Playlist 30.11.09

I was never big into the Cocteau Twins. The music had its merits, but the hair was silly and the fans were tiresome. A little higher up the food chain than Cure fans, but they still had that talent for self-absorption. Those precious releases on 4Ad records, with the matt covers and the oblique artwork, accessorized with song titles like Pearly Dewdrops Drop and Itchy Glowbo were the lullabies of choice for the underachieving indie saddo.

But Elizabeth Fraser was still cool. She was peerless with This Mortal Coil, and her recording of Song To The Siren sent loads of people off in search of Tim Buckley records. And it also led to a creative liaison with Jeff Buckley, still officially unreleased. To her credit, shes turned down lucrative offers to reform the Twins while her stay with Massive Attack was modestly great.

Now theres a track called Moses, released as a tribute to her late friend Jake Drake-Brockman. Its a kind of a tango, and not a little similar to the Gotan Project. Her voice still rules.

BBC Radio Ulster, 92-95 FM

Online: www.bbc.co.uk/radioulster

Mondays, ten midnight

Playlist 30.11.09

The Reindeer Section - You Are My Joy (Bright Star)

Jesse Dee - Alright (Munich)

Tom Waits Singapore (Anti)

Elizabeth Frazer - Moses (Rough Trade)

Welcome Wagon - But For You Who Fear My Name (Righteous)

Severe - Stop The Cavalry (Damaged Goods)

David Rawlings Its Too Easy (Acony)

Mumford And Sons Timshel (Island)

Bettye Lavette - High Road (Anti)

Fanfarlo Drowning Men (Fanfarlo)

The Notwist - Come In (City Slang)

World Party - Put The Message In The Box (Ensign)

Phoenix- Countdown (Glassnote)

David Rawlings Hows About You (Acony)

BJ Cole - Pavanne Pour Une Enfante Defunte (Hannibal)

Joe Henry - The Man I Keen Hid (Anti)

Dawn Kinnard - My Lord (Righteous)

Joan Baez The night They Drove Old Dixie Down (American Masters)

Martha Wainwright L Accordeoniste (co op)

Edie Brickell Circle (Geffen)

Shirley Bassey After The Rain (Geffen)

Cold Cave - Death Comes Close (Matador)

Acoustic Ladyland The Mighty Q (Strong and Wrong)