Various Artists - Artifact; The Dawn Of Creation Records '83-'85 (@320)

 

Various Artists - Artifact; The Dawn Of Creation Records '83-'85

Artifact: The Dawn of Creation Records 83-85 Review by Tim Sendra.

Alan McGee's Creation Records was one of the most influential and consistently interesting labels of the '80s and '90s, cranking out classic songs and albums while giving the world some of the biggest bands of the era (the Jesus and Mary Chain, My Bloody Valentine, Oasis). Cherry Red's 2015 box set Artifact: The Dawn of Creation Records 83-85 focuses on the very beginnings of Creation's run, compiling singles, live tracks, demos, and Peel Sessions and putting them in a handsome package. The first two discs gather up (almost) all the singles released between 1983 and 1985, beginning with the Legend!'s raucous "'73 in '83." Along the way there are classic tracks by McGee's own Biff Bang Pow! ("There Must Be a Better Life"), the Loft ("Why Does the Rain"), the Jasmine Minks ("Think"), and Meat Whiplash ("Don't Slip Up"). The first JAMC and Primal Scream singles are here too, along with two brilliant singles by the Pastels and obscure releases by the Moodists and the X-Men. The sheer amount of quality indie pop on display is staggering. McGee and his crew were great talent-spotters and the label's aesthetic was spot-on, capturing the best aspects of '60s pop and '70s punk while sounding smack up to date. The third disc is a grab bag of rarities, obscurities, and live tracks highlighted by a wonderfully jangly single by McGee's pre-Creation band the Laughing Apple; three live songs by a band that was very inspirational to McGee, the Television Personalities; and excerpts from the Alive in the Living Room album, which captured Creation bands (and others) playing at the club McGee founded. The fourth disc is one that will have collectors frothing at the mouth, composed as it is of all previously unreleased demos by a handful of bands, including lots of Jasmine Minks tracks, sounding scruffy and alive with youthful vigor. The Biff Bang Pow!, Legend! and X-Men tracks are all fun, while the Moodists' takes on "Train from Kansas City" and "Guess I'm Dumb" show that they knew their way around a cover version, but the crown jewels are the three tracks that Meat Whiplash recorded for their never released second single. The fifth disc is another one for the hardcore Creation fans. It's made up of Peel Sessions, with a handful of live Loft tracks added as a bonus. The Loft are the stars here, sounding like a great lost band as they run through their perfect jangle pop repertoire with sophisticated flair. The Meat Whiplash session is noisy thrills and the Bodines deliver frantically energetic versions of their classic tunes "Theresa" and "William Shatner." Overall, the box set is nearly perfect. The music itself is consistently brilliant, the rarities are impressive, the curation very well considered, and the bright sound fairly jumps out of the speakers. Fans of the label, and indie pop in general, will be pleased that so much care was given to Creation's thrilling early days and should waste no time adding Artifact to their collections.

Tracklist:

DISC 1: SINGLES

1.THE LEGEND! – ‘73 In’83

2. THE LEGEND! – You (Chunka Chunka) We’re Glamorous

3.THE LEGEND! – Melt The Guns

4. THE REVOLVING PAINT DREAM – Flowers In The Sky

5. THE REVOLVING PAINT DREAM – In The Afternoon

6. BIFF BANG POW! – Fifty Years Of Fun

7. BIFF BANG POW! – Then When I Scream

8. THE JASMINE MINKS – Think!

9. THE JASMINE MINKS – Work For Nothing

10. THE PASTELS – Something Going On

11. THE PASTELS – Stay With Me Till Morning

12.THE X-MEN – Do The Ghost

13.THE X-MEN – Talk

14. BIFF BANG POW! – There Must Be A Better Life

15. BIFF BANG POW! – The Chocolate Elephant Man

16. THE JASMINE MINKS – Where The Traffic Goes

17. THE JASMINE MINKS – Mr Magic

18. THE LOFT – Why Does The Rain

19.THE LOFT – Like

20.THE LOFT – Winter *

21. THE LEGEND! – The Legend! Destroys The Blues

22. THE LEGEND! – Arrogant Bastards

23.THE X-MEN – Bad Girl

24.THE PASTELS – Million Tears

25.THE PASTELS – Surprise Me

26.THE PASTELS – Baby Honey

* Bonus track

 

DISC 2: SINGLES

 

1. THE JESUS AND MARY CHAIN - Upside Down

2. THE JESUS AND MARY CHAIN – Vegetable Man

3. THE LOFT – Up The Hill And Down The Slope

4. THE LOFT – Your Door Shines Like Gold

5.THE LOFT – Lonely Street

6.THE LOFT – Time

7.THE BODINES – God Bless

8.THE BODINES – Paradise

9. PRIMAL SCREAM – All Fall Down

10.PRIMAL SCREAM – It Happens

11. THE JASMINE MINKS – What’s Happening

12. THE JASMINE MINKS – Black & Blue

13. MEAT WHIPLASH- Don’t Slip Up

14. MEAT WHIPLASH – Here It Comes

15. FIVE GO DOWN TO THE SEA? – Singing In Braille

16. FIVE GO DOWN TO THE SEA? – Aunt Nelly

17. FIVE GO DOWN TO THE SEA? – Silk Brain Worm Women

18. THE MOODISTS – Justice And Money Too

19. THE MOODISTS – You’ve Got Your Story

20. THE MOODISTS – Take Us All Home

21. THE PASTELS – I’m Alright With You

22. THE PASTELS – Couldn’t Care Less

23. THE PASTELS – What It’s Worth

24. BIFF BANG POW! – Love And Hate *

25. THE WEATHER PROPHETS - Worm In My Brain *

* Bonus tracks

 

DISC 3: RARITIES & ALBUM

 

1.THE LAUGHING APPLE – Participate!

