I was a Teenage Shoegazer

Loop – Wolf Flow

2012-01-28T06:01:00.001-08:00

Loop were wrongly attached to any scene. Steve Lamacq once said that Ride were, "the House of Love with Chainsaws". In that case Loop must be like Ride in a war zone. Unfortunately there is no plans as of yet to reissue 'Wolf Flow' Peel Sessions, which is my own personal favourite.

There was much banter between Loop and Spacemen 3, but I feel that they were completely different, the only thing they had in common was a love of the work of Suicide.

My first introduction to Loop was Wolf Flow. There has never been a ‘Greatest Hits’ of Loop and this is the closest thing to it. A compilation of the three Peel Sessions recorded between 1987 and 1990. The session recording style is better for Loop. The vocals sound more distinct and there is generally more clarity in the songs. Even though the production has been stripped the atmosphere is still there. Pure Energy in Soundhead with the relentless throb of the drums. From Centre to Wave is sped up and evenmore haunting than the album version. Loops take on Suicide’s Rocket USA is better than the original in my opinion.

Loop : Wolf Flow
http://www.mediafire.com/?vyx97tjmyxxt4uy

Soundhead
Straight to Your Heart
Rocket USA
Pulse
This is Where You End
Collision
From Centre to Wave
Afterglow
Sunburst

Spirea X – Fireblade Skies

2012-01-26T13:43:00.001-08:00

A virtually unknown band who had one fantastic album. Spirea X's name was taken from a Primal Scream b-side, and was fronted by ex-'scream' guitarist Jim Beattie. Beattie was worn out from the tour schedule with Primal Scream, promptly left and set up Spirea X. Much was expected, nothing happened unfortunately.

Spirea X - Fireblade Skies
http://www.mediafire.com/?1522a0twhl7wzbr

The Field Mice – For Keeps

2012-01-24T13:35:00.001-08:00

The first Field Mice album I brought and also what turned out to be their only full studio album. I had it on cassette from a French label called Danceteria, this was one of the few releases to make it onto cassette.

There are some of the finest work of The Field Mice on here: Five Moments, Tilting Windmills and one of my favourite songs of all time This is Not Here. A song that for me epitomises shoegazing and even has a harpsichord part in it. The whole album is blissfully beautiful. It includes the emotional duets with Annemari Davies and Bobby Wratten.

The Field Mice : For Keeps
http://www.mediafire.com/?9vlacuhyy6a4mfk

Whiteout – Bite It

2012-01-22T11:57:00.001-08:00

The post from two weeks ago made me think about the Joiners and all the gigs I went to. Probably the most famous gig that I never went to was the Whiteout and Oasis double headliner. Back in 1994, I had become dissatisfied with the music scene with limited interest in grunge and britpop. I looked backward towards Spacemen 3 and Echo and the Bunnymen instead. My friends told me at the time Whiteout were much better on the evening than Oasis. I would have to take their word on this, as I was not there.

Whiteout were from Greenock Scotland, and consisted of Andrew Caldwell (vocals), Paul Carroll (bass), Eric Lindsay (guitar) and Stuart Smith (drums). There debut album was Bite It released in 1995, on the Silvertone label. They were the first guitar band to sign to the label after the Stone Roses. It includes their most famous single Jackie's Racing, and No Time which was released as a single too.

Whiteout were predicted for great things but there were a number of factors that prevented this. They based themselves in Scotland when everyone was in London getting attention. They were signed to Silvertone, look at their management of The Stone Roses as an example of an independent record label that was not really into indie. Lastly the album is a bit slow tempo and has too many ballads. It may seem contrived that someone who enjoys Slowdive can criticise anyone for not being up-tempo.

Andrew Caldwell left the group after Bite It. They soldiered on as a three piece and even put out a second album in 1998. After this they shortly split.

