ROBOTS & ELECTRONIC BRAINS

Various, Shoeshine chartbusters (CD) Shoeshine

As long as you can get away with it, it's OK to have your dad help you with your homework. Sadly, you only find out you've gone too far when the teachers cotton on...and by then it's too late. Francis Macdonald is reaching the point where he's going to have to let his children do their own thing---even if it means lower grades for a while---cos it'll be best in the long run...This 20 track compilation has his signature writ large all over it. The 6 bands who've released 7" on the label so far each contribute their A and B sides and an extra track or two: Speedboat (half of Teenage Fanclub), BMX Bandits, Alex Chilton, Radio Sweethearts (two ex-Pastels), Frank Blake (Norman from TFC) and Astro Chimp (TFC/Vaselines). McDonald plays on all of them. With the exception of Chilton and the Radio Sweethearts, all serve up that blend of classic guitar tunery that has become a Scottish stock-in-trade, fine examples of the genre, but nothing groundreaking. Radio Sweethearts play an interesting blend of country and Alex Chilton's 6 Rock'n'Roll/Soul songs recorded live sound sparsely excellent. The best two tracks here though are covers, BMX Bandits do Boyce/Hart's "Let's go where the action is" and Frank Blake cover Zappa.

On the whole, I like it. But I can't help thinking a little more variation would be good. If you're a fan of the sound, however, I reckon this is a bargain. PO Box 15193, Glasgow, G2 6LB. www.globalnet.co.uk/~shoeshine.


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