7 inch singles collection: Sam Brown - Mindworks

It's the daughter of 50's rock 'n' roller, Joe Brown:

SAM BROWN

A-side: Mindworks

B-Side: No Man Is An Island
(A&M 1990)

I can imagine people looking at that picture of the sleeve just there and thinking - "He only bought that for the limited edition pop-sleeve." Whilst I would maintain that that is an excellent reason for buying any record, and I would have done so for this one, if it were not for the fact that I would have bought this one even if it didn't have the pop-up sleeve. As it happens I rather liked Sam Brown's previous offering "Stop!" (more of which later), and was looking forward to hearing more of her.

I happy to report that I was not disappointed with Mindworks. It has strong framing acoustic guitar to start with an other-worldy sound, (I make notes when I'm listening to these records and it says wibbly-wobbly noise in those notes), which glides over the top of the music. If you want me to be a bit more technical I suppose theremin-like would cover it, (and, indeed, it may even be a theremin!) Sam starts singing  with a strong voice building it up into a bit of a crescendo - good dramatic power pop. There's more wibbly-wobbly noises going on discretely in the song, but that add that extra bit of distinction to it.

The b-side is called No Man Is An Island - this starts off soft and low with a pervasive jazzy bass that takes it's time to work into smooth groove. The jazz element is strong in this one, it's much more exacting and exciting vocally for Sam than the a-side, but she more than lives up to with a sultry and confidant performance. There's a cool and satisfying woodwind break in the middle. All in all it's a better song than the a-side - with two downfalls, firstly it's not as catchy, and secondly it just doesn't seem to how to end, and the finish doesn't quite work.

I expect you're all agog to know what the pop-up in the gatefold sleeve looked like - as it doesn't fit on my scanner. Well it's Sam Brown's head as seen in the above picture with a curly thing (probably a visual representation of the wibbly-wobbly noise) springing out with some of the words on it. Trust me - you're not missing much by not being able to see it.

Next time another Gloucester band from the early 90's...
(actually we can't seem to get out of 90/91 at the moment - I may have to make an intervention in my selection randomiser soon - just for the sake of variety)

7 inch singles collection: Bedazzled - Teenage Mother Superior

From the remnants of Apple Mosaic its:

BEDAZZLED

A-side: Teenage Mother Superior

B-Side: Always Never
            Missing
(Columbia 1991)

You may remember the very post in this blog was about EMF and I mentioned that the guitarist had come from much lamented Gloucester band Apple Mosaic, well the singer, the fantastically monikered Laurence Carrington-Windo, formed this band. Presumably named after the Peter Cook & Dudley Moore film (and not the Liz Hurley remake). Bedazzled were less obviously dancey than EMF, but they flirted around the periphery of the 'baggy' movement which was mainly made up of jangly indie bands, who'd gone a bit funky claiming that they'd always had an element of dance music in their sound. Bedazzled's problem with this is that this particular bandwagon had long left town and they were trailing along behind unable to catch up. Evidence of how uncool they were was that around this time I remember seeing them on whatever nonsense replaced Pebble Mill at One in the early afternoons at this time period. It was presented, if my memory doesn't let me down by Alan Titchmarsh and Judi Spiers. So, yeah, they'd missed the cool train by several stops.

Teenage Mother Superior is an energetic funky workdown full of wah-wah laden effects and a full on sneer from Laurence (he was very good at the sneering vocal I recall). I always kind of enjoyed this song in an unthinking way, but having re-listened to it for the purposes of this blog, the lyrical content has made me think a bit harder. This is a good thing, one of the purposes of this blog was to make me re-assess some of my old favourites. My problem is the the hard time being given to the titular Teenage Mother Superior in the lyrics, fair enough the narrator seems to be answering her questioning of his hedonistic life-style, but he's coming off at best boorish, and at worst bullying. They need to do some mellowing out here, and maybe just agree to disagree and respect each other's lifestyles before departing amicably. So good tunesmithery, well delivered, but the hectoring lyrics now no longer sit well with me.