Whiteout : Bite It
http://www.mediafire.com/?smivitt29ncodah

Thirty Eight
No Time
We Should Stick Together
Jackie's Racing
Shine On You
No More Tears
Altogether
U Drag Me
Baby Don't Give Up On Me Yet
You Left Me Seeing Stars
Everyday
Untitled

Loop – Heaven’s End (repost)

2012-01-13T12:13:00.001-08:00

I am a big fan of both Spacemen 3 and Loop, and I see them totally differently. Loop's music is very minimalist music with complex layers. It is still very hard sounding with metronomic drums and fuzzy guitars. The Loop can be summed up by Soundhead thumping drums that sound like canons. Wah saturated in reverb that is so raw your ears feel like they are going to bleed. Very hypnotic and dark.

While the work of other late 80s noise terrorists My Bloody Valentine and Spacemen 3 are celebrated. Loop has been forgotten. Even when the out-of-print albums were re released, not much was said. They had been out of print over a decade. News that they were being released seemed to only circulate around fan based websites.

If you still don't believe; sit in a darkened room, crack open a bottle of Thunderbird and turn the volume up.

Loop : Heaven's End
http://www.mediafire.com/?ems3bmte4gnt0zu

Soundhead
Straight to Your Heart
Forever
Heaven's End
Too Real to Feel
Fix to Fall
Head On
Carry Me
Rocket USA
Spinning (Full Version)
Brittle Head Girl

Thin White Rope – Sack Full of Silver

2012-01-08T03:02:00.001-08:00

A couple of Christmas’s ago I received a great book on the history of the legendary Southampton venue The Joiners Arms. Not only does it tell the story of the music scene of the last 30 years, but it lists all the gigs that took place there at that time. I went nearly every week during 1991 and 1992 and I had forgotten many of the bands that I had seen, including a particularly good gig by the Thin White Rope. It was a particularly hot gig and I remember them being really good and one of the band members looked like Ben Elton.

The standout track for me is their take on Can’s Yoo Doo Right. They strip the song back to 6 minutes in length and turn it into a swamp rock stormer. Diesel Man flips between loud and soft in a Mogwai country style.Sack Full of Silver is based around the vocals of Guy Kyser. His voice sounds like he is right out of the desert. The whole album has a country feel about it, but a harsh desert country vibe; parched and barren. It was recorded while they were touring so the sound is similar to the live Thin White Rope experience.

Sack Full of Silver is their best album. It epitomises the Kyser dream; the songs, musicianship, and album concept.

Thin White Rock : Sack Full of Silver
http://www.mediafire.com/?c3smd4q76al9z1d

Hidden Lands
Sack Full Of Silver
Yoo Doo Right
The Napkin Song
Americana/The Ghost
Whirling Dervish
Diesel Man
On The Floe
On The Floe

My Bloody Valentine – Feed Me With Your Kiss

2011-12-31T11:52:00.001-08:00

This was one of the EPs that was released before Isn’t Anything, the other was You Made Me Realise. The guitar effects that would become the My Bloody Valentine sound are evident throughout, but it also has the Ecstasy and Wine stylised noise which is more in keeping with their early work. Feed Me With Your Kiss and appears on the album and is the title track, but the others are just as strong. Emptiness Inside was a long standing number in their live set.

My Bloody Valentine : Feed Me With Your Kiss
http://www.mediafire.com/?heu1u5j5guk3xcv

Feed Me With Your Kiss
I Believe
Emptiness Inside
I Need No Trust

Christmas Competition

2011-12-24T02:51:00.000-08:00

The question was... this blog is called ‘I was a Teenage Shoegazer’, but this is a phrase that I did not coin. Who in 1994/95 in an interview with the NME said, ‘I was a teenage shoegazer and used to listen to Ride all the time.’

The answers ranged from Noel Gallagher, Thom Yorke to the slightly obscure Nick Berry. I can almost imagine a shoegazey version of Every Loser Wins.

