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Luxus Bent to Scale- Smiling Daughters 7”

Posted in 1980s, 1982, luxus, minimal, minimal synth, new wave, ohio, synth, US with tags on May 21, 2013 by Frankie Teardrop

Here’s a 7” recommended highly by a few collectors out there.  This one hails from 1982 and features a dirgey, drum heavy minimal synth sound very similar to Pink Industry (with vocals that sound like a pitched down/drugged out Bowie or John Foxx) on the a-side.  The B-side is a little more new wave-y by definition, but still a great listen.  Fans of Fallout Club may like this one as well.

This is the band’s second single on Stork Records, the first released under the name Luxus.   I only have the a-side of that at 128, but if someone has this one and can rip both sides, feel free to chime in!   I can’t find much out there about them, except that they were from Ohio, so feel free to fill in the gaps if you know more about this band!

luxussmall

Luxus Bent to Scale- Smiling Daughters 7”
1. Smiling Daughters
2. I’m So Confused (I’m In A Mess)

*download it here*

2 Comments »

Bethany Curve- Mee-Eaux K7

Posted in 1990s, 1995, bethany curve, california, dreampop, shoegaze, US on April 6, 2013 by Frankie Teardrop

While I haven’t posted much shoegaze here, I’ve been a fan of the genre as long as I can remember… Aside from the classics, I’ve also grown to love more modern bands such as Ashrae Fax, Stella Luna, Tamaryn, The Autumns, the Claire Records bands, and of course, Bethany Curve.  With that in mind, I’ve been looking for a copy of this cassette for ages, pretty much a holy grail for me for many years, so it’s proof that good things come to those who wait.  This came to me as an anonymous donation at first but many thanks to the original collector who spent a lot of effort and time to track this down. 

Bethany Curve formed in Santa Cruz, CA in 1994, taking their name from a local street sign.  The band released four albums and one EP, going on hiatus in 2004 after the release of Flaxen.  Though they haven’t released anything since, the band played some shows in 2010, and their site hints at a new record, Murder, whose release date is still TBA.  There’s also talk of this tape being reissued with remastered sound, so this download will be obviously be removed once it’s available for sale.

As for the band’s sound, Bethany Curve often explored darker territories than most of their peers, citing Dead Can Dance and Depeche Mode as influences alongside Cocteau Twins, Slowdive, and the like .  The influence is most apparent on this tape, released in 1995 as a demo.  There are a few experimental synth moments here as well, serving as interludes between the remaining tracks.  Either way, if you’ve been looking for this tape as long as I have, you’ve already skipped this text and have gone straight to the download, so let’s cut straight to the chase:

Bethany+Curve+MeeAux

Bethany Curve- Mee-Eaux K7
1. Sequence
2. Satellite
3. Mar
4. Walk In
5. 2 Minutes of Hate
6. Jalap
7. Sunned
8. Reversion
9. Out of the Clear
10. Me Voy

*download it here*

2 Comments »

The Wild Flowers- The Joy of It All LP & Blue Hollow- Stealing a Whisper LP

Posted in 1980s, 1984, 1986, blue hollow, coldwave, dreampop, new wave, post-punk, the wild flowers, uk, US on January 28, 2013 by Frankie Teardrop

Hope you’ll all indulge me for a little two-for-one post here.  While these two records are generally unrelated, they sound incredibly complementary and it’s no stretch that if you love one, you’ll probably love the other.  Also, both LPs have been posted by other blogs in the past.  I only double dip today to offer fresh rips and hopefully to turn you guys on to two excellent, if but vastly under-appreciated post-punk masterpieces from the mid-80s.

First up is the debut LP from The Wild Flowers, which you may have heard via Curious Guy’s excellent post from 2006.  There, he mentions that the band was the original outlet of guitarist David Newton, who left soon after to form the also excellent Mighty Lemon Drops.   I’m on my second copy of this LP, between DJing and home listening, so that should speak highly of this particular record, which calls the lush majesty of bands like The Chameleons, Icicle Works, The Lucy Show, Breathless, The Sound, and of course, Echo & the Bunnymen’s Heaven Up Here to mind.  You can grab their first two 7”s here.  I do have the third LP, 1988′s Sometime Soon.  It’s been a while since I’ve heard it so I don’t remember how it stacks up, but I’m very interested in hearing 1987′s Dust.

The second LP is the one and only release by Blue Hollow, who rose from the ashes of Gluons, a darker and more dissonant band from Massachusetts.  Stealing a Whisper, which was released three years later, would shed much of the cacophony and offer up a record that sits comfortably alongside The Wild Flowers on sheer strength of songwriting.  Equally lush and romantic songs and catchy hooks, clearly pulling from the same set of influences and delivering a similarly striking album…

It’s a shame that neither of these records are more well known, even in these circles, so hopefully this post brings them to a wider audience.  Enjoy!

wflowers

The Wild Flowers- The Joy of it All (1984)
1. Melt Like Ice
2. Beggar Man
3. The Promised Land
4. After All These Years
5. Dark Times
6. The Joy of it All
7. Bamboo
8. Hold the Torch
9. Things Have Changed
10. From the Sky

*download it here*


bhollow

Blue Hollow- Stealing a Whisper (1986)
1. Color of Night
2. Inhale
3. Running Down
4. Blue Hollow
5. We Fall
6. Hearts Hang Souls
7. Wildskin
8. Stranger

*download it here*

Thanks for indulging me here today… For those who are looking for something new and unheard, hang tight- as the next few posts will feature very rare cassettes, demos, and more!  Thanks to all who have sent things over in the past few weeks- it’s always appreciated!

