VARIOUS ARTISTS | IT'S CALLED MODERN ROCK

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Better Than Love
by R.C. Avellanosa

This is a Philippine various artists release by Wea Records and was originally a playlist from Radio JAM 88.3.  Aptly entitled "It's Called Modern Rock", the compilation featured the best of the modern rock music scene of the early nineties. It was that time when grunge was still obscure and heavy metal was the fad. Music was still not considered Alternative and New Wave became New Music to Modern Rock. And so I tried to compile this selection anew, and I might not get the right sequence but this is close I hope, and I know I got all the tracks right.

Noel Burke's Echo and The Bunnymen was different from Ian's, still he did a very fine job with "Reverberation", cooing "Enlighten Me" with Will. Too Much Joy's "Crush Story" is arguably the best, most charming song here, is also played on the Idols Documentary. The Replacements with "Merry Go Round" is one of Paul's happier songs. From the album ...Sound, The Mighty Lemon Drops rendered the lovely "My Shadow Girl" which I think is now a rarity. Never realized until lately that Hindu Love Gods = R.E.M. - Stipe + Warren Zevon. Playing Prince original song "Raspberry Beret". Katydids' most amazing song "Girl In A Jigsaw Puzzle" is completely awesome. And all throughout side B, I'd leave you to play it and decide for yourself. Now, will you trip to sound with me?

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THIRD WAVE | FINAL CHAPTER

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15 Smiles, Oh Yes!
by R.C. Avellanosa

I can't begin to express the excitement I felt when I came across this. It is serendipity. This is the compilation I fell in love with for years. The cassette was played over and over until it was worn out, lost and faded in time. I was not really able to listen to the previous Third Wave compilations. This is the only chapter I am familiar with and it is the final but not the last. Bootleg CDs 1 and 2 followed. I did have to compile the songs myself. I only had to know the sequence and of course the exact songs. The order is crucial for my own ultimate listening experience. As it was arranged on cassette before. This was only released in the Philippines by Mercury Records under Dyna.

Paul Weller and The Jam for the first track with the theme song of the 1960s TV series Batman. The second track "Gone Daddy Gone" is dominated by xylophones. Third track is the sun-children's uniform "Flowers In Our Hair" performed by Julianne Regan (Gene Loves Jezebel, The Mission) and All About Eve. Also found on the soundtrack for the movie Some Kind Of Wonderful is the studio version of March Violets' "Turn To The Sky". You might find the lyrics mixed up with that other version. But still it has the same feel. The Cure's "How Beautiful You Are" can be found on Kiss Me, Kiss Me, Kiss Me which I think is the best underrated song from that album. Xmal Deutschland is a band from Hamburg, Germany. The song is in German with words like Polarlicht...Von Alaska bis Kiruna..Scheine scheine and when you translate, you'd get the words Aurora..Northern Lights ...From Alaska to Kiruna ..Northern Lights ...Storm among the stars, Flares on the horizon! Burn burn ... Aura in the night sky..I think is cooler than it is.

So on to Side Two. Turn that tape first. Now it's Voice of The Beehive with the hit "I Say Nothing" needs no words to describe. I saw a movie and read a book The Fountainhead by Ayn Rand. I think that is where they named their band from. The Fountainhead's "Someone Like You" is pure New Wave, a mood set in a city of lights swarming with strangers. The second Violent Femmes song on this record, "Blister In The Sun" is supposedly all about masturbation. You decide if it really is. "I Will Remember" brings me back to the younger dreams of youth, Hard Rain by the way is not fronted by Bono. Camouflage with the haunting "Strangers Thoughts" is one new music song any waver shouldn't miss. And the last song which is my least favorite "America" by King Kurt.

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GUIDED BY VOICES - JON THE CROC

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The Clown Spot
by R.C. Avellanosa

It's always good to hear new songs from Guided By Voices. Glimpses, this apparently the second single "Jon the Croc" from the upcoming release Class Clown Spots A UFO. The release review at Rockathon says "We don't know who Jon is, but we wouldn't want to be him. + catchy as hell Tobin Sprout non-lp b-side". No need to describe further. I am saving it for the actual release. Now where could that class clown have spotted a UFO?

