Playlist 23.04.12

I've mentioned before that in the late Eighties I was a record company press officer in London. One of my charges was Natalie Merchant, singer with 10,000 Maniacs. The band was at its uppermost, their 'In My Tribe' record wowing the critics and becoming a benchmark for literary, collegiate cool. Their only rivals in that field were REM, and the indie kids were further enthralled by the rumour that Natalie and Michael Stipe were like, dating.

So I picked Natalie up from the Halcyon in west London and brought her to various media functions in the West End. I wanted to believe that she was gentle and empathetic and would regard me as a fellow bohemian. Unfortunately she was consistently cross, was not averse to sarcasm and I was definitely regarded as the underling of the afternoon. Oh well. As we steered into Soho for a photo shoot, the traffic became solid and we were stalled outside an old-fashioned butcher's shop. Natalie, I understood, was a vegetarian. She kept staring at the rows of little rabbits, still in their fluffy suits. Every time she gazed at the carcasses, she became more distressed. Why is this happening, she wanted to know. And in truth, I could not answer.

Walter Horton - Have A Good Time (Proper)

Jack White - I'm Shakin' (XL)

Ben Kweller - Jealous Girl (Noise)

The Band - Up On Cripple Creek (Capitol)

Bap Kennedy - Please Return To Jesus (Proper)

Bap Kennedy - Jimmy Sanchez (white)

Joey Ramone - I Couldn't Sleep (BMG)

Japandroids - The House That Heaven Built (Polyvinyl)

The Chieftains, The Decemberists - When The Ship Comes In (Universal)

Moulettes - Sing Unto Me (Balling The Jack)

Levon Helm - I Wish I Knew How It Would To Be Free (Vanguard)

Jack White - Missing Pieces (XL)

Euros Childs - Spin That Girl Around (National Elf)

Carole King - Pleasant Valley Sunday (Rockingale)

Rufus Wainwright - Out Of The Game (Polydor)

Natalie Merchant, Michael Stipe - April Showers (A&M)

Seven Summits - Fossils (white)

The Chieftains, Bon Iver - Down By The Willow Gardens (Universal)

Patrick Watson - Blackwind (Domino)

David Lyttle - This Moon Of Ours (Lyte)

Jack White - I Guess I Should Go To Sleep (XL)

The Band - The Weight (Warner)

Sweet Lights - Are We Gonna Work It Out (Highline)

The Flying Burrito Brothers - Hot Burrito #1 (A&M)

The Chieftains, Lisa Hannigan - My Lagan Love (Universal)