Madonna, Maradona, Maverick And Movies

"Gangway, Heroes!" Today brings a bespoke collection of covers of songs from 1986. 

Last night I stumbled across Scanner aka Robin Rimbaud's unexpected and delightful cover of Word Up! by Cameo. Originally recorded for WFMU Radio in New Jersey back in February, it was officially released a couple of days ago. If you're more familiar with Scanner’s 1990s music, it's quite the departure.

Similarly inspired, I trawled through my music collection and pulled a shortlist of 1986 songs, reworked and reimagined by other artists. I had over 40 to choose from and settled for a dozen, which meant some tough decisions, but I hope you'll enjoy my selection.

As the post title suggests, there is a Madonna cover - Live To Tell - albeit right at the end, courtesy of Catherine Anne Davies (The Anchoress) and Bernard Butler (Suede and a gazillion other things). Don't tell Ms. Ciccone, but it's better than the original.

1986 was chock full of singles that appeared in movie soundtracks. Live To Tell appeared in At Close Range, starring her then-husband Sean Penn and Christopher Walken. I must have seen it at the time, but I have little recollection of the film now.

But Not Tonight started as a Depeche Mode B-side, but an appearance in the film Modern Girls (starring Daphne Zuniga and Virginia Madsen) prompted their US label Sire to flip the single, relegated Stripped to side 2 and promoting But Not Tonight instead. Nearly two decades later, Jimmy Somerville gave it the high-pitched, Hi-NRG treatment.

And of course there was the memorable soundtrack to Pretty In Pink, not just the The Psychedelic Furs song that inspired the movie, but If You Leave, which proved to be a smash hit for OMD and still features in their live set today. Here, Angel Olsen ups the heartache in her own inimitable style.

The mention of Maverick, Tom Cruise's character in Top Gun, is a red herring and I apologise. Take My Breath Away by Berlin seemed to be #1 in the UK for an eternity (actually, only 4 weeks throughout November 1986). I have a couple of covers of the song, by Sharleen Spiteri and The Flying Pickets, but neither of them made the final cut.

There are a couple of side projects and aliases going on, which I need to shed some light on. The man behind The 6ths is Stephen Merritt, better known to the world as the genius behind The Magnetic Fields. Stephen got his old mucker Lloyd Cole on board to sing for his contribution to a tribute to The Human League. 

The Hot Rats are Gaz and Danny from Supergrass in disguise, whose 2010 covers album Turn Ons featured their takes on artists including Roxy Music, Elvis Costello & The Attractions, Pet Shop Boys, The Cure and my pick today, Beastie Boys. Well worth tracking down.

If you have an urge to scan the track listing before subjecting yourself to my rambling "sleeve notes", you will have spotted the inclusion of First We Take Manhattan, recorded by R.E.M. and credited as a cover of a Jennifer Warnes song. Yes, R.E.M.'s version appeared on I'm Your Fan: The Songs Of Leonard Cohen in 1991, but Laughing Len gifted it to Jennifer first, her recording released in October 1986, Cohen's version following in January 1988. Personally, I think Stipe, Berry, Buck and Mills smash it.

And another red herring (or was it the hand of God?) with the reference to Maradona and, by association, that fateful 1986 World Cup. New Order didn't realise their own World Cup song until 4 years later, but 1986 saw one of their finest singles in Bizarre Love Triangle. Often covered since, I've gone for a relatively obscure version by Charlotte Martin, which I like very much.

As for the rest of this selection, you can enjoy The Smiths as covered by Carter The Unstoppable Sex Machine, sounding as potent in 1992 and it did six years previously. Goodbye Mr. Mackenzie show some solidarity with fellow Scots, with a wonderful cover of Somewhere In China by Shop Assistants. 

Last but certainly not least, one from my hometown heroes, The Blue Aeroplanes covering Paul Simon's Top 30 hit The Boy In The Bubble. Sadly, history didn't repeat in 1991, though it should have done.

