Pop Will Eat My Blog

Dreamscape 6.5

2011-11-02T10:10:00.000-07:00

Another in my Dreamscape trilogy, and one that I actually really enjoyed making and listening to. The intro of this mix started out very ambient, but flowed together very nicely. I tend to like building mixes up. peaking, then having them flow back down. This one encompasses a little more of the electronic vein, but I think you'll enjoy it regardless. As with all these being posted, PLEASE post your thoughts of them. I'd like some feedback to what you thought of the musical choices, and how the mix made you feel. Music for me has never been just an auditory experience, it's something that evokes a great deal of feeling. I always try to encapsulate these feelings in the music choices, and hope you get something from it.

Track Listing:

1) July Skies - East Anglian Skies
2) M83 - Moonchild
3) Blue States - Looking Glass
4) DJ Shadow - Dark Days
5) Air - Kelly Watch The Stars
6) Ladytron - Playgirl
7) Chemical Brothers - Star Guitar
8) Alucard - Late Summer Fields
9) Chicane - Saltwater
10) Orbital - Halcyon + On + On
11) Opus III - It's A Fine Day
12) Delerium - Aria

Grab it here!

2011-10-31T11:28:00.000-07:00

I kind of promised this would happen soon, and really couldn't not come through for you!

This isn't really where it all started, but I've done a whole series of these mixes now. Some are decent, some, well.. not so great upon reflection. It does give me a chance to work off some stress, get back into the knack of playing music, and express some music I've become fond of. A lot of these mixes are based on feelings at the time, and tend to be somewhat darker in nature. The encompass many musical genres such as: shoegaze, britpop, ambient, electronic, trance. Give them a listen and PLEASE post your feedback, even if you think it sucks. Keep one thing in mind, I am NOT using any professional equipment to do these, so do not judge them too harshly. Also, they are one big track since I cannot make them split anymore without annoying clicks at the start of the tracks. I am more or less putting songs together I feel work well as a theme. I'll put more of them up in a few days, but for now you can have a listen to this.

Enjoy!

1) White Lies - Death (Crystal Castles Remix)
2) Crystal Castles - Celeste
3) Bridal Shop - Ideal State
4) Orbital - Belfast/Wasted
5) The Mary Onettes - Puzzles
6) Mumm-Ra - She's Got You High
7) Athlete - Wires
8) Doves - Caught By The River
9) Sad Day For Puppets - Blue Skies
10) Mellonova - Stolen Gift
11) Cocteau Twins - Serpentskirt
12) Death In Vegas - Girls
13) Guitaro - Find You Out (Part 4)
14) A Northern Chorus - Let The Parrots Speak For Themselves
15) Mazzy Star - Halah
16) Great Lake Swimmers - Falling Into The Sky

Grab it here!

I keep trying..

2011-10-29T12:07:00.000-07:00

I keep trying to get time to do this.. crikey.. it seems like a never ending struggles just to get a few moments to do anything nowadays. I have the intent to rock your world with a few choice eps and singles I have been picking up lately. I haven't even mentioned my marathon vinyl shopping rampage through Manchester, London and Paris!!! I also seem to have been taking more time to piss around with making mixes, some strange idea of me reliving my dj past (or illusions of grandeur). I will include some for you here, IF I can figure out how to do podcasting.. something that has been eluding me for a while now. I never seem to get past the technical mumbo-jumbo of it all.

For all of you who still check from time to time, I am very sorry that things have gone stagnant. I have a 3yr old daughter, a house, back in school for nursing, and another son on the way in Feb. Life has been increasingly in the 'fast lane', and I cannot seem to find the offramp... Keep checking, you may find some surprising things pop up!

On an off note.. it's "have annoying and ungrateful kids knock on your door and beg for candy to make them fat" day again. I'd really LOVE to see kids going door to door asking for canned goods to help the local food banks, in lieu of feeding their own greedy faces. Perhaps this might work for instilling some good values in your kids? Or at least potentially saving you the bill at the dentist.

Podcasts Coming soon.. be ready!

2010-12-02T10:39:00.000-08:00

Once I figure out how to do it, there will be interesting Podcasts coming your way. I've been busy with the mixing software, and these will hopefully make you smile.

Stay tuned.

Time Out

2008-05-08T05:19:00.000-07:00

Update: 04/19/2009

I will be back at this in the next little while. That should make some
of you a tad happier.

My faithful visitors might have noticed that nothing has gone on here for a while. Sorry. Things will go back to normal in time, I swear on that. For now, I just do not have any time to post here! New house at the end of the month, and lots of overtime to keep me busy. I have little left over to sit down and formulate a posting. Once the madness of moving is finished, you will see some new material up here. Thanks for being patient!

Update: 07/16/2008

Well, as of today.. I have internet again! (and there was much rejoicing!) [yay]
This still means, however, that I have 2 hardwood floors to finish, and several rooms to paint before the 3-4 week "wife popping" event begins. I'll try to post something, honestly! I know you are all drooling for something by now..

Update: 08/21/2008

Baby Audrey was born on 08/11/2008 at 11:48 PM. Lots of sleepless nights, but we love our little princess.

Bit on the slow side..

2008-03-26T05:46:00.000-07:00

Things are a bit on the slow side here, but life has caught up with me again. You might be happy to know I'm expecting a lil' one, we're about 22 weeks along right now. So there's a bit of work involved there obviously. I'm also looking for a bigger house, and that's eating up a lot of time right now. We have to make room for the little one, and allow for all these records to stay as well. I'll try to post when I can, but expect things to be a tad sporadic over the next little while. Now would be a good time to go back through the archives and see what's back there! Enjoy the ride.

Yeah Yeah Yeahs - Maps

2008-03-09T15:27:00.000-07:00

This was a track that I heard on (of all places) a francophone channel that was playing music videos in the lulls of their programming. I had been channel flicking when I came across the gloomy looking singer crying her eyes out when she sang; quite odd. Although the video left much to be desired, the track was quite brilliant. It did get quite a bit of airplay on radio, like every hour at one point, and that initially drove me off it. But being the picky bastard I am, I knew I had to have this on vinyl, despite how hard it would be to find. Here we are, a glorious 10" red vinyl EP of maps, and a few other crap songs. I'll be honest in saying I've not really given the band a chance past this EP, and that's something I should do at some point (there's just too much music, and too little wallet). As I did mention, 'Maps' is a great track, which has a flickering winter breath on the shoegaze spectrum of things, and that’s perhaps why I like it so. The other two tracks I can live without, as they sound like the torture of Joan of Arc (and then some). It seems like New York is growing some great music; in the case of Interpol which I've liked everything, and in the case of the Yeah Yeah Yeahs, at least I like one song.

Track 1, Maps

Track 2, Count Down

Track 3, Miles Away (John Peel Session)

Grab the tracks here!

US Interscope Records 2003, B0002074-11

Personal rating 3/5

Pete Shelley - On Your Own

2008-03-09T13:34:00.000-07:00

You can look back at a lot of bands, and ponder how many of them managed to not float your boat in the mid 80's. Then all of a sudden, you find one gem that should be regarded as one of the greatest songs of the 80's. The track 'One Your Own' surely must be one of those tracks, as I have never really been a fan of Pete Shelley, nor The Buzzcocks for that matter. Perhaps The Buzzcocks material for the most part was a tad too harsh for me (I do like a few tracks, just not most of it), or perhaps Pete Shelley was a bit too abstract for my liking back then; who knows. I do know that every time I hear this song, even today, I remind myself of a great time. There are certain songs that are anthems to an era for people, be it 'Somebody' by Depeche Mode, or 'How Soon Is Now' by The Smiths. This is among my large list of anthem songs from that period, and would make many a mixed tape it's home if that were the format of choice today. Alas, mixed Cd's don't have the same charm as making a good mixed tape, and this is best exemplified by watching High Fidelity. Go watch your copy again.

Track 1, On Your Own (New York Mix)

Track 2, On Your Own (Dub Mix)

Track 3, Please Forgive Me.. But I Cannot Endure It Any Longer

Grab the tracks here!

UK Mercury Records 1986, MERX 221

Personal rating 4.5/5

Moev - Crucify Me

2008-02-23T08:07:00.000-08:00

There are always the few bands in your collection which you have a special place for, and find that nobody even knows who they are. Moev are one of these bands, and I have been collecting their material for some time now. Before you decide not to read further, you can thank this band for founding Nettwerk Records, which in Canada brings you artists like Skinny Puppy, Severed Heads and Sarah McLachlan. If you want to truly discover the roots of Moev, you'll find yourself a copy of Zimmerkampf, which was a release from 1982. They sounded more like that of Siouxsie & The Banshees on this album, or at least that's what I get out of it. The album is a great listen, though fairly hard to find. We can now jump forward to 1986, where we find a more electronic approach to the music on Yeah, Whatever. Funnily enough, the best known single from this band is also titled 'Yeah, Whatever', and found on this album. 'Crucify Me' has always been my favorite track from this album, though 'Yeah, Whatever' probably got the most airplay in radio and in clubs. It's not quite what I would call industrial music, but fans from that genera might take a liking to Moev. They had a unique musical style that set them apart from labelmates, and may have had a hand in somewhat alienating them from anything mainstream. Chances are, you won't find much in the way of a Moev revolution from this post, but again like other posts, I attempt to bring some light to a band that deserves a bit of highlight.

Track 1, Crucify Me (GM Edit Extended)

Track 2, Crucify Me (Radio Mix)

Track 3, Crucify Me (Extended Mix)

Grab the tracks here!

US Atlantic Records 1989, 0-86454

Personal rating 4/5

See what Moev items we have for sale in our online shop!

Talk Talk - Give It Up

2008-02-23T07:27:00.000-08:00

Talk Talk were an exceptional band that matured with me throughout the mid 80's. If I could peg it down to one particular thing in the band that drew me in, I'd have to say it was the alluring vocals of Mark Hollis. His is a voice that stood out from any crowd, and you could immediately note any Talk Talk track based on that marker. Musically they were brilliant, and there are few bands which I had managed to tolerate from album to album back then, and still carry a torch for today. Their best album was Colours Of Spring by a large margin, though it can be said that several others could easily be noted as being their best works (Spirit Of Eden for example). This album always gets played here, and one can denote that any time I'm feeling particularly nostalgic, that album seems to end up on the table. This is one of the albums I could get lost in time with, and forever remain trapped in 1986 listening to this over and over. That's a bold statement, but most assuredly true. 'Give It Up' is one of the singles of the aforementioned album, and a great track by itself. The puzzle here is why they chose to put the rather disappointing 'Pictures Of Bernadette' as the b-side. This track absolutely gripes me. It's basically taking the worst of their earlier new wave material found on any cutting room floor and remixing it. At least that's what it sounds like to me. I'd think a single from such a great album would be showcased by whispery 'Chameleon Day' like tracks, which would have seemed to suit it more. As with a lot of releases from this period, I wish a little more thought had been put into coupling a few beautiful gems with the glorious single. The end result would have been a much better single, not one people chose to ignore out of the group. As always, the artwork on their material is top notch, and you can create a gorgeous gallery from Talk Talk releases alone. This single, sadly, disappoints, but doesn't dim my overall view of the band by any stretch.

Track 1, Give It Up

Track 2, Pictures Of Bernadette (Dance Mix)

Track 3, Pictures Of Bernadette (7" Version)

Grab the tracks here!

Canadian Parlophone Records 1986, S 75145

Personal rating 2.5/5

See what Talk Talk items we have for sale in our online shop!

Love & Rockets - No Big Deal

2008-02-11T05:46:00.000-08:00

I've been digging deep into my collection of late, pulling out a lot of things I actually wondered why I own. Some things actually surprise me as to how bloody awful they are after listening to them after many years, and then there's the group that I suddenly find myself liking. This Love & Rockets 12" was among the list of things I didn't like, but have since found it more tolerable. Back then, I was the dutiful L&R fan, and bought everything they had on the shelves. Today, I find myself a lot more reserved with my purchasing, largely to the fact that I now realize money doesn't grow on trees (well, it does kind of, but not in bill form in my magical world). The club mix isn't half bad, but then I was always notorious for disliking or liking something for about 10.5 seconds worth of a listen. Times have changed, and I actually give something about 30 seconds before I turf the needle off and plop the record on the shelf to gather dust. The real kicker here were the b-sides. They aren't especially brilliant, but it is cool to actually hear the raw pseudo-live band playing in some radio station. This is when you hear them at their best, and see what you don't usually see with all the studio tricks absent. The tracks are a good time capsule of what a band sounds like while sodding about in the studio, and you can always detect the alcohol dripping through the lyrics. A great example of what I'm talking about is REM's Dead Letter Office. A few of those tracks have a booze-induced state written all over them, and they actually credit the booze. These tracks won't probably get on one of your mixed tapes, but they will be something cool to listen to once or twice.

Track 1, No Big Deal (Club Version)

Track 2, 1000 Watts Of Your Love

Track 3, No More Words

Grab the tracks here!

UK Beggars Banquet Records 1989, BEG 234T

Personal rating 3/5

See what Love And Rockets items we have for sale in our online shop!

Epo 555 - Mafia (New Artist Sample)

2008-02-10T14:45:00.000-08:00

Denmark has been busy of late, thrusting itself into the limelight with the likes of Mew. New to emerge from the Danish lands are Epo 555. The sophomore follow up to 2004 Dexter Fox is a titillating listen from start to end, proving that Denmark are truly coming of age musically. Possibly one of the best records to grace my ears this year, and has catapulted this unknown band into the book of new favorites and want to hear more category. The album touts many great tracks, 'Hyperschlieb', 'Harry Mambourg' and 'Maid In China' are the cream of the crop found here. Although there is slight room for improvement, it's not much, and this album is going to be rewarded with full marks all around from this end. We hope to see Epo 555 bringing some of this Danish bliss to this side of the pond, and I hope they don't stay away as long as country mates Mew have. Many thanks to Natalie @ Two Sheps That Pass for allowing me to write something about them, as well as the music.

For more information about Epo 555, please visit their website http://www.epo-555.dk/.

Track 1, Spirit Of Fun

Track 2, Hyperschlieb

Track 3, Grisslappan

Track 4, Harry Mambourg

Track 5, Pizza TinTin

Track 6, Tess La Coil

Track 7, The Final Surf

Track 8, Centipede

Track 9, Maid In China

Track 10, Examinor

Track 11, Uberholen Hat Keinen Zweck

Danish Crunchy Frog Records 2007, FROG 045-1

Personal rating 5/5

The Alarm - Rain In The Summertime

2008-02-10T14:01:00.000-08:00

Why I shunned The Alarm I'll never know. They were a band that I blew off on one crap song I heard back a million years ago, then never bothered to listen to anything else. What have I done with my life? I have since given myself the 20 lashes, and done my hail whoevers', and I feel much better now.. really. I must say, I've become quite addicted to these blokes of late, and this track in particular has gotten quite a bit of attention. I figured the only fair thing to do was shove a bit of it down your throats, just in case you had not given them the time of day. This is one brilliant track, and not sure why I always missed it over the years. It could go in my top 100 tracks, but I've not forgiven myself that much yet. I guess we'll have to see won't we? You might see a bit more of their material poking up here, don't be surprised, I still feel a tad guilty you see.

