Nobody Loves You More

Here's one to file in the Albums I Missed In 2024 file- Kim Deal's solo album Nobody Loves You More. There's lots to love about Kim Deal- her past playing bass and writing songs in Pixies, The Breeders and The Amps, her Mid- West/ ciggie smoking voice and her all round coolness. On Nobody Loves You More she takes all of this, her alt rock/ indie songs and adds some slightly unexpected flavours, including string arrangements, a horn section and bossa nova. I read some reviews back in November when it was released but didn't go any further and when I stumbled across the title track last week I suddenly realised what I'd missed...

Nobody Loves You More

What a lovely song that is. The eleven songs on the album veer lyrically from reflections on her mother's Alzheimer's to the actor Rose Byrne to on Coast, a song written when deep in addiction issues and wishing she could enjoy the simple outdoors joy that the surfers she was watching were having. This song, Big Ben Beat, is more in the vein of some of her former bands...

Playing catch up with the album means that I've had the full eleven songs to digest in one go, a wonderful set of songs with Kim joined at various points by Kelley Deal, Steve Albini (who produced eight of the songs), Raymond McGinley from Teenage Fanclub, two of Savages (Fay Milton and Ayse Hassan) and Raconteur Jack Lawrence. 

Special One

A list of records that I love out of all proportion to their importance or impact would include Special One by Ultra Vivid Scene, a single from the New York band's second album (released in 1990 so nothing to do with the self- proclaimed special one Jose Mourinho). Ultra Vivid Scene were largely the work of one man, Kurt Ralske, who made two albums for 4AD, both packed with alternative guitar songs, Velvets inspired melodies and Mary Chain style drums and bass. Special One is a brilliant little song, instantly bringing Vox teardrop guitars, valve amps and wraparound sunglasses to mind and has Kim Deal on backing vox singing the 'how do you think it feels?' line.

Special One

The Special One single was a four track e.p. Of the three B-sides this is the best, a slow crawl through the streets at dawn.

Lightning (72 BPM/4 A.M.)

Nothing really happened for Ultra Vivid Scene. Apparently they played some gigs in London to support the second album, Joy 1967- 1990, that were terrible, 4AD's staff begging the room full of journalists not to review them. The first self titled album still gets played round here from time to time as does Joy 1967- 1990. There was a third in 1992 called Rev which I've never heard.

Pick Three Words

Kurt Ralske's Ultra Vivid Scene were another band much loved by the now defunkt Melody Maker. Taking the usual Velvets and Mary Chain influences they made buzzy, melodic, two chord, American indie-pop, and as they were signed to 4AD, had beautiful sleeves. This is Special One from 1990, recorded with Pixies Kim Deal. One of those bands who you suspect picked three random words from the dictionary for their name- or was that Ocean Colour Scene?

Special One.mp3