Seven Songs for the Week #115 - 18th June 25

With the news of Sly Stone's passing, I went grazing through various pockets of his catalogue on streaming. I don't know about you, but I love discovering the source of a well-known sample in the wild. So when Crossword Puzzle offered up the horns from De La Soul's Say No Go, a song I've known for decades, I was delighted.

And then out of nowhere, after some Talking Heads action (MSAB&F boxset, Psycho Killer video), David Byrne drops a new song and video AND TOUR! American Utopia was one of the best things I've ever seen so I have my tickets already for the Who Is The Sky? (lol) tour in Dublin next March. This song might initially seem like regular quirky DB fare, but it's really well put together and I've listened to it a lot this week. Harry Style's producer.

Curious about who the Ghost Train Orchestra were, as they are all over David Byrne's upcoming album, I was told to go listen to this record. Moondog is a name I've heard of for 30 years, I've never listened to him, and this track stopped me in my tracks. The sound of it, the melody, it's just wonderful. Now I'm going to have to listen to loads of Moondog.

Another one of life's joys is the incongruous appearance of a song you know well in a place you don't expect. Killing time eating an underwhelming Pret sandwich in La Defense station, Paris, waiting for a bus, this came on over the speakers in the middle of some indie music from the 2000s. Never not happy to hear this song.

My kid was DJing in the car and put this track on for me as a song they remember from when they were very little. I hadn't heard it in ages. Much joy.

Went to see Charli xcx this week and had a blast. She only did 65 minutes, but it was all killer, no filler and the crowd were an absolute delight. Many good vibes, the kids are alright. This track is a great song wrapped in mad hyperpop sound. Some of it is so weird.

Charli goes well with the Avant Garde sounds of Jon Hassell who I only learned about this week while relistening to an old podcast of R U Talkin' Talking Heads to my Talking Head? Jon Hassell was apparently due to be the third person for the album My Life In The Bush of Ghosts, but it didn't happen. Why depends on who you ask.