Soft As Ghosts- Mystified 7”

Posted in 1980s, 1983, post-punk, soft as ghosts, uk on November 13, 2020 by Frankie Teardrop

I had a little bit of extra time this week, so that means you get an extra post! Thanks to Goutroy for sending this one over some time ago. Here we have two tracks of cold, moody post-punk that reminds me a bit of mid-period Adrian Borland recordings (Heads and Hearts, etc.), especially on the A-side. Nice chunky bass, airy synth, catchy chorus, and dreamy, if but a little nasally vocal. The B-side is a bit more frantic, but no less captivating.

So it goes, there’s not much information to share about the band. This is their only release, which came out in 1983 in the UK via Rondelet Music & Records. If anyone knows more about this band, feel free to fill in the gaps in the comments! Otherwise, enjoy!

Soft As Ghosts- Mystified 7”
1. Mystified
2. Facets of Love

*download it here*

2 Comments »

Fourwaycross- Fill the Sky/Home/Shimmer/Pendulum

Posted in 1980s, fourwaycross, post-punk on November 12, 2020 by Frankie Teardrop

In addition to tracking down some rare records these last few months, I’ve also been working slowly at re-ripping much of the old collection, improving rips for my own posterity, and upgrading things from the back pages here as well. It’s been an ongoing labor of love these last few years, and one of the few things keeping me sane during the pandemic. With that in mind, I wanted to make a quick post and share the remaining Fourwaycross LPs that I had in my collection, minus 1989’s On the Other Hand (which is already available on CD). You can read lots more about the band and check out their debut cassette here.

Otherwise, I’ve ripped their excellent second and third albums and cleaned them up considerably, also making sure to take care with the gaps between tracks to make sure they play as intended. I’m also including a fresh rip of the amazing Shimmer 12” from 1987, and 1993’s Pendulum 10+7”, which was released after the band split the first time around, but musically predates the first cassette. Here’s the full rundown:

Fourwaycross- Fill the Sky LP (1986)
1. Climate And Weather
2. Indy
3. Apologize
4. So For You
5. Losing
6. Dirty News
7. U.S.A.
8. Trench
9. Unconcerned
10. Dream

Fourwaycross- Home LP (1986)
1. Woke
2. Magazine And Blue
3. Moment Of Pain
4. We Talk
5. Metal From Daisies
6. Eyes
7. Valleys

Fourwaycross- Shimmer 12” (1987)
1. Shimmer
2. That’s All
3. Interstate
4. Peregrine

Fourwaycross- Pendulum 10”+7” (1993)
1. Woke
2. There’s No Place
3. Halloween
4. Num
5. Faded Flowers
6. Dead Moon
7. Hungry Souls
8. Original Dream
9. Pendulum

*download it all here*

Plenty of rare and unblogged treasures coming in the next few weeks, so stay tuned and be safe out there! <3

2 Comments »

The Psalms- A Story I Was Told 7”

Posted in 1982, arizona, gin blossoms, jangle, new wave, post-punk, US on October 22, 2020 by Frankie Teardrop

First things first I’d like to thank Bret Helm of the excellent post-punk band Audra and from the Life on This Planet blog for clueing me into this one, as well as for providing the rip to share with you all. This particular 7” is one of those rare nuggets that only pops up once in a blue moon, and goes for an extraordinary amount, but in my opinion, is totally worth the asking price.

The Psalms were a new wave/post-punk band from Tempe, Arizona. The biggest touchstone here is guitarist/synth player Doug Hopkins and bassist Bill Leen, both who would form the Gin Blossoms a few years later. I could probably get into a big rant here about how the Gin Blossoms were REM in the time of Hootie, unfortunate timing for an otherwise solid jangle pop band. I’ll defend them to my dying day, but that all being said, this single is its own beast, and certainly should find lots of love around these parts. The A-side has an excellent airy synth lead and some power pop overtones, while the B-side has a little bit of a darker and harder edge. Both songs are incredibly catchy, and fans of bands like The Lucy Show, Weeping Messerschmitts, and Wild Flowers. More info about the band (including some lineup change info) can be found here.

This single was released in 1982 on Reilly Records and is the only piece of wax The Psalms released. The band put out a cassette in 1983, the single-sided No Great Cathedrals, with four more tracks. I’ve heard one of them on Youtube, but if anyone out there has the cassette (or a nice rip of it), please do get in touch! Otherwise, here’s the details for this 7”:

The Psalms- A Story I Was Told 7”
1. A Story I Was Told
2. Christmas Island

*download it here*

6 Comments »

Faded Films- Faded Years 7”

Posted in 1980s, 1986, canadian, new wave, post-punk on September 23, 2020 by Frankie Teardrop

Hi folks. Hope you’re all keeping safe and well out there. Here’s a rare and semi-pricy four-track 7” from a five-piece band from Canada, which was self-released in 1986. Apologies in advance for the audio quality on some of these tracks, each side clocks in around 7-8 minutes, which usually scrapes away some of the low end by design.

