BIG STIR RECORDS Compilations
Beyond the Big Stir Records roster! The physical media homes of the songs from the Big Stir Singles Series and more, featuring artists across the global pop rock scene with exclusive tracks. Far from "label samplers", each CD Wave of our Singles compilations has a vibe all its own.
Big Stir Singles: The Tenth Wave: CD
Includes a download of the album Big Stir Singles: The Tenth Wave
The latest compilation of our Singles Series covers the music of the turbulent months of October and November of 2020. Track list: THE A-SIDES: 1. mylittlebrother: Howl (Harris) 2. Nick Frater: California Waits (Frater) 3. October Surprise: Paris 1919 (John Cale) 4. Whelligan: Rabid Hole (Whelligan) 5. The Incurables: Funhouse (Lawson/Kelly/Lawson) 6. D.F.E.: I Say We Take Off And Nuke The Site From Orbit (Broome/Bulbenko) 7. NPFO Stratagem: Back Off Boogaloo (Harrison/Starkey) 8. Popdudes: O-o-h Child (Vincent) 9. The Speed Of Sound: Radio Safe (Armstrong) 10. Allyson Seconds & Anton Barbeau: Tie My Laces (Barbeau) 11. Icecream Hands: No Weapon But Love (Icecream Hands)
THE B-SIDES: 12. mylittlebrother: Song About Amsterdam (Harris) 13. Nick Frater: The Afterparty (Frater) 14. October Surprise: (Just Can't See) The Attraction (Broome/Bulbenko) 15. Whelligan: Anyone Who Never Had A Heart (Whelligan) 16. The Incurables: Muskrat Love (Ramsey) 17. D.F.E.: Yellow River (Christie) 18. NPFO Stratagem: Nazi Punks Fuck Off (Lounge Hallucination Version) (Biafra) 19. Popdudes: Share The Land (Cummings) 20. The Speed Of Sound: No Kicks (Armstrong) 21. Anton Barbeau & Allyson Seconds: Octagon (Barbeau) 22. Icecream Hands: Can You Feel My Love (Icecream Hands)
Big Stir Singles: The Ninth Wave: CD
Includes a download of the album Big Stir Singles: The Ninth Wave
The first collection of our celebrated Singles Series for 2021! Track list: THE A-SIDES: 1. Dolph Chaney: Be My Old Fart 2. The Viewers: Beautiful 3. Blake Jones: The First Song Of Summer 4. The Persian Leaps: PRN 5. Mike Daly & The Planets: Falling Out Of Love Song 6. Nick Frater: Let's Hear It For Love 7. Irene Peña: It Must Be Summer 8. The Brothers Steve: Beat Generation Poet Turned Assassin (Unabridged) 9. Rosie Abbott: Hold On 10. Jim Basnight: Prince Jones Davies Suite 11. David Brookings: All I Love is Rock 'n' Roll (Alternate Mix) THE B-SIDES: 12. Dolph Chaney: If I Write It Down 13. The Viewers: It's My Time 14. Blake Jones & The Trike Shop: Take a Look at the Stars 15. The Persian Leaps: Chamberlain 16. Mike Daly & The Planets: Star 17. Nick Frater: Alone Again (Naturally) 18. Irene Peña: The Summer Place 19. The Brothers Steve: Beat Generation Poet Turned Assassin (Abridged) 20. Rosie Abbott: I Don't Mean To Block Your Sunlight 21. Jim Basnight: Best Lover In The World 22. David Brookings: Livin' Through the Plague (Home Demo) 23. Athanor: Approximately Eternity
Big Stir Singles: The Yuletide Wave: CD
Includes a download of the album Big Stir Singles: The Yuletide Wave
The 21 track CD edition of the Big Stir Holiday Singles Collection comes with digital-only bonus tracks as well as a download of the complete album!
Big Stir Singles: The Eighth Wave: CD
Includes a download of the album Big Stir Singles: The Eighth Wave
BIG STIR SINGLES: THE EIGHTH WAVE features both sides of the ten BSR singles that kept toes tapping and provided relief from the grim news throughout the height of Summer 2020. With whimsical cover art by RIDLEY BROOME (an eight-armed paisley friend for this eighth compilation) and insightful liner notes by BEVERLY PATERSON (Pop-A-Looza), the CD continues the tradition of each Wave possessing a vibe of its own, with contributions from artists far and wide. SPYGENIUS, THE SPEED OF SOUND and MYLITTLEBROTHER represent the UK this time, while THE BROTHERS STEVE, LESLIE PEREIRA & THE LAZY HEROES, EZ TIGER and JASON BERK spring from the LA live music scene that gave Big Stir its start. Singles series debut from VEGAS WITH RANDOLPH, representing the Eastern US, and northern California's THE WILD KINDNESS keep the collection as diverse geographically as it is musically. The disc is sure to be another critical and fan favorite in the tradition of Waves 1-7.
