The Finest Vinyl of 2017

Since it has become extremely quiet on this blog lately, you could get the impression that i stopped buying or collecting vinyl records. Well, the contrary. If i count the additions to my collection over the past year, i could've actually posted a daily update for a new (or secondhand) purchase, or some nice older gem from my collection. The sparse blog updates are caused by a big lack of time, and the fact that platforms like Instagram, Twitter or Facebook are simply easier to maintain.

Anyway, it's that time of the year again... time for the 6th edition of The Finest Vinyl, a tradition since 2012.

These are the 17 best new vinyl albums of 2017 according to yours truly:

01. Slowdive - Slowdive [Dead Oceans]
Definitely the best comeback album that's ever been made. Their first after Pygmalion, 22 years ago.
02. Deafcult - Auras [Hobbledehoy Records]
Pure coincidence, but just like last year, an Australian shoegaze band at #2 in this list. Awesome album.
03. LCD Soundsystem - American Dream [DFA]
Best album that James Murphy ever made. Scary Monsters-like guitars all over the place. Love it.
04. Ride - Weather Diaries [Wichita]
Just like Slowdive, it's been 20+ years since the band's last album Tarantula. Weather Diaries is an amazing return to form.
05. Jane Weaver - Modern Kosmology [Fire Records]
Great album. Indie-electronic-motorik-psychedelic stuff from an artist i didn't expect this of.
06. Moon Duo - Occult Architecture Vol.1 [Sacred Bones Records]
The first and the best of the two they released this year. Really a top notch album.
07. Mogwai - Every Country's Sun [Rock Action]
It was a bit of a grower, but it's once again a great Mogwai album. They never disappoint.
08. Secret Shine - There Is Only Now [Saint Marie Records]
They made two albums earlier in the past decade, yet this is definitely the best they released since their debut Untouched in 1993.
09. The Jesus And Mary Chain - Damage And Joy [Artificial Plastic Records]
Just like Ride and Slowdive, JAMC made a superb comeback (first album since Munki in '98).
10. Ulrika Spacek - Modern English Decoration [Tough Love Records]
Their second album, and what a trip it is!
11. Dead Horse One - Season Of Mist [Requiem Pour Un Twister]
Absolutely great second LP from these French psychedelic shoegazers.
12. Black Angels - Death Song [Partisan Records]
A bit poppier than we're used from them, yet still a very solid album.
13. Monster Movie - Keep The Voices Distant [Graveface Records]
Absolutely brilliant new album, and actually their best yet.
14. Brian Jonestown Massacre - Don't Get Lost [A Records]
Quality stuff as always from the very productive mister Newcombe.
15. The Stargazer Lilies - Lost [Graveface Records]
A collection of songs they never released plus some new ones. Dreamy as ever.
16. Moon Duo - Occult Architecture Vol.2 [Sacred Bones Records]
Volume 1's more mellow companion.
17. Thurston Moore - Rock 'n Roll Consciousness [Caroline]
Signature guitar playing, lengthy songs, simply a great album.

No War On Drugs, The National or Queens Of The Stone Age in my list, as you can see. Boring, boring and mediocre, respectively. One that just didn't make it was the Charlatans - Different Days. That annoying song 'The Same House' ruined it. Also Wire - Silver/Lead almost made it. Furthermore i really like Charlotte Gainsbourg - Rest that just came out, but i'm still waiting for my vinyl copy, and i'm only putting albums in my list that i actually own. So: alas. And Fever Ray - Plunge is only out digitally so far, so that wouldn't count either. Probably it'll be in my 2018 list.

2017 can be descibed as the Year of the Comeback Album. Slowdive, Ride and The Jesus And Mary Chain all hadn't released an album in over (or around) two decades.
Not just Moon Duo is appearing twice in the list. Also Christian Savill is: besides playing guitar in Slowdive, he's a founding member of Monster Movie. And Slowdive's Nick Chaplin plays bass on Keep The Voices Distant.