That said, each track here is a great post-punk/new wave hybrid (perhaps a touch of power pop influence as well, if that’s your cup of tea), with bouncy, yet gloomy rhythms. Lots of guitars and high synths on each track, and quite a few of the songs are incredibly catchy. Reminded a bit of mid-era B-Movie, Blue in Heaven, or even A Drop in the Gray.

Not much else to tell you about this one, so hope y’all enjoy!

Faded Films- Faded Years 7”
1 Faded Years
2 East of the Asylum
3. The Top
4. Jack in the Box

*download it here*

2 Comments »

Lisa Lee- I’m Taken By You 7”

Posted in 1980s, 1984, synth, synthpop, US on August 20, 2020 by Frankie Teardrop

Hope everyone is keeping safe and well out there. Here’s a little slice of 7” synth pop bliss that should keep you cool on these hot summer nights (or vice versa if you’re in the Southern Hemisphere).

This 7” was released in 1984 and features vocalist Lisa Lee, a US-based singer. Both tracks were co-written by Lee and her band. According to Discogs, Lee released a separate 12” in 1990, produced by Ronald Burrell and featuring a more house/electro style, but I’m not at all convinced that this is the same Lisa Lee, based on a comparison of both tracks. Perhaps someone can shed a little light on this one (or update the dang Discogs entry, accordingly).

As for this single, both tracks hit the same sweet spot as early Berlin or SSQ/Stacey Q recordings – fast, high energy synths and catchy hooks galore. Not much more I can tell you about this one, so we’ll keep it brief – hope you all enjoy!

Lisa Lee- I’m Taken By You 7”
1. Taken By You
2. Goner

*download it here*

5 Comments »

Passion Theatre – Strange Desire/Mannequin 12”s

Posted in 1980s, 1986, passion theatre, US on July 14, 2020 by Frankie Teardrop

I’ve had this pair of singles kicking around the collection for years now, and I’m not sure why it’s taken so long to post them, but here we are all the same. Here we have the two 12” singles from Passion Theatre, a trio from the US. Passion Theatre would gain a fourth member for their second single, though it seems like they don’t credit the female vocals on their first single, so perhaps they were always a quartet?  The band released two singles of exclusive material and were never heard from again, sadly. So it goes… Strangely enough, these records were released on an electro/hip-hop label which might be why they didn’t get too much traction in the new wave market? Also, it appears that the executive producer for both singles also worked with Stacey Q. on “Two of Hearts.”

…A lot of questions to be answered here.

Based on the cover art and rarity of these singles, you might expect some tried and true minimal synth sound (that’s actually what I expected when I picked these singles up ages ago) but they’re a little more on the breezy new wave/synth pop tip, maybe even a little power-poppy in spots. The real winner of the bunch is “Mannequin,” (aka “In Love With a Mannequin”) the title track from their second 12”. It’s a playful song about being in love with an in-store display figure, and it’s really a shame they didn’t make a movie about this exact premise, as I’m sure it would have been a hit…

Here’s the details for both singles, which were both released in 1986:

Passion Theatre- Strange Desire 12”
1. Strange Desire
2. International Love Affair
3, Menage A Trois
4. No For Answers

Passion Theatre- Mannequin 12”
1. Mannequin (Fiesta Mix)
2. Vacation Day
3. In Love With a Mannequin

*download them here*

6 Comments »

Idle Rood- Tolerance Bride 7”

Posted in 1990s, 1992, florida, idle rood, post-punk, US on June 16, 2020 by Frankie Teardrop

Sorry for the delay, everyone… Easy enough to say the world’s been weird all around, and while everyone’s fine over here at SOR headquarters, it just hasn’t felt like a priority to post lately. That said, I’ve been spending a lot of time quietly ripping and cleaning up some of the more rare records in my collection, some as updates to previous posts, some for future posts, and some just for posterity. I’ll try to be a little more proactive about uploading, if you all are still out there and thirsty for more rare tunes.

With that in mind, here’s one that Goutroy originally turned me onto a few years back, and I’ve since tracked down myself. This is the lone 7” by Idle Rood, a post-punk band from Tampa, Florida. This 7” dropped on clear blue vinyl in 1992, an interesting time for such incisive synth and guitar-driven post-punk (remember, this is the same era where bands like Nirvana, Jane’s Addiction, and Lush were at the forefront). That said, this record definitely has much in common with early Modern English, Razor Penguins, and as my quarantine-mate puts it, Husker Du.

While the band formed in 1988, they released this 7” the same year they split up. The band briefly reunited a few years back to play some local gigs, and have issued a handful of additional recordings on their Soundcloud page. For those interested in following the band and checking out some older photos of the band in action, they have an extensive Facebook page as well! Otherwise, here’s the info for the 7”:

Idle Rood- Tolerance Bride 7”
1. Tolerance Bride
2. Manifest

*download it here*

5 Comments »

Living Links – Discography

Posted in 1980s, 1983, 1985, baton rouge, indie, living links, louisiana, post-punk, US on February 25, 2020 by Frankie Teardrop

To celebrate Mardi Gras- here’s another rare US entry from the post-punk pantheon, consisting of a two piece husband and wife duo from Baton Rouge, Louisiana. Living Links originally started as a side outlet for Hans and Margie Van Brackle, who were first active in a band called Times (not to be confused with the Venus in Furs side project of the same name). Margie came from a background of opera, religious, and musical theatre, which can be heard in her playful, almost child-like soprano vocals. The pair recorded with a drum machine, layering overdubs for their debut single in 1983.

