Don’t Leave Me This Way 2x

October 10th, 2013

Apparently, if you do a Google search for my site right now, it says that I might have been hacked. However, EVERYTHING IS FINE. Apparently some dickweed was using my site to put up spam pages selling viagra, but the page has been removed and all traces of the hack have been scrubbed from my site, thanks to my hosting provider. None of this was ever a security threat to any of you, I just wanted to let you know in case you were searching for my site and came across the warning. I submitted a review to Google, and hopefully they’ll remove the warning once they realize my shit is clean. Of course, knowing Google’s track record with giving a shit about the small guy, I expect this to happen sometime around 2019.

Anyways, some new stuff up at Mostly-Retro. First, a review of a shit release by Mondo Tees, followed by a weird thing about finding undeveloped disposable cameras. And football.

I told you it was weird.

The Communards
Don’t Leave Me This Way (Mega Mix)
Don’t Leave Me This Way (The Gotham City Mix)
The Communards were Jimmy Sommeville’s second band, formed after he left The Bronski Beat in 1986. They, surprise, sounded a lot like The Bronski Beat, but it would be hard not to with Sommerville’s overpowering falsetto. This was the third single from their debut album, and for it they were joined by Sarah Jane Morris, a jazz singer whose voice is about two octaves lower than Sommerville’s. However, both their voices are booming as all hell, making a duet between them a pretty intense experience.

Making things more intense is the fact that both of these remixes are each 11 freaking minutes long. That’s insane. INSANE. Bu that’s nothing, they also released a remix that was a “what the fuck” inducing 22 minutes long.

Now, I’ve long gone on the record as saying that if a song is great then the best thing a remix can do is just make it even longer, I cite the 9-minute remix of George Clinton’s “Atomic Dog” as concrete evidence of this. But let’s not get crazy. Shit, even these 11-minute remixes try my patience a bit. But I’m not going to hate on any decent version of “Don’t Leave Me This Way” and Sommerville’s vocals carry both these versions just fine, even if they do drag on for just a smidge too long. The keyboard solo in Gotham City mix is pretty great too.

Jeanie Tracy
Don’t Leave Me This Way
Don’t Leave Me This Way (Mixed by Sylvester)
Hey, look it’s more “Don’t Leave Me This Way!” It’s almost like I planned this shit.

I found the original mix of this a while ago and have been loving it ever since, but my goal was always to find the Sylvester Mix, because, well, Sylvester is dope. I actually bought a 12″ single with that mix on it when I was in San Francisco, but it turned out the record was way too warped to play. Total buzzkill.

However, I somewhat serendipitously found a copy of the same single at my local record store just two weeks later, and it was in mint condition! There was much rejoicing.

There was so much rejoicing that I started to research Megatone, the label that released the single, and discovered that three 2CD collections of Megatone 12″ singles were released a few years back. So I just went ahead and bought all three of those. The version of the Sylvester mix that I’m sharing tonight is from one of those collections, it sounded better than my vinyl rip.

I mean, I’m moving to another freaking country in a few months, I need to…stock up on my….predominately gay-themed disco compilations.

Shut up. Don’t judge me.

Both of these versions are FUCKING AMAZING. By the way. Jeanie Tracy for President.

 

Posted in Jeanie Tracy, remixes, The Communards | 2 Comments »

Harold and Frankie

October 7th, 2013

Caring about baseball for the first time in 16 years (when the Indians were in the World Series, for those wondering) has really taken a hit into my productivity. Games every day? Jesus, how the hell do baseball fans get anything done? I’m used to wasting just one day a week to sports, I don’t know if even I have enough lack of motivation to subject myself to this much longer.

And besides, I have a shitload of stuff to do! Operation: Get Crap Out Of My House is well into effect, but I still got a few “big ticket” items I need to unload.

In fact, can I interest any of you in the following?

Super Famicom (Boxed!)

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A complete Super Famicom system, complete with both controllers, A/V cable and original AC adapter (so you might want a power converter). Comes in its original box too! Looks great and I can verify that it plays games perfectly as well. I’m asking $100 for this (shipping not included). That’s about $20-$40 cheaper than most Super Famicoms you see on eBay when you factor in the high international shipping you typically have to pay.

