Catherine Wheel - Ferment [12", LP, Limited Edition, Bonus EP]

Been looking for this album on vinyl for quite a while already. It's become pretty rare (and expensive, for that matter), but recently i finally got my hands on a copy of FERMENT by CATHERINE WHEEL. It's even the limited edition with a bonus Live EP. This is such a magnificent debut album. It features quite a few re-recorded versions of songs that had already been out on various EP's during the years before this was released, like I Want To Touch You, Black Metallic, She's My Friend and Shallow. All of them absolutely great songs. But my favourite song on the album is definitely Flower To Hide. It's also the one that comes closest to shoegaze; the band never liked to be labeled as a shoegaze band, and i must say i never really considered them as such either. But they sure knew how to use the pedals and create some proper feedback noise. Funny trivia that i only found out recently: singer Rob Dickinson is a cousin of Bruce Dickinson, the frontman of Iron Maiden. That was documented on both Wikipedia and Discogs when i did some research, but what it didn't say is that both bands' names derive from torture devices. Coincidence? I think not.

Label: Fontana
Cat.nr.: 510903-1
Year of release: 1992

SIDE A:
01. Texture
02. I Want To Touch You
03. Black Metallic
04. Indigo Is Blue
05. She's My Friend

SIDE B:
01. Shallow
02. Ferment
03. Flower To Hide
04. Tumbledown
05. Bill And Ben
06. Salt

I already mentioned the Live EP: it features live recordings of 3 songs that also appear on the album, recorded at Bath Moles, November 6th 1991. Pretty cool versions as well.

Label: Fontana
Cat.nr.: 866535-1
Year of release: 1992

SIDE A:
01. Shallow
02. I Want To Touch You

SIDE B:
01. Salt

Toy - BBC Sessions [12"]

No idea if these six songs were recorded over various BBC SESSIONS, as the title suggests, or only one - however the band was in pretty good shape. It features songs from the first few singles (+ B-sides) and the debut album by TOY. Supposedly only 300 copies were made of this, and i was lucky enough to come across a copy at the Utrecht record fair recently. Their last album Join The Dots is already two years old now, so hopefully they'll release something new this year.

Label: Heavenly
Cat.nr.: HVN248
Year of release: 2012

SIDE A:
01. Left Myself Behind
02. Clock Chime
03. Bright White Shimmering Sun

SIDE B:
01. Motoring
02. Colours Running Out
03. When I Went Back

David Bowie - Heroes / Helden / Héros [12"]

This 12" is a nice score from the recent Utrecht record fair. I was already on my way out, when i spotted this DAVID BOWIE maxi in the crates of a stand that was selling everything for half-price. And since it was very reasonably priced already in the first place, i now got it for a real bargain. The only reason i was actually interested in it, was that it contains the French version of the song HEROES: HÉROS. HELDEN, the German version is much more common. I already had that on a compilation album called Rare, for example. And while the German version is already quite horrible when it comes to David's foreign language skills, the French one is even worse :) Nevertheless a great find and a very welcome addition to my Bowie collection.

Label: RCA
Cat.nr.: PC 9821
Year of release: 1977

SIDE A:
01. Heroes/Helden

SIDE B:
01. Heroes/Héros

Venera 4 - Eidôlon [12", LP]

The EIDÔLON album by VENERA 4 is definitely one of the best shoegaze albums of 2015. Very danceable for most parts as well. It's got wailing guitars, sexy rhythms and ditto whispering vocals. Think of a mixture of Curve and Charlotte Gainsbourg. You only have to listen to songs like Red Blooms and Black Paws as an example, and you'll understand what i mean. Brilliant stuff. I was already stoked about their Seabed Terror 7" and Deaf Hearts EP, but this full length meets all expectations. Also the artwork (front, back, insert) by singer Morgane Caux is classy. This limited edition on white vinyl was pressed in 500 copies. Hopefully they'll do some touring this year because i'd love to see them over here in the Netherlands. It's not that far from Paris, guys - hint, hint ;)

Label: Requiem Pour Un Twister
Cat.nr.: RPUT 15
Year of release: 2015

SIDE A:
01. Pygmalion
02. Red Blooms
03. Black Paws
04. Eidôlon
05. 3 Studies For A Portrait

