With gritted teeth I give you some obscure J.G. Thirwell (Foetus) from 2004!! A recent shiny thing for this blog- it is probably the newish thing I’ve posted in a while! (I will release the vinyl at the weekend!) Typical Foetus, being the more intellectual side of Trent Reznor via The Legendary Pink Dots. This is a Foetus typical E.P. ,leftfield and obscure. It contains 3 tracks from the album “Love.” Haunting harpsichord and equally haunting video for the anti-religious title track. “Time Marches On” brings out the more industrial dance, rev those cycles!
Love the way it has been described as Simon-and-Garfunkel-in-space-but-with-drums!
The famous compilation series that focussed on fish, tropical ones to be pedantic. From 1993 and with more varieties than Heinz tin of beans. This compilation series already had exclusive mixes and rare tracks and demos of current alternative artists with a lovely glossy book you could read why you listened. What a simple idea. Beginning with the shoe gaze, psychedelic of Spiritualised, the CD takes us on a journey through what was happening in that year, The The Johnson have a previously unreleased track on the CD called “Lip Tripping” and Sheep On Drugs release the best remix of “15 Minutes Of Fame” on this obscure but lovingly produced series of compilations. Yes, I did reread the booklet as I burned this for the blog, happy days!
With a name like that you know it’s going to be anti-establishment.A Classic, Gangsta Big Beat (if such a term exists!) Guy Ritchie (it featured in the film “Face” film) inspired with a mean rap by Silver Bullet (30 seconds To Comply, Bring Forth The Guillotine) As usual with a plethora of mixes. The “Loop Da Loop” goes all dark and scary in an Aphex Twin kind of way. Bassbin Twins give it an old skool electro makeover. The Chemist gives it more of a house feel. Tough stuff!
A bit of a corker to start the weekend off. From 1997 (again) and the jazzy Big Beat of Alex Gifford & Will White a.k.a. The Propellerheads. Deliberately retro in feel with Dame Bassey in fine voice. The “Knee Length Mix” is the single version with the speedier , “Ankle Length Mix” more your typical ‘Heads, a Big Beat Monster. I do like the jazz licks of the “Hip Length Mix”…….Nice!
A bit of a classic from 1997 from Bush and the unique rock voice of Gavin Rossdale. Like me I was convinced they were American but no, UK homegrown and very much overlooked then and now, probably not helped by chants of “Are You Nirvana in disguise ?”
Included is 2 mixes, the hip-hop breaks of “Beat Me Clever” all whispered vocals and remixed by the Mekon. the Big Beat remix of another fave track is by Derek De Large, an adequate remix of an great track, different enough for a bit of a listen.
Some more One Inch Punch from 1997, very much on the grungey , trip hop tip. Produced by Tim Simeon and engineered by Gareth Jones it is it’s own unique style. Abstract beats on the dub tinged “Justin Troublemaker Mix” and psychedelia on the “Invisible Pair Of Hands Mix” The stripped back acoustic version reveals a haunting ballad underneath, without all the fuzz and effects.
From 1997 and the one of the end credits from the Bond film, “Tomorrow Never Dies” Only on here because amongst the plethora of mixes is a fantastic drum and bass mix by Grooverider, suitably dark and using the immortal sample “I expect you to die Mr. Bond” from “Goldfinger” (I was never a fan of millions of mixes and the absence of a B-side, not to self more B-sides to include) The original remix has guitar riffage over some Big Beats
Out of the other mixes you get 4 to the floor, tech house of Da Bomb, the groovy beats of Dub Pistols and the harder techno tinged CJ Bolland mix.
I love a bit of Jeff Goldblum (Mr. Fly et al) and Alicia Silverstone plus a bit of mid 90’s Industrial. So, hence this soundtrack from the movie, with such artists as KMFDM, Fear Factory, Godflesh and Miranda Sex Garden. (?) coupled with the Gregorian chant, choir and dark orchestra. Love Miranda Sex Garden, their stuff fits so well. However it is a bit disjointed ( like the special effects!) with the classic movie score following the Goth/Industrial.
Apologies for scaring the B-Jesus out of regular viewers with some extreme posts!
Normal stuff now with the gentle (but twisted) “Susan’s House” by Eels. From 1997 (yes, that long ago!) Eels were enjoying their most successful period and this bit of Trip Hop proved (which samples Gladys Knight & The Pips) shows that Mark Oliver Everett (“E”) is a truly gifted songwriter and musician. Assisted by one half of The Dust Brothers, Michael Simpson, this is a half spoken trip down an American Street, a social observation. The B-sides continue with gentle acoustica providing backing to some sharp lyrical twists. The piano and trumpet of “Manchester Girl” (is it really about Manchester) and the biting, cynicism of “Stepmother” are classic Eels.
Seems MediaPlayer isn’t that accurate when tagging the track, so sorry about the wrong artwork.
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