Cocteau Twins - Love's Easy Tears [12"]

I already had the 7" version of this LOVE'S EASY TEARS single, but recently i came across the 12" as well. And since Those Eyes, That Mouth is still my favourite COCTEAU TWINS song i simply couldn't resist buying it. Loving that song to bits. There's one track extra on this 12" compared to the 7". Sigh's Smell Of Farewell is sweet tune, yet a typical B-side. Great to have this EP in my collection now.

Label: 4AD/Rough Trade

Cat.nr.: RTD 026T

Year of release: 1986

SIDE A:

01. Love's Easy Tears

02. Those Eyes, That Mouth

SIDE B:

01. Sigh's Smell Of Farewell

The Sundays - Reading, Writing And Arithmetic [12", LP]

Oh rejoice, my writer's block has ended! I completely didn't feel like writing anything for the past three months. Summer holiday, and being outside a lot because of the excellent weather, made me stay away from my pc for most of the time. I just couldn't be bothered. But tonight i was spinning READING, WRITING AND ARITHMETIC and suddenly i felt the strong urge to bring new life into this little blog of mine.

THE SUNDAYS were such a great band. I really love Harriet Wheeler's distinctive vocals. Some years ago, i bought the Can't Be Sure 12" somewhere in Ireland, but until this April i did'n't have a vinyl copy of the great album where that single came from - just the CD version. But i came across it at the Utrecht record fair for a very decent price (only 5 bucks!) so that was my chance. It's not been reissued for such a long time that secondhand copies are usually a lot more expensive.

There are so many great songs on this album. Here's Where The Story Ends, for example. Or a song that sounds like it could've been written by The Smiths: I Kicked A Boy. Also Skin & Bones and A Certain Someone are favourites. Really happy i have the LP in my collection nowadays.

Label: Rough Trade

Cat. nr.: RTD133

Year of release: 1990

SIDE A:

01. Skin & Bones

02. Here's Where The Story Ends

03. Can't Be Sure

04. I Won

05. Hideous Towns

SIDE B:

01. You're Not The Only One I Know

02. A Certain Someone

03. I Kicked A Boy

04. My Finest Hour

05. Joy

This Mortal Coil - Blood [12", 2LP, Promo]

Another great find at the Utrecht record fair last weekend was this promo edition on Rough Trade of the BLOOD album by THIS MORTAL COIL. I like the band's (or project might be a better word) first album It'll End In Tears better because of Cocteau Twins and Dead Can Dance appearances, but this one's got some excellent tunes and participations of fine artists as well. You And Your Sister, the Big Star song performed by Kim Deal and Tanya Donelly, is a perfect example. But also Syd Barrett's Late Night, performed by Caroline Crawley of Shelleyan Orphan is amazing.
So this is a promo edition on one of the labels 4AD licensed it to: Rough Trade in Germany. It's got white labels and comes in a record company sleeve. The runout grooves show the 4AD catalogue number (DAD 1005) but the sticker on the sleeve mentions the Rough Trade details plus release date 22-04-1991.

There was also an original fax included with my copy, from the Rough Trade Records GmbH headquarters (dated 18-04-1991) with track info. I like those authentic details.
Like said, a great find, and on top of that it's in absolutely perfect condition. That's often the case with promo copies because they normally don't get played that often.

Label: 4AD / Rough Trade
Cat.nr.: DAD 1005 / RTD 120.1218.1/2/4 
Year of release: 1991


SIDE A:
01. The Lacemaker
02. Mr. Somewhere
03. Andialu
04. With Tomorrow
05. Loose Joints
06. You And Your Sister

SIDE B:
01. Nature's Way
02. I Come And Stand At Every Door
03. Bitter
04. Baby Ray Baby
05. Several Times

SIDE C:
01. The Lacemaker II
02. Late Night
03. Ruddy And Wretched
04. Help Me Lift You Up
05. Carolyn's Song
06. D.D. and E.

SIDE D:
01. 'Til I Gain Control Again
02. Dreams Are Like Water
03. I Am The Cosmos
04. (Nothing But) Blood

Warpaint - Warpaint [12", 2LP]

This weekend there were two really good albums coming out: Rave Tapes by Mogwai and this self-titled second full length by WARPAINT. While writing this, i noticed that i never wrote anything about their first album The Fool nor about their debut EP, which i also have on vinyl. Might do that within the next few weeks. Anyway, this new album is the best thing i heard in 2014 so far. The year has only just started, but still. The song Love Is To Die was released in October to announce the album and is one of my favourite songs, but also Feeling Alright (with a bit of a the XX vibe), Drive and especially the groovy Disco//very are excellent. The one and only Flood produced this album, and it's noticeable that a top producer was involved. He really did a mighty fine job. The album is less dark, more ethereal (or as they said for themselves in some interview, more sexy) than The Fool. The artwork consists of pictures of the 4 band members, blended into one. The inside covers show the individual pictures. The version that i have is is the limited edition on red vinyl. There's also an etching on side D of the band's logo. Quality stuff, and if there are more albums like this being released during the rest of the year i'll be having a really hard time to choose my 10 favourite albums - just like last year. Not that i mind, though. Keep 'em coming!

Label: Rough Trade
Cat.nr.: RTRADLP680
Year of release: 2014

SIDE A:
01. Intro
02. Keep It Healthy
03. Love Is To Die
04. Hi

SIDE B:
01. Biggy
02. Teese
03. Disco//very
04. Go In

SIDE C:
01. Feeling Alright
02. CC
03. Drive
04. Son

SIDE D:
etching

The Smiths - Girlfriend In A Coma [7"]

GIRLFRIEND IN A COMA - i know it's serious. Of course i couldn't let this classic single lie in the racks when i saw it at Iki-Pop in Turku (Finland) some months ago. Definitely one of the better songs by THE SMITHS.

Label: Rough Trade
Cat.nr.: RT 197
Year of release: 1987

SIDE A:
01. Girlfriend In A Coma

SIDE B:
01. Work Is A Four-Letter Word

Catherine - Songs About Girls [7"]

Being a massive Smashing Pumpkins fan, this was a single i just had to buy when it came out and i saw it lying in my local record store. CATHERINE was the band of Kerry Brown (Smashing Pumpkins' bass player D'Arcy's husband at the time), and Billy Corgan produced the song on the B-side; It's No Lie. A pretty much unknown band to many, but still quite worth checking out if you're into 90's alternative rock.
This single is part of the Rough Trade Singles Club series.

Label: Rough Trade
Cat.nr.: 45rev 35
Year of release: 1994

SIDE A:
01. Songs About Girls

SIDE B:
01. It's No Lie

The Sundays - Can't Be Sure [12"]

A little gem that i found in a second-hand shop called Vibes & Scribes in Cork, Ireland. I've always loved THE SUNDAYS' album Reading, Writing And Arithmetic; and the single CAN'T BE SURE off that album is just an awesome song.

Label: Rough Trade
Cat.nr.: RTT 218
Year of release: 1989

SIDE A:
01. Can't Be Sure

SIDE B:
01. I Kicked A Boy
02. Don't Tell Your Mother