Spare Snare - Bugs

Hey hey. Today's excitement is a 7" from what I thought was, until I looked on Wikipedia (sorry), an obscure Scottish indie band. Turns out that, while still obscure, they're not as obscure as I thought, and have seven LPs to their name, plus four Peel sessions. This single is superb. Really, really good.

I have one other single by them, which isn't too good, so I never looked out for any more. But this record is great, and if anyone can recommend me an album or two to get started, please do. The b-side is good too, but the single is just brilliant. Go on - treat yourself, Indie-lovers.

1. Bugs (Goodbye Jan)
2. Scrabble

hErE.

Black Box Recorder - Child Psychology

Here's something miserable for you - I know what you folks like. This is a single by the second (successful) band that Luke Haines was in, the first being The Auteurs (and I'd thoroughly recommend checking some of their stuff out - 1993's "New Wave" is a great record). Both the a- and b-sides are off their first album, "England Made Me", and I'd have to be honest and say the a-side isn't one of my favourites on the LP. That said, the b-side is great, and you might well like the a-side too, depending on what mood you're in...

They played at the Nick Sanderson (from Earl Brutus) tribute concert, and there you have a seamless link to my Earl Brutus post of a few weeks back. That, my friends, is quality blogging.

1. Child Psychology
2. Girl Singing In The Wreckage

Heer.

UPDATED Urusei Yatsura / Mogwai / Backwater - Split Tour 7"

Right. Sorry for any confusion, and thanks to Rob for pointing it out, but I'd screwed up the track listing/tracks for this post. I've re-upped it, and the new listing is below. Rather than a long version of 'Phasers', it's actually two Urusei tracks, but one - 'Pachinko (live)' - isn't listed on the 7". I'd also put up the Mogwai track twice, because I am a fool. Backwater's there now.



Second in October's short series (of two) tour 7"s from some time ago... This one is a split between two of Scotland's finest (Urusei Yatsura and Mogwai), and one of Ulster's most-forgotten (Backwater). A little reading around tells me that (as well as previously appearing in my blog) they supported Sebadoh and Def Leppard in their now sadly neglected career.

This 7" was handed to the first 50 people through the doors of the tour that these three bands did in 1996, where U.Y. were supported by an up-and-coming Mogwai for half the dates, and by Backwater for the others. I saw them with Backwater at the Moles Club in Bath, where I also once lost a jumper.

The Urusei and Mogwai tracks are live, and the former is a good version of an album track where they turn into Pavement halfway through (no they don't - see above). The Backwater one is a demo, I think. Apologies for the poor quality of the vinyl (and the original recordings), but you're not going to find this stuff anywhere else!

1. Mogwai - Summer
2. Backwater - Summer 17
3. Urusei Yatsura - Phasers (Live)
4. Urusei Yatsura - Pachinko (Live)

Hear.

Tortoise / Stereolab - Split 7"

New job. That's my excuse. But here's something special for y'all to get your ears into, by way of apology for the delay.

This was a split 7" by these two, which they were selling at shows on the tour they did many years back. I caught them at the Bierkeller in Bristol, which is one of the few venues which still exists from my childhood (the Mauritania, anyone?) Anyway, I'm sure you don't really care, so on with the music.

They're both pretty good examples of the bands, so if by any chance you haven't come across these guys before then maybe this will turn you on to some good music. If you get a chance, I'd recommend getting hold of 'Millions Now Living Will Never Die' by Tortoise, which I also picked up at the same gig. Stereolab's albums all sound pretty much the same, but that's not to say you shouldn't try a few of those too. The Tortoise track on this 7" is kind of hypnotic, and I like it a lot. Stereolab's one is also hypnotic, in a different way, and I think you'll enjoy it.

1. Tortoise - YAUS
2. Stereolab - Speedy Car

Here.