Expanded Singles - Part I - Duran Duran & M|A|R|R|S

Trying something a little different this week, I am posting singles that don't have corresponding albums to go with them, and expanding them (to whatever degree I can.)

The two "new" songs for Duran2's GH album from 1989, they were never released on the GH album!  Ain't that a bitch.  And for the longest time, they were near impossible to find on CD.  Regardless of the fact that they mixed a lot of songs that weren't really meant to go together, it still came out sounding pretty well, considering the technology of the time.  I personally preferred Burning the Ground over Decadance, though.  After this single, it was a long slide down for the band to that shithole release Liberty, the worst Duran2 album EVER.

I've always been a huge fan of this single.  I have always been disappointed that they never gave us more than this.  To me, this was one of the first House singles... maybe?  At least, in my eyes.  Or should I say "in my ears".  All the mixes and a rare b-side.  A definite necessity.....

Duran Duran - Burning the Ground - 1989

M|A|R|R|S - Pump Up the Volume - 1987

Max Q - Self Titled - 1989

 

When this album came out, I had no idea it was Michael Hutchence.  I purchased it, anyway, because it looked cool and I was experimenting in my purchases.  This is how we discovered new music before the internet.  But, Michael's voice is unmistakable, and I knew what I had before I even read the CD liners. 

blah, de blea dee blo blo blo.... whatever.

I got a new job this week.  I have been looking for nearly two months, now, and been through 4 interviews.  I had decided to look, as my wife STILL hasn't started working, yet.  Money is EXTREMELY slim.  Fortunately, we have relatives who are generous and supportive, and have helped us make it through.  But, we can't rely on them forever.  That's not fair to them.

So, I got a new job.  It is with a much bigger company with 20 branches across the United States.  I will still be working here, smack dab in the middle of the US, but my territory will cover 2 states.  I will be on the road constantly, all the time.  They are giving me a company car, they are going to pay for my gas, food, and hotels.  I will be making nearly 25% more than what I'm making now.  It won't make up completely for my wife being out of work, but it will help, especially when she finally does start working again.  I will feel much more independent in my new position.  I will be out and about constantly, and won't be strapped to a desk.  I will feel like I'm actually accomplishing something, now.

But, there's always a catch.  I will literally be gone 3 to 4 nights a week.  I could potentially leave Monday morning for work, and not come home until Friday night.  My family dynamics are going to change so dramatically, I don't know how it's going to work out yet.  One way or another, we will make it work, I'm sure.  We can facetime, now, so I'll get on the phone with them every night.  But, there's something about actually being there for the boys and my wife. We will see.

The other catch is that I will have less time to do things I like to do, like, well, THIS.  With a 9 to 5 it's so easy to come home and work on this for an hour or two.  But, on the road I won't have access to my computer. And on the weekends when I'm at home, the last thing my wife and I will want is for me to be sitting on the computer for hours playing catch up on the blog while my little boy stands in the front yard with his ball and mitt waiting for Dad to come out and play....  That scenario isn't going to happen.

SO, just as I come back, I'm already shifting my scheduling on this.  What it will be, I have no idea.  I may have NO schedule, just where and when I have time.  Who knows.  For now, it will stay the same.

Right now, though, I haven't yet told my boss at my current job that I'm turning in my two weeks.  I don't know how he'll react.  He may be happy for me, he may let me stay my full two weeks.  Or, he may get fucking pissed and tell me to leave right there.  I can't read the guy, and I'm usually pretty good at reading people.  So, that scares me a little.  Inside, I want to walk in and tell him to go fuck himself three ways from Sunday, twice.  Then piss all over his desk and walk out.  The rational mind tells me to stay positive and let him know that a great opportunity has presented itself and thank you for the training and experience he gave me.  The child in me is frightened and afraid I might burst into tears.  So, I'm a bundle of emotions about ALL of this right now.  It's really hard just to keep my head straight....

I think I'll go watch Suicide Squad blow up some bad guys.....

Max Q - Self Titled - 1989

Guadalcanal Diary - Flip Flop - 1989 - Nothing Extra, Nothing More!