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I occasionally help out in my friend’s used games store, so believe me when I tell you that coming across one of these in as nice shape as this one is doesn’t happen everyday!

Sharp Front Loading Stereo Turntable RP-117

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Okay, this thing is crazy. It’s a turntable that takes LPs like CDs, and then it can play both sides with no flipping required! It doesn’t sound amazing, but it certainly sounds as good as most mid-range turntables, and it’s a great talking piece to have as an auxiliary deck.  I haven’t played it in about a year, so I’ll test it before I ship it out, but last I checked it played fine. These can be a bit finicky too, so finding one in working condition is a real rarity.

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I’m asking $300 for it, which is $100 cheaper than what they tend to go for on eBay. Don’t ask me about replacement styluses or needles for this sucker though, because I have no idea.

If either of these items interest you, leave a comment with your email (I won’t approve it, I’ll just use it to get a hold of you).

 

Okay, sorry for that brief QVC moment. If you read all that, I appreciate your patience and reward you with silly music from the 80s.

Harold Faltermeyer
Fletch Theme (Extended Version)
Fletch Theme (Radio Edit)
Fletch Theme (Fletch Rap)
Fletch Theme Bonus Beats (Hip Hop Version)
So I’m going to be real and just put this out there: I’ve never seen Fletch.

Okay, yeah, I know. Yeah, I’m sure its great. But by the time I was old enough to really appreciate it, Chevy Chase was well on his path of sucking, so I immediately associated the film with the long line of sucking pieces of suck he’s sadly known for today. I know I should watch it! I know it’s a good movie! But there are a lot of good movies I haven’t seen that I need to watch, and when I start looking at that list, I feel that movies like Godfather II, The African Queen and Manhattan probably take precedence over Fletch. Of course, you’re talking to the guy who decided it was of the utmost importance to mainline the first five Fast & Furious films in a 48 hour period, so what do I know.

Well, I do know that Harold Faltermeyer’s theme to Fletch is pretty fucking rad, and like some commenters have told me in the past, it’s actually even better than his theme to Beverly Hills Cop, something that’s no small feat. All four of these versions of the theme sound pretty similar to me, but whatever, it’s four similar versions of a completely bitchin’ tune, so I’m not going to complain.

Frankie Goes To Hollywood
Rage Hard (++) [Broad]
Sometimes I feel the need to just write about an album. No reason. Just because I want to. If I ever do this, I think I’d have to write about Frankie Goes To Hollywood’s Welcome To The Pleasuredome. Not just because it’s a fantastic record and one of my favorites, but because I feel that I’m in the extreme minority in saying as much.  That album is a fucking masterpiece. Not only that, I feel that it perfectly encapsulates every single thing about the early 80s, from rampant casual sex to the constant threat of nuclear war. It’s an awesome record.

Liverpool, the group’s 1986 sophomore album, and their last release, is significantly less awesome. I’ve listened to it several times since finding it a few months ago, and aside from “Warriors Of The Wasteland” and “Rage Hard” it’s an entirely forgettable album. It also tries far too hard to recapture the magic of the original album in tone and structure too, right down to the random oddball cross-genre cover (a weak rendition of “Roadhouse Blues” filling in for Pleasuredome’s amazing take on “Born To Run.”)

But like I said, “Rage Hard” is a pretty great track, and thanks to Frankie Goes To Hollywood’s shameless(ly wonderful) practice of remixing and re-releasing singles ad nauseam, there are more than a few remixes of it floating out there. I currently have four: The Bob K Remix, an extended version, one simply titled “Vocal/Remix” that I got off of the Japanese version of the Frankie Said compilation, and the one I’m sharing tonight. Of those, I think this one is the best. It’s not the longest, but it’s still a hefty eight minutes, and unlike the other remixes, it never delves off into sample-heavy wankery or excessive non-musical segues or interludes. It just uses its eight minutes to take its time and really stretch the tune out. As I’ve said time and time again, the best remixes are the ones that just let a song’s natural awesomeness shine while not trying to change it too much.

