Brian Eno - Here come the warm jets

E'G. 1973

What Roxy Music would have been like without Brian 'my son's a countryside alliance little piss-on' Ferry, i.e. really good.

Eno's strained singing fits the dark glam tone well. Robert Fripp injects some nice guitar without taking over.

NF owns a VCS3 (the synthi model that came in a plastic case) that belonged to either Eno or Hawkwind - I can't remember which. I borrowed it many years ago and never managed to get anything but squelches out of it.

Sixteen Deluxe do a good version of Here come the warm jets (Eno's homage to being pissed on) on Backfeedmagnetbabe. Worth getting. Have a listen on here.

But for now, there's track 10 coming on now - lie back, close eyes, enjoy the flow!

'Oh cheeky cheeky, oh naughty sneaky'

808 State - lift:open (single)

ZTT. 1991

Horrid.

Open your mind? More like open the bin bag.

Everlast - What It's Like (single)

Tommy Boy TBCD7470. 1999

I hate radio edits with their creative obliteration of sweary bits.

This is all a bit self-righteous. Ooh, walk a mile in that tramp's shoes. I wonder how much he gives to hobos.

Not exactly House of Pain.

Electrafixion - Never (single - CD1 of 2)

Warner WEA022CDX. 1995

Was it compulsory to do big beats and over-effected guitar back then?

Didn't really get them. Bring back the Bunnymen.

18 Wheeler - Crabs ep

Creation CRESCD232. 1996

I think this was the first 18W I got. I liked his silly high voice.

Despite my hatred of remix frenzies, second track of this is quite good - The Aloof knock out a version with a 2 minute beatless intro that goes into acceptable techno territory.

Track 3 is a DnB mix by Ultra Living which stands up quite well too.

Tim Brown can fuck off with his funk-infused effort on track 4.

Remixes. I still shit 'em.

18 Wheeler - Stay (CD1)

Creation CRESCD249. 1997

Five mixes of one song. I'm not even going to say anything.

18 Wheeler - Grease ep

Creation CRESCD255. 1997

Again, three mixes of the same track, as well as the remix on the previous single. Christ almighty - just write some tunes. Track 2 - they've just taken the beats from Prodigy's Firestarter (the rhythms, not actually sampled) and stuck it over elements of the melody. Once again, that's not a remix, it's an entirely different track as far as I'm concerned. Lazy. Remix no.2 is all over the place, off it's tits, and awkward for the sake of it.

Bentley Rhythm Ace contribute a remix of some other shite as track 4 just to piss me off and spoil my day.

Original song is ok though.

18 Wheeler - Stay ep

Creation CRESCD249x. 1997

I must have liked this, as I've got both disks in the 2 CD set. 

Ok, but 3 mixes of the same track, plus a remix of another single. Poo-pah.

18 Wheeler - Prozac Beats ep

Creation CRESCD21. 1996

Passable big-beat indie.

Won't make it onto the deck regularly, but too good for the charity bag.

The Dillinger Escape Plan - Calculating Infinity

Relapse RR6427-2. 1999

Get Rhythm review box escapee. What a rowdy bunch.

Where were this lot when I was 18? I had to make do with Napalm Death before they could play their instruments.

This is manic, difficult and compelling. Not just some numpties thrashing around. It has complex time signatures, mental riffing and interestingly different guitar and drum sounds. I'd pretty much given up the noisy stuff by the time I got this, so it hasn't been played much. Good though. I'll mp3 it and take it to the gym. It'll sit nicely with the At The Drive In stuff. Feel the burn!

Funeral bookends

At FK's funeral yesterday, we entered the crematorium to the strains of Hot on the heels of love by Throbbing Gristle. Quite appropriate.

There was a power cut shortly before the service finished, which meant we didn't get the closing music. I still haven't found out what it was going to be, and the mood was lifted slightly on the way to the pub by much hillarious speculation as to what would have sent him on his way. Anyone who knew FK would go for the obvious - My Cock's On Fire by Whitehouse. It's what he would have wanted.

Better get yours in writing now, otherwise you could be seen off by McFly or Tiffany.

Desert Sessions 9

Island. 2003. There's a big Special Edition sticker on the front, but I don't know what that involves.

I never really understood the Desert Sessions series. A lot of it just sounds like Queens of the Stone Age out-takes, as most Josh Homme stuff does.

This has PJ Harvey all over it, so has another element to it. Quite listenable, but not essential by any means. Just some musicians fannying around. Has a version of In My Head though, possibly my favourite QOTSA track.

Some silliness (I'm gonna get me some shepherd's pie!), I presume courtesy of Dean Ween.

This was a birthday present off MW. Ta.

