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JOE MANNIX - Town
by the sea (Bongo Beat '05. Latest from a big fave and as ever, he
never disappoints. All of the qualities expressed in previous albums shine
forth on this one with NYC boots on. Genuine, wonderful music that
makes the word a better place!) 12.00
JOE MANNIX – White Flag (US ’02. Joe’s albums usually figure in my
end of year top faves and this latest, his third, is no exception. With
a melodious heart and a gutsy drive, this is Country-folk-rock at it’s
very best. As with Come to California, there’s an anthemic quality to
much of Joe’s writing without any hint of pomposity. Great songs you find
yourself humming for days! Highly recommended!) 12.00
MANNIX - Come to California (US '01. 16-track double CD. Loved the
first album and this is just in so expectations are very high. First listenings
suggests an enormous treat in store. More upbeat than the first although
still with an undercurrent of singer/songwriter stuff going on. There's
a countrified rootsy feel to it all as well in a grand, big-country way.
Large exhuberant songs with more than enough clout to carry them off.
I understand there's a concept thread to it all which will materialise
with further plays, I'm sure. For now it sounds just great!) 12.00
MAPLE MARS - Circular Haze (US KoolKat '03) 8.00
CRAIG MARSHALL - Popular Crimes (US Big Ticket '02. Very notable
for it's big catchy numbers with great choruses and chiming guitars. Produced
by Darin Murphy.) 6.00
MARSHMALLOW - S/T (New Zealand CRS '03. Lovely album by ex- Mutton
Birds bass player, Alan Gregg helped out by Ron Sexsmith and
Bic Runga. Alan wrote some of the MBs poppier songs and this album is
packed with delights. Jangly guitars and sweet harmonies abound - sunshine
pop at it's very best. Highly recommended!) 6.00
RAY MASON BAND - Idiot Wisdom (US Captivating Music '03) 6.00
DAVID MAY - My Big car (US Delixandra '04. Excellent crafted
songs) 8.00
MAYFLIES USA - Summertown (US Yep Roc Produced by Chris Stamey.
I like this one a lot, probably because it has the feel of Velvet Crush
about it. Similar influences to be sure and a loose, earthy production.
Great voices and memorable songs.) 8.00
MAYFLIES USA - The Pity List (US '00. Excellent second album
that will please owners of their first. Continuing the canny balance of
sweet pop with rock, always with an ear for the melody line.) 8.00
MAYFLIES USA - Walking in a Straight Line (US Yep Roc '04. Another great album) 8.00
MICHAEL MAZZARELLA - Methods of a Mad Rook (US Not Lame '97. A
limited to 500 collection of home demos from the Rooks main man.
It's a fairly low-key affair, typical of "home demos" and will
appeal more to big fans of the band/man) 8.00
MAZARIN - Watch it Happen (UK/US Rocket Girl/Victoria '00. Excellent
& intriguing debut that fuses 2˝ minute pop gems with the occasional minimalist
instrumental experiment. Repeated listens reveal a wealth of songwriting
talent) 6.00
DAVID MEAD - Mine And Yours(US RCA '01. If you have the first Mead
album, this one is a totally essential requisite following on as it does
quite blissfully. If the name is new to you, do your ears a huge favour
and remedy the lack. Gorgeous songs, heavenly vocals, sweetness pure &
simple.) 8.00
MILLION YEN - Blue Television Windows (US Veroniaca '01. Really
great songs with a ringing guitars & excellent harmonies) 10.00
CHRIS MILLS - Every night fight for your life (US Sugar Free '98.
Excellent countrified angst. Helped out by members of Lambchop,
Pinetop Seven etc...) 8.00
MINDERS - Cul-de-Sacs & Dead Ends(US Spinart '99. 17-track collection
of lovely pop gems conveniently bringing together vinyl only tracks with
a couple of previously unreleased efforts) 8.00
MINIBAR - Fly Below The Radar (US Foodchain '03. "Latest and
best yet from this L.A.based English band. Great songs, beautifully played,
Minibar are part of Pete Yorn's Trampoline collective alongside such greats
as Gingersoul, The Hang Ups, Gary Jules and Dan Wilson in the more grown
up end of the pop spectrum and rightly so." ) 8.00
MINUS 5 - The Lonesome Death of Buck McCoy (US Hollywood '97 Great
band featuring Peter Buck, Scott McCoughey, Ken Stringfellow, Jon Auer
etc. Sealed digi promo copy) 10.00
THE MOOD ELEVATOR - Married Alive (Laughing Outlaw '03. Brendan
Benson guests and co-writes half the songs with Chris Plum.
The result is a classy collection of pop goodies delivered with a tough
hand along the lines of Sloan, FOW etc) 8.00
MOORE BROTHERS - Colossal Small (UK Multiball '01. Exceptional vocals
& harmonies abound around some fairly low key songs with sparse backing.
