Sunday, March 7, 2010

SPRATLEYS JAPS-HAZEL, CD EP, 1999, UK





Long requested in the wake of my posts of Cardiacs rarities, this briefly assembled offshoot project of Cardiacs leader Tim Smith and Joanne Spratley took inspiration from a dysfunctional mellotron that was on loan to them at the time (used extensively on their recordings) and placed the emphasis more on epically sweeping acid pop grandiosity that the Queen-meets-XTC-en route to The Rocky Horror Picture Show prog punk freneticism of The Cardiacs proper. Just goosebump-inducing work here (dig that signature squashed acid vocal effect!), though those of you who are looking for more than just this very brief EP will either have to fork out for the remaining stock of their godhead "Pony" CD that Aquarius still has in stock or wait 'til their copies run out before I up that one. Messr. Smith may have been laid low these last few years after his tragic heart attack/stroke, but his musical vision remains amongst the most profound of the last several decades. Here's more evidence to support that thesis...

Get it via Megaupload Here

Get it via Rapidshare Here

***NOTE: THERE'S A MIRRORED MEDIAFIRE LINK IN THE COMMENT FIELD*** 
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10 comments:

  1. josta59March 8, 2010 at 8:10 AM

    Very interesting!

    ReplyDelete
  2. AnonymousMarch 8, 2010 at 1:10 PM

    was just about to up this record for u folks as being kinda relevant to this post as i found spratleys japs the same week as this one hear
    mooseheart faith stellar groove band - magic square uv the sun cd 1991
    http://sharebee.com/5b072961
    they both changed the arc uv my life for the better. the latter was
    rippuppd by the fine fokes @ 'la folie du jour' blog hear
    http://01fragments.blogspot.com/2008/07/mooseheart-faith-stellar-groove-band.html

    ReplyDelete
  3. schlepMarch 8, 2010 at 5:40 PM

    Amen - thanks for your flash forward thinking - to the time when "Tim Smith" and "Spratleys Japs" will be talked about by nearly everyone.

    ReplyDelete
  4. vdoandsoundMarch 9, 2010 at 1:20 PM

    note to the anonymous fellow who keeps re-submitting a link to Spratleys Pony CD--if I say that I'm not wishing to upload an album because something is in print, it's not a wink-wink pretext to have someone else up it on the comment boards.
    Items that are available from major distributors like Aquarius are not gonna be upped on MS 'til they're out of print. Blog policy. Sorry.

    ReplyDelete
  5. AnonymousMarch 11, 2010 at 10:34 AM

    Still very curious as if to anyone has come up with a copy of the vinyl 'Friz Be Hmm...'. Would very much like to give it a listen. It seems to be fetching some high prices, what few can be found. It is either uber-rare, or very good.If so, why not post it? :)

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  6. SzcZMarch 14, 2010 at 1:22 PM

    That's quite Cardiacs alike indeed, amusing.

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  7. OozlumMarch 21, 2010 at 9:25 AM

    Hazel fanfares mind! Thank you!

    ReplyDelete
  8. WoW CD KeyJune 10, 2010 at 9:49 PM

    If I say that I'm not wishing to upload an album as something is in print, it's not a wink-wink excuse to have someone else up it on the comment boards.

    ReplyDelete
  9. vdoandsoundJune 11, 2010 at 1:24 AM

    Wow CD Key-Yes...and as Aquarius (the only outlet to have any left) are now sold out, I've upped it. Your point is?

    ReplyDelete
  10. mukmewxJuly 13, 2013 at 7:15 PM

    The big winner here is "Secret". As "Hazel" is on Pony. And wtf is up with "Home"?

    ReplyDelete