The Durutti Column / Vini Reilly

Vini Reilly photographed by Mark Warner (1988)

The Durutti Column / Vini Reilly. The Durutti Column is a project for British guitarist, pianist, and composer Vini Reilly (aka Vincent Gerard Reilly [birth name] born Aug. 4, 1953 in Higher Blackley, Manchester, UK). Vini Reilly has worked with various artists during The DC's lifetime. The formation of the project was initially a band name for drummer Chris Joyce and guitarist Dave Rowbotham in the beginning of 1978. Shortly after (still in Jan.), Vini Reilly, who was by then a former guitarist for a local punk rock band Ed Banger and The Nosebleeds, joined the two. Few weeks later vocalist Phil Rainford and bassist Tony Bowers joined the band, and only four months later Rainford was replaced by a new vocalist, Colin Sharp. The only recordings with this formation is two tracks featuring on A Factory Sample, an ep released Dec. '78 together with Joy Division, John Dowie and Cabaret Voltaire to promote the newly founded Factory Records. Actually, The Durutti Column was the first band to sign with the record label. Still as of '78, the band split with band members leaving to join other bands, and Reilly was then the only member to continue the 'band', which he did, encouraged by manager Tony Wilson, who gave Reilly studio recording time with producer Martin Hannett, which eventually resulted in the debut album The Return of The Durutti Column (1980). The jazz percussionist Bruce Mitchell began working (as drummer and co-manager with Tony Wilson) with Reilly on the project around 1981. Vini Reilly wrote and composed music for the project, and in time, various artists, drummers, percussionists, pianists, etc. have played with Reilly to help releasing new material, and the most persisting collaborator is drummer Bruce Mitchell. The Durutti Column has released about 50 albums (including at least 3 live albums) over the past three decades, some of which have been released as limited rarities, as Reilly has worked in many parts of the world. He has never experienced huge sales or big nominations but he is an internationally respected instrumentalist and composer. The studio debut album was indeed far from what was released at the time, but Reilly was never part of mainstream trends but kept to his original expression. His classical musical background is a foundation that flows in all compositions, and his musical style is mostly of an ambient neo-classical jazz compound. Some critics would claim his compositions are repetitious as well as albums but you could suggest the same thing about Beethoven, Mozart or Philip Glass, all composers he may have more in common with than contemporary modern pop artists, and that may very likely be a reason for his narrow crowd of followers. Personally, Vini Reilly is one of my absolute favourite musicians, and I have collected some 20 albums (so far, including 1 live album) from his hands. They are all original releases and several are true modern masterpieces. He is a musical genius but is most likely not to be recognised as such until... a near future, or after his death. He has stayed with small recording companies and seems like a very shy and private person who could never survive with a stardom he ironically deserves. He was the musical and compositional force behind Morrissey's debut album Viva Hate (1988) but didn't tour with Morrissey and once again he decided to work on his own, as he obviously prefers the quiet and unnoticed life in private.
Unfortunately, his health hasn't been strong - having struggled with anorexia for years - and in 2010 (at 57) he suffered two minor strokes, which caused some numbness in his left hand and the loss of control in his legs. A third stroke followed in 2011, which for some time left him completely unable to play the guitar and has left him declared disabled. [ 2013 article ].

Here's just a few of my favourite albums with The Durutti Column:

(4 / 5) The Return of... (1980) [cd]	(4 / 5) LC (1981) [cd]	(4 / 5) Without Mercy (1984) [vinyl]	(3,5 / 5) The Guitar and Other Machines (1987) [vinyl]	(4 / 5) Vini Reilly (1989) [vinyl]

[ official site: thedurutticolumn.com - biography ]

Laura Marling

~ ~ ~

Laura Marling: (aka Laura Beatrice Marling, birth name) born Feb. 1, 1990, born in Eversley, Hampshire, Winchester County, UK. She was a member of the indie pop / rock band Noah and The Whale from 2006-2008. Apparently, she left the band after ending a relationship with front figure, lead vocalist, and songwriter of the band, Charlie Fink. Marling released her solo debut album in 2008, and her musical style is not he same as her former band. Laura plays folk singer / songwriter music in a traditional way with (strong) bonds to American female tradition of singer / songwriter.