Of course there were also some really good reissues and compilations released in 2017. These were the best ones:

01. David Bowie - A New Career In A New Town [1977-1982] [Parlophone]
This volume in the boxset series is covering what i personally think is Bowie's best period.
02. Swervedriver - Mezcal Head [Music On Vinyl]
Been looking for an orginal pressing for ages. Impossible mission. Now very happy with this reissue.
03. Lilys - In The Presence Of Nothing [Frontier Records]
Finally this 1992 shoegaze cult classic was reissued again, for the first time since 1998!
04. Catherine Wheel - Chrome [Music On Vinyl]
Another rare one that was still on my wishlist. Now finally well available.
05. The Black Ryder - Buy The Ticket, Take The Ride [Fuzz Club]
Such a great album from 2009. Excellent reissue.
06. Catherine Wheel - Ferment [Music On Vinyl]
Of course i already owned an original pressing, but this coloured version on 180 gram is gorgeous (and sounding better).
07. Fujiya & Miyagi - Transparent Things [Impossible Objects Of Desire]
Their debut album, for the first time ever released on vinyl. That was about time!
08. Soundtrack - Singles [Epic]
Essential grunge compilation / soundtrack.
09. Can - The Singles [Spoon Records]
Really nice 3LP set with all the essential Can songs.
10. New Order presents Be Music [Factory Benelux]
Compilation featuring a.o. Section 25, A Certain Ratio and Fujiya & Miyagi. Produced and/or mixed by New Order members.


2018 is around the corner and i look forward to what it will bring, musicwise. There will finally be some My Bloody Valentine reissues (long due!) and likely even a brand new album, and of course i look forward to a new boxset in the David Bowie series. Covering not his best, but certainly nevertheless an interesting period (Let's Dance, Tonight etc.)

The Jesus And Mary Chain - Damage And Joy [12", 2LP]

2017 has become a memorable music-year now already, and we're not even halfway through. The new albums by Slowdive and Ride made my heart beat just a little bit faster than this one, but DAMAGE AND JOY by THE JESUS AND MARY CHAIN is destined to end up in my top 10 list of this year as well. Even though it's 19 years since their last album Munki was released, nothing much changed. Which is not extremely surprising, as some of these songs are actually quite old and have previously been released in other versions, like for solo projects of the Reid brothers. All Things Pass was for example  on the soundtrack for 'Heroes' in 2008, while Song For A Secret and Can't Stop The Rock were on a 7" by Jim Reid and Sister Vanilla in 2005. Sister Vanilla being the artist name of Jim and William's sister Linda, who's also contributing to a few songs on this album, just like Sky Ferreira, Isobel Campbell and Bernadette Denning (William's girlfirend) do. The album's filled with catchy, distorted, noisy, fuzzy tunes with (sometimes a bit too) simple lyrics and rhymes; and showing an attitude that even as men in their late 50s, they still don't give a fuck. In other words: JAMC exactly as we know (and love) them.

Label: Artificial Plastic Records
Cat.nr.: APR001LP
Year of release: 2017

SIDE A:
01. Amputation
02. War On Peace
03. All Things Pass
04. Always Sad

SIDE B:
01. Song For A Secret
02. The Two Of Us
03. Los Feliz (Blues And Greens)

SIDE C:
01. Mood Rider
02. Presidici (Et Chapaquisitch)
03. Get On Home
04. Facing Up The Facts

SIDE D:
01. Simian Split
02. Black And Blues
03. Can't Stop The Rock

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

Flyying Colours - Mindfullness [12", LP]

Right. So i've got some serious, serious catching up to do with this little blog of mine. Didn't feel like writing anything for the past 4 months (except for the obligatory but fun Finest Vinyl of 2016) and the good thing is when you're not getting any income from ads or sponsors, there's no pressure whatsoever anyway - so why bother? But tonight i decided it would be good to make a new start, and what album would be better to write something about than the debut full length by FLYYING COLOURS that came out last year. MINDFULLNESS is amazing album. Exactly like i hoped for, after being completely blown away previously by their two awesome EP's (s/t and Roygbiv). And this album is even better. It's not without reason that it ended up on #2 in my yearlist, after Bowie (who was impossible to beat; let's be honest). First of all i'm really happy that it doesn't contain a song from any of the EP's, even though one of the songs is called ROYGBIV like their 2nd EP. It's all brand new stuff; so that's always a good sign that they're still full of inspiration. And they've perfectioned their sound. It's epic, it's intense, it's almost like a live show. If you've never heard of this band but you're into bands like Swervedriver, Catherine Wheel or Slowdive, you really should check out Flyying Colours. Modern shoegaze at its best.