Posted in Frankie Goes To Hollywood, Harold Faltermeyer, remixes | 9 Comments »

Blisters On My Blog

October 3rd, 2013

My life has been pretty video game music centric this week, so I felt a change of pace was in order. I hope I don’t alienate my new readers, but I figure the sooner you get used to the random nature of this blog the better. Tonight it’s mid-90s techno. Next week I might post the soundtrack to an obscure 80s horror flick followed by remixes of the “Fletch” theme.

Okay, one of those is totally going to happen.

Lo-Fidelity Allstars
Blisters On My Brain (Many Tentacles Pimping On My Keys)
Blisters On My Brain (JDE’s Millennium Vocal Mix)
Blisters On My Brain (Sisters On My Mind Mix)
Blisters On My Brain (Tim Rex Lunar Dust Vocal)
Blisters On My Brain (Tim Rex Lunar Dust Dub)
I’ve been doing this for seven years and I can’t believe this is the first time I’ve ever posted a Lo-Fidelity Allstars track proper. I was totally obsessed with their first album for a good chunk of 1998, with “Battleflag” pretty much being my jam for most of my sophomore year of college. I haven’t really followed them since though, are their later albums worth picking up? Their first record is amazing, but it’s also really a product of its time, I wonder if they kept with the times that much. Electronic music is fucking fickle.

“Blisters On My Brain” is probably my second favorite track from their first album, with “Battleflag” being my obvious first choice. I just love the lyrics to this tune, especially the hook. “Never mind your fingers I got blisters on my brain” is such a great line, and while I don’t know what the hell a “disco machine gun” is, I totally want one.

All these remixes are great. “Many Tentacles…” is a excellent instrumental version, while the “JDE” mix really cranks up the samples and transforms the track in a classic big beat tune straight out of a Fatboy Slim mix. The “Sisters” mix is just fantastic and cranks the track into a rock tune thanks to a wall of guitar effects, while both Tim Rex mixes take the tune into trance territory to great effect. I love how five mixes can rework one song into so many different places and genres.

Traci Lords
Control (Overlords House Mix)
Control (San Frandisco Mix)
Control (DJ FX Frandisco Dub)
I’ve talked about Traci Lords a few times here, and I always say the same thing; she is tragically underrated as a singer/musician. Her sole album, 10,000 Fires, is really good! I mean it! Listen to it! It’s out of print physically, but you can get it on iTunes and Amazon now, so there’s no excuse.

These are great remixes of a great song. I wanted to also post the definitive Traci Lords track, “Fallen Angel (Perfecto Mix)” but my copy has a skip in it. I’m going to try and re-record it sometime soon. It’s one of the greatest techno tracks of all time, I need a good copy of it on my computer. I mean, if not then that $20 I paid for the Virtuosity soundtrack was just a complete waste.

 

Posted in Lo Fidelity Allstars, remixes, Traci Lords | 8 Comments »

Angelus: Great Game Music From A Game You Never Played

October 2nd, 2013

In case you missed it, and I don’t know how that could happen since I’ve been talking about it all damn week, I was recently a guest on Retronauts, the best damn retro gaming podcast on Earth. Now, I don’t want to make it like they called me out to be a co-host because of my awesome knowledge on video games, truth be told, I got to co-host because I donated a lot of money to their Kickstarter. However, I think I held my own pretty well on the podcast, and most comments I’ve read about the episode seem to be of the “that guy was surprisingly decent” variety (and one asshole talking smack about my speech problem. Fuck that dude). So check out the episode if you haven’t already, and leave a nice comment if you feel so inclined!

And once you do that, check out this sick video game music!

Angelus – Original Soundtrack Album (Complete Album Download)

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When I went to Japan earlier this year, I was on a quest to pick up as many video game soundtracks as possible, preferably on vinyl. However, that task proved harder than I thought it would be.

Turns out that game music on vinyl is pretty damn rare, even in Japan. I went to countless game, music and other collectible stores throughout Tokyo and came up nearly empty-handed in every single one. While I was able to pick up some soundtracks on CD in stores like Disk Union and Tower Records, no one seemed to have any game music releases on vinyl. It was only near the tail end of my trip that I was able to find two game soundtracks on LP, and this was one of them.

