Gang of Four — Yellow EP

• Artist: Gang of Four
• Title: Yellow EP
• Year: 1980
• Format: Vinyl 12 in.
• Rating (1-10): 9
• Owner: Tracy / Mary – We both had copies.
• Acquired: Not sure when or where. Early 1980s…
• Keeper: Yes

“Yellow EP” is the first Gang of Four record I’m logging, but it was their second release. I should’ve pulled “Entertainment” instead, but since we’ve packed all but a couple dozen records until we get to Asheville, “Yellow” it is.

Gang of Four is one of my all-time favorite bands. I was only 13 or 14 when this came out. Hanging out with my friend John Hurlock is probably how I first got into the band. His older brother Mike had a killer record collection and was into just about everything worth being into. This music is so edgy, political, minimalistic, and just plain arty it’s a wonder they were as popular and influential as they were. Sometimes music is just too good to be ignored, no matter how weird it is.

Tracks included here are: “Outside The Trains Don’t Run on Time”, “He’d Send in The Army”, “It’s Her Factory”, and my favorite “Armalite Rifle.”

Read all about them at Wikipedia.

Faith No More — We Care A Lot

• Artist: Faith No More
• Title: We Care A Lot
• Year: 1985
• Format: Vinyl 12 in.
• Rating (1-10): 6
• Owner: Mary ?
• Acquired: 1985 – Plan 9 Records in Richmond, VA.
• Keeper: Yes

Come on. You know you like the title track, “We Care a Lot.” But I could believe it if you said that was it. This is the first Faith No More record and one of only two with Chuck Mosley on vocals. I could never get over the keyboard droning through just about every song. Applause for trying something different, but to me the keyboards just took the teeth off the otherwise hard rock sound. One last tidbit I just noticed, in more than one spot on this album they spell the band’s name “Faith. No More.” That’s: excessive, punctuation!!!

I’ll keep this one short. We’re off to see the Caps take on the Atlanta Thrashers. Time to take out the Thrash!

Echo and The Bunnymen — Heaven Up Here

• Artist: Echo and The Bunnymen
• Title: Heaven Up Here
• Year: 1981
• Format: Vinyl 12 in.
• Rating (1-10): 8
• Owner: Tracy
• Acquired: 1981 ? – No idea.
• Keeper: Yes

Echo and The Bunnymen was always one of my favorite bands. Why I didn’t keep up with them past the first four records is unclear to me, but maybe they just got lame. Or was it me? In reading about them I just realized that they have put out four more albums in recent years that I didn’t even know about. How can this happen? I thought I was hip!

Anyhow, “Heaven Up Here” is a great follow-up to “Crocodiles.” My favorite song is “Over The Wall.” There is slightly, just slightly, too much lyrical whinging for my taste, but when I was a teenager I’m sure I thought the lyrics were awesome.

D.C.3 — You’re Only as Blind as Your Mind Can Be

• Artist: D.C.3
• Title: You’re Only as Blind as Your Mind Can Be
• Year: 1986
• Format: Vinyl 12 in.
• Rating (1-10): 6
• Owner: Tracy
• Acquired: 1986 – Probably when I was working at Mother’s Records in Hampton, VA.
• Keeper: Maybe

D.C.3 put out “You’re Only as Blind as Your Mind Can Be” in the same year as “The Good Hex.” I think they should have taken a longer break. To me, this one just isn’t as exciting. I mentioned when I logged “Hex” that it didn’t sound too jammy despite a lot of guitar soloing. Well, this record crosses the line. I was playing it while Mary and I were packing for our big move to Asheville, and she walked in the room and said “What the?!? When does this song end?” I’ll have to admit that I too was feeling pretty jammed out by the time that song ended. That said, there are a few dittys here that totally rock out and make me want to keep it. And though much of it sounds retro, even for 1986, especially in 1986 I was happy to get my hands on anything that felt like rock and roll.

Peter Case — Peter Case (Promo Cover)

• Artist: Peter Case
• Title: Peter Case (Promo Cover)
• Year: 1986
• Format: Vinyl 12 in.
• Rating (1-10): 5
• Owner: Tracy
• Acquired: 1986 – Got it when I worked at Mother’s Records in Hampton, VA.
• Keeper: No

This Peter Case record isn’t bad, but it isn’t my kind of music, which is a roundabout way of saying it’s boring. I would describe this as a singer-songwriter mash-up of most major forms of American music. The cover is interesting is some ways though. Certainly there’s nothing exciting about the graphic design, but a promo copy that displays Mr. Case’s ratings, reviews, rankings and scores from music critics should be of interest to a fan. Too bad I’m not, although I did like his previous band The Plimsouls.

So this one is a goner. Part of the reason of going through and playing every record is to trim some fat, but also to renew our relationships with some old favorites. I just finished packing most of the records today in preparation for our move in a couple weeks. Over 800 pounds of vinyl!

