March 9,1999
2xLP / VARIOUS / Nings & Roundabouts / Fierce Panda
Double record compilation which runs chronologically from Ning 06 to Ning 28 in the Fierce Panda catalog. There are 20 songs. Some of the artists are Babybird, Scarfo, Placebo, Bis, Dweeb, Chest, Formula One, The Pecadiloes, and Further, along with many others. Many of the other songs are Brit-pop in style, and all are basically guitar pop.
CD / LO-HI / …Kind Of Like A Feel Good Thing / Sympathy For The Record Industry
This is a side profect of Martin Owens of Boss Hog. Lo-Hi is Martin on drums, and Hollis Queens on guitar and vocals. She sings like the vocalist in Gilded Lil (kind of like Janis Joplin), and the songs are pretty good too. It sounds like Free Kitten if Julie Kafritz was accompanied by Pumpkin Wentzel of Guvner instead of Kim Gordon. The best song is called "The Book". There's an asterix by the title on the sleeve leading to a footnote below saying "The song most people like", so I guess I'm not along in choosing that song as the strongest..
LP / MODERN LOVERS / The Original / Bomp
This LP has sessions which Kim Fowley recorded in 1973, all good studio quality recordings. On these sessions the band included Jerry Harrison (who joined Talking Heads), Ernie Brook (who was in NYC's The Necessary's), and Dave Robinson (who joined The Cars). There are 2 versions of Roadrunner on this. On 'Roadrunner #2' Mars Bonfire (who wrote "Born to be Wild") plays guitar. 'Walk up the Street' and 'She Cracked' are worth the price of the LP alone.
one-sided 12" / GIRLBOY-GIRL / Veritablement Pop / Blackbean and Placenta
7 tracks from Bristol band with two jangly guitars,and male/female vocals. They also have a 7" on Paris label Orgasm Records with 4 songs not on this record. My favorite songs are 'Unfamiliar' and 'Song'.
12" / THE BLUE ONTARIO / New Frequencies ep / The Best Sex I Ever Had
Produced by Apples in Stereo's Robert Schneider at his Pet Sounds studio. The A-side has 2 songs with lots of vocals that are psyche-space rock with structure and drive. The B-side has three techno-ish remixes by Sundog, Christian Rolla, and Chapter 23. The 12" is clear vinyl, and it comes in a clear sleeve. The Christian Rolla mix of "Lost Astronaut" would sound right in place on Brian Lumaig's Industrial Factory show (Sundays 8-10PM), sounding like something which might have appeared on Mark Stewart's 'Control Data' CD. The Chapter 23 mix of "Permanent Wave" would sound right on Arthur's Librium Detox show (Tuesdays 10PM-12AM) with its single note shimmering drone.
10" / THE CHUBBIES / Your Favorite Everything / Sympathy For The Record Industry
The Chubbies are Jeanette (guitar and vox) and Christene (drums and vox) from Nebo IL, accompanied by 2 members of the Subteens. The vinyl is Capri Blue with white streaks, not that the color should make a difference, but it is pretty! The sound is straight up female vocal 4/4 rock. My favorite song out of the six is 'Suburban Rock Dolls'.
7" / DANIEL JOHNSTON / "Dream Scream" b-w "Funeral Girl" / Pickled Egg
This is the first new stuff he's released in 4 years. Pickled Egg is a great new label who have put out some great stuff by Freed Unit, L'Augmentation, Pop-Off Tuesday, as well as releasing the Evolution Control committee single "Whipped Cream Mixes" in the UK. We loved that single when it came out here in the US on the label Eerie Materials. You'll remember that in "Whipped Cream Mix" they made a Chuck D Public Enemy rap fit perfectly into a Herp Alpert song, to amazing effect. Find out more about Daniel here. Read the section called "Who is Daniel Johnston". These sites contain lots of Daniel's art that you can set as wallpaper on your desktop. On this single, 'Dream Scream' is a stark piano song with Daniel's distinctive vocals. 'Funeral Girl' cooks at the end into a busy song with saxes, organ, electric guitar and drums after a quiet piano and vocal first 2/3 during which you can hear crickets chirping,.
7" / THE BOYS / "Sick On You" b-w "Soda Pressing" / Vinyl Japan
The A-sides of 2 different 1977 singles are together on this brand new release. The Boys had the sound and aesthetic that inspired 1979 Boston bands La Peste and The Real Kids. They were from London. Vinyl Japan is putting out a BBC sessions CD by The Boys later this year. The 2 songs on this 7" are really great, and don't sound dated or dull at all.