Track 1, Rain In The Summertime

Track 2, Rose Beyond The Wall

Track 3, Bells Of Rhyney (Live In Cardiff Arms Park)

Track 4, Time To Believe

Grab the tracks here!

UK I.R.S. Records 1987, IRMT 144

Personal rating 4/5

See what Alarm items we have for sale in our online shop!

The Comsat Angels - Day One

2008-02-04T20:07:00.000-08:00

This post should have some interest, as it seems every time I write something on blogs about The Comsat Angels, people have something to say. I do like the band, I just wanted to get that out of the way before I do anything else here. BUT, the later material (you know the stuff CFNY and other 'Modern Rock' stations played the crap out of), kinda sucked. Yes, I've said it. The band was at it's prime earlier on, before the fluffy-happy-go-lucky let's make a hit song. OK, I'll be the first one to admit that 'You Move Me' is not a bad song, it's just not their best. Compare if you dare the album Waiting For A Miracle to the '84/85 era material, and see which you think has the kahoonas. The sad reality is that most hits came from 84/85, and stuck the above mentioned track into everyone's brain. I'm probably not improving the situation by actually posting this mini LP, but I hope you'll now want to go out and purchase something from '80/81 and hear the difference yourself. Like I said, I do like this song, it's just that it pales in comparison to earlier works. To prove my point, did you happen to notice that 'Independence Day' was released in 1980, and again on their album in 1983? Oh but that's ok, you can also get the live version here.

Track 1, Day One

Track 2, You Move Me (One Good Reason)

Track 3, Will You Stay Tonight (Live In Amsterdam)

Track 4, Independence Day (Live In Amsterdam)

Grab the tracks here!

Canadian Jive Records 1984, JVD-027

Personal rating 3/5

See what Comsat Angels items we have for sale in our online shop!

P.I.L. - Seattle

2008-02-04T20:06:00.000-08:00

I'm not an overly big fanatic of Johnny Lydon, nor have I really ever been into The Sex Pistols or PIL for that matter. With that said, there are several tracks by PIL I do like, 'Seattle' being one, and 'Rise' being the other. I can't say anything else has done it for me. Most other tracks seem to annoy the shit out of me actually. I find myself owning several of their albums, and going why? I only like to two tracks, and the EPS do nicely for both songs I actually do like. I never really understood why people liked The Sex Pistols so much, it's not like there wasn't a heap of good other stuff to choose. In retrospect, it was probably the F.U. attitude they had that sucked people in. Having your tracks banned on radio will do the trick nicely. Lydon has somewhat tamed down, christ that's an odd thing to say, being that he's still skelly-eyed and looks like a raving lunatic. Hell, maybe I'm being to harsh on him, but hell I never got my place in fame being sued on Judge Judy for not paying my crew did I? Enjoy the track, I might throw up 'Rise' in the future, and that will end my discography of PIL for this blog. Rant away, I expect a few of you will.

Track 1, Seattle (12" Mix)

Track 2, Body (12" Mix)

Grab the tracks here!

US Virgin Records 1987, DMD 1120

Personal rating 3.5/5

See what Public Image Limited items we have for sale in our online shop!

Front 242 - Rhythm Of Time

2008-02-04T20:01:00.000-08:00

My musical tastes often flirted on the edge of the dark side, being somewhat into goth and industrial alike. There were a few artists I absolutely loved, one of which was Front 242. Although a lot of sites list them as being electronic or dark wave, I always felt them to be among the pioneers of industrial music. Call them what you will, they always delivered some cutting edge material. With the exception of Geography (I always felt that album was weak), I've continually found something on every album to warrant purchasing it. Morse, I've always been drawn to the 12" releases, as they tend to have decent remixes of some of the weaker tracks (which isn't the case with some other bands). Once you download this, I'm sure you agree with me when I say the 'Victor The Cleaner' remix is a great listen. If not, well sod you.

Track 1, Rhythm Of Time (12" Version)

Track 2, Rhythm Of Time (Anti-G Mix)

Track 3, Rhythm Of Time (Victor The Cleaner)

Grab the tracks here!

Dutch RRE Records, RRE T 13

Personal rating 4/5

See what Front 242 items we have for sale in our online shop!

Simple Minds - Promised You A Miracle

2008-01-27T09:01:00.000-08:00

Simple Minds were literally the pinnacle of the 80's for me. You would be hard pressed to show me many better albums than New Gold Dream or Sparkle In The Rain during that period. A great exemplification of this sound is found on this track 'Promised You A Miracle'. It's not just the sound and this era that sets the tone for this single, it's the other tracks as well. 'Theme For Great Cities' is oddly enough one of my favorite Simple Minds tracks. It's perhaps strange to find myself touting about an instrumental B-side, but this is one of those tracks that showcases the bands talent. It literally is what it is, a song that should have been used in soundtracks throughout the 80's. I often imagined this track would have done nicely for the opening sequences of The Lost Boys. This single still pales in comparison to the Simple Minds offering found earlier in this blog, but when you have to set your standards so high, it's hard to compare one great track to the next. It's a shame that Simple Minds matured so fast, it seems that 'Don't You Forget About Me' spelled disaster to the sound we had enjoyed so much earlier on, as their later works had matured a little too much for my tastes. Not to say that Once Upon A Time or Street Fighting Years were bad albums, but to me they were just a little too commercial. These later albums don't have close to the sparkle that Simple Minds earlier albums had. Despite me being somewhat of an old bastard, I still feel young every time I throw on New Gold Dream, and that had the opposite effect with Street Fighting Years. I tend to feel I'm aging along with Jim Kerr, and that's perhaps the reality I don't want to face anytime soon. All in all, these few time capsules from the early 80's will forever point to the happiest moments musically in my life.

Track 1, Promised You A Miracle

Track 2, Theme For Great Cities

Track 3, Seeing Out The Angel

Grab the tracks here!

Canadian Virgin Records 1981, VSX 1147

Personal rating 5/5

See what Simple Minds items we have for sale in our online shop!

A Flock Of Seagulls - Wishing (If I Had A Photograph Of You)

2008-01-27T08:20:00.000-08:00

A Flock Of Seagulls were definitely not my favorite band of the 80's. There were only two songs that I actually liked back then, one drives me nuts when I hear it now (you know the one). 'Wishing' always gave me goosebumps back then, not bad for a band that I just couldn't stand hearing. All terrible bands had at least one good song I suppose. I know there will be a host of people reading this that will probably comment on what a fool I am, and how much they LOVE A Flock Of Seagulls. Well, with every flock of seagulls there's usually a big pile of shit afterwards. Remember those words next time you park your car near the beach and have lunch outdoors. Chances are, you'll be thinking of these lyrics.. "And I ran, I ran so far away (I couldn't get away)". 'Nuff said.

Track 1, Wishing (If I Had A Photograph Of You) [Long Version]

Track 2, Committed

Track 3, Wishing (If I Had A Photograph Of You) [Short Version]

Grab the tracks here!

UK Jive Records 1982, JIVE T 25

Personal rating 4/5

Revolver - Crimson

2008-01-27T07:50:00.000-08:00

Being a band in the 90's was both exhilarating and arduous at the same time. Many decent acts never got more than a fleeting mention in papers, or in local clubs, while others proclaimed a short lived stardome. Even fewer are here to talk about it today, and it could be said you would have been very busy writing obituaries for music in this era. Revolver were a disappointment to this period, not based on their music not being good enough to catapult them to the level of homage paid to band like Ride and Lush, but that they never got anything but an inkling of mention. They were another great band that got lost in the shuffle of labels and reviews. Perhaps if they had been signed to Creation Records, they would have garnered more attention. Alas, a few singles surfaced on Hut Records, and one studio album (the eps were also translated into one compilation). A lot of critics state that Revolver overcomplicated their music by paying more attention to their songwriting than to sheer noise. The only way I can see this being the case is the fact that they more or less do sound like Ride just prior to going through their death throws. The material is excellent, just not noisy. But, do we always need to be deafened to actually enjoy a good song? Another major problem with Revolver was being dumped into the shoegaze category. This might have alienated some so-called shoegazers from the sound that was predominately pumping out 'walls of sound'. Perhaps Revolver's obituary had been written as soon as they were slapped with the moniker. It's sad to say that too many good bands never really saw the light of day in the 90's, but in a way that's what makes them more revered by those of us who actually liked them back then!

Track 1, Crimson

Track 2, Don't Ever Leave

Track 3, Drowning Inside

Track 4, Further Away

Grab the tracks here!

UK Hut Records 1991, HUTT 9

Personal rating 4/5

The High - Up And Down

2008-01-27T07:19:00.000-08:00

As previously stated, The High were not the be all and end all of the 90's for me. They had their moments, and their album was generally pretty decent, they would always be more of a singles band. This is another example of exactly that theory, being that this EP really isn't overly stellar. When you get a chance to listen to the Bombay Mix, it will change your opinion, being washed in the sound that made The Charlatans so good.. organs! The single itself is a decent track, but this is one of those few situations where the remix is actually BETTER than the original (you know, that dreaded remix syndrome). I actually prefer the b-side 'Make It Happen' to the single on here, but then what do I know? I've never flopped a record label have I? It's really too bad about The High, I think they could have developed quite nicely if they'd gotten some more attention, and had a bit more guidance from a decent producer.

Track 1, Up And Down

Track 2, Make It Happen

Track 3, Up And Down (Bombay Mix)

Grab the tracks here!

UK FFRR Records 1990, LONX 272

Personal rating 3.5/5

Scary Thieves - The Waiting Game

2008-01-20T07:33:00.000-08:00

The 80's were a strange time, being that people wore neon, wore Wham shirts and that whole friendship pin fad. You know, just the lame stuff that you probably won't ever admit to doing. I guess at the time it was cool, but wow, how bad it is to go through a box and find a neon 'choose life' t-shirt. It wasn't mine I swear! The 80's was sort of the same way musically, being that there are bands you probably might admit to listening to (Smiths, New Order ect), and some you would probably only do with torture (Twisted Sister, Culture Club...). Musically, the 80's was a melting pot that found all the genera's combining into a musical soup. Early on, it was minimalistic synth music and post punk music that drove the market, thankfully disco was dead at this point (until Erasure brought it back). At around 1985, we saw probably the best period of 'retro 80s' giving us The The, The Smiths, Modern English, OMD and The Scary Thieves. Tracks by these artists are well documented on the many 80's collections that are out there, namely The Hardest Hits Series. It seems most collections seem to center around 1985, perhaps they agree with my sentiment that 1985ish was the best 'vintage'. The only downfall to the mid 80's period was the plithora of one-hit-wonders that became so abundant. It's not to say they were bad, just only good for a single or an album. The Scary Thieves were a prime example of this. They released one great single 'The Waiting Game', which is on most of the many collections to be found, and then faded away. This track is a great representation of 1985 at it's best. You could get a record contract based on a few good songs, and a single, and play hope for the best after that. Even I probably could have gotten a record contract playing the pan flute out of my arse. The sad reality is that the music industry had flooded the market with a pile of semi-talented artists, and quickly made whatever money they could before these artists were summarily dumped. The Scary Thieves had this brilliant single, and nothing else to really speak of, but does that make them fodder? Not really, they got their 2 second of fame, and can now show their grandkids just how many collection cds that one song got onto. Just don't go and do a reunion anytime soon! If you're looking for an album, good luck. You might find the 12" for 'Tell Me Girl', but that's a venture in itself.

Track 1, The Waiting Game

Track 2, Live In Another Day

Track 3, The Waiting Game (7" Version)

Grab the tracks here!

UK Parlophone Records 1985, 12 R6094

Personal ratinf 3.5/5

Morrissey - Everyday Is Like Sunday

2008-01-19T10:35:00.000-08:00

This ep has been in deliberation for a while now, that is, which is the favorite of all the Morrissey releases. I think I have finally made the executive decision that this is my favorite Moz ep, with 'Suedehead' coming in a very close second. The track 'Everyday Is Like Sunday' exemplified the character of Moz, being the overly depressing and yet tender being he is. You just can't help being sucked in, and ebracing all the misery in the lyrics. You have to wonder what a whole generation of teens worldwide were feeling, as they crowned Morrissey as their savior. Was everybody feeling this, or were we all duped? I do believe there was, and still is a great deal of misery in our world, though we tend to walk around with blinders on. Perhaps Moz encapsulated this misery into his words, and we finally opened our eyes for a time. I can bet he changed a many persons lives back then. Those who were alone, and unsure; his words spoke volumes, and made them feel they were not alone. This one man, who arose from nothing to be a musical god... This will be the Morrissey that stands the test of time, and have our grandchildren asking us if we were all on downers.

Track 1, Everyday Is Like Sunday

Track 2, Sister I'm A Poet

Track 3, Disappointed

Track 4, Will Never Marry

Grab the tracks here!

Canadian Sire Records 1988, 92 09860

Personal rating 5/5

See what Morrissey items we have for sale in our online shop!

The Smiths - Some Girls Are Bigger Than Others

2008-01-19T10:11:00.000-08:00

It seemed about time for something by either Morrissey or The Smiths to be posted on here, god knows why I haven't up until now. I will not have a lot to say about either, simply because both speak for themselves. This is the German version of the 'Some Girls Are Bigger Than Others' 12", and that means it's also one that's pressed on orange vinyl. I have heard that this particular version is not the harder of the German pressings to find, oddly enough the black vinyl pressing is much harder to find. I'm not sure why this is the case, apart from the obvious reason. It would seem that the coloured 12" would be a tad more collectible. In any case, this is something that doesn't appear in shops, so IF you do see them you had better grab them. The Smiths eps have been going up and up in value, and it seems now a lot of these are exceedingly bloated in value. For example, one might expect to pay around the $40US mark for this ep online. I'm kind of pissed off that I sold a lot of the original Smiths items I had, back when I was a broke college student, just to pay for lousy pasta to keep me alive. I retrospect, I'd much have had my mass amount of Smiths rarities now, and have looked like an Auschwitz survivor, than have to pay these exuberant prices to get it all back. In the end, it's in my collection, and not being destroyed by some mindless twat who cannot take care of their vinyl (you know who you are). These people kill me, and make it harder for people like myself to get near mint copies of this stuff, which should be somewhat abundant. And that's all I have to say about that...

Track 1, Some Girls Are Bigger Than Others

Track 2, Frankly Mr. Shankly

Track 3, The Draize Train

Grab the tracks here!

German Teldec Records 1986, 6.20628 AE

Personal rating 4/5

See what Smiths items we have for sale in our online shop!

Robyn Hitchcock & The Egyptians - Balloon Man

2008-01-17T22:10:00.000-08:00

Robyn Hitchcock is one of those artists that have been one of Britain's premiere singer/songwriters throughout the 80's and 90's, albeit somewhat behind the scenes. Despite being moderately successful, he never seemed to gain the notoriety he deserved with any of his releases. His albums sparkle with his magical writing style and wittiness, yet despite all this I have never seen his albums on any top albums lists. Perhaps we can set a bit of precedence here with this post? So I'm here to give him what he truly deserves, a bit more credit. Robyn always seemed to fit into a very tight place in my musical collection, being somewhere between The Housemartins, and Billy Bragg. When The Housemartins were overly too nice and sickly, there he was. When the great Billy Bragg was a tad too political for the mood, there he was. Not being too naughty or nice, he is a constant with every album, and I could always rely on him to deliver something that was a marvelous listen. Robyn is like The Church's or The House Of Love's, always having something good to say, masquerading it in something of musical genius, but never really reaching that stardom spire that always eluded him. Sure, there are probably Robyn Hitchcock fan sites out there, there has to be after releasing some 20 odd albums, not to mention his time with the Soft Boys. Let's give him a listen, and hopefully Robyn fever with clutch the world. A bit about this EP: if you find yourself a copy, you might want to check that it is on coloured vinyl. I have both a blue and green pressing of this EP with a slight variation on the jacket. Not to mention that this one is fully autographed.

