Obvious
Almost every song on this disc scream 'number one hit!' I love
this more than magical stuff! Brilliant! Give it a try, it makes
sound financial sense. Obviously.
The bands and their songs.
01. Honeygun: Heartline.
02. The Holsteins: You Leave...I Bleed.
03. Flaming June: Charming The Snake.
04. Soft Cotton County: Here Comes Love.
05. Cerulean Blue: It's Important
06. Cerulean Blue: Everybody.
07. Red Ash and The Love Commandos: Control Freak.
08. Boy called Betty: The one
09. Indian Runner: Head For Business.
10. Control Z: Wolf
11. Control Z: Until the end of time
12. The Wedge: The Only Love.
13. The Original Mind: Dino and The Lady
14. Faster: It's Not War
15. Spindrift: Come home
16. Michael Eric Dowey: What Love Can Do
17. Pharos: Diptych
18. Dave Sexy: Mr Churchill
19. Moth Conspiracy: Extra
A few words about each band
Honeygun: This song has a jolly rhythm and reminds me of
Elastica with an injection of reggae.
The Holsteins: A superb,solemn beginning that grows into
a strumming guitar song with B female vocals etched over the tune.Good.
Flaming June: This one reminds me of Pagans dancing at 2
am in the morning round an Oak tree . A fast, zesty, twirling tune.
Soft Cotton County:Here Comes Love. Refined and dreamy.
Cerulean Blue:The vocalist has a smashing voice. Glam/punk
tune.Ace. Great guitar stuff.
Red Ash and The Love Commandos:.Calculating and elusive.
Boy Called Betty:The One.Excellent
drum accompaniment with Seattle-esque guitar pop.
Indian Runner:Narrative lyrics are grafted over a fine tune.
Really like this.
Control Z: Club and trance mixes up for grabs any one.
The Wedge: Strong,pragmatic U2 rock. Could be lucrative.
The Original Mind: Salsa,mambo.Akin to Mano Negra. A sharp
Spanish ditty with a side order of humour.
Faster: Stylish and raw.A beauty -honest and fluid.
Spindrift: On a mission to find the ultimate melody.
Michael Eric Dowey: Escapist and subtle. An emotional hypnotic
musical arrangement.
Pharos: A radiant, giddy tune for nocturnal dwellers.
Dave Sexy: A polite, song, with a cube of cheese and a cup
of irony. For cynical pirates.
Moth Conspiracy: Sublime.Inspired lyrics and it's not about
the Wrigley`s product.
'Obvious'
So you’ve reached out to the ‘Heartline’, told him/her
that when ‘you leave . . . I bleed’. To you ‘it’s
important’ to be ‘Charming the snake’, but look ‘everybody’,
‘here comes love’, your ‘the one’ shouted the
‘control freak’.
Stop crying ‘wolf’ ‘until the end of time’
you are ‘the only love’. So remember ‘it’s not
a war’ so please ‘come home’ Meanwhile ‘Dino
and the lady are simply miles away’ safe in the knowledge of
‘what love can do’.
‘Mr Churchill’ who has a ‘head for business’
has one ‘extra’ thought ‘diptych’!
Well if that made sense to you maybe you shouldn't drink/smoke
so much.
a great indie pop collection featuring 17 cool bands
Various reviews
Jockrock
Another compilation, this one from 25 Records of Dorset and like
any compilation it's a mixed bag.
25 seem to simply get demo takes in from all around the place and
put the ones they like onto record - an admirable policy for sure.
The label certainly have eclectic tastes - from the straight down
the middle rock of Cerulean Blue to the C86/Sarah-isms of 'Flaming
June', through to the Brel-meets-the Manics (!) of The Original
Mind, there's something for everyone on this low-cost 19 tracker,
which works out at about £0.25 per song. Give it a try, it makes
sound financial sense. Obviously.
Reviewed in Jockrock,
spring 1999, check out their web site!
The IndiePendent
A compilation of 19 songs by 17 artists and as is so common with
compilations, some are good, others not. It begins promisingly with
Heartline by Honeygun, a sparkly song about pretty things like love
and toffee chews, and sweet feminine vocals. The Holsteins' contribution
next is similarly sweetly sung, but the wallowing 'you leave and
I bleed' thing brings out the mild feminist in me and makes it a
bit pathetic. The title of Flaming June's Charming the Snake led
me to expect something oriental-sounding, so I was a little surprised,
and disappointed, that it was very folksy, the Levellers for grown-ups.