A nice treat as we turn over this platter to find two b-sides therein. Aware of this kind of trickery, I check the label and find it plays and 33 1/3 rpm, an adjust the speed accordingly, (I've been caught out before.) The first track, Always Never, sounds not too dissimilar to the a-side - full of guitar effects maybe falling to the rockier side of dance than the funky side this time. A track about missing out on stuff and never being able to get the time to do things - something I think we can all appreciate. I enjoy the verses of Always Never much more than the chorus which sounds a little strained.

Missing is mellower than the other other two tracks, and I'm happy for the change. Whilst still being full of typical indie-style chimes it noticeably wanders into AOR territory, but at no particular detriment to the song. Considering it's about someone who has gone missing (all be it voluntarily) it's conspicuously jaunty in tone. It's not that memorable though, and whilst I'll always be able to summon the a-side to my mind both of the b-side tracks don't have that spark (which is why they're b-sides!)

Next time something a little bit jazzy...

7 inch singles collection: Bob Dylan - Political World

It's Dylan!

BOB DYLAN

A-side: Political World

B-Side: Ring Them Bells
(CBS 1990)

I like to think of Bob Dylan in the upper echelons of curmudgeonly old men in rock - right up there in the premier division of grumpy aging rock stars alongside Lou Reed (RIP), Neil Young and Van Morrison. What all of these people have in common is the ability to make some of the most sublime, brilliant music ever, but equally be able to make some of worst dross ever recorded. Sometimes on the same album, sometimes even within the same song.

This record is from one of Dylan's "return to form" albums - Oh! Mercy. It certainly found itself in the top 50 end-of-year round-up in both Melody Maker and NME of 1990 - and probably in plenty of other music magazines too.

Political World has a statement to make - it's a political world, and everybody has an agenda, and the decisions we make have impact small or large on other people and decisions. I imagine all the old hippies listening to this revelation were nodding their heads and saying "yeah, man, tell it like it is Bob - stick it to the man", whilst the rest of us were more probably thinking something along the lines of "yes, we know, and your point is..?". I suppose there's some people out there who are naive and innocent enough not to have realised this, however they're probably not the types to listen to Dylan, so I don't think he's going to be corrupting anyone's innocence with this. If the lyrics to Political World are all cliche and truism, so is the music - but not in a bad way It's the music that started rock itself - Blues. It has a great bluesy feel, with a strong swampy rhythm that gets you going. So one to listen to for the music rather than the words. (By the way - there are no vids on YouTube of Bob Dylan doing this number - plenty of cover versions  - so no link I'm afraid - you'll have to hunt it down yourself!)

Flipping the record over we find a piano led piece of AOR, called Ring Them Bells. Whilst I'm partial to a bit of Dylan every now and then, I could never claim to be a fan, and so this styling was a surprise for me, however unlike the a-side I found it musically bland. Maybe the lyrics are better and a bit less obvious - well yes they are. In fact I'm a little confused. It could be Dylan not be clear and being obfuscatory, or it could be me being thick (there's a 50/50 chance to be honest!) Either the bells are ringing out in celebration, saying the masses are still here, and are strong, and are surviving, or the bells are ringing out a funereal death knell for the little people as they are swamped by the political world. Could be either, maybe if I listened to this song a few more times I'd have an idea, but I can't say that the notion fills me with enthusiasm. It was a little bit too dull to make me want to go back to.

Next time some more music from the 'shire...

7 inch singles collection: The House Of Love - The Beatles And The Stones

One of my favourite bands from my late teens and early twenties..

THE HOUSE OF LOVE

A-side: The Beatles And The Stones
B-Side: Love IV
(Fontana 1990)

I'm going to tell you, quite unapologetically, that I'm a big fan of The House Of Love, they were lauded for a bit by the music press around 1987/88 then fell out of favour - but I stuck with them, enjoying their epic chiming guitar pop. Mind you I was a bit a grumpy with them around the time this came out  - not because of the music, but because of the seeming infinite variety of formats they were releasing singles in. This 7 inch version is a gatefold sleeve with a poster ensconced within. There was an ordinary 7 inch version (which I don't have) , and at least one 12 inch version (which I do have), all with different b-sides making me feel a bit narked that to get all the songs I have to buy so many different verisons. The House of Love weren't the only band to be doing this at the time, but they were the only one I cared about.

