Mono Retriever b/w Pepsi Vacuum
scum stats: limited to 1000 copies on purple vinyl
The chugging rhythm of "Mono Retriever" delights while its crisp, quasi-motorik drums and airy, paired vocals recall the finer moments of Stereolab. "Pepsi Vacuum" could have two meanings, right? Like...a suction based device that siphons up a sub-par cola drink - OR - a place where there is absolutely none of said cola to be had...like Atlanta. The shimmering tremolo affect on the "Pepsi" belies the fact said sound is actually emanating from a guitar in that Kevin Shields-y sort of way while the drum programming (is it even programmed? or is a person playing this?) recalls finer moments of Stereo Total.
Cover art is just about as Joan Miro as you could imagine without actually being a Joan Miro artwork. Done by Emma Moatman...I'm curious if that was the point, or if hearing such observations would be taken the wrong way.
In short...I don't cross paths with much these days that sounds like Dummy. Totally worth tracking down and as strong a reminder as ever that the Sub Pop Singles Club is absolutely providing the utmost bang for your buck.
Elephant “#”….
I’m not trying to come off as obsessive but I’ve thought about this for years. Edmonton, Alberta June 30th 2007 vault. The cover is the red airline guitar with the headstock broken but still standing and the peppermint kick punched out in the exact spot I saw the mugging. With the back drop of the show conference alley way (gatefold cover obviously). Pressed on concrete and blood coloured vinyl. Includes a bonus 7 inch with two songs from the Edmonton b-show at the youth centre.
I’m unsure if people outside of Canada know how much the under the great white northern lights tour means to people from Canada. Specifically dear to the hearts of the indigenous Canadians. A best selling band at their height played the territories. That’s unheard of. It’s unheard of for anyone to play the territories, let alone the white stripes. People have told me about their stories from the Yellowknife show. It was the first show for a majority of the people attending. They brought their young children, grandparents, aunties and uncles. Whole families went to see the shows at the territories because that stuff doesn’t happen. I don’t even know anyone who has ever been to Nunavut, but the white stripes played a show there. When I wear my white stripes shirt I often get stopped by people on the street who want to tell me their story about seeing the white stripes on that tour. That tour means so much to Canadians. It shined a light on our land in a way that has never been done since. Canada is more than Toronto and Montreal. I’m lucky that I’m from Edmonton and we get a good amount of shows, but even with our fancy new arena we often get skipped on tours. Imagine a province or territory that doesn’t even have an international airport. Canada loves the white stripes from the corners of the territories to the streets of Toronto. Thank you everyone at third man who was part of that tour. It means so much.
Sorry about this being unrelated but: Hey Ben. I’m not sure if you remember me but I wrote in a little story into the vault about seeing a mugging outside the white stripes show as a child in Edmonton Alberta which my parents wouldn’t let me attend because it was GA. So while my older brother got to the show my dad walked me around the venue to hear the muffled sounds of jack and Meg. I ended up winning a 7 inch and a personal phone call from Mr. Blackwell on Valentine’s Day back in 2020 (that’s right my 2020 Valentine was Ben Blackwell). I was too star struck, and hungover, to really ask you what I should have asked you. Which is; Do you think I could hear a recording of the Edmonton show I never got to go to? The show that I have my brother’s ticket stub framed in my room. The show I lie about and say that I went to. I always wish that when we were speaking on the phone I would have asked you to consider putting that show out as a vault or possibly letting me hear the recording of that show? Thanks for all you do for the fans Ben. And thanks for personally calling me that day, it’s a story that I tell anyone who will listen to me. “Hi my name is George and I once shook Sean Penn’s hand in a thrift shop (he hated it, I loved it) and Valentine’s Day 2020 I woke up to a phone call from Ben Blackwell”.
P.s. legend goes that Jack played a behind the head solo for ball and biscuit at that Edmonton show.
1. I wish it had more bass (kidding)
2. It sounds like like the feeling you get when you arrive at a place you’ve never been before.