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THE SOUNDTRIPPER | COMPILATION VOLUME XVIII

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In The Water, See It Swimming
by R.C. Avellanosa

I searched and searched online. Searched for covers of my favorite songs. Searched deeper and was not disappointed. Had to find bands that play cover songs like we do too. There were quite a lot. I chose those that sounded a little different, a version that is. This is all cover versions of some of the best songs I heard. It is quite a stellar cast of new and equally great bands.  The first song is a decent almost, acoustic version of Tool's "Prison Sex". The Go Team! surprisingly did an awesome version of Sonic Youth's "Bull In The Heather". My Vitriol's "Game of Pricks" I'd say is the best version I heard outshining the others.  The fourth track is a lovely rendition of Echo & The Bunnymen's "The Cutter" by the eccentric pop-core Solex. Joy Division is represented here by Billy Corgan's side project Starchildren. It's quite good. You'd think its his own. Placebo did a perfect dose on "Where Is My Mind?". American indie/punk rock band Bad Astronaut covered my Posies' favorite "Solar Sister". It sounded almost the same but it still feels good to hear that it is covered.

From the motion picture The Cars 2, and of The Cars of course, Weezer's pop influence and powerplay rock for "You Might Think" is simply brilliant. The Violent Femmes always sound adorably lazy covering Culture Club's hit "Do You Really Want To Hurt Me". You must have heard The The's "Uncertain Smile" somewhere one way or another. And I could never forget this rendition of Pierce Turner. The eleventh track is Jawbox squeaky rock version of Sinatra's "I Got You Under My Skin". And the last and twelfth bonus track is Ian Broudie and The Lightning Seeds' upbeat version of The Only Ones' "Another Girl Another Planet" as good as the Mighty Lemon Drops version.  These and all are the coolest songs I heard all week so far.

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The Soundtripper Volumes

JOHNNY FOREIGNER | GRACE AND THE BIGGER PICTURE

Ghosts for Criminals
by Righex

They'll prefer the ghosts rather than the pacman, loves robots and ironically find romance boring, "Grace and The Bigger Picture" is their second album. Just got hooked to the awesome trio recently. Started digging and looking for their music and videos. Formed from the remnants of Panda Love Unit and Twist, Johnny Foreigner is Kelly Southern on Bass, Alex Berrow on guitars and Junior Laidley on drums. It's Kelly and Alex on vocals . At first I thought this was a solo artist, Johnny Foreigner is initially a prototype for a country band. The online music magazine "Drowned In Sound" rated their EP "Arcs Across The Sea" a perfect 10. The released a number of successful, sold out singles after signing to Best Before Records. They supported Hundred Reasons and Los Campesinos!

Fast-paced British Fun Pop-Indie, their first single "Feels Like Summer" has a music video which you can find on youtube.  It's the first official video I found by them. And you could find video of interviews and live performances all over England and North America. Their sound is cheerful, indie, noisypop and punk rock. The guitar riffs are amazing, bass and drums twists here and there. Like a punk rock cross between Mates of State/Triple Fast Action and Rainer Maria.

VARIOUS ARTISTS | SOUNDING LIKE PAVEMENT IST RAD

Ravement for Pavement

by Righex

This is a different tribute compilation for the stellar Pavement. I can't even trace the person who compiled this.  It is different because the songs here are not actual songs of Pavement. Where most tribute albums feature artists or bands that cover songs in honor of a particular legendary band, this compilation actually features their original songs but is unmistakably influenced by Pavement, thus the description "Sounding Like Pavement". The compilation excites me because it's about Pavement for one reason, another reason is that I love various artists compilation. It has twenty-one tracks and twenty-one artists so it is an earful. It is also a loud happy record. Celebrating the essence of indie rock/pop.

