(V/A) Tuatara – A Flying Nun Compilation (Strange Weekend, 1985)

"The Dunedin Sound was first showcased overseas on the 1985 compilation album Tuatara...It featured, among others, The Clean, the Verlaines, The Chills, Tall Dwarfs, Sneaky Feelings and The Bats. It made it to America on import and began to wend its way around the country via college radio, fanzines and word of mouth.

Says Nils Bernstein:

"You know how they say about the first Velvet Underground album - it sold terribly, but everyone who bought a copy started a band. It's kind of like that with the Tuatara comp."(Source)

I just love classic Flying Nun. Big thanks to my buddy Adam P. for floating this record my way. 320 vinyl rip by yours truly.



Mediafire Download Link: (V/A) Tuatara – A Flying Nun Compilation (Strange Weekend, 1985)

FN045

1. "Fish" – The Clean (2:26)
2. "Coalminer's Song" – The Gordons (5:57)
3. "State to Be in" – Fetus Productions (2:40)
4. "Death And the Maiden" – The Verlaines (4:34)
5. "Looking For the Sun" – Children's Hour (6:06)
6. "Isol" – Marie and the Atom (5:32)
7. "Pink Frost" – The Chills (4:03)
8. "Throwing Stones" – Sneaky Feelings (4:40)
9. "Neck of the Woods" – The Great Unwashed (2:07)
10. "I Go Wild" – The Bats (2:44)
11. "Man With No Desire" – The Expendables (5:15)
12. "The Brain That Wouldn't Die" – Tall Dwarfs

Sittin' Pretty and The Bats

Here are some sweet late 8o's Indie classics. Sittin' Pretty by The Pastels is the first and probably best album from those Scottish cult mainstays, The Pastels. Think The Vaselines, but maybe even a little better. Then we have Daddy's Highway by The Bats- vintage New Zealand "Kiwi" pop. You say you like The Clean and you're not from down-under? Well, chances are you need to dial in to The Bats, my friend. They are basically just Kilgour and Co's harmonizing jangle-pop cousins. Though The Pastels and The Bats hailed from different corners, I'd say their early albums share a sort of common energy. Both records seem like they could've been made by stepkids of the Velvet Underground, each laying down a sort of ragtag outsider pop right smack in the midst of the tired and unfortunate excesses of the late-80s. Its not like they were the only ones riding that train at the time, but these albums have qualities that just stand-out as similar. I bet that back then, emulating the Velvets probably still felt irreverent to all involved. I had a great time humming along to these records while I was cleaning our basement a few weeks back. And that's why I've paired them together for this post. Enjoy.
The Pastels- "Nothing To Be Done"
The Bats- "Made Up In Blue"
Mediafire download links:
The Pastels- Sittin' Pretty (refreshed 2/2/10)
The Bats- Daddy's Highway (refreshed 2/2/10)