Nothing Extra, Nothing More - LAST Day - Guadalcanal Diary - Flip-flop - 1989

I got this on cassette during the second semester of my Junior year in High School.  Then, I sold it back to the music store when I was converting my collection to CDs in 1991.  Then, I bought it again, on CD, a year later.  Then, three years later, I was getting married and I needed some cash, so I sold it back to the music store.  Then I found it at a used music store in Ames, Iowa in 1998, so I bought it again.  I sold it back in 2002 shortly after my first son was born, and I needed money yet again.  Then, I bought it again in 2005 from a used music store, and decided this time, no matter what, I WOULD NOT sell it back, no matter what.  This time, I still have it.

I love this album.  You wouldn't think so, with the way I kept getting rid of it, but I kept missing it and had to have it back.  I think it's because I was updating my music a lot, and I kept thinking that American College Rock was for shit.  But, not this album.  Not then, not now, not ever.  Just when I think it's time to get rid of it, now, I take it out and play it, and I know that I could never part with it.

If you have not heard of Guadalcanal Diary, I'll give you some reference points.  Think REM, Pixies, Husker Du and the Smithereens.  They run along that vein.  The vocals though, definitely remind me of Michael Stipe, but with their own quality.  Musically, it's straight forward College Rock, with measured dose of Country twang, and a lot of Pop hooks.  Nearly every song is one you can sing along with and enjoy (except Whiskey Talk, that's the worst song on the album.)

I first heard this group when I saw their video on MTV for Always Saturday.  It's a great song.  I was getting big into the above mentioned bands, and this fell right in line with them.  Plus, I loved the Elecktra label spines at the time with the bold, black Impact typeface that every one of their cassettes had.  They looked cool.  After the first listen, I knew the album was a winner.  Why I continued to sell it back to the music store is still a mystery to me.

BUT, no b-sides mixes or unreleased tracks.  Not even a demo.  If you find any, send them my way...

Guadalcanal Diary - Flip Flop - 1989

Ocean Blue - The Ocean Blue - 1989 - Nothing Extra, Nothing More!

Nothing Extra, Nothing More - Day Three - Ocean Blue - The Ocean Blue - 1989

I feel like I'm halfway cheating you guys on this post, almost feel like I'm cheating myself.  A fellow blogger posted this album several weeks ago, and now I am.  This is one of those albums that I had specifically saved for this week, though. 

It is a stellar album, awesome songwriting and production, and one that takes me back to my High School days, right before graduation.  I bought this one during the winter months of early 1990.  I was planning for going into the Air Force, yet still wanting to be a hip Post Punker and classy at the same time.  This album helped me fill that role.

It's amazing that as British as this album sounds, they are from Pennsylvania.  Cool.  I didn't think Americans, especially at that time, could even sound so sheik.  My favorite songs are, in order of appearance, Between Something and Nothing, Vanity Fair, Ask Me Jon and Myron.  Myron is probably my favorite.

I know that somewhere, out there, there is a demo of this album, along with the Laugh Tour EP, which may or may not have material on it that might be pertinent to this album.  I cannot find the Demo album, nor the EP.  All I have, and can find, is this album.  Hence, there is Nothing Extra, Nothing More.

You probably already have this, but I'll post a link anyway....

Ocean Blue - The Ocean Blue - 1989

 

Outfield - Voices Of Babylon - 1989 - Nothing Extra, Nothing More...

Nothing Extra, Nothing More... - Day One - Outfield - Voices Of Babylon - 1989

This one takes me back to the days during my Junior and Senior years of High School.  Working at McDonalds 3-4 nights a week, flirting and teasing the girls, hanging out with friends on the weekends.  It's weird how sometimes music can take you back, mentally and emotionally, and you actually feel just as you did when you were introduced to it.  Right now, listening to it and typing this I feel like I'm 17 again, and the feelings flood as they did then.  I remember Jen at McDonalds, who I dated for 2 months, that girl at the grocery store I asked out on a date, and then she wouldn't answer her door when I went to pick her up.  My nerves still on ultra-edge from my move from Chicago.  Making new friends in a town you can't stand is difficult.  This was when I embraced music like no other time in my life.  I felt defined by it.  I am still defined by my music............  This is an interesting post for me.