Track 1, Balloon Man

Track 2, A Globe Of Frogs (Electric)

Track 3, The Ghost Ship

Grab the tracks here!

US A&M Records 1988, SP-17530 (Green Vinyl Promo)

Personal rating 4.5/5

See what Robyn Hitchcock items we have for sale in our online shop!

Kevin Hewick And The Sound- This Cover Keeps Reality Unreal

2008-01-13T20:14:00.000-08:00

This is a strange post for sure, and you'll garner as much when you get a chance to hear the tracks listed below. The first thing here that makes things seem a tad odd, the flickering appearance of Kevin Hewick, once asked to record with the post Joy Division band known as New Order (perhaps as a replacement for the now dead Ian Curtis). Nothing really came from this recording session, and thankfully the hands of time resulted in New Order going on as they should have, and making some exceptional music. I guess at the time, it would have made sense for New Order to be seeking this eccentric label mate on Factory Records to replace the equally eccentric Ian Curtis. We now look at The Sound, who were just about the most unknown band to ever record five albums. They, unlike Joy Division and other bands in the 'post-punk' era, got little to no attention, and were designated to b-rate stature. The sad reality is... they weren't all that bad! We now take a quick look at this EP, which oddly enough features both artists (see a trend here?). Since we didn't see fruition from the New Order session, the next likely band to work with was The Sound. I guess at this time there weren't a host of bands banging on Kevin's door for an audition. Possibly the least likely combination I've heard, then again I have heard some strange stuff in my time (remind me to tell you about 'The Sturm Group' sometime). When I listen to this, I'm somewhat confused as to what the band are trying to be. One track sounds like the spine-scratching stuff that Modern English were doing on their first album, then the next it's a tad more like that of Echo & The Bunnymen. The EP is decent given that you give each track a separate listen, all in one go it's kind of a bit chaotic (then that's my opinion). I have heard The Sound previously, as I own several of their albums (you know the ones nobody else knows about). I have never had the pleasure, or displeasure, of hearing Kevin Hewick in any fashion prior, although I understand if I grab the Factory Quartet compilation, I will hear a fair deal of him. Considering this guy was on Factory Records, and opened for Joy Division, A Certain Ratio, The Durutti Column and Section 25, I have never heard his name before. I guess Kevin and I were never meant to be, and after listening to this ep, I'm not sure I have been missing much (although I'm still considering that). Give this a listen, and the let me know what you think of it. Some will probably like it, some will not, more still will be like me and be sitting on the fence.

Track 1, Plenty

Track 2, Neath Dancing Waves

Track 3, Amber

Track 4, Scapegoat In A Country Churchyard

Grab the tracks here!

UK Cherry Red Records 1983, 12 CHERRY 76

Person rating 3/5

See what Sound items we have for sale in our online shop!

Echo & The Bunnymen - A Promise

2008-01-13T17:51:00.000-08:00

One way to kick of a return to vinyl sharing is to have some Echo & The Bunnymen kick it off. Gladly, I managed to grab this copy of the 'A Promise' ep while on my Christmas trip to the in-laws. Although the local shop in Cobourg Ontario usually has nothing of interest to me, this time I found myself extremely happy I bothered to check it out. This was one of the gems I dug up there, and oddly enough it's one of the few E&TB ep's I didn't own. This has always been one of my favorite tracks by them, even though it kind of sounds like The Cure *gasp!, you know how much I love The Cure (not)* Despite being reminiscent of another band, Ian's vice shines through making this the perfect perfect standout on the album Heaven Up Here. The b-side sounds more like something you'd hear on the Modern English album Mesh & Lace, being slightly more to the goth side of things than you might have remembered...

Track 1, A Promise

Track 2, Broke My Neck

Grab the tracks here!

UK Korova Records 1981, KOW-15-T

Personal rating 4.5/5

See what Echo & The Bunnymen items we have for sale in our online shop!

Backed by popular demand..

2008-01-10T06:48:00.000-08:00

We'll be Goin' Back To Wax this weekend. Since the Turntable situation is finally sorted, you'll be seeing a large quantity of older gems being posted from vinyl once again. It's long overdue, as I've been aching to get a few choice items up here! Stay tuned, Sunday will most likely be the day.. unless something else transpires of course.

Ecstasy Of St Theresa - Susurrate

2007-12-28T06:52:00.001-08:00

Ecstasy Of St Theresa are a great band that pretty much sound like My Bloody Valentine. It's not a bad thing to be a clone, in this case, they actually do a great job at it. The music is in essence a 'harder version' of MBV, giving you chords that will rattle your spine. It's kind of reminiscent of something you'd hear from the 'You Made Me Realize' spectrum. It's not altogether bad, just not entirely creative. They do afford you the chance to see how this sound was perceived in a small European country known as the Czech Republic. For all it's worth, it's not a terrible album, perhaps I'm making it sound that way.. it is a full disc worth of fuzz n' drone, and if that's what you're in the mood for, this is perfect! Thankfully these folks toned down the noise a tad, and added a more ambient feel to their tunes. Does it capture the same raw buzz that this album does? No. Will your ear drums like you better in the morning? Yes.

Track 1, Pistaccio Places

Track 2, Swoony

Track 3, Toalison

Track 4, Icecream Star

Track 5, Sweetabyss

Track 6, Thorn In Y'r Grip

Track 7, Seven

Track 8, Absinth

Grab the tracks here!

US Claire Records 1999

Personal rating 3/5

Mew - And The Glass Handed Kites

2007-12-19T20:57:00.001-08:00

When I heard Mew's first album Frengers, I was taken aback by something totally astonishing. It was one of the best albums I've probably heard since I laid my ears on Slowdive, Adorable, or early Catherine Wheel. Never in my wildest dreams did I think any album could compare to these giants. Well, I was wrong, on several levels. First, Frengers delivered what Adorable gave me in Against Perfection, as in raw power. It also harnessed the softest part of any Slowdive ballad. I thought nothing could reach the realm of these two albums. WRONG! Secondly, I finally get my hands on a copy of And The Glass Handed Kites, which I must say disappointed me initially. If you see a trend here with brilliant albums initially disgusting me, then you're probably very observant! This album didn't do much the first time around, then BAM! Right in the kissa! I guess I must have had my head up my arse the first listen through, as this thing is AMAZING. Yes, I can do without the silly warm up track at the start, but after it gets going, this album is musically perfect. Again, like listening to the power of early Catherine Wheel or Adorable, but throwing in Suede in all the right places. I guess, like Dog Man Star was to Suede, this is the more 'mature' album for Mew. It's kind of like throwing Supertramp, Pink Floyd and Adorable in the blender, and then squeezing the singer gonads in a vice for good measure. Christ he can really hit them, and I thought flippin' A-HA had that in the bag. This is truly one of the great releases to come out in the past few years, and will surely be regarded as an important album in years to come. The bandwagon still has room, if you want to jump on that is.

Track 1, Circuitry Of The Wolf

Track 2, Chinaberry Tree

Track 3, Why Are You Looking So Grave?

Track 4, Fox Cub

Track 5, Apoclalypso

Track 6, Special

Track 7, The Zookeeper's Boy

Track 8, A Dark Design

Track 9, Saviours Of Jazz Ballet (Fear Me, December)

Track 10, An Envoy To The Open Fields

Track 11, Small Ambulance

Track 12, The Seething Rain Weeps For You (Uda Pruda)

Track 13, White Lips Kissed

Track 14, Louise Louisa

Grab the tracks here!

Australian Sony Records 2005, 8287672294-2

Personal rating 5/5

SWERVEDRIVER...

2007-12-12T20:40:00.000-08:00

Thanks to Deana for giving me the heads up on this one, you know who you are.

Seminal indie shoegaze outfit Swervedriver is primed for a long-awaited reunion in 2008, but first, frontman Adam Franklin, will hit JamNow's virtual venue "The Bomb Shelter" for an exclusive live audio interview and performance to discuss his acclaimed solo album Bolts of Melody and the reunion, and play a live set of new tracks and older favorites. The webcast, available to fans around the world, will take place tomorrow, December 12, at 3:00pm ET at http://www.jamnow.com/adamfranklin. Can't catch it live? Fans can also tune in to hear it on-demand beginning on the 13th.

LEGENDARY SWERVEDRIVER FRONTMAN ADAM FRANKLIN BRINGS INDIE FUZZ TO MASSES WITH LIVE AUDIO WEBCAST ON JAMNOW.COM

Fans Worldwide Can Experience Live Interview and Performance In Top-Quality Audio, December 12th at 3:00PM ET

Tinton Falls, NJ - December 11, 2007 - On Wednesday, December 12th at 3:00PM EST, NJ-based live music destination JamNow.com will host a live, high quality audio webcast with legendary Swervedriver/Toshack Highway frontman Adam Franklin.

From JamNow's own wired venue "The Bomb Shelter," Franklin will perform a set of live material from his new album Bolts Of Melody, and select material from other phases of his storied career. After the performance, there will be a freeform interview where Franklin will discuss Bolts, the upcoming 2008 Swervedriver reunion tour, and a wide variety of compelling subjects. The live webcast is free, and can be listened to from anywhere in the world at http://www.jamnow.com/adamfranklin.

For those who can't listen to the live broadcast, the full show and interview will be available as an on-demand audio stream from December 13 at http://www.jamnowcom/adamfranklin.

About JamNow
JamNow is an enabler of the Content 2.0 revolution, where artists are empowered to create, perform, promote, distribute, market, record and sell their own music, comedy and spoken word material. The site features content from established artists like Thrice, Dillinger Escape Plan, HIM, Anberlin, Ben Jelen and comedienne Margaret Cho, as well as up and coming talent like the Drama Club, Quickstep John, Mayday Parade, and Melissa Young.

With a free software download, artists (or anyone) can broadcast live from anywhere, to fans around the world. Fans not only listen to the performances in real time, they also have the opportunity to participate and interact with the artists and other fans.

JamNow performances are broadcast in superb audio quality, with ultra-low latency.

The Jesus And Mary Chain - Darklands

2007-12-02T15:46:00.000-08:00

Since I seem to be stuck in this frame of mind, what better time to talk about a few other brilliant releases from yesteryear. If if weren't for Darklands, nor Jesus & Mary Chain as a whole, I'm not sure where I would be musically today. I owe these brash blokes a lot for getting me into the darker, dronier resonance that has held my interest for some time now. My initial impression of Psychocandy was "what shit!", or something to that effect. Little did I know that this would be one of the albums that dominated the turntable, and still does to this day. I guess I can translate the initial reaction to J&MC as sonic shock. You see, I was probably enjoying a good dose of OMD at the time, and this would have turned my ears inside out. Thankfully, I did listen to them again, and it grew on me.. oh did it ever! Darklands was a bit more tame, but an album that seemed to soothe the inner need for something.. anything.. other than the dreaded synthpop that was so prevalent at the time. I also needed something a little less razor-to-wrist as I was getting with Moz (yeah Moz, I still luv ya, you just made me sad). I consider these first few J&MC albums essential to any (hate this term) "modern rock" or "alternative" collection, and if you do not own these, give yourself 20 lashes immediately. This might seem like old news to some, but based on the downloads of this earlier material, it seems some people have lived in a cave all through this period. So here it is, in all of it's splendor, it's time to call thyself a fan of Jesus & Mary Chain.

Track 1, Darklands

Track 2, Deep One Perfect Morning

Track 3, Happy When It Rains

Track 4, Down On Me

Track 5, Nine Million Rainy Days

Track 6, April Skies

Track 7, Fall

Track 8, Cherry Came Too

Track 9, On The Wall

Track 10, About You

Grab the tracks here!

German Blanco Y Negro Records 1987, 2292-42182-2

Personal rating 5/5

See what Jesus & Mary Chain items we have for sale in out online shop!

Slowdive - Outside Your Room EP

2007-12-02T15:45:00.001-08:00

Once again digging back to the cream of the crop from the mid 90's, we find this gem of a release. Being one of my personal favorite artists, it's not hard to find me writing glowing reviews about Slowdive. This is one of the bands that have endured the musical genre purges that I went through some years back, as I cast off stuff I "just couldn't tolerate anymore". Luckily, I went through that with Culture Club almost as soon as it started. This EP is of the finest quality the band would deliver, although some may decree that Pygmalion was the premiere release. From the dizzy drug induced 'Alison', to the dreamy coma-infused 'So Tired', this EP bleeds what the genre known affectionately as Shoegaze was about. There haven't been many artists that could dare to aspire to the godliness this band has brought you over their short career, nor should they ever. This is Halstead at his best, and Rachel at her loveliest, and it's hard to comprehend anything better than this.

Track 1, Alison

Track 2, So Tired

Track 3, Souvlaki Space Station

Track 4, Moussaka Chaos

Grab the tracks here!

Australian Creation Records Promo, 659465-2

Personal rating 5/5

See what Slowdive items we have for sale in our online shop!

Ride - Leave Them All Behind

2007-12-02T15:44:00.003-08:00

Possibly the best know of the Ride tracks, due to it's commercial success across the pond (or beside the pond if you live in N. America). Although this isn't my favorite track by the band, and definitely not the best EP they've put out, it does rank further down in my favorite singles list. Oddly enough, most of Ride's earlier material are on the list somewhere between 1 and 50. This would be another on the long list of bands I wished I'd had a chance to see live. Thankfully, when I had the chance it was on the Tarantula tour, and that probably would have sucked. Seeing these blokes in their prime would have been mind blowing, kind of the way seeing Mew was back last year. I'll only garner a guess to those of you who have seen them live, I am betting that you haven't soon forgotten the experience. But you can always tell a bit about it here :)

Track 1, Leave Them All Behind

Track 2, Chrome Waves

Track 3, Grasshopper

Grab the tracks here!

UK Creation Records 1992, CRESD 123

Personal rating 4.5/5

See what Ride items we have for sale in our online shop!

Menswe@r - Stardust

2007-12-02T15:43:00.001-08:00

Though they were not the most brilliant act to come out of the UK during the heated mid 90's period, Menswe@r (Menswear) still managed to garner some attention with their brashness and quick tracks. Listening to Menswe@r is almost like eating good chocolate; flooding you with sensation initially, but then the moment is gone, as is the less than 4 minute track. You can find their debut in most chuck bins worldwide, and it's really worth the small dosh you'll put out for it. A decent listen, and good for a quickie.. if that's what you're into.

Track 1, Stardust

Track 2, Back In The Bar

Track 3, Satellite

Track 4, Daydreamer (dubdreamer)

Grab the tracks here!

UK Laurel Records 1995, LAUCD6

Personal rating 3.5/5

See what Menswear items we have for sale in our online shop!

Finally!