The answer was Neil Hannon from the Divine Comedy in an recent interview he talked about the single Indie Disco, ‘It was a bit of a tribute to my teenage years, when I was a massive indie kid. Pixies were my major idols, and My Bloody Valentine, Ride, Slowdive . . . all those shoegaze-y bands. I think what I liked about them was the sort of doomed, melancholic romance.'

Thanks to all those who took part.

Belle and Sebastian – Tigermilk

2011-12-12T05:31:00.001-08:00

Tigermilk is the debut album from Belle and Sebastian. It was originally released on Electric Honey Records, a label formed as a course requirement for Music Business and Administration Degree from Glasgow’s Stow College, because this was an amateur project there was only 1000 vinyl LPs produced. It was recorded in a mere five days in 1996. Thankfully it was rereleased to stop bootleggers.

It was recorded on a budget and with limited time, this suits the shambling style that Belle and Sebastian have. It starts with The State I’m In, this is fantastically sarcastic. It sets the tone for the rest of the album. Songs about failure, tragedy, loneliness and alienation, with an upbeat pop melody. Expectations a sad tale of teenage life, rejection, the incessant pain of normality. This story is told on the way to school on Monday morning.

With the exception of Electronic Renaissance the album style is very Belle and Sebastian, eventhough there are a variety of instruments and styles used. Hamdclaps, organ, brass, keyboards and strings. There is even a passage read from Rip Van Winkle.

Belle and Sebastian : Tigermilk
http://www.mediafire.com/?z9s0mppa3jh5cs2

Catherine Wheel – I Want to Touch You

2011-12-05T12:30:00.001-08:00

My favourite Catherine Wheel song ever, and the single has some great b-sides. Ursa Major Space Station appears on here first, before it was later reworked and rereleased on the album Chrome. This is a stripped down original version, it reminds me of Pearl Jam a bit.

The tone becomes even heavier with the dirty metal grunge riff of Collideoscopic. The single ends with Our Friend Joey a thrashy punk stomper that only lasts for a minute and a half.

Catherine Wheel had only been formed for two years when I Want to Touch You was released and it shows that Catherine Wheel had severed all links with the shoegazing fraternity and had gone to a rockier shore.

Catherine Wheel : I Want to Touch You
http://www.mediafire.com/?xu8knw7v2tpil14

I Want to Touch You
Ursa Major Space Station
Collideoscopic
Our Friend Joey

Kinky Machine

2011-11-19T13:18:00.001-08:00

It’s quite sad when you revisit a band you revered for years, and it’s not that good. Why, oh why did I not see that they borrowed so heavily from Suede. They were formed 1991 and if they hung on in there they could on been up there with the other glam rock and Wire influenced bands in that era. Such as Elastica and Menswear.

The album is also know as Gouache & Ink on Livestock, Private Collection. The songs are not very well crafted and repetitive. Look at song title, repeat it and you have the chorus. Kinky Machine stayed around for another album and then got smart sensible haircuts and became Rialto.

Kinky Machine : Kinky Machine
http://www.mediafire.com/?0wvyctxchl15ju8

Shockaholic
Glitter Bullets
Going out with God
Supernatural Giver
Bring on the Clones
Clever?
Sister Magpie
Swivelhead
Blue Polhthene

The Railway Children – Reunion Wilderness

2011-11-12T02:48:00.001-08:00

The Railway Children, not the family film with Jenny Agutter; the rather fine band from Wigan. I brought Reunion Wilderness on cassette because it was in the bargain bin at Woolworths, it was in a nice box. There was quite a few Factory record releases in boxes that I brought from that bin, New Order Substance and The Return of the Durutti Column with the track list written on sandpaper.

It’s a album that is very easy on the ear, it reminds me of Deacon Blue, in a nice way. It leans towards the more jangle upbeat end of C86. The songs have catch hooks. Unlike much of the material associated with the C86 movement, the subject of their songs is not just unrequited love.

Another Town and the two singles Brighter and Gentle Sound are the standout parts from this album.