1) Word Up! (Cover of Cameo): Scanner (2026)

2) Human (Cover of The Human League): The 6ths ft. Lloyd Cole (2000)

3) But Not Tonight (Cover of Depeche Mode): Jimmy Somerville (2004)

4) Bizarre Love Triangle (Cover of New Order): Charlotte Martin (2007)

5) Panic (Cover of The Smiths): Carter The Unstoppable Sex Machine (1992)

6) Somewhere In China (Cover of Shop Assistants): Goodbye Mr. Mackenzie (1989)

7) The Boy In The Bubble (Cover of Paul Simon): The Blue Aeroplanes (1991)

8) First We Take Manhattan (Cover of Jennifer Warnes): R.E.M. (1991)

9) If You Leave (Cover of O.M.D.): Angel Olsen (2021)

10) Absolute Beginners (Cover of David Bowie): Saint Etienne (1993)

11) (You Gotta) Fight For Your Right (To Party!) (Cover of Beastie Boys): The Hot Rats (2010)

12) Live To Tell (Cover of Madonna): Catherine Anne Davies & Bernard Butler (2020)

1989: Fish Heads And Tails: 6

1991: I'm Your Fan: The Songs Of Leonard Cohen: 8

1991: The Boy In The Bubble EP: 7

1992: The Only Living Boy In New Cross EP: 5

2000: Reproductions: Songs Of The Human League: 2

2004: Home Again: 3

2007: Reproductions: 4

2008: Boxette (#4: Eric Random): 10

2010: Turn Ons: 11

2020: In Memory Of My Feelings: 12

2021: Aisles EP: 9

2026: Word Up! EP: 1

Madonna, Maradona, Maverick And Movies (47:25) (GD) (M)

Bad Hair Day

Momus sings Michel today, to mitigate the mendacious machinations mirroring the maelstrom in my mind.

Momus is Nicholas John Currie, whose music is much loved around these parts, whether his own compositions (of which there are many) or his takes on other artists' songs (of which there are also many).

Michel is Michel Polnareff, another prolific songwriter whose vast inventory has been revisited and reworked many times over the years, Momus being the latest.

My Regrets is a cover of the 1968 song Mes Regrets, one of several covers of Polnareff compositions commissioned by Robert Dye which Momus has been posting every few days.

It's a lovely cover and I was also struck by the simple yet effective use of the looped video snatch. I've no idea what the source is, or who the featured actor is, but I'm struck by her eyes, the incredible jaw line and the rollers. 

In 1999, French label XIII BIS Records released A Tribute To Polnareff, which is worth tracking down, not least for the songs but the artists selected to cover them, including Nick Cave, PIzzicato Five, The Residents and these three.

 

 

Reversion To The Aversion To The Version

Here's a novel idea. I've been listening to a lot of music circa 1995-1997, so I've picked 10 songs, found the official video on YT, then looked for a cover version or remix on Bandcamp or, failing that, an alternate version from the original release. For the latter, click on the link in the artist's name.

It's thrown up some interesting results and, of course, it's great to revisit the original videos.

I'm not sure that this has legs for repeat posts, but who knows?

First up is Where It's At by Beck, covered by Miiraposa in 2024, whose other songs include Creature Feature (It'sEatingMeAlive!), Slutt Money, Aussie Lemonade and Sprite Bitch.

Bluebeard by Combustible Edison vs. Buddy Mikro Mix by Saint Etienne

Novocaine For The Soul by Eels vs. DJ Gizmo Redrum from 2023.

Missing (Todd Terry Remix) by Everything But The Girl vs. Sad Girls Club from 2015

 

Don't Leave by Faithless vs. 2MeterSessies Version by Faithless, circa 1999.

Naked Eye by Luscious Jackson vs. IXΘΥΣ Edit from 2025.

 

Woman by Neneh Cherry vs. La Funk Mob Remix

Breathe by The Prodigy vs. Koi Child, circa 2017.

Something Changed by Pulp vs. National Death Industry from 2025.

1979 by The Smashing Pumpkins vs. The Bilinda Butchers (great name!) from 2020.

Double Entrendre

or, How To Get Away With Two "25 From 25" Albums Lists Whilst Pretending That Wasn't Your Intention All Along.