Big Stir Singles: The Seventh Wave: CD
Includes a download of the album Big Stir Singles: The Seventh Wave
Track List: THE A-SIDES: 1. The Incurables "Far Away" (Ray Lawson/Pat Kelly/Darrin Lawson) BSDS-0071A, May 1 2020 2. The Ex Quaranteens "We'll All Drink Alone Together" (Cushinery/Glickman) BSDS-0071.5, May 2 2020 3. Anton Barbeau & Kenny "Land of Economy" (Barbeau) BSDS-0072A, May 8 2020 4. The Corner Laughers "The Calculating Boy" (Karla Kane) BSDS-0073A, May 15 2020 5. Broken Arrows "The Worst Of The Rest" (John Chevalier) BSDS-0073.5A, May 16, 2020 6. Rick Hromadka "Searchlight" (Hromadka) BSDS-0074A, May 22 2020 7. Nick Frater "Intro" (Frater) BSDS-0074.5A, May 23 2020 8. Carol Pacey & The Honey Shakers "If Romance Is Dead Then I Want To Be Dead Too" (Pacey) BSDS-0075A, May 29 2020 9. The Forty Nineteens with Tony Valentino "Late Night Radio" (Valentino/Markell) BSDS-0076A, June 5 2020 10. Empty City Squares "Parmenides" (Fotiadis) BSDS-0077A, June 12 2020 11. Kai Danzberg & Dear Stella "Let Him Go" (Danzberg) BSDS-0078A, June 19 2020 12. The Vapour Trails "Strange" (Robertson/Roberston) BSDS-0079A, June 26 2020
THE B-SIDES: 13. The Incurables "Soda Pop" (Ray Lawson/Pat Kelly/Darrin Lawson) BSDS-0071B, May 1 2020 14. BSDS-0072B Anton Barbeau & Thrust "Please Look At My Teeth" (Barbeau) BSDS-0072B, May 8 2020 15. Agony Aunts "Countless Psalms" (KC Bowman) BSDS-0073B, May 15 2020 16. Broken Arrows "When I Was A Boy" (Dave Storms) BSDS-0073.5B, May 16 2020 17. Rick Hromadka "Dreams Of A Hippy Summer" (Hromadka) BSDS-0074B, May 22 2020 18. Nick Frater, "Say What You Like (Say It's Alright)" (Frater) BSDS-0074.5B, May 23 2020 19. Carol Pacey & The Honey Shakers "Love Does" (Pacey) BSDS-0075B, May 29 2020 20. The Forty Nineteens "Crocodile Tears" (Pozza) BSDS-0076B, June 5 2020 21. Empty City Squares "History Rhymes" (Fotiadis) BSDS-0077B, June 12 2020 22. Kai Danzberg "Let Her Go (2019 Demo)" (Danzberg) BSDS-0078B, June 19 2020 23. The Vapour Trails "A Bit More Fire" (Robertson/Robertson) BSDS-0079B, June 26 2020
Big Stir Singles: The Sixth Wave: CD
Includes a download of the album Big Stir Singles: The Sixth Wave
Librarians With Hickeys, "Until There Was You"
Popdudes, "Ridin' In My Car"
Dolph Chaney, "The Handling"
Jim Basnight, "This Is Where I Belong"
The Walker Brigade, "No"
Paula Carino, "Door"
Glowbox, "Earn Enough For Us"
Tom Curless And The 46%, "I'm The Man Who Murdered Love"
The Well Wishers, "We Grow Up"
Joe Normal & The Anytown'rs, "Living With Me"
Trip Wire, "Katie Says"
The Corner Laughers, "The Accepted Time"
Spygenius, "Spite"
Librarians With Hickeys, "And Then She's Gone"
Popdudes, "Daytime Nighttime Suffering"
Dolph Chaney, "Automatic Caution Door"
Jim Basnight, "Big Bang"
The Walker Brigade, "Fallout"
Paula Carino, "Welcome Spiders"
Joe Normal & The Anytown'rs, "Home"
Trip Wire, "Go For A Ride"
The Corner Laughers, "Queen of the Meadow"
Spygenius, "Heaven Is Blue"
Big Stir Singles: The Fifth Wave: CD
Includes a download of the album Big Stir Singles: The Fifth Wave
THE A-SIDES: 1) The GoAllTheWays: Silly Girl 2) Mod Hippie: Saturday Show 3) The Speed Of Sound: I See You 4) The Stillsouls: Does My Love For You Come From Shakespeare Too 5) Blaine Campbell: Happy Faces 6) The Tor Guides: Just A Smile 7) Lannie Flowers: My Street (North Florida Version) 8) It's Karma It's Cool: Wooden Buddha 9) The Morning Line: Nostradamus 10) The Armoires: Pushing Forty 11) The Forty Nineteens: Tell Me THE B-SIDES: 12) The GoAllTheWays: Tourist 13) Mod Hippie: Shimmering Sound 14) The Speed Of Sound 15) The Stillsouls: Old Guitars Are Ghosts On The Sunset Strip 16) Blaine Campbell: Movin' On 17) The Tor Guides: Make You Mine 18) Lannie Flowers: Summer Blue 19) It's Karma It's Cool: Ghosts of Rome 20) The Morning Line: Nostradamus (Remix) 21) The Armoires: Shame And Bourbon 22) It's For Fun (That's All We're Living For)
