JosieJo's Great Big Pair of Tips

The JosieJo Show 12

Are you listening up? I hope so. I normally say this at the end, but I'm going to say it now because I mean it so much “Thank you for listening”. This is the JosieJo Show and each show includes two tracks from two different artists or bands and by the end of the show I do very much hope that you'll be glad you listened up. This show includes Israeli electronica and a track by a super talented first nations woman from British Columbia.

First to be listened up to is Syndrome a project in sound by Israeli born dudes now based in London. They are developing not just their musical sound, but a whole collaboration of video art and found sound. They are constantly swapping and sharing ideas with other artists, finding new ways of developing and experiencing music. They even play and record improvised sessions to create interesting and experimental sound. Their EP called “Colourful Cows” is a comment on how society is now and it uses many different genres, emotions, speeds and dynamic ranges to deliver its message. What's more it's available as a free download via the website www.syndrome.nu They are really keen to hook up with a European band or artist to maybe swap and share venues with and are right now planning a summer tour.

I'm going to play you “Exhibition Trial” which is a harsh, often sinister track, about oppression and control as far as I can tell. It almost feels like something seen, but not quite seen; something heard, but not quite heard. As the track enters the centre of itself the soft piano is slightly discordantly under written by disturbing noises off as if within harmony there is always disquiet. There is another track on the EP called “Exhibition Trial II” which is much more based on this harmonious piano, but its video consists of moving camera shots and fast cut disturbing edits. This track has more of that disturbance and yet it still has a soft beauty. This is Syndrome and “Exhibition Trail”

http://www.syndrome.nu/

Woof. Disturbing huh? Let's bring you something not quite so harsh. Ecko is a first nations woman from Sechelt, British Columbia (I'm not sure I pronounced that correctly. I'm not known for my correct pronunciation and would like to take this opportunity to apologise to MOXIE for saying that they come from Silgo when in fact they come from Sligo in Ireland. It's correct on my blog. Read that on Blogger or Tumblr if you want to check facts or spelling) Back to Ecko. She's on a mission to deliver her talent and beauty to the world. She's just successfully completed a fund raising project to allow her to travel to Los Angles to promote her modelling and acting career to the Model Talent Association in the new year. I send out my very best wishes to her for that. She has the beauty of a first nation's woman and an individuality that commands your attention. She will be showcasing her talent in L.A. , but the JosieJo show brings Ekco to you right now.

She admits to being a perfectionist and tells me that she doesn't think that this track is quite finished , but I love its delicate simplicity and lack of self pity. The message of this track “Hold Tight” is really just that – hold tight. We may walk a narrow path which can lurch between disaster and triumph, but as long as we believe and hold tight we can succeed. It's driven by the repeated beat and the punching rap that finds its flow and by the end swells around your head like a dream. It tails off into the distant future. This is the beautiful and multi-talented Ecko and “Hold Tight”

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Ecko-A-Aleck/279006121208?fref=ts

mmm “Hold Tight” and big JosieJo Show good luck wishes go out to Ecko for the Model Talent Association and wishing you all the best for a fabulous 2014. Don't forget you can hear all of the archived JosieJo shows on mixcloud. Just go to www.josiejoshow.com and click listen to the show. Like me on Facebook and visit the page for extra content and follow me on twitter @josiejoshow for news, events, gigs and releases. If you know of a band or artist that would like to be considered for a play on the show or just to let me know the tracks that have really rocked your boat, got under your skin or in anyway have made it into your favourite playlists then please drop me an old fashioned email josiejo@josiejoshow.com Tell your friends about the show. You know that they deserve a fifteen minute break from stress and reality just like you do and I'll say it again because it never gets old “Thank you for listening”

The JosieJo Show 11

Great Big Pair of Tips

The JosieJo Show 11

Greetings. Welcome to Show 11 of The JosieJo Show. Did you know that scientists have recently found that music can make solar panels more efficient in processing sunlight, particularly pop and rock for some reason? They think it's something to do with the vibrations, but honestly if we can capture more of the sun's energy by turning up the volume then I say “bring it on. Let's play some great tunes”. This show I have a track that has been around for a few years by a crazy Birmingham based band an a fairly new release from a UK South Coast 3 piece.

