We Must Become the Pitiless Censors of Ourselves

April's gonna be an awesome month for new music. New John Maus AND new Holy Shit releases. I thought neither would ever see the light of day.



THE REAL DEAL

They Must be Russians - Selected Discography

Sheffield based post punk funk band, They Must be Russians were some of the unsung heroes of the genre, generally overshadowed by bigger bands of the era such as Orange Juice and Gang of Four. Their sojourn in obscurity was due to a couple of reasons. Firstly, their sound was not too particularly unique, and secondly because of label and promotional issues. However, they had a few groovin' jams in their brief catalog, which consisted of 2 LPs and a handful of EPs/singles in the late 70s and early 80s, most notably the killer titular hit-that-never-was-and-should-have-been, "Chains" on the Chains EP (which rivals anything OJ was putting out around that time). Featuring funky guitar riffs and bass lines, synthesized grooves, and a bangin' beat backing the track, it's a powerhouse and definitely their catchiest song. Why it didn't make their debut full length while the still solid, but not quite as enticing track "Gramophone" did is a total conundrum. Why a ton of their other songs are on youtube but "Chains" is not is also quite perplexing. With the inclusion of "Chains," their self-titled album could have been an underground classic, but instead it kind of drifted under the radar, even with the aid of their friends in higher places (Cabaret Voltaire, who assisted with production).

Don't get me wrong, it's still decent music, just not earth-shattering or genre defining by any means. I might even go as far as calling this group a one hit wonder, but that'd be unfair because like I said most of the stuff on their self-titled is above average for this genre, which saw a slew of doppelgangers during the epoch of its existence. It's just nothing to write home about. The main reason these releases were so sought after for the longest time and the reason I'm sharing this today is because of their recherché status. I'd really like to get my hands on their second and final (not to mention ultra rare) LP, Groundless Accusations, but it seems to be no where in sight. If anyone knows where I could find that release, please point me in the right direction. Thanks in advance and enjoy!

Collection features:

s/t 7" EP (1979)
Chains 12" EP (1983)
s/t LP (1983)

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End of the week art round-up

Egon Schiele - The Fighter (1913)

Egon Schiele - Two Women (1915)

Emil Nolde - Mask Still Life III (1911)

Emil Nolde - White Tree Trunks (1908)

Sensations' Fix - Selected Discography

I got asked a while back to post the rest of my material that I had from this rara avis Italian prog outfit, so although it took me a good minute, I’m doing so now. Words and phrases that immediately come to mind when describing Sensations’ Fix: “fucking awesome” “epic” “badass,” & so on. Both Finest Finger and Portable Madness open with eerie presages that sounds straight out of a 70s horror flick. At times a nightmarish odyssey, at others a divine, arcane, flickering phantasm of ambiguity, and occasionally sounding like music for navigating a labyrinthine 8-bit oubliette of some vintage arcade game. These atmospherics and evocations of bizarre milieu are no coincidence as guitarist and founder Franco Falsini did the soundtrack for a film (Cold Nose) in 1975 in between Sensations' Fix recordings.

Although neither of these LPs are quite as good as Boxes Paradise (which is a masterpiece in all respects), Finest Finger is a solid precursor to that magnum opus, and you can see the direction they were beginning to take with more structured songwriting and the inclusion of vocals, which weren’t present on 1974's Portable Madness. Portable Madness is fully instrumental but the vibes are there and the vocals aren’t really needed. Speaking of vibes, the cosmic sensations emitting from these guys are just, for lack of a better phrase, pure insanity. I've really never heard anything else like it, although I'm no prog guru by any means. Songs on both albums build and build and then peak, then fading away to the next prog rock mystical space jam. As I mentioned in my previous article on Boxes Paradise, the music itself feels like taking psychedelic drugs, which is a cool effect when you've run out of your stash. I couldn’t imagine actually being on shrooms or something and listening to Sensations’ Fix simultaneously. The universe could implode.