~ ~ ~

Dead Kennedys "In God We Trust, Inc." (1981) (ep)

In God We Trust, Inc., ep
release date: Nov. 1981
format: vinyl (VIRUS 5) / digital
[album rate: 4 / 5] [4,06]
producer: East Bay Ray, Norm
label: Alternative Tentacles / Statik Records - nationality: USA

Tracklist: A) 1. "Religious Vomit" (4 / 5) - 2. "Moral Majority" (4 / 5) - 3. "Hyperactive Child" (4 / 5) - 4. "Kepone Factory" (3,5 / 5) - 5. "Dog Bite" (4 / 5) - - B) 1. "Nazi Punks Fuck Off" (5 / 5) - 2. "We've Got a Bigger Problem Now" (4 / 5) - 3. "Rawhide" (4 / 5)
[ "Lost tapes" studio sessions ]

Ep release by Dead Kennedys showing a somewhat musical different side. The style is still punk rock but here almost only as hardcore punk, and most tracks are shorter than 2 minutes. The altered music also has to do with the band's almost conceptual way of making an album that speaks of the two of the band's most notorious subjects on their following albums: religion and capitalism. Here, they yell at the horrors of religions on one side and pins out its criticism on the American government and Ronald Reagan in particular. The song "We've Got a Bigger Problem Now" is a remake of "California Über Alles" from the debut with completely new lyrics and a new style of that plays on elements of spoken word genre. The ep was later included on re-issues of their second album release Plastic Surgery Disasters (1982).

Dalis Car "The Waking Hour" (1984)

The Waking Hour [debut]
release date: Nov. 1984
format: digital
[album rate: 3 / 5] [3,16]
producer: Dalis Car, Steve Churchyard
label: Beggars Banquet - nationality: England, UK

Track highlights: 1. "Dalis Car" - 2. "His Box" - 4. "Artemis" - 6. "Moonlife" - 7. "The Judgement Is the Mirror"
[ full album ]

Studio album debut and only full album by the music project Dalis Car consisting of Peter Murphy on vocals, Mick Karn on bass and with Paul Vincent Lawford on percussion and drums. The band was established in the aftermath of the split of two major British bands: Japan with Mick Karn disbanded in 1982, leaving Karn free to release his first solo album and to work on different projects, and Bauhaus with Peter Murphy disbanded in 1983. The two then established the co-work for the new project, and later on invited Lawford to join.
The style is highly experimental and basically closer to the music by Japan. Karn's fretless bass signature is all over the album and Murphy's characteristic vocal adds a sinister tone to the generally light and ethereal, almost meditative compositions. I don't consider this a great work of art but it's highly original, unlike anything else, and works rather nicely as background noise.
The front cover is the painting, "Daybreak" by Maxfield Parrish. The band never released a follow-up as both Murphy and Karn were involved in solo projects. Japan re-united shortly as Rain Tree Crow and Bauhaus likewise had a period of re-union. In late 2010 Murphy and Karn finally got together again and began work on what was to be the second album by Dalis Car. They made managed to play a few sessions together but Karn who had recently been diagnosed with cancer, died in 2011. The 5-track ep InGladAloneness (excerpt) was released posthumously in 2012.
[ allmusic.com 3 / 5 stars ]

New Order "Low-Life" (1985)

Low-Life
release date: May 13, 1985
format: vinyl (FACT 100) / cd
[album rate: 4 / 5] [4,14]
producer: New Order
label: Factory Records - nationality: England, UK

Tracklist: A) 1. "Love Vigilantes" (4 / 5) - 2. "The Perfect Kiss" (4,5 / 5) - 3. "This Time of Night" (3 / 5) - 4. "Sunrise" (3,5 / 5) - - B) 1. "Elegia" (4 / 5) - 2. "Sooner Than You Think" (4 / 5) (studio session) - 3. "Sub-Culture" (4,5 / 5) - 4. "Face Up" (4,5 / 5)

3rd studio album by New Order following Power, Corruption & Lies (May 1983) released as FACT 100 on Factory Records. Soon after the release, I found that this was the best album they had ever made. Today, I think of it as great but not quite as powerful as its predecessor from '83, but gosh, it's a fine and positive synthpop and dance pop album, which is enlisted in "1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die".
[ allmusic.com 4,5 / 5 stars ]

