Yo La Tengo - Shaker EP

Unusually for me, a respected band who are still around. As opposed to a band that only me and you, dear reader, ever liked and lasted two years tops. And then reformed last year and played two festivals and a show at The Garage in Highbury.

Anyhew, this is one of the hypnotic-style Yo La Tengo tunes, and nice on headphones. Quite rocking and repetitive, all good stuff. They're one of those bands I tend to dip in and out of, sometimes a single or an album will really grab me, and other times I can really take or leave them. This I like.

The a-side was originally off a soundtrack, so wasn't on an album, so if you're a fan you might be interested. The second track on the CD is a Richard and Linda Thompson cover, which is really good, and has lovely harmonies on the chorus. Track 3 is more acoustic (but with feedback and brass, nice), and also a good song.

Good stuff overall. Hope you like it.

1. Shaker
2. For Shame Of Doing Wrong (Slide Version)
3. What She Wants

H'yar.

Mega City Four - Stop (CDS)

According to the sticker on the CD case this was £3.99 from HMV. Well I got it for LOADS less, so that's socking it to the man. Although the man in this case is dead, apparently, hence no Mega City Four reformation as every shit 90s band takes their turn.

The first song I ever heard by Mega City Four was "Don't Want To Know If You Are Lonely", which I never realised was by Husker Du when I first bought their "Inspiringly Titled" live LP way back in the day. I did realise it was clearly the best track on the record. Kind of figures. I was never a huge fan of Mega City Four, but this is something of interest from the time. One of the best of their own songs, and b-sides which are worth a listen, certainly if you're a fan.

1. Stop
2. Desert Song
3. Back To Zero
4. Overlap

Here you go.

Airhead - Counting Sheep CDS

I put it to you that there are fewer bands more indie than Airhead. They had the one reasonably big hit, which isn't this, but I've always had a soft spot for them, as their brief poke up into the limelight coincided with some happy times for me.

This track is pretty good, if not quite up to 'Funny How', and track 2 is very much the Airhead formula, if a little more laid back. Number 3 is good, I can see how it maybe didn't quite fit in with their album, but I like it.

Never much of a fan of the added "demo version" on CD singles, but when it's track 4 of 4 I guess it's excusable. If you're a massive Airhead fan, this might be the tune which completes your life.

1. Counting Sheep
2. Take My Train
3. Keep The Apple
4. Counting Sheep (Demo)

1990s are here.

The Freewheelin' Mark Arm - Masters Of War 7"

Happy New Year everybody. It's going to be a fucking weird one.

Another curiosity out of the box of 7"s, this time Mudhoney's Mark Arm covers Bob Dylan, on Sub Pop from 1990. It's actually really good, with a lot of venom, as befits the song. Produced by Jack Endino, so it wasn't just a throwaway home-recorded kind of thing.

Side 2 is a lot sillier as lyrics go, variously clean-ish and very distorted guitar with a shaker which kind of wanders around the rhythm. It's worth a listen, if possibly only one.

1. Masters Of War
2. My Life With Rickets



Mark it Bob, Dude.