The Quietus - A new rock music and pop culture website

Baker's Dozen

Tales From The Barrelhouse: A James Yorkston Baker's Dozen
The Quietus , August 21st, 2014 12:18

With his new album The Cellardyke Recording And Wassailing Society, featuring contributions from Alexis Taylor, KT Tunstall, The Pictish Trail and more, out this week, the Fife singer-songwriter writes us a special Baker's, cherry-picking favourite tracks from his old Edinburgh club night

Holger_czukay_1408582888_resize_460x400

Holger Czukay – 'Music In The Air'
Can, eh? Everyone knows Can now and quite rightly. I first heard them on the Until The End Of The World soundtrack which was being played in McCarthy's bar in Baltimore, Cork. Can's track on that soundtrack – 'Last Night Sleep' – sounds nothing like their other material, but I wasn't to know that. It just sounded like good music to me. The next thing I heard of theirs was the song 'Uphill', which was playing in Vinyl Villains in Edinburgh. Again I had no idea who it was, but I asked the guy behind the counter and his reply – Can – intrigued me. The same band? Couldn't be. I bought the album being played, Cannibalism 2, and that was that. Upon continued listening, I was drawn towards Holger's activities in the band - he always seemed to be up to something interesting - and from there, well, it's a short leap to getting his solo work. He doesn't always hit the mark, but sometimes, like here, it's magical.