Madness "Complete Madness" (1982)

Complete Madness (compilation)
release date: Apr. 23, 1982
format: digital (2003 reissue)
[album rate: 4 / 5]
producer: Clive Langer, Alan Winstanley
label: Virgin Records - nationality: England, UK

1st best of compilation album by Madness originally released by Stiff Records - the vinyl issue of the album was attached with an additional label saying: "16 Hit tracks".
The album is issued after only three studio albums, but it does fill out its role. Madness is by many associated with singles, specific songs and their always British comedy-directed videos.
In retrospect there are better albums compiling the band's material, but for someone looking for an album compiling the bad's earliest period this is a fine collection of songs. Six songs stem from the debut album One Step Beyond... (1979); four from the second album Absolutely (1980); three songs are taken from the most recent album 7 (1981); two A-side singles and one B-side are also included: "It Must Be Love" (cover of Labi Siffre 1971 song) from Nov. '81, "House of Fun" to be released May '82 (after this album release), and "In the City" (originally the B-side to 'Cardiac Arrest') from Feb. '82.
My only regret about it is the random order of the songs.
[ allmusic.com 5 / 5 stars ]

Paul Young "No Parlez" (1983)

No Parlez [debut]
release date: Nov. 1983
format: cd (2008 remaster - 25th Anniversary Edition)
[album rate: 3,5 / 5] [3,68]
producer: Laurie Latham
label: Sony BMG - nationality: England, UK

Track highlights: 1. "Come Back and Stay" (4 / 5) - 2. "Love Will Tear Us Apart" (4 / 5) - 3. "Wherever I Lay My Hat (That's My Home)" (4 / 5) - 7. "Love of the Common People"

Studio album debut by Paul [Anthony] Young originally released on CBS Records. Before this, Young had played in the band the Q-Tips, which released two albums and a number of singles from '79-82 until Young launched his solo career. The album is a very strong and rather original album of blue-eyed soul released when everything in the world of pop was soaking from synths. Yes, Young didn't write or compose much of this but the man has such a strong voice. The best tracks on the album are all cover versions, but who had heard of Jack Lee, who have composed track #1, #7, #11? Track #2 was Joy Division's only hit single but Young's version is not bettering the original but just a damn fine cover, which, I guess, is much more commonly known than the original, and track #3 was a fine 1960s soul track, which here is not only made into a contemporary pop hit, but shines above other versions of the song, and that's exactly so much Paul Young - he seems capable of taking any song, re-arranging the track and making it a hit of his, which sounds just perfect. No singles hit number #1 in the UK, but the album topped the national albums chart list. I wasn't much into pop soul in 1983 but I couldn't help noticing several of the tracks as pretty well made. I had to give 'em that. Now, I've had this album on cassette, later in a digital version, and since 2008 in the remastered 2-disc 25th Anniversary Edition on cd. The first three tracks and track #7 make it worth the lot, however, there are also some rather poor tracks on the album, but it's nice to know, and the bonus disc is likewise fine to have for the alternate versions.
[ allmusic.com 4,5 / 5 stars ]

25th Anniversary Edition

Cocteau Twins "Head Over Heels" (1983)

Head Over Heels
release date: Oct. 31, 1983
format: cd
[album rate: 3 / 5] [2,98]
producer: Cocteau Twins, John Fryer
label: 4AD Records - nationality: Scotland, UK

Track highlights: 1. "When Mama Was Moth" - 3. "Sugar Hiccup" - 8. "Multifoiled"

2nd studio album by Cocteau Twins released on 4AD Records. The band is reduced to a duo consisting of the romantic couple of vocalist Elizabeth Fraser and Robin Guthrie playing guitar, bass and drum machine, and with this it has become more evident that they seek out a new broader and more harmony-based sound. The album may be the first to point to their unique sound of dream pop with Guthrie's ambient guitar and Fraser's indistinct vocal harmonies, and especially on "Sugar Hiccups", which is the finest composition here. Musically, they are on their way to find their form but the sound is, however, still very gloomy and somewhat muddy stuck in ethereal wave darkness linked to post-punk, and I don't find it hugely inspiring, and mostly just see it as background noise.