The Beatles And The Stones is a song about being an individual and celebrating your uniqueness, plenty of people at different times feel isolated and alone, but the right music at those times, means it doesn't matter it can help you be who you are regardless of whether you're alone or not. Funnily enough being one with the music (in this case the titular Beatles and Stones) means you're not alone because the music is there, and out there too are other people with the same feelings and attachments to the music, and you become part of that community - making you alone, but with other loners too. At least that's what I take from the lyrics - whether Guy Chadwick had that in mind when he wrote it I don't know. The Beatles And the Stones is a languid shuffle, that feels yearning and wistful creating a instant and warming sense of nostalgia - even if you're too young to be nostalgic about those things.

On the other  side of this version of the record is an instrumental called Love IV. Unusual for the House Of Love in that their lead man, Guy Chadwick, didn't write it, but instead it was left to the bassist. It starts with a great intro that with a looping and circling guitar riff, and then carries on always threatening to break out into something, about halfway through it almost does break out with a sudden unexpected change in the riff, whilst still on the same rhythmic pulse, but this quickly settles back into the main riff again, and then it's over. Love IV is not bad, but I can't help have the feeling that they were releasing singles in so many formats that they were stuck with having to put half-formed ideas out as b-sides.

 Next time someone who is a true icon of popular music...

7 inch singles collection: The Fall - Free Range

It's the wonderful and frightening world of...

THE FALL

A-side: Free Range
B-Side: Everything Hurtz
(Cog-Sinister 1992)


Trying to describe The Fall to anyone who's not heard of them is not the easiest thing to do. Over the years they have chopped and changed styles, gone through countless members, and yet no matter how different one record is from another they all sound exactly like The Fall. This is largely down to singer Mark E. Smith's unique delivery. He is the heart and soul of The Fall - if all the former members of The Fall got together without Mr. Smith and recorded a whole load of Fall songs it wouldn't be a Fall record. If you recorded Mark E.Smith yelling the word Toast for half an hour that would be a Fall record. He is The Fall and The Fall is him.

One of the things that does distinguish The Fall is that many of their records have a choppy stop/start sound with the guitars. Free Range fits this mould admirably. As this is early 90's Fall there is something of an almost danceable groove to this song, the backbone of it being a funky beat that is throbbing and cyclical, occasional bursts of Also Sprach Zarathustra weave their way in and out of the song. All the while M.E.S. shouts apparently seemingly meaningless and random stuff over the top. In that sense Free Range is almost the definitive Fall song, but compared to much of their catalogue it is very much a by the numbers adequate piece.

Almost invariable they better song is saved for the flipside. Everything Hurtz, still has the choppiness of sound, but instead of heading to the dance floor this is a much rockier number. The shouting is toned down, and the lyrics, are much more coherent and even make a bit of sense. In the end Everything Hurtz is simply easier to listen to to, whereas Free Range is much more admirable than likeable. If I were to make a mix-tape of Fall songs for someone I would pick the B-side over the A-side for inclusion.

Next time one band singing about two other bands...

7 inch singles collection: Kirsty MacColl - Don't Come The Cowboy With Me, Sonny Jim!

Here's something from the lovely Kirsty MacColl

KIRTSY MACCOLL

A-Side: Don't Come The Cowboy With Me, Sonny Jim!
B-Side: Other People's Lives
(Virgin 1990)

Kirsty MacColl, often used as a backing singer for people who were no where near as good as she was, released many great records of her own during her tragically short lifetime.

This single was one of several from her excellent album Kite, and suffers the all too common fate of being one record too many - something I previously noted a few weeks back with a Fleetwood Mac record.

There isn't that much wrong with Don't Come The Cowboy With Me, Sonny Jim! (apart, maybe, from the unwieldy title, but even that has an endearing quality to it). It's a pleasant enough ballad about lost and misplaced love - something that seems to feature a lot in Kirtsy MacColl's catalogue, and as is common in her songs she's the strong empowered woman who knows exactly what game the bloke is playing and won't let him get away with it. It swings gently in waltz time, largely acoustic with touches of steel guitar in the background, something which helps lift out of the pleasant but forgettable category, but it does kind of wash over you.

It's a shame that Other People's Lives doesn't do more to lift the record, it's a well crafted piece of pop about doomed unrequited love, but I've found there's little more that I can say about it.

