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

Revolver - 45 [12"]

This 45 EP was the first release by REVOLVER, a UK shoegaze band that was around from 1990 to 1994. After this, they released two more singles (Crimson and Venice), and the songs from those three together would be on their first album (Baby's Angry; only came out on CD) which is actually a compilation for that matter. They released two more singles and a full length after that, and then they called it a day. The band's singer, guitar player and songwriter Mat Flint would become bass player for Death In Vegas. Heaven Sent An Angel, which is the first song on this EP, has always been one of my favourite songs on the Indie Top 20 Vol.13 CD (a great compilation from 1991). So i'm happy i recently came across this 12" by coincidence. The other song on the A-side, Painting Pictures, is brillant as well. With those noisy guitar eruptions it reminds me a lot of the band Ride. The B-side is unfortunately not as strong as the A-side, but it's still pretty good stuff. Especially Cherish is worth checking out.

Label: Hut Recordings

Cat.nr.: HUTT7

Year of release: 1991

SIDE A:

01. Heaven Sent An Angel

02. Painting Pictures

SIDE B:

01. Molasses

02. Cherish

Revolver - Venice [7"]

A cheap crate-digging find at the latest record fair in Utrecht, this blue 7" single by REVOLVER. The songs VENICE and B-side Red All Over are typical early 90's indie rock tunes. Not mindblowing for sure, but certainly not bad either. Always happy to run into stuff like this that i somehow overlooked back in the days.

Label: Hut Recordings
Cat.nr.: HUT 14
Year of release: 1992

SIDE A:
01. Venice

SIDE B:
01. Red All Over

Moose - Reprise [12"]

Wasn't too familiar with the band MOOSE. They appeared on a compilation CD that i have, with their song Suzanne (which is really good by the way!). The four songs on this REPRISE EP are from around the same period and Do You Remember is my favourite. Sounds like a big jam session. Pretty decent early 90s indie rock, but nothing really special to be honest. Picked it up cheap last week at the local second-hand store.

Label: Hut Recordings
Cat.nr.: HUTT8
Year of release: 1991

SIDE A:
01. Last Night I Fell Again
02. This River Will Never Run Dry

SIDE B:
01. Do You Remember?
02. Reprise

Drop Nineteens - Your Aquarium EP [12"]

This is typically a 12" maxi that i came across for a reasonable price and thought "why the heck not", and bought it. It's decent 90's indie rock. Some people call DROP NINETEENS a shoegaze band, but then bands like Breeders and Sugar would also be shoegaze. The song My Aquarium sounds like a good mix of the aforementioned bands, i think. The song Mandy on the B-side of this YOUR AQUARIUM EP is a pretty cool cover of the Barry Manilow hit from 1974.

Label: Hut Recordings
Cat.nr.: HUTT 22
Year of release: 1992

SIDE A:
01. My Aquarium (Second Time Around)

SIDE B:
01. Mandy
02. Nausea

The Verve - The Verve E.P. [12"]

Not really a fan of latter-day THE VERVE, but their first album A Storm In Heaven and the EP's around that are pretty cool. This clear red 12" was released for Record Store Day 2013 and is a first-time-on-vinyl reproduction of what was previously a US-only compilation CD from 1992, simply called THE VERVE E.P. It combines tracks from their early singles All In The Mind, Gravity Grave and She's A Superstar. Nice and trippy psychedelic stuff! I particularly like the mellow Gravity Grave that has a flow like it could go on forever, and She's A Superstar, with guitars that remind me of Felt's "Primitive Painters". Couldn't find any info on how limited this release is, but it's a one-off pressing anyway.

Label: Hut Recordings
Cat.nr.: HUTLPUS 1
Year of release: 2013

SIDE A:
01. Gravity Grave (Edit)
02. A Man Called Sun
03. She's A Superstar (Edit)

SIDE B:
01. Endless Life
02. Feel

Revolver - Crimson [7"]

CRIMSON is a gorgeous early 90's indie rock song by REVOLVER. The single has the song Don't Ever Leave on the B-side, and there's a sticker on the front saying limited edition 7" gatefold. On the back there's another black sticker. Why a sticker? That made me curious. I found out that both of them hide two titles of songs that were originally planned to be on a second disc apparently: Drowning Inside and Further Away. Hence the gatefold cover. The stickers can't be removed without damaging the sleeve, but holding them against a bright light did the trick as well. This is the only vinyl release i have by this band so far (would love to have the song Heaven Sent An Angel on vinyl someday, by the way) but i did a little research and found out that both those songs were featured on the 12" and cd-maxi edition of this single. It's a numbered edition; my copy is #2780.

Label: Hut Recordings
Cat.nr.: HUT 9
Year of release: 1991

SIDE A:
01. Crimson

SIDE B:
01. Don't Ever Leave

The Smashing Pumpkins - Ava Adore [7"]

The Adore album by THE SMASHING PUMPKINS i've learned to love over the years, but when it came out i was pretty much disappointed. AVA ADORE is one of the singles from that album and especially when this song is played live by the band i like it a lot. "Limited" pressing; around 10000 numbered copies.

Label: Hut Recordings
Cat.nr.: HUT 101
Year of release: 1998

SIDE A:
01. Ava Adore

SIDE B:
01. Czarina