Show notes for the 339th Mużika Mod Ieħor podcast featuring music by performers from or in Malta:

Mana Tapu – Babylon Aside
Earlier this year I played a number of songs taking part to represent Malta at the Hard Rock Rising Global Battle of the Bands. That privilege went to the delightful Mana Tapu, newcomers on the scene. They’ve made quite an impact with fans and critics alike, even if the contest wasn’t really an adventure that propelled them to great fame. I’m very much looking forward to hearing from them again. When I do, you can rest assured that you’ll be seeing them on my podcast again.

DJ Format feat. Sureshot La Rock – Mr DJ

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ahPTBIa0ScU

Malta Bums – Mister DJ
My colleague Michael Bugeja pointed out this reworking of the B-side from the 1973 classic vinyl release L-Ewwel Tfajla li Ħabbejt. The song was co-written by Alfred C. Sant and Ray Agius, who features on this recording as the organ player. I’m not sure what to make of all this, other than the fact that it’s always great to have an excuse to listen to the legendary Bayzo sing.

Kristina Casolani – Reduce / Reuse / Recycle (Carlo Gerada Mix)
It’s good to see KC spreading herself towards a new fanbase, while doing some good with this environmental awareness campaign. I’m still waiting to hear her do a song in Maltese. Perhaps this was a missed opportunity, but in spite of that I think that she still has further good stuff up her sleeve.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BvEMWNYKL8s

Dorothy Muscat – Signor Si
One more song from this year’s L-Għanja tal-Poplu to close up this week’s podcast. It’s a sweet little song composed by seasoned veteran Sammy Galea with lyrics by Joe Julian Farrugia. This song placed second in the contest, but that’s not why I’m playing it. I really like how it captures a history of the way Maltese pop festival songs have evolved since the 1960s.

The RSS feed for the Mużika Mod Ieħor podcast is available here or you can simply click here to subscribe directly with iTunes. You can also follow each new episode through the MMI Podcast: Facebook Fan Page or on MySpace. If you have no idea what any of this means, just enjoy listening to the podcast on the player right below this text.

Show notes for the 338th Mużika Mod Ieħor podcast featuring music by performers from or in Malta:

Texas – The Conversation
From time to time we include something by Scottish singer Sharleen Spiteri. This time she’s back with her long-time band Texas and a song I used as the title of the podcast show notes on my blog a couple of podcasts ago. Spiteri is, of course, of Maltese descent, and that’s how Texas end up opening this week’s podcast. In any case, it’s a good song too…so that helps, wouldn’t you agree?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wDPyMD_CLgc

Chris & Moira – Flight 170
The pop duo that came together representing Malta at the Eurovision Song Contest almost 20 years ago have ended up sharing a life together. They now return with a new album that shows song writing and performance maturity on their part. There isn’t much else for me to add, other than listen to the song and judge for yourself. I have a feeling you’ll like it…I mean, why wouldn’t you?

Rita Pace – Pupazzi
Rita Pace has been one of my favourite Maltese singer-songwriters for many years. This is what led me to invite her to give an intimate concert at the M3P launch a couple of years ago. Here’s her song from this year’s L-Għanja tal-Poplu, which she co-wrote with Emil Calleja Bayliss. It doesn’t hurt that the song placed third in the contest…but that doesn’t really matter, does it?

Banda Briganti & Justin Galea – Il-Maltin bil-Politka Medhijin
I played another song by this band a few weeks ago. Here they team up with the ever-prolific Justin Galea. I like this song very much, and apparently so did the judges at this year’s L-Għanja tal-Poplu because they picked Sylvan Borg as this year’s Best Songwriter. I’ve featured his songs on my podcast long before most people knew who he was…and he knows that, don’t you Syl?

Robert Farrugia – Title Track
An experimental teenage musician from Malta is a rarity. Robert Farrugia falls very comfortably in this category. I’m rather impressed by his output and have been wanting to play one of this tracks for a number of months. I’ve picked this one, but I could/should have picked another from his debut album A Summer’s Sketch or his latest EP ​Mistranslation. I’m sure we’ll be hearing more from him in the coming months and years…really, why shouldn’t we?

The RSS feed for the Mużika Mod Ieħor podcast is available here or you can simply click here to subscribe directly with iTunes. You can also follow each new episode through the MMI Podcast: Facebook Fan Page or on MySpace. If you have no idea what any of this means, just enjoy listening to the podcast on the player right below this text.

Show notes for the 337th Mużika Mod Ieħor podcast featuring music by performers from or in Malta:

Dolls for Idols – Youth
I was pleasantly surprised to see this video released on YouTube a few days ago. It showed me that the band is not only still active but also as productive as ever. Appreciative of their youthful vitality, I’m sure that there’s more in the pipeline for the remaining months of 2013, so I expect they’ll be featured again sooner or later on a future edition of the MMI podcast.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lQ73co7hoCs

Roger Scannura – Mediterra
Maltese-Canadian flamenco guitarist has released another album. This one is called Vida Flamenca and features several delightful tunes that not only showcase his virtuosity but also demonstrate the sort of maturity you expect from someone who has been recording for over twenty years.