I liked this record, I can clearly remember the songs, but I don't feel a connection or strong pull to either song, and whilst I'd be happy to hear either of them again. I wouldn't go seeking them out. That's a shame because Kirsty MacColl has so much more to offer than this - fortunately we'll be coming to some of them later on.

Next time something from a band whose entire recorded output is practically a genre in itself.

7 inch singles collection: Bangles - Hazy Shade Of Winter

Here's something from a film soundtrack.

BANGLES

A-side: Hazy Shade Of Winter

B-side: She's Lost You (by Joan Jett & The Blackhearts)
(Def Jam 1987)

I'd like to say that I know less the zero about the film Less Than Zero. However that wouldn't quite be true, because I know it's got these two songs on the soundtrack, and I know it's based on a Brett Easton Ellis novel. More than that though I can't tell you - I didn't catch my interest when it was released, and resolutely remains so to this day. I did think of looking it up on IMDB for the purposes of his blog, but couldn't be bothered - if you're that bothered go and it it yourself.

So if it wasn't for the film why did I buy this record. Well I have to admit that I really rather like the Bangles, and by like I don't mean fancy (well, maybe the bass player). Their brand of jangly power pop, combined with female harmonies is something that I find pretty appealing.

Hazy Shade of Winter is a cover version of a Simon & Garfunkel song. I've probably heard it a few times before in the original version, but really can't call it to mind as the Bangles version is indelibly lodged in my brain. It starts off all soft and mellow then kicks to life with a killer riff that drives along the song. All the band sing along to this allow some cracking harmonies throughout the record. The whole effect is pretty darn good, and rather enjoyable, yet for that it still seems oddly hollow - maybe if it were an original Bangles track there may be an extra spark in the performance that would elevate it from goodness to greatness.

Normally on the flip side of a record you get a another track by the same artist, but in this case we've got something else off the soundtrack of Less Than Zero - on the back of the record it lists the artists who are on the soundtrack. We we've got here, I'm pleased to say is one of the better options. Joan Jett is often cited as one of the pioneers of women in rock, but is any woman from the 60's or 70's, who played an instrument and sang. The sad truth of the matter is that most of them probably were as there weren't that many women doing this kind of thing back in those days. Actually there's still fewer woman than men these days playing rock music, but it's less noteworthy now. Anyway Joan doesn't let us down with this track. She's Lost You starts with a gentle piano boogie, which from the very beginning you can just tell it's going to very soon start to rock out, and when it inevitably does so it then maintains it's rocking groove for the rest of the record. Joan does the only think you can with this sings a bluesy rasp over the top, all of which results in an honest to goodness down-home 12 bar blues boogie. I can't say that back in the day I ever had much cause to play this side of the record, but now taking things into consideration, I think I really rather enjoy the Joan Jett track more than the Bangles one.

Next time some well crafted pop from 1990.

7 inch singles collection: Band Aid - Do They Know It's Christmas

Get your cash out it's time to give to charity:

BAND AID

A-side: Do They Know It's Christmas?

B-Side: One Year On
(Mercury 1985)

OK, where do we start on this one. It's a good and worthy cause, I get that, but there is something about this record which really annoys me. Could it be being urged by a collective of multi-millionaires to guilt-trip me into giving my hard earned cash to a charity of their choice, rather than one of my own. This isn't the only worthy cause out there, perhaps I think my hard won cash should go to cancer prevention, or Alzheimer's research, or to servicemen injured in the line of duty, or well the list could go on forever. The way this record was advertised, and forced upon us at the time was such that if you didn't buy you were made to feel as though you'd put a pistol to the head of an Ethiopian child and pulled the trigger whilst laughing maniacally to yourself. 

Alternatively I could dislike this record so intensely because it's rubbish. I know the lyrics aren't meant to be taken literally but "There won't be snow in Africa this Christmas" always makes my blood boil - like there ever is any snow in Africa, at Christmas, apart from the mountain-tops where it's pretty much all year round. For that matter how frequent is snow in England at Christmas these days, and exactly what proportion of Africa is Christian enough to celebrate Christmas. As I said I know much of it is metaphorical but it just gets my back up.

It's just a bad record - if Bob Geldolf had actually made a decent record (and he's capable of it), then maybe lots of people would have bought it and then he could have said all the money from this is going to help starving people in Africa, then maybe I wouldn't have minded. However the intense evangelicalism that went with this set me off on the wrong foot.

