Playing Pokemon Go with vinyl

I’ve never added anything to the Discogs Database before, it’s pretty easy to do really, as I found out when I added the Carl Matthews album I talked about recently. This is the Discogs entry here:

https://www.discogs.com/Carl-Matthews-Mirage-Tape-Years/release/8837919

It looks a lot like the image above, more than a lot, exactly, because that’s it.

It irked me that I wasn’t able to add it to my Discogs collection, which I have recently come to realise is my own version of Pokemon Go, except it’s for vinyl records, sort of, when I do catch them I have to add them to my VinylDex (rather than Pokedex) and records stores are PokeStops, Record Fairs are PokeGyms where I do battle with the vendors.

There’s even an app for it, ‘The Vinyl District‘, as you move around different record shops pop up for you to nip into and catch a record.

(not my picture, from here: http://pictigar.com/hashtag/Vinyladdict)

That Special Record – July

This month the album I received from ‘That Special Record‘ subscription service was ‘Mirage Tape Recordings 1979-83’ by Carl Matthews. Now what can I tell you about Carl Matthews that you don’t already know? Well, he was an American character actor and stuntman of the 1930s through 1950s. Born on February 19, 1903 in Oklahoma, his first film role would be in Rough Riding Ranger in 1935. Over the next 33 years, Mathews would appear in over 200 films, shorts, and television shows, either as a performer or a stuntman.

I feel Wikipedia has let me down there. The thing is, I know very little about Carl Matthews, finding just limited information on Discogs I went on a bit of a hunt and found a soundcloud page (it wasn’t really a hunt, there was a link on Discogs but I’m trying to add some drama), where he describes himself as ‘An old guy who likes making sounds for Library/Production companies.’

Then I found this ‘Carl Matthews, a synthesist who started out in the late ’70’s producing
Cosmic (Space) Music in the style of the early composers of the German electronic scene.
Cassette tapes were produced and distributed by Mirage, Electronical Dreams
and the ICR label.’ Here, probably, is a picture of the mystery man himself:

I cannot vouch for the authenticity of this picture.

So, essentially, the album I received is by somebody I’ve never heard of and can find only sketchy information about. That, I’m sure you’d agree, did not bode well for the LP I was about to put on my turntable. Here, as evidence, is said album on said turntable:

I played the album this evening when I arrived home, and my expectations were entirely wrong, it is absolutely brilliant and having listened twice now I cannot fathom why this isn’t massive, I like it that much. Imagine for a moment that Kraftwerk and Tangerine Dream were asked to get together and produce a soundtrack to a movie of a Philip K. Dick novel whose main theme is how our increasing reliance on technology is eroding our humanity. That, to me, is this album. It has the sweeping vistas of Tangerine Dream but also the intricacies of Kraftwerk and the repetitiveness of both (Note to reader: I love repetitiveness).

I have to make some assumptions but it would appear from the track information, pictured below, that these are reproduced from tapes recorded in the early 80’s and that they are very much influenced by kosmische musik (you can call it Krautrock if you really want to).

I just read the card that came with the album, I should probably done that first. The tracks were recorded on a Reel-To-Reel recorder using a Korg Polyphonic Ensemble, Korg M20 Synthesiser and a Korg SQ10 sequencer. I’m sure there are people out there who know this musician, but it is entirely new to me and, almost certainly, would be undiscovered had I not been sent it by Miguel at That Special Record, which is exactly why I have a subscription in the first place, this one is just perfect for me.

I’d like to put some here for you to listen to but I can’t find anything, so go buy a copy, although it appears to be a limited numbered edition of 444 copies.

Wait, there’s more, a Freund Der Familie 12″ single, ‘FDF Alpha Remixes #3’ that has been included as a surprise, and it certainly was. It’s a red marbled limited edition of 150 and, quite frankly, coloured vinyl is the way to my heart. It looks almost black on the turntable, but if you hold it up to the light it is quite a lovely oh, nice bit of artwork that you can see there that was tucked inside the sleeve as well.

