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Showing posts from October, 2019

Heaven, Over There

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Nyam Nyam - Hope Of Heaven [SITU 10 UK 1984 24-Bit FLAC] I first ripped my copy of Hope Of Heaven back in 2011, then I made note that it had never been re-released as a CD ...it eventually was however now it seems that the compact disc format is dying a long slow death, so today here is a new 2019 24-bit rip of the only album by Nyam Nyam. Nyam Nyam's claim to fame was the Factory Benelux released 12" Fate/Hate produced by New Order bassist Peter Hook. Hooky claimed to have found a copy of the band's self-released first single lying around Strawberry Studios and loved it. Factory Records did not continue their interest and the band moved on to 4AD/Beggars Banquet off-shoot label Situation 2 and released Hope of Heaven later in 1984. The album, whilst not a classic deserves it's place in history,and has been very much over-looked. There are some very strong tracks including a un-Hooked recording of Fate and powerful & highly personal post-punk, art ro...

Home Comforts

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Soft Verdict - At Home b/w Not At Home [TWI 047 BEL 1982 24-Bit FLAC] Something evocative and highly interesting from Soft Verdict. Their first single was this 12" Home/Not At Home which mixes modern classical & electronica with more conventional bass guitar, sax and drums into two very unique pieces of music. Lovers of Dif Juz, The Durutti Column and Tuxedomoon should be all over this, especially as it also features Peter Principle on bass guitar. A1 At Home B1 Not At Home

Swamp Rockers

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King Swamp - King Swamp [V 2577 UK 1989 24-Bit FLAC] Shelved and unplayed for about thirty years, comes the debut album from British rockers King Swamp. The story as I recall it, the Virgin Records rep to my old suburban record shop knew of my appreciation of Shriekback. In an attempt to persuade me to stock this album, he duly applied a "promotional use only" sticker to the sleeve reverse and handed me this copy. Back in those days we were allowed to keep promotional items for personal use. I never used it and it has sat in a box of records ever since. King Swamp counted Dave Allen and Martyn Allen among their numbers, two refugees from when Barry Andrews took over Shriekback and disenfranchised the other members. Those who know their musical history will know that Andrews may have tried to do the same thing with XTC. Anyway, they are all friends again and Shriekback have reformed with the original line-up except bassist Allen. This is a rock album with mild ...

Frazzled

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Primus - Frizzle Fry [CARLP 10 UK 1990 24-Bit FLAC] From the penguinflight archives come the second album from warped-funk-rockers Primus. They were a band that I sought to ignore back in their prime, however on reflection they do now intrigue me. Cast aside the Red Hot Chilli comparisons, Les Claypool is one hell of a bass player (second only to Geddy Lee on rather biased internet polls) and I would rather compare Primus to Irish quirky funksters Stump. A1 To Defy The Laws Of Tradition A2 Ground Hog's Day A3 Too Many Puppies A4 Mr. Knowitall A5 Frizzle Fry B1 John The Fisherman B2 You Can't Kill Michael Malloy B3 The Toys Go Winding Down B4 Pudding Time B5 Sathington Willoby B6 Spegetti Western B7 Harold Of The Rocks B8 To Defy

The Death Of Rock And Roll

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Alberto Y Lost Trios Paranoias - Italians From Outer Space [TRA 349 W/L LP UK 1977 24-Bit FLAC] I thought I'd add this little slice of Mancunian musical heritage. I actually own a proper copy of this album on vinyl but it's condition does not good enough for a clean rip. Thankfully we have access to a mint condition white label copy amongst penguinflight 's boxes. The humour of this rock'n'roll parody will be lost on many non-Brits, however C.P. Lee, Bruce Mitchell, Tony Bowers, Jimmy Hibbert and Simon White are true exponents of the art of tongue-in-cheek rock'n'roll. Enjoy! A1 Old Trust A2 Brrr! A3 I'll Come If You Let Me A4 Invocation Of The Fundamental Orifice Of St. Agnes A5 No Change A6 Peon In The Neck A7 Happy To Be On (An Island Away From) Demis Roussos A8 Teenager In Schtuck A9 Italians From Outer Space: (A) The Ballad Of Colonel Callan (B) A Fistful Of Spaghetti B1 Mandrax Sunset Variations Part VI B2 Neville B3 Breakfast ...

