David Bowie - Amsterdam [7"]

Today it's been exactly a month since DAVID BOWIE passed away.

This particular 7" on clear orange vinyl was exclusively made for the David Bowie Is exhibition in Groningen. AMSTERDAM on the A-side (originally a B-side to the Sorrow single in 1973) was appropriately chosen, since it's the capital of the Netherlands where the exhibition's final stop takes place. Although it remains to be seen if it won't continue travelling the world after the recent developments, of course.

And i have no idea if Bowie himself was involved in choosing the song on the other side, but also MY DEATH turns out to be more or less appropriately chosen, with today's knowledge. The version on this 7" is from the Carnegie Hall concert on September 28th, 1972. It was previously only released on a compilation CD from 1995 called RarestOneBowie. Apparently RCA recorded the show for a Ziggy Stardust live album that was never released. It's funny by the way how the name Bowie is spelled in typical RCA logo letters on the labels, while the release is on Parlophone. Both songs on this single are covers of Jacques Brel songs, and both were frequently played during the Ziggy Stardust tour.

When i was in Groningen in December last year, when the exhibition had just started a week before, both this 7" and the other exclusive release (the Man Of Words, Man Of Music a.k.a. David Bowie a.k.a. Space Oddity album) had already sold out for the first time. That was a huge disappointment. There were 1500 copies made of each, and apparently they would arrive in batches of 500. I heard stories that people had bought 4 or 5 copies each at the time, and flipped them on eBay for up to 10 times the price they paid for them. The thing is that you don't need to have an entrance ticket to enter the shop, so some locals got smart and scored a whole bunch. Luckily when further copies were supplied, the museum shop at least decided to limit them to 1 copy per person. So when a friend of mine (who's actually not even a Bowie fan and certainly not a vinyl collector) visited the exhibition recently, she managed to buy a copy of each release for me.

Unlike many other collectors i'm not keeping these releases sealed for investment. I enjoy looking at them and even playing them at least once or twice. You only live once, you know. Life is too short to not enjoy the records you have standing on the shelves. And with Bowie records, there's simply a lot to enjoy.

Label: Parlophone

Cat.nr.: DBISH 2015

Year of release: 2015

SIDE A:

01. Amsterdam

SIDE B:

01. My Death (live)

Snowburner - Future Primitive [12", LP]

SNOWBURNER is one of Holland's best kept secrets. A band that plays midpaced, sludgy, heavy, dirty stoner blues with killer riffs. Their shows are energetic and groovy, always guaranteed for a good night out. And i can tell, because i've seen quite a few since they're one of the local bands around here. Until now their only recorded release was a 7" single back in 2012, but now there's finally their long awaited debut album FUTURE PRIMITIVE. It captures their live sound perfectly, but at the same time it's well-produced. Live favourites like Reelin' In The Wasted Years, Ride The Tide, Vultures At Bay are all present. If you're into bands like Fu Manchu, Hermano or Eagles Of Death Metal you'll definitely dig this. Also, Haunt Me No Longer reminds me a bit of Motörhead, and Ashes In The West comes closer to Black Sabbath.

Recorded by Menno Bakker who did a lot of great stuff in the Dutch heavier underground scene, and mastered by James Plotkin (member of OLD and Khanate, and remixing for Earth. ISIS, Pelican, Nadja, Sunn O))), this debut album is a quality release. It should open doors for the band that definitely deserve to be opened. Also the artwork by Cristiano Suarez looks great. The limited orange vinyl version that i have fits really well with the artwork. The album is also available on limited purple and on black.

Last but not least... something that you don't wanna miss is the release party - it will be at Gebr. De Nobel in Leiden on March 5th.  #supportyourlocalscene!

Label: Freebird Records

Cat.nr.: FRV 029

Year of release: 2016

SIDE A:

01. Blizzards Of Gain

02. Ride The Tide

03. You Blues, You Lose

04. Reelin' In The Wasted Years

05. Stabbed On The Throne

SIDE B:

01. Haunt Me No Longer

02. Reap The Sown

03. Ashes In The West

04. Vultures At Bay

05. Bailiff's Blues

Air Formation - Were We Ever Here [12"]

AIR FORMATION released 4 albums (which sadly only came out on CD) between 2000 and 2011, and a handful of EP's. They split up in 2011, but in 2014 they got back together and this WERE WE EVER HERE EP is their first release since then. And it's definitely a return to form; great to have them back. To be honest i think this is actually the best material they ever released. The limited EP (only 250 copies were made) contains 4 tracks that are simply a joy to listen to. Especially the last song, The Wasted Days, is brilliant. It balances on the boundaries between shoegaze, noise and post-rock. Also the artwork and the vinyl itself (blue splattered on orange) look absolutely gorgeous.

