Early Beck goodness, Real Estate janglers and some pretty weird and wonderful sounds from the archives.
After absolutely yonks out of print, Beck’s major label debut - Mellow Gold - is back in the racks and we’ve enjoyed it immeasurably this last week or so. Released in 1994, it followed the independently released Golden Feelings and Stereopathetic Soulmanure (and sort of One Foot in the Grave too) and progressed the avant folk and roots hooks into more breakbeat territory, hinting at what would shortly land with his magnum opus, Odelay. Aside from the album’s smash opening single Loser (which does still slap hard), Mellow Gold has such great tones, raw and squawking southern rockers with experimental burblings and beats. It really is pretty fantastic stuff and the whole thing sure got us hurting for some Mellow Gold.
Laugh was Terry Hall (of The Specials’) acclaimed second solo LP, a real charmer of melancholy, sweet pop sensibility and wit. Rich in intimate arrangements, it was largely produced by Hall himself, with contributions from former Smiths guitarist Craig Gannon, Stephen Duffy, Sean O'Hagan of The High Llamas and Damon Albarn. His voice sounds amazing throughout and the Todd Rundgren I Saw the Light cover is pretty magic. We were delighted to be involved in a lavish 2LP Dinked Edition that features an alternate sleeve and includes new liner notes by journalist Pete Paphides, including reflections from Damon Albarn, Ian Broudie and Stephen Duffy.
New Jersey’s finest - Real Estate - release The Wee Small Hours, a new compilation of rarities spanning their last decade plus with Domino. There is a great vibe across it all, sweet melancholy and a melodic woodiness to the B-sides, and previously unreleased songs, plus covers of Television’s Days, the Nerves’ Paper Dolls and the Strokes’ Barely Legal.
New Order release stand-alone editions of their first four albums; Movement, Power, Corruption & Lies, Low-Life and Brotherhood, all based on the remastered audio from 2019 that was available as part of the "Movement Definitive Edition" boxset. Had a bit of a moment listening to Movement over the weekend. There is such an intense sadness about it in the wake of Ian Curtis’s death, but also an amazing first iteration of just how much the band would drive the new electro sounds of the early 1990s. As evocative as you’d like.
Lastly this week, an absolutely scorching compilation from Soul Jazz called LATIN FIRE! Cumbia-Salsa-Afro-Funk: Tropical Dance Music from Discos Fuentes, Colombia 1956-83. It is compiled from the vast vaults of Discos Fuentes, one of the oldest and largest record companies in Latin America, known as ‘the Motown of Colombia’. Discos Fuentes played a major role in spreading Afro-Latin sounds both to Colombia and around the world and this album explores that legacy. Salsa, Latin jazz lightness, big band elegance and some more psychedelic moments too. All the hot grooves.
Actually, we have an even more ‘lastly this week’ as we just this minute opened a box and have been joined by Dream A Dream with Studio G: Cratedigger’s Archive (1970-2009). Compiled by Jazz Dispensary, it examines the often heard but rarely remembered vaults of Library Music with some absolutely sublime sounds. Honestly, this one is a proper trip of mind expanders and weird squelches, blasting it on the stereo as we type. Includes liner notes from Saint Etienne’s Bob Stanley and illustrations by Ivan Minsloff.
+ Pressed on limited Red vinyl.
