The Lightning Seeds - All I Want (Extended Version) (Ghetto, 1990)

Swirling indie pop gone mainstream.

Following on from the delights of 'Pure', 'All I Want' was fragile indie pop given a chart-pop makeover. The vocal is frail, the lyric is self-conscious and fey, but the backing has a sheen and lushness that you'd never have got budget for on Sarah.

Download The Lightning Seeds 'All I Want (Extended Version)' (indie pop mp3) (Box.net)

The Creation - Making Time (Planet, 1966)

Tight, angular Mod pop.

Probably best-known as the band that gave Alan McGee a name for his label and his own band, The Creation served up some tight, almost funky Mod pop.

'Making Time' is decidedly influenced by The Who, spinning some adroit guitar slashes into a chugging RnB number. Ace.

Download The Creation 'Making Time' (freakbeat, mod, mp3) (Divshare)

New Order - Sub-Culture (Record Mirror Version) (1986)

Peerless, baroque, electronic.

Posting the work of Chic led me back to New Order and this tune which always reminds of Sheila B. Devotion's 'Spacer' (written and produced by Chic).

This exclusive version of 'Sub-Culture' came as a 7" with Record Mirror magazine (don't look for it, it's not there anymore...) which was quite a treat for a freebie. The other EP in the series had Pet Shop Boys and Depeche Mode exclusives on it. How lucky we were back then...

Download New Order 'Sub-Culture (Record Mirror Version)' (Alternative, Indie, genius, mp3) (Divshare)

More great New Order stuff over on the Recycle Project.

Carly Simon - Why? (Extended Version) (WEA, 1982)

Euphoric but philosophical disco gem from The Chic Organisation.

The variety of delicious covers of Chic songs prove that Messrs. Rodgers and Edwards were genius songwriters as well as masterful musicians and producers. Not least The Memory Band's rustic version of 'Why' but also Paul Weller's acoustic take on 'Thinking Of You'.

After creating hits for themselves through the late 70s, they became a production team for hire as the 70s turned into the 80s creating some amazing records - 'Spacer' by Sheila B. Devotion, Norma Jean's 'Saturday', Sister Sledge's 'Lost In Music', Diana Ross' 'My Old Piano' - as well as being a massive influence on the likes of New Order.

This one-off single was from a film soundtrack but the skeletal funk, silvery guitar lines, clattering drum sequences, delicious flow and that melody line work perfectly with Carly Simon's vocal. It's seven minutes of bliss.

Download Carly Simon 'Why? (Extended Version)' (Chic, funk, disco, genius, mp3) (Divshare)

The Memory Band - Why? (Peacefrog, 2006)

Rustic re-setting of Chic's masterful songwriting

Chic's pneumatic Balearic classic songwriting and production for Carly Simon is a gem and deserves to be posted in its own right (maybe tomorrow...).

However, this rustic folk version reveals the genius of the original while creating a mood entirely of its own.

Download The Memory Band 'Why? (Carly Simon/Chic cover)' (Carly Simon, Chic, folk, mp3) (Divshare)