I didn't buy this the first year it was released, but got it the following year - hence why the b-side is called One Year On. This entails Midge Ure to drone sonorously one for 3 1/2 minutes detailing exactly how many tonnes of rice, trucks, goats, etc. over the tune of Do They Know It's Christmas. That said at least he is dull and boring about this - maybe he knows that any hint or trace of emotion in his delivery would make the whole thing sound even more smug and self-satisfied than it already is.

Do then ends ever justify the means? Maybe in this case it does - but that doesn't mean I have to like it. 

As I get older I get more tolerant of music which in my younger days I would have felt a vehement dislike for. Except this record - once I found Do They Know It's Christmas annoying now I find it deeply offensive.

I will now try and be less angry for next time when it will something from the soundtrack of the film Less Than Zero

7 inch singles collection: Frazier Chorus - Nothing

Some indie dance pop:

FRAZIER CHORUS

A-side: Nothing

B-Side: Little Piece Of Hell
(Virgin 1990)


Frazier Chorus originally started out on the 4AD label,(in fact there'll be something from then from that period another time), and at the time were seen as similar to other bands on that label such as Cocteau Twins as being dreamy and ethereal, with maybe a few more pop sensibilities. 

Nothing still has a languid dream like quality to it, but the poppy dance elements are clearly much more to the fore here. Of course this was at a time when the "baggy" movement was all over the places and every two-bit guitar bands were adding in funky rhythms and claiming that they always had a dance element to their sound. As it happens I think the Frazier Chorus always did have that style, but it became more prominent over time. Nothing starts with a groove and a pounding house-style piano lays down the backbone of the song - so far so ordinary, and nothing noteworthy. The distinctive feature here being the the vocals - these are delivered in an almost bored and languid fashion. Whilst saying something sounds bored may not be the greatest compliment ever given, I think it also what saves this track from fizzling away under it's own blandness. It's tempting fate to name a song Nothing, and it's only just about gets away with not living up (down?) to it.

To me Little Piece Of Hell is the more attractive of the songs on this record - it tones down the dance element, and ups the poppiness of the song - almost literally as a popping noise is a recurring motif throughout this track. The bassline still brings home enough groove for you to shuffle around to without it shouting "This is a dance track" - which is much more my cup of tea. The vocals sound more engaged too - altogether a much more spirited performance.

Next time the granddaddy of all charity singles...

7 inch singles collection: Judy Collins - Send In The Clowns

Something from a Sondheim Musical:

JUDY COLLINS

A-side: Send In The Clowns

B-Side: Houses
(Elektra  1975)

You probably know this song - it's been done many times by a variety of singers and actresses each bringing their own interpretation to it whether it is as a stand alone song, or as part of "A Little Night Music". It's Sondheim so you would expect a well written, and perfectly crafted piece of music, and of course he delivers.

Many people, and I would include myself amongst them, would agree that this version of Send In The Clowns is the definitive one. Judy Collins has a sweet and pure voice, and tones she use bring out the bittersweet melancholy of the words and music. The orchestral arrangement is in perfect sympathy with her voice - supporting and adding texture, but never leading or dominating. The video that I've linked to has actually clowns in the background - but as it's from the Muppet Show - it's pitched perfectly and doesn't ruin the song or detract from it. Unfortunately the same cannot be said for another version of the song that I remember from the late 70's/early 80's it was a comedy show and one half of the duo was trying to sing Send In The Clowns, and on the chorus the other came in all Entry of The Gladiators ruining the song (it was probably Little And Large that sounds exactly like their schtick). I know it was meant to be funny, but whenever I think of this song - that's always the first thought that comes into my mind and it spoils it a little for me.

On the B-side is a song called Houses which seemed to me to be an oddly prosaic name for a song, especially as prior to this listening I cannot recall ever listening to it before. I must have done when I bought the record originally - but it obviously made so little impression upon me that until now I've had no call to listen to it again. I'll be honest and say that it hasn't made much of an impression upon me this time either! It's a pleasant, light sounding piece with nice folky tinges, and appropriate swoops and troughs through the melody, but not attention-grabbing enough for me to even notice what she was singing about! It could have been a a bland description of different types of Houses, or a scathing attack on a society which allows homelessness to happen, but I just didn't notice, and to be honest I not bothered enough top go back and listen to it again.