Let's start first with Misty's Big Adventure. This band is, indeed, an adventure in sound and it's big. It's an eight piece, brassy, bold and just fabulous. It's headed up by Grandmaster Gareth who is a solo artist in his own right and he gives Misty's its distinctive vocal sound. The rest of the sound is provided by the trumpet, sax, keyboards, bass, guitar and drums oh yes and Erotic Volvo as himself. Erotic is the secret weapon of Misty's Big Adventure live. A man painted in blue with many blue hands all over his crazy red onesie and he's been doing this long before there was a word for onesie. He is an important part of the band and dances to the tunes whilst visually describing the lyrics like some sort of sign language of the sub conscious. Once you have seen Misty's Big Adventure live you will never forget them. I saw them back in about 2004 I think and the track I'm going to play you is from that era, but they are still touring and I'm desperate to see them live again. You know when a band puts on facebook that little box “events”? Well when Misty's do a gig it really is an event. Get yourself to one if you can. They have a darkly funny video of the track “Aggression” that is so good that it's being screened at The London Short Film festival in January. It's available on You Tube and definitely worth a watch, but be warned it does contain somewhat adult content.

I'm going to play you a similarly dark, yet funny track called “Long Conveyor Belt” which was released on the album “Funny Times” . Every track on the album is a take on life and subjects covered include moving away from the place you grew up in to unrequited love that's sort of like stalking. This track is about life. The long trudge that is life. You know those days when you're pretty sure that someone just isn't telling you everything and you wonder really why you're getting up and going to work again? You know that feeling you get sometimes when you wash up again for the third time that day and realise that the dust is accumulating regardless of your cleaning efforts and you have to pay tax on it all, including the dust? Well this track explains all that. It starts and ends slowly with an inevitable, repeating beat as we travel on that conveyor belt and just can't get off. This all sounds depressing, but it's so jolly and funny you've just got to smile. How can trumpets and sax bring you down anyway? There is also some clever use of sound effects pacing and the voice over is hilarious. Roll up and join the carnival carousel that is Misty's Big Adventure and “The Long Conveyor Belt”

https://www.facebook.com/mistysbigadventure?fref=ts

http://www.mixcloud.com/joanne-salisbury/the-josiejo-show-0011-mistys-big-adventure-and-maths-and-the-moon/

That was Misty's Big Adventure and “Long Conveyor Belt” . I'm very serious about seeing them live. They play at The Hare and Hounds at King's Heath, Birmingham UK on Christmas Eve. That is going to be a treat for anyone that can get there and remember that video for “Aggression” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oTgbyl9uqYg

My next band Maths and the Moon is playing a gig even sooner than Christmas. Thursday Dec 5^th 2013 you can catch this South Coast three piece at the Monarch in Chalk Farm London and it's free. This is loud guitar/wall of sound stuff from Andy Fielder, Matt Hirst and Luke Taplin and they launched their album called “Night Train Daydream” in September 2013. The title describes the sort of other worldliness of the rock that this band love. This is tunes for when the sun's gone down so it probably won't help the scientists improve the performance of solar panels, but maybe you can find another excuse to turn the volume up, because this band needs to be heard loud. I found this band listening to Nick Tann's podcast called “Is This Thing On?” Nick Tann is himself a musician but he has over 200 podcasts available packed full of great music that he's found and he's played some of my favourites like Bela Takes Chase. This great music is all there for you to find, it's just hard wading through the average stuff. Nick's done that for you with his podcast and that's how I found Maths and the Moon. I have no idea where the name of the band comes from, but it appeals both to the romantic and the engineer in me. What's not to love? They have a free download available called “Old Days/New Daze” since it's free I'll let you seek out that yourselves.

I love this track “Light and the 11^th Hour” which is on the “Night Train Daydream” It starts with a classic rock feedback sound before the guitars and drums do what guitars and drums do best. This track is one of those tunes that feels like they learned guitar and started an band to get the girl and when that girl is in love with Keith Richards you can see how that would be a good plan. It's raw and rocky and even quite funny. I like it. Maths and The Moon and “Light and the 11^th Hour”

http://mathsandthemoon.bandcamp.com/album/night-train-daydream-2

There you go. Two tracks I like presented to you for your enjoyment. If you like what I do listen to the other shows on Mixcloud. Easy links to those can be found on my webpage www.josiejoshow.com and there is always extra content on my facebook page and follow me on twitter @josiejoshow for news, events, gigs and releases. Now back to that long conveyor belt people you have lives to enjoy. Thank you for listening.

JosieJo's Great Big Pair of Tips

The JosieJo Show 10

Hello. This is The JosieJo Show number 10. It feels like a milestone for me so I'm going to do something different from the first nine shows. I normally present you with two tracks from two different artists. They don't have a common theme or even teselate into each other. You never know what you're going to get with this show and this time is no exception. I still have two tracks for you recorded by two different bands in two different genres, but here's the twist; they are the same song.

Not sure how you're going to feel about this, but it's the JosieJo Show – let's give it a go.

