The Afro-Left E.P.

Ah Leftfield. Unrivaled music, but so little of it...

This E.P. starts with the standard Leftism version, to remind us where we're starting from, then moves into the variants.

All three derivatives are different, but true to the original. Can't find any mix credits, so I assume they are all the product of Mr. Barnes' and Mr. Daley's hard work.

Afro Ride is more housey than tribal; Afro Sol more hypnotic; Afro Central more eclectic.

1 Afro Left
2 Afro Ride
3 Afro Sol
4 Afro Central

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Carnival

As I explained below, I had been looking for this Lionrock gem for ages, remembering wholly positive reviews by mates in the early nineties. Don't know how I missed out on getting a copy back then, but now I've got it, it's not disappointed.

Great samples (is it only me, or can I hear Thunderbirds drums in there?).

Chugs along nicely, exactly as it should.

1 Are You Ready To Testify?
2 The Guide
3 As Dawn Approaches
4 The Prankster's Mardi Gras

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P.S. not going to post Tripwire, as it's available all over the inter-web...

Escape

The last of the Clail triumvirate, and a fine way to round things off it is too.

Escape is not a straight lift off The Emotional Hooligan, as it's nearly a minute shorter. Sounds like they simply faded out the album version at around 3:30. What a strange decision.

Thankfully, Escape (On The Mix) redeems this miserliness, and things are rounded off solidly by False Leader (Parts 1 & 2), featuring the ever popular Marcus Garvey Dread sample from Big Youth's Dreadlocks Dread.

1 Escape
2 Escape (On The Mix)
3 False Leader (Parts 1 & 2)

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These Things Are Worth Fighting For

Until I looked carefully, I thought I had just picked up the CD version of the 12" I already own, but I was only partially right. The 12" and this CD share the following tracks:

These Things Are Worth Fighting For (Perfecto Mix)
These Things Are Worth Fighting For (Perfecto Radio Mix)
These Things Are Worth Fighting For (Young Gods Radio Mix)

But the CD has these two mixes which are not on the 12":

These Things Are Worth Fighting For (Young Gods Club Mix)
These Things Are Worth Fighting For (On-U Sound Mix)

The 12" has this mix which is not on the CD, but is on the These Things Are Worth Fighting For (Justin Robertson Remix) version:

These Things Are Worth Fighting For (Lion Rock Mix II)

Honestly, I hope no one accuses the record industry of taking advantage of those of an anal disposition, because as we can see from above this would be wholly unwarranted.

Anyway, here's the lot, I'll leave it to you to resolve any duplication...

1 These Things Are Worth Fighting For (Perfecto Mix)
2 These Things Are Worth Fighting For (Perfecto Radio Mix)
3 These Things Are Worth Fighting For (Young Gods Radio Mix)
4 These Things Are Worth Fighting For (Young Gods Club Mix)
5 These Things Are Worth Fighting For (On-U Sound Mix)

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These Things Are Worth Fighting For (Justin Robertson Remix)

I'd already heard the Lion Rock Mix II version of this (it's on the 12" I previously posted) so I was looking forward to the others, to see what magic Mr. Robertson had been able to weave.

Pretty good they are too.Lion Rock Mix IV really chugs along nicely, and the break around 2:10 in the Prankster Mix I really hits the spot.

Probably one for the Gary Clail and/or Justin Robertson completists, but worth a listen nonetheless:

1 These Things Are Worth Fighting For (Lion Rock Mix II)
2 These Things Are Worth Fighting For (Lion Rock Mix IV)
3 These Things Are Worth Fighting For (Prankster Mix I)
4 These Things Are Worth Fighting For (Prankster Mix III)

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TV USA

Following on from the previous post, only going to post this Sheep On Drugs acquisition, as I discovered I already had versions of both Track X E.P. and Motorbike/Mary Jane (meaning others had already posted).

As it happens, this is the best of the three anyway, being closer in style to Out Come The Freaks from Live At The Brain 2 (in fact if I'm not much mistaken The Flaming Church is a reworking of Out Come The Freaks?). Personally, I didn't get on quite so well with their other releases.

Like the sample on The Flaming Church; makes me smile...

1 TV USA
2 USA
3 Church
4 The Flaming Church

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Oxfordshire Market Town Defies Expectations...

I wouldn't normally look to bore anyone with the minutiae of my life, but today was such a surprise I'm willing to break my self-imposed rule on this.

Picture the scene: a sleepy Oxfordshire market town; I'm there to complete some tedious shopping (personal hygiene products etc.); the weather is unseasonably warm.

On the off-chance, I venture into a well known charity shop. I've been here before, and the audio items on offer have been the normal uninspiring candidates: Westlife, S Club 7, Kylie etc. etc.

On this occasion, however, things are different. At the front of the normally piss-poor collection of CD's is Lionrock's Carnival - I've been looking for this for ages, both on-line and in the real world. Next I discover Tripwire by the same esteemed artists. My pulse quickens (such is the banality of my life).

It becomes clear that someone's collection of early 90's CD singles has somehow ended up here. They are either a music lover who has lost the faith, or whose other half has chosen to punish them for unknown misdemeanours.

No one gives this stuff away, at least not if they are in their right mind. Here's my haul in full:

Gary Clail & On-U Sound System:

Escape
These Things Are Worth Fighting For
These Things Are Worth Fighting For (Justin Robertson Remix)

Leftfield:

The Afro Left E.P.

Lionrock:

Tripwire
Carnival

Pop Will Eat Itself:

Karmadrome
Bulletproof!

Sheep On Drugs:

TV USA
Track X E.P.
Motorbike/Mary Jane

System 7:

Habibi

Once I've burned them, and worked out what's not been posted before (or is available to purchase) I'll share my good fortune.

Charity's never been so good...