Vinyl Club – Coloured Vinyl
Another month (well, it was two as we missed June), another Tuesday afternoon at Bryn’s. I suppose technically we could meet somewhere else, but at this point Bryn’s is like the Crucible for the snooker.
This month’s theme was Coloured Vinyl.
Now, I have a confession to make. Coloured vinyl is my weakness. Some people collect stamps, others spend fortunes on watches. Me? Show me an album pressed on translucent neon pink vinyl and I’ll happily pay another tenner for exactly the same music. I know it’s ridiculous. I also know I’m not going to stop. If you need proof, just have a look at my shelf where there are three different coloured vinyl editions of Kylie Minogue’s debut album sitting side by side. Three copies of exactly the same record. Apparently I have a problem. Thankfully, Vinyl Club isn’t the sort of place where anyone is likely to stage an intervention.
Bryn had also taken on board the feedback from last month’s meeting. After Coxy spent a good proportion of the afternoon pointing out the complete lack of snacks, this time there was enough food to feed a small army. Crisis averted.
Whether Coxy then decided to repay Bryn’s hospitality by feeding Jasper the dog a salty pretzel remains unclear. What is beyond dispute is Jasper’s review of said pretzel, which arrived a few minutes later in the form of vomiting in the front room.
With the carpet only slightly more colourful than the records, we got underway.
Coxy – Re:Created by Placebo
Coxy opened proceedings with Placebo’s Re:Created.
Brian Molko remains one of those voices that you could identify after about three syllables. Whether that’s a compliment or a medical condition is probably open to debate.
I’d forgotten just how many genuinely good songs Placebo have tucked away in their catalogue.
Tracks played: Come Home · Teenage Angst · Nancy Boy · Swallow
Verso’s View: I really enjoyed the first three tracks and they reminded me just how good Placebo could be. Swallow didn’t quite hit the same heights for me, but that’s the joy of Vinyl Club, nobody agrees on everything. Coxy had also brought along a Blur album that never made it onto the turntable.
Which was nice.
Jimmy – KOKO by The Lottery Winners
Jimmy was next with KOKO by The Lottery Winners.
I’ll admit this wasn’t an album I’d spent much time with before, but that’s half the fun of these afternoons. It’s packed with huge hooks and collaborations that actually feel like they belong there rather than existing purely because somebody in a marketing department thought they’d look good on a sticker.
Tracks played: Superpower · You Again (featuring Reverend and the Makers) · The Ceiling (featuring Shed Seven) · Dirt and Gold (featuring Frank Turner)
Verso’s View: Hugely enjoyable. Funny, warm and completely unpretentious. The sort of record that reminds you music doesn’t always have to change your life; sometimes it’s enough to make you smile for forty-five minutes.
Bryn – Driven to Drive by Joe Ely
Bryn was third with Joe Ely’s Driven to Drive.
This is exactly why Vinyl Club exists. Left to my own devices I’d probably never have listened to Joe Ely, which would have been my loss. As it turns out, Jimmy introduced Bryn to Joe Ely, and Bryn was only too happy to return the favour to the rest of us.
What followed wasn’t just four tracks. We were treated to the musical history of Joe Ely, his influences, the people he’d worked with and why he’s so highly regarded.
Which, for the record, was genuinely fascinating.
It sounds like endless highways, roadside diners and trucks disappearing into the distance. You can almost smell the diesel.
Tracks played: Driven More · Odds of the Blues · For Your Love · Watchin’ Them Semis Roll
Verso’s View: Honest, understated and full of character. No gimmicks, no over-production, just really good musicians making really good music. It’s exactly the sort of album Vinyl Club was invented to discover.
Verso – Rum, Sodomy & the Lash by The Pogues
I rounded off the afternoon with what I still consider one of the greatest albums ever recorded.
Yes, everyone knows Fairytale of New York, but that’s a bit like saying your favourite Proclaimers song is I’m Gonna Be (500 Miles). Perfectly acceptable (maybe)… but you’re only scratching the surface.
Shane MacGowan was one of the finest songwriters these islands have ever produced. Equal parts poet, storyteller and professional pub customer.
One little nugget that often gets overlooked is Dirty Old Town. Although forever associated with The Pogues, it was actually written by Ewan MacColl, the father of Kirsty MacColl, who would, of course, go on to sing Fairytale of New York with the band. One of those lovely little music connections that makes you smile.
Tracks played: A Pair of Brown Eyes · Sally MacLennane · Dirty Old Town · And the Band Played Waltzing Matilda
Verso’s View: And the Band Played Waltzing Matilda is simply extraordinary. Seven minutes that somehow manage to say more about the futility of war than most history books. If you’ve never really listened to the lyrics, do yourself a favour. It remains one of the greatest songs ever written.
Closing Verdict
Four records.
Four completely different genres.
Four beautiful coloured pressings.
And, as always, four completely different opinions.
Nobody left agreeing on everything, which is exactly how Vinyl Club should end. There were recommendations made, a few albums quietly added to shopping lists and the usual amount of gentle abuse.
The snacks met Coxy’s approval.
The records met everyone else’s.
Jasper probably wishes we’d all just stuck to black vinyl.
