Three from “Small Town Heroes” the current LP by exemplary folk-blues ensemble Hurray For The Riff Raff provides the main event on this week’s programme plus the first new Jack White track in ages,a Coasters’ tune gets an agreeable sludge rock makeover from the Ukiah Drag and horse racing commentator Peter O’Sullivan makes his BCB debut. He did very well.

When Big Joan Sets Up 11th April – Hurray For The Riff Raff by Phil Cope on Mixcloud

Linton Kwesi Johnson – “Wat About Di Working Class” (LP – “Reality Poems – The Best of Linton Kwesi Johnson”) (Spectrum)
Jack White – “High Ball Stepper” (Download) (Third Man)
Mille and Andrea – “Drop The Vowels” (LP – “Drop The Vowels”) (Modern Love)
Typewriter – “Not Afraid” (LP – “Nobody Clears Out A Room Like…”) (Bandcamp)
Rev. Robert Wilkins – “Prodigal Son” (LP – “Prodigal Son”) (Bear Family)
Cleric – “Patteron One” (EP – “Pattern”) (Figure)
Prince Fatty and Mungo’s Hi Fi feat Horseman – “Horsemove” (LP – “Prince Fatty vs. Mungo’s Hi Fi) (Mr Bongo)
The Ukiah Drag – “Poison Ivy” (7″) (Katorga Works)
Hurray For The Riff Raff – “Crash On The Highway” (LP – “Small Town Heroes”) (ATO)
Hurray For The Riff Raff – “The Body Electric” (LP – “Small Town Heroes”) (ATO)
Hurray For The Riff Raff – “Forever Is Just A Day” (LP – “Small Town Heroes”) (ATO)
Tobacco – “Video Warning Attempts” (LP – “Ultima II Massage”) (Ghostly International)
Carsick Cars – “Wei Cheng” (LP – “3”) (Maybe Mars)
The Hollies – “Carrie-Anne” (LP – “20 Golden Greats”) (Parlophone)
Calibre feat MC DRS – “Eschaton” (LP – “Shelflife 3”) (Signature)

“Electric Ocean” the new LP from Scraps was the focus of our attentions tonight. Scraps is the musical nom de plume of Brisbane’s Laura Hill whose sound is described by aintgotno on Facebook as ” Kimya Dawson/the Moldy Peaches & Fever Ray’s bubbly lovechild” which will do for us.

Added to this harrowingly beautiful sub bass from Killing Sound, a new LP from The Nightingales and the end of the first World War.

As mentioned on the programme there’s some of our tunes from WW1 plus loads of other vintage music at The University of California Wax Cylinder Digitization Project here :cylinders.library.ucsb.edu

When Big Joan Sets Up 4th April – Scraps by Phil Cope on Mixcloud

Photo from Fire Records
Killing Sound – “Waterboxing” (EP – “Killing Sound”) (Blackest Ever Black)
The Nightingales – “Dumb and Drummer” (LP – “For Fuck’s Sake”) (Self Released)
…Of Sinking Ships – “Suddenly No More Brilliant Lights In Our Sky” (LP – “The Amarinthine Sea”)(Broken Circles)
Scraps – “Mushroom Gods” (LP – “Electric Ocean”) (Fire)
Blah – “Grumpy” (Download) (Biogenetic)
Eternal Summers – “Gouge” (LP – “The Drop Beneath”) (Kanine)
Sizzla – “Put Down The Gun” (LP – “Nuh Worry Unu Self”) (John John)

Records of the First World War – 1918

Enrico Caruso – “Over There”
Al Jolson – “Rock A Bye Your Baby With A Dixie Melody”
Courtland and Jefferies – Goodbye-ee

Scraps – “Asleep” (LP – “Electric Ocean”) (Fire)
The Channels – “7” (LP – Lo-Fruit”) (Bandcamp)
Bass Clef – “Neon Black and Vulcane”) (EP – “Bugbranded”) (Public Information)
The Cavemen – “Juvenile Delinquent” (7″) (1:12 Records)
Frankie Lymon and The Teenagers – “I’m Not A Juvenile Delinquent” (7″) (Gee)
Scraps – “Gone” (LP – “Electric Ocean”) (Fire)

On the day that people who tie their jumpers round their necks and have share portfolios rejoiced that indolent,caterwauling Radio 2 uber-bore Kate Bush has remembered what her job is, Big Joan wiped a tear from it’s metaphorical eye and bade farewell to the mighty Vivian Girls with highlights of their final live performance recorded at Baby’s All Right in Williamsburg, New York at the beginning of the month.

For those unaware the Vivs are (were) a three piece band who between 2008 and 2011 released three astonishing LP’s and seven equally astonishing 7″ singles that sounded like the Shangri La’s covering Nirvana’s “Bleach” whilst being force-fed Wonka Bars.

To leaven the emotional tension we also had a host of top tunes including three from that golden year 1916. Where were you?

NB: As nyctaper.com objected to the use of the Vivian Girls material I’ve taken it down. You can hear the full gig at their website.

When Big Joan Sets Up 21st March – The Vivian Girls’ Final Live Performance by Phil Cope on Mixcloud

DJ Rashad,Moondoctor,and Freshtildef – “Fresh On The Moon” (LP – “WTF”) (Freshmoon)
Righteous Foundation – “Back To Ethiopia” (V/A LP – “Island Records Presents: 37 Essential Roots Anthems 1974-1978) (Island)

The Vivian Girls – Recorded Live at Baby’s All Right – Williamsburg New York March 2,2014 (http://www.nyctaper.com)
“Walking Alone At Night”
“I Have No Fun”
“Wild Eyes”
“I Heard You Say”

Nochexxx – “Exholst” (LP – “Thrusters”) (Ramp)
Primitive Parts – “Signal” (7″) (Sex Beat)

Records of The First World War – 1916
George Formby Snr. – “My Grandfather’s Clock”
Murray Johnson – “Pack Up Your Troubles”
Vess L. Osman’s Banjo Orchestra – “Universal Foxtrot”

Little Feat – “Fat Man In The Bathtub” (Box Set – “Rad Gumbo: The Complete Warner Brothers Years 1971-1990”)

The Vivian Girls – Recorded Live at Baby’s All Right – Williamsburg New York March 2, 2014 (http://www.nyctaper.com)
“Out For The Sun”
“Tell The World”
“Telepathic Love”
“All The Time”
“No”

Liars – “Boyzone” (LP – “Mess”) (Mute)