Donovan - Atlantis (1968)

Side A:
Atlantis

Side B:
I Love My Shirt

'Atlantis' is my Dad's favourite Donovan song - which is probably why I bought the single. Tonight, I'm hearing it for the first time in a long time. I seem to remember this single being so crackly that it virtually unlistenable, but it's holding up tonight.

I like 'Atlantis' more than I remember. I think I usually hear the first part and get bored before I remember how much I like the end of the song. 'I Love My Shirt' is, quite literally, about loving his shirt. It's a bit silly. While not without it's charm, it did get grating by the end. I was happy when it ended. I think I'll stick to 'Catch The Wind' next time.

Little Birdy - Relapse (2003)

Side A:
Relapse

Side B:
Beautiful

Two things surprise me when I hear certain music from the early 2000's. Firstly, how nostalgic it has become. Secondly, how badly it's dated. I'll elaborate when I blog, say, Highly Evolved. For now, we're onto Little Birdy.

I used to love Little Birdy, but I must be honest. They absolutely drive me up the wall these days. How I ever stomached Katy Steele's sickly sweet voice, I'll never know. The mere thought of 'Come On Come On' or 'Tonight's The Night' may cause a bilious attack.

'Relapse' was always one of their best songs. Hearing it tonight, it didn't drive me as crazy as I expected. I even enjoyed it. It's still a good song. More than anything, it brought back memories of the early 00's - of nights and gigs and friends long forgotten.

The version on this single is the same as the one from the 2003 Little Birdy EP, which makes me think that this single must have also come out in 2003 (the single doesn't list the year and even Discogs fails to provide any insight).

'Beautiful' is an early version of 'Beautiful To Me'. 'Beautiful To Me' is one that drives me crazy these days. This early version is much less polished than the single that came out a few years later. As such, I find it a more digestible listen than the BigBigLove version, which I listened to afterwards for comparison and which gave me heartburn.

I bought this single from a record fair, but don't remember much else. I'd all but forgotten about it until tonight. There doesn't seem to be much information about it on the internet. If it's become hard to find, it may be a treasure that I really don't appreciate.

The Mamas And The Papas - Creeque Alley (1967)

Side A:
Creeque Alley

Side B:
Did You Ever Want To Cry

I've always had a big soft spot for The Mamas And The Papas. However, 'Creeque Alley' isn't one of my favourites, as much as I used to enjoy it.

I always thought it was a little mean to explicitly call out Mama Cass for being fat. After reading Eddi Fiegel's Dream A Little Dream Of Me: The Life Of 'Mama' Cass Elliot, I liked the song even less. Not only did it make fun of Cass' weight, it also told everyone that she was in love with Denny, which was kinda sad in itself. The book even noted that their wonderful 'Glad To Be Unhappy' single was a more accurate description of the group's history than 'Creeque Alley' was.

'Creeque Alley' is still a bit of fun, when taken at face value. Though, given the many great songs that The Mamas And The Papas recorded (like B-side to this single, 'Did You Ever Want To Cry'), I usually skip past 'Creeque Alley' these days.

Plastic Ono Band - Cold Turkey (1969)

Side A:
Cold Turkey

Side B:
Don't Worry Kyoko (Mummy's Only Looking for Her Hand in the Snow)

'Cold Turkey' is one of my favourite solo John Lennon songs. In fact, all of my favourite solo John Lennon songs are from this very early period - this, 'Instant Karma!' and John Lennon/Plastic Ono Band are, collectively, my favourite John Lennon songs. Despite The Beatles playing around with heavier sounds during this time, it's hard to imagine then tackling a song as raw as 'Cold Turkey'. It makes for a pretty stark first solo single (does 'Give Peace A Chance' really count?).

The B-Side, 'Don't Worry Kyoko', I've blogged about before, when I blogged the Plastic Ono Band's Live Peace In Toronto album. The version on the single is the same recording that ended up on Fly in 1971, and is probably the definitive version. While most people simply do not understand Yoko's work (and mock it, accordingly), especially the early avant garde music she was putting out until the early 70's, much of it features some of Lennon's most interesting guitar work. One would think this would be enough to keep people interested. Thankfully contemporary reviewers seem to be realising this. Either way, 'Don't Worry Kyoko' is a great piece of avant-rock and Yoko is not to be mocked.

Shakespears Sister - Stay (1992)

Well, hello again, friends! It's been a long time between drinks. Again. I thought another little game of 7" roulette might kick things off then (and hopefully motivate me to blog something meatier in the near future).

So, here we go again!

Shakespears Sister - Stay

Side A:
Stay

Side B:
The Trouble With Andre

This was a funny one to pick. And, had I remembered that I had it, I may have picked it anyway. For some reason, this very weekend, my housemate had this song stuck in his head and kept asking me to play it (from iTunes. I completely forgot I had this single).

