Vinyl From The Vault

Duran Duran “Burning the Ground”

sfilzen — Tue, 27 Oct 2026 15:24:38 +0000

Duran Duran “Burning the Ground” 1989. I don’t remember that many people’s birthdays, but Simon LeBon’s is permanently embedded in my brain — today, October 27th is Simon’s 68th birthday (b. 1958). This is the 12″ single of their stand-alone single released to promote Duran Duran’s comp LP Decade (also released in 1989). “Burning the Ground” is itself a compilation/mashup of their biggest hit singles up to that point; the song was not included on Decade however. It actually charted (well, I’m not surprised as it is a dance floor banger), going to #31 in the UK and making the US Dance/Club chart at #23. It did even better in Italy for some reason, hitting #2 over there. Side A of the 12″ has the aforementioned “Burning the Ground” plus a couple versions of “Decadence” – the regular version and the Extended Mix. That song is also a mashup of their old hits but is even more sampled (heavy on “Save a Prayer,” “The Reflex” and “Notorious”) and instrumental than “Burning the Ground.”

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Siouxsie and the Banshees “All Souls”

sfilzen — Mon, 26 Oct 2026 17:27:58 +0000

Siouxsie and the Banshees “All Souls” 2022. It’s Siouxsie season! This comp of Siouxsie and the Banshees’ releases was put together by Siouxsie herself as a “seasonal celebration” of some classic Banshees spookiness, remastered, like “Halloween” and “Spellbound” plus other macabre-themed album tracks and b-sides from over the years. The aforementioned tracks are both from the 1981 album Juju, and the album opener “Fireworks” is a single-only release from 1982 in between Juju and 1982’s A Kiss in the Dreamhouse. And one of my favorite Siouxsie songs of all-time, the single “Peek-A-Boo.” There are a couple of non-singles: “We Hunger” comes from 1984’s Hyæna, “The Sweetest Chill” is from 1986’s Tinderbox, and “Rawhead and Bloodybones” from 1988’s Peepshow. A cover of Ben E. King’s 1975 hit “Supernatural Thing” was the b-side to the 1988 single “The Last Beat of My Heart” and “Something Wicked (This Way Comes),” was the b-side to “The Killing Jar,” both also on Peepshow. We have all of the albums mentioned above so most of the tracks but not some of the b-sides so this is a really great Halloween/All Souls Day/Day of the Dead collection.

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Wine Lips “Stressor”

sfilzen — Thu, 22 Oct 2026 18:12:58 +0000

Wine Lips “Stressor” 2019. Not on a label/self-released. Canadian garage-psych-punk, their debut LP. We saw Wine Lips perform for the first time 3 years ago (opening for Frankie and the Witch Fingers at the Miramar in November 2023) and saw them about this time a year ago at Cactus Club (November 2025). They’re on tour now and playing Chicago in about 2 weeks, not sure if we will get down there or not but it would be absolutely worth it: they have killer energy with mullets that are epic even by Canadian standards (though cannot confirm they still have that style this year). Shreds, ass-shaking, high high high voltage energy and their debut album is no different.

Wine Lips at the Miramar 2023

Wine Lips at Cactus Club 2025

My top tracks on Stressor are the highly danceable “Fly Swatter, ” the grooving (and 90’s vibey garage punky) “Electric Lady,” and the head-banging meets booty shaking shredding ‘Weak Knees” Also great is the exotically hypnotic “Fried II” (which evolves into an all-out rocking freakfest) and the funky garage psycher “She Said.” Their latest album TV Dinner came out just a couple months ago, in August 2026. It is possible we have a copy somewhere around here that I’m not aware of (or maybe it’s an upcoming holiday present!) but I don’t remember picking it up. Of course it could be a stupid tariff trade war casualty and just not available for a reasonable price here in the States.

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Hot Garbage “Precious Dream”

