As if we needed any more proof that the little Indian Summer we just experienced is well & truly over, the fact that today I woke up before sunrise and got home from work after sunset (and get up particularly early or leave work particularly late) is certainly enough for me. And whilst I am definitely a creature of the sun, there are certain elements of autumn & winter that I like, and certain songs that evoke these things. The Zero 7 remix of Up With People by Lambchop is one of those.
I first heard it during the winter of 2000, which was my first back in the UK after an extended stay in Sydney (a place made for someone with my love of the sun), when it featured very highly in Gilles Peterson’s All Winners list for that year.
The original is a pretty lovely piece of music anyway, but as with their remix of Umi Says by Mos Def, Zero 7 manage to ratchet up the loveliness to another level. It’s a mix of soaring vocals, sweeping strings and the most soothing of basslines. And ever since I first heard it I’ve associated it with winter, and so decided to dig it out again tonight.I’d point you in the direction of somewhere to buy or download it, but since I did exactly that a couple of years ao it seems to have become rather elusive.
It’s also a pretty good way of celebrating the fact that Gilles Peterson is returning to Bar Rumba, scene of the infamous That How It Is nights from the nineties, with a new night called Worldwide Underground and the first one is this coming Monday – I’m certainly hoping to be there. Just as I’m hoping to be at Dingwalls next month for the latest event celebrating the truly legendary Talkin’ Loud & Saying Somethin Sunday afternoon sessions from the 80s. It’s likely to be emotional.
How right you are sir. Cracking tune. Cracking remix.
I had Lambchop on repeat when my oldest was a baby. It was perfect rock-him-to-sleep music at 3am.
Going to see them (again) next month at the Union Chapel. Can’t think of a better venue.
I saw Lambchop at the Grey Eagle in Asheville on Valentine’s Day. I work at night and got a co-worker to cover for me for a couple of hours. The small 6 piece Lambchop sounded beautiful – such dear and old-fashioned values. It was the most romantic date imaginable, me and my wife of 20 years swooned the whole show as the piano and guitars intertwined and shimmered. When Kurt called his wife at the insistence of the audience, he dedicated the next song to her and put his cell phone on a his music stand while they played it. When it was over he asked her, “that wasn’t too loud, was it honey? I love you and’ll be home in a few hours”
We were charmed.