Includes:

Portable Madness (1974)
Finest Finger (1976)

Boxes Paradise can be found here, but I'm not sure if the link is still operational. I'll re-up it if need be. I couldn’t track down their 1974 self-titled debut, however, these two should be suffice to get your Italian prog “fix” for the time being. Also, this doesn’t include their second LP, Fragments of Light (which was also released in 1974), however, I’ve seen it floating around on a few other blogs

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Mr. Wright - Star Time (1999)

Star Time, Mr. Wright's second full length album was released on Le Grand Magistery in 1999. You’d think with Momus lending a hand on Wright’s sophomore LP, you’d expect a bit of absurdity of some sort amidst the pathos; maybe it’d contain a bit more flashiness, peacocking around with upbeat Momus brand satire, not the lachrymose, disheartening, usual fare that Wright knows and does best. However, despite Momus’ assistance on this record, it’s still undoubtedly a work of Kevin Wright. Outside of a few tracks with faster tempos and brighter, peppier steps where you can see Momus’ influences, such as “You’re a Queen,”(which is Wright's glammiest moment) “Star Time” and penultimate track “Balloon Race” this is unmistakably a Mr. Wright album. And although there’s this minor almost bipolar vacillation (not unusual for the “fancy man”), Wright is poignant as ever.

Much like the rest of his catalog, there is a very concise cinematic feel to Star Time. The majority of the record consists of a carefully laid out and meticulously orchestrated mixture of loungey and baroque style songs with lyrics defining unadulterated insecurities, hopelessness, and loneliness, with a dash of romanticism thrown in here and there all presented with the sincerity of a man who really means it - who really FEELS it. So don’t be mistaken, Star Time is not a cloying affair, but a genuine look deep into the soul of a true artist, and like all true artists, there is suffering here; it’s real and in your face. On “Don’t Walk in the Dark (Oh Baby)” Wright showcases empathy for his audience who feels the same, “…and you feel like you want to die / you know I sympathize with you” “and all those demons inside your mind / and all those people who are so unkind”

Wright can go from making you think he’s seconds away from offing himself in some dismal motel with a rusty razor blade, then with resilience, sounding zealous and spirited, and then immediately becoming introspective and somber again with the subsequent track. It keeps things interesting for sure. If I had to label him something (besides humble, passionate, and genuine), I’d say that Mr. Wright is a remembrancer (one who or that which reminds) and his role as such plays an important part in his music, whether it’s melancholy or soulful is not important. He holds the natural artistic prowess to evoke and it’s what makes his music so special and places him on a pedestal above his peers.

I've said it thrice and I'll say it again, since all of his albums are on iTunes, go buy them if you like what you hear from my posts – he is wholly deserving of it.

Rating: 9/10

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Everything But the Girl - Love Not Money (1985)

Before their harrowing plunge into mainstream electronic territory, Everything But the Girl, consisting of the husband and wife duo Ben Watt and Tracey Thorn, made some great, saavy, and rich acoustic “sophisi-pop” music. I must say that I kind of loathe that term, but I’ve heard multiple sources refer to them as such, so I guess it’s appropriate to use it to describe them. Like I said on my write-up on Eden, Love Not Money still has that innate warmth that brings to mind kitschy wintertime/holiday music; however, with wistful undertones and diverse instrumentation that makes it so much more. The album opens with its strongest track, and like your mom with her arms spread wide open, osculating you softly on the forehead and then embracing you in her comforting clasp, the song just makes you feel all nice inside. Much of the album has this quality and it’s what made their sound so endearing. Opener and single “When All’s Well” is then followed by a rustic, almost country-twanged lilt before resigning back to their usual pseudo-poppy, lazy jazz conglomeration they do so well. There’s not much to say about the rest of the record. It’s solid, charming, soothing, and what you’d expect from an early EBTG album. Sadly, this was one of their last real quality albums before their dramatic shift in style that a lot of fans of their earlier stuff were turned off by, myself included. Yeah, they sold out. Plenty of bands have done it before, but at least we got a few gems before their retrogression.

