gullbuy music review

March 7, 2000

Broadcast

title

Extended Play

label

Warp Records

format
12inch

BroadcastThe follow up to the "Echo's Answer" 7" which was their first release in 3 years and their debut for Warp records. This 12" has much more zing to it that the "Echo's Answer" one, which was very minimal and sparse. Early Broadcast had a very Stereolab derivative sound, which this 12" works upon and refines into a Stereolab/Pram/Laika sound which sounds clean and modern, just like the attractive images for this 12". There are only 4 songs listed on the sleeve and the label, yet 6 songs are grooved into the 12". Of course I can't be sure, but I think the unnamed songs are the instrumental that closes out side 1, with it's train sounds; and the instrumental between the first and third song on the B-side. The last song on the B-side sounds like it has Lily Banquette of (the late great Boston band) Combustible Edison singing a siren song around the Tipsy-ish beat. The first songs on each side are strong and confident songs with fully realized tunes and lyrics. The instrumental which is the second song on side-A reminds me of Lori & The Chameleon's "The Lonely Spy" (a 1980 7" on Korova Records) musically.

---Carl, March 7, 2000

Cinema

title

They Nicknamed Me Evil

label

Domino Records

format
7inch

CinemaThis 7" has one side with the song (a great instrumental with some sampled movie dialog), and one side of locked groove music and beat snippets that are made to be mixed into the a-side by someone spinning 2 copies of the disc. When Newbury comics reduced the price of this 7" to $1.99, it no longer seemed outlandish to buy the second copy so we could take advantage of the plan the artist thoughtf when they released this single in this form.

---Carl, March 7, 2000

Echoboy

title

'Constantinople' b-w 'Usherettes'

label

Mute Records

format
12inch

EchoboyAn extremely limited (400) 12"" only taster from Vol. 1 (the upcoming Echoboy full length on Mute) featuring the track 'Constantinople' backed by an exclusive track 'Usherettes', only available through Chain With No Name stores and Echoboy database subscribers. An MP3 of the B-side is on the site I've associated with Mute Records, in the "Echoboy" subsection. Both songs are long and quite enjoyable. He (Richard Warren) sure has come a long way in sound and popularity since his days as front man of The Hybrids!

---Carl, March 7, 2000

International Strike Force

title

Treat Yourself

label

Slampt Records

format
7inch

International Strike Force This 7" is the last release of Slampt Records, a label which really meant a lot to many people including myself. Slampt sealed the cool reputation that "Newcastle Upon Tyne" had. Many neat singles came out of that are in 1993, but slampt put it all together into a label identity and a strong group of bands. Label founders Pet and Rachel had their own bands aplenty (Avacado Baby, Pussycat Trash, Milky Wimpshake, and Red Monkey), but they also had a keen eye on their friends bands and brought many of them onto vinyl that may not have otherwise. International Strike Force started off as Golden Starlet, which they released stuff on Slampt with as well (a 7" and an LP comp). Slampt even put out the 7" by Petty Crime, which was WHRB DJ Pete Rojas band with Layla Gibbon of Skinned Teen after he moved to Brighton UK. slampt was the best, and they are stopping for good reason too. They know that true change cannot occur through something as simple as a record label. they also cannot continue to put out singles at a financial loss, and they have chronicled as mush as they'd like to. All their friends bands have moved on (Slampt put out the first stuff by Kenikie) or broken up. This great single is a fine way to end their legacy.

---Carl, March 7, 2000

Love Positions

title

Sad But True

label

Elefant Records

format
7inch

Love Positions1986-89 by Robyn St. Clare & Nic (Lemonheads/Godstar/Love & Death) Dalton. Strummy female sung indie-pop. 6 short songs, the longest of which is a 2:54 cover of the Capt. Sensible (The Damned) penned "Glad It's All Over". The sound on most songs is halfway between Tallulah Gosh and The Carousel (the post-Tallulah Gosh band which The Gentle Waves sound so much like). There are no drums on half the songs. Elefant have extraordinary insight in choosing what they release, and this 7" keeps their record intact for pulling another gem out of the proverbial hat.

---Carl, March 7, 2000

Shook Yang

title

Melodia Ultra

label

Lo-Fi Sci-Fi Records

format
7inch

Shook YangTheir second single, following up 'Heroic Robots Of the 70's,' features out of tune female vocals by guitarist Chritianne. Her voice shares the same style as The Parcels, a NYC band who put out a great 7inch last year, though the music here is somewhat electronic and dissonant, though definitely rock. Shook Yang are a trio from Newcastle. the 4 songs on this single are very good. Shook Yang have a neat graphical look and sound (and name for that fact). Can't wait to see what they do next!

---Carl, March 7, 2000

SodaStream

title

Practical Footwear

label

Tugboat Records

format
CD5

SodaStreamWe have a 7" by Karl Smith on Bad Jazz Records. SodaStream is the band he has along with Pete Cohen and various guests. He (and they) are from Western Australia. At times SodaStream's sound recalls Palace (such as on "West 45th"), and at other times "Pink Frost" era Chills (the epic 7:17 "Fog", my favorite song on the disc). SodaStream also have out an EP on Marsh-Marigold Records. This EP is a rerelease of a self-released EP that is now out of print. There are six songs here.

---Carl, March 7, 2000

The White Stripes

title

The White Stripes

label

Sympathy For The Record Industry

format
CD

The White StripesFinally WZBC will have the full length by The White Stripes, whose "The Big Three Killed My Baby" 7" nearly topped the list of the top 90.3 songs of 1999. There are 17 songs here, including a Robert Johnson cover ("Stop Breaking Down"), a Bob Dylan cover (One More Cup Of Coffee"), and a cover of "St. James Infirmary Blues", who I can't remember originally did. The White Stripes are quite simple in structure. they are like Alan Vega and Marty Rev were in NYC band Suicide, but they use different instruments. The White Stripes is Meg White on drums and Jack White on vocals and guitar. Their sound is simple primitive and harsh: but effective. The guitar/vocals and general sensability sounds like the first Led Zeppelin LP, but played by people more mindset like Alan Vega and Marty Rev (Suicide) than Plant and Page.

---Carl, March 7, 2000

The Pandoras

title

'I Didn't Cry' b-w 'Thunder Alley'

label

Dionysus Records

format
7inch

The Pandoras 2 songs by The Pandoras from 1985, in a 7" dedicated to the memory of Paula Pierce, the guitarist/vocalist of The Pandoras who passed away some years ago. "I Didn't Cry" was recorded as a demo. It came out on what records "What Stuff" CD compilation many years ago but this is it's first appearance on vinyl. "Thunder Alley" is a Davie Allan and The Arrows cover. It was recorded for a different what Records compilation called "What Surf II". Davie Allan himself was also recording, and he lent Paula his 1960s Mosrite fuzzbox for Paula to use on this recording. The notes on this single point out the contribution The Pandoras made, along with The Unclaimed and The Chesterfield Kings, to dedicate their music and look to the great 60's punk era.

---Carl, March 7, 2000