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The Latest Pop Sounds from Blake

by Blake

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  • Streaming + Download

    Includes unlimited streaming via the free Bandcamp app, plus high-quality download in MP3, FLAC and more.

    Includes five previously unreleased bonus tracks, original artwork (including the alternative 'John Hooper, martyr' cover), sleeve notes, pics and the 'Ordinary Person' live promo video.
    Purchasable with gift card

      £5 GBP  or more

     

  • Latest Pop Sounds Compact Disc
    Compact Disc (CD) + Digital Album

    The original 2009 12 track CD released on Eden Records. Includes high quality digital download of the album plus bonus tracks and multi-media goodies.

    Includes unlimited streaming of The Latest Pop Sounds from Blake via the free Bandcamp app, plus high-quality download in MP3, FLAC and more.

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1.
Rag Doll 04:40
I see you walking down the stairs I watch you stop and turn and stare At your reflection in the hall I see you when you’re with the crowd I hear you talking much too loud You don’t hear me when I call I feel like your rag doll You’re spinning me round and round I feel like your rag doll You’re spinning me round and round I watch you putting on your face You crawl into your hiding place Your eyes are cold behind your smile But I wish that I could make you see You’re gonna lose it and you’re gonna lose me There’s no substance to your style
2.
I’m Not Thinking About You I used to love you girl but you threw it all away I used to need you girl but you had to let it slip away It’s just a part you played and I was playing the fool It’s just a game you played but I didn’t know the rules I’m not thinking about you I’m not thinking about where you are tonight I’m not thinking about you I’m just telling myself that everything’s alright, alright I used to call you girl when things weren’t going great I used to care for you girl but now you’ve thrown it all back in my face It’s just a part you played and I was playing the fool It’s just a game you played but I didn’t know the rules I’m not thinking about you I’m not thinking about where you are tonight I’m not thinking about you I’m just telling myself that everything’s alright, alright I remember the day we met and the time of our first kiss It’s nothing I can’t forget and I know I’m not gonna miss I’m not thinking about you I’m not thinking about where you are tonight I’m not thinking about you I’m just telling myself that everything’s alright I’m not thinking about you I’m not thinking about where you are tonight I’m not thinking about you I’m just telling myself that everything’s alright, alright
3.
Envy Street 03:20
Mrs Jones has got a new conservatory A special treat now that they’re back from holiday She’s got three children and she loves them too She sees them every time they’re back from boarding school Mr Brooks has got himself a new lover She’s seventeen she is a friend of his mother He promised he would never take her too far Just once or twice around the block in his brand new car They live on Envy Street at the bottom of Avarice Row Their lives are oh so sweet, it’s a shame it’s all a show, but they don’t know, they don’t know Mrs Smith she likes to go to yoga It helps her when she’s looking over her shoulder Cos Mrs Daniels has a brand new fridge And Mrs Johnson won a cup for playing Bridge Mr Heath works for the local college He’s got a thirst but it not for knowledge He likes to put away a bottle of day Of brandy cocktail done the Alexander way They live on Envy Street at the bottom of Emptiness Row Their lives are oh so sweet, it’s a shame it’s all a show, but they don’t know, they don’t know Mrs Cherry gets her dishwasher mended She goes to church to get her life extended She helps the homeless get back on their feet She wants to keep them well away from Envy Street Mr Wilson is a health inspector He’s proud of working in the public sector But underneath he knows it’s all a sham And if he’s honest he don’t really give a damn They live on Envy Street on the opposite side of the road Their lives are incomplete, it’s a shame it’s all a show, but they don’t know, they don’t know
4.
Sue 02:49
Sue I’m feeling kinda blue It’s true it’s all because of you Well I know that I should be stronger But I can’t wait a minute longer Sue, what are you gonna do? Oh Sue, you make me feel brand new Oh Sue, there’s nothing we can’t do La la la la la la la la etc Sue I know you’re feeling blue Won’t you say that you want me too Cos I know that you can’t forget it And I promise you won’t regret it Sue what else can I do? Oh Sue, you make me feel brand new Oh Sue, there’s nothing we can’t do La la la la la la la la etc
5.
