LAST JAMES Kindergarden 1997 UK NEO PSYCH XTC LP LISTEN

$

56

WHAT WE HAVE HERE IS…

THE LAST JAMES "Kindergarden" LP

Original 1997 LP on the UK TENTH PLANET label, TPSUN505 ONLY 1000 PRESSED

Cover:  NEAR MINT

Vinyl:  CLEAN, plays NEAR MINT

Limited 1000 only beautiful gatefold LP pressing of the Last James 1997 release “Kindergarten” on the Tenth Planet label.  No relation to James Last.  It’s on the Tenth Planet label, known for digging up obscurities from UK popsike past.  Only thing – the Last James are a NEW band, albeit one that’s been listening to the sounds of UK popsike past.  I’m reminded of bands like the Dukes of Stratosphear, Jellyfish, Martin Newell and the Cleaners from Venus…are those considered vintage bands now?  Well, if you liked those old-school bands as much as I did, you’ll dig the Last James too – and a gatefold vinyl pressing, how authentic!  In fact, the title track sounds so much like XTC’s alter egos, you might think it was an outtake from “Psonic Psunspot,” with its decidedly British teatime melody, bouncy beat and distorted megaphone vocals.  Retro sounding without actually sounding retro, if that makes sense – in other words, borrowing from the past but not apt to fool anyone into thinking they’re the genuine article.  The kind of music the Starlight Mints might listen to in their spare time, or the Olivia Tremor Control, or early Apples in Stereo.  But where the Dukes and the Cleaners mimicked the UK sounds of the late 60’s, neither ever got around to recording a Left Banke homage – an oversight if there ever was one.  Well, the Last James do, on the exquisite “Better Put Some Light in Here”.  With its bright baroque melody with nifty minor key twists, fey falsetto vocals and liberal use of the harpsichord, you’d be forgiven if you thought it was something lifted off of Leftbankeisms 3.  But if you REALLY wanna talk baroque pop, go back to its origins in the Beatles “Eleanor Rigby”, to which the Last James pay their utmost respect in the Beatles pastiche “The King Has Left His Castle”.  If that sounds a little close to your favorite Jellyfish track, the similarity doesn’t end there – you can play spot the influence in both.  We start out with a few giggling girls – not normal girls, mind you, but girls stuck somewhere between worlds, like the little girl lost under the bed in The Twilight Zone, laughter echoing hazily through the ether.  Soon after, a swirling miasma of strings rolls slowly in, and distorted sad lead vocals begin telling the tragic tale of a small town’s loneliness – okay, that’s about as close as you can get to “Eleanor Rigby” without Paul’s lawyers racing to the phone.  The little girl returns to close out the song with some poetry, while being accompanied by a droning George Harrison sitar.  A regal fanfare of the king’s trumpets ushers in the next song, “Civlization”, which continues the passage to India on a bed of exotic Eastern instruments, tablas and deeply rumbling bass.  This one’s a total head(phone) trip, accented with the sounds of thunder and rain, low growling noises and some very odd bleats that sound suspiciously like one of the rubber suit monsters that once battled Ultraman.  The rain picks up as the song fades out, and serves as a fitting backdrop for the next song, appropriately titled “Watery”, which arrives with a single floor-shaking thunderclap.  This is classic popsike decked in all the trippy trimmings of the time – like distorted backing vocals – but also given an irresistibly catchy chorus deserving of the Dukes.  Or maybe even their alter egos XTC circa “Skylarking”.  Or maybe even the mighty Jellyfish.  Or, dare I say, McCartney himself? 

click below to hear how watery this little trip can get:

The less exciting stuff

Media mail shipping with delivery confirmation starts at $4.00 in the US, with each additional record only $1 additional shipping.  ALL DOMESTIC ORDERS REQUIRE DELIVERY CONFIRMATION, WHICH IS AN EXTRA 75 CENTS.  Air mail shipping to Canada starts at $10 US, each additional record $2 shipping.  Air mail shipping everywhere else in the world starts at $16 US, with each additional record only $3 shipping.  ALL FOREIGN ORDERS REQUIRE CERTIFICATE OF SHIPMENT, WHICH IS AN EXTRA $1.10.  I accept payments through Paypal, or you can send checks and money orders made out in US dollars.  Items paid by check are held 14 days for the check to clear.

I try to grade as best as I can, and I list as many blemishes/imperfections I can find (writing, ringwear, scuff marks, etc.) – Also, please note that I DO listen to these albums – I may not listen to every track, but my grades are based on LISTENING, not just looking at it, since chances are you’ll be listening to the record you buy, not just looking at it.  Most of the albums I sell are the ones I’ve enjoyed for years – and I treat my records with kid gloves.  But sounds speak louder than words, so check out the sound clips below – they’re from the actual record you’re bidding on. 

SHIPPING AND PACKAGING

Listen, I buy a bunch of records too (when I’m not getting outbid at the last second, which is more often than not) – and I know what it’s like to get a rare, one-of-a-kind album packaged dangerously in a flimsy bubblewrap package.  I hate that too.  So rest assured, I ALWAYS package albums with stiff cardboard reinforcements, same for 45s.  And yes, the records are removed from the sleeves (for albums).  I ship out once a week, every Friday, because I have a regular day job.  But I’d be willing to give that up if you’d all be so kind as to bid my items up to stupidly high amounts. 

And finally, I include delivery confirmation on all shipments inside the US.  This is my proof of shipment, and also helps us to track your package if it doesn’t arrive when it should.  I will email you within 2 days of shipment and give you the confirmation number at that time.  Insurance is always optional, but for larger orders, it’s highly recommended.   I DO NOW REQUIRE THAT ALL FOREIGN BUYERS PAY AN ADDITIONAL $1.10 FOR PROOF OF SHIPMENT.  IT'S A NOMINAL FEE AND THE CHEAPEST WAY FOR ME TO PROVE THAT I ACTUALLY SHIPPED YOUR PACKAGE AND DIDN'T JUST POCKET YOUR MONEY AND SKIP TOWN.  For more security and international tracking, you may request GLOBAL PRIORITY MAIL - but bear in mind the cost of this service is upwards of $30.  For expensive items, however, it may be well worth it.  Unfortunately, there isn’t a cost-effective way of tracking parcels to foreign countries yet, and shipping times vary depending on your country’s postal system.   Italy in particular seems to be really bad at delivering packages quickly, or delivering packages at all, now that you mention it.  I will always email you when your package ships, but once it’s on its way, please don’t ask me when it will arrive because I don’t know.  If the world’s postal systems can ever agree on a universal tracking system that’s affordable, I’ll be the first to use it.

NOW IT’S YOUR TURN…

I will always leave positive feedback for successful transactions, and would appreciate the same in return.  All I ask of you is the following – please pay for your items within 14 days of the close of auction.  Compared to other sellers, that’s a generous amount of time, so if you don’t pay within 2 weeks, then I have to assume something’s wrong.  You’ll get an Ebay payment reminder at that point, and possibly a decapitated horse head in your bed.  If, after 30 days, you still haven’t forked up the cash, I’ll relist the item and yell at you if I ever see you in town.