Seven-inch Vinyl Roundup, Part Two

Dave Rave / Madnuts – Double Single
I loved Dave Rave’s Live With What You Know, so I figured I’d dig his side of the single. “Rock the Party” aims for anthem territory, and would have fit nicely on the soundtrack to Rock & Roll High School. With its timeless vibe and vaguely Bo Diddley-sort of beat, it’s easy to imaging a screen full of extras twisting and frugging to Rave and band as they chant “I don’t care” and similar sentiments. “Gimme Gimme Gimme” Rave punks it up for a swaggering, slightly menacing rocker. Imagine “Pump it Up” covered by The Damned. Much harder-rocking than the platter of powerpop served up on Live With What You Know, Rave’s side of this single likely captures something closer to his live show.

The Italy-based Madnuts have a slightly Merseybeat approach, sprinkled with a more modern vibe a la Hoodoo Gurus. “We Need Time” evokes the paisley underground scene of the 1980s, but ultimately owes more to the sixties. When a clanging piano figure comes in near the song’s end, it’s a surprise addition to what had been a simple riffy rocker. “Living Too Fast” kicks off with a drum solo and then moves into a jittery, stuttering melody, then into an almost powerpop arrangement…then back to the jitters. Then, a long and catchy guitar solo. The song is stuffed with more ideas than one usually finds in a three-minute pop song. As a sampler, this does the trick: I’d love to hear more from these guys.

The 7” Dave Rave / Madnuts 33 RPM disc is encased in a sturdy four-color gatefold sleeve.

The Ceiling Stares / The Super Vacations – Split 7” Record
This limited-run 33 RPM disc is pressed on green or purple vinyl (mine’s purple) and features one song from The Ceiling Stares and two by The Super Vacations.

The Ceiling Stares’ “A Tunnel Though the Air” combines sixties garage sonic elements – cheesy organ, distorted fuzz guitar – and creates something decidedly more modern in the process. Lots of spirited harmony vocals contrast nicely with the garage vibe, and a stomping beat propels this catchy rocker along. The Super Vacations play what we used to call pilled-up rock. Wedding pop melodies (with lush vocal harmonies) to an amphetamine beat, “Hexing” is a bit reminiscent of The Lime Spiders. (I thought there was a second track called “Controller” but I guess they segue together.)

Lovely packaging and full-color cover art on this one.

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About the Author

Bill Kopp

With a background in marketing and advertising, Bill Kopp got his professional start writing for Trouser Press. After a stint as Editor-in-chief for a national music magazine, Bill launched Musoscribe in 2009, and has published new content every business day since then (and every single day since 2018). The 4500-plus interviews, essays, and reviews on Musoscribe reflect Bill's keen interest in American musical forms, most notably rock, jazz, and soul. His work features a special emphasis on reissues and vinyl. Bill's work also appears in many other outlets both online and in print. He regularly hosts lecture/discussions on artists and albums of historical importance (including monthly events Music to Your Ears and Music Movie Mondays), and is a frequent guest on music-focused radio programs and podcasts. In Spring 2023 he taught a history of Rock 'n' Roll at UNC Asheville's College for Seniors. He also researches and authors liner notes for album reissues -- more than 30 to date -- and co-produced a reissue of jazz legend Julian "Cannonball" Adderley's final album. His first book, Reinventing Pink Floyd: From Syd Barrett to The Dark Side of the Moon was published by Rowman & Littlefield in 2018, and in paperback in 2019. His second book, Disturbing the Peace: 415 Records and the Rise of New Wave, was published in 2021 by HoZac Books. His third book, What's the Big Idea: Great Concept Albums will be published in 2024. Read even more about him here.