Tears Run Rings - Distance [12", LP]

This band might need some introduction. Although having worked together in various other bands and projects since the mid 90's, TEARS RUN RINGS only released their first EP in 2007, called A Question And An Answer. Then came their first full length (Always, Sometimes, Seldom, Never) and DISTANCE is their second album - and the first that's been released on vinyl. Musically it reminds me the most of Slowdive and Chapterhouse. Quality dreampop/shoegaze, and like many of the new breed of shoegaze bands (i don't like the term nu-gaze), they're from the USA. Portland OR, to be exact. This band's definitely worth checking out if you don't know them yet.

There was a limited pressing of only 500 pcs: 300 black, 200 clear. My copy is one of the clear ones.

Label: Deep Space Recordings
Cat.nr.: DS 005
Year of release: 2010

SIDE A:
01. Happiness 3
02. Forgotten
03. Inertia
04. Reunion
05. Distance

SIDE B:
01. Divided
02. Forever
03. Compromise
04. Innocent
05. Happiness 4

Lush - Spooky [2x10"]

This is the debut album by LUSH, produced by Robin Guthrie of Cocteau Twins.
SPOOKY came out on two vinyl formats: a regular LP, and this limited 2x10" package. I bought this one in Aarhus at Black Light Records (upstairs from Route 66), a real treasure chest for second-hand vinyl hunters.
I really love this band. Especially their oldest work (this album and the EP's that came before that; later compiled on Gala). And of all the sexy frontwomen of indie bands that i had a crush on at the time (Toni Halliday of Curve, Rachel Goswell of Slowdive, Bilinda Butcher of My Bloody Valentine, Kim Deal of the Pixies), Miki Berenyi is the only one i ever saw live on stage during that time. Sweet memories.

Label: 4AD
Cat.nr.: CAD D 2002
Year of release: 1992

SIDE A:
01. Stray
02. Nothing Natural
03. Tiny Smiles

SIDE B:
01. Covert
02. The Ocean
03. For Love

SIDE C:
01. Superblast!
02. Untogether
03. Fantasy

SIDE D:
01. Take
02. Laura
03. Monochrome

Slowdive - Blue Day [12", LP, Unofficial]

The first thing i wondered when i ran into this thing, at a hidden second-hand record store in Stockholm, was how the quality would be. Because it was obvious that this peculiar SLOWDIVE release was not quite the original release from 1992 - even though the guy in the shop first was trying to convince me it most likely was. Yeah, right. Not only was it sealed and brand new looking; on the back you'll see it hasn't got 7 but 13 tracks, spread over 2 discs. The original BLUE DAY, which costs a fortune these days, is just 1 disc.
"Oh, then you're probably right", he said when i confronted him with that. So when i told him i saw his store was swamped with bootlegs (pointed out a Pantera, Joy Division, Desert Sessions and a My Bloody Valentine on first rows to him - i assume his supplier for that stuff had just come by earlier) he was suddenly very friendly and it was easy to get something off the price.

But back on topic: well, the quality is not that bad. It's not the same of course as the superb recent reissues of Just For A Day and Souvlaki on Music On Vinyl because for this bootleg no master tapes were used, but at least it's value for money if you're a shoegaze vinyl hunter like myself.
The 2 discs come in clear blue and light baby-blue.

The 7 tracks from the rare original are featured, and besides that there's Avalyn 2 from their very first s/t EP, Golden Hair and Albatross from the Holding Our Breath EP, and some tracks from their Just For A Day full length. A bit of a weird mish-mash.
To make it (sort of) look official, the manufacturer has printed Japanese text at the back, so people would think it's some rare Japanese import.

Label: Creation Records [fake]
Cat.nr.: COCY 9968
Year of release: 2010 [not 1992, as it states]

SIDE A:
01. Slowdive
02. Avalyn 1
03. Avalyn 2

SIDE B:
01. Morningrise
02. She Calls
03. Losing Today

SIDE C:
01. Shine
02. Albatross
03. Golden Hair
04. Waves

SIDE D:
01. Spanish Air
02. Celia's Dream
03. Catch The Breeze

Various Artists - The Psychedelic Sounds Of The Sonic Cathedral [12", LP]

This limited awesome compilation album on yellow vinyl has the subtitle: A Tribute To Roky Erickson And The 13th Floor Elevators. And that's what it is. Thirteen songs in total; the first one being a live recording from 2008 by The Black Angels and the master himself. Furthermore some real good covers like the ones by A Place To Bury Strangers, Dead Meadow, Black Acid (Richard "Death In Vegas" Fearless' other band), I Break Horses (this was the first time i heard of this great band) and Le Volume Courbe (with Kevin Shields).

Label: Sonic Cathedral
Cat.nr.: SCR 013
Year of release: 2010

SIDE A:
01. ROKY ERICKSON & THE BLACK ANGELS - Roller Coaster
02. THE STRANGE ATTRACTORS - Reverberation (Doubt)
03. ALL THE SAINTS - Don't Fall Down
04. A PLACE TO BURY STRANGERS - Tried To Hide
05. DEAD MEADOW - Kingdom Of Heaven
06. DARKER MY LOVE - She Lives (In A Time Of Her Own)
07. SARABETH TUCEK - Splash (Now I'm Home)

SIDE B:
01. FIRE ENGINE - Lower Heaven
02. HUSH ARBORS - Dr Doom
03. CHEVAL SOMBRE - You Don't Love Me Yet
04. LE VOLUME COURBE (w/ KEVIN SHIELDS) - I Love The Living You
05. BLACK ACID - Unforced Peace
06. I BREAK HORSES - Goodbye Sweet Dreams

Iron Monkey - We've Learned Nothing [10"]

On the classic but defunct Man's Ruin Records, a smoke-colored 10" by UK sludge metal band IRON MONKEY. The CD version of WE'VE LEARNED NOTHING is a split with Church Of Misery, but this vinyl only has the 3 Iron Monkey songs on it. One of them, Kiss Of Death, is a Corrosion Of Conformity cover.

Label: Man's Ruin Records
Cat.nr.: MR 130
Year of release: 1999

SIDE A:
01. Arsonaut
02. Kiss Of Death

SIDE B:
01. Sleep To Win

My Bloody Valentine - Tremolo EP [12", promo]

This promo edition of the TREMOLO EP by MY BLOODY VALENTINE is a gem that i ran into while going through the racks at Repeat Records in Malmö. I found their Ecstasy And Wine compilation there at the same time. So that's what i'd call a good score.
Recorded during their Loveless period; with three great tracks -besides To Here Knows When- that didn't make it to the album.

Label: Creation Records
Cat.nr.: CRE 085TP
Year of release: 1991

SIDE A:
01. To Here Knows When
02. Swallow

SIDE B:
01. Honeypower
02. Moonsong

Fever Ray - Mercy Street [7"]

After her s/t debut album and the singles lifed off it, FEVER RAY released two limited 7" singles - and MERCY STREET is one of them. Limited to a numbered 2000 copies, and just like the other one, a cover on the A-side. Peter Gabriel's song has rarely sounded better than this version, to my opinion.

Label: Rabid Records
Cat.nr.: RABID 0046 T
Year of release: 2010

SIDE A:
01. Mercy Street

SIDE B:
01. Dry And Dusty