Best Releases of 2012 (Part II)

Best Releases of 2012 (Part II)

VARIOUS/RE-ISSUES/EP’s/SINGLES
in alphabetical order:

* BENT WIND - Sussex

(Re-Issue LP + 7” Anazitisi Records)
* CRANIUM PIE & THE RESEARCH STATION - A Visit To Newport Hospital (7” FdM Records)
* GROUP 1850 - Their 45’s

(2LP Pseudonym)
* HEAD MUSIC

(Various 2LP FdM Records)
* LEVIATHAN - Unleashed

(2LP Record Collector)
* LUCID DREAM - Hit’s Me Like I’m Stoned

(7” FdM Records)
* MAGNETIC MIND - Maybe The Stars, Maybe The Sun

(7” Heavy Soul Records)
* PERMANENT CLEAR LIGHT - Higher Than The Sun

(7” FdM Records)
* PSYCHIC ILLS/MOON DUO

(SPLIT 7” Sacred Bones Records)
* BENNY SOEBARDJA & LIZARD 1975

(Re-Issue 2012 Strawberry Rain)
* STRAWBERRY ALARM CLOCK - Wake Up Where You Are (Global Recording Artists)
* THE STRYPES - Young, Gifted and Blue

(7” EP Heavy Soul Records)
* THE WHITE EP

(Various 2x7” FdM Records)
* UNCLE BRAIN - s/t 

Nasoni Records)
* VIBRAVOID - Void Vibration 10th Anniversary Limited Deluxe Edition (2LP Krautedmind Records)
* WICKED LADY - The Axeman Cometh

(2LP Guerssen)

PERMANENT CLEAR LIGHT – Higher Than The Sun/Afterwards (2012)

PERMANENT CLEAR LIGHT –

Higher Than The Sun/Afterwards

2012 (7” FdM Records)

www.myspace.com/permanentclearlight

I believe that it is the luck of sun in the Scandinavia area (Finland) that forces/inspires people/artists to create such sunny, joyful euphoric melodic tunes! Permanent Clear Light introduced themselves 2 years ago taking part on FdM’s compilation “A Phase We’re Going Through” with Who’s “In The City”. Having occupied another 4 FdM comp releases, now the time has come for a 7” single of their own! On Side A, there’s their own composition “Higher Than The Sun”, so sunny but so full of melancholy simultaneously. Question: What the hell Bowie’s Space Oddity is doing inside Floyd’s Dark Side? Answer: It’s just Permanent Clear Light’s mystic formula to drag us Higher Than the Sun, maintaining our Molecular Structure in its entirety! On Side B, they cover Peter Hammil’s “Afterwards” (originally on Van de Graaf’s Grey Aerosol Machine), a cool version, thrifty but lightly space effected in the middle with beautiful vocal harmonies, makes me think that this one could have been recorded back in the early 70s. Versions like this, explains why the band happen to be one of FdM’s favorites! After all, don’t forget that – as someone used to say back in the 80s – It’s Always The Sun… and nothing but the Sun… TimeLord Michalis

try it here: fruitsdemerrecords 

THE CHEMISTRY SET – Kiss Me Vibrate And Smile (2012)

THE CHEMISTRY SET –

Kiss Me Vibrate And Smile
2012 (7” FdM Records) 
www.myspace.com/thechemistrysetuk

The Chemistry Set (having a remarkable Underground ‘career’) reformed in 2008 after a 17 years break, and this is their 2^nd 7” vinyl release on Fruits de Mer, band’s mother-figure label. Single contains 2 original compositions and 1 cover. “Come Kiss Me Vibrate And Smile” is a powerful sanguine fresh modern poppy-psych song with discreet fuzzy and backwards guitar sound. “Time To Breathe” is a slow number so 60s inspired, so British neo-psych! Lyrics like “Let the World pass by, it’s Time to Breathe…” are melting perfectly with the guitar driven psychedelic vein and the sublime harmony vocals. Their cover version to Tomorrow’s “Hallucinations” is pretty much the same as the original with a freshly modern touch that shows great musicianship despite the 17 years of “hiatus”. If this one is just a precursor to their full album, then I dare to say that the over-20-years anticipation for an album was definitely worth waiting for! TimeLord Michalis

Grab it: fruitsdemerrecords 

ANTON BARBEAU – Psychedelic Mynde Of Moses (2012)

ANTON BARBEAU –
Psychedelic Mynde Of Moses
2012 (7” FdM Records) 
www.antonbarbeau.com

I learned about this guy, just recently (2010) with his super-cool-psychedelic-pop creation “Psychedelic Mynde of Moses”. It is obvious that this one caught the eyes (and ears of course) of Keith’s FdM label. So, what we have here is a delicious vinyl single, with 2 cover versions and a re-arranged version of “Psychedelic Mynde of Moses”. This version pretty close to the original features Nick Saloman of The Bevis Frond on guitar, so more talking (writing) would be needless. “Sometimes I Wish I Was A Pretty Girl” was originally released on 1984 Robyn Hitchcock’s album “I Often Dream Of Trains”, Ant took this song, relented and sweetened it a bit and presents it under a marvellous psychedelic 80s way. Ant, except Robyn, pays his dues to another cult-80s-resuscitator of the 60s- figure, the mighty Julian Cope. “Out Of My Mind On Dope And Speed” was originally included on Cope’s 5^th solo album “Skellington” in 1989 and Julian would be really proud of Anton’s remake of the song. Period… I just only wish to add a subtitle on this FdM’s release; “The Art of Making 3-minute Psych-Pop Priceless Rubies”. TimeLord Michalis 

get it here: fruitsdemerrecords

JACK ELLISTER – The Man With The Biochopper / Citadel (Review by TimeLord Michalis)

JACK ELLISTER – The Man With The Biochopper / Citadel

2012 (7” Fruits de Mer Records / Regal Crabomophone)

www.fruitsdemerrecords.com

Sometimes you hear a track and instantly think, I’ve got to find a way to release it! That was the way I felt when I first heard Jack’s ‘The Man With The Biochopper’, classic psychedelia, but very much of the 21st century. It has everything – wild lyrics (the best use of the phrase “rubber air-pump” I’ve heard in a long time), a girl chorus, a track that builds to a massive, manic crescendo AND a false ending – all in just over 3 ½ minutes – what more can you ask for in a 7” single? How about a great, guitar-driven version of a track from The Stones’ much-maligned ‘Satanic Majesties’ album for the b-side?”… 
Having read Keith’s (Fruits De Mer) quote I was really curious to listen to it. Who wouldn’t be? What is this? British Modern Psych by a Dutch man? Who is this guy? A Bio-Chopper? Well, I was pleasantly surprised by both sides! “The Man With The Biochopper” starts like a false rotated Morricone’s spaghetti western theme with Jack’s whispering vocals and slowly it moves into a psych vein with female vocals, even more stoned male vocals, a killer wondrous guitar solo and an almost explosive ending! Jack’s interpretation on Citadel is almost 1 minute longer,  not moving away from the original and it’s hard to believe that this is a 2012 version! You get a feeling of a Rolling Stones' alternative version (taken straight from ‘Majesties’ outtakes) with different singer! And that’s an achievement! Well done, Jack! TimeLord Michalis

Sorry No Youtube video yet!!! 

Scheduled for release August 13th 2012

Colour Vinyl 7"

Limited to 800 copies

Two colour vinyl versions

(No CDs or Downloads)

Fruits de Mer Records' Regal Crabomophone label

(catalogue no. wingle 6)

Pre order your copy here:

Fruits de Mer Records

or:

Clear Spot

or:

Heyday Mailorder