Dando Shop: March 2011

Camper Ariadna

love the mix of colors in this heel. $145.00

Camper Rachael

soft brown nubuck leather with cushiony footbed and pleated design. $195.00

Camper Laura

camper wedge heel with soft nude and brown leather. $165.00

Camper Leia

black leather flat with scalloped edge. $140.00

Camper Circuit

soft black leather mary jane with rubber sole. $165.00

Camper Twins Pasan

from the "twins" camper collection...this pair is similar but different. so cute. $140.00

Petite Mendigote Sccop Bag

soft leather bag with detachable shoulder strap. available in black and grey. $285.00

Petite Mendigote Stilly bag

we love the minimal design of this soft crossbody bag comes with adjustable strap. available in grey leather. $295.00

Petite Mendigote Kiria Bag

leather embossed snakeskin. available in blue and taupe. $268.00

Petite Mendigote Killy Clutch

leather embossed snakeskin with shoulder strap and turnlock closure. available in grey, taupe, and blue. $175.00

Swedish Hasbeens

We are so excited to have hasbeens in! Each one is made with traditional wooden clog soles. green peep toe $250.00, natural braided $255.00

Dolce Vita Liza

taupe nubuck covered platform with simple detailed buckle. $165.00

Texture and Color

A sneak peek at proenza schouler fall 2011 via jakandjil.com. WOW!!

...and a little burnt out. Time to vacate for a spell. I hope yesterday's Posies entry can tide you over for a bit. Check back in about a week. Feel free to dig into the archives and please visit the many fine music dispensaries on my blogroll. Ciao, and as always, thanks.

Fiel todos santos sandal

we love this new sandal from fiel. all handmade and unique. available in bronze and grey. $135.00

Fiel cedros sandal

handmade sandals with cushion footbed. available in grey/yellow and brown. $135.00

Frye Maya

cut outs that look like little waves. available in jade green and natural tan. $175.00

Dani Black Kara

the softest nude leather hugs your feet. $168.00

Coclico Mande

black leather upper with dark cork platform. $335.00

The Posies - Broadcasts, Vols. 1 & 2

A gracious deed it would be for a dedicated Posies fan to go to the trouble of compiling a CD’s worth of radio sessions, and live sets culled from FM and TV broadcasts by Bellingham, WA’s finest, but up that generosity to seven disks and said curator’s devotion is nothing less than a sheer labor of love. Such an assemblage came to pass in the mid ‘00s, but if you hadn’t caught the bit torrent bug by then, or were otherwise not well connected you likely missed the boat. Fortunately, I’m going to do the next best thing to turning back the hands of time.

Spanning 1989-2001 (with a heavy concentration on the periods surrounding Frosting on the Beater and Amazing Disgrace) and boasting 140 songs between its seven volumes, The Posies Broadcasts series is as exhaustive, and carefully assembled collection of live Posies tracks from a cornucopia of sources, unavailable elsewhere, including the At Least, At Last box set. Granted, between those 140 tracks, that really boils down to about 30-40 individual titles, but absorbed in moderate doses this trove of John Auer’s and Ken Stringfellow’s blissed out pop grandeur is a thing of a immense beauty. The Posies proper studio albums are totally revered, as well they should be, but onstage or ensconced in the auspices of a cramped radio studio, these guys seemingly never had an “off” night. A few minor flubs here and there, but nothing to detract from the band’s strenuous quality control in terms of songwriting and agile melody weaving.

I’m not letting the floodgates open all at once, rather I’m initially going to ease you into the Broadcasts via the first two volumes, with the rest to follow throughout this spring. I’ve included basic source info amidst the tracklists below, but more details are provided in the info files in each folder. Enjoy.

Broadcasts Vol. 1

KBCS Bellevue, WA, September 1989
1. I May Hate You Sometimes/2. Compliment/3. Suddenly Mary/4. Any Other Way/5. King Midas In Reverse

KUKQ Tempe, AZ 1990
6. Suddenly Mary/7. Any Other Way

KISW Seattle 3/13/91
8. My Big Mouth/9. Suddenly Mary10. This One's Taken11. I Am the Cosmos

KJJO Minneapolis 6/15/91
12. When You Dance I Can Really Love

Modern Rock Live, Westwood One Radio 1994
13. Precious Moments

120 Minutes, MTV 7/27/93
14. Solar Sister (take one)/15. Solar Sister (take two)/16. Dream All Day

WXMT Chicago 7/31/93
17. Earlier Than Expected

BBC Radio One
18. Dream All Day/19. Solar Sister

Belgian Radio, early 1994
20. Dream All Day

BBC Radio One, Phoenix Festival , 1994
21. Golden Blunders/22. Dream All Day

Broadcasts Vol. 2

KDHX St. Louis, December 19, 1989 (concert simulcast)
1. My Big Mouth/2. Suddenly Mary/3. Any Other Way/4. Apology/5. Paint Me/6. Help Yourself/7. I Am the Cosmos/8. Flood of Sunshine/9. Blind Eyes Open

