Six Sed Red- Shake It Right 12”

Posted in 1980s, 1984, b-movie, cabaret voltaire, electro, Marc and the Mambas, soft cell, synth, synthpop on November 13, 2012 by Frankie Teardrop

This one goes out to Tamaryn, who’s currently touring behind Tender New Signs, my favorite record of 2012.  It’s been a while since we had anything club-friendly here, so here’s a fresh rip of one of my favorite WIERD DJ staples.  You may have seen this circulating around as bx-59cppw’s debut post, and there he sheds some light on this mysterious 12” from 1984.   Released on Sire, this single was produced by Cabaret Voltaire and features two tracks by the duo of Cindy Ecstasy (Soft Cell/Marc and the Mambas) and Rick Holliday (early B-Movie lineup).  It’s as good as it gets for club-ready, sex-dripping electro, and sounds to me like Prince and the girls from Strawberry Switchblade decided to record a cover of “Sensoria.”

Seriously.  You guys are going to love this one.

Six Sed Red- Shake It Right 12”
1. Shake It Right
2. Bang ‘Em Right

*download it here*

7 Comments »

Message- Demo K7

Posted in 1980s, cassette, coldwave, france, french, message on November 3, 2012 by Frankie Teardrop

I know it’s only been a few days since my last post, but Stéphane B. of Coldwave.fr just passed this over to me and I couldn’t wait to share.  Keeping with recent themes, here’s an unknown and untitled demo tape from Message, previously covered here.  I don’t have titles for any of the songs, though the fourth track is clearly “The Crazy Garden”- the b-side from the 7”.   Can’t notice much of a difference between the two versions, tape murkiness aside.  The other three (untitled) tracks seem to be exclusive to this release.  Really wish they recorded more during their tenure…

No artwork for this one- sorry, kids!

Message- Demo K7
1. Track 01 (Instrumental)
2. Track 02
3. Strange Voice
4. The Crazy Garden

*download it here*

Speaking of coldwave demos, a lot of people have asked about the Coldreams demo tape, which can be found and enjoyed over at Kentucky Fried Wave.

5 Comments »

Incee Wincee Spider- Don’t Know Anythin’ 7”

Posted in 1980s, 1988, goth, incee wincee spider, post-punk, punk, uk on November 1, 2012 by Frankie Teardrop

Here’s a razor sharp 7” from the UK, released in 1988.  Was turned on to this one by Michael of Return to the East/The Anxiety of Love. Highly recommended for fans of Lack of Knowledge, Razor Penguins, Play Dead, and other bands who employ the anthemic, yet razor-sharp post-punk/goth sound.  One of my favorite 7” sleeves, for the record.

I know very little about this band, as this is their only release.  There are four names attached to it, but no traces of activity in other bands/projects.  If anyone has any info about these lads, feel free to chime in.

Incee Wincee Spider- Don’t Know Anythin’ 7”
1. Don’t Know Anythin’
2. See My Love Shine

*download it here*

11 Comments »

East Wall- Demo K7

Posted in 1980s, 1984, darkwave, demo, East Wall, italian, italo, italo disco, Kirlian Camera, minimal, minimal synth on October 22, 2012 by Frankie Teardrop

I’ve had this demo kicking around on my hard drive for a long time, but have yet to see it shared.  For those unfamilair, East Wall were an offshoot project of Kirlian Camera’s original keyboard player Fabrizio Chiari, who recorded the band’s debut 12” (for my money, “News” is still the band’s best track followed closely by the soaring “Blue Room”).  Teaming up with vocalist Wilma Notari, East Wall produced one LP and the excellent Eyes of Glass 12” (produced and aided by KC mainstay Angelo Bergamini), both which can be found here.  There’s also a CD from 1993 out there, but I have no idea how that stacks up against their previous material.

I know very little about this demo tape, except that it was released in 1984, a year before their debut 12”.  Most of the track titles are unknown, but the first track is clearly an early version of “Blue,” which was re-recorded for their 1991 LP Silence.  The rest of the tracks sound hauntingly familiar (perhaps they were reworked entirely for Silence), but outside of some vague similarity, they seem to be exclusive to this tape.   There’s some obvious cassette murkiness here, but it’s to be expected and the tape is still worth hearing for die hard fans of this excellent Italian duo as well as the primitive minimal synth of Tranquil Eyes & A Blaze Colour.

No artwork for the tape, sorry!

East Wall- Demo K7
1. Track 01 (Blue)
2. Track 02
3. Track 03
4. Track 04
5. Track 05

*download it here*

4 Comments »

The Laughing Apple- The Ha Ha Hee Hee! E.P.

