The Underground of Happiness

Amid word of a new album collaboration with Gaby Moreno, I felt like digging into VDP's extensive back catalogue. He's something of a Zelig character - his fingerprints are all over some of the most progressive and extraordinary pop music of the last 50 plus years, whether as writer, singer, arranger, producer or simply player. (Music pop quiz nugget - What links The Byrds' 5D and Robert Altman's Popeye?) Here is just a taste. x Playlist The Byrds – 5D (Fifth Dimension) (1966, VDP plays organ) Tim Buckley – Song for Janie (1966, VDP plays keyboard) Van Dyke Parks – Palm desert (1967, Song cycle) Harper’s Bizarre – Come to the sunshine (1967, written by VDP, also plays keyboard on recording) Phil Harris & Bruce Reitherman – The bare necessities (1967, arranged by VDP, from soundtrack of the film The Jungle Book ) Randy Newman – I think it’s going to rain today (1968, co-produced by VDP with Len

Hup there. The sounds of the universe. Enjoy. x Playlist 1. Cool Ghouls – In Michoacan (Empty Cellar Records/Melodic Records) 2. Buffet Lunch – Bladderwrack (Upset the Rhythm) 3. The Chills – Soft bomb (Slash/London Records) 4. The Chills – Hourglass (Fire Records) 5. Marina Allen – Belong here (Fire Records) 6. Catenary Wires – Face on the rail line (Skep Wax Records) 7. Conrad Clipper – Heron’s Book of Dreams (Luau Records) 8. Roedelius & Czjzek – Sonniger morgen (Bureau B) 9. Dragon Welding – Lights behind the eyes (Dimple Disc Recordings) 10. Aidan Noell – Selective service 11. Alex Frankel – Still got it 12. MAGUIRE – Come down (SevenFourSevenSix) 13. El Michels Affair feat Piya Malik – Unathi (Big Crown Records) 14. Will Beeley – A highway’s not a home (Tompkins Square) 15. Gene Clark – Los Angeles (A&M) 16. Cool Ghouls – How free (Empty Cellar Records/Melodic Records) 17. Cool Ghouls – Land song (Empty Ce

Tunes for you. Including the wonderful Cool Ghouls (pictured). And Jane Weaver who is playing an actual live show (it's next year, in January, but still). And plenty more. Enjoy. x Playlist 1. Buffet Lunch – Red apple happiness (Upset the Rhythm) 2. Cathal Coughlan – The knockout artist (Dimple Discs) 3. Bobby Oroza – I got love (Big Crown Records) 4. Brainstory – Bye bye (Big Crown Records) 5. Marina Allen – Oh Louise (Fire Records) 6. Julia Holter – Sea calls me home (Domino Records) 7. Virginia Wing – Out for something… (Fire Records) 8. Jane Weaver – Modern reputation (Fire Records) ( playing Whelan’s, Dublin, Jan 28th 2022 ) 9. Stereolab – Ping pong (Duophonic) 10. Skinshape feat Idd Aziz – Afande (Lewis Recordings) 11. Talking Heads – Love -> Building on fire (Sire) 12. Toler Gibson – Country queen (Rocket Girl) 13. Dntel – The lilac and the apple (remix) (Morr Music) 14. Coll

A 2 hour show that went out on Mar 1st 2021 on UCC98.3FM. One in a series of occasional Lockdown Specials. Lot of new releases in this one, lot of good tunes. Enjoy x Playlist 1. The Chills – You’re immortal (Fire) 2. The Chills – Monolith (Fire) 3. Buffet Lunch – The power of rocks (Upset the Rhythm) 4. Cathal Coughlan – Owl in the parlour 5. The Hamrahlid Choir – Sonnets (One Little Independent) 6. Boa Morte – By the time 7. Colleen – Gazing at Taurus-Santa Eulalia (Thrill Jockey) 8. Lucy Gooch – Ash and orange (Fire) 9. Sarah Neufeld – Stories (One Little Independent) 10. Cory Hanson – Paper fog ( Drag City) 11. Jack Cheshire – Tiny hands (Loose Tongue Records) 12. Esther Rose – Keeps me running (Full Time Hobby) 13. M Ward – You’ve changed (ANTI) 14. Sam Brookes – 18 and sleeping 15. Goose – Viper 16. Dntel – Fall in love (Morr Music) 17. Ed Dowie – Number Eight wire (Needle Mythology) 18. Nation of Language

A round up of my favourite music released in 2020. Despite everything, it seems like a marvellous year for recorded sound. Enjoy and stay well. x Playlist Sleeper & Snake – Shoot through (Upset The Rhythm) Louis Philippe & The Night Mail – Rio Grande (Tapete) Emily Barker – Sonogram (bandcamp) Arch Garrison – The more I know (Believers Roast) Bill Callahan & Bonnie Prince Billy feat. Sean O’Hagan – Wish you were gay (Drag City) Skinshape feat. D’alma – Sua alma (Big Crown Records) Caribou – Home (Merge Records/City Slang) The Hamrahlid Choir – Cosmogony (One Little Independent) Keeley Forsyth – Large oak (The Leaf Label) Nadia Reid – Get the devil out of me (Spacebomb) Bert Jansch – Crimson moon (Earth, reissue) Tame Impala – Is it true (Caroline) Rats on Rafts – Tokyo Music Experience (Fire) Mikael Tariverdiev – Prelude from My younger brother (Earth) (from the soundtrack of the film My younger

Sounds from the universe. Sounding well. With love. x Playlist The Chills – The male monster with the id (Fire, reissue) St Vincent – Piggy (Caroline) Buzzard Buzzard Buzzard – 30,000 megabucks (Communion) Terry Gross – Specificity (Or what have you) (Thrill Jockey) Sleeper & Snake – Lock up the loose (Upset The Ryhthm) Louis Philippe & The Night Mail – Fall in a daydream (Tapete) Emily Barker – The woman who planted trees Arch Garrison – Lady young ghost (Believers Roast) Joe Hisaishi with New Japan Philharmonic Orchestra – Procession of the spirits (from the soundtrack of the film Spirited away ) Bill Callahan & Bonnie Prince Billy feat. Sean O’Hagan – Wish you were gay (Drag City) Drug Store Romeos – Jim, let’s play (Caroline) Half Japanese – Undisputed champions (Fire) Margot – Falling in between days (Full Time Hobby) Trashcan Sinatras – Twisted and bent (Go! Discs) Skinshape – Another day (Big Crown Records) Edwa