There is a band unlike any other. It's big in Korea, it's called Arco and it has some of the most wonderful and talented people I have ever had the pleasure to call my friends. Arco is Chris Healey, his twin brother Nick and my good friend Dave Milligan. Arco is named after a directive in music for string instruments to indicate to the performer that the passage should be played using the normal bowing technique. So it's the return to normal after a passage played in a different way. If you look the term up on Wikipedia in reference to music you get three definitions. One is the description above, one is a professional diploma for church organists and the third is Arco – a British slow-core band and it's this band that I want to introduce you to in this show. The songs are almost painfully quiet and they require – no they demand your attention. There is no hiding behind slide or rock guitars. Every note, word, pluck and pause is carefully thought out and in there for a reason. This makes for beautiful tracks that seem deceptively simple. The lyrics aren't obscure, they are what they are and speak of simple truths. It can make the tracks hard to hear because of their sadness, but when they speak to your raw emotion there is seldom anything more comforting than music that reflects that pain. I've seen them live several times and the audience is literally captivated by the stillness of the band and the soft quietness of the music.

There are a few tracks available as MP3s on Arco's website www.arco.org.uk and I can highly recommend “Perfect World” on there, but be careful how you enter that URL unless you want stainless steel straps. On Arco's website (I'll say it again so you don't get confused with buckles and safety glass) www.arco.org.uk you can also find links to the whole discography including the latest release “Yield”. When I say latest it was released back in 2010, but their whole back catalogue is worth a listen.

The track I'm going to play you is “Lullaby” and you'll see later on why I've chosen this track. It was the 11^th and final track from the album “Coming To Terms” which was released way back in 2000 and that album has got me through many tough times in the last 13 years. “Lullaby” featured on the show Californication and it's easy to see how it could be used as a goodbye tune. This really is a beautiful track that is, undoubtedly, a lullaby. It's quiet, soothing and soft. However, when taken in the context of the whole album you can't fail to notice the slightly disturbing under current that suggests the passing of time. You can't help , but ask yourself if you really know the answer to the question “What does it mean to be loved?” Arco and “Lullaby”

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jIa1bWw7-7Q

So that was Arco and the tune “Lullaby” It's a good introduction to the band and a really good last track for a mixtape. My favourite Arco track is actually “Driving At Night” and it's like the law in the JosieJo household that the track “Happy New Year” has to be played in the very early hours of the first day of the year, just when the brandy is going down and the sun is coming up. That track is available as an MP3 on the Arco website and I highly recommend you go and get it for yourself. Links to all the bands I play on the show are available on my website www.josiejoshow.com and special links like the link right to the page with those Mp3s on it will be up on my Facebook page. JosieJo Show.

Now for the second track of show ten. Well it's the same song. “Lullaby” was covered by Arco's bass guitarist, Dave Milligan by his band The Penguin Party. It appears on their first album “See Thru Songs” and is completely different from the version you just heard. Whereas Arco are like floating through the quiet of falling snow on a dark night, The Penguin Party are sparkly, spangly power-pop who tell tales of quirky characters and drinking beer in British pubs. They are from Essex, England and as I said are headed up by Dave Milligan (gee whizz this is turning into the Dave Milligan show...maybe we should get him to do a show of his own...oh wait he does...that's Round At Milligan's. Go to my website for links to that. It's much longer than this and is packed with really really great music). The rest of The Penguin Party are Jake Milligan, Jan Black, Johnny Holburn and the mighty Gareth Hall on bass. I have played The Penguin Party on Show One, but I just thought that it would be an interesting exercise to play this version of the Arco track “Lullaby” right after the original. I think that this version really plays on that disturbing undercurrent of the track and the juxtapostion between the sentiment of the song “try and sleep now” and the loud, rip-roaringliness of the guitars is interesting and well just quite funny really.

So I ask you again “What does it mean to be loved?” This is the Penguin Party and their version of the Arco track “Lullaby”

http://www.thepenguinparty.co.uk/

Did I wake you up? Sorry. Are you any wiser at all? Never mind. You see two great tracks by two great bands. Normal service will be resumed next show when I will once again bring you two great tracks, but different tracks by two great bands or artists. Who knows what turn up next on The JosieJo Show. You'll just have to keep on listening and tell your friends. This year I'm doing an advent calender for my brother where I send him a different track every day starting on the first of December and ending on Christmas Day. Go on steal my idea and use the JosieJo Show for great ideas of tracks and bands you'd like to share. Thank you as always for listening.