Again, I’d never listened to anything by them but it’s a doubly nice surprise as I really like it, and really appreciate it’s inclusion. Below is a track from soundcloud so you can have a listen to one of their tracks should you fancy it, and there are loads more if you go here: https://soundcloud.com/freundderfamilie

And here it is held up to the light to show off that lovely red colour:

All in all I’m delighted with what I’ve received this month and am already looking forward to what is going to arrive next.

QUITE THE W/E FOR VINYL BUYING 10

aaaaaaaaaaand finally, something  a little bit different. A 7″ single, or E.P. really, that came out on Record Store Day this year but was still in the store and, as I am a bit of a sucker for Soundtracks, I really had to pick it up and take it home.

Record Store Day celebrates German cinematic culture this year with this special edition silver colored vinyl 7″ single of ‘Nosferatu, eine Symphonie des Grauens (translated as Nosferatu: A Symphony of Horror) from the 1922 German Expressionist horror film. The original score composed by Hans Erdmann has been lost, and what remains is a reconstitution of the score as it was played in 1922. James Bernard, composer of the soundtracks of many Hammer horror films in the late 1950s and 1960s, has written a score for a reissue. This particular 7” version contains audio performed in 1997 by The City of Prague Philharmonic Orchestra, conducted by Nic Raine. Limited to 3000 numbered copies.

Side A
Omens of Nosferatu
The Pursuit of Knock

Side B
The Ship of Doom

It’s a wonderful thing and, although it was £7.00 I feel it was worth it and, of course, it wasn’t my money paying for it!

Below is a video that somebody made of it playing on their turntable.

Final Total: £51.00

 

QUITE THE W/E FOR VINYL BUYING 9

This is the only full price album I bought at £17.00 but it’s brilliant so I really had little choice.

Kraftwerk ‎– Techno Pop

Label: Kling Klang ‎– 50999 9 66050 1 1, Mute ‎– STUMM 308

Series: Kling Klang Digital Master –

Format: Vinyl, LP, Album, Reissue, Remastered

Country: UK & Europe

Released: 16 Nov 2009

Genre: Electronic

Style: Electro, Synth-pop

Tracklist

A1	Boing Boom Tschak	2:58
A2	Techno Pop Words By – Schult*	7:42
A3	Musique Non Stop	5:44
B1	The Telephone Call	3:50
B2	House Phone	4:56
B3	Sex Object	6:51
B4	Electric Cafe Words By – Schmitt*	4:17

I adore Kraftwerk and have done since I saw them on TV back in the 70’s on the TV programme ‘Tomorrows World’, at least I think it was. They were so odd, and so unlike anything I’d ever seen or heard, although I hadn’t actually seen or heard all that much at that point. I do seem to be working my way towards owning everything of theirs on vinyl, which is still possible as I think all of it received a vinyl release and much has been re-released.

Running Total: £44.00

(only one more to go)

QUITE THE W/E FOR VINYL BUYING 8

Will it never end? Well, yes it will, just not yet.

Young Dreams – Between Places

Label: K. Dahl Eftf. ‎– 5053105-5001-1-6

Format: 2 × Vinyl, LP
CD, Album

Country: Norway

Released: 2013

Genre: Rock, Pop

Tracklist

LP-A1	Footprints
LP-A2	Wounded Hearts Forever
LP-A3	Fog Of War
LP-B1	First Days Of Something
LP-B2	When Kisses Are Salty
LP-B3	Dream Alone, Wake Together
LP-C1	The Girl That Taught Me To Drink And Fight
LP-D1	Through The Turnstiles
LP-D2	Young Dreams

I really like this album, and as it was new and sealed and only £3 I like it even more. Young Dreams is a Norwegian band from Bergen , consisting of Matias Tellez, Pablo Tellez, Rune Vandaskog, Njål Paul Berg, Marius Erster Bergesen, Chris Holm and Fredrik Vågsborg. That’s all I know, other than they sort of sound like a modern version of the Beach Boys.

What I also know is that I really enjoyed the album and am surprised to find it so cheap.

Running Total: £27.00

QUITE THE W/E FOR VINYL BUYING 7

And the hits just keep on coming!

‘Argybargy’ by Squeeze, who I have a soft spot for.

