Soundtrack - Singles [12", 2LP]

Last week, the 25th anniversary edition of the soundtrack of SINGLES was released, just one day after the tragic death of Chris Cornell. Cornell made two contributions to the soundtrack (Seasons, a solo track, and Birth Ritual with Soundgarden), and included with this vinyl reissue there's also a bonus CD packed with outtakes and other rare material, of which no less than six Cornell solo tracks and a Soundgarden track. Good stuff. Besides the bonus CD, another difference with the original is that this reissue is a double LP while the original was a single one. Which means: better sound!
Singles is one of those essential soundtracks; it captures the sound and atmosphere of Seattle during the grunge heydays perfectly. Except for Nirvana, all the big names are featured (like Alice In Chains, Pearl Jam, Soundgarden, Mudhoney, Screaming Trees, Mother Love Bone and Smashing Pumpkins). The last band being from Chicago and not from Seattle of course, But hey, who cares. Their song Drown is easily one of the best songs they ever made and i'm happy to finally have it on vinyl now. I'm sure i'll be playing this album just as often as i did with the CD when it came out. Trip down memory lane!

Label: Epic
Cat.nr.: 88985315511
Year of release: 2017 (originally 1992)

SIDE A:
01. ALICE IN CHAINS - Would?
02. PEARL JAM - Breath
03. CHRIS CORNELL - Seasons

SIDE B:
01. PAUL WESTERBERG - Dyslexic Heart
02. THE LOVEMONGERS - Battle Of Evermore
03. MOTHER LOVE BONE - Chloe Dancer/Crown Of Thorns

SIDE C:
01. SOUNDGARDEN - Birth Ritual
02. PEARL JAM - State Of Love And Trust
03. MUDHONEY - Overblown
04. PAUL WESTERBERG - Waiting For Somebody

SIDE D:
01. JIMI HENDRIX - May This Be Love
02. SCREAMING TREES - Nearly Lost You
03. SMASHING PUMPKINS - Drown

Josefin Öhrn + The Liberation - Mirage [12", LP]

Only recently discovered JOSEFIN ÖHRN + THE LIBERATION (by a song on a free CD that came with Mojo Magazine) and i was instantly hooked. Psychedelic motorik seductive rock; think of a mixture of Moon Duo, Goat, Brian Jonestown Massacre and Charlotte Gainsbourg. MIRAGE is simply a superb album. Sister Green Eyes, the song that was featured on that CD, is still one of my favourite songs, but Rainbow Lollipop, The State I'm In, Rushing Through My Mind and album closer Imagine You are equally excellent. I'm certain that this album will be making many spins on my record player this year.

Label: Rocket Recordings
Cat.nr.: LAUNCH096
Year of release: 2016

SIDE A:
01. The State (I'm In)
02. Sister Green Eyes
03. In Madrid
04. Rainbow Lollipop
05. Endless Ocean

SIDE B:
01. Looking For Your
02. Rushing Through My Mind
03. Circular Motion
04. Where I'm Going
05. Imagine You

Swervedriver - Mezcal Head [12", LP]

Being a big SWERVEDRIVER fan, i've been looking for an affordable copy of MEZCAL HEAD for years, but never with any luck. Until recently, when Music On Vinyl reissued the album from 1993 and thus making it finally available again for fans who like their daily dose of shoegaze on vinyl. They've done so in the past with Slowdive (even before the band reunited), and will soon be releasing for example Ferment by Catherine Wheel! Excellent choices. More of that, please!
The first pressing of this reissue consists of 1500 copies on mezcal coloured (clear cloudy) vinyl, and it plays like a charm. Finally i can spin classic tunes like Duel, Blowin'Cool, Last Train To Satansville and You Find It Everywhere on my record player. Hope the albums Raise (although i own an original copy) and especially Ejector Seat Reservation will be reissued as well.

Label: Music On Vinyl
Cat.nr.: MOVLP1851
Year of release: 2017

SIDE A:
01. For Seeking Heat
02. Duel
03. Blowin' Cool
04. MM Abduction
05. Last Train To Satansville

SIDE B:
01. Harry & Maggie
02. A Change Is Gonna Come
03. Girl On A Motorbike
04. Duress
05. You Find It Everywhere

Slowdive - Slowdive [12", LP]

Wow. They did it.
Three years ago, when SLOWDIVE reunited and i flew to London to see their first ever show since 1994 (read more about that here), i didn't even dare to wish for some brand new recordings. But over the past year or so, you could see updates on social media of the band members being in the studio, jamming and having fun. And this amazing self-titled fourth studio album, the first one in 22 years, is the result of that. It totally captures where the band is now. The album breathes the ambiance of their live shows of the past years. Of course there are songs on this album that will remind you of Just For A Day and Souvlaki, but if you saw/heard for example how they revamped Crazy For You into a danceable tune in their set, you'll understand a song like Star Roving.
Also - funnily enough the album exactly demonstrates how the band has influenced other acts over the past decades. Don't Know Why is the Slowdive that inspired Pinkshinyultrablast; Everyone Knows is the Slowdive that inspired M83. And i could go on and on.
Closing song Falling Ashes deserves some special attention. It is simply the most beautiful song i've heard in many years, in all its vulnerability, that balances between David Sylvian's Forbidden Colours and Nils Frahm.

Today the band announced a club tour in autumn. So after two London shows in May 2014, a festival show at Best Kept Secret in June the same year, and an amazing show at Rewire Fest in Den Haag earlier this year, i can't wait to see them for the fifth time - this time at the Paradiso in Amsterdam. Save the date; October 6th!

Label: Dead Oceans
Cat.nr.: DOC132
Year of release: 2017

SIDE A:
01. Slomo
02. Star Roving
03. Don't Know Why
04. Sugar For The Pill

SIDE B:
01. Everyone Knows
02. No Longer Making Time
03. Go Get It
04. Falling Ashes