Spring 2000

GO TO: Blondie GO TO: Bowery Electric GO TO: Broadcast

GO TO: Buzzcocks GO TO: Comet Gain

GO TO : The Cure GO TO: Darling GO TO: Day One

GO TO: The Divine Styler GO TO: Doves

GO TO: Echoboy GO TO: Geneva GO TO: Groop Dogdrill

GO TO: Half Man Half Biscuit GO TO: Andreas Johnson

GO TO: Jon Spencer GO TO: Mojave 3 GO TO: Oasis

GO TO: Pan American GO TO: Rachel Stamp

GO TO: Raissa GO TO: Recoil GO TO: Irmin Schmidt

GO TO: Michael J. Sheehy GO TO: Six By Seven

GO TO: Soulwax GO TO: Subcircus GO TO: YY28s

GO TO: Various VARIOUS

And with regards to the scoring system – the more Gizmos a band

are awarded the better, the more Gremlins, the more …bobbins.

But you can only have a maximum of three each. Awight?

BLONDIE - ‘LIVID’ ( Beyond Music / Leftbank Records )

Well it’s Blondie ( ice-cool vocals, kittenish charms, cracking tunes ), doing a selection of their greatest hits ( ‘Atomic’, ‘Heart Of Glass’, ‘One Way Or Another’ ) to a live crowd ( with the occasional look-their-human wobble, and stage-to-audience-and-back-again infectious energy and rampant enthusiasm ). And it’s got The ( / any ) Bitch’s purring mantra of ‘Rip Her To Shreds’ on it. Ra.

BOWERY ELECTRIC - ‘LUSHLIFE’ ( Beggars Banquet )

The soundtrack to your dreams, all soothing vocals and shy swirling grooves. It pulsates like a jellyfish, trying to wrap itself around you. Bowery Electric are elfin devils with the power to enchant and delight, while ever-dancing away from my grasping adjectives. This album I adore, but I can’t find the words for why, so instead I will simply recommend it to you, as it is as though aural Benylin for the troubled of mind.

BROADCAST - ‘THE NOISE MADE BY PEOPLE’

( Warp Records )

Warp Records artist? Evocative instrumentals, soothing honey vocals, inventive use of instrumentation, check check check. Painting pictures with notes as well as words in a manner worthy of Stereolab, Broadcast are the band that theaudience could never quite aspire to be. And John Peel loves ‘em. Thumbs up all round, really.

BUZZCOCKS - ‘TIME’S UP’ - ( Mute Records )

Pertinent reissue of their seminal debut, ‘Time’s Up’ features scabrous three-minute punk classics from my babyhood years, a twenty-eight page scrapbook of a CD sleeve ( partially penned by Greil Marcus, the official scribe of punk ), and rare footage of the band’s first gig if you utilise your PC-power. Recorded live in one afternoon in October of 1976 – and costing about £45, apparently – the immediacy and impactive rawness of this record is instantly striking, as is the quality of the songs. Some punk records weren’t just about making a clattering mess onstage because you couldn’t play, ya know… If nothing else, this one’ll have you substituting the word ‘orgasm-addict’ for ‘wanker’ in polite society…

COMET GAIN - ‘TIGERTOWN PICTURES’

( Where It’s At Recordings )

And now for the Stridently Indie section… Comet Gain are neither over-produced, (mass-) market orientated, nor relentlessly shiny happy people. Splitting the vocal duties twixt two sexes without once slipping into the Carey-tastic chat-show duet, their songs appear a fiendishly accomplished multi-layered confection, which refuse to be left unattended in any one genre. Consequently, ‘Tigertown Pictures’ features hand-clap riddled candyfloss songs worthy of an all-girl group from the late Fifties, quiet ‘n’ gentle acoustic numbers in a Belle and Sebastian vein, and then the riotous rambunction of Jon Spencer or The Fall. To which we say Hurrah! don’t we, boys and girls?

