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