Looking back on 2025 so far, I think I bought more albums than ever, a mix of physical and digital. The latter was ably supported by a further year's subscription to the excellent Last Night From Glasgow label, which accounts for about a quarter of today’s and tomorrow’s featured artists.

A few were purchased at merch stalls following a headline or support slot gig, others on the recommendation of others, including you lovely people out there in the blogging community.

So, I've got two lists, loosely separated into artists that I'm familiar with and already owned albums by, the second compiling artists who, regardless of whether they'd been around for ages or just started out, were new to me. So, it's a hodge podge of debut albums and artists that I really only delved into properly with their latest long player. I'm posting the first list today, the second on New Year's Eve.

There are a shed load that I just haven't got around to buying yet and I haven't yet succumbed to streaming so I can't sneak them in on the technicality of having heard them. Apologies therefore include Pulp, Syd Minsky Sargeant, Death In Vegas, Mogwai and Water From Your Eyes, all of whom have released albums that I want to get (and said as much in previous posts), but who remain on my shopping list.

An honourable mention also to those that I did buy but who didn't make onto either list because, well, I had to stop at 25, right? A tip of the hat then to Manic Street Preachers, The Supernaturals, Julian Cope, Gareth Sager and Scanner.

I've listed them alphabetically, rather than in order of greatness, but I may reveal my favourite at the end...if I can decide on one by the end of this post!

25 From 25 - Old Favourites

(click on the links to buy these albums...and more!)

1) Let The Horse Run Free / Rodeo Disco: 100 Poems

2) The Collapse Of Everything: Adrian Sherwood

3) Pinball Wanderer: Andy Bell

4) Dead Souls: Armory Show

5) Metalhorse / Mary And The Hyenas OST: Billy Nomates

6) Mumbo In The Jumbo: Davey Woodward

7) Wise Music In Dub: Dennis Bovell

8) Subconsciousology: Dot Allison

9) Lay Low: Eddie Chacon

10) Nation Shall Speak Unto Nation: Edwyn Collins

11) Rats In Paradise: Emily Breeze

12) Begging The Night To Take Hold: Emma Pollock

13) Twilight: Hifi Sean & David McAlmont

14) Songs For Nina And Johanna: James Yorkston & Friends

15) Junk System EP 1&2: Junk System

16) Lotus: Little Simz

17) New Town Ghosts: Mark Rae

18) Lake Deep Memory: Pye Corner Audio

19) Barb And Feather: Red Snapper

20) Strawberries: Robert Forster

21) International: Saint Etienne

22) MAD!: Sparks

23) Faultline: The Cowboy Mouth

24) moisturiser: Wet Leg

25) Home: Xan Tyler & Dusty Stray

I have loved each and every one of these albums but my #1 of 2025 has to be Billy Nomates.

Not just because Metalhorse is a fantastic album, taking her music to another level, but also because she somehow found the time to write, record and release another album. The soundtrack to Mary And The Hyenas may have been relatively overlooked compared to Metalhorse, but it's every bit an equal. Astonishing to think that Tor Maries was also releasing one-off songs in between both of these. 

Finally getting to see Billy Nomates live in concert for the first time in September, with an excellent band and songs that took on a life of their own on stage, was an unforgettable experience and the push over the line to secure my #1 in a year of varied but brilliant albums.

Decayed V: 2009

Side 2 of an imaginary time travel tape, taking in the 2000s and terminating today.

Wow, how did I get here so quickly? The past five weekends have been a bit of a blur which ironically is how the whole of the Noughties feels in retrospect. 

2009 saw me at the end of my thirties, married, a home owner, a dad and ending the year leaving the job I'd been doing for the past eleven years. I was the same person, but so much had changed. 

My passion for music was undimmed but i realise with some regret that I went to zero, zilch, no gigs whatsoever in 2009. At least half of the artists featured in today's selection performed in Bristol during 2009 and I missed every single one of them. There was definitely a work/life imbalance that year...!

Lots of great music to listen to, though, whether it was beats, guitars, retro or refreshing sounds I was after. This is reflected in my dozen picks for 2009, spanning comeback kings The Prodigy to new artists like La Roux and Little Boots. 