Rating: 8/10

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"When All's Well"

MIX - Stinkin' up the Charts

Starts off with a bang, ends with a heroin drenched rallentando before the final pop closer by the Jazzatteers, which serves to leave the listener in a pleasant mood after a wide range of strange emotions evoked by some of the weirder tracks. I actually made this mix for a friend a while back, but I'm just now getting around to posting it. A few of the songs on here are pretty obscure, but its still rather accessible. Hope you guys enjoy it.



Stinkin' up the Charts

01) Beacon Street Union – My Love Is
02) Blue Orchids – Sun Connection
03) Cleaners From Venus – Summer in a Small Town
04) Way of the West – Feel the Steel
05) Happy Mondays – Stinkin’ Thinkin’
06) Bathroom Renovations – Intensely Henna’d
07) Bloodless Pharaohs – Bloodless Pharaoh
08) Joachim Witt – Kosmetik
09) The Godz – White Cat Heat
10) Al Klowowski & Pyrolator - What Made you so No Good?
11) The Turquoise Swimming Pools – Burst Balloons
12) Mark Lane – Sojourn
13) Los Inciados – No Es Navidad
14) Shiny Two Shiny – Wake
15) Kenneth Higney – Night Rider
16) Jim Sherpherd – Bingle Bangle
17) The Clean – Fish
18) Jazzataeers – Up To My Eyes

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McCarthy - The Enraged Will Inherit the Earth (1989)

The Enraged Will Inherit the Earth is a musical molotov cocktail that’s a mixture of power chords and virile, virtuous lyrics. I’ve always liked McCarthy because of their keen sense of political awareness and proactive mentality of “less talk, more action.” They go as far as to advocating violence to start a coup - which is a lot more effective than hippies sitting on their asses singing songs in a peace protest. Yeah, I've stolen, dumpster doven, train hopped - I know real anarchy from the fake. Their polemic (how often can you use that word when referring to a band?) is strong and convincing, as any should be. This is a record to provoke action through intelligent liberal ideals and had it more exposure it could have sparked a much needed revolution. Probably not, but we can think wishfully, can’t we?

As a triad, all three of their albums in their repertoire stand strong, but I think they hit their zenith with the middle child, The Enraged Will Inherit the Earth. The songwriting is tightly forged and their knack for producing raw pop is at its finest here. Another impressive quality worth noting is the amount of tracks on this album; its sheer fruitfulness is almost overbearing. There’s so much to take in on one listen – this album contains 19 songs and is over 70 minutes long; it’s superfluous to say the least. However, with an album with so much sheer material, you’re gonna come across a dud or two. Also a few of the songs sound a little too much alike one another and the album tends to favor a recumbency to the front a little, but not too much. Nitpicks aside, The Enraged Will Inherit of the Earth is a powerful weapon that didn’t get enough of a user base to make its intended impact. If the question was ever proposed, "can art be a weapon?" I think this album answers with a bold and resounding “yes.”

Rating: 9/10

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Prefab Sprout - From Langley Park to Memphis (1988)

VALENTINE'S DAY SPECIAL part III: For the love birds


Not quite a complete antipode to The Trash Can Sinatras, but definitely a band rooted in the opposite end of the emotional spectrum, purveying an unbridled optimism without any hints of maudlin sentiments. These guys are all about lovey-dovey atmospherics. In my book, Prefab Sprout are undoubtedly the most romantic band in the history of recorded music. You just have to hear it to know what I mean. It’s chock full of beatitude and idealism. Yeah you got the classic romantics like Stevie Wonder, and so many other ballad makers of 60s, 70s,and 80s; Bread’s “If,” Croce's "Time in a Bottle" and all the rest. But I’m not just talking about “romantic” in the strictest sense of the word, but romantic in the dreamy, picturesque sense, like Herman Hesse describes in Steppenwolf, “soaring on the wings of youth and poetry” This intrinsic “romance” is seeping in Prefab Sprout’s music and the lyrical themes. Starting off with a barrage of heavenly pop hits then slowing the tone down a bit towards the latter half of the record, From Langley Park to Memphis flows so smoothly, like a perfect day with a special person and like any romantic album should.