Ta’ Verna – Bit-Tof…Ma Tofx?
I will probably always remember this year’s L-Għanja tal-Poplu festival for this song. To my mind it stands out head and shoulders above all the others that were competing in this edition of the contest. I’m not aware of any other recordings by the folkloristic group Ta’ Verna, so this is a double treat. Songwriters Rita Pace and George Bonello should be wholeheartedly congratulated for brining Ta’ Verna to the attention of a broader audience through this song contest.

Mistura – Nammetti Li Ma Naf Xejn
Not as good as their previous offerings but still worth including on this edition of the MMI podcast, since I’ve decided to play some of the songs from the 40th edition of L-Għanja tal-Poplu. Antonio Olivari has been a long-time listener of this series, so out of respect to him, if for no other reason, we get to hear Malcolm Bonnici sing again on this series. Then again, this song is not half as bad as some people have made it out to be. Then again, what do I know?

Fiona Camilleri – Taħnina
Awarded Best New Talent, this young singer has really made an impact on me. L-Għanja tal-Poplu is an excellent showcase not only for up and coming singers but also budding songwriters. This song is written by Robert Carbonaro, who has appeared on previous editions of the MMI podcast. I think his collaboration with Fiona is a step in the right direction for both of them. If Malta had a proper radio spectrum, this song could easily become a classic.

Ivan Grech with Paul Giordimaina – Xemx
Talking of classic songs, Winter Moods have had this song on their playlist of many years. While rather different from Xtruppaw’s cover, Ivan Grech still manages to deliver the song with the sort of reverence he normally reserves for songs from non-Maltese artists he admires. This version, which you can also watch on video right here, is even more delightful to my tastes, as it features the groovy piano stylings of Paul Giordimaina, who is equally well-versed in jazz as he is in pop. Meanwhile, Winter Moods have released Xemx on an EP with some other song to benefit the Puttinu Cares Children’s Cancer Support Group. The 9th edition of Puttinu’s annual marathon was held today.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AtMyxuRCeSk

The RSS feed for the Mużika Mod Ieħor podcast is available here or you can simply click here to subscribe directly with iTunes. You can also follow each new episode through the MMI Podcast: Facebook Fan Page or on MySpace. If you have no idea what any of this means, just enjoy listening to the podcast on the player right below this text.

Show notes for the 336th Mużika Mod Ieħor podcast featuring music by performers from or in Malta:

Milk Mi – Party
This week’s podcast is practically full of tracks I thought I had already included on an earlier edition but hadn’t. It’s an odd feeling. The first comes from a band that has returned after what seemed like a brief hiatus. I like how they sound (and look) but I really wish they did songs in Maltese. Perhaps it’s just a very personal thing. I just think they would stand out much more if they did that and they would certainly receive more attention than they’ve managed to attract. I think they deserve all the attention they can get.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PFx1H67u0Bc

Joe Roscoe – How I Feel About You
Joe Muscat was someone I had bookmarked on YouTube several months ago but never got around to including him on a previous edition of my podcast. This year he has resurfaced as Joe Roscoe and has made quite a splash with this new song. I doubt that this is the last time we’ll be hearing from him. I’m also quite sure that his next offering will be even better than this one.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8rGZPO52uPw

nosnow/noalps – Elizabeth, I
During my most recent visit to Malta I had the good fortune of catching nosnow/noalps performing live in the MediaCAST video production studio in Targa Gap. They had a new line-up, which sounded even cooler than the one captured on their previous recordings. They’ve now released this track from last year’s album Romantikpolitik to follow-on from the recent bout of touring that they did. This particular song reminds me of British band Prefab Sprout from the 1980s. That’s a compliment, actually.

Alex Alden – Dancing Alone
I think Alex Alden will always remember me as the guy who made her break a string on her dad’s lovely Ovation acoustic guitar just before she was about to play a live on Michael Bugeja’s Rockna radio show. Luckily Konrad Pule came to the rescue, with an even more impressive Gibson acoustic guitar. To clarify: we were talking about alternative tunings. Anyway, for some reason I was pretty sure I had played this song on a previous edition of the MMI podcast, but I clearly hadn’t. There’s not only a video for it but she has now released it as part of an EP called The Curious Child. It sounds pretty impressive for a debut release, particularly coming from such an unassuming young artist, who was invited as one of the interval acts at the most recent Malta Eurovision Song Contest. I believe she performed live on that day too. Luckily for her, I wasn’t around…but Konrad was right there, of course.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LeiW9TFwJmg

Cedric Vella – Il-Banana Tiegħi
We last heard Cedric Vella on the MMI podcast as the guitarist for the metal band For the Godless. This sort of thing was the last thing I ever expected from him. But as part of the debris that will survive from the 2013 General Elections I think this is a fitting memory. Naturally, the video makes it even more worthwhile than if we only got an audio release. Having said this, it’s actually quite evident that this is a video production, particularly since Cedric is a master video editor. What else can I say? Enjoy! Or at least rejoice that it’s all over. Or is it?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fqgDJR2IG-M

The RSS feed for the Mużika Mod Ieħor podcast is available here or you can simply click here to subscribe directly with iTunes. You can also follow each new episode through the MMI Podcast: Facebook Fan Page or on MySpace. If you have no idea what any of this means, just enjoy listening to the podcast on the player right below this text.

