The Memory Band - Time and Space

 

Bio:
The Memory Band is an English folk group founded by Stephen Cracknell, featuring a rolling cast of collaborators from across the musical spectrum. High profile members over the years have included Al Doyle, Adem, Simon Lord (from Simian and The Black Ghosts), Nancy Wallace and Lisa Knapp. Cracknell’s intention from the outset was for the band to be "an imaginary band, built inside a computer and made flesh by the contributions of numerous musicians. Live an acoustic band of ever changing numbers and on record a new approach to traditional music."

After releasing a couple of EPs in 2002/2003, they released their first self-titled album in 2004, which mostly comprised of re-recorded tracks from the first 2 EPs. Since then they have released several more EPs/singles and 5 more studio albums, plus an archival collection released this year which features alternative takes, mixes and arrangements of songs from the past 20 years.

 Click here for their Bandcamp page.

Although The Memory Band have been around for several years, I didn’t know much about them until I started compiling Manerg's Wyrdology mix in April 2021. Manerg included two excellent tracks from the band, prompting me to buy a couple of their albums right away. Then, just a couple of months ago, they offered their entire digital discography on Bandcamp for under £25, an offer I couldn't resist! I paid a bit more than the asking price to show appreciation, but it was still an incredible bargain, and I wasn’t disappointed. Every release is a delight. As for my favourites, I’d say the albums "Apron Strings" (2006) & "A Fair Field" (2016), plus the "Further Navigations" EP (2014) truly stand out.
As ever, origin of each track & year of release is tagged in the music files and in the download file. I hope you enjoy this latest band anthology!


  1. Calling On (3:27)
  2. Catch As Catch Can (3:04)
  3. I Don't Believe in You (2:34)
  4. The Mason and the Lark (2:55)
  5. The Wearing of the Horns (Weyhill On My Mind) (3:04)
  6. I Wish I Wish (7:53)
  7. Blackberry Way (2:44)
  8. Hobby Horse [with Belbury Poly] (3:21)
  9. After Night (2:43)
10. Bells (1:58)
11. This Is How We Walk on the Moon (3:40)
12. Why (4:51)
13. Demon Days (3:17)
14. Green Grows the Laurel (Jon Hopkins remix) (4:12)
15. The Ballad of Imber Down [with Grantby] (5:48)
16. So Fleet Runs the Hart (3:15)
17. The Landscape Movement (3:00)
18. Children of the Stones (3:46)
19. A New Skin (2:38)
20. Voices (2:06)
21. Facing the Granite Country (3:36)
22. Time and Space (2:43)
23. The Poacher (2:58)

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Songs from Beneath the Spaghetti Tree Vol. 98

 

  1. CV Vision - Over Yonder (Camp Fire Desire) (3:39)
  2. L'Épée - Une Lune Étrange (4:52)
  3. The John Schroeder Orchestra - Explosive Corrosive Joseph (2:28)
  4. Rufus Harley - Etymology (6:13)
  5. The Citradels - Parturiunt Montes (2:59)
  6. The Soundcarriers - Already Over (2:43)
  7. Oedipussy - Lady Purple (3:46)
  8. Dummy - Unshaped Road (2:18)
  9. Neptuna - Perdidas en el Tiempo (4:00)
10. Moon Duo - Flying (4:34)
11. Tony Allen - Secret Agent (5:17)
12. EMZYG - Hollowed Eyes (4:32)
13. Traum - Tuesday's Lover (3:18)
14. Dogfeet - Evil Woman (5:00)
15. Joy Unlimited - Breeding Ground (2:36)
16. Simon Fisher Turner - Toast (3:40)
17. King of Woolworths - Nuada (4:20)
18. Spiny Normen - Arrowhead (3:10)
19. Ahmed Malek - La La La (4:02)
20. Chet Sounds - Cut and Thrust (2:10)
21. Kit Sebastian - Bul Bul Bul (3:25)

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The Chills - Worlds Within Worlds (1996-2022)

 

 

Bio:
The Chills were one of New Zealand's most iconic guitar pop bands of any era. They started out in the '80s, making a consistent series of chiming, hook-laden guitar pop records for the Flying Nun label, then bumping the production values up for a couple albums (notably 1990's Submarine Bells) on Slash. The band's songs and arrangements were constructed with interweaving guitar hooks and vocal harmonies, creating a lush sound that never falls into cloying sentimentality. The Chills' personnel changed frequently with the only constant member being singer-songwriter Martin Phillipps, the band's founder. When he hit some health roadblocks in the '90s, the band took an extended break and Phillipps made music only sporadically before returning in the 2010s for a series of strong comeback albums -- including 2021's Scatterbrain -- which stand with the band's best work to date.