JosieJo's Great Big Pair of Tips

The JosieJo Show 9

Greetings. This is The JosieJo Show and this is the deal. I play you two tracks from two different artists. I don't promise you'll like every track I play, but I like them I really want to share them. I don't spend my time on the internet servicing my need for kawaii by watching kitten videos, or even reading newspapers and informative articles to further my world knowledge. I honestly don't even do stuff that I requires my browsing history to be deleted. Not that I mind any of that. I just don't get chance. I'm too busy tracking down music old and new for stuff that is a little surprising or inspirational and often just good fun. I do this totally for my own pleasure, but The JosieJo Show allows me the chance to share it with you and that's just peachey. Neither of the choices in this show have deep, clever rhymes or poetic parlances, but they both tell stories with their sound and stir my soul unexpectedly.

My first choice is Moxie, MOXIE a young, beautiful five piece from Sligo in Ireland. The banjos, guitars, percussion and button accordions make for a joyful Irish sound, but woven into that are strains of blue grass, a little jazz and modern beats. Playing mostly in Ireland you might expect cheery folky types with beards, but these guys aren't. They are serious chaps with music that has life and soul. They clearly love life and they love music. They are currently in the throes of a pledging campaign through a fundit page which will hopefully fund their next album. It has just over another month to run and you can get involved at whatever level you like. The pledges are all in Euros and each one gives you special benefits. If you want to propose and can get to Sligo they even have level a that let's you pledge 750 Euros to have MOXIE play next to the Glencar waterfall as you pop the question. Pledge even more and the benefits get even more personal. Any donations are welcome and you'll be warm and fuzzy knowing that you've helped get the album made. Check out the fundit page for details and you can find links for that on their Facebook page or my page for The JosieJo Show.

Let's give you a taste of what they're trying to create. I was going to play “What Lies Behind the Wall” because it has this hypnotic, mesmeric beat that draws you in whilst intriguing you with it's side story. That was the track I asked for, but MOXIE sent me two tracks and I really fell for the second track “Elixir's Waltz”. This is an instrumental track – no lyrics or rhymes to analyse or gush over, and yet the track seems to me to tell a story. It's like the narrative of a relationship. It starts hesitantly like trying to pluck up the courage for that first date and the arrested development of getting to know each other. Then it picks up with speed and passion developing into the feeling of throwing your hands out to the sides, your head back and spinning round as you look at the sky. Towards the end there is the rhythm of the familiar, but a side tone of passion. It reminds you that whilst things can always get routine, they can still surprise you. Give in to the inevitable tap of the feet as you listen to MOXIE and “Elixir's Waltz”

https://soundcloud.com/moxiemusic-1

It's great that such young guys are honouring the traditional, but at the same time they're bringing their own freshness to it. If you liked that then check out Celtic Music Radio and  the show Due North which is where I found MOXIE and is a show co-hosted by the great Robin Ap Clericus. Remember you have just over a month to help with their Fundit campaign.

The second track for this show is from Message To Bears the moniker of composer and multi- instrumentalist Jerome Alexander. Message to Bears' work is hushed vocals, soundscapes, piano, guitars almost used as voices, sampling and electronica. He has a real freedom to his music. I get the sense that he uses music to embody the fully formed thoughts of his mind and sensibility.

This track “Moonlight” is from his third album “Maps” and the album is a flow of emotion and landscape. It's sort of soaring mountains, big skies, rolling hills and the dramatic irony of weather mirroring emotion. “Moonlight” reminds me of a journey and it's a journey unresolved. It is like watching the landscape change and evolve as you sit on a train and watch it pass silently by the only true sounds the thoughts in your head. The track has the rhythm of movement. It is intense and soothing like the rocking of carriage or the lull of a night journey. Free your spirit Message to Bears and his beautifully chilling track “Moonlight”

http://messagetobears.com/

That track “Moonlight” is from the new album “Maps” which is out on CD right now, but be warned that Message to Bears always has a very limited run on his physical copies. Hopefully early 2014 will see the release of that album on limited edition vinyl so if vinyl is your thing you can wait for that.

You can find links to the bands on my webpage www.josiejoshow.com and my Facebook page has lots of extra content. If you would like to contribute to the show in any way contact me josiejo@josiejoshow.com I'm particularly after outros for the show. So if you'd like to be a special part of the show record it into your voice memo app on your phone, tablet or computer and just pop it over to me as an email. I'll let you know what show it will appear on and I will be very happy. This week big thanks to the Mighty Bod for this week's payoff and big thanks to you for listening.