8 Comments »

Necropolis Of Love- In Search Of… 12” / The Graffiti 1.31.1985

Posted in 1980s, 1983, san francisco, US on July 23, 2012 by Frankie Teardrop

Uploading this as I just came across a copy and haven’t seen it posted out there before.  This is the final piece of the Necropolis of Love puzzle, which began with a minimal synth-tinged 7” in 1982 and ended with 1984′s The Hope, which is a seminal piece of post-punk from the West Coast scene (the guitar version of “Talk” remains a constant staple in my DJ sets).

However, this record walks a fine line between both sounds, catching the band in a transitional phase.  ”Dance,” despite the surface-level title is an excellent wave track with club aspirations, the best moments being the ascending synth lines.  A different version of track also appears on The Hope 12”.  “Debutante” is a rhythm-based track that reminds me of a more dance-oriented Störung, with blaring saxophones to break up the repetitive rhythms.  “Cafetown” is the weakest song here, a jerky number with lyrics that seem to criticize California coffee-shop types.

This 12” was released in a generic sleeve- likely in small numbers, and it seems the scarcest of all the Necropolis of Love releases.  The copy I have didn’t sound that wonderful, but between the record cleaner and a little even-handed click removal, it should be a serviceable listen until a better copy presents itself .  I’ve only heard one other rip of this 12” before (overblown and tinny sounding) but it seems to have similar issues, so this is perhaps a common pressing problem.  If anyone else has a better sounding copy out there, feel free to get in touch!

As a bonus, I’ve uploaded a radio session the band performed on KSUF in 1985, featuring several unreleased tracks as well as a few familiar favorites.  This has been floating out there for some time but I don’t think it’s been blogged before either, so I’ll include it for anyone who missed it the first time around.  It seems the band has shed some more light on their time together, and there was to be an album deal with Sire records but it ultimately fell through.   Curious if some of these tracks were  being considered for the LP…

Necropolis of Love- In Search Of… 12”
1. Dance (Dance Mix)
2. Debutante
3. Cafe Town

Necropolis of Love- The Graffiti- Jan 31st 1985 (Live on KSUF)
1. KSUF Announcer Intro
2. Night Out
3. Cafe Town
4. The Tunnel
5. Alyssa
6. Heart of the Beast

*download both here*

13 Comments »

Nuvo West- Scary LP

Posted in 1980s, 1983, arizona, minimal, minimal synth, new wave, US with tags on June 26, 2012 by Frankie Teardrop

Here’s a rare and obscure minimal synth LP from Phoenix, Arizona, perfect for fans of Bugger West, Tone Set, Combined Minds, etc (the latter two who also hailed from Arizona). Varying degrees of DIY desert-synth magic here, my favorite track being the closing instrumental “Shades of Yesterday,” which almost feels like a synth version of Angelo Badalamenti’s Twin Peaks score… I do believe there’s a tape out there somewhere that precedes this LP, but no info about that one, sorry!

Thanks to Bx-59cppw for the donation!

Nuvo West- Scary LP
1. Theme For Alienation
2. Accidents Don’t Happen In My World
3. Dogs Have Their Days
4. Little Yellow Pills
5. Androids Love
6. Shades Of Yesterday

*download it here*

7 Comments »

Jarvon Jol- The Dustcollector 12”

Posted in 1980s, 1984, darkwave, new wave, New York, new york city, synth, synthpop, US on April 17, 2012 by Frankie Teardrop

You may have seen this one over at Vinyl Obscurity in the past, but I’ve been playing this one out at the Wierd party for several years now with extremely positive results, so here’s a fresh rip from my own copy.  Speaking of which- for those who live nearby, be sure to check in at Home Sweet Home tomorrow night (4.18) for the US debut of UV Pop!  I’ll be on the decks with Caleb of Sacred Bones & Alessandro from Mannequin—-surely a night to remember!

An incredibly affordable synth/wave 12” from 1984, recorded and released here in New York.  The clear winner here is the title track, a dark and fast paced synth number with short stabs of guitar, a sinister refrain, and several references to London town.  The British references also carry over to the album cover, which depicts a photo of Shaftesbury Ave., the heart of London’s theatre district.  Perhaps the dustcollector is a player on the stage?

The flip is a more care-free pop tune with some shamelessly soulful female vocals in the background.  Not really my cup of tea but your mileage may vary.  However, the A-side more than does the trick for me, as this 12” never leaves my record bag.