Label: Club AC30
Cat.nr.: AC3013061
Year of release: 2016

SIDE A:
01. It's Tomorrow Now
02. Long Holiday
03. This Is What You Wanted
04. 1987
05. Morning Stoner

SIDE B:
01. Mellow
02. ROYGBIV
03. Sun, Hail And Rain
04. Mindfullness
05. When

The Finest Vinyl of 2016

Even though i'm not writing that much on this blog anymore lately (due to a writer's block and lack of time), i haven't stopped buying vinyl records. On the contrary! So compared to previous years this year's The Finest Vinyl might have a few more albums listed  that i haven't posted anything about during the year. Might still do that in the future of course.

That David Bowie's ★ would end up on #1 might come as no surprise. And the fact that neo-shoegazers like Flyying Colours and Nothing are high on my list, probably neither. The rest of the list is not that predictable though.
Here they are, the 20 best albums of 2016 according to yours truly:

01. David Bowie - ★ (Blackstar) (Sony)

02. Flyying Colours - Mindfullness (Club AC30)

03. Nothing - Tired Of Tomorrow (Relapse)

04. DIIV - Is The Is Are (Captured Tracks)

05. Brian Jonestown Massacre - Third World Pyramid (A Recordings)

06. Wolf People - Ruins (Jagjaguwar)

07. The Early Years - II (Sonic Cathedral)

08. Mogwai - Atomic (Rock Action)

09. Minor Victories - Minor Victories (PIAS)

10. Amber Arcades - Fading Lines (Heavenly Recordings)

11. School Of Seven Bells - SVIIB (Full Time Hobby)

12. The Stargazer Lilies - Door To The Sun (Graveface Records)

13. Death In Vegas - Transmission (Drone)

14. Primal Scream - Chaosmosis (First International)

15. Toy - Clear Shot (Heavenly Recordings)

16. Esben And The Witch - Older Terrors (Seasons Of Mist)

17. Pinkshinyultrablast - Grandfeathered (Club AC30)

18. Aiming For Enrike - Segway Nation (Name Music)

19. The Avalanches - Wildflower (Modular/XL)

20. The Dandy Warhols - Distortland (Dine Alone)



Besides brand new albums, 2016 was also a good year for reissues.
These 5 were the best, in my eyes:

01. Lush - Origami (4AD)
Brilliant boxset with all their albums and outtakes/b-sides on vinyl. Released for RSD 2016.

02. David Bowie - Who Can I Be Now? 1974-1976 (Parlophone)
Superb boxset; includes a.o. the long lost The Gouster album. There were more great Bowie reissues in 2016, like the The Man Who Sold The World picture disc for RSD and the A Reality Tour boxset, but this was definitely the best.

03. Original Soundtrack - Lost Highway (Music On Vinyl/At The Movies)
Music of the David Lynch movie, with a.o. Nine Inch Nails, David Bowie and Smashing Pumpkins.

04. Porno For Pyros - Good God's Urge (ORG/Warner)
Long overdue, finally on vinyl! Black Friday release.

05. Life Of Agony - Soul Searching Sun (Music On Vinyl)
Also this title for the first time on vinyl. My favourite L.o.A. album.


2017 is around the corner. Who knows what that year has in store for us? There has been a lot of recent action by bands that i love. Slowdive should have an album recorded by now. Ride has been in the studio too. More studio reports have come through, from Girls Names for example. The new Dead Horse One album is ready and will be released early February. Hopefully there will be My Bloody Valentine remasters; pics of the remastering have been posted on social media. The Jesus And Mary Chain have one new song out already; album Damage And Joy comes out in March. And chronologically, the next David Bowie boxset would contain his Berlin albums. I simply can't wait!
So there's a lot to look forward to. Will it be able to top 2016?

