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M People – How can I love you more? (house mix)

I was getting the bus home tonight after a long evening spent at a work social event. Frustrated as I felt this managed to cheer me when it came on my MP3 player.

It reminded me of being younger and hearing it the first time around as a boy and also then rediscovering it through this mix at university and loving all over again (kind of ironically, kind of not). The vocal is so strong, it makes for a perfect house tune. Euphoric.

I’ve never felt this way before. I’m sick and baby you’re my cure. Please tell me, how can I love you more?…

RjK

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My Morning Jacket – Wordless Chorus

I wanted a change of pace from the past few days and on my walk home tonight this popped onto my MP3 player. I was reminded of what a great song it is. Uplifting, with a great riff and strong vocals and a slightly off-kilter sound. Perfect.

RjK

Aside

Roy Ayers – Everybody loves the sunshine

Roy Ayers – What a beast!

This has been a favourite for longer than I can remember. It is one of the most mellow tracks I have ever encountered. It seems wrong to post it on a grey November day but somehow it still feels right. It was just the thing to soothe my midweek blues today.

RjK

Aside

Little Richard – Rip it up

I’m not sure pop gets much better that Little Richard. It was hard to pick out one of his many gems in particular, but in the end I went for this – two minutes of just about perfection.

RjK

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Finley Quaye – Your love gets sweeter

This is such a simple, charming song. Perfect for a grey Sunday evening. It is taken from Maverick a strike, which was a favourite from my schooldays.

RjK

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London Elektricity – Will to love

This is another drum and bass favourite. It is taken from the wonderfully named Power Ballads album from London Elektricity.

I really like this kind of liquid drum and bass, the smooth vocals contrasting with the relentless beats are somehow irresistible.

RjK

4th November

The Style Council – Shout to the top

It seems apt to post one of the first artists I really got into as a boy while I am back at home. Paul Weller is a big hero of mine, both musically and stylistically (although that isn’t so evident in this video). I first came to hear him through listening to The Jam, and have like everything he has done subsequently.

The Style Council are widely derided but they get a bad rap in my eyes. They were certainly a departure from The Jam him I respect people who like to keep changing things up, and this tune in particular is great. A pretty special video here too, pleasingly cheesy.

/RjK

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The Marvelettes – Please Mr.Postman

There is something that I find utterly irresistible about the early Motown vocal groups. Most notably The Supremes, but these guys, along with many others, are pretty great too. Their harmonies are so pure and strong I can’t get enough of them.

RjK

2nd November

Womack and Womack – Teardrops

This duo have some amazing musical lineage, with the two Womacks in question being Linda, the daughter of Sam Cooke and Cecil, the brother of Bobby Womack. Not a bad duo of relatives that! An added bonus is the classic 80’s style on display in the video.

I was particularly reminded of this recently when I heard blog favourites Peter and Kerry do a stripped down, acoustic version of it.

And the music don’t feel like it did when I felt it with you…

/RjK

Horse Feathers – Curs in the weeds


I stumbled across these guys at SXSW festival last year. I was surprised that I like them as they are far from the typical band that usually moves me. However, there is something about this song that speaks to me. It is honest and refreshing un-modern. I usually spend my time chasing things that sound fresh, funky and/or cutting edge so it is nice once in a while to have a change in pace.

/RjK