Virginia Astley – Promise Nothing [LP] (1983, Les Disques Du Crépuscule)

 

Astley is more widely known for the people she's played with than her own records. A classically trained British pianist and flutist who also happens to be Pete Townshend's sister-in-law, she contributed piano to Townshend's "Slit Skirts," and has played sessions for Siouxsie & the Banshees. Her late-'70s band, The Ravishing Beauties, also included future Dream Academy singer Kate St. John and Nicky Holland, who would work with Tears for Fears and Ryuichi Sakamoto. Astley's sparse body of work combines ambient, even experimental textures and song structures with her pretty soprano vocals. Producing three albums, her records are recommended to listeners looking for intriguing ambient British pop who find the Cocteau Twins and the 4AD stable too wimpy and pretentious. 'Promise Nothing' collects two EPs: 'A Bao A Qu' (1982) on the side 1 and 'Love's A Lonely Place To Be' (1983) on the side 2, plus the track "Futility" originally released on the New Musical Express' 'Mighty Reel' cassette tape compilation from 1982. [SOURCE: ALLMUSIC]

 

 

Label: Les Disques Du Crépuscule – TWI 194 

Format: Vinyl, LP, Compilation, Stereo 

Country: Belgium 

Released: Sep 1983 

Style: Minimal, Ambient, Experimental, Ethereal, Dream Pop, Ethereal Wave, Art Pop, Chamber Pop

 

Tracklist: 

A1 We Will Meet Them Again 4:00 

A2 Arctic Death 3:02 

A3 Angel Crying 3:46 

A4 Sanctus 2:08 

B1 Love's A Lonely Place To Be 3:27 

B2 Soaring 3:25 

B3 Futility 3:25 

B4 A Summer Long Since Passed 4:40 

B5 It's Too Hot To Sleep 5:40 

 

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Verve – Voyager 1 [LP] (1993, Jolly Roger Recordings)

 

This album deserves way more attention than what it receives. It’s not overly long in terms of number of tracks only capping at six of Verve’s earliest shoegaze monsters, but every minute of this album is staggering. The bass sets a fantastic groove on tracks like "Slide Away" and "Gravity Grave", but the effects on the guitars on those two tracks make them incredibly special. This version of "Gravity Grave" is absolutely electric and the noisy-ness that the studio version doesn’t have takes it to another level. "One Way to Go" is another track that blows its studio version out of the water and it’s drop in the latter half of the track gives the goosebumps. The next track is a very rare one called "South Pacific" that has some of the best guitar work on the entire album from Nick McCabe and this track feels like it really explodes in between the verses. "Already There" is another blistering track similar in vein to it’s album-mate "Slide Away" and is another very strong addition to the album. Finally we have a live version of the early classic Verve track "She’s a Superstar". This is essential listening for anyone who’s a fan of shoegaze. [RATE YOUR MUSIC]

 

 

Label: Jolly Roger Recordings – Jolly Roger 2 

Format: Vinyl, LP, Limited Edition

Country: US 

Released: 1993 

Style: Space Rock, Psychedelic Rock, Shoegaze, Neo-Psychedelia, Space Rock Revival, Noise Rock, Post-Rock, Dream Pop

 

Tracklist:

A1 Slide Away 6:02 

A2 Gravity Grave 8:26 

A3 One Way To Go 5:58 

B1 South Pacific 3:59 

B2 Already There 4:45 

B3 She's A Superstar 6:45 

 

Notes:

Live tracks recorded in London and New York in 1992. 

 

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Lori & The Chameleons – The Lonely Spy [7''] (1980, Korova)

Lori and the Chameleons are just so incredibly frustrating. A band with a wonderfully distinct and full blooded sound but whose entire output consist of a microscopic 4 songs. All of them very good, mind, but they're still just four songs. This most shortlived of bands was comprised by Lori, who apparently dropped off the map after releasing a couple of singles, the notorious Bill Drummond, later of The KLF and dozens of other head-scratching projects most will likely already be acquainted with and David Balfe, soon to become the keyboardist for The Teardrop Explodes and Julian Cope's close friend/nemesis.  

 

Drummond and Balfe dubbed themselves the Chameleons and, inviting Lori along, wrote these exotic, widescreen travelogues in song format. Their debut single went head over heels for Japan, the outstanding B-side to this one goes to Peru. It bears repeating how much of a travesty it was that a band like this was only a blip in the radar for a milisecond, an experience abandoned as quickly as it was picked up, still, they gave us 'The Lonely Spy', as musically rich, evocative, mysterious and intoxicating as new wave could ever hope to become. [SOURCE: RATE YOUR MUSIC]

  

Label: Korova – KOW 5 

Format: Vinyl, 7", 45 RPM, Single, Stereo 

Country: UK 

Released: 1980 

Style: Synth-pop, New Wave, Dream Pop, Art Pop, Neo-Psychedelia

 

Tracklist:

A The Lonely Spy 

B Peru 

 

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Emerald Vein ‎– Existence [LP] (1988, Sub Rosa)

Emerald Vein is a completely unique sound that is difficult to compare with anyone. With elements from both progressive rock and the avante-garde scene, the band almost defies genres. At times minimalistic and at times dense, Emerald Vein has a sound which you will immediately love and never forget. 

