Song, by Toad

Live recordings – in fact, specifically, live albums – came up in a recent post on Song, by Toad and the idea of doing a podcast composed entirely of live recordings really appealed to me because there are so many great ones.

That said, on the post in question there arose a debate, one voice expressing my deepest hatreds of the genre, and another being perhaps over-generous in the other direction.  Frankly, I despise the vast majority of live albums.  Mostly they are shit recordings of songs we already know, released for the sole reason of fleecing fans whose devotion has already been established, and whose wallets can clearly be plundered for a few more empty sheckles.

Despite that, of course, there are some truly stunning live recordings.  In fact, I’d argue that some of the most memorable, legendary recordings of all  time are in fact live ones.  Bob Dylan live at the Free Trade Hall in Manchester in 1966.  Bruce Springsteen pretty much any time in the seventies.  Basically, for all live recordings are mostly rip-off bollocks, there are some truly phenomenal live albums, ones which open your eyes to the artist, ones which fill in that artist’s musical upbringing, and some which are just genuinely amazingly wonderful recordings in their own right.  Therefore we bring to you the Livecast.  Enjoy, Toadlings…

Toadcast #57 – Production Values

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01. Bruce Springsteen & the E Street Band – 10th Avenue Freeze Out (04.09)
02. Andrew Bird – Why (11.47)
03. Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds – Papa Won’t Leave You Henry (16.22)
04. The Moulettes – Country Joy Song (25.29)
05. Colin Meloy – Blues Run the Game (32.49)
06. Quasar Wut-Wut – The Partisan (35.45)
07. Jeff Mangum – Two Headed Boy (43.04)
08. Tom Waits – Diamonds on My Windshield (54.37)
09. Billy Bragg – Days Like These (DC Remix) (56.46)
10. Ben Folds Five – Satan is My Master (60.15)
11. Bob Dylan – Like a Rolling Stone (64.16)

Toad, Mr Toad, The Toadster, El Toaderino… yes, I think that works quite well, don’t you? Song, by Toad dearly wishes it was as cool as The Big Lebowski.

Shut the fuck up, Donny.

In no way related to that, I think this Friday’s irregular Bender for the Weekender is going to draw inspiration from the gloriously unhinged Uncle Moon and post some looney circus music to get you all in the mood for going out, getting so pickled you think it’s Tuesday, and waking in the arms of a sweaty fifteen-stone Latvian hooker with a nasty rash and a cleft palate, who you could swear blind was a twenty-year-old Czech lingerie model a mere ten hours earlier.

Well not all circus music, perhaps, but joyous, uplifting, deranged and utterly splendid. The sort of stuff to have your friends asking ‘What the fuck is this nonsense you’re playing?’, just before you slap them for their inexcusable philistinery.

Sparks – This Town Ain’t Big Enough For Both of Us This one’s a bit of stretch, I know, but it’s mental so it’s going in.
Eels – Flyswatter (The Polka Dots Remix)
Caramel Jack – The Lady Vanishes
Tom Waits – Kommienezuspadt This is a great, crazy song, despite the awful German spelling. A somewhat acquired taste though, I’ll admit
Quasar Wut-Wut – The March of the Zug It really annoys me that this lot aren’t more popular.
Bruce Springsteen – Wild Billy’s Circus Story Just in case you thought I was getting a little too upbeat!