And so we come to the end of the first month of existence of this blog. It's been a fun ride for me so far and I have noticed I have already made some friends along the way. Hope they stick around for the rest of the journey.

The end really is the beginning and I have decided to talk about an album that marked the official recording debut of an amazing artist: Joni Mitchell. I have been listening to her for years and years now and never seem to get tired. She has introduced me to a whole new way of looking at music and how it should be made and that has stayed with me ever since I first bought this, her first album. This was actually the first CD of hers that I acquired even though her discography offered a very wide selection to choose from. But when I decided to explore her musical cannon, I opted to go there in a chronological way. Needless to say, the journey was wild and wonderful, with each new album offering new musical palettes and new songwriting perspectives.

SONG TO A SEAGULL or JONI MITCHELL, as it's also known, it's one I always find myself going back to from time to time. Maybe it's to revisit that first impression of inocence. I leave you with Night in the City. Take care.

This is it: the motherlode of all France Gall compilations. An Intégrale of all her Philips recordings from 1963 to 68. Not a single one of its 70 plus tracks a clunker. I know, it sounds unbelievable but I assure you it's true. 3 CDs, packaged in a Long Box, the breeziest, cutest, jazzy-est songs you'll ever hear. Essential listening for all aficionados.

On a side note, it also serves as an amazing primer for anyone wishing to dip a toe or two in the fabulous world of french yé-yé. The 60's really were a wild and fast world to live in in France. It's quite amazing the sheer number of female singers that were around at the time if you think about it. To top all that, the songs were not bad at all, quite on the contrary. They still sound as fresh today as the day they were recorded and continue to influence every twee solo singer that you find making records today, even though it has been delegated to the indie scene as it's not considered trendy music. Well, it is in my book, anyway.

I leave you with one of her greatest hits, Les Sucettes, a single penned by none other than Serge Gainsbourg. As you might imagine, it caused quite a commotion once people began to realize what the lyrics were all about...

Phew! It took me a bit of work but it's done! Don't know if you've noticed but now you can listen to every song I chose to highlight the album I'm writing about in their entirety, instead of just a 30 second clip. A bit of hard work to get there but really worthwhile as you will see.

Now, I'm taking a well deserved breather while chilling out to my current favorite Tori track from her new album. See you soon.

A very recent discovery that I did while looking for some french ye-ye albums that I still hadn't heard. Canada's Margo Guryan's TAKE A PICTURE was her only official output (seems I have a thing for artists that only put out one or two albums in their recording careers) and it's a beauty. It's the kind of record you put on those lazy Sunday mornings and let it wash over you with all its unabashed sunshine glory. If you like breezy songs, charmingly arranged and with that extra retro pop sound to it, this is the perfect record for you.

At times it almost feels like you're listening to a lost Claudine Longet album because Guryan's vocals are strikingly similar to Longet's in that breathy, whispering way we've grown so familiar with. It really is 60's french pop sung in english. Apparently, Guryan didn't care too much about pop songs (she is classically trained) but after hearing The Beach Boy's wondrous GOD ONLY KNOWS included in their legendary PET SOUNDS album, she never looked back. Can't really blame her, can you? While you're still here, have a listen to Sunday Morning.

Golden-voiced, fair-looking, talented, Shelagh McDonald was one of Britain's brightest upcoming stars with a sure-fire career ahead of her. And then she vanished.

Compared to both Joni Mitchell and Nick Drake, she had a lot to live up to and she had the talent to do so. With only two officially recorded albums to remember her, it's mind-boggling to think the heights she would reach if she hadn't abandoned the music business altogether. Apparently, after a big alucinogenic journey caused by heavy drugs, she lost her way. Literally. Her parents had to rescue her back to Ireland and no more was heard of her. A crying shame.

Still, her catalogue remains an obligatory (re)discovery and perhaps her somewhat tragic fate is the main ingredient of her lasting charm. Here's to you, Shelagh. Listen to Stargazer, one of her best compositions.

I thought it would be appropriate for this midsummer night to invoque a band that perfectly blends pagan traditions with avant-garde music, bordering on folk art-rock. Let me introduce you then to the mystical, scary sounds of Comus' debut album, FIRST UTTERANCE.

I first heard of them when I began to seriously investigate the whole british acid/folk/progressive scene and Comus was always a name that was held in high regard by everyone who was into this particular kind of music. After tracking down their album, it was not hard to see why: the songs have a kind of paganistic ritual to them and the lyrics as well as the singing emphasize this very characteristic. Murder, rape, violence, despair and occasional moments of serene clarity are the main ingredients of this bewitching brew of both ancient and modern sounds.

If you want to know, Comus is derived from Greek Mythology: he is the god of festivity, revels and nocturnal dalliances. He represents anarchy and chaos. During his festivals in Ancient Greece, men and women exchanged clothes. He was depicted as a young man on the point of unconsciousness from drink. He had a wreath of flowers on his head and carried a torch that was in the process of being dropped. Unlike the purely carnal Pan or purely intoxicated Bacchus, Comus was a god of excess. He is a son of Bacchus and Circe. Perfectly suited then for a night like tonight's. Listen to one of their key songs: Herald.

The perfect record for a hot late spring day like today's. GONNA TAKE A MIRACLE was Laura Nyro's wonderful tribute to the songs she loved as a teen and the ones that formed her as both a musician and singer.

As legend goes, this album was recorded in just a few days and the tracks you hear are mostly one-take affairs. Apparently, both Nyro and the Labelle combo knew all the songs by heart and it was just a matter of getting them right on tape. A lot of fun was also involved, according to those who enjoyed it, which really helped the whole feel of the record: laid-back, spontaneous, fun and moving.

Nyro's impressionistic approach to songwriting is also on clear display here, despite it being a strictly covers album. She was always a free spirit, anyway. At this moment in time, it was still not considered fashionable to do a whole covers album, which only goes to prove just how far ahead of her time she was. Still is, in my book. Listen to The Bells and dare not to fall in love with it.