The Bordellos - Underground Tape Series

St Helens band The Bordellos recently put out Volume 4 in this series of EPs, all of which dip into the archives to showcase brilliantly their uniquely appealing brand of lo-fi tinged with psychedelic inclinations.   It seemed a good moment to reflect on some of the highlights of the series so far, all of which can be downloaded for free here. 

 

Volume 1

 

These Boots Are Made For Stalking (4 track version)

 

Not a twisted version of the Nancy Sinatra classic but a slowed-down, 'Sweet Jane' style confessional from a self-styled 'motherfucking crazy guy' who, among other things, declares his intention to be the padding in his target's wonderbra.   As it goes on, the music becomes more frenzied and 'Sweet Jane' becomes 'Waiting For The Man'.  Madly exquisite.

 

 

 

Volume 2

 

Sweet Hangover (Dandelion Radio Session)

 

Originally broadcast as part of a session recorded for my Dandelion colleague Jeff Grainger's show back in July 2011, this shows a gently nostalgic, reflective side to the band that surfaces every now and again and the world always feels a lot better for it. 

 

 

 

 

 

Volume 3

 

Poet or a Liar (Alternate Mix)

 

Delightfully woozy portrait of the artist 'praying for stage fright' and harbouring the belief that 'every line deserves a heavenly choir'.  And it draws you in so well you start to believe it.  One of their finest songs.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Volume 4

 

Punk's Not Dead

 

You can hear this in my Dandelion Radio show this month, a gloriously fragmented piece of tempo-shifting brilliance that manages, even at well under four minutes, to cram the spirit of punk and Nat King Cole together in its lyrics and make it work.

 

 

 

Clearly there's a lot more to come in this fascinating and highly enjoyable series so keep an eye on the band's bandcamp site for more.  They'll also be recording a second session for my Dandelion show later in the year.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Schizo Fun Addict/The Bordellos - KASSETTE (Small Bear)

 

 

Before I start you'd better know that the limited edition cassette version of this release has already sold out.  You can still download it from the Small Bear bandcamp site, however, and, even shorn of its deeply attractive packaging, it's one hell of great fantastic release.

 

It's a split, of course, but a split with a difference: rather than sharing space of the length of a standard album (if that means anything these days), you get a complete album-length 'side' from each band.  As both of the bands are wonderful, that means a two for the price of one deal of some considerable quality. 

 

The two bands concerned offer pretty distinctive sounds: this is not one of those split releases that offers you two bands that appear to be aiming to sound like each other.  The Bordellos (who you may have heard a damn fine session from in my Dandelion Radio show last year) offer some of the best things their endearingly ragged guitar sound has ever conjured up, including 'Temperature Drop', which made the Festive Fifty in 2013, and the laid-back stab to the brain that is 'Hit It', which appeared on the EP sampler release for this album last year and which I play in my Dandelion Radio show this month.

 

I play a track from the SFA side too - 'Make A Stand', an intoxicating, woozy slab of off-kilter sub-psychedelic magnificence.  The contrast between the two bands' styles makes it an easy and almost natural thing to flip from one album to the next to get two opposing slices of what makes great music so great both between and through the ear lobes.

 

As you may have guessed, I like it.  If you needed an additional reason to grab a copy yourself (which you shouldn't) every penny generated goes to Save The Children.  Get a copy from the Small Bear bandcamp site here.