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This year’s first issue was launched by our dearly loved BMX BANDITS, of whom we had already have the honour to release a full CD (their historic “C86”, with ten extra tracks), and who came with a precious single produced by LA myth producer/composer/shaker Kim Fowley. Francis Macdonald, drummer of the band (who has collaborated with almost everybody, from The Pastels to Alex Chilton), made a one-off collaboration as well with Norman Blake (Teenage Fanclub) in another single of this issue, under the name FRANK BLAKE: a unique record which you can imagine how good it is from the class of its members. Spanish BEEF gave us such an exciting, unclassifiable single as all their latest works with three non-album tracks. They even cover Carmel (!) giving the song a sort-of Tindersticks mood(!!). I know we always say the same, but they are awesome.
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For the second issue we prepared three luscious records, as much as the elegant, advanced pop (hailing from America but clearly anglophile) of NINOTCHKA, one of our best discoveries for this year. Are they the Yank version of Broadcast? Who knows. The other two singles are not discoveries by far, because they are reknown bands in the international scene, which you will probably know and already admire. QUICKSPACE, formerly known as Quickspace Supersport, is one of the best bands in the world’s avant-rock and free-pop scene, at the same level with bands who share similar ambitions like Stereolab. We release exclusively “Amigo”, a song in Spanish for the delight of their Spanish fans. And it seems obvious that everybody knows GODSTAR, or at least Nic Dalton and his other side projects (Sneeze, Lemonheads, Smudge...): as a matter of fact, Nic has split up the band so he could dedicate more time to those projects, but not before preparing a great cover and four exclusive, unreleased tracks for Elefant and the members of its Singles Club, which could serve as the best epitaph for an exemplary career. For this record the band was very accurately called The Godstar Reminder: I’m sure none of you will forget them after this.
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On 1997´s third delivery we still bet for variety: first we have “Tremor, tremor, tremor” by British noise-popsters MAGOO. Their single is a full-blast assault based on lo-fi, violent guitar attacks. Burning content, burning cover. If you´re already Elefant fans you´ll surely know Jim Rao´s solo project ORANGE CAKE MIX and its beautiful songs in which home electronics and acoustic guitars go hand in hand as the most natural thing in the world. By the way, have you heard of a Spanish band called Family? If you like OCM you´ll probably like them too! This 3-pack is completed with one of the most international Elefant bands: LE MANS and “Mi novela autobiográfica”. Sorry if you can´t understand the superb Spanish lyrics, but anyway the song´s a 24 carat masterpiece, one of their best yet. The flip is an instrumental version, exclusive for this club, where Jone´s voice is substituted by a beautiful trombone. Quite an eccentric idea, isn´t it? But you must listen to it to believe how good the result is.
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That year’s last delivery included two songs by JACK, those ex-Too Pure-but-classy-and-elegant London band. “Cinematic” is included in their 1997 album, “The Jazz Age”, and “Fall in love with me again” appeared only on a Too Pure compilation. But these two versions are exclusive for the club and boast a trés beau nouvelle vague artwork! Then we have two Spanish pop bands: CECILIA ANN, a guitar-pop outfit influenced by Big Star or Teenage Fanclub, that is, a band with gorgeous vocal harmonies, bring us an exclusive cut, non-included in their first album “Un segundo”, plus a cover version of “A day in the life” by... is it really neccesary to finish the sentence? And then we have SHE*RIFF. As their name indicates, we´re in front of something bloody special. A sporadic collaboration between members of Spanish pop bands Nosoträsh -an Elefant all-girl-band- and Jr -experimental, jazzy-like stuff. They sound like a low-budget, toy piano Tricky -this is a compliment!- so innocent and sexy at the same time that you won’t believe your ears. Pass the champagne bottle!