From the Top Drawer LXIV - Another Green World

 For this year's Summer Solstice, here is the third cassette release from the organic/electronic ambient duo of Dan Carpenter (sax & clarinet) and Paul Chousmer (all other instruments & noises).

 

 Not much more to say about AGW that I haven't covered on their previous posts HERE and HERE ,

except that if you like their very mellow style (and you like bird noise!), you certainly won't be disappointed by this tape.

 Ripped as two side-long tracks @320kbps.

 Kick off your shoes, feel the grass between your toes, and get out your butterfly net to trap a copy as it floats by...

DOWNLOAD HERE

http://www.discogs.com/Another-Green-World-Adjusting-The-Mirror/release/2481722

From the Top Drawer XLIX - Earthnicht

Earthnicht was a short-lived side-project centred around musicians from bands who regularly played at Club Dog at the Sir George Robey in Finsbury Park, North London, and who would also play at various squat/free/benefit gigs in London and further afield. Earthnicht live consisted of (when available) five full kit drummers (Sean, Jonee, Nick, Tanya and Generator John), a sax player (the ubiquitous Danny) and a synth/keyboard player (Paul).

 

Kicking off the opening night of the 1989 autumn season at Club Dog...

With this line-up, naturally the music focused on driving syncopated rhythms topped with improvised sound. When the drummers gelled and synchronised, the audience was in for a thunderous, danceable treat.

This tape (Earth Heartbeat) was compiled from live shows in London and Milton Keynes
 - tracks as above.

Ripped @320kbps as two side-long tracks

Get it HERE

From the Top Drawer XLVII - The Ullulators

This almost totally electronic 1994 studio release from the Ullulators sees them exploring the world of 1990s dance culture with excursions into ambient techno/trance, trip-hop, samples and loops and what would later come to be known as IDM (Intelligent Dance Music).

Diehard fans of their earlier, guitar-based organic style and those likely to be offended by any extended series of repetitive beats may be disappointed by the changes, but anyone who has ears to listen will be rewarded by some finely crafted tunes which still retain the Ullulators' signature vision of playful spacy experimentation topped with world music overtones...

Ripped from an original cassette as two side-long tracks @320kbps - tracklisting as above.

Get a copy HERE

From the Top Drawer XLII - Lapwing

A recording from the audience of this short-lived band who played just a few gigs before breaking up and moving on to different projects. Lapwing were curiously named after the bird seen above ;-)

Somewhat of an underground 'supergroup', Lapwing on this occasion featured James Vane (Vane, Ring Of Roses, etc) on vocals, Dan Carpenter (Ring Of Roses, Webcore, Another Green World, Thunderdogs, etc) on saxophone, Gavin Griffiths (Ozric Tentacles, Ullulators, Thunderdogs, etc) on lead guitar, plus other bods whose names escape me - I simply don't remember...doh. A high energy upfront set with a psych/glam/goth tinged edge to the songs as the charismatic style of Jimmy Vane comes through.

Taped at the Sir George Robey pub in Finsbury Park, London, on 6th May 1988 - I'm not sure whether this was a Club Dog night or not but after checking that this was on a Friday night, it's quite likely this was a canine event - woof.

No track titles available for the set, but knowledgeable types will recognise a great version of the psychedelic classic 'Kites', a 1967 hit for Simon Dupree and the Big Sound.

Ripped from a chrome cassette @320kbps and slightly edited to preserve quality.

Grab a copy HERE

From the Top Drawer XI - Webcore

Here we have the second cassette release by Webcore, called 'The Great Unfolding' which came out on the A Real Kavoom label in 1986. Second time around their sound became more accessible and dynamic than on the 'Cinematography' tape and more danceable, although the ambient and poetry interludes remained. Gigs often now featured a drummer as opposed to the drum tapes they had formerly used, sax replaced violin, and backing singers had joined. 'Captain's Table' from the first tape appeared again in an overhauled version, as did the superb full band reworking of 'Nothing Can Stop Us Now' from Eden's 'Flipside' album.

Live at Club Dog, Wood Green 23.01.87 with occasional Suzi Quatro drummer Colin

One of those wonderful flyers of the time

 

Side One - Nothing Can Stop Us Now / A Pocket Full Of Posies / The Great Unfolding / Captain's Table

Side Two - Just Can't Tell Him / Backseat Driver / In The Mood? / 6+7=10

ripped from an original cassette @320kbps as two side long tracks - 

fill yer boots HERE

Live at Club Dog, Wood Green 15.05.87 with Tig (Nick van Gelder) on drums

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Interview with keyboard player Paul Chousmer in January 2000
http://www.aural-innovations.com/issues/issue9/chousmr1.html