BIG STIR SINGLES: THE FIFTH WAVE crashes on your musical shore Friday, March 6, on CD and Digital Download, and is available for pre-order at www.bigstirrecords.com/store now. It's the first installment in the series for 2020, after the First through Fourth Wave CDs released throughout 2019 debuted to rave reviews and broke new ground for collections of their type, landing on Year's Best lists among proper single artist albums. The series is now firmly established as an ongoing journal of the best new music on the global pop rock scene, beyond boundaries of geography and label affiliation, and a reliably exciting rebuke to the charge that "there's no good music any more these days". What makes The Fifth Wave special? As always it features an A-side and a B- side from each of the artists featured across the most recent months of the Big Stir Singles Series, this time with an emphasis on artists from our some of our other favorite labels (Kool Kat Musik, SpyderPop Records, Karma Frog Music and our partners at Futureman Records). As always it sports liner notes from a trusted authority on the music scene, as Tsar / Brothers Steve / GoAllTheWays drummer STEVE COULTER, under his crime fiction and pop critic nom-de-plume S.W. Lauden, joins the ranks of noted music writers Carl Cafarelli, Don Valentine and John Borack in doing the honors. And artist Ridley Broome has created a unique cover graphic depicting each of the A- sides in fantasy/superhero personifications, adding the character and quirk that collectors have come to expect from Big Stir's physical releases. The Who's Who of celebrated artists, globetrotting international diversity, and profusion of exclusive tracks are as strong as ever. The collection is bookended by the physical-media debuts of tracks by two Southern California supergroups. It kicks off with THE GOALLTHEWAYS, a rapturously-received punk-goes-pop side project starring members of The Brothers Steve, The Armoires, and Sugarcult, formed to accompany the essay collection GO ALL THE WAY: A LITERARY APPRECIATION OF POWER POP, who delivers chiming harmony- laden re-imaginings of classics from The Descendents and Pink Lincolns. And it closes with the Big Stir debut single from THE FORTY NINETEENS, the garage rock superstars who count former members of The Leonards and Mary's Danish as part of their lineup, with a pair of originals that are already all over independent radio everywhere. In between there's a lot that showcases the diversity of the modern "California Sound". THE ARMOIRES themselves appear with a new single tied to a video release and a completely new (and unexpected!) B-side. BLAINE CAMPBELL checks in with some freshly-minted tunes that will delight fans of the '60s sunshine sound. Karma Frog Music vets MOD HIPPIE land a pair of epic rockers that stretch the single format to bracing effect. And from farther up the coast, THE MORNING LINE delivers two versions (one an exclusive synth- driven remix) of "Nostradamus", a song that so thrilled the Big Stir label honchos that they sought Kool Kat Musik's permission to include it. The UK is represented here by IT'S KARMA, IT'S COOL (again on loan from Kool Kat), the ace new project from ex-Popdogs frontman Jim Styring, and a welcome return from THE SPEED OF SOUND who contribute a Byrds cover that we Crosby-ites at BSR adore, as well as an acoustic reading of a vintage tune of their own. Futureman's Swedish sensation THE TOR GUIDES clock in with a giddy cover of Pilot's "Just A Smile" from their 2019 album Backwards In Reverse backed by a previously unheard track that's every bit as good. Back in the US and deep in the heart of Texas, LANNIE FLOWERS is fresh off a round of Best Album list nods for his 2019 SpyderPop release Home (which frequently rubbed shoulders on such lists with LPs fromThe Tor Guides, Campbell and The Armoires). Lannie's tracks here don't appear on that record, though – we instead have an exclusive "North Florida Version" of "My Street" and a previously online-only favorite in "Summer Blue". And keeping it stateside, it's the first dip into Singles Series waters for New York's THE STILLSOULS, with a pair of witty and passionate rockers – one of which displays more than a bit of Sunset Strip soul, perhaps bringing us full circle on this 22-song journey. The Big Stir Singles Series continues into its Sixth Wave on our official website at www.bigstirrecords.com and on all of our social media platforms under the Big Stir Records name. Previous volumes of the BIG STIR SINGLES collections can be found there, along with full length releases from many of the featured artists... with more to come through the new year!
