Swap.

What do you know, what do you say?

Number 3 in our monthly CD 'classic' swap has proved to be my favourite.

A double C.D of 15 years of Bella Union.

Tim has come up trumps this time from his eclectic vaults.

An absolute belter of a compilation. 

34 tracks - 6 so-so but the rest are very entertaining indeed.

The highlights?

Lawrence Arabia - Reminiscent of the great Wreckless Eric I thought. (This is no bad thing)

The Walkmen, Van Dyke Parkes, Dirty Three, and Explosions in the sky really set this apart.

I have some of the other tracks on other albums but they all add to the familiarity and flow of the 2 discs.

I can se why the Guv holds this stuff in such high regard.

Admittedly the Magic Look track is utter tosh but what a splendid ratio of good to bad.

The litmus test must be if it has prompted me to buy some more from these artistes. 

It has. 

So this Bella Union stuff is very good indeed. 

Varied, accomplished and unpretentious.

I do like a good record label as you know (ahhh Factory...*wipes tear*) and this is a very good record label indeed.

Onward and upwards all.

Three For Three.