After initially posting emo and grunge covers online in 2023, Bee Blackwell released the three-cut EP Calico later that year. She followed that up with three singles, “Dumb,” “The Same,” and “Signs” in 2024 and is now back with her second EP Nine Lives. She describes her music as “‘90s alternative meets 2000s emo,” which pretty much hits the nail on the head here. It’s very rare that a song becomes an instant earworm the first time I hear it, but that’s exactly what happened when i hit play on the opening track “Claws.” Fuzzy guitar driven alt rock with sugary sweet pop hooks and Blackwell’s vocals that fit the song perfectly, make this a track that should be blasting out of everybody’s radio this summer. A little slower and more introspective, but still not lacking in melody, “Cowboy” adds a little bit of grunge. Although a little more upbeat “LALALA” moves in more of a shoegazer direction and closing track “More” once again slows things down and is a bit darker. My only complaint here is that opener "Claws" is so infectious that I wish there was a little more like that.
The Scottish band Skids were formed in 1977 with an original lineup comprised of Richard Jobson, Stuart Adamson, William Simpson and Thomas Kellichan. While they never really took off in the States, they had quite a successful career in the UK with nine songs hitting the top 100, three of which were Top Twenty. The band made their debut in February 1978 with the three-cut single Charles. The title track (later re-recorded and included on their debut album Scared To Dance) has a punk edge with a driving, almost military beat and buzzsaw guitars. On the flipside was "Reasons", some ragged punk a la The Skids and the Oi! sounds of "Test-Tube Babies." After signing with Virgin Records the band went in with producer David Batchelor (known for his work with the Sensational Alex Harvey Band) and recorded "Sweet Suburbia," a song to me that really shows them finding their sound (and Stuart Adamson locking in on that distinctive guitar sound) and carries over to the faster paced b-side "Open Sound". Next up was the Wide Open EP, which was led by one of their most iconic songs, the anthemic "The Saints Are Coming," which not only is used as walk-on music for the rugby team the Northampton Saints, but it was also covered by the likes of Green Day and U2. The remaining tracks on the EP are "Of One Skin," a bouncy punk song with some interesting slowed down sections, the working man punk of “Night And Day” and the more mid-tempo “Contusion,” with its laid-back beat. Hitting number ten on the UK charts, "Into the Valley" was their biggest single and is another infectious anthem that can also be heard at soccer stadiums. Recorded live at the Marquee Club in England, "TV Stars", is the b-side and is a fun song primarily consisting of them chanting a list of names with the crowd joining in. It is still included in their current shows with updated names. With production from John Leckie and Bill Nelson (ex-Be Bop Deluxe) their next single "Masquerade" was another big hit reaching fourteen on the UK charts. Although it has a touch more of a punk edge, it shows signs of where Adamson would head next in Big Country, and “Out of Town” on the flipside is another distinctive, hard-driving tune with plenty of hooks. There was also a limited 50,000 singles that included a second disc with "Another Emotion," which has that familiar Skids sound and "Aftermath Dub,” a dub version of "Masquerade" that to me is pretty much a mess and a definite misfire. Following the departure of drummer Kellichan, “Charade” was the first single to feature new drummer Rusty Egan (ex-Rich Kids) and takes their sound and adds a bit of an electronic element. Non-album b-side “Grey Parade” is a darker, haunting tune with waves of synths that at that time was a definite shift in direction, but a sign of where they would be heading. Although it was originally on the Days In Europa album, "Working For The Yankee Dollar" was remixed by Mick Glossop for the single release and is another great Skids singalong anthem, with the rollicking punk track "Vanguard's Crossing" on the flip (there were around 50,000 copies of the single that came with a free 7" containing "All The Young Dudes" and "Hymns From A Haunted Ballroom" recorded for the BBC, but they were unable to license them for this release). The next single was "Animation" and it was the last to feature bassist William Simpson who by this time had left the band to be replaced by Russell Webb (fill in drummer Egan also left after the single's release). While it sounds like the Skids, it still shows them expanding on the sound in some new directions, most likely due to the input of producer Bill Nelson. Having said that, the flipside "Pros and Cons" is pure synth heavy new wave. Featuring new members Russell Webb on bass and Mike Baillie on drums, "Circus Games" was the first single from album number three The Absolute Game. It's an