Adds for January 18, 2000
Price / Format / Artist / Title / Label / Comments

2 x LP / various / BLOW UP A GO GO! / V2 Music Limited

The latest (third) compilation by the label which has hosted a floating club of the same name for years in London, originally at the Wag Club on Wardour Street every Saturday, but now at many places and times. This compilation is described by them as "dancefloor classics from the legendary blow up club". There are 20 songs (5 per side spread over 2 LP's). Highlights of the 1st side: The song 'Blow Up A-Go-Go' by James Clarke sounds completely familiar to me, and makes your neck move, as most of the songs do (I guess it makes other things move if you're out on the dancefloor). Georgie Fame plays 'Somebody Stole My Thunder' which sounds like Jimi Hendrix singing for a Northern Soul band. The Coasters do their version of 'Love Potion No. 9" which really has it's beats. The 2nd side: The Jonny Otis Show plays 'Watts Breakaway' which is like a more rock'n roll'n soulful James Brown with nice lyrics. Spencer Davis Group does 'I'm a Man' which sounds like it was the breakaway point the Curtis Mayfield used for his 'Pusher Man' song on Superfly. Current band from Norway The Bobby Hughes Experience play one of their crackin B-3 Hammond driver instrumentals called 'Sahara 72'. The 3rd side: Karminsky Experience (the 2 principal Blow Up DJ's) play 'Exploration', which was a underexposed 12" a few years ago and deserves this wider attention. Karminsky Experience are the 2 DJ's who put together 3 great compilations for the Deram label in London ('Expresso Expresso', In Flight Entertainment', & 'Further In Flight Entertainment'). Buddy Rich fronts the cool co-ed version of Sonny & Cher's 'The Beat Goes On' and Andy Williams gives a cool 50's/exotic rocker 'House Of Bamboo'. Side 4: Shirley Ellis shows fine Northern Soul in 'Soul Time', Jacques Dutronc (the Frenchman who inspired the Billy Childish side project band 'Dutronc') lays 'Not Responsible' on us, The Kinks play 'She's Got Everything' from when they were Mod, and shadows Of Knight give us 'Shake'. And those were just my faves! Good comp.

---Carl

CD / DONNA REGINA / A Quiet Week In The House / Karaoke Kalk Records

German Pop Nouveau artist with a sound that won't be lost on any ears that love bands like Saint Etienne, One Dove, or Dot Allison. Donna has a really cool voice/accent. She is ice cool too. She even has a song called 'Snow Is Only Frozen Water'! I've read (in a Forced Exposure update) that she is an ex-Bungalow artist, but I can't figure in what capacity, never having seen anything from her save the 10" on the same label which preceded this CD by a few weeks. All I know is that this record sounds really accomplished and confident. World class. The songs have neat sounding parts, electronics and beats, good vocals, and that voice.

---Carl

CD5 / MURRY THE HUMP / Colouring Book E.P. / Malthouse Records

Llewelyn Morris Humphreys (later changed to Murray Humphreys) was born in Chicago in 1899 to Welsh parentage. In the late twenties he became Al Capone's agent in corrupting laundry money and trade unions. The terms "money laundering" and "being taken to the cleaners" are thought to originate from his work with al capone. While working for the mob he was given the nickname "Murray The Hump" Murry The Hump are a band from Wales which have been receiving lots of attention and good reviews. They don't have a full length out yet, but have several singles on labels such as UK's Shifty Disco. The first of the 5 songs here will catch you in a familiar but likeable way, in the way some foreign bands ape a US sound but have an inherently different sound that intrigues anyway. The second song almost reminds me of 80's popster Marshall Crenshaw, but it is actually my favorite song here; it is Murry The Hump's own. The song many might like best is the fourth song, which sounds very much like the Gun Club, probably without meaning too. Neat new band.

---Carl

CD / Q65 / Revival / Pseudonym Records

The Holland Pretty Things, according to WZBC's Pip. Their first 2 records are prime Tier 1 examples of the great sound the Pretties had pioneered in London. 'Revival' is the second Q65 LP, presented here with 7 bonus songs, for a total of 17 songs. Much of the stuff here is pretty incredible. There is a tremelo guitar song ('Ridin' On A Slow Train') that is completely my fave. Gear tune. Even reminds me of The Monks a bit with its strummed banjo in it. 'Sundance' is an experimental instrumental with crickets chirping, an etherial voice woooo-Oooohing like a singing saw over a bongo, a mantra-like rhythmic note from a guitar which sounds like it has a metal rod in it (a la The Ex), and a noodling electric guitar. But that song is the exception, along with the less sublime 'Voluntary Peacemaker' which sounds like Uriah Heep, and the cliche bluesy 'Ramblin' On My Mind', which reminds me of 2 Paul Roger-styled 70's rockers I saw last year singing an occapella/harmonica version of 'House Of The Rising Sun' in Krakow's Market Square for food money and chicks. Aside from those, we have a full basket of kicking tunes that are quite worth the money you'll lay our for this disc. Truly.

---Carl