Label: A&M Records ‎– AMLH 64802
Format: Vinyl, LP, Album
Country: UK
Released: 1980
Genre: Rock
Style: New Wave

Tracklist

A1	Pulling Mussels (From The Shell)	4:00
A2	Another Nail In My Heart	2:58
A3	Separate Beds	3:21
A4	Misadventure	2:56
A5	I Think I’m Go Go	4:19
B1	Farfisa Beat	4:13
B2	Here Comes That Feeling	2:58
B3	Vicky Verky	2:12
B4	If I Didn’t Love You	3:12
B5	Wrong Side Of The Moon	2:25
B6	There At The Top	3:46

Chris Difford & Glenn Tilbrook could certainly write a great pop song, but the Lennon & McCartney comparisons they were lumbered with weren’t really appropriate or useful.

I only know the first two tracks from this album as I was mostly buying singles around this time due to having absolutely no income whatsoever, well, I was only 13. I’m looking forward to hearing what else they created on this album. It was £3.50.

 

Running Total: £24.00

QUITE THE W/E FOR VINYL BUYING 6

I never liked The Associates, they would turn up on Top Of The Pops and I had absolutely no interest in them whatsoever, in fact, most of the time I just wanted them to shut up so we could move on to whatever was next. I was completely wrong of course and it is only recently that I have come to realise that Billy Mackenzie had a brilliant and wonderful voice. I was doing an 80’s mix (which you can find here if you are of a mind to) and as I was listening to things that I thought would be good to include, youtube automatically rolled on to it. I said this about track 14 in the mix:

14: The Associates – Waiting For The Love Boat

I never really took much notice of The Associates back in the early 80’s, having only really listened to ‘Party Fears Two’, but have listened retrospectively and I really should have paid a bit more notice. I do remember thinking at the time that it was all a little odd and not my thing but singer Billy Mackenzie did have a fabulous voice. Sadly, he committed suicide in 1997 at age 39, shortly after the death of his mother. He had been suffering from clinical depression. I chose this track because I like it, which is a damn fine reason.

---

I have to agree with myself on this. So I saw a used copy of the album ‘Perhaps’ for £3.50  and suddenly I owned it.

Label: WEA ‎– WX9, WEA ‎– 240 497-1

Format: Vinyl, LP, Album

Country: UK & Europe

Released: 09 Feb 1985

Genre: Electronic, Rock, Pop

Style: Synth-pop

At the time this was released I wasn’t as open to different styles of music as I now am. I was very much firmly ensconced in a genre and refused to leave. I’m so glad I’m over that.

Here, for your pleasure, is a 40 minute documentary on The Associates.

And from the album the single ‘Waiting For The Love Boat’.

Running Total: £20.50

QUITE THE W/E FOR VINYL BUYING 5

On to some used vinyl that was in the crates under the new vinyl. I always check it and more often than not find something worth getting. The first one I saw that was an immediate pick up was Bob Marley & The Wailers Live at the Lyceum.

Label: Island Records ‎– ILPS 9376

Format: Vinyl, LP, Album

Country: UK

Released: Nov 1975

Genre: Reggae

Style: Reggae

Tracklist

A1	Trenchtown Rock	4:00
A2	Burnin’ And Lootin’	4:55
A3	Them Belly Full (But We Hungry)	4:24
A4	Lively Up Yourself	4:24
B1	No Woman, No Cry	6:55
B2	I Shot The Sheriff	5:07
B3	Get Up, Stand Up	6:19

Whenever I see a used Bob Marley album I pick it up, if I don’t have it of course, although I only have two others, these being ‘Exodus’ & ‘Natty Dread’, but I don’t see them that often. This was recorded at the Lyceum, London 18th July 1975 and I think, though can’t be sure, that this is where the ‘No Woman, No cry’ single was taken from, which was a chart hit here in the UK, although I could be wrong about that.

It’s a great set, not a single track on it that isn’t a classic. I’ve listened to side one and it’s wonderful. It was £5.00, and well worth it.