interesting track that musically follows along a similar path to many songs on the previous album, but also has a fun, almost children's song like singalong chorus that also included sections sung by children. Also taken from the album, the b-side "One Decree" again has a very strong Big Country feel. “Goodbye Civilian” is a very catchy, upbeat track that comes close to new wave electropop, but still maintains a little of the rock undercurrent. The strangely titled b-side Monkey McGuire Meets Specky Potter Behind Lochore Institute is an interesting high energy punk instrumental with some jazz flourishes. Probably even more than on any cut before, “Woman In Winter” ended up being the band’s last charting single and again is a precursor to Adamson’s influence on Big Country. It was backed by a live version of “Working For The Yankee Dollar.” Their fourth album Joy, found the band whittled down to Jobson and Webb with guest musicians. "Fields" was taken from that album and included appearances from The Associates' Billy Mackenzie and Alan Rankine. They also shifted their sound going in more of a folk direction with largely acoustic instrumentation. That song and the non-album b-side "Brave Man," which has more of an electronic edge and doesn't really fit in on Joy are here in both 7" and 12" versions. The band's final single was "Iona" (released for some reason in versions that are two different lengths), which was the last Skids' song featuring Adamson on guitar and also had an appearance from Mike Oldfield playing bagpipe samples. It's a powerful Celtic-tinged anthem that is completely unlike anything they've done before, as is the b-side, the haunting “Blood and Soil,” with its sparse instrumentation (mostly keys and percussion) and a chant like vocal accompaniment. Also included with this great collection is a sixteen page booklet detailing the story behind each single.
Following a couple of albums in 2018 and 2022, Cardiff's Wylderness is back with the new four cut Safe Mode EP. Overall, the EP has a very late eighties / early nineties vibe. Opener “Big Idea” is a hypnotic track that has a very shoegazer sounding start, then mixes in some jangly alt rock along with interesting guitars that have a bit of a Smiths era Johnny Marr sound. “Is It Summer” kicks off with a laid-back, dreamy alt rock sound (reminds me a little of early Lloyd Cole), but has a slow build with elements of shoegaze coming in more and more before the fuzzed out wall of guitar climactic ending. The dizzying, swirling sound of “Sun Scream,” along with some clarinet giving it more of that eighties / nineties alt rock sound, is very reminiscent of bands like The Ride and Stone Roses and has another explosive closing full of loud, noisy guitars. The EP’s final track is “What Happened To The Rain,” which is again dreamy and laid-back, bordering on shoegaze, but with more of a modern-day twist.
Luke Haines & Peter Buck - Going Down To The River ... To Blow My Mind
Following albums in 2020 and 2022, Luke Haines (The Auteurs, Black Box Recorder) and REM's Peter Buck are back with Going Down To The River… To Blow My Mind, which they are calling the third in their "psychiatric trilogy." Rounding out their band here are Scott McCaughey (The Young Fresh Fellows) and Linda Pitmon (Zuzu's Petals), who have both played with a multitude of bands and artists, including several with Buck. While the previous two albums were recorded remotely, this time around they recorded together in Portland. As you make your way through the thirteen songs, there is a lot of diversity stylewise, but it is still a very cohesive release. The album opens with the single “The Pink Floyd Research Group” a trippy psychedelic ride with tons of pop hooks and even a bit of its namesake. Next up is the title track bringing to mind the noisier side of REM during their Monster era (especially in Buck’s guitar work), as does “Nuclear War” later in the album. Quirky and off kilter, “Hot Artists” has demented circus like guitars and keys that remind me a little of when I first heard Mr Bungle, but not quite as heavy or erratic. They delve into glam (complete with handclaps) with “56 Nervous Breakdowns,” which adds a bit of a ragged edge, while “Sufi Devotional” and “Children Of The Air” are a couple of solid psychedelic tracks, the latter with a hint of The Beatles. “Me and the Octopus” is really catchy power pop with horns and some old school synths. Following the dreamy, laid-back psychedelia of “In Rock” they tackle a more power pop with “Judy Chicago,” a tune that has a little bit of a bite and some great harmonies. The midtempo alt rock of “Radical Bookshop,” is enhanced perfectly with some nice piano accompaniment, and the album closes with “Special Guest Appearance” a quirky, slow and swaggering track with lyrics that are often tongue in cheek, dealing with “special guest appearances.” Another standout release in the long and prolific careers of these two musicians.