Interesting stuff) 8.00
MR. D - Wings
and Wheels (UK Oneinchpunch '07. Excellent country pop album - Cosmic
Rough Riders meets Teenage Fanclub) 8.00
MUTTON BIRDS - Rain, Steam & Speed (UK Shhhh! '99. By now you will
have gathered that I am inordinately besotted with this band and this
latest masterpiece compounds it all. The ability to write really sad songs
is a rare one, and to manage to keep them light and sweet at the same
time is an exceptional talent. Songs like The Falls, Ray & Last Years
Shoes just make me swoon with pleasure. One of the very best of the year!)
8.00
MYRACLE BRAH - Life on Planet Eartsnop (US Not Lame '98. Solo enterprise
from Andy Bopp of Love Nut. 20 slices of prime Power Pop,
driving tunes, classic hooks and a huge, dedicated nod to all the major
influences - Beatles, Raspberries, Badfinger, Cheap Trick, Big Star etc...)
6.00
MYRACLE BRAH - Plate Spinner (US Not Lame '99. Aided peripherally
by Love Nut & Starbelly members, and recorded in Mono(!)
this is essentially another Bopp job, but generally geared down. Bopp
has an earnest fragile vocal at times that stretches for notes others
would leave alone -all in the best tradition of classic skinny tie Pop,
of course. A great follow-up and they're an outstanding live act too!)
6.00
MYRACLE BRAH - Super Automatic (US Rainbow Quartz/Houston Party '01) 6.00
MYRACLE BRAH - Treblemaker (EU Rainbow Quartz '03) 6.00
A C NEWMAN - The
Slow wonder (US Matador '04. Mainman from The New Pornographers &
Zumpano makes a really great solo album full to the brim with invention
& ideas. Great vocals, exceptional playing and clever writing that
keeps the interest going throughout. Highly recommended!) 8.00
NINES - Calling Distance Stations (US TasGold) 10.00
SHY NOBLEMAN - How to be shy (Noble Tunes '01.) 5.00
ODDS - Good
Weird Feeling (3rd and in many ways the best album yet. Blazing production,
great songs & the beautiful 'I Would Be Your Man' make this a winning
collection) 6.00
OLD JOE CLARKS - November (US Trocadero '03. Stunning new album
after too long a while which has totally hijacked my CD player. Beautiful
country ballads, for the most part, played with breathtaking confidence
and topped off with Mike Coykendall's astonishing vocals -imagine Dylan's
accents blended with Gene Clark's melody. Extremely highly recommended!!!)
12.00
OLD JOE CLARKS - Town of Ten (US Checkered Past '97. Scarce first album) 12.00
ONE STAR HOTEL - s/t (US Stereo Field '03. Great countrifed
rock like early Wilco, Jayhawks. Recommended!)10.00
ONE STAR HOTEL - Good Morning, West Gordon (US Stereo Field '04. Excellent
tougher 2nd album. Highly recommended!) 10.00
ORANGE PARK- Songs from the unknown (US Young American '04. Fresh
sounding feast of hooks and melodies with a driving guitar - Power Pop
at it's finest!) 10.00
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ORGONE
BOX -s/t (UK Minus Zero '01. In 1994 a band called ORANGE
made the best UK psych-pop single of the 90s-Judy Over the
Rainbow then they disappeared. Their mainman, Rick Corcoran
made this album for Japan in '96 but it never really got any exposure
for one reason or another. Anyway, to cut a long story short, here
is that album in all it's fantastic, psychedelic glory. Upon a solid
framework of Beatles inspired melodic inventiveness, Rick adds layers
of pulsing psychedelia, post punk/new wave dynamism and a dazzling
overlay of classic blazing-guitar rock. It's a totally winning combination
made all the more scintillating by appearing to be so effortless.
There's no energy lost on style or attitude - every ounce of talent
goes into creating Great Songs and that, in the end, is what it's
all about.
Unlike other, much vaunted, Beatlesy bands, Rick never falls into
the trap of merely imitating their sound; instead, he gets deep
into the spirit of what exactly made the Beatles so awesomely inspirational.
Applying the same principals of great song craft the result is not
only incredibly creative but refreshingly original! Already likened
to Cotton Mather, Let's Active, Cherry Twister, Jiffipop, etc- call
me biased but I think it's all those & more! And it's not often
I can say that about an English artist!! Fantastic unique songs,
amazing dynamic playing and an incredible catchiness to it all that
insists on repeated plays. Check the Orgone
Box page for more details, sound clips and reviews.) 10.00 (or
£15.00 for both CDs together!)
ORGONE
BOX - Things That Happened Then (UK Minus Zero '02.
Without
wishing to bore you all with the story of how the Orgone Box literally
walked into the store after much searching, I will cut to the chase
and say that part of the reason for the search (aside from the Orange
connection) was hearing a few tracks on a tape which convinced me
I was listening to a musical genius. Two of those tracks, Just
Like a Woman & All the Losers appear on this collection
so it is an immense pleasure to be able to get these out to the
world, as it were. Not only a pleasure but a most definite privilege
& honour because I believe that Rick Corcoran is one
of the best songwriters this country has produced.
