A classic just dropped The Deep end by the Swimming Pool Qs - early 80s quirky spiky pop. I kind of sounds like a cross between Pere Ubu and the B 52s.
The first 11 tracks are the original album, the rest is bonus material, which isn't as essential.
Thanks, frogkopf, very nice - Walk Like A Chicken and Rat Bait sold me immediately.
Edit - upon more extensive listening, I must reconsider - this is a great album. I had never heard of them so I just downloaded the first 11 original tracks, and it's one of the best things I've gotten there lately.
Yeah, the Swimming Pool Q's are local legends in the Atlanta music scene. I moved there in 1988, which was towards the end of their initial run, but they used to get together for shows occasionally and I saw them at least twice. All of their stuff is strong, but The Deep End is their first and probably best record. I like the bonus tracks a lot too.
I'd be very excited if their label, DB Records, added some old catalog to Amie Street. They had a bunch of great Georgia bands, including Guadalcanal Diary, Pylon, the Windbreakers, Right As Rain, and the late, lamented Jody Grind. All highly recommended if they pop up.
[edit] The Windbreakers reminded me of Tim Lee, who has a great solo record on Amie that's still very cheap: Concrete Dog
Muggsy,
I saw the Coolies album available last night and was gonna post the same thing. From the AMG review of the "Take That You Bastards" (that was double CD re-issue of their two individual albums):
>>>>>>>>
One of the great unheralded albums of the whole Southern pop/DB Records scene, Doug is a tongue-in-cheek rock opera about a skinhead who kills a transvestite short-order cook, steals his recipe book, and becomes an overnight celebrity when the cookbook becomes a nationwide best-seller. Surprisingly, the story has actual moments of pathos, but the really remarkable part of Doug is the way that each of the 13 songs is performed in an entirely credible approximation of a different band. For example, "Coke Light Ice" is a dead-on impersonation of mid-period Replacements, and the glammy "Doug!" is pure Gary Glitter. (Led Zeppelin, mod-era Who, and John Lennon also get the Coolies treatment.) Doug is both fun as parody and a genuinely interesting, listenable album. The three bonus tracks, recorded in 1989 as demos for a never-completed third album, are comparatively normal and not essential.
>>>>>>>>
About Unidentified Terrestrial
I may be the last of my race. I have observed you earthlings from the blackness and coldness of space. You have many languages and many differences among each other. One thing I have learned that you all have in common is music.Its your universal language. So I built a small studio in my spaceship, and my goal is to get you humans to know me, and for me to know you. Through my music I will find a way to communicate. Maybe one day we could combine our technologies, and search for others of my race if any do exist. Maybe I could write a book, or get a movie deal to tell my story, if I can find someone that is interested in making that a possibility. Is anyone out there?
Natural Self's My Heart Beats like a Drum just dropped on the Tru Thoughts label. They have a high standard and a definite label sound which I like, so I pick up everything possible.
Thanks for opening the floodgates. I'll second frogkopf on Natural Self ... typical Tru Thoughts. A number of Unsound/Tru Thoughts are also mixed into the current onslaught.
Whoa, thanks guys. I got the full Tune Yards over yonder but hadn't snagged the EP yet. Got it! Also grabbed everything slightly Tru Thoughts related (Natural Self and all of those Unmeasured comps).
Kind of humorous that I just happened to be listening to The Bamboos' Step It Up when these all dropped...
Speaking of Unsounds (by which I mean the label), John Butcher's experimental solo saxophone outing 13 Friendly Numbers is very fine, and <$2.50 atm (it's also at emu). Butcher's one of the foremost saxophone players on the planet, though of course playing in a fairly rarefied area.
Minty Fresh is another one of those labels where I'll sample whatever they're dishing out - they've had some good artists on their label - Veruca Salt, Bettie Serveert, Tahiti 80, the Cardigans, the Orange Peels, Komeda, etc...
Comments
(edited by Dr. Mutex)
(currently $2.42)
The first 11 tracks are the original album, the rest is bonus material, which isn't as essential.
Edit - upon more extensive listening, I must reconsider - this is a great album. I had never heard of them so I just downloaded the first 11 original tracks, and it's one of the best things I've gotten there lately.
I'd be very excited if their label, DB Records, added some old catalog to Amie Street. They had a bunch of great Georgia bands, including Guadalcanal Diary, Pylon, the Windbreakers, Right As Rain, and the late, lamented Jody Grind. All highly recommended if they pop up.
[edit] The Windbreakers reminded me of Tim Lee, who has a great solo record on Amie that's still very cheap: Concrete Dog
Special today apparently - $3.00 for the album.
The Coolies, Doug
AMG Review
I saw the Coolies album available last night and was gonna post the same thing. From the AMG review of the "Take That You Bastards" (that was double CD re-issue of their two individual albums):
>>>>>>>>
One of the great unheralded albums of the whole Southern pop/DB Records scene, Doug is a tongue-in-cheek rock opera about a skinhead who kills a transvestite short-order cook, steals his recipe book, and becomes an overnight celebrity when the cookbook becomes a nationwide best-seller. Surprisingly, the story has actual moments of pathos, but the really remarkable part of Doug is the way that each of the 13 songs is performed in an entirely credible approximation of a different band. For example, "Coke Light Ice" is a dead-on impersonation of mid-period Replacements, and the glammy "Doug!" is pure Gary Glitter. (Led Zeppelin, mod-era Who, and John Lennon also get the Coolies treatment.) Doug is both fun as parody and a genuinely interesting, listenable album. The three bonus tracks, recorded in 1989 as demos for a never-completed third album, are comparatively normal and not essential.
>>>>>>>>
Craig
About Unidentified Terrestrial
I may be the last of my race. I have observed you earthlings from the blackness and coldness of space. You have many languages and many differences among each other. One thing I have learned that you all have in common is music.Its your universal language. So I built a small studio in my spaceship, and my goal is to get you humans to know me, and for me to know you. Through my music I will find a way to communicate. Maybe one day we could combine our technologies, and search for others of my race if any do exist. Maybe I could write a book, or get a movie deal to tell my story, if I can find someone that is interested in making that a possibility. Is anyone out there?
Craig
Edit: 1:17 PM - Never mind. About 100 in the last 2 hours - the suits are just trying to catch Frogkopf napping.
Natural Self's My Heart Beats like a Drum just dropped on the Tru Thoughts label. They have a high standard and a definite label sound which I like, so I pick up everything possible.
Kind of humorous that I just happened to be listening to The Bamboos' Step It Up when these all dropped...
This dropped on AmieStreet about two hours ago. It's still currently free. Never heard of them prior to listening but I'm really liking it.
Minty Fresh is another one of those labels where I'll sample whatever they're dishing out - they've had some good artists on their label - Veruca Salt, Bettie Serveert, Tahiti 80, the Cardigans, the Orange Peels, Komeda, etc...
Craig
Mike Van Kool does THE BEATLES!!!!!
currently free.
Edit: not anymore.
Good stuff if you like sloppy, bluesy guitar rock.