Broken

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Nine Inch Nails - Broken [ILPM 8004 UK 1994 24-Bit FLAC] I quickly lost interest in Trent Reznor when he went metal. The first NIN album, Pretty Hate Machine is fine but his veer from synthpop into metal (under the guise of industrial) turned me off. This isn't industrial music, it is hard alternative rock and there are better bands out there. Anyway, some of you will like this single sided record, which also features a bonus 7" of "covers", so from penguinflight 's boxes, I give you Broken . A1 Pinion A2 Wish A3 Last A4 Help Me I'm In Hell A5 Happiness In Slavery A6 Gave Up C1 Physical D1 Suck There is no b-side.

Lasting Emotions

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Anne Clark - Changing Places [RF 22 UK 1983 24-Bit FLAC] Anne Clark is a British agitprop beat poet, David Harrow is an eighties synth-punk multi-instrumentalist, Vini Reilly is one the world's greatest living guitarists and holds god-like genius status in these parts. They made an album of two sides together for Red Flame in 1983, although I still have my reservations that Vini was actually present during the recording sessions ....the tape hiss around the intros and quiet parts on his tracks suggests that he may have recorded his work elsewhere. For lovers of The Durutti Column everywhere..... Anne Clark With David Harrow A1 Contact A2 Sleeper In Metropolis A3 Poem For A Nuclear Romance A4 Wallies A5 Lovers Audition A6 Poets Turmoil No. 364 Anne Clark With Vini Reilly B1 Echoes Remain Forever B2 All Night Party B3 Pandoras Box B4 Feel B5 The Last Emotion

Optimally Optimistic

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Life - Optimism [FAC 122 UK 1985 24-Bit FLAC] A new rip of an old blog favourite, the second and final single from New Order roadies Life. I've posted both my seven inch and twelve inch versions in the past, however this is a new rip using penguinflight 's seven inch single which is in much better condition than my own well worn copy. I'm just watching the world go by ..... A1 Optimism B1 Better

Much Ado About Lavvi Ebbel

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Lavvi Ebbel - Albü Meth [2426 042 NLD 1982 24-Bit FLAC] After their first two indie singles Lavvi Ebbel changed direction from new wave to pop-funk, crossing over into the territory of Talking Heads, Allez Allez etc etc. The Benelux hit Victoria which features here on the Albü Meth album, broke them outside Belgium when Polydor signed the band for a one single/one album deal in Holland. The band retired to their days jobs after a brief career back in Belgium on Les Disques Du Crépuscule. They reformed recently and have been back playing the Benelux festival scene during recent summers. A1 Victoria A2 Much A Do About Nothing B1 Le Cafard B2 Give Me A Gun (Remix) B3 Stand Up And Fight This is a re-post of my original ESWA rip from 2016.

Come A Little Closer

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La Cosa Nostra - Coming Closer [FBN 39 BEL 1984 24-Bit FLAC] Another Belgian seven inch ....La Cosa Nostra were Cas Vander Taelen (from Lavvi Ebbel) and Michel Delory (Anna Domino's partner in Snakefarm). They released one single on Factory Benelux and an album on Crammed Discs during their short career. Here is that single ...it's a quirky mix of electronic dance and belgo-funk ...not surprisingly, it failed to sell. A1 Coming Closer B1 Coming Closer (Soundtrack)

More Fine Gents

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Kuruki - Crocodile Tears [1A 006-64646 BEL 1981 24-Bit FLAC] Those who enjoyed my rip of the Kuruki album from 1984 will likely appreciate their fine minimal synth debut single released in 1981, Crocodile Tears backed with the excellent W.S. Remake . This recent bargain bin find is actually quite rare and is in excellent condition. The only challenge was to find a seven inch single adapter to facilitate the ripping process. A1 Crocodile Tears B1 W.S. Remake

