- Artist: The Leaving Trains
- Title: Kill Tunes
- Year: 1986
- Format: Vinyl 12 in.
- Rating (1-10): 8
- Owner: Tracy
- Acquired: 1986 – Probably at Mother’s Records
- Keeper: Yes
Kill Tunes is my favorite record by The Leaving Trains. It’s the first one I bought, and I believe it’s their debut. I don’t know why I bought it, but I’m guessing the cool cover and the record label being SST were a couple good reasons. This is probably their most rocked-out record, and it includes an excellent cover of an excellent song from an excellent band, “Private Affair” by The Saints. Covers are a sign there are real men in this band, especially since “Private Affair” was less than 10 years old at the time. As I’ve mentioned before, these guys produce a great mix of garage rock and weirdness. That’s really all I need to be happy.
Did I sell out? Call it survival
When everything I do smacks of revival
Cease fire? No way
There’s nothing left behind to save anyway
“10 Generations” — The Leaving Trains
Etched in the vinyl run out margins:
Side 1 – Tunes don’t kill, people do
Side 2 – I buried Manfred
Various Artists -- The Blasting Concept Volume II
- Artist: Various Artists
- Title: The Blasting Concept Volume II
- Year: 1986
- Format: Vinyl 12 in.
- Rating (1-10): 6
- Owner: Tracy
- Acquired: 1986 – Probably at Mother’s Records in Hampton, VA
- Keeper: Yes
No camera can capture the intense greenness of this album cover. I enjoyed The Blasting Concept Volume II more than I expected. I forgot how metal-sounding, a high compliment, some of these bands were back then. I have records by most of the bands on here, but it’s worth keeping for the few good songs I don’t have, like “Watch the Tractor” by Gone. My favorite is the Minutemen’s punkish cover of Van Halen’s “Ain’t Talking About Love.” I’ve never heard a bad version of that song, even from the garage band I played drums for in junior high.
Steve Weisberg -- I Can't Stand Another Night Alone (In Bed With You)
- Artist: Steve Weisberg
- Title: I Can’t Stand Another Night Alone (In Bed With You)
- Year: 1986
- Format: Vinyl 12 in.
- Rating (1-10): 8
- Owner: Tracy
- Acquired: 1988? – I think I got this at the record store my brother and I had.
- Keeper: Yes
I wasn’t sure this was going to be a keeper, but after playing it again, several times, I now remember how good it is. I can’t really remember how I got the record. Steve Weisberg is from the same town our record store was in so there must’ve been some awareness of him, maybe one of our customers told me about it. Anyhow, I Can’t Stand Another Night Alone (In Bed With You) is a very ambitious record. It’s hard to believe he was only 22 when this was recorded. And the list of contributing musicians is just as impressive. There are lot of jazz world big shots and just generally famous musicians like Hiram Bullock and Anton Fier. The music sounds somewhat like a film score, similar to The Cat by Jimmy Smith. It combines big band and jazz with Bullock’s shredding guitar and doesn’t sound the least bit pure. Which is great.
More about Steve Weisberg at Wikipedia.
- Artist: Phantom Tollbooth
- Title: EP
- Year: 1986
- Format: Vinyl 12 in.
- Rating (1-10): 5
- Owner: Mary
- Acquired: When? Plan 9 Records in Richmond, VA.
- Keeper: No
Funny thing, when I was listening to this EP by Phantom Tollbooth I kept thinking it sounded like a more metallic version of The Minutemen, with lamer, scratchier vocals. Then, I looked up some info I saw that Trouser Press had something similar to say. It has some decent moments, and if you’re into noisy art-rock you might dig it. We have more than enough of that stuff. I don’t need to hear it again.
- Artist: The Fall
- Title: Bend Sinister
- Year: 1986
- Format: Vinyl 12 in.
- Rating (1-10): 7
- Owner: Mary
- Acquired: ?
- Keeper: Yes
We’re almost done with our trip. And it’ll be good to get back to the mountains because it just got wicked hot and humid in the DC area. Now we’re staying with our friends the Hartzells. Last night we had a great party, with great food, great friends, and a chocolate fountain! For the kids, of course.
The Fall’s Bend Sinister is another arty record from a consistently arty band but there is a big difference from the last record posted. This one has hooks aplenty, it’s much more enjoyable because of it, and you’re likely to start humming along the first time you hear it. To be honest, I only got to play it once before we left and I can’t remember much more about it right now.