Again, UK chart placings have been unexpected; Bulletproof by La Roux and Walking On A Dream by Empire Of The Sun both seemed to me to be everywhere that screened or played music. Yet, whilst the former scored a #1, the latter peaked at #64. 

It was no surprise that Bonkers by Dizzee Rascal and Armand Van Helden got to #1, but where's the justice in Method Of Modern Love by Saint Etienne and produced by Richard X, only getting to #56? Sacre bleu!

And whilst it's great that Noisettes reached #2 with Don't Upset The `Rhythm, how come that Zero by Yeah Yeah Yeahs scraped into the Top 50 at #49? It's a mad world, as Curt Smith once sang.

This Rhythm by Filthy Dukes was a grower and I really enjoyed their album Nonsense In The Dark. Au Revoir Simone came to my notice when they guested on the song Paris by Friendly Fires a couple of years before, leading me to their album Still Night, Still Light. 

Dominos by The Big Pink delivered a heavy percussion that evoked the spirit of the 1980s, although I've always assumed that their name was inspired by The Band's 1968 album. And for me, Editors were like Simple Minds fronted by Ian Curtis, another mash-up of 1980s influences that worked brilliantly.

So, as end of decades often seem to, 2009 wasn't unusual in that there was a fairly even mix of looking forward and reaching back. The 2010s were waiting for us, whether we were ready or not...

Thanks for sticking with me these past few weeks, I've had a lot of fun creating this series. I hope the selections have either reminded you that there were some really good songs or introduced you to music and artists that you may have missed first time around.

I've provided links for each year and each series below, covering the 1980s, 1990s and 2000s, so there are 31 selections and 370 songs to enjoy for the rest of December.

Today is also a landmark in that, incredibly, the Dubhed blog celebrates it's 5th birthday. 

I never thought I'd be writing those words! 

When I uploaded my first blog post on Monday 7th December 2020, I remarked that "[as] I rapidly approach five decades of clinging to this crazy, spinning planet, it seemed like a good time to start a blog."

Five years, 1,703 posts and over 800 Dubhed 'mixtape' selections later, I'm enjoying it even more than I did when I started. 

Doing this "just for fun" has achieved that, but so much more. I've connected with so many wonderful people as a result, including artists and fellow bloggers, who continue to be a constant inspiration. 

I've also managed to see unforgettable gigs, my vinyl record collection has started growing again, and I still get a thrill when I hear new music. 

There'll be some reflective posts over the coming weeks, as it's also that time to remember what has made 2025 so good - musically, at least, it's been a shitshow in many other respects. And I've a backlog of gig reviews to post.

Thanks to you all for stopping by here, whether it's your first time or a regular stop. Your comments mean a lot and whilst I try and often fail to respond to each one individually, I do read and value every single one. Thank you!

Now, let's see how far I can take this thing...!

1) Bonkers (Radio Edit): Dizzee Rascal & Armand Van Helden

2) Omen (Album Version): The Prodigy

3) This Rhythm (Radio Edit): Filthy Dukes ft. Samuel Dust

4) Don't Upset The Rhythm (Album Version): Noisettes

5) Remedy (Buffetlibre vs. Sidechains Remix By Alex Ferrer): Little Boots

6) Method Of Modern Love (Single Version): Saint Etienne

7) Bulletproof (Album Version): La Roux

8) Walking On A Dream (Album Version): Empire Of The Sun

9) Shadows (Album Version): Au Revoir Simone

10) Dominos (Album Version): The Big Pink

11) Papillon (Album Version): Editors

12) Zero (Album Version): Yeah Yeah Yeahs

15th February 2009: Method Of Modern Love EP (#56): 6

22nd February 2009: Invaders Must Die (#4): 2

1st March 2009: Walking On A Dream (#64): 8

15th March 2009: Nonsense In The Dark (#39): 3

29th March 2009: Wild Young Hearts (#2): 4 

19th April 2009: It's Blitz! (#49): 12 

24th May 2009: Still Night, Still Light (#71): 9 

28th June 2009: La Roux (#1): 7 

23rd August 2009: Hands (#6): 5

24th September 2009: Tongue N'Cheek (#1): 1

18th October 2009: In This Light And On This Evening (#23): 11

25th October 2009: A Brief History Of Love (#27): 10 

Side Two (46:39) (GD) (M)