Full Fathoms

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B·F·G - Fathoms [ATT 004 UK 1988 24-Bit FLAC] A new rip for 2019 and it sounds great, if you grabbed my old ESWA rip of this long forgotten album, you need to replace it now! B.F.G. were formed by former Lavolta Lokata drummer Mike Simkins. Whilst clearly classified as 80's goth music, B.F.G. did not aspire to the goth image.On hearing the early demos, Joy Division and New Order bassist Peter Hook invited the band to support New Order duringn their Summer 1986 Tour. This tour coincided with BFG's first release Paris b/w Amelia with a sound much akin to that of Joy Division and early Sisters of Mercy. Simkins was joined by B.J. Williams on vocals, Keith Lambert on Bass, and Acky on Guitar. At this time B.F.G. also worked with Andy Clegg of the Chameleons. The band quickly began to make a name for themselves, basing their sound around a thumping bass line and screaming guitars and those deep Eldrich/Curtis-like vocals. Amelia very much sounding like Alice doe...

Forever Columbia

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The Psychedelic Furs - Forever Now [PC 38261 USA 1982 24-Bit FLAC] Anybody who worked in music retail during the seventies and eighties will know what a "columbia sticker" was. Those black circles about the size of a record label made up of many parts, peeled off their backing to cover up the words Columbia or Columbia Broadcasting Systems as the very word Columbia was deemed illegal on any item of music which was not released by EMI. CBS were also a huge multi-national record label and both could not agree as to which of them had the rights to the name Columbia. Even Springsteen suffered from the problem. Fans knew the US pressing always sounded better than the flimsy pressings elsewhere on CBS so hunted down American pressings and those with the missing cover up were deemed highly collectible outside the US. Some imports into Germany looked like this . This copy of Forever Now is an original 1982 US pressing on superior vinyl in the thicker card sleeve, it i...

Little Mercies

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Fra Lippo Lippi - Small Mercies [UNITON 017 NOR 1983 24-Bit FLAC] I picked up an original copy of Small Mercies quite cheaply at a recent record fair. There is evidence of a little wear in places, however I'm pleased to get a reasonable rip from the vinyl. The music itself is mastered quite quietly so that only serves to emphasise  the occasional noise. Don't let that put you off what is a great album, however if you want to hear a CD rip, just hop over to the other place. For me personally this is their greatest work, like the missing link between their doomy post-punk releases and the glossy, grown-up pop of the two Virgin albums. There are delightful melodies throughout, led by a gently strummed & plucked guitar and piano which compliment each other superbly. Just think... a bit more butch than China Crisis, and a little less thought provoking than Black or The Blue Nile. The opening Some Things Never Change will just hook you up and reel you in, I promise! ...

For All You Space Cadets

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Space - Magic Fly [NPSL 28232 UK 1977 24-Bit FLAC] Just in case any of you kids out there though that Daft Punk were an original idea.... ....have a look at this . Older readers will know Space, they had a huge hit in the UK and Europe with the single Magic Fly in 1977. Here is the accompanying album from these French electronic-disco whizzes. If you know your Jackie Chan, then you'll also know that the single was also used as the theme for his movie,  Snake in the Eagle's Shadow . History lesson over for now, time to don those space suits and get down to the space-funk phenomena of Space. If like me, you can be a bit of a closet disco-diva, then Carry On, Turn Me On will lighten up your glitter ball. As tacky as it is brilliant. Enjoy folks! A1 Fasten Seat Belt A2 Ballad For Space Lovers A3 Tango In Space A4 Flying Nightmare B1 Magic Fly B2 Velvet Rape B3 Carry On, Turn Me On

Starship Troopers

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Nostromo - Alien  [12BRO 80 UK 1979 24-Bit FLAC] A reworked and improved version of my original blog post from November 2016. Oh such fun! As found in the boxes of delights from blog friend penguinflight , here's some splendid movie-themed ital-electro-disco from unknown quantity Nostromo. Don those silver lamé space suits folks and get on down. A1 Alien B1 Around The World In 80 Seconds

