by Vinyl301 -

New Fast Automatic Daffodils: Get Better

front

Play It Again Sam 1991.  BIAS 193-7

Discogs

I haven’t had much time lately to do vinyl rips, hence the spate of singles.

I played this recently on a whim and realised that it’s a different version of the track to the one on the Pigeonhole album, and unlike the album version, it’s produced by the legendary Martin Hamnett of Factory fame.  Oddly the B side, Pigeonhole, doesn’t appear on the Pigeonhole album.

While I prefer their later, darker material, this single is still excellent.  It has the usual choppy guitar work, interesting rhythm section and great songwriting.  This version has a great freeform guitar solo based more on feedback than anything else.

Unfortunately I only have the tightwad 7″ of this.  If anyone can let me have a lossless rip of the CD version I’d be grateful – it has a couple of extra tracks I’ve never heard.

by Vinyl301 -

New Fast Automatic Daffodils: I’m Set Free

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Play It Again Sam Records, 1990. BIAS 185-7

Discogs (This link is for the whole Pigeonhole album. Only the bonus 7″ is presented here)

The New Fads have been a pretty consistent companion for the last 25 years or so, and while I prefer the darker character of their later material, they were pretty consistent throughout their short career.  This is a 7″ single which was given away free with the first few copies of their debut album, Pigeonhole.  The A side is a cover of a Velvet Underground track, originally on their third album, The Velvet Underground.  The New Fads version also appeared on a Velvets tribut album, and while it’s hardly their finest hour, it’s a solid performance featuring their distinctive choppy guitar work.  The B side is on the CD version of the Pigeonhole album.

As for further listening, everything is of course deleted, although you can get the first two albums in horrible MP3 format on itunes.

 

by Vinyl301 -

Various Artists: Home

home

Sheer Joy 1990.  Sheer CD001

Discogs

An interesting Manchester compilation this with some exclusive tracks from bands worth hearing.

The most interesting is The Fall’s Theme From Error-Orrori.  I have no idea what Error-Orrori actually is, but it’s a Fall track unavailable elsewhere which is all you need to know.  Weirdly it’s credited not to The Fall, but to the individual band members.   Mark E Smith said in an interview recently that “if it’s me and your Granny on bongos it’s The Fall”, so I make no apology for changing the tagging accordingly.

For me the other essential track is the New Fast Automatic Daffodils’ Jaggerbog, again, unavailable elsewhere.  It’s not as polished as their usual output but well worth the price of admission.

The Paris Angels were another Manchester band full of promise who were soon swallowed up by major label crapness – another one worth a listen.

If you’re into New Order, Revenge are half of them (but I forget which half) and you may know World Of Twist and What? Noise.

by Vinyl301 -

New Fast Automatic Daffodils: Big

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Playtime Records 1990.  AMUSE7CD

Discogs

The New FADS were one of the better Manchester bands of their era, although not really part of the whole Madchester baggy thing.   This was their breakthrough (third) single, and it’s easy to see why.  It’s got a great bass line, really funky guitar work and their trademark excellent percussion.  I’m also a sucker for singers who use megaphones; too much time spent listening to The Fall I guess.  Their later work (also really worth hearing) was angrier and darker – this is more about leaping around the room, although the lyrics deal with desertification which isn’t much of a cause for celebration.

The band seem to have been completely forgotten about – there’s surprisingly little on the web about them, although they do have a myspace page.

There are a couple of remixes here too which work well enough, but it’s the first track, the original version which is essential.  As for further listening, everything’s deleted, although it looks like all their albums are on itunes, if you don’t mind crappy MP3s.