Good or bad, I could not find any b-sides, remixes or unreleased material for this album.  What we have is ten songs of American Rock perfection.  Funny, they were a British band.  Big sound, anthem-like quality, and incredible pop hooks.  Every song on this album is wonderful.  Every one of them.  Maybe it's my past relationship with the album, maybe they are really that good.

My favorites, though, are the first three songs, and the very last one.  "Just a part of your life"  magic!

If you can find any material that would constitute making this a "Deluxe" (excluding live tracks) then let me know, so I can get it updated.

Outfield - Voices Of Babylon - 1989

Anderson Bruford Wakeman Howe - Self-titled (90126) - 1989 - Already Been Deluxed!

Already Been Deluxed Day Five - Anderson Bruford Wakeman Howe - 90126 - 1989

No matter what is said, we all know that this is a Yes album, and probably one of their best.  Due to legal reasons, they were not allowed to use the name Yes, so used their last names instead.  To be honest, I like it that way.  To me, this is the culmination of the Yes discography.  All they did before was precursor.  And everything after, well...  Let's just say that ALL of them, every single one of them, thought they were individually better than all the rest and had too much artistic integrity to bend to each other's ideas and I think they all were ultimate perfectionists.  Well, that's all well and good, but when it keeps you from making a great album, then it becomes a fuckin' problem.

With no decent demos that I could find, and the release of disc two, this album is now complete.  I can't do any more to make it better.  It's a great listen, though, if you are into the more Progressive style that they had drifted from during Yes's two 80s albums.  Brother Of Mine is an all-time favorite, and the album as a whole is brilliant.  I love it....

Disc One

Disc Two

Skinny Puppy - Rabies - 1989

Whenever I feel dark and moody and angry...  I always drift back to the Puppies (and Ministry) so I can marinate in my misery.  This music makes my skin crawl and gives me the creeps.  I don't know how the guys can make music like this, without having some sort of mental instability.  I know it's intentionally created to be dark like this, but sometimes, you just have to wonder.

As I've posted previously, I discovered SP when they released Vivisect VI and I heard it in the record store.  I was instantly drawn to it.  When they released this one, I didn't even bother to buy it on cassette, first.  I went straight for CD.  I knew it was worth it.  Plus, the CD had two extra bonus tracks, nice.  And the cover was (and still is) a masterpiece.

When you listen to this album, please PLEASE don't make any judgement calls on it before you finish it.  I say this because, if you are like me, you won't make it beyond the first two tracks.  They suck (IMO).  But, once you hit Two Time Grime, it creeps up on you and kicks you right in the ass.  Fascist Jock Itch pounds and pounds and pounds away.  Literally.  And. it. is. awesome!  The singles Warlock and Tin Omen are stellar, but all of the rest of the tracks are equally spectacular. The actual closing of the original album is Choralone, and it's like a living nightmare.

oh what fun

Nivek Ogre (Kevin Ogilvie) has often said that his favorite SP song is Warlock.  I will agree that it is the best one on the album, and probably in my top 10 SP songs...  I don't know about it being the best.  But, it really has a lot of heart in it and it's very cathartic.  Surprising, considering it's a SP song.  I also prefer the alternate version of Tin Omen to the original.  But, you be the judge.

I think what makes this album so especially good is that with Al Jourgenson as a guest artist/writer/producer/mixer/engineer, we had something of a blending of the Ministry flavors into the Puppy mix.  Double Darkness, as it would be.

Unfortunately, this is the last SP with a Steven R Gilmore cover.  I still think he was essential Puppy, but, things move on.

As for my version, I pulled Spahn Dirge off the original album and added the only actual b-side that wasn't on the original disc, Brak Talk.  Then, I threw the three remixes on the end.

I then took all of the additional Puppy material (mostly Ogre/Ogilvie) and added it on as a bonus disc, along with the track I "amputated" ;) from the original disc, Spahn Dirge.  This bonus disc is very experimental, and can be difficult to listen to if you are not in the right mood.  It takes a special kind of person, usually one covered in slime from under a rock or rotted log, to listen to and enjoy the material on this disc.  That happens to be me.

