Paul Weller and Graham Coxon have just released a three-track EP thingy via the usual download services. In a couple of weeks it’ll also be on 7″. What’s interesting is that two commercially potent artists get together and bash out some spikey indie rock and yet the one format they don’t touch is CD. People who get paid to talk bollocks about the future are already announcing the death of the CD. A load of old cock, naturally. But, what’s more interesting is the strength of the 7″. Indie bands are releasing singles on CD, download and 2×7″ these days. Yes, part of it is about being collectors’ items, but surely part of it is also because vinyl is cool. Anyway, the EP is decent enough, although nothing life-changing. But then I don’t imagine you thought it would be. Best place I’ve found to purchase is 7 Digital, with 320kb/s mp3s of all three tracks for £1.77. Can’t complain.
Speaking of vinyl and Graham Coxon, I nipped down to the sorting office this morning to retrieve another lovingly mauled parcel from the care of Royal Mail. Inside said parcel was an item I’ve been after for years, the double-vinyl, gatefold edition of ‘Blur’ by Blur. If I was being Sherlock Holmes I’d say that the previous owner was an alcoholic based on the scratches at the start of each side of vinyl, a la the scratches around the keyhole on Watson’s father’s watch. Snap, crackle and pop aside, it sounds bloody brilliant. I’m well aware, as indeed I’ve said before, that I tend to listen to vinyl through, er, rose-tinted earphones but it definitely sounded more alive than either CD edition that I have. (Yes, I own it three times now.) It remains one of my all-time favourite albums. For a while I thought I’d have to demote it because ‘Think Tank’ had made it into the top list too, but then realised that nobody gives a flying fuck what my all-time favourite albums are, and thus it could be a list consisting entirely of Blur and it wouldn’t matter.
And finally… The Chemical Brothers’ greatest hits record turned up from play.com today. At £2.99 it seemed rude not to. I enjoyed it much more than I expected to. I haven’t returned to the new one yet, despite intending to do so. Some of the vintage tunes are surprisingly fresh a decade on. ‘The Private Psychedelic Wheel’ sounds better now than it did back then. ‘The Golden Path’ is probably the best Flaming Lips song ever made, and they didn’t make it. Still £3, and well worth a punt.
P.S. Just finished watching ‘Grass’, the sitcom starring Billy Bleach, a bit-part character from The Fast Show, turned police informant. Bloody marvellous and yet no bugger knows about it. Full, gushing review in the revelations on Sunday.
Speaking of vinyl and Graham Coxon, I nipped down to the sorting office this morning to retrieve another lovingly mauled parcel from the care of Royal Mail. Inside said parcel was an item I’ve been after for years, the double-vinyl, gatefold edition of ‘Blur’ by Blur. If I was being Sherlock Holmes I’d say that the previous owner was an alcoholic based on the scratches at the start of each side of vinyl, a la the scratches around the keyhole on Watson’s father’s watch. Snap, crackle and pop aside, it sounds bloody brilliant. I’m well aware, as indeed I’ve said before, that I tend to listen to vinyl through, er, rose-tinted earphones but it definitely sounded more alive than either CD edition that I have. (Yes, I own it three times now.) It remains one of my all-time favourite albums. For a while I thought I’d have to demote it because ‘Think Tank’ had made it into the top list too, but then realised that nobody gives a flying fuck what my all-time favourite albums are, and thus it could be a list consisting entirely of Blur and it wouldn’t matter.And finally… The Chemical Brothers’ greatest hits record turned up from play.com today. At £2.99 it seemed rude not to. I enjoyed it much more than I expected to. I haven’t returned to the new one yet, despite intending to do so. Some of the vintage tunes are surprisingly fresh a decade on. ‘The Private Psychedelic Wheel’ sounds better now than it did back then. ‘The Golden Path’ is probably the best Flaming Lips song ever made, and they didn’t make it. Still £3, and well worth a punt.
P.S. Just finished watching ‘Grass’, the sitcom starring Billy Bleach, a bit-part character from The Fast Show, turned police informant. Bloody marvellous and yet no bugger knows about it. Full, gushing review in the revelations on Sunday.
Just Played 