SIDE B:
01. Aimer Ann
02. Orange
03. Some Girls
04. Colored Fields
05. Metal Shells

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

Catherine Wheel - Crank [12", Promo]

There's still a pile of stuff that i bought at the Utrecht record fair recently, that needs some attention on this blog. This CRANK promo 12" by CATHERINE WHEEL for example is part of that. On vinyl, the only regular release was a picture disc with different B-sides: Black Metallic and Painful Thing. Something Strange and Pleasure were otherwise only available on two different CD-maxi formats. Especially Pleasure is a cool song, and well worth the purchase. It wasn't very pricy anyway.

Label: Fontana
Cat.nr.: CWDJX5
Year of release: 1993

SIDE A:
01. Crank

SIDE B:
01. Something Strange
02. Pleasure

The Lilac Time - Astronauts [12", LP, Promo]

Another interesting find at the Utrecht record fair recently: a white label promo edition of the ASTRONAUTS album by THE LILAC TIME. It was the band's only album they released on Creation Records. A gentle album with definitely some nice songs on it, but absolutely nothing like what their labelmates came up with in that year 1991 (Loveless, Just For A Day, Raise and Today Forever, to name but a few). I had no idea until today that the band's main man Stephen Duffy was one of the original founders of Duran Duran (together with John Taylor and Nick Rhodes), was the same Stephen ("Tin Tin") Duffy who had the hit Kiss Me in 1984, and wrote songs for Robbie Williams and co-produced his Intensive Care album. All in all, this promo version with the original insert is a nice little nugget in my ever expanding Creation Records collection. I especially like the song The Darkness Of Her Eyes. Really beautiful.

Label: Creation Records
Cat.nr.: CRELP 098
Year of release: 1991

SIDE A:
01. In Iverna Gardens
02. Hats Off, Here Comes The Girl
03. Fortunes
04. A Taste For Honey
05. Grey Skies And Work Things
06. Finistere

SIDE B:
01. Dreaming
02. The Whisper Of Your Mind
03. The Darkness Of Her Eyes
04. Sunshine's Daughter
05. North Kensington
06. Madresfield

Rachel Goswell - Coastline / Plucked Remix EP [12"]

Although i'm a huge Slowdive fan, i must admit i don't own a physical copy of the band's singer RACHEL GOSWELL's only solo album Waves Are Universal from 2004. But at the recent record fair in Utrecht i came across this nice 12" REMIX EP which features remixes by Ulrich Schnauss and Names On Records (a.k.a. The Earlies). It's been used as promo copy because it has a sticker from Beggars with some info about the tracks on it.
Especially the name Ulrich Schnauss caught my attention and i must say it's a beautiful remix that he made of the song Coastline. But also the versions of Plucked by Names On Records are really gorgeous. I guess it's about time to buy the album after all, one of these days.

Label: 4AD
Cat.nr.: TAD 2501
Year of release: 2005

SIDE A:
01. Coastline (Ulrich Schnauss Vocal Mix)
02. Coastline (Ulrich Schnauss Instrumental Mix)

SIDE B:
01. Plucked One (Re-Produced By Names On Records)
02. Plucked Two (Re-Produced By Names On Records)

Daughter / Warpaint - Split EP [12"]

This split 12inch for Record Store Day 2015 was already announced way back in November last year. Both bands have a mutual admiration and re-worked one of eachother's songs, while the original versions are also included. So on side A there's DAUGHTER's song Winter, which WARPAINT turned into a enjoyable dance track. Although i must say i still like the original better in this case. Since the other side has its own artwork, i thought it'd be good to show that here as well:

Feeling by Warpaint was transformed by Daughter into a gentle chillout tune, which is never too far away from the original. Definitely a great remix, and this alone was well worth the purchase of this pretty limited 12inch: only 500 copies were made.