Skinny Puppy - Rabies - 1989

Skinny Puppy - Bonus Material - 1989-90

New Order - Live in California - 1989

Tonight's first show comes from California in 1989.  Shortly after the release of Technique (NO's best album), this would have been the tour to see.  At the time, the closest city that they came to from me would have been more than 600 miles.  Being a teen, I had no way to make that trek.

The recording is a soundboard recording, but is spotty in a couple of places.  Barney's voice misses it a couple times, but he holds it together rather well.  You can tell during the show that there are obvious strains on the relationships within the band, as both Barney and Hooky try to be frontman.  There's a constant one-up-manship going on, it seems, and sometimes repeating of what the other has said.  To be honest, I really think that Hooky needed to step back.  He's a good musician, but Barney will always be the "voice" of New Order in my book.

This was NO's last great tour, before they split into their sub-groups.  Every other tour after this one pales in comparison.  They were never the same again, in my eyes...

New Order - Live in California - 1989

 

Frazier Chorus - Sue - 1989

SO, is this Indie Pop or is this Synthpop or can it be categorized at all?  I hear bits of both, plus some Jazz, and remnants of 80s Pop...  What is it?

As I've said in their previous post, Ray , I really took a liking to this band, enough to name the blog after a line from one of their songs.  This album really does remind me of an 80s leftover, that set the stage for the 90s Britpop scene.  The good thing is, is that it makes me feel good...  It's mellow, relaxing, a little happy and a little sad.  It's a solid balance of emotion without being boring.  Best track is Sloppy Heart.  Reminds me of Dream Academy a little.  I also really like their cover of Anarchy In the UK.

Wikipedia -
Frazier Chorus were a pop group from Brighton, England. A pop group without the usual guitarist, bassist or drummer; they instead utilized flute, clarinet, bongos and hushed vocals.  Originally a four-piece, they signed to British indie record label 4AD and released the single "Sloppy Heart" in 1987. Shortly afterwards they moved to Virgin Records, and achieved reasonable chart success with a string of melodic pop songs about Dream Kitchens, Living Rooms, Happy Eaters and Little Chefs, all taken from their 1989 debut album, Sue.

As I began compiling and arranging all of the tracks, I realized after I had finished that my version is identical to the 2008 re-issue, only the b-sides were arranged differently at the end.  So, if you already have the 2008 version, you aren't missing anything, that's all of it.  Regardless, I still think I have a much neater cover.

Frazier Chorus - Sue - 1989 

XTC - Oranges & Lemons - 1989

My second (or is it third?) favorite XTC album behind the Apple Venus/Wasp Star set.  Got this one my senior year in High School when I was big into REM, Guadalcanal Diary, Pixies, Camper Van, Husker Du, etc.  This one has always been a cherished album of sugary perfection.  The pop hooks are almost sickening sweet and I love every one of them.

The singles from this one are spectacular, but I must say the entire album has merits beyond the singles.  And, the mixes and extra tracks just add to this little treasure.  It's fun to try and figure out which tracks go on which album as Partridge releases them willy nilly without a clue as to when they were recorded, so you have to do some intense studying.  What I do hate, though, is that they included some album tracks from some previous albums on the singles from this album.  So, I spend all this time thinking I've got a non-album track until I do some studying and find out it's not even the right album.

But, that's beside the point.  The point is, I think this is one of their best, and it was an excellent way for them to close out the 80s.  There are some songwriters out there who don't have it, and some that do.  Andy Partridge, to me, simply HAS it.  It comes so naturally to him to write these little gems.  It's like magic.

Now, I'm off to try and figure out why the computer won't access the hard drive....  This could be interesting.

XTC - Disc 1XTC - Disc 2

Chris & Cosey - Trust - 1989

Again, in the late 80s, having been introduced to Industrial music through Skinny Puppy and Ministry, I looked feverishly for anything that resembled Industrial.  That, along with the distinctive Steven Gilmore cover, is how I found Chris & Cosey.

