Ending up the week on a high, soulful and moody note.

Bettye Lavette has been going at it since she was 16. In the five decades since, she's hit highs, lows and a lot of neglect in between. Primarily a singles artist, she didn't get her first album released until 1982, which would actually be her second as a first album was recorded by Atlantic in 1972 and shelved until 1997. Between that time there was a lot of bouncing around from label to label and a lot of almost's-but-not-quite's. Same old story - great material, incredible voice but something didn't click. But rather than pack it up and call it day, she persevered and it finally has paid off. In fact, she has released a new album which you are urged to check out. I think it's safe to say she's finally getting the recognition that has eluded her for so long, judging by the positive press she's been getting lately.

But tonight it's a classic she originally recorded for the Cala label. This one, Let Me Down Easy, is a gut-wrenching, brooding masterpiece that did very well on the charts (hitting #20 for R&B) and holds its own even to this day. It's become something of a signature song for her and she's re-recorded it a few times since. But this is the first one.

Like I said, ending the week on a high note.

Another band that came and went rather quickly. The Soup Dragons got started in 1985 and split up in 1995. Between those years were several albums, a few singles (including their biggest hit "I'm Free" which they recorded with Junior Reid), and a moderate amount of success. But it wasn't to last and the band broke up in 1995, heading in different directions and to different bands.

So in case you forgot, here's a track from their 1990 album Love God, with Drive The Pain as a reminder.

Last night, in the course of my tribute post to Trish Keenan and Broadcast, I cited U.S. 60's Avant-garde, electronica band The United States Of America as a major influence on their work.

In case a lot of you aren't familiar with this band, I thought it would best to give you an example to let you know they really did exist. Formed in 1967 by electronic music composer Joseph Byrd and several classmate friends at UCLA, USofA wasted no time securing a label deal and the fruits of their labor were born out in the release of their first (and only) release, the self-titled United States Of America. Despite a lot of excitement in the press and among colleagues at UCLA, the album sold terribly and the band would soon dissolve by the end of 1968. It was a good idea, and in retrospect, very much ahead of its time. But was it rock n' roll as it was marketed by Columbia Records? No. The album was popular in Europe and gained a cult following over the years. Broadcast is one of several bands who have cited USofA as a major influence on their sound, as well as pioneering bands like Portishead. So in retrospect, all was not lost and all was not in vain.

So here is tonight's track off that album, Coming Down.

Faust came about at a time when German rock (or Krautrock if you really have to) was heading into new, uncharted electro-acoustic/electronic experimental territory. Bands like Can and Guru-Guru were getting international reputations and Faust was cutting-edge and had enormous appeal for a lot of the Progressive bands coming out of England, France and Italy. Eventually, their influence spread over to the states with several groups citing them as a huge influence in honing their sound.

Bounced around from label to label, simply because nobody really knew what to do with them, Faust managed to carve out a legacy that is still listed as a major influence by many bands even today.

Tonights track, Jennifer, comes from Faust IV, released during their brief period with Virgin Records. Faust initially split up in 1975 after parting company with Virgin. They did resurface in the 1980's and, at last check had an album issued recently.

And people still don't quite know what to make of them.

This song was running around in my head all day. Hadn't actually heard it in years, but it managed to work its way into my brain and stay there until I dragged out the record and played it.

Shapes Of Things was a huge hit for The Yardbirds when it came out in February of 1966. Not only were they the group just about every garage band in L.A. wanted to sound like, they also had three of the greatest guitarists in the world playing with them at one time or other. Eric Clapton, Jeff Beck and Jimmy Page left their mark on what was probably one of the most influential bands of the 1960's.

In the off chance you aren't familiar with them (and I've been reminded by several colleagues that no, take nothing for granted) now is a very good time to start.

Shapes Of Things just has 2010 written all over it.

(The Selecter - Pauline Black and crew riding a big wave of Ska)

The UK called it a "resurgence in Ska", but we never got it the first time around, so it was all new to us. The closest the U.S. ever got to Ska was Millie Small's My Boy Lollipop in 1964 and "Israelites" by Desmond Dekker in 1968. We all knew about Bob Marley, but that was Reggae and, according to aficionados, different than Ska.

So in 1979 Ska burst back (or burst on in our case) the scene, bringing us the likes of The Specials, Madness, The Bodysnatchers, The Selecter and many others. The fast-paced music and high energy performance were a shoe-in with Punk audiences and Ska appreciated a huge popularity all over the world in a very short period of time.

Tonight's track is by The Selecter, fronted by singer Pauline Black. On My Radio was a huge hit in the UK and Europe and did quite well over here. It was one the first of several hit singles the band would have between 1979 and 1981. The Selecter would go through a series of personnel changes and reformations, disbanding and reforming between 1982 and 2005. Black would go on to a successful acting career between leaving the band and getting back together with them.

The Selecter were a landmark band during a pioneering time. And for some reason, the music just doesn't seem old. That's a good thing.