REM - Out Of Time - 1991

One of the most anticipated albums, the follow-up to Green, Out Of Time really introduced REM to mainstream America, and probably the world.  Of course, Green was a hit and a great intro in it's own right, but Out Of Time was the one that shot them to super-stardom.  I was in my first year in college, and giddy as a school girl when I picked this one up.  Green had been one of my favorite albums ever (still in my top 100) so my hopes for this one were huge.

All in all, it's a great album.  It's not SUPER, just great.  I could lose Radio Song and Low, and although I like Kate, I could've done without Shiny Happy People (although I'm a sucker for pop-hooks, this one was too easy and overplayed.)  My favorite tracks of the album were Near Wild Heaven and Half A World Away.  Great stuff.  Losing My Religion was a great song, not one of my favorites.  Had a great melody and very strong lyrics and the video was awesome.  But it was way overplayed and it grew tiring.  I still like it, just heard it way too many times.  (I said great in this period four times if you don't count this one...)

All the b-sides and fan club tracks but I left off the remixes.  They would've pushed the CD limit and none of them were any good anyway.  As for the cover, just a straight out duplicate of the original.  The font I used, though, looks a little screwy.  The kerning in the type is off and makes the spacing a little awkward. 

Thanks, all for your messages on Friday.  My boss knows, and he wasn't upset.  He's letting me work my final two weeks (for now) and the other sales people have already started cannibalizing my accounts.  That's fine, who cares.  I'm OUT!  Only troubling point is that I've already turned in my notice and my new job still hasn't gotten my piss-test back yet.  I KNOW that it's clean, but I always like to have everything squared before I make a move.  Always afraid of the "what if" scenario.

Lastly, I'm going to do some re-upping right now, in case you needed something.  If I miss anything, let me know.

REM - Out Of Time - 1991

Revenge - Gun World Porn - 1991-92

When this baby came out, I was still riding high on One True Passion and Electronic's first release.  Getting this in my hot sweaty hands, I was excited beyond belief.  And, I was not disappointed.  Whereas One True Passion seemed like a harder version of New Order, this one took a totally different approach that was a real ripper.  It paced a little quicker, pounded a little harder, and was a definite improvement on melody.  I thought so highly of it, I included it in my radio hour during college with State Of Shock.  Solid solid shit.

Rumor has it, and I can find no evidence to support this, but some say these tracks were all recorded during the OTP sessions.  Is this true?

I've read reviews online trashing this EP as junk (as well as OTP) and I don't understand.  Why can supposed music pros not see the value and quality of Revenge?  Were they expecting a New Order rip-off?  Was it too masculine for them?  I could sort of see the too sexist slant, though.  Regardless, Hooky does deserve some kudos for this one as it is definitely crafted very well.  From the cover to the lyrics, to the melodies, to the execution, to the voicemail.  It has it all.

Mind you, some of the remixes from this album suck, so be prepared.  There is some great material here, but not every mix is a winner.

This EP, along with OTP, should be considered NO canon.  I most certainly think it is.  State Of Shock's interlude with Hooky's solo and the keys and the horns scream early NO, you can't see it any other way.

Anyway, I love it.

Revenge - Gun World Porn - 1991-92

Pet Shop Boys - Behavior Remixes - 1990-1991

Back on December 28th, I posted my deluxe version of PSB's Behavior, with the promise that I'd get to the mixes eventually.  That time is now.

I had to stretch everything over three discs, and even put So Hard and How Can You Expect To Be Taken Seriously? on their own "cd singles" as there were too many different mixes to do otherwise.  I'm pretty sure I got them all, but who knows.  Again, they had so many pro mixes and amateur mixes, it's hard to tell.

SO, add these three on the backend of the official "Further Listening" version, and you should have it all.  It makes for an interesting set.

Enjoy,

Disc One    Disc Two    Disc Three

Morrissey - Kill Uncle - 1991

Sandwiched between two of Morrissey's best albums - Bona Drag (a comp, I know) and Your Arsenal, comes this little number that was as dull as a square ball.  Nothing there, no fun, not going much of anywhere.  BUT, it is still Morrissey, and I will still have it and keep it and listen to it when I feel the mood creep over me.  All of the b-sides, but I kept a couple of mixes off, just to keep it real.

