Glad to hear that someone else knows this album actually exists.... You must read NME in the eighties... I play this album only on very special occasions. Very atmospheric, very moody. A very personal album for me.
I first heard VA when her band The Ravishing Beauties supported The Teardrop Explodes on The Wilder tour. I thought the band were great but her solo stuff is better and pre dates the ambient electronic movement of the nineties by a good few years. The record has a very pastoral feel and if you can put up with church bells etc it's a great downbeat late evening record. And yes I wasted a tremendous amount of my youth by reading the NME in the days when it had something to say.
At The Drive-in: Relationship of Command Rick Rubin's production pushed the band to the edge of breaking out before the band imploded. Oh well, two great bands formed in the ashes of ATDI: The Mars Volta and Sparta. PM me for more info.
The Church --- The Blurred Crusade Basehead --- Play With Toys Giant Sand --- Ramp Curve -- Doppelganger Lou Redd --- New York, Magic and Loss Agree on Girlfriend
Fixed your post. I'll also add: Hazel -- Toreador of Love. I'm guessing nobody has heard of this one unless you lived in Portland in the early 90s. This album defines the musical time-period for me. I still think it's better than anything any name-brand grunge band ever released. It's a crying shame that Everclear went on to riches and fame, while Hazel toiled in obscurity.
While we're on the subject of Aztec Camera, I liked "Stray" quite a bit. Nice early '90s cheese. I'd also nominate "Big Calm" by Morcheeba (at least Stateside). And here's one that's really obscure -- "Sex Without Bodies" by the NYC jazz duo Dave's True Story. Great lounge jazz, and one of my all time favorite jazz CDs.
Feels like home when sandanidsta and pleased to meet me are listed in the first 5 posts. you guys stole my thunder. I think one of the most under appreciate punk albums is Stiff Little Fingers - Nobody's Heroes. everyone seems to have/prefer imflammible material, but Nobody's Heroes is much better Also Police - syncronocity thurston moore - pyschic hearts
Adding more: Paloalto's self-titled debut. So they kinda sound like Radiohead. So what? "Natural Ingredients" and "Electric Honey" by Luscious Jackson.
KingsX - one of the best bands of the 90's. Crunchy guitars with lush 3 part vocal harmonies. You can hear the influences: Beatles, Hendrix, Queen. Some of their best albums: Out of the Silent Planet Gretchen Goes to Nebraska Dogman Very underrated band to say the least!
Just to prove your point... NO NO NO !!!! Inflammable Material is a Punk classic, it's angry, it's satirical, it's ironic (White Noise) it wears some great influences on it's sleeve (Johnny Was) and it sounds like the living embodiment of a train wreck fed through a Marshall turned up to 11. Nobody's heroes on the other hand reeks of the difficult second album syndrome, and has the feel of "where do we go from here" about it. It's not a bad record but it's nowhere near as good as IM. CM