W(A)O(T)W

Today I plan to introduce you to a new segment of the blog called ‘Weird album of the week’ (catchy, no?). Basically I’d like to dedicate some space to certain music that might be overlooked because it’s a bit obscure and that for some reason I think you should listen to. A lot of my writing usually ends up taking the form of entirely biased apologetics (just see my undergrad dissertation on C S Lewis for proof) or stems from a strong sense of outraged loyalty, so be prepared for some gratuitous defence of my taste in music. I refuse to call anything ‘bad’ taste or ‘guilty pleasures’, because I’m unashamed and don’t think anyone should be embarrassed about what they find appealing. Even if it is the soundtrack to Yentl (you’ll be hearing all about that in the coming weeks, don’t worry). But just so you don’t get the wrong idea – this segment isn’t going to be cool. It won’t only be about new upcoming local bands or some hip new group I discovered in a mystery underground bar. I’m not saying it will never be about those things, but it’s unlikely. It’s essentially going to be bits of my iTunes thrust at you in an enthusiastic but poorly-written burst of love. Ok? Here we go then with our first ever ‘Weird album of the week’:

‘Follow on’ by the Morris Quinlan Experience

This album is one of my greatest aural pleasures, but I never would have discovered it if it hadn’t been for a classics summer school I went to in 2003. There we re-met a certain James McKay who we had known as a Latin teacher at our high school, but who had left and in the meantime become a super cool poet. We began to follow his poetic doings and in 2006 the Morris Quinlan Experience released their second album, Follow On, featuring James’s poems and voice as the songs. It’s like a spoken word instrumental extravaganza, and my small group of classicist pals became big fans. Such was our devotion to the album that at one subsequent summer school (we went to five in a row; again, unashamed) when James was unable to attend and thus couldn’t do his traditional poetry reading at the final night’s entertainment, we played his album over the hall’s sound system just so that he wasn’t forgotten. I don’t know if he knows that, but there you go. I still listen to it often and I’m extremely glad I got to experience an album that I almost certainly would never have found on my own. Personal favourite tracks include ‘A New Rain’ (see video), and ‘Ship of Fools 2008’, but it’s all immense. It's unusual. But pleasing, especially the more you listen to it. You can hear some on their MySpace page or have a buy of their album if you’re in a spontaneous musical mood.

Stay cool and have a good weekend. I've just found out about Japan Gelato Day at Gino Gelato, so that's Sunday sorted!

Brixpig x