This
new album is a collection of songs that Rick recorded from 1992
to around 1995. Most are on 4-tracks and convey more strongly than
ever Rick's astonishing writing abilities. Some are in demo form,
others fully realised. In fact Just Like a Woman was produced
by the late Gus Dudgeon and is an absolute set in stone masterpiece.
And it's not alone - Mom I Can Fly is a psychedelic monster
that would be at home on any 60's Choc Soup or Rubble comp. The
title track, Things That Happened Then (a sister track to
Ticket With No Return from the first album) is a nakedly
personal memory trip, with a Janovian primal scream guitar break
that will break your heart. Hello Wonderland, Storytime
& Hard For Me could all be lost Beatles demos, I kid
you not!
The aural quality does go up & down but the quality of the songwriting
and performance is just phenomenal and stays at max level from start
to finish. I hope you're convinced!) 10.00 (or £15.00 for
both CDs together!)
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OWSLEY
- S/T (US Giant/WEA '99. Major re-issue, remastered with a couple
of track changes and a hugely Major album indeed! Superb singer/songwriter
a la Falkner, Jones, Keene, Lloyd, Penn, Sneidern, Sturmer etc. Fantastic
songs, excellent voice, all manner of cleverness with arrangements & a
sparkling production. Melodies come so easily and plentiful, it's a 100%
delight.) 8.00
OWSLEY - The Hard Way (US '03. Brilliant 2nd album. Not initially
as immediate as the 1st but further plays reveal it to be as good if not
better! Tougher sounding for sure & another winner.) 8.00
PATRICK
PARK - Loneliness Knows My Name (UK B-Unique '03. Superb voice, lovely
songs in the Gus, David Mead, Philip Price vein. Highly recommended!)
10.00
MICHAEL PENN - Resigned (US Elektra '97. One of the very
best of '97, the decade and for all time, most likely. All superlatives
fail to describe this masterpiece. If you've never really connected with
his previous albums, forget it & start here. Resigned rings and
chimes with musical ideas, superb arrangements & an abundancy of rich,
crafted melodic songs. Always fulfilling and endlessly enjoyable.) 10.00
MICHAEL PENN - MP4 (Days Since a Lost Accident) (US Epic '00. Eagerly
awaited 4th album with a lot to live up to after the fabulous 3rd. Most
stunningly, it does. With wife, Aimee Mann on backing vocals and
with help from Buddy Judge (Grays) & Patrick Warren,
Penn comes up with another bunch of fantastic songs for us to savour.
This is immaculate intelligent Pop at it's very, very best) 10.00
MICHAEL PENN - Mr Hollywood Jr 1947 (US Spinart '05. Another fabulous
album from Mr Penn and his buddies, well worth the wait, as ever. There
is a concept to this album based around a post WW2 LA and the year 1947
in particular. I believe Penn always has a consistent concept of delivering
the most intriguing literacy clothed in equally remarkable arrangements
of melodious depth. As always, highly recommended!!)10.00
THE PILLBUGS - Tremendous
pop-psych band from Ohio. Touches of Move/ELO, XTC, Dukes of the Stratosphere,
Virgineers, Beatles etc but way, way beyond pastiche. These guys can really
sing and are multi-instumentalist wizards. Four essential albums so far:
- s/t (US Proverus 2 x CDs Great debut album) 15.00
- The 3-Dimensional In-Popcycle Dream (US Proverus Superb 2nd)12.00
- Happy Birthday ( Brilliant third album but sadly out of print &
unavailable)
- Buzz For Aldrin (US 2007
brand new & stunning double CD - their best yet!)15.00
JOE PISAPIA - Daydreams (US Ambasssador '02. Stunning solo
album from Joe of Joe, Marc's Brother. Moving away from
the rockier, tougher style of JMB, this gorgeous album is far more introspective
and gentle. Floating like double cream on top of a collection of superb
songs, the main feature is Joe's dreamy velveteen voice, reminiscent at
times of Steve Ward. Melancholic and intimate, it fills the screen on
the tracks that have sparse, simple accompaniment and it weaves most deliciously
on others with delicate, Nick Drake-like, arrangements. If you like the
albums by Steve Ward, David Mead, Eric Matthews, Gus, etc. then this will
be right up your street and will most definitely be at the top of my faves
of the year. Extremely highly recommended!!) 10.00
POSIES - Every Kind of Light (US Ryko '06) 8.00
DOUG POWELL - Ballad of the Tin Man (US Polygram '96) 6.00
QUARTER AFTER
- S/T (US Birdsong '05. Stunning psych-pop album, hugely Byrds-like
full of jangle and guitars let off their leash. All kinds of help enlisted
here including Twink (ex-Pretty Things), members of Cloud Eleven, Wondermints,
Brian Wilson's band, Brian Jonestown Massacre etc. If you like the 60's
revisited, this one comes highly recommended!!)12.00
QUARTER AFTER - Changes Near (US '08. Eagerly awaited follow-up and boy, does it deliver!! Whereas the first was predominantly a Byrds inspired gem, this new one could be a sequel to Gene Clark's No Other. Gorgeous songs & amazing vocals add up to one hell of an album in anyone's language. Highly recommended!!) 12.00
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