Veronica Maggio "Handen i fickan fast jag bryr mig" (2013)

Handen i fickan fast jag bryr mig
release date: Oct. 4, 2013
format: cd
[album rate: 3,5 / 5] [3,42]
producer: Salem Al Fakir, Vincent Pontare, Magnus Lidehäll
label: Universal Music - nationality: Sweden

Track highlights: 2. "Jag lovar" - 3. "Hela huset" (feat. Håkan Hellström) - 4. "Va kvar" - 5. "Låtsas som det regnar" - 6. "Hädan efter" - 7. "Trädgården en fredag" - 10. "I min bil"

4th studio album by Veronica Maggio is produced by Salem Al Fakir, Vincent Pontare, and Magnus Lidehäll, who are also Maggio's primary co-composers. The album follows 2½ years after her fine Satan i gatan (Apr. 2011), and I'm actually not really 'nöjd' with / impressed by the result. "Sergels torg" is the first single, and it sounds unmistakably like Maggio but is not really a strong hit song and is just like... Okay. Håkan Hellström takes part on a single track... without really impressing. There is nothing new or distinctly different from her second studio album Och vinnaren är... from 2008, and it basically ends up sounding more like the continuation of the music from 2008 than a natural departure from her most recent outing. The style is predominantly traditional pop. And where, I think there were approaches to more original synthpop on the predecessor, something that added a better balance to Maggio's music - in between the sweet and energetic - but here it's only "Hädan efter", "Va kvar", and "Trädgården en fredag", which succeed in lifting this from the average and stand out as the best songs - they are also the most up-tempo tracks among many which tend to sound a little too similar. You may only wonder why producer and composer Christian Waltz from her 2011 album doesn't participate here at all, but that may also explain why it has a different sound. Criticism aside, Maggio is still such a talented artist that she glides weightlessly through the album's songs thanks to her very own original vocal and style - and the album is overall OK, but still nowhere near her best.

[ Gaffa.dk, Gaffa.se 4 / 5 stars ]

Lou Reed "The Bells" (1979)

The Bells
release date: Apr. 1979
format: digital
[album rate: 3 / 5] [2,92]
producer: Lou Reed
label: Arista Records - nationality: USA

9th studio album by newly deseased Lou Reed (Oct. 27, 2013) follows the release of the double live album Live: Take No Prisoners (Nov. 1978). The mid-70s found Lou Reed moving away from glam rock, now making music primarily in a adult rock and pop / rock style with a certain art rock profile. With The Bells he expands his stylistic universe by incorporating disco and funk. I never really liked this album that much and find it more of one of his misses of another transition period. Alledgedly, Reed himself has spoken fondly about it and actually has picked this as a personal favourite. Well, could it be that he (says he) likes it only because critics have seen it as a minor work of his? That would be SO much in the spirit of Lou Reed. Anyway, on most albums you'll see Lou as songwriter of all his songs but for this, most songs are composed in a collaboration with either Nils Lofgren (tracks #1, #4, and #6), Michael Fonfara (tracks #2 and #3), Marty Fogel (tracks #2 and #9), Ellard Boles (tracks #2 and #8), or Don Cherry (track #7). At worst, everything sounds a wee bit like an imitation of Bruce Springsteen but it's nevertheless an actual studio album by the great Lou Reed. It's not intentionally, nor in the light of this album that I choose to remember Lou Reed but I guess it also represents his many faces. He couldn't be framed in, and as an artist, he surely never stood grounded in the same spot but always kept renewing himself - searching for that new ingredient to color his sound. RIP Lewis Allan Reed.
Not recommended.
[ allmusic.com 4 / 5 stars ]

Frank Zappa "Sheik Yerbouti" (1979)

Sheik Yerbouti (live)
release date: Mar. 3, 1979
format: vinyl 2 lp (gatefold - 88339) / cd
[album rate: 3,5 / 5] [3,62]
producer: Frank Zappa
label: CBS Records - nationality: USA

Track highlights: 1. "I Have Been in You" - 2. "Flakes" - 3. "Broken Hearts Are for Assholes" - 6. "What Ever Happened to All the Fun in the World" - 7. "Rat Tomago" - 9. "Bobby Brown" - 11. "The Sheik Yerbouti Tango" - 15. "Dancin' Fool"

A double live album by Frank Zappa is made up of live recordings predominantly from concerts at the Hammersmith Odeon, London, Jan. '78. The recordings have been processed and re-engineered in the studio with over-dubbing. The title is a word-play and should be pronounced 'Shake Your Booty' - allegedly, inspired by KC and the Sunshine Band's disco hit "(Shake, Shake, Shake) Shake Your Booty" from 1976.
I've always been particular fond of this album. Maybe because it was the first that I listened to with Zappa because my older puchased this when it was released. I think, it really displays his great abilities: sharp satire, great pop songwriter, brilliant instrumentalist, and fascinating modern composer.