The Railway Children : Reunion Wilderness
http://www.mediafire.com/?03lgjj5bdxc6lgk

Another Town
The First Notebook
Railroad Side
Careful
History Burns
Brighter
Big Hands Of Freedom
Listen On
A Gentle Sound
Content

Jesus Jones–The Next Big Thing (CD1)

2011-11-06T02:09:00.001-08:00

Over the past fortnight the press and music press has been filled with news that The Stone Roses have reformed and are going to be do a series of concerts. The fact that Jesus Jones were going to be performing again this month has been overlooked. Regrettably these dates have been postponed, because bass player Alan Doughty had to undergo emergency surgery due to an injury at his home in America. He is currently recovering and should be playing again shortly.

I might have an ‘I was a Teenage Shoegazer' exclusive. I have it on good authority that Jesus Jones started life as the Hillmen in Tony Hill and the Hillmen. Tony was another character who lived in Devizes (the same town as Jesus Jones) and the band released a handful of singles such as Cuckoo Clock, I am a Pirate King and Terry Wogan’s Party. These were all released on the Blue Hat Record Label in Wiltshire. I am a Pirate King sold 11 copies and thankfully Jesus Jones went their own way. I cannot find any information to back up this story. I am expecting an email from Mike Edwards saying that this is complete rubbish and please remove this post.

I remember buying the The Next Big [CD1] because at the time I did not have the album Doubt and the b-sides had a couple of the hits from that album like; Right Here Right Now and Who? Where? Why? It also has the track Idiot Stare which is from the 1993 album Perverse. The creatively titled The Next Big Thing [CD2] features unreleased b-sides.

Jesus Jones : The Next Big Thing
http://www.mediafire.com/?31p8ub0t51qzobz

The Next Big Thing
Right Here Right Now
Who? Where? Why? (1997 Remix)
Idiot Stare

Flood – Jealousy Comes to the Rescue (repost)

2011-10-28T07:46:00.001-07:00

After all this time I am still no wiser about this band. This EP is from the Bournemouth band Flood. I purchased this after seeing them support Cud. They remind me of They Might Be Giants, they sort of have an American College radio feel. Nothing to do with the TMBG album Flood!

They had another EP called Honeymoon Striptease, but after that little is known about them. The second EP is here on the Madchester Rave On blog. They never even got a mention in any of my tomes, such as ‘The Great Alternative & Indie Discography’ or ‘The Virgin Encyclopaedia of Indie and New Wave.’

Flood : Jealousy Comes to The Rescue
http://www.mediafire.com/?sn378p49xxnfz2z

Jealousy Comes To The Rescue
Electric Start
Balancing Act
13th Word

Birdland – Paradise

2011-10-22T09:26:00.001-07:00

Not the complete anthology, but the rather fine single. It is probably their most well known song, hence why it was used as the title of their anthology.

It was not well received by the music press, but it jumped to the top of the indie charts. All their singles went to the top of the indie chart. It is a worthy follow up to their debut Hollow Heart, it contains their most violently energetic track which is White, the other b-side Rage has acoustic verses and a trademark thrashy chorus.

Birdland : Paradise
http://www.mediafire.com/?u2t102f7j52tfz4

Paradise
White
Rage

Spiritualized – Royal Albert Hall

2011-10-15T23:37:00.001-07:00

This week I saw Spiritualized at the Royal Albert Hall. I think this post needs some more history.

I first saw Spiritualized at Glastonbury 1992. I didn’t really know who they were. I was sat in a field and I heard the beautiful sound of Spiritualized, and thought I would investigate further. I saw them again at Glastonbury in 1998, The Eden Sessions, underground at Bristol Bierkeller, in the old church of Salisbury Arts centre, Portmouth Pyramids, Exeter Lemongrove and The Royal Festival Hall. In total, I know that I have seen them at least 10 times.

