IAN McNABB/Head Like A Rock (Deluxe Expanded 2CD Edition): Available February 5, 2013!

IAN MCNABB

HEAD LIKE A ROCK

(Expanded 2CD Edition)

2.5.13

Who is Ian McNabb, you ask?  Well, first off, you should be ashamed of yourself for not already knowing.... but since you asked...

Ian McNabb is one of the UK's finest singer/songwriters.  From his amazing releases in the '80s with The Icicle Works to his inspiring solo work in the '90s and beyond, McNabb has not released anything resembling a bad record.  While Oasis, Blur and The La's may have garnered all the praise in the days of Britpop, Ian McNabb was making records that were better and far more consistent than those made by his commercially-accepted contemporaries. 

One of those albums, Head Like A Rock, is receiving the deluxe treatment from Cherry Red, which is pretty awesome.  There's a remastered version of the album plus a bonus CD that contains 9 bonus tracks.

Read the sell sheet info below and get yourself caught up.  Its McNabb time!

After the Icicle works split up Ian went solo and signed for Andrew Lauders This Way Up Label after releasing the well-received Truth and Beauty McNabb was allegedly inspired to a rockier sound by the engineer who mastered that record, telling him "Aye, Ian, your rocking days are behind you." Legend has it that McNabb went back to his home in Liverpool, and recorded a demo of what would become the coruscating opener of Head Like a Rock, "Fire inside My Soul".

 Label boss Andrew Lauder then suggested that McNabb go to record in America, which McNabb was sceptical about. He facetiously suggested to Lauder that his new material sounded like Neil Young and Crazy Horse, and if Lauder could get Crazy Horse to play on the record, he would go to America. A few phone calls later, McNabb found himself in a Los Angeles studio with Crazy Horse drummer Ralph Molina and bassist Billy Talbot. This cast-iron rhythm section appeared on four of the ten tracks on Head like a Rock, including the No. 54 UK hit "You Must Be Prepared to Dream". The album's other single, "Go into the Light", did not feature Crazy Horse and peaked at UK No. 66.

Head like a Rock was subsequently nominated for the 1994 Mercury Music Prize, and although M People would end up taking the award home, the attendant publicity surrounding the award-nominated album propelled Head like a Rock into the UK album charts, where it peaked at No. 29.

BMX BANDITS/BMX Bandits In Space: Available November 27th, 2012!

BMX BANDITS

BMX BANDITS IN SPACE

11.27.12

The sixteenth release from Duglas T Stewart’s group comes surrounded by lots of big news.

The first big news is that this new album includes the return of two of BMX Bandits' original members, neither of whom have worked with the group since its beginnings, sometime around 1985. Jim McCulloch (Snowgoose, The Soup Dragons) is not only back in the line-up but also participated intensely in the song-writing process for many of the tracks, and Sean Dickson (The Soup Dragons) wrote the album’s opening and closing tracks.

Second, another regular collaborator who has returned to the fold is the ubiquitous Norman Blake (Teenage Fanclub), who plays several instruments and coproduces the captivating “Still”. Finally, what we have here is a kind of space-pop-opera - one of the best records from one of the most charismatic characters in the history of indie pop.

“BMX Bandits in Space” tells the story of a man travelling through time and space in search of forgiveness and a way back home. Throughout the trip there are small flashes – some are memories and some are figments of his imagination. “Every song, every flash of music is like a piece of a puzzle that helps our hero discover how he wound up lost and wandering infinitely around in space, and what his particular idea of love was.”

BOMBAY BICYCLE CLUB/A Different Kind Of Fix: Available January 17th, 2012!

BOMBAY BICYCLE CLUB

A DIFFERENT KIND OF FIX

1.17.12

2012 release, the third album from the British Alt-Rock/Pop band. Recorded in Hamburg, London and Atlanta, A Different Kind Of Fix sees the guitars firmly plugged back in for album number three, but added to the mix are synths, sampled loops, layered vocals from all four band members and washes of reverb throughout. Production-wise, the album reunites BBC with Jim Abbiss--who produced their debut--and also introduces them to Ben Allen (noted for his work with Animal Collective) whilst lead singer, Jack Steadman co-produces throughout. Includes first single, "Shuffle", "How Can You Swallow So Much Sleep" and "Take The Right One".

THE VACCINES/What Did You Expect From The Vaccines?: released in the U.S. on May 31st, 2011!

THE VACCINES

WHAT DID YOU EXPECT FROM THE VACCINES?

5.31.11

2011 debut from the hotly-tipped British Indie outfit. The unprecedented reaction and interest surrounding the band has been remarkable with some media comparing the organic hype to the likes of The Strokes. What Did You Expect From The Vaccines? was recorded in a couple of weeks during the autumn of 2010 at RAK and Miloco Hoxton Square studios, London with Dan Grech. The band released their debut double A-sided single, "Wreckin' Bar (Ra Ra Ra)" and "Blow It Up" through Marshall Teller in November 2010 and "Post Break Up Sex", their debut release for Columbia, came out in January of this year.

SANTA RECOMMENDS...ONE NIGHT ONLY

Hello, kids!