sfilzen — Mon, 19 Oct 2026 17:16:30 +0000

Hot Garbage “Precious Dream” 2024. Mothland Records, EXAG’ Records. Limited edition “Ready 4 Blood” variant. Canadian heavy psychedelic rock. We picked up this LP in Toronto this past July, after asking about local music in our preferred genres. The very helpful record store clerk suggested Hot Garbage and I think (or want to think) was pretty impressed when I was like, “Oh yeah, we saw them open for Frankie and the Witch Fingers a couple of years ago in Milwaukee.” It was in July 2022 and back then I wrote about their 2021 release Ride, which we bought at the show, “Holy shit! So so good: swirling and hallucinogenic organ/synths (Dylan Gamble), icy cold vocals (Juliana Carlevaris), hot buzzy guitar (Alessandro Carlevaris) and nonstop hardworking rocksteady beats (Mark Henein). Comparing them to bands I love and listen to: a mash up of Ty Segall, The Limiñanas and Sonic Youth.” Precious Dream seems heavier (though I admit it has a couple of years since I’ve taken Ride out for a….ride) and darker. “Tunnel Traps” in particular is dense and sludgy, more slow head banging than ass shaking, and slothfully hypnotic (that’s not a bad thing). I also really like “Look at My Phone” and “Blue Cat” has an absolutely addictive beat and hook that grabbed me two seconds into the track, layered on top are experimental textures of buzz, fuzz and drone.

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Cosmic Psychos “Go the Hack”

sfilzen — Wed, 14 Oct 2026 16:51:45 +0000

Cosmic Psychos “Go the Hack” 1989. Survival Records (Australia)/SubPop Records (US), reissue on Goner Records. The second full length LP from thunderous Aussie punks that one helpful Discogs reviewer calls “the missing links between Australian pub rock, Detroit proto-punk, and the sludgy, beer-soaked attitude that would later define Seattle’s underground…Cosmic Psychos played with the simplicity of Motörhead, the swagger of The Saints, and the reckless spirit of the Stooges, but filtered it through an unmistakably Australian sense of humour and working-class grit.” I’m going to add AC/DC to the above comparison/quote: while trite it’s also important to note their hard, deep sound that not all 80’s punks had. I’m also not convinced with the grunge comparison unless you consider bands like L7 (who covered the Psychos “Lost Cause”) and Nashville Pussy from that era “grunge” (I don’t). Cosmic Psychos are way too punchy and fast to easily be lumped in with the swampy sludge of 90’s grunge.

We saw our first Cosmic Psychos show almost exactly three years ago at The Rave, along with fellow Australian punks The Chats and then again a little over two years ago in Las Vegas at Punk Rock Bowling (The Chats were there, too). Go the Hack is loud, fun, obnoxious – precisely what I expect from Australian punks. The whole record is a banger but my top picks are album opener “Lost Cause,” the Motörhead-ringer “Rip ‘n’ Dig” and the lightning-speed shredder “Back in Town.”

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The Rousers “In Without Knocking”

sfilzen — Mon, 12 Oct 2026 17:40:12 +0000

The Rousers “In Without Knocking” 1986. Boat Records & Tapes. The debut LP from Madison, WI based power poppers with a rootsy, Americana flavor. Recorded at Smart Studios, Butch Big mixed and engineered. It is very 80’s sounding – while the is a new-to-me local(ish) band, their sound reminds me of a mix Rousers’ contemporaries including Charlie Sexton, Smithereens, The Plimsouls and Chris Isaak (not his slow stuff). There’s also a lot of boogie woogie/honky tonk influence: “Don’t Chop My Haircut” and “Got Another Lovin’ Man” – a real 50’s classic rocker – are very rockabilly. (Sidenote: based on the back cover band member photos at least a couple of them were definitely into rockabilly, especially guitarist/vocalist Ernie (aka Dan Conner) who sports a wicked black slicked pompadour with tight sideburns.) My top track is the album opener “Rosalie.” “Livin’ in the Midwest” is a rollickin’ good time though I probably like it for the title and lyrics. The Rousers only released one other album, Full Moon Bad Weather, in 1991. It looks like Ernie and drummer Lee Laski (whose photo on the back cover resembles 80s era Bruce Springsteen) went on to form Waterdogs, a garage surf band who released a single in 1988 and an LP in 2000 on Madcity Records.

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New Order “Sub-culture”

sfilzen — Wed, 07 Oct 2026 17:27:49 +0000

New Order “Sub-culture” 1985. 12″ single, Factory Records. The plain black sleeve was how it was released – I doctored up the image a bit so there was some idea as to what the song is. The track was the second, and final, single from New Order’s 1985 LP Low-Life. It went to #63 on the UK single chart but all the way to #1 on the UK dance chart. In the US “Sub-culture” went to #35 on the club/dance chart. This US-release of the 12″ single has three mixes: Side A the very long Remix; Side B the even longer “Subvulture” as well as the radio-friendly length “Sub-culture” (Remix Edit).” All remixed by John Robie whose versions took a turn from the album version into a very club, 80’s electronic dance direction (I personally prefer the album version to all of the remixes). The UK release’s b-side has just one remix, “Dub-vulture,” an instrumental.