If you've missed any of the previous posts in the Decayed series, you can jump straight to them here

Prelude   2000   2001   2002   2003   2004   2005   2006   2007   2008

And here are all ten Decadance posts

1990   1991   1992   1993   1994   1995   1996   1997   1998  1999

Finally, Decade, the mistapes that I recorded in 1990 that started this whole thing off

1980   1981   1982   1983   1984   1985   1986   1987   1988  1989

Bag It Up, I'll Take It

Bandcamp Friday beckons and my shopping bag demands to be fed yet again.

Here are a dozen hors d'oeuvres to whet your appetite. What else will I bring home?

1) Brand New Me (Brand New Me EP): Saint Etienne x Confidence Man

2) Better (All That Is Over): SPRINTS

3) Housin' (Planet Roll): Wagon Christ

4) Greasy Off The Racing Line (Tremor): Daniel Avery ft. Alison Mosshart

5) Weeping Roses (Lomond Campbell Remix) (Subconsciousology): Dot Allison

6) Tales Of Freedom (Cosmikuro Remix) (Tales Of Freedom EP): Jay-Son

7) Thinkin' Bout U (Mercury) (Thinkin' Bout U EP): Psychederek

8) A Moment Longer (Songs For Nina & Johanna): James Yorkston ft. Nina Persson

9) Militants (Atomized Dub) (Imploded Versions EP): The Bug vs Ghost Dubs

10) Under the Bed (Buddhist Hipsters): The Orb

11) Porcupine (Madder! EP): Sparks

12) Everybody Needs (On The Edge Of A Lost And Lonely World (Deluxe Edition)): Humanist ft. Emily Breeze

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

  

Another Reason Why Now

The reality that Saint Etienne's upcoming 13th studio album, International, will also be their last is starting to sink in. 

I love the music that Sarah, Bob and Pete have created over the past three decades and it's sad that we are mere weeks away from a point when they deliver their last collection of new material.

At the same time, how often do we get to see beloved artists bring things to a close in a manner of their own choosing? No acrimonious split, bitter recriminations or artists flogging a dead horse and regurgitating and recycling ideas that seemed tired and worn out the second or third last time they did it.

If the second single, Take Me To The Pilot, and preceding lead single Glad are any indication, then International is Saint Etienne at their best, instantly recognisable as them, but pushing the concept of the band and their sound into new shapes.

A co-write with Paul Hartnoll of Orbital (why hasn't that happened before?), Take Me To The Pilot is it's own field, but feels complementary to a couple of previous singles: Heart Failed (In The Back Of A Taxi) (and especially the Two Lone Swordsmen remix by Andrew Weatherall and Keith Tenniswood) from 2000, and Who Do You Think You Are, specifically the 'Quex-rd' remix by Aphex Twin aka Richard D. James from 1993.

 

Glad is very much in the template of Saint Etienne's pop hits, though also very much in the 'now' of 2025. As ever, the videos for both are mesmerising, enhancing not distracting from the listening experience.

International is available for pre-order now, with a full release on 5th September and I may just have something in my eye on that day... 

Twenty Five

This Dubhed selection was brought to you today by the letter T and the number 25, for no other reason than it's the twenty fifth day of the fifth month of the year twenty twenty five. 

The usual eclectic sounds here today, spanning dance, prog, psych, soul, rap and pop. You'll also find a few artists hidiing in plain sight, from the likes of Love And Money, Hawkwind, XTC and, er, Gary Numan's former backing band.

Oh. and a blistering version of 25th Floor by Patti Smith, which is just brilliant.

