Tuesday, October 11, 2005

Song Of the Day: September 29, 2005

The Servants - Transparent

Head Records 45, 1986

One of the sleepers from the much-beloved NME C86 compilation that unintentionally gave name to a particular indie-pop sound. This track arrived later than some of the others, but has stuck around for years, and sometimes on sleepless nights still hovers around my dimly-lit living room during the quiet wee hours. Their records aren't terribly easy to find; despite sporadic bouts of intense searching this is the only one I've come up with. Anybody care to comment on the quality of the rest? Brian?

7 Comments:

Jay said...

Thanks, Jon -- I've always loved that track from C86 but haven't heard it in a while. I'm also curious about other Servants tracks -- is the B-side as fun as Transparent?

6:57 PM  
iain mayfield said...

The servants album is well good - so is the later solo album by David Westlake - this was a vastly underrated band of it's time - makes me want to dig out that old suede jacket again....perhaps grow my bowl cut ....you're never too old you know..

12:57 PM  
Al said...

Transparent is the B side I think. A side is She's Always Hiding which is better in my opinion...

Never heard the album, but the 12" single It's my Turn is a fantastic record.

1:13 AM  
brian said...

Indeed, I'd say "She's Always Hiding" is fantasic, and the album is good (many great Go-Betweens-like tendencies,) but for me, their crowning moment is the 12" of "The Sun, A Small Star." In my opinion, one of the most beautiful records of the decade. Further info on David Westlake and The Servants can be found here...http://www.lostsheep.com/davidwestlake/default.htm

I'd dearly love to hear the David Westlake/Go-Betweens Janice Long session. Anyone got a tape?

Thanks for another great post Jon!

-Brian

4:52 PM  
Jun Eric Pilar said...

Cool!i loved this band...sadly missed though.I prefer "She's Always Hiding" with it's jangly ala Go-Betweens style of poppism...The "Disinterest" LP is also great,which has a hint of transforming you back again in the Postcards/early Go-Betweens era...

cheers!

4:18 AM  
Jon Harrison said...

Iain-

I am too old...or too something...to grow the bowlcut out. Would that I could. The spirit is willing but the hairline is weak.

Oh, and Al is correct that Transparent is actually the B-side.

Jon

12:25 AM  
Steve T said...

Is it just me or is this song almost a a straight cop of "Gigolo Aunt" by Syd Barrett? Whatever, it's a great song.

I can state with absolute certainty that you can in fact be too old for the bowl cut. Alas....

9:50 PM  

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