Review: Robert Chini (pronounced keeney), a native of Southern California, is a multi-instrumentalist and singer/songwriter who began his musical journey as a drummer at the age of five. With a star-studded career as a touring member of many a famous band including Peaches And Herb, Tower Of Power and Air Supply, Chini's efforts have still yet to falter or fly under the radar; quite to the contrary, he's still going strong, currently performing as both a solo artist and studio operator. 'Doin' It all For You' was written and recorded in 1979, while the B-sider here, 'Everlasting Love', was written and recorded three years earlier. Both songs hear Chini sing of commitment and dedication to love, narrating a journey from internal preoccupation with the self to finding a sense of eternity in devotion to another.
Review: Everyone's favourite dream pop slow-jammers Cigarettes After Sex return with two new singles on a single 12" record. On the heads, we've got 'Bubblegum', a kinky but mournful head-plodder, which concerns the object of their affections taking on a Russian-roulette-ish approach to sex and relationships. The tail-side's 'Stop Waiting', meanwhile, is ever-more hypnotic, and clearly intends to be the hidden gem of the two. You'll hear a slightly brighter and more optimistic song than the A-side, but it's still deeply morunful, with Greg Gonzalez singing of the faded memories of cut ties, sunscreen and summer dresses.
Review: Comet Gain, a British indie pop band formed in 1992, have been crafting their distinctive sound for over three decades. Led by singer-songwriter and guitarist David Christian (aka David Feck/Charlie Damage) and Phil Sutton, their music draws from post-punk and Northern Soul influences. Starting with homemade cassette demos, Comet Gain's releases have spanned labels like Wiiija Records, Fortuna Pop! and Tapete Records. Despite numerous lineup changes, David Christian has remained the constant force behind the band. Early gigs saw them supporting acts like Stereolab, Television Personalities, Bikini Kill and Heavenly, and they also recorded several Peel Sessions, touting a musical style ranging from soul-influenced indie pop to early-80s alternative pop and punk. This 7" record features two tracks recorded in the Spring/Summer of 1996. Side A's 'Only Happy When I'm Sad' and Side B's 'Dreams Of A Working Girl,' appearing on vinyl for the first time, originally debuted on the NME C96 compilation CD.
Review: A pair of Cure singles, one a classic from the 80s and the other more of a deep cut from the 1996 album Wild Mood Swings, caught here in the live arena on turned into two sides of a rather nifty 7" picture disc. 'The Walk' is one of the Crawley crew's most electronic moments, a Japanese-slanted retort to New Order's huge 'Blue Monday' single a more cynical observer might be moved to admit. It's immediately nevertheless one to transport you back to the lazer-peppered, smoke machine-swathed dancefloors of the era, with its concluding line "I remember everything" seeming particularly apt in hindsight. 'Mint Car', while less well known than many other Cure 45s, was nevertheless one of Robert Smiths' favourites. He, apparently, couldn't fathom out why it only charted in the low 30s when 'Friday I'm In Love' smashed the top ten. Perhaps the outbreak of utter cheeriness - "I really don't think it gets any better than this/vanilla smile and a gorgeous strawberry kiss" - was disconcerting considering the band's pretty much unrivalled reputation as the popes of mope, but its charms are undeniable and definitely due a restrospective reappraisal.
Review: Car Seat Headrest's approach to releasing records evokes a bygone era in the late 60s and 70s when it was really common to bash out an album every few months. Despite having only formed in 2010, the Virginia, US indie sorts now have 13 studio albums to their name. The band's singer and songwriter Will Toledo is prolific in releasing solo recordings on top of that, so hats off to them, really. It's not filler either. With the opening number 'CCF (I'm Gonna Stay With You)', they have one of the most anthemic rock tracks of the year so far (it takes a while to warm up but the pay off is huge) it's the sound of a group more confident in their ability than ever. Elsewhere, 'Reality' sees them shift gears into more of a ballad, but with so many twists and turns. That you don't quite know what's coming next is a welcome respite from formulaic rock and pop. Not everyone can pull it off but Toldeo and co. have earned the right to tear up the rulebook because they are operating on another level.
I Never Want An Easy Life If Me & He Were Ever To Get There
Can't Get Out Of Bed
Feel Flows
Autograph
Jesus Hairdo
Up To Our Hips
Patrol
Another Rider Up In Flames
Inside-looking Out
Subterranean
Full Of Culture
Out
Up To Our Hips (live)
Stir It Up (alternate instrumental mix)
Withdrawn
Feel Flows (alternate mix)
You & Everybody
Don't Let It Stand AKA Can't Get Out Of Bed
Another Rider Up In Flames (live)
Review: On its original release in 1994, Up To Our Hips marked something of a sonic departure for the Charlatans. Heavily influenced by Mod and psychedelic music of the 1960s, it saw Tim Burgess and company push organs to the fore, more densely layer their guitars, and develop a nostalgic "Britpop" sound fully in keeping with the nostalgic 'Cool Britannia' vibes of the era. 30 years on, it remains one of their strongest and most entertaining 'classic' albums - as this fully remastered and expanded reissue proves. This time round, the original album is backed by 10 additional cuts - a mixture of rarities, B-sides, demos and live recordings. It should be seen as the definitive version of one of the band's standout moments.
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