Keep Taking The Pills

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Porcupine Tree - Fear Of A Blank Planet [TF 40 NLD 2007 24-Bit FLAC] Here is the final of my three promised Porcupine Tree long playing platters. Released only as a compact disc in Europe on Roadrunner Records and Atlantic Records in the US, this double vinyl edition was released on the Dutch label Tone Float in a limited pressing on marbled or black vinyl. This version differed from the mass marketed CDs as it contained four extra tracks. Steven Wilson didn't feel as if they fitted around the initial concept so were eventually released separately as an EP. This album represents Wilson's vision of the modern world and the impact of drugs, computer games and mp3 players on the post-millennium youth. Consequently this is a concept album with prog elements, however you'll be pleased to know that no goblins or wizards were harmed in its production. The albums centre piece is Anesthetize  and it is huge. It is likely one of the most significant works of rock music in...

Nobody Took Them Seriously.

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Split Enz - True Colours [SP-4822 USA 1980 24-Bit FLAC] I don't know why sometimes I get frightened.... From obtuse prog to quirky new wave and power pop, the history of Split Enz is a bizarre one. You could be forgiven to think that they were an Australian band (this album was recorded in Melbourne), they were not, they were from Auckland, New Zealand ....and that is very important if you are from the lower hemisphere! For many,  True Colours was their breakthrough, the differing approaches of the two Finn brothers are very evident, so much so that their Kiwi label Mushroom Records did not initially believe there was a hit on the album, even though the record opens with I Got You , which was massive on nearly every continent. What's The Matter With You and Poor Boy were also singles in the UK and America, the former revealing sixties pop influences, the latter fitting neatly into eighties pop history. Others say Missing Person should have been a single as wel...

These Charming Men

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One Thousand Violins - One Thousand Violins [IMMAC LP1 UK 1988 24-Bit FLAC] If like me you were an avid Peel listener during the eighties, then you will know One Thousand Violins. Known best for their classic indie hit Halcyon Days in 1985, they lost their lead singer a few years later and before this their final album.  Not many bands survive a change of lead singer, but the Violins did thanks to the strong songwriting partnership of Colin Gregory and David Walmsley ..even though they were only to last another year before splitting. Vince Keenan's voice didn't quite have the range of the departed John Wood, and this is quite evident on his cover of Halcyon Days as well as a few of the other reworked tracks. He does however come into his own on the splendid If Only Words which was to be the band's swansong single. A1 All Aboard The Love-Mobile A2 A Place To Surf A3 Hey Man That's Beautiful A4 Halycon Days A5 Thanks For Nothing B1 Locked O...

World Of Leather

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X-Mal Deutschland - Fetisch [CAD 302 UK 1983 24-Bit FLAC] Whilst their earliest releases were for the German market, a support slot to the Cocteau Twins in London led to the debut X Mal album being recorded with John Fryer for 4AD. A re-recorded version of Incubus Succubus was issued as a first UK single and inline with that classic eighties indie idealism, not included on the album. What we get is deep and brooding darkwave rather than straight forward gothics, so with the help of Peel, the band crossed into a wider, more post-punk audience. Ripped to 24-Bit from penguinflight's original vinyl pressing. A1 Qual A2 Geheimnis A3 Young Man A4 In Der Nacht A5 Orient B1 Hand In Hand B2 Kaempfen B3 Danthem B4 Boomerang B5 Stummes Kind

From Hulme Park to Prospect Park

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Simon Topping - Prospect Park [FBN 41 BEL 1985 24-Bit FLAC] I was keen to hear how this sounded on the ProJect Classic with its MC cartridge, and am quite blown away to say the least. So here for you is a brand new 2019 rip of Simon Topping's only solo single released all those years ago on Factory Benelux. Simon Topping left A Certain Ratio in early 1983 as the band veered to a more jazz-funk sound. Topping wanted to persue his love of latin percussion and temporarily relocated to New York to hone his skills. Originally the lead singer of ACR, he took a more backward role as the band progressed, though his trumpet and congas could be heard on all ACR tracks up until his departure. On Factory, he was to reappear as a guest musician playing trumpet on The Durutti Column's important Another Setting LP and live on percussion in a Granada TV studio with 52nd Street (and a few live gigs) and eventually he re-emerged as a full-time member of Quando Quango before th...