Angelus was a game released by Square Enix in 1988, but don’t feel bad if you’ve never heard of it; the game was only released in Japan, and only for systems that never came out in the states, such as the PC88 and the MSX2. And unless you can read Japanese, don’t bother tracking down an emulated version, as it’s a text-heavy adventure game/visual novel. I know very little about it. In fact, when I bought it, I didn’t even think it was a game soundtrack. I thought the clerk had misheard what I asked for and that he was actually giving me an anime soundtrack, but it was so cheap (and weird looking) that I bought it anyway.

And it was a good thing I did! Because it’s a pretty great soundtrack. In fact, the music is by Koichi Sugiyama, the critically-acclaimed composer who also did the music for the Dragon’s Quest series. From what I’ve read about the game (mostly from this site), it’s about some occult conspiracy/devil worship that causes random people to become hideously deformed, and that dark subject matter really shows in the soundtrack. It has a real menacing vibe to it, like an 8-bit Omen soundtrack. It terms of game music, it’s nothing revolutionary or a lost classic, but it’s certainly worth a listen and pretty unique. It’s also probably one of the few times that a PC88 game’s soundtrack has been made available, making it a rare chance to listen to what that system’s sound chip was capable of.

In addition to the original game audio, the Angelus soundtrack also features an arranged version made using the Fairlight synthesizer.  In case you aren’t aware, the Fairlight was the go to synthesizer in the 1980s, and was so ingrained with pop music in the decade that it actually changed the way music sounded for a good number of years. That awesome synth-riff in a-ha’s “Take On Me?” That’s the Fairlight. Same with awesome end noise in the “Miami Vice Theme.” Duran Duran, the Pet Shop Boys, Prince, The Cars and countless other acts from the decade also used the synthesizer on some of their biggest hits.  Seriously, it helped to define the decade. Well, that and hairspray.

While I do enjoy the Fairlight version, I actually prefer the original game audio. While the two versions sound very similar, I think Sugiyama was trying too much to add “depth” or layers to the Fairlight version. It has a lot of echo, and a few tracks even have some tacked on beats. The original version, on the other hand, is very sparse and minimal, which I think adds to its creepiness. Also, since the sound of the Fairlight is so ingrained with the 1980s, whenever I hear instrumental music composed entirely on it, I picture bad late-night cable movies. But that’s my own baggage.

I hope you all enjoy it, and to all my new readers, I hope you stick around. I post a lot of random stuff here, so if you ever see one post and just hate everything about it, just wait a week, I’ll have something entirely different.

Except for my next post, that’ll probably be more Sugiyama. Although I don’t think most people will complain when they see what I’ll be posting.

A quick technical note about this recording: This is a vinyl rip, which I did using the best equipment I had at the time. However, it is a very quiet record, so you may hear some hiss/surface noise. It’s not that bad, but I found it to be worth pointing out.

 

 

Posted in Complete Albums, video game music | 5 Comments »

Shameless self-plugging (ew).

September 30th, 2013

If you’re visiting this site for the first time because of my guest appearance on Retronauts, then you’re probably looking for some choice video game music, so here are some highlights from previous video game themed posts.

Beep! Video Game Discs
This is where you can find the dope remix of the Chase HQ theme I mentioned near the tail end of the podcast.

Dreamcast Vinyl Rips
Tracks taken from the weird white Dreamcast record that was an Australian pre-order exclusive.

Mindscape Flexi-Disc
More flexi-disc madness. This one is really out there.

I also have another site called Mostly-Retro, where I have talked about video game music on occasion.

Check out these pages about the Yars’ Revenge, Asteroids and Missile Command Kids Stuff records.

Then there was that time the dude who wrote Dream Weaver did a song about Dig Dug. For real.

I reviewed the Final Fantasy Vinvlys box set a few months back.

And finally, some goofy clips from discs with Red Book audio.

New post later this week! It may be video game related.

Posted in Uncategorized | 3 Comments »

I Still Have Too Many Records

September 25th, 2013

A little over three months before the big move and I already feel entirely overwhelmed with stuff to do. Fun times ahead for sure.

I did make time to review the massive new In Utero box sets though. They totally blew my mind.

Oysterband
One Green Hill (Chumbawamba Remix)
Nothing like a little Celtic house/punk to unwind.