Label: 4AD
Cat.nr.: BAD3452
Year of release: 2015

SIDE A:
01. DAUGHTER - Winter (Warpaint Remix)
02. DAUGHTER - Winter

SIDE B:
01. WARPAINT - Feeling Alright (Daughter Remix)
02. WARPAINT - Feeling Alright

Fujiya & Miyagi - Daggers/Little Stabs At Happiness [12"]

This limited 12inch (1000 copies) was released for Record Store Day 2015, and contains two remixes of tracks that originally appeared on FUJIYA & MIYAGI's latest Artificial Sweeteners album. Stephen Morris (of New Order and Joy Division fame) remixed DAGGERS, which resulted in a pretty synthy and electronic version, and Umberto did a great remix of LITTLE STABS AT HAPPINESS. With remix 12inches you can go terribly wrong sometimes, but this one's a winner.

Label: Yep Roc Records
Cat.nr.: YEP 2434
Year of release: 2015

SIDE A:
01. Daggers (Stephen Morris Remix)

SIDE B:
01. Little Stabs At Happiness (Umberto Remix)

Tess Parks & Anton Newcombe - Cocaine Cat [10"]

The collaboration between TESS PARKS and ANTON NEWCOMBE (of The Brian Jonestown Massacre) will result in an album in June and a tour to support it, but for Record Store Day they've already released this limited COCAINE CAT 10inch (2000 numbered copies, clear vinyl) as a taste of what to expect. And i must say that the result is definitely making me want to hear more from this duo. Both songs sound as a perfect combination of Tess' solo work and a stripped down, less orchestrated Brian Jonestown Massacre. I saw they'll be playing the Amsterdam Paradiso in July, so i'll try to be there for sure.

Label: A Records
Cat.nr.: AUK118-10
Year of release: 2015

SIDE A:
01. Cocaine Cat

SIDE B:
01. Mama

Slowdive - Blue Day [12", LP]

For me personally, the best Record Store Day release this year was the limited (numbered to 2000 copies, blue vinyl) version of BLUE DAY by SLOWDIVE. As returning visitors of this blog will know, i'm a huge fan of this great band and even though i already have the nowadays very rare original version from 1992, i'm extremely glad that Music On Vinyl made this compilation of songs from their earliest EP's available again on vinyl. Until now, vinyl aficionados had to do with not the best quality bootlegs if they didn't want to pay three-digit numbers for the original.
It's a pity that there was a slight controversy when the band only had to find out via social media that this RSD reissue would be released. As Rachel Goswell stated on Twitter: "Advice to young musicians signing record deals: do not agree to sign the recording rights away for life. And get a good manager."  Sadly they have no control over their back-catalogue anymore. The band was young and naive, and one can not revert time unfortunately.
But for what it's worth to them, they can be assured that Music On Vinyl did an extremely good job with this release. It sounds just as fabulous as their previous official reissues of Just For A Day, Souvlaki and Pygmalion, which were all three reissued well before there was even talk of a reunion and which reminded the people who prefer their music on vinyl what a great band Slowdive was (and now again is). And for that matter, it was only a logical step to also release this missing link in the Creation Records legacy of Slowdive LP's. It sounds ten times better than the aforementioned bootlegs, which use CD's or who knows even MP3's instead of the original masters as source. Also the artwork is fully restored, and edited with an eye for details. Bootlegs for example show "for further information,send a large s.a.e. to Slowdive, po box 1880 London N16 0DE" like it was on the original album, which is absolute bollocks these days of course. Here it's replaced with "for further information: www.slowdiveoffical.com".
Especially since the band is back together and always start their shows with the song Slowdive (from their first self-titled EP) which is the first song on this album, this release will please many fans who didn't have these early songs on vinyl yet. And now let's wait for what Slowdive has in store for us in 2015. They've been recording earlier this year and i can't wait to hear any new material by them. A release (or better still: many releases) that they'll finally make some proper money on. Would be totally well-deserved.

Label: Music On Vinyl
Cat.nr.: MOVLP 1380
Year of release: 2015

SIDE A:
01. Slowdive
02. Avalyn 1
03. Morningrise
04. She Calls

SIDE B:
01. Losing Today
02. Shine
03. Albatross

Ride - OX4_ The Best Of Ride [12", 2LP]

Now that RIDE has reunited and has just started touring again for the first time since they broke up in '96, this OX4_ THE BEST OF RIDE compilation couldn't have a better timing. Released on red vinyl for the occasion of Record Store Day 2015, and sounding great. I already have the original edition of this release from 2001, but as a pretty big fan of this band -which i'll be seeing two times this year; yay!- i just needed to have this reissue as well.