Label: Club AC30

Cat.nr.: AC3012104

Year of release: 2015

SIDE A:

01. I Could Stay

02. Last Resolve

SIDE B:

01. On The Floor

02. The Wasted Days

Tess Parks & Anton Newcombe - I Declare Nothing [12", LP]

When i wrote about their RSD release some months ago, i already mentioned that TESS PARKS and ANTON NEWCOMBE would release a full length later on. So here it is. Both songs of the RSD 10" (Cocaine Cat and Mama) are featured on this album, and 8 other songs in the same vein. I find it hard to choose a favourite one because i think they're simply all great. Listening to I DECLARE NOTHING is like a 40 minute trip, and certainly not a bad one. Tess' husky vocals go extremely well with the duo's music. It's not only a humble gesture of Anton to let just her pretty face grace the front cover of the album, but also a smart move because, hey... she's ten times better to look at. No offense, mr. Newcombe ;) It's a damn shame i can't make it to any of their shows in a few weeks when they end their tour in Holland, but hopefully i'll get a second chance some day.

Label: A Records
Cat.nr.: AUK120LP
Year of release: 2015

SIDE A:
01. Wehmut
02. Cocaine Cat
03. Peace Defrost
04. German Tangerine
05. Gone

SIDE B:
01. October 2nd
02. Mama
03. Voyage De L'Âme
04. Meliorist
05. Friendlies

Pinkshinyultrablast - Everything Else Matters [12", LP]

I've been waiting quite long for this album to arrive, but it's been definitely well worth the wait. The debut full length by PINKSHINYULTRABLAST (a shoegaze band from Russia that named themselves after an Astrobrite album) is not only a delicious album, but also pure joy to look at, as you can see on the picture. Vocally, EVERYTHING ELSE MATTERS reminds me of bands like Lush, Cocteau Twins and School Of Seven Bells. Musically for a great deal as well, but a song like Metamorphosis for example has breaks that come very close to the sound of post-hardcore bands like Fugazi and At The Drive-In. I'd be very surprised if this album won't end up in my top 10 of 2015. We're not even halfway the year yet, but this album is simply too good. From Russia with love.

Label: Shelflife / Club AC30
Cat.nr.: LIFE118
Year of release: 2015

SIDE A:
01. Wish We Were
02. Holy Forest
03. Glitter
04. Metamorphosis

SIDE B:
01. Umi
02. Land's End
03. Ravestar Supreme
04. Marigold

Chvrches - Under The Tide [12"]

This year's Black Friday saw many special limited releases again, but i only bothered to buy this 12" by CHVRCHES. It's on beautiful light orange vinyl (although the sticker says it's yellow) and besides the single version of UNDER THE TIDE, it has an unreleased song called Strong Hand on it, plus two nice re-recorded versions of The Mother We Share and Gun. And a remix for Recover, which i don't like that much to be honest. As far as i understood most of these tunes were released digitally earlier this year.

Label: Glassnote
Cat.nr.: GLS-0163-12
Year of release: 2014

SIDE A:
01. Under The Tide (single version)
02. Recover (KDA Remix)

SIDE B:
01. Strong Hand
02. The Mother We Share (Alucard Session)
03. Gun (Alucard Session)

Whirr - Sway [12", LP]

When i read somewhere that WHIRR was releasing a new album i was pretty psyched, because they're one of my favourite current shoegaze bands. And once again they deliver a great album with SWAY, that comes on coloured vinyl in a nice gatefold sleeve. I've got a copy that's described as "brown/bone/yellow" on the label's site, but as you can see on the picture it's closer to orange than yellow. Great colour though! There are four songs on each side which makes it a rather short album, but then again Pipe Dreams and Distressor both had more songs yet a similar or even shorter total playing time. Lines is my favourite track, at this point at least.
Some time ago a friend of mine asked me to describe how Whirr sounds like, and i thought it was hard to do so, but i told him what would come closest is a mix between Starflyer 59 and the laidback yet heavy songs by Deftones. Now that i listen to this new album these two bands come to mind again. Funny, because i normally never had associations with other bands while listening to them. This week it got announced that they'll be releasing a split EP with Nothing, so that's another piece of wax i need to score soon :)