One quick tangential note - I love the picture on the label of Elektra records from this period - it's really eye-catching and distinctive. Also you'll notice that this particular copy may have come from a jukebox, because it's got that distinctive hole-too-big in the middle and needs that lovely plastic widget to go in the middle in order to be played on a home record player. 

Next time some early 90's dream pop.

7 inch single collection: The Shadows - Wonderful Land

It's my favourite band:

THE SHADOWS

A-side: Wonderful Land
B-Side: Stars Fell On Stockton
(Columbia  1962)

So this'll be the first of may posts featuring the Shadows as I've got more singles by them than by any other artist. they're the first band that I ever got into, so I feel a kind of brand loyalty to them. I'm just glad that this first single to come up is one of the good ones, so I don't have to start on my heroes by trashing one their records.

Wonderful Land was a number one for several weeks in 1962 - I think it even knocked Cliff off the top spot. It's a big sweeping record. Hanks guitar cries out proudly and strong - the name and he melody evokes the sound of standing on mountain top, on wild moorland or in forests in the summertime giving a sense of appreciation of all that surrounds us. The extra pizazz of genius on this record is supplied by Norrie Paramour, the producer, it was his suggestion that the horns and strings were added, not unheard of in rock music at the time, but still  uncommon. If you've heard the version recorded before the orchestral parts were added it does sound naked, and not sexy naked, but stark and bare. that added strings provide that filigree of lingerie for added tantalisation, (and I'm stopping there before that metaphor gets too carried away.)

Whilst Wonderful Land does epic and majestic Stars Fell On Stockton is much more more whimsical, suggesting more of rummage through a village hall jumble sale, than the proud vistas of Wonderful Land. Whistling in rock music has been much maligned, and so when The Shadows whistle the main riff of Stars Fell On Stockton it's a surprising treat (or a moment of odd tweeness depending on your point of view). Adding to the eccentricity of this track is the percussion - much of which is played on a wooden clip-cloppy sounding thing (I think that's the technical name). The apparent quaintness of the track does much to disguise the rapid and deft musicianship that runs throughout this piece.  That the two tracks are so different and yet so enjoyable in their own right is proof enough that The Shadows didn't just produce a load of stuff that sounded more or less the same.

Talking of not sounding the same for those of you who may be interested the name of this blog is taken from a Shadows single, however in a cruel stroke of irony it's one of the few of their singles that I don't have on vinyl - so I won't be featured later on! So as a bit of a bonus click here for The Rise And Fall Of Flingel Bunt

Next time A Little Night Music...

7 inch single collection: Cliff Richard - Carrie

It's Cliff!!!:

CLIFF RICHARD

A-side: Carrie
B-Side: Moving On
(EMI  1980)

I kind of feel like I have to be defensive when talking about Cliff - he's almost been ostracised by the British media partly because of his refusal to talk to the ever prurient about his private life, and partly due to his evangelical Christianity. Also as far as the media is concerned the old adage about only being as good as your last record is true, and Cliff's last few records haven't been aimed at the media, or airplay, but generally at his hardcore fans - it doesn't matter how anodyne and safe they sound to the rest of us, they're made for people who like Cliff. So he's become almost a figure of fun, some used to evoke twee mediocrity - a man who has managed to produce one of the worst records ever known to mankind (The Millennium Prayer). However it's easy to forget that he's also the creator of one of the finest pieces of music in the known universe (Move It). All his other recording fall somewhere on the range between the both. If I was to chart a personal rating of all of Cliff's singles from the start to now it would come up with a line with a lot of peaks, troughs and plateaus - with for me most of the peaks being in the 50s and 60s.

Carrie would probably be the last high peak on that chart. This is a great well crafted pop record. The style suits Cliff spot on, and he nails the vocals from the start. The instrumentation is atmospheric and even in places a little unexpected, which just adds to the drama of the story in the song. It's pretty much a perfect piece of period pop.