Martin Phillipps died on July 28, 2024 at the age of 61.

 Full biography click here.

As mentioned a few weeks ago, here is my tribute to Martin Phillipps following his unexpected passing back in July. This collection features songs from the 4 albums and various EPs/singles released since "Heavenly Pop Hits" was issued in 1994. This anthology is bookended by two songs originally written in the early 1980s. A live version of "Lost in Space", recorded in 1982, first appeared on "Secret Box" which was released in 2001. A studio version didn't surface until 2017, when it was issued as part of a limited edition Record Store Day 7", alongside a new track, "Rocket Science." Both songs are now available on The Chills' Bandcamp page.

This collection concludes with a 2014 re-recording of one of their most iconic songs, "Pink Frost," originally recorded in 1982 and released as a single in 1984. The reason for this new version explained by Phillipps himself:
"At the end of the day, it's my composition and I can record it as many times as I choose to! It is by no means meant to replace that very special original recording but it will sit proudly alongside it as one of the many approaches that could be taken with this most evocative and atmospheric song. I hope people will enjoy it in the spirit of it being a fresh and alternative companion piece to that original marvelous moment in time captured on tape many years ago."
I guess I can't argue with that! While I’ll always prefer the original, I think the intro on "Pink Frost 13" is far superior. As usual, origin of each track & year of release is tagged in the music files and in the download file. I hope you enjoy!


  1. Lost in Space (3:18)
  2. Worlds Within Worlds (3:21)
  3. You Can Understand Me (3:16)
  4. Warm Waveform (4:10)
  5. In Harmony (3:26)
  6. Molten Gold (3:21)
  7. Little Boy (2:50)
  8. Pyramid / When the Poor Can Reach the Moon (8:02)
  9. Luck or Loveliness (3:13)
10. Lies, Lies, Lies (2:11)
11. Sunburnt (3:39)
12. February (2:25)
13. No One Knows Better Than Me (2:15)
14. Scatterbrain (2:39)
15. The Greatest Guide (3:17)
16. True Romance (3:22)
17. America Says Hello (5:05)
18. Rocket Science (2:45)
19. Walk on the Beach (2:25)
20. Bad Sugar (3:12)
21. Premonition (2:52)
22. Caught in My Eye (3:02)
23. Pink Frost 13 (5:01)

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Songs from Beneath the Spaghetti Tree Vol. 97

 

With Martin Phillipps sadly passing away last month, I decided to end this mix with a (for me quite poignant) track from The Chills' final studio album "Scatterbrain", released in 2021. As an additional tribute to him, I'm thinking of compiling a sequel to the 2 previous Chills collections, "Kaleidoscope World" & "Heavenly Pop Hits". This would include tracks from the 1996 album "Sunburnt" up to their final studio album, along with single and EP tracks, including the re-recorded version of "Pink Frost".


  1. Black Cab - It's OK (2:49)
  2. The Silver Abduction - Quarter to Two (3:37)
  3. Los Tayos - Sombre del Diablo (6:11)
  4. K. Leimer - Porcelain (feat. Nancy Estle) (2:07)
  5. Captain Marryat - Blindness (5:03)
  6. Ian Skelly - I See You (4:04)
  7. Gruff Rhys - I'll Keep Singing (2:23)
  8. ORB - You Do (3:23)
  9. Rumplestiltskin - Rumplestiltskin (3:19)
10. White Hills - Beyond This Fiction (4:47)
11. Dana Gavanski - How to Feel Uncomfortable (2:46)
12. Tom Newman - She Said, She Said (2:27)
13. Total Issue - Les Marins (2:42)
14. La Luz - Dandelions (3:25)
15. Catford Gyrations - Inspector Sands (4:01)
16. The Black Heart Procession - It’s a Crime I Never Told You About the Diamonds in Your Eyes (3:25)
17. sereno y los seres extraños - Fuego Verde (2:46)
18. Bill Baird - Steam Machine (4:51)
19. Caravan - Winter Wine (7:36)
20. Sababa 5 & Yurika - A Flower Called Indica (4:22)
21. The Chills - Caught in My Eye (3:02)

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Trish Keenan's Mind Bending Motorway Mix

 

I've had quite a few requests for this the past few years, finally here it is! The main issue was trying to find the track by Carl Erdmann in FLAC, but the album it's from (well worth seeking out too, you can find it on bandcamp) was finally reissued a couple of years back. Trish's Mind Bending Motorway Mix was first posted way back in 2011 on soundcloud by David Brewster AKA Abandapart, not long after Trish's tragic and untimely death. You can find it by clicking HERE.
Origin of each track & original year of release is tagged in the music files and in the download file. Cheers!


