![\"Jasmine_](\"http:\/\/www.eyeplug.net\/magazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/04\/Jasmine_-Minks.jpg\")
<\/a><\/p>\nThe Jasmine Minks:<\/strong> Cut Me Deep, The Anthology 1984-2014 Arriving in a world dominated by Culture Club, Pet Shop Boys and their lion-pop ilk in the mid 1980\u2019s, The Jasmine Minks instead stuck affectionately, but not doggedly, to their nervous, scratchy rhythms and their songs of life as lived by the rest of us. This comprehensive 2-CD set by Cherry Red sets out their stall for an age that sorely needs some sense of wakefulness and urgency in its pop scene.<\/p>\n It\u2019s said that if a record grabs you with its first track, it could have you for the rest of the album. Happily, \u2018Think!\u2019 is a great wake-up call with its clashing guitars, good fret work, a little reminiscent of the beloved Buzzcocks. It could easily segue into \u2018Work For Nothing\u2019 were it not for the mysterious, twangy guitar start to this second track. \u2018Where The Traffic Goes\u2019 jumps with both feet into an exciting drum roll and some fine, angry singing, but it\u2019s \u2018Mr Magic\u2019 that\u2019s the early standout, with its deft mixture of intertwining guitars, rhythm and great harmonies, that may unintentionally take attention away from the lyrics.<\/p>\n There\u2019s plenty of those beloved winner\u2019s chords in \u2018The Thirty Second Set Up\u2019, with a nod to eternal 60\u2019s style rock, which spills over into the L-for Leather \u2018What\u2019s Gone Wrong\u2019, with its strong climbing vocal. \u2018Somers Town\u2019 is a rare disappointment, the lyrics too lumpen and the delivery weak, but interest is piqued again by \u2018Ghost of a Young Man\u2019 with its drum trip opening and \u2018House of Love\u2019-like feel, several years early.<\/p>\n More buzzy, nervous fret bothering follows, laced with frustration and anger, with \u2019What\u2019s Happening\u2019 and \u2018Black and Blue\u2019 the latter of which comes to a very sobering dead halt after all its manic thumping. It\u2019s perhaps unfortunate that the boys from Aberdeen didn\u2019t develop their more reflective side, exemplified with the slow, HOL-style intro and two part vocal of \u2018Cold Heart\u2019. The followers, \u2018Choice\u2019 and \u2018The Ballad of Johnny Eye\u2019 demonstrate this even better, the former, a \u2018Here Comes Summer\u2019 sort of riff that tries too hard and the latter, a steady but maudlin rocker.<\/p>\n Climbing guitars enliven \u2018Sunset\u2019 and \u2018Like You\u2019, but the former\u2019s steady rhythm promises too much and descends into \u2018la la la\u2019s a little too predictably, whereas the latter fails to capitalise on its strong rhythm. The Minks obviously had a lot of frustration to work out of their system, with blaring horn-ridden tracks like \u2018Painting\/Arguing\u2019, in between indulging their hippy-ish side with the acoustic strumming, lugubrious \u2018You Take My Freedom\u2019.<\/p>\n If you\u2019re impatient for a little variety, you could skip the remaining tracks and go to the second CD, missing little.<\/p>\n \u2018Cut Me Deep\u2019s ringing guitars and echoing vocal makes good use of the climbing rhythm trick, and leads into the chiming guitars of \u2018Living Out Your Dreams\u2019, and the Indian sounding intro to the otherwise steady rocker, \u2018Don\u2019t Wait Too Long\u2019. \u2018Nothing Can Stop Me\u2019s slow build up and tense, precariously balanced guitars promises some engagement, which it unfortunately can\u2019t live up to, a similar problem to \u2018Soul Station\u2019.<\/p>\n Taking a holiday from straight ahead rock, \u2018Another Age\u2019 has some good rises, twangy guitar and a definite Country and Western feel. The rest cure seems to have worked, with \u2018Sad\u2019s strong start, guitars and organ, a bright production and 60\u2019s figures that make this track easily the best so far. \u2018Lost and Living\u2019s funky beat is in pleasing contrast,\u2019 with \u2018Little Things\u2019 continuing the theme.