The JosieJo Show 8

JosieJo's Great Big Pair of Tips

The JosieJo Show 8

Greetings! I'm JosieJo and this is the JosieJo Show. I'm trying to bring you music that you maybe wouldn't normally hear, but music that may just become your inspiration, your song, or the tunes you share because they just make you smile. I find this music in the most surprising places, but the great thing about music now is it's out there for you to find and there are many people who want to share it with you. Some of the best sources for my tunes have been the internet radio stations that are available now and you can access them wherever you are in the world. I can highly recommend particular Djs such as Dennis “Songsmith” Holseybrook on www.hamiltonradio.com, the marathon Sunday sessions of Sparky on www.scrubradio.com and anything that Steve Jarrott produces on Tampa Bay Florida's www.qstarradio.com I say this because these guys need your listens to keep going. They don't just give musicians opportunities to have their music heard, they also form genuine communities through the loyalties they nurture and their chat rooms, so every now and then switch your listening habits from mainstream to independents. It will make a difference. This show is a snippet of those shows; a taster if you like. It's like popping round the shops for chocolate or a biscuit with your cup of tea (to translate a cookie with your coffee). It's your treat to yourself and this show, like all the others, has two tracks. One track is delicate and sparsely beautiful and the other is powerful, dangerous and strengthened with different styles. Let's show you what I mean. It's the JosieJo Show – let's give it a go.

Nottingham, England? Remember that? I've talked about it before because it really does have a wealth of musical talent coming out of it right now and Gallery 47 is no exception. Gallery 47 is a singer songwriter called Jack Peachey from Nottingham England who has complete control over his own sound. It's smoky club sound interweaved with the paranoia of caring, jealousy and just the basic toughness of being human. Similar to the oppression of possession, self awareness comes with a troubled mind.

This song is the first single from the Gallery 47's forthcoming album “All Will Be Well”. The single is being released on vinyl so it has two sides. The B side is “Please Not Yet”, but I have to play you the beautiful and fragile sound of the A side “Some Things”. The track is sparse, plucked guitar which provides the beat and the melody as the vocal harmonises over the top. I don't mean over the top in the exaggerated sense. This track is completely understated. The only thing “over the top” about it is that the vocal harmonizes “over the top” of the guitar. This is uncomplicated and seemingly effortless advocacy delivered in an unjudgemental way. If all the advice I was ever given was conveyed like this then I would pretty much be able to accept anything with no heartbreak. It's a shame that life isn't like this, but for the next few minutes let's enjoy the serenity and the lesson of Gallery 47's “Some Things”

http://www.youtube.com/gallery47

“Some Things” by Gallery 47 and you can follow him on Twitter and check out his you tube channels for news of that vinyl single, the forth coming album and videos.

The next band Splext and the Effects have been played on Dave Milligan's show Round At Milligan's. When I introduced them on that show as one of my Great big Pair of Tips I said that the name of the bass player, Josh Sparkes always reads as Josh Sparkles to me and the band tells me that he really does, sparkle The bands vocals are provided by Splext himself and the wonderfully powerful Rachel Rose who is a solo artist in her own right. Splext also provides the synth, supported by Shane Green on guitar and Ben Jordan on drums. Their sound is ...well...what is it? It's a collaboration is what it is. Soft pop, rap, haunting female vocal, rock guitar, electronica, drum and bass, dubstep … confused? I'll tell you what; I'll get straight to the track. Let's not wait any longer. It's out the day this show gets uploaded. It's released 11^th November 2013. The track is “Dangerous”. No I mean it's called “Dangerous”. I suppose it may be dangerous if you get distracted by it whilst walking your dog next to a cliff and you do a little skip to the beat or segway into an air guitar moment which insists you close your eyes and adopt a low stance whilst crossing a busy road. That is dangerous. Don't do that. That is a health and safety notice brought to you by The JosieJo Show. That's free. I'll give you that, but back to the track. “Dangerous” by Splext and the Effects is loud and proud. If you've not got guts, power and individuality then take a step back. Every member of the band brings something to this tune. Rachel Rose sings loud of the message that women are strong and not to be messed with. Shane's rock guitar hollers, Ben's drums push the whole thing through and Josh, of course, Sparkles. Splext comes in with unexpected, yet totally, naturally organic, rap. This track has it all. It's power pop, rock, rap and folk. Ok I'm just confusing you all now. It's powerful, that's all you need to know. Let me show you. Splext and the Effects and their brand new single “Dangerous”

https://soundcloud.com/splextfx

Thanks to Splext and the Effects for sharing their brand new single with the JosieJo Show. Thank you for listening. Go to www.josiejoshow.com and click listen to the show for all the archived shows aswell as links to the bands, photos and the backstory to why this all started. Follow me on twitter @josiejoshow for news events gigs and releases and extra content on my facebook page. Tell your friends. It's like mixtapes without the pencils.