After picking up steam, the duo began occasionally performing live with a drummer, headlining regional shows and performing at the World’s Fair in 1984, which was held in New Orleans. This gig was followed up by their lone full-length record, 1985’s Gathering the Forces, which explored several styles outside of traditional post-punk. The duo would soon fade away, though allegedly the Van Brackles still play music together…

Fans of Talking Heads, The Wake, and more playful, yet still well-executed post-punk and indie pop will find much to love across these releases. I’ve included a fresh rip of the debut single (Every Sad Night) and the LP, and while it isn’t my personal rip, I’ve attached the a-side of their second single “Manger” just to sweeten the pot. I’d include the b-side, but it’s identical to the album version, so it’s a bit redundant to have here twice. The duo also released a final 7” in 1990, which also contained two repeat tracks from the LP.

So with that in mind, here’s the (pretty much) full discography for this excellent band. Enjoy!

Living Links- Every Sad Night 7” (1983)
1. Every Sad Night
2. You and the Unknown
3. I Stop Short

Living Links- Manger 7” (1983)
1. Manger
2. I’m Not Streetwise

Living Links- Gathering the Forces LP (1985)
1. I Live In Here
2. Gathering The Forces
3. I’m Awake When I Should Be Sleeping
4. Remember The Battle
5. For The Paramecium
6. Do You Dream In Color
7. Two Girls
8. Like An Animal
9. I’m Not Streetwise

Download all three here

6 Comments »

Christiane F.- Final Church/Gesundheit! 12”s

Posted in 1980s, 1982, alexander von borsig, christiane f., Einstürzende Neubauten, german, NDW, synth on January 29, 2020 by Frankie Teardrop

This pair of 12”s should be pretty familiar for most folks, but thought they were long overdue for a re-rip and a cleanup from my copies. For those unfamiliar on all levels, here’s the full recorded solo discography of , Christiane Vera Felscherinow, aka Christiana, aka Christiane X., aka Christiane F., most famous for her autobiography Wir Kinder vom Bahnhof Zoo (and the subsequent movie that shares her name and features a Berlin-era soundtrack by David Bowie), which captures her troubled teenage years.

For our intents and purposes, she also recorded two 12”s of NDW-flavored synth music and was a member of Sentimentale Jugend, an experimental project shared with then boyfriend Alexander Von Borsig/Hacke, who would soon join Einstürzende Neubauten, where he is still active to date. The first 12” (released under Christiana), features Hacke, Los Microwaves member David Javelosa, and Neubauten heavy-hitter F.M. Einheit as part of the recording entourage. The main track “Suechtig” is Felscherinow’s main bread and butter, appearing across both singles in various forms (a dub mix on Final Church, and an extended/single mix, re-recorded and retitled “Wunderbar,” featuring additional members of Los Microwaves on Gesundheit!).

There are two exclusive tracks, one on each single, and both are of interest as an industrial highlight and a sleazy synth shuffle, respectively. Meanwhile, the main track(s) are excellent, both worthy of inclusion in any experimental synth or NDW collection. It’s really a matter of preference as to which version is best, and I tend to teeter back and forth between the two.

Christiana- Final Church 12”
1. Suechtig
2. Spinnen
3. Health Dub

Christiane F.- Gesundheit! 12”
1. Wunderbar
2. Heimweh (Homesick)
3. Wunderbar

*download both here*

4 Comments »

Lyon in Winter- As Winter Falls LP

Posted in 1980s, 1986, new wave, post-punk, san francisco on January 13, 2020 by Frankie Teardrop

Ripped this one to upgrade a while back and thought I’d share it for those who are unfamiliar. Here we have the lone LP from Lyon in Winter. This LP is an excellent slice of smooth new wave with some excellent post-punk bass grooves.  I’m reminded often of things like The Lucy Show, The Hurting, Dole, and Fiat Lux. Lots of saxophone, if that’s your thing (hint: as long as there are icy synths, I’m down with sax, too).

“The Haunting Moon” is the clear standout for me here, often appearing in some lounge DJ sets here in NYC, but the whole album is a solid listen from front to back. The LP came out in 1986 and is still pretty attainable, for those who might want to grab a copy of their own…

Hope y’all enjoy this one.

EDIT: It appears the Discogs entry on this album is incorrect, as this is NOT an album from former Negativeland member Richard Lyons, but by another musician with the same name, who operated out of the Boston area. It DOES appear (unless that tag is incorrect as well and the sleeve is referencing another guy by the same name), that Merle Allin, the brother of G.G., played bass on this LP. With all of this in mind, if anyone has any further info about this record, I’d love to hear more!

Lyon in Winter- As Winter Falls LP
1. I Dream
2. Summer
3. The Haunting Moon
4. Push! Pound!
5. As Winter Falls
6. Please Don’t…
7. The Change

*download it here*

3 Comments »

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