For the first time in forever, a new record! Don’t worry though; We’ll get back to crap from 1995 soon, I promise.

I’ve talked at length about the importance of Amelia Fletcher (and friends) in my (musical) life, so I’ll spare you another run through that, but here she is again, this time with Marine Research, on another of those Precious double 7” Peel Session things.

Let’s talk packaging. The photography (Alison Wonderland, natch) is brilliant, and the one where Cathy is passed out on the bridge is the single best band photo I have ever seen.

In the sleeve notes, Amelia says the band tried to focus more on sound than on song, particularly on marine motifs. Honestly, I never noticed, (maybe the bell sound on Queen B?) but now you mention it, maybe… I guess.

The songs are so damn good. Every one. Beautifully clever, musically and lyrically, and the band sounds so good, even though you’ve got to miss the Heveanly drumming. It’s a shame they didn’t stay together longer but, y’know.

Looking forward to the Tender Trap one already.

Here’s some crap from 1995. Think Stoned and Dethroned, but not as good. Really not as good.

According to the label “originally released on Jelly records in 1981 and no one bought it. Well about 30 people did”. Now, “thanks” to Trunk, here it is, and you don’t have to pay eight-hundred quid for it. (No, really.)

Side one has two pretty-much-the same versions, and it’s plain why it’s a cult classic. Funky and catchy, but also pleasingly amateurish.

Jon Brookes’ Georges Vert Dub remix pops a little bit of dub reverb in a couple of places and calls it a day. Fred Deakin makes more of an effort with his mix, but by the point it finishes, you are very aware you’ve listened to the same song four times in a row. Fortunately Jonny Trunk’s own Stupid Backwards Mix saves the day by not only removing almost all the vocal, but by being backwards, and stupid. Hurrah!

I thought I didn’t like this, but the ‘a’ is pretty good. Probably indie-rock, yeah, but with a light enough touch to not offend my palette. They show their shoegaze credentials by ticking the mandatory-girl’s-name-song-title box, but it’s a cover of a Barry Manilow cover. You know he didn’t Write the Songs, at all, right?