Underground Lovers singles

Here's a few Underground Lovers singles.

The lead tracks are remixed and edited versions of album tracks, and the remaining tracks are non-album tracks that you won't find on itunes or Spotify.

I was right is one of the highlights of the excellent Leaves Me Blind album, as previously featured on this blog. Rhinestone Easy is the pick of the remaining tracks, featuring a funky bassline and whispered vocals over an eerie guitar drone. It is distinctly different from the material on Leaves Me Blind, which probably explains why it didn't appear on the album.

Las Vegas and Beautiful World are from the Dream It Down album. I first heard Las Vegas at the Big Day Out festival in Sydney in 1994 (?), prior to the release of  Dream It Down, and thought it was the beez kneez! But then I was disappointed when I first heard the recorded version, and also every time I've subsequently heard the song! Hopefully you enjoy it for what it is, without the baggage I carry! Light and Terrific and Free are the best of the remaining tracks on these two singles, both being short but sweet pieces of Undies shoegazery.


I Was Right (1992)

I Was Right
Yeah I Might
Rhinestone Easy
Know No More

FLAC, MP3


Las Vegas (1994)

Las Vegas
Persistant Too
Mumblehead Again
Light

FLAC, MP3


Splendid (1995)

Beautiful World
Wonderfulthing
Terrific and Free
Splendid

FLAC, MP3

Phonograph - OKNO

Yeaaaaaaaaaaaaah!

This blog has limped it's way to 100,000 page visits - and that excludes my own visits.

When I started this little ol' blog, featuring mostly obscure and ill-fated bands and artists, it never occurred to me it would receive 100,000 page visits. It restores my faith that some people out there actually have decent taste in music.

So, to celebrate - a new post!

But also a word of warning......I've received a few emails from Media Fire about violations of their terms of service for some of the material I've made available for download. If I receive a few more strikes I may lose my account, which means all the downloads I've put up will be inaccessible. Since I've only recently re-upped everything recently after the Mega Upload fiasco, I'm not sure I want to be repeating that exercise any time soon. So if you want to download anything from this blog, do it NOW!

Today we have Shoulda Been Huge faves Phonograph.

OKNO is their second album. It's a darker, mellower, but altogether more seductively satisfying LP that their debut LP, previously featured on this blog. It contains the wonderful Wellwisher, featuring Grace Potter on vocals. And it's by far the best music her name has ever been associated with - IMHO! Shoulda been a hit!

To back up my statement about this blog featuring obscure artists, I've managed to find only one other blog that has featured Phonograph: Sitcom Serf. They have a great live show from Texas which I strongly recommend. And apart from the above clip, which ain't exactly one of the album's highlights, there's not much else on YouTube. So thank god for Spotify - head there if you wanna hear the album in it's entirety.

Phonograph - 2009 - OKNO

1. You / Me 5:29
2. Okno 2:32
3. Wellwisher (feat. Grace Potter) 4:47
4. Are You Gonna 4:40
5. Holy Rollers 3:44
6. Cedars 5:57
7. Mountain Tops 3:50
8. Less Than Expected 3:00
9. American Music 4:08
10. Paper Bag 4:27
11. Lily Eyes 4:24
12. Uke 4:02

MP3 only (sorry!)

The Go-Betweens - 1987-05-10 - Live at the Town & Country Club, London, England

To commemorate the 6th anniversary of the death of Grant (GW) McLennan, here's my favourite recording of The Go-Betweens - at the height of their power in 1987, having just recorded the soon to be released Tallulah album.

So why is this my favourite?

The sound is fantastic - a soundboard recording allegedly recorded by bassist Robert Vickers!

And the set list is to die for - Part Company, The Clarke Sisters, Head Full Of Steam, Karen, and my all time Go-Betweens faves, Apology Accepted and When People Are Dead. Astonishing to think the latter was released as a B-side, having been recorded too late to make the Tallulah album - although it was eventually released on the awesome posthumous compilation 1978-1980. However, inexplicably, the classic Cattle and Cane is absent - hence the presence of the YouTube clip above to appease the masses!