Then there's Soft Cotton County with one of the strongest songs
of the album, Here Comes Love, which the CD bumf sums up nicely;
When you sleep your dreams are going somewhere. Your brain is constantly
making back-ups. The drowning man's life flashes before him as his
mind down loads to heaven - It's the soundtrack to that weird time
between asleep and awake. Cerulean Blue I'm afraid are one to avoid.
They provide a couple of the most energetic tracks, It's Important
and Everybody, but sometimes enthusiasm's just not enough - Third-rate
Aerosmith with horribly contrived yank rawk accents. Red Ash and
the Love Commandos however are quite different - Control Freak is
a simple, but B tune based on simple acid jazzy beats with effective
sampling and relaxed, vibey vocals. Boy Called Betty, influenced
by the likes of Evan Dando and Lou Barlow, and also Indian Runner
who already have a sizeable following in the South East, both make
pop with that moody edge which often makes great bands and stands
them in good stead for the future. Control Z submit the two token
dance tracks, Wolf and Until the End of Time, the latter of which
is their third release and the follow up to the singles No Control
and Justice. Both tracks here are radio edits and presumably the
most accessible mixes available, quite at home in Euro clubs with
their solid beats, enhanced by Rebecca's dominant vocals, but club
and trance mixes are also available. The Wedge's The Only Love sounds
like part of the British post-grunge movement. In other words, past
it before they've begun. The Original Mind's Dino and the Lady (simply
lies away) however, beginning with crazed rasta-style yelled vocals
and ending with a lunatic cha cha cha, is an irresistible melange
of phoney latino rhythms and rolled 'R's. Faster are the token teenage
pacifists with It's Not A War; it's so unfair/ Why do we fight?/
We should all play together/ In peace and harmony. Novel idea, hey?
Bet no one's thought of that before. It's not a bad tune though,
and they may improve their chances by dropping the cliché.
Spindrift slow the pace down considerably with Come Home, which
they describe as 'a mission to find the ultimate melody' - nice
try but keep looking 'cos at the moment Spindrift, along with Michael
Eric Dowey's following bedroom-recorded What Love Can Do, are nothing
particularly special and in danger of spending their lives just
drifting along with the mainstream tedium. Pharos' Diptych is a
little more interesting with its mystical chants and background
keyboards, but not much more interesting - the muffled, unintelligible
vocals become a bit pretentious and irritating half way through.
Dave Sexy's Mr. Churchill is much more my cup of tea. They declare
it 'best enjoyed sitting at auntie's with the best bone china, a
slice of lemon and your little finger poking up in anticipation,
if you can be arsed'. No pretence, no cover-up, warts 'n' all, and
sexy with it too. Moth Conspiracy bring Obvious to an end with Extra,
'not a party song'. Nothing extra special, but like the album taken
as a whole, extra-average. xana.
Reviewed by Xnna in The IndiePendent, The Cottage, Nightingale Place,
High Road, Cookham, SL6 9HY, UK.
AUTOREVERSE, Issue 6
OBVIOUS compilation CD
Not bad really! A comp of not-yet-famous Brit bands. Sure, you
could play a game with friends with this CD - "Match each band
with the famous British act they sound like - OASIS, BLUR, BUSH,
early reggae-style POLICE, THE MISSION..."..But really, I LIKE
this comp. There are even two dance tracks, which sound exactly
like the latest MADONNA. And there's a cha cha cha. Very well done.
Wait, I'll name all the bands: HONEYGUN, THE HOLSTEINS, FLAMING
JUNE, SOFT COTTON COUNTY, CERULEAN BLUE, RED ASH AND THE LOVE COMMANDOS,
BOY CALLED BETTY, INDIAN RUNNER, CONTROL Z, THE WEDGE, THE ORIGINAL
MIND, FASTER, SPINDRIFT, MICHAEL ERIC DOWEY, PHAROS, DAVE SEXY,
MOTH CONSPIRACY, (ain't this a cute band name). I kid you not, this
CD is good.
Reviewed by Paola Sorrentino.
Romantic Outsider
Parodying the sleeve of Babybird's Ugly Beautiful may hardly
be the height of topicality, but Obvious, previewing some
of the country's most hopeful unsigned bands, is as contemporary
as they come.
As with any compilation it's necessary to wade through the average
(Cerulean Blue's wailing banshee take on the terminally dull Hopper),
or just the plain bad (The Original Mind's approximation of a Latino
Manic Street Preachers) in order to discover the half dozen shining
gems of promising new talent. But when it comes to investigating
tomorrow's rising stars there's no better place to start that with
these nineteen tracks.