Big Stir Singles: The Fourth Wave: Benefit CD
Includes a download of the album Big Stir Singles: The Fourth Wave
Five dollars from each purchase will be donated directly to THE ED ASNER FAMILY CENTER... thank you, friends! Track list:
1) sparkle*jets U.K.: The Ballad Of El Goodo (Alex Chilton) BSR-0020A Blue Vinyl 45, July 20 2019 2) Broken Arrows: Behind The Eight Ball (Bill Ryan) BSDS-0036A, July 26 2019 3) The Reflectors: Teenage Hearts (The Reflectors) BSDS-0037A, August 2 2019 4) Carol Pacey & The Honey Shakers: Crumb (Pacey) BSDS-0038A, August 9 2019 5) Shplang: Spanish Galleons (Marston/Krause/Cannizza) BSDS-0039A, August 16 2019 6) Dolph Chaney: It's OK (Chaney) BSDS-0040A, August 23 2019 7) The Vapour Trails: Sonic Wave (Roberson/Robertson) BSDS-0041A, August 30 2019 8) Armstrong: Love Hate Passion And War (Julian Pitt) BSDS-0042A, September 6 2019 9) The Hangabouts: Who Wants Cilla? (Gregory Addington/John Lowry/Chip Saam) BSDS-0043A, September 13 2019 10) Blake Jones & The Trike Shop: My Soft Rock Girlfriend (Jones) BSDS-0044A, September 20 2019 11) The Persian Leaps: Catnip For Cupid (Drew Forsberg) BSDS-0045A, September 27 2019 12) The Walker Brigade: Tower (Jeff Charreaux) BSDS-0046A, October 4 2019 13) Joe Normal & The Anytown'rs: Even Now (Joe Normal) BSGT-0001 Giving Tuesday Benefit Single, December 3 2019
THE B-SIDES: 14) sparkle*jets U.K.: You And Your Sister (Chris Bell) BSR-0020B Blue Vinyl 45, July 20 2019 15) Broken Arrows: Shroomitized (Chevalier/Lee/Penner/Ryan/Storms) BSDS-0036B, July 26 2019 16) The Reflectors: Desert Crusader (The Reflectors) BSDS-0037B, August 2 2019 17) Carol Pacey & The Honey Shakers: Add It Up (Gordon Gano) BSDS-0038B, August 9 2019 18) Shplang: Pickles Are Fun (Marston/Krause/Cannizza) BSDS-0039B, August 16 2019 19) Dolph Chaney: I Am The B-Side (Chaney) BSDS-0040B, August 23 2019 20) The Vapour Trails: Drowning As I Fall In (Home Demo) (Roberson/Robertson) BSDS-0041B, August 30 2019 21) Armstrong: September Skies (Julian Pitt) BSDS-0042B, September 6 2019 22) The Hangabouts: Mrs. Greene (Gregory Addington/John Lowry/Chip Saam) BSDS-0043B, September 13 2019 23) Blake Jones & The Trike Shop: Disentangled (Jones) BSDS-0044B, September 20 2019 24) The Persian Leaps: Sweet Nothings (Drew Forsberg) BSDS-0045B, September 27 2019 25) The Walker Brigade: I'm Tired (Mel Brooks) BSDS-0046B, October 4 2019
BIG STIR RECORDS is extraordinarily proud to wrap up its banner year with a very special CD and digital release. BIG STIR SINGLES: THE FOURTH WAVE arrives on Giving Tuesday, December 3 2019. With five dollars from each CD or download being donated to THE ED ASNER FAMILY CENTER and a generous helping of the exciting and often-exclusive pop rock jewels audiences have come to expect from the series, THE FOURTH WAVE sums up the BSR's generous and community-based ethos in grand style while making a difference in the lives of those with special needs and their families. The 25-track compilation will be available as of Giving Tuesday and can be pre-ordered at www.BigStirRecords.com/store now!
The first three compilations in the BIG STIR SINGLES series, collecting the label's ongoing weekly releases of A- and B-sides from a celebrated cast of bands and artists worldwide, have received rave reviews from the likes of SHINDIG! MAGAZINE, LOUDER THAN WAR MAGAZINE, THE BIG TAKEOVER MAGAZINE and more. As a collection, THE FOURTH WAVE goes far beyond offering more of the sublime same. Its literal and spiritual centerpiece is a brand new track from LA's JOE NORMAL & THE ANYTOWN'RS, "Even Now", written especially for the Giving Tuesday event with the Asner Center's mission at its heart. It also boasts the CD and digital debut of the previously vinyl-only SPARKLE*JETS U.K. Big Star/Chris Bell tribute 45 (recorded at Ardent Studios in Memphis and featuring Big Star's Jody Stephens on drums) and celebrates BSR's newly-minted partnership with FUTUREMAN RECORDS by featuring exclusive tracks from the label's flagship artists THE HANGABOUTS (Ann Arbor, Michigan) and THE VAPOUR TRAILS (Aberdeen, Scotland). It's anointed with heartfelt liner notes from pop rock authority CARL CAFARELLI of This Is Rock 'N' Roll Radio and Boppin' (Like the Hip Folks Do) and showcases the artwork of all of the original digital releases.
You'll also find two tracks each by artists from as far afield as Wales (ARMSTRONG, appearing courtesy of our friends at Canada's THE BEAUTIFUL MUSIC label), Minneapolis (THE PERSIAN LEAPS with two sizzling cuts from their brand new album), Illinois (DOLPH CHANEY's first new music in years), and Kansas City (BROKEN ARROWS with a pair of exclusives). Phoenix, Arizona roots-rock favorites CAROL PACEY & THE HONEY SHAKERS also check in with a raucous original backed with a surprise – a cover of The Violent Femmes' "Add It Up". Like all of the collection's music, they've already received worldwide airplay and independent radio chart placements attesting to their strong hooks and immediate appeal.