CHRISTMAS is almost here!  My elves are busy building toys, reading your e-mails and keeping busy.  A few of them spend far too much time on Facebook these days, but we're still on schedule so I won't complain.

Have you written out your Christmas wish list yet?  No?  Well, you better get busy.  There's only a little time left before I load my sleigh up with gifts and make my journey around the world on Christmas night! 

If you are having a hard time deciding what you want, may I suggest this?

ONE NIGHT ONLY

ONE NIGHT ONLY

This band of young British whippernappers put out a fine album back in 2008 called Started A Fire, which blended right in with the rest of great music coming out of the UK during that period (like The Kooks and The Wombats).  But two years on, these boys have either learned their chops or have been replaced by music industry-created robots because this album is a HUGE leap forward from songwriting to production.  In fact, it could almost be an entirely different band!  Filled to the brim with great songs that sound great in the headphones and your car stereo, this self-titled release is a must-have for anyone remotely interested in modern British music.  Sure, at times, it may sound a little too polished and clean, but the songs and the energy of the album totally make up for it. Yours truly will be cranking this one up as I take my sleigh out for a test drive before the big day.

I must get going now.  Mrs. Claus needs some help in eating those delicicious Russian Tea Cakes and I don't want to miss out!  They are fresh out of the oven, you know! Yum Yum!

Ho! Ho! Ho!

Santa

SANTA RECOMMENDS...ONE NIGHT ONLY

Hello, kids!

CHRISTMAS is almost here!  My elves are busy building toys, reading your e-mails and keeping busy.  A few of them spend far too much time on Facebook these days, but we're still on schedule so I won't complain.

Have you written out your Christmas wish list yet?  No?  Well, you better get busy.  There's only a little time left before I load my sleigh up with gifts and make my journey around the world on Christmas night! 

If you are having a hard time deciding what you want, may I suggest this?

ONE NIGHT ONLY

ONE NIGHT ONLY

This band of young British whippernappers put out a fine album back in 2008 called Started A Fire, which blended right in with the rest of great music coming out of the UK during that period (like The Kooks and The Wombats).  But two years on, these boys have either learned their chops or have been replaced by music industry-created robots because this album is a HUGE leap forward from songwriting to production.  In fact, it could almost be an entirely different band!  Filled to the brim with great songs that sound great in the headphones and your car stereo, this self-titled release is a must-have for anyone remotely interested in modern British music.  Sure, at times, it may sound a little too polished and clean, but the songs and the energy of the album totally make up for it. Yours truly will be cranking this one up as I take my sleigh out for a test drive before the big day.

I must get going now.  Mrs. Claus needs some help in eating those delicicious Russian Tea Cakes and I don't want to miss out!  They are fresh out of the oven, you know! Yum Yum!

Ho! Ho! Ho!

Santa

ALBUMS YOU NEED TO OWN #1: Sex & Violins: The Best Of MY LIFE STORY

In the '90s, while Britpop was ruling the airwaves, many folks outside the UK were too busy paying attention to the often boring albums released by all the BIG names of the genre including Oasis, Blur, Pulp and others. Sure, these bands put out some amazing records, but their immense fame enabled them to lose touch with reality and, worst of all, their fanbase.

While these band fought a decent fight to stay in the charts, there was one band who may not have captured your attention initially, but were far more deserving of your time and well-earned money: MY LIFE STORY.

The band was led by singer/songwriter JAKE SHILLINGFORD, who had a musical vision that far exceeded anyone else's imagination at the time. Shillingford was able to successfully mix the drama of a Bond theme with the bombast of ABC's Lexicon Of Love album mixed with the emotional fragility of solo Marc Almond and the suave and sexy moodiness of Scott Walker, creating a sound that recalled the aforementioned influences but retained it's own unique qualities.

My Life Story released three albums (Mornington Crescent, A Golden Mile and Joined Up Talking) and a slew of great singles in their relatively short career (1995-2000). Although they achieved Top 40 success in the UK, Shillingford's musical vision came to an end before they could even release a note of music in the U.S.!

Released in 2006, Sex & Violins: The Best Of My Life Story is an absolutely perfect introduction to the band. It includes some of the finest Pop singles you're likely to hear in your lifetime including "Sparkle", "Strumpet", "If You Can't Live Without Me Then Why Aren't You Dead Yet?", "Empire Line", "12 Reasons Why I Love Her" and many others. Not a dull moment here folks. This is pretty much what great Pop music is all about: big, bombastic, dramatic, fun, emotional and fantastic!

If you dig this, you might want to check out the two CD rarities and b-sides collection Megaphone Theology, which contains 40 more great tracks including demos, b-sides and more.

After laying My Life Story to rest, Shillingford formed the Electronic band Exile Inside, releasing two albums: Ei034 and Ei060.

In 2008, Shillingford then released his debut solo album, Written Large, which contains Jake accompanied by acoustic guitar and piano, revisiting songs from his catalog as well as brand new material. The album is perhaps the prettiest thing he's released yet.

Let's hope Shillingford continued to release music. If he does, then I'll always be there to listen... and tell YOU about it!

You don't sparkle,

Stephen SPAZ Schnee