Songs like the reminiscent “I Remember That” and big beat and correlating bass lines of “Enchanted” (complete with Romeo and Juliet references) are just meant to be listened to by happy couples on a date in a car on the drive to nowhere or an intimate night at home on an old record player. Then you have songs like “Nightingales” which is a gorgeous ode to a lover and perhaps the crest of the romanticism here. “Hey Manhattan” bottles the excitement and liveliness of the New York City’s magical nightlife: a meteoric, melodic medley of youthfulness. The only exception to this rule is “Knock on Wood” which is a cautionary tale of love gone wrong. But aside from that, at its core, this is a sweet, simpering record for sweethearts to sit quietly or dance under the stars to or do whatever lovestruck couples do (I’ve never experienced “love” and the girl who I do love wants nothing to do with me so I can only speculate these things as a man who knows only one night stands and fleeting relationships *frowny face*) The slower paced final two tracks, wind down the album lazily and with ample grace. From Langley Park to Memphis is perfect and adorable Valentine’s Day music. Burn it to a cd and give it to your lover. I'm sure, good taste willing, he or she will appreciate it.

Rating: 9.5/10

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The Trash Can Sinatras - Cake (1989)

VALENTINE'S DAY SPECIAL, part II: For the lonely and lovelorn

Taking a musical and lyrical nod or two from The Smiths, The Trash Can Sinatras capture mid 20’s directionless lethargy and musing romanticism quite well. I listened to it yesterday while getting drunk alone on Valentine’s and it was really hitting the spot. Opener, "Obscurity Knocks" was the single for the album (featured in the promo vids below)and is one of the more refulgent, poppier tracks on Cake. “The Best Man’s Fall” is an heartfelt monody that acknowledges that singular point in which you realize you’re not getting any younger (“I’m old / not wise / just worried”), and reminisces on happier days past while harboring apprehension for the future (“Good God, give me strength to face another lazy day of…”) not to mention longing for the greener grasses on the other side (“If I was a millionaire, I’d be a million miles from here”). “Thrupenny Tears” which has found a place on many a mix-tape of mine, is the Sinatras at their most rhapsodic and concise. Opening with scintillating acoustic guitar picking, the album’s third track is a brilliantly crafted and exquisitely lush pop song that hits all the right notes. Following track “Even the Odd” is another classic twee gem with a great guitar line and catchy rhythm. “Circling the Circumference” is one of the more upbeat songs on the album and has a soaring chorus with barely audible lyrics that don’t really matter because the music at the forefront is so good.

All in all Cake is a sensitive, angsty affair, no doubt, but hey, that’s part of the reason why twee exists in the first place. Sometimes people just want to hear about fragile problems to relate to their own fragile problems. That’s one of the beautiful parts about recording. You can capture feelings and put them out and it’s mutual exchange between the creator the and the listener. Anyways, before I get off on a lengthy tangent, I'll get back to the band. This is an album for the dejected, the lost, the confused, the frustrated. So if you feel like any of those qualities describes you, this might just be for you. Sadly, in my opinion, their following albums didn’t live up to the verve of their debut, but they’re still decent and worth checking out if you dig on Cake - and really, who doesn't dig on cake? (bad pun, sorry)

Rating: 8.5/10

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Live acoustic version

Can't get enough They Go Boom!!

