Horse – Careful (CDS)

Voice and String Quartet are the ingredients of another release from Scottish band, Horse.

It showcases that incredible voice but is not the referred Sasha Dance mix.

A great bonus is an emotional cover of “Wichita Lineman”

“Time To Kill” is a stripped back, quite electronic track, dominated by fretless bass.

“Sweet Thing” gets a live, acoustic rework.

https://www.sendspace.com/file/nysgf3

https://gofile.io/d/jLANYb

Capitol Records – CDCL 587

1		Careful	2:47
2		Wichita Lineman	3:40
3		Time To Kill (Demo)	4:08
4		Sweet Thing (Live Acoustic Version)	4:16

Hoover – Inhaler (CDS)

Some Trip Hop from’96

Belgium combo, Hoover (Guitar – Raymond Geerts, Keyboards – Alex Callier, Frank Duchêne and Vocals – Liesje Sadonius. With added drums from Eric Bosteels) Provide laid back beats over dream synth layers and with some Indie guitar.

After the release of their first full length “A New Stereophonic Sound Spectacular” the were forced by the famous vacuum cleaner company of the same name, to change their moniker for legal reasons.

https://www.sendspace.com/file/22a9gb

https://gofile.io/d/DA3o1i

Columbia – COL 663947 1

1		Inhaler (Radio Edit)	3:45
2		Inhaler (Album Version)	5:11

Horse ‎– Sweet Thing + Re-up (CDS)

Horse were the duo of Angela McAlinden and Horse McDonald, who also provided some impressive vocals. The band were ; Bass – Graham Brierton (who did lots of work for China Crisis), Drums – Tony Soave (who went on to be in The Silencers), Guitars – McAlinden and George Hutchison and Keyboards – Brian McNeill

From 1990, “Sweet Thing” is a gentle folk pop, jazzy and beautifully sung.

“A Place Like Today” is keyboard dominated and is more of a duet between McAlinden and McDonald.

“CatDancing” feels like a live studio take, funky and folky. “It’s All My Heart Could Do” has only piano and some synth.

More Horse

https://myvinyldreams.wordpress.com/2016/10/04/horse-%e2%80%8e-you-could-be-forgiven-12/

https://gofile.io/d/4pHEFq

https://www.sendspace.com/file/55ryn2

Capitol Records – CDCL 577

1		Sweet Thing	4:08
2		A Place Like Today	3:30
3		Cat Dancing	3:35
4		It’s All My Heart Could Do	2:57

HIM – Join Me (Euro CDS)

All the H’s today!

From 1999 and a Power Ballad from Finnish rockers HIM, one of considerable beauty. Love the piano sitting atop of the chugging guitars.

This is emphasised on the heavier mix on track 2.

“It’s All Tears” is a bit of a solo duet, a bit painful really as Ville Valo tries his best, but the Billy Idol cover is fun and punchy and the sampled choir breakdown is a bit of a treat.

https://www.sendspace.com/file/pwxfrz

https://gofile.io/d/MOThay

Terrier Records – 74321 72791 2

1		Join Me	3:39
2		Join Me (13th Floor Mix)	3:39
3		It’s All Tears (Unplugged Radio Live)	3:48
4		Rebel Yell (Live Version)	5:12

People In Planes – People In Planes EP (CDS)

Filling a gap between Radiohead and early Coldplay, Indie Rock from Wales (Porthcawl) and released in 2005.

The five piece comprised of ; Gareth Jones – Vocals, Peter Roberts – Guitar, Ian Russel – Keyboards, Kris Blight – Bass and John Maloney – Drums. Apart from the keyboardists all were in the previous band Tetra Splendour. Here’s the Wiki link;

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/People_in_Planes

They gained some success with the lead, driving track in the States, gaining a support slot on the Biffy Clyro European Tour and an appearance at the Reading Festival.

“Moth” aims for the dancefloor. “Falling..” a thoughtful ballad.

Four really good tracks, complex arrangements and nicely sung.

I may have seen these when they gigged up in Manchester, or then again.

https://gofile.io/d/uyjC4T

https://www.sendspace.com/file/q1xijk

Wind-Up – 60150-18017-2

1		If You Talk Too Much (My Head Will Explode)	4:03
2		For Miles Around (Scratch To Void)	3:34
3		Moth	3:30
4		Falling By The Wayside	3:55

Ozark Henry – Sweet Instigator (CDS)

Belgium Singer / Songwriter Ozark Henry (Piet Goddaer) does a Mansun’s “Wide Open Space” with this track from 2001’s “Birthmarks” LP.

Always a sucker for a full string arrangement over some Indie guitar. Backing vocals by Cindy Barg.