Morrissey - Kill Uncle - 1991

Bass-O-Matic - Science & Melody - 1991

Yeah, Bass-O-Matic is a William Orbit alias.  William Orbit being a stellar musician, producer and mixer.  But, this album sounds just like the cover looks....

It is definitely Orbit work, it's blatantly obvious on every track.  And, admittedly, the music is fantastic.  Which leads me to the issue at hand.  This album would have been so so so much better if it had simply been an instrumental album.  But, he throws in vocals.  Hip Hop RnB vocals that make you feel like your listening to Heavy D & the Boys or Salt N Peppa from the early 90s.  Back then, that style was popular.  As time goes by, though, the album's credibility slips further and further as it becomes more dated.  William Orbit's music is generally timeless.  This is not.

It is a FUN album, though.  You can tell that he had a blast making it.  A lot of his solo material outside of BoM is very serious work, that's what makes him so special.  This album is him playing around, throwing things against the wall to see if they'll stick.  The song titles and subject matter are wild and fun and creative.  There's nothing revolutionary here, but it is Orbit, and a definite must have for all completists.  I missed a mix or two, as the track list would have exceeded the hour twenty mark, but you have what you need. 

Bass-O-Matic - Science & Melody - 1991

Sting - The Chicago Sessions - 1991-1993

On the coat tails of the Oasis Demos, I'm posting Sting's awesome Chicago Sessions.  Lord only knows what they were recorded for, or why they were recorded.  All of the sources I've researched just state that they were soundboard recordings.  So, my guess would be it was some sort of show, although there aren't any crowd noises, if that's the case.

You'll find this collection all over the internet.  I am, by far, not the first to post this.  You could probably download these tracks from two dozen different sites, or more.  BUT, I am the only one with such a cool cover that will fit in nicely with all the other Sting albums available.  Sting has a picture of himself on all of his albums, with the exception of Soul Cages.  So, I had to find a good pic circa 91-93 that was in good quality/high resolution, and also not already used.  Trust me, it was hard to find.  But, the pics of Chicago were abundant, and I think I found a great one for the back.

Got this one back when I lived in Kansas City, during my "great depression".  It was a soul-soother.  I got it back when there were still these bootleggers who sold CDs on the web, and I got this one from this site called DMD Digital World. I also purchased three A-ha collections, an INXS live CD, and about five different Duran2 concerts.  I bet I spent 300 bucks with this guy for CD-R burns and laser printed cut out covers.  Stupid.  Now I can get all the material and more, and create my own covers, all for free.  Imagine the things I could have spent my money on instead of some cheap burns and printer paper.  Made in the Czech Republic my ass.

Hopefully, some of you don't have this yet.  If you do, I'm sorry.  Maybe next time.

Sting - The Chicago Sessions - 1991-1993

System 7 - System 7 - 777? - 1991

 

I really don't know how or why, but System 7's first release, the original British version, was my first Techno album.  I'm pretty sure I purchased it the same time I got Shamen's En-Tact album.  Two distinctly different albums, but showcasing the diversity of the genre and excellence in their interpretations.

I bought it on the recommendation of a record store clerk from Pickles Records in Nebraska.  They had received the disc already opened, and he played a song or two on the store system for me to hear.  The quality of the music, plus the fact that it was an import (I love to have things that are hard to come by) really influenced me to pick it up.  I recommend you to do the same.

The great thing about this album is that it's not one droning Techno track after another.  There is some Ambient, some Pop, some Techno, some guitarwork, and a lot of synthetic noodling that make it a listen that never gets tiring.  Plus, it's not the trendy cliched sound that is easily dated.  This is definitely written in a classic universal style that can easily appeal to music lovers of any age group or decade.

This album wasn't immediately released in the US, I think it took another year or so before they were able to do that, and they had to change their name when they did.  The track listings were different, and there were different mixes on there as well.  I took all of the different tracks and put them as closely back to the original UK release, while adding the new tracks from the US one.  The second disc is almost all of the mixes, I think.  There is a great one by The Orb, a band in its newly formed stages still trying to find themselves in the Post-House dance music world.

I can guarantee you will enjoy the main album disc thoroughly.  It's a great audio meal that's will leave you feeling full and happily satisfied.