VALENTINE'S DAY SPECIAL, part I: A happy medium



If They Go Boom!! was a cup of tea, it'd have 10 sugar cubes in it....and it would taste delicious. Because Daryl of TGB is such a nice and awesome dude, he contacted me over last.fm and offered to give me all (well, most) of the missing pieces to the TGB discography and gave his permission to share them with you today. Thus, in combination with the previous posts, I present you the very close to complete TGB discography in fragmented pieces on Bigger Splashes. In the same vein as their other material, debut Atlantic is a synthy ornamented “hyper” pop classic, and a fantastic debut full length comprised of the classic TGB formula: lovelorn lyrics over melodic music. This nevus, once again is nothing new, but they push it to the extreme. Although Atlantic is not as polished as their later efforts it still stands on its own two feet, sans legerdemain.

Their compilation tracks features a phenomenal cover of Felt’s “Ballad of the Band” and puts into concrete their credibility as a band whose taste and influences are undoubtedly refined. Normally, I would have put this in with the Trash Can Sinatras as music for the lonesome folk, but there’s a sense of hopefulness with every other TGB song that isn’t present in The Sinatra’s work, and their style is just far too upbeat to be labeled as downtrodden. That’s not to say that there aren’t heartbreakers here. “I want somebody to want me to carry on / I need somebody to need me to be strong” is the catchy refrain on “Twentieth Century” from The Ruby Lounge EP. Also on the same release, “Take me to the End of the World” is, as the name suggests a blissful ballad which leads into the band’s ultimate quasar and potentially most well-known track “She’s Not my Friend” which is just pure perfection. Dig on these guys, not just because they're underappreciated, but because they're the real deal and deserve to be heard loud and clear.

Collection features:

The Ruby Lounge EP (1991)
Europop EP (1991) (missing track 2)
Woody Allen (EP? year unknown)
Compilation tracks (various)
Atlantic LP (1995)

Rating: Magical/10

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The Smiths - There is a light that never goes out

For all you lonesome singles on Valentine's day


Tomorrow expect a belated Valentine's Day double (possibly even triple) feature. I was going to do it today, but I was up at the school working on an animation project for the majority of the day.

Tall Dwarfs - Hello Cruel World (1986)

I don't even know where to begin in describing these guys, Awkward for sure, subtly outlandish and quiescently wild, Tall Dwarfs were a lo-fi kiwi indie rock group fronted by undergound legend Chris Knox that were pretty promient in the early to mid 80s and embraced a number of contradictory musical elements giving them a unique sound. They were also a staple band in the Flying Nun collective. They embody a panoply of styles, playing around with noise, then metamorphosing into minimal and quiet pieces, then hitting you with some awesome schizo-pop. At first glance, their songs are kinda just there; there's seemingly nothing special about them. However, after letting the album sink in after a couple listens you get a feel for their oddball weirdo vibe. The songwriting is abstract and rather unconventional and the experimental nature of their sound creates a distinct and dynamic style. One particular perplexity adding to their abstract sensibilities was the lack of a proper drummer. In place of drums they used hand claps or various makeshift household appliances. Some might argue that this was a poor decision, that the songs would have benefited from having an actual percussionist, but I think it adds a bit charisma and rawness and their template wouldn't have meshed well with a drummer.

Songs like the misogynistic "Woman" have a portentous ghoulish dance hall vibe, which gives way to the tranquil, calming "Shade for Today". Bizarro 3 minute long interludes such as "Louie the First," present a fresh palate for the more poppier tracks on this compilation, such as subsequent songs "Maybe" and "Pictures on the Floor." This constant transition of contrasting elements repeats itself throughout the compilation and makes for a very engaging listen, keeping the audience's ears perked. It's one of the those albums that you feel the need to listen to from start to finish. I might also add that if you try to take a nap to this stuff, you might just end up with a case of sleep paralysis (true story: actually happened to me once). Anyhow, potential sleep paralysis aside, Hello Cruel World is a rather comprehensive retrospective of the Tall Dwarfs' strange, deranged, but charming anthology.

