Muso's Guide - Displaying items by tag: Flying Vinyl

Physical Format-20190515

15 May, 2019
Published in Columns

Things don't begin particularly summery with the June 2018 selection from Flying Vinyl. Nova Twins' Skunk Anansie meets The Prodigy sound is as heavy as that description is intended to convey. 'Hit Girl' pounds away with stacks of attitude and anger infused through it. 'Lose Your Head' does pretty much the same thing, although it lacks a hook & I barely took it in as I was typing a message whilst it was on. I think I've filled all the head space I have for this sort of thing so it's going up for sale. The duo have a new single coming out in the near future, according to Facebook.

Premium Leisure apparently curate their rock (so says the booklet this month), whatever that's supposed to mean. 'Water Pistol' doesn't make me think "classic rock 'n' roll" so that's another badly written element of the blurb. It's okay; no edges and no hooks but inoffensive. Like George Harrison's comeback in the late '80s. 'Gold Tunes' is more of the same. No one seems to want it on Discogs so it's into the fleamarket box. The act seems to have little online presence and to have been quite quiet since last summer.

Paris Youth Foundation (from Liverpool) get off to a good start with the sprightly paced 'The Off Button'. There's a good mix of synth-backed bits and guitar-heavy passages and I find myself comfortably nodding along to it. 'London', on the flip side, is a bit less accomplished and Snow Patrol-like but it's the second song so who ever plays those anyway? The band have a few live dates coming up this month.

Kashmere, from their photo, look like they enjoy Kasabian via Manic Street Preachers. 'Tokyo' fits firmly into the post-Britpop landfill indie bracket so that impression wasn't too far off although it does kind of come into its own just as it's winding to a close. 'Codeine' is thankfully not another version of that much covered '60s track but is rather more polished and synth-driven than the A side. Someone's apparently so loveable they're as addictive as the drug. Holy moly. Unsurprisingly the chances of a sale on Discogs appear slim but it's listed anyway. The group seem to have released no music in the past few months but do have a new badge for sale.

The Pale White also seem to be channeling Kasabian a bit on 'Loveless' and, as the track progresses I find myself thinking about Secret Machines, who I streamed earlier today having been reminded of them whilst getting rid of the singles I'd bought years ago. Decent enough indie rock which didn't find major favour & seems to have seen them disappear after only a few years. Unfortunately I predict the same for this trio. 'Peace Of Mind' is a grittier affair than the first track, however, and I find myself warming to the group. This one stays with me for now. The band toured Northern Britain earlier this year but their own site lacks any further information just now.

Physical Format-20190529

29 May, 2019
Published in Columns

So I've finally gone and done it. The email to cancel my Flying Vinyl subscription has gone in. Originally the intention was to do it after having reviewed all of the releases I have but, given the chances of me suddenly finding I want to keep all 50 of the discs remaining to be written up are slim, it felt right to pull the plug now. The label's 50th box was waiting for me when I got back from holiday in the first week of this month (when this is being written) and the contents were visually unappealing and the assumption is that the music will be too. The box also had some rubbish on it about your music collection resembling your coffee collection. Who collects coffee?

Everything's being got rid of one way or the other after being played for review purposes too. The chances of future plays are near zero for any of those I've kept hold of up to now (the Pip Blom disc is the only one I can think of which could well get that, or the Theo Verney one) and I need the space for the numerous good singles from my youth that I want to keep. Those won't get may more plays over the years either but that's beside the point.

Which fate then awaits the releases from August 2018? Discogs or the fleamarket for someone to take a 50p punt on?

That month found the orange vinyl going to Bad Sounds with 'Couldn't Give It Away' and 'Honestly'. Poppy and upbeat though it is the first track has no depth and is totally disposable. 'Honestly' sounds a bit like De La Soul round about when they first started. Amusing but not really funny so clearly one for folk already into that sort of thing rather than me. The duo's site shows they have an album out but no upcoming live shows.

Fur (a band probably destined to be hard to find online) get the clear vinyl this time around. 'If You Know That I'm Lonely' has a pleasing indie jangle and pacing to it, bringing to mind more the likes of Peter & Gordon rather than The Beach Boys, if we're sticking with the booklet '60s comparisons. B side 'What Would I Do' has a definite 'last dance' thing going on. It's even better than the first track (apart from the sudden ending) and I'd keep it in a flash but it seems to command good money on Discogs so on it goes. Facebook shows the band will be on tour in the UK in the autumn.

Citrus Heights first track is called 'Vanilla' and it's a wholly apt name. Limp and weak as piss. 'Lovers' seems like wishful thinking on the band's part. Wedding band material. Facebook shows the band have a new song out and will have played a show by the time this column is published.

Sports (another bunch it may be hard to search for on the web) start things off on 'Shiggy' with a meaty bit of synth. They and the previous band share a bit of '80s smoothness but there's more conviction here and the American trio would steal Citrus Heights' dates with barely any effort. 'Don't Tell Me' is a pacier, funkier affair and less to my taste in this genre but it's still obviously an accomplished track which would fill the dancefloor. The ending's a bit weak though. The band are still active online although not much in the past couple of months.

Last up this time around are Yassassin with 'Wreckless' and 'Sinner'. Imagine Elastica's comeback and you're in the same room as this lot. Except they seem to be doing it at half speed. 'Sinner's a bit quicker but still a mite ploddy. Not the sort of thing that would encourage me to seek them out live, on the off chance that they liven up when on stage. By the time you read this the band will have played at The Great Escape & maybe have some other new information on social media.