With a refreshingly B representation of female artists, Obvious
offers an impressively rich diversity of styles, a true representation
of the current state of the underground beyond the media's caricatured
passing trends. From Honeygun's ska tinted Heartline, to
Red Ash and the Love Commandos' Control Freak, Hendrix's
guitar lines segued with Flowered Up's deadpan vocals, and to Control
Z's indie dance floor fillers (Wolf and Until the End
of Time) the collection is a fertile tapestry of music's multi
faceted face.
If you want to place a bet on the band most likely to make waves
in the industry then you'd be wise to split your money three ways,
between Flaming June (proving that it is possible to draw on traditional
Irish music and not end up sounding like The Corrs), Michael Eric
Dowey (give him a couple more nom do plumes and he could be mistaken
for Stephen Merritt), and - odds on favourite - the Pharos (reverb
heavy hypnotism akin to early Verve, if only they'd injected themselves
with a touch of Eastern promise).
Gathering together the work of the seventeen bands, varying wildly
in both quality and style, there's a high probability that at least
one track will appeal to every listener. Forget the plethora of
thematically linked compilations flooding the market place, if you
want to get the manifest, get Obvious.
Reviewed by Susan Darlington at Romantic Outsider,
44 Spa Croft Road, Ossett, West Yorkshire, WF5 0HE, UK.
Aquamarine
I wasn't keen on everything on the 25 compilation 15 Minutes
(reviewed a couple of issues ago), but this one is a vast improvement,
I reckon. It's pretty varied, there's a general bias towards alternative
pop or rock, but there's a few exceptions such as folk-rock, dancey
pop and funk-disco-soul. Features Honeygun, The Holsteins, Flaming
June, Soft Cotton County, Cerulean Blue (sounds like the name of
a Bliss compilation tape!), Red Ash & the Love Commandos, Boy
Called Betty, Indian Runner, Control Z, The Wedge, The Original
Mind Faster, Spindrift, Michael Eric Dowey, Pharos, Dave Sexy, and
Moth Conspiracy. There's quite a few good songs on here, and the
price is pretty good too (£5 Inc p&p - this is a special price
for readers, if you mention Aquamarine when ordering). Available
from 25 Records, PO Box 3006, Poole BH12 2HU. Review by Kim
Harten at Aquamarine, 68 Barlich Way, Lodge Park, Redditch, Wores
B998 7JP, UK.
Botramaid
This is an interesting compilation of things I genuinely hadn't
heard of before. It starts off with mainly gently melodic indie
music. The Holsteins are sounding similar to the Secret Goldfish.
Flaming June have a more folky edge. I like the Cerulean Blue tracks
as they're the most energetic on the album (I can hear things that
would annoy some people in the female vocalist's rough-edged voice,
but I quite like it!). Their second track `Everybody` has some strange
Kate Bush-like twists in it. Things become a bit danceier later
on. Control Z having a clubby feel that reminds me of Electribe
101. My favourite track (and Gail's least favourite!) is the Michael
Eric Dowey one, bedroom introspective singer-songwriter stuff with
a poignant sound.
Reviewed by Lorraine, in issue 5 of Botramaid Fanzine,
which is available from Lorraine Douglas, Top Left, 118 Whitehill
Street, Dennistoun, Glasgow, G31 2LT, priced at one pound.
Gajoob
English label 25 Records delivers a solid line-up of indie bands
here, the best of which fall into a diverse range modern guitar
rock. There's a B female-fronted presence here as well with the
first several bands showing off some outstanding performances and
really good songs. The latter half of the CD stutters, however,
as the direction becomes unfocused. The CD's sudden nod to diversity
would normally appeal to me, but much of the disco/hometaper/whatever
stuff falls flat or is, at best, uneven. The Original Mind's track,
however, is a big dose of Latin sizzle that threatens to jump start
the whole thing again. Overall, Obvious is recommended for its B
modern rock tracks and if you're looking for a big dollop of indie
material, this'll give you quite a range of it.
This review appeared in April on Gajoob web site.
www.gajoob.com
The
Half Creeper
They've done it again! Those wonderful people at 25 records have
released another compilation CD that's just sweeter than punch.
An album of fresh and exciting pop that's absolutely delicious.
Almost every song on this disc scream 'number one hit!' I love this
more than magical stuff! Brilliant!
Honeygun, The Holsteins, Soft Cotton County, Cerulean Blue…they're
just a few of the artists on here who's full length releases I'd
die to hear. Simply put, this is just an amazing collection of songs.
