gullbuy music review

October 5, 1999

Simultaneous Ice Cream

title

Simultaneous Ice Cream

label

Siesta

format
various artists CD

Simultaneous Ice CreamSimultaneous Ice Cream is the follow up to the amazing 'Algebra Spaghetti' compilation, once again produced by Richard Preston & Louis Philippe . The magic on these songs is right there for you to touch and hear. This is that good. The first song 'Mrs. Bluebird' sounds like The Free Design led in a Baaa-Ba-Ba-Bah-Ba march, batons and all! And the lyrics... Lollipop Train have 3 songs ('Teenage Trifle', 'Porpoise Song', and 'Fun Food Factory'). The first and third of these sound like Huggy Bear as members of The Partridge Family. They are that incredible. Teenage Trifle with it's "what do you like" male voice answered by her outrageous comments is the most distinctive song since Elektrostar's 'The Future Was Yesterday' from the RO 3003 compilation which came out in 1997 on Bungalow Records.

---Carl, Oct.5 1999

Add N to (X)

title

Revenge Of The Black Regent

label

Mute

format
CD5

Add N to (X) This CDEP has what most feel is the best song from the Avante Hard LP, plus 3 new (mostly instrumental) songs of high caliper, and the disc can be put into your PC or Mac to view the animated video for 'Metal Fingers In My Body', which is visually compelling in the extreme.

---Carl, Oct.5 1999

Arab Strap

title

Cherubs

label

Go Beat

format
CD5

Arab Strap When Arab Strap released the 'Mad For Sadness' live record this summer it was thought to be a one-off for Go Beat, as Arab Strap were happily signed to Chemikal underground, the label run by Emma of The Delgados in their hometown Glasgow. 'Cherubs' is the first studio release on thier new label, from their brand new 'Elephant Shoes' CD. I do not know if Matador will be putting out that record here in the States. Go Beat are notorious as a tough label - their records come to the US at very high prices, and even Fridge has not had a US release yet with their excellent EPH disc. Their are 4 new songs on this CDEP, 3 of them unique to this single. The title song has a techno-ish beat that we've never heard from The 'Strap before.

---Carl, Oct.5 1999

Echoboy

title

Frances Say; The Knife Is Alive

label

Mute

format
2x10inch

EchoboyAnother clever package with music sharp enough inside to match it's unique presentation outside. They put out a double 7" on the Rough Trade related label For Us, now their debut release on Mute looks exactly the same, but scaled up to 10". Almost all of Echoboy's releases have been in brown kraft cardboard sleeves. The 4 songs are interesting and varied. Sometimes his songs retain "achoes" of his rock past when he fronted the Hybrids (briefly signed to Creation Records). These are the times i like Echoboy least. They sound a bit like a prog Babybird when he sings. When he does his instrumentals he is truly a nmaster, as on the song 'Touched' and the Title song too.

---Carl, Oct.5 1999

Appliance

title

'Pacifica' b-w 'We Are Not Built To Ask'

label

Mute

format
7inch

Appliance Pacifica is Appliance's second single for Mute; their last before the release of their debut full length, which was just released on Mute in the UK. The single is on nice clear green wax.

---Carl, Oct.5 1999

The Avalanches

title

'Electricity' b-w 'Information'

label

Rex Records

format
7inch

The Avalanches"Smooth stoned beats and analouge mayhem from the avalanches.very good" -That was what was written in the rough Trade update that caused me to risk this single. After I received it and played it a few times, it became my favorite single of the week. It would be my favorite thing in this Gull Buy if uit were not for the unstoppable 'Simultaneous Ice Cream' disc. I love this single. It sounds different than other stuff thats out there, and begs to be played over and over again

---Carl, Oct.5 1999

Snakebite City Eight

title

Snakebite City Eight

label

BlueFire

format
various artists CD

Snakebite City EightOn August 31st I added a compilation called 'Organ Radio 5'. It was very inexpensive, and had way more good songs than I had bargained for when I gambled on its purchase. Now it's October, and this compilation in even cheaper…and better! Fully 11 of it's 23 songs are crucial, and there's only a handful of known names. You are really going to enjoy discovering the songs on this. I wonder if the other volumes are good? Here's some info on my faves, in no particular order: Twinkie have a song ('Mondomingo') which we may have on a 7" of theirs on Fortuna Pop! (we have 2 of their singles at WZBC). Nimbus play a song called 'Disco Punk', which is (like almost all the bands here) a male/female vocal punky song with synth keys as well as guitars. The songs rise way above the level of generic in all the cases I'm pointing out as the highlights. Dee-Licious tell a story about a 'Stupid Boy' in their Boonaraaas styled song. Pala have a song called 'Machine' that would make a great segue from the Beachbuggy song '(We've got a) Machine'. Kenobi sound very similiar to Judy Grunwald singing for Salem 66 in the song 'We Know Nothing'. Drugstore, who may be the most well known band here via their hit of a few years ago 'Girl At The Bus Stop', play a good song called 'Hanging On Thin Air'. Mogul (who had a great song on the aforementioned comp Organ Radio 5) cook on the song 'I Was Starving Hungry (In Tescos)'. The guy who sings sounds like Mick Jones singing for the Clash, or the vocalist in Comet Gain. Seafood play 'We Felt Maroon', which we have already on as the B-side of their 'Psychic Rainy Nights' 7". Anorak Girl play 'Teenage Dream', which is not on any of the great singles we have from them. It sounds almost like the old Scottish band Altered Images.New Anorak Girl was the reason I bought this compilation, though it ended up having so many additional treats. The Beatmolls (also on Organ Radio 5) have an incredible song called 'Space Cowboys' that is one of 2 favorite songs on this with it's roll call of aliens named off. The other #1 favorite song is Agebaby, with the song 'We Don't Care', which is boppy girl pop kind of like Helen Love.

---Carl, Oct.5 1999

The Clint Boon Experience

title

Who Says Time Waits For No-One

label

Rabid Badger

format
CD5

The Clint Boon ExperienceClint Boon used to play keyboards in the Inspiral Carpets, now he fronts this Money Mark-ish band, playing music not that far removed from Fuzz Townshend or Psychedelia Smith. His new record 'Pop music & Space Tavel' just came out on Rabid Badger. The standout song on this 3 song EP is 'Presley on Oldham Street', which has female spoken vocals like the Golden Palaminos, or like Ann Magnuson.

---Carl, Oct.5 1999

Trembling Blue Stars

title

'Doo wop Music' b-w 'Now There's Nothing In The Way'

label

Shinkansen

format
7inch

Trembling Blue Stars'Doo Wop Music' is a great song that brought as many calls as the new Tindersticks single when I played it on the air. It is really nice sounding to the ear, and is heartfelt and distinctive. It has little touches that really bring it out, like spices in a well prepared meal. The B-side is as well constructed and realized, but has female vocals instead of male. His stuff is almost as strong as the finest Field Mice songs once again.

---Carl, Oct.5 1999