The Cribs Payola Rar
Founded the record label in 1980 and proceeded to define the sound of experimental/alternative/goth/shoegazing music in the UK. Seminal bands recording on their label included, and others. They also got involved with the US alternative scene with the related bands of the, and.Aside from all these great bands, Watts-Russell was also the core of the 4AD project,.
The idea was to take various permutations of 4AD artists and record a mixture of originals and obscure cover songs. Thus the range of music on TMC releases simultaneously defines and is defined by the '4AD sound'.Before their three classic LPs, they released the ' EP. The title track is a medley of two early songs, rerecorded by a collection of 4AD artists (including some from Modern English). Although I've been a big fan of TMC for many years, I have to admit I have just learned about this EP very recently.
It was never released on CD; it is available only as. The title track was featured on an iTunes-only 4AD EP ('), but I don't think that is available any longer either.In addition to the title track, the 12' EP featured ' (a cover) and 'Sixteen Days Reprise'. The title track from the 12' version was largely forgotten and it was struck for the 7' version which then featured 'Song to the Siren' as the lead track (with 'Sixteen Days Reprise' as the b-side). Of course, STTS would become TMC's most popular track and be featured on their debut LP, '. STTS is a truly sublime song, but it is not the focus of this review.If you're a TMC fan, 1) you already have STTS and 2) you're eager to get your hands on additional TMC songs (their retrospective box set, ', is nice for beginners but does little for completists and collectors). If you're not yet a TMC fan, 'Sixteen Days/Gathering Dust' is not the best place to start - the Modern English covers are pretty good, but they only show a little of what the group/project would go on to achieve. Do yourself a favor and check out their other releases as well.Standout tracks: ', ', '.Skip 'em tracks: none.Final Score: 7/10.
Perhaps a bit low; but I'm assuming everyone already has STTS and is getting this for Modern English covers.Bonus Links #1: Modern English original versions:,Bonus Links #2: Song to the Siren: contemporary TMC/Cocteau Twins,.Bonus Link #3: I normally don't post links to bootlegs, but since this EP is unavailable elsewhere, you can find a link in a post at. 10: Genre defining. The world is a better place because this exists. 9: Excellent. Candidate for LP of the year.
8: Very good. Just one or two minor flaws.
7: Good. Should be in any serious collection. 6: Mostly good. But not essential for your collection. 5: Disappointing.
Recommended only with caveats. 4: Not good. More flaws than not. 3: Bad.
Very few redeeming features. 2: Terrible.
Some parts seem OK only because the other parts are so bad. 1: Painful. The world is a worse place because this exists.
The Payola Scandals
With the presence of now feeling like a distant daydream, have certainly come a long way. But with the release of ‘For All My Sisters’, it’s incredibly clear that the Jarman band of brothers have truly found their niche.With riffs that hark back to the likes of ‘‘, opening track ‘Finally Free’ is a guitar anthem to truly sink your teeth into.
Yet this track and its successor, ‘Different Angle’, somehow gives a sly wink to their new and old material simultaneously. The vibrant melodies of ‘‘ and ‘‘ are present, but with a new-found complexity that simply leaves us in awe.‘Burning For No One’ moves at a surprisingly leisurely pace with uncharacteristically clean, rhythmic guitar driving this offensively melodic affair. A clever change in time signature on ‘Mr.
Wrong’ grants it a gratuitously heavy, head-bangingly-epic chorus with a euphoric guitar solo throw in at no extra cost. And who could forget the chugging chords, monstrous bass and contagious lead we first heard on ‘Ivory Hand’? With Ryan Jarman forging a multitude of melodies that wouldn’t be too out of place on Guitar Hero, ‘For All My Sisters’ is undoubtedly some of his best axe-work to date.‘Simple Story’ gives us time to catch our breath with ‘City Storms’ filling us with all that Cribs nostalgia we first encountered over ten years ago, somehow still managing to remain fresh in 2015.
The Payolas Band
The relentless riffs just keep coming as supporting vocals on ‘Pacific Time’ try to maintain the pace; with an outro not too dissimilar to the likes of ‘Arena Rock Encore With Full Cast’, it’s a triumph. It’s hard not to constantly worship Ryan Jarman’s lead guitar work as it ceases to steal the spotlight, with following track ‘Summer Of Chances’ being no exception. It becomes a task in itself to make it through ‘For All My Sisters’ without desperately wanting to replay each song in sheer disbelief; much in the same way you’d pinch yourself to make sure you’re not dreaming.The looping riffs of ‘Diamond Girl’ continue this theme of sheer disbelief; how can so many memorable melodies can be condensed into one modest-length album? In turn, the sombre acoustic melodies of ‘Spring on Broadway’ explode into a full-blown assault, with a sinister chorus that hypnotically captures your attention. The melancholic, spooky riffs of ‘Pink Snow’ mark the beginning of the end, as this seven minute journey erupts into one of the most theatrical moments of ‘For All My Sisters’.Each song plays to The Cribs’ strengths, but each track has an undeniable, distinguishable personality of its own. It’s no surprise that Gary Jarman takes lead vocals a hell of a lot more than we’d expect on ‘For All My Sisters’, but with Ryan Jarman competing for ‘World’s Most Underappreciated Guitar hero’, that’s not a change we particularly object to.
Payola History
‘For All My Sisters’ is a string of consecutive hits which, to the untrained ear, could easily be mistaken for their 2013 ‘greatest hits’ album, ‘Payola’. It’s undoubtedly the best thing we’ve heard all year.