THE CURE - ‘BLOODFLOWERS’ ( Fiction Records )

The voice, the face, the hair, they’re all constants. And thus the man who saved the world from Mecha-Streisand ( see ‘South Park’ for further details ) is back with his 13^th studio album. So let’s throw some adjectives at it. Introspective, poppy, mellifluous. As well as quiet, subtle, and slinky. ( Which essentially makes it the record equivalent of Willow from ‘Buffy’. Heh-heh. ) Post-maturity Cure are beyond expectations now, they have their own knowing grace to settle back into. And the gentle swoon of ‘Bloodflowers’ will be an insidious little grower on all who find it.

DARLING - ‘INITIATION’ ( Disco Volante )

Technically accomplished, aurally moving, sonically cheerful. Darling make impish usage of Placebo-esque guitar lines, and Belly-esque vocals. For ultimate success, however, this record deserves to be American and released about seven years ago. Post-Garbage, we are hungry for more than this provides.

DAY ONE - ‘ORDINARY MAN’ - ( Melankolic / Virgin )

Searing out of Bristol with a pocketful of poetry, Day One are our answer to America’s Eels. Astute, funny, wise, honest and oh-so sweet, you can’t help but think that this album was mostly recorded with pooched-out lips and big puppy-dog eyes, such is the beguiling slight-sadness behind the vocals. Effortlessly British, with sharp vignettes about love on the dole and insensitive rejection of which Jarvis would be proud, for this beautifully cuddlesome record Day One are now my shining new hopes for this year. Luvverly.

DIVINE STYLER - ‘WORD POWER 2’ ( Mowax )

Comin’ atcha like a beam, like a ray, like a goose caught in the rafters of a barn in Shropshire… this is dextrous hippety-hop from a Brooklyn bad boy, out to wow you with his wordplay and ever-maturing genius. Catch the yeast, smell the dream, yeah…

DOVES - ‘LOST SOULS’ ( Heavenly Recordings )

I got out of bed ( um, shivery tented sleeping-bag ) to see these peeps at last year’s Glastonbury. This album is a far more rewarding an experience. While still not crammed with attention-stealing zip-a-dee-doo-dah, it is buoyantly mellifluous, and makes for a most winsome soundtrack for bedroom-bound essay writing. In sound and spirit its probably closest to the Foo Fighters when they come over all slow ( though not on the quicker tracks because, hey, there don’t seem to be any ), and for a debut, it is quietly accomplished.

ECHOBOY - ‘VOLUME ONE’ ( Mute Records )

Another sonical landscape gardener, almost reluctant to use his voice if a harmonica or organ could stand in its place. Peaceful, resonant, and all-at-once reassuring, this is the sort of record you could imagine learning to fly with. And after plentiful listens, it becomes almost Mercury Rev-esque, in its building-block guitars and picture-painting vocals. And all this from a man ex of The Hybirds! Bring on Volume Two, my boy, the world is better for you in it to create our soundtrack.

GENEVA - ‘WEATHER UNDERGROUND’ ( Nude Records )

Geneva. Rockin’ indie types from Scotland whose lead singer has the voice of an angel. Yeah, them. Yet another band returned after a two-year leave of absence with a cracking swathe of new material to cuddle up to. ‘Weather Underground’ is very very good. That cannot be understated. The songs are no longer quite the sole-purpose vehicles for Andrew’s voice as perhaps they once were – now they weave around each other, complimenting and accentuating the other. Lyrical depth, musical beauty, and the occasional swooshing sound of a falling star…what more could a gal want…?

GROOP DOGDRILL - ‘EVERY SIX SECONDS’ ( Mantra Recordings )

Hoary hairy rock. Practised, stylised, competent. Definitely one for annoying your neighbours, family members and household pets with, the songs appear LOUD no matter the volume to which your stereo is set. Everything is BIG on this record, as though the songs themselves are on a body-building programme. So if a roaring Yorkshire rock group with more than a hint of Terrorvision ( circa-‘Oblivion’ ) to them are your kinda thang, practice your air-guitar, you’re your hair long, apologise to those you live with, and seek it out.

