April 2000 Parasol Newsletter

Issue #30

A big thanks to all of you who submitted designs for our logo contest. We're in the process of evaluating all of the ideas and will make a decision soon. The Parasol compilation Sweet Sixteen was just released and we're already planning Volume 2. Autoliner will be contributing a cover of Wire's "Outdoor Miner," Angie Heaton and Bob Kimbell offer their stirring version of the Buzzcocks' "Ever Fallen In Love," and Busytoby adds a non-album track titled "The Loneliest Life." In addition to album tracks from current releases (Sarge? National Skyline?), we may even debut something from Diamond Star Halo. Yes, Adam Schmitt, Brian Leach, and Bob Kimbell are re-visiting the nearly finished tapes that were set aside over two years ago when Brian's basement studio flooded, ruining the in-progress second Sugarbuzz album. Soon thereafter Adam decided to start recording his yet unreleased third solo album, and Bob hooked up with old buddy Jack Logan to record Little Private Angel. We're still just in the "dreaming" stages, but please allow us this dream.

SPOTLIGHT

White Town-Peek & Poke CD
(PAR-CD-044) $10.00
The "story" is well-documented. White Town-essentially the Indian-born, Norwich, England, residing Jyoti Mishra-released a four song EP on Parasol in 1996 that was picked up by a major label and contained the eventual #1 worldwide hit "Your Woman." In 1997 the band, discovered by the press to be one hefty bloke instead of a few svelte pin-ups, delivered new demos to the major and was politely let go. Nearly three years later we are proud that Jyoti is back with Parasol for the follow up to his mega selling Women In Technology album. The twelve tracks include White Town's latest single "Another Lover", the Pet Shop Boys-styled "Duplicate", the church organ-driven dance-pop-gospel of "Every Second Counts", and an epic 13 minute Kraftwerkian beatbox diatribe titled "Excerpts From An Essay", featuring a slippery komputer voice expounding upon the cultural significance of early hiphop as interpreted by Jyoti's earnestly controversial Trotskyist ideologies. White Town's pre-overnight-sensation album, Socialism, Sexism & Sexuality, previewed Jyoti's political views and some of the guitar textures that aren't familiar to fans of Women In Technology. On Peek & Poke White Town brings all of the band's elements together into one unifying whole. Here Jyoti describes two of my favorite album tracks: Duplicate-"A very simple song about the new possibilities of cloning combined with the old dilemma of a love triangle. How would you fare competing against yourself? Who's more attractive, you or you? Would sex with yourself be masturbation or merely dead good?" I'm Alone-"This is a mix of acoustic guitar, voice and synths. I'm pleased in that it sounds not like a band and not like a techno record. Lyrically, the song is about total isolation and incipient insanity so I wanted a musical framework that didn't instantly box it in. I suppose I'm trying to define it for the listener by hinting at all the things it isn't. Exclusion can be a powerful defining force."

Various Artists-Step Right This Way CD
(PAR-CD-047) $10.00
This CD collection has been on Parasol's schedule for a long time and it's great to finally have it available. Compiled by our Japan-based friend, Maki Kobayashi, Step Right This Way is the stylistic follow up to the Window to the World collection of Japanese pop bands that Parasol released in 1996. We feature BLUEBERRY, VERY BLUE'S "The Mongolian Air Blue" on our Sweet Sixteeen compilation. Here's a quick sampling of the remaining lineup: formerly known as Parasol recording artist Dust In My Head, now with a new vocalist, psych-rockers STONE IN MY HEAD lift-off with a glammy blast, like The Rolling Stones meets The Who! SUMMERHEAD offers two tracks of Guided By Voices inspired Midwestern Pop grind, plenty of guitars, a rhythmic sprint, melodic and full of gumption! The HIDE ACHES play inspiring guitar-pop with lotsa sonic extras, one track sounds our own Doleful Lions, while the other is a mirror image of George Harrison's solo singles! ROTARY MUSIC does an organ-driven instrumental recalling Felt and a Sarah Records style guitar-mantra, that could've been a Field Mice b-side, dreamy and ever-so-slightly experimental! AMPLIFIER 108's 70s radio pop drama and superb harmony recall our own Autoliner (Life On Mars)! The REVERBS offer some groovy, jangly bittersweet ballads, more Doleful Lions-esque guitar-pop! The PENELOPES sound like Squeeze (really) on one tune and Paul McCartney on the other! STEREO LOUNGE recall a lofi Oranger with weird reggae breaks, plus a psych-pop ballad! The PORT are all about sophisticated lounge-pop-jangle with male vocals, Everything But The Boy? And finally MOSS GROWN offer an aching piano-led pop-ballad with hints of dusty Americana!

