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TODAY NEWCASTLE, TOMORROW ... er EDINBURGH!

SOUNDS LIKE A REASONABLE IDEA TO ME...

THE DYNAMITE JUST KEEPS ON COMING!

The Courettes are back with another dozen of those tunes that will hit you upside of your head. “We Are The Courettes” is maybe another cheeky wee nod in the direction of their spiritual Tacoma forefathers. It continues to outline just how much better these kids are than the slew of two person crews that are out there. Many of those are good for maybe one 45 but there’s an extra oomph to this combo. I don’t really want to try and quantify what it is, just so long as it just keeps on coming. The pop crunch of “All About You” is like supercharged Lulu. There are also ballads. That’s right. No, I hear you say? Oh yes and they really pace the sequencing beautifully.

I’ve no idea if Flavia knows who The Geator is and I’m hoping she doesn’t because “Strawberry Boy” is pure Jerry Blavat. And when all is said and done, there are few full on screams that compare with that of Ms Couri. Combine that with the fuzz and clatter and you’ll be grinning all over your fizzog.

The sonic boom that they’ve come to customise is intact but they’re growing into a multi-faceted rockin’ machine. I look forward to hear how the slower songs might be applied to the live set but the way “Fool Fool Fool” closes the album just makes me want to take the ride all over again.

They are The Courettes!

WISH I COULD GO TO THIS BUT NO CAN DO...

SPARE A THOUGHT FOR THE GAL THAT LABOURS ON THE PAGE...

Starting off with “From philip roth@gmail to rzimmerman @ aol.com” it’s evident that these past years playing with Eric has arrived at a sound that really captures the edge that this girl has over the competition. The majesty of the jangle around the bass propulsion is verging on anthemic. Not that she doesn’t have a brace of anthems in the catalogue that trounces most everything but this album has an atmosphere all of its own. It has a Tom Petty-type undertow too and as a  statement of intent, it kicks things off at a damn high bar.

The place of Amy Rigby in the firmament of music is another example of something that people who have no idea of its existence could really do with hearing. If you’ve ever read her blog then you’ll know what this lassie can do with words. Before I even heard “Are We Still There Yet?”, it was one of the best song titles I’ve ever come across and to my mind there's just one person who could come up with it.

Her world-weariness is at once cinematic and also deeply personal. “The Old Guys” really hangs together as a piece where recent albums were perhaps collections of songs recorded where and when she could get it together.

So I could waffle on but I want you to hear how damn great this is for yourself. My favourite on the album is “Bob”. It’s like if maybe Joe Meek had produced Linda Thompson. The brass is spine-tingling and if anything it’s the biggest departure here as she relates the story of her old friend. The closer “One-Off” could be applied to several individuals I know but in terms of characters and entertainers, this Amy is in a class of her own. She may set her sights near the middle or somewhere below but what she comes up with is, to my mind, absolutely revelatory. Still the best. Still the champ.

Check out the tour dates here and if she isn’t coming round your way anytime soon then just order a physical copy here. If it’s a download you need, enquire at her website or wherever such doohickeys are sold.

GET BUNKERED! - SENIOR ADVISOR - NICK KNOX!!!

THE MOTORCYCLE BOY REIGNS!

THEM COURETTES ARE BACK! - MARCH 30th!!