1) 25 Years: Sugartown (2018)

2) In The Year 2525 (Special Dance Mix) (Cover of Zager & Evans): Visage (1983)

3) 25 Hundred Friends: Coeo (2021)

4) Riding To Work In The Year 2025 (Your Invisible Now) (Alternate Version): The Flaming Lips (1997)

5) 25th Floor (Live @ The Old Grey Whistle Test, BBC TV): Patti Smith Group (1978)

6) 25 Years (Single Version): Hawklords (1979)

7) 25 Minutes To Go (Live, Udine, Italy) (Cover of Shel Silverstein): Diamanda Galás (1996-97)

8) Twenty-Five Miles: Edwin Starr (1968)

9) Twenty Five Years: Saint Etienne (2012)

10) Oh! Twenty Twenty Five (7" Version): Dramatis (1981)

11) Under 25: Enny (2021)

12) 25 O'Clock: The Dukes Of Stratosphear (1985)

1968: Twenty-Five Miles EP: 8

1978: Live On The Old Grey Whistle Test 1978 (bootleg MP3): 5

1979: 25 Years EP: 6

1981: Oh! Twenty Twenty Five EP: 10

1983: Fade To Grey: The Singles Collection (Special Dance Mix Cassette): 2

1985: 25 O'Clock EP: 12

1998: Malediction And Prayer: 7

1999: Waitin' For A Superman EP: 4

2012: Words And Music By Saint Etienne: 9

2018: Goosebumps: 25 Years Of Marina Records: 1

2021: Support Ukraine Compilation: 3

2021: Under 25 EP: 11

Twenty Five (51:20) (KF) (Mega)

Ride The Train

Spring time is clearly a time to be inspired by Underworld's music, as this is the third Dubhed selection that I've posted between March and May.

Having posted about their spectacular remixes of Shakespears Sister a couple of days ago, I've been digging around and dusted off seven of their remixes, for themselves and others, circa 1992 to 1995.

No request stops on this one, you're in for a long journey, 90 minutes of Karl, Rick and Darren in fine form. The opening track is the longest, at nearly 18 minutes, the closer is the shortest at 10 minutes and 1 second. And take it from me, not a second wasted along the way.

Enjoy the ride!

1) Dark & Long (Spoon Deep): Underworld (1994)

2) Passion (D. Emerson Mix): Gat Decor (1992)

3) Cowgirl (Alt Cowgirl C69 Mix From A1564) (Unreleased Demo): Underworld (1993)

4) Harlequin - The Beauty And The Beast (Underworld Remix): Sven Väth (1994)

5) Cool Kids Of Death (Underworld Mix By Rick Smith) (Full Length): Saint Etienne (1995)

6) Black Sky (Dub Extravaganza Part Two): Shakespears Sister (1992)

7) Dirty Guitar (Remix By Underworld): Lemon Interupt (1992)

Ride The Train (1:29:30) (KF) (Mega)

And, for the return journey:

Who Fans The Flames? (April 2022)

Darren In The Underworld (March 2023)

Tell Me A Thousand Times

Happy, happy, happy birthday to Sarah Cracknell, born 12th April 1967.

Chanteuse, songwriter, mother, wife and all round fabulous person, today's selection celebrates Sarah's 58th with 58 minutes of Sarah singing. What could be better than that?

It's mostly Saint Etienne, with a couple of songs from Sarah's solo catalogue and collaborations with David Holmes and Mark Brown. 

There are also mixes from Masters At Work, Kid Loco, Richard X, Two Lone Swordsmen aka Andrew Weatherall and Keith Tenniswood, as well as Andrew's former compadres in The Sabres Of Paradise, Jagz Kooner and Gary Burns. All very different styles and approaches, though Sarah's voice shines through.

Here's to you, Sarah, hiope you have a good one.

1) Aussie Soap Girl: Sarah Cracknell (1997)

2) Method Of Modern Love (Radio Edit By Richard X & Pete Hofmann): Saint Etienne (2009)

3) Nothing Can Stop Us (Masters At Work Dub) (Remix By Kenny 'Dope' Gonzalez & 'Little' Louie Vega): Saint Etienne (1992)

4) Goodnight Jack: Saint Etienne (1998)

5) Message In A Bottle: Saint Etienne (1995)

6) Stop And Think It Over (Kid Loco Mix): Saint Etienne (2002)

7) Penlop (Album Version By Pete Wiggs): Saint Etienne (2021)

