The Stroppies - Melbourne, AUS Aug. 2022 (sbd) + Marc Riley Session 2019

Triple R Studios

Melbourne, AUS

Aug. 22, 2022

webstream recording (sound quality: VG++)

01 The Perfect Crime 
02 Smilers Strange Politely
03 Material Condition
04 Gravity Is Stern
05 Cold Season
06 Entropy
07 Cellophane Car
08 Figure Eights
09 All the Lines
10 Up to My Elbows

Marc Riley Show

BBC 6Music

London, UK

July 11, 2019

webstream recording (sound quality: VG+) 

01 All the Lines
02 First Time Favourites
03 Go Ahead
04 Cellophane Car
05 Nothing at All

ROB SEZ: The Stroppies are not an NZ band in the mold of classic Flying Nun artists. Rather, they're an Australian band in the mold of classic Flying Nun artists. You can tell the Stroppies have been listening to albums by The Clean, The Chills, early R.E.M., and More Songs About Buildings & Food by Talking Heads. They recently recorded this fab live set at hometown Triple R Radio (see photo gallery HERE.) This is a talented band on the way up, and worth an extended listen. "Modfather" Paul Weller agrees, which is why he chose them as the opening act for his recent UK tour. Their latest 4-star album Levity is a good starting point if you're curious. HUGE THANKS to Triple R in Melbourne for recording & posting the 2022 recording and to Fruitier Than Thou for sharing the Marc Riley session (in which you will find just a few glitches in the recording, which is otherwise very good.)

FLAC lossless captures, lossy sources

MP3@320

The Windbreakers - 'Boxing Day' Live 1986

R.I.P. Bobby Sutliff re-post

‘Boxing Day’ live release

W.C. Don’s, Jackson, MS

Dec. 26 (Boxing Day), 1986

 

soundboard recording (quality VG+; vocals are kinda low in the mix at times, but it's really not a big hairy deal)

01 Changeless

full artwork included in download

02 New Red Shoes

03 I'll Be Back

04 I Never Thought

05 Glory

06 Stupid Idea

07 What Goes On

08 Bad Sermonette

09 Hey! Little Child

10 You Never Give Up

11 Blue and Gray*

12 Rock 'n' Roll Star

13 Again (bonus track)*

*Iowa City, IA 1988

VERY SAD to hear of Bobby's recent death after battling kidney cancer. Tim Lee, Bobby's musical counterpart in The Windbreakers, posted a previously-unreleased 1989 live show on Bandcamp as part of the effort to raise much-needed funds for Bobby's widow, Wendy. In the same place, you can snag the fabulous 18-track various artists tribute collection SKRANG: Sounds Like Bobby Sutliff. If you prefer to make your donation a 1-way affair, you can also contribute to the Go Fund Me that was recently created to help Wendy pay current medical bills.

FOR REAL THANKS to Tim and Bobby for graciously granting permission for this to be posted here, many moons ago. Please show these guys some love: leave a comment here.

REPERCUSSION: Mitch Easter produced several Windbreakers’ albums and played on many Windbreakers’ tracks.

Mitch, hangin' with Tim

Mitch, playin' with Bobby at the Drive-In

ROB SEZ: Normally, no official release ever gets posted here. However, the original Boxing Day live set saw a very limited CD-R only release on the now-defunct Paisley Pop Label. This many years later, I thought Tim and Bobby might consider giving this one away to the fans. I was delighted when they agreed; now everyone can enjoy this live, covers-heavy souvenir of a great combo.

The Windbreakers, a "few" years ago...

WAV (lossless files)

MP3@320

Musicians:

Bobby Sutliff: guitars & vocal
Tim Lee: guitars & vocal
Barry Brown: bass
Bob Aitchison: drums

*rhythm section for 1988 tracks:

Matt Kimbrell: bass

Leif Bondarenko: drums

Bobby Sutliff (right) returns to the stage with the TimLee3, Jan. 2013
A benefit show to defray medical costs after Bobby's serious car accident
photo by John Boydston

 

Learn more about the music of The Windbreakers at AllMusic or Trouser Press

 

Bedhead - Live in 1996 (sbd) + The New Year - Live in 2008 (aud)

Bedhead 

Cat's Cradle

Carrboro, N.C. 

Jan. 20, 1996

(opening for Luna)

soundboard recording (quality: Ex-) 

01 Powder

Bedhead: pondering oblivion, again

02 Burned Out

03 Smoke

04 The Unpredictable Landlord

05 Left Behind

06 The Dark Ages

07 Golden Brown

     (Stranglers cover)

08 Bedside Table

09 The Rest of the Day

Bedhead:

Matt Kadane - guitar, vocals

Bubba Kadane - guitar, vocals

Tench Coxe - guitar

Kris Wheat - bass

Trini Martinez - drums

-sample Bedhead's seductive sound here-

ROB SEZ: Since music discovery is a major goal of the blog, it's time for another helping of bands you probably haven't heard of, but might want to know about. Brothers Matt and Bubba Kadane first founded Bedhead in the 1990s, then The New Year in the 2000s, then Overseas — the latter with David Bazan of Pedro the Lion. Bedhead got tagged as a pioneer of the "slowcore" sound, but in my mind, that's just another instance of lazy music journalism. Bedhead has a slower pace and a guitar-centric style that lends itself to the slowcore label, but the group easily transcends it with inventive song structures, great arrangements, and thoughtful lyrics. AllMusic says The New Year is "more accessible" than Bedhead, but all I hear is yet more absorbing music that rewards repeated listenings. Highly recommended. Check out Numero Group's reissue of all of Bedhead's studio recordings, plus a live album from 1998 (all available in lossless digital for a bargain price.). BIG THANKS to romme and especially to mrpember for going the extra mile to share these recordings with me.   

The New Year

Kadane brothers & co.: The New Year
(below: Matt K. onstage in 2008)

Chelsea

Vienna, Austria

Nov. 18, 2008

audience recording (sound quality: VG+,  from master tape source)

01 The Company I Can Get 

02 Reconstruction

03 Chinese Handcuffs

04 The Door Opens

05 Wages of Sleep

06 The End's Not Near

07 X Off Days

08 Gasoline

09 MMV

10 Plan B

11 The Block That Doesn't Exist

12 Disease

13 Newness Ends

14 Stranger to Kindness

The New Year:

Matt Kadane - guitar, vocals

Bubba Kadane - guitar, vocals 

Peter Schmidt - rhythm guitar

Mike Donofrio - bass

Chris Brokaw - drums

FLAC

MP3@320