The opportunity arose to see them at the Royal Albert Hall. I jumped at the chance because the 1997 gig was a classic. I think that the 1997 concert was not advertised very much and only really became famous after the release of the live album. Touted as a ‘career spanning event’ I could hardly sleep for weeks.

The gig started when the 50 musicians and choristers walked onstage. Then Jason walked on and took his usual position seated at the stage right. For the next hour they played entirely new material. This makes it difficult to comment because I do not know the names of the songs. Spiritualized songs tend to grow on you, so having so many new songs unleashed on you was a very bold move. I suppose if I wanted a more predictable experience I could go and see Status Quo next year. The first and last song of this part of the concert were very good. There was not the wall of sound or soundscapes in these songs. One of features of Spiritualized are Jason's soft reedy vocals, this was not visible here. His voice was very strong. The musicians and choir exited, and came back for the encore.

The encore was the greatest hits; Sway, Cheapster, Shine a Light, Good Times and Take Me to the Other Side. It was not that the first part of the concert was bad; it was very good, but it did not give me the Spiritualized feeling. The hairs on the back of your neck standing on end and your heart in your mouth There are always a few people at Spiritualized gigs who shout things out in between songs. I restrained myself from shouting out, Why Don’t You Smile, which is my favourite song, because it sounds like I am attacking Jason’s solemn onstage presence. They came back for a second encore and played a rousing rendition of Oh Happy Day.

I left the Royal Albert Hall happy, and with a rather nice t-shirt. On a downside, I caught conjunctivitis while in London.

Spiritualized : Royal Albert Hall October 10 1997
Disc 1
Disc 2

Shimmercore - Dronelands

2011-10-11T01:35:00.000-07:00

Regular readers will know that this blog is firmly set in the depths of the early nineties. To be honest I don’t listen to much music that was made after 1998. I do get bands who ask me to write about their records and this makes me feel like John Peel. But my heart is not in it as I am stuck in a time warp; that is until now.

Shimmercore is the moniker used by Mike Conteras, who has spent the last 11 years recording music in the Indianapolis area. His new solo album, Dronelands is out today. It is accurately described as feedback ballads for wayward shoegazers. It is influenced by the Jesus and Mary Chain, Spacemen 3 and The Velvet Underground. The sound echoes and reverbs, creating dark soundscapes that haven’t really been in vogue for the last 20 years.

Mike spent the last few years prior to the recording of this album practising and learning multiple instruments; acoustic 12-string guitar, electric guitar, bass guitar, drums, percussion, sitar, harmonica, accordion and keyboards. All of these instruments make an appearance somewhere in the album.

Dronelands will take to a drone and feedback laden soundscape. Shimmercore Bandcamp

&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;a href="http://shimmercore.bandcamp.com/album/dronelands"&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;Dronelands by Shimmercore&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;/a&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;

Grabbel and The Final Cut - Psycho Popsong

2011-10-06T05:29:00.000-07:00

They were a band from Lüneburg, Germany in the 90's. That were sadly overlooked, and should of been Germany's answer to Ride. The were comprised of Stefan Zachau (guitar, vocals), Gernot Dornblüth (bass, vocals), Sascha Kotzur (guitar, keyboard) and Christian Grabowski (drums). Heavily influenced by the British shoegaze scene and bands like; The Jesus and Mary Chain, My Bloody Valentine and The House of Love. The shoegaze scene faded and the record contract never came. So only a few shoegazers from Hamburg in 1991 were privileged enough to hear them.

The master tapes have been sat in a box for the last 20 years and have now come to life again. Checkout the Bandcamp or LastFM pages.

&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;a href="http://grabbelandthefinalcut.bandcamp.com/track/psycho-popsong"&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;Psycho Popsong by Grabbel and The Final Cut&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;/a&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;

Eat – Sell Me A God

2011-10-02T10:36:00.001-07:00

One of the least likely musical touring partnerships was when I saw James back in 1991. They appeared at the Portsmouth Guildhall and were supported by a band called Eat.

