Fuck Your Sympathy

So after what must be at least two years of talking about it, I finally caved in and traded away a record from my collection that I didn't really want to part with. I'm not going to say what record it was, but suffice to say that it was a test press, and the main reason that I gave it up was that I got an offer that I couldn't really refuse. So I finally said yes to the proposed deal and sent off my record, and I received this beauty in return:

To clarify matters, this is a test press for the Unbroken 'Ritual' LP on New Age Records. I don't think I have ever met anyone who thinks that this LP is superior to their second LP (the now legendary 'Life. Love. Regret'), although when I play this one I find it tough to imagine that there could be a better record in existence. As some general advice, I'd say that you should never allow yourself to forget how good this LP is. If you're at all sceptical, go and put the thing on right now. You'll be agreeing within seconds. It's fucking incredible. I'm lucky as hell to have this test press, and I'm stoked that it came in a sleeve too, for shelf filing purposes.

It doesn't just stop there though. In negotiating the trade, as often happens, we decided to expand the deal. I gave up something else that I'm not going to mention, and in return got hold of another legendary New Age records test press. Catalogue number 10.

For those of you not familiar with what NA10 is (which I can forgive as not even I know many catalogue numbers off the top of my head), I dug out the regular record so I could snap the test (not literally) with a cover. And all so that your brain could compute what this record is.

Man, I love this record. Back when I was getting into this shit, this 7" was one of the first straight edge records I heard, and it blew me away. I'm stoked to have this test, although it's not anywhere near enough compensation for the red vinyl version that got lost in my missing parcel.

In Faith & Loyalty

I lost touch with React! Records a long time ago. The label started strong, got a little lost for a while, and then Ev took it over and brought it back stronger than ever. But after the 'lost' period, I removed the label from my list of labels I could trust, and unfortunately it has never made it back on there. These days I pick up some of their releases, but I'm a long way behind the preorder crowd. So by the time that I started to see pictures of the For Pete's Sake 'In Faith & Loyalty' LP on clear blue vinyl appear, and decided that I wanted one, it was long gone. A couple of months later and I picked one up on Discogs.

I really like the artwork on this thing. I love how it's not typically hardcore. The front cover looks like something you'd find hanging on the walls of Tate Modern, and the clear blue vinyl goes with it perfectly.

This band features Peter from Sportswear on vocals, but this is nothing like that band at all. For Pete's Sake sounds a lot more mature, which is exactly what you'd expect from a band in their 40s. I've been enjoying it a lot recently, although it took a few plays to get into it. It's definitely a grower rather than an instant hit I guess, which is the exact opposite to the cover and lovely clear blue vinyl.