Naturally Big Stir's home base of California is amply represented. In addition to the Joe Normal and sparkle*jets U.K. contributions, label mainstays BLAKE JONES & THE TRIKE SHOP (Fresno) are here to demonstrate their mastery of art-infected pop. Two generations of the Los Angeles pop scene are represented by SHPLANG, celebrating 25 years of finely-crafted melodic rock, and the supercharged quintessential power pop of THE REFLECTORS, widely hailed as the great young hope of the genre. Meanwhile, THE WALKER BRIGADE roars back with a brand new A-side and caps the collection with, of all things, an art-punk rendition of a tune from the soundtrack to Blazing Saddles. As the UK's IAN CANTY has remarked of the BSR compilation series, "Something is definitely happening here, something special indeed. A real community of different artists coming together in a true DIY spirit to achieve their mostly noisy, sometimes more serene, but always stylish pop goals."
Making that something even more special this time around, and thanks to Joe Normal, is the chance for fans to show their support for a worthy cause. Compilation curators Christina Bulbenko and Rex Broome (of THE ARMOIRES and founders of the Big Stir collective) are music teachers by day have seen the uplifting effects of both music and caring education on the special needs children in their care. They're especially honored to be partnering with THE ED ASNER FAMILY CENTER, which offers arts and vocational enrichments and health and wellness programs including counseling services, as a one-stop shop for those with special needs and their families seeking wholeness in all attitudes of life. The Center acts as an oasis of balance and thought, of interaction and education. We're proud to announce that five dollars from the purchase of THE FOURTH WAVE in any format will be donated directly to the Center. Details about the Center's work can be found in the attached press release.
More about Big Stir Records, The Ed Asner Family Center, and Joe Normal can be found at the following links and on most social media platforms under the expected names:
www.BigStirRecords.com www.edasnerfamilycenter.org www.joenormalusa.com
Big Stir Singles: The Third Wave: CD
Includes a download of the album Big Stir Singles: The Third Wave
THE A-SIDES: 1) Kai Danzberg, "Finally Free" (Danzberg): BSDS-0025 / April 19, 2019 2) Paula Carino, "Flying Dream" (Carino): BSDS-0026 / April 26, 2019 3) Blow-Up, "Reckless Hearts (2018 Version)" (DiPuccio/Worth): BSDS-0027 / May 3, 2019 4) Steve Rosenbaum, "Am I Your Drug of Choice?" (Rosenbaum): BSDS-0028 / May 17, 2019 5) In Deed, "I'm Alright (When I'm With You)" (Segersvärd) :BSDS-0029 / June 7, 2019 6) David Brookings & the Average Lookings, "Destiny" (Brookings): BSDS-0030 / June 14, 2019 7) Butch Young, "Captain Serious" (Young): BSDS-0031 / June 21, 2019 8) The Brothers Steve, "Angeline" (Whalen): BSDS-0032 / June 28, 2019 9) Jim Basnight, "Never Get Lost" (Basnight/Oyabe): BSDS-0033 / July 5, 2019 10) Librarians With Hickeys, "Black Velvet Dress" (Carmen/Crooker/Crossley/Wilco): BSDS-0034 / July 12, 2019 11) Sundial Symphony, "Merri Goes Round" (Levinson/Fox): BSDS-0035 / July 19, 2019
THE B-SIDES: 12) Kai Danzberg, "Not Only Sunshine (Unplugged Mix featuring Helma)" (Danzberg): BSDS-0025 / April 19, 2019 13) Paula Carino, "Green-Wood" (Carino): BSDS-0026 / April 26, 2019 14) Blow-Up, "What Goes On (Live at The Roxy 1985)" (Lou Reed): BSDS-0027 / May 3, 2019 15) Steve Rosenbaum, "Until It Happens to You" (Rosenbaum): BSDS-0028 / May 17, 2019 16) In Deed, "Holy Ground" (Segersvärd): BSDS-0029 / June 7, 2019 17) David Brookings & the Average Lookings, "Tired of Waiting for You" (Ray Davies): BSDS-0030 / June 14, 2019 18) Butch Young, "Beautiful Dreamer" (Young): BSDS-0031 / June 21, 2019 19) The Brothers Steve, "Carolanne" (Whalen/Donnelly): BSDS-0032 / June 28, 2019 20) Jim Basnight, "Restless Night" (Basnight/DiPuccio): BSDS-0033 / July 5, 2019 21) Librarians With Hickeys, "Alex" (Carmen/Crooker/Crossley/Wilco): BSDS-0034 / July 12, 2019 22) Sundial Symphony, "Looking for Sunsets (In the Early Morning)" (Levinson): BSDS-0035 / July 19, 2019
BIG STIR SINGLES: THE THIRD WAVE is coming to CD Friday September 6, and is available for pre-order at www.bigstirrecords.com/store or download at www.bigstirrecords.com/big-stir-records-compilations now. The disc features fresh (and often exclusive) pairings of A- and B-Sides from Big Stir Records' celebrated weekly Digital Singles Series, from the likes of KAI DANZBERG, PAULA CARINO, BLOW-UP, STEVE ROSENBAUM, IN DEED, DAVID BROOKINGS & THE AVERAGE LOOKINGS, BUTCH YOUNG, THE BROTHERS STEVE, JIM BASNIGHT, LIBRARIANS WITH HICKEYS, and SUNDIAL SYMPHONY, with liner notes from DON VALENTINE of I DON'T HEAR A SINGLE.
