37 today

Another year on the clock; no big celebrations as I'm fortunate enough to be flat-out busy with enough work to keep me going well into the summer. So to help today glide by, I ordered two new Jayhawks-related cds from Amazon, which came in the post this morning.

The Jayhawks were one of my favourite bands in my late teens and early twenties. They're from Minnesota, and I can remember one night driving to Dublin to see them play in a dingy wee club, and then drove through the night to get back home (back in Belfast by about 5am). The two founder members were Mark Olson and Gary Louris, who sing some of the most beautiful, delicate harmonies you'll ever hear.

Their new album is called Ready for the Flood, and Gary Louris' most recent solo album is called Acoustic Vagabonds. Both are superb and highly recommended. Below are a few YouTube clips of them, very "brother duet" in style.

A great way to put in a windy and wet Saturday while Hilary and the weans are oot and aboot...

Gary Louris: She Only Calls me on Sundays:


Gary Louris and Mark Olson: Blue (from the 1996 Jayhawks album "Tomorrow the Green Grass"):


Gary Louris, Mark Olson & Maria McKee [on Later with Jools Holland]: Precious Time (from her 1993 album "You Gotta Sin to Get Saved"):