For those who don't know who Chris & Cosey are, I highly recommend clicking here.  To know the extensive back history of these two people really helps to understand and appreciate their work.  I DO say appreciate, as their work with Throbbing Gristle can only be appreciated, as I really think it sounds pretty bad.  But, obviously someone liked it....

The thing that I really liked about it was the samples and style of the music.  It came out in 1989, about the same time as Hellbound - Hellraiser II.  This album as samples from the original Hellraiser, so listening to this album while watching (or having watched) Hellbound really made my spirit shiver and curl.  Just creepy and frightening.

As the time has passed, I've found that I have to be in a really special mood to sit and listen to this.  Even the simple drive in the car with this playing is a little rough.  It's dark, seductive yet uncomfortable at the same time.  It just makes me feel uneasy now.  A little creeped out.

As for Cosey Fanni Tutti, be very careful when you Google her name.  You'd be surprised as to the pics you may find, based on her past career.  Naughty naughty!!!

Chris & Cosey - Trust - 1989

New Order - Technique - the Definitive Edition - 1989

And now, the first of four posts leading into this weekend when I will be out of town.  Over the next four days, I will give you some primo albums for your permanent library.  No true Post Punk fan would be without them!!!

I consider this album, along with Cure's Disintegration, to be the last two great Post Punk albums of the 80s.  Probably the last two great Post Punk albums, PERIOD.

For some reason, I was fully aware of when Technique was going to come out.  I remember getting the cassette at the record store after school the day it came out.  I had a friend named Ed, and he and I drove around in sub-zero January temperatures in my car listening to this one.  From the very first note, I knew it was a classic.  This album represented the final half of my junior year in High School, and it also was the first major album release for me after my move from Chicago to the Midwest.

I've heard a lot of discussion of how the first half of the album is traditional Post Punk, and then how the second half drifts into proto-House music, and I can get that.  I do prefer the first half, as it's sound was more of a soul-caress for me, while the second half was more dancey and not really the mood I preferred at the time.  Saying that, I still consider the entire album to be a masterpiece beyond compare.  With the single remixes added, it even makes the second half more cohesive with the overall picture.

I liked the b-sides with the exception of Best In Marsh, which I just don't get.  That one track stands out like a greasy turd amongst the rest of the songs.  It was a pure throwaway phone-it-in track, but I still included it.  I'm pretty sure I got all of the mixes on here, might have missed one or two, but I don't think so.  I even got the wonderful Chronovisor mix of Run 2 on there as well.  What a great mix!

Most of you probably have all of these already, and that's fine.  But, now you have some nifty new covers and a awesome arrangement to boot.  For those who don't have this, what the hell are you thinking?!

New Order - Technique - 1989 - Disc 1

New Order - Technique - 1989 - Disc 2 

Ian McCulloch - Candleland - 1989

I was saddened when Ian left the Bunnymen, but glad that he was going to try his own thing.  Unfortunately, the next Bunnymen release was pretty lousy, as the vocalist wasn't near as talented as Ian.  On the same token, Ian's solo work was good, but a little dry, a tad blah. His singles were great, as were the mixes, but as a whole the album needed something more.

One of my favorite parts was Elizabeth Frazier's guest vocals on Candleland.  Although I prefer her singing by herself, she sounded great singing her duet with Ian.  A great track. 

Another great thing about this album is that at the time it offered a definite British alternative to Madchester.  It was hard to find a British band or performer at that time who wasn't trying to emulate the Madchester sound.  Ian, like Morrissey, stuck with the style that he did best, and it paid off.

Like Bona Drag, Technique, Violator, and Disintegration, Candleland was part of the final closing of 80s Post Punk, one of my favorite eras in modern music.  All of the artists who made those final albums of the 80s continued on after well into the future and all the way to today, but it has never been the same since.  What a glorious time.

There were too many b-sides and non-album tracks to put them on one disc, but not enough for two.  So, I made an expanded Candleland album, and a Faith & Healing EP to accompany.  Let me know if I've missed anything.