Rating: 8.0

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Best song on the comp, not to mention one of the best songs ever

Bruce LaBruce -The Raspberry Reich (2004)

Witnessed the insanity of The Raspberry Reich the other night. Never have I ever been so confronted, challenged or provoked by a film as I was with this movie. Maybe that's a bit of an exaggeration, but like hairy genitalia right up in your face, this film will at the very least get your attention, if nothing else. It may even shatter your sheltered perception of gender roles, sexuality, and capitalism while its at it. Outside of the acting, which was so bad it was almost laughable (intentionally, perhaps?), a crazy, and dare I say, "revolutionary" film. "THE REVOLUTION IS MY BOYFRIEND"



"MASTURBATION AND CORNFLAKES ARE COUNTER-REVOLUTIONARY"

The Vietnam Veterans - Selected Discography

This ain't no Billy Joel shit. The Vietnam Veterans were a French neo-psyche outfit that formed in '83 and continued making rockin' tunes until '88, which is a longer lifespan than most ephemeral bands in that niche and short-lived genre. If I remember correctly, I heard about these guys via the Children of Nuggets comp. Their sound was guitar heavy for sure, as they were a well-mixed conglomeration of 60's psyche and garage rock, but with lots of romping organ accompaniment thrown in to create some real psychedelic rock stompers. It's effect is hectic, spastic, at times even dizzying, but in a rock your face off sort of manner. Mark Embata's vocals are guttural, trenchant and raw, alternating between almost spoken lyrics to high-pitched shrieks. decisively garage rock influenced. The band has just recently reformed in '05 and returned with a new album in '09, which I have yet to hear, however I'd be curious to see what it sounds like after a 20 plus year music-making hiatus.

Also included in this collection is their final release before originally disbanding, the compilation The Days of Pearly Spencer which is a good starting point for those looking for an introduction to this relatively obscure and under-looked group. Give a listen to The VV's cover of Bobby Bare's "500 Miles Away From Home" in the video below, which is the band at its most sincere, reflective and especially melodic, and you'll know immediately these guys were (to use an already established phrase) a golden nugget of the 80s. No nitpicks here, just quality stuff from a band that went way under the radar.

Collection includes:

Crawfish for the Notary (1984)
In Ancient Times (1985)
Catfish Eyes and Tales (1987)
The Days of Pearly Spencer (1988)

The only things missing are their debut album (which is a little rough around the edges, even for a garage/psyche band) and their live album, which I couldn't find, but I'm sure is out there somewhere. Anyhow, enjoy:


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Live 1986 Bochum Germany

Soft Verdict - Struggle For Pleasure

Thanks to Carla from Daybed for exposing me to this lost early Wim Mertens gem.

Chris and Cosey - Songs of Love and Lust (1984)

Chris & Cosey, was a duo consisting of Chris Carter and Cosey Fanni Tutti (interesting name, eh?). Their music had a pinch of darkwave, a pinch of synth pop, and a little pinch of industrial leftover from their days with Throbbing Gristle. Midway through they change their tone a bit with the inclusion of “Lament” which is a rather gentle, melodic song and then followed by “Talk to Me” which sounds kind of like minimal wave funk and is actually peculiarly similar to modern revivalists such as Glass Candy. This sound was kind of a trend in certain circles during the early to mid 80s, but Chris and Cosey do it a little better than others, as they had seasoned experience (with TG) and more ambition than most (even creating their own label, Creative Technology Institute).

I’m posting this album today in commemoration of the recent re-release of both Exotica and Songs of Love and Lust. I actually haven’t heard Exotica, so I can’t comment on the quality of that, but Songs of Love and Lust is a pretty darn good record for what it was trying to accomplish. It’s not something I’m always inclined to listen to, but there are times when the mood strikes.

Once again with this genre, we see the early half of the album being more accessible and the latter half more avant-garde and experimental, outside of the instrumental "Chiron" which is one the better tracks on this LP. I can safely say that this album is not for everyone, but if you’re interested in checking out some of the pioneers of dark wave, this is a good starting point. To conclude, not the most employable music out there, but the two were definitely musical savants tackling new horizons that had an impact on electronic music to come.

