Tag: 1990s

Vinyl

Vinyl love: Suede “Coming up”

Post author By jprobichaud
Post date July 13, 2018
5 Comments on Vinyl love: Suede “Coming up”

(Vinyl Love is a series of posts that quite simply lists, describes, and displays the pieces in my growing vinyl collection. You can bet that each record was given a spin during the drafting of each corresponding post.)

Artist: Suede
Album Title: Coming up
Year released: 1996
Year reissued: 2016
Details: Gatefold sleeve, Limited edition, 20th anniversary, 180 gram, Double LP, translucent yellow vinyl, numbered 324/1000

The skinny: Suede and their lead guitarist Bernard Butler parted ways in acrimony before the recording of their sophomore album, “Dog man star”, was completed. The band soldiered on, however, and had a new lineup and new sound for their third album, “Coming up”. The guitars were still present without Butler but they were just another layer of support for Brett Anderson’s vocals and lecherous lyrics. The album as a whole was glam-infused and club-worthy, and in the end, is now considered a britpop classic. This 20th anniversary reissue was the template upon which the 25th anniversary edition of the self-titled debut was based: coloured vinyl double LP, the second disc featuring the era’s B-sides.

Standout track: “Beautiful ones”

Tags 12", 180 gram, 1990s, 20th anniversary, Alternative, Alternative Rock, British rock, Britpop, Coloured vinyl, Double LP, Limited, Numbered, Reissue, Retro, Suede, Translucent yellow

Vinyl

Vinyl love: Elastica “Elastica”

Post author By jprobichaud
Post date July 8, 2018
7 Comments on Vinyl love: Elastica “Elastica”

Artist: Elastica
Album Title: Elastica
Year released: 1995
Year reissued: 2014
Details: Unofficial RSD release, red translucent vinyl

The skinny: Elastica was formed after Justine Frischmann broke up with Suede frontman Brett Anderson and left that group. Elastica only ever released two albums before breaking up in 2001 but the only one of these ever worth discussing is the debut. There were rumours that boyfriend at the time, Damon Albarn, wrote most of the material and there were those that slagged it for sounding too much like Wire but I really loved this album for what it was. Sixteen tracks of Britpop bliss.

Standout track: “Connection”

Tags 12", 1990s, Alternative, Alternative Rock, British rock, Britpop, Coloured vinyl, Elastica, Limited, Record Store Day, Red Translucent, Reissue, Retro

Tunes

Best tunes of 1991: #20 My Bloody Valentine “Only shallow”

Post author By jprobichaud
Post date June 27, 2018
12 Comments on Best tunes of 1991: #20 My Bloody Valentine “Only shallow”

<< #21 | #19 >>

1991’s “Loveless” is largely considered to My Bloody Valentine’s masterpiece. The band’s second album was recorded over a two to three year period, going through numerous studios and even more sound engineers, and causing a rift between the band and Creation label owner Alan McGee (who claimed the album nearly bankrupted him) in the process. Kevin Shields was either insane or a genius, depending on who you ask. He was obviously on to something in his mad scientist laboratory, concocting new and inventive ways of recording and making noise with his guitars. Despite not selling as well as expected, the album was lauded by critics, baffled the band’s peers at the time, and inspired generations of musicians.

You would think given the album’s legendary and god-like status in the shoegaze pantheon that yours truly would have loved it from the start. But not so. I tried and failed many times throughout the nineties to find value in the noise because I knew (I KNEW) it was in there somewhere. I think it finally took seeing a VHS on the shelf at my friend Alex’s apartment, live performances by the band (that also included Jesus and Mary Chain and maybe Blur?), and asking to put it on while we sat around drinking. My friend shrugged, it was his roommate’s tape and a little out of his jazz oeuvre. I remember that we were all pretty jarred by it, as out of our heads as we were by that point in the evening, and also quite jazzed (pun intended her).

“Only shallow” is the opening track and is a nuke to the head. The crunchiest guitars ever charge in and out during its duration, threatening to blow out any speakers not set at a minimum. The drum beat is merely a metronome that keeps vocalist Blinda Butcher on track. Her voice is breathy and sounding like it’s been run through a million effects pedals and distortion, and her words unintelligible, not that they really matter here. The guitars and the utterly destructive noise they create is the raison d’être.

And yes, it’s a great tune. It took almost a decade to realize it and to dig through the viscous noise haze, but that made finding the beauty and order in the chaos that much more satisfying.