Monday 26 January 2015

Swervedriver - Son Of Mustang Ford [12"]

Personally i think SON OF MUSTANG FORD is still one of the coolest songs SWERVEDRIVER have ever made. This EP was their debut release and the title track later appeared on the fantastic Raise album. The other 3 tracks did not, however the lengthy Kill The Superheroes was included as a bonus track on the 2008 reissue of Raise on CD, and Juggernaut Rides was featured on (and gave its name to) the band's compilation double CD in 2005. Also an amazing song, by the way. Fingers crossed they'll finally properly play the European mainland some time this year instead of sticking once again to just UK/USA/Australia, like they've always done in the past (disregarding the occasional show in Portugal or Scandinavia). It's surely about time.

Label: Creation Records
Cat.nr.: CRE079T
Year of release: 1990

SIDE A:
01. Son Of Mustang Ford
02. Volcano Trash

SIDE B:
01. Kill The Superheroes
02. Juggernaut Rides



Sunday 25 January 2015

Dead Horse One - Heavenly Choir Of Jet Engines [12"]

DEAD HORSE ONE is a band that has been around for a while, but which i only discovered last year when i picked up their copy of Without Love We Perish. That album even ended up in my Top 10 of 2014. And i can tell you that if i would have known about this HEAVENLY CHOIR OF JET ENGINES EP in 2012 already when it came out, i surely would have bought it back then. Amazing stuff, in the same vein as their follow-up release. All four songs are great, but if i'd have to pick a favourite i'd say He Goes Down. The EP is limited to 200 copies and comes with a CD version included.

Label: Cranes Records
Cat.nr.: 05
Year of release: 2012

SIDE A:
01. Alone
02. He Goes Down

SIDE B:
01. To Pretend
02. Cruel Winter

David Sylvian - Let The Happiness In [12"]

I bought this 12" by DAVID SYLVIAN because of the two non-album tracks on the B-side. Didn't know them actually, but since this single LET THE HAPPINESS IN was taken off the album Secrets Of The Beehive, which i really like, i suspected i couldn't go wrong. And indeed i wasn't disappointed. Blue Of Noon is a nice jazzy instrumental but especially Buoy is a beautiful song. It not only features Steve Jansen and Ryuichi Sakamoto, but also Mick Karn and his fretless bass. Just like the artwork for the album it's taken from, the artwork for this 12"is made by 23 Envelope.

Label: Virgin
Cat.nr.: VST 1001
Year of release: 1987

SIDE A:
01. Let The Happiness In

SIDE B:
01. Blue Of Noon
02. Buoy

Cocteau Twins - Sunburst And Snowblind [12"]

One of the two COCTEAU TWINS releases that i bought at the Utrecht record fair last November (Peppermint Pig being the other). The song Sugar Hiccup on this SUNBURST AND SNOWBLIND EP is a single taken off the Head Over Heels album; the other 3 songs are non-album tracks. Hard to realise that this great music is already over 30 years old.

Label: 4AD
Cat.nr.: BAD 314
Year of release: 1983

SIDE A:
01. Sugar Hiccup
02. From The Flagstones

SIDE B:
01. Hitherto
02. Because Of The Whirl-Jack

Curve - Ten Little Girls [7", Picture Disc]

I came across this funny little thing at the record fair in Utrecht in November, and even though i already have the Blindfold EP which includes both songs on this TEN LITTLE GIRLS picture disc i couldn't resist buying it. Just because you can't have enough CURVE releases in your collection - right? 

Label: Anxious Records
Cat.nr.: ANX P 27
Year of release: 1991

SIDE A:
01. Ten Little Girls

SIDE B:
01. Blindfold

The Brian Jonestown Massacre - Methodrone [12", 2LP]

Still one of my favourite albums by THE BRIAN JONESTOWN MASSACRE: their debut full length METHODRONE. It was originally released in 1995, but back then it only came out on CD. In 2009 this excellent 180gram double vinyl edition was released, which i bought a few years ago. It's 70+ minutes of pure psychedelic shoegaze bliss, combining the best of what until then bands like Spacemen 3, Loop, My Bloody Valentine and the Velvet Underground had to offer. Nevertheless it has an own distinctive sound; a sound that 20 years later still characterises Anton Newcombe's music. And which i really like :)

Label: A Records
Cat.nr.: AUK008LP
Year of release: 2009 (album originally released in 1995)

SIDE A:
01. Evergreen
02. Wisdom
03. Crushed
04. That Girl Suicide

SIDE B:
01. Wasted
02. Everyone Says
03. Short Wave
04. She Made Me

SIDE C:
01. Hyperventilation
02. Records
03. I love You
04. End Of The Day

SIDE D:
01. Outback
02. She's Gone


Wednesday 14 January 2015

Swervedriver - Setting Sun [7"]

Always great to hear a sign of life by a band like SWERVEDRIVER. This 7" single was released for Black Friday 2014 and is the first release since their 2008 single The Hitcher. A few days ago they announced they'll be releasing a brand new album this year, so i'm much looking forward to that. Both the A-side song SETTING SUN and Days (a Television cover) on side B are laidback tunes that remind me a bit of Buffalo Tom and Lemonheads. But most of all the remind me of Swervedriver, so that's a good sign. Hope they'll throw some more effect pedals in on the album, and i'm a happy man.
The centre labels are not corresponding with the sides on my copy (they're mixed up), but looking on Discogs i saw i'm not the only with that problem. Looks like the whole pressing had it.

Label: Cobraside
Cat.nr.: CSD7 1404
Year of release: 2014

SIDE A:
01. Setting Sun

SIDE B:
01. Days

Cocteau Twins - Peppermint Pig [12"]

Another nice find at the record fair in Utrecht recently: the PEPPERMINT PIG EP by the COCTEAU TWINS. Although it is one of my least favourite releases by them: it's pretty much uptempo with heavy use of keyboards. I like their more slow-paced dreampoppy songs much better. Like most of the ones on the other 12" (Sunburst And Snowblind) from the very same year that i bought in Utrecht as well, for example. Anyway it's nice to add this EP to my Cocteau Twins collection which is steadily growing.

Label: 4AD
Cat.nr.: BAD 303
Year of release: 1983

SIDE A:
01. Peppermint Pig

SIDE B:
01. Laugh Lines
02. Hazel

The Jesus And Mary Chain - Sidewalking [12"]

This 12" maxi by THE JESUS AND MARY CHAIN is one of the many records i bought at the most recent record fair in Utrecht in November. SIDEWALKING is not particularly one of my favourite JAMC songs, but nevertheless the extended version (of close to 8 minutes) has a decent groove that sticks in your head after a while. The live versions of Taste Of Cindy and April Skies don't add much to the original versions unfortunately. Sound quality is great, but you don't hear much of the audience. Ah well; all in all it's a nice addition to my JAMC collection.

Label: Blanco Y Negro
Cat.nr.: NEG 32T
Year of release: 1988

SIDE A:
01. Sidewalking (Extended Version)

SIDE B:
01. Sidewalking (7" Mix)
02. Taste Of Cindy (recorded live in Detroit)
03. April Skies (recorded live in Detroit)