 

Running Total: £17

QUITE THE W/E FOR VINYL BUYING 4

And so it goes on. The next record was a 12″ single

Albert Ammons ‎– Boogie Woogie Stomp / Boogie Woogie Blues

Label: Blue Note ‎– 441-5/442-8, Universal ‎– 0602537714520

Format: Vinyl, 12″, Limited Edition

Country: Europe

Released: 19 Apr 2014

Genre: Jazz

I have no idea how this sounds but it’s on Blue Note, originally from around 1944 I think, and it’s quite a cool thing. At £1.00 it’s no risk at all……………………….

…………….. I just listened to it, it’s enormous fun and if I were in any way capable of jiving this is exactly the sort of thing I’d want to be jiving to.

Running Total: £12

QUITE THE W/E FOR VINYL BUYING 3

Various ‎– Dummy – 21st Century Pop Music 2014

Label: Dummy Records ‎– DMYLP4

Format: 2 × Vinyl, LP, Compilation
CD, Compilation

Country: UK

Released: 2014

Genre: Pop

Tracklist

		Vinyl
A1	–John Wizards	Welcome To Cape Town, Cape Town Welcomes You
A2	–Álauda	Falling Star
A3	–Larry Gus	Translucid (Two Worlds cont.)
A4	–T’vin	Chasing Storms (Kwes Rework)
B1	–Palmistry Featuring BlazeKidd* And Uli K	Ascensión
B2	–Amateur Best Featuring Empress Of	Create Your Love
B3	–Tirzah	I’m Not Dancing (Damien Taylor Rejiggle)
C1	–Empress Of	Realize You (East India Youth Remix)
C2	–Kit Grill	City By Night
C3	–Eyedress	White Lies
D1	–Brolin	Inspectre
D2	–Mokadem	Nothing
D3	–E.M.M.A. (2) And Will LV	Lies, Lies, Lies
D4	–Real Lies	World Peace
		CD
1	–John Wizards	Welcome To Cape Town, Cape Town Welcomes You	1:31
2	–Álauda	Falling Star	3:41
3	–Larry Gus	Translucid (Two Worlds cont.)	3:00
4	–T’vin	Chasing Storms (Kwes Rework)	3:20
5	–Palmistry Featuring BlazeKidd* And Uli K	Ascensión	2:49
6	–Amateur Best Featuring Empress Of	Create Your Love	3:49
7	–Tirzah	I’m Not Dancing (Damien Taylor Rejiggle)	4:16
8	–Empress Of	Realize You (East India Youth Remix)	6:05
9	–Real Lies	World Peace	4:01
10	–Brolin	Inspectre	4:11
11	–Eyedress	White Lies	2:00
12	–Cadenza (3) Featuring Deena Jonez	The Darkest Hype (Wondagurl Remix)	3:30
13	–Mokadem	Nothing	4:48
14	–E.M.M.A. (2) And Will LV	Lies, Lies, Lies	4:19
15	–Kit Grill	City By Night000

It’s a double vinyl and comes with a CD. I have to say that having taking a chance on it, not knowing any of the artists at all, I was really pleased with it. Some really good tracks included and it’s a bit of a sampler for the label, once again there are other things to seek out here. What is most pleasing is that it was £2.00. Crazy price. Here is most of it:

 

Running Total: £11.00

Quite the W/E for vinyl buying 2

I picked up a copy of ‘Dogs’ by Kim Hiorthøy and put it back down again, then, later, I picked it up again. The album was £4 and in the Dance/Electronica section so I thought I’d give it a go. I don’t think it was correctly filed.I think more Ambient/Avant Garde/Experimental, although perhaps the track you can listen to below is not representative of the whole album.

Label: Smalltown Supersound ‎– STS206LP

Format: Vinyl, LP, Album

Country: Norway

Released: 22 Sep 2014

Genre: Electronic

Style: Ambient, Contemporary, Experimental, Modern Classical

Tracklist

A1	Träbit	3:01
A2	Det Oläskiga Rummet	2:35
A3	Hands	4:28
A4	You Are Song	2:58
A5	Klockan	2:07
A6	Pirate	3:14
B1	Allt Är Skit	2:58
B2	The Woods	3:09
B3	Fun	3:01
B4	Men Jag Sov I Stället	3:17
B5	Wrong	4:28

 

I do really rather like it and I’m keen to explore some of his other releases as a result (for I discovered it is a he). He has 5 or 6 albums and I listened to another track randomly and it’s good. To be honest, at £4 this is an absolute steal, and the shop left the protective sleeve on so that’s a bonus.