  1. Emerald Web - Flight of the Raven (3:00)
  2. Harumi - What a Day for Me (2:44)
  3. Truck - Earth Song (2:51)
  4. Mandy More - If Not By Fire (4:21)
  5. Tages - You're Too Incomprehensible (2:32)
  6. Twice As Much - The Spinning Wheel (2:19)
  7. Tangerine Peel - Trapped (2:22)
  8. Twice As Much - Play With Fire (2:27)
  9. Catharsis - Masq (4:05)
10. Víctor Jara - El Aparecido (2:15)
11. Natty Bumpo - Theme from "Valley of the Dolls" (2:10)
12. Koji Ueno - Professor Persec (3:56)
13. Fuat Saka - Atladim Girdim Baga (4:04)
14. Carl Erdmann - Devil Worship (4:19)
15. The Vampires of Dartmoore - Tanz der Vampire (2:32)
16. The Rock Revival - Venus 2038 (2:29)
17. The Network - The Boys and the Girls (2:48)

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Songs from Beneath the Spaghetti Tree Vol. 96

  1. San Kazakgascar - Slickster Slimester (3:17)
  2. Upupayama - Mas (4:27)
  3. Aunt Katrina - Let Me Go (2:50)
  4. Sanullim - It Was Probably Late Summer (6:18)
  5. Jay Clarkson & The Containers - Children of the Rule (4:39)
  6. Jon McKiel - Under Burden (2:14)
  7. Captain Beefheart and the Magic Band - Observatory Crest (3:31)
  8. Martijn de Kleer - The Time Has Come (5:54)
  9. Beak> - Hungry Are We (5:00)
10. The Ironsides - The Web (5:37)
11. Chaz Bundick Meets The Mattson 2 - Star Stuff (4:05)
12. Alessandro Alessandroni - Spiagge Azzurre (4:51)
13. John Stammers - Idle I'm (Colorama Coloured In Remix) (3:16)
14. Emmanuelle Parrenin - Delyade (4:48)
15. Joe Ghatt - Orange October (5:41)
16. Richard Twice - If I Knew You Were The One (4:39)
17. Golden Bug & The Limiñanas - Hi No Tori (feat. Vega Voga) (4:27)
18. Fontanarosa - Untie (3:55)

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Dungen - Kalejdoskopiska Klangar

 

Short bio:
Swedish collective Dungen is the brainchild of multi-instrumentalist Gustav Ejstes and their music blends '60s-styled psychedelic rock, free jazz, Swedish folk, and instrumental ambience. With a band of like-minded explorers surrounding him, Ejstes' records with Dungen expand sonic boundaries with songs that sound like lost psych-pop hits from late-'60s Europe. Early efforts like the 2004's "Ta Det Lugnt" set the scene for an evolution that continued for over two decades on subsequent works like 2022's "En Är För Mycket och Tusen Aldrig Nog".

 Click for full bio 

I first heard Dungen when I bought their breakthrough album, "Ta Det Lugnt". It was a total delight on first listen, and revisiting the album all these years later it still sounds as powerful as it did back then. I've purchased all their albums since, and none have been disappointing. My favourite albums are "Ta Det Lugnt", and "Skit I Allt" which was released in 2010. For this collection I've included tracks from all their albums released between 2002 - 2022, plus a couple of single releases and their contribution to the compilation album "Lagniappe Sessions, Vol. 1". Regarding their early discography, it's a little bit confusing regarding their actual first or second official album releases. I'll leave that one for you to figure out as I can't come to any definite conclusion!
As usual, origin of each track & year of release is tagged in the music files and in the download file. I hope you enjoy this latest anthology. Cheers!


