I’ve had “Sunkissed” by Friends Again stuck in my head… again. It’s easily one of my favorite 80s pop singles and tends to get lodged in my brain for lengths at a time (“You’ll be calling for ACTION STATIONS”). For the completist side in you, I’ve posted every version I have in my collection.

“Sunkissed” from the “Sunkissed” 7″ (Moon 2)

“Sunkissed (Extended Version)” from the “Sunkissed” 12″ (Moon 212)

“Sunkissed (New Version)” from “The Friends Again EP” 7″ (FAEP 1)

Lyrics:
And from the embers (oh yeh my my)
Hold it like an outlawed fawn honey
You thought it finished (oh yeh my my)
You’ll be calling for ACTION STATIONS
Now’s your chance to radio soul city
And lose yourself in her special words
If ever I have a dollar again
I’m going ot hold on ’til that eagle grins
(Let’s just cruise along now baby)
Miles and miles I’m melting in your sun
Miles and miles I’m melting in your smile
I’m melting in the glare of your sun
Melting in the glare of your sun

And in the chambers (oh yeh my my)
You’ve got to pull that sword right out of that stone honey
And when you’re finished (oh yeh my my)
You’ll be calling for ACTION STATIONS
Now’s your chance to radio soul city
And lose yourself in a special world
If ever I have a dollar again
I’m going to hold on ’til that eagle grins
(Let’s just cruise along now baby)
Miles and miles I’m melting in your sun
Miles and miles I’m melting in your smile
I’m melting in the glare of your sun
Melting in the glare of your sun

Friends Again on Last.fm

The Slaves released their “Save Me From Yesterday” album in 2006 and while I thought most of those songs were just okay, the title track has really stuck with me. They didn’t really break out of Sweden at the time the album was released, so I figure it’s worth mentioning here.

Listen to The Slaves - Save Me From Yesterday

Buy from iTunes

www.myspace.com/theslavesswe

I recently purchased a new cassette deck (Tascam 122 mkIII - yes, Merry Christmas to me!). My old Denon deck was busted and worn and played everything at helium speed. I’ve always had a love/hate relationship with tapes — at one point I just wanted to dump them all and be done trying to find places to store them. Luckily that didn’t happen and now I’m enjoying mixtapes I made back in the 90s. I also found some crazy Autocollants demos, some rare indiepop comps, and a tape simply titled “Dope Rap” (probably from my junior high days - ha!). Long story short, I’m going to start digitizing and posting the stand-out stuff here.

For this post, I thought I’d start off with something good… a song from the “Everlasting” tape compilation by A Riot of Colour called “Put To Sleep,” which I believe is exclusive to this release. I was hoping we’d see their retrospective cd on Egg Records released this year, but for now, have a listen to this song here. More cassette tape posts to come…

Listen to A Riot of Colour - Put To Sleep

Here’s a flyer that was included with the tape:

(click to view)

www.eggrecords.co.uk
twee.net/bands/r/riotofcolour.html

A little Christmas present from Champagne Riot. Download the mp3 single of “December Slopes” for free! The song was originally issued on the Cloudberry Records compilation “Last Train To Christmas.” A demo from 2004 “Wrong Turn Right” is included as the “B-side.” Happy holidays!

Download it here!

Listen to Champagne Riot - December Slopes

www.champagneriot.com

“Secret Eyes” by Cloetta Paris on Skywriting Records gets my Number 1 for 2008. I can’t tell you the countless times I’ve played this album since it was released back in April. I wouldn’t say I’m a big Italo disco fan (okay, I do love Sally Shapiro as well, so maybe that automatically qualifies me?). I’d be more apt to say I’m a Roger Gunnarsson fan (aka Clive Reynolds, Free Loan Investments, Nixon, etc). I can hear his influence all over this record. Genius!

