Not Cool/Cool

I make no apologies.

Plastic Man (1984)

Yes, It's Katrina & the Waves. They had a huge hit in 1985 with a song that's probably already playing in your head by reading their name. They were a terribly 80s one hit wonder that now gets used to hawk dish soap or something else banal.

I get it I do. But you need to reconsider.

The group was formed by Kimberley Rew and company after he left the Soft Boys and they recorded three quite lovely low key pop albums before the Bangles had a modest hit with the b side of this one. That got them a major label contract that lead to their big hit and an album where the band rerecorded, overdubbed and/or remixed songs from their previous releases to terrible 80s radio standards. (The original recording of "Walking on Sunshine" is so much more palatable without the cheesy horns and big 80s drum sounds and at a much faster clip.)

And I know all you hipsters would be loudly singing the Lost Pop Wonders of Katrina & the Waves if they hadn't had a huge hit. Give in and enjoy.

Kaspar Hauser (1982)

In Boston however, there were no hits to be had for Kaspar Hauser. They seem to have come and gone without making any impression at all with the exception of this dark New Wave seven inch every bit as much the mystery as the actual Kaspar Hauser they took their name from.

It's This. Twice

An original and a vaguely similar reissue of most of the same material for your listening pleasure.

Feel free to compare and contrast mastering subtleties.

What Is It (1982)

The What Records compilation of their previous glories of fine and dandy LA punk rock 1977-82 including the Germs first single. I love these kinds of comps.

What Is It (What Records) (2010)

In 2010 Wondercap Records sort of did a reissue. They took some of the same songs and added some unreleased stuff by the Spastics and called it a release. You won't mind the repeats. It's all good stuff.

Not Me, Baby, I'm Too Precious. Fuck Off

New Day.

More JPSE

Precious (1991)

Another wonderful single by the JPS Experience that slipped through the cracks in 1991 while the world's attention was focused elsewhere.

Hindsight is pleasant listening.

Lovely swirling pop nuggets for your brainpan.

Breathe (1992)

(See above.)

We Like Rain

So it's been about four months since I last posted anything to this silly escapade.

On your end there's been nothing noticeable. But here at SSC HQ there's been a whole lot of nothing going on besides occasionally checking to see if there's still some traffic soaking up the things I'm offering.

But the rub is that while I took a hiatus from queuing posts, I've still been buying records and cds and shit. So now I have a larger pile than ever of stuff to put up on here. It's a nice dilemma to have and one that should actually inspire me to be slightly more discerning as to what eventually makes it to this mess, but I also know me.

Things will appear as whim dictates.

There's lots of 90s indiepop in 7" and compact disc formats that needs reconsideration and I've really been toying with spending time presenting a grand overview of the music of Twin Cities as it existed in the mid-90s through the first part of this century. So much that needs rediscovering or rather discovering. You have no idea...

I also have a large number of semi-bootleg Duke Ellington Lps of radio performances from the 40s that I want to post because they're awesome.

Plus the never ending miscellaneous crap that catches my fancy.

The big takeaway on your end is going to be that as I near the limit on the free online storage I'll start deleting the oldest stuff here. Five years is plenty. Onwards and upwards. Snooze you lose etc...

Now on with our show...

1989 - The Size of Food

The Jean-Paul Sartre Experience (aka JPS Experience after a lawsuit by the existentialist's estate) were one of the unfortunate Flying Nun bands that kind of flew under the radar on the label during their existence by virtue of simply being in the shadows of giants. (see also: Bird Nest Roys who put out one of my all time favorite Flying Nun or other records.)

"The Size of Food" is the JPSE's second Lp and without the sophomore slump apparent that plagues some bands. I'll stake "Elemental" or "Shadows" against pretty much any of their contemporary bands. 

This record is a sleeper.

600 - One for the Road

I was looking over the queue and realized that if I left things as they stood after that last post I'd be sitting on a post count of 599.
That kind of hurt my aesthetic sense.
I needed to even it up to a nice round 600 in order to sleep at night.

So here we are.

#600

Standing Hampton (1994)

Bunnygrunt.

I found them recently and just ordered up copies of three of their albums on the internet.
It's the sweet, silly, amateur pop stuff that dreams are made of.

This is gold.

Heavy Petal (1996)

From Michigan and on Quiddity Records comes Madison Electric with more sweet pop music. I'm a sucker for a Farfisa. This is by far my favorite release on Quiddity and I've got all of them.

Just beautiful.