Somehow we haven't had one of these in awhile. That is my regular feature of an artist or band I've only recently discovered.

From Toronto, Canada we have Elephants and Stars. Formed in 2020 their bio tells us :

"Elephants and Stars are real. Much like both real elephants and the stars above us, they are mature. They spend their time in rehearsals and in the studio crafting rock songs with hooks and lyrics with a bite that might take more than one listen to fully appreciate."

My take is they've master the art of the 3 minute rock song. And if the initial hook doesn’t get you by the time of the chorus it will have you !

Their line-up is: Manfred Sittmann - vocals, guitar; Adam Seed - lead guitar; Michael MacMillan - bass; Stewart McKinney - drums, with keyboards by: Simon Head.

I've picked ‘Strangers on a Train’ as my Star Track, because the 'fish-eye' video is so good. But I could have chosen anything by them, there's loads of great tracks, to many to list (and plenty of videos too). I can highly recommend the 'Dreamland' (EP) and the 'Under the Earth and Above Heaven' album, for starters, having bought both of these. 

Bandcamp is the place to go to buy their music - download prices are in Canadian dollars [$1.88 to the pound] so they are really good value. Link is here.  

Let's Rock & Support Canada 

   

Today's track needs no introduction, but it's going to get one...

Next week marks 40 years since the release of 'Graceland' by Paul Simon. 

Partly recorded in Johannesburg, Paul Simon had become fascinated with 'mbaqanga', South African street music and was criticized at the time for breaking the cultural boycott due to the policy of apartheid in South Africa. He said the record showcased collaboration between black and white people and raised international awareness of apartheid. With some praising him for helping popularize African music in the West.
In 1987 the album won the Grammy for Album of the Year and is now considered one of the all time great albums.

Picking one track of the record isn't easy but I've gone for this as it heavily features the male choral group Ladysmith Black Mambazo.  

'Diamonds On The Soles Of Her Shoes' (from The African Concert, 1987)

  

Having suggested this Summer was feeling like one of those from the sixties. How about I pick a year and ask you what you were listening to ?

The Summer of 1968: here's a few singles in the charts > 'Young Girl’ Gary Puckett and the Union Gap; 'My Name is Jack' Manfred Mann; 'Dance to the Music' Sly & the Family Stone; 'Mrs Robinson' Simon & Garfunkel; 'Fire' by Arthur Brown. 

The Beatles 'Yellow Submarine', animated musical film was on release, so perhaps you were in the cinema ? Or maybe you remember this forgotten hit, by Dave Dee, Dozy, Beaky, Mick & Tich called 'Last Night in Soho'. 

If you didn't already know, the group were five friends from Wiltshire, David John Harman (Dave Dee), Trevor Leonard Ward-Davies (Dozy), John Dymond (Beaky), Michael Wilson (Mick) and Ian Frederick Stephen Amey (Tich).
I saw a 2021 film of the same name earlier this year. This British psychological horror filmed around London's Soho, had dream sequence flashbacks to the 1960s, and cast members from that era, including Terence Stamp and Rita Tushingham. The Dave Dee, Dozy, Beaky, Mick & Tich Top Ten single played over the final credits.

The video is from Beat-Club, a West German music programme that ran from September 1965 to December 1972. 

   

An alternative (and occasional) music posting highlighting something out of the ordinary.
Perhaps of limited appeal, unconventional, experimental or just far-out !
Call it what you like (or switch it off, if you don't like). 

This is the final part of my Rabbie Burns trilogy.

We're away up in Scotland and this song and the video seem ideal for this time.

'Now Westlin Winds', or 'Song Composed in August' is based on a Robert Burns poem and is a celebration of the bird life of Scotland and of the gentleman’s pursuit of hunting.

Sung by Dick Gaughan 'Now Westin Winds' is from his 1981 LP 'Handful of Earth' - accompanied here by this scenic video