Album    Mixes

Outer Rhythm - A Compilation

I can tell by the number of page views, and the lack of comments, that this week isn't quite as popular as I thought it would be.  I'm sorry.  Just hold on, only two more days after tonight, & I promise Sunday night will be worth it, for realz.

This was another label that I really liked, and I think it was their logo that initially drew me to them.  What a cool head!  I love it!  But, unlike Warp, not all of their tracks were great, starting off.  So, I picked and chose some of my favorites and dropped them on two discs.  There's a lot of fun stuff on there, including the Joey Beltram mix of Dominator, a big hit from back then.

Again, a custom cover using only the head logo primarily.  The background was a graphic pulled from the web. 

See you tomorrow night for some more....

Disc One        Disc Two

Warp Records - 1991-1992

Back in the day....  Warp used to be one of my favorite labels for Techno.  Yeah, yeah, yeah, they weren't that good.  But, I loved them anyway.  I put a short synopsis on the cover of this comp, so you'll forever be able to know who they were, and what they produced.

This is a nice little comp of their first singles.  I started at the beginning of their catalog, and worked my way up until I ran out of space for a single CD.  It's a good listen, with a few bands you may recall, just starting out.

Warp Records - 1991-1992

Single Gun Theory - Like Stars In My Hands - 1991

The second post of four in the "WTF?" posts of the week....

So this was just another one of the many groups that I sampled my Freshman year in college.  An Australian band through Canada's Netwerk label, Single Gun Theory can be best described as Synth-Pop with a hint of Gothic/Industrial darkness.  Sort of Darkwave or the likes.  And, they have some great female vocals.

Originally, I just had the CD single of From A Million Miles, and I played it over and over and over.  That song was on many of my compilations from that time period and I once included it on a "soundtrack" that I made for a story I wrote for my Creative Writing class called "Edge To Life".  (Name that artist and album...and guest-vocalist).

It has a very Post Punk/Synth/psuedo-Industrial feel that samples a lot from Indian music which has been stated by the band as a direct influence.  The exotic melodies and instruments intermixed with an almost Manchester-y House-y synthesizer sound and wonderful female harmonies make a lot of the music almost hypnotic at times.

I only had the CD single for the longest time, and finally purchased the CD used at a shop in Omaha Nebraska some time in the mid 00s.  The two singles are obvious stand-outs in quality and pop-influence, but the album as a whole has a magnetic quality that's hard to break.

Now, I have to go pick my son up from Swim practice, so I'll see you all tomorrow...

Single Gun Theory - Like Stars In My Hands - 1991 

Siouxsie & the Banshees - Superstition - 1991

This one came out my Freshman year in college, shortly after I got back from Basic Training for the Air Force.  I had never been a huge fan of the Banshees (and I'm still not, to this day), but this album did have a few pop songs on it that attracted me.  I thought, after the glorious releases of Disintegration, Violator, Technique, Bona Drag and Wild!, that I'd get another group to add to the list of excellence that were my idols.

 Meh. 

This album is good, I'll give you that.  I really enjoy the singles, and the b-sides, and there are a couple of album tracks that stand out as examples of some superior craftsmanship.  Albeit, I think Hague's production also had a direct influence on what was released.  I think this album helped bring the Banshees more into the mainstream pop music of the time, right on the cusp of the Alternative Boom in the 90s.

But, to this day, as I've said before, I can't stand Siouxsie's voice.  It drives me fucking bananas.  Musically, the band is superb.  I'm sure that if there was another vocalist, they would've been much more successful.  I just think her voice is an acquired taste.  You either love it, or you hate it.  Obviously, a lot of people like it, or they wouldn't have made it as far as they did.

So, although I'm not horribly fond of her, this album (and the rest of the band for that matter) are pretty fucking good.  My mix tapes of that era always include one or two of their tracks. 

I didn't want to fuck with a Van Gogh, so I left the cover exactly as it appeared.  But, I couldn't find a good scan of it on the internet, so my version looks a little shitty.  If anyone has a better scan, please send it my way...