The first installment of the Big Stir Singles CD compilations quickly sold out its first pressing (and is near to doing so in its second). THE SECOND WAVE on CD has garnered even greater acclaim, with the likes of Ian Canty of the UK's LOUDER THAN WAR MAGAZINE, saying of the compilation and its parent series:
"This is music that truly lifts the soul, makes you feel that life can still be fun, that anything is possible. It even gave this aging bag of bones a shot of fresh vigour. That is something you can't put a price on, that leap of your heart and a touch of romance that makes it feel so good to be alive, something only quality Pop Music can do. Big Stir on The Second Wave gift you tonnes of the stuff. Like a welcome breeze on a boiling hot day, The Second Wave is a pure burst of cool."
THE THIRD WAVE continues that burst with exclusives from KAI DANZBERG of Hanover Germany, who offers a sneak peek at his forthcoming EP EUPHORIA, while LA's legendary BLOW-UP contributes a brand new re-recording of a classic and a live cut from the vaults. New York's PAULA CARINO delivers our all-time best-selling single "Flying Dream", tracked with assistance from members of THE BYE BYE BLACKBIRDS and THE CORNER LAUGHERS. STEVE ROSENBAUM of the San Diego pop scene continues to pile up the one-off releases that will doubtless comprise an absolutely epic LP in what we hope is the not-too-distant future!
Elsewhere DAVID BROOKINGS pairs a prime cut from his acclaimed Scorpio Monologue LP with a solo reading of a Kinks classic, and rising Dayton, Ohio stars LIBRARIANS WITH HICKEYS make their bow on CD with twin tracks that amply justify the buzz that's accompanied their arrival on the scene. Longtime Big Stir friend and pop maestro BUTCH YOUNG returns with his first recordings since his debut album MERCURY MAN, with all his charm and songcraft intact. And BSR's own IN DEED (of Uppsala, Sweden) offer a new track from the US edition of their EVEREST album and back it with the lovely, and previously vinyl-only, "Holy Ground".
During the span from April through July of 2019 anthologized here, BSR was also honored to present the debut of THE BROTHERS STEVE (an offshoot of LA's beloved and much-missed TSAR) who would go on to make a substantial splash on the global pop scene, and showcase ex-MOBERLYS frontman JIM BASNIGHT with a cut from his new album NOT CHANGING paired with a tune co-written with Patrick "Pooch" DiPuccio of BSR's own THE CONDORS. And we also opened ears to SUNDIAL SYMPHONY, featuring LA pop scene all-arounder ROBBIE RIST and DON FRANKEL revisiting a pair of lost sunshine pop classics from PAUL LEVINSON.
The tracks have all received generous airplay throughout THE THIRD WAVE's timespan and we are delighted to once again bring them all together onto physical media as they deserve, with art design by multitalented Singles Series veteran MICHAEL SIMMONS and an exuberant essay from DON VALENTINE serving as the liner notes.
Meanwhile the Fourth Wave continues at www.bigstirrecords.com/big-stir-digital-singles having already featured artists from Kansas City, LA, Phoenix, and Chicago and heading into a run of UK-based co-releases with sister labels like Futureman Records and The Beautiful Music, with many more surprises yet to come!
Big Stir Singles: The Second Wave: CD
Includes a download of the album Big Stir Singles: The Second Wave
1) Spygenius, "If You Go A-Roving" 2) Joe Normal & the Anytown'rs, "Don't Hurt Me" 3) Clifford Ulrich, "I'm Going to Miss Her" 4) In Deed, "Don't Need, Don't Care" 5) The Kariannes, "This Song Is a Cure" 6) The Living Dolls, "Everything That Happened" 7) Charms Against the Evil Eye, "Where Are the Living?" 8) The Ex Teens, "Good News (For Shut-Ins)" 9) Popdudes, "Chains" 10) Kenny (Anton Barbeau), "My Adelphi Twin" 11) The Armoires, "(How Did You Make) A Mistake Like Me?" 12) Amoeba Teen, "Suit & Tie" 13) Spygenius, "Let Me In" 14) Joe Normal & the Anytown'rs, "Anytown" 15) Clifford Ulrich, "Like a River Glorious" 16) In Deed, "Marry Myself (Single Version)" 17) The Kariannes, "Every Word Means No" 18) The Living Dolls, "Happy Manors" 19) Charms Against the Evil Eye, "Oscar" 20) The Ex Teens, "The New Victorians" 21) Popdudes, "Dream Baby (How Long Must I Dream?" 22) Giacomo & Carolina (Anton Barbeau), "Jah Rosie, The Dainty Beast" 23) The Armoires, "Not a Good Man" 24) Amoeba Teen, "Caught in the Middle"
BIG STIR SINGLES: THE SECOND WAVE continues Big Stir Records' ongoing CD collections of the A-sides and B-sides from the label's celebrated weekly Digital Singles Series. Featuring twelve pairs of tunes from the global pop scene (with the US, UK, and Sweden represented this time around) and liner notes from Goldmine Magazine's JOHN M. BORACK (author of the recent Shake Some Action 2.0 guidebook to the best in power pop from 1970-2017), the second compilation easily lives up to THE FIRST WAVE and is perhaps the best distillation yet of the "Big Stir Sound" and the community-building efforts of label founders Christina Bulbenko and Rex Broome. It's available now on CD and Digital Download.