8) Some Place Else: Saint Etienne (1992)

9) Gone (Edit By David Holmes, Jagz Kooner & Gary Burns): David Holmes ft. Sarah Cracknell (1995)

10) I Threw It All Away: Saint Etienne (2012)

11) Sleepytown: Sarah Cracknell (2015)

12) Like A Motorway (Japanese Version): Saint Etienne (1994)

13) The Journey Continues (Vocal Radio Edit): Mark Brown ft. Sarah Cracknell (2007)

14) Andersen Unbound: Saint Etienne (2002)

15) Heart Failed (In The Back Of A Taxi) (Two Lone Swordsmen Mix By Andrew Weatherall & Keith Tenniswood): Saint Etienne (2000)

1992: Avenue EP: 8

1992: Nothing Can Stop Us EP: 3

1995: Gone EP: 9

1995: Xmas 95 EP: 5

1997: Goldie EP: 1

1998: Good Humor: 4

2000: Heart Failed (In The Back Of A Taxi) EP: 15

2002: Action EP: 14

2007: The Journey Continues EP: 13

2009: Method Of Modern Love EP: 2

2009: Now 4 EP: 12

2010: Finisterre (Deluxe Edition) (2x CD): 6

2012: Words And Music By Saint Etienne: 10

2015: Take The Silver EP: 11

2021: I've Been Trying To Tell You: 7

Tell Me A Thousand Times (58:22) (KF) (Mega)

If that's left you hungry for more Sarah, I've resurrected my 1997 Saint Etienne C90 side which I posted last year. You can find it here.

A Conversation With That Little Devil On Your Shoulder

Iraina Mancini returned with a single and video, Running For Your Life, at the beginning of February and it's another gorgeous slice of dramatic pop, with lush cinematic production and sumptuous vocals.

I was introduced to Iraina's music pretty much this time last year via a couple of remixes of songs from her debut album, Undo The Blue. The title track was reanimated by Beyond The Wizards Sleeve aka Erol Alkan and Richard Norris, whilst Sugar High had been remixed in 2023 by Saint Etienne. 

With artists like that involved, you expect top quality but even so, both remixes are superb.

  

Which inevitably lead back to Undo The Blue the album, issued on Pete Paphides' rather wonderful Needle Mythology label. Ten songs brimming with confidence, poise and hooks, to the extent that you'd be forgiven for thinking that this is Iraina's second or third album. No first release nerves here, this is an accomplished and satisfying debut.

Here are a couple of examples: 

 

And, after that satisfying feast, for dessert, Undo The Blue in French.

And, to finish, Iraina performing Undercover, Wild Runaways and Deep End at Buffalo Studios in London, in 2021. 

  

 

Decadance II: 1993

Side 2 of my 'maginary 90s mixtape, focusing on 1993.

 

The carefree college days were drawing to a close, and final exams loomed. 

 

I got to look at the work of Joan Miró, Antoni Gaudí, Salvador Dalí, Pablo Picasso and many more up close and personal for the first time in Barcelona. 

 

I went with my girlfriend, her best fried and boyfriend to the inaugural Phoenix Festival in Stratford-upon-Avon, where I saw, amongst others, Manic Street Preachers, Sonic Youth, Faith No More, Julian Cope (who I saw twice in '93), The Disposable Heroes Of Hiphoprisy, Utah Saints, Back To The Planet, House Of Pain, Sandals, Senser, The Young Gods, Credit To The Nation, Ian McNabb, Sheep On Drugs, The Black Crowes and Pop Will Eat Itself. Only one of them makes an appearance in today's selection.

 

Poor old Pop Will Eat Itself. This is the second time that PWEI made it to the last 14 and failed to survive the final edit. They'll be even more gutted that on this occasion, the nearly ran was Get The Girl! Kill The Baddies! which was surprisingly a #9 hit in January 1993 and, perhaps less surprisingly, their only Top 10 hit. The window of opportunity is closing for the lads as 1994 would prove to be the last time they cracked the Top 40. 

So which of the Phoenix Festival luminaries made it? Credit To The Nation of course, with their Nirvana riffing anthem that is Call It What You Want. Front person Matty Hanson was a compelling performer on stage, and they deserved bigger and better things.