Siouxsie & the Banshees - Superstition - 1991

World Of Twist - Quality Street - 1991

A quick and easy one tonight.  A nice little slice of British Madchester (right guys?)  Nothing to say here, just another of a long list of bands that disappeared as quickly as they appeared.  Love this one because of the trippy cover of the Stones' She's A Rainbow. 

Who would've guessed you could get a double disc expanded edition of this?  Two discs, album on one and mixes on the other.  I hate the cover, but I don't know what else I could've done on this.  It's a dumb cover with a lousy font and I can't stand it.  The whole cover sorta reminds me of the 80s sitcom Cheers for some reason.  Maybe it's the font and the substandard photo.

A little unrelated note.  It is very uncanny how my posting is working out.  There are thousands of albums and groups to post from.  But, for some bizarre reason, my posts (and preparation of) seem to overlap with our fellow bloggers.  I have Dexy's Too- Rye-Ay coming up on the 11th, yet it's been posted over on another site today.  What are the odds?  And that isn't even the first time it's happened.  I just want you all to know that I have planned all of my posts about 2 months out, and I'm about 3 weeks ahead in making covers.  And, I never base my selections on what the other guys are posting.  I just want you to know I'm not a cheater without an original thought, it's just coincidence I guess...

Now, I'm off.  I spent my day off at work stripping and waxing the lobby floor.  Now, my body is beat up, and I missed a whole day with my family.  And the fumes of the floor finish have given me a monster headache.  Fuck it.

World Of Twist - Quality Street - 1991

World Of Twist - Quality Mixes - 1991 

Ozzy Osbourne - No More Tears - 1991

Surprisingly, this is my second favorite Hard Rock album.  

When this album came out, I was pretentiously involved with my DM, Cure, Erasure, New Order and Madchester, thinking I was so very important to be listening to "alternative" music on the cusp of mainstream popularity.  My sister was not that way, and never was.  She listened to whatever was popular at the time, and it was never the Post Punk or American College Rock that I thought was so very important.  She bought this album, and I scoffed....    At home, I would sometimes walk by her room and hear music playing.  I remember walking by her room and hearing Mama I'm Coming Home.  I walked by later and heard Road to Nowhere.  Both times, I was drawn by the power of his vocals, and the beauty of their "acoustic" or ballad strumming of their guitars.  I didn't know who Zakk Wylde was at the time, but I knew that guy was talented, and I liked it.  I ended up borrowing the TAPE from her and listening to it a couple times.  Before long, I was down at the music store buying the album on CD.

This entire album is all traditional Ozzy, but more than that.  It's almost like what an Ozzy GH album would sound like.  I wouldn't go so far as to say all of the songs could be singles, but the entire album was very well put together and meshed seamlessly.

I will admit I am more drawn to his ballads on this album more than the others.  Ballads suit his vocal style very well. But, No More Tears is awesome, Zombie Stomp is great, Hellraiser, I Don't Want to Change the World, and even Don't Blame Me, a b-side.  The rest of the songs are good, too, but I like these, and the ballads best....

We've got the 2 b-sides and an outtake, which isn't half bad.

Yes, this is my 2nd favorite of all time.  Number 3 would be Back In Black.  But, I can't find any b-sides, remixes or outtakes from Back in Black, so you won't see it this week, unfortunately....

Ozzy Osbourne - No More Tears - 1991

Shamen - En-Tact V.0 - 1991

As an obsessive compulsive, being a Shamen fan can be difficult.  Mostly because there are so many different versions and mixes of their songs.  But, with En-Tact, my problem was compounded by the fact that there were a bunch of non-album tracks as well.  Good thing is, I was able to make En-Tact V.0. 

I wanted to try and capture some of the sound that they had from their first few albums, that got lost when En-Tact came out.  I pulled all of the earliest versions of the singles from En-Tact that I could find. Plus, we have a host of non-album tracks that obviously sound pre-Tact.  A definite Indie-electro sorta sound.

Purple Haze is an interesting cover, In the Bag and Something Wonderful are great, and the rest of the non-album tracks are pretty good as well.  Omega Amigo mix is an awesome rendition, as is Ben Chapman's Lightspan. 

Definitely a glimpse of a group on the verge of exploding onto the British music scene, this one makes a great transition from the pre-Tact albums to the post-Tact.  A nice little set to wrap it all up.