 

Before Emerald Vein, band founder Bob Young was in the band Uzi which opened for groups like Sonic Youth. After that Young formed a band with the bass player and another singer called A Scanner Darkly which signed to Sub Rosa Records in Belgium. The group did one LP called 'This Is the Way'. Shortly after that Bob Young was born again and quit the band. He began Emerald Vein as a recording project and did all the instruments and sequences.There were a few people playing different things like Terry Donahue on drums and Mimi Thiel on vocals. Emerald Vein released two albums on the Sub Rosa label from Belgium. They received limited exposure in America as Sub Rosa concentrated on European distribution.  [SOURCE: LAST.FM]

Label: Sub Rosa ‎– SUB 33013-18, Sub Rosa ‎– Sub 33013-18 

Format: Vinyl, LP, Album 

Country: Belgium 

Released: 1988 

Style: New Age, Ambient, Darkwave, Post-Punk, Ethereal Wave, Minimal Wave, Dream Pop, Coldwave

 

Tracklist:

A1 Worship 3:35 

A2 Existence 3:15 

A3 Completely Nothing 4:10 

A4 The Messiah 4:50 

B1 Promise 4:30 

B2 Out Of My Head 5:20 

B3 Take Hold 3:35 

B4 In His World 4:10 

 

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Room Nine ‎– Voices...... Of A Summers Day [LP] (1987, C'est La Mort)

Room Nine represented a different look to the '80s Seattle music scene. Formed in the early '80s, Room Nine's moody psychedelia didn't garner the press or radio attention that the city's post-punk acts eventually did. Comprised of Ron Rudzitis (vocals), Michael Laton (guitar), Scott Boggan (bass), and Shawn Allen (drums), Room Nine was an integral part of Seattle underground rock. During Room Nine's early days, Rudzitis' home was called the Room Nine House, a place where local musicians socialized after gigs. Rudzitis shared the home with Feast drummer Dan Peters and renowned Seattle photographer Charles Peterson. Rudzitis changed his name to Ron Nine, and Allen was replaced by Scott Vanderpool. In 1988, Room Nine released the critically acclaimed LP 'Voices...On a Summer's Day' on C'est La Mort Records. The track "Sea Without a Shore" was a hit on college-radio stations, and the band even took second place on one of MTV's Basement Tapes contests. After Room Nine broke up in the late '80s, Nine formed Love Battery with Peters, former Green River and Mother Love Bone bassist Bruce Fairweather, and ex-Crisis Party guitarist Kevin Witworth. [SOURCE: ALLMUSIC] 

Label: C'est La Mort ‎– CLMLP 002 

Format: Vinyl, LP, Album 

Country: US 

Released: 1987 

Style: New Wave, Indie Rock, Post-Punk, Neo-Psychedelia, Dream Pop, Goth Rock, Jangle Pop

 

Tracklist:

A1 Circus Floor 

A2 Revolving Door 

A3 Don't Look Back 

A4 Red Dog 

B1 1000 Years 

B2 The Thorn 

B3 Mirage 

B4 Seas Without A Shore  

B5 White Summer
 

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Bleach – Eclipse E.P. [12''] (1990, Way Cool Records)

A solid EP. "Decadence" is a catchy energetic track that sounds like a blend of Lush and Dinosaur Jr. "Wipe It Away" it's about hating one's job, and the daily grind and instrumentally it's pretty engaging with it's Joy Division-y punk leanings. "Crimson 'O'" sounds Joy Division-y too with its hypnotic drums and bass, and abstract guitar wallpaper. Vocalist Salli Carson sounds like a possessed Miki Berenyi. The strings that come in near the end kind of sound MIDI-like (in the way that early "Final Fantasy" game-music strings sound) but it kind of works. The way the guitar emulates those strings is impressive as well. [SOURCE: RATE YOUR MUSIC]

 

Label: Way Cool Records ‎– way 8, Way Cool Records ‎– WAY 8 

Format: Vinyl, 12", 45 RPM, EP 

Country: Europe 

Released: 1990 

Style: Indie Rock, Goth Rock, Shoegaze, Noise Pop, Post-Punk, Dream Pop, Noise Rock

 

Tracklist:

A1 Decadence 

A2 Wipe It Away 

B Crimson 'O' 

 

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Fourwaycross ‎– Fill The Sky [LP] (1986, Motiv Communications)

