My random selector actually picked out a Wire cover CD, A1 Raster-Noton Archiv 1, which is in my database, but I can't find it on my shelves (from memory, it came in an outsize sleeve, so may be stowed in an unusual place). So I'm substituting another Wire cover CD which is on my shelves, but, somehow, is not in the database. Generally I stick to the rules fairly closely, but they are my rules, and I give myself licence to tamper when it's in the same spirit of randomness. I don't want you to think that everything is squeaky clean and 100% under control here. I like a fly in the ointment, a bit of sand in the vaseline.
So… what is this? I'm five tracks in since I started typing. Thankfully, Wikipedia comes to my rescue.
Brainwashed is a not-for-profit online music publication offering news and reviews of eclectic music. Over fifty people contribute to the archives of Brainwashed. Brainwashed hosts websites for many bands, artists, and record labels. They also release records of their own as "Brainwashed Recordings".
Brain In The Wire is a compilation by Brainwashed Recordings, which is a collection of mostly rare, unreleased alternate versions of songs by many influential groups that Brainwashed's website promotes hosting for.
Track seven now. Struggling to avoid the impression that all these Wire cover CDs, whether compiled to order as Wire Tappers by Wire or by third parties like Brainwashed, are more or less interchangeable. Reflecting on the question of leadership. Does this mean that The Wire has influenced a whole ecosystem of independent labels, web hosting and online distribution, gigs and festivals, blogs, shaven heads and rimless spectacles? Or have they just become one of the main reflectors in a cultural echo chamber that grew up mostly of its own accord.
Track eight. Tapping my fingers on the table now. Checking county cricket scores, but it's raining across most of the parts of the country where the games haven't already finished… Quite like this Jessica Bailiff track, but then I'm a sucker for soft and woozy. Wondering if I've got anything by her already. Ah, yes, my iTunes has the first three tracks from her untitled album
… Hang on, getting a sense of déjà vu here, thanks to Jessica… Yes, feared as much, right down to the "sucker" comment.
Still, I have a Plan C to cover for this glitch in Plan B. It's called Brain in the Wire — disc B.
This turns out to be different. The same, but different. Still very much from The Wire garden, but from some shady bits behind the potting shed, and some of the smaller beds, neglected or left fallow. In particular, I'm glad to be reminded of Stars of the Lid. I discovered them via Last.fm about five years ago, and, of all the young ambient pretenders I thought they were the most impressive. They're robustly enigmatic, too; which is a good thing. I was going to say that, when they played in London in 2007, I had to miss them for some reason, and maybe that was a good thing, because it meant they retained their mystery for me. Then I remembered that they came back in 2008, and I did see them. Yet, I didn't get any closer to lifting the veil. I haven't thought about them or listened to them for a couple of years now, it seems. But this has sent me off to splurge some of my fresh eMusic quota on their back catalogue.
Also enjoying: tracks by Gordon Mumma, Volcano the Bear and (up to a point) Thighpaulsandra. I hadn't realised that !!! had been around since the nineties. Their tracks on this disc is much more interesting than the stuff I heard of theirs on the radio a few years back.
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MusicBrainz entry for this album Wikipedia entry for this album Rate Your Music entry for this album Some metadata about this album at Last.fm |
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