Considering I knew nothing about him at all prior today this is a really god find for me. In some ways it reminds me of Nicolas Jaar/Darkside, which is more of a feeling than anything else.

Running Total: £9.00

 

Quite the W/E for vinyl buying 1

My good lady wife decided to buy me some records, I’m still not sure why, if there is an ulterior motive I’m sure it will reveal itself soon. Essentially I was in the rather nice position to be let loose in a record store and she would pay for whatever I picked up, to a certain monetary limit, which was £60.

Well, I thought I’d take the opportunity, which is very much a rarity, to try some new things and to look for bargains. I’ve been looking at ‘The Belly Of The Tarantula’ soundtrack for weeks, but it’s £32 so, while it was something I really wanted, I left it.

The first thing I picked up was ‘Into The Wide’ by Delta Spirit. I’ve never heard of them to be honest, however, what I held in my hands was a double vinyl in a gatefold die cut sleeve, and the vinyl was white. This made it very tempting, even more so because it was £5. It must have cost more than that to actually make it. So I chose it. As an object it really is a lovely thing. I’ve only listened to one side of one disc as yet but I definitely got my £5 worth:

Label: Dualtone ‎– 80302-01674-14

Format: 2 × Vinyl, LP, Album, Stereo, White, 180g, Die-Cut

Country: US

Released: 09 Sep 2014

Genre: Rock

Style: Indie Rock

Tracklist

A1	Push It
A2	From Now On
A3	Live On
B1	Take Shelter
B2	Hold My End Up
B3	Into The Wide
C1	Language Of The Dead Written By – Delta Spirit, Heather Morgan
C2	For My Enemy Written By – Delta Spirit, Marthe Vasquez
C3	Patriarch
D1	(Interlude)
D2	War Machine
D3	The Wreck

 

Running Total: £5.00

Record Fair: Rugby Town Hall

I went to  record fair in Rugby this morning at the town hall. It’s very impressive size wise from the outside but I went in the side and in to a rather small room that had 8 stalls. There were the usual stalls with volume at a low price but with little of interest, lots of 80’s stuff that wasn’t very good then and hasn’t improved with time. There were also a couple of stalls with some really good stuff, I could have spent several hundred pounds at these if I had that sort of disposable income, which I don’t, so I had to be rather selective.

The first thing I bought was the only Radiohead album I don’t have on vinyl, Pablo Honey, their debut. It’s a re-issue but it’s on coloured vinyl, which suits me fine as I do love a bit of coloured vinyl.

I know Radiohead have issues with the song ‘Creep’ but I was quite surprised to see this one has 154 million views on youtube, which suggests it might be quite popular.

From the same stall I bought ‘Kiss Me’ Kiss Me’ Kiss Me’ by the cure, not in the best of condition but OK. It’s one of my favourite Cure albums so it’s nice to get it. They had quite a few but the prices on some of them were prohibitive, at least for me.

Finally, from the same stall I bought what turned out to be an unofficial pressing of Computer World by Kraftwerk, I had thought it probably was but its green vinyl, I was seduced for I am weak.

I fail to comprehend how anybody could not love ‘Pocket Calculator’, just listen to it, it’s amazing.

The next thing was a copy of ‘The Pearl’ by Harold Budd and Brian Eno. I’m picking up Eno albums when I see them. I’d like the Ambient series but they are so bloody expensive.

And sticking with Harold Budd I bought ‘The Moon & The Melodies’ A very nice copy, which is basically a Cocteau Twins album.

It’s a wonderful album.

Finally, a copy of the soundtrack to ‘The Mission’ which is an amazing film which I highly recommend watching, not least because the soundtrack, which is brilliant, was by Ennio Morricone.

I could have stayed longer and dug a bit more but it was so bloody hot today and the room had no air con. I was very happy with what I found anyway.

BJORK LIVES!

