Frazier Chorus - Dream Kitchen [Extended Mix] 12"

Frazier Chorus - Cloud 8 [Future Mix] 12"

Frazier Chorus - Nothing [Raid Mix] 12"

Indie pop turned indie dance, Frazier Chorus were one of the 80s bands who have transformed in the late nineties to follow the indie dance scene initiated by the Mancunians. Their metamorphosis was a blessing in disguise as they've gained more acceptance and have continuously entered the UK charts all throughout. Paul Oakenfold, a renowned DJ around the globe, got involved on their late-eighties/early-nineties singles as he did most of their remixes.

I'll be changing the blog format a little bit and post songs from same band as individual postings so it will be more organized and more user-friendly for you all!

Nautical William - Love House EP

This is the 2nd part of my Nautical William post, I've let you savored their first single for good 2 weeks before posting this 2nd single of theirs. Its a 2 song EP, both quite substantial. Love House is more on the jangly side, very catchy, a perfect pop song for jangle pop enthusiast. The song was actually in the Sound Of Leamington Spa Volume 4 (for indiepop completist I urge you to collect all SOLS releases, It's being distributed by Firestation Records if I'm not mistaken).

The flipside is something the Charlatans UK would write in their early career. The groove is very Madchester, the acid house beat, the organ, the wah-wah guitars, can't believe these guys were from Bristol!

[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]

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]

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]

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]

Poppy Factory - Fabulous Beast EP

This band sounds very early ninety-ish. The EP was released during the Madchester heyday and you could easily tell by their music. They remind me so much of Beloved during its Conscience days. Anyways if you're in a mood for gentle grooves with Madchester twists these are the songs to download.

[GET SAMPLE AUDIO HERE]

The Wendys - Pulling My Fingers Off EP

I just can't figure out why some of these early 90s indie bands had this weird fascination for girl names, The Jennifers (pre-Supergrass), The Rosemarys and of course The Wendys. The Wendys, one of the unsung heroes of Factory Records, can be easily identified as Scotchs with hearts of true Mancunians just by listening to their songs. Certainly Tony Wilson got this extraordinary ears for promising talents. Relive the Factory days, the club Hacienda, the Madchester scene, The Wendys!

[GET SAMPLE AUDIO HERE]

Blur 12"s

Four lads from London decided to jump into the Madchester bandwagon and formed the one of the most influencial band of the nineties, Blur! The Neo-Psychedelic album Leisure can be grouped along with other late eighties/early nineties baggy rave meisters Happy Mondays and Inspiral Carpets. As they progressed, so was their music. It didn't take long before they shifted gear to a more Beatlesque sound and that reflected on their second album Modern Life Is Rubbish. While they enjoyed their all-time peak in the mid-nineties, they were rivaled by the critics to their equally successful arch-nemesis, Oasis.

These four singles (and probably their first four) are the reason why I'm such a big fan of the band. These were released by indie label Food during the Shoegaze/Madchester years, roughly from 1991 to 1993. Here are the extended and remix versions of the four songs not found on any albums. Enjoy!

Tracks:

1. There's No Other Way (The Blur Remix) 12"
2. She's So High (Definitive) 12"
3. Bang (Extended Version) 12"
4. Girls And Boys (PSB 12" Mix) 12"

[GET SAMPLE AUDIO HERE]

Popguns - Someone You Love EP

The title track Someone You Love has this distinctive madchester-funky-beat-trademark to it. Cino and other fans of this genre would know what I'm talking about right? The closest resemblance I could think of for that particular song would be Crystal Clear by The Darling Buds. Also, the bass line solo towards the end of the song reminds me so much of Manny's famous bass intermission in The Stone Roses' immortal song I Am The Resurrection!

[GET SAMPLE AUDIO HERE]