Kickstand

 When was the last time someone mentioned the group Kickstand in your presence? I'll hazard that it wasn't yesterday which is a real shame as in the mid-90s they were one of the best pop bands around for Not Unloved's money. Unfortunately, neither of their albums - 1994's "Kickstand" (Queenie Label) and 1997's "Autostrada" (Little Teddy) - was released on vinyl so modern day collectors who eschew the lowly, unloved CD format are unlikely to seek them out. Both albums are treasures troves stuffed with sweet, unassuming pop that takes its cues from Young Marble Giants (they faithfully covered "Colossal Youth" on their debut) and the K Records school of endearing naivety. Kickstand comprised the Colichio twins, Torry and Tammi, and Half Japanese member and chronicler, Jeff Feuerzeig (who went on to greater fame when he made 2005's brilliant "The Devil And Daniel Johnston"). They collaborated with some real heavyweights of the 90s independent scene with Jad Fair, Dean Wareham and Hamish Kilgour (R.I.P.) donating their talents at various points. Kilgour's appearance on the second album came as no surprise as they had covered The Clean's"Tally Ho" on the first (Not Unloved's introduction to that absolute classic  - cheers, Kickstand...I owe ya!). Unusually for the time, Kickstand didn't leave behind a raft of 45s on an array of small but brilliant labels. Again, that's a shame as they had so many songs that would've made perfect a-sides and some great covers (Felt! The Undertones! Daniel Johnston!) that would've made ideal b-sides. Over the years, one song above all has kept Kickstand somewhere near the front of Not Unloved's memory at least on the 31st of December every year (I post it on Twitter most years):

"New Year's Day" was a proper mixtape staple at the time. For some reason, Kickstand were keen on flying saucers (Torry was even a member of the group Flying Saucer):

Every now and then I daydream of reactivating Not Unloved Records to restore this music to print although, realistically, a label like World of Echo would probably do a much better job and reach a wider audience having established a track record through recent reissues of Kickstand's contemporaries such as The Shapiros, The Cat's Miaow and, in the near future, Hydroplane. For the time being, the curious are urged to hold their nose and snap up the shiny lil discs.

Mad Scene "Blip"

Maybe it's silly, but I've been feeling guilty for most of the last 12 months for not heralding the Mad Scene's tremendous "Blip" (Siltbreeze).  It's a feeling which intensifies a little each time I see an unsold copy in the racks of a record store.  Had Not Unloved's favourite lps of 2012 list been fairer and more accurately reflected the amount of turntable time that the records actually got, "Blip" would have been placed near the top.  In many ways it was the archetypal Not Unloved 2012 record given that it features The Clean's drummer Hamish Kilgour and for a period it seemed like every second record I bought featured musicians from New Zealand.  Albums by The Great Unwashed, Gate, The Pin Group, Roy Montgomery, The Clean, David Kilgour etc. were all snapped-up, devoured and loved.  From memory, "Blip" is the most enjoyable Velvet Underground echo I've heard since Royal Baths' "Litanies" a few years ago and there's a discernible musical kinship with groups like The Pastels, Yo La Tengo  (not too surprising, I guess, as Georgia Hubley was part of Mad Scene for "Blip"!) and even Sonic Youth (or is it Versus?) on "Fontaine".  Nothing is over-cooked and most songs are approached with an endearing naivety, although"T Rex" - the album's most rollicking song - rattles along with a purposeful curled lip and benefits from some pleasingly snarly lead guitar work. In the main, Kilgour handles vocal duties but the album's most beautiful moment "Quiet Day" is sung by Lisa Seigel and rivals Kendra Smith's finest work for sorrowful, slightly psychedelic beauty. Saying that it's my favourite song on the record feels akin to sheepishly confessing that the cover song your friend's band just did was the highlight of their set but, I guess, it's true so I shouldn't feel shy about saying it.  Curiously, "Cupid 2", which opens the record with a few 'To business!' drum cracks, features some Edward Lear-style nonsense rhymes (Cupid with a big nose / Knows which way the wind blows / Knows how my garden grows etc.).  The woozy, innocent groove of "Dear Air" is utterly beguiling.  Even the way it peters out leaving the tambourine shaking like a rattlesnake's tail is just brilliant.  If only I still traded mixtapes - it would've killed in that context.  Nearly a year after I bought it, there's not a second of "Blip" that I don't adore and look forward to hearing. That doesn't happen all too often and it feels good to have finally said so here.

(samples from the whole lp can be heard at allmusic)