iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

It will tear your heart to pieces.

Perfume genius. Put your back into it. On the front we see partly obscured photograph of a high school swimming team the two boys sitting in the middle of the front row are then further obscured by a piece of blue paper towel above them further blue paper towel is spread across the entirety of the cover and the words perfume genius crudely painted upon it in yellow and white.

050

I hope you have enjoyed the country-psyche-folk weekender. Thought we could now circle back to where we began and listen to the other Joni bootleg, live recordings from 1970, to wrap things up. ☺️ But don’t worry, there are dozens of records left to explore so the trip definitely ain’t over yet.

Joni Mitchell - Lennie and Dom Songs 1970. A plain white sleeve with a photocopied picture of a smiling Joni pasted on.

0110

Maybe it is the presence of Rick Danko, Richard Manuel, and Garth Hudson that’s lending this record its rustic, upstate New York vibe. Either way, it is really good.

John Simon. The sleeve features a Japanese like watercolour illustration of some trees that suggest the silhouette of a man.

2140

Though you could be easily mistaken, this is mid-table Californian AOR with a hint of yacht. But don’t let any of that (or the sleeve) put you off. The track ‘Sunday in LA’ is the purest west coast honey.

Michael Jarrett. We’re All Going Down Together. A close up portrait of Michael with artificially green eyes.

5110

This is proving to be a fine Sunday morning choice. Tim Drummond, Kenny Buttery and Tracy Nelson in support, Joni and Jackson covers, 1972, that sleeve… it all gives you a good idea of the sound. But the title track captures a Laurel Canyon Stax crossover that I now need more of.

A very colourful child’s drawing styled representation of a homely shack on top of the hill there are cows and tractors and chickens and carts and patchwork fields of flowers all around and a big sun overhead.

2131

There are some glorious fuzzed-up moments of garage country-funk here. While generally it’s pretty good throughout. Dates from 1969.

1151

So, what do we know about Sam Leopold… not much, I’m afraid. Seems like it is his only album, but it seems he was able to call upon half of The Caledonia Soul Orchestra as his band, and I can imagine they were quite busy in ‘73. His black and white downcast portrait game is strong, mind you.

Sam Leopold, a black-and-white charcoal portrait drawing of Sam on a white cover.

On the rear of the sleeve, we see Sam in a black-and-white photograph soft focus gazing down wistfully at the ground. He’s wearing a leather jacket.

140

Later on Natal would become a notable jazz singer, whereas here she is simply a brilliant singer-songwriter. Brimming with ideas, backed with fantastic arrangements, and all the while scattering baroque production tricks like confetti. Surprised this isn’t huge.

Nanette Natal yesterday today and tomorrow on the cover we seen Nanette wearing a silk blouse looking into the camera holding her acoustic guitar.

Under the reverse of the sleeve, we also have a photograph of Nanette this time in black-and-white she’s dancing her necklace and hair swinging with the rhythm.

1100

Proper heavy duty Southern country soul. Everything here is turned up to 10. All the records in the bag so far have been brilliant but this is the real gold I have been searching for.

J F Murphy self titled LP on the cover we see a picture of Jack Murphy looking away from the camera wearing a tatty blue denim shirt.

1100

The Sunday afternoon at the Grande Jatte meets the age of Aquarius sleeve photograph is possibly the highlight here… except that there is a brilliantly spooky, kind of a northern working man’s club version of Eleanor Rigby.

A large gatefold sleeve photograph showing a number of young people hanging out on a summers day by the river.

1101

John Simson recorded most of this, his only album, in the UK but absolutely nails that US 1971 country rock drifter sound. He put aside his guitar to pursue his dream of being a lawyer and was later the legal council for the band Christian Death. Apparently.

On the cover of the album, John Simpson Serenades his lady friend with his acoustic guitar, in the background we see a picture of him against an evening sky.

The back of the sleeve is much like the front, but it’s a pale blue monochromatic almost silhouette picture of John and his friend. There is also a DJ sticker on the back suggesting that this is possibly a promo record.

380

I have few other plans today than curling up on the sofa with Ivy and listening to records. This seemed an obvious place to start. A PP linked to State College Pa. Not able to dig up much more information. Sounds uncannily like Donovan until “There’s a Light” which involves a synth space battle.

Morning song listen to a sunrise. On the cover there is a painting of a wide sky above a mountainous horizon in the foreground a swift is flying upwards. At least I think it’s a swift it might be some other sort of small bird.