Björk
Joga (Alec Empire “Empire State Of Emergency” Remix)
Joga (Alec Empire “The Destroyer” Remix)
Joga (Alec Empire “The Planet Of Ice” Remix)
I think I have posted the “Empire State Of Emergency” mix on this site at least three times before this, but I don’t care. It’s an absolutely incredible mix, probably one of my favorite mixes of all time. Remixes that can take a song, transform them entirely, and create something that is just as amazing and wonderful but in an entirely different way are really few and far between. It’s just a great track, and I never get tired of listening to it.

The other two mixes are new though, off of a 12″ single I found while in Portland. “The Destroyer” mix is exactly what I expected, another experiment into digital hardcore insanity, a non-stop barrage of ear-drum shattering noise – I love it, although not as much as the original mix.

The final mix, however, is entirely different. It’s so out there and bizarre that I don’t even really know how to describe it. I guess it’s kind of ambient, maybe drone-like? It’s very different, especially coming from Alec Empire, a man who I imagine just walks around listening to Lou Reed’s Metal Machine Music on loop 24/7.

Posted in Bjork, Chumbawamba, Oysterband, remixes | 4 Comments »

Buy My Records, In Person!

September 18th, 2013

Thanks to everyone who sent me a message of congrats and well wishes in regards to my news about moving to Tokyo. It meant a lot to me.

A lot of people have been asking me what I plan on doing with my records. Well, I’m probably going to put them in storage. I have about 2,000 records, and while I have been whittling down my collection as of late, most of them are just too important to me, I can’t part with them. Right now my plan is to stay in Tokyo for a couple of years or so, if I end up staying their longer, then I might think about figuring out how to bring them over. Regardless, don’t worry, I’m not getting rid of my Depeche Mode records. I’m not crazy.

However, I am getting rid of A LOT of records. So if you live in the greater Pittsburgh area and are looking for some weird records, then you should totally swing by my yard sale, which I’ll be holding this Sunday from 9am -2pm. You can find full details at Craigslist.

Since coming back from my west coast trip, I’ve recorded about 40 LPs and singles, and I got about 80 more to go, so while my posts might be a bit spotty for the next few weeks, you won’t have to worry about a lack of quality tunes. Or “quality tunes” depending on your viewpoint of what I post sometimes.

Ini Kamoze
Here Comes The Hotstepper (Let Go Mix)
I know the second line in the chorus of this song is “I’m the lyrical gangster, murderer,” but for the life of me, every time I hear it, I sing “I’m the leprechaun gangster, murderer.” If the Leprechaun ever returns to the hood (again), they should take my lyrical suggestion and use it for a new remix that could serve as the film’s theme.

Prodigy
Poison (Environmental Science Dub Mix)
95% of Prodigy songs are just “Here Comes The Hotstepper” with more aggro beats and more menacing lyrics. Think about it.

Freur
Runaway (Dun Difrunt)
You’re A Hoover (Dun Difrunt Too)
Freur was an early group by Karl Hyde and Rick Smith, aka the sole consistent members of the legendary electronic act Underworld. They formed in the early 80s and released just two albums, Doot-Doot and Get Us Out Of Here. They broke up in 1986, at which point Karl and Rick went on to form the very synthpoppy original incarnation of Underworld (which was great in its own way).

The title track to Doot-Doot was the band’s only hit, and it was a hit for a good reason. It’s a goddamn beautiful song, easily one of my favorite tracks from the era. You can get “Doot-Doot” on iTunes and Amazon, and I suggest you do. Shit, I suggest you get that entire album, it’s great.

Another highlight from the Doot-Doot album is “Runaway,” which is also a slow-paced, emotional love song, and after listening to it on repeat for the past few days, I like it almost as much as “Doot-Doot.” I think the unneeded (and entirely 80s) sax solo takes a bit away from it though.

“You’re A Hoover” is a weird, wild b-side and reminds me a bit of early Flock Of Seagulls with a slightly more sinister slant. Karl’s vocals are great on it.

Both these mixes are shockingly rare. Doot-Doot has been re-released several times over the years, and while most re-issues include remixes of “Doot-Doot” and “Hold Me Mother,” none have included these mixes. Maybe they were lost to the ages?

