Wednesday, November 26, 2008

Less Jungle, More Jangle, Elephant Noise Trunk It Up


Go north of the border and you'll find the tradition of indie pop jangle still thriving. Maybe it's the deep fried Mars bars or the cold winds that glide mercilessly through the crofts that inspires the Scots to don their guitars and celebrate Byrdsian pop in a fruitless search for a hint of US West Coast sunshine. Is there a finest British powerpop band than Teenage Fanclub? Wasn't indiepop started by those imperious scamps Orange Juice?

Elephant Noise's horrendously rare 12" contains four songs. Of these my favourite is Halloween Day. A darkness pervades this plea to a friend to leave his old love behind, find a new one, exorcise old ghosts, gather up memories and stove them away and dance with new demons; deny the rumbling echoes of the past and ruthlessly grasp the future. Not far behind in my affections is Remember The Big Time which bristles with energy, a sort of ferocious REM-like sound. The contemplative Cactus Talk is as ruminative as the Triffids at their maudlin best. And This Song Is Our Friend whispers warm thoughts and threads a web of hope around mundane hearts.

Four men were responsible for this overlooked masterpiece, Tom Heaney (drums and keyboards), Neil Barber (rhythm guitar, violin and vocals), Stuart Allardyce (lead guitars) and Neil Tayler (bass). Pour praise on to them, they warrant it. The ep came out in 1991 on Rub Records, which I suspect was their own label, and I urge you to seek it out.


Halloween Day - Elephant Noise

Tuesday, November 25, 2008

EYE ON EBAY

The Beez buzzed around ebay and stung a punter for £266. Now I love my original 7" singles but I thought getting the Beez LP compilation a good deal for a tenner. Funky Gibbon was selling both their singles and I imagine there will be an extra large Christmas tree in his house this year.

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&item=170275900221

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&item=170275900221

EYE ON EBAY

I have absolutely no idea who What The Curtains were. Those in the know seemed quite satisfied to part with £80. I suspect some bidders may have got over excited. I suspect a rather flat keyboard dominated tune may have been their input into the 80's music scene. Annoyingly I may never find out but my curiosity would run no further than a tenner.

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&item=220308100765

WHAT I LOST ON EBAY

I went no further than a few yards for this obscure slab of eighties indie by Miracle Mile. I fear I may have lost a gem but I saw it pass the £50 mark and I felt reason tugging at my rampant urge to consume all indie obscurities at any cost. Reason wrestled manfully with temptation and vinyl lust and overcame those twin idiots.

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&ssPageName=STRK:MEDWX:IT&item=330287368806

WHAT I LOST ON EBAY

Beyond The Fence Begins The Sky.It was inevitable that someone would bite hard on this compilation. It had the attraction of the Jeremiahs and Home And Abroad among many other lesser lights. Has anyone ever heard of Enamel Animals or Too Sweet To Suck? That last name could be a Disney porn film. More likely an over-sugared lollipop, this being indie world. I pushed old rival Picheux to a vertiginous price but he simply admired the view.

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&ssPageName=STRK:MEDWX:IT&item=220314010486

TURNTABLE REVOLUTION TOP 20 nov 14

1 Pains Of Being Pure At Heart : This Love Is Fucking Right
2 Milky Wimpshake : Dialling Tone
3 Elephant Noise : This Song Is Our Friend
4 Pains Of Being Pure At Heart : Doing All The Things That Wouldn't Make Your Parents Proud
5 Some Loves : It's My Time
6 Pains Of Being Pure At Heart : Orchard Of My Eye
7 Northern Portrait : Crazy
8 Starlets : Viva Cabaret
9 Henry Essence : 14 Year Old Lover
10 That Uncertain Feeling : Sunriser
11 Milky Wimpshake : One Good Use For My Heart
12 Twig : Ciao Ciao Bomb
13 Tartans : Cats Of Camerford
14 Glo-Worm : Travelogue
15 Milky Wimpshake : ( Show Me The Way To ) Anarchy
16 Ruby Blue : Bloomsbury Blue
17 Northern Portrait : The Fallen Aristocracy
18 Liechtenstein : Stalking Skills
19 One On The Clapometer : Long Term Investment
20 Maria : Friends Forever

Green numbers indicate new entries.

Tuesday, November 18, 2008

TURNTABLE REVOLUTION TOP 20 nov 7

1 Northern Portrait : Crazy
2 Pains Of Being Pure At Heart : This Love Is Fucking Right
3 Marble Orchard : Our Love Is Up To You
4 Northern Portrait : The Fallen Aristocracy
5 Gobblinz : London
6 Elephant Noise : This Song Is Our Friend
7 Ruby Blue : Bloomsbury Blue
8 One On The Clapometer : Long Term Investment
9 Jam Today : Stereotyping
10 School : Let It Slip
11 Some Loves : It's My Time
12 Cindy And The Barbi Dolls : In Silence
13 Pains Of Being Pure At Heart :Doing All The Things That Wouldn't Make Your Parents Proud
14 Henry Essence Margarita
15 Friends Of The Bride : So....You Think You Can Dance?
16 Pains Of Being Pure At Heart : Orchard Of My Eye
17 Bridal Shop : Violation
18 Milky Wimpshake : Itchy Feet On A Tuesday Night
19 Desperate Bicycles : Skill
20 Ladyhawke : Paris Is Burning

Green numbers indicate new entries.

