Lush - Gala (1990)

Country: United Kingdom

Genre: Shoegaze, Indie Rock

Label Number: 9 26463-2

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© 1990 4AD/Reprise Records

Gala Review by Andy Kellman

Serving as an introduction to the U.S. market, Gala compiles the band's first three EPs and adds a couple outtakes. One thing that went overlooked about Lush was their ability to veer from violent and edgy noise breaks to pop effervescence. They were always capable of spewing out Saturday morning glow and Sunday evening doom from song to song. Their early reliance on sheets of distortion, buried vocals, and production issues didn't help this situation. As a result, their out-the-gate raw talent went rather unnoticed, evidenced on their earliest works. Scar demonstrated their under-appreciated diversity immediately. "Thoughtforms" is an example of their heavenly pop greatness, with the vocals sweeter and lighter than angel food cake. The haunting, atmospheric vocals and jittery tempos on the doomy "Second Sight" would end up laying the foundation for Chapterhouse's early material. Not a bad start. Guthrie and his beard hopped on board for the Mad Love EP, immediately chucking the guitars through the Guthrie-izer(tm). Most criticism of the EP pointed at the Cocteau Twin himself, who was accused of heavy-handedness. The guitars do sound a bit like Guthrie's own, but in a more assaultive, jabbing manner. A bad thing? No. All four tracks are goodies, from the cascading and shimmering walls of "De-Luxe" to the darker and heavier middle tracks. Production was an issue again on the Sweetness and Light EP. Tim Friese-Greene kind of polarizes the band's extreme ends, separating the noise and pop just a little too much. Despite a patched-on noise break during the title track, it's still one of the band's career highlights. "Sunbathing" is left in the sun too long, muffling the guitars and shrinking the sparse percussion. "Breeze" wafts by gracefully.

 

tags: lush, gala, 1990, flac,

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Nephew - Swimming Time (2000)

Country: Denmark
Language: English, Danish (dansk)
Genre: Alternative Rock
Label Number: MR 006
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© 2000 Martian Records
*No professional reviews are available for this release.
 

tags: nephew, swimming time, 2004, flac,

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Nephew - USADSB (2004)

Country: Denmark

Language: English, Danish (dansk)

Genre: Alternative Rock

Label Number: CPHREC0004

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© 2004 Copenhagen Records

*No professional reviews are available for this release.

 

tags: nephew, usadsb, 2004, flac,

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Asylum Party - Borderline (1989)

Country: France

Language: English

Genre: Post Punk, Coldwave

Label Number: ARTY 9 CD

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© 1989 Liveley Art

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 tags: asylum party, borderline, 1989, flac,

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Siglo XX - Under a Purple Sky (1989)

Country: Belgium

Language: English

Genre: Post Punk

Label Number: BIAS 145 CD

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© 1989 Play It Again Sam Records USA

*No professional reviews are available for this release.

 

 tags: siglo xx, under a purple sky, 1989, flac,

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Marquis De Sade - Dantzig Twist (1979)

*First pressing. 

Contains 13 tracks total.

Country: France

Language: English, French (français)

Genre: Post Punk

Label Number: 837 901-2

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© 1979-1989 Barclay

*No professional reviews are available for this release.

 tags: marquis de sade, dantzig twist, 1979, flac,

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Babel 17 - Shades (1991)

Country: France

Language: English, French (français)

Genre: Post Punk, Coldwave

Label Number: ARTY 34 CD

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© 1991 Lively Art

*No professional reviews are available for this release. 

 

tags: babel 17, shades, 1991, flac,

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Poésie Noire - Tales of Doom (1987)

Country: Belgium

Language: English

Genre: Coldwave, Gothic Rock

Label Number: ANT 053-CD

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© 1987 Antler Records

*No professional reviews are available for this release.

 

 tags: poesie noire, tales of doom, 1987, flac,

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Poésie Noire - Tetra (1988)

Country: Belgium

Language: English

Genre: Coldwave

Label Number: ANTLER 074

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© 1988 Antler Records

*No professional reviews are available for this release. 

