365 Albums 46-60

1. Beard of Stars Tyrannosaurus Rex 1970
2. Bach for a New Age Thijs van Leer 1999*
3. Renaissance of the Celtic Harp Alan Stivell 1972
4. The Tain Horslips 1973
5. The Chieftains 4 The Chieftains 1973
6. Me Myself I Joan Armatrading 1980
7. Guitar From the Heart Live in Raalte Thomas Blug Band 2005
8. Tracy Chapman Tracy Chapman 1988
9. In Another land Larry Norman 1976*
10. Final Straw Snow Patrol 2003
11. Six wives of Henry VIII Rick Wakeman 1973
12. Blue on Blue Leigh Nash 2006
13. Penguin Cafe Orchestra PCO 1981
14. Shot of Love Bob Dylan 1981
15. Hopes And Fears Keane 2004

(* Suitable for Sunday playing IMHO)

10 Female Artists on my ipod

There's a bit of a thing about women in music again I notice. Good excuse to give you a list of ten of my favourites.

1. Gabrielle
2. Blondie
3. Norah Jones
4. Sade
5. Julie Fowlis
6. Kate Rusby
7. Enya
8. Tracy Chapman
9. Joan Armatrading
10. Bojoura

All the way from America

This is the track that got me thinking about 12 string guitars

Retro Abum "of the week" 40 Me Myself I

Me Myself I by Joan Armatrading was released in 1980, and this studio album became her most successful in terms of chart success, reaching No 5 in her native UK and No 28 in the USA. It was certified "Gold" in the UK by the BPI in July 1980. The title track became one of her most successful singles, peaking at No 21 in the UK (It was also used as the soundtrack to an Australian movie of the same name in 1999). One of the nice things about the track Me Myself I is that you're never sure how much irony there is in it. Maybe she is Greta Garbo redivivus. Other stand out tracks are All the way from America, Turn out the light and Feeling in my heart (for you). I need you performed with a string quartet is quite powerful and very sad.

Woncha come on home

Saw this the other night. It's one of Joan Armatrading's oldest songs. Sad but lovely.

Armatrading Kalimba

This video starts rather unpromisingly but if you persevere you get a great song (Woncha come on home) from a great artist and the rare sound of the African finger piano or kalimba.