Shamen - En-Tact V.0 - 1991

The Heart Throbs - Cleopatra Grip - 1991

I bought the Heart Throbs at the same time I bought Pixies' Bossanova.  It took me a while to get on board, as I was hooked on Bossanova at the time over Cleopatra Grip.  But, as time went by, I found them to be a classic Post Punk band that fell somewhere in between Lush and REM.  Don't know why I felt that. 

I didn't have access to any of the singles at the time, it took me about 8 years to finally get all of them (pre-internet), but by then, they had released 2 more albums and an EP, and then broke up.  It was still fun to piece together all the tracks from that specific session, and listen to them as one.  I still pull this one out every once in a while, along with their second album Jubilee Twist (which I will post at a later date).  Their EP after that was meh, a rehash of the previous two albums, and their 3rd album, Vertical Smile (what sort of innuendo is that?!) was really terrible.  They had lost their magic.

The covers of the first two albums and singles were done by ME Company, the same outfit behind the Shamen, Sugarcubes and Bjork covers, to name a few.  Beautiful covers and wonderful typography.  I had fun enhancing their logo for the covers, but I left the album graphic alone.  Pretty pretty.

I added an extra track to the Remix album at the last minute.  It's called Arcadia Toss and it's a medley of two of the album tracks, and then remixed.  I don't like it at all.  I don't like the mix or even the remix.  The tracks are two separate songs, in my view.  BUT, I plugged it in the zip in case you want it, even though I didn't put it on the Remix Sleeve.  You can do what you want with it.

LASTLY, I have to put out a huge apology on this one.  Half the tracks are in WMA format, and my converter won't convert them to Mp3.  So, unfortunately, you're stuck with half Mp3 and half WMA.  Once you burn the disc, it won't make a difference.  For those of you who are anal about that sort of thing, all I can do is say I'm sorry!!!!!!!

The Heart Throbs - Cleopatra Grip - 1991

The Heart Throbs - Cleopatra Remixed - 1991

Happy Mondays - Pills Thrills & Bellyaches - 1991

I was never a huge fan of the Mondays, I always preferred the Carpets and the Charlatans and the Stone Roses.  But, for some reason, I really liked this album and it brings back fond memories of good times.  The mixes are hot, and I love their cover of Tokoloshe Man.  While the Madchester scene was booming, this band was always near the top.  Just like their song 24 Hour Party People, this band seemed like the band that was always out having a good time and raising hell all night long.  Well, that's how I remember them.

It's unfortunate that this band, along with the majority of the Madchester bands, were unable to mature their sound and grow out of what they started.  They seemed to stagnate and release the same stale shit over and over.  Or maybe it was the fickle music industry that killed them off.  (I say all this without any real insight into the industry, just some ignorant patsy on the outside looking in.)

It was on this album (or a single from this album) that I first discovered Paul Oakenfold and Steve Osbourne.  Their mixes always blew my mind, and seemed light years ahead of everyone else.  I then found them on Shamen's En-Tact and the rest was an afterthought.  The two are revolutionary and legendary.  Some real good shit.

Anyway, I messed with the colors on the cover, just to differentiate between my versions and the actual version.  I don't know if it looks good or not.  Maybe I'm just used to the yellow cover.  Too much material for one disc, so we get a lovely 2-disc set.  As far as the arrangement of the remixes, I had a tough time deciding.  I hope they sound alright. 

PS - I know that today is Duran Duran Appreciation Day, and I am not posting a D2 album.  I have my blog albums lined up about a month deep, and I didn't realize what today was until after I had posted Rio.  I should have saved Rio for today.  Maybe I'll double post and put that shitty Liberty album up.  What a joke...

Happy Mondays - Pills Thrills & Bellyaches - 1991

Happy Mondays - Pills Thrills & Remixes - 1991

The Farm - Spartacus - 1991

When the glut of Madchester bands came out in the late 80s and early 90s, I always felt that the Farm was one of the few bands that stood out among the rest.  Their early work helped to push them to the top, and this album is probably the culmination of their endeavors.  Their next couple albums before they finally called it quits were really quite terrible.  Too bad.