 

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Deine Lakaien - Deine Lakaien (Re-Release) (1986)

Country: Germany

Language: English

Genre: Darkwave

Label Number: CRO 0612

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© 1986 Chrom Records

*No professional reviews are available for this release.

 

tags: deine lakaien, deine lakaien album, 1986, flac

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Deine Lakaien - Dark Star (1991)

 

*First pressing. 

Contains 9 tracks total.

Country: Germany

Language: English

Genre: Darkwave

Label Number: GYM 601

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© 1991 classX Records

*No professional reviews are available for this release.

 

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Code Blue - True Story... (1983)

*Photos of the record are included in the RAR file.

Country: U.S.A.

Genre: Pop Rock

Label Number: LP THREE E 1008

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© 1983 Index

*No professional reviews are available for this release.

 

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Dead Can Dance - Dead Can Dance (1984)

*U.K. first pressing. 

Contains 14 tracks total.

Country: Australia

Genre: Ethereal Wave

Label Number: CAD 404 CD

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© 1984-1986 4AD

Dead Can Dance Review by Ned Raggett

 Early punk backgrounds and the like behind them, Perry and Gerrard created a striking, dour landmark in early-'80s atmospherics on their first, self-titled effort. Bearing much more resemblance to the similarly gripping, dark early work of bands like the Cocteau Twins and the Cure than to the later fusions of music that would come to characterize the duo's sound, Dead Can Dance is as goth as it gets in many places. Perry and Gerrard's wonderful vocal work -- his rich, warm tones and her unearthly, multi-octave exaltations -- are already fairly well established, but serve different purposes here. Thick, shimmering guitar and rumbling bass/drum/drum machine patterns practically scream their sonic connections to the likes of Robin Guthrie and Robert Smith, but they still sound pretty darn good for all that. When they stretch that sound to try for a more distinct, unique result, the results are astonishing. Gerrard is the major beneficiary here -- "Frontier" explicitly experiments with tribal percussion, resulting in an excellent combination of her singing and the rushed music. Then there's the astonishing "Ocean," where guitar and chiming bells and other rhythmic sounds provide the bed for one of her trademark -- and quite, quite lovely -- vocal excursions into the realm of glossolalia. Perry in contrast tends to be matched with the more straightforward numbers of digital processing and thick, moody guitar surge. The album ends on a fantastic high note -- "Musica Eternal," featuring a slowly increasing-in-volume combination of hammered dulcimer, low bass tones, and Gerrard's soaring vocals. As an indicator of where the band was going, it's perfect.

 

 tags: dead can dance, dead can dance album, 1984, flac,

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Clan of Xymox - Clan of Xymox (1986)

*U.K. first pressing. 

Contains 10 tracks total.

Country: Netherlands

Language: English

Genre: Dark Wave

Label Number: CAD 503 CD

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© 1985-1986 4AD

Clan of Xymox Review by Michael Sutton

Listening to Clan of Xymox's self-titled LP is like entering a club of black-clad vampires in the mid-'80s. That's not meant as an insult; the album captures a certain time and place. The record epitomizes Ben Folds Five's hilarious discovery in "Battle of Who Could Care Less": "See I've got your old ID/And you're all dressed up like the Cure." This moody, atmospheric record is as dated as a bumper sticker from a "rock of the '80s" radio station. What once seemed cutting-edge is now a nostalgia trip, and for aging goths, Clan of Xymox is home sweet home. Clan of Xymox were never original; they always seemed to be picking from the leftovers of their predecessors: the Cure, Joy Division, Modern English, Dead Can Dance, and New Order. In other words, there are icy, throbbing keyboards; bummed-out vocals; chilly, robotic percussion; gloomy, ethereal guitars; and unusual, cryptic song titles. However, even before their creative peak with 1989's stellar Twist of Shadows, the group knew how to craft some good hooks. Clan of Xymox aims for Joy Division's oppressive bleakness, but vocalist Ronny Moorings doesn't have the late Ian Curtis' intense pain or profound lyrics. The band is at their best when their pop instincts overrule their tendency to lose themselves in misery. "A Day" and "Muscoviet Mosquito" are both mysterious and catchy, propelled by infectious gothic grooves that don't slow down. "No Words" has funky riffs which reveal that Clan of Xymox listen to new romantic groups as well, and "Stumble and Fall" is beautifully lush. There's nothing brilliant or original here; however, the group's derivative sound summarizes the dance sector of post-punk accurately as they pillage from the most popular artists of the genre. An entertaining audio essay of early- to mid-'80s goth rock; from Joy Division to Dead Can Dance, Clan of Xymox never leave a page unturned.