Well I can’t live inside your dreams, baby And everything that glitters is not the way it seems But open up your eyes and you’ll see It’s a good thing that could be, it’s a good thing that could be Well I can’t always remember all my lines, baby But I just wish that sometimes you really wouldn’t mind Or think that someone else could play my part Cos it’s a good thing that could start if you listen to your heart Cos when it comes down to it I’m an ordinary person, baby And if I face up to it, I ain’t never gonna change And I’m sorry but I can’t be All the things you want me to be But if you take me as I am we’ll be OK Well I just can’t live up to your ideals, baby And I’m no superhero but you’re the same as me We both gotta face reality It’s a good thing that could be, it’s a good thing you and me Well, you always say I live with my head in the clouds, baby But you know we got something that’s rooted in the ground And baby I know that I’ve made some mistakes But there’s a good thing we could make and it’s a chance we gotta take Cos when it comes down to it I’m an ordinary person, baby And if I face up to it, I ain’t never gonna change And I’m sorry but I can’t be All the things you want me to be But if you take me as I am we’ll be OK Well I can’t help the things that I feel But the way you criticise me is driving me to tears Don’t you see that I can give you something money can’t buy Cos I love you Honest girl I love you Chorus repeat Oooh, it’s gonna be OK etc.
6.
7.
Goodbye 04:01
I was lying on the bed with all the words you said Going round and around in my head I was thinking of you and all the things we used to do Going round and around in my head You know that I know you don’t love me anymore I know that you don’t even care Well I guess there’s nothing left to say, goodbye Well you never loved me anyway, goodbye I was sitting in the park till the evening sky grew dark Going round and around in my head I was thinking of us and all the things that we discussed Going round and around in my head You know that I know you don’t love me anymore I know that you don’t even care Well I guess there’s nothing left to say, goodbye Well you never loved me anyway, goodbye Now I’m sitting on a beach with a cold drink within reach Going round and around in my head I’m not thinking of you because I got somebody new Going round and around in my head I know that you know I don’t love you anymore You know that I don’t even care Well I guess there’s nothing left to say, goodbye Well I never loved you anyway, goodbye
8.
John Hooper was born in the shadows In 1495 Converted on the Somerset levels His faith forced him to fly On rough seas crossing over the water In Strasbourg took a bride Found shelter till the King was anointed Then returned to his side And he cried “Have mercy upon me” As he prayed in the night “Have mercy upon me” My Lord Jesus Christ “Have mercy” At Gloucester the King made him bishop He gave his heart to the poor Educated his clergy and taught them the words To the prayer of the Lord But the King was dead before manhood Bloody Mary took the throne Imprisoned for what he believed in Then condemned to be burned And he cried “Have mercy upon me” As the flames leapt high “Have mercy upon me” My Lord Jesus Christ “Have mercy”
9.
Have you ever, have you looked inside Cos if you did it, you would be surprised Cos there’s nothing inside of you and nothing that you ever say is true Well do you ever think where you’re really at Have you wondered are you like this or that Cos I know where you’re coming from and it’s a place where I don’t belong You’re so square you’re nowhere You think you’re smart but you’re just unaware You’re so square you’re nowhere There’s nothing there You think you’re pretty you think you’re pretty hip You think you’re wanted but it is just a trip Cos there’s nothing inside of you and nothing that you ever say is true They got your number they got your DNA They got your picture but girl I’m sorry to say That no-one likes a girl who thinks she’s it And no-one’s listening cos you’re talking shit
10.
So are you going down I can see your eyes are closing You’re waiting for the ground To cover you but just supposing You fill the hole by burying your sadness Cos you’ve got nothing left to lose But you’ve got everything to gain What you get is what you choose Wish I could take away your pain You don’t know what you’ve got Just look inside and look around you You know no matter what I’ll always be so glad I found you I wish you knew what I was thinking So are you going down Do you see shadows forming But listen to the sound The voice there gently calling When you awake cos it’s a new day
11.
My T Rex 04:22
Do you get the feeling something’s following you? All is familiar but something’s new But hey hey hey hey hey hey you better beware I heard a footstep now it sounds like another Not gonna stay here got me running for cover But hey hey hey hey hey hey I’d better beware It’s funny how peculiar you seem Now that I’ve left you you’ve turned all mean You’re my T Rex Jumped off the bed and quickly ran to the door All I remember then is hitting the floor But hey hey hey hey hey hey I’d better beware It’s funny how peculiar you seem Now that I’ve left you you’ve turned all green You’re my T Rex
12.
Daisy 02:16