And Then Again....

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Paranoid London With Simon Topping - Cult Hero (Do You Wanna Touch Me) [PDON 010 UK 2019 24-Bit FLAC] Simon Topping is dragged out of musical retirement to add his dulcet tones to this brooding acid monster by electronic duo Paranoid London in three variations. Touch him! A1 Cult Hero (Do You Wanna Touch Me) (Album Edit) B1 Cult Hero (Do You Wanna Touch Me) (Club Mix) B2 Cult Hero (Do You Wanna Touch Me) (Slow)

Little Mysteries

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Anna Domino - Mysteries Of America [TWI 888 BEL 1990 24-Bit FLAC] Anna's final solo album was released on Les Disques Du Crépuscule in 1990, here it is ripped from my immaculate copy to high resolution flac. The flamenco tinged  Tamper With Time was a single, however it is the comforting Home which will always appeal to my ears. Enjoy. A1 Home A2 Pandora A3 Paris A4 Bonds Of Love A5 Isn't That So B1 Tamper With Time B2 Bead B3 "Oh Beautiful..." B4 Dust

Edges & Outline

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Anna Domino - Colouring In The Edge And The Outline [TWI 865 BEL 1988 24-Bit FLAC] Here is Anna Domino's fourth album for Les Disques Du Crépuscule ‎released as a single sided mini album in Belgium, or as a 10" album on Polydor Records for the rest of Europe. These five beautifully crafted pop songs rank among Miss Domino's finest written with collaborator Micheal Delory (ex-La Cosa Nostra and Marine). The b-side features no music, just a random etching of Anna, just the edges and the outline, with no colouring. Enjoy. A1 Luck A2 Clouds Of Joy A3 Tyranny (Of Your Company) A4 88 A5 Perfect Day (No, He Says)

Lake

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Anna Domino - Lake [TWI 756 BEL 1987 24-Bit FLAC] ...and the reflective Lake. A1 Lake B1 Hammer B2 Chaos

Tempt

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Anna Domino - Tempting [TWI 838 BEL 1987 24-Bit FLAC] ....the charming Tempting A1 Tempting B1 Always Always B2 Please Don't

Take

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Anna Domino - Take That [TWI 586 BEL 1985 24-Bit FLAC] ....to the catchy synthpop of Take That A1 Take That B1 Koo Koo B2 Take That ll (Sing It Yourself Mix)

Rhythm

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Anna Domino - Rythm [12 TWI 520 BEL 1984 24-Bit FLAC] The arty Rythm .... A1 Rythm A2 Sixteen Tons B1 Half Of Myself B2 Target

Back In The Good Books

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Workforce - Back In The Good Books [ROR 5 UK 1986 24-Bit FLAC] If you've been following my rips over the years then you'll know a decent 24-bit rip of this hard industrial funk masterpiece is much needed. The wait is over!  Cabaret Voltaire get a huge credit on the inner sleeve, however it is unclear what their role was on the final product which was unfortunately the last we heard from Workforce. Enjoy! A1 Back In The Good Books (Body Mix) B1 Back In The Good Books (Strip Mix) B2 This Is The One

Modern Life....