I actually had the cassette single of this song when it came out. While I was never compelled, as a child, to buy a Shakespears Sister album, I loved 'You're History' and also fell in love with 'Stay' when it came out. Watching the video on YouTube now brings back memories of many Saturday mornings watching rage and Video Hits.

(Picture stolen from eBay)

I don't have much to say about now, aside from the fact that I'm still quite fond of it. It's actually aged very well. B-Side, 'The Trouble With Andre', I didn't recognise at all until I flipped the single. I must have listened to it when I had the cassette, because it's awfully familiar. And, happily, it's quite good. I am genuinely surprised at how much I've enjoyed both songs. I was also surprised to see that both sides (and the album) were produced by Alan Moulder. Interesting. Maybe it's time I checked out Hormonally Yours? Better late than never, eh?

This single was a purchase from my 7" binge of 2011. After finding several interesting (and sometimes super cheesy) early 90's singles dirt cheap in London, I ended up buying a bunch of them in dirt cheap bundles from eBay. Since I'd very much forgotten this one, I'm quite interested to see what else pops up...

Blondie - The Best Of Blondie (1981)

Versions:
LP

Tracklisting:

Side One:
1. Heart Of Glass
2. Denis
3. The Tide Is High
4. In The Flesh
5. Sunday Girl
6. Dreaming
7. Hanging On The Telephone

Side Two:
1. Rapture
2. Picture This
3. Union City Blue
4. (I'm Always Touched By Your) Presence Dear
5. Call Me
6. Atomic
7. Rip Her To Shreds

Best Tracks:
Atomic
Hanging On The Telephone
(I'm Always Touched By Your) Presence Dear
Call Me
Rip Her To Shreds
Rapture

Currently listening to:
LP

Compilation albums are a fickle bunch. Especially those that came out in the 70's and 80's. Every now and then, however, you come across a treasure. Even rarer, again, is one that's possibly better than any of the band's proper studio albums.

I'll step back for a second. It feels sacrilegious to say that The Best Of Blondie is better than Plastic Letters, Parallel Lines or, even, Eat To The Beat - each of Blondie's records were their own (quite different) statement about Blondie's development into a fucking great pop band (and, if I'm being brutally honest, their eventual demise. But, that's hardly important). You cannot deny, however, Blondie were a great singles band. And, The Best Of Blondie distils the very best of them.

Pop music doesn't get much better than this. And, remember - pop is not a dirty word. Blondie's involvement in the early New York punk scene certainly gave their brand of pop an edge. 'Once I had a love and it was a gas, soon turned out to be a pain in the ass'. Debbie Harry's nonchalant delivery of this line, under the disco sheen, shows she still had one foot planted at CBGB's.

The Best Of Blondie is a joyous listen, from start to finish. Just look at that tracklisting. 'Call Me'. 'Atomic'. 'Hanging On The Telephone'. 'Rip Her To Shreds'. 'Rapture'. 'Sunday Girl'. If those song names mean nothing, stop reading and start listening. If they do, you'll already know what I'm talking about. But, you should still put the record on. Obviously.

Much like another 'greatest hits' collection I previously blogged, every single groove of this one is pretty much perfection. There's no filler. There's not a single bad track on the record. Hell, there's not even any average songs (that said, I'd never been much of a fan of 'The Tide Is High', but wedged between 'Denis' and 'In The Flesh' on Side One, I can't really deny it). Put this on at a party, and I promise you, it will certainly get the party started (then follow up it with The B-52's. Trust me).

(Make sure you try and pick up a copy with this poster in it still)

Magic Dirt - Friends In Danger (1996)

Versions:
CD
CD (US)
CD (US Promo)
LP

Tracklisting:
1. Friends In Danger
2. Heavy Business
3. Pristine Christine
4. Bodysnatcher
5. Dylan's Lullaby
6. Sparrow
7. Shovel
8. Fear
9. Befreiend Fallen Angel
10. I Was Curel

Best Tracks:
I Was Cruel
Shovel
Friends In Danger
Bodysnatcher
Pristine Christine

Currently listening to:
LP

It's hard to believe it's turning 20 years old this year, but Friends In Danger is - hands down - my favourite Australian album of all time. I actually rate it as high as I rate Horses and Fun House. It's one of those rare debut albums that taps into that special magic. Magic Dirt did some great stuff before (and certainly after) Friends In Danger, but there's something about this one that grabs me in a way that the others don't.

