Tuesday 14 February 2017

Rat Columns "Someone Else's Dream"

2016 proved something of a David West bonanza for Not Unloved. As well as picking up a bunch of superfine records by his various projects (Liberation, solo, Rat Columns and Rank/Xerox), I was able (thanks to the tireless efforts of Michael Kasparis from Night School Records) to catch a couple of life-affirming Liberation gigs (think Pet Shop Boys dreaming of their Mediterranean holidays) and a smashing solo show. Not a man to rest on his laurels, David's back with a new Rat Columns record in early March, this time on the increasingly excellent Upset The Rhythm. If  the adorable"Someone Else's Dream" is any guide, it's set to be bursting with effervescent hooks, topped-off, as ever, with one of the softest, warmest voices around. March 2nd can't come quickly enough.

Monday 13 February 2017

The Spookies on Goodbye Boozy


Annoyingly, my secondary school's playing fields were on the edge of town around a mile from the main school buildings so, whenever we had football, hockey, athletics etc., we had 15 minutes or so to get ourselves out there. The PE teachers drove there (so negligent!) so we were unsupervised on our jog (ok - distracted dawdle). On our route there was a Spiritualist church. We called the Spiritualists 'The Spookies' and, if the door was ajar, people would be dared to run in for a peek. That was quite a dare as we were all a bit scared that them crazy Spiriualists were in there performing mad, demonic rituals (as one does on a Tuesday morning in March). I never plucked up the courage to venture in, that's for sure. These long forgotten memories came flooding back thanks to a new 7" by The Spookies on Italy's trash punk powerhouse, Goodbye Boozy. "(Sorry Baby) I Fell Asleep" is possibly the gentlest thing I've heard on GB. That doesn't mean to say, however, that it doesn't pack a right good, if lazy, fuzzy thump. There are echoes of "She Cracked" era Jonathan Richman, Iggy Pop and even Tom Verlaine in the singer's (it seems the whole band takes turns in the vocal booth so I don't got no idea who sang this particular song) wonderfully dunderheaded drawl. Top marks for the majestic, jangling intro and the frat boy loser first line: "I'm not a champion at getting gurls".