<\/p>\n \u2018Marcella\u2019 shows glorious promise, with its \u2018Westworld\u2019 feel, and \u2018Misery\u2019, despite its title, is no lament, but a full-on, positive, racing guitar track, leading into some superb wah-wah and fuzz in \u2018Take\u2019. \u2018Reaching Out\u2019s swinging rhythm and chiming guitars remind you of an agreeable Jesus & Mary Chain, if such a fabled beast could ever exist, its C\u2019n\u2019W beat resolving well. \u2018Shiny and Black\u2019s quiet beginning takes us into folksy territory, with an interloping electric guitar, whilst \u2018Scratch the Surface\u2019s high, distorted guitar and jerky drum trip take us down a much more perilous path. \u2018Daddy Dog\u2019s trip hop rhythm sounds a little out of place here, but its fuzzy guitar is a good counterweight to the Arabic style beat, in a polemic against globalisation.<\/p>\n \u2018Midnight and I\u2019 benefits hugely from the female back up vocal, in amongst the clashing, gong-like guitars.\u2019Popartgod\u2019s Eddie Cochran \u2013like start belies a slice of freakbeat lunacy.<\/p>\n If you\u2019re new to this Aberdonian quartet or just curious about C86 before it was so dubbed, there\u2019s plenty here to get the feel of the times. Those of you who enjoyed them first time round will need no such inducements. BUY HERE!<\/a><\/p>\n Pete Molinari:<\/strong> Theosophy (Cherry Red Records)<\/em><\/p>\n Cherry Red\u2019s love of timeless music extends well beyond the reissue of gems from the recent past, and into the realm of young artists who take roots music as their starting point, but with an undeniably modern viewpoint. One such is guitarist and singer\/songwriter Pete Molinari, whose \u2018Theosophy\u2019 CD, replete with classic riffs, is scheduled for release on 2nd<\/sup> June<\/em>.<\/p>\n We\u2019re off to a good start with \u2018Hang My Head In Shame\u2019, a fuzzy rhythm sound and a guitar solo with real bite, reminiscent of \u2018Dirty Mac\u2019 era blues styling, and \u2019You Will Be Mine\u2019 in hot pursuit, its suggestion of a psyche-feel with a ranging chorus and sweet arpeggios providing a full, satisfying sound.<\/p>\n Initially sticking closely to the revered late 60\u2019s template, with its strong drumbeat and marching rhythm, \u2018Evangeline\u2019 throws in the surprise of an early 60\u2019s style guitar solo to catch us off-guard. \u2018I Got Mine\u2019 will have the 60\u2019s punk fraternity among you gagging for more, with its Standells\/Shadows of Knight feel.<\/p>\n A diversion to a more lush, House of Love-style atmosphere pays dividends, as \u2018I Got It All Indeed\u2019 has Pete letting his voice relax in this confection of gently whistling organ, soft drumming and twinkling guitar work.<\/p>\n \u2018When Two Worlds Collide\u2019s Country style piano and swinging rhythm, with purring, cat-like guitars is another diversion, if a little clich\u00e9\u2019d, but \u2018What I Am I Am\u2019 more than makes up for it, with its Country\/ Gospel-tinged feel, unobtrusive piano and drum and Pete\u2019s sometimes reedy voice is back in relax mode. \u2018Dear Marie\u2019 explores this familiar field further, its pleasing descending beat perfectly suiting this sentimental piece about a fondly remembered, but ultimately faithless former lover.<\/p>\n Back in rockier territory, \u2018Mighty Son Of Abraham\u2019 has a powerful bluesy-gospel beat, great guitar figures and a solo that will blow away your cobwebs with ease. \u2018So Long Gone\u2019s pedestrian, chain gang rhythm is powerfully executed, the Dirty Mac-Lennon voice reprising over good, descending guitar figures.<\/p>\n \u2018Easy Street\u2019s almost Victorian, silent movie atmosphere has a pleasing echoey voice, with a suitably maudlin atmosphere for this depression-era tale. \u2018Winds of Change\u2019 sees Pete\u2019s now highly appropriate reedy tones over a good, churning rhythm in a Dylanesque piece with a great, soaring chorus of Byrdsy aspect that is surely the best track here.<\/p>\n \u2018Love for Sale\u2019 closes, its huge production with a rising vocal, and a mirror image two line chorus that promises much for the future from this relative newcomer. BUY HERE!<\/a><\/p>\n
\n(Cherry Red CDBRED608)<\/em><\/p>\nPete Molinari<\/h1>\n
<\/a><\/p>\nThe Deep (Film Soundtrack)<\/h1>\n