  1. Fredag (4:18)
  2. Brallor (3:13)
  3. Ät Det Som Växer (5:39)
  4. Panda (4:53)
  5. Svart Är Himlen (2:08)
  6. Franks Kaktus (5:06)
  7. Klockan Slår Den Är Mycket Nu (4:07)
  8. Achmed Flyger (4:33)
  9. Vem Vaktar Lejonen? (3:28)
10. Om Du Vore En Vakthund (3:00)
11. Öga, Näsa, Mun (5:05)
12. Mina Damer Och Fasaner (3:42)
13. En Dag På Sjön (4:10)
14. Soda (3:36)
15. Gör Det Nu (3:03)
16. Nattens Sista Strimma Ljus (4:23)
17. Alberto Balsalm (4:43)
18. Lipsill (2:43)
19. Barnen Undrar (3:18)
20. Jakten Genom Skogen (4:10)

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Songs from Beneath the Spaghetti Tree Vol. 95

 

 1. Lewsberg - The Corner (3:11)
 2. Project Gemini - The Last Midnight (3:36)
 3. The Millennium - It's You (3:20)
 4. Laetitia Sadier - Don't Forget You're Mine (4:35)
 5. Ghetto Brothers - Girl from the Mountain (4:22)
 6. Smoke Fairies - Gastown (4:28)
 7. The Memory Band - Children of the Stones (3:46)
 8. Osamu Kitajima - Benzaiten (God of Music and Water) (3:32)
 9. T.P. Orchestre Poly-Rythmo - Gendamou Na Wili We Gnannin (8:34)
10. Pâncreas - Climão em Noite de Natal (3:22)
11. HERDING - Summer (3:51)
12. avoid!avoid - Ultra Deep Field (6:18)
13. Shira Small - Fingerpainter (2:21)
14. Landis - Years from Now (1:53)
15. Wurld Series - Regional Perspectives (2:00)
16. Aquaserge - Je Suis Galaxie (3:40)
17. Ty Segall - Denée (5:54)
18. toechter - Me She Said (2:56)
19. Ultimate Painting - Monday Morning, Somewhere Central (2:52)
20. Columna de Fuego - Carnaval en Barranquilla (4:38)

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Songs from Beneath the Spaghetti Tree Vol. 94

 

  1. Pyrolator - Die Geschichte vom Heißgelaufenen Reißwolf (4:47)
  2. Melenas - Dos Pasajeros (5:26)
  3. The Hanging Stars - Silver Rings (2:43)
  4. Manuel De Sica - Pedale (1:58)
  5. LAIR - Mencari Selamat (3:09)
  6. Happy End - Kakurenbo (4:30)
  7. John Parish & Aldous Harding - Three Hours (4:32)
  8. Kaleidoscope - Keep Your Mind Open (2:15)
  9. Iron Knowledge - African Piano Song (3:37)
10. Kavus Torabi - Snake Humanis (3:27)
11. Magick Brother & Mystic Sister - The Hierophant (3:18)
12. Alexander Spence - Land of the Sun (4:21)
13. Circus 2000 - You Aren't Listening (4:59)
14. Men from S.P.E.C.T.R.E. - Eat Fire (4:19)
15. Wurld Series - The Giant's Lawn Part II (2:28)
16. The Glass Family - Sometimes You Wander (Henry's Tune) (2:56)
17. Arab Strap - Compersion, Pt. 1 (3:35)
18. Peter Thomas - Jump and Fly (2:21)
19. Dolly Mixture - The Same Mistake (3:03)
20. Me and My Kites - Regnbågen (Djurby) (4:37)
21. Lucas Croon - Krautwickel (7:19)

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In Love With Those Times (Flying Nun Records 1981–1988)

 

This compilation was inspired by the excellent Matthew Goody book, "Needles and Plastic: Flying Nun Records, 1981–1988", which goes into great detail about every Flying Nun release from the years 1981 to mid 1988. All artists on this compilation are featured in the book. Finding some of the more obscure releases did prove quite difficult. I managed to find online some vinyl rips of singles/EPs which have never been reissued by the label. Big thanks go out to 'thehappyone' for some of those rips, especially the releases by Ritchie Venus & The Blue Beetles and Marie and the Atom. A handful of the vinyl rips I'm also responsible for. A few of these more obscure releases have been reissued on other labels, or self-released, such as the EPs from Vibraslaps and Phantom Forth. Other artists such as Mainly Spaniards & Scorched Earth Policy have released anthologies from which the respective tracks have come from, though some of these have been brickwalled to hell! Scorched Earth Policy probably the worst offenders here...