Label: Rhino
Cat.nr.: 081227955137
Year of release: 2015

SIDE A:
01. Chelsea Girl
02. Drive Blind
03. Like A Daydream
04. Taste

SIDE B:
01. Dreams Burn Down
02. Vapour Trail
03. Unfamiliar

SIDE C:
01. Leave Them All Behind
02. Twisterella
03. OX4

SIDE D:
01. Birdman
02. From Time To Time
03. How Does It Feel To Feel?
04. I Don't Know Where It Comes From
05. Black Nite Crash

Swervedriver - I Wasn't Born To Lose You [12", 2LP]

The new SWERVEDRIVER album I WASN'T BORN TO LOSE YOU was released a couple of weeks ago and ever since i've been eagerly waiting for the vinyl edition to appear. But here it is, and what a great album it has become! Definitely top 10 material for my yearlist. The band is completely back in shape, as if time stood still and as if there aren't 18 years between their previous album 99th Dream and this instant classic. It's got that typical Swervedriver feeling: lazy and summery vibes on one side, but with so much power and totally kicking ass on the other. Right from the start when you hear the intro to Autodidact you recognise it's Swervedriver. I've written it before: i really hope they'll play on the European mainland (and preferably Holland of course) soon. The vinyl has two bonus tracks that don't appear on the CD version: Dub Wound was the B-side to the Deep Wound 7" from 2013, and Days is the Television cover that was on the B-side of the Setting Sun 7" which was released for Black Friday 2014.

Label: Cobraside/Cherry Red
Cat.nr.: CSDLP 1186
Year of release: 2015

SIDE A:
01. Autodidact
02. Last Rites
03. For A Day Like Tomorrow
04. Setting Sun

SIDE B:
01. Everso
02. English Subtitles
03. Red Queen Arms Race

SIDE C:
01. Deep Wound
02. Lone Star
03. I Wonder?

SIDE D:
01. Dub Wound
02. Days

Sugar - Changes [12"]

CHANGES is of course a track from SUGAR's excellent Copper Blue album. Came across this 12" at the Utrecht record fair last weekend. It was a bargain; the three non-album tracks were the reason i decided to buy it and i wasn't disappointed. The acoustic version of If I Can't Change Your Mind is great, and also the other two songs are pretty good. Especially Needle Hits E wouldn't have been misplaced on the album.

Label: Creation Records
Cat.nr.: CRE126T
Year of release: 1992

SIDE A:
01. Changes
02. Needle Hits E

SIDE B:
01. If I Can't Change Your Mind (Solo Mix)
02. Try Again

The House Of Love - The Girl With The Loneliest Eyes [12", Promo]

This particular promo version of THE GIRL WITH THE LONELIEST EYES by THE HOUSE OF LOVE is not listed at Discogs at this point. I guess i'll fix that in the near future ;) Anyway it must be a rather rare edition, since the press sheet was still included and it says that only "200 special DJ's" received this promo. The single was the first one of their album Babe Rainbow, released the next year. The band didn't release their strongest material around that time (to my humble opinion), but i do really like the gentle track Tea In The Sun on this EP. A nice crate digging find from Utrecht, a few days ago.

Label: Fontana
Cat.nr.: HOLDJ 512
Year of release: 1991

SIDE A:
01. The Girl With The Loneliest Eyes
02. Purple Killer Rose

SIDE B:
01. Tea In The Sun
02. Pink Frost

Bowery Electric - Bowery Electric [12", LP]

Last weekend there was the April edition of the Utrecht recordfair, so the next few weeks there'll be plenty of blog entries about items i've bought there. Even though my wantlist is still quite substantial, i rarely come home with anything from that list lately. The stuff i'm looking for is just too rare, i guess. Nevertheless i always bump into loads of things that are not on that list, but simply too irresistible to let them stand in the crates :)
Anyhow, this particular self-titled LP by BOWERY ELECTRIC was actually on the list and i'm extremely happy i found it. I would've settled for the black version, but it's even the blue vinyl edition that i found. Just like for Beat, the second album, i've been looking for this self-titled debut for ages. Mid-nineties slow paced shoegaze of the highest quality, with just as many drone, post-rock and ambient elements. Excellent album!

