Great name, green vinyl, somehow not quite so much fun as I expected. The a-side sounds like The Research with a more capable, but less engaging, singer. The b-side is better, and without that bloody mouthorgan, would be totally great.

This is kind of odd. The vocals are a bit Marc Bolan, the music is strange, especially on the b-side. I’m at a loss as to how to describe it. It’s mad, and I quite like it, though I couldn’t tell you exactly why.

Our third consecutive coloured record, and the easiest listening so far. Mid-paced, mellow, drifts by like a cool breeze on a warm day. I make it sound boring, which isn’t fair, because it’s quite nice. Sort of the musical equivalent of strawberry yoghurt: not exciting, but perfectly acceptable to anyone at any time.

I’m not that familiar with his stuff, but this is bigger sounding and less self-pitying than I remember. Admittedly, the b-side has an octave bass and sounds like it took less than five minutes to make, but it’s kind of charming. The words, of course, are what counts here, and they’re wistfully sad and smart. Like Momus, only you don’t want to punch him.

I don’t know what Young Shields is, but I have been to South Shields.

Another batch of three singles on Too Pure. I liked the last little cluster at the time, but I don’t think I’ve played them since. Maybe one of them.

Stereolab keep churning stuff out, and every record seems like the start of a “return to form” that never quite happens. They do their own thing. They don’t care. They experiment. That’s why we like them. These singles are good, with lots going on to engage the old brain. I find Stereolab are a great band to listen to when I’m doing anything creative. Sonic Youth also. They somehow stimulate, in the way classical music is supposed to.