Posted in 1980s, 1981, alan mcgee, creation records, new wave, post-punk, primal scream, synth on October 16, 2012 by Frankie Teardrop

Excellent minimal post-punk 7” from 1981, as donated by the great bx-59cppw.  Most notably, The Laughing Apples were the springboard for Creation Records’ Alan McGee.  After a handful of private releases, McGee and bandmate Andrew Innes would form both Biff Bang Pow! and Revolving Paint Dream, two early Creation staples.  The label would grow to prominence with bands such as Slowdive, Adorable, and My Bloody Valentine.  Innes is also a member of Primal Scream, one of the label’s most lucrative bands.

This 7” should appeal to fans of They Must Be Russians, Marquis De Sade, and Product of Reason, not to mention McGee’s garage rock fascination.  Be sure to listen carefully, or it’ll be over before you know it!

The Laughing Apple- The Ha Ha Hee Hee! E.P.
1. Sometimes I Wish
2. Chips For Tea
3. Upstairs Downstairs
4. I’m Okay

*download it here*

2 Comments »

Ellysgarden- Demo K7

Posted in 1990s, 1995, coldwave, ellysgarden, france, french, post-punk on October 9, 2012 by Frankie Teardrop

Here’s another generous donation, this time from Jonathan. Here we have a demo tape from Ellysgarden, recorded in 19881995*.  If you haven’t heard their full length record, 1994’s Echoes, you can grab that here.

For those unfamiliar, the band shares members with Rosa Luxemburg, a band that appears on several classic French compilations.  The band employs a more jangle/dreampop sound than most of their contemporaries, recalling bands like Kitchens of Distinction, House of Love, and Catherine Wheel.   However, this tape leans more towards their post-punk roots and is an absolute must for fans of fans of Sad Lovers and Giants, Lowlife, and Comsat Angels circa My Mind’s Eye (an underrated latter-day classic).

The tape features eight unheard songs that were never recorded again.  No artwork for this one! Including a promo photo instead.

*EDIT: Thanks to Philippe Faraut for filling in the missing gaps!  I can now report that this cassette was meant to be Ellysgarden’s SECOND album, recorded in 1995 and not 1988 as originally posted.   The original master tapes for the pressing were lost in the mail, so all that remains of the album is this demo tape…

Ellysgarden- Demo K7
1. Pretty Accidents
2. Twice
3. Bleed or Shine
4. Reach Out
5. Heroes/High
6. Wrecked Skies
7. Ghardaia
8. Your Shammed Tears

*download it here*

24 Comments »

Masoch- Demo K7

Posted in 1980s, coldwave, france, french, masoch on October 3, 2012 by Frankie Teardrop

I promised more rare French coldwave demo cassettes, so here’s another fantastic donation from Stéphane B. of Coldwave.fr. If you haven’t visited his site before, be sure to check in for some rare tracks never before heard, as well as a country-by-country sampling of some of the world’s best obscure guitar tracks!

This cassette was released before their 1984 12”, which you can find over at the always excellent Phoenix Hairpins (check the comments section for more info about this mysterious band).  There’s a bit of overlap between the 12” and this cassette, though the versions on the demo were eventually re-recorded, appearing here in primitive form.

Masoch- Demo K7
1. Petit Valet
2. Strip-Tease
3. Semaine
4. Quand Musclée
5. Des Poils Sur Moi
6. Your Way

*download it here*

2 Comments »

Mémoires d’Automne- Gloria Victis k7, s/t k7, compilation tracks

Posted in 1990s, 1993, 1995, coldwave, france, french, mémoires d'automne, post-punk on September 18, 2012 by Frankie Teardrop

I normally prefer to spread things out more these days, but when it rains, it pours. Three great friends have just passed on some incredible coldwave tapes that I’m just itching to share, so the next three posts will feature their generous donations. First up, Stéphane has donated a rip of the two previously unshared Mémoires d’Automne tapes, 1993’s Gloria Victis and 1995’s self-titled cassette.  I’ve also included a series of compilation-only tracks, including some alternate and live versions of the tracks that appear here.  These tracks originally appeared across the Exterieur Nuit, L’Appel De La Muse (volume 5), and Looking For a Life to Lose compilations, and should complete the discography.  1996’s Cliché cassette will not be included here, partially because it has been uploaded elsewhere.  More importantly, a vinyl reissue of this seminal tape will be released in just a few weeks on Meidosem Records.  Click here for a preview and some pre-order details.