Whisky a Go Go, Los Angeles, August 16, 1993
10. Definite Door/11. Solar Sister/12. Golden Blunders/13. Love Letter Boxes/14. Burn and Shine/15. When Mute Tongues Can Speak/16. Earlier Than Expected/17. Dream All Day/18. Any Other Way

Broadcasts 1: http://rapidshare.com/files/454234117/posies_broadcasts1.rar
Broadcasts 2: http://rapidshare.com/files/454240979/posies_broadcasts2.rar

Splitting the Difference #40 - Boyracer/The Ropers 7" (Slumberland, 1994)

In the above title I note that this record is a Slumberland Records product, but technically this split single was released on an offshoot of the label, dubbed, I Wish I Was a Slumberland Record. And the point was? Truthfully I don't know why this wasn't designated as a proper Slumberland release, except perhaps that it was initially designed as a tour single (got mine through mailorder, so go figure). As for the music in question, Wetherby, England's highly prolific Boyracer, an inescapable indie-rawk fixture throughout much of the '90s, were of little significance to this set of ears. Despite my indifference at the time I have to give it up to them for their side of the coin, "One Step Forward," a distortion-laden slack attack with a chunky hook delivered with plenty of cranky persuasion.

Ultimately, it was The Ropers who really lured me to this wax. I previously shared another Ropers split single (w/ The Tribbles), and even after discovering these abettors of chiming indie pop nearly two decades ago, I'm still captivated by their brief catalog. So far as I can tell, "Pretty Quiet" is exclusive to this release, a bit fuzzier and flange-heavy than even some of those great early singles they did for Slumberland in the early '90s, and definitely rawer than the relatively polished All the Time full length.

Boyracer - One Step Forward
Ropers - Pretty Quiet

http://rapidshare.com/files/454228643/boyracer_ropers7.rar

The Visitors - No Sign of Intelligent Life (1981, Airstrip)

On their 1981 platter, No Sign of Intelligent Life, The Visitors are so decade-centric they literally invite us to "Enter the Eighties." And even though these Bay Area bad boys play music that's more quintessential of their era than actually essential, there is sort of a rush to that introductory number, which flirts with some mighty tasty power pop and wave maneuvers. Not sophisticated or frilly enough for the new romantic set, and way too innocuous for Reagan-era punks, The Visitors settle on a basic modern rock formula with mainstream leanings, albeit a little too jovial and goofy for their own good at times. With such a ubiquitous moniker, finding any pertinent biographical info on this bunch is a considerable challenge, but last.fm purports ...Intelligent Life to be the Visitors lone recorded offering.

01. Enter the Eighties
02. Magic
03. Looking For Love
04. The Man With the X-Ray Eyes
05. The Test of Time
06. How Do People Fall in Love?
07. She's My Girlfriend]
08. I Like to Steal
09. (I Love My) Rock and Roll Records
10. No Sign of Intelligent Life
11. I Know

http://rapidshare.com/files/454057586/visitors.rar

Singles Going Single #167 - I-Rails "Same Old Me" 7'' (1988, Sloth)

The I-Rails may be virtual unknowns to most of you, but the band who would eventually succeed them by the early '90s, Primitive Radio Gods, made a splash with the sample-heavy, alterna-pop hit "Standing Outside a Broken Phone Booth With Money in My Hand." An appreciation for that loopy nugget isn't of any consequence when it comes to investigating frontman Chris O'Conners previous endeavor, the southern Cali based I-Rails, who traversed a far more linear path. Alongside this stunning 45, which I'll comment on in a moment, the band was responsible for four albums (all cassette only from what I understand) with the final entry, Panharmonium arriving in 1990. The I-Rails, particularly in their later years suggested the strain of power pop the Gin Blossoms would soon be serving to the masses, which while fairly conventional was far from a bad thing.

O'Conner's soaring pipes color "Same Old Me" with an ambitious flair, encroaching into Bono territory at times, but it's the doubly impressive b-side, "Everyone's In Love" that's the true keeper, evoking the punchy ebb and flow of latter-era Replacements and Dramarama. I will be sharing the I-Rails' Panharmonium tape in the near future, but if anyone out there can help me out with the three preceding albums don't be a stranger. A very special thanks to Chris for hooking me up with an original copy of this wax.