Eat were a London band led by the charismatic singer Ange Dolittle, who would really get into the character of the stories in the songs. Other notable members were, brothers Paul and Max Nobel and Pete Howard, he played drums for the Clash during their fated Cut the Crap era.

Their musical style was a mixture of many many styles, their influences were as varied as Creedance Clearwater Revival, Doors, Gang of Four and Big Audio Dynamite. It was the bluesy sound of the deep south that Eat will be remembered for. The spaghetti western blues of Tombstone and Walking Man, the swampy sound of Stories and Things I Need , which have a blues funk tone. Red Moon tells a story of scratching expensive cars at Kings Cross. The cover of The Lovin' Spoonful's Summer In The City, isn't really necessary

Eat never sat well in the genres; a bit too strange for Wonderstuff fans, too danceable for Echo and the Bunnymen Fans.

Eat : Sell Me A God
http://www.mediafire.com/?hgynpewx8546m2h

Tombstone
Electric City
Fatman
Stories
Walking Man
Skin
Red Moon
Insect Head
Body Bag
Things I Need
Judgement Train
Gyrate
Summer In The City
Mr & Mrs Smack

Milltown Brothers – Slinky (repost)

2011-09-26T13:08:00.001-07:00

The second gig I ever went to was the Milltown Brothers. They played at Portsmouth Polytechnic in 1991 (it was a Polytechnic back then). They were supported by Beware the Green Monkey.

I was so impressed by Beware the Green Monkey. I brought their tape from the T-Shirt stand. Lead singer Bruce Thomas had a Ian Brown monkey gait. There was a general Roses’ feel to the whole band. I still have the tape but no means of uploading the content from it.

When the Milltown Brothers played, I seem to remember they played Which Way Should I Jump and Here I Stand twice. I am not sure why. I don’t think that they lacked enough songs for a gig. These are the stand out songs of the album. There is a nice Hammond organ in Apple Green too. They sounded like Brit Pop way before their time. Yet there are jangly baggy elements to the album. All this and reminding me of The La’s. Their lack of recognition may be due to spreading themselves around genres.

Milltown Brothers :Slinky
http://www.mediafire.com/?db5lnl42laa2ya6

Intastella - Century

2011-09-19T14:29:00.001-07:00

Intastella were the more dance orientated resurrection of Laugh. They were heralded as Manchester's answer to Saint Etienne, but I would liken them more to the World of Twist. They even had a token dancer called Little Anthony.

They rode on the Madchester wave, and were lumped into that scene. Eventhough they put out some great pop songs. This is what Century is a pop song, with lead singers Stella Grundy’s hushed breathy vocals.

Grundy is now a successful actress and has appeared in Coronation Street. As for the whereabouts of Little Anthony, please write to the usual address.

Intastella : Century
http://www.mediafire.com/?jx8w89on7587b51

Century (7" Version)
Strawberry Jam
Century (12"Version)

The High – More

2011-09-13T03:34:00.001-07:00

I have moved yet again and now everything is in turmoil. Even simple tasks such as finding my shoes or toothbrush is a major hassle. So I have decided to rework and repost some previous posts. Until I sort myself out.

The last High single to make it into the charts. It was before John Matthews was institutionalized and London Records were fined £50,000 for chart rigging. John Matthew’s escapade with the bottle of brandy and sheet of acid is indie folklore. I am sure that I read this somewhere is the nineties, but I can’t find any reference to this at all. When I saw Tom Hingley lead singer of the Inspiral Carpets appear in Exeter; I mentioned that I saw him 18 years ago with the Carpets supported by The High, he said ,“ they were off their heads.”

The High were the last UK band to be involved in a successful prosecution for chart rigging. I seem to remember that there was a limited edition version of the single, that came in it’s own hessian bag. It was advertised on the back of Melody Maker from Sister Ray or Eastern Bloc. After having a good search round Discogs, I could not find any sign of that either. I have got the gatefold single which has a picture of the band.