281

Not his only recording but seems to be the only one under his own name. Country rock with heavy psyche shadings. Probably a dollar every time in mid-western record stores. Sampled by Beck, apparently.

Mike doing the standard downcast gaze. In black and white of course.

1131

This is Canadian psyche-rock (I guess, and pretty rubbish when recognising genres) from 1970. It reminds me a lot of Niemen crossed with some English flower child lyrics. Certainly they seem to be aiming for that heavy European Hammond sound. Pretty solid throughout.

Barry Allen. In a small oval shape on the sleeve we see a monochrome picture of Barry.

Sea Chanteys on ESP Disk. Yep… you read that right. And what a sleeve!!

A butterfly person creature on a black background.

The rear of the sleeve with the title Sea Chanteys, by Lou Killen.

2150

This one pretty much sets the template. Moody young western fella, black and white, soft focus and downcast on the reverse. Earnest songs in country folk styles, honed in dive bars and by-the-hour motel rooms. One shot at making an album. Then disappears without a trace.

Stephen Ambrose Gypsy moth. On the cover we see Stephen sat in the waiting room possibly at a railway station he’s wearing jeans and a leather jacket. He looks a little sad.

The reverse of the sleeve alongside the track titles and the line notes we see a close-up black-and-white slightly soft focus picture of Stephen Ambrose looking rather downcast.

All the records in the bag are U.S. pressings and I don’t recall seeing any of them previously, though many are on recognisable labels. I’m not suggesting any are rare. This appears to be Lampe’s only album, yet was recorded at Muscle Shoals. Wayfaring southern soul meets Tony Joe White.

Nicholas Lampe. It happened long ago. On the cover we see Nicola sat on a large floor cushion he has a guitar in hand. His shirt is open beads hanging around his neck long hair and a big moustache.

The reverse of the sleeve with a similar photograph to the one on the front but on this Nicholas is with a small child and they’re looking into each other’s eyes. Nicholas is sat on the windowsill.

180

This is simply gorgeous. A Joni bootleg that is neither expensive nor difficult to locate, but this copy has an extraordinary hand drawn sleeve. The recording quality is stunning. Perfect in every way.

Joni Mitchell. (Kept on) by her own devices. The sleeve has a hand drawn illustration of Joni Mitchell playing the guitar a larger close-up picture of her face behind and then hand lettering with the title. Illustration is done with a felted pen and a couple of places water has dripped on the sleeve and caused a smudge.

The reverse of the Joni Mitchell sleeve here we have handwritten notes of the tracks and the recording details alongside a cut out and paste it on photo of a young Joni Mitchell.

2171

Rachel @thameschoral.bsky.social · 24/09/2026

A big bag full of loner folk, ESP Disc outsiders, wayfaring strangers, Xian customs, Joni bootlegs in hand drawn sleeves… well, that is the weekend sorted. 💚

A bank full of records, on the front of the bag it says little axe records, Portland, Oregon.

3420

When I need to remind myself just how perfect something can be. “I’m going to love you for a hundred years” 💚

Bright flight. By the Silver Jews. On the front we see a strange snapshot photograph it shows part of an upholstered silver coloured sofa with what I’ve always thought is a burgundy curtain hanging behind it. There are no people in the photograph but we do see a scrapbook or a journal of some sort propped up on the sofa standing in for those that are now missing.

0150

Rachel @thameschoral.bsky.social · 23/09/2026

Homemade outsider acid folk. Probably. Trying to establish some background on this (a Mississippi reissue) but disappeared down a rabbit warren of aliases, custom presses, tapes and CDRs. And on the strength of this I want them all. Especially the one titled Morning Nap.

Uke of Phillips. Peppermint birdhouse tea shanty shack. A screen printed image pasted onto a plane blue stock sleeve. The image appears to show a man slightly hunched over in silhouette and a picture of a face face. Both are crudely drawn.

Rachel @thameschoral.bsky.social · 19/09/2026

“The sun comes up, in a coffee cup.” 💚

Lyle Lovett Joshua judges Ruth on the cover we see a photograph of Lyle but mainly his reflection in the surface of a table naturally blurred.

2120

Rachel @thameschoral.bsky.social · 19/09/2026

Continuing my soul weekender with this midweek Oxfam pick-up.

Charles Bradley. Changes. Sat amongst some house plants.

