I played a few tunes on the radio in tribute to singer / songwriter, Mark Lanegan, who sadly passed away on February 22nd. Over at Ban Ban Ton Ton, I’ve gone on at some length about Mark`s brilliant collaboration with Isobel Campbell, Ballad Of The Broken Seas, about how special, important, that particular album is to me…
However, here are two more tracks…
Soulsavers – Revival – V2 – 2007
Mark supplied guest vocals to Soulsavers` 2007 set, It’s Not How Far You Fall, It’s The Way You Land, from which this epic, organ-led shot of gospel is taken. Those keys conjure classic Muscle Shoals, and the drums are fit to break a levee. The production feeding Bob Dylan and The Band through Primal Scream`s Screamadelica. Lanegan`s scorched, seared, singing summons a protagonist who’s both walked on gilded splinters, and filled his brains with poison. Full of regret, and reaching for redemption. “Trying to get my hands clean in dirty water”, is such a great line.
Revival just happens to be one of the 90 odd songs / essential sonic treasures jotted down in Andrew Weatherall`s Black Notebooks…
Mark Lanegan Band – Beehive (Andrew Weatherall Dub) – Heavenly – 2017
So here’s Mr. Lanegan remixed by Mr. Weatherall – part of a package entitled Still Life With Roses, which saw tracks from the album, Gargoyle, also reworked by Adrian Sherwood, Not Waving, and Pye Corner Audio. Weatherall transforms this slice of stadium rock into big room techno-not-techno – as if bashed out by a speeding skiffle band, Wild Billy Childish and his Blackhands on woodblocks and a packing case kick drum. Lightning-like sky-scoring shards of guitar soar above a b-line that vamps around Coltrane`s A Love Supreme. As the 9 nearly 10 minutes reach their climax, these are joined by a mad, manic strum. Originally released in an extremely limited vinyl edition, this was recently made available / affordable to mere mortals on the Heavenly Recordings remix collections, Volumes 3 & 4.
Mark Lanegan Rest In Peace.
For more musical musings, from Dr. Rob, Balearic Mike, Dennis Kane, Cal Gibson, Adam Turner, and house music expert, The Insider, please visit Ban Ban Ton Ton.
The Chill Out Tent 