Label: Graveface Records
Cat.nr.: GRAVE118
Year of release: 2014

SIDE A:
01. Press
02. Mumble
03. Dry
04. Clear

SIDE B:
01. Heavy
02. Sway
03. Lines
04. Feel

Brian Jonestown Massacre - One [12"]

ONE is a 4-track EP by the BRIAN JONESTOWN MASSACRE. To be honest, not everything that this band did (especially their older stuff) is really my cup of tea, but i do like this EP quite a lot. The title track The "One" is an uptempo psychedelic rock song with a dominating beat and distorted guitars. Then there are two versions of the song This Is The First Of Your Last Warning (an Icelandic version and an English version). A very danceable tune that wouldn't have been out of place during an early nineties' indie dance rave. It's got that Madchester vibe, you know. The highlight for me however is Bruttermania. Again an uptempo tune, with a wall of guitars (MBV/Jesus And Mary Chain-style) and some Russian (?) lyrics. Awesome song.

Label: A Records
Cat.nr.: Auk017LP
Year of release: 2009

SIDE A:
01. The One
02. This Is The First Of Your Last Warning (Icelandic Version)

SIDE B:
01. Bruttermania
02. This Is The First Of Your Last Warning (English Version)

The Depreciation Guild / Ringo Deathstarr - Split [7"]

A nice split 7" on the Club AC30 label. Two members of  THE DEPRECIATION GUILD joined The Pains Of Being Pure At Heart when the first band disbanded. To my opinion, their song on this split 7" has a bit of a Cocteau Twins / The Sundays feel to it. The RINGO DEATHSTARR song is an uptempo one with some slower parts. Reminds me a bit of MBV during their early period on Creation.

Label: Club AC30
Cat.nr.: AC306087
Year of release: 2009

SIDE A:
01. THE DEPRECIATION GUILD - Dream About Me

SIDE B:
01. RINGO DEATHSTARR - Tambourine Girl

The Black Angels - Watch Out Boy/I'd Rather Be Lonely [7"]

This single was a Record Store Day release in the USA this year. Two new songs by THE BLACK ANGELS (or three actually, since there's a dropcard included for the these songs + a bonus song; a cover of She's Not There, originally by The Zombies) on nice brown/orange coloured vinyl.

Label: Blue Horizon Ventures
Cat.nr.: BHV-16788-7
Year of release: 2012

SIDE A:
01. I'd Rather Be Lonely

SIDE B:
01. Watch Out Boy

Sleepy Sun - Sleepy Son [10"]

Just like the other 10" EP (New Age) lifted off SLEEPY SUN's debut album, this one comes in a nice splattered colour. Besides the title track it features the amazing Sandstorm Woman, which in a later stage was featured on their second album Fever.

Label: ATP Recordings
Cat.nr.: ATPRSP07
Year of release: 2009

SIDE A:
01. Sleepy Son

SIDE B:
01. Sandstorm Woman

Alice In Chains - Jar Of Flies/Sap [12", 2LP, Limited Edition]

ALICE IN CHAINS' vinyl double album JAR OF FLIES/SAP was originally released in 1994 on Columbia. The Sap EP had been out in 1992 on CD and simultaneously with the CD release of the Jar Of Flies EP in 1994, this 2LP was released.
Just like that limited pressing, the reissue by Music On Vinyl from 2010 has an orange side A/B and a blue side C/D, while side CD is etched. The biggest difference is that the original pressing had used the band's name logo for the etching, while this re-press has a tribal sun logo.
There were 2000 copies coloured vinyl made by Music On Vinyl; later re-pressings are on black vinyl.

Label: Music On Vinyl
Cat.nr.: MOVLP 086
Year of release: 2010

SIDE A:
01. Rotten Apple
02. Nutshell
03. I Stay Away
04. No Excuses
05. Whale & Wasp

SIDE B:
01. Don't Follow
02. Swing On This

SIDE C:
01. Brother
02. Got Me Wrong
03. Right Turn
04. Am I Inside
05. (Untitled Bonus Track)

SIDE D:
etching

Nadja - Long Dark Twenties [7"]

This single-sided 7" by NADJA is of their song LONG DARK TWENTIES, which is based on a song by Paul Bellini, that appeared in the movie Kids In The Hall: Brain Candy. I love Nadja's slow electronic metal-shoegaze a lot, and this is one of my favourite Nadja tunes.

There were only 125 made from the transparent orange version that i have.

Label: Anthem Records
Cat.nr: -
Year of release: 2008

SIDE A:
01. Long Dark Twenties

SIDE B:
-