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Modern Life Is Rubbish (MLir w/Arnau Obiols) - Lajbans [LT 100 SWE 2019 24-Bit FLAC] Another recent twelve inch single which came my way, and is on regular play at home, is this fascinating and genre defying nine minute odyssey by Swedish duo MLiR.  The record label's blurb states, Lajbans is one of those sublime tunes that is bridging the gap between all styles of dance music; it's epic and manages to offer plenty of subtle details to keep you locked for the full 9 minute experience. Accompanied with the original, is a masterclass in dub, Lajbans (Bellaterra Dub) [ - ahem, less of the masterclass please, says Blogmeister. ] You get the versatility of the original carefully stripped back, but also absorbing layers upon layers of sonic seductive moods. It's a trip for sure, and you don't want it to end.  In an attempt to put this into some kind of perspective rather than the label's own marketing prose, I'd say this is where krautrock meets ...

Choose Life

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Life - Dites Moi [FBN 37 BEL 1984 24-Bit FLAC] This is a cleaned up re-work of my original ESWA blog post from a few years back.... Life were Graham, Rita, Terry & Andy with a little help from Gillian & Steve! Their short lived career produced just two UK 7" singles (with 12" versions in Europe) and a handful of live gigs. I was lucky to see them support The Fall at The Hacienda and remember them actually being rather good, or was it that Rita was in fact rather fit, I can't really recall. ;-)  From memory they performed about 6 songs as a three piece with backing tapes and a drum machine. Steve Morris worked the tape machine from the left of the stage & Peter Hook acted as guitar roadie! Andy is in fact Andy Robinson, current New Order manager, I've no clue where Rita and the rest of Life have ended up. With thanks to penguinflight and his boxes of vinyl platters. A1 Dites Moi A2 Tell Me Theme B Tell Me

Inferno Meccanico

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Kendal - Manifesto [MST 042 NLD 2019 24-Bit FLAC] Upping the tempo somewhat, this 12" EP from the Dutch label Moustache Records label fell into my lap recently and it's appeal was immediate. Essentially, this is home studio dance electronica from an Italian DJ based in Toulouse, France. However there is much more than just that, these pounding electronic beats resound from a different era, mixing classic Ital Disco with Benelux New Beat and more than just a hint of eighties USA freestyle dance and New Order.  Something new, yet something old. Play loud! A1 Ultimo A2 Profondo Rosso B1 Giallo Inferno B2 Corpo Meccanico

A Man Of No Fortune

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Wim Mertens - A Man Of No Fortune & With A Name To Come [TWI 748 BEL 1986 24-Bit FLAC] Six gorgeous pieces for piano and voice from the Belgian master of modern classical music ripped from an original vinyl pressing released on the Les Disques Du Crépuscule. Sit back, relax and indulge..... A1 Casting No Shadow A2 A Tiels Leis A3 Hirose B1 You See B2 Multiple 12 B3 Naviamente

Bitter & Sealed

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The Palace Of Light - Beginning Here & Travelling Outward [KIRI 058 UK 1987 24-Bit FLAC] A shameless and self-indulgent re-post of one my favourite albums from 1987, recreated from my original blog files from March 2017. Bam-Caruso Records were very active in releasing music by new bands alongside a plethora of psyche reissues, and gave a hand to Manchester University band, The Palace Of Light by lending them in-house producer, Brian Marshall and a string section for their only album. The resulting Beginning Here and Travelling Outward is rather splendid. The Palace Of Light were responsible for some fine eighties semi-acoustic indie-pop but had little recognition except among their peers and a few local fans. The Smiths fronted by The Felt's Lawrence would be the best description of their sound but there are subtle twists of contemporary psyche (hence the Bam-Caruso interest). The gentle City Of Gold and the jangle-pop Safer were singles but neither gained a...