www.bigstirrecords.com/store
As with the first collection, THE SECOND WAVE is anything but a garden variety "label sampler" (although this time around four artists from the BSR roster, including Bulbenko and Broome's own band THE ARMOIRES, do appear). Rather, these are artists from across the broader global pop scene literally bringing their A- (and B-) game with top flight offerings which have already received ample airplay and glowing reviews as they've been issued in the course of the series. It's once again a diary of several months in the life of the guitar-pop zeitgeist, covering January through April of 2019 and showcasing a bumper crop of brand-new and often exclusive tracks.
Opening with the characteristic sparkling jangle of Canterbury's SPYGENIUS, diving straight into the impassioned working man's rock of JOE NORMAL & THE ANYTOWN'RS and the Gene Clark-esque electric folk pop of ARMOIRES bassist CLIFFORD ULRICH, this new set plays like an alternate version of a Sunset Strip gig circa 1967 or a lost playlist from the heyday of '80s college rock. The soaring "Don't Need, Don't Care" from Sweden's IN DEED, the keenly awaited debut of the multinational super-girl-group THE KARIANNES, and Christina's Motown-flavored showcase on THE ARMOIRES' "(How Did You Make) A Mistake Like Me" reaffirm BSR's affinity for the undersung female heroes of power pop.
Psychedelia informs the excellent offerings from Oxford's CHARMS AGAINST THE EVIL EYE and ANTON BARBEAU (appearing here with obscuritanist aplomb under the guises of both KENNY and GIACOMO & CAROLINA. Mainstays of the LA guitar-pop scene THE EX TEENS and THE LIVING DOLLS bring some serious glam vibes to the party while liner notes scribe JOHN BORACK's own POPDUDES (here featuring Singles Series vets MICHAEL SIMMONS and ADDISON LOVE along with Love's father TIM) demonstrate what "retro-rock" really should be, and BSR's newest signings AMOEBA TEEN (of Stourbridge, England) lay into the Jam-like lead single from their new record as well as an exclusive B-side companion piece that's as essential as anything here.
The B-sides are in fact, as always, part of the charm: where else would BARBEAU offer up a synth-dub ode to his cat, or THE ARMOIRES deploy a Meat-Loaf-via-X duet, or ULRICH deliver an honest-to-God hymn with Byrdsy grace? It takes two sides to show off what these bands can do, as in THE KARIANNE's ace cover of LET'S ACTIVE's "Every Word Means No", sung by KAREN BASSETT as the flip to MARYANNE WINDOW's original on the A, or THE LIVING DOLLS' Ray Davies-inspired shuffle "Happy Manors" as a counter to their hard-rocking lead track. SPYGENIUS get funky on the monstrous exclusive "Let Me In", TIM LOVE's vocal on ROY ORBISON's "Dream Baby" is uncannily moving, and CHARMS' "Oscar" captures the eerie drive of Barrett-era Pink Floyd while JOE NORMAL meshes New Wave with Springsteen to rousing effect. In short, these are no castoffs or failed experiments... the B's are a quirky treasure trove in their own right.
The preceding volume BIG STIR SINGLES: THE FIRST WAVE (featuring SIMMONS, LOVE, KAI DANZBERG, KARLA KANE, PLASTICSOUL and more) is still available from the label's website, and the Digital Series is well into its third wave, starring PAULA CARINO, DAVID BROOKINGS, LA legends BLOW-UP and more; it'll be anthologized in the Fall of 2019 to complete the first trilogy of compilations.