Del Bloods - Black Rabbit (single)

Seminal Twang TWANG6. September 991

Starts off all Walking Seeds-y, second track sucks, third track is twangy skuzz rock.

Two out of three ain't bad, and judging by the Google results, no-one has this. I'm officially obscure.

Daddylonglegs - Horse

Pussyfoot CDLP016. 1999

It's Howie B with some other blokes.

It's alright, but it just sounds like Howie B, so I'm wondering what the other blokes actually do..?

Dillinger - Cocaine

Charly CPCD8020. 1993

Classic fucked up reggae.

A knife, a fork, a bottle and a cork - that's the way we spell Nu York.

Desmond Dekker - The Israelites

Tring JHD112. 

So much more than just The Israelites and You can get it if you really want.

Jolly chart-friendly ska.

The Dandy Warhols - Boys Better (single)

Capitol. 1998

This is what got me into them.

Pretty damn canny.

The Dandy Warhols - Get Off (single)

Capitol. 2000

Really proper dead good.

The Dandy Warhols - Come Down

Capitol. 1997

...and all with just three chords. 

Brilliant.

The Dandy Warhols - Dandys Rule OK

Capitol. 1996

Love it. Nuff said.

The Dandy Warhols - Bohemian Like You (single)

Capitol. 2001

Perfect indie pop. Haven't bought any of their albums for a while. Must catch up.

Shame Vodafone killed it.

Daft Punk - Homework

Virgin. 1996

Pretty much faultless and has weathered well.

Lots of fun.

Miles Davis - Milestones

Columbia/Legacy CK85203. 2001

I can take or leave MD. Mostly leave. I only really need this and Kind of Blue.

Straight up bebop/hardbop. V good.

Danger Mouse - The Grey Album

Entirely illegal download. Does this count? I didn't pay for it. It's on the shelf though. If I could buy it I would.

Why did anyone bother with mash-ups after this? A work of pure genius.

If you don't know what it is, look it up. Get hold of it. Never look back. Still one of the most exciting releases of the last, erm, ever.

Daddy Longhead - Cheatos

Touch and Go T&GLP74CD. 1991

So Jeff Pinkus left Butthole Surfers as he didn't like the direction they were heading in (who did?). Shouldn't have bothered.

The only two vaguely listenable tracks, Driftwood and Pine Box, both have King and Paul from BS on them, and both sound a bit BS-ish.

I see teh Buttholes are touring with what they're advertising as the original line-up. I'd have been tempted, but Paul Leary isn't even playing with them, other than the New York shows. Butthole Surferws without Paul Leary isn't Butthole Surfers. I'll skip it, thanks kids.

Dopplereffekt - Gesamtkunstwerk

International Deejay Gigolo Records 7243 5 24436 2 8. 1999

Beware of those repetative beats.

Utilitarian, spartan techno that works, except on the tracks when they have stupid voices on top. Not something I'd play regularly, or at family gatherings as background hiss.

'I want to fuck, fuck, fuck, fuck a mannequin. I want to make love to a mannequin. I want to fuck it. I want to suck it.'

Biological Socialism Leads Towards Victory (apparently)

The Doors - Waiting For The Sun

Elektra 7559-74024-2. 1968

At least this isn't just blues, and Morrison was still making an effort to sing. Still overrated and barely worth the bother though.

Doors - L.A. Woman

Elektra 7559-75011-2. 1971

Contenders for the most overrated band in history. Mostly bland white-boy blues with a fat drunk that couldn't sing blurting over the top.

I like the chord change on LA Woman, when it goes into the bridge - 'city at night, city at night....', and Crawling King Snake is sufficiently sleazy sounding to warrant a listen now and again. The soft, whispered vocal in the background in Riders on the Storm is well done, and it's an ok song, but I still think it's more revered than it merits.

Depth Charge - Nine Deadly Venoms

Vinyl Solution STEAM100CD. 1994

Slotting into the unnattractive gap between Bomb The Bass and Coldcut. Annoying, instantly recognisable, unimaginative samples, triggered ad-infinitum over sub-big-beats.

Got to let the guy off for being one of the main chaps behind Vinyl Solution records. I always loved The Stupids.

Neil Diamond - Serenade

CBS 902195 2. 1974

Some of my earliest musical memories are of Marty Robbins, Johnny Mathis and Neil Diamond blaring out from the remarkably decent stereo at home. My brother had built up a good system in the early 70s and left it at my parents when he went off da'arn sa'arf. So the drumming bit in Soolaimon on Hot August Night rattled the walls. And on that note, my copy of HAN isn't on the shelf. Fucking hell.

