Every since I started buying records I've had this same problem: I'll be in a record shop and see a few things I kinda like, but it's not until I find something I have to buy that my wallet comes out - then all hell breaks loose. There have been times when I've left record shops empty-handed, despite there being a few perfectly fine additions to my collection; there are other times when I've picked up everything I had half a thought about buying. This problem has stayed with me for nearly 20 years, and it seems to be the case online too (but there I'm also saving on postage!).
The reason I'm telling you this, is that this is one such record that got caught up in the after-effects of me opening my wallet for a record I really wanted to buy and came along for the ride. In 2016 Boss Tuneage was selling off some test pressings and I quite fancied the test pressing of Bedford Falls' Elegant Balloons album - I'd bought the album on cd a few years beforehand. The first album was only pressed on cd so I figured they'd be a "cd band", but was too taken with a bargain test pressing to let that idea continue. I'm not a big fan of test pressings - the idea of hunting them down with any sort of intention is horrifying, so I've mostly just considered them nice additions rather than essential parts of a collection. I'm sure I could still buy that Bedford Falls album on vinyl, but I guess the appeal of the test pressing was what won me over that day. Anyway, that was the record that got me to open my wallet and I set about scouring the Boss Tuneage website for anything else I fancied.
A short while before that, Tim PopKid (who runs an excellent blog about his impressive record collection at an enviable cadence - daily!) wrote about this Doctor Bison album. I had a read and thought it sounded interesting, had a listen and was kinda into it and made a mental note to check them out further. Test press sale day and I added this to my basket because I was in a spending-money mood.
The terrible twist to this story is that I soon afterwards received an email saying they'd accidentally sold more of the Bedford Falls test press than they actually had, cancelled mine and refunded the money. Under any other circumstances, this would be little more than a footnote in a blog post about Bedford Falls at a later date, but I was now buying this record and this record alone (they did very kindly send me a free 7" that I'll write about one day).
Doctor Bison aren't a bad band, but it turns out that I'm not quite as into them as I hoped I would be. There are some good moments - For Yourself has a really catchy chorus and is immediately followed by what I assume is the "Marmite moment" for the band, Fractured Jaw. I say "Marmite" because the chorus is huge, but there's a banjo played throughout which I can't stand. I imagine that is quite appealing to some, but doesn't do it for me. Perfect Madness to Put Me Through and Tied to the Tracks are really good songs too. Maybe I do like this band and it's just that one song I don't like? I should probably play it more often. In my memories, it was all banjo, but clearly that was a bad way to remember the music.
If you are a Doctor Bison fan, this package is pretty lovely and worth seeking out - along with the album there's another LP of the Bring it On EP and four unreleased tracks, as well as all of the songs on a cd. There are also notes from the drummer reminiscing very fondly of the bands' time together, which is nice to read.
Format: Double 12", insert
Tracks: 16
Cost: £11.50 new
Bought: Boss Tuneage website
When: 13/06/16
Colour: Yellow and grey
Etching: none
mp3s: cd