HALF MAN HALF BISCUIT - ‘TROUBLE OVER BRIDGWATER’

( Probe Plus )

Ah, the new ‘un from Half Man Half Biscuit. ( Like the Bloodhound Gang, but English, and with a greater tendency to be droll rather than just cuss. ) Utterly delightful, and not just because they will name a song ‘Look Dad No Tunes’. ( Ooooh no. ) These people will rhyme ‘cursed and sore like’ with ‘Thurston Moore-like’. They take hymns and folk songs and turn them into gleeful retribution rants against music fascists ( ‘Irk The Purists’ ) or seasonal ponderings ( ‘It’s Clichéd To Be Cynical At Christmas’ ). These people think ‘you probably work in an all-night garage… with Talk Radio on’ a damning insult, and would curse an enemy by wishing them caught in a ‘bottle-neck at Capel Curig.’ They will happily turn their roving satirical eye to the faux-disturbed rock-star, theramin-whores, and banal pounding house. AND there’s a song on here about a chap called Dai Young ( ‘the King of Welsh Goth’ ). Essentially, these folks are geniuses – and that’s not just cos they can write a really interesting song about gravel – because with their records, they take the piss, in a catchy way. And for that, we salute them.

Probe Plus, 11, Syndeham Ave, Liverpool, L17 3AV

ANDREAS JOHNSON - ‘LIEBLING’ ( WEA )

“Featuring ‘Glorious’”, proclaims the stickered cover. With that, and a rippled shadowy picture of the young boy’s face on the front, the question of the quality of the rest of the album is pushed from the minds of its buyers as swiftly as Buffy can floor her foes. But not to worry. There are no obvious flaws here that I can get my teeth into. ( Pity? ) ‘Liebling’ is like an eleven track ‘Glorious’ – all the tracks are bright and shiny and oh-so-polished, all slightly soaringly angelic and all spherical in their quality.

JON SPENCER BLUES EXPLOSION – ‘ORANGE’,

‘EXTRA WIDTH/MO’ WIDTH’, ‘EXPERIMENTAL REMIXES’

( Mute Records )

Mute have just re-released three of the Blues Explosion’s early albums. In honour of this, I have been sent copies. This is a good thing for me, because now I don’t have to buy them. This is a good thing, because the records are really very fine. Though I would not advise listening to the atonal and oh-so avant-garde ( the Divine David would be proud ) ‘Experimental Remixes’ if you want to relax ( or enjoy pleasant relations with your neighbours ). The Blues Explosion have the sex of Elvis, the megaphone snarl of Mark E. Smith, and the swinging class of John Lee Hooker. And if that isn’t reason enough for investment, ‘Orange’ comes with the bonus CD feature of PC-videos, and the ‘Extra Width’ album comes with the eleven track ‘Mo’ Width’ album, previously unavailable on our fair shores. Yum yum yum. Jon Spencer Blues Explosion wear very tight very shiny leather trousers. We like the Jon Spencer Blues Explosion. Oh yes. We do. Yum yum yum.

MOJAVE 3 - ‘EXCUSES FOR TRAVELLERS’ ( 4AD )

Mojave 3’s third album for 4AD, and an absolute darling it is too, all hush-hush filigree vocals and swooning guitar tangling together into soothing perfection. Lush hammock rock-a-bye music, for the sleepy slow-dancers among you.

OASIS - ‘STANDING ON THE SHOULDER OF GIANTS’

( Big Brother Recordings )

It never really rocks out, the songs are content to remain lazy and languid, and you find yourself humming along in spite of yourself. Prepare yourselves, world, but since we last met them Oasis have turned into…Travis. Seemingly lost are the days of rambunctious rock ‘n’ vitriolic roll; things have now taken a gentler turn, and we have only ( the constant of ) Liam’s sneer to remind us how it once was. And ‘Sunday Morning Call’ sounds exactly like Cat Stevens’ ‘Father and Son’. But it seems less self-conscious than their last effort, and is certainly less self-plagiaristic ( why recycle your own riffs when there are some of Jim Morrison’s out there ). Oasis may not have out-done themselves here – one or two of the songs at least deserve a rocket up ‘em – but it’s still a record they can be proud of.