 

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Clan of Xymox - Medusa (1986)

*U.K. first pressing. 

Contains 10 tracks total.

Country: Netherlands

Language: English

Genre: Dark Wave

Label Number: CAD 613 CD

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© 1986 4AD

Medusa Review by Stewart Mason

Clan of Xymox's second full album (not counting the rudimentary debut EP) is a distinct improvement on the Dutch band's earlier work, and indeed is probably the group's career high point. However, the band's fatal flaws remain clear throughout the album: although these songs are superficially attractive in a goth-dance sort of way, there's little in the way of depth or substance here, and on closer listen, one realizes that the best parts of these songs sounded even better when they appeared on earlier albums by Depeche Mode, Xmal Deutschland, Propaganda, and Bauhaus. The album's high point by far is the proto-acid house "Michelle," which has the dreamy neo-psychedelic textures of Psychic TV's "Godstar" or mid-period Siouxsie and the Banshees.

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The Escalatorz - Straight To Your Heart (1987)

*Photos of the record are included in the RAR file.

Country: Germany

Language: English

Genre: New Wave, Rock

Label Number: 04241

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© 1987 Vielklang

*No professional reviews are available for this release. 

 

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The Sisters of Mercy - Some Girls Wander By Mistake (1992)

*A photo of the disc is included in the RAR file.

Country: United Kingdom

Genre: New Wave, Gothic Rock

Label Number: 9 61306-2

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© 1992 Elektra

Some Girls Wander by Mistake Review by Jim Harper

For over a decade, the early singles of Andrew Eldritch's goth crew, the Sisters of Mercy, existed only in a limited-edition vinyl format. They also went for fairly high prices, something that led to extensive bootlegging. Thankfully, in 1992 head honcho Eldritch decided to release all of the Sisters' pre-major-label material on a single compilation CD. He was rewarded with a U.K. number one album, and the opportunity to buy himself a new Porsche. The title comes from a Leonard Cohen song, "Teachers," which was the first song performed by the fledgling Sisters. All five early singles/EPs are here, from 1980's "The Damage Done" to 1983's "Temple of Love." The material is not presented chronologically, which is fine since the band's first two singles are the weakest on the album. "The Damage Done" might command a high price on vinyl but isn't a particularly good song, and the 30-second B-side "Home of the Hit-Men" is entirely pointless. Follow-up single "Body Electric" is better, featuring the classic punk workout "Adrenochrome," but it wasn't until 1982's "Alice" that the band hit its stride. The title track is an instant classic, while "Floorshow" became a live show staple. The Reptile House EP, featuring tracks five to ten on the CD, saw the Sisters take a turn into more overtly dark territory, featuring some of their bleakest and most anguished work. Their final indie release, "Temple of Love," continued this trend, with Eldritch turning in an impressive vocal performance. The cover of "Gimme Shelter" doesn't entirely work, but it's an interesting glimpse into the band's roots. Some Girls Wander By Mistake captures the Sisters of Mercy at their most ferocious and angry, in the years before the band became weighed down by over-produced synth-based efforts. As a look at the formative years of a still-popular band, it's great, but as a reminder of the punk roots of the goth movement, it's priceless.

 

tags: the sisters of mercy, some girls wander by mistake, 1992, flac,

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Velveteen - After Hours (1983)

*Photos of the record are included in the RAR file.

Country: U.S.A.