These guys aren't in my "top bands" list, but they are necessary to grasp the breadth of the Madchester movement.  To not at least mention them would be wrong.  So I offer this one up as another hole to plug in your collection, if you don't already have it.

Nothing more to say here, other than the mixes are great, and the cover of Stepping Stone is a lot of fun.

I'll see you tomorrow with the Happy Mondays...

The Farm - Spartacus - 1991

Manufacture - Voice Of World Control - 1991

Again, attracted by the Steven Gilmore cover, and the fact that their previous album with Sarah Mclachlan singing a song with them, I picked up this with a hope of some great Industrial tunes.  Well, they ended up what we would probably call Darkwave or Future Pop instead, but there are some really good songs on this one.

I picked it up in the winter of my Freshman year in college, and listened to it heavily while walking to and from class on campus.  While not as good as Nine Inch Nails' Pretty Hate Machine, Skinny Puppy's Rabies or Ministry's The Mind Is A Terrible Thing to Taste, I would compare it more with Single Gun Theory, Frontline Assembly or Front 242 (in quality, not so much style.)

The best tracks for me have to be New Decision and Control Yourself, simply because I really like the vocals and melodies from those tracks.  The rest of the songs are pretty good, though.  This is a prime example of that proto-Industrial sound right before Nine Inch Nails and Ministry tore the scene open in 1992.

I still used the original cover, but used the single sleeve of A Measured Response for the back.  No b-sides, but I tossed a few remixes on for good measure.  There's still about 5 mixes out there, if you like this, I suggest you hunt down the rest.  I hate it when there's not enough material for two discs, but too much for one disc.  That was the case, here.

Manufacture - Voice Of World Control - 1991

EMF - Schubert Dip - 1991

When this album came out I was a lonely boy.  My best friend was off to college in Missouri, and I didn't have a girlfriend.  Most of my friends from High School had moved on, and the ones that didn't were busy with their own lives, to busy to mess with me.  College friends were rare, as I lived off campus, and everyone else seemed to have developed these dorm room friendships that I couldn't really even break into.  I had work, school and my "blessed" parents.  I say that with a grimace and and gritting of teeth.

But, this album did come out in May of 1991, as I was taking my finals for Spring Semester.  My best friend came back from school for the summer and got a part time job at a restaurant.  We'd work days, and at night we'd head out and have a good time.  We both were making good money and had no real responsibilities to speak of, so we blew a shit ton of money on movies, eating out, music, booze and comic books.  What a life. 

By the end of the summer I was sick of the bastard and just wanted him to go back to school.

This was one of the albums we listened to as we "cruised" up and down the main drag of our city in the late evenings.  We'd drive up and down, back and forth, see a lot of school friends and a lot of women.  We'd turn up the fast songs, and turn down the slow, but I bet we listened to this thing a hundred times in 3 months time.  I used to know the rap to Unbelievable by heart.

Now, it seems dated and really not a very good album.  The songs were catchy, trendy and poorly written.  But it brings back a summer of my life that was carefree and fun.  Whenever I start to feel nostalgic, this is one that I pull out to remember the good times.

EMF - Schubert Dip - 1991

Charlatans - Nons & Bs - 1990-1991

This is the first of two "B-Side Compilation" sets that I'm posting tonight.  Actually, this one has b-sides and non-album tracks.

I've never understood why a band would put out a single without having it on an album to begin with.  I thought that the reason why singles were released, were to entice people into buying the album.  Then, the b-side was created so people would buy the album, but then also buy the single for the bonus track.  I can't even begin to pretend like I understand how the music industry works.

Anyways, after the Charlatans released their first big album here in the states, the then released three different singles afterward that fell in between that first and second album.  The singles and accompanying b-sides were great.  I loved them all.

They've released these some of these tracks on Melting Pot, and then some on Songs From the Other Side, but they never put all of them together on one disc.  I gathered all the tracks, then added the b-sides from Some Friendly, and now we have a nice little young Charlatans set that you can listen to without having to bounce between discs, whether digital or vinyl.

I hope it meets your expectations.

PS - I just got done compiling my Thompson Twins "Future Days" set, and boy is it a doozy.  I've got it scheduled to post on August 18th.  The covers aren't done yet, but I can hardly wait!!!

Charlatans - Nons & Bs - 1990-1991