Junkbox Jury #2
I got these three CDs from Beanos Records in Croydon last Saturday for 50p each, or 3 for a pound.
Sibrydion sing in Welsh. What the hey, Sigur Rós sing in Icelandic, and they’re pretty good. This album, Simsalabim is special, too, because it was after seeing it in two separate junkboxes in a single day, that Brett and I started wondering: What type of music is packaged so beautifully yet ends up on the pavement in the “steal me, please” box? That conversation eventually led to the idea of Junkbox Jury. We didn’t buy either of those copies that day, but seeing it in Beano’s again on Saturday the day after Junkbox Jury launched just kinda felt like fate, y’know?
Choir of Young Believers are from Denmark, but sing in English. The cover of their album has what appears to be a painting of an abdomen with intestines spilling out. The CD is black, with a crooked cross on it. They sing songs called “Burn the Flag”, “Sharpen Your Knife” and “Riot”. They had Scando-Black-Metal written all over them. But they aren’t, at all.
Beanos had lots copies of ALO’s Roses & Clover, so if you like it, you know where to get one (for 50p). The red velvet cover, little lilies growing out of the antique slab-serif letter, song titles like “Empty Vessel (Pledge Of No Allegiance)”, “All Alone” and “Monday” had me convinced it would be an Emo thing. But it’s not, at all.
- Monday by ALO
from their album Roses & Clover (Brushfire Records) - Burn the Flag by Choir of Young Believers
from their EP Burn the Flag (Alarm Music/Tigerspring) - Mynd A Dod by Sibrydion
from their album Simsalabim (Copa)
…and then give your opinions in the comments sections. The band with the most enthusiastic response will go forward to the awesome Junkbox Jury Final!
Beanos is a great second-hand music shop, by the way, and definitely worth making a trip to Croydon for.
Comments
| 25 July, 2008, 6:04 am |
I liked all three of ‘em.
For sheer listening pleasure, I’d have to go with Choir of Young Believers. They should have left out that horrid saxaphone bit though.
The Sibrydion song would fit right in at the less than posh dance club. I’m sure it would sound even better live.
ALO’s offering was good but not a lot going on. The synth was a nice touch however.
I think the Choir of Young Believers tune was the most interesting.
| 25 July, 2008, 8:55 am |
I’m a big fan of Gorky’s Zygotic Mynci. And I like glam. So what’s not to like about Sibrydion!
ALO - should be on the soundtrack for something like Buffy. Insipid, but I do like the synth.
Believers… er. Sounds a bit like the theme tune to Life of Brian. I quite like
Give me those Welsh glam rockers, though, any day.
| 25 July, 2008, 9:39 am |
ALO reminds me of a hippie tramp I used to know who would busk around Brighton. He had a song that went “Monday Tuesday Thursday Friday Saturday Sunday - WHAT ABOUT WEDNESDAY? WHAT ABOUT WEDNESDAY?”. I preferred his song, actually.
Choir Of Young Believers are excellently sincere. I like them and I would like to hear more from them.
I’m with the previous two answers though - Sibrydion all the way. A great handclap will always win me over.
| 25 July, 2008, 10:32 am |
The ALO singer has occasional touches of Joe Cocker in his voice. But the song sounds liek a James Taylod B-side. It’s pleasant enough but a bit obvious. It outstays its welcome by about a minute. Its a nice ‘Fostex’ mix though.
COYB - I can’t get past the Neil Young-esque accoustic guitars (one nylon) which sound horribly out of time. I think it would work well over the montage sequence in a movie about a hippie who becomes a Yippie.
Sibrydion: Tin Machine covers Shaken’ Stevens while the jukebox plays ‘Leader of the Pack’.
Dunno. All three tracks were pleasant enough, but none suggests itself as an outright winner. I’m leaning towards Sibrydion because they could be saying something important, while the others clearly aren’t.
| 25 July, 2008, 11:19 am |
definitely worth making a trip to Croydon for
Croydon is only worth the trip if you are the bombadeer on a B-52.
| 27 July, 2008, 6:21 pm |
Croydon is only worth the trip if you are the bombadeer on a B-52. …or you’re trying to get to Brighton.
| 15 August, 2008, 1:03 pm |
[...] Junkbox Jury #2, Sibrydion with “Clywch [...]
Write a comment