Anyway, I've always had a soft spot for NDs voice. I can't remember buying this, but here it is. It doesn't have anything particularly outstanding on it. No Song Sung Blue, Sweet Caroline, Cracklin' Rose, Solitary Man, and definately no I am.. I Said, but pleasant enough.

I don't think there's any need for him doing a ragga-man vocal in Reggae Strut though.

Dinosaur Jr - Green Mind

Blanco Y Negro 9031-73448-2. 1991

It's quite self indulgent, making an album when you don't actually have a band. Lou had long gone. Murph was barely present.

This is Mr Mascis backed up by Don Fleming and Jay Spiegel (B.A.L.L.), playing a somewhat restrained set.

Doesn't do much for me. Never really takes off, other than on first track The Wagon, the equivalent of Bug's Freak Scene.

The stepping stone to mainstream.

Dinosaur Jr - You're Living All Over Me

SST CD130. 1987

See below re recording. I think I prefer this to Bug. It isn't trying to be MTV friendly. The more shambolic-sounding approach offers a relaxed, raw energy not present in the follow-up. I can imagine them shuffling into the studio at 3pm, hungover, smoking, with no real pressure to perform. 

Dinosaur Jr - Bug

Blast FirstBFFP31CD. 1988

Freak Scene was always a great Friday night floor filler.

To be honest I think most of DJr's recorded output is a bit under-par. It mostly sounds like it's been smeared onto the master tapes. They were much better live.

Better in the memory than in the CD deck. I'm looking forward to getting up to the Just Like Heaven 12" though.

Nick Drake - Five Leaves Left

Island. 2000 (1968)

I need a drink. 

Effortlessly miserable. Morose and melancholic.

If ND was such a depressive, how'd he ever learn to play guitar so well? When I get into a funk I can't be arsed with anything, especially plucking at an instrument.

I wish I'd managed to write something like this at 20 years old. Or now, for that matter. Not so bothered about the killing myself bit though.

Essential.

Nick Drake - Bryter Layter

Island. 2000 (1970)

Almost cheery compared to his first outing. I must say I prefer his finger-picky folksy misery to this.

That said, it's only the music that's upbeat. The anguish in his delicate vocal screams louder than the voice.

I can do without most of this. Only One of these things first, Fly, and the chokingly beautiful Northern Sky keep this on the shelf.

Sly Dunbar - Sly Wicked and Slick - Extra Version

Frontline/Virgin CDFL9018. 1991

Dub version of Sesame Street anyone?

This has it's moments, but mostly just not very good at all.

Abysmal version of Nigger Whitie. Embarrasing.

Dub Syndicate - Classic Selection Volume 2

On-U CD6. 1991

Adrian Sherwood boils my piss.

Why does he insist on having those stupid spoken bits all over this, or having annoying, unnecessary samples (the looped 'I'm gon shout it out!' on Shout It Out for example) shouting on. It ruins what would be perfectly decent tracks. Consequently only half the tracks on here will ever be played again. 

Adrian - sometimes less is more. Leave shit alone.

Dr Octagon - 3000

Mo Wax MW068CD. 1996

I just hate rap today.

This is nothing special at all. Dull trip-hop-ish beats. Tedious waffle over the top. Bin it.

Drugstore - Sober (single)

Roadrunner RR2230 3. 1998

I bought this because El President was quite good, and thought they might be a decent band.

Track 2 is about the England football team being shite and Brazil being good. Why?

Bored.

Drugstore - Say Hello (single)

Roadrunner RR2224-3. 1998

Big indie. I only bought it for track 2 El President (Portugese version), but it's all alright.

Paul Dolden - The Threshold of Deafening Silence

Tronia Disc TRD0190. 1990

Electroacoustic compositions. Hard work to listen to, and must have been hard work to produce in 1990. Up to 400 tracks of digital mutitrack going on at once, with no electronic processing, which results in often cacophanous assaults on the ears. I suppose it saves having to pay 400 musicians.

Difficult.

De La Soul - Is Dead

Tommy Boy/Big Life BLRCD8. 1991

I just can't be bothered with people talking at me.

Not so bad: Ring Ring Ring

De La Soul - Three Feet High and Rising

Tommy Boy/Big Life DLSCD1. 1989

When they actually get into a song it's ok, but there's far too much messing around. I don't want to listen to stupid little skits or irrelevant samples. Play some damn music.

Good bits: The magic number, Jenifa taught me, Eye know. That's about it.

Depeche Mode - Speak and Spell

Mute CDSTUMM5. 1981

See below.

Apart from New Life, which I've a soft spot for, this is toss.

Depeche Mode - Some Great Reward

Mute CDSTUMM19. 1984

Eeh, that's just rubbish. Even the single (People are people, Master and servant) have aged really badly.

Possibly the worst printing I've ever seen on a CD cover.