryper guitar sound and then there's Michael Sweet's vocal range and power. Combine all that with harmonies and their lyrical message and Stryper remain one of a kind. They've got a new album due soon and a couple of tracks have already been released. I missed seeing them on their last Australian tour but I won't let that happen if they come again.

Stryper - Make Love Great Again - https://youtu.be/iSw7kb_qKDI

Maya Hawke starred as Robin on the Netflix series, Stranger Things. Seriously, she should have been Robyn with a "y" but let's not go there....grrrrrr. Maya has an album coming out and a single available now. Her voice sounds innocent and like a light breeze. The instrumentation is laid back and it's almost like Gillian Welch in places. This could be one to watch.

Maya Hawke - Stay Open - https://youtu.be/y1ohQK6LVZg

Taylor Swift's new record, Folklore, has been available for a few weeks now. It was a bit unexpected; she'd been busy during lockdown without letting on. This time around Taylor is more indie-folk than she is country or pop but it still works for her. For me, this is an album that warrants being played right through rather than skipping through tracks. Here's a more stripped back version of one track that I enjoyed.

Taylor Swift - cardigan - https://youtu.be/i50QUXDeC80

Another new release is from our Kylie. Whilst the initial rhythm bit sounds VERY much like its from Queen's I Want To Break Free, this is Kylie at her 80s disco best. The vocals are a bit nasal in places and I wonder if that's her voice or the effects used (or both). Regardless, this is a solid dance track. The official video comes out soon but the audio is legally available so check it out.

Kylie - Say Something - https://youtu.be/pRzwD2LLXSI

My paternal Grandfather was in the Royal Air Force in WWII. Even when I was in the Army he never spoke of his war service and as a family, we know very little about what he did. I'd also never seen a photo of him in uniform, until this week. For some social media projects at work the comms people were asking for photos of relatives serving during WWII. So I asked my Dad and it turns out he had one photo of Grandpa. Then I asked my cousin, who still lives in Scotland, and he scanned and sent me two more. What a revelation! These photos are also the first time I've seen my Grandpa with any hair at all. I'm fortunate to have his ID tags and the forms the RAF used when his service finished at the end of the war. A few years ago we managed to be issued his medals from the British MOD as he'd never received them to our knowledge. We can all be a bit blase about photos these days with hundreds on a phone in our pockets. Having these three photos, which I will frame and hang in my house, means the world to me. 

RAF Central Band - RAF March Past - https://youtu.be/5QaxpOQAWOY

Have a great weekend everyone,

Rob

"Oh Flower Of Scotland,

When will we see, your like again?
That fought and died for
Yer wee bit hill and glen.
And stood against him,
Proud Edward's army.
And sent him homeward
Tae think again." The Corries, Flower of Scotland, 1969.