Pink Umbrella

Pink Umbrella, originally uploaded by Southcoasting.

More pictures from San Juan. The combination of wealth and dereliction in one small neighbourhood was quite impressive, as ever. America is always a land of extremes, and no more so than here.

A bird flying over the factory by the sea

Bird in the sky, originally uploaded by Southcoasting.

mp3 Eisley - in the aeroplane over the sea (Neutral Milk Hotel cover) (via Radio Free Chicago)

Old San Juan

Old San Juan, originally uploaded by Southcoasting.

We only spent about 4 hours in the Old Town. It was probably enough, but it was a lovely place and seemed easy to chill there.

March Rain mixtape

I guested on the Simple Folk Radio show this week and brought along this CD's worth of cool music. We didn't get to play all of it, so I thought I'd make it available for a little while as a mixtape to download. Lots of nice sounds, with a leaning towards some present relevance via Townes Van Zandt covers (we put on a Townes' tribute night earlier in the week), Withered Hand's ode to Providence, Rhode Island (he's been denied a US visa to play at SXSW as we speak) and some March Rain (thanks to Michael Chapman, who's playing in Brighton later this month).

15 tracks by 15 artists. 60 minutes of musical excellence. Enjoy.

Andy Gaines - the more things change from the free EP on the little num num label

Mute Swimmer - different name available on the album on the Woodland recordings label mp3

Pacific Ocean Fire - You are not needed now (Townes Van Zandt cover)

Reverend Charlie Jackson - God's got it

Withered Hand - Providence support Dan's attempt to tour the USA

Allysen Callery - Favourite Son from free Ondadrops vol 3 compilation of women artists mp3

Monoganon - Monomania from new free album on the winning sperm party label

Michael Chapman - March Rain playing Brighton shortly

This is Deer Country - Small Game from their 2010 album What wandering heart

Phosphorescent - Why she's acting this way (Townes Van Zandt cover)

Abigail Washburn - Kangding Qingge (Old Timey Dance Party) website

Wailing Wall - Hospital Blossom from album currently free to download from jdub records

Bob Dylan - Baby let me follow you down this year being the 50th anniversary of Bob's 1st LP

Josiah Wolf and Liz Hodson - Let the Mermaids Flirt with Me (Mississippi John Hurt cover)

Salter Cane - Sorrow from the album of the same name

Download the full set by clicking here

Toys are Revolting

Up yours Gobbo!

Barbie's not flustered

Baby's got a brand new toy

Townes Van Zandt would have been 67 years old

Rex's blues, originally uploaded by Southcoasting.

Dominique Noiret and Jamie Tweddell playing Townes Van Zandt's Rex's Blues, just one highlight of a very fine evening of music in celebration of the life and songs of one of America's greatest songwriters on the occasion of what would have been his 67th birthday.

If you don't know Townes, here's another of his finest songs:

• Townes Van Zandt - Waiting round to die mp3

This is sheep country

This is sheep country, originally uploaded by Southcoasting.

New photos on film.

mp3 Stealing Sheep - Hole in the water (via das klienicum)

Testing the Olympus Trip 35, seems it works well in bright sunlight but not on automatic in shade, I like this one.

File under #notDavidBailey

Sweet Jane

, originally uploaded by valitova.

mp3 Velvet Underground - Sweet Jane

Happy Birthday Lou