Just Play Some Music

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Dislocation Dance - Music Music Music [ORG 15 UK 1981 24-Bit FLAC] Manchester 1981, Youth opportunities .....Dislocation Dance released their first full length album on the New Hormones label. Punk meets funk, it also does jazz, swing and lounge, there was no other band like Dislocation Dance, a band who took steps away from their post-punk roots and found a newer beat. More diverse than Sextet , this is an album from the same era, oozing a new cool all over the turntable.  Ripped from an original New Hormones pressing. Enjoy. A1 Stand Me Up A2 Don't Knock Me Down A3 YOPS Course A4 Meeting Mum And Dad A5 Friendship A6 Take A Chance (On Romance)... A7 ...Have A Chance B1 Roof Is Leaking B2 With A Smile On Your Face And A Frown In Your Heart B3 Vendetta (Theme) B4 Narrow Laughs B5 Footloose B6 Can't Race Time... And The Mad Killer (Coda) B7 Wonder What I'll Do Tomorrow

Biting My Lip

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Biting Tongues - Don't Heal [SITU 1 UK 1981 24-Bit FLAC] Here's an old ESWA rip from December 2016 for those who may have missed it first time around... Biting Tongues were one the most misunderstood of Manchester's post-punk bands and probably, as a result one of the least successful. The bands original quirky punk-jazz overtones and poetic lyrical ramblings had a limited following and their first albums had a very small audience. Listening to this work nearly 30 years after their first recordings, you quickly pick up on the power and intensity of Biting Tongues music, and with a more discerning ear, you realise how important they should have been. The early Tongues struck a post-Beefheart funk groove laid over with Ken Hollings poetic and manic meanderings. The first album, 1981's Don't Heal was recorded in two short sessions, played straight through without a break between tracks. Random tapes were left running throughout both sessions, their ...

Pay Your Rates!

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The Fall - Grotesque (After The Gramme) [ROUGH 18 UK 1980 24-Bit FLAC] Any album containing Pay Your Rates , Container Drivers , The North Will Rise Again and the very apt A New Face In Hell should possibly be considered a classic? Discuss. A1 Pay Your Rates A2 English Scheme A3 New Face In Hell A4 C'n'C-S Mithering A5 The Container Drivers B1 Impression Of J. Temperance B2 In The Park B3 W.M.C. - Blob 59 B4 Gramme Friday B5 The N.W.R.A.

Hick Wap Huh?

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The Fall - The Man Whose Head Expanded [RT 133 UK 1983 24-Bit FLAC] A worthy re-rip of a classic Fall single in 24-bits. You'd guess from the cover that Smith has written about himself? Was it the powders, pills & potions, was it the new found fame, or was it the fact he had just married Brix? I dunno. The Man Whose Head Expanded is one of their finest moments, and a high that they were never to achieve again in my opinion. Sounds like a load of hick wap huh? A1 The Man Whose Head Expanded 4:21 B1 Ludd Gang

The Shape Of Things To Come

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The Headboys - The Shape Of Things To Come [7" RSO 40 UK 1979 24-Bit FLAC] New Wave/Power-Pop from Edinburgh (or is it Dundee?) in Scotland. They were originally called Badger, but soon wisely decided to change their name to The Headboys. Despite several attempts between 1979 and 1982, they only managed to chart once with the single The Shape Of Things To Come reaching a the dizzy heights of no.45 in the UK charts on 14th October 1979. A1 The Shape Of Things To Come B1 The Mood I'm In

Fears & Tears

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Graduate - Ambition [7" PAR 111 UK 1980 24-Bit FLAC] Back when they were mods, Roland & Curt polished their power-pop chops before wanting to rule the world! Another gem from the penguinflight archives. Enjoy. A1 Ambition B1 Bad Dreams

Tokoloshe Man

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John Kongos - Tokoloshe Man [7" BUG 14 UK 1971 24-Bit FLAC] The consequences of a fun-filled morning flicking through a box of singles from the penguinflight archive! Enjoy, especially you Happy Mondays fans. A1 Tokoloshe Man B1 Can Someone Please Direct Me Back To Earth

Two Flags On The Roof

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Andy White - Rave On Andy White [FLP 100 UK 1986 24-Bit FLAC] Belfast boy Andy White has released about fifteen albums since his first, Rave On in 1986. Most will never have heard his work, however his d ylanesque and  morrisonesque (that's Van of course) influences are evident with his music emphasised by his Northern Irish roots during troubled times for the province. Expect ten beautifully crafted songs blending folk and blues, tinged with indie-rock, no more so than on his catchy Vision Of You,  his Celtic gem Reality Row and the angrily honest  Religious Persuasion . Enjoy! A1 The Soldier's Sash A2 Vision Of You A3 Reality Row A4 I Will Wait A5 Things Start To Unwind B1 Religious Persuasion B2 Tuesday Apocalypse #13 B3 Rembrandt Hat B4 The Walking Wounded B5 The Big Rain

Extricated!