Genre: New Wave

Label Number: 80119-1-Y

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© 1983 Atlantic

After Hours Review by Joe Viglione

Velveteen is a duo featuring Sal Maida -- who played bass for Roxy Music, Milk & Cookies, Golden/Carillo, and Cherrie Currie, among others -- and vocalist Lisa Burns, once produced by Craig Leon when he had Willie Alexander & the Boom Boom Band up at Suntreader Studios recording in Vermont. The Boom Boom Band backed up Lisa Burns on a 1978 self-titled MCA records release during those sessions, performing material by Moon Martin, Jackie DeShannon, and the Box Tops. Five years later she changes styles from rock to dance. The black-and-white cover of this six-song Velveteen release on Atlantic entitled Afterhours has Maida with the obligatory sunglasses and Burns looking like a new wave chanteuse. They look smart, they look the part, and had the record sounded like the Velvet Underground meets Roxy Music as the title and image suggest, it may have made more of a splash. "Nightline" is the best song here, strong hook and crystal clear production, it's just that the Linn drums make for monotonous rock & roll and their sound dominates a recording which half rocks. It's good dance music -- material Sal Maida was familiar with having recorded on Gary Private's "Lonely Hearts," but the project may have been better served had Milk & Cookies re-formed to back up Burns the way Willie "Loco" Alexander's band did in the '70s. "Nothing to Do" slinks around in a nice and evil way, but had the wild abandon of a rock group interrupted the precision, the record would beg repeated spins. "Preoccupied" is the closest thing to rock, the Seeds' eternal "Pushin' too Hard" riff convoluted in a world where it -- and these musicians -- didn't really belong: the dance world. "Wild Rain" and "Get Wild" are the alleged obsession with uncontrolled emotion, a promise unfulfilled. If only the 1978 Lisa Burns disc had the production values she and Maida give this release -- much more precise and on target than Craig Leon's sparse underproduction. Lisa Burns has an appealing voice and style, and what she needed was a long-term record deal. Too bad "Nightline" wasn't a Top 40 smash; it's so hard watching important artists climb the mountaintop only to be abandoned at the summit. Lisa Burns falls into that category.

 tags: velveteen, after hours, 1983, flac, vinyl, 

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Trees - Sleep Convention (1982) ☠

*First pressing. 

Contains 10 tracks total. 

Photos of the record are included in the RAR file.

Country: U.S.A.

Genre: New Wave

Label Number: MCA-5348

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☠: Selected by Lass

© 1982 MCA Records

*No professional reviews are available for this release. 

 tags: trees, sleep conventions, 1982, flac, vinyl,

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Various Artists - A Matter of Degrees (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack) (1991) ☠

*A photo of the disc is included in the RAR file.

Country: U.S.A.

Genre: Indie Rock, Alternative Country, Alternative Rock, Hip-Hop

Label Number: 7 82245-2

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© 1991 Atlantic Records

A Matter of Degrees [Original Soundtrack] Review by Andy Kellman

The university-set flop A Matter of Degrees is most memorable for JFK, Jr.'s cameo and its soundtrack, which fields a pretty accurate encapsulation of the U.S. college rock scene in the early '90s. Yo La Tengo, fIREHOSE, Uncle Tupelo, Schooly D(!), Throwing Muses, and Nova Mob all make fine appearances, and Miracle Legion fittingly cover Mission of Burma's "Academy Fight Song." Overall, it's rather mediocre fare. The only thing preventing the disc from playing like a college radio program circa 1991 is a public service announcement from Henry Rollins.

 tags: various artists, a matter of degrees, original motion picture soundtrack, ost, 1991, flac,

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Rawcotiks - Live Your Life/Magic Chef (12" Single) (1997)

*Photos of the record are included in the RAR file.

Country: U.S.A.

Genre: Hip-Hop

Label Number: FIV 1001

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© 1997 First Try Entertainment

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 tags: rawcotiks, live your life, magic chef, 12 inch, single, vinyl, 1997, flac,

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DJ Eli • Shan Boogs - Cloudkickers (1999)

*Photos of the record are included in the RAR file.

Country: U.S.A.

Genre: Hip-Hop

Label Number: FE-CK1

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© 1999 Fondle 'Em Records

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 tags: dj eli, shan boogs, cloudkickers, cloud kickers, 1999, flac, vinyl,

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