Ian McCulloch - Candleland - 1989

Ian McCulloch - Faith & Healing - 1989

Sugarcubes - Here Today, Tomorrow, Next Week! - 1989

Sugarcubes' second album carried forward the quirky and esoteric music that made their first album so wonderful.  An interesting blend of jangle, synth, new wave and post punk with a hint of ethnic folk...  is all that even possible?

Having gotten on the Cubes bus a little late, after Stick Around and before It's It, I found it took several listens before I became accustomed to the sound.  I still don't like the Fred Schneider-like screaming by who I assume is Einar.  But, Bjork's vocals, while still young and wild, are really really awesome.  She is really a talented, albeit eccentric artist.

I know I'm missing a couple of mixes on here, but I'm pretty sure I have all of the tracks and b-sides.  I didn't want to throw on any of the demos, either.  I preferred this sleeve to the original album art.  The lettering is more classical and it has a very retro feel to it.  All in all, it's a pretty sleeve...

Sugarcubes - Here Today, Tomorrow, Next Week! - 1989

The Wild Swans - Space Flower - 1989

I really don't have anything to say about this album.  It's really good, I like it, and it's here on my blog. 

Here's the entry from Allmusic.com, if you need to know anything about this great album before you download it...

"The Wild Swans' Space Flower follows XTC (masquerading as the Dukes of Stratosphear) and the Damned into the more pop-oriented side of the '60s: the sort of area that could produce a three-minute single and a ten-minute hallucinogenic mind-blower. Pink Floyd got to be quite masterful at this aspect of things with Syd Barrett; the Moody Blues, too, used to be able to do this to a degree. Typically, the Wild Swans, with a somewhat softer sound than they've had previously, have followed in this rather English area, twenty-some years down the line. What you get for your money is a rather catchy collection of hook-driven numbers with titles like "Chocolate Bubblegum" and "I'm a Lighthouse," not to mention the royally absorbing "Sea of Tranquility," a track that ticks along on a rolling bassline, dispenses with vocals along the way, and proceeds to play sonic games that suck you in and make you wish it could have gone on lots longer than ten minutes. One of the factors in the Swans' favor is certainly an endearing simplicity. Where their songs have often been complex sonic tapestries, Space Flower shucks off the complexities in favor of a very '60s production -- even the sound effects utilized by Paul Simpson are low-key, with the exception of one that's truly startling on "Sea of Tranquility," while his trademark Mellotron, which has sometimes been as omnipresent as those on early King Crimson albums, is hardly to be heard on the album. It's great fun, very catchy, and probably great for parties. Now, if they could just do something about that wretched cover..."

I don't mind the cover, though.

No Remixes.  No B-sides.  Just one good album....

The Wild Swans - Space Flower - 1989 

Public Image Limited - PiL - Nine - 1989

The first time I saw the PiL logo, it was a sticker on the back window of a mid-70s volkswagen bug in my High School parking lot.  I always thought the logo was really cool and a great design.  The guy who owned the bug was a really scurvy looking dude with a long flop hairdo and a big nose.  It took me a while to put it together, but when I did, I picked up a few of their 45s at the record store to give them a try.  This was the first album of theirs that I actually purchased, though.

I think that despite the SP connection, PiL are an acquired taste that either grows on you or doesn't.  I can only listen to about 3 of their albums, this being one of them, because I can't tell if they're being experimental, or attempting to sound somewhat talentless, or if they really are without talent.  Yes, the image is cool, and I know that Malcolm McLaren did a lot of promoting of the group as an art piece, but at times, a lot of times, the songs are just hard to listen to.

I think this album is pretty good, though.  I made out with a girl to it, and I still think of that occasion when I here these tunes.  It's one of those discs that I've had in my collection since I started collecting CDs, and it's not going anywhere.  I've lost discs, worn discs out and repurchased them, sold them back to the record stores, garage sales and pawn shops.  But, I will never part with this one.  It's a fucking original.

Anyway, popped on the only b-side and 3 mixes.  Good enough.

Public Image Limited - PiL - Nine - 1989

Erasure - Wild - 1989

I posted Wild a month or so ago, so if you'd like to read what I think about it, click the Erasure label on the side of this blog.