2007-12-02T12:02:00.000-08:00

Finally, all the old files ahve been reposted! That's some 190 files in total, and the big reason why nothing has gone up here recently. I'll be posting new stuff in the next few days, stay tuned! On a bad note, after today, I will not be reposting anything after the links expire (sorry). It's just wayyyy too much work!

Got Sound?

2007-11-15T19:23:00.001-08:00

Somebody has to! If you've got a band, and think we'd have something to say, drop us a line! We'd love to hear your CD and possibly write a little something about it here. Get a little exposure, and maybe some new fans! Please keep admissions to the style this blog follows: ie- no rap/metal/grandpa music or yodels.

Send you CDs to:

PWEMB
107 Grass Ave
St Catharines, Ont
Canada
L2R-1T2

Also, send us free stuff too, we like that! No bombs please.
If you want to help us keep this blog going and getting fresh stuff to post, you can also send us some funds. Money is always a good thing.

The Raincoats - Moving

2007-11-13T12:04:00.000-08:00

Oddly enough I will still post this on my blog. There will be of you who ask why, but this is merely here because of it's rarity and significance in musical history (if only a mere footnote). This is one of those bands I can't bring myself to get into, not to mention I wonder why anyone else can. It's pretty awful stuff, but then that's just my take on things. What brings it to my blog? Well, it's the simple fact that Kurt Cobain was nuts about these guys. He even went to the degree of mentioning them in the liners of his releases... perhaps we can blame the drugs. In any case, maybe there's something here that I'm just NOT hearing, but to me this sounds like a bunch of cats thrown in bags, and beaten with sticks (don't go find out what that sounds like). If this is your cup o' tea, then please take more sugar, lot's more.

Track 1, No One's Little Girl

Track 2, Ooh Ooh La La La

Track 3, Dance Of Hopping Mad

Track 4, Balloon

Track 5, Mouth Of A Story

Track 6, I Saw A Hill

Track 7, Overheard

Track 8, Rainstorm

Track 9, The Body

Track 10, Animal Rhapsody

Grab the tracks here!

US Geffen Records 1994, 24624

Personal rating .05/5

Opus III - Mind Fruit

2007-11-13T11:54:00.001-08:00

Since I posted the 12" from this album so long ago, and had nothing but requests for more, here we are with the full length release. This will also contain the other singles 'I Talk To The Wind' and 'Evolution Rush' as well as the classic 'Its A Fine Day'. This is a great album in my humble opinion, although perhaps a little dated by todays standards. It does give a glimpse of the early on stages of techno from the perspective of how 808 State saw things, as it's very much in that style. If you've ever liked 808 State in your life, then give this a listen, it shouldn't disappoint at all.

Track 1, It's A Fine Day

Track 2, I Talk To The Wind

Track 3, Flow

Track 4, Stars In My Pockets

Track 5, Sea People

Track 6, Evolution Rush

Track 7, Into The Universe

Track 8, Up

Track 9, Alzir

Track 10, Outro

Grab the tracks here!

Canadian PWL Records 1992, CD 90065

Personal rating 4.5/5

Leftfield & Lydon - Open Up

2007-11-13T11:24:00.001-08:00

I must say I've never been a big fan of The Sex Pistols, something about their brashness really grated me over a very short time. This track (albeit not The Sex Pistols), does contain one John Lydon. His vocals seem to work here for whatever reason, maybe because the song seems like an electronic version of something Pistols-esque. Maybe that's what I needed, 'God Save The Queen' done with Leftfield as the band... in any case, this has always been a track I've loved for various reasons. Namely, it's one I used to play a fair deal when I dj'd, and it always brought people to the floor. Yes, Lydon still pisses me off with his googly eyes, and yelping vocals, but here they don't kill the song, oddly.

Track 1, Open Up (Radio Edit)

Track 2, Open Up (Full Vocal Mix)

Track 3, Open Up (Dervish Overdrive)

Grab the tracks here!

UK Hard Hands Records 1993, HAND 009CD

Personal rating 4/5

See what Leftfield items we have for sale in our online shop!

Remembering

2007-11-11T10:10:00.000-08:00

In Flanders Fields
By: Lieutenant Colonel John McCrae, MD (1872-1918)
Canadian Army

IN FLANDERS FIELDS the poppies blow
Between the crosses row on row,
That mark our place; and in the sky
The larks, still bravely singing, fly
Scarce heard amid the guns below.

We are the Dead. Short days ago
We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,
Loved and were loved, and now we lie
In Flanders fields.

Take up our quarrel with the foe:
To you from failing hands we throw
The torch; be yours to hold it high.
If ye break faith with us who die
We shall not sleep, though poppies grow
In Flanders fields.

Please donate to your local Legions! Help veterans and troops serving abroad.

http://www.legion.ca/asp/docs/home/home_e.asp

http://www.britishlegion.org.uk/

http://www.legion.org/

Old links...

2007-11-11T09:54:00.000-08:00

Working hard to re-upload all the old links to the new server, since Filecroc bit the dust. This is taking forever, so bare with me while they get done. You'll probably see a lot of them done already, some need to be downsized a bit to accommodate the new server limits... I'm afraid after this time, if this server dies, these old links will be just pretty looking write ups, as I will NOT be doing this again (sorry). If anyone wants to donate some server space to this blog, drop me a line! The perks are, 1) free music 2) being nagged by me (how wonderful)

Televise - Songs To Sing In A & E

2007-11-06T06:12:00.000-08:00

Former Slowdive member Simon Scott, who left the band to attend school early on, resurfaces with this great release Songs To Sing In A & E. Although there are traces of his Slowdive lineage, don't expect this album to have the same downtempo aura that was prevalent on any Slowdive album. What you will find is more to the tune of what Ride were doing earlier on, albeit a little more on the spaced-out side. The album is solid from start to end, not really a dull moment within. The highlights are the dreamy (and loud) 'Smile' which takes me back to those old days in the mid 90's (something which few modern albums can do). It's not quite perfect to garner a 5, but it's damn close. It's a good comeback for someone who obviously couldn't stay away from the stage for long.

Track 1, This Is Where...

Track 2, Radiation Sound

Track 3, If I Told You

Track 4, I Don't Know Why

Track 5, Smile

Track 6, Underwater

Track 7, Mercy Seat

Track 8, Never Alone

Track 9, Life On Mars

Grab the track here, then go buy your own copy!

UK ClubAC30 Records 2006, AC303022

Personal rating 4/5

Robin Guthrie - Continental

2007-11-06T05:49:00.000-08:00

Former Cocteau Twins guitar wizard Robin Guthrie has released what is undoubtedly a release of sheer brilliance in Continental. The music glistens with the sounds of his former band, while injecting a fresh shoegaze-esque sounds that will be sure to please all fans. I like to note the sounds of this album to that of water slowly running across a pane of glass, it's gorgeous textures endlessly rippling over you, in a feeling you'll describe in your own words. This is material that is hard to beat by any standards, as Guthrie is the master in his trade. It's no easy task for me to describe this to you, best that you purchase your own copy, and experience the delirium yourself. In case you're looking, we also have them for sale here :)

Track 1, Continental

Track 2, Conquering The Romantic

Track 3, Crescent

Track 4, Monument

Track 5, Amphora

Track 6, The Day Star

Track 7, Radiance

Track 8, As I Breathe

Track 9, Last Exit

Track 10, Pale

Grab the tracks here!

US Darla Records 2006, DRL174

Personal rating 5/5

See what Robin Guthrie items we have for sale in our online shop!

See what Cocteau Twins items we have for sale in our online shop!

Does it ever end?

2007-11-05T07:04:00.000-08:00

FUCK ME! Halloween has just ended, and like usual there is a plethora of Christmas crap already lining the store shelves. The ads are already starting on TV, and fliers are out. No wonder I'm perpetually broke!!! Fork out money for Halloween, fork out money for Christmas, then there's Easter, and then Valentines day... Does it ever end? Now our government is talking about adding another holiday for us, just so they can suck more money out of us. Why not make Oktoberfest a holiday, or St Patrick's day.. hell why not even make Father and Mothers day a holiday too. That means we'll work less, and have less money to spend on this crap. I think I should become an atheist, become single, live in a cave on a remote island, and use shells for commerce. Hell, screw commerce altogether, I'll just live like on Castaway except have a unique setup so I have some gerbils power up my turntable so I can play my records. Diahrea from coconuts? It's almost worth the effort.

And that is how I feel today..

Scare the piss out of the little brats...

2007-10-30T17:54:00.001-07:00

Here's something that might be of use to scare the little bastards off you porch tomorrow... hell WHY NOT eat all the candy yourself and become a diabetic?

PLAY LOUD!

This might work also..

Play LOUD!

Swervedriver - Mezcal head

2007-10-30T06:35:00.000-07:00

It seems proper to post this brilliant album while the rumors circulate about the reunion of Swervedriver. Yes, as it would seem, they have gotten back together and are working on new material for an upcoming album sometime in 2008. Tours will follow, though until now I've not seen any dates listed anywhere. Since the Adam Franklin debacle double release via Toshack Highway (which I though was awful), I had to wonder when the parade of good bands from the mid 90's would begin to start reappearing. It's already happened in from the 80's, why not have a few of these folks do it to! I just hope they don't sound like half retired cheesebags, and still bring the energy they once had to their upcoming shows. It would be such a shame to finally get to see Swervedriver, only to find 'they suck now'. Let's all keep our fingers crossed, as some bands are to remain brilliant in the past, but not so much in the future. I'd hate to hear them slaughter some of my favorite tunes, or more apt, their best songs. Let us now if you hear something new regarding any show dates here...

Track 1, For Seeking Heat

Track 2, Duel

Track 3, Blowin' Cool

Track 4, MM Abduction

Track 5, Last Train To Satansville

Track 6, Harry & Maggie

Track 7, A Change Is Gonna Come

Track 8, Girl On A Motorbike

Track 9, Duress

Track 10, You Find It Everywhere

Track 11, Never Lose That Feeling/Never Learn

Grab the tracks here!

US A&M Records 1993, 31454 0129-2

Personal rating 4.5/5

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Roxy Music - For Your Pleasure (Remaster)

2007-10-26T07:05:00.000-07:00

The best album Roxy Music ever put out in my personal opinion, and still retains the top spot as best album of the 70's on my lists. These were the good times, the Eno years, although that was possibly to change with the band. Although they would still be successful in the early 80's with albums like Avalon, it just wasn't the same. This whole album rocks from start to finish, while the later material (minus Eno) was just a singles band (although they were good singles). This goes to show that whatever Eno touches turns to gold. I wish I could borrow him for a weekend, I have a pile of junk here he can fondle for a few days.. Tracks that stand out (among the absolute gems here) are 'Editions Of You', 'Grey Lagoons' and 'For Your Pleasure'. It's a marvelous album, from start to finish. The other thing that can be famed for their early albums is the incredible artwork. This is also among my favorite covers of all time. Hope you enjoy this blast from the past!

Track 1, Do The Strand

Track 2, Beauty Queen

Track 3, Strictly Confidential

Track 4, Editions Of You

Track 5, In Every Dream Home A Heartache

Track 6, The Bogus Man

Track 7, Grey Lagoons

Track 8, For Your Pleasure

Grab the tracks here!

EU Virgin Records 1973, ROXYCD2

Personal rating 5/5

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Doves - Caught By The River

2007-10-19T21:09:00.000-07:00

Another of the UK super group bands to overthrow the rather daunting moniker that Oasis held for so long. I simply adore the album 'The Last Broadcast', although it isn't like some of the groundbreaking albums I've posted here (Ride, Verve ect), it is clearly one of the best things to come out since 2K began. Perhaps the one thing that kind of makes me cringe somewhat when I hear this album, is the fact it somewhat copies the sound of already famous bands such as Verve and Radiohead. Thankfully, it's not 100% knockoff, and the album is well written and doesn't sound like *cough* Oasis. I'd suggest this album to anyone who doesn't already own it, and likes what I put up here. I think you can probably trust me by this point, no?

Track 1, Caught By The River (Edit)

Track 2, Caught By The River (Album Version)

Grab the tracks here!

US EMI Records 2002, DPRO 7087 6 17435 2 4

Personal rating 4/5

Grandaddy - The Crystal Lake

2007-10-19T20:18:00.000-07:00

Just for the record, we're not talking about the old guy sitting in a retirement home. No this is the real deal, without the abrasive depends under garments. If you've not heard of Grandaddy prior to reading this blog, you'll have a quick crash course on what they sound like. Though it's not the greatest music ever made, it does provide a good dose of adrenaline and delivers a reliably great listen on every album. The album 'Sophtware Slump' is something to add to your next shopping list, not to mention Christmas is just around the corner.

Track 1, The Crystal Lake (Radio Edit)

Track 2, The Crystal Lake (Album Version)

Grab the tracks here!

US V2 Records 2000, V2DJ-27664-2

Personal rating 3.75/5

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&^$%$% FileCrocodile

2007-10-19T20:05:00.001-07:00

Well, I've pretty much had it with Filecroc. Either I cannot upload, or you cannot download. This site is in 'crash n burn mode'. So here we are 'again' going for another migration to another site... this will take some time, strap in and enjoy the ride!

Ride - I Don't Know Where It Comes From (Remix)

2007-10-14T09:48:00.000-07:00

It seems like Creation Records had this problem in the 90's, although I'm sure that other labels did the same thing. The problem was taking a band like Ride or Slowdive, and feeling they had to make 'danceable' songs from their music. I'm not quite sure how they felt this was a good idea? I know Ride was going through the death throes of their last few albums, but it making the track a dance song really going to bring the band a larger audience? Doubtful. If anything, it will distance the already faithful a tad further. The first rendition is bloody awful, and hurts my ears! Thankfully, I don't have to listen to the whole track as I do with records during ripping. The final track, although showing some spark, does not even come close to capturing the magic that the band once had. It's around this time that they fell from grace, and shortly after released the *cough* Tarantula album. Say no more?

Track 1, I Don't Know Where It Comes From (Apollo 11 Mix)

Track 2, Moonlight Medicine (Ride On The Wire Mix)

Track 3, A Journey To The End Of The Universe (Version)

Grab the tracks here! Password-pwemb.blogspot.com

UK Creation Records 1994, CRESCD 189R

Personal rating 2/5

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Goldfrapp - Black Cherry

2007-10-14T08:55:00.001-07:00

Being both gorgeous, and having a heavenly voice can always help propel you as being the new darling of the UK music media. Having an album that is sheer musical brilliance will make you a god. Checking it out for free, priceless. Having been around the ropes a while before the conception of Goldfrapp, appearing with Tricky and Orbital alike, it made sense for Goldfrapp to become it's own entity. Gladly so, as we would never have the immense joy to listen to this album Black Cherry. I'll not spoil the fun for you, but if you're not sold by the first track then there is no hope for you. This is one of those albums you SHOULD own, and if you don't, why the hell are you still sitting here? Next trip you do to your local shop, pick this up and save yourself the embarrassment of never having grabbed it. The music will say enough for itself, it doesn't really need me to blither on like an idiot. So with that, enjoy.