A. Same Old Me
B. Everyone's in Love

http://rapidshare.com/files/453745429/i-rails7.rar

SOUTH GATE STAGE IS BACK...

Most musicals have happy endings, but not CHESS. Most musicals have likable characters, but not CHESS. The characters deceive each other to an endgame with the nihilistic song Nobody’s On Nobody’s Side.

CHESS was written by the composers of ABBA, a group that ranks in the top four of music sales in the billions. The ABBA musical, Mama Mia, was a mega-hit, but CHESS was a Broadway flop. However, revivals all over the world have changed the plot, locations, sets, costumes, characters music and lyrics in an effort to make the show work. South Gate Stage takes on the challenge of this difficult but intriguing musical.

The Screaming Tribesmen - I've Got a Feeling ep (1988, Ryko)

The 1988 Bones + Flowers album from Sydney, Australia Screaming Tribesman turned out to be one of my best posthumous finds in recent years. I had heard of the Tribesman spoken of during the past couple of decades but never thought to investigate them until a cassette of the aforementioned LP fell into my hands. Starting life out as a competent garage-rock troupe, loosley in the vein of their countrymen the Lime Spiders and Exploding White Mice, the Tribesmen hinted at some commerical potential, which was all but fulfilled by the time they had worked their way up to this ep, which largely served as a sampler for Bones + Flowers. Though I don't recall it getting a shred of airplay, "I've Got a Feeling" edged it's way into the US modern rock top-10, and even topped the KROQ chart for a week or two. Moreover, they were a mini phenomenom down under, where they tore up the indie charts for several years.

As it's been noted on Sons of the Dolls blog (which by the way is hosting a bevy of vinatge S/T wax), the Tribesmen resembled a more muscular Let's Active, at least during their late '80s tenure. With some considerable roster shakeups, the band forged ahead into the '90s, albeit more intermintently. That Striped Sunlight Sound recently shared the band's very scarce debut ep.

01. I've Got a Feeling
02. Igloo
03. Colour Me Gone
04. You Better Run

Update: Bones + Flowers has been reissued on Grown Up Wrong Records, which you find here.

Beat Clinic - ...same bed, different dreams (1990, Ajidah)

Well, as so often is the case with bands that expired before the '90s kicked in full-bore, I don't have much to offer on this Philly quintet who played polished, collegiate guitar-pop that would slot perfectly between the Miracle Legion and Crowded House. In fact, there just might be something here for Smithereens fans too, not to mention aficionados of Arista-era Dreams So Real. Beat Clinic weren't a particularly innovative lot, though ...same bed... boasts a trove of memorable selections including "Brenda On the Big Bed," "Just Around the Corner," and "China Doll." This rip was taken from an original cassette copy, although ...same bed... does exist digitally, as does Beat Clinic's debut, No Time to Walk.

01. Blood Makes the Grass Grow
02. Hanging By a Thread
03. China Doll
04. Brenda on the Big Bed
05. The Pendulum
06. Mine
07. Your Dark Secrets
08. A Little Bit Confused
09. Three Little Words
10. Just Around the Corner
11. Crowded Shoulders
12. Perfect Strangers

http://rapidshare.com/files/453405421/beatclinic.rar

Trashcan Sinatras - Live at Slim's San Francisco 5/11/05

A little under twenty-four hours ago I concluded watching a live performance in Rochester, NY, by the Trashcan Sinatras, one of my favorite "fringe" Britpop bands. Although I've been a dedicated fan for two decades it was my first encounter seeing them in the flesh, and while their stage presence was less than gripping they delivered a flawless set. The Sinatras are touring in support of the recently issued live acoustic Brel disk, which follows up their fifth studio LP, In the Music. I don't have last nights performance to share (at least not yet) so instead I'm treating you to a more than representative TCS concert from 2005, which not only boasts soundboard quality but an excellent cross section of their catalog, including all the early '90s classics like "Hayfever" and "Obscurity Knocks." Enjoy (or not). BTW, several more recent live shows are available straight from the band's website.

01. Got Carried Away
02. How Can I Apply?
03. Leave Me Alone
04. All the Dark Horses
05. Prisons
06. Hayfever
07. What Women Do to Men
08. Freetime
09. Picture Yourself in Scotland
10. The Sleeping Policeman
11. It's a Miracle
12. Send for Henny
13. Obscurity Knocks
14. Trouble Sleeping
15. Bloodrush
16. I've Seen Everything
17. Weightlifting
18. Easy Read
19. A Coda

http://rapidshare.com/files/453262843/tcs_slims051105.rar