My Morning Jacket: Chocolate And Ice EP (2002)

"Do you want me to call Maureen Jacket? - You're still in touch with Maureen Jacket? - No. I haven't talked to her in years"

Most of my MMJ collection is on CD. This EP was released in 2002 on CD and on vinyl in 2007, 2011, 2013, 2014, and 2015. I have a limited edition copy pressed on chocolate and clear splatter from 2011. Apparently only 600 copies were made. Oddly, this EP clocks in at over 40 minutes, mostly because of Cobra, a track that runs to 24:14.

This is cool. It's probably not their best, but I like it.

My Bloody Valentine: m b v (2013)

More comforting than revelatory, m b v reaffirms that My Bloody Valentine are one of a kind; the subtlety to their melodies, instrumentation, and the way they blur together belongs to them alone. [source]

Loveless was released in 1991. This, the next record, came out in 2013. I guess by that point no one was expecting anything else from the band.

This record has layers, haze, drone, fuzz, beauty, experimental, distorted guitars, etc. It's an MBV record, for sure.

I'd say that this band is an influential to indie music as the Velvet Underground was to early alternative music. There is no other band that sounds like MBV.

Anyway, I love this band. Sadly, most of the stuff I own in on CD. If you are not familiar with pitch-bending, you should check out this band. This record comes with a CD. Discogs make the following notes:

This vinyl album has been recorded as an analogue album. It was recorded on 2 inch 24 track analogue tape and mixed onto half inch analogue tape and mastered with no digital processing involved.

The vinyl is a true analogue cut, i.e. it hasn't been put through a digital process during the cutting process unlike over 90% of all vinyl available today.

"The vinyl will be limited due to manufacturing restrictions."

Housed in a gatefold sleeve in the left side and pressed on 180 gram vinyl.
The CD comes in a card sleeve with an 8-page booklet.

Peter Murphy: Live In London (2019)

This release -- a deluxe limited edition on triple gatefold ruby red 180g vinyl with booklet -- celebrates the 40th anniversary of Bauhaus, and the concert includes David J on bass. 

It has an epic track list:

Double Dare
In the Flat Field
A God in an Alcove
Dive
The Spy in the Cab
Small Talk Stinks
St. Vitus Dance
Stigmata Martyr
Nerves
King Volcano
Kingdom’s Coming
Burning from the Inside
Silent Hedges
Bela Lugosi’s Dead
She’s in Parties
Adrenalin
Kick in the Eye
The Passion of Lovers
The Three Shadows Part 2
Severance
Telegram Sam
Ziggy Stardust

It has an annoying typo in the insert. Oh well. This was recorded at the Brixton Academy, London. New copies from Live Here Now are available for £45 (about $79 Canadian) plus shipping. On discos, this is going for $120 - $150, plus shipping. 

Most of the clips from that show sound awful but this better-sounding clip will video give you a idea.

Peter Murphy: The Last And Only Star (2021)

I have only listened to this once and my first impression is that the sound quality sucks. Also, some of these bonus tracks should probably have been left in the bin. Side one is far better that side two. Still, I am big fan, so I like it at at some level. 

Peter Murphy: Wild Birds Live Tour (2015)

I was ecstatic when I found this record languishing in a sale bin in a record store in eastern Ontario some years ago. I could not believe my luck. The price was excellent too, being as it was on sale. But, there is bad news. The sound quality is dismal, making this record sound like a really good bootleg, at best. Why this was released, I will never know. It has a really great track listing and I expected great things.

The record was recorded live at the House of Blues in Los Angeles on April 4, 2000. In the end, I am happy that I paid what I did, and not a penny more. But, I think it should never have been released. I'm not the only person to think this. Have a look at these Amazon reviews, which I read after-the-fact:

"Horrible recording, don't waste your time, it doesn't showcase what an amazing show peter can put on. makes me wonder if this was a sanctioned recording or if someone got a bootleg posted on amazon. wish i could get my money back."

And: 

"I love Peter Murphy's music, but, the quality of this recording is terrible. Please listen before you buy...I wish I had."

Sadly, they are right about this record. Still, I will keep it.

Peter Murphy: Lion (2014)

This double LP deluxe edition contains two tracks not on the standard CD release. I think this album was less favourably-received than the predecessor, but I like it very much. I think it's excellent. Hang Up, especially, is awesome.

Peter Murphy: Ninth (2011)

“The Godfather of Goth” sounds like the genre’s savior here, coming on strong with those Bowie-sized aspirations and nailing that attractive Nosferatu-meets-Art-School style. [source]

Ninth, not surprisingly, is Peter's ninth solo record, if you count the live record). I like it much better than Unshattered, though that is also a great release.

