Loved that album when I was a teenager, always considered it a bit of a lost classic - has it aged well dlg?

I never heard it at the time, only having the Soft Cell records, but I used to hear a big fan at school (she was older, and a bit unapproachable) telling her friends that the album was brilliant, so I always meant to track it down, but somehow neglected to do so until my second Soft Cell phase in the mid 90s. Then it sounded fine, particularly since I was enjoying the later, darker Soft Cell more than I had done in the 1980s.

This morning I got as far as the first song from what used to be Side Two, so I'm one song into the covers. It's been a while, but straight away I was ready to declare the (!) title track Untitled one of Almond's finest compositions (with important assistance from Matt Johnson, of course).

I've always been a bit iffy over cover versions, because most of them simply aren't very good. But even in my snottier youthful days I found these perfectly enjoyable in the context of the album. I am of course looking forward to the closing Twilights & Lowlifes very keenly, but that will have to wait for lunch.

In conclusion, I think this album has aged better than its nearest Soft Cell contemporary, although if that's The Art of Falling Apart then I do still love that one too.

Looking From A Hilltop 12" - Section 25

then

From the new X5 box, which arrived yesterday.

Got as far as No Cure. From Chelsea Girl at lunch.

You lucky bugger.

Nice interview with Mister Kerr here about the X5 years

simple minds

Thanks - I'll have a look at that, later.

Despite reading largely negative reviews of this album, I've been quite pleasantly surprised. There's some good stuff on here and some of the melodies have been bouncing around my head for the last fortnight. I particularly like 'The Quiet One', 'Daily Records' and 'Another Tricky Day' and have always been fond of 'Don't Let Go he Coat' and the big single.

From the new box again. Got to the end of Side One.

Predictably enough, I'm still on the new X5 box. It was nice to hear Kaleidoscope again yesterday.

This box, it strikes me, is pretty much all you need from Simple Minds in a bargain one-hit purchase.

I'm going to have to start thinking again after tomorrow!

Blinder.

If only they knew.

Simple Minds - New Gold Dream.

Here's the label from Side One. I'm saving Side Two for lunch.



As I have mentioned before, I can't stand the sleeve.

Just Side One. But what a side!

Nice.

It is. Every week, I have a look at the Simon Bookish site to see if Mr. Chadburn has put together anything new for us, but so far it's rather quiet. I hope this is because he's hard at work on the next project, but of course Everything/Everything is quite unlike his first two albums, which are much more experimental.

...and then, in the office, before anyone else arrived:

...and in the raincloud-darkened office, before anyone else arrives:

Time for a whole EP this morning. Bleeding traffic.

Took a day off to today as I'm working all weekend, so I ended up running around doing errands and stuff this morning to

That title reads like a bad translation.

Back in the good old mail-order days I used to get lists from a Japanese chap who would describe limited editions thus: "It's worth to collect!"

The rest of this.

Both discs of the reissue

First listen

I've never been a soul man. This is turning my head though.

Pentatonik - Autonomous: Series One

Good stuff, despite the fact that almost nobody cared by that point.

We're still big Rialto fans at Gladwin Towers!

Yes, I liked that one (and the Girl On A Train mini-album) even more than the 1st album.

Girl on a Train should have been massive!

Confession time: I composed an alternate lyric to Rialto's Girl on a Train, possibly on account of my unease at Louis Eliot's creepy songs about watching women (see also: When We're Together) but also in tribute to Man on the Tube from the first (and still vinyl-only¹) Passions album Michael and Miranda.



The chorus to Girl on a Train goes:

She's just a girl on a train.
I'll probably never see her again.

Mine went:

He's just a dirty old man.
He's probably got his cock in his hand.






¹Unless you know someone who might have recorded it to CD, and happen to send them a PM on the offchance...

Details here.

Spirogyra - St. Radigunds

Kid Twist - A Bionic Yell



Cheers, Mike!

What did you make of it?

I really liked the first one - kind of Disco Talking Heads with a bit of Roxy Music, and the next one reminded me of the smouldering slo-dancey numbers that A.R. Kane did on their last album.

The titles - and the sleeve - would definitely have put me off had I come across it myself, but thankfully there was no suggestion of hideous 90s Genesis in I Can't Dance.

That last tune is great, too - reminded me of Beautyon or maybe Mimi Majick...something on Irdial-Discs, anyhow.

Glad you enjoyed. I thought Talking Heads too!

B Sides

- what would have been Side 2.

Excellent stuff: Miles Runs the 'Vishnu Down, you might say!



Can't believe this record came out in 2010.

Disc 4 of this;

McCartney II

Odd little record.

...and right now, alone in the office:



Very Zen. Or something.

Upgrade and Afterlife - Gastr Del Sol

Gladders, can you give us a clue?!

Sorry. It's the Key Nell EP by Gescom, who have sometimes been Booth and Brown of Autechre, and often other people.

Key Nell 4 is my favourite tune from the EP, and it goes like this.

Ta very much!

I got given his first 3 solo albums on cd last week for my birthday. Had this one on in the car this morning. Sounded great. Loved Duncan.