about

Recorded in 2009 and released in January 2010, I meant this album to be my final push for glory! I selected ten tracks from those I had written since the release of 'Antheology' in 2008 (which eventually became twelve) and attempted to emulate Lou Reed's concept for The Velvet Undground's 'Loaded' LP, i.e. that it would be 'loaded' with hits (well, good songs at least!) I made a conscious effort to record each track as well as I possibly could on my Tascam eight track recorder in order to maintain the highest standard of fidelity. Whereas I would usually let mistakes go in the process of recording, on this record I wouldn't be satisfied until I had a perfect take. I was pretty pleased with the final product, although I did change the album title at the last minute. I was going to release it as 'John Hooper, martyr' with the medieval woodcut cover (one of the free downloads with the album) but I thought this would eliminate whatever tiny chance of commercial success it had left. I reverted to a shot taken from a 1966 fashion and homeware catalogue that belonged to a friend of mine, and opted for the sixties retro theme. In any case, it failed to chart!

Album review from Overplay.com:

"With a cover photo fresh out of the August 1969 issue of Groovy Interiors magazine, you arrive at this lp with certain expectations. Namely, that Bath singer/songwriter Blake, AKA Julian Pugsley, likes his music with a drop of Mellow Yellow in the mix. And, when you listen to it, you realise that’s true. But that’s not all. Across the 12 tunes on this lp, there are plenty of cleverly crafted ‘60s-inflected mini pop gems. However, Blake finds room for a few synths, a couple of garage rock fizzles and the odd indie fringe-shaker.

In fact, opening track “Rag Doll” is a proper wrong-footer. Misty effects and wavy eastern synths lay on some metaphorical dry ice before the regimented guitar and icy Ian Brown delivery turn it into something like Joy Division with added disco. If you’re left feeling chilly, “I’m Not Thinking About You” follows this up with a big T-Rex cuddle of flighty acoustic bubblegum. All before “Envy Street” splits the difference with a Reverend & The Makers meets The Kinks bit of spiky social commentary; containing the album’s best lyric, “Mrs Jones has got a new conservatory.”

As this seesaw of frothy wiggling and moody introspection continues, it makes for an interesting ride. From the trippy bounce of “Sue”, you’re taken to the big, bleepy Kraftwerk shapes of “The Blue Room.” Then, from the woozy, Dylanesque charm of “Goodbye,” you’re kicked out in to the cold with the windswept Johnny Cash vibe of “The Ballad Of John Hooper.” And while “You’re So Square” and “My T Rex” possess the beautifully fuzzed-out atmos of The Velvet Underground, “Ordinary Person” has all the anthemic architecture of classic Oasis. Only without taking itself too seriously. Thank God.

The stylistic mood swings on ‘Latest Pop Sounds…’ make for an entertaining listen. But luckily every track has the same keen sense of melody that no amount of weird effects and Wedding Present feedback can ever compensate for. Good, solid pop music. Even down to the baby gurglings and crystalline acoustics that make up final track “Daisy.” John Lennon may have made half the world cringe with “Beautiful Boy”, but here Blake has the good sense to leave the vocals to the infant."

credits

released January 10, 2010

All songs written by Blake, except 'Rag Doll' by Blake/Mulligan and 'My T Rex' by Blake/Prais, © Rockhopper Records 2009. Produced by Blake. Recorded at home and at St Katharine’s Church, Holt and Nine Volt Leap studios, Melksham. Back cover photography by Alan Tyghe. Tray photography by Angela Pugsley. Thanks to: Sarah, Cas, Mum, Dad, Paul, Chris, Joe, Port Erin, Alan & everyone at St. K's. This record is dedicated to Daisy Hope Pugsley.

"God will draw to the divine life all whom God wishes, in the ways God wishes; for truth, and the way to truth, belong to God and not to us." Keith Ward

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Blake England, UK

UK 60s-tinged/ lo-fi /indie pop
/psychedelic rock /jangle /power pop /singer-songwriter and DIY musician. Proudly signed to the Subjangle record label. Mailing list sign up (receive a free download of my song 'Vinyl Junkie'): eepurl.com/dV04f ... more

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