The fact that I have the long-running Saturday series focusing exclusively on music from Scottish singers or bands means I often neglect to feature some decent stuff in the midweek slots.
For instance, back in October 2013, I mentioned the fact that I had VERY belatedly discovered The Orchids some 25 years after they were at their peak and releasing all sorts of great songs on Sarah Records; it had always been my intention to follow-up that particular post with some more from the band but I never seemed to get round to it.
But here’s an effort to rectify that by showcasing the three songs that made up SARAH 23, a three-song EP from September 1989.
mp3 : The Orchids – What Will We Do Next?
mp3 : The Orchids – As Time Goes By
mp3 : The Orchids – Yawn
These really are three very fine slabs of music. Obviously had no chance of finding a big audience with the youth of the day immersed in and obsessed with baggy/Madchester. The first two tracks are along the lines of what you’d expect with As Time Goes By in particular feeling as if it would still get folk up on the indie-disco/twee dance floor. But the third is much more experimental and nature and not remotely anything you’d expect to find on the label the band were attached too. It’s also a mind-boggling seven and a bit minutes in length….which is longer than a number of four-