Various Artists-Sweet Sixteen CD
(PAR-PROMO-001) $5.00
Sweet SIXTEEN? Originally conceived as a series of promo-only CDs with 16 tracks, we let things get away from us. First 16, then 17, and now 18 tracks, and far too much intra-office debate on the subject. We've even decided to sell a few at a mighty low price. Nevertheless, we wanted to create a collection of songs from recent and forthcoming releases that would adequately showcase the breadth of our current roster. The lineup reads: five coming soon, ten just out, one CD exclusive, one who knows, and one from the deep catalog. And THAT one had nothing to do with the lead singer working here. Really. We hope that through Sweet Sixteen, and subsequent volumes, you come across a new favorite artist. Here's the rundown: Starlet, June & the Exit Wounds (B-side to 7"), White Town, Quickspace, Elk City (an amazing, spooky track from our latest signing), Very Secretary, Blueberry Very Blue (see Step Right This Way), St. Christopher (great new song from forthcoming CD), George Usher Group (ditto), Matt Bruno (from the self-released CD that we're re-issuing in April), Autoliner, Nick Rudd, Steve Pride & His Blood Kin, Bikeride, Busytoby, Doleful Lions, Vitesse (exclusive non-CD track), and Honcho Overload. For you long-time Parasol customers that have read about many of these bands, but didn't want to take a chance on a whole CD, Sweet Sixteen is your testing ground. We're sure that you won't be disappointed.

IN CASE YOU MISSED IT...

…and we just got the news ourselves, Very Secretary has disbanded. Following their most successful tour to date, Roy, Rachael, Allen, and Dave have decided to call it quits. They leave behind a track on the Post Marked Stamps collection, a new Insound Tour EP and two full-length CDs on Mud Records, Best Possible Souvenir and Standing in the Shade. The latter was released during late summer 1999 and received widespread college radio play. Very Secretary followed up with a performance at CMJ's Music Marathon before settling in the studio to record their Tour Support EP. Allen and Rachael are moving to Chicago, while Dave seems to be staying put in C-U. Roy will continue to focus his energy on Grand Theft Autumn, the label he owns with ex-Braid bassist, Todd Bell. Look for GTA updates in future newsletters.

COMING SOON

• Matt Bruno-Punch and Beauty CD due in April
• George Usher-Days of Plenty CD due in April
• Elk City-Status CD due in April
• St. Christopher-Golden Blue CD due in May
• Vitesse-Chelsea 27099 CD due in May
• Various Artists-Crane Alley (Mud) CD due in May

SOME PARASOL RELATED ARTIST ANSWERS SOME QUESTIONS

Matt Bruno

1. Mixing session you wish you could have attended-
"Good Vibrations. But could I ask to be present at the tracking sessions as well? Goldstar, Columbia, Western? Or at least use the talkback microphone?"

2. Songs you think you probably shouldn't like but just can't help yourself-
"Me And Mrs. Jones-Billy Paul, And You And I - Yes, Why - Annie Lennox (the harmonic progression is gorgeous)."

3. Favorite record that you can't find on CD-
"Schlagers LP - A Warner Brothers compilation, because it contained Van Dyke Parks' commercial for Datsun. Stunning! Randy Newman's 'Davey The Fat Boy' was on it as well."

4. First Concert-
"Neil Diamond"

5. Favorite Bass Player-
"Macca showed the way, but Colin Moulding of XTC gets the current nod."

This spring Parasol will be re-issuing Matt Bruno's self-released CD "Punch & Beauty," with two extra tracks. At the end of last year the Audities internet mailing list was filled with Top 25 lists that contained P&B. The PurePop web zine raves: "Bruno's grasp of melody and ability to write a catchy hook line is nearly without peer. Just listen to the danceable 'Dancing' for proof: the song…seeps into your veins, all sugary and sumptuously glowing."

The Archive March 2000 February 2000 January 2000 December 1999 November 1999 September 1999
August 1999 July 1999