Among the better-known artists who have appeared on several Flying Nun compilations, I have selected a few personal favourite songs that have not been featured before on those comps. Hard to believe that one of The Clean's finest songs, "Anything Could Happen", has never appeared on any of these comps, apart from the couple of band anthologies released so far. This compilation has been a real labour of love, spending several weeks trying to find these very rare releases. Some I really would love to find some day, for example: The Jumblies – "Stuff Of Dreams", Spines – "Idiot Sun",  Not Really Anything – "Watched a World" and The Moas – "Spaz Out!"

There are some releases I did track down which I haven't included on this compilation, due to my personal dislike of them. I had the sole album by The Fold many years ago, really could not get into it, selling it soon after purchase. Listening to them just recently my opinion of the band hasn't changed at all. You also won't find here Netherworld Dancing Toys, Stiff Herbert and a few others which can be found in the book. One small surprise (for me anyway) was including a track from the much derided 2nd Gordons album. Notoriously difficult to find a copy, with good reason. It really isn't very good! Listening to it just recently though, it isn't almost as awful as I remember it, and included here is one of the better tracks.
Note: Axemen - "Womin of Love" isn't a bad rip, that's exactly how it sounds on the album! This is also one of the more listenable tracks on that album so you got off lightly...

I hope you enjoy my latest Flying Nun compilation, as ever origin of each track & year of release is tagged in the music files and in the download file. Cheers!

Disc 1:
  1. Crystal Zoom - Dunedin Sound on 45 (3:26)
  2. The Pin Group - Columbia (3:52)
  3. Die Bilder - Girl at Night (3:12)
  4. Vibraslaps - Crooked Lines (2:56)
  5. The Clean - Anything Could Happen (2:35)
  6. Ritchie Venus & The Blue Beetles - Bleeding Heart (3:29)
  7. Fetus Productions - Fetus Productions (4:43)
  8. The Jean-Paul Sartre Experience - Fish in the Sea (3:28)
  9. The Exploding Budgies - See You Around the Stones (3:12)
10. The Verlaines - Phil Too? (4:36)
11. Alpaca Brothers - It's No Joke (4:07)
12. Peter Jefferies & Jono Lonie - Thief With the Silver (2:04)
13. Marie and the Atom - Orange Towel Song (3:18)
14. Mainly Spaniards - Secretaries' Lunch Break (3:29)
15. Scorched Earth Policy - Sunset on the Loading Zone (3:23)
16. All Fall Down - Actifed Blues (4:27)
17. The Stones - Funky Conversations (3:36)
18. Ballon d'Essai - Testimony to Paradise Street (4:01)
19. Expendables - Say Cheese (3:03)
20. Gordons - Joker (2:36)
21. The Orange - No Reason to Hide (3:01)
22. The Rip - River / Chasm (3:45)
23. Bird Nest Roys - Joringel (3:18)

Disc 2:
  1. The Chills - I Think I'd Thought I'd Nothing Else to Think About (2:06)
  2. Bailter Space - El Whizzo (And Then) (4:58)
  3. This Kind of Punishment - The Men by the Pool (3:24)
  4. The Great Unwashed - Born in the Wrong Time (2:16)
  5. The Max Block - Came in a Can (2:55)
  6. Jay Clarkson - Penelope (4:28)
  7. Look Blue Go Purple - 100 Times (2:36)
  8. This Sporting Life - Difference (2:52)
  9. Tall Dwarfs - Carpetgrabber (2:03)
10. Able Tasmans - I See Now Where (1:59)
11. Axemen - Womin of Love (2:29)
12. DoubleHappys - Moss Monster (3:16)
13. Phantom Forth - March (3:54)
14. The Terminals - Turning Every Word Around (3:18)
15. Sneaky Feelings - Everything I Want (3:43)
16. Eight Living Legs - Don't Do That Near Me (4:27)
17. Goblin Mix - Coleridge (2:58)
18. Dead Famous People - Take Your Leather Jacket Off (3:05)
19. Naked Spots Dance - Governed by You (2:35)
20. Children's Hour - Slaughter House (4:11)
21. Straitjacket Fits - All That That Brings (4:12)
22. Graeme Jefferies - Prisoner of a Single Passion (4:42)
23. Headless Chickens - Run, Sheep, Run (4:04)
24. The Bats - Round and Down (2:17)

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