Jarvon Jol- The Dustcollector 12”
1. The Dustcollector
2. It’s Time

*download it here*

2 Comments »

BALTIMORE GRAB BAG: Immortal- Paradigm 12” & Mission- When Thunder Comes LP

Posted in 1980s, 1986, 1988, baltimore, goth, goth-rock, new wave, post-punk, synth, US on January 24, 2012 by Frankie Teardrop

I’ve been hearing some rumblings about Mediafire as well, and though various articles claim that Mediafire won’t be changing its service plan, I’ve heard some contradictory reports and have seen some accounts deleted over the past few days. So with that in mind, I’m going to post a few things over the next few days to get them off my chest just in case something goes down between now and then. Call me paranoid, but why hoard this stuff!

Here we have two post-punk records from Baltimore, Maryland.

First up, we have an immaculate rip of Immortal’s Paradigm 12” from 1988, previously featured on the always excellent Return to the East blog. Very Danse Society/Killing Joke-esque tribal post-punk here, with plenty of ghosty hooks that make it an essential listen. Not to be confused with the Dutch band of the same name.

Immortal- Paradigm 12” (1988)
1. Scale
2. Solvent
3. Print
4. Morning

Secondly, here’s an LP that’s flown under the radar over the years, and is still rather affordable for those interested in acquiring a copy. I recently included the title track from this LP on Systems of Romance vol. 5, plucked from the 8 Essential Attitudes compilation, but I’ve since tracked down the LP of the same name, and it’s more impressive than I expected. Almost a more new wave/pop take on Bauhaus, or if that analogy doesn’t work for you, a harder-hitting version of the VHF album. You can get their first LP here, if the link is still up and running. Not to be confused with the post-Sisters of Mercy band of the same name! Apparently, the band changed its name to When Thunder Comes to avoid confusion with those guys, and are still active to date, with a more heavy sound. You can read more about that here.

Mission- When Thunder Comes LP (1986)
1. When Thunder Comes
2. Broken Promises
3. Underground
4. River
5. Long Way Back
6. Lost Religion
7. The Bell Tolls
8. We Were There
9. This Train
10. Make The Man

*download BOTH records here*

Stay tuned for more over the next few days!

7 Comments »

East Ash- Crushing A Flood

Posted in 1990, c'est la morte, east ash, goth, goth-rock, post-punk, US on November 29, 2011 by Frankie Teardrop

Gloomy days ahead, so here’s a post that fits the mood I’m currently rolling with at the moment. East Ash were a post-punk band from Columbia, Missouri, released on C’est La Morte records (read more here). This is the first of two albums, released in 1990 on LP and CD. Would be interested in hearing the second album, if anyone happens to have it.

The vocalist here reminds me an awful lot of David Eugene Edwards of 16 Horsepower/Wovenhand fame. Musically, it’s a hybrid of early Modern English, Joy Division, & the shimmer of The Joshua Tree (mostly heard in “A Flood”), with a manic disco edge thrown in for good measure. Dark, gloomy, and driving, just the way I like it. This one definitely should not be missed!

East Ash- Crushing a Flood
1. Dreams
2. Australian Beaches
3. Doesn’t Know
4. Faceless
5. Wonderful Life
6. A Flood
7. Funerals
8. Milk And Honey
9. The Disease

*download it here*

5 Comments »

Twenty Four Hour World- Twenty Four Hour World K7

Posted in 1980s, 1986, coldwave, deathrock, goth, goth-rock, post-punk, US on October 19, 2011 by Frankie Teardrop

Here’s a rare US cassette for all you goth and post-punk lovers out there. Released in 1986, this is the only known offering from Twenty Four Hour World. Great gloomy sounds perfect for a rainy day, and very reminiscent of Joy Division and early Modern English with a little bit of nasty deathrock mixed in for good measure. Really chaotic, visceral stuff here, not for the faint of heart!

Twenty Four Hour World- Twenty Four Hour World K7
1. Love Comes Down
2. Talk To Me
3. Miracle
4. Hot
5. Sound Of Impact
6. Ball & Chain
7. Drink
8. Trinity
9. Wonderful Life
10. The Big Boys

*download it here*

7 Comments »

Sport of Kings- Every Night 7”

Posted in 1980s, 1981, darkwave, post-punk, sport of kings, US on August 8, 2011 by Frankie Teardrop

At long last, here’s the debut 7” from Sport of Kings, self-released by the band in 1981. I happened to stumble across it in a bin alongside the likes of Last Man In Europe, Razor Penguins, and Lung Overcoat. Needless to say, it was a good day.

This should complete the Sport of Kings discography. In case you missed them previously, you can grab the rest of their output here, here, and here. Special thanks to Fade 2 Grey for originally uploading the A-side! Otherwise, without any further ado…

Sport of Kings- Every Night 7”
1. Every Night
2. The Same Breath

*download it here*

2 Comments »

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