Several years ago when Prolapse were just a band with a few singles out a split 7" appeared that had the song "Lies, Lies, Corruption, and Government" by an unknown band called Calvin Party. They seemed to combine the male/female interplay and sensibilities of Prolapse with a Wedding Present like sound. The song was absolutely fabulous, and it remains a "sure-to-get-a-listener-call" song to this date. Sometime between then and now this full length was released on the same label as Gretschen Hofner, Probe Records. I'm proud to be bringing this disc to the station via overseas mailorder, as it has a sound that practically speaks "ZBC Rock" to me. I hope that it finds its audience more successfully than it found its distributors!

Die Moulinettes are 3 girls from Munich that have a sophisticated "Sergio Mendes & Brasil '66" styled sound that tickles and soothes. They have a full length on Marina called "20 Blumen". "Herr Rossi Sucht Das Gluck" is from that record. The name of the song is from a popular cartoon whose instrumental music has recently been issued on CD. This EP has the song, a remix by Maxwell Implosion (a Bungalow Records artist), a remix by Adventures in Stereo (which cut and pastes the song in the fashion they used to do to their own work in the good ol days), and an original ("Volkssternwarte") unique to this EP. Of the 3 versions of the title song, I'll take the original in a heartbeat. "Adventures" mix is interesting and will probably score lots of play due to their familiarity, but the original song is miles high in strength.

A very nice treat with its 24 songs by a cast of players from around the world, all giving songs exclusive to this disc, and none giving rehearsal tape throwaways. The common thread for this compilation was the indiepop-list, where all the bands posted. the comp was then coordianted by TweeNetCommunications in Bremen Germany and Kindercore Records in Athens Georgia.

In which Brigitte Fontiane, legendary French vocalist/artist whose discs are always sought after through all the recent reissues, and whose titles never seem to leave the best seller list at NYC's Other Music record store, brings sexiness to Stereolab's palette in a way the enticingly detached Laetitia has never been able to. The song ("Calimero") has brass arrangements by Sean O'Hagen. The second song on the 2 song CD single is by Monade, which is Laetitia with help by Mary and Tim of Stereolab. Her song ("Cache Cache") sounds way more accomplished than her 2 other Monade split singles have been. "Cache cache" could easily be mistaken for a new Stereolab song. Brigitte Fontaine was not dragged out of retirement or obscurity for this collaboration. She has been making records throughout the last many years, and her most recent record (which came out in 1996) was synthesizer pop that sounded almost like the Bungalow Records stuff that was appearing on the seminal RO3003 compilation at the same time. On earlier Brigitte Fontaine records like "Vous Et Nous" from 1977 she sounded like Stereo Total do now, complete with trashy synths and duets with her frequent collaborator Areski. He also sings on the incense beatnik folk of the "L-Incendie" LP, and her classic "Comme A La Radio" record, on which she collaborates with the Art ensemble Of Chicago as well as Areski. They play odd instruments that add to the offbeat sound she produces. On this record there are times when she predates Kim Gordon by many years in her sound.

Parasol says "US Chiming guitar-pop slinkiness that hints at "Pillar To Post" era Aztec Camera, early-Prefab Sprout, mixed with Adventures In Stereo & Stereolab". I think Sushi are much better than any one sentence can convey. I'll agree with the Pre-Fab Sprout reference, but only in terms of the girls voice and the Ba-Ba's sung. To me, Sushi are best grouped with Majestic, The Crooner, & Monterey (all on the NYC label Shelf Life), My Favorite, & The Castaway Stones. They all play an easypop which is not "twee", is not "indy", and is international in flavour. I'd say the best example of what I mean is Marine Research, who to me are the absolute kings and queens of the sound I'm talking about. Almost a Haircut One Hundred with female vocals. This CD is only 4 songs long, but what a 4 songs! I'll be very curious to see what they come up with when they finally release a full length.

Band from Cardiff that sounds a bit like Further, or a much younger Flaming Lips / Mercury Rev hybrid. Less than 5 minutes total between both sides (A-side is 1:43, B-side is 2:53), but it's all pretty good sounding, and not typical fare for singles we ghear from that area.