Track 1, Crystaline Green

Track 2, Train

Track 3, Black Cherry

Track 4, Tiptoe

Track 5, Deep Honey

Track 6, Hairy Trees

Track 7, Twist

Track 8, Strict Machine

Track 9, Forever

Track 10, Slippage

Grab the tracks here! Password-pwemb.blogspot.com

Canadian Mute Records 2003, 9 9206-2

Personal rating 5/5

Recoil - Bloodline

2007-10-14T08:10:00.000-07:00

After much success with the supergroup Depeche Mode, Alan Wilder ventured off to continue his solo project recoil. Some might say that this was musical suicide, though if you hear the varied dark ranges of sounds withing this album, you might conclude that he no longer felt he fit in with the DM format. Perhaps this really isn't the case, perhaps he was just becoming tired of the limelight that was constantly focused on Depeche Mode, or perhaps he just had yearnings to make a name for himself with his own music. Yes, you will see similarities with his previous bands released, namely towards the Violator spectrum. Although this album had gone down a darker path which resonates with a heavier electronic sound which DM dared not go. His fame has has permitted him to gather a wealth of guest appearances on this album, namely Douglas McCarthy of Nitzer Ebb, who more so emanates the sound of this album in their later releases. Yes, there are moments when you feel like you MAY be listening to a DM b-side, 'Freeze' for example sounds like something DM would have recorded, but had chopped to the cutting room floor, as does 'The Defector'. While it's not incredibly groundbreaking material, it does afford for a good listen, and give you the chance to see what was always stirring in the back of Alan's mind as he worked with DM. I think any fan of DM should get a decent amount of pleasure out of this album, I have for some years now.

Track 1, Faith Healer

Track 2, Electro Blues For Bukka White

Track 3, The Defector

Track 4, Edge To Life

Track 5, Curse

Track 6, Bloodline

Track 7, Freeze

Grab the tracks here! Password-pwemb.blogspot.com

US Sire Records 1992, 9 26850-2

Personal rating 3.5/5

Lupine Howl - 125

2007-10-12T04:10:00.001-07:00

It goes to show that good things can happen when a supergroup's leader decides to fire the rest of the band. In this case, Spiritualized front man Jason Pierce fired his bassist, guitarist and drummer, who eventually became Lupine Howl. One thing to note at this point is that the following Spiritualized album sucked, and the debut Lupine Howl album was excellent... see a connection? It kind of goes to show that a band is not always about a single person. This particular 'short' album is a great listen, although it was one of those albums that took a listen or two to actually find the spark within. This was a brilliant place for the post-Spiritualized members to kick off the new career, and hopefully they continue to show their former leader what he lost.

Track 1, 125

Track 2, Vaporizer

Track 3, Tired

Track 4, Swell

Track 5, Bronzage

Track 6, Mexican Cantina

Track 7, Voodoo Raygun

Grab the track here! Password-pwemb.blogspot.com

UK Vinyl Hiss Records 2000, BBQ 347CDE

Personal rating 4/5

Northside - Chicken Rhythms

2007-10-09T06:12:00.001-07:00

Some critics feel that Northside were a mere flash in the pan during the early 90's, and perhaps they were not the darlings of MTV, but they still had one solid album which produced two solid singles. Some people associate the 90's with bands such as The Happy Mondays and The Stone Roses, which is not a bad thing, these are excellent bands which I adore. When I seem to recall one of the more distinctive tracks from this era, I always find myself thinking about 'Shall We Take A Trip'. Perhaps 'Take 5' was a bigger single on the charts, possibly because chants of LSD got their other wonderful song banned from most radio stations? I do think that 'Shall We Take A Trip' is more of an anthem for the early 90, as it summed up the experimental cultures that were merging together for the first times. Yes, drugs were rampant, so why not sing about them? In any case, perhaps this is NOT the best album in my collection, but hell, I still play the piss out of it. It's here if you like it or don't, maybe this will take you back to your Hacienda days...

Track 1, Take 5

Track 2, Weight Of Air

Track 3, Funky Munky

Track 4, A Change Is On The Way

Track 5, Yeah Man

Track 6, Tour De World

Track 7, Wishful Thinking

Track 8, Shall We Take A Trip

Track 9, Who's To Blame

Track 10, Practice Makes Perfect

Track 11, My Rising Star

Track 12, Moody Places

Track 13, Tour De World (Live)

Track 14, Yeah Man (Live)

Grab the tracks here! Password-pwemb.blogspot.com

Canadian Factory Records 1991, 520 005-2

Personal rating 4/5

The High - Somewhere Soon

2007-09-23T08:40:00.000-07:00

Many a group picked up the torch during the early 90's, and tried to copy the now-famous style of The Stone Roses. Usually many of these bands, to put it bluntly, were crap. There were the odd few that popped through the radar, and had a somewhat unique style which should have garnered them some more attention in the presses. This possibly was the case with The High, as they did put together a decent overall album, one that can be fully enjoyed from start to end. They were really only vaguely known for their single 'Box Set Go', which is more of an afterthought in the UK charts than anything else. What you will find here, is a style enriched with the vibe of The Stone Roses, the jangle of The Byrds, and a bit of musical pump compliments of James. It's not the best thing that came out during this fevered time known as the 90's, but it's not the worst either. If music were comfort food, The Stone Roses would have been a steak dinner, The Smiths probably a good pill overdose wrapped in a butty with some chips, and The High, well they would have been a nice bag of crisps. Is that a bad thing? I love a bag of crisps from time to time!

Track 1, Box Set Go

Track 2, Take Your Time

Track 3, This Is My World

Track 4, Rather Be Marsanne

Track 5, So I Can See

Track 6, A Minor Turn

Track 7, Dreams Of Dinesh

Track 8, Up & Down

Track 9, P.W.A.

Track 10, Somewhere Soon

Grab the tracks here! Password-pwemb.blogspot.com

US London Records 1990, 828224-2

Personal rating 3/5

The Zephyrs - When The Sky Comes Down It Comes Down On Your Head

2007-09-18T05:49:00.001-07:00

The Zephyrs brand of slowed down alt-country can best be described as taking Mojave 3 and putting it through a blender on ice at very low speeds. Although this odd description may sound bad, trust me in saying this is some beautiful, albeit slow, music coming from Scotland. If you think you might be hearing some familiar voices lulling from your speaker, well you will be correct. Refer to the track 'Setting Sun' for a beautiful dose of Rachel Goswell in an almost Mojave 3 atmosphere. Adele Bethel of Arab Strap is also found lending a hand on this album. This is the perfect summer evening music to lay back on the lounger, and slowly nurse a few beers.

Track 1, The Buildings Aren't Going Anywhere

Track 2, Modern Beats

Track 3, Mount Misery

Track 4, Setting Sun

Track 5, The Green Tree

Track 6, Paint Your House

Track 7, Murder Of A Small Man

Track 8, Stargazer

Track 9, Ballad Of The Green Tree

Grab the tracks here! Password-pwemb.blogspot.com

UK Southpaw Records 2001, PIASV 012 CD

Personal rating 4.75/5

My Bloody Valentine - Esctacy And Wine

2007-09-18T05:48:00.001-07:00

Although this album is somewhat of a shadow of later MBV albums, it still is an important stepping stone to the force they became with Loveless. Sounding a bit more like a sixties infused Primitives, and perhaps lacking the 'noise' that gave them their godlike status later on, it does have it brilliant moments where the knife-like edges of Jesus And Mary Chain poke through. The songs aren't as focused as later material, but have an almost 'boppy' quality to them which makes them infectious. Since I'm an early Primitives addict, this sound easily grew on me, which is more that can be said for later MBV works which took a bit longer. When I say the later material by MBV took longer to get into, you have to imagine that this album was more what I was used to at the time, and the 'noise factor' was a bit of an acquired taste. Loveless is easily among my favorite albums to date, though I think I would find Esctacy And Wine up there as well, but for different reasons. If you've never had the privilege of hearing this earlier release, then this is your opportunity to embrace the was to become, as the group shook of their sixties vibe, and went down that path later known as shoegaze.

Grab the tracks here! Password-pwemb.blogspot.com

Track 1, Strawberry Wine

Track 2, Never Say Goodbye

Track 3, Can I Touch You

Track 4, She Loves You No Less

Track 5, The Things I Miss

Track 6, I Don't Need you

Track 7, (You're) Safe In Your Sleep (From This Girl)

Track 8, Clair

Track 9, You've Got Nothing

Track 10, (Please) Lose Yourself In Me

UK Lazy Records 1987, LAZY 12 CD

Personal rating 4.5/5

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Blur - Girls & Boys

2007-09-16T17:42:00.001-07:00

Probably the best known of all the 'good' Blur songs, and by that I mean NOT the bloody "WooHoo" 'Song 2' that everybody seems to know. That is an example of a track that 'drives me out of my bloody mind'. Yes, a touch racy in it's underlying meaning, but hell, it made for one hell of a video, not to mention a club hit. This was probably the last of the good Blur, as they proceeded to self destruct sometime shortly after, losing their lovely mod sounding roots, and going towards the "hey I woke up and think I'm a punk" type of crap. Perhaps it helped to have a mix by the Pet Shop Boys, though I'm not sure if I care really, the track is good on it's own. The best part of this EP is the brilliant cover of Rod-The-Mod's 'Maggie May'. This is undoubtedly the sound that Blur grabbed me by my shoulders and violently shook me awake with. If this is not your cup-o-tea per say, then perhaps you might like the few albums after this... even if they are crap, I guess someone has to like them!

Grab the tracks here! Password-pwemb.blogspot.com

Track 1, Girls & Boys

Track 2, Girls & Boys (Pet Shop Boys Radio Edit)

Track 3, Girls & Boys (Pet Shop Boys 12" Mix)

Track 4, Magpie

Track 5, Peter Panic

Track 6, Maggie May

US Food Records 1994, 7243-8-58155-2-2

Personal rating 4/5

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Xymox - Twist Of Shadows

2007-08-26T07:45:00.001-07:00

After Xymox morphed from their darker sounding 'goth' renditions, they opted for a lighter, more synth-based dance sound. The initial response from me upon reading reviews back them were.. "Eww". I grudgingly went to the shop and forked over the dough for Twist Of Shadows, and expected the worst. What I found was they really hadn't stayed too far from their roots, but livened it up a bit. Although it took a short while to become infectious with me, Twist Of Shadows is truly one of the more remarkable albums to have come out in the late 80's, and early 90's. It is surly one of the few that I can listen to without having to hit the 'next' button on the remote.

Track 1, Evelyn

Track 2, Obsession

Track 3, Craving

Track 4, Blind Hearts

Track 5, The River

Track 6, A Million Things

Track 7, Tonight

Track 8, Imagination

Track 9, In The City

Track 10, Clementina

Grab the tracks here! Password-pwemb.blogspot.com

Canadian Wing Records 1988, 838233-2

Personal rating 4.5/5

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Lamb - Lamb

2007-08-23T14:08:00.001-07:00

For those of you who adored the sound of Portishead, perhaps this post will shine a light on something in that same vein, but perhaps a little livelier. If Portishead are the 'come down' darlings of the 90's culture, then Lamb would definitely be their upstart cousins. Although similar in some fashions, having the whispery vocals that made Portishead famous, we now find a more textured drum and bass beat pounding from our speakers. Although at some time a bit overpowering and chaotic, there are the gorgeous moments in the likes of 'Lusty' which would be an anthem to the band that is Lamb. It's fabulous work, though it might not seem so on the first listen. It's definite that once you return to it, some months later, you will find it's allure unbearable. I did not like Lamb on my first try, but had some positive reinforcement from a friend who loved them. Lamb are something you'll find yourself writing a note about. Perhaps not now, but in the months to come, you will have their praises lining these comment pages.

Track 1, Lusty

Track 2, God Bless

Track 3, Cotton Wool

Track 4, Trans Fatty Acid

Track 5, Zero

Track 6, Merge

Track 7, Gold

Track 8, Closer

Track 9, Gorecki

Track 10, Feela

Grab the tracks here! Password-pwemb.blogspot.com

US Polygram Records 1997, 532968

Personal rating 4/5

The Wild Swans - Bringing Home The Ashes

2007-08-23T12:54:00.001-07:00

AT long last, something new here! I need to say first off that I'm very sorry for the delays! Moving was a terrible venture, and with starting a new job, it really threw a wrench into the short term plans I had. I hope that I didn't lose too many of my faithful readers :)

With that said, I give you this brilliant album from The Wild Swans, to hopefully ease your pain. I shouldn't have to say too much about this one, other than it was a masterpiece when it came out, and still holds a special place in my musical collection. It has been an LP that I have sold many times over the years, as once people heard it's magic, they insisted on owning a copy (my copy). I have always managed to grab another copy thankfully!

Track 1, Young Manhood

Track 2, Bible Dreams

Track 3, Bitterness

Track 4, Archangels

Track 5, Northern England

Track 6, Whirlpool Heart

Track 7, Bringing Home The Ashes

Track 8, Now And Forever

Track 9, The Worst Year Of My Life

Grab the tracks here! Password-pwemb.blogspot.com

Japanese Sire Records 1987 25697

Personal rating 5/5

Sorry...

2007-08-01T16:19:00.000-07:00

Sorry for the lack of activity here in the past while. I JUST got my DSL up and running (finally) about 5 mins ago, so I'll be back at this site again in the next day or so. Thanks for being loyal and your patience especially!

Bent - The Everlasting Blink

2007-06-27T06:40:00.001-07:00

This will be my last post for a week or so, and what better way to send me off into the chaos which is moving! This phenomenal album should keep you salivating until I return to post even better goodies for you. Easily a favorite in the last few years, it has gotten it's much deserved attention on my CD player, I assume they've become quite acquainted with each other by this time. If you're not familiar with Bent, then this is a golden opportunity to download this gorgeous album, and become a fan as I have. There's nothing 'fluffy' here, just solid music all the way around. Perhaps not the easiest disc to find in most shops, it took me ages to track down a copy over here! Perhaps across the pond might be a little easier ;) See you in a few week! Peace!

Track 1, King Wisp

Track 2, An Ordinary Day

Track 3, Strictly Bongo

Track 4, Beautiful Otherness

Track 5, Moonbeams

Track 6, So Long Without You

Track 7, Exercise 3

Track 8, Stay The Same

Track 9, Magic Love

Track 10, The Everlasting Blink

Track 11, Thick Ear

Grab the tracks here! Password-pwemb.blogspot.com

UK Guidance Recording 2003, 614

Personal rating 5/5

WE'RE MOVING...

2007-06-27T06:23:00.000-07:00

Yes folks, this site will seem like a ghost town for about a week. We're moving on the 30th of June, and our services will not be up until about 4 days after we're moved in. Not much will be happening here, so look forward to a few juicy posts when I'm able to get back on and posting. If you've ever moved a massive record collection before (we're in the range of 3,000), then you know how much of a nightmare this can be. The new place includes central air, a jacuzzi tub, a backyard and all the perks ;) This will be a nice "COOL" place to actually sit and enjoy ripping some vinyl for you, and NOT sweating to death. I'll let you know how it goes! Wish me luck.

Belle & Sebastian - Legal Man

2007-06-24T23:04:00.000-07:00

Belle & Sebastian are a band which I seem to be on the cusp of being fully engrossed with, then only to discover the next album I buy by them is a pile of piss. Perhaps that's a bit harsh, as they are quite talented musicians, though it seems about half the albums I've bought by them end up in second hand shops. This EP though, is a fabulous example of the sound that fills my speakers with vibrant life. 'Legal Man' has to be my favorite track by the band, and this is the sound that I adore. The nice part is the b-sides aren't shite either, which is usually the case with most bands. When you can pick up an EP and find it most enjoyable is a rare treat, I just wish the tracks were a tad longer, or they threw on another track or two to make it a little more worthwhile. In any case, this Belle & Sebastian EP should give you all of 9 minutes of extreme pleasure, and that's hopefully enough to bring other releases to mind when you're doing you next record shopping venture.