~ ~ ~

This post is part of MyMusicJourney, which enlists key releases that have shaped my musical taste when growing up and until age 14. Most of these releases come from my parents' and / or my older brother's collection.

Trio "Da Da Da Don't Love You Don't Love Me Aha Aha Aha" (1982) (single)

"Da Da Da Don't Love You...", 7'' single
release date: Apr. 1982
format: vinyl (6005.210)
[single rate: 3 / 5] [3,16]
producer: Klaus Voormann
label: Mercury Records - nationality: Germany

Tracklist: A) "Da Da Da Don't Love You Don't Love Me Aha Aha Aha" - - B) "Sabine Sabine Sabine"

Single release by German new wave, Neue Deutsche Welle, Trio (stylised: TRIO) consisting of Stephan Remmler on vocals & keyboards, Gert Krawinkel on guitar and Peter Behrens on drums. The A-side became the band's best-selling and only international hit. The single was first issued in February with its original German title "Da Da Da ich lieb dich nicht du liebst mich nicht aha aha aha".

Rest In Peace, Lewis

Lou Reed r.i.p. (Mar. 2, 1942 - Oct. 27, 2013)

Lou Reed, Rock Legend, Dies at 71 (KTLA)

Lou Reed, RIP (Brooklyn Vegan)

Music World mourns (Metro.co.uk)

Remembering Lou Reed (The Atlantic Wire)

Kitchens of Distinction "Capsule - The Best of KOD: 1988-94" (2003)

Capsule - The Best of KOD: 1988-94 (compilation)
release date: Apr. 21, 2003
format: cd
[album rate: 3,5 / 5]

Compilation album by Kitchens of Distinction and an essential and fine collection, actually. Compilation albums rarely are. The album comes in two versions: a standard 1-disc cd release containing many of their best tracks from all four studio albums and a total of 16 tracks in no particular order, it seems, and then it comes in a limited 2 cd version, mainly for collectors because it includes a bonus cd containing rare single tracks - live, acoustic, or demo versions. What they really should've done was to release a 'rarities edition' only (excluding all the familiar songs) 'cause if you're really interested in singles, B-sides, live versions, and rare takes, well, you obviously already have most of their official releases. So, the 2 cd edition is a costly investment when you're only interested in disc two :-/ Needless to say, I chose the limited 2 disc edition, and the first disc is a rather strange compilation. The tracks are brilliant singles but the order of the songs makes it hard to listen to when you happen to know what great tracks normally would follow on the original release, and if I should rate that disc alone, I would hand it 3-4 stars. The strange order is not good but if you have no idea of the band's music, the order is irrelevant, and the single tracks are truly fine but also insufficient as a best of, and that is the name of the release, isn't it?! The second disc is simply great, and I'm thankful that it was released, but as an album it's hardly homogeneous, as all best of albums, but as a musical document, it's priceless.

Imperiet "2:a augusti 1985" (1985) (live)

org. vinyl cover

2:a augusti 1985 (live)
release date: Oct. 1985
format: vinyl (MLR 50) / digital (1992 reissue)
[album rate: 3,5 / 5] [3,42]
rec. by Stefan Glaumann
label: Mistlur - nationality: Sweden

4th album release by Imperiet is a live album recorded after Blå himlen blues and in the aftermath of a long international tour, which brought the band to Nicaragua, Mexico, Cuba and the USA. The album is recorded Aug. 2, 1985 [in Swedish: album title] in Sweden at Västerås folkpark, Västerås (near Stockholm).
Imperiet had long been known as a fabulous live band, which this album also serves to document; however, it's mostly just for fans, as the sound and production isn't impressive, but then you know it's recorded as is without post-production overdubs.