Some time ago I signed up to the Bjork email list so that I could receive updates about new releases and suchlike, but also to know when she would be performing in the UK again. I was desperate to go to the Wilderness Festival last year but couldn’t find anybody to go with. I don’t have a problem going to gigs on my own but a festival alone seems a really rather sad thing, so I didn’t do that, maybe it’s the opposite though, it could be wonderful. Yesterday the mailing list email popped into my inbox to tell me that Bjork would be playing at the Royal Albert Hall in September and provided me with a pre-sale link for tickets. Well that made me feel special, for a while, until I actually tried to buy them.

They went on sale this morning at 09:00 and I was there, logged in and ready to go. 09:04 and the site was claiming to be down. I’m already frustrated at this point. 09:05 and I’m in and there are drop downs where I can select the number of tickets I would like. I select, I
press buy tickets, the same screen comes up again, so I select the number of tickets I would like, I press buy tickets, the same screen comes up again. I was in this loop for 20 minutes, becoming increasingly annoyed and frustrated at the web site seemingly mocking me, repeatedly raising my hopes and then smashing them into tiny little pieces. So I gave up.

I went and made a coffee and, having had this little break, I thought I’d have one last try.  I select the number of tickets I would like, I press buy tickets and I’m in! I didn’t believe it of course and was fully expecting to crash out at any moment but actually made it all the way through and I have tickets. I’m so very pleased.

They aren’t the best tickets but I care not, as this is the only UK 2016 gig I’m just happy to have been there at all, also, I believe that at the Royal Albert Hall you are never that far away from the stage. To confirm this I went to their web site and found the following picture which is taken from very close to where I will be. Happy with that.

There is also ‘Bjork Digital’ at Somerset house, details of which can be found here:

http://www.somersethouse.org.uk/visual-arts/bjork-digital

Which I may also go and see if I have time, ideally before the gig. It’s a 3 mile walk from Somerset House to the Albert Hall, which is quite possible as long as I’m not wearing heels.

 

 

Aphex Twin – Cheetah EP

Yesterday, while sat outside Costa contemplating whether I just had a cup of frothy milk and if I would ever actually reach the Marina Trench where the coffee must actually have been, I read one of the free papers that I picked up at the record store. It’s the NME, now free and funded by advertisements. Usually I just glance at it but it had a review of the Aphex Twin 12” single (mini album really) that I had just moments before bought. I had two weeks’ worth of copies and the Aphex Twin single was the lowest scored review from both weeks, which is ridiculous, even though I haven’t heard any of the other releases, I base my opinion not on fact but on brand loyalty.

It scored a three with the synopsis of the review amounting to ‘Could do better’, whereas I listened to it on Apple Music and loved it, so I bought it. It’s all about opinions I suppose and, to me, mine is the most valid, so screw you NME with your balanced and well thought out words.

As a final word, I love the retro graphic design, because I remember when it was futuristic.

Label: Warp Records ‎– WAP391
Format: Vinyl, 12″, 33 ⅓ RPM, EP
Country: UK
Released: 08 Jul 2016
Genre: Electronic
Style: Techno, IDM

Björk ‎– Vulnicura Live

Label: One Little Indian ‎– tplp1328
Format: 2 × Vinyl, LP, Album
Country: UK, Europe & US
Released: 15 Jul 2016
Genre: Electronic, Pop
Style: Experimental

I am a sucker for all things Björk, and I think she knows this as she keeps releasing things and making me buy them. I bought ‘Vulnicura’,  I bought ‘Vulnicura Strings’ and now I have bought ‘Vulnicura Live’. This is quite an odd situation and I am very much beginning to feel over Vulnicurad. I’ve said before that sometimes it can take me a long time to get to really like a Bjork album and this album, in all it’s variations, is another example. I find some of the tracks really lacking a much needed structure, they are angular, full of corners and edges, which may be entirely intentional as it is supposedly Bjorks ‘Break-Up Album’ but there are tracks which seem to have absolutely no melody whatsoever and the words are sung prose rather than lyrics. This can work, and it does more often than not, and the words themselves are at times powerful and heartbreaking, particularity in respect to the break up of the family unit:

Family

Is there a place
Where I can pay respects
For the death of my family
Show some respect
Between the three of us
There is the mother and the child
Then there is the father and the child
But no man and a woman
No triangle of love

 What is lacking, as far as my listening experience is concerned at least, is something to cling on to, a little hook, a snippet that I can hang my hat on and say to myself, I get this, I understand this, I like this. ‘Family’ is an example of this, musically it feels at times like a soundtrack from a 1960’s thriller, vocally it is Bjork singing (quite beautifuly) what she speaks, and the two don’t sit side by side as comfortably as they should.

