All The Records I've Ever Owned

Year Released: 2021 Label: Appetite Year Bought: 2024 My ambition of picking up weird vinyl really came true with this record.  'Nice Try, Sunshine!' is a collection of Swedish indiepop from the 00s, put together by Gothenberg-based record label Appetite. An A5 note inside the sleeve sets out the thinking behind the record: "How do you make a coherent compilation of a scene that you just barely missed out on, know nothing about or that maybe never even exists in the sense that you could even call it a scene?" The tunes are apparently based on songs shared between friends over MSN, and has been mastered from those mp3s. I picked it up in Flashback Records in Shoreditch, attracted by its cover and the fact that even though I had never heard of any of these songs or bands, someone clearly loved them enough to put them out on vinyl. It's all very jangly, twee, and lo fi, but it just works perfectly. It's pure indiepop. Just look at the titles: 'No One Goes For...

Year Released: 2015 Label: Damaged Goods Records / Greyday Records Year Bought: 2024 Piney Gir is an American singer/songwriter who has lived in London for many a year. She's been in the backing bands of Noel Gallagher and Gaz Coombes, and over the years has produced one hell of a back catalogue. 'mR. hYDE'S wILD rIDE' is her sixth album, and fully embraces Piney's chameleonic tendencies. A student of 60s beat pop, the influence of the Beatles is writ large over the album. Opener 'Gold Rules' has a great chorus melody, and the sense of joy embodied in the song runs through much of the record. The second half of the album has some more experimentation with instruments and production, meaning you never really know what's coming. 'Mouse of a Ghost' has Graham Coxon level of guitar buzzing going on, while 'Yai Yai' starts off subdued before building into a real garage-indie stomper. I know Piney a little bit so can't really give an impart...

Year Released: 2009 Label: Sandbag Records Year Bought: 2024 Another record picked up during my trip to Toronto in the summer. This was flagged up in the local artists section of a record shop so I took a punt. Never heard of the band before but it seems like they're originally from Vancouver and relocated to Toronto. There's something exciting about putting the vinyl down on a record when you have no idea what it's going to sound like. Everything is so accessible and instant these days (hardly new thoughts here, I know), but yeah, getting a bit of mystery in life is no bad thing. Anyway, the record comes straight in with vocals and it's clear this is going to be a rock record, but as album opener 'Good Luck Club' progresses there's also hints of power pop. 'Turpentine' starts off with a classic rock and roll riff but quickly bounces into a Foo Fighters-style tune with a pounding snare driving it all along. The more I listen to this record, the more ...

Year Released: 1977 Label: Cleveland International, Epic Year Bought: 2024 I DON'T CARE. I know it's not cool or credible, but I DON'T CARE.  I LOVE THIS ALBUM. It's camp, ridiculous, over-the-top, pretentious – all the things I love. Rescued from the embers of a musical about Peter Pan (although this album was later turned into a musical), Jim Steinman wrote the songs, while Meat Loaf delivered the vocals. Numerous labels turned the album down - with many believing it only worked as a performance piece, with the heavy-set presence of Meat Loaf a captivating spectacle. Eventually released by Cleveland International - a subsidiary of Epic - Bat Out Of Hell found popularity in the UK and Australia before the US, but now it's one of the best-selling albums of all time. A mix of rock songs and ballads, much of the record is like a campier version of a Bruce Springsteen album – just listen to that saxophone on 'All Revved Up With No Place To Go'. This album is fu...

Released: 2014 Label: Self-released When I bought: 2024 ( Listen to the album here ) This is another record I picked up in She Said Boom in Toronto. As I said when writing about 1977 , I wanted to get albums from local artists and small labels.  This record was sitting in the local artists section, and came as a vinyl/CD package, which is pretty good value for CA$6.99 (£3.90). I know nothing about Jonathan Billings, and can't find too much online (there's no information on his Spotify page) but it is clear there are two wolves inside the man - one is Dave Gilmore, and the other is Rory Gallagher. The majority of the album is solid, good old fashioned blues rocks.  '78 Buick','Yorkville', 'No Sympathy' 'When You See Me' are no nonsense tracks, with crunchy riffs and searing guitar solos. This is where the Rory Gallagher (and other blues player) influences are really on show. It sounds good on the record, but I reckon the best place for this music ...

Released: 2009 Label: Self-released When I bought: 2024 I've only just started buying vinyl records so don't have a massive collection.  My self-imposed rule is that, where possible, I should buy records made by obscure or up-and-coming artists and label. Do I really need Pink Floyd, David Bowie etc on vinyl? Maybe, but they - and their record companies - all have enough money. As someone who runs a small record label, I know what a difference it can make to your bank account and morale when you sell something you've put out into the world. With all that in mind, I was in Toronto this summer visiting my wife's friends and family. Toronto has some incredible record shops, and I stocked up. I bought albums by acts I'd never heard of because they were local artists and I wanted to hear something completely unexpected (plus hopefully accrue some karmic points which would lead to someone taking a risk on something from my label one day). So here we have this album: Ninet...