Record Store Day 2015

My score for Record Store Day this year was 4/5. Most desireable was a 10” vinyl release of Ladytron, an extended (7:25) version of the studio track from Roxy Music’s eponymous first LP. Exquisitely packaged and remixed by the inevitable Steven Wilson this version sounds considerably less muddy with greater sonic detail than hitherto. There is extended electronic twiddling at the beginning and the band finishes rather than fades at the end, but it’s the bit in the middle that counts. This augurs well for the Roxy re-release programme due to commence shortly. Record number two was a mono remix of Afterglow by the Small Faces, notable mainly for a b-side of Up The Wooden Hills To Bedfordshire. Written by Ian McLagan and with a great picture of him on the back, this is a worthy tribute. David Bowie continues his tradition of picture singles with Changes: again the B-side is the main event, being the ‘GEM Promo Version’ of Eight Line Poem. It sounds like the regular version to me, but that’s OK because it sounds great. Finally a new track – Be Lucky by The Who. Snappy and groovy, up-to-date without being embarrassing – their best single since Who Are You. The One That Got Away was the Kinks doing You Really Got Me and Milk Cow Blues recorded at Twickenham Television Studios. So that’s one for eBay…