LP’S
ABSOLUTELY (THE BEST OF...) – ABC
Sure those fab first four 45’s are here in all their glory, but some of the later stuff is really good, too. Must admit I really like King Without A Crown.
HARDER THAN THE REST – Culture
One of my all-time fave LP’s. Love the organ sound on Iron Sharpening Iron!
AGHARTA - Miles Davis
I like the more urgent funky moments of Prelude rather than when it gets more fiddly.
A SEA WITH THREE STARS – Nectarine No. 9
A mixed bag, but the closing track Chocolate Swastika is a bit of a gem, with Davey Henderson going back the more poppy sound of his Win days.
PIGS ON PURPOSE / LIVE IN PARIS – The Nightingales
With POP’s Don’t Blink sounding esp fab.
EMPIRES & DANCE – Simple Minds
This is how the future used to sound! Indeed, it’s easy to forget how good this lot once were. If they had split any time before 1987 then they would surely be revered in a way they can only dream about now. And if they’d split after Sons & Fascination, well they could well have the same aura about them as, say, Magazine.
EXOTIC CREATURES OF THE DEEP – Sparks
Not a dull moment. Another top notch LP from the Brothers Mael.
CAN’T BUY A THRILL – Steely Dan
The first time I ever went to an over 18’s nightclub there was a band playing cover versions. I can’t remember anything about them except that they played Do It Again. At that point it was a song I’d heard but didn’t know its title, who it was by, or what the right words were, so finding out what it was proved difficult. Didn’t enjoy this LP as much as I used to TBH, but I still love DIA.
DUE TO A LACK OF INTEREST, TOMORROW HAS BEEN CANCELLED (Head Heritage Sampler 2005) – V/A
I don’t recall liking The New Lou Reeds track as much as I do now. The White Hills track is, of course, utterly marvellous.
THE WORLD OF HITS VOL 4 – V/A
Decca label compilation (which unusually in those pre-Ronco/K-TEL/Arcade days, featured the original artists) was one of the few pop LP’s that my parents had. I think my sister has claimed that copy, but I managed to get one off ebay recently. Lovely to have it – the cover is so of its time in a gloriously daft kind of way. And there’s some good tracks, too, c/o Amen Corner, Small Faces, and Frijid Pink’s psych take on House Of The Rising Sun. And as for the opening Marmalade track Reflections Of My Life – well I expected to enjoy it in a kitsch, nostalgic kinda way, but no – it’s a great slice of late 60’s Beatle-ish pop with a George Harrison-like solo and basslines that Macca would have been proud of. Admittedly I could do without Dana, but then I’m suspecting that was the reason my parents bought it in the first place, so I won’t complain.
THE GIVEN – Colin Verncombe
New album from the Black singer, available as a free download from his website. There’s an option of going back to give a donation which I intended doing, but I don’t think I’m gonna bother as I’m not sure I’ll ever play this again. This is a man who once sang More Than The Sun, a glorious single which I still play on a regular basis. This, however, is the sound of someone going through motions. And lines like ‘Try living as a Boxcar gypsy’ really grate. For god’s sake, Colin. You’re from Liverpool! Sure the voice still sounds OK on some numbers, but this is bland and disappointing.
GIANT – The Woodentops
So good to hear this one again. Timeless stuff. Enjoyed it so much I played it again straight after.
Also...
BIG SCIENCE – Laurie Anderson
TENDER PREY /ABATTIOR BLUES & THE LYRE OF ORPHEUS – Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds
THE BAR AT THE END OF THE WORLD – Lupine Howl
101 DRONES – MyBroken101
METAL SHADOWS – Siouxsie & the Banshees
THE SOUND OF THE CROWD – V/A
PULP FICTION – V/A
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