 

Catherine Wheel - She's My Friend [12"]

Another fine EP by the amazing CATHERINE WHEEL. Besides the title track and the song Salt, which both ended up on the Ferment album the year after, this SHE'S MY FRIEND EP contains a song called Wish (of which a demo version was featured on the I Want To Touch You 12") and an otherwise unavailable song Upside Down. That one is actually now my favourite of the four tracks on this EP, and in general one of the best Catherine Wheel songs that i know. In fact that song alone was well worth the purchase.

Label: Wilde Club Records

Cat.nr.: WILDE 4

Year of release: 1991

SIDE A:

01. She's My Friend

02. Upside Down

SIDE B:

01. Wish

02. Salt

The Telescopes - To Kill A Slow Girl Walking EP [12"]

Just like The Perfect Needle EP, this TO KILL A SLOW GIRL WALKING EP is one of the earlier releases by THE TELESCOPES. It was recorded in 1989 and released in 1990, shortly before they signed to Creation Records. Just like on that other EP, this is noisy and psychedelic stuff; pretty different from their Creation period, yet pretty good!
Label: What Goes On Records
Cat.nr.: WHAT GOES 18T
Year of release: 1990

SIDE A:
01. To Kill A Slow Girl Walking
02. Treasure

SIDE B:
01. Forever Now
02. Pure Sweetest Ocean

Bleach - Killing Time [12", LP]

This KILLING TIME LP by the band BLEACH was a pleasant (and cheap) find at last year's spring record fair in Utrecht. Until then, i only had their Snag EP in my collection. And just like that 12", this LP was something i came across by coincidence. This time i was a bit more aware of course that Bleach was actually a pretty cool band, so i was curious how this LP would sound. And i must say i wasn't disappointed at all. Ten amazing songs, of which Trip & Slide and especially Surround have become my favourites. If you don't know Bleach, but do like bands such as Sugar, Adorable or Swervedriver and could imagine them with female vocals, you should definitely check them out. You won't be let down.

By the way, where the Snag EP had a side 3 and 4, this album has a side 7 and 8. Probably they continued counting the side numbers with every new release. Funny.

Label: Musidisc

Cat.nr.: 109011

Year of release: 1992

SIDE A:

01. First

02. Headless

03. Push

04. Paint My Face

05. Friends

SIDE B:

01. Fall

02. Trip & Slide

03. Shotgun

04. Surround

05. Tangle

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

Various Artists - A Means To An End - The Music Of Joy Division [12", 2LP]

There are only a few tribute albums out there that are really worthwhile having, to my opinion. This is definitely one of them. A MEANS TO AN END is a tribute to JOY DIVISION, with some really good bands on it, doing equally good cover versions. For example, the song that opens the album is a great version of She's Lost Control by Girls Against Boys. The next one (Day Of The Lords) is by an outfit called Honeymoon Stitch, which consists of Dave Navarro, Chad Smith and Michael Angelos ( of the band Plexi). Another peculiar band is Starchildren, with their version of Isolation. It's a project by Billy Corgan, that only released this particular cover and a song on a split 7" single with the band Catherine (which was fronted by the Pumpkins' bass player D'Arcy's then husband, Kerry Brown). My favourite cover on this album however is Transmission, in a beautiful version by the band Low. Atmosphere, done by Codeine here, is a true gem as well. And Moby's version of New Dawn Fades is really nice too. It fits perfectly with what he did on his Animal Rights album, the year after.

In general, i think the first record of this double LP is the most interesting one, but the second certainly isn't bad either. A notable tune on that one for example is the cover of Warsaw by an outfit called Desert Storm, which consisted of some members of the Drag City label. It's a ferocious punk rock song, produced by Steve Albini, with an intermezzo of David Bowie's song Warszawa.

I've had this compilation on CD for many years already, but never bumped into a vinyl edition - until a few months ago at the Utrecht record fair. Very reasonably priced as well. That probably had to do with the sleeve that is slightly damaged because of a removed sticker. But the discs are in perfect condition, and that's what counts most. Happy i finally have this in my vinyl collection now as well.