Ruperts People - Dream In My Mind - Anthology 1967-1999
While there have been other compilations documenting the musical output of Rupert's People, the newly released 19 track CD Dream In My Mind – Anthology 1967-1999 is the most comprehensive. Along with the three singles they released are a German B-side, two cuts from previously unreleased acetates, seven live recordings (three from 1969 and four from a reunion show in 1999), another previously unreleased cut and a single from their earlier band The Sweet Feeling. Comprised of vocalist Rod Lynton, bassist Ray Beverley and drummer Steve Brendall, The Sweet Feeling caught the attention of Howard Conder, who quit his job with the Robert Stigwood Agency, and became their manager. He got them a deal with Columbia Records who released their only single, which opens the CD. Although it wasn’t successful saleswise, “All So Long Ago” is an impressive track that walks the line between The Beatles and The Kinks with the driving psychedelic “Charles Brown” on the flipside. That song takes us to the first twist in their story when Conder asked Lynton to rearrange it to the tune of Bach’s “Air On The G String,” which ironically (or most likely not ironically) was also the tune that was the inspiration for Procol Harum’s just released single “Whiter Shade Of Pale.” He then got the mod group Fleur De Lys to record the song under the name Ruperts People and released it as the single “Reflections Of Charles Brown,” which sounded nothing like the original, but instead was almost a clone of the Procol Harum song. They also recorded the b-side, the hard-rocking “Hold On,” co-written by Lynton and Fleur De Lys’s Gordon Haskell, which has some great driving organ from future Procol Harum member Peter Solley. To make the story even stranger, when the single was released the members of Fleur De Lys didn't like it and refused to do any promotion, so Conder asked The Sweet Feeling to change their name to Ruperts People to promote it. Since they had their own songs, they didn't want to do that either. Conder ended up putting together another band fronted by Chris Andrews, the Les Fleur de Lys singer who actually sang the song, but they broke up during rehearsals. At this point he once again begged them to change their name, which they did, adding Dai Jenkins on guitar and John Tout on organ and recording their next single, “A Prologue To A Magic World”. The Alice In Wonderland themed song is a dreamy piece of psychedelia that fits that theme perfectly, and the b-side “Dream In My Mind” is a heavier psychedelic gem with a bit of a freakbeat edge. Strongly reminiscent of The Small Faces, “I Can Show You” was the final single released by the band, with the pop-tinged psychedelic rock of “I’ve Got The Love” on the back. As for the bonus cuts, first up is “Love/Opus 193”, a raw, bluesy rock tune that was the German b-side to “Reflections Of Charlie Brown” and is rumored to have been recorded by session musicians. Also included are a couple of unreleased acetate recordings. "Water To A Stone" is an interesting cut that was produced by The Beatles' roadie Mal Evans and is an organ heavy tune with a lighter “Born To Be Wild” vibe at times, while “Flying High” is a gorgeous and mellow, somewhat psychedelic instrumental (a second version is also here, where in 1992 a reformed version of the band and some friends took the acetate and built on it, including adding vocals). The remaining tracks are live cuts, three recorded in London in 1969 and four more from a 1999 reunion show featuring the three original members. The 1969 tracks are from an audience recording and are surprisingly good. They include “I See You’ve Changed,” a rocker with some really good guitar and organ playing, the heavier bluesy psychedelic “Reflecting,” and an interesting organ heavy cover of The Rolling Stones’ “You Can’t Always Get What You Want,” that’s a little slower and bluesier. As for the reunion tracks, along with fairly faithful covers of The Small Faces’ “My Mind’s Eye” and The Beatles’ “Rain” are another run through “I See You’ve Changed,” along with “Hold On”, both of which sound great. These definitely make for a nice addition to this outstanding collection that is well-worth the listen.
