Friday 29 January 2010

Stereolab - Ping Pong 7"



Here's one I got excited about when I was scanning some covers in. There is nothing quite like coloured vinyl, wouldn't you agree? Picture discs are something else entirely, and while I have a few, the fact that they sound bloody awful doesn't balance out the mild interest of, I dunno, some lightning or something. Maybe I have too many Iron Maiden ones... Anyway, this one's green, and it turns an already superb 7" up to 11.

The a-side is one of my favourite Stereolab tracks, and if you don't know it/them then you're in for a treat. The b-side lives up to its name in spectacular style, and, on top of everything else, it has yet another infinite exit groove. Cool cubed.

1. Ping Pong
2. Moogie Wonderland

Ecoutez ici.

p.s. For those of you of impeccable taste (after your Beatnik Filmstars comment, YankeeBoy, I cannot include you in that category) waiting for the Pure Morning bits and bobs, I've realised that I no longer have the original files, for some reason, so will have to make them again. But I will, just be patient.

Sunday 24 January 2010

Beatnik Filmstars - Supremer Queener E.P.



Couple of things to which a blog post can never do justice... This 7" is packaged in wallpaper, and the plastic sleeve is stamped with the band's name. Also, it's on white vinyl. These things are important to me, so I thought I should share them. If you'd like to come round and feel the wallpaper, you're all more than welcome. It's very satisfying.

As for the tunes, well you're in for a treat. You may or may not know these guys, but they're from Bristol (as am I), and have been around for years (as have I). Their music career has been marginally more successful than mine, though, it has to be said. They're currently on Merge Records, who you must check out, with a LOAD of other superb bands/people.

This record is from 1996 on Mobstar Records (Bristol again, I think). Track 1 is a proper LoFi pop gem, 2 is a Fall-like noisy one (just described by my wife as "a pioneer of bullshit", make of that what you will), number 3 is much quieter, killer tune, and 4 is back to somewhere near the Fall, but lower-fi. All good. Hope you love 'em too.

1. Supremer Queener
2. I Am A Pioneer
3. Seventies Flick
4. A Craze Exploding

They'm here.

Wednesday 13 January 2010

Snuff - Long Ball To No-One E.P.



I was watching some TV music channel the other night, and the video for 'I Think We're Alone Now' as covered by Tiffany came on. I was 10 when she released that song, and I was a big fan, probably not entirely because of the tune itself. Those of you old enough to remember will understand. Whole lotta denim.

Anyway, the point is that Snuff did a cover of that track on their debut LP, 'Snuff Said'. This is the connection. Thanks for bearing with me. This being a singles blog, there is no place for that album, but there is always space for some good old-fashioned pop-punk, in this case from 1996. Because it's a proper EP, from the good old days, it has four tracks, and all of them are well worth a listen. 1: Hammond/brass-tastic pop joy; 2: bass-tastic high-speed joy; 3: trumpet-tastic shouty joy; 4: syncopation-tastic great-name joy. Enjoy!

1. Nick Northern
2. Walk
3. Caught In Session
4. Dow Dow Boof Boof

Hear ya.

Sunday 10 January 2010

Teenage Fanclub - Free Again 7"



Happy New Year everyone! I hope your festive season was good, and you're enjoying whatever 2010 has brought you so far.

To start the decade afresh, here's yet another Teenage Fanclub post, and the second post in a row to contain an Alex Chilton cover ('Free Again'). That, my friends, is how tired and predictable I have become. But it's also why you keep coming back...

This is a 7" on K Records from Washington in the US of A, released in 1992. The other track is 'Bad Seeds' by Beat Happening, and both a- and b-sides are 110% killer. All killer, no filler.

1. Free Again
2. Bad Seeds

Here.