PAN AMERICAN - ‘360 BUSINESS/360 BYPASS’

( Mute Records )

Lava-lamp music for elderly electric eels. Hymns of mute technology to cling to through the smog. Blinking heart-beat harmonies for transcendental day-dreams. Music of texture and colour, as well as sound.

RACHEL STAMP - ‘HYMNS FOR STRANGE CHILDREN’

( Cruisin’ Records )

Rachel Stamp are sluts for rock and roll. That’s why you need this. Rachel Stamp know the majestic secrets held by the power-chord, and the big fat bass-line. They will dress up for their art, and they will tart all over their records. They can pout purty, come over all girly, and yet at the same time ( to steal a phrase from ‘Wayne’s World’ ) they can really wail. Like Roxette with VD, like Vanessa Paradis shagging Stephen Hawking, they have a hard and soft beauty you are going to wanna play kiss-chase with. Just be careful they don’t spank you when they find you.

RAISSA - ‘BELIEVER’ ( Polydor )

Quality power-pop balladeering from Suede’s female vocalist of choice – this, Raissa’s string-riddled solo debut, is a trippy mellifluous honeycomb of a beast, which ought to if not breathe fresh air through the stodgy charts, then at least allow a little sunshine to shine upon them.

RECOIL - ‘LIQUID’ ( Mute Records )

Lazy thinking I know, but Recoil can’t help but remind me of ( t’other Mute artist ) Barry Adamson; they both loom at you with the spoken word, gently lascivious, which itches your skin as the faintly-menacing backing tries to soothe it. But Recoil come out to play with male and female winking lead vocals, Recoil can take an orchestral backing and turn the violins into an angry and all-pervasive swarm of killer bees, Recoil are too edgy to truly be able to relax with. ( And I’ve never had Barry Adamson manage to remind me of Tina Turner quite as one track here manages… ) Music with an IQ as well as a power-punch. Glorious.

IRMIN SCHMIDT - ‘GORMENGHAST’ ( Spoon Records )

A fantasy opera, by a former member of Can, based on a sprawling visionary epic trilogy? That has nothing to do with Jonathon Rhys-Meyers? But that is actually toe-tappingly good? Really?

MICHAEL J. SHEEHY - ‘SWEET BLUE GENE’

( Beggars Banquet )

Beautiful. Exquisite. Arresting. From the cooling ashes of the inestimably glorious Dream City Film Club there steps Michael, ex-lead-singer, now one-man band. Still with the pure voice of a spirit-sodden angel, still playing with the preoccupations of death, desperate love and drunken alienation, still able to make a record that can wrap around you like a thick folding light and gently kiss you to sleep. Overwhelmingly achingly gorgeous, you’re not going to hear a better record all year, and that is a promise to be sworn to. Beautiful.

SIX BY SEVEN - ‘THE CLOSER YOU GET’ ( Mantra )

Technically accomplished indie; guitars, strings, impassioned vocals. Love, junk, and vague nihilism form the key subjects of lyrical contemplation, but ooh baby I’m bored. Today I’m not in the mood for a record which vacillates between poodle-haired 80’s MOR rock, and run-of-the-mill Evening Session guitar. Tomorrow, I don’t think I will be in the mood either.

SOULWAX - ‘MUCH AGAINST EVERYONE’S ADVICE’

( Pias Recordings )

There does seem to be some sort of essential elixir when it comes to weaving together an extremely good record, something mysterious and intangible, which assures the music-makers of output of astonishing quality, but which also darts away from adjective-capture. This album is very very good, but I’m blowed if I know why. It’s not just the bounce wriggling through the songs, the thoughtful effort that belies their vinyl-junkie sleeve-art, or even the very faint echoes of the work of Babylon Zoo amidst the smooth pulsing guitar. Their recent rollicking outpourings, ‘Too Many DJ’s’ or ‘Conversation Intercom’ – seem to’ve set the tone for the album; there are no runts on this record, every song could merit single-release appreciation. Soulwax are, I am assured by those in the know, ‘telepathic sibling alchemists’. I’d just call ‘em pretty darn matchless.