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The Fall - Extricate [LP 842 204-1 UK 1990 24-Bit FLAC] The Fall's twelfth album, courtesy of penguinflight 's boxes of vinyl delights, Extricate is the first post-Brix, also it is their most varied and accessible featuring collaborations with Coldcut and Adrian Sherwood. It also marked the return of Martin Bramah to The Fall. Whilst I remain sceptical about the need to work with Coldcut on their funky  Telephone Thing , it is the wonderful The Smiths parody Bill Is Dead which sticks out above other quality tracks such as I'm Frank , the madchester beat of Black Monk Theme Part I and Popcorn Double Feature. Of the remainder, The Littlest Rebel is classic Fall revisited with the aid of Adrian Sherwood. Among all those albums to date (I've lost count), Extricate is simply The Fall at their most polished. A1 Sing! Harpy A2 I'm Frank A3 Bill Is Dead A4 Black Monk Theme Part I A5 Popcorn Double Feature B1 Telephone Thing B2 Hilary B3 Chicago, Now! ...

An Industrious Estate

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The Fall ‎- Live At The Witch Trials [SFLP 1 UK 1979 24-Bit FLAC] I had begun to rip my Fall vinyl albums at the start of 2018 in preparation for a sporadic run of posts on ESWA 2.0. It was there that I posted this rip the day after Mark E. Smith's passing. Whilst he was never a personal hero, maybe he was an icon, maybe he was just a poet who didn't get on with anybody. I am not going to linger on with a eulogy, I will leave that to the press and social media, but I will say that I stopped buying Fall records after ... Kurious Orange , I only ever saw them live once (Manchester Hacienda in 1984) and met him once - in a car park at Luton Airport in the nineties where he seemed lost (I don't think he drove) but he seemed humbled that somebody recognised him and then offered to help him get to the terminal. Ripped hear to high resolution flac from a noisy original pressing of The Fall's debut long player. A1 Frightened A2 Crap Rap 2 / Like To Blow A3 Rebell...

Open Mike Night

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Cowboy Junkies - The Trinity Session  [COOK 11 UK 1988 24-Bit FLAC] From an original UK pressing released on quality British label, Cooking Vinyl Records, released elsewhere on RCA Records. The Trinity Session  was captured live at the Church of the Holy Trinity in Toronto on November 27th 1987 using only a Calrec Ambisonic microphone. Likely one of the most atmospheric albums every captured live without a paying audience, you can hear the superb acoustics with what appears to be a little over emphasis in the left channel, even after a little balancing out of the RMS, the ambiance seems a little more pronounced.  A1 Mining For Gold A2 Misguided Angel A3 I Don't Get It A4 I'm So Lonesome I Could Cry A5 To Love Is To Bury B1 200 More Miles B2 Dreaming My Dreams With You B3 Sweet Jane B4 Postcard Blues B5 Walking After Midnight

Voxish

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The Fall ‎- Perverted By Language [ROUGH 62 UK 1983 24-Bit FLAC] My favourite Fall album by some distance ripped from an original 1983 pressing on Rough Trade, likely something to do with Eat Y'Self Fitter which a young Blogmeister and chums could be heard reciting word for word through the streets of Manchester after late night drinking sessions. This album also sees the introduction of Brix Smith who gets to lead the vocals on the weakest track, Hotel Blöedel . Stand outs will always be Smile and I Feel Voxish . A1 Eat Y'self Fitter A2 Neighbourhood Of Infinity A3 Garden A4 Hotel Blöedel B1 Smile B2 I Feel Voxish B3 Tempo House B4 Hexen Definitive / Strife Knot