by Vinyl301 -

The Weather Prophets: Almost Prayed

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Creation Records 1986.  CRE029

Discogs

I’m a bit the worse for wear after an evening in the pub, so this has to be simple.  This is, I think, the best thing Peter Astor ever did.  You’re supposed to say that he did his best work with The Loft, but, well, I disagree.

This has a killer guitar riff, it’s a great song and they play it really well.  Is there anything to add to that?  Well if there is, I can’t think of it.

I was broke in 1986, so this isn’t the 12″, nor is it the limited double 7″.  It’s the cheapskate 7″, but that doesn’t matter because the title track is all you need.  If you can sit still while it’s playing, you should go to the doctor.

by Vinyl301 -

The Weather Prophets: She Comes From The Rain

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Elevation Records 1987.  ACID1TX

Discogs

I’ve got a surprisingly long way through this blog without posting any Weather Prophets (apart from a track on the Purple compilation), but Manny reminded me a few days back, so here’s the first of several.

This single, the limited edition version with an extra track no less was from their period away from Creation.  Actually Elevation was a short lived major label run by Alan McGee designed to feed Creation acts into the mainstream with a bit of marketing muscle.  Those ideas usually fail, and Elevation was no exception – the records they put out were somehow cheapened by the marketing, and in any case didn’t attract a new audience but did alienate their existing fan base.  This single might have looked cheap, but musically is pretty decent.

Peter Astor had something of an obsession with songs about rain, hence the title track, but good though that song is, there isn’t really a stand-out here; it all works pretty well.  He even makes a pretty good job of a rather ill advised Leonard Cohen cover (Who By Fire).  It’s classy, classic Creation indiepop.

Further listening?  Cherry red have a good retrospective and a re-issue of one of their Creation albums here.

by Vinyl301 -

Various Artists: Creation, Purple Compilation

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Creation Records 1988.  CRELP 032 CD

Discogs

Some time ago I listed Creation’s first ever CD, a compilation of early singles. It’s been one of the most popular posts, so here’s its companion release, Purple. It covers similar ground, has similar artists and is of a similar high standard. As I recall it didn’t sell nearly as well as the first one – I guess people thought one of these compilations was enough. Anyway if you liked the first one, you’ll like this one too.