Gang of Four - What We All Want

Some time ago on a discussion forum someone asked for Gang of Four recommendations and was told not to bother with anything after Entertainment. That may well have been the worst piece of musical advice I've ever encountered. I could go into some detail about why, but I think this is enough to prove my point.

Dead Famous People - Drive Away

If you haven't been downloading like mad from the Waaah! singles club, really, what are you waiting for? Those pages are absolutely choc-a-bloc with indiepop treasures.

This one is from a flexidisc split between New Zealand's Dead Famous People and London's Screeming Custard. The DFP track is the better one, but the Screeming Custard track has the distinction of having been selected in place of a cover of New Order's "World in Motion" which New Order refused to allow them release. Apparently.

Anyway, this is typically great New Zealand indiepop.

Ceremony - Marianne

Here's an utterly fantastic bit of shoegaze from Fredericksburg, Virginia's Ceremony. It was released last year on their album Rocket Fire but really sounds like it could have been on an early My Bloody Valentine release. Fucking great.

The Crimp(o)lene Explosion - Souvenir

This is one of those obscure indiepop gems that you read this blog for. (Don't you?)

To be honest, this one even has me baffled. This track appeared on a 1987 cassette compilation called Uncle Arthur's Pop Parlour with 18 other bands, the vast majority of whom are just as unknown - although the BMX Bandits make an appearance, as do the Poppyheads with "Dreamabout" (later a Sarah single).

Their name appears as "Crimpolene" here but that "o" was probably extraneous. Not that there seem to be many people who would have cared about the misspelling. Wikipedia suggests a link to Birmingham's Noseflutes, if that means anything to anyone.

Whatever. It's a great tune.

Pulp - Love Is Blind

Here's a great track from Pulp's third album, Separations, released in 1992. It's Pulp at their flamboyant, exuberant best...and they were only getting started, really.

This is a fan video. Quite nicely done.

Whorl - Maybe It's Better

An early Slumberland single from back when that label was still based in the Washington DC area. Very typical shoegazey pop, similar to early Velocity Girl (there was some overlap in membership) - apart from the vocals of course. This is a really nice track.

1000 Mexicans - Teaching Fish to Swim

An obscure English band from the mid-1980s. I'm not sure exactly where they were from. Mildly atmospheric new wave pop with a few "exotic" instruments. They were ok.

This was from their 1985 debut album.