 

Not the only rap to show up here, with Cypress Hill, whose song landed in my grubby mitts in 1994, courtesy of Reading Present, a cover-mounted cassette freebie with Melody Maker. Having no tolerance for potty language, of course, the UK single was re-titled When The Ship Goes Down (or Sh--, depending where you saw it promoted).

 

When it came to choosing today's Mandatory Andrew Weatherall...well, I couldn't. In fact, at one point, I nearly went for the triple with the squalling, spiky Sabres Of Paradise remix of Leftfield/Lydon's mighty Open Up. Instead, there's One Dove with White Love. There was a sanitised, radio friendly single verson, but the one to go for is the Guitar Paradise mix by Andrew and the band with Sabres compadres Jagz Kooner and Gary Burns. Much as I would love to include the full length album version, it's well over ten minutes, so here's the US promo edit, which was also used for the official video. Dot Allison is of course uber cool throughout.

 

The second MAW for 1993 is New Order's comeback single, Regret. I'll be honest, I didn't warm to the single when I first heard it, but Andrew, Jagz and Gary opened my eyes and ears to it's potential with a couple of next-level remixes. The Slow 'n' Lo remix is just shy of thirteen minutes, split into vocal and dub halves; this is the former, a sublime skank that suits Bernard's voice perfectly.

 

Also getting two bites of the cherry are Fluke, firstly with their remix of Björk's Big Time Sensuality, which she loved so much that it became the official single and video version. You can see why, it's four minutes of pure joy. I loved Fluke's previous music, but this tipped into something of an obsession in 1993, with the release of The Techno Rose Of Blighty, a slew of superb singles (including Slid, today's featured song) and tons of top notch remixes. As with Andrew Weatherall, I tried my darnedest to track down everything that had Fluke on it. Still love 'em as much now as I did then.

 

The same can be said for Justin Robertson, who expanded from DJing and remixing to releasing original music as Lionrock, accompanied by wordsmith MC Buzz B. Packet Of Peace was the second single and the first of four Top 40 hits.

 

Not that the rest of today's selection is anything less than excellent. No #1's this time perhaps but nine Top 40 hits is not to be sniffed at. And the ones that didn't make the Top 40 really should have.

 

1994 was a bit of a divergent path in my life, but what remained unwavering was my love for music. Some good tunes coming up? Probably!

 

1) Big Time Sensuality (The Fluke Minimix): Björk

2) Who Do You Think You Are (Single Version) (Cover of Candlewick Green): Saint Etienne ft. Debsey Wykes

3) When The Shit Goes Down (Diamond D Remix By Joseph Kirkland): Cypress Hill

4) White Love (Guitar Paradise Edit By One Dove & Sabres Of Paradise): One Dove

5) Walking In My Shoes (Random Carpet Single Edit By William Orbit): Depeche Mode

6) Regret (Sabres Slow 'n' Lo (Vocal) Remix By Sabres Of Paradise): New Order

7) Cannonball: The Breeders

8) Packet Of Peace (7" Edit By Justin Robertson & Mark Stagg): Lionrock ft. MC Buzz B

9) Slid (Glid Edit): Fluke

10) Call It What You Want (Single Version): Credit To The Nation

11) Animal Nitrate: Suede

12) Feed The Tree: Belly

 

17th January 1993: Feed The Tree EP (#32): 12

28th February 1993: Animal Nitrate EP (#2): 11

14th March 1993: Slid EP (#59): 9

18th April 1993: Regret EP (#4): 6

2nd May 1993: Packet Of Peace EP (#32): 8

9th May 1993: Walking In My Shoes EP (#14): 5

16th May 1993: Call It What You Want EP (#57): 10

23rd May 1993: Hobart Paving/Who Do You Think You Are EP (#23): 2 

1st August 1993: White Love EP (#43): 4 

15th August 1993: Last Splash (#40): 7

26th September 1993: When The Shit Goes Down EP (#19): 3

28th November 1993: Big Time Sensuality EP (#17): 1

 

Side Two (46:32) (GD) (M)