Show notes for the 335th Mużika Mod Ieħor podcast featuring music by performers from or in Malta:

The Crowns – Home
Vittore Gauci provides the voice for this Maltese band that keeps getting better which every new release. I’m not particularly impressed by the music as much as I am by the way they present themselves, as you can hopefully see for yourself in the promotional video they’ve produced for this new song.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Av96vK8lfJs

Planet Seeds – Want You To Know
Klinsmann Coleiro has certainly found a new identity through this band, but I’m also fairly sure that there’s more to this band than his attempt to reinvent himself after years of just being a pretty boy who tries annually to go to the Eurovision Song Contest for Malta. I’m looking forward to hearing more from this band, and I have a feeling they’re just as fun to watch live.

No Bling Show Marija s-Sabiħa
Well, they’ve done it again! In some ways, this is even better than Luċija u Samwel from the NBS debut album. Taken from their second album Ċar Kristall and featuring rising star Claude Agius Il-Lapes along with band founder Jon Mallia, this song samples a recording of this classic folk song recorded by Manuel Cilia in the 1930s, revived through Andrew Alamango’s Lost Voices project. I’ve only played a part of the full saga on my podcast, but just watch this video and listen to the album (available here as a free download) to get the full effect. As far as Maltese music goes, it really doesn’t get any better than this.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FMq9eDK0Xi8

Soul ‘n Sole – Same Old Song
Jez Zerafa has been active on the local music scene since the 1980s but he is virtually unknown outside certain spheres of the scene itself. He has recently been collaborating with singer Lara Dimech, and together they have recorded this song, with some collaboration on the lyrics from Rita Pace. I really like the sound of this song and Lara’s voice is quite striking. You can rest assured that their next song will also be featured on the MMI podcast.

Banda Briganti – Is-Sindromu tal-Kelb tal-But
I’m very pleased to see Sylvan Borg team up with lyricist Keith Muscat to produce songs in Maltese. This is one of the first two available from this grouping. The other will feature in the upcoming Għanja tal-Poplu Festival, sung by Justin Galea. I sincerely hope that Banda Briganti is set to develop more songs in this vein as I think that this will also make Sylvan Borg achieve the potential I saw in him years before anyone else (other than people who know him personally) cared to listen to his songs more than once.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y8kcTjGHbcQ

The RSS feed for the Mużika Mod Ieħor podcast is available here or you can simply click here to subscribe directly with iTunes. You can also follow each new episode through the MMI Podcast: Facebook Fan Page or on MySpace. If you have no idea what any of this means, just enjoy listening to the podcast on the player right below this text.

Show notes for the 334th Mużika Mod Ieħor podcast featuring music by performers from or in Malta:

Ħolma Qattusa feat. Kukkanja – L-Għabex u l-Għaliex
Ħolma Qattista feat. Yews – Raqda Twila
It’s not usual that I play two tracks in a row by the same act. This is one exception when I certainly don’t mind doing just that. I’m equally intrigued by Martha Vassallo and Yews, and I’m really glad Kukkanja has collaborated with Antoine Vella. If this is really generation hope I want to get as much of it as possible. Thank you.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nrn0FxUUE84

Jon Lukas Woodenman – Bad News
The legend is back. Not that he ever really went away, at least not in the last twenty odd years or so. A few days ago, my friend Lito did a radio special featuring this veteran Maltese performer and invited me, Mike Bugeja and Noel D’Anastas to write little notes of appreciation. And we did. How can you not appreciate a man who writes and sings a song like this after all he’s been through. It’s rare that bad news is good news, but this is one of those exceptions.

Ira Losco feat. David Leguesse – The Person I Am
Ira Losco’s new album is called Fire. What I’d Give was the first single off it. The video for that was quite good. This second song is better than the video for it, even if this video has some good moments too. The best thing about this song is undoubtedly Dizzy David Leguesse, who gives it the edge that makes it stand out as the sort of thing that could be played on any radio station around the world featuring all the latest chart hits.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3YL6FUsh-lI

Charles Babyface Curmi – Il-Bajja tal-Mellieħa
During my visit to Australia earlier this year, one person I failed to meet with was Charles Babyface Curmi. He was quite unwell, and although it would have been good to meet him, his work is exceptionally well documented as he was one of the prime organizers of shows by popular Maltese artists in Australia over the past three or four decades. He was also a well-loved entertainer in his own right among the die hard Maltese communities down under and will undoubtedly be greatly missed now that he has passed away. An MMI salute to this giant of Maltese pop culture in Australia comes in the form of his version of the classic New Courey song, along with his brother George il-Puse on violin and Yuri on accordion, about five years ago.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qam0fAQQ3eA

The RSS feed for the Mużika Mod Ieħor podcast is available here or you can simply click here to subscribe directly with iTunes. You can also follow each new episode through the MMI Podcast: Facebook Fan Page or on MySpace. If you have no idea what any of this means, just enjoy listening to the podcast on the player right below this text.