Label: Hut Recordings

Cat.nr.: HUTDLP29

Year of release: 1995

SIDE A:

01. GIRLS AGAINST BOYS - She's Lost Control

02. HONEYMOON STITCH - Day Of The Lords

03. MOBY - New Dawn Fades

SIDE B:

01. LOW - Transmission

02. CODEINE - Atmosphere

03. FURTHER - Insight

04. STANTON-MIRANDA - Love Will Tear Us Apart

SIDE C:

01. STARCHILDREN - Isolation

02. KENDRA SMITH - Heart And Soul

03. VERSUS - Twenty Four Hours

SIDE D:

01. DESERT STORM - Warsaw

02. GODHEADSILO - They Walked In Line

03. FACE TO FACE - Interzone

04. TORTOISE - As You Said

Amber Arcades - Fading Lines [12", LP]

AMBER ARCADES' debut album FADING LINES saw the light of day last week. Annelotte de Graaf, an artist with a dayjob at the Dutch Immigration and Naturalisation Service, is the mastermind behind the project. She recorded the album in NYC with the help of producer Ben Greenberg (who'd worked with Beach Fossils, a.o.) in two weeks time, after years of savings to make it happen. Musicians on the album play in bands like Quilt and Real Estate. The result is absolutely great. Ten varied but perfectly written indie-pop songs, ranging from garage pop, beat and doo-wop to dreampop and krautrock. Mostly dreamy, gentle and quiet songs. Bands that come to mind are for example Stereolab, Bettie Serveert, DIIV, Mazzy Star, the Sundays, the House Of Love and Toy. The song Turning Light is my favourite at this moment, but that might just as well change over the coming days, since i just got the album. It's an upbeat krautrock song and a bit different than the others, for that matter.
With Fading Lines, she's established herself as one of the Netherlands' finest indie artists. I'll be seeing her live in two weeks, so i really look forward to that.

Label: Heavenly
Cat.nr.: HVNLP126
Year of release: 2016

SIDE A:
01. Come With Me
02. Constant's Dream
03. Fading Lines
04. I Will Follow
05. Perpetuum Mobile

SIDE B:
01. Right Now
02. Apophenia
03. This Time
04. Turning Light
05. White Fuzz

Minor Victories - Minor Victories [12", LP]

They've been called a "super-group", due to the fact that most of the band members play in wellknown other bands (Editors, Slowdive, Mogwai). MINOR VICTORIES just released their debut album and i love it. It's absolutely gorgeous. Even though all parts were recorded separately, it's barely noticeable. Besides Stuart Braithwaite (Mogwai), Rachel Goswell (Slowdive), Justin Lockey (Editors) and his brother James Lockey, there are also guest appearances. The song with James Graham (from The Twilight Sad), Scattered Ashes (Song For Richard), is one of my favourite songs on the album. For You Always, a duet between Rachel Goswell and Mark Kozelek (Sun Kil Moon, Red House Painters) is musically perhaps not the most adventurous one, but the lyrics are very personal and therefore interesting. Folk Arp is a beauty as well, and so is Breaking My Light. I'd love to see these people play live together, and they will be playing some festivals this summer, but unfortunately i can't make it to any of their shows. Bummer! Hope there will be a second chance for some club shows eventually.

Label: PIAS

Cat.nr.: PIASR885LP

Year of release: 2016

SIDE A:

01. Give Up The Ghost

02. A Hundred Ropes

03. Breaking My Light

04. Scattered Ashes (Song For Richard)

05. Folk Arp

SIDE B:

01. Cogs

02. For You Always

03. Out To Sea

04. The Thief

05. Higher Ropes

Aiming For Enrike - Segway Nation [12", LP]

Earlier this week i was in Oslo for a few days, and i went to a Lee Ranaldo concert while i was there. One of the support acts was a local band called AIMING FOR ENRIKE. Never heard of them before, but i liked them so much that after the show i decided to buy their album SEGWAY NATION, that had just been released about a month ago. It's apparently their second album. The band consists of only two people: a drummer (who also plays in the Norwegian "blackjazz" band Shining) and a guitar player (who plays in indie pop band Acres Wild). The music they make is instrumental, progressive, very rhythmic, mathematic, funky and jazzy. Pretty crazy stuff. The most accessible parts remind me a bit of Battles. The drummer is fantastic and the guitar player is all over the place with his loops and effect pedals, which are controlled both by his feet and hands. Really impressive how they pulled this off on stage. One of my favourite songs on this album is Billion Year Contract. I rarely post YouTube links on this blog, but this is something you should check out.

