Idlewild again - Hope Is Important singles

So you'd be justified in suggesting that a second showing for Idlewild is due to a lack of bands beginning with I, but this doesn't diminish the wonder of this band (well, up to 2003 in any case). "Hope Is Important" was such a great album and the singles really defined Idlewild for who they are. Slightly poppier than their early releases whilst maintaining a pure punk edge.

"A Film For The Future" carried on where "Captain" left off. But by now, Idlewild had enough of a following to bother the singles charts. Indeed, the first three singles skirted off the edge of the top 40. This single started a trilogy of songs called "Mince Showercap" that would appear on each of these three singles. Part 1 is an aggressive song with added recipe tips.

"Everyone Says You're So Fragile" is a better song. Still fast and punky but with real pop sensibilities. "Mince Showercap (Part 2)" is another weird track, but "Theory Of Achievement" is an excellent b-side that wouldn't be out of place on the album.

"I'm A Message" was up next, now with more formats to really go at a chart place. As a result - more precious b-sides! "Mince Showercap (Part 3)" isn't really worth the plastic and metal it's encoded on. But "This Is Worse" is probably my favourite Idlewild b-side of all. It sounds a little R.E.M.-y. Also two session tracks.

Finally is "When I Argue I See Shapes" - arguably the best Idlewild song of all and one of my favourite songs 'period', as our American counterparts would put it. Not only breaking the top 40 at last, but the top 20. The video accompanying the single featured a jumping salamander every time the backing vocals shout "Shapes!". It makes me jump in the air every time it happens.

Husker Du B-sides

It wasn't until Sugar released "Copper Blue" 20 years ago that I really got into Husker Du. Starting with 'middle period', relatively obtainable albums "New Day Rising" and "Flip Your Wig" and moving further back through "Zen Arcade", "Metal Circus" and Everything Falls Apart". I've never really managed to listen to "Land Speed Record" all the way through.

At that time, the two major label releases - "Candy Apple Grey" and "Warehouse: Songs and Stories" - were out of print, so I paid through the nose for vinyl copies in second hand shops in Birmingham. I fell in love with "Warehouse..." and it remains my favourite album by them.

It was in the same shop - Plastic Factory - that I first saw a copy of the "Ice Cold Ice" 7". Displayed high up on the wall. Out of reach in more ways than one - it was £25.

It was probably another 10 years or so before I bought any of the four singles from these two Warner Bros albums. Much scarcer than the constantly repressed SST singles "Eight Miles High" and "Makes No Sense At All".

They were still between £6-8 each but much less than that original find in PF all those years ago.

And was it worth it? Well, yes. Just to own them and the lovely artwork. Musically, each single comes with one unique b-side and a bunch of live versions of album tracks. Here I include the four exclusives:

On "Don't Want To Know If You Are Lonely", an 8 minute song called "All Work And No Play" - very much in keeping with the songs from "Candy Apple Grey".

On the "Sorry Somehow" 12" you got a track called "Fattie" which is an instrumental/noise thing.

"Could You Be The One" contains the only song to have been sung by the bass player Greg Norton, called "Everytime". Not bad at all.

Finally, my beloved "Ice Cold Ice" 7", which contains a song called "Gotta Lotta" - probably the pick of the bunch.

Getta Lotta

Grandaddy singles

Happy New Year!

A random collection of singles by Grandaddy here. There have been few bands that I've so quickly got into and then quickly grown tired of in my memory as Grandaddy. When "Summer Here Kids" came out it was a breath of fresh air.

I saw them at Reading. Bought the album. Sent off for the free EP. Got some of the early singles including "Laughing Stock". Bought "AM 180" when that came out.

And then... Meh.

They fell off my radar completely. I don't even remember buying "Signal To Snow Ratio". For that matter I don't even remember listening to it before. It's from 2001 apparently.

Just the b-sides here, a mixture of oddities including a cover of Pavement's "Here".