Top 10 albums of 2008
1. Cloetta Paris - Secret Eyes (Skywriting)
2. Thieves Like Us - Play Music (SeaYou)
3. Auburn Lull - Begin Civil Twilight (Darla)
4. Moscow Olympics - Cut The World (Lavender Recordings)
5. British Sea Power - Do You Like Rock Music? (Rough Trade)
6. M83 - Saturdays = Youth (Mute)
7. Air France - No Way Down (Sincerely Yours)
8. autoKratz - Down & Out In Paris & London (Kitsuné)
9. Julie Ocean - Long Gone and Nearly There (Transit of Venus)
10. Twig - Life After Ridge (Plastilina)

Podcast #2 - Top 20 songs of 2008
(in no particular order)
1. Air France - No Excuses
2. The Pains of Being Pure At Heart - Come Saturday
3. British Sea Power - Waving Flags
4. Days - Motion
5. M83 - Kim & Jessie
6. The Breeders - Walk It Off
7. Auburn Lull - Dub 1
8. Cloetta Paris - Secret Eyes
9. autoKratz - Reaktor
10. Thieves Like Us - Your Heart Feels
11. Northern Portrait - Crazy
12. Twig - Ciao Ciao Bomb
13. Julie Ocean - Ten Lonely Words
14. Vivian Girls - Wild Eyes
15. Bubblegum Lemonade - I’ll Never Be Yours
16. Cocoanut Groove - The End of Summer On Bookbinder Road
17. The Ruling Class - Flowers
18. Moscow Olympic - What Is Left Unsaid
19. Ulrirch Schnauss - Stars
20. spc eco - You’re Alright

Listen to the Shelflife Records podcast: Subscribe using iTunes or subscribe to the feed.

In honor of Christmas, Cosy Recordings (Sweden) has some free mp3 singles available for download by The Autumn Apples and The Garlands.

Get them here!

Listen to The Autumn Apples - Christmas in Mono

www.myspace.com/cosyrecordings
www.myspace.com/theautumnapples
www.myspace.com/garlandssweden

Swimteam is the latest project by Brian Young, Chris Chez, and Bill Miller. They’ve played together in a few bands prior including The Ideal Husbands (who covered “Statues” for the Shelflife OMD comp) and The Promise (at one time were the best guitar pop band in the Inland Empire). Brian also recorded some songs under the name Sometimes I Wonder (he covered Laura Watling’s “My Fondest Wish” on Shelflife 50). We were hoping to do a release together a few years back, but that never came to be.

Listen to Swimteam - Like You Always Do (demo)

www.myspace.com/jointheswimteam
www.myspace.com/siwswim
Artwork by Brigette Barrager

I finally won the “Sense Sickness” 7″ off eBay for a semi-reasonable amount. Funny thing is that I used to give my friend Victor a lot of shit for liking Del Amitri, but I have to admit this song is quite good! It’s like night and day compared to the band’s later material.

“Sense Sickness” was released in 1983 and was the first single from Glasgow’s NoStrings Records (who also released excellent singles by the Suede Crocodiles and The Incredible Blondes).

Listen to Del Amitri - Sense Sickness

Here’s the video (quality isn’t so great, but it’s worth seeing just for the shirts):

www.nostringsrecords.com
www.myspace.com/nostringsrecords
www.myspace.com/delamitri

Created in 2006, this mix partially inspired the Tears Run Rings album of the same name.

Listen to the Shelflife Records podcast: Subscribe using iTunes or subscribe to the feed.

Podcast #1 - Always, Sometimes, Seldom, Never
1. The Caravelles - Forever
2. The Radio Dept. - Always A Relief
3. Languis - Times Are Changing
4. Moose - Eve In a Dream
5. The Embassy - It Never Entered My Mind
6. Cocteau Twins - Know Who You Are at Every Age
7. The Millennium - It Won’t Always be the Same
8. My Bloody Valentine - Sometimes
9. Beach House - Master Of None
10. Dionne Warwick - I’ll Never Fall In Love Again
11. Simon & Garfunkel - For Emily, Whenever I May Find Her
12. Daft Punk - Veridis Quo
13. Cortney Tidwell - Mama from the Mountain
14. The Sandpipers - never can say goodbye
15. Kelley Stoltz - Perpetual Night
16. The Radio Dept. - The Hide Away

The Big Outdoor Type is one of those rare 80s singles that sells for $$$ on eBay. I forget where I purchased this (Amoeba, SF maybe), but I remember it being around $4 and not having any clue to what it was. “Call You On Sundays” is a nice track that doesn’t get too “big band” for my taste. The flip “Seventeen” isn’t as fortunate. Released on 7″ by Havasac Records (SAC 1) in 1984.

Listen to Big Outdoor Type - Call You On Sundays

The second 12″ by Always, “Metroland,” was released on él Records in 1987. Another fantastic single. The second track, “The Arcade,” gets the nod here. Still one of my all time favorite tracks from the él catalog.