Baby Ford — Children of The Revolution

• Artist: Baby Ford
• Title: Children of The Revolution
• Year: 1989
• Format: Vinyl 12 in.
• Rating (1-10): 7
• Owner: Tracy
• Acquired: 1989 — Promo received at our store RIP Records in Norfolk, VA.
• Keeper: Yes

This is a 12 inch single by Baby Ford with two mixes of Marc Bolan’s (T-Rex) “Children of The Revolution.” The flipside contains “Oochy Koochy (Konrad Cadet Version)” and “Ford Trax.” I was sure this belonged to Mary, but based on the year it came out and the promo stamp on the cover it must be something I got at our store. I’m not that into it and wouldn’t keep it, but Mary digs it and rates it a generous, in my opinion, 7. Last thing, does this belong under “B” or “F”? When artists have stage names I’m never sure where to put them. His real name is Peter Ford.

ABC — How To Be A Zillionaire!

• Artist: ABC
• Title: How To Be A Zillionaire!
• Year: 1985
• Format: Vinyl 12 in.
• Rating (1-10): 8
• Owner: Mary
• Acquired: 1985 ? — I don’t know, girl keeps going to bed early.
• Keeper: Yes

OK, back to the full LPs for another round. Starting again with ABC, the greatest pop band of all time. No, I’m not kidding. I’m posting this from Hampton, VA while we’re visiting with family. (Don’t rob my house!) But of course I did in fact spin it, while we were packing to leave this morning… With ten million other freaks trying to get outta DC, in the rain, at the start of spring break. Ugh.

“How To Be A Zillionaire!” is their third album and I have to admit I don’t know it as well as the first two. And certainly not as well as Mary. What would she have to say about it? She’d probably say the title track is her favorite and that she also really likes “Be Near Me.” But since she keeps falling out early we may never know.

Various: Nirvana, Helios Creed, Yeast, Coffin Break — Teriyaki Asthma

Various: Nirvana, Helios Creed, Yeast, Coffin Break -- Teriyaki Asthma

• Artist: Various: Nirvana, Helios Creed, Yeast, Coffin Break
• Title: Teriyaki Asthma
• Year: 1989
• Format: Vinyl 7 in.
• Rating (1-10): 5
• Owner: Tracy
• Acquired: 1989 – Got it for myself at our store RIP Records in Norfolk, VA.
• Keeper: Maybe

This is a 7 inch compilation from C/Z Records. “Teriyaki Asthma” contains four songs by Seattle area artists, but I don’t think it was nearly as popular, or written about, as another C/Z compilation called “Deep Six.” The latter came out a couple years earlier, was a full LP, and had songs from Soundgarden and other notable area bands.

The Nirvana track is pre-Grohl and it’s more punked out than most Nirvana fans would be used to. Helios Creed’s cut is a virtually instrumental, acidic, lead guitar noodlefest, that gets boring before it’s over. The song by Yeast is just silly. And Coffin Break contribute a solid rocker that is by far the most interesting piece here.

Dwight Yoakam — Always Late With Your Kisses

Dwight Yoakam -- Always Late With Your Kisses

• Artist: Dwight Yoakam
• Title: Always Late With Your Kisses
• Year: 1988
• Format: Vinyl 7 in.
• Rating (1-10): 7
• Owner: Mary
• Acquired: 1987 – Probably from Mother’s Records in Hampton, VA.
• Keeper: Yes

The sleeve on this says 1988, but the labels on the record say 1987. Maybe because the single came out a little later. I like Dwight Yoakam, and I’ve already logged the LP that includes both sides of this 45, “Always Late With Your Kisses” and “1000 Miles.” These are good songs, but not my favorites from “Hillbilly Deluxe.” For the most part I’m an LP guy, and I usually only buy singles that have something I can’t get anywhere else. This one belongs to Mary. I recently read an article that the market has shifted back to singles. I know I’m old and all, but I just can’t get excited by the thought of buying singles to download. Two wrongs don’t make a right.

XTC — Generals And Majors

XTC -- Generals And Majors

• Artist: XTC
• Title: Generals And Majors
• Year: 1980
• Format: Vinyl 7 in.
• Rating (1-10): 8
• Owner: Mary
• Acquired: 1985 ? Plan 9 Records in Richmond, VA.
• Keeper: Yes

I have Loverboy’s “Turn Me Loose” stuck in my head. That’s just weird. Anyhow, XTC… “Generals And Majors” is a great pop song and I’ve always liked it even though I’m not the biggest XTC fan. This package is another handsome twin 7 inch gatefold that also includes “Don’t Lose Your Temper”, “Smokeless Zone”, and my second favorite here “The Somnambulist.” What’d you call me?!? That last song is interesting and unexpected, minimalist and ethereal with some throbbing bass thing, or whatever. Dig it.

“So, Why, Don’t, You, Turn-Me-Loose… Turn-Me-Loose…”