Whilst everything seems to mesh together on Carrie to make it the song it is, Moving Out just doesn't have the same charisma. It an almost run of the mill piece, there are a few touches in there that try to lift it into something more special. The song has on odd structure, (you could never dance to it), the rising crescendo on the chorus, the nice guitar riff in the middle, and the country-style guitars all try to make Moving Out something special it doesn't work. It's the kind of song that you would look a bit odd trying to dance to, but on the other hand if you're dancing to a Cliff Richard B-Side you're probably not all that worried about how odd you're looking.

Whilst you could argue that Carrie is better than the sum of it's parts, Moving Out just isn't equal to the sum of it's parts.

Next Time it's Cliff's backing group.

7 inch single collection: All About Eve - Scarlet

Folk-Goth anyone?:

ALL ABOUT EVE

A-side: Scarlet
B-Side: Our Summer (live)
(Mercury  1985)

I'm partial to a bit of All About Eve, so this won't be the last time you see them appear on this blog. I've often wondered why All About Eve got labelled as Goth, certainly they don't pose the same sense of theatre and pomp as many of their Goth contemporaries, and musically they are not as bombastic as many of he Goth bands are prone to be. It might be the people they they hung about with there was a lot of involvement with the Mission, and the guitarist did end up leaving to join Sisters of Mercy.  I can only conclude that there is a spectrum of Goth and All About Eve fall into the mellow, folky end.

Scarlet in particular definitely has the feel of a folk song. With it's muted acoustic guitar, and string session backing giving a melancholy tone to the song. There's a touch of flamenco style guitar thrown in there partway through, that adds an extra touch of he exotic to the song. Julianne Regan's voice sounds tremulous and vulnerable which cocoons you in the warmth of the melody.

On the flip side of he record is a live version of Our Summer, a song that comes from their earlier days. This is slightly more rocky than Scarlet - it's certainly more upbeat, and forceful, and dare I say it more joyful.  However as with so much of All About Eve it still feels autumnal - there are few bands that I find can evoke such a specific feeling in me - their music feels like a translation of the red, browns and yellows of leaves that are about to fall on a day that is sunny, but cool and crisp.

Next time The C-Word!

7 inch singles collection: Eva - A Boy, A Girl And New York

Something quite obscure now:

EVA

A-side: A Boy, A Girl And New York
B-Side: Half Asleep, Half Awake
(In Tape  1988)

No You Tube link for this! So the above link is to a preview on iTunes - it's the best I can find. I did a quick Google on this and apart from that iTunes link there's not much about on the web for this. There's a few sites trying to flog copies of the 12" and on of them describes this as "cute indie pop". Well I won't argue with the pop bit, and it's indie in the sense that In Tape were an independent label, and cute is probably subjective - she's certainly looking cutesy on the cover of the record - but what with all the artistic blur I reserve judgement on that. However that description doesn't really cut the mustard when it comes to describing this single.

A Boy, A Girl And New York hits a funky groove from the start and offers up a rapturous dancey number filled with choppy guitars and swooning vocals. It's very catchy - even after having never thought about it for years the melody and the groove came straight back to me when I pulled the record out of the box, before even sticking it onto the turntable.

Hoping for more of the same on the B-side, I quickly discovered that Half Asleep, Half Awake fits the "cute indie pop" label a lot more, the disco-y elements and the tempo have been dialed down to be replaced by jangly acoustic guitars. All very nice, but certainly not got the wow factor that the A-side has. I must admit being to being disappointed by this side of the record - and in general I'm a bit of a fan of jangly guitar stuff. 

I know noting else about Eva - there do seem to be several artists out there with the same name, but nothing that appears to be related to this one. The record I've got has a stamp on the back of it saying "Promo Copy Only - not for re-sale" - maybe she didn't get more than a promo release, which is a shame as A Boy, A Girl And New York certainly deserves a wider audience.

Next time something a bit folkish.

7 inch singles collection: The Adverts - No Time To Be 21

After a few mellow records it's time to clear the air with a bit of punk:

THE ADVERTS

A-side: No Time To Be 21
B-Side: New Day Dawning
(Bright  1978)

The Adverts had a hit with a brilliant record called Gary Gilmore's Eyes. I don't have that record - you'll notice a bit of a theme coming through this collection in that I often don't have the big, well-known hit record, but have the less well-known ones that came out after or before. Not to say that these records are any less good, just maybe not as publicly recognisable. This is one of three Adverts singles I've got, plus another by front man, T.V.Smith's, next group Cheap, so more on their background later.

