The Fall

title:: Dragnet + 11
label:: Sanctuary Records

For 27 years now they’ve played their own game, in their own league and by their own rules. They’ve survived by staying consistently irrelevant to mainstream tastes, and (therefore) consistently relevant to themselves and their fan base.

In the grand scheme of their catalogue, 1978’s ‘Dragnet’, their second LP, established The Fall as a band refusing to let themselves be categorized by three chords and a lot of piss.

The Homosexuals

title:: The Homosexuals CD
label:: Morphius Archives

The Homosexuals knock around the same musical terrain as Subway Sect, Fàshiön, The Feelies, The Age of Change, or The Cure's first singles.

The CD has all 16 songs from the LP, plus 5 bonus tracks. All the bonus tracks are very interesting. Not one is a toss off or rescued live tape. The disc is a solid buy!

Le Pop 2

various artists
label:: Le Pop Music

Le Pop 2 - Les Chansons de La Nouvelle Scène Française is the 2nd in a series of compilations spotlighting the French pop music scene of the past few years.

The French pop scene is forever trying to escape the grasp of the American influence, and Le Pop 2 does a great job of showing us their unique place. Le Pop 2 spotlights many artists we may have heard of and were curious to check out along with many we've never heard before, giving us the refreshing sounds of France.

Swamp Children

title:: So Hot
label:: LTM

Originally released in 1982, this re-issue combines the Swamp Children’s full-length plus subsequent singles.

The band is an ensemble of teens producing mood pieces influenced by Brazillian Jazz Fusion and Heavy Dancefloor funk. Comparisons to the sparse funk of ACR are apt, as they shared the same drummer (Martin Moscrop) and Swamp Children’s singer, Ann Quigley designed some of ACR’s sleeves.