Vacuum
(Siltbreeze - SB110) 7-inch $8.00 (Out-of-stock)
Vacuum authored the clay tablets from which all great antipodean bands would glean substance to formulate The NZ Sound. The perfected aural symmetry of Bill Direen, Stephen Cogle, Peter Stapleton, Peter Fryer and Alan Meek fuses classic Nuggets, Roxy, Elevators and Velvets moves as a template for the unique plonk that became germane for all who sailed after. These recordings -- culled from '78 and '79 rehearsal tapes -- are available for the first time ever. "'Kicks" would go on to become an early staple in Direen's Builders discography, but the guitar on this version is particularly and wonderfully unhinged. The beautiful serenity of Cogle's "Shade," masterfully driven by Meek's keyboard, is as crisp out of the gate as the later, more honed version by the Victor Dimisich Band. The real thunderclap of the bunch is "Accident," another take of which can be found on The Builders' Beatin Hearts LP (Flying Nun 1982), where it sounds like the Tia Maria is spiked with peyote, the band psychically disembowels "Heard Her Call My Name" and feeds the guts to Amon Düül. Edition of 300.
Walking Slow
(Siltbreeze - SB155) 7-inch $8.00 (Out-of-stock)
The second installment of archival tracks from this legendary Christchurch outfit whose lifespan may have been short, but its members went on to Bilders, Pin Group, Victor Dimisich Band, Scorched Earth Policy, and Terminals. Four tracks: Walking Slow (Dux de Lux, 1979); Born & Bled (Barbadoes Street "the cemetery", 1979); Remember Breaking Up (Dux de Lux, 1979); Skulls (Oxford Terrace, 1978). Edition of 300.