Track 1, Legal Man

Track 2, Judy Is A Dick Slap

Track 3, Winter Wooskie

Grab the tracks here! Password-pwemb.blogspot.com

US Matador Records 2000, 448

Personal rating 4.5/5

Coldplay - Brothers & Sisters

2007-06-22T08:01:00.001-07:00

Now that Coldplay is an everday name in the music industry, and perhaps a little overplayed on every radio station from 'light rock' to alternative stations, we can take a look back at what the earlier stages of the band sounded like. This EP demonstrates what was to come, albeit a little unpolished on the vocals and a tad rough musically, the gems were there ready to sparkle. I consider these mere demo tracks in what will no doubt be a long career for these blokes, and something that should merely be taken as such. If you're looking for the perfection you've come to expect on their future albums, Parachutes and A Rush of Blood To The Head, then you won't find it here. What you will find is a window which will slowly etch them into the European market, and later the US and Canada. Perhaps the only difference is having a good producer to help out and clean up the rough edges, or perhaps the band just figured out the math on their own. In any case, Coldplay are here to stay, love them or hate them, and they will rival Oasis for top super group from the UK.

Track 1, Brothers & Sisters

Track 2, Easy To Please

Track 3, Only Superstition

Grab the tracks here! Password-pwemb.blogspot.com

UK Fierce Panda Records 1999, 68

Personal rating 3/5

William Orbit - Water From A Vineleaf (Promo)

2007-06-22T07:08:00.001-07:00

William Orbit has come a long way since the days of Torch Song. From artist, to label owner, to producer, the fingerprints of this genius are all over the music industry. This promotional EP offers a glimpse of what variations of a single track can sound like, from the original to overblown remixes. The track is quality material from William's album Strange Cargo III, which was released back in 1993. Personally, my favorite variation is the 'Xylem Flow Mix' which was done by Spooky. This track appears on many trance and chill out compilations, namely Sasha & John Digweed's Northern Exposure.

Track 1, Water From A Vine Leaf (Edit)

Track 2, Water From A Vine Leaf (Xylem Flow Mix)

Track 3, Water From A Vine Leaf (Acid Bath Mix)

Track 4, Water From A Vine Leaf (Underwater Mix Part 2)

Track 5, Water From A Vine Leaf (Cromer Chroma Mix)

Grab the tracks here! Password-pwemb.blogspot.com

US I.R.S. Records 1993, DPRO-10754

Personal rating 3.5/5

The Things You Can Do With Album Art...

2007-06-21T21:31:00.000-07:00

You'll never look at album art the same way again...

Depeche Mode - A Question Of Lust

2007-06-21T08:52:00.000-07:00

Probably on every mixed tape given to a loved one during the 80's and 90's. This is one of those tracks that has lasted the test of time, and will be forever etched in the memories of the 80's generation. I'm sure a few children were conceived to this track, though I'm not scientist, and I probably wouldn't want to try and figure this out by calling old school buddies. This was Depeche Mode at their exceptional period in their career, and I'm not saying I dislike anything prior or after this period, it's just that this holds the best memories for me. There was nothing quite taking days to make a special tape for some girl you liked, and having the *cough* benefits while listening to it with her ;) However you remember this song, I'm sure this post will take you back to your special moments, and perhaps some heartbreaks too. That's life, don't blame the band, just enjoy the music.

Track 1, A Question Of Lust

Track 2, Christmas Island

Track 3, Christmas Island (Extended)

Track 4, People Are People (Live)

Track 5, It Doesn't Matter Two (Instrumental)

Track 6, A Question Of Time (Minimal)

Grab the tracks here! Password-pwemb.blogspot.com

US Mute Records 1991, 9 40317-2

Personal rating 4/5

More Depeche Mode items for sale here!

A-Ha - Forever Not Yours

2007-06-21T08:35:00.000-07:00

Perhaps I purchased this EP with a jaded outlook as to what it would sound like. Did you happen to see the Live Aid show from Germany, and also remember how bloody awful A-Ha sounded? Another aspect is that, generally, 80's bands today sound like crap when trying to something more modern. I find most of these bands can't venture into the sound of today, and cannot let go of their sound that made them huge in their time. This has always been a big setback for me, and probably one which will plague me if I see some classic band releasing a new disc. With that said, the tracks are pretty decent. It does have a sound 'similar' to that of the heydays of the 80's, but it has a fresher feel to them. Perhaps this is only window dressing for the time, but if they can pull it off, and if I like it then it really doesn't matter. The selling point here were the live versions of their classic older tracks. As I said, I had a sense of apprehension about how well his vocals would be, but they are pretty much spot on. The best part of this, and one that always gives me chills, is how the audience participates with the vocals, and the band lets them take over. There's really nothing in the world like a crowd singing every word to your songs in unison. I'd imagine this would be a very special feeling for the band, showing how far reaching their music really was. The live tracks were recorded in Oslo, Norway on March 24th 2001.

Track 1, Forever Not Yours

Track 2, Differences (Original Demo)

Track 3, Hunting High And Low (Live In Oslo)

Track 4, Manhattan Skyline (Live In Oslo)

Grab the tracks here! Password-pwemb.blogspot.com

German WEA Records 2002, 0927-44859-2

Personal rating 3/5

Purchase this other A-Ha releases here!

Wendy James - The Nameless One

2007-06-21T08:11:00.001-07:00

It's a love affair that started back in the mid 80's for me. Not necessarily with all the music that Transvision Vamp put out, but more so with the beautiful vocalist they had representing the band. Yes, there were great Transvision Vamp releases, and then a fair amount of bad ones. I did however, find myself always picking them up. It it possible that this temptress Wendy James had cast her spell on me, and I was in hook line and sinker? Perhaps.. We can now get past all that, I'm older right? Oddly enough, see what I now post for you, yes, a Wendy James EP. I'm guessing this infatuation never really ended, but was perhaps hidden from the women in my lives. I have one other special infatuation, but I'm sure Rachel Goswell doesn't read this, and care to know about that one. In any case, we have a similar problem with Wendy James in her solo releases. It's great music if she doesn't wail like a banshee, and add almost metal like riffs. It doesn't quite do her loveliness justice for some reason. But hidden within these two discs are jewels via the likes of stripped down acoustic recordings. It gives you the sense that she can actually sing, and when she does her voice is captivating. Some of it reminds me a touch of a certain Aussie band Frente, although that's just another comparison for the purpose of giving you something to perhaps expect when you listen to this. It's not the most stellar material ever written, but it does come across as a heartfelt attempt to be something real, and something that wasn't necessarily captured while in Transvision Vamp. You be the judge.

Disc 1

Track 1, The Nameless One

Track 2, I Just Don't Want It Anymore

Track 3, May I Have Your Autograph

Grab the tracks here for Disc 1 Password-pwemb.blogspot.com

Disc 2

Track 1, The Nameless One

Track 2, Only A Fool

Track 3, I Need You Now

Grab the tracks here for Disc 2 Password-pwemb.blogspot.com

UK MCA Records 1993, MCSTD 1732/MCSXD 1732

Personal rating 3.75/5

Paul Hardcastle - 19 (French Version)

2007-06-16T08:07:00.000-07:00

Just for fun, I figured I would put up this classic track, but thrown in the fact that it's a French version rather than the usual English version you may be used to. Granted, those of you in France probably know this, and those of you in Germany will know the German version that exists. I wonder how many languages this song actually was released in? It would be rather comical to hear a Japanese version of the track, not sure that would translate very well though. It's not exactly a great variation as I said, though it is worth listening to. The b-sides are rather like porno music, so if you're thinking of filming one.. you might like these?

Track 1, 19 (French Version)

Track 2, Fly By Night

Track 3, Dolores

Grab the tracks here! Password-pwemb.blogspot.com

Personal rating 2.5/5

Ultra Vivid Scene - Joy 1967 - 1990

2007-06-16T07:48:00.000-07:00

Although probably the least known of all the artists on the 4AD catalogue, Ultra Vivid Scene (UVS) were a decent band mostly overlooked by most. UVS were a short lived project by the likes of one Kurt Ralske, who originally moved to the UK to pursue the noisy muddling one My Bloody Valentine and Jesus & Mary Chain under the band name Crash. After moving back to the US, Ralske recorded two albums virtually by himself, Ultra Vivid Scene in 1988 and Joy 1967 - 1990 in 1990. Later he adding other musicians to record Rev, which was essentially a label flop, and eventually prompted the breakup of UVS. For a time he worked as a producer, working with artists such as Ivy and Lloyd Cole, but eventually the recording bug hit again and you can find him now recording under the guise of Cathars. UVS releases were not brilliant or original by any stretch of the imagination, but they did offer a decent look into the songwriting of Ralske. Joy is a decent album, though it won't etch a permanent mark into your brain, it will leave you with the urge to play it again later.

Track 1, It Happens Every Time

Track 2, Staring At The Sun

Track 3, Three Stars

Track 4, Special One

Track 5, Grey Turns White

Track 6, Poison

Track 7, Guilty Pleasure

Track 8, Extra Ordinary

Track 9, Beauty #2

Track 10, The Kindest Cut

Track 11, Praise The Low

Track 12, Lightning

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US 4AD Records 1990, CK 46227

Personal rating 3/5

Heaven 17 - Let Me Go

2007-06-16T06:48:00.001-07:00

Rooted in the early years of the Human League, Martyn Ware and Ian Craig Marsh split the band in 1980 to form Heaven 17. Although their career would not be as fruitful as the Human Leagues, it did offer a large variety of solid singles throughout the 80's. One of the premiere tracks released by the band is this track 'Let Me Go', which was as solid as anything happening in the time. For a short while Heaven 17 were the darlings of the UK pop charts, but as with everything, the love faded and by 1988 the band had officially disbanded. As the trend of reformations continues (some should stay dead), Heaven 17 reformed in 1996 and released what would be a string of albums stretching up until 2006. Some believe that bands can sound as good today as they did back in the 80's. Though nostalgic as it may be, I never fully understood the logic of a bunch of old men jumping about on stage like they were in their twenties. A good example of this would obviously be the Rolling Stones, which incidentally had to order special walkers and oxygen tanks for their next tour. Perhaps some of these bands still carry a flame to what they were in the 80's, others still will just be lifeless, money grabbing shells, trying to squeeze every iota of cash from a long dead name. Are Heaven 17 part of this group? That's really for you to decide...

Track 1, Let Me Go

Track 2, Let Me Go (Instrumental)

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Canadian B.E.F. Records 1982, VSX 1161

Personal rating 4/5

Southpacific - Constance

2007-06-11T04:55:00.001-07:00

For a short time in space, there was a brief ripple on the sonic Richter Scale known as Southpacific. Founded in the deep seeded sounds of My Bloody Valentine and Swervedriver, and incorporating the electronic vibe of Seefeel, the band set forth to create a sounds to call their own. Though largely lauded by the press, the band did manage to garner some acclaim on university radio with their debut release 33. It wasn't until later, after recording in a ski chalet, that the band managed to create an almost perfect record in the likes of Constance. More to the vein of Flying Saucer Attack meets Swervedriver, the album shines with the brilliant, and very experimental, noise which was prevalent in the mid 90's. Though not the best release in the genre, it does sparkle with a magical intelligence that puts it above the rest. Being from Toronto also helps bring more attention to the band, as at that time the genre was a tad lacking in that area. A great album, if you can find it.

Track 1, Blue Lotus

Track 2, Parallel Lines

Track 3, E10 @ 182

Track 4, Alamo

Track 5, Analogue 9

Track 6, Round (Forget What You Feel)

Track 7, Built To Last

Track 8, A Better Life Since

Track 9, Stay Ahead, Far Behind

Track 10, Pintail Gate

Track 11, Automata

Track 12, Instrumental

Track 13, Telegraph Hill

Track 14, Aria

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US Symbiotic Records 2000

Personal rating 3.5/5

Project Skyward - Strange Synchronicities

2007-06-11T04:22:00.000-07:00

This is an introduction to the beautiful sounds screaming across the galaxy from a small teams of brilliant muses known as Project Skyward. Hidden in secret labs somewhere in the USA, they work to recreate the sounds which followed the creation of the sun and stars, and the forever forward pulse of the universe. The lush waves of layered guitar, overlapped with swirling layers of keyboards and the dreamy vocals create a sound which has distant shores across the universe shivering in delight. Revered by all, this perfect blend of bliss inspires one to join the affront to limiting boundaries, and walk out into the nebulae. In some worlds, it is spoken of Project Skyward as being gods, and temples have been erected in their name, offerings of light and sound are often abundant. Their music still beams to the heaven from their remote lab, and the fans keep coming, homage being paid from all across the galaxy. Join the Project Skyward revolution today, add the chorus of sounds tripping off into the universe by playing your copy of Strange Synchronicities now.

This is two sample tracks from the album, please purchase your own copy from the band, or here at a later date.

Track 1, Into The Orion Nebula

Track 2, A Flash Of Light

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US Nebula Records 2004, NEB 4035

Personal rating 5/5

BLEH

2007-06-08T20:25:00.001-07:00

Just Letting you all know.. when you're in your mid 30's, getting the chickenpox is probably the closest to death you'll ever get. I've spent the last week and a bit wishing I was anyway. Here's a lovely pic from a few days ago that indicates both my mood, and how great I look, now under quarantine at home for about a week now, and being mostly bed ridden with a temp of nearly 104 degrees. I'm not looking for pity, more so explaining why nothing has happened here, nor likely will until i feel better. I also want to make you fully aware that if you know someone to have chickenpox, and you HAVE NOT had it in your lifetime, STAY THE HELL AWAY!!! I was unlucky enough to get this from some a-hole walking around with it, and coming into my place of work... I guess I'm also saying, if you have it, stay the hell home!

The bottom video kind of explains how I felt last week, and somewhat into the beginning of this week... trust me, it was NOT quite so comical.

I'll try to get a few posts up before we move, though there are no guarantees. I just don't feel well enough to sit here long enough to rip music. Sorry.

Opus III - It's A Fine Day

2007-05-28T18:47:00.001-07:00

Opus III were a short lived, yet remarkable sounding ambient house act that popped up in the early 90's. With the beautiful Kirsty Hawkshaw, who added the ethereal vocals with the house sound that had become affluent in the UK at the time. With Opus III adding one particularly great track to a music scene already brimming with the likes of The Orb, Orbital and 808 State, Opus III were poised to become one of the premier artists. Alas, the follow up release in Guru Mother, was quite a lackluster affair, and the band faded into obscurity. What we were left with was this lovely single, which includes two great singles 'Its A Fine Day' and 'Evolution Rush'. The whole album Mind Fruit was a well regarded album, and is still of notoriety today. It still occasionally finds it's way onto my player from time to time, and gets the deserved appreciation. One thing that always bugged me during this period was the Orbital track 'Halcyon + On + On', and the fact that the female samples sure sounds a lot like Kirsty Hawshaws vocals on 'Its A Fine Day' played backwards. After many years of guessing, I just now discovered that Kirsty Hawkshaw did lend a hand on this Orbital album, and now the case is closed.