These are my favorite remixes from Wild!  I loved the artwork of all the singles, and used the Supernature logo for the cover.  I did a lot of tinkering with the filters on Photoshop, and I think I really did the logo justice by adding some dimension to the letters.

I loved the remixes from this album.  You had Mark Saunders and William Orbit, two of my favorite mixers.  Also, some great mixes from Daniel Miller and Gareth Jones as well.  What I love about these mixes, is that they released some really great versions of b-sides as well as album tracks.  Most artists out there only remix the title track of their singles, so I take that as a bonus.

No fan mixes, though.  I can't find any that are worth a shit.  If you think you've found a fan mix that I should include, drop a link in the comment section, and we'll all take a gander.

"I lie in a dreamlike state and wonder if this fear will go away..."

Great music...

Erasure - Wild - the Remixes - 1989 - Disc One

Erasure - Wild - the Remixes - 1989 - Disc Two

Stone Roses - B-sides from the first album - 1989-91

Obviously, Second Coming was not very good.  They had taken too much time off as a band, the magic wasn't there anymore, and Ian was ready to move off on his own, to become the Godfather of Britrock. (Noel Gallagher is the Prince)  So, collecting the b-sides from the first album sort of gives us the "coulda bin" second album of the Stone Roses.

There were several great tracks laid on the flip side.  Mercey Paradise, The Hardest Thing In the World, and Something's Burning were, IMHO, better than some of the album tracks from the first album, and also Peter Hook's Elephant Stone is better than the original.  Honestly, I'm not sure if I have all the b-sides and official remixes, and I am unsure if there are any unreleased tracks from this era or any quality fanmade mixes. So if anyone out there spots a hole, let me know.

As with the original covers, all the cover art for the Stone Roses were painted by John Squire, so I selected two of his works that weren't on any of the covers.  I hope this one will be able to slide right in behind their first album.

This is a good listen, so enjoy, and have a great Saturday night!

Stone Roses - B-sides from the first album - 1989-91

Peter Murphy - Deep - 1989

Is it wrong for me to say I love Peter Murphy solo, but I hate Bauhaus?  Well, I do...  Can't stand Bauhaus.  And, I didn't know about Peter Murphy until this album, Deep, and I didn't know he was from Bauhaus until well after that.  Guess I wasn't as cool as I thought.

So, this one came upon me when I was going to lunch in High School with some new "friends" when I moved from Chicago to the mid-west.  I was really pissed at my folks for moving me, forcing me to leave my "life" behind in Chicago and start again in this backwater redneck community.  It was definitely a Footloose moment, but I was nowhere near as cool as Kevin Bacon.  Headed to lunch at a local taco shack, I sat in the backseat of this guys car and pretended to get along with these people as they chatted about their tiny mundane lives.  Bored out of my skull, Cuts You Up came on the radio.  It pounded a nail right into my heart.  I got a lump in my throat and felt emotional for a moment.  I kept my mouth shut and smiled through my pain.

The album is great, I love CYU and A Strange Kind Of Love (another song about my SOUL).  Crystal Wrists and Seven Veils also come in close to the top of my favorites from this set. 

I "re-formatted" the cover, as it was good, but I wanted to add some frilly things on the logo/title.  My wife says the new logo takes away from the minimalist format of the original design.  I say, so what, I like it!!!!  No real b-sides from this album, just mixes and remixes and reprises.  They're all here, though.  Listen, Learn and LOVE.

Peter Murphy - Deep - 1989

Art of Noise - Long Version of the Best Of - 1989

Last month I posted my version of AoN's best hits, which were pretty much the singles and some b-sides.  I pressed it all onto one disc, making it my "short version".  All the tracks were the single mixes, so i don't think I had anything over 4 minutes.

This is my "long version", and has all of my favorite remixes and extended versions.  They are the same album, just with different mixes of the tracks.

Art of Noise is great.  It's very neutral, very positive and objective.  Full of energy and creativity, every song sounds like a group of people just having the best time making music that they truly love.

What's great is I still haven't posted one of their albums yet.  Wait until that happens!

The Best of Art of Noise - Disc One

The Best of Art Of Noise - Disc Two