I just discovered The Bilinda Butchers who were recently mentioned on The Radio Dept. forum. I really like this song “Gigi” off their debut EP cassette. It reminds me of what some Gothenburg bands have been doing, like Air France and Boat Club, but more dreampop with lovely layers of reverb (which I whole-heartily support). Definitely looking forward to hearing more from these guys.

Listen to The Bilinda Butchers – Gigi

Order their debut EP, “Away,” out now on cassette from Unexplainable Recordings.

Tracklisting:
1. Gigi
2. It’s Not Over Till We’re Dead
3. I Can’t See It Here
4. L’astrologue

Order information is here!

www.myspace.com/thebilindabutchers

Energy Suite is an audio/visual installation from Peter Saville, Andy McCluskey, and video artist Hambi Haralambous that captures the architecture and sounds of five electricity generating power stations. OMD had an infatuation for the Stanlow Oil Refinery in Cheshire (in which the song “Stanlow” was written around using ambient sounds recorded in the refinery in 1980).

Energy Suite is on display at FACT, Liverpool, from December 12 until February 22. I wish I could go see this in person.

www.omd.uk.com

The Claim were a band I mostly ignored because the only single I heard (“Mrs. Shepherd” on Bus Stop) didn’t really impress me. Luckily my friend Victor set me straight! Their earlier releases are all fantastic! Now I keep checking to see when their retrospective on Bus Stop is coming out. Looks like 2009 according to Brian’s most recent web update. I hope and pray that will be the case. Here’s “Sunday” from their last 7″ single on Esurient Communications (PACE 10).

Listen to The Claim – Sunday

The Claim on Bus Stop

I made a reference to the Creation band Pacific the other day and I received an e-mail asking who they were. Unfortunately there’s not a lot written about Pacific on the web. The band is a bit of a mystery, just crediting the song writing to Denniss. They released two singles “Sea Of Sand” (1988) and “Shrift” (1989) and the album “Inference” (1990) compiling those singles. They’re also on the very rare “Sugar” flexi with My Bloody Valentine. All Pacific stuff is highly recommended and worth seeking out. Their 12″ sleeves are really gorgeous. I think they were done by Chromatic Design which has designed most of my favorite Creation sleeve artwork.

Here’s the excellent “Shift” off the “Shrift” 12″ (Creation, CRE 064). It was recorded in November 1988 at Woodbine St., Leamington Spa and produced by John A. Rivers (who worked with Felt, Talulah Gosh, Close Lobsters, Mighty Mighty, The Pastels, Love and Rockets, etc.)

Listen to Pacific – Shrift

I just received my copy of Tim and Sam’s Tim and Sam Band with Tim and Sam’s (what a band name) “Put Your Slippers On” EP! I like it so far. It’s like if The Album Leaf were on Sarah Records with maybe a little Go! Team thrown in. Laura Watling says “that’s an accurate description and I even still like it!” So there you go!

Watch the video for “Join The Dots”:

Listen to Tim and Sam – The Badger Set

Buy the “Put Your Slippers On” EP here!

www.timandsam.com

Indiecater is a new label in Dublin dedicated to releasing lost pop albums. They just re-released The Brilliant Trees album “Friday Night” (1996) as a digital-only download. The band had moderate success in Ireland and a top ten hit in the Irish charts. Sadly the rest of the world never took notice when this brand of “britpop” became a heavily over-saturated genre in the late 90s (Thousand Yard Stare anyone?). It’s great to see this release finally get the attention it deserves.

My favorite track on the album is “Don’t Believe The Right” which sounds like a mix of James (their finer 90s moments), Adorable, and maybe a more jangly Family Cat. The 58 second intro in this song also reminds me of something the Creation Record’s band Pacific would do (albeit a bit shorter). All and all well worth the 3,50 euro asking price for the album download. Special thanks to Kevin for writing and cluing me in to this release.

Listen to The Brilliant Trees – Don’t Believe The Right

Buy and download The Brilliant Trees from Indiecater Records

myspace.com/brillianttrees

I don’t know a lot about this band, other than that they call themselves “A Nottingham based Dadaist rock band,” which is pretty funny. I came across this release when I started collecting the Monsters in Orbit label catalog. With a name like “One Million Fuzz-Tone Guitars” I was intrigued.

“Risk of Love” is my favorite track on the “Twenty Six” LP (Monsters In Orbit, 1983). It reminds me at times of the English power pop band The Records. I can’t get enough of that guitar sound!

Listen to One Million Fuzz-Tone Guitars – Risk of Love

www.onemillionfuzztoneguitars.co.uk