It's got plenty of bounce, good vibrations and some extremely talented
people, all wrapped into one. You can't get any better than this
even if you tried. This album does have a weak spot or two, which
are easily overlooked. You've gotta hear this album, that's all
there is to it. Its called 'Obvious' and it belongs in your collection
if you appreciate high quality entertainment. Get it today for ten
dollars and be sure to mention The Half Creeper sent you!
The Half Creeper, c/o Paul Autry, P.O.Box 227, Shamokin Pa. 17872,
U.S.A.
Astroturf
A great CD of bands climbing the beanstalk.
Honeygun:Heartline.This song has a jolly rhythm and reminds
me of Elastica with an injection of reggae.
The Holsteins:You Leave...I Bleed. A superb,solemn beginning
that grows into a strumming guitar song with B female vocals etched
over the tune.Good.
Flaming June:Charming The Snake.This one reminds me of Pagans
dancing at 2 am in the morning round an Oak tree . A fast, zesty,
twirling tune.
Soft Cotton County:Here Comes Love. Refined and dreamy.
Cerulean Blue:It`s Important This is a stirring song that
seizes time and emotion by the throat. Great guitar stuff.
Cerulean Blue:Everybody.The vocalist has a smashing voice.
Glam/punk tune.Ace.
Red Ash and The Love Commandos:Control Freak.Calculating
and elusive.
Boy Called Betty:The One.Excellent drum accompaniment with
Seattle-esque guitar pop.
Indian Runner:Head For Business.Narrative lyrics are grafted
over a fine tune. Really like this.
The Wedge: The Only Love.strong,pragmatic U2 rock. Could
be lucrative.
The Original Mind: Dino and The LadySalsa,mambo.Akin to
Mano Negra. A sharp Spanish ditty with a side order of humour.
Faster:It`s Not War Stylish and raw.A beauty -honest and
fluid.
Michael Eric Dowey: What Love Can DoEscapist and subtle.
An emotional hypnotic musical arrangement.
Pharos: Diptych A radiant, giddy tune for nocturnal dwellers.
Dave Sexy: Mr Churchill A polite, song, with a cube of cheese
and a cup of irony. For cynical pirates.
Moth Conspiracy:Extra Sublime.Inspired lyrics and it`s not
about the Wrigley`s product.
Written by Nic Wood reviewed in Astroturf January1998, Astroturf
is availableNic Wood,40 Cambridge Rd, Impington,CAMBRIDGE CAMBS
CB4 4NU
The Original Sin, Belgium
They appear really fast, don’t they? Regular readers will
already know that The Original Sin appreciates 25 Records a lot,
so we also try to support the label as much as possible. For those
who don’t know it yet . . on a very regular base 25 Records
are making CD compilations with loads of unsigned bands on it. These
CD compilations are a real treasure for people who want to be kept
updated about new talent.
The last CD compilation is called ‘Obvious’ and Mark
from the label is making a special offer to our readers . . if you
mention The Original Sin you get this CD for £5. That’s £5
for 19 tracks . . . all of them worth to be released as a single.
High points on this CD are Honeygun, The Holsteins, Flaming June,
Soft Cotton County Control Z, The Wedge and Moth Conspiracy . .
. and as on each 25 Release there’s a track from Red Ash and
the Love Commandos.
I can’t imagine there is one person alive who wouldn’t
fall in love with at least one of those tracks . . . very varied
from Sarah - bands (The Holsteins) to more Britpop oriented rock
(The Wedge) to trance dance stuff (Control Z).
You can easily say 25 Records is some sort of fanzine on CD form.
Get in touch with that label [all zine people should do this] and
you can always ask them any questions about any bands. As for bands
who might read this, send in your demos, maybe you might appear
on the next compilation!!!
Review was taken from The Original Sin, issue 10, Winter 97-98
was written by Didier Becu. The Original Sin is one of favourite
fanzines, write to Didier and ask for a copy, send 3 IRC’s
to cover print postage costs.
The Original Sin, Jozef Guisainstraat 6, 9000 Gent, Belgium.
Botramaid Fanzine
This is an interesting compilation of things I genuinely hadn't
heard of before. It starts off with mainly gently melodic indie
music. The Holsteins sound similar to the Secret Goldfish. Flaming
June has a more folky edge. I like the Cerulean Blue tracks as they're
the most energetic on the album (I can hear things that would annoy
some people in the female vocalist's rough-edged voice, but I quite
like it!). They're second track `Everybody` has some strange Kate
Bush-like twists in it. Things become a bit danceier later on. Control
Z having a clubby feel which reminds me of Electribe 101. My favourite
track (and Gail's least favourite!) is the Michael Eric Dowey one,
bedroom introspective singer-songwriter stuff with a poignant sound.