Track 1, It's A Fine Day

Track 2, Evolution Rush

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UK PWL Records 1992, PWLT 215

Personal rating 4/5

The Psychedelic Furs - Heaven

2007-05-28T13:09:00.001-07:00

Someone asked me for two specific Psychedelic Furs tracks, and in my state of moving I cannot produce them at this time, hopefully this will sate their hunger for the time being. The track 'Heaven' is an exceptional track from the early 80's, though the same cannot be said for it's b-side. 'Heartbeat' is a somewhat boring and annoying remix, and given that the original track was no better, this remix doesn't quite improve the situation. Although I' sure there are fanatics out there who will enjoy anything by the band I post, I'll let you enjoy the track 'Heaven', and do what you will with the rest. It is, after all, your hard drive you'll be filling up :)

Track 1, Heaven (Full Length Version)

Track 2, Heartbeat (New York Remix)

Grab the tracks here! Password-pwemb.blogspot.com

UK CBS Records 1984, TA4300

Personal rating 3/5

Ned's Atomic Dustbin - Intact

2007-05-28T12:44:00.000-07:00

Perhaps not eh best example of a classic Ned's track, but one that adds a various view on their sound. By this we mean taking a Ned's track and adding a danceable quality to it. The remix of 'Intact' is a great song to throw on in a mix of britpop, or on somebody's mixed tape, and make them second guess what they're listing to. Unlike the "dreaded remix syndrome", this is actually a quality mix, and musically sounds more like something of the Flowered Up or Happy Mondays nature. The Ep offers a few other decent tracks, including the album version of 'Intact', plus a live track. Like I mentioned, it not the best of the Ned's material, but it's one that you might not hear often. You know how I like to throw quirky things up for you here, so what change now?

Track 1, Intact (Remix)

Track 2, Intact (Album Version)

Track 3, Prostrate

Track 4, Swiss Legoland (Live)

Grab the tracks here! Password-pwemb.blogspot.com

UK Furtive Records 1992, 658816-6

Personal rating 3.75/5

Skywave - Don't Say Slow

2007-05-28T12:10:00.000-07:00

If you're looking for an assault on your eardrums, then perhaps Skywave is the band for you. Skywave were part of the Alison Records tour, as mentioned in the previous post, and were another of the bands which blew me away (both musically and sonically). I'd not heard Skywave before they came rolling up from the US, but they did have a notoriety that proceeded them. That is of course, of of being VERY, VERY LOUD! I first ignored this warning, and in St Catherines proceeded to have my eardrums rolled out the back of my head. Yes, they are LOUD. The next night, I took the precautions of wearing earplugs, and this did manage to soften the barrage somewhat. Although fairly noisy, they are a superb act to watch, and their on stage antics include jumping around like lunatics, and the drummer occasionally playing the bass drum with his foot (as his stomping has previously broken the pedal). Quite an entertaining show indeed, and a new found love for the band. If it were just merely noise I was looking for, I could simply play with a chainsaw for a few hours, but there is actually a melody within this music, and heartfelt love for what they are doing. The sad thing is that you may never again get to see the band live, as rumor has it, they have become defunct, sadly. If early Jesus & Mary Chain or My Bloody Valentine is up your alley, then I encourage you to pick up a Skywave disc, wear earplugs, and stand in the next room.. you won't be disappointed.

Track 1, Don't Say Slow

Track 2, Took The Sun

Track 3, Forever You

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US Amendment Records 2002.

Personal rating 4.5/5

Malory - Wake Up

2007-05-28T10:28:00.001-07:00

Probably the most beautiful band to produce this type of music since the demise of Slowdive. Malory infuse electro beats with mind boggling layers of swirling guitars, to create the most imaginative ethereal pop I have heard in years. Now into their third album, Malory has matured gradually with each release, making them the new pioneers of shoegaze. Hailing from Germany, most of us in North America won't get a chance to see them live, and the chance to would easily be worth a trip to the Fatherland. I had the privilege to see them twice in the span of two days during the Alison Records tour through the United States and Canada. In those few days, I had the opportunity to meet the band, see them live, and give them accommodations and some TLC while over here in Canada. The members are down to earth and extremely humble and grateful people. During their stay, I had the opportunity to promote their show, and had them in my record shop (along with Highspire, Skywave, Stellarscope) to meet some of their adoring fans here in Canada. Though not an entire success, the tour adhered them to some new fans here in North America, and gave the already faithful a chance to pay homage to these Germans. I'm sure there was not a disappointed person in the crowd, as Malory were as perfect sounding live as they are on disc. Their masterful brand of gaze was an overwhelming assault on one's senses, and the beauty brought tears to many eyes. Simply said, any Malory disc from Not Here, Not Now, through to The Third Face will bring you top notch shoegazer pleasure, and there's hardly anyone that can beat them at this level. I hope this post will endere you to this beautiful music, and perhaps influence you to love this band as much as I do. If you wish to help support the band, please visit their website, http://www.malory-music.com

Track 1, Wake Up

Track 2, Falling Shine

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Czech Emma's House Records 2004, EHR008

Personal rating 5/5

New Order - Everythings Gone Green

2007-05-24T22:46:00.001-07:00

At some point or another, I figured I would have to post some New Order. What better 12" to post than my favorite, 'Everythings Gone Green'. This is probably New Order at their best, still retaining the Joy Division gloominess, yet aspiring to be bigger and better. Yes, Ian Curtis was in intricate part of the pre-New Order era, but would Joy Division really have risen to the godlike status that New Order has attained through their long career? It seems to me that his death brought about a cultish status, and helped propel the band into the darlings they became. Perhaps the darkened murmurings of Ian would have left listeners wanting more, or perhaps the creative influences of the band were just enough to break his mould. It's hard to speculate on what ifs, but it's hard to front a band if your a manic depressive, and worse still, hard to write happy songs in this state. How could he ever have sung on something so different a Technique? It remains a legacy that will forever puzzle us, and Ian Curtis will forever remain a god in a band that 'almost' broke out into stardom.

Track 1, Everything's Gone Green

Track 2, Mesh

Track 3, Cries And Whispers

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UK Factory records 1981, FBNL 8

Personal rating 5/5

The Cure - Boys Don't Cry

2007-05-24T15:37:00.001-07:00

Well, I'll say this first off: The Cure were not one of my favorite bands. Yes, that's right, I rarely liked them. Ok, so they have the occasional song I admire, and do admire what they did for music, but overall I found them annoying. Oddly enough I love The Smiths... isn't that ironic? I will probably get slaughtered for what I just said, as I'm sure flocks of Cure fans are out there clutching their Robert Smith records like they were gold. I actually only own a few of their items, and that will reflect in my posts probably. I actually had to borrow this 12" from a mate of mine to be able to fill a request for someone who asked a long time ago (sorry for the delay). Perhaps, for me, it was just the separation of musical tastes back then, and I went down the opposite path. I think I was more apt to buy synthpop records than Cure records. Oh well, as long as somebody enjoys this 12", as to me it's 'just not bad'. I'd rather be listening to The Stranglers, Magazine or Wire.

Track 1, Boys Don't Cry (Extended Dance Version)

Track 2, Pillbox Tales

Track 3, Do The Hansa

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UK Fiction Records 1986, FICS X 24

Personal rating 2.5/5

The Primitives - Out Of Reach

2007-05-24T14:18:00.001-07:00

Here's the live version of 'Crash' for you.

Track 1, Out Of Reach

Track 2, Out Of Reach (Album Version)

Track 3, Really Stupid (Live, Glasgow College '88)

Track 4, Crash (Live, Glasgow College '88)

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UK RCA Records 1988, PT 42012

Personal rating 3.5/5

The Human League - The Lebanon

2007-05-24T13:54:00.000-07:00

I'll sent this post out to all the people who are suffering in the beautiful country of Lebanon. It's as sad an affair there today as it was back when this track was created by the band... Nowadays, we have Palestinian 'refugees' staying in THEIR country, and fighting the Lebanese army. It seems all through the ages, the word Palestinian should equate to 'trouble' or 'war mongering'. They are not a peaceful people, and never will be. Perhaps they should be pacified. The odd thing is, when Israel or Lebanon stand up against these thugs who kill innocent people, the world gasps and calls it wrong. Why shouldn't they be allowed to defend themselves? The US went to war to *cough* defend itself, and that was a war of illegitimate reasons... in this case, they have REFUGEES in THEIR country fighting the army?!? Is it just me or is something wrong with that?! If we had refugees here in Canada rise up against out government or army, we'd kick all their asses out! Rightly so, why should they be here as a guest, then think they have the gaul to dictate to us or disobey our laws. In any case, my father once told me that Palestinians are snakes. I thought that was racist back then, but after what I've seen in my 36 years on this planet, I tend to agree. My father served there as a peace keeper in the Royal Marine Commandos during the late 40's and early 50's. It is no better now than it was then, and I doubt it will ever get any better. I say, let them just kill each other. They have so corrupted what the Quran says, and have no concept of what it is to be a peaceful and loving Muslim. Perhaps one day the Muslim community will excommunicate them, and the world will be better for it. Though I'm sure they will always be refugees in some other peoples country... I just hope that there is something left of Lebanon after all this is done with. It is a beautiful country, and unlike some of their neighbors, has bright, loving and intelligent people. Perhaps in the end though, all that will be left there is Palestinians.. and there are good bombs to take care of that. The world needs to stand up against these atrocities, and unite against terrorism.

Only until we fully work together will there ever be peace for us all.

If you don't like what I wrote, why are you still reading it? Freedom of speech is alive and kicking today.

Track 1, The Lebanon

Track 2, Thirteen

Track 3, The Lebanon (Instrumental Version)

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Canadian Virgin Records 1984, VSX 1186

Personal rating 4.5/5

Severed Heads - Dead Eyes Opened

2007-05-24T13:26:00.000-07:00

Although largely overlooked, Severed Heads were one of the better groups to grace the Nettwerk Records label during the 80's and 90's. The sad thing is that the group was putting out excellent material, but always overshadowed by label mates Skinny Puppy. Though there are some instances where Severed Heads do moniker the industrial sound that was abundant in this label, I always felt they were a chameleon of musical genres. You'll probably get a sense of what I mean when you listen to this EP, in that the musical styles change somewhat from track to track. Parts of this EP sound like industrial-ish rantings, while other parts fit nicely on a compilations alongside OMD or Soft Cell. Even the track 'We Have Come To Bless This House' sounds like it was an OMD b-side from one of the earlier albums. But overall, I love this EP for the track 'Dead Eyes Opened', which I think is a great synthpop track, and perfectly exemplifies what the sound should be like. Love them or hate them, Severed Heads were premiere stuff, and if you rifle through the small bad bits, you'll find some gorgeous music hidden away.

Track 1, Dead Eyes Opened (Remix Three)

Track 2, Petrol (Remix Five)

Track 3, We Have Come To Bless This House (Remix Two)

Track 4, Oscar's Grind

Track 5, Mambo Fist Miasa

Grab the tracks here! Password-pwemb.blogspot.com

Canadian Nettwerk Records 1984, NTM 6303

Personal rating 4/5

An afterthought:

I figured I'd also throw up this version of 'Dead Eyes Opened', which someone sent me a while ago, but I've never been able to trace to any release (other than a greatest heads type package). It's a lot dancier, and a "bloody great chune".
Grab it here! Password-pwemb.blogspot.com

Cetu Javu - Situations

2007-05-24T13:07:00.001-07:00

Since I was recently asked for more 'synth' music on my chat applet, I figured now would be a good time to take advantage of the large collection of synthpop I have, and add a group of it at once. I'll start with this classic dance floor hit from 1988. I think one of th allures of 'Situations' is that it reminds me so much of earlier Depeche Mode; by this time Depeche Mode had moved away from the typical synthpop sounds of their earlier works, and were incorporating guitars into their songs. This solid track, albeit being many years after this type of sound was out, is still as good as they come. It's quality syth in a time when synthpop had somewhat died in the UK, and former synth artists had either broken up, or were moving towards the dance spectrum. An example of what I mean: New Order were experimenting with exctacy in Ibiza, and were producing more 'trance' like material. Even Erasure has shifted gears towards the trance spectrum, and their releases sounded further and further away from the 'old' type of synthpop. This track could have been released some 5 years earlier, and would have made the band pioneers, rather than being deemed as followers. A truly great song, and one that will always get a lot of play when the inkling comes.

Track 1, Situations

Track 2, Quien Lo Sabia?

Grab the tracks here! Password-pwemb.blogspot.com

US ZYX Records 1988, ZYX-5864

Personal rating 4/5

Mono - Formica Blues

2007-05-21T11:43:00.000-07:00

Finding a lot of similarities with Mono's first album Formica Blues, is not hard to so. We can obviously observe the heavy trip-hop influences of Portishead, and the fingerprints of Massive Attack producer Martin Virgo. Yes, it's not hard to draw these comparisons, but what's so nice about this album is it's overly perfect construction, musically, and the gorgeous vocals of Siobhan De Mare. It's not hard to see why fans flocked to the group, and why they became darlings in a genre already littered with great artists. The album is full of single worthy material, and could probably boast another album from the cut out material that was not included. If you ONLY know Mono from their hit single 'Life In Mono', then this is an opportunity for you to experience why I think Mono were far greater and far reaching musically than Portishead could ever hope to aspire to. That of course is just an opinion of myself, and probably not going to be the general consensus. I do believe this album should be in the top 100 and most regarded albums of the last ten years.

Track 1, Life In Mono

Track 2, Silicone

Track 3, Slimcea Girl

Track 4, The Outsider

Track 5, Disney Town

Track 6, The Blind Man

Track 7, High Life

Track 8, Playboys

Track 9, Penguin Freud

Track 10, Hello Cleveland!

Track 11, Life In Mono (Alice Band Mix)

Grab the tracks here! Password-pwemb.blogspot.com

Canadian Mercury Records 1997, 314 536 676-2

Personal rating 5/5

The Cherry Orchard - The Start Of Our Affair

2007-05-21T11:21:00.001-07:00

How can I define The Cherry Orchard for you, in order to gauge what you might be likely to hear when listening to this very catchy album. Well, to start off with, you're in for a very 60's inspired pop album, with mild French overtones. I hear a lot of elements in here, for example you can pick up distinct bits of The Housemartins, Nancy Sinatra, The Style Council, and even snippets of The La's. Although most review sites don't give this album the merit it deserves, I will gladly bestow upon The Cherry Orchard the PWEMB seal of approval. This album might not seem like like something up your alley upon your initial listen, but rest assured, you'll be humming it weeks later, and will find it a frequent visitor to your CD player. The album is what defines pop music for the summer, and with that time fast approaching, you should grab a drink with an umbrella, kick off your shoes and throw on your sandals, and find yourself a nice beach to nestle down on. Oh, did I mention that you should play this CD loud while doing this?