This single marks the final 'high' point of their career. When the Best of The High was released it was essentially Somewhere Soon with More added on to it

The High : More
http://www.mediafire.com/?6qgslk5gllv2kg7

More
Four Thirty
Make It Happen

Slowdive – Morningrise

2011-09-04T13:22:00.001-07:00

Morningrise is Slowdive's second single. It is a simple yet powerful single. The vocals are less defined and become just an additional sound to add to mood of the individual song.

The title track shows some more ambient leanings, It would have felt disjointed if it was included on Just for a Day. It shows that Slowdive were capable of a much more atmospheric sound.

She Calls was a favourite from their live set. It is the only Slowdive song that I know with rolling drums. This contrasts with the shimmering guitars and vocals that are awash with reverb.

Losing Today is Slowdive’s first outing in the more ambient regions of shoegaze. It is a haunting soundscape, in which Rachel's vocals are barely audible. The lyrics, if you can make the out, are melancholic and fraught with depression.

In a corner She sits and waits
She's waiting for
Her heart to break
It says it all
Don't lose today

Slowdive : Morningrise
http://www.mediafire.com/?vmmcpg3uqfcs2gv

Morningrise
She Calls
Losing Today

Mark Goodier’s Evening Session

2011-08-29T16:01:00.001-07:00

The show ran on Radio 1 between 1990 to 1993, until it was revamped and presented by Steve Lamacq and Jo Wiley. It was Mark Goodier that built the show into the indie safe haven. There was not much on the Radio at the time it was launched. John Peel had moved to the ridiculously late weekend stint, and the only other programme of note was Hit the North presented by Mark Radcliffe. Irritatingly Hit the North was only available in medium wave.

Monday to Thursday, 7.30pm till 9pm was Mark Goodier’s Evening Session. Which showcased new indie and alternative talent. Mark came across a bit Smashie and Nicey. This partly because he was born in Zimbabwe, and his accent remind me of the quasi-Australian accent of Nicey, and because he sounded so enthusiastic. This is not a bad trait, as it would be annoying if he had a dead pan voice.

Steve Lamacq did the Evening Session he had more indie credibility, but in this golden age of alternative music his role was at the NME. Lamacq is often idolised for his work at Radio 1, but he had his faults. I seem to remember him raving about unsigned Bis appearing on Top of the Pops, and that this was the most indie thing that ever happened. I really don’t know if Goodier was really into the scene. I always thought of him as a UB40 fan. He did sometimes play the same song twice in a row, because he enjoyed it so much.

The Best of the Mark Goodier Radio 1 Sessions, Vol. 1
http://www.mediafire.com/?l24o72g8yojfkgu

Hearts 'N' Minds – The Farm
Someone to Blame - Jesus Jones
Sally Anne - Milltown Brothers
Oh Yes - Angels, Paris
I Believe – EMF
Chlorine Dream - Spirea X
Stars - Poppy Factory
Wake Up Dreaming – Birdland
Wonderful - Real People
Don't Let That Man – Banderas
Walk Your Way - Linden Tree
Ocean Wide – The Dylans
You're a Rose - Fatima Mansions
Breather – Chapterhouse
Michael - Frank & Walters
Oh No Won't D0 – Cud
(No One) Not Even the Rain – The Charlatans

Belle and Sebastian - If You're Feeling Sinister

2011-08-20T02:56:00.000-07:00

Belle and Sebastian filled the void in my life left by the exit of the Field Mice. Their first three albums are triumphant but after that I think that they lost their way a bit. Like the Field Mice there are soft voices, wistful content and gentle melodies. They have the added facet of humour, "she was into S&M and Bible studies, not everyone's cup of tea she would admit to me".

If You're Feeling Sinister is the brightest and happiest offering from Belle and Sebastian. With word play and musings on life. I am not adverse to their melancholic albums either.

Belle and Sebastian : If You're Feeling Sinister
http://www.mediafire.com/?5bk8868rcq9ybb7