No Time To Be 21 is as nihilistic and as angry as you'd want a punk record to be. Railing against the world which is dead set against the youth, so you might as well cause trouble and be an outcast, because joining in makes you as dead and as hopeless as the rest. This raises in me two distinct and separate feelings. One that says "Yeah I know how you feel - stick it to the man!" and the other which says "oh, don't be so hopelessly naive".

The B-side whilst still being very Punk and interestingly angular it it's rhythms is much more postive. No Time To Be 21 is very much nobody likes us , so we're going to sulk in a corner, whilst New Day Dawning see them wondering if something better can come along and maybe the right people can make a difference if they plow on, fighting not for glory but for right and justice and to make the world better for all.

Both sides are make great listening and both, clocking in at just over 2 and a half minutes, are a blast of much needed energy.

Next time a record so obscure I can't even find a YouTube link for it!

7 inch single collection: The Everly Brothers - Cathy's Clown

Corporate Giants Warner Bros. started with this:

THE EVERLY BROTHERS

A-side: Cathy's Clown
B-Side: Always It's You
(Warner Brothers  1960)

I like to think that I have a fairly eclectic taste in music - I'm pretty much prepared to give anything a chance, but where I'm most comfortable and the music that I like that best is largely that which originates in the late 50's and early 60's, and so we come to a record from that very period, and a wonderful record it is too.

As rock 'n' rollers The Everlys may have been a bit on the soft and gentler side - although they could rock out when necessary - their true metier is in the ballads. There's something about sad songs sung in close harmony that just kicks you right in the heart and gets the tear ducts opening up. The Everly Brothers knew this and exploited it to the hilt.

Is Cathy's Clown Don and Phil's crowning glory? I reckon it probably is. There' yearning and self-delusion in the lyrics - he doesn't want to be Cathy's Clown anymore, but you know he can help it he loves Cathy and he's going to go back there again regardless of what he wants. This comes out so well in the Everly's voices. Combine that with that distinctive drum sound, rising and falling, makes a record that I think sounds timeless. Sends a shiver down the spine every time I hear it.

Always It's You was never going to live up to the A-side if this record. It's a slow pleasant love song that follows the formula of so many Everly Brothers songs. Nice to listen to, but there's no extra special ingredient to it to make it rise up to the upper echelons of their catalogue.

That's been a couple of downbeat singles in a row there, all change next time with some shouty punk.

7 inch singles collection: Cowboy Junkies - 'Cause Cheap Is How I Feel

Canada's Finest Country Band:

COWBOY JUNKIES

A-side: 'Cause Cheap Is How I Feel
B-Side: Thirty Summers
(RCA  1990)

I know Country  and Western has got a bad reputation, especially here in England, but bear with me on this because Cowboy Junkies are not full of the "Yee-Haws" and Stetsons that most people (erroneously) associate with the genre.

Records by Cowboy Junkies are big, open and spacious, living at slower more relaxed pace of life - much as I imagine their home country to be like. Although throughout many of their songs a strong streak of melancholy runs a wide course, despite this the sound is never cold, because singer , Margo Timmins, has a soft low voice, that could keep Canada cosy through many a harsh winter.

Talking of harsh winters, the first few lines of 'Cause Cheap Is How I Feel very effectively sets up the image of a cold night in the depths of winter. It's the story of the feelings coming from a damaged relationship. Nobody makes misery sound as beautiful as Cowboy Junkies.

Talking of misery Thirty Summers on the other side of the record is another damaged relationship - this time they're loving someone who they've loved for a long time, but that person has lost whatever spark that made them once special. There is a contrast though between the songs - whilst the relationship in 'Cause Cheap Is How I Feel sounds damaging, one-way and ultimately self-abusive to the protagonist, the one in Thirty Summers sounds supportive and strong, and maybe by the loved one can come back from the brink - so there is hope in there somewhere. I know Thirty Summers probably isn't about how one partner copes when the other has dementia, but having heard a lot of these stories over the last few years, it does bring them sharply to mind, and as such is very moving.

Bleak, but beautiful.

Next time the very first record ever released on the Warner Brothers label.