I went through a period - I guess it was 1993 to 1997 - of buying CD singles all the time. Why? I guess they were cheap - at that time record companies had a policy in the UK of making them 99p or 1.99 when they were first released. So it was a relatively pain-free way of checking things out. And there was the added bonus of getting B-sides or remixes that you might never hear otherwise - CD singles tended to go out of print and become hard to find within a few months. eBay wasn’t what it is now.
I guess the still make CD singles now but since the whole CD single was less useful as an object than say a record or a full-length CD, it’s understandable that downloads have taken a lot of their ground.
Anyway, the vast majority of my stash of CD singles has been safely tucked away in my parents’ garage for several years, but they dumped a box on me recently. The low level of interest and value is slightly sad!
That said, some things have aged pretty well. Here’s the verdict from what I’ve picked out so far (really familiar things to me like Smiths/Morrissey/Nick Cave I’ve left in the box):
Hit
The Legendary Jim Ruiz Group -My Bloody Yugo (1995)
- This has a pleasant sound - a mix of Specials, Bossa Nova and Sarah Records. All four tracks are actually pretty good. It has aged quite nicely (I remember this being in a lot of bargain bins at the time)
Pale Saints - Throwing Back the Apple EP (1992)
- This is pretty fantastic. Probably about the last really good release they did I have to say. Included are their cover of Blue Flower (initially pretty weedy compared to the Slapp Happy version but it gets going) and a re-recording of Half-Life Remembered. Reflections from a watery world is good too. A nice thing to have.
Mick Harvey & Anita Lane - Harley Davidson (1996)
- Picked up for a bargain 49p! This is really cool. Most of the tracks are on Harvey’s ‘Intoxicated Man’ I think, but possibly not all of them. ‘Song of Slurs’ (Chanson des slogans) with its beautiful string arrangement is a particular highlight.
Cocteau Twins - The Spangle Maker/Pearly Dewdrops Drops
- I may never tire of this. In fact I think I had bought an extra copy to replace this one
Miss
David Devant and his Spirit Wife - Cookie (1996)
- I remember enjoying this band live. This single isn’t so hot though!
New Order- Ruined in a Day/New Order - World (price of love)
- There’s really nothing to recommend these, I have to say!
Undecided
Julian Cope - I come from another planet baby (1996)
- the B-side - ‘If I could do it all over again I’d do it all over you’ - is a sprawling, psychedelic piece full of spoken word nonsense - quite fun. But thetitle track and other B-side are pretty underwelming
Kitchens of Distinction - Now it’s time to say goodbye (1993)
- This is almost really good (the title track, that is). The b-sides include a particularly weedy version of Jackie Lee’s ‘White Horses’ which I’m not too hot on. I guess the highlight for this band for me has to be the earlier track ‘the third time we opened the capsule’ - it went a bit downhill after that.
Teenage Fanclub & De La Soul - Fallin’ (1994)
- An unusual combination! The main track is quite pleasant although incredibly unhip sounding. The b-side, ‘judgement night’ by Biohazard and Onyx, used to be a great one for bothering the upstair neighbours.
Gretschen Hofner - Crow in Heels (1997)
- This re-released version doesn’t sound quite as good as the first release to me. And really the way to experience this band was live - the swagger and the twang. But it’s quite good.
I’m guessing if you’re new to these groups and you want to get these tracks, you can do so via either ITunes or a p2p network now, right? So I guess all my 99ps and 1.99s were pretty much wasted. Oh well - it was fun at the time!