I would love to hear Karl and Rick talk about the early Underworld/Freur stuff, but I guess they’ve always been a bit hush-hush on that era of their musical careers. Although they did finally re-visit “Doot-Doot” at a live show this past April. Hopefully they’ll continue to do so for future gigs, and we’ll finally get a live version of “Underneath The Radar.”

That song is fucking dope.

 

Posted in Freur, Ini Kamoze, Prodigy, remixes | 4 Comments »

I Should Probably Learn Some Japanese

September 11th, 2013

Okay, so some news. Big news. Huge news. Life-changing news (for me anyways).

Remember when I went to Tokyo and I was all “OMG this is the greatest place in the history of the universe and I want to go back more than anything?”

Well, I just took a job teaching English in Tokyo, I start in January.

Holy shit!  This is totally a dream come true. I can’t believe it’s actually working out (fingers crossed). I’m so excited to start this new chapter of my life. I’m probably going to write up something that goes into detail about all the reasons why I’m making this move and career change, but I’ll save that for a later date. Right now I’ll address the question that most of you are probably wondering: what does this mean for Lost Turntable/Mostly-Retro?

That’s an excellent question, thanks for asking. To be honest, I don’t expect things to change too terribly much here at Lost Turntable. I don’t know if you know this or not, but Japan has more than its fair share of record stores, and as you can probably imagine, I’m going to continue to buy music once I get situated over there.  Will the focus of my blog change to cover more Japanese music? Well, it already has a bit, in case you haven’t noticed, but don’t worry, I don’t think I’ll be turning Japanese completely. The Lost Turntable’s focus has always been “weird shit that I want to write about” and that will continue to include Japanese synth-pop, German industrial music, British new wave music, and damn near anything else that interests me.

I do suspect, however, that my productivity on this site will take a hit, especially when I’m first getting settled. I’m actually working on creating a backlog of posts though. Hopefully I’ll be able to keep the site updated on a weekly basis even if I get too busy to write for a month or so while I get used to my new surroundings and work schedule (I have to go to an office! I haven’t done that in years!).

As for Mostly-Retro, well, that’s a bit trickier.

Writing on Lost Turntable is easy. Find songs, rant, maybe write about songs, repeat. The stuff I put up at Mostly-Retro takes a bit more work and planning. While I have no plans on shuttering that site, I really don’t know what its future holds. Perhaps just sporadic updates, or a shift in focus. It remains to be seen. If you’re one of the very few people who read that site, I’m sorry if updates to it become even less frequent than they already are.

Anyways, I HAVE SO MUCH STUFF TO DO. I may not be leaving until January, but I have to figure out what to do with my house, sell a ton of my stuff, get my visa in order, find a home for my fish, pack up stuff for storage and probably do a billion other things that I haven’t even thought about yet. So this will be the only update to this site for a least a week until I get all that stuff in motion. Don’t worry though, when I come back I’ll come back in force with some truly awesome shit.

Now for the only tracks in my “Lost Turntable” folder that I can post without feeling compelled to write a 10 paragraph summary/analysis.

Adina Howard
Freak Like Me (Dub Instrumental)
Freak Like Me (Boogieless)
Freak Like Me (Remix)
Freak Like Me (Remix Without Rap)
Freak Like Me (Instrumental)
Freak Like Me (Accapella)
God, I hope I can find stuff as pointless as this when I move to Japan.

 

Posted in remixes | 22 Comments »

Lost Turntable: Now with 43% less migraines

August 29th, 2013

You may notice a slight color change here! Why? Well, it’s a long story. Seriously, it goes back like six years.

When I first started this blog in 2006, I was still using an old-fashioned CRT monitor. Now, if you recall, back with CRTs, it was much easier to read white text on a black background than it was to read black text on a white background. Well, flash forward six years and several flat-screen monitors with increasing contrast later and oh my god reading plain white text on a pure black background makes my eyes want to pop out of my head.

So I was bored today and decided to finally give it a go at fixing it. I’m not super-happy with the results, but I do think it makes the site a bit easier on the eyes. What do you think? I know it’s not the prettiest color layout in the world, but hell, neither was hot pink and black. So whatever.