Here is ‘Lionsong’ from the Vulnicura tour, it’s pretty damn good actualy:

More time is required for the Vulnicura tracks on my part again, I have little doubt of that, but I very much hope that my patience is not let down, though it never has been by her before.

The tracks that weren’t from Vulnicura are in bold below, with the album from which they are taken, These are really very good versions, perhaps because they are more familiar.

The packaging is nice, with another die cut front cover and a gate fold sleeve. I did think about waiting for the deluxe version of this, but decided against it, I don’t really need a mask (some would disagree!).

I’m not disappointed with my purchase of this album, far from it, it’s just taking me so long to like the whole album that it is a bit frustrating at times, which may say more about me than Bjork.

Tracklist

A1 Stonemilker 7:24
A2 Lionsong 6:35
A3 History Of Touches 3:19
B1 Black Lake 10:44
B2 Family 7:50
C1 Notget 5:09
C2 Come To Me (Debut) 5:16
C3 Undo (Vespertine) 6:10
C4 I See Who You Are (Volta) 3:52
D1 Quicksand  4:04
D2 Wanderlust (Volta) 6:18
D3 Mutual Core (Biophilia) 4:58
D4 Mouth Mantra 6:28

Hairdresser

If I have to wait while my good lady wife is at the hairdresser then I have to occupy myself somehow, right?

This weekends UK Record Fairs : 15th July 2016

Here’s your weekly reminder of what’s coming up this weekend in the world of Record and CD fairs. Friday 15th LONDON – Old Spitalfields Market, Commercial Street, E1 – Eric …

Source: This weekends UK Record Fairs : 15th July 2016

SPASMO!

The final record I picked up from the Record Fair at the Custard Factory on Saturday was the re-released soundtrack to the 1974 film, ‘Spasmo’ directed by Umberto Lenzi. There were two runs of 500 done for Record Store Day 2015, this electric blue LP with “The Mouth” cover art and a clear blue LP with “The Hand” cover art.

My copy is numbered 339 as you can see from the front cover.

And what a front cover it is. Just a little unnerving. Dagored have a number of great re-releases that you can find on their site here: http://www.dagored-records.com/

The synopsis of the film from IMDB is:  Christian (Robert Hoffman) and his girlfriend are taking a walk on a deserted beach when they discover a woman’s body. A closer look proves that she’s alive. The next day Christian meets her again at a yacht party and they fall in love. Later at a nearby motel, something weird happens as they prepare to go to bed together: An intruder breaks in and starts beating Christian who accidentally shoots him with his own gun. A few hours later they find out that the corpse is missing and a series of weird incidents takes place.

Which is not a great synopsis to be fair, but, interestingly, the tagline for the film was:  Beyond “Psycho” SPASMO!

Spasmo is a film which has a rather weird, disorienting feel to it and this is reflected in Morricone’s score, consisting of a variation on three themes. The music Morricone composed for this odd film is somewhat disturbing and disorientating, as is the film itself and his use of unusual instrumentation adds to the overall weirdness.

There are some Morricone trademarks included, such as in the opening piece, Bambole, where we have wordless vocals, which always work a treat. At this point though, delightful though it is, if somewhat melancholy, there is no indication of where the soundtrack is going. Even in lighter moments there seems to be an underlying feeling that something isn’t quite right and the soundtrack does develop into a really rather difficult listening experience, which may well be why I love it so much.