SUBCIRCUS - ‘ARE YOU RECEIVING?’ ( Echo )

“We’re the radio, you’re the audience”, says singer Peter, of their album title. “Hopefully people will use it and embrace us. ( grins ) As everybody should.” Oh yes. Everybody should. Subcircus’ second album will zing its snuggly way straight into your heart, the word SEXY stamped all over in fiery capitals. Vocals that drip around you like hot wax, slinky snaking guitar – all of it a gently lascivious tangle of rock ‘n’ roll perfection. Songs about love, dangerous driving, and how mean boys can be ( yes, natural cruelty does appear innate in some ), and every one a classic. Since ‘Carousel’, the songs have developed more natural bounce, and with their new-found lyrical acuity, there is less of the elliptical metaphors and wanton obtuse-ness which perplexed some in the past. Added to which there are one or two threaded-through references from their debut ( yes I’ll kiss the naked lunatic, thankyou for asking ), and you have a Gold Disc waiting to happen. The ever-bouncy ‘Do You Feel Loved?’ will have you dancing like a chorus girl, ‘For Those Who Cannot Weep’ will make ya wanna rent a car and go speeding through Nevada with the top down, and ‘Man Of The Year’ has me doing Jagger-esque bottom-out hand-claps, and wishing for a monitor to balance one foot on. And it’s not just me, you know. My house-mates are converted too. ‘Write that they make very emotional music that you can’t help but fall for’, I’m vigorously instructed. So now I have. You have been told too.

YOUNGER YOUNGER 28’s - ‘SOAP’ ( V2 )

In the centre of the album sleeve, in flat black and white, there’s a scaled and neatly labelled town-map, which plots the layout of the record itself. A small-town centre, as seen from an all-encompassing above. Arrows point to the tower-block flat of the ‘teenage mum’, to a ‘second hand Capri’, to the ‘Off Licence ( serves under 18’s )’; in ‘suburbia’ the arrows intersect all the house in a tangle of ‘wife swapping’. There are no subjective comments, just titbit story-telling. It’s as though the entire essence of the viciously poptastic and exuberantly buoyant record has been distilled into two small pages. With this band, Joe Northern wanted to marry Joy Division’s lyrical bite with Aqua’s musical punch. I still reckon it sounds more like Bucks Fizz doing Pulp, but still. A debut to be saluted.

VARIOUS, AS MIXED BY THE MIDFIELD GENERAL

‘ON THE FLOOR AT THE BOUTIQUE’ ( Skint )

Right. It’s on Skint, it’s mixed by the Midfield General, and it features a rampant selection of tunes of the ilk you are likely to be met with from the speakers in a Big Beat Boutique. If that triumverate of power doesn’t tickle your fancy then – hey! – this record’s probably not for you…

VARIOUS - ‘RANDALL AND HOPKIRK ( DECEASED )’ SOUNDTRACK ( Universal/Island )

It plays like an episode of Joolz Holland this, quietly self-conscious but with something for everyone. We’ve got indie, dance, and the token world music tracks; James, The Charlatans, The Beta Band, plus Basement Jaxx, The Orb and Talvin Singh. Only a couple of the songs on here have been specially recorded for the programme – one swooning Gay Dad piece, the snazzy little Pulp number, and that lil Ms Cardigans theme-song – but mostly it’s just a Spring Into Indie Compilation of an appreciable standard which stands out from the rest because it’s got Vic ‘n’ Bob on the cover.

VARIOUS - ‘TOTALLY WIRED: SERIES 2, VOLUME 1’

( Acid Jazz )

Ooh, just loook at the freakin’ funkin’ beats you have lurking for you – think of this as a record shaped Easter Egg substitute from Acid Jazz Recordings. Whose label-name best describes the fourteen songs contained herein; this compilation veers through breakbeat, disco, lounge-core, funk, hip-hop, and out ‘n’ out pop, this label signings from the Seventies right up to the present week. Which means, essentially, unashamed use of a wa-wah pedal, and then copious beats, loops, and samples to Spaghetti Junction all around you. Oh, and the James Taylor Quartet’s theme from Austin Powers is on here too. ( So I suppose it has to be said… ) Groovy baby.