My introduction to Magic Dirt was What Are Rock Stars Doing Today, which I fell in love with. Next, I got Life Was Better, which I also fell in love with. Next, I got Friends In Danger. And nothing prepared me for Friends In Danger. It instantly kicked me square in guts. I remember trying to sell it to my (Kyuss-obsessed) best mate, by describing it as Kyuss with a fucked up chick singer. That summation may be more accurate than I care to admit, but such a description sells Friends In Danger incredibly short. Magic Dirt somehow managed to tap into the same manic energy that defined The Stooges' Fun House. It's sloppy and a mess. And, it sounds like the whole thing may fall apart at the seams at any given moment. At the same time, it manages to be very tight and direct. No mean feat. Fun House is the only other record I can think of that walks the same line between being succinct and manic - and sounding like the whole thing is on the verge of of complete collapse. Friends In Danger is the only record I would compare to Fun House - not only is Fun House one of my all time favourites, it is also an extremely important album in the history of modern popular music. That is the highest compliment that I can give Friends In Danger. And, one that feel is deserving.

The history of Friends In Danger also makes me love it, even more. Not only was it Magic Dirt's proper debut studio album, it was also their major label debut. And, not in Australia (where they remained on indie Au-Go-Go Records). No, no. They were actually signed to Warner in America. At a time when, in the 90's, Aussie bands simply didn't get signed in America. My promo copy of the album - with the same generic Warner CD labelling that was on every Madonna promo in the 80's - is my favourite reminder of this. See:

Anyway. Warner were impressed with their first two EP's and hoped that they clean up their sound and make a pop record. Magic Dirt, in turn, gave them this sloppy masterpiece. Suffice to say, Warner weren't impressed and soon dropped them (which you'd know if you'd read up on Wikipedia - I'm linking it here, since I wrote 90% of the fucking thing). It was a pretty ballsy move. And, a very Magic Dirt move. Warner may not have liked it, but this album is an underrated, and in 2016, little known gem.

Friends In Danger feels like it came from another planet. From the droney noise of the title track and 'Befriended Fallen Angel', to the absolutely chilling 'Bodysnatcher' and (instrumental) 'Fear', and from the (almost) straight forward rock of 'Pristine Christine' and 'Sparrow' to the all out freak out of 'I Was Cruel' (and Magic Dirt fans will debate whether the version released on a 10" the year before is superior to the album version. I find both equally mind blowing), Friends In Danger takes off like a rocket into the stratosphere and doesn't let up until it comes crashing back to Earth (as heard at the end of 'I Was Cruel').

I'm sure Friends In Danger also holds a special place in my heart for sentimental reasons. Between 2002 and 2010, I saw Magic Dirt play around 30 times. I'm not sure I can adequately express in words how much I miss seeing them play live. It was always special when they played tracks from Friends In Danger. A performance of 'I Was Cruel' at the 2004 Big Day Out, where an inebriated Adalita walked off stage and returned, smoking the roadie's joint and improvising words and howls and feedback, was a highlight. Another was at The Gov in 2007, when I was seeing them play 'Shovel' live for the first time in about 5 years, and my group of friends and I were singing along so loudly (and, presumably, badly), that Adalita cracked up halfway through the first verse.

I got my vinyl copy of this album from the Au-Go-Go Shop in Melbourne in 2003, along with a bunch of 

other Magic Dirt treasures. I was delighted to see a Magic Dirt display on the wall and asked the lovely man behind the counter what they had in stock. I was spoiled, to say the least (I even returned the next day after he'd called me to say he'd found a copy of the Sparrow 7"). By my next Melbourne trip, the shop was closed and lots of the treasures I got (promo CD's, 7"s and posters) seemed to be gone forever. I was very lucky to get what I got on that one fateful visit.

I also found a CD copy of this album in a Salvation Army Thift Store in Brooklyn for $2. I wondered how long it had been there and how many hundreds of people has passed it over. Despite already having a copy of the American version, I bought it. I couldn't bring myself to just leave it there.

I also know that this album was released on cassette in the US. Tracking a copy down is one of my latest obsessions.

I don't understand how this album wasn't more successful than it was. Despite moderate success in Australia (it sold 10,000 copies and hit No. 25 in the charts - not a bad effort for an Aussie band in the 90's), I sometimes feel it came at the wrong time. Five years earlier, it would have given Bricks Are Heavy and Pretty On The Inside a serious run for their money. Five years later, and it would have wiped the floor with The Strokes, The Hives and Yeah Yeah Yeahs. Though, maybe that's part of Friends In Danger's charm? If it was huge (like, say, Frogstomp), maybe over exposure would have sullied it. Who knows? And, really, who gives a fuck? The fact remains that this is the best album that you've probably never heard. Please please please listen to it. It deserves to be more than a forgotten relic of sloppy 90's Aussie rock. It really is a masterpiece.

(And, don't feel bad about illegally downloading it. The CD and vinyl are out of print and I doubt the band will ever see a cent from iTunes royalties. If you do like it and want to support the band, buy Adalita's solo stuff or River Of Snakes).