1992 cd reissue

Dire Straits "Making Movies" (1980)

Making Movies
release date: Oct. 1980
format: vinyl (6359 034) / cd
[album rate: 3,5 / 5] [3,76]
producer: Jimmy Iovine, Mark Knopfler
label: Vertigo Records - nationality: England, UK

Tracklist: 1. "Tunnel of Love" - 2. "Romeo and Juliet" (4 / 5) (live) - 3. "Skateaway" - 4. "Expresso Love" (4 / 5) (live) - 5. "Hand in Hand" - 6. "Solid Rock" (4 / 5) (live) - 7. "Les Boys"

3rd studio album by Dire Straits is the follow-up to Communiqué (Jun. 1979). During the recording sessions of the album, tensions between the two Knopfler brothers culminated in younger brother David leaving the band to pursue his own solo career and also leaving the band reduced to a trio. Mark Knopfler's wish to make use of Patti Smith and Bruce Springsteen producer Jimmy Iovine led to the contact of keyboardist Roy Bittan of Springsteen's backing band The E-Street Band, and Bittan is credited as additional personnel (together with guitarist Sid McGinnis) and he plays a central part in the sound of the album, which also marks a stylistic change for Dire Straits. The band had surged playing British blues rock but that style is almost gone here and replaced by a new and more mainstream sound building on American contemporary pop / rock with r&b and rock roots - e.g. Bruce Springsteen. The album was the first I purchased with the band at the time of its release, and it was close to being my favourite album of the time. I just found that it was a bit too nice and polished, but the production sound is quite remarkable for its time, and today, I count the album among the band's top 3 albums.
[ allmusic.com 4,5 / 5, Rolling Stone 4 / 5 stars ]

Red House Painters "Red House Painters" (2) (1993)

Red House Painters (2)
release date: Oct. 25, 1993
format: digital
[album rate: 3 / 5] [3,22]
producer: Mark Kozelek
label: 4AD Records - nationality: USA

Track highlights: 2. "Bubble" - 3. "I Am a Rock" - 5. "New Jersey" - 7. "Blindfold"

3th studio album by Red House Painters released on 4AD follows only 5 months after Red House Painters [I] (May '93). Like that, it only carries the title of the band name, thus being referred to as either Red House Painters [II], or Red House Painters [Bridge], with reference to the front cover.
Apparently, the album contains leftovers or songs from the same studio recordings as the previous album. It contains two covers: "I Am a Rock" written by Paul Simon and originally performed by Simon & Garfunkel, and the American national anthem "The Star-Spangled Banner" written by the American poet Francis Scott Key.
In my mind this is their so far least interesting album.
[ allmusic.com 3,5 / 5 stars ]

Pretenders "Pretenders"

L-R: Farndon, Hynde,
Chambers, Honeyman-Scott

Pretenders [debut]

release date: Jan. 11, 1980

format: vinyl / cd (2014 remaster)

[album rate: 4 / 5] [4,16]

producer: Chris Thomas

label: Real Records / MFSL - nationality: UK / USA

Track highlights: A) 1. "Precious" (4 / 5) - 2. "The Phone Call" - 3. "Up the Neck" - 4. "Tattoed Love Boys" (4 / 5) - 6. "The Wait" (live at Rockpalast 1981)- 7. "Stop Your Sobbing" - - B) 1. "Kid" (5 / 5) - 2. "Private Life" - 3. "Brass in Pocket" (4 / 5) - 4. "Lovers of Today" - 5. "Mystery Achievement"

Studio album debut by British-American act Pretenders here consisting of only American-born member front-figure Chrissie Hynde on vocals and rhythm guitar along with three British co-founders: guitarist James Honeyman-Scott, bassist Pete(r) Farndon, and drummer Martin Chambers.

The album came out in Britain and showed an alternative path in between more established rock acts - who were actually skilled instrumentalists - and the contrary 'true' punk rockers of the now 'dead' British scene, which made way for new wave in various disguises. This wasn't the kind of new wave you would associate with Elvis Costello, The Jam, XTC, or any other act on either side of the Atlantic. If anything, they have more in common with Blondie and The Police, who also found their individual paths in between electrified new wave and more melody- / ballad-oriented pop / rock. Not unlike Andy Sumners of The Police, Honeyman-Scott came out as a shining guitar-hero of a younger generation and Hynde silenced all critics with her punchy vocal and songwriter skills, which immediately placed her alongside the best of the best. This is a debut that has gone down in music history as one of the strongest and purest original first releases next to Elvis Presley, The Clash, Velvet Underground, The Who, and only a few others who came out this strong on their first album out.

