Adds for March 20, 2001

12" / ADULT / New Phonies / Clone Records

Adult have a sound blending Chicks On Speed and Ladytron in equal parts. That SHOULD make them sound pretty great, and in fact, it does. This 12" is on the Netherlands label Clone Records, unlike most other Adult releases, which are on the band's own Detroit label, Ersatz Audio. There are 4 songs on this 12", 3 of which I really like. "New Objects", "Don't Talk" and "Hand to Phone" all deal with cellular phones. Each have really slick electro beats and cold anesthetized female vocals that jump like an electric shock. There's nothing really wrong with the instrumental "Your Lies". It just doesn't grab me the way the other three do.
Faves: A1, A2, B1
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CD / various / FILA BRAZILIA Another Late Night / Treacle/Azuli

This is not a new Fila Brazilia CD, this is a compilation of songs chosen by them and released under their name. I like this CD a lot as a complete listen. To choose single cuts to play on the radio, my fave track is Mr. Scruff's "Get A Move On" (#5). It reminds me of Jacknife Lee's "I Tawt I Taw a Puddyfoot" from the Pussytoons compilation. "Get A Move On" samples a 1930's song and adds beats and samples to it that make it 'move'. I also like the reggae song "Bucket Bottom" by Prince Alla. Though I don't normally like rap, Infesticons "Hero Theme" (#3) sounds pretty neat as well. Marvin Gaye's instrumental "T Plays It Cool" (#6) is just that. You know, I could go on song by song and say why I like each one. I'll stick to saying that the Mr. Scruff song is my fave, and let the label tell their version of the story: From the Azuli website - "Azuli, in collaboration with Treacle, launch a new album series 'Another Late Night', a new brand of albums from the 'Back To Mine' team, based around the compilers' musical inspirations and their favourite records to unwind to. The first release comes from leftfield pioneers Fila Brazilia, who have provided an astounding mix which fully represents the melting pot of styles that has made their sound so unique. With eight critically acclaimed albums of their own to draw reference from, the guys take us on a guided tour of their record collection, from classic reggae to Bach inspired gems and back again. . .twice. Opening with the strangely ethereal Persuaders Theme by John Barry, the eclectic mix goes from strength to strength, taking in Marvin Gaye, the Beta Band, David Homes, Mr. Scruff, Kelis and Bryan Eno along the way. With this mix CD being the only new material from Fila Brazillia for the first six months of the year, it serves as a perfect reminder that they where groundbreaking when Air were still at school.
Faves: 4,5
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CD / THE HAPPY BALLOON / The Fine Art Of Ballooning / Siesta

This is the first disc by The Happy Balloon. Prior to this they appeared on the Siesta comp 'Sombrero' with "Frightened Little Girl", a song that is not on 'The Fine Art Of Ballooning'. Their sound is a lot like PreFab Sprout. You can hear the resemblance strongest on "Always You" (#9), one of my three faves. I also like the first song "Temma Harbour" and the cover they do of the Harmony Grass song "I Think Of You" (#3). "I Think Of You" was written by Tony Rivers in 1969 after Tony Rivers & The Castaways enamed themselves Harmony Grass. Harmony Grass had many fine songs which you can hear on the RPM CD 'The Tony Rivers Collection Volume 2: Harmony Grass'. The Happy Balloon also cover Lovin' Spoonful's "You Didn't Have to Be so Nice" (#8), changing it a lot more than Sportique did in their cover a few years back. "Happy" (#7) sounds like the easypop 70's song "Come Saturday Morning" by The Sandpipers.
Faves: 1,3,9
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CD / LIFE WITHOUT BUILDINGS / Any Other City / Tugboat

Life Without Buildings are a band from Glasgow with a vocalist that sounds a lot like Claire Grogan from the 1979 Scottish band Altered Images. 'Any Other City is their first LP. Tracks include new versions of "The Leanover," "Young Offenders," and "New Town" from the first 3 singles plus 7 new tracks. I've read many contrasting reviews of this bands sound. Some people think they are very happening and some think the vocalist's voice is absolutely grating. I can see both points. some of the songs I really don't like, and some I think are pretty great in a Raincoats/Kleenex kind of way. Initially I was attracted to them by the Gang Of Four comparisons I had read. I added their "Is Is and the IRS" CD5 in the August 15 2000 gullbuy . The original version of "Let's Get Out" is on that disc. I've included real audio links to minute samples of my favorite songs (from the bands website). "Let's Get Out" (#2), "Juno" (#3), "Young Offenders" (#5), "14 Days" (#8), and "Sorrow" (#10).
Faves: 2,3,5,8,10
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CD / BLO / Phases 1972 - 1982 / AfroStrut