Track 1, That Summer Feeling

Track 2, Mmm Delicious

Track 3, Listening To Nancy

Track 4, Starcrossed Lovers

Track 5, Roundabout

Track 6, Sunday Best

Track 7, East View

Track 8, With Regret

Track 9, World On A String

Track 10, Jean And Paul

Track 11, Dreaming

Grab the tracks here! Password-pwemb.blogspot.com

US March Records 1999, MAR046

Personal rating 4.5/5

Bethany Curve - You Brought Us Here

2007-05-21T10:12:00.000-07:00

To relive what is considered a musical style that died in the mid 90's with bands like Slowdive, My Bloody Valentine and Ride, consider for a moment the bands that still keep the sound alive and vibrant. One of the premiere bands to date is Bethany Curve, who have delivered five solid albums of blissful, ethereal music. The best to date, You Brought Us Here, is an exceptional rebirth of the legendary shoegaze sound, while oozing a dark aura that makes your spine tingle with ecstasy. While the band has undergone several line shuffles, I'm sure they will remain true to the cause, in bringing fans the same brand of perfect 'gaze' we have come to love. I only wish these Californians would tour a little more, and come up to the great white north. I think Toronto would be more then ready to embrace the dark vibes for a few hours. If you're reading this guys, that's a hint by the way!

Track 1, Long Beach

Track 2, Ann Illusion

Track 3, Silver

Track 4, The Guarantee

Track 5, I'm Tired Gone

Track 6, The Fire

Track 7, Summer Left Me

Track 8, Airplanes Down

Track 9, The Lodge

Grab the tracks here! Password-pwemb.blogspot.com

US Unit Circle Rekkids 2001, TUC074

Personal rating 5/5

Emiliana Torrini - Love In The Time Of Science

2007-05-21T09:42:00.001-07:00

Emiliana Torrini might not be an everyday name in music, but her whispery vocals surly will implant themselves on your mind. Born of Icelandic and Italian decent, she captures the essence of Kate Bush, and the stylish musical tastes of Bjork. Rumor has it that when the Lord Of The Rings director Peter Jackson came calling for a singer, Bjork was unavailable. It seems that the beautiful vocals of one Emiliana Torrini captured his attention, and thus gave the green light for her to sing the closing track for the Two Towers movie. I'm sure any fan of Bjork will find similarities in the vocal ranges, and perhaps even the music itself. The album itself is a brilliant listen overall, and one you will find yourself seeking out after this preview. Hopefully more music of this style continues to pour out of the small volcanic island known as Iceland, for they sure have a knack of birthing beautiful and captivating music.

Track 1, To Be Free

Track 2, Wednesday's Child

Track 3, Baby Blue

Track 4, Dead Things

Track 5, Unemployed In Summertime

Track 6, Easy

Track 7, Fingertips

Track 8, Telepathy

Track 9, Tuna Fish

Track 10, Summerbreeze

Track 11, Sea People

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US One Little Indian Records 1999, 7243 8 48352 2 4

Personal rating 4.5/5

The Lucy Show - Undone

2007-05-18T10:22:00.000-07:00

I was thinking for a while about posting a Lucy Show album, thankfully someone beat me to the punch and requested one. Though I probably would have posted their other album Mania, this will suffice to both get the idea across, and make one reader happy. Perhaps at a later time I'll post the other album to show the differences in the two. Though this is a decent album overall, it strikes me more as a singles album than a full length. By that I mean, there are a few decent singles, but the rest is just listenable. Mania is a much more solid release, and overall a much more enjoyable listen. This being the bands debut release will obviously factor into it not being as strong a release, having the band perhaps get some help on the second record to get more sales. Although in the end, it obviously didn't work out for The Lucy Show, they did manage to get a few lower hits on smaller indie style radio stations. I'm not sure what happened with the band, or what happened to them, as they were not exactly the darlings of the press when they were around, and probably mostly ignored in shops. They are worth picking up, as I mentioned, Mania is a good album. This one for me will just remain 'OK'.

Track 1, Ephemeral (This Is No Heaven)

Track 2, Resistance

Track 3, Come Back To The Living

Track 4, The White Space

Track 5, Wipe Out

Track 6, The Twister

Track 7, Undone

Track 8, Remain

Track 9, Better On The Hard Side

Track 10, Remembrances

Track 11, Dream Days

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Canadian A&M Records 1985, SP5088

Personal rating 2.75/5

Sing Sing - The Joy Of Sing Sing

2007-05-18T07:53:00.001-07:00

Another band you might not be familiar with, but if you're a fan of previous posts, you're bound to be interested in them. After the saddened death of Chris Aclund of Lush, the band broke up after a long career spanning 4 albums. During 1997, Emma Anderson met vocalist Lisa O'Neil, and along with Elastica's drummer Justin Walsh, began to record a demo. This four track demo was produced by Mark Van Hoen (Locust), and eventually found it's way on to the the desk of Simon Raymonde and Robin Guthrie (Cocteau Twins), and they released the debut single 'Feels Like Summer' on their label Bella Union. We come now to this album, released under Alan McGee's (Creation Records) Poptones Label. Firstly, don't expect to be looking for an album that's showcasing the sound that was Lush, it's not there. What is there is beautiful harmonic pop. Emma has long since ditched (or escaped?) that sound, and has perhaps has moved into a better direction. This album has some terrific material, and one that should be on your shopping list for next you visit the record stores. Though not mind blowing, it does set of a lot of firecrackers. It could easily one of your favorite albums of the year, or at least will be one you enjoy greatly.

Track 1, Everything

Track 2, Tegan

Track 3, I'll Be

Track 4, Me And My Friend

Track 5, Far Away From Love

Track 6, Panda Eyes

Track 7, Command

Track 8, Feels Like Summer

Track 9, Emigre

Track 10, You Don't Know

Track 11, Underage

Track 12, I Can See You

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US Manifesto Records 2002, MFO43501

Personal rating 4.5/5

Stage One - Space Manoeuvers

2007-05-17T11:10:00.000-07:00

Another trance track which I actually quite enjoyed enough to seek out the single, instead of having it on one of the multiple compilations that are out there. It's a nice track which exudes what should be trance, rather than some of the fluffy crap that's out there. I call it intelligent electronic music that's in a dreamy vein, rather than calling it trance. Trance is so vague a term to use for music that can actually be listened to rather than just danced to. I guess I'm referring to the rest of the Ibiza-type material that is just club worthy. Although, don't get me wrong, if I were to actually be in Ibiza, I'd be eating up the dance culture like it were candy. There's a time and a place I suppose, and my living room is not exactly the best venue for a club, nor my cats the best patrons.

Track 1, Space Manoeuvers (Separation Edit)

Track 2, Space Manoeuvers (Separation Mix)

Track 3, Space Manoeuvers (Total Separation Mix)

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UK Hooj Choons Records 1999, HOOJ79CD

Personal rating 3.75/5

L.S.G. - The Black Album

2007-05-17T08:08:00.000-07:00

Perhaps of late you're noticing the posts are becoming very similar in taste, and are looking for something a little more radical to set your ears in overdrive. This somewhat nostalgic album by L.S.G (not Levert, Sweat & Gill) should give you a new perspective on some excellent electronic music that came out of Germany some years back. Before I start, this is trance, or at least a branch of it. I think the term is more dark-house, thought I'm not really into sub genres myself. You could go on for days giving sub genres to everything, and your local music shop would need index cards to find anything. I will say that I have a small passion for this type of music, and I also have a 'tiny' collection by most standards of people who either dj or listen to this. I do hope what I have is quality, but then, why do I care? It's quality to me, and that's all that matters! Oliver Lieb (aka- L.S.G., Spicelab, Paragliders, SOL ect) is one of the premier producers and creators of this type of music, hands down. I find his material very creative, and NOT following the traditional 'lalala' type of crap you find on those Global Underground CD compilations. You know the ones right? Where every CD is just different DJs shuffling the same tracks in different orders, and charging you $50 for it.. Yes, L.S.G. has been idolized by being on many of these compilations, the difference being that his material is actually good to listen to on it's own, and not having to be re translated by everyone else. Collected Works is probably my personal favorite release by them, but next to impossible to find. This particular album is good for several reasons to me; first, the music is really dark, a must for me. Second, if you've ever played an older pc game called Hexen, you might remember the sounds he uses later on in the album, oddly enough yes, I remember them.. geek as my wife puts it. The album is a great listen to when you're in a darker mood, and perhaps looking to paint your apartment with a hell bent fury, or just dance about. Either way, you should check out other L.S.G. projects as well, as Lieb is phenomenal in just about everything he does.

Track 1, The Train Of Thought V 0.9

Track 2, The Train Of Thought V 1.1

Track 3, Go Fishing

Track 4, Cellular

Track 5, The Blaxone

Track 6, Rotation

Track 7, 88

Track 8, Freakz

Track 9, Hellfire

Track 10, Deep Blue

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German Black Series Recording 1998

Personal rating 5/5

The Wild Swans - Space Flower

2007-05-17T07:43:00.000-07:00

This album, is more or less, the little album that could for me. Being a fan of The Wild Swans All through their career, and owning most releases through the Revolutionary Spirit EP, Bringing Home The Ashes, to this album. I guess I should explain that upon first listen to this album I kind of when 'eh?'. It wasn't really what I was expecting from the band, based on their previous works. To put this rhetoric into context, it was like listening to The Hurting by Tears For Fears, then listening to Sowing The Seeds Of Love as their second album. There was a radical departure from the sound that so sucked me in. For the first little while, the album seemed destined to remain part of the 'chuck' section of my record collection, or more aptly 'run back to the store and flog these' section. Back in the 80's, this portion of my musical library was VERY big. I bought things based on cool jackets, and song names. In reality, that translates to: I bought a lot of shit. The thing with this Wild Swans album, I could never really bring myself to part with it. It's like something kept telling me, "hold on man, you'll like it eventually!" We low and behold, here it is posted some 10 years later on my blog. I guess the little voices (no I'm not schizophrenic) in my head were right. Although my musical tastes did change somewhat from then, I still basically listen to the same 'type' of material, being not fairly mainstream and usually resulting from overseas (remember I'm in Canada 'eh'?). In reality, this seems now to be the perfect transition from one album to the next by Ian, and it sounds much more a matured album. It might take a few listens, but it's worth every second of it. From rubbish to gold in about a few years! It's amazing what you can accomplish if you listen to those voices in your head. Oh, just to set the record straight, we still can't fly.

Track 1, Melting Blue Delicious

Track 2, Butterfly Girl

Track 3, Tangerine Temple

Track 4, Immaculate

Track 5, Space Flower

Track 6, Chocolate Bubblegum

Track 7, I'm A Lighthouse

Track 8, Magic Hotel

Track 9, Vanilla Melange

Track 10, Sea Of Tranquility

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US Sire/Reprise Records 1990, 9 26154-2

Personal rating 4.5/5

Adorable - Kangaroo Court

2007-05-17T07:13:00.000-07:00

Adorable were an energetic and amazing band to regard in the early 90's. Their debut album Against Perfection, was a brilliant masterpiece, and is highly sough after to this day by people who adore this music, and collectors. Their second album Fake, however, did lack any sort of punch that made the first album sparkle. Consequently, the band was dropped from the Creation label (do you seem to notice a theme on this label), and Piotr went on to form Polak. Now, I'm not saying this EP is horrible, it might have come off sounding that way as it is from the second album. What I mean, in reality, is that this album sounds more of sorts like a b-side compilations, and outtakes from Against Perfection. That's not really a bad thing, have you actually listened to Suede's Sci-Fi Lullabies? It is an important piece in the realm of the shoegaze word, and should be taken as such; a band who's second album didn't quite live up to the reputation of the first, and we never really got to hear how they would have rebounded from it. Perhaps the third Adorable album would have been as marvelous and groundbreaking as the first? I guess we'll never know...

Track 1, Kangaroo Court

Track 2, Dinosaur #3

Track 3, Ballroom

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UK Creation Records 1994, CRESCD 172

Personal rating 3/5

Chapterhouse - Pearl

2007-05-16T16:23:00.000-07:00

A quick request, as it was literally staring me in the face on my desk. I planned to rip this in the next few days anyway for a future posting. Pretty explanitory release, as it's become a cult classic nowadays. The nice 'perk' is that Rachel Goswell (Slowdive) is singing backups on 'Pearl', and you know how much I adore her now don't you?! Won't ramble on, as I've got a few other things to post either tonight or tomorrow sometime. I'll rewrite this a bit later, and make it a little more readworthy :)

Track 1, Pearl

Track 2, Come Heaven

Track 3, In My Arms

Track 4, Pearl (Edit)

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UK Dedicated Records 1991, STONE 003 CD

Personal rating 5/5

Pop Will Eat My Blog

Dreamscape 6.5

I keep trying..

Podcasts Coming soon.. be ready!

Time Out

Bit on the slow side..

Yeah Yeah Yeahs - Maps

Pete Shelley - On Your Own

Moev - Crucify Me

Talk Talk - Give It Up

Love & Rockets - No Big Deal

Epo 555 - Mafia (New Artist Sample)

The Alarm - Rain In The Summertime

The Comsat Angels - Day One

P.I.L. - Seattle

Front 242 - Rhythm Of Time

Simple Minds - Promised You A Miracle

A Flock Of Seagulls - Wishing (If I Had A Photograph Of You)

Revolver - Crimson

The High - Up And Down

Scary Thieves - The Waiting Game

Morrissey - Everyday Is Like Sunday

The Smiths - Some Girls Are Bigger Than Others

Robyn Hitchcock & The Egyptians - Balloon Man

Kevin Hewick And The Sound- This Cover Keeps Reality Unreal

Echo & The Bunnymen - A Promise

Backed by popular demand..

Ecstasy Of St Theresa - Susurrate

Mew - And The Glass Handed Kites

SWERVEDRIVER...

The Jesus And Mary Chain - Darklands

Slowdive - Outside Your Room EP

Ride - Leave Them All Behind

Menswe@r - Stardust

Finally!

Got Sound?

The Raincoats - Moving

Opus III - Mind Fruit

Leftfield & Lydon - Open Up

Remembering

Old links...

Televise - Songs To Sing In A & E

Robin Guthrie - Continental

Does it ever end?

Scare the piss out of the little brats...

Swervedriver - Mezcal head

Roxy Music - For Your Pleasure (Remaster)

Doves - Caught By The River

Grandaddy - The Crystal Lake

&^$*%*$% FileCrocodile

Ride - I Don't Know Where It Comes From (Remix)

Goldfrapp - Black Cherry

Recoil - Bloodline

Lupine Howl - 125

Northside - Chicken Rhythms

The High - Somewhere Soon

The Zephyrs - When The Sky Comes Down It Comes Down On Your Head

My Bloody Valentine - Esctacy And Wine

Blur - Girls & Boys

Xymox - Twist Of Shadows

Lamb - Lamb

The Wild Swans - Bringing Home The Ashes

Sorry...

Bent - The Everlasting Blink

WE'RE MOVING...

Belle & Sebastian - Legal Man

Coldplay - Brothers & Sisters

William Orbit - Water From A Vineleaf (Promo)

The Things You Can Do With Album Art...

Depeche Mode - A Question Of Lust

A-Ha - Forever Not Yours

Wendy James - The Nameless One

Paul Hardcastle - 19 (French Version)

Ultra Vivid Scene - Joy 1967 - 1990

Heaven 17 - Let Me Go

Southpacific - Constance

Project Skyward - Strange Synchronicities

*BLEH*

Opus III - It's A Fine Day

The Psychedelic Furs - Heaven

&^$%$% FileCrocodile

BLEH