0130

Rachel @thameschoral.bsky.social · 19/09/2026

Also picked this up yesterday. It occupies a space somewhere between modern classical, jazz, and new age (it was recorded in 1980), but most of all to my ears it could be the soundtrack to a bleak but hopeful Russian animation that perhaps features an injured duck surviving a difficult winter.

The mystery School by James Newton. Music for wind quintet on the Indian navigation label on the cover we see a picture of James wearing a red T-shirt holding a flute looking down in a meditative way with his eyes closed.

2272

…and then beyond. [Found this one in the back of bookshop in Portland. Only just got around to it.]

2200

Jump in, we’re heading to the outskirts of Strangeville.

Bobby Brown. Prayers of a One Man Band. Bobby on the beach with an array of homemade instruments.

0150

Stone cold masterpiece courtesy of a Spitalfields bargain box. This is my weekend soundtrack.

Percy sledge. When a man loves a woman. On the cover, we see a young woman staring wistfully from behind a bouquet of flowers.

4260

Rachel @thameschoral.bsky.social · 17/09/2026

Hey Miffy, what’s in the bag today?

A tote bag with a picture of Miffy on an Orange background.

0120

“The very thought of you makes my heart sing Like an April breeze on the wings of spring, And you appear in all your splendor, My one and only love. You fill my eager heart with such desire. Ev'ry kiss you give sets my soul on fire. I give myself in sweet surrender, My one and only love.” 💚

6280

Rachel @thameschoral.bsky.social · 13/09/2026

That long lost Keith Chegwin bluegrass LP.

Jimmy Arnold. Strictly Arnold. The cover shows a close-up portrait of Jimmy Arnold wearing a white collared flowery shirt.

4120

Rachel @thameschoral.bsky.social · 13/09/2026

Warren Storm and “bad weather”.

On the sleeve, we see Mr. Storm wearing a Safari suit and the most insane pair of stacked Glam heels that you could possibly imagine. All of this while standing on a large tree trunk. Seriously, in those shoes he could easily come a cropper.

270

Rachel @thameschoral.bsky.social · 12/09/2026

A #caturday still life with books and lemons.

Ivy the cat looking rather disapprovingly into the camera, behind her is a cushion with embroidered lemons and a small pile of books.

1141

Rachel @thameschoral.bsky.social · 10/09/2026

During the summer holidays, you should always make the time to take your children to the library.

Two men wearing baseball caps and Chuck Taylor’s stood in the Reading Room at the British Museum

170

Rachel @thameschoral.bsky.social · 09/09/2026

I need to remember that this is just a beautiful book about private press and home made records designed to entertain and inform… and by no means should it be considered a mission*. 😳 *the mission has been accepted. [Seriously, though, this is stunning and I will post more from it over time.]

4210

Rachel @thameschoral.bsky.social · 07/09/2026

What is your current floor pile status?

A pile of records in front of some records on a shelf.

18584

Let’s continue our little Moroccan stroll with this legendary band - Nass El Ghiwane. Originating in the Moroccan avant garde, they are a noted favourite of Scorsese who refers to them as the Rolling Stones of Africa. Their song Ya Sah can be heard in Last Temptation of Christ. Epic band photo!

Nass El Ghiwane. Self-titled LP. Black and gold sleeve with modernist Arabic script overlay with monochrome pictures of the band also in a very modern style.

The rear of the sleeve with a black-and-white photograph of the band kneeling down playing their instruments laughing and singing.

1171

Back to yesterday’s little Moroccan bundle. This is Mohamed Lahyani (El Hayani). Side 1 is the single track, Rahila - which translates as “female traveller” and as I understand it is somewhat of a signature tune. The whole thing has a mythical and mystical feel to it. Plus a really cool sleeve.

Credited to Mohamed Lahyani. He features on the cover in a black-and-white photograph shown wearing a sports jacket and a pair of sunglasses.

1172

I do love a record with provenance. This demo copy of Prince Charming is signed by Adam to “Herr Whiteing” who is (I believe) David Whiteing, credited as Major Domo in the liner notes and was involved with costumes and look of the band. Now, altogether… Da diddley qua qua Da diddley qua qua

Prince Charming. Adam and the Ants. Signed by Adam Ant.

0140

Sunday morning. Doing Sunday morning things.

In the spirit number one on the origin label a two volume survey of sanctified and country gospel music featuring 32 rare vintage recordings. On the cover there is a black-and-white photograph of a store front church with signs outside saying “Fight of Armageddon” and “risen under alter souls”.