Tag: Mogwai

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.  

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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.

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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.

Manchester Venues 14 to 15

Halfway down Oldham Street was located Manchester Planet K which I attended twice. The first visit in October 99 was to see Snuff supported by Mad Caddies.

Me and Uncle George were on duty that night and discovered whilst talking to John Dewhurst a week before that he was going to see Godspeed you Black Emperor at the Roadhouse the same night. So, we headed over together for drinks and tea before John headed off to his destination.

Planet K was a reasonable little venue, with about a 300 capacity with the stage at the bottom of the room.

Snuff were as ever good value and the place was half full at the most. They finished the set with a rousing rendition of the Match of the Day theme. John enjoyed his gig also as he described they had some epic length songs in the best post-rock tradition. We parlayed in Yates on Princes Street before heading off for the late train.

(c)
Planet K venue. Image Credit tinamcclelland@manchestermusic.co.uk

My second and final visit was to see Mogwai on 18/04/01. Usual crew of George, John and I in tow. It wasn’t the greatest night as Mogwai unexpectedly came on exceptionally early whilst we were still encamped in the pub and we missed the first twenty minutes.

They had finished their set prior to 10pm and there were also some annoying punters in there. My least enjoyable Mogwai show but still of a decent level. The venue closed a year or so later.  

I had always endeavoured to avoid the cavernous locations as I have a ready preference for the ‘one man and his dog’ venues but the opportunity to see AC/DC for the first time was too good to miss. So, in December 2000 we headed over to Manchester Arena. The Arena is located next to and linked to Victoria train station with a 21k capacity.  

The morning was spent de grouting the shower prior to going out and having some fun. We decamped at Salford Crescent train station and visited the Crescent and Pint Pot prior to meeting other attendees in the Oyster Bar in town. Here I met the current Brighton correspondent Nigel Wiskar (rechristened School of Rock) for the first time.

We had standing tickets in the pit and AC/DC were fabulous and standout tracks were ‘Hells Bells’ and ‘Whole Lot of Rosie’. They adopt a simple premise of playing 12 bar blues at high volume, but they are the absolute masters of it. A top night was had by all.

It was over 17 years later to my next attendance. By that stage we were living in a rented house on an astonishingly noisy Kingsway in East Didsbury.

My mate Rick Clegg has always been a huge Paul Weller fan, so I agreed to be his wingman and provided the lodgings due to our new Manchester postcode. The gig was on 01/03/18 and in the middle of the Beast of the East and was as a result a bracingly cold evening.   

The place was still being rebuilt from the bombing and was as best half full. The gig washed over me to be honest and there had been a published set list including encores in advance of the gig which I find a tad disconcerting. Rick enjoyed it though so mission accomplished.

I also once waited at the foot of those huge steps to provide a lift home for Gill and her three sisters after they had been to see Kylie Minogue.

My last attendance was earlier this year (16/01/20) with George, Tony and Pam Dewhurst to see Slipknot supported by Behemoth.

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Slipknot promo pic. Image credit you tube

We were up in the gods this time and it was a country mile for a loo visit or to purchase an extortionate beer.  

They had huge stage effects with the ever-present masks, gantries, dual aerial drummers and even a treadmill. They are definitely an interesting live act, though verge on the edge of pantomime at times!

I am going to change tack in my next blog and provide five ‘lost’ albums that in my view did not receive their due attention. I would be interested in your lists so comments welcome next week.