The Go-Betweens - 1987-05-10 - Live at the Town & Country Club, London, England

1. Bye Bye Pride
2. Cut It Out
3. You Tell Me
4. Head Full Of Steam
5. Right Here (cut)
6. Man O'Sand To Girl O'Sea
7. Apology Accepted
8. Spring Rain
9. Karen
10. Eight Pictures
11. Unkind & Unwise
12. Part Company
13. The House That Jack Kerouac Built
14. The Clarke Sisters
15. This Girl, Black Girl
16. Don't Call Me Gone
17. When People Are Dead
18. Your Turn, My Turn

FLAC: Pt1, Pt2, Pt3, Pt4, Pt5, Pt6
MP3

Eels - I Could Never Take the Place of Your Man

As I said in an earlier post, "retiring" from the blogosphere has ironically rejuvenated my interest in posting, but not enough to want to do so regularly. In some respect I regret "retiring" - I should have just said I'd post less often - i.e. when I felt like it rather than when I felt I should!

So I'm officially changing my status - from "retired blogger" to "occasional blogger".

Here's another Eels track, this time from the compilation album Like A Version 2. Like A Version is a regular session featured on Australian youth radio station Triple J, and features bands performing cover versions. Most of the sessions are instantly forgettable but this once is superb - a cover of the Prince (or Poonce, as my bro used to call him!) toon I Could Never Take the Place of Your Man

This is a different arrangement of the track than that on Useless Trinkets, featuring vocals and acoustic guitar. Gorgeous!

FLAC
MP3

Dimmer - Crystalator

My favourite Dimmer release - the debut single

What a way to announce yourself to the planet.

Totally sick!

Complete genius!

Dimmer - Crystalator (single)

1.  Crystalator
2.  Dawn's Coming In

MP3

Grant Lee Phillips - Walking In The Green Corn

Following on from my Dimmer post, here's another Shoulda Been Huge community announcement!

Another Shoulda Been Huge fave, Grant Lee Phillips (nee Buffalo) has just written and recorded a new album Walking In The Green Corn.

But rather than selling his soul to those [insert your favorite negative descriptors here] record companies, he's seeking your support to fund the mastering, manufacturing, marketing, promotion and tour support of this new album.

You can support Grant by making a pledge to pre-order the album and take part in the greater pledge drive through Pledge Music  for US$10. This will allow you to take advantage of the some of the great offers that are up for grabs. You’ll have access to exclusive videos and updates about the album and its release, as well as news on live performances and more.

I'm desperately hoping Grant can make this idea work, and provide a succcesful alternative model for artists to get their music out to their fans - rather than artists having to prostitute themselves at the altar of the evil fascist (my favorite negative descriptors) recording industry.....smash the state!

Dimmer - Degrees of Existence

If you haven't heard Shoulda Been Huge favourites Straitjacket Fits, hang your head in shame. Luckily for you, redemption is only a click (or two) away.

Dimmer were formed after the breakup of The Fits. Dimmer plough a more electronic path then The Fits but still maintain The Fits' edginess.

If you wanna hear Dimmer, head over to Bedlam's excellent Australian and New Zealand music blog Rising Above Bedlam where you can score a copy of the excellent It All Looks The Same At Night, which is actually a compilation of the first two Dimmer albums. And while you're there, check out some other great Australian and New Zealand music......including the best collection of The Triffids material this side of Humpty Doo.

Alternatively, if you don't mind parting with your hard earneds, head over to the New Zealand bandcamp site where you can pick up the latest and greatest Dimmer album Degrees of Existence for a mere US$ 8 - that's little more than a burger, coke and fries - and much easier on the wasteline! Degrees of Existence lies somewhere between early Dimmer and The Fits. I can't recommend this album highly enough - hell, I've (temporarily) come out of blogging retirement to plug it so you know it must be good!