Another album track, “Rescue”, gets three short remixes. Driving beats and Henry’s choppy guitar work and some nice synthlines.

“Just Save Yourselves..” slows the tempo and adds some accordion with some stuttering beats, very Parisian with a hint of Dub Step. This theme is carried on the last track, with a bit more menace.

https://gofile.io/d/ExjOca

https://www.sendspace.com/file/3o8ymi

Epic – EPC 672326-1

1		Sweet Instigator (Album Version)	4:19
2		Rescue (Pole Folder Radio Mix)	4:12
3		Rescue (Just Save Yourselves…)	4:01
4		Rescue (Winter Will Return Again Though)	4:10

Groep Jezus – Connected With Rain (CDS)

Normally it’s 90’s Wednesday but we’ve been locked in the 90’s for the last few weeks (80’s Next Week and back to vinyl!) So a trio from the 2000’s.

Keeping a bit of a noughties Belgium theme with this from (I agree, the main track does have that Dave Gahan feel to it Fred!)

Groep Jezus is acoustica with a hint of electronics. This was released in Feb 2001. A quartet of Floortje van der Linden, Iwein Segers, Maarten Van Hecke and Steve Lacourt

“I Am With Love” starts with a radio sample then goes in Pixies territory but still has that piano high in the mix. A bit Anthony and The Johnson’s ?

https://gofile.io/d/35sNVy

https://www.sendspace.com/file/mvdqcc

Alamo – RACCOON 001

1		Connected With Rain
2		Daisy
3		I Am With Love

Menswear – Stardust (CDS)

More from the League 1 of Britpop bands and Camden quintet Menswe@r. Released in ’95 and produced by Neill King (The Undertones)

Hyped to buggery this was their second release. The line-up being ; Johnny Dean – vocals, backing vocals, percussion; Simon White – electric guitar, backing vocals; Chris Gentry (Vatican DC) – electric and acoustic guitars; Stuart Black – bass, acoustic guitar; Matt Everitt (The Montrose Avenue)- drums, percussion.

Their sound has a slight Mod Rock edge to it, piano and horns are introduced towards, very 70’s Elton John !

‘Back In The Bar’ reveals more Rock N Roll riffs with a hint of Bowie Glam. “Satellite” is a short 70’s romp with plenty of hand claps, Blockbuster!!!

The last track is a remix of their first single by Dubwiser (Jonas Dread) Plenty of Tablas and breakbeats and just a fragment of the track left in.

https://gofile.io/d/iMwyYq

https://www.sendspace.com/file/b9r8x4

Laurel – LAUCD6

1		Stardust	3:09
2		Back In The Bar	3:55
3		Satellite	3:08
4		Daydreamer-Dubdreamer	5:55

Longpigs – Far (Promo CDS)

Another slightly obscure Brit Pop classic from March ’96 by Crispin Hut’s The Longpigs, their 4th single.

The full line-up was ; Bass – Simon Stafford (later with Joe Strummer & The Mescaleros), Drums – Dee Boyle R.I.P. (previously in Chakk and Cabaret Voltaire)), Guitar – Richard Hawley (now a successful solo artist) and Vocals, Guitar – Crispin Hunt.

This contains a couple of B-sides. “Jesus Christ” with it elastic bass and thrashy chorus and the gentle acoustica of “On And On” (to be their next single) from their debut album.

https://www.sendspace.com/file/apj40s

https://gofile.io/d/LnTnpQ

Mother Records – MUM PRCD9

1		Far	3:24
2		Jesus Christ	4:20
3		On & on	2:42

Hurricane #1 – Rising Sign Mixes (CDS)

A trio of Brit Poppery today.

From October ’98 and one of the few hits from Hurricane #1. From their second album “Only The Strongest Will Survive”. This was the classic line-up of ; Bass – Will Pepper, Drums – Gaz Farmer, Guitar, Backing Vocals – Andy Bell and Vocals – Alex Lowe. With Co-production by Stephen Harris.

The full version is included, with the swirling, slide guitar over some shuffling beats.

The Olmec Heads (Andy Perring and Wes Coggle) give it a bit of Trance feel but keep the slide guitar in. Choppy it up and using snippets of the verse.

Cuba (South London duo Christopher Andrews and former Chapterhouse drummer Ashley Bates) provide a bass heavy mix.

https://www.sendspace.com/file/ng6hx6

https://gofile.io/d/C8K83f

Creation Records – CRESCD 303X

1		Rising Sign	8:54
2		Rising Sign (Olmec Heads Ascension Mix)	5:15
3		Rising Sign (Cuba Mix)	5:33