Rating: 7.5/10

Link removed per request. Support the artist and buy the album!

Michel Polnareff - Polnareff's (1971)

I’m paraphrasing most of this from wikipedia because his story is so significant and fascinating, so fuck it. This is also essentially a re-write of my write up on Fame a la Mode, but again, fuck it.

“Black glasses, fancy trousers, and ambiguous provocations” are just a few components of Michel Polnareff’s flamboyant image, not to mention his muscular physique and adoration for tank tops (hey, we have something in common!) However, it was Polnareff’s elegance and sincerity, along with his endearing quasi-narcissism (a rare, almost contradictory quality) that made him unmatched by any of his peers as a pop star in his era. With these aforementioned qualities, combined with his impassioned voice and his competent musicianship and song-crafting abilities, he was destined for stardom. Although, as they say, the fall from the top is a long way down.

At the peak of his career, adored by the French public, censored and often banned by French officials, a disastrous occurrence of fate happened when his manager at the time, Bernard Seneau, ran off with all of his money, leaving him broke and adding to his deep depression from his close friend’s recent suicide. Soon thereafter, his mother also passed away and with him unable to pay his debts, he was exiled and forced to flee to the US to live anonymously.

Dark times ensued for Mr. Polnareff. However, he continued to record, and even had semi-hit in the States, “Jesus for Tonight,” which landed him on the billboard charts. He also did some soundtrack work during his time in the US for the exploitation rape drama Lipstick (1976). Although his success was not nearly as fruitful as it was in France, he continued writing and touring and ended up in Belgium, where thousands of French fans came to see him perform and pay respects to the once legendary star. In 1981, he had a comeback album called Bulles, which made him even more popular in France.

Fortunately, the tragedy here has a happy ending. Later in his career, in 1989, he returned to France and recorded several hit albums, almost picking up where he left off in the early to mid 70s. His popularity was benefited even moreso by his tribulations and his new creative spark, with the album Kama Sutra gaining critical acclaim in his home country. After playing a number of well-received concerts in both France and the US, he sort of dropped off the map in 1996. He had a brief third revival in the 2000s, playing a few shows which garnered great support from his longtime fans, but he has yet to release any new material and has been presumably living a peaceful, quiet life away from the spotlight, profiting from the royalties of his past record sales. Lawrence of Felt was often quoted as being a huge Polnareff fan, and he inspired many other musicians as well. His legacy lives on today, especially in France.

Rating: 9.5/10

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Always - Almost complete discography

The tender and noble Kevin Wright (now formally known as Mr. Wright) put out 2 EPs and two LPs under his alias Always during the late 80's. The EPs and the first LP, Thames Valley Leather Club were released on the legendary El Records and inspired and influenced a myriad of twee/indie pop bands to come. His sentimental British style of wistful romanticism carried on to his work as Mr. Wright. It’s obvious that Wright is a man of immense depth as shown by his songwriting, which at times borders on poetry with musical accompaniment. These early beginnings may be a little rough and amateurish and even thin at times (although in a delicate way) compared to the more fleshed out, orchestrated Mr. Wright albums, but nonetheless affecting and emotive.

The reason I love Wright’s music so much, and perhaps the reason he is so often ignored by the public, is his brutal honesty and his intrinsic introspective display of real and genuine sadness as well as his aching suspiring for something more in life. He can transform the banal into something interesting, and really, really hit you with a maudlin (although not sappy), melancholy song when you’re not expecting it. There's even a strange, almost out of place track on Thames Valley Leather Club and Metroland, "Park Now" which carries a sense of portentous film score anxiety. It's a great, suspenseful track, just a little randomly placed amidst heap of pop music, maybe thrown in to add some diversity to the mix