Tracklist

A1 Bambole
A2 Spasmo
A3 Stress Infinito
A4 Bambole (#2)
A5 Spasmo (#2)
A6 Stress Infinito (#2)
B1 Bambole (#3)
B2 Spasmo (#3)
B3 Stress Infinito (#3)
B4 Bambole (#4)
B5 Spasmo (#4)
B6 Stress Infinito (#4)
B7 Bambole (#5)

How could I not love it really? It’s Morricone for a start, but it’s a limited run, in transparent coloured 180g vinyl with a freaky cover and a man being run over by a car on the back, It ticks all the boxes for me, just look at it:

I covet it and I already own it! It’s a beautiful thing. If you care to have a listen, then please do, it’s probably not what you might expect:

And as a special treat for those with about 90 minutes to spare, here is the whole film, dubbed into English, but still the whole film. It’s over 40 years old now and is of it’s time, but that is not necessarily a bad thing, especially with such a great soundtrack:

Record Fair: Custard Factory, Birmingham

Yesterday I went to the Custard Factory in Birmingham for a record fair, although that wasn’t my sole reason for the trip, I did sort of time it so that I could escape the trauma of the Bull Ring for a couple of hours on my own with crates of records. I was a little disappointed when I  arrived as there weren’t as many stalls as I was expecting and quite a few were £1 and album or 6 for £10 and suchlike. This is fine, but they are generally things I’m not looking for or are in shoddy condition (not always but mostly). As I walked in I thought I’d do a quick video lap and you can see the exact point where I spotted something I wanted, right at the end where I’m about to complete the lap and veer back to the right.

This was the only stall I bought anything from. The seller had an entire crate of Ennio Morricone soundtracks and and if I’d had the budget I would have bought the entire crate. Unfortunately I was not that flush with money so I did have to be quite selective and the first I bought was the first I saw. This is it, you can see it at the front of the crate in the video:

And here is the back cover:

You may recognise Joan Baez who performs on the soundtrack. So this is an Italian film, or Docudrama if you like, called ‘Sacco E Vanzetti’, written and directed by Giuliano Montaldo that premiered in Italy on 16 March 1971.The story is based on the events surrounding the trial and judicial execution of Nicola Sacco and Bartolomeo Vanzetti, two anarchists of Italian origin, who were sentenced to death by a United States court in the 1920s. The film’s musical score was composed and conducted by Ennio Morricone with the three-part ballad sung by Joan Baez. The film is mainly shot in colour although it both starts and finishes in black and white, and also includes period black and white newsreels.

Label: RCA ‎– NL 33206

Series: Cinema Tre – HKAY 34524

Format: Vinyl, LP, Album, Reissue

Country: Italy

Released: 1979

Genre: Electronic, Jazz, Stage & Screen

Style: Soundtrack, Experimental, Easy Listening

Next purchase was ‘Marco Polo’ which is a 1982 TV series I’ve never seen but it has a good cast:

Kenneth Marshall, Denholm Elliott, Tony Vogel, F. Murray Abraham, Anne Bancroft, John Gielgud, John Houseman, Burt Lancaster, Tony Lo Bianco, Ian McShane, Leonard Nimoy, David Warner, James Hong & Ying Ruocheng.

I only know the main theme but I’m very much looking forward to giving this album a spin and hearing the rest.

Label: Arista ‎– AL-8304, Arista ‎– AL 8304
Format: Vinyl, LP, Album, Gatefold
Country: US
Released: 1982
Genre: Classical
Style: Modern, Contemporary

The third soundtrack was for another Italian Film, this one called “La Banquière” (Lady Banker) from 1980 I think.

Label: Général Music France ‎– 803 015
Format: Vinyl, LP, Album, Gatefold
Country: France
Released: 1980
Genre: Stage & Screen
Style: Soundtrack

Here is a bit of the film itself:

I bought this particular soundtrack for budget reasons, namely that it wasn’t expensive, but you can usually be pretty confident that there will be something worth having on any Morricone soundtrack. I wasn’t wrong, the opening track, ‘Dédicace’ is really quite lovely, so much so that I recorded the first couple of minutes as it played on my deck. It needs a little clean to see if I can get rid of some of the pops and crackles but it is very quiet at times so that does happen. Have a listen.

I have one other but I’ll talk about that in my next post.