EMA - Marked

I've got a huge amount of time for Marked. It was the highlight of the Gowns Latitude session record and a big part of the reason I checked out EMA's solo work. I was disappointed to find that the studio recording wasn't on Gowns' Red State album, so was pleased to hear it on her first solo LP, Past life Martyred Saints. This is the same version that appeared there. I definitely prefer the live Gowns recording, but as I mentioned before, this tells the same story in a different way.

There were a bunch of reasons why I bought this 7", but one of them was just that Marked is such a great song I felt bad that this 7" was languishing in Norman Records' reduced record bin. Another reason was that it was languishing in Norman Records' reduced records bin and £1.80 is a bargain. It was one of their periodic massive online sales and I was buying a bunch of other records - it was a happy addition to my basket. Finally, there was a b-side I hadn't heard and thought would be worth a listen. There's a verse in Angelo rapped by a musician named MZ Gorjis, which came as a surprise. When Erika sings at the same time it really work (or works as a b-side - I think it would have sounded out of place on any of her albums). It's got very 80's sounding synths and is quite fun. Definitely worth the £1.80.

Format: 7", diecut sleeve
Tracks: 2
Cost: £1.80 new
Bought: Norman records
When: 13/04/17
Colour: Black
Etching: none
mp3s: None

Quicksand - Quicksand

I bought this record a long time after I probably should have. There was a RSD pressing of it some time before which I didn't buy at the time - RSD 7" records were getting pricey and I was already spending way too much. I suspect it was £7, which is what I ended up paying for this record a few years later. I understand inflation, but have such fond memories of 7"s costing £1 or £2 that it's hard to bring myself to pay £7 for a 7".

All that said, Quicksand are a band worth spending £7 on, and I'm glad I finally bought a copy of this 7". The versions of Omission and Unfulfilled are both fun and sufficiently different to the versions on Slip - it sounds like Walter is having fun with his vocals and hasn't always decided how he's going to sing it before it comes out. Clean Slate is a classic chuggy Quicksand song and Hypno Jam with Dan is a short but interesting instrumental with a very unexpected (but very welcome) trumpet.

I don't know why I finally bought this last March. I'd been in London for an interview that had been long and draining and slightly soul-destroying, but conveniently near All Ages. I don't get to shop there as often as I'd like, so it was nice to get to spend some good time in there. They have so many 7"s that it's a little daunting to start browsing - maybe that was why I bought it - I'd invested so much time in browsing all the 7"s that I felt like I had to buy something in there.

Anyway, an essential purchase for any Quicksand fan and one I should have bought years ago.

Format: 7", insert
Tracks: 4
Cost: £7 new
Bought: All Ages Records, London
When: 24/03/17
Colour: Red
Etching: Side A: "On a secret mission" Side B: "To cstraat"
mp3s: None