Crescent - Sun 7"

Right folks. Another quick one, what with everything else happening at the same time, but this is really, really good. Really good. It's another from back in the day, back in the Westcountry, on Planet Records straight outta Bristol in 1994. Labelmates of Flying Saucer Attack, Movietone and the like.

You may well not have heard of this band, but if you have then you probably own this record already. If you don't know it, I can't recommend it highly enough, it's a superb slice of noisy, rocky, LoFi, shouty, home-made... And with a killer tune on top of all that. The b-side's well chilled.

Just try it.

1. Sun
2. They Are Rebuilding The City

Here it is.

Sebadoh - Beauty of the Ride 7"

Hello. Sorry it's been so long between posts, but I currently have very little time to eat, sleep or think, so it's taken a bit of a back seat.

Anyway, as an apology for the delay, here's something a bit special from Lou Barlow and the boys. The a-side is off Harmacy, their 1996 Sub Pop LP, and is one of their best tracks, I reckon. If you don't know them then it's quite a good example (as long as you're also prepared for a few touches of noisy nonsense along the way).

Your b-side is a cover of 'Riding' by Will Oldham/Bonnie 'Prince' Billy/etc., which is a great song in its own right, and this cover does it justice. It's off a Peel Session, I believe, and is a kind of slack, ragged, laid-back... you know what to expect. Good stuff. Enjoy it.

1. Beauty Of The Ride
2. Riding

Here it's. Let me know if you like it.

The Third Eye Foundation - Universal Cooler

Told you I'd found something special... I don't think I have anything with an Easter theme, so you'll have to make do with this. Think of it as the result of an Easter-egg hunt, but with records as little chocolate eggs and shelves of vinyl as mysterious wooded areas, with me as that weird uncle who's following you around and you're not allowed to talk to.

Those of you who know me won't be surprised, but this is some extra proof that I am a dumbass. For a long time I thought this record was by a band called Universal Cooler, and I didn't listen to it for years, on the basis that Universal Cooler is an awful name for a band (apologies if it's your band's name). It's not by Universal Cooler. It's called Universal Cooler, and it's actually the first single from The Third Eye Foundation (Matt Elliot), on Planet Records, from Bristol, back in the day.

It's bloody great.

1. Universal Cooler
2. I'm Not Getting In A Car With You

It's right yer.

Bivouac - The Bell Foundry 7"

I'll be honest with you, one of the main reasons I bought this record was the colour of the vinyl. Just look at it. Beautiful. You try doing that with an MP3.

Anyway, turns out I made a great decision, as this is a superb slice of noisy guitary mid-90sy ROCK! And, looking them up right now, it appears they ended up on Geffen for their third LP, which is actually the only one I have; it's called 'Full Size Boy', and I'd strongly recommend getting hold of it. Great stuff. They were from Derby, like Cable.

This is a couple of years earlier than that album, and is great. A-side's really good, first b-side also good, second b-side (happy days) is an acoustic track, which is a bit of a departure from anything else I've heard by these guys. Also good, but suffers from either shoddy recording or a shoddy needle.

By the way, I've found a great 7" in the pile, which will go up next...

1. The Bell Foundry
2. Lead
3. Saltwater Heal (acoustic)

Hear ye.

Verbena - Shaped Like A Gun 7"

I don't know anything about this band, so I thought I'd fake it by looking on Wikipedia. That's probably given it away, mind.

Anyway, this is a bloody great single, with a nice relaxing b-side. The a-side sounds a little like Elastica, but American with a boy singing. The b-side sounds like a quiet Foo Fighters track. Interestingly, Dave Grohl produced the LP after this one. Coincidence..? This one came out on Merge Records (everyone's favourite label), and was produced by Dave Fridmann of Mercury Rev/Flaming Lips/everyone else fame, so they have some pedigree in their production at least.

I think it's a really good song, very of its time (1997), but yeah, a good one. Hope you like it.

1. Shaped Like A Gun
2. Postcard Blues

Here it is. You love it.

Smog - Ex-Con 7"

Robster, here's your prize! It's a post dedicated only to you, and you alone. Other people might read it, sure, but this one's for you (and Steve Ogriz0vic). I hope you like it. I tried to gift wrap it, but I ran out of Sellotape (or sticky-backed plastic, if you're into the whole Blue Peter thing).

Mat, this is second prize. Squeethorp, this is third.

And this is Smog, who are generally quiet and acoustic, as far as I'm aware. This is a kind of demo-sounding tune, but it shows how important a bit of space in a good song is. You'll see what I mean. Anyway, it's really good, and was the first thing I ever heard by them/him - Bill Callahan is/was the main man, who is/was Mr Joanna Newsom, I think. Did I make that/up?

The b-side is a real rocker! Full of bashing the crap out of the drums and feedback. Seriously. I don't know if anything else of theirs sounds like this, but maybe it should have done.

1. Ex-Con
2. Just Like Napoleon

Here it is.

The Hitchers - You Can Only Love Someone / Strachan 7"

Not feeling too inspired today, but here's a couple of tunes to inspire all you folks out there in the world. The very Irish Hitchers are up today, with a good a-side and an absolutely brilliant b-side. The lyrics alone would be worth posting, but as I'm not going to you're probably best off listening.

If you don't know who Gordon Strachan is then you'll need to do some research to get the real benefit of this song. If you do then you'll get it fo sho.

1. You Can Only Love Someone
2. Strachan

Gordon. You like? Name the 'keeper for a special prize.

A - 5 In The Morning 7"

I'm going through another Cable phase at the moment, which happens a couple of times a year. Anyway, this one lead me to remember their last show, where they were supported by A. Possibly on the basis of the set, or maybe on the basis of having a nice sleeve with a bit of masking tape with typing stuck to it (I'm easily impressed), I picked up this record.

It's kinda shouty, loud, punky/melodic... You know the deal. The a-side has a really great chorus, and the b-side's one to play loud and jump about to. They're not a band I put much time into finding out more about, so it's possible that their other singles didn't grab me like this one, but I hope you enjoy it. Let me know if you do.

1. 5 In The Morning
2. 8 Fingers

He's right here. Say what you see.

Flying Saucer Attack - Outdoor Miner 7"

What can I say? Simply brilliant, this record. Funnily enough I heard this version of Outdoor Miner first, then another cover by the Lightning Seeds, then finally the original. It's such a good song, and I guess because this was the first one I heard it's got a special place in my heart. It's also a really good cover (with a really good cover) - very FSA, but the tune still shines through. If you've not heard it then you're in for a treat.

The b-side is more typical of their stuff, but with a bit of a looped drum (kind of drum, anyway) beat behind it. Also really good.

1. Outdoor Miner
2. Psychic Driving

Here it is. Please let me know if you like it.

Teenage Fanclub and Jad Fair - Near To You

In celebration of the impending Jonny album, this is the second of the Euro Childs / Norman Black double-posting. Before you read on, you should click right here. Understand? Good. Now check out their free EP, and buy the album the very second it comes out...

This is from a while back, off an album by TFC and Jad Fair, and it's a really great track. It's the best off the record, I'd say, but the whole thing is worth a listen. I have a feeling that I heard an interview around the time saying that the band had basically improvised around Jad Fair's singing, and if it's true it shows you how good they are. The b-side is also a good song - "this heart is bound for glory!" Quite.

1. Near To You
2. Always In My Heart

Here it hear, and if you like it then please comment, I'd appreciate it.