Thursday, November 13, 2008

TURNTABLE REVOLUTION TOP 20 oct 31

1 Northern Portrait : Crazy
2 Northern Portrait : The Fallen Aristocracy
3 Pains Of Being Pure At Heart : This Love Is Fucking Right
4 Marble Orchard : Our Love Is Up To You
5 School : Let It Slip
6 Gobblinz : London
7 Cindy And The Barbi Dolls : In Silence
8 Ruby Blue : Bloomsbury Blue
9 Jam Today : Stereotyping
10 Henry Essence : Margarita
11 Friends Of The Bride : So....You Think You Can Dance?
12 Elephant Noise : This Song Is Our Friend
13 Bridal Shop : Violation
14 Friends Of The Bride : You Can't Take Him Anywhere
15 Milky Wimpshake : Itchy Feet On A Tuesday Night
16 Ladyhawke : Paris Is Burning
17 Desperate Bicycles : Skill
18 Some Loves : It's My Time
19 Stricken City : Tak O Tak
20 One On The Clapometer : Long Term Investment

Green numbers indicate new entries.

EYE ON EBAY

GREEK INDIE RECORD STRIPS PAINT OFF BANK WALLS

A big night out at the local Athenian taverna for earthspan1@yahoo.gr as he ropes in £227 for a legendary vinyl adventure by the Jaywalkers. Allegedly only a hundred pressed the indie community went into a frenzy for this grecian antiquity from 1989. Seems like it features two Beatles covers and nobody can have enough versions of Tomorrow Never Knows. But are the Jaywalkers as good as Fantastic Something?

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/JAYWALKERS-HAPPY-ALL-THE-TIME-12-GREEK-C86-INDIE-POP_W0QQitemZ300270697212QQcmdZViewItem?hash=item300270697212&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14&_trkparms=66%3A2%7C65%3A13%7C39%3A1%7C240%3A1318

Thursday, November 6, 2008

TURNTABLE REVOLUTION TOP 20 oct 24

1 Northern Portrait : Crazy
2 Northern Portrait : The Fallen Aristocracy
3 School : Let It Slip
4 Pains Of Being Pure At Heart : This Love Is Fucking Right
5 Cindy And The Barbi Dolls : In Silence
6 Friends Of The Bride : So....You Think You Can Dance?
7 Friends Of The Bride : You Can't Take Him Anywhere
8 Gobblinz : London
9 Marble Orchard : Our Love Is Up To You
10 Milky Wimpshake : Itchy Feet On A Tuesday Night
11 Henry Essence : Margarita
12 Stricken City : Tak O Tak
13 Jam Today : Stereotyping
14 Ladyhawke : Paris Is Burning
15 Desperate Bicycles : Skill
16 Ruby Blue : Bloomsbury Blue
17 Friends Of The Bride : Buckle Up! Sunshine
18 Los Campesinos : My Year In Lists
19 Bridal Shop : Violation
20 Vivian Girls : Tell The World

Green numbers indicate new entries.

Tuesday, November 4, 2008

WHAT I LOST ON EBAY

Congratulations Picheux 89 for trouncing all opposition in the hectic fight for Fallover 24. Here is a competitor who will throw obstinate heaps of money at records no matter their true worth. No need to point that gun at me, I'll admit that if I'd had the financial resources I'd have valiantly waded into fiscal deep waters. In cyber space there is no recession, the consumer tumor has not spread to ebay.
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&item=200259634685

TURNTABLE REVOLUTION TOP 20 oct17

1 School : Let It Slip
2 Friends Of The Bride : So....You Think You Can Dance?
3 Northern Portrait : The Fallen Aristocracy
4 Friends Of The Bride : You Can't Take Him Anywhere
5 Stricken City : Tak O Tak
6 Northern Portrait : Crazy
7 Milky Wimpshake : Itchy Feet On A Tuesday Night
8 Pains Of Being Pure At Heart : This Love Is Fucking Right
9 Cindy And The Barbi Dolls : In Silence
10 Desperate Bicycles : Skill
11 Vivian Girls : Tell The World
12 Gobblinz : London
13 Henry Essence : Margarita
14 Friends Of The Bride : Buckle Up! Sunshine
15 Ladyhawke : Paris Is Burning
16 Los Campesinos : My Year In Lists
17 Jam Today : Stereotyping
18 Alphabeat : Boyfriend
19 Marble Orchard : Our Love Is Up To You
20 Shapiros : Gone By Fall

Green numbers indicate new entries.