Fun Boy Three - The More I See [Part 1 & 2] 12"

Terry Hall, the frontman and songwriter of The Specials, The Colourfield and this band, Fun Boy Three, not to mention his countless collaboration with fellow artists such as Bananarama, Lightning Seeds, Gorillaz etc, has made essential contributions in the 80s music. Considering those former bands were from different genres, that just showed how talented and diverse he was as a music writer. As Fun Boy Three, the rendition of Go-Go's Our Lips Are Sealed (or was it Go-Go's who covered the song?) was their chartbuster but personally I'd choose this song any day. On this particular song you could still feel the Special's ska vibe and the creepiness of the song Ghost Town to it.

[GET SAMPLE AUDIO HERE]

Moscow Olympics - The Farthest City 7"

Hailed from the southeast Asia's wonder, the Philippines, home of some of the finest twee/indiepop artists that existed, Soft Pillow Kisses, Apple Orchard, Colour Contest, The Fantasy Lights, Skies Of Ember, Superminty, Dorians Of Juniper Bells, She Came To Stay and Muriel, Moscow Olympics have been making scene in the indie underground world for quite some time. This split 7" (The Morning Paper's Always Real being the other half), released by Lost Music, is the follow-up on their debut 7" Still. Although the style is completely different from the first, they have kept the good quality and image of the band as expected. Its atmospheric, its dreamy, its Chapterhouse meets Slowdive!

[GET SAMPLE AUDIO HERE]

Nautical William - Love EP

Its been a while since I last posted, hmmm days maybe. For me that's really a while considering I got used to posting almost everyday. As much as I wanted to post more often I've been very busy with cooking and bathroom renovating. Maybe I should put a blog of our home renovation in the near future, not a bad idea.

Anyway here's a treat for Madchester lovers out there. Not really sure how big they were in England but in USA they were never heard at all. I don't remember Nautical William being played in any radio stations in the early nineties. Disciples of Happy Mondays, they possessed the similar baggy beat and rhythm, the piano accompaniment and the swaggering vocals ala Shaun Ryder. Their music also has the soulful ambiance of Primal Scream. If you feel the beat of Soul Family Sensation, Airstream and 35 Summers don't let these bad boys pass on!

[GET SAMPLE AUDIO HERE]

Ultra Vivid Scene - Special One EP

Ultra Vivid Scene is hard to categorize, which what most bands wanted their bands to be. One good reason could be because UVS didn't jump in the early 90s Shoegaze/Madchester bandwagon. 4AD were known for their bands individuality. Take the music of another 4AD band the Pixies as an example. Their music was way far ahead of their era, some people weren't ready for it at that time and some may have never dugged it at all but who cares? As long as they make sense for people who truly understand the art they're trying to project, so be it. Well you be the judge and be the first hand experience of what I'm talking about!

[GET SAMPLE AUDIO HERE]

Sad Lovers And Giants - Seven Kinds Of Sin EP

The label Midnight Music had been one of the primal force of post-punk music scene in the early eighties. The Essence, Snake Corps and of course Sad Lovers And Giants come to mind when we talk about the legendary label. I strongly suggest you go to your local CD store and get the SLG's E-Mail From Eternity, a compilation of their best works throughout their entire career. Every song on that album is a masterpiece and Seven Kinds Of Sin is no exception! I just valued vinyl over any other media that I got to have this in a not so high-tech format. Thanks to my good friend Cino for sparing me a copy, he had helped me discover lots of great new old bands. For rarities and obscurities please check out his blog at http://cino-pacino.blogspot.com.

[GET SAMPLE AUDIO HERE]

The Weather Prophets - Why Does The Rain EP

As most indie fans would already know, The Weather Prophets were formed from the remains of The Loft, one of the early bands of Creation Records.This single was taken from their album Temperance Hotel, released by Elevation in 1987, where their music had mellowed a little bit. It still possessed the same elements of The Loft we grew to love, only Peter Astor had reached his song writing skills to a higher degree. For the fans of guitar pop and neo-acoustics check this out!

[GET SAMPLE AUDIO HERE]

School Of Fish - 3 Strange Days [Cramshaft Mix] 12"

One of my all time favorite guitar riff, no doubt! Emerged in the early nineties, this was one of the few American band that captured my attention. In their time where college radios were widely dominated by Madchester/Shoegaze scene, School Of Fish's music was so unique they had established a league of their own. This 12" is a US-only released which contains the Cramshaft Mix of 3 Strange Days. Very limited, who would have thought I would still be able to get a copy of my own after so many years!

[GET SAMPLE AUDIO HERE]

18 Wheeler - Nature Girl EP

If you're in a mood for melodic pop tunes in the tradition of Teenage Fanclub, here's a song for you. Very simple yet melodic, its conventional acoustic guitar at its best! I have read in Wikipedia that Oasis once opened for them, that was actually the time when Allan McGee discovered the band and have them signed for Creation Records. That just showed how music careers can revolve like a wheel, one day you can be on the very bottom, the next day you can be on the very top.

[GET SAMPLE AUDIO HERE]

Northside EPs

What comprises an authentic Madchester music? Let's review the music of Northside and go through our checklist. Does it have baggy beat? funky guitar? Yes. Do they wear stripe tees? Yes. Are they from Manchester, England? Yes. Was their era the late eighties-early nineties? Yes. Although they got minimal airplay in the early nineties, they are still in my regular rotation up to this day whenever I'm in a mood for good ol' indie rave tunes!

On pictures:

1. Take 5 EP
2. My Rising Star EP
3. Shall We Take A Trip? EP

[GET SAMPLE AUDIO HERE]

Psychic TV - Godstar (Hyperdelic Mix) 12"

Well what can I say about the band, they were weird but very interesting. I've been seeing some Psychic TV records during my record hunting days but never got to buy any of them except for this particular one. The song is somewhat a fusion of psychedelic sixties and danceable eighties.

[GET SAMPLE AUDIO HERE]

Scorpio Rising - Watermelon EP

Chapter 22, one of the indie labels responsible in the evolution of indie scene during the late eighties and early nineties. They've provided notable bands during that era that were just too impossible to ignore like Mighty Mighty, Pastels, Pop Will Eat Itself, Ned's Atomic Dustbin and Scorpio Rising. Their songs can be summarized as music with funky bass lines, baggy drumbeats, and psychedelic guitars with heavy use of wah-wah pedals. Its basically reviving the sixties rock (you could also tell by the way they dressed) but with the modern edge!

[GET SAMPLE AUDIO HERE]

The Dukes Of Stratosphear - You're A Good Man Albert Brown EP

The Dukes Of Stratosphear were actually XTC in disguise! In my theory, they've created songs that were inappropriate to be included in any XTCs album and an alter ego was formed. Listening to this EP is like listening to the Magical Mystery Tour album by the Beatles, very psychedelic, very sixties, very hippy! Vanishing Girl, the stand-out song, is 3 minutes of complete bliss. They were truly indeed the bohemians of modern music.

[GET SAMPLE MUSIC HERE]

Machine Gun Feedback - Uncle Mikey's Guide To Groovin' EP

Don't let their name deceive you, they don't sound feedback-oriented at all. Atleast not on this EP. Got this from our trip to Manchester last year and what an excellent single from this uncharted indiepoppers. They kept shifting styles on this single which makes you ask if all these 4 songs were done by the same band. Jangle pop on the first song, James-like folksy on the second, Housemartins britpopish tune on third and Drive That Fast Kitchens Of Distinction's beat on last. If you find yourself amazed by bands who keep changing their style on every album, how much more on MGF's versatility on every single, go figure!

[GET SAMPLE AUDIO HERE]