2.THE LAUGHING APPLE – Wouldn’t You?

3. THE REVOLVING PAINT DREAM – In The Afternoon (Early Vsn)

4. THE JASMINE MINKS – The Thirty Second Set Up

5. THE JASMINE MINKS – Somers Town

6. BIFF BANG POW! – Fifty Years Of Fun (Almost Live Version)

7. BIFF BANG POW! – Waterbomb!

8. J.C. BROUCHARD with BIFF BANG POW! – Someone Stole My Wheels

9. J.C. BROUCHARD with BIFF BANG POW! – Sunny Days

10. THE JESUS AND MARY CHAIN – Upside Down (Demo Version)

11. THE JESUS AND MARY CHAIN -Just Like Honey (Oct 84 Demo)

12. THE BODINES – God Bless (Alternative Version)

13. THE MEMBRANES – I Am Fish Eye

14.THE MEMBRANES – Gift Of Life

ALIVE IN THE LIVING ROOM

15. THE JASMINE MINKS – Seven And Seven Is

16.THE JUNE BRIDES – I Fall

17. THE LEGEND! – Arrogant Bastards

18.THE THREE JOHNS – A.W.O.L.

19. THE LOFT – Your Door Shines Like Gold

20. THE MEKONS – Rock’n’Roll Shoes

21. THE LEGEND! & HIS SWINGING SOUL SISTERS – Sweet Soul Music

22. THE JASMINE MINKS – Green Fuz

23. ALTERNATIVE TV – Lonely Lenny

BONUS TRACKS

24. TELEVISION PERSONALITIES – A Picture Of Dorian Gray (live)

25. TELEVISION PERSONALITIES – The Dream Inspires (live) *

26. TELEVISION PERSONALITIES – Family Affair (live) *

* = previously unissued

 

DISC 4: DEMOS

 

1. THE JASMINE MINKS – All Fall Down *

2.THE JASMINE MINKS – Work *

3. THE JASMINE MINKS – Second Post *

4.THE LEGEND! – Boredom (Is) *

5. MEAT WHIPLASH – Losing Your Grip *

6. MEAT WHIPLASH – Always Sunday *

7.MEAT WHIPLASH – Walk Away *

8. THE LEGEND! – Victorian Values *

9.THE X-MEN – Home *

10.THE X-MEN – Planet Of The X *

11. THE MOODISTS – The Train From Kansas City *

12.THE MOODISTS – The Day They All Wake Up *

13. THE MOODISTS – I Guess I’m Dumb *

14.THE LEGEND! – Social Protest (By Numbers) *

15. THE JASMINE MINKS – Mr Magic *

16.THE JASMINE MINKS – Friends *

17. THE LEGEND! – Do You Remember *

18. BIFF BANG POW! – Lost Your Dreams (Demo)

19. BIFF BANG POW! – I’m Okay Me (Demo)

20. THE LEGEND! – Picture The Scene *

21. THE X-MEN – A Tryst For Liszt *

22. THE X-MEN – Stone Cold One Note Mind *

23.THE JASMINE MINKS – Choice *

24. THE JASMINE MINKS – Everybody’s Got To Grow Up Sometime *

* = previously unissued

 

DISC 5: BBC SESSIONS

 

1. THE X-MEN – The Witch

(John Peel 13/9/1984)

2. THE X-MEN – Little Girl

(John Peel 13/9/1984)

3. THE X-MEN – Xtramental

(John Peel 13/9/1984)

4. THE LOFT – On A Tuesday

(Janice Long 9/12/1984)

5. THE LOFT – Skeleton Staircase

(Janice Long 9/12/1984)

6. THE LOFT – The Canal And The Big Red Town (Janice Long 9/12/1984)

7. THE LOFT – Lonely Street

(Janice Long 9/12/1984)

8. THE MOODISTS – Other Man

(John Peel 10/7/85)

9. THE MOODISTS – Bullet Train

(John Peel 10/7/85)

10. THE MOODISTS –

Take The Red Carpet Out Of Town

(John Peel 10/7/85)

11.THE MOODISTS – Justice And Money Too (John Peel 10/7/85)

12. MEAT WHIPLASH – Loss

(John Peel 28/10/1985)

13. MEAT WHIPLASH – Walk Away

(John Peel 28/10/1985)

14.MEAT WHIPLASH – Eat Me To The Core (John Peel 28/10/1985)

15.MEAT WHIPLASH – She Comes Tomorrow (John Peel 28/10/1985)

16. THE BODINES – Scar Tissue

(Janice Long 13/10/1985)

17. THE BODINES – Therese

(Janice Long 13/10/1985)

18.THE BODINES – William Shatner (Janice Long 13/10/1985)

19. THE BODINES – The Back Door

(Janice Long 13/10/1985)

BONUS TRACKS

20.THE LOFT – Beware (Live)

21. THE LOFT – Wide Open Arms (Live)

22. THE LOFT – Worm In My Brain (Live)

23.THE LOFT – Up The Hill And Down The Slope (Live)

****