New Order, Palace, Uilab (Give Thanks For EPs!)

Because so many of my favorite records of all time aren't even proper records per se (and by "proper records" I mean, well, you know the type: twelve-inch, BLACK, thirty-three-and-a-third-Long-Playing-LPs, with two count'em sides), No, rather, some of my favorite records are these odd dribs and drabs, these tour singles, or one-off collaborations, or mail-order marbled-wax novelties.

Call it Kindling. So I was out there gathering firewood, and I found a couple of sticks floating around the Forest, and I've bundled them up here for loving burnage.


rocky says: this 5-song EP is the missing link from old New Order (Movement) to new New Order (PC&L and beyond). My copy was taped from Processed and provided constant walkman accompaniment during those morning walks to LTHS South Campus in the Fall of 1984. Simply Beautiful stuff. Man meets machine and they discover they have more in common than they thought possible, and the twain shall never part.

New Order: Singles 1981-1982

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rocky says: oh. wow. ow. 1993. timeless. I'll leave this one to the professionals...

allmusic: Notably more defined and robust than previous Palace outings, the "Come In"/"Trudy Dies" single captures the polarizing emotional extremes of Oldham's singular vision, juxtaposing fragile, poignant sincerity against punishing, overripe morbidity. After so many tales of incest, alcoholism, and hellfire, "Come In" proves positively revelatory — never before (or arguably since) has Oldham's high, fractured voice seemed so truly gentle and empathetic as on this brief and deceptively simple final farewell. "Trudy Dies" is conversely so grim, so relentlessly melancholy, that its portrait of a widower's torment verges on the ridiculous — it's probably a masterpiece, but just try washing the acrid taste from your mouth after it's done.

Palace: Come In / Trudy Dies
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[Tsk Tsk! -- this link removed as of 12/03/2008

per gently firm email received from the Drag City record label.

You can purchase the PALACE MUSIC LOST BLUES AND OTHER SONGS

compilation, which includes these two songs, from the Drag City record label, here].

rocky says: incredible. no, actually, quite thoroughly credible. This joint juice between Stereolab and Ui resulted in the best ever "cover" (is too poor a word to describe this radical reimagining) of the canonical, archetypical Brian Eno uber-tune, "St. Elmo's Fire."

Uilab: Fires

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