This collection features two classic albums and one of his EPs (the other of which, Ariel Atlas I couldn’t track down, but I imagine the songs were featured on Thames Valley Leather Club like 3 of the tracks on the Metroland EP). Even if it comes off as little out of key at times or that he isn't the most proficient musician, Always is pop at its most sophisticated and distilled, much like Felt and Momus of the era. These are historically defining must-haves in any collection, even if the world chooses to ignore their general existence, influence, and sheer brilliance of their esoteric brand of pop. He has a myspace here, where you can listen to some of his newer material, and I've posted a few Mr. Wright albums previously here (Hello, is Anyone out There?, 2001) and here (Metropolitan, 2004). BUY THIS MAN'S ALBUMS!

Collection includes:

Metroland EP (1987-8?)
Thames Valley Leather Club LP (1988)
Looking for Mr. Wright LP (1989?)

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Comet Gain - Almost complete discography

Few bands have such an unhinged vigor and voracity and level of emotional conveyance as Comet Gain does. They have their punk roots, their twee/pop roots, their northern soul roots, etc. They can be boisterous and rough, and then be soft and sentimental in the span of a few tracks. Throughout their career, which engulfed the UK underground scene in the mid 90s, and continued to progress towards a more distinguished sound, they've always carried a sense of youthful energy and momentum; a "lust for life" so to speak. By the time the 2000's rolled along they really had it down. At the forefront of the band's songwriting is Jon Slade and founder David Feck, but the UK sextet is full of equally talented musicians such as vocalist Rachel Evans, Kay Ishikawa (bass), the pulchritudinous and alluring Anne Laure Guiot Guillain (keys), and M.J."Woodie" Taylor (drums, production).

All of their material is pretty much stellar and has a real sense of urgency and emotional output. Realistes! and especially City Fallen Leaves (which isn't included in this collection since I've posted it a while back here) already cover all your bases from upbeat ballads about the excitement of going to the movies for a date ("Movies") to songs sadder than the loneliest night, such as "Don't Fall in Love if you Want to Die in Peace," to everything in between from love, lust, longing, hope, sadness, the mundane; a potpourri of life in general. "Baby's Alright" on the one of their earliest efforts, Getting Ready EP is an anthem for going out and a damn excitable one at that - one of my favorites of theirs. Many of the songs on the singles are also featured on the LPs (Broken Record Players in particular, is a compilation album featuring most of the bands singles and EP material), but I included them anyways to make the collection as complete as possible. Also, Sneaky is just the American release of Magnetic Poetry, but it has a few bonus songs included.

More than anything, Comet Gain has soul, which can't be said for many artists these days. As I mentioned before in my write up on City Fallen Leaves, these are ardent anthems for youth culture. They're like a more refined and versatile Sonic Youth that knows better than to take themselves too seriously. Although at times they can be chic and cool (as shown in the vid below), there's no veneer, no facade; it's all sincere. Their prolific and expanding career is filled with almost two decades worth of heartfelt poetry combined with punk rock attitude that mesh together really well. Rock these guys and gals, they don’t get enough love.

Collection includes:

Holloway Sweethearts EP (1994)
Gettin' Ready EP (1995)
Casino Classics LP (1995)
Say Yes! (To International Socialism) EP (1996)
Magnetic Poetry LP(1997)
Sneaky LP (1997)
Strength EP (1997)
Tigertown Pictures LP (1998)
Red Menace EP (1999)
Realistes! LP (2002)
Beautiful Despair (single, 2006)
Love Without Lies (single, 2008)
Broken Record Players LP (2008)
Herbert Hunke Part I (single, 2009)

What's missing:

Million and Nine (single, 1995)
Jack Nance Hair EP (1998)
Mailorder Freaks Singles Club" [If I Had a Soul, He Walked By Night, Brothers Off the Block] EP (1998)
You Can Hide Your Love Forever EP (2001)
The Weekend Dreams (Split EP with Hello Cuca, 2010)
I Never Happened EP (2010)


RE-UPPED (2-24-12)

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