Alexander Skip Spence 'Little Hands'

Alexander Skip Spence 'Little Hands'

Standout album opener from Alexander 'Skip' Spence's acid-fried solo LP 'Oar'. Often described as an American counterpart to Syd Barrett, Spence released this album in 1969 following a big meltdown that culminated in the sometime Jefferson Airplane drummer and member of Moby Grape venting his energy in a recording studio with a fire axe and being committed to New York's Bellevue Hospital as a result. 'Oar' is peppered with moments of brilliance and of nuttiness, but never indifference. 'Little Hands' is probably the most accessible and cogent song on there.

Relatively Clean Rivers 'Easy Ride'

Relatively Clean Rivers 'Easy Ride'


A tidy slice of west coast folk-rock psychedelia from one-album-wonders Relatively Clean Rivers. Their user friendly if somewhat derivative sound summons the spirit of Grateful Dead circa 'Workingman's Dead' if somewhat more constrained in tempo and expansiveness of composition. Other comparisons with Quicksilver and David Crosby's 'If I Could Only Remember My Name' might also be warranted. The whole LP coasts along at a scenic hog-ride pace.

Robert Belfour 'My Baby's Gone'

Robert Belfour 'My Baby's Gone'

Biting blues from Robert 'Wolfman' Belfour off his first album 'What's Wrong With You' released on Fat Possum Records in 2000. It took 61 years for that record to come out. Plenty of time spent in research and development at the university of life one suspects, busting up with ladies, liasing with the devil and knocking back strong bourbon to get that authentic hollering sound.

Slim Harpo 'Baby Scratch My Back'

Slim Harpo 'Baby Scratch My Back'

Not sure what instigated Slim Harpo's bout of itching, but he doesn't sound all that concerned about it on record. In fact he sounds quite excited at the prospect of the situation being rectified by the long manicured nails of his baby, and rightly so. 

Junior Wells 'Yonder Wall'

Junior Wells 'Yonder Wall'

After a holiday of sorts, the Danceflawed blog is back in business, opening July's account with a track off one of the best Chicago blues albums of all time. Pretty hard to pick just one off this puppy, the whole thing is complete a schooling in simple, fluid and down-to-earth bluesmanship. 

Dennis Coffey 'Back Home' (Edit)

Dennis Coffey 'Back Home' (Edit)

Earnest low-note piano riffs and dancing flute lines exchange pleasantries, as Dennis Coffey goes under the scalpel in an operating theatre decked out in tan leather and fake palm trees.

The Shadows 'The Rise And Fall Of Flingle Blunt'

The Shadows 'The Rise And Fall Of Flingle Blunt'

With the Wimbledon tennis championships kicking off today, thoughts momentarily leap back to the competition's standout musical event (read: horror show), when cheese merchant Sir Cliff Pilchard hijacked centre court during rain-stop-play in 1996.  Talk about a captive audience - the call for a sniper was strong that day. The Shadows were his backing band many moons ago, but also struck out on their own to peddle a strong line in skiffle, surf instrumentals. Hank Marvin was the engine room of the band, with a totally singular and vital guitar sound heard on classics like 'Wonderful Land' and 'Apache'. This is a cool, instrumental stroller of a record, unshackled from the creeping schmaltz of Sir Cliff's bogus musical visions.