Label: Name Music

Cat.nr.: NAME12LP

Year of release: 2016

SIDE A:

01. Newspeak

02. Riget

03. Mad Driver

04. Billion Year Contract

05. Minitrue

06. Ushikawa

SIDE B:

01. Now Watch This Drive

02. Necrocratic Republic

03. Phonephobia

04. Segway Nation

05. Almost All Of Them

06. Nakata Johnny Walker

David Bowie - Man Of Words/Man Of Music [12", LP]

Today it's been exactly five months since DAVID BOWIE passed away.

MAN OF WORDS/MAN OF MUSIC was how the 1969 solo debut album, that was released as s/t ("David Bowie") in Europe, was commonly called in the USA because it had these words written above his name on top of the sleeve on that version. The album would be called "Space Oddity" worldwide from its reissue in 1972 on, when it got another sleeve. This particular edition on blue coloured vinyl was released exclusively for  the Groninger Museum when the David Bowie Is exhibition was there a few months ago. Only 1500 copies were made, just like there were of the other exclusive release for that exhibition: the Amsterdam 7". It's a brilliant album, and of course this limited edition is pretty dear to me. I'm happy that a reissue of the 1969 version with the european artwork was included in the recent Five Years vinyl boxset, and not this one. So now i have all 3 versions of the sleeve, since i already had the 1972 one :)

Label: Parlophone

Cat.nr.: DBISHLP 2015

Year of release: 2015

SIDE A:

01. Space Oddity

02. Unwashed And Somewhat Slightly Dazed

03. Letter To Hermione

04. Cygnet Committee

SIDE B:

01. Janine

02. An Occasional Dream

03. Wild Eyed Boy From Freecloud

04. God Knows I'm Good

05. Memory Of A Free Festival

David Bowie - "Heroes" [12", LP]

Today it's been exactly four months since DAVID BOWIE passed away.

"HEROES" is of course a classic. While Low is actually my favourite album from his so-called Berlin trilogy, i chose "Heroes" for this month's Bowie album feature. Because i've just come back from a few days in Berlin, and with songs like Neuköln, V-2 Schneider and of course the title track with its references to the Berlin wall, it now seemed the most obvious Bowie vinyl release in my collection for me to put in the spotlight this month.
Unfortunately i didn't have the time to see if i could book a guided tour to be shown around inside, so i just walked past the Hansa Studios where this great album was recorded. Also Low was recorded here, but not Lodger however (the third album of the "Berlin trilogy" was recorded in France and NY). Here's how the entrance hall looks (picture taken through the window) and the doorbells of the various studio rooms.

Other classic albums that were recorded at Hansa, are for example Night Time by Killing Joke, Misplaced Childhood by Marillion, Bossanova by the Pixies, Achtung Baby by U2 and of course Lust For Life and The Idiot by Iggy Pop.

Bowie shared an appartment with Iggy at Hauptstrasse 155. Obviously i had to check that out as well while i was in the area anyway. 

A few doors away from where they lived, was one of their favourite hangouts: café Anderes Ufer. Nowadays it's called Neues Ufer. Unfortunately it was closed when i was there, but apparently it's still regulary visited by many Bowie fans from all over the world. There was a Blackstar in the window, as you can see on the picture below, and looking through the window i saw a Bowie poster from his 1974 TopPop appareance (with pirate's eye patch).

Even though my Berlin visit was by no means intended as a Bowie pilgrimage, it was interesting to see at least these places where he spent a lot of time during 1976-1978. And when i got back home, "Heroes" was the first album that made its way to my recordplayer.

Oh by the way: Neuköln is a district of Berlin, and should actually be spelled with two L's.

Label: RCA

Cat.nr.: NL-13857

Year of release: 1977 (this particular pressing is from 1980 however)

SIDE A:

01. Beauty And The Beast

02. Joe The Lion

03. "Heroes"

04. Sons Of The Silent Age

05. Blackout

SIDE B:

01. V-2 Schneider

02. Sense Of Doubt

03. Moss Garden

04. Neuköln

05. The Secret Life Of Arabia