For those unfamiliar, Mémoires d’Automne were a three piece band from France, active in the 1990s and continuing the French/Belgian style of guitar-driven, melancholic post-punk.  Of course, any regular here should be well versed in this sound by now, but for any newcomers, this is highly recommended for fans of Nuit D’Octobre, Sombre Septembre, Odessa, Asylum Party, Lucie Cries, Formes Nouvelles, and more well known bands like And Also the Trees & early Cure.

There’s a lot of excellent material here, so best to get to it:

Mémoires d’Automne- Gloria Victis K7 (1993)
1. Le Secret
2. A La Gloire Des Vaincus
3. Fatalité
4. Open Scars
5. L’Impossible Oubli
6. Finalité Absurde

Mémoires d’Automne- Mémoires d’Automne K7 (1995)
1. The Triumph of Time
2. Autumn Day

VA- L’Appel De La Muse, Vol. 5  (1995)
10. Fatalité

VA- Looking For a Life to Lose K7 (1995)
4. L’Impossible Oubli
17. Trauma

VA- Evanescente CD-R (1998)
10. Inmate Song (Early Reflexion – Mix)

VA- Exterieur Nuit (2000)
5. Dance of the Nothing
10. Blurred Pictures (Live Theatre De Roanne, April 1997)

*download it all here*

You can also find an alternate version of ‘Autumn Day’ (titled ‘Time of the End’) on 2007’s Ruines & Vanités compilation, which is still available to order online.  Thanks to Sorrow Vomit from Kentucky Fried Wave for donating the v/a tracks and again to Stéphane for the cassette rips!

9 Comments »

Breathless- Nailing Colours To The Wheel 12”

Posted in 1980s, 1986, post-punk, uk on September 14, 2012 by Frankie Teardrop

In general, I’ve always found Breathless to be one of the most underrated bands in the post-punk/dreampop spectrum.  While many are familiar with Dominic Appleton’s voice via This Mortal Coil’s sophomore release Filigree and Shadow (and one track on Blood), few I talk to seem familiar with his own band, which existed beforehand and still exists today (new album in the works).  It’s a shame, as the majority of their material is among the best I’ve ever heard.  Predating My Bloody Valentine’s stylistic shift by a few years, there are sounds at play that would soon become shoegaze staples.  Tremendous layered guitars.  Dream-like atmosphere and epic swells.  Rhythmic bass.  Appleton’s singular vocals.  Throw in John Fryer’s always amazing production (especially on the killer drumming) and you have something truly special.

While a good majority of the band’s material has been reissued or compiled, it seems like this 12” has fallen by the wayside, outside of two tracks which appear elsewhere on full length records.  I haven’t seen it blogged before (though I could be wrong), and most rips I’ve come across are lacking in bitrate or depth.  So, with that in mind, here’s a crystal-clear rip of this fantastic 12” from 1986.  Every track here is perfection, and the opening song “Bad Blood” (an exclusive to this 12”) may just be a contender for my favorite song of all time.

You can easily find this 12” for sale for rather cheap, proof that sometimes the best records are often very affordable.  No post-punk collection should be without this record.

Breathless- Nailing Colours To the Wheel 12”
1. Bad Blood
2. Waiting On the Wire
3. Count On Angels
4. The Warmest Kiss

*download it here*

8 Comments »

Résistance- Résistance K7

Posted in 1980s, 1985, coldwave, post-punk, resistance on September 7, 2012 by Frankie Teardrop

Coldwave fans rejoice!  Here we have an incredibly rare and generous donation of the first Résistance release, an extremely limited K7 from 1985- only 200 copies which are known to exist.

The tape predates Between Two Lights by a year and features an exclusive set of recordings. A few of the songs would go on to appear elsewhere- “On Your Body/Clinch” was re-recorded for the excellent Passage Du Trou Marin K7, and both “Out of the Body” and “Chain” appear as part of a live set on the Between Two Lights reissue on Infrastiton.  The CD reissue of 8 also features the Passage tracks as well as “Decline”- recorded as an appendage to both but  which appears here separately.   It seems like they enjoyed revisiting these songs a few times over the years, fleshing them out from their earlier counterparts with heavier percussive sounds and bells.   There’s a fair share of exclusive tracks here too, so hope you enjoy!

Résistance- Résistance K7
1. Between 2 Lights
2. Chain
3. Mainland
4. Studio Du Meix
5. Out Of The Body
6. Clinch T
7. Decline
8. M L

*download it here*

3 Comments »

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