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Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark “Archive Vol. 1 (1981-1990)”

sfilzen — Tue, 06 Oct 2026 16:44:08 +0000

Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark “Archive Vol. 1 (1981-1990)” limited edition Record Store Day 2026 double-LP release. The highly reflective mirrored cover utterly impossible to photograph (on first attempts it was basically a picture of me taking a selfie). The comp was initially curated as part of the Grammy-nominated 2019 souvenir boxed set and features rarities & b-sides, demos, and alternative mixes from the band’s 1981–1990 era which, according to their Fandom Wiki had until a few years ago been residing “in a vault near Heathrow.” For whatever reason I wasn’t really that into OMD in the 80’s beyond their hits (“If You Leave,” “Enola Gay,” neither of which are on this collection), which is really strange as I was (and still am) gaga for all things 80’s British synthpop and OMD were/are considered one of the best of the genre: they were Britain’s first performing two-piece synthesizer band and have been described as the “original synth-pop duo.” (Wiki). I really did miss out back in the day! The entire album is an excellent representation of the early years of electronic experimentation but my top picks from the first disc include “Dumbomb,” an unreleased song from 1986; “Weekend” from 1985 and the excellently quirky “Cajun Moon” (’86). From the second disc my favorites include the hard-driving, industrial-dance inspired “Guitar Thrash” (a demo recorded in 1982 during the Dazzle Ships sessions); the majestic Kraftwerky “American Venus” (from 1990; from Wiki Fandom “The date would suggest that it was recorded by Andy McCluskey only, after he had split with Paul Humphreys. Since the title refers to an American movie starring Louise Brookes, and part of the treated – and mostly incomprehensible – lyrics mention “Born in Kansas”, the demo can be considered as a very early idea which would lead to the finished track ‘Pandora’s Box.’ In the notes to the Souvenir box set which featured the ‘unreleased archive’ disc, McCluskey states he had no recollection of making the demo”) and the spunky “Dynamo Children” from 1985.

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The Illusion “The Illusion”

sfilzen — Mon, 05 Oct 2026 18:09:27 +0000

The Illusion “The Illusion” 1969. Steed Records. Hard psychedelic rock from Long Island. The Illusion was the band’s debut LP and went to no. 69 in the US. They had one hit single from the album, “Did You See Her Eyes” which went to #32; while most of the record was written by the band members that track is from their producer (and owner of Steed Records) Jeff Barry, known for co-writing other 60’s hits like “Do Wah Diddy Diddy,” “Leader of the Pack,” and “River Deep-Mountain High.” That Illusion hit is one of the strongest tracks on the record but the LP is an overall good 60’s rocker: the band toured with other 60’s heavies like The Who and Jimi Hendrix as well as funksters like Sly and the Family Stone. Besides the swirly acid-psych there is also a fair amount of funk and soul on songs like “Talkin’ Sweet Talkin’ Soul” and parts of “Medley: “Run, Run, Run” / “Willy Gee (Miss Holy Lady).” There’s also some poppy 60’s sunny vibes: “Alone” and parts of “Medley: “Why, Tell Me Why” / “The Real Thing,” the former also has some exotic trippy elements that are quite good. However, I really don’t get the whole medley thing that seemed pretty popular around this time, maybe it had something to do with the radio market but I don’t think either of these medleys were released as singles. The Illusion lasted another couple of years, releasing two more records, before splitting up.

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Lambrini Girls “God’s Country”

sfilzen — Wed, 30 Sep 2026 18:22:01 +0000

Lambrini Girls “God’s Country” 2024. City Slang records, purple vinyl. We saw Lambrini Girls last night at the Vic Theatre in Chicago and it was just as feral and insane as expected. The mosh pit not only was tolerated but was actively encouraged – and sometimes orchestrated – by singer/guitarist Phoebe Lunny. Body passing and pogo’ing abounded. Lambrini Girls (the name I finally made an effort just now to understand: they took their name from Lambrini, a brand of pear wine described by a British daily as “aimed at the undiscriminating female drinker” and by Phoebe Lunny as “toilet wine for sluts.” (wiki)

The band played “God’s Country” (see my videoclip on Instagram), a single-only release which is backed with “Body of Mine” (which they did not play last night). The rest of their set was a mix of tracks from their 2023 release You’re Welcome including “Mr Lovebomb,” “Help Me I’m Gay” and “Craig David.” From Who Let the Dogs Out (2025) album they performed “Bad Apple,” “Company Culture, “Y0u’re Not From Around Here,” “Cuntology 101” (as a singalong!) and for their last song of the night the always epically awesome “Big Dick Energy.”

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