Category: Miscellaneous

Five Lost Albums

I thought I would mix it up this week and look at some treasured records that in my personal view, and for whatever reason, did not receive the acclaim they deserved. I have listed these in chronological order: –

Squirrel Bait – Skag Heaven 1986

Hailing from Louisville, Kentucky they were quantified in the emo/mathcore genre (1983-1988).  Influenced by peers Black Flag and more distinctly Husker Du who they supported. I discovered  them via a Bob Mould quote in the NME singles review ‘as the finest thing he’d ever heard’

This second and final album contains 10 songs but is only 25.45 in length. Standout track is ‘Kid Dynamite’ with bracing intro and alarming refrain ‘I don’t need no pig stomping on my buzz’ and has muttered unintelligible incantations. Others to note are ‘Choose Your Poison’ with Black Sabbath War Pigs intro and ‘Slake Train Coming’ which thunders along.    

The record is scuzzy and full of youthful vigour and dark lyrics. It sounded utterly vibrant as an 18-year old and still holds up to scrutiny now.

Former members played with the Breeders and Lemonheads and original member Britt Walford subsequently formed semi legendary Slint.  

See the source image
Squirrel Bait -‘Skag Heaven’ album cover. Image Credit reddit.

Dumptruck – For the Country – 1987

Formed in 1983 in Boston Massachusetts. This was their third album and they decamped to Rockfield Studio in Wales for some solitude to record it. It is country rock in the finest tradition evoking comparisons to Neil Young, Green on Red and Buffalo Tom.

It has a yearning timeless quality and it is a ‘go to’ album for me. Standout tracks are ‘Friends’ ‘Brush me Back’ ‘Hung Out on the Line’ and ‘Dead Weight’.

Through no fault of their own the band got sucked into a record label contract dispute meaning no new material could be recorded and subsequently disbanded in 1991. Half of the band reformed and recorded new material as recent as 2018, but with diminishing returns.

See the source image
Dumptruck – ‘for the country’ album cover. Image Credit you tube – Tony Fivek

Joy Zipper – American Whip – 2002

Dream pop duo from New York, Tabitha Tindale and Vincent Cafiso, who are also a married couple.

Album recorded initially in Glasgow and then co-produced and mixed by Kevin Shields of My Bloody Valentine. It has a wonky sugar-coated beauty with a 60’s vibe and razor-sharp lyrics. Gorgeous sultry vocals complement each other perfectly and it is lovingly recorded. I hear snippets of Mercury Rev, Raveonettes and Velvets in there.  

‘Christmas Song’ could just possibly be the most shimmering gem of a Xmas song ever written. I also like ‘Baby you should know’, ‘33x’ and the fine outro ‘Valley Stream’ book ends the record.

Their last known recorded material was a contribution to a Smith covers album in 2011.

Former Cellmates – Who’s Dead and What’s to Pay 2008

Formed in Sunderland by ex-Leatherface bassist. Leatherface received Husker Du comparisons but I never really saw that link and much prefer this album.

The record could arguably be vaguely derivative at times and I can imagine not to everyone’s tastes but for me it is imbued with a lot of soul and passion and chugs along mercilessly and has a shambolic charm. There is a bit of Buffalo Tom and Springsteen in there and it has a country rock tinge.

Stand out tracks are ‘Always’, ‘Here’s to the Pretty Girls’ and ‘Why would you Pray for Me?’. They recorded 4 albums between 2005 and 2014 and I am not sure whether they are still operational.

Sennen – Where the Light Gets In (2008)

Based in Norwich in 2002 before decamping to London. They are named after a Ride track, and they are the only one of the five listed I have seen live.

I bloody love this band, who have produced five fine albums between 2005 and 2016 and I could have picked any of them but have selected the second album. Strictly in the post-rock shoegazing genre, displaying a hypnotic lush yearning sound, coruscating guitar and whispered harmonies resembling Loop and MBV.

Standouts are ‘Your Hand in Mine’ and ‘A Lifetime Passed’ which are gentler lovely tracks, that recall Teenage Fanclub ‘Grand Prix’ era. Also ‘Just Wanted to Know’ which morphs into a long thunderous outro.

My overall favourite track of theirs is ‘Falling Down’ off third album Age of Denial which builds layer by layer to a tumultuous conclusion, resembling ‘Ithica 27/9’ by Mogwai and ‘Dirge’ by Death in Vegas.

In my humble opinion, they remain the most criminally underrated band I have encountered.

Now, I would be fascinated to know what would be contained on your lost album list, even if you can only think of one.

Gig Miscellaneous – Part 4

Being a Northern lad, food has always been a key component of the evening. The central port of call in Preston since the mid 80’s has been the always friendly, reliable Zagros outside the Dog and Partridge and yards from the bus stop for the last bus home. Fabulous pizzas (Tuna Fish and Prawn used to be a fave) and fine kebabs with devilish chilli sauce.

Myself pictured with Zagros owner three weeks ago. Image Credit Angie Keane

On early Manchester trips there were many mercy dashes to a Chinese in Prestwich prior to the 1am closing, sometimes without success. Looking at my early notes, Chicken Prawn Cashew Nuts and Egg Fried Rice appeared to be a staple choice, quite often in one tray to assist the consumption. When the stable trains were introduced China Town was regularly visited after the gig and I am sure over the years we have visited the majority of restaurants in the vicinity.

As an alternate the curry mile in Rusholme was also occasionally visited. Over the last 15 years the cheap and cheerful Umami Noodle Bar on Oxford Road has been the venue of choice, we should be gold card members by now, and until a recent menu change you could set your clock by my good pal John Dewhurst ordering a No 68, for the record the Chicken Katsu Curry.

In the Noodle Bar prior to recent gig with Uncle George. Image Credit John Dewhurst

At the gig, the age-old problem of incessant babblers (generating the question of why buy a ticket in the first place?) has always been rather annoying and I have challenged people in the past in this regard, but I tend to zone it out nowadays, unless it is excessive and continuous. A more recent millennial issue is the recording of entire gigs on phones but as I tend to attend gigs that attract more discerning indie types I have never really found this to be a major concern.

As gigs in the 80’s and 90’s used to start later, I encountered more support bands but now tend to arrive 5 minutes before the main act as to me there is more allure in a sociable chat in the boozer than waiting in the venue between bands. Generally, also the beer is cheaper outside the gig and I am not normally one to warble about beer prices because I tend to accept rightly or wrongly that it is just the way it is. However, a case in point here was on a recent visit to the Ritz where a pint accrued the remarkable sum of £6.15, which quite frankly chaps is not good enough!

I have always tried where possible to place myself near the front of the stage and there have been many mosh pits visited. Those visits have been less frequent recently however there was one particularly old fashioned pit at a Rumjacks gig attended with Paul Wilson a few weeks ago which incited me to participate fully for an hour (a substitute gym session?) though my body was screaming in protest the following morning.

This generated the question of whether I should still be in moshpits at 51, but I embrace the ethos that you should not be too old for anything and to me there is nothing more invigorating than being in the midst of like-minded souls with a proper noisy band on stage, I find it a cathartic experience. I am still planning to nick out of the nursing home when older to catch the 50th anniversary Mogwai tour! To close I heard a phrase recently mirroring that sentiment which was ‘Adventures before Dentures’ –which I think is a wholly commendable approach to adopt.