Listen to Always - The Arcade

Buy Always “Thames Valley Leather Club” from Boomkat or direct from Cherry Red.

www.myspace.com/thamesvalleyleatherclub

This week I’m working on my 2008 top 10 list (which I’ll be posting on the blog soon). I’ve also been reminiscing over my past year-end playlists. One release on the 2006 list stands out in particular… The Sound Movement “Ichi Go Ichi E.” I was certain this band would be HUGE by now! I haven’t seen or heard anyone talking about them in ages, so it’s time for a refresher…

The Sound Movement are Andrew Day (vocals/guitar), Kat (bass) and Graham Brown (drums). They started off in Melbourne, then moved to Tokyo, then Manchester, and finally to Camden. The excellent “Ichi Go Ichi E” was released on Truck Records (UK) in 2006 and looks like it will see a re-release on Pharmacy Records (Australia) next year. Pharmacy also released a few singles taken from the album this year, but I don’t see anywhere you can actually purchase them online. I hope a vinyl issue is also forthcoming.

Truck Records closed shop, but looks like Cargo UK still carries the CD. Order it here!

Listen to In Dark Sunlight

Here’s the video for “Modern Condition”

Links:
www.thesoundmovement.co.uk
www.myspace.com/thesoundmovement
www.myspace.com/pharmacyrecordsmusic
www.allmusic.com

Listen to Pocketbooks - Something in the Silence Told Me.mp3

Available on the album “Proofreading” by Pocketbooks.

Art by Valero Doval.

This Southville song is in honor of el Guapo’s last set at Teenage Kicks tonight. There’s a bit of an inside joke associated with this single and we’ll leave it at that.

“Inside and Out” was released on Pillerbox Red in 1993.

Listen to Inside and Out

TEENAGE KICKS
a monthly P!O!P! party
80s indie … powerpop … post-punk … indiepop … 60s pop

on the turntables:
el Guapo (BBQ)
DJ in the Manner of a Leprechaun (East Bay Pop Mafia)

Friday, December 12
10pm to 2am
the Attic
3334 24th Street (Mission and 24th, right next to BART station)
San Francisco
FREE

“Ariel Atlas” by Always (aka Kevin Wright) was released on él Records in 1986. The first track, “Dreams of Leaving,” sounds like a song Josef K or The June Brides could have released. That’s about the highest compliment I can give.

Listen to Always - Dreams of Leaving

Buy Always “Thames Valley Leather Club” from Boomkat or direct from Cherry Red.

www.myspace.com/thamesvalleyleatherclub

Another good track that will never be released.

Listen to Actually Huizenga - Sunny Brook

This band is funny now. Check out their Youtube.

18th Dye are playing in Portland tonight.   It got me listening to this older song by them again called “Plumbing and Soon Forgetting,” which I used to love!  It’s off the “Dive” 7″ on Che (1993) and also on “The Noise And The Melodies” comp.  I doubt they’ll play it, but it would be really great if they did.

UPDATE: 18th Dye were FANTASTIC last night! If you have a chance to go see them, don’t miss it!

Listen to 18th Dye - Plumbing and Soon Forgetting

www.myspace.com/18thdye

Blab Happy were a band from Leicester comprising Mick McCarthy, Jon Dennis, Tony Owen and Jeremy Clay. The band split up in 1993, with singer Mick and bassist Tony forming Perfume. “Perish the Thought” is from their “Fruits Of Our Labor” 7″ on Wisdom Records (1988).

Listen to Blab Happy - Perish the Thought

I’ve had this song in my head all weekend, so here’s my attempt to get it in yours. This is “Easy Girl” from 2002 by the Manchester-based pop duo Snowblind.

Listen to Snowblind - Easy Girl

Here’s the video:

In the 90s, I was crazy in love for anything “This Happy Feeling,” a Greek indie pop label that released records by Next Time Passions, One Night Suzan, Kissamatic Lovebubbles and The Crooner. These bands all had some obvious Sarah Records envy, but to me still managed to hold their own. Shelflife was involved early on trying to expose these bands to the world (working with The Crooner and releasing a number of the others on Shelflife comps).

The Next Time Passions were possibly my favorite “This Happy Feeling” band and I remember how happy I was when I finally tracked down this single. I almost convinced the band to release a retrospective on Shelflife in 2000, but it never came to be. So these songs remain a lost treasure. Luckily there are newer bands like Moscow Olympics to keep the torch burning!

Listen to Next Time Passions - Not Here Anymore

www.myspace.com/greekindiepop