Now for a bit of shameless self-promotion. Over at my other site I wrote up a quick thing on this odd David Bowie record I found. And I also did a review of Death Waltz’s incredible Fog release. Read ’em. Love ’em. Share ’em. Make me happy. Repeat. And if you like reviews of hard-to-find and ridiculously expensive vinyl releases then check back at Mostly-Retro later this week and into the next for a review of the deluxe edition of Franz Ferdinand’s excellent new LP, as well as a look at a ridiculously rare record from a psych-rock band you’ve probably never heard of.

Cuz that’s the shit that really brings in the hits.

Information Society
Make It Funkier (Boot It Up Vocal)
Walking Away (SMD Mix)
Walking Away (House Dub)
Been a while since I posted any Information Society (or as the kids call them, InSoc). “Walking Away” was the second single from their debut album. It’s a solid tune, but let’s be honest here, it’s no “What’s On Your Mind (Pure Enegery).”

I don’t know what the fuck/funk “Make It Funkier” is, but it sure as hell ain’t funky.

Ryuichi Sakamoto
You Do Me (The Justin Strauss Remix)
You Do Me (Froggy Mix)
You Do Me (Just Right Dub)
You Do Me (7″ Mix)
I think I managed to go a whole month without posting some Sakamoto! Let me check to be sure…

Okay, so a few weeks ago I posted those Akiko Yano songs that he produced, co-wrote and performed on, but technically speaking they weren’t Sakamoto tunes, so I’m sticking by that. “You Do Me” is less disgusting than its title suggests, but it’s still not the best track. I like it for what it is, but when I get the Sakamoto itch (ew) I tend to go towards his work with YMO or even his classical stuff more often than this, it’s just a bit annoying if you ask me.

Posted in Information Society, remixes, Ryuichi Sakamoto | 5 Comments »

Echo And The Bootleg

August 21st, 2013

When this goes up, I’ll be in (not so) lovely NYC. Remember all the smack I was talking about Toronto and Canada? That was mostly facetious. Toronto is actually a pretty alright town. It might not be for me, but I can see why so many people dig it. And it has some pretty great record stores.

But New York City? Man, fuck that place. An overcrowded, overrated, overpriced and oversantized nightmare amalgamation of everything horrible that America has to offer. Sure, it’s the “city that never sleeps” and you can always find an amazing restaurant, bar or whatever, but damn, between the racist cops, smelly subways, mean people, crowded streets and every other disgusting and evil thing the city has to offer, why the hell would you want to leave your home in the first place?

If the above rant offended anyone who lives in the greater New York City area, I’m sorry…that you’re stuck in New York City.

Echo And The Bunnymen
New Horizon – Live in Tokyo January 1984
Two of my favorite things, Tokyo and post-punk/new wave music from Liverpool!

This is a bootleg. As the title suggests, it was recorded in Tokyo, sometime in January of 1984. I really don’t know much about it aside from that. There are no linear notes on the release, just a poorly made photocoppied piece of paper taped to the front cover. Judging from the setlists at this Echo And The Bunnymen fansite, however, it would appear that this an abridged recording of their January 17th show at the Nakano Sun Plaza Hall, with the encore of “All My Colours (Zimbo)” and “Do It Clean” absent.

I’ve posted bootlegs here before, and unfortunately most have sounded like hot garbage. Not the case with this one! Judging from the snippet of Japanese audio that plays at the beginning of the first track, I suspect this is a rip taken from a Japanese radio broadcast. While that means its definitely a cut above your typical audience recording, it still does have its fair share of flaws. The stereo cuts out from time to time on the first track, and the overall fidelity of the recording (and the vinyl I ripped it from) are less than perfect. That being said, it’s completely listenable, with clear vocals and instruments on all the tracks.

It’s also a pretty great performance from the band during their peak. Ian’s voice is incredible throughout the performance, and the band as a whole sounds damn near perfect. A must-listen for Echo fans who want a glance of the band during their prime, no doubt.

Click on the link above for a complete zip of the concert. But if you’re curious, here’s the entire tracklist:

  • Over The Wall
  • Stars are Stars
  • The Killing Moon
  • The Cutter
  • All That Jazz
  • Never Stop
  • Thorn of Crowns
  • Crocodiles

Posted in bootlegs, Complete Albums, Echo and the Bunnymen | 3 Comments »

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