My vinyl issue is a Spanish first edition despite having a "No. 1 GB" fake ticker (looks like a ticker but is part of the cover art) on the front cover indicating it was issued on a later date in Spain when the album had peaked as Number #1 in Britain.

The album is a must-have in any collection of modern rock-music and it's a natural title in "1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die". The album has been reissued and remastered many times, and I still think the original version is the best - the 2006 remaster is really one to avoid, but the 2014 remaster reflects a much better job done.

[ allmusic.com, Rolling Stone, Mojo, Spin, Blender 5 / 5, Uncut 4,5 / 5 stars ]

Kitchens of Distinction "Cowboys and Aliens" (1994)

Cowboys and Aliens
release date: Oct. 1994
format: cd (TPLP 53 CD)
[album rate: 3,5 / 5] [3,74]
producer: Kitchens of Distinction, Pascal Gabriel, Pete Bartlett
label: One Little Indian - nationality: England, UK

Tracklist: 1. "Sand on Fire" (4 / 5) - 2. "Get Over Yourself" - 3. "Thought He Had Everything" - 4. "Cowboys and Aliens" (4 / 5) - 5. "Come on Now" - 6. "Remember Me?" - 7. "One of Those Sometimes Is Now" (4 / 5) - 8. "Here Come the Swans" - 9. "Now It's Time to Say Goodbye" (4 / 5) - 10. "Pierced" - 11. "Prince of Mars" (4 / 5)

4th and final studio album by Kitchens of Distinction - at least up until 2013 follows two years after The Death of Cool. 

For a long time it was a major disappointment to me, although, many consider the album as one of the band's best. It's the continued journey away from what I enjoyed the most about their music: the distorted shoegaze noise pop. Instead the band focuses on dream pop, which really isn't bad. I just thought, it sort of drowned aiming at a more polished mainstream arena. I know this may sound awkward, as I happen to love a lot of pop / rock artists. It was probably because of their initial originality and unique sound, which bore reminiscence of gothic rock and post-punk that I regretted this slow transformation. Today, I can see that, but it took me another decade before I realised its "hidden" beauty. 'Cause the album has some strong and sheer beautiful tracks like "Sand of Fire", "Cowboys and Aliens", "One of Those Sometimes Is Now" and "Now It's Time to Say Goodbye". Yes, for quite some time my impression was bland, and I thought of it as a clearly weaker release. After years of maturing it just grew better and better - also, I read some fine reviews praising the album, so I couldn't just let it go, and I'm glad I didn't. I think it fits so very nicely within their special musical universe of indie dream pop with a touch of noise pop and that ever so undefinable shoegaze, and once you dig into it, you'll might just understand why Interpol has mentioned KOD as one of their favourite artists. Julian Swales' reverberating guitar is all over this fine album. However, the album wasn't the band's breakthrough. In fact, it was mostly ignored and the band was subsequently released from its label contract. They shortly sought a restart in '96 as Kitchens O.D. and released the single Feel My Genie on Fierce Panda Records only to dissolve a few months later in '96.
Recommendable.
[ allmusic.com 4 / 5 stars ]

The Smiths "Ask" (1986) (single)

Ask, 12'' single
release date: Oct. 20, 1986
format: vinyl (RTT 194)
[single rate: 4 / 5] [4,00]
producer: John Porter, Steve Lillywhite
label: Rough Trade Records - nationality: England, UK

Tracklist: A) 1. "Ask" (4 / 5) - - B) 1. "Cemetry Gates" (4 / 5) - 2. "Golden Lights" (4 / 5)

Single release by The Smiths, and yet another fine single This time it's not just an album track, although, the first track on the B-side is from The Queen Is Dead (1986). The title track only appears on later compilations (the first is The World Won't Listen, 1987), and "Golden Lights" may be found on the compilation Louder Than Bombs (1987).