Suede - Shipbuilding...

Suede's Facebook page have reminded us that it was on this day (September 4th) in 1995 that The Help Album was recorded, featuring Suede's excellent cover of Elvis Costello's Shipbuilding. (I hadn't realized Clive Langer of Deaf School and producer fame wrote the music to this!) Suede's version was my introduction to the song and I think I even like it better than the original:



Elvis Costello's original:



And Elvis live on Swedish TV 1983:




I also always liked Terry Hall & Salad's version of Dream A Little Dream from The Help Album:



David Shah & I covered this as well last year for a few Soft Close-Ups gigs. Free download of it here.

The Soft Close-Ups - Eiscafe (Live)...

I was searching YouTube for our Some Sick Day video to send to someone yesterday when I came across this:



Our new song Eiscafe recorded live at Stop Look Listen, August 2nd, 2011.   I had no idea this existed.  I remember this gig as being one of the best I've ever played.  It was a very emotional time for me and it all seemed to come out in the music.  I'm also incredibly pleased with the song.  I think it's one of the most beautiful guitar parts I've ever written.  David has put a A. E. Housman poem (From far, from eve and morning) into the verses, giving it as he calls "a nice western wind vibe".  It will be on the new e.p. which we just finished mixing the other night, along with a new version of Birthmark and another of my favourites, On The Mainland.