To Here Knows When

One of my formative musical experiences was hearing My Bloody Valentine's "To Here Knows When" on what that wag Mark Radcliffe so dismissively/affectionately calls 'tin pot local radio'.  When it nudged its way into the Top 40 all those dismal local commercial stations which would never dream of playing it had to.  Almost uniformly, the patterned jumpered patter merchants presenting the chart rundowns registered their disgust at having to do so, dismissing it as indie nonsense.  It was a real them and us moment and it was brilliant.  It was so great that something so beautiful and so abstract had infiltrated the polished, ugly world of chart radio.  It was even better that it wound people up.  My Bloody Valentine's version still sounds like the future and still sounds like it would be too radical for your average dud,  local radio station DJ.  I doubt if Rachel Zeffira's thoughtful reworking will fare any better in that world.  When I first heard that someone - to my discredit, I'd forgotten that Rachel was one of the prime movers in Cat's Eyes - had covered it with orchestral instruments, I feared that it may sound a bit John Lewis Christmas advert and the piano intro did have me a bit worried on that score.  However, it's not whimsical, kooky or cynically heart-tugging.  It's intelligent, extremely pretty and retains much of the mystery and romance of the original.  It's on her lp and was the b-side of a recent 7".  I'm going to play the 45 one more time and then dig out that dazzling Pluramon lp which features Julee Cruise.  That'll keep things elusive.

Pick the Cat's Eyes up!

If the truth be told, there was practically a 0% chance that I would've picked up on Cat's Eyes without the help of friends.  All that puff in the Sunday supplements about  gigs at the Vatican, a guy from The Horrors collaborating with an opera singer and an album released on a  major label (spit - ha, just kidding!) would've ensured that.  However, a word to the wise from a trusted friend is usually enough to make me put my prejudices to one side - at least for the duration of a YouTube clip or two - and so it was this time.  Fortunately, the first clip I watched was this:

From the way it glides into view kinda like "Svefn-g-Englar" did so memorably all those years ago to Rachel Zeffira's soft as snow vocals, it's a subtle charmer that makes you feel the loss of Trish Keenan a little more keenly.  By contrast, the next clip I watched was this little hurricane:

Faris Badwan's preposterous vocals really should have me running for the hills but, inexplicably, I dig 'em big time and Zeffira's contribution is, once again, wondrous.  Just listen to the playful way she sings 'I'm gonna go where the sun don't shine' like an even girlier Judith Boyle...smashing!  It's a wild ride of a tune that, unfortunately for the tardy ones who missed the "Broken Glass" double 7" in February, doesn't appear on the debut album.  It would be great hear it blasted out just once at a record hop to see if it causes dancefloor dodgems like it would in a fair world!

From an initial spin of their full length, there's nothing quite as tumultuous as "Sunshine Girls" but that's okay, as there are plenty moments of genuine prettiness to be enjoyed.  Sure, there is the odd jarring Badwan moment but they can't take the shine off what is, for me at least, an unexpected treat.  Thanks for the tip S, it was a good one!