Label: Kranky
Cat.nr.: KRANK 007
Year of release: 1995

SIDE A:
01. Sounds In Motion
02. Next To Nothing
03. Long Way Down
04. Another Road
05. Over And Over

SIDE B:
01. Slow Thrills
02. Out Of Phase
03. Drift Away

Sway - The Millia Pink And Green [12"]

SWAY is a band i'd only vaguely heard about before, but it wasn't until the end of last year when Saint Marie Records posted about doing a reissue of "shoegaze renaissance classic" THE MILLIA PINK AND GREEN, that the band caught my attention. This EP truly is an amazing piece of work. Originally released only on CD in 2003, this could indeed be called a shoegaze (or better: dreampop) renaissance classic. Very few modern dreampop releases reach this level. In recent years, only We Are The Dreamers comes close, in my opinion. These kinds of bands were the torchbearers that kept the shoegaze underground scene going during the years of absence of godfathers like MBV, Slowdive and Ride. Sadly the band Sway doesn't exist anymore since a few years, but founding member Andrew Saks still makes ambient electronic music under the name ASAKS.

Label: Saint Marie Records
Cat.nr.: SMR057
Year of release: 2015

SIDE A:
01. Fall
02. Sounds Like Everyone

SIDE B:
01. Sullust
02. Ever And Ever
03. Opentillate
04. Channel (bonus track;not on original CD)

Slowdive - 5EP [12"]

While i had the remix edition of this SLOWDIVE 12" in my possession for some years already, i only recently got my hands on the original version of the 5EP. Even though released in the same year as the Souvlaki album, it's pretty different, and paving a way for the band to release the more experimental Pygmalion album. There are drum computers involved and it's overall very electronic; one could say it's the missing link between dreampop and ambient techno. And even though i'm a sucker for loud guitars and therefore like their older work better than this, i must emphasize that i consider the sad Country Rain, with the slide guitar and Rachel's soothing vocals, as one of the best Slowdive songs ever made. Extremely glad i finally have this EP on vinyl now.

Label: Creation Records
Cat.nr.: CRE157T
Year of release: 1993

SIDE A:
01. In Mind
02. Good Day Sunshine

SIDE B:
01. Missing You
02. Country Rain

The Black Angels - Phosgene Nightmare [10", Limited Edition]

Another Record Store Day release from previous years. This one's from 2011. PHOSGENE NIGHTMARE is a B-sides collection according to the sticker, although i couldn't find out to which songs these tracks would have been the B-sides. I saw they had been digital bonus tracks in iTunes so maybe that's what they meant with that. Anyway, it's a mighty fine set of tunes by THE BLACK ANGELS. Ronettes is one of my favourites, and also the hypnotic "Rain Dance Version" of Entrance Song is pretty awesome. The original appears of course on Phosphene Dream, the album they had released half a year before this special 10" saw the light of day.

Label: Blue Horizon Ventures
Cat.nr.: BHV-16782-1
Year of release: 2011

SIDE A:
01. Melanie's Melody
02. Ronettes
03. The Boat Song

SIDE B:
01. At Night
02. Choose To Choose
03. Entrance Song (Rain Dance Version)

Tame Impala - Live Versions [12", LP, Limited Edition]

Less than two weeks until it's Record Store Day again! For me, this LIVE VERSIONS LP by TAME IMPALA was one of the highlights of last year's edition. I don't buy a lot of live albums on vinyl, but since these versions are pretty different from the studio versions, i thought i'd make an exception. Besides, Tame Impala is simply a great band. They recently announced that there'll be a new album soon so i'm pretty stoked for that. I don't know exactly how many were made of the green vinyl edition like the one i have, because there are also black copies floating around, and the album also shortly has been available as regular release a few months later. But it sure looks and sounds good.

Label: Modular
Cat.nr.: MODVL 184
Year of release: 2014

SIDE A:
01. Endors Toi
02. Why Don't You Make Up Your Mind?
03. Sestri Levante
04. Mind Mischief
05. Desire Be, Desire Go

SIDE B:
01. Half Full Glass Of Wine
02. Be Above It
03. Feels Like We Only Go Backwards
04. Apocalypse Dreams