Fourwaycross is a Goth band from 1985-1989. Their sound ranges from Joy Division to Red Temple Spirits to Moev, gothic rock to dark new wave. As with their self-titled debut, this is a very intriguing album that falls down every time they shift from one angle of their sound (the longform ambient seriousness of  "Climate And Weather" and "Trench") to another (the brittle, raw and funky post-punk of "Apologize" and "U.S.A.") to another (the dreamy pop of "So For You", "Unconcerned" and "Dream") to another (the straighter, gloomier post-punk of "Losing" and "Dirty News"). The opener's almost ten minutes long and spends its first four minutes on ambience and atmosphere. It's followed by a kickass jam that stops abruptly at the two minute mark. Which is followed by a very noisy post-punker with lotsa feedback and drumming overdubs. Which is followed by limp, safe pop. Which is followed by a slow, gnarly post-punker with flangers set to melt (rate/speed all the way down, regen/resonance all the way up). It's the sound of a band that doesn't want to stick to one genre or "sound" on an album, but, as with that debut, it's more than worth a listen. [SOURCE: RATE YOUR MUSIC] 

Label: Motiv Communications ‎– motiv prod 2 

Format: Vinyl, LP, Album 

Country: US 

Released: 1986 

Style: Post-Punk, Goth Rock, Industrial, Dream Pop, Experimental Rock

Tracklist:

A1 Climate And Weather 

A2 Indy 

A3 Apologize 

A4 So For You 

A5 Losing 

B1 Dirty News 

B2 U.S.A. 

B3 Trench 

B4 Unconcerned 

B5 Dream 

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Opal – Early Recordings Volume 2 [CD, Unofficial] (No Date, Rough Trade)

Opal were an American rock band in the 1980s. They were part of the Paisley Underground musical style. The group formed in the mid-'80s under the name Clay Allison, featuring guitarist David Roback (previously of Rain Parade), bassist Kendra Smith (from Dream Syndicate) and drummer Keith Mitchell. After one single, they released the remaining Clay Allison tracks under the band's new name, Opal, on the 1984 'Fell from the Sun' EP. Another EP, 'Northern Line', followed in 1985. These EPs were later compiled and released as 'Early Recordings'. [SOURCE: WIKIPEDIA] 

Label: Rough Trade – RTCD129B 

Format: CD, Compilation, Unofficial Release 

Country: UK 

Style: Alternative Rock, Folk Rock, Paisley Underground, Dream Pop

Tracklist:

1 My Canyon Memory 5:00 

2 Sisters Of Mercy 4:21 

3 Sailing Boats 6:02 

4 Vespers 0:42 

5 Lisa's Funeral 6:51 

6 This Town 6:02 

7 Freight Train 1:59 

8 Wintertime 3:15 

9 Little Bit Of Rain 2:30 

10 What You've Done 3:37 

11 Cherry Jam 8:27 

12 Indian Summer 3:09 

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Opal - Early Recordings [CD] (1989, Rough Trade)

While Opal's 'Happy Nightmare Baby' is more representative of the group's richly textured brand of neo-psychedelia, the stripped-down 'Early Recordings' compilation is an even better example of David Roback and Kendra Smith's remarkable songcraft. Released in the wake of the group's breakup, the album collects the majority of tracks from the 'Fell From the Sun' and 'Northern Line' EPs, along with a handful of outtakes and unreleased cuts, all spotlighting Opal's more subdued, acoustic-folk side. Peeling away the mystical haze which enshrouded 'Happy Nightmare Baby', the songs are plaintive and stark, exposing the emotional complexity at the band's core -the wistful "Empty Box Blues" and the haunting "Harriet Brown," both previously unissued, are unmatched in their beauty and grace. [SOURCE: ALLMUSIC] 

Label: Rough Trade ‎– ROUGH CD128 

Format: CD, Compilation 

Country: UK 

Released: 1989 

Style: Alternative Rock, Folk Rock, Paisley Underground, Neo-Psychedelia, Dream Pop, Slowcore, Alt-Country

Tracklist:

1 Empty Box Blues 4:19 

2 She's A Diamond 2:58 

3 My Only Friend 4:01 

4 Empty Bottles 2:02 

5 Grains Of Sand 5:48 

6 Brigit On Sunday 5:13 

7 Northern Line 4:40 

8 Strange Delight 1:42 

9 Fell From The Sun 4:36 

10 Harriet Brown 3:59 

11 Lullabye 7:09 

12 All Souls 2:22 

13 Hear The Wind Blow 3:01 

Credits: 

Producer – David Roback 

Notes: 

Track 13 is a Bonus track for the CD edition. 

Mastered by Nimbus 

Other Versions:  

'Early Recordings' ‎(Cass, Comp) Rough Trade ROUGH US 53 C US 1989 

'Early Recordings' ‎(LP, Comp) Rough Trade, Rough Trade Records GmbH ROUGH 128, RTD 138 UK & Europe 1989 

'Early Recordings' ‎(CD, Comp) Rough Trade ROUGH US 53 CD US 1989 

'Early Recordings' ‎(LP, Comp) Rough Trade ROUGH US 053 US 1989 

'Early Recordings' ‎(LP, Comp, TP, W/Lbl) Rough Trade, Rough Trade Records GmbH ROUGH 128, RTD 138 UK 1989 

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