So far, I haven’t seen much in the way of promotion/review etc for the UK release of fifth album, ‘In The Music’.
That is until I bought this month’s edition of well-respected UK music magazine, MOJO. David Sheppard gives our veteran Caledonian combo 3 out of 5.
Here’s what he has to say:
Trashcan Sinatras’ only substantial hit may have borne the unprepossessing title Obscurity Knocks but, 23 years into a steadfastly unhurried career, they still enjoy a robust US college radio following.
Now based, impractically, in both Glasgow and Los Angeles this – their fifth album – was recorded in New York and Martha’s Vineyard, home to the estimable Carly Simon. Her delicious, clouds-in-my-coffee tones purr across soulful ballad Should I Pray? (previously recorded by yearning-voiced singer John Douglas’s wife, Eddi Reader), melting into a rich sound world etched with rippling electric guitars, luxuriant drums and tremulous Hammond organ.
Douglas’s songs dwell on middle-aged contentment, yet skilfully avoid smug sentimentality, as does the infectious title track, a discreetly funky arrangement of an Ali Smith love poem.
The remainder, while hardly kicking over the musical traces, offers a convincing MOR upgrade on consoling ’80s indie-pop.
October 2009 MOJO Magazine Issue 191
Quarter page advertisement promoting the UK release of ‘In The Music’.
October 2009 Uncut Magazine
Filed under: Related | Tags: CD, Hard-to-Find, Import, Music, Promo, Trashcan Sinatras
…Trashcan Sinatras in Modern Rock scandal.
I don’t think I could ever class the Trashcans in the modern rock category. Class? Definitely. Modern Rock? Nah.
I’m not sure where to put them, and if their Facebook and MySpace profiles are anything to go by, neither do they.
So how they ended up on this FMQB promo I’m not entirely sure – and what dodgy company they keep too. In amongst ‘Bloodrush’ we have tracks from Butthole Surfers, Ned’s Atomic Dustbin and eh, The Chowderheads.
FMQB stands for Friday Morning Quarterback and is a trade magazine which covers Music and Radio industries in the United States. Based in Cherry Hill, New Jersey it began in 1968 and covers programming, management, music, promotion, marketing, imaging, and airplay for Rock, Modern Rock (Alternative) and Adult Contemporary formats in its 40+ glossy pages.
Rock on guys!
1993 FMQB Vol.II/#3 (US)
Filed under: 1990-1991 Cake | Tags: Cassette, Hard-to-Find, Import, Music, Trashcan Sinatras
2-track US cassette of debut single ‘Obscurity Knocks’, with ‘Who’s He?’ on side two.
Rarer than a big woolly mammoth.
1991 Go! Discs/London Records 869314-4 (US)
Filed under: Related | Tags: CD, Concert, Gig, Hard-to-Find, Music, Trashcan Sinatras, Tsunami Relief
On 26 December 2004 an earthquake struck off the northwest coast of the Indonesian island of Sumatra, generating a tsunami that wreaked havoc along much of the rim of the Indian Ocean. Particularly hard-hit were the countries of India, Indonesia, Sri Lanka, and Thailand. Nearly 225,000 people were killed, tens of thousands more were injured, and 10 million became homeless and displaced.
The humanitarian response to the 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake was prompted by one of the worst natural disasters of modern times. In 2005, artists throughout the UK staged benefit concerts in Wales (Millenium Stadium) and Scotland (Glasgow SECC).
Now, I attended the one in Glasgow – not just because it was a good cause, but more importantly, the Trashcans were playing.
I say attended, but to be honest, I hadn’t a bloody clue where I was. You see, I was on medication and mixing this with beer and tequila, wasn’t one of my better ideas, and so lots of things happened that night that probably shouldn’t have happened (I’ll leave those incidents for another time though)
Anyhoo, this triple CD – which was recorded straight from the sound desk – gives us three songs from TCS – ‘All The Dark Horses’, ‘Hayfever’ and ‘Weightlifting’, and I’m pretty sure they were sitting down as they were so bloody nervous (it was a bit hazy, sorry).
Other artists who played on the night were Mogwai, Eugene Kelly, Idlewild, Eddi Reader (who played ‘Wild Mountainside’) and Franz Ferdinand.
A great entertaining night, summed up perfectly in the words of Manic Street Preacher, James Dean Bradfield: “Can’t speak, can’t think, won’t talk, won’t walk.”
19 Feb 2005 Instant Live/Tsunami Relief Scotland MCPS CCEIL00038
Filed under: Related | Tags: Cassette, Hard-to-Find, Import, Music, Trashcan Sinatras
Released exclusively in the Philippines, this 17-track ‘Love Song’ compilation includes ‘How Can I Apply…?’, alongside tracks by a host of other bands including New Order, Pulp, The Cure, Cast and INXS.
1998 Polygram Records Thailand Ltd 565 086-4 (Philippines)
Filed under: 2008-2010 In The Music | Tags: CD, Import, Live Recording, Music, Trashcan Sinatras
Featuring 15 acoustic tracks, this CD of radio session performances was recorded during the 2004-2005 ‘Weightlifting’ world tours.
The CD comes in a simple cardboard sleeve and includes at least one song from each of the band’s 5 studio albums, including two tracks from their recent long player ‘In The Music’.
It originally included two more songs from ‘Cake’, but these were omitted from the final cut. Booooo!
Get your copy here.
28 July 2009 Bobame Records bobame008 (US)
Filed under: 2004-2006 Weightlifting | Tags: CD, Hard-to-Find, Import, Music, Trashcan Sinatras
In my quest to find all kinds of ‘trash’, I sometimes come across some unusual pieces – like this copy of ‘Weightlifting’.
Here is what they call a ‘sample CD’ – it’s not a promo or anything. It is an original CD, the same as regular retail store product, the only difference being the sample factory labels.
These ‘samples’ are from a factory used for CD manufacturing, and have at least one large sticker directly on the artwork containing various production data which usually includes hand-writing.
Occasionally there may be other stickers or markings on other parts of the artwork, such as a descriptive label, like the one shown here.
A rare and unusual item – but interesting nonetheless.
2004 spinART Records SPART155 (US)
Filed under: Related | Tags: CD, Hard-to-Find, Import, Music, Promo, Trashcan Sinatras
…when this arrived in the post this morning.
A 20-track promo CD with a variety of top bands including The La’s, Pixies, The House Of Love, De La Soul and our very own Trashcan Sinatras – showcased here with ‘The Best Man’s Fall’.
The Edge is one of the most powerful and influential rock radio stations. Based in Toronto, Canada, 102.1 FM it is the third most listened-to new rock station and at one point hooked up with HMV to release sampler CDs of the best new music around.
Big thanks to Douglas in Canada for sending this over.
1991 Polygram Records CDHMV333 (Canada)
‘I’ve Seen Everything’ pal.
Promo poster for the US album release.
Simple!
1993 Go! Discs / London Records (US)
