Various Acts - 'Stop Me If You Think You've Heard This One Before' (Rough Trade)
4/5
By: Toby L
Rough Trade - the serenity-ridden source of indie/obscure perks, thrills and delights; a centre-piece amidst the underground punk-era: a beacon for anyone seeking an intelligent alternative, and the one label prevalent amidst the past quarter-century as timely now as it ever was.
And as some form of testament to the delirious eclecticism championed throughout the years - let's remember, head of RT Geoff Travis seeks 'genius' in all its various guises - 'Stop Me If You Think You've Heard This One Before' (as named after 'Trade staples The Smiths' classic single) is an affectionate 16 tracks by artists past and present covering Rough Trade acts, well, past and present.
So sleeking nimbly alongside Moldy Peaches star Adam Green, as he slurs wearily a rendition of Young Marble Giants' 'Eating Noddemix' with killer-sax lurking in the track's dying embers, are the opening throb and clobber of Eastern Lane taking on the beat-pop of The Feelies' 'Fa Ce La', and a lilting, Byrds-y attempt at Aztec Camera's 'We Could Send Letters' from Mystic Chords Of Memory. Gorgeous.
And that's just the opening trinket raised proud and nobly on display. Far from the rush-released package most other labels would turn around within a heartbeat as a distressing cash-in to mark a silver anniversary, as with all things Rough, this is an intelligently, lovingly crafted release, by capable artists, enthusiasm and heart in abundance for their recording-home.
There are even some true exclusives - namely, Elizabeth Fraser's first recording for the best part of a decade (a synth-y rendition of Robert Wyatt's 'At Last, I Am Free'), whilst Joel Gibb of The Hidden Cameras seems set to melt and massage your heart as a thrilling 'Dunes', originally from The Clean, surges from acoustic folk into church-y organ and laden strings. Yet, perhaps most obscure is Canada's Royal City splicing a banjo over The Strokes' frustrated 'Is This It', or NYC anti-folkster Jeffrey Lewis assaulting distinctly London punk-upstarts The Television Personalities' 'Part-Time Punks', or the equally bizarre British Sea Power sweetly embracing Galaxie 500's'Tugboat' (and mysteriously sounding like The Stone Roses in the process).
Come the arrival of a genuinely mesmerising 'Last Nite' from The Detroit Cobras (if sounding nothing like the original) and Belle & Sebastian's electro-poppy YMG stab, 'Final Day', the mystery is quite how a collection as hauntingly non-cohesive as these alt-gems can segue into one another with all the coherence of a classic album. Then the answer dawns - quality-control; as befits a label dedicated to unearthing talent of all forms and artistic personality of every kind, so should a record reflecting its twenty-five years in existence prove one of the most justifiably sought-after of 2003.
Rough Trade: here's to the 50th.
Artists in this article: Various Acts
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