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"Tranquillizer" by GenevaFirst extra track is the slow march of "Dead Giveaway", featuring glass-shattering vocals from Andrew. Closing the first CD is "Strung Out On You", a shuffling shimmering thing of strange beauty and compelling attraction. I didn't get the second CD, but I wish I had. Marvellous. Rating: 10/10
The Rest"Sweet Lips" by Monaco"Shattered" is the first extra track, an instrumental that sounds like the Chemical Brothers shooting blanks and is nothing special. Unsurprisingly, the two other tracks on offer here are remixes, each taking the main track and either funking it up (in the case of the "Fire Island vocal" mix) or turning it into a happy gabba-ish slammer (the "Tony De Vit Trade mix"). Summer's coming...(that must be why it's raining). Rating: 8/10
"The Answer To Why I Hate You" by SymposiumB-sides...First up is "Jim", a heads-down no-nonsense punk track. Again, it sounds as though it has potential to bring the house down live, but on record it sounds like a Sham 69 b-side. "Natural" is better, featuring a nice big organic guitar riff and an almost baggy style vocal. Next (on CD2) is "Turquoise" another gleeful punkarama. "Keeping The Secret" is last, and like the a-side, captures the pop fun and dynamics of bands such as the Monkees and marries it with big crashing chords and punk attitude. Shame The Ramones did it first. A band to mosh to, but not one to listen to in your room. Not unless you can pogo on your bed without anyone complaining. Rating: 7/10
"More Life In A Tramp's Vest" by StereophonicsB-side "Raymond's Shop" is more like it, echoing bands such as Radiohead or The Smiths (witness the Marr-like guitar and the wailing waif lyrics towards the end) with a majestic piece of power pop. "Poppy Day" is equally stirring, with its melancholic pondering tune and downbeat lyrics. In fact, if you play the tracks on this single in reverse order, you end up with a far more satisfying offering. Even more if you stop it before "Tramp's Vest"... Rating: 7/10 (for the b-sides)
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