The Soundtrack of Our Lives - Firmament Vacation 7"

This song is bloody great. From memory, this band are (were?) Swedish, and the singer is (was?) a big fat man who wears (wore?) huge carpet-type cloak things on stage. I heard this track before a Glastonbury festival many years back and went to see them because of it. The LP this comes from is loooong, and I'm not sure I ever got through it, but this song is a slice of rock goodness.

The b-sides are also good, the first one more than the second, but both worth a listen. I hope you like it.

1. Firmament Vacation (A Soundtrack of Our Lives)
2. Greatest Hits Providers
3. Cleaning Session Raga

Hear it here.

P.S. I have finally found the Christmas 7" I was searching for last year, and in the next couple of days it's going to be here. It's brilliant, and it's been worth y'all waiting a year...

DJ Shadow - Stem 7"

Hello again everyone. Sorry things have got a bit slack recently, but in my defence I'd like to say that I've become a father in the last month, and so much of my time is no longer my own. I'm guessing that a lot of you folks who are into mid-90s vinyl might have some sympathy... For the record, the only music which has possibly had any effect so far has been Brian Eno's 'Music For Airports', but seeing as babies sleep most of the time anyway I can't say with 100% certainty that it did much. I sang her some Guided By Voices in hospital and she didn't cry, which can only be a good sign.

That said, I'm going for quality, not quantity, and I've dug out a whole load of great singles recently. It's going to be a case of digitising them when I can, but I promise you there's some great stuff to come, both 7"s and 12"s are getting an airing right now.

For today, DJ Shadow's superb Stem single, this version is stuffed with samples from the film Heat, and is (in my opinion) even better than the original for just that reason. The b-side is also really good - great drums, an equally good title, and an excellent sleeve! Hope you enjoy them, and see you again soon with more from the vault...

1. Stem (Cops 'n' Robbers mix)
2. Red Bus Needs To Leave!

Here.

Me Me Me - Hanging Around 7"

I know, I know. I promised something special. Well, this is something kind of interesting instead, and also a kind of definitive guide to the sound of 1996, in case anyone here wasn't sure what that sound was. You'll have to wait for the something special I'm afraid, when I have time on my hands again (maybe in 16 years or so).

Me Me Me were an indie-pop supergroup, if you will. Stephen Duffy (Duran Duran/The Lilac Time), Alex James (Blur), Justin Welch (Elastica) and Charlie Bloor (Charlie Bloor) got together to do some tracks for a Damien Hirst show, and this single was the result. The single itself is great, I reckon. But it probably polarises opinion, I'd think. Sounds like it would. It's a little like the more chirpy Blur tracks but without the piss-irritatingness. It's only 2 1/2 minutes long, if you can't stand it.

The b-side, funnily enough, sounds like early Blur. I like it too. I wonder how much input Alex James really had into Blur's songs..?

1. Hanging Around
2. Hollywood Wives

Here y'are.

Longpigs - Lost Myself 7"

It's been a pretty dramatic time for me/us recently, but I've found a little time to put up a little treat for all of you. I always forget how much I like this band, maybe because they were kind of over-exposed back in the day on the radio stations I used to listen to. Anyway, whenever I hear any of their tracks it reminds me.

This is not their most famous track, or even the second most, but I think it's a killer. Also it's on a 4-track 7", and that dates it to the heyday of the format in my opinion. The only disappointment is that it's not coloured vinyl too... The a-side is great, the first b-side is also great (was it ever released on anything else? It's proper catchy), second b-side is good but odd, and the last track is a Richard Hawley composition, well before he became Richard Hawley. If you see what I mean. He was in this band, see.

1. Lost Myself
2. Floss
3. The Wonder Drug
4. When You're Alone

It's right here. Please comment if you like it, that FSA post got over 35 downloads within about a week, and one thanks (which is much appreciated). If y'all are nice to me I have a proper treat up next..!

