We're Going Out

One for the England fans!

Shirley you can't be serious

Spearmint frontman Shirley Lee has unleashed a new solo album on the world. Recorded entirely on his own at home, Winter Spring Summer Autumn - a double album no less - represents, from what (admittedly little) I've heard so far, quite a departure from the Spearmint sound. For example, Maidenhead (mp3 included below) is sparse, introspective and full of existential angst - and about as far removed from the joyous sounds of Sweeping The Nation and Scottish Pop as you could possibly get. It's good in its own right - but just very, very different.

Shirley Lee - Maidenhead mp3

Few people can match Shirley when it comes to a tribute song. Or a list song for that matter. An Old Cricketer (For John Peel) is a first class example of both. The video features more classic album sleeves than you can shake a stick at too, so definitely one for the vinyl junkies among you (i.e. pretty much everyone reading this).



Winter Spring Summer Autumn is out now. Buy it here

Three of a kind #40

Shameless self-indulgence abounds on today's Three of a kind as we commemorate the occasion of my and Spike's first ever go at curling, last night, at England's only dedicated curling rink.

Now, some people are very sniffy about curling and dismiss it as being merely housework on ice and not really a proper sport at all. But these people are clearly lazy, easily-pleased morons who are probably just parroting a smartarse comment Rory McGrath or someone once made for a cheap laugh on They Think It's All Over, after Rhona Martin's team won Olympic gold for Scotland Great Britain in 2002. It's actually a great team sport which must take a hell of a lot of skill to perfect and perform at the highest level - and it's thoroughly enjoyable to participate in to boot. All that sweeping really wears you out too!

Anyway, while the Too Much Apple Pie crew may not have emerged as curling prodigies or dead certs for the GB team at the next winter Olympics (or even spotted anyone doing it sans clobber), we didn't 'alf have fun. Which is what it's all about at the end of the day, right kids?

some synchronised curlers earlier today

Spearmint - Sweeping The Nation mp3

The Temptations - Papa was A Rolling Stone (1987 remix) mp3

My Life Story - Under The Ice mp3

(mp3s available for 7 days)

Buy music or try curling.

Three of a kind #15

Three great 'list' songs today, dropping more famous names between them than a gossip columnist at a school reunion.

First up, it's the late Roger Troutman's funksters Zapp with 1985's It Doesn't Really Matter, a genuinely brilliant tribute to their musical heroes, including: Rick James, Stevie Wonder, Aretha Franklin, James Brown, Cameo, the Gap Band, Prince, and....themselves! I first came across this song at an under-18s disco I used to frequent in my youth every Thursday night at a local holiday camp. It may have been on a school night and all over by half ten, but by gum they didn't half play some good tunes. This one stilll sounds as fab as ever.

Zapp - It Doesn't Really Matter (extended version) mp3

Next it's arguably Spearmint's finest hour, their tribute to some great singers and bands from north of the border. Cannot believe they forgot to namecheck Jim Diamond, the Bay City Rollers and Fish though!

Spearmint - Scottish Pop mp3

Finally today it's erstwhile New York new wave/electro/pop/punk combo Le Tigre with Hot Topic, a tribute to loads of their feminist icons. Ahhh, God bless the little ladies eh! (actually, Aretha Franklin gets her second mention of the day here. Sadly she seems to have just missed the cut on Scottish Pop, though.)

Le Tigre - Hot Topic mp3

(songs available for 7 days)

Buy music by today's featured artists here