This CD covers 10 years of afrobeat by a band that few outside of Africa or their native Nigeria knew about before now. Blo formed in late 1972. They developed their music on tour before they recorded their first album in 1973. They went through a "trippy" stage on their first record 'Chapter 1', a funkier style on their second, then into a frenzied funky disco period. They are a trio who had toured with Cream's drummer Ginger Baker with the band 'Salt' he formed in Lagos. Blo say in the liner notes here that they were listening to a lot of Grand Funk Railroad and The Isley Brothers. I can definitely hear that in here! My fave tracks are from the earlier period with one exception - "Trance Of Suicide" (#9) is a great tune. Some of their early stuff like "Miss Sagit" (#2) reminds me of "Dark Star"-era Grateful Dead. The first song on this disc "Preacher Man" is my favorite track. It has a strong simple bass line that is recorded like Sam Gopal or The Damned's "Neat Neat Neat". The song they named after themselves "Blo" (#4) has the most Grand Funk sound to it, particularly in the Mark Farner-esque vocals. "It's Gonna Be A Good Day" (#5) is probably my second fave song. The clipped funky guitar is like a mix of Jerry Garcia and The Isley Brothers, and the song is really bright and bouncy.
Faves: 1,4,5,9
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CD / various / EDUCACION Y DESCANSO / Siesta

The sequel to the 'Sol y Sombra' CD which was Siesta's 100th release last year. Like it's predecessor, this disc was produced by Ramon Leal and Mateo Guiscafre. Ramon has 3 other CD's on Siesta: 'Ramon Leal & Beatrice Binotti: Bossanova 1999', 'Real Carioca: Anos Dorado', and 'Ramon Leal: Clube da Chave'. All his discs (like this one) are very traditional sounding bossanova. Mateo is the person who runs Siesta Records. For me the highlights of this CD are the 2 songs by C de Constancia (#'s 2 & 10), Delia Caprice's "Who Needs You" (#5), Bel Divioleta's "Un Garcon et une Fille" (#9), and Rita Calypso's cover of Lulu's "To Sir, With Love" (#7). C de Constancia is the same woman who has recorded with her ex-husband Momus as Milky, and more recently has put out a CD as Maria Napoleon. Her song "Agony" (#10) is my favorite song on the CD and one of the few songs not sung in Spanish. Her other song "El Futuro" (#2) has her singing in Spanish, but enunciating as if she does not speak the language herself. The Lulu cover is performed very faithfully to the original. It is a strong clear production of that classic song. As such is sounds great even though it doesn't add anything new. Delia Caprice's song is a duet with Ramon Leal that is sung in her heavily accented English. It is a very soothing and romantic Astrud Gilberto-styled bossa number that even has strings.
Faves: 2,5,7,9,10
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CD / EU / Reframing / Pause_2

EU are a duo from St. Petersburg Russia that, along with Fizzarum and t.a.n.d.e.m., are bringing some new electronic sounds to us. Their name stands for Elochnye Igrushki, which translates to "Christmas Bauble", or more colloquially, Christmas Bulb. In the Dec./Jan issue, Sleazenation calls EU "the sound off Add N To X gone introspective". They are Alexander (Sacha) Zaitgev and Ilyu Baramiya. They say that they have listened to everything they could get their hands on, including Warp and Ninja Tune, Coil, Einsturzende Neubauten, and Sonic Youth. They use Western synths and computers and old Russian synthesizers, bits from the 60s and 70s. The Russian synthesizer kit often goes for next to nothing in Russia's flea markets and junk sales. "It has a different sound. You can build sounds that don't remind you of anything you've heard before".
Faves: 2,5
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CD / GANDALF / See For Miles

Gandalf are a psychedelic band from NYC that released one LP and 7" on Capitol Records in 1969 then disappeared from view never to be heard from again, shrouded in mystery to this day. I was first pointed to them as a band having a sound which the Clientele have modernized. I can see the comparison in the soft tone and the reverb feel of the tunes. To me Gandalf are better than The Clientele because of 3 songs on this disc that I completely love. "Hang On to A Dream" (#2) starts with a riff lifted directly from Grand Funk Railroad's "Heartbreaker", a cut on their 'On Time' LP. Actually it was probably a case of parallel evolution, as both bands shared the same timeframe. The chorus of "Hang On to A Dream" sounds like Peter Holsapple singing with the dB's. The combination, with Gandalf's unique tint on the whole affair is amazing, especially considering that Gandalf recorded this long before the dB's ever even left their parents house and met. "Never Too Far" (#3) rocks like prime Arthur Lee with Love. It packs all the ideas a song needs into it's short 1:55 length. Great vocals and guitar work. The best song on the disc is "Can You Travel In the Dark Alone" (#6). It has a really cool guitar riff right after the vocalist sings the chorus. The last time it happens there is a completely psychedelic organ solo that Richard Wright (Pink Floyd) might have created in their Ummagumma LP. Worth a mention for the curiosity factor alone are the Bing Crosby cover ("Golden Earrings") and the Harry Belafonte cover ("Scarlet Ribbons"). In fact only 2 of the songs are originals. Sadly, one of them is the song I like best, "Can You Travel In the Dark Alone". Sad, because you can only wonder what a record of
originals might have sounded like.
Faves: 2,3,6
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7" / LADYTRON / "The Way That I Found You" b-w "Holiday 601" / Invicta Hi-Fi

The reason you need this 7" is for the B-side, the non-LP cut "Holiday 601". It is a nifty song with lyrics sung in Bulgarian. It sounds better than a tossed off B-side. It sounds better than many of the tracks on Ladytron's '604' LP to my ears. The CD version of this single has one additional track, but it is the song "Miss Black", which Ladytron fans already have on the Bambini CD 'Miss Black and Her Friends'. I like both songs on this 7", but my fave is clearly the song that's unique to this single.
Fave: B
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