Flying Saucer Attack / Jessamine - split 7"

Here's my contribution to the Keeping It Peel tribute going on today. It's a lovely split 7" from 1996 or so with Flying Saucer Attack (Peel favourites since they sent him their first single and he played it within a week) and a band called Jessamine, who I'm ashamed to know nothing about.

The FSA track is great, it's a classic of theirs, recorded in Bristol back in the day at the wonderfully named Feedback Studios. The Jessamine track (which I've named slightly wrong in the MP3 - sorry) is really good too, quite different to the FSA one, but none the worse for it.

I figured this was an ideal contribution today, seeing as discovery was what John Peel was all about, for me and so many others.

1. Flying Saucer Attack - At Night
2. Jessamine - From Hereto And Otherwise



Hear it.

Slack Dog Ensemble - New Yawk Dog 7"

Here's something very special for you all. For 'special' read 'mental'. This 1995 7" is the only release by this 'band', who included among others Luke Vibert (from Wagon Christ and, well, Luke Vibert) and Robin Proper-Sheppard (from the God Machine). It's a great, great record. The a-side is a crazy distorted techno drum 'n' bass slab of madness, and you can only love it. The b-side is a little calmer, but still in a kind of threatening way. How it's a version of the a-side I have no idea, but the whole deal's something special.

1. New Yawk Dog (Super Seven Edit)
2. New Yawk Dog (Acoustic Version)

It also came out as a 12" with some more mixes, but I never picked it up. I'd be very grateful to anyone who did if they could point it my way.

Hope you like it as much as I do. And as much as I know my friend Dave will.

Here.

Groop Dogdrill - Lovely Skin 7"

This is a killer song, by a killer band, with a killer cover, on killer red vinyl. You need any more recommendation than that? Good. Get to it.

I don't have time to talk much about this one, but when I saw them years back at the Garage in London the singer did the encore with a mic gaffer-taped to his face.

1. Lovely Skin
2. Rockabilly Workout

Here. HERE! As ever, let me know if you like it.

Versus - Glitter of Love 7"

It appears I bought this from Tower Records, which dates it somewhat. I seem to remember that it was the Tower Records in Camden Town too, which dates it even further. Ah well. There's still one in Tokyo, if you're ever feeling nostalgic.

The single itself is a pretty good example of this band, who are an American indie-rock outfit from the mid-90s, but who also recently reformed for a new LP. Their drummer is/was amazing. I love this, it's an absolute killer track, and if you're not familiar with Versus then you really ought to check it out. It's off the '96 LP 'Secret Swingers'.

The b-side (live version of a previous LP track) is slightly disappointing, after the single, but if you already know them it's worth a listen, and if you don't then the a-side should do it for you. The bass player (Fontaine Toups) sings the b-side, and she's astonishingly cool live, so we'll forgive her this one.

1. Glitter of Love
2. Forest Fire (live)

It's right here.

John Parish & Polly Jean Harvey - That Was My Veil 7"

After all that raucous Tiger nonsense I reckon it's time to get quiet, acoustic and Westcountry. This is one of my favourite PJ Harvey tracks ever. I know it's not just her, but you know what I mean. PJ Harvey-featuring tracks, if you like. It's off the first of the two collaborative LPs between these two, which is the one I got into more than the second. Brilliant song. Brilliant single.

The b-side is a bit noisier than the single, with a lush drum sound, and some kind of keyboard weirdness. I can hear why it didn't make the album, stylistically, but in terms of quality it's right up there. Great stuff.

1. That Was My Veil
2. Losing Ground

Here 'tis. Comment if y'all enjoy it. Right. Back to the Warm Jets hunt.

Tiger - Race 7"

So, as promised, here's the second half of the Tiger double-bill. Sorry, not much time to write anything about it, but I hope you like it.

Any requests, by the way? I'm digging through an awful lot of old 7"s at the moment and there are some real old ones in there... 'Deadstar', anyone?

1. Race
2. Honey Friends

Hear.