I haven't heard a lot of these bands before. Johnny Foreigner's "Eyes Wide Terrified" has made me look for their records. Apparently related to indie pop band Los Campesinos! Reminds me of Triple Fast Action. Urusei Yatsura has the closest semblance to Pavement. Kozee Heart was one indie-pavement cross-over, admittedly inspired the magic of Pavement. I can still taste "Kewpies Like Watermelon" on my mouth. Mo-Ho-Bish-O-Pi's Drop Jaw is obscurely a perfect indie-op act. More popular acts like Blur, Rentals, Snow Patrol, and Shout Out Louds is equally charming. Hefner, The Strokes, Fickle Public, The Cribs, Seafood, The Wendy Darlings, The Delgados, Spare Snare, Horowitz, Envelopes...The feast has gone on and on. Everything is either cursed or cool forever.

DINOSAUR JR. - EAR BLEEDING COUNTRY

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Calmative Repulsion and Wahs
by R.C. Avellanosa

This is the best of Dinosaur Jr. release. "Ear Bleeding Country" was initially Mascis' concept of the group. Dinosaur Jr. came a long way which started as Mogo with Lou Barlow, J Mascis, drummer Pat Murphy and Charlie Nakajima (all from Deep Wound). Mogo didn't last long, and J formed Dinosaur as a trio without Nakajima. From then on he led the band as the vocalist. Dinosaur released Dinosaur in 1985. It was garage rock and punk. It was not commercially successful leaving Sonic Youth unimpressed at some point on their early performances. It was the supergroup The Dinosaurs' threat to sue the band for the name that prompted the addition of "Jr." thus led to Dinosaur Jr.

A great collection of their earlier and present tracks. From Lou's departure to their reformation, Ear Bleeding Country is a seven star. "Whatever's Cool With Me" is a nail on a dinosaur's head. J Mascis' voice always has a calming effect on me. It must be his voice and the distinct sound of his guitar licks. The wahs and the distortions work so good. At times the shift on choruses brings a part of me dropping on the floor. And I can't stop singing along on "Get Me" now officially my most favorite Dinosaur Jr. track. The adlib on "Get Me" was one of the best lead guitar solo I heard since I was born. And the rhythm section, the drums and the bass, were like parallel to it. Of course their major label releases were the edge that defined and refined them to the mainstream. "Where You Been", "Without A Sound", and "Hand It Over" clearly were undeniably the records any soundtripper who has taste shouldn't miss. "Take A Run At The Sun" is a track J Mascis a soundtrack for a movie is like the bonus track. The rhythm on "Nothing's Goin' On" is a blast. Murph blows me away. Lou's bad. They're insane on "I'm Insane". Dinosaur Jr. always makes me want to visit the drum room. Is it just me or am I sane enough to ask why the songs had to end.

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THE SOUNDTRIPPER - COMPILATION VOLUME XVII

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Lightning At Your Door
by R.C. Avellanosa

A mix of recently posted records. Some were just released recently. Guided By Voices' "Keep It In Motion" and Pollard's "Science Magazine" are the freshest treat. This is clearly compiled as my present playlist. At least it is this time, the compilation I am playing at the moment. Starts with The Drums' "Money" from Portamento followed by New Order's Bernard Albrecht and his side band "Bad Lieutenant". The Ocean Blue's "Mercury" will lift your hearts up. From the Radio One Evening Sessions, The Railway Children's anthemic "In The Meantime" is a different version. The fifth track is from the obscure "The Dentists" with Apple Beast reminds me of The Stone Roses,, such a surprise. Lee Ranaldo's 2012 release "Between The Times And The Tides" produced the radio-friendly single "Off The Wall". Dinosaur Jr.'s Take A Run At The Sun will brighten up your day. Another underrated band composed of Filipino-American artists from New York "Versus" is simply awesome. The volume is leaving you with the stellar Sonic Youth with "Stalker". It's worth at least a week of airplay. This is F*#king A!

Tracks:
01. Money - The Drums
02. Twist of Fate - Bad Lieutenant
03. Mercury - The Ocean Blue
04. In The Meantime (Radio One) - The Railway Children
05. Apple Beast - The Dentists
06. Keep It In Motion - Guided By Voices
07. Off The Wall - Lee Ranaldo
08. Science Magazine - Robert Pollard
09. Take A Run At The Sun - Dinosaur Jr.
10. Blade Of Grass - Versus
11. Stalker - Sonic Youth

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