Reviewed by Lorraine, in issue 5 of Botramaid Fanzine, which is
available from Lorraine Douglas, Top Left, 118 Whitehill Street,
Dennistown, Glasgow, G31 2LT, priced at one pound.
OBVIOUS - POCKET FANZINE
Best track; Cerulean Blue `Everybody`
Another superb compilation from Mark.
Highlights are...
Honeygun`s success at recording a ska tinged pop song which doesn't
sound like No Doubt. Flaming June's use of a piccolo without sounding
like Steeleye Span. The ethereal lyrics on Soft Cotton County; The
Original Mind, which sounds like a Spanish manic Street Preachers
(please don't write and tell me off, that's just my opinion); lovely
guitars on Pharos. Best two tracks are both Cerulean Blue ones.
Brilliant basslines, and a non-irritating female voice.
Reviewed by Chloe in Pocket Fanzine, which is available from 2
Claremont Rd, Wavertree, Liverpool, L15 3HH, price at £1.
Maverick bands on showcase
Parkstone based 25 Records, helmed by local musician Mark
Rigler, put out another showcasing compilation of unsigned talent
this week.
The 19 track CD, called Obvious, is the 16th release
by the label.
It features bands from Dundee, Brighton, Cambridge, London,
Northern Ireland and even Sweden. It also contains contributions
from two Parkstone’s most maverick pop performers Red Ash and
the Love Commandos and Dave Sexy.
Despite appeals for more material from Bournemouth area bands,
Mark says a lack lustre response means there might never be a follow
up to the ‘totally local’ 1994 CD Sun Sea Sex.
However, as Mark points out with some glee, ‘a couple
of bands, Fuzzbird and Velma, who’ve appeared on previous 25
Records compilations have gone on to record sessions for John Peel
on Radio One.
Written by Kevin Maidment, the article appeared in The Daily
Echo, Bournemouth, 17.12.97
25 Alive!
Obvious, the latest compilation of unsigned bands to appear from
Parkstone based 25 Records, is [typically] anything but ‘obvious’.
Showing a total disregard for commerce and the rule book, Mark
Rigler, et al have put together a 19 tracker of remarkable quality
on a shoestring.
It’s not really fair to pick stand outs, bit I will - the
power pop of The Holsteins ‘you leave I bleed’ is head
and shoulders above the rest but Red Ash’s Control Freak is
as singular as ever. Cerulean Blue’s two tracks show a lovely
grasp of lo-fi histrionics; and the Slavic romp of The Original
Mind is a neat twist.
The set is also notable for the return of local home-studio
maverick Dave Sexy with the year’s most transparent attempt
to curry favour. His song ‘Mr Churchill’ [believe it,
kiddoes] is as nifty a slice of Lennon-esque DIY psychedelic synth
pop as any you’re likely to hear, but what am I supposed to
say? Dave, your the greatest!
Obvious? Hardly.
Oblivious? Almost certainly!
Written by Nick [Mr] Churchill, and appeared in the Poole and Dorset
Advertiser 18.12.97
HBM [Here Be Monsters]
Next I cringed when I received `OBVIOUS` on 25 Records coz I slated
their last release - it was SO bad. Well, they've got guts and it's
paid off coz this 19 track effort of brand new bands has more highs
than lows. Bouncy Girlie Pop from HONEYGUN and THE Holsteins, cool
rave stuff from Control Z and the rest a complete mix of Indie styles.
Seems the vox and production(s) have got much better so it's Obvious...
Why not see if your band can be on the next CD?
Feel free to contact the band at 25 Records
anytime for interviews/Band features/ gig info etc. at: 25 Records
PO Box 3006, Poole, Dorset, BH12 2HU, UK.
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What is the thinnest book in the world? "What men know about
women."
Little Johnny was passing his parents' bedroom in the middle
of the night, in search of a glass of water. Hearing a lot
of moaning and thumping, he peeked in and caught his folks
in The Act.
Before his dad could even react, Little Johnny exclaimed,
"Oh, boy! Horsie ride! Daddy, can I ride on your back?" Relieved
that Johnny was not asking more uncomfortable questions, and
seeing the opportunity not to break his stride, Daddy agreed.
Johnny hopped on and Daddy started going to town. Pretty
soon Mommy started moaning and gasping. Johnny cried out,
"Hang on tight, Daddy! This is the part where me and the milkman
usually get bucked off!"
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