Big Stir Singles: The First Wave: CD
Includes a download of the album Big Stir Singles: The First Wave
Track List: 1. Karla Kane, "Goodguy Sun" 2. Michael Simmons, "This Is Most Certainly True" 3. Kai Danzberg with Lisa Mychols, "Let Me Know" 4. The Ex Teens, "Mikey & Murdercat" 5. Lannie Flowers, "Day Glow All Night" 6. mylittlebrother, "Love Song for an Island" 7. Trip Wire, "Act Fast" 8. Blake Jones & the Trike Shop, "String Lights and Hold On" 9. Kai Danzberg, "If Santa" 10. Plasticsoul, "The Ghost In Between Us" 11. Addison Love, "Endless" 12. Sons of Morning, "Cold and Blue" 13. The Newds, "Through the Dark Side" 14. Karla Kane, "Sisters of the Pollen" 15. Michael Simmons, "Singles Are Weaker" 16. Kai Danzberg, "Let Me Know (Instrumental)" 17. The Ex Teens, "I'll Feel a Whole Lot Better" 18. Lannie Flowers, "Lost in a Daydream" 19. mylittlebrother, "Love Song for an Island (David Teasdale Remix)" 20. Trip Wire, "Golden Gloves (Stringless Version)" 21. Plasticsoul, "Laughing Boy" 22. Addison Love, "Unsolicited Phone Calls" 23. Sons of Morning, "Evangeline" 24. The Newds, "Drawing a Line"
Big Stir Power Pop & More: The First Year (2019 Reissue)
In celebration of the three-year anniversary of BIG STIR, we present a limited-edition reissue of BIG STIR POWER POP & MORE: THE FIRST YEAR, featuring the artists who got the live series started, and including new and remixed material which makes the compilation better than ever! TRACKLIST:
The Armoires - "Alesandra 619 (The First Year
The Armoires - "Alesandra 619 (The First Year Version)"
The Living Dolls - "She's On My Mind (2019 Remix)"
Plasticsoul - "King of Hash (Edit)"
Huxley Rittman - "If I'm Still Talking To My Mama"
Cait Brennan - "Mister Fixer"
Butch Young - "Persephone"
Merit Badge - "Outta My System"
Steve Rosenbaum - "Get The Hell Out Of My Lane (2019 Remix)"
Fernando Perdomo - "Feels"
Suite 100 - "My Tell-Tale Heart"
13 Frightened Girls - "The Passing"
Walker Brigade - "DIsEASE"
Scott Samuels - "Not Far Enough"
Brandon Schott - "Dandelion Rain (Radio Edit)"
Rob Bonfiglio - "I Am Tomorrow"
Super Buffet - "El Dorado"
Jason Berk - "This Whole World"
Ballzy Tomorrow - "In The Lap Of The Gods... Revisited"
Spygenius - "Trolls"
The World Record - "The World Record (2019 Demo)"
Blake Jones & The Trike Shop - "At Every Train Stop (Big Stir Mix)"
The Condors - "Something Better Coming Soon"
The Armoires: Alesandra 619 (The First Year Version) 3:26
The Living Dolls: She's On My Mind (2019 Remix) 3:03
Plasticsoul: King of Hash (Edit) 4:40
Huxley Rittman: If I'm Still Talking To My Mama 3:38
Cait Brennan: Mister Fixer 4:16
Butch Young: Persephone 3:40
Merit Badge: Outta My System (2019 Remix) 3:35
Steve Rosenbaum: Get The Hell Out Of My Lane (2019 Remix) 2:52
Fernando Perdomo: Feels 2:18
Suite 100: My Tell-Tale Heart 3:33
13 Frightened Girls: The Passing 3:50
The Walker Brigade: DIsEASE 2:32
Scott Samuels: Not Far Enough 3:40
Brandon Schott: Dandelion Rain (Radio Edit) 2:51
Rob Bonfiglio: I Am Tomorrow 4:02
Super Buffet: El Dorado 3:19
Jason Berk: This Whole World 2:03
Ballzy Tomorrow: In The Lap Of The Gods... Revisited 3:14
Spygenius: Trolls 6:39
The World Record: The World Record (2019 Demo) 3:58
Big Stir Traveling International Roadshow
Limited Edition CD featuring the bands from the 2017 Big Stir Traveling International Roadshow tour of the UK and Ireland: Plasticsoul, The Armoires, Huxley Rittman & the Rusty Hitmen, Spygenius, Charms Against the Evil Eye, The Fast Camels, Sunshine Bloom, Toxic Melons, and mylittlebrother. Each copy individually hand-numbered.
Plasticsoul: New Town, Different Day 4:23
The Armoires: The Laws Have Changed (Roadshow Version) 3:39
Huxley Rittman & The Rusty Hitmen: If The Shoe Fits 3:13
Spygenius: Another True Story 2:53
Sunshine Bloom: I, Me, You 4:32
Charms Against The Evil Eye: Rain Never End 2:54
mylittlebrother: If We Never Come Down 3:21
The Fast Camels: Nothing's Easy 3:10
Toxic Melons: Not In Love 3:00
Huxley Rittman & The Rusty Hitmen: Can't Talk To Anyone 4:44
Plasticsoul: Come Down From Your Raincloud 3:54
Spygenius: Get Over Yourself 4:37
Charms Against The Evil Eye: Autumn's Twilight 3:59
The Armoires: Double Blades 4:03
The Fast Camels: Privately Insane 4:13
Toxic Melons: Change The World 3:33
Sunshine Bloom: Friends With Detriments 5:38
mylittlebrother: Slow Dance 2:46