Peter Murphy: Cascade (1995/2021)

Good luck trying to find a reasonably priced copy of this original pressing from 1995. It was only pressed in Spain and three copies currently for sale on Discogs range from $547 to $1375 plus shipping. 

I quite like this album. It was a bounce back from the underwhelming Holy Smoke.

So, interesting things about this record are:

- it is spread out over two records, as opposed to one in the original pressing.

- it has four bonus tracks, owing to the extra vinyl space

- it is pressed on scarlet vinyl I suppose because of The Scarlet Thing in You 

Peter Murphy: Holy Smoke (1992)

A couple of original pressings of this LP fell into my hands over the years but they were always a little bashed up, so I avoided shelling our for them and hoped for a repressing. To be honest this LP was a bit of a letdown after the incredible Deep. Although I had the CD since the day it came out, I hadn't played it for years. Playing this record for the first time bought back some memories, but I will still argue that it is no where near as good as Deep or Cascade, the record that followed. 

However, I do quite like The Sweetest Drop, The Low Room, Hit Song, and Kill the Hate.

Peter Murphy: Cuts You Up (1990)

The US version of this 12" of Cuts You Up. This one has:

Cuts You Up (edit)
Roll Call (Reprise)
Cuts You Up (LP Version)
A Strange Kind of Love (Version II)

Of course, the cover image is taken from Deep.

Peter Murphy: Cuts You Up (1990)

I have two versions of this 12" single. This is the UK version, which has three tracks:

Cuts You Up
A Strange Kind of Love (Version Two)
Roll Call (Reprise)

The first time I hear Version Two of A Strange Kind of Love, I was not impressed. I like it, but the album version has far more power, if you ask me.

Peter Murphy: The Line Between The Devil's Teeth (And That Which Cannot Be Repeat) (1989)

The Line Between The Devil's Teeth (And That Which Cannot Be Repeat) is one of my favourite tracks from Deep. This Canadian 12" single contains four tracks:

1) The Line Between The Devil's Teeth (And That Which Cannot Be Repeat) (Full Length Version)
2) Marleine (sic) Dietrich's Favourite Poem
3) The Line Between The Devil's Teeth (And That Which Cannot Be Repeat) (Album Version)
4) Blind Sublime

By the way, check out this note from Discogs about this release:

Track A2 is written as "Marleine Dietrich's Favourite Poem" on the back cover and insert, but is written as "Marleine Dietrich Favourite Poem" on the record label. However, both are typos, as the track's proper title is "Marlene Dietrich's Favourite Poem"

The record label needs a proofreader.

Peter Murphy: Deep (1989)

I'm not sure I have the words to describe how much I love this record. I love it so much that I have two copies, both Canadian, along with the CD. One I picked up not to long ago for $8! For that price, I could not pass it up. I had recently seen a copy in a shop in Toronto for $60! Another store had a copy going for $40. Talk about price gouging.

I don't think that Murphy ever equaled this record. It's simply fantastic, nearly perfect. The CD has one small advantage over the vinyl, and that is the addition of the Roll Call (Reprise). It's the perfect addition, since I never want that song to end.

My fav song from the record is probably Cuts You Up, but it's really hard to choose. If you plan on buying a Peter Murphy record, this is the one to get. It is his masterpiece.

Peter Murphy: Blilnd Sublime (1988)

This US promotional 12" single contains Blind Sublime (7" Edit-Remix) and Blind Sublime (Dance Remix).

Peter Murphy: Indigo Eyes (1988)

This is a promotional 12" single for Indigo Eyes. The same mix of Indigo Eyes is on both sides, and both sides are labelled as Side A. Tour dates, with The Church, are listed on the back cover.

Peter Murphy: Love Hysteria (1988)

OK, I will admit that I hate one song on this LP, and that song is Fun Time, a tune written by David Bowie and Iggy Pop, and first recorded by Iggy for The Idiot. That version is much much better. The two best songs on Love Hysteria are Indigo Eyes and All Night Long, though there was a time when I thought Socrates The Python was the best thing I had ever heard.

Peter Murphy: Should the World Fail to Fall Apart (1987)

Oddly, this 12" has the same cover as the Canadian pressing of the Blue Heart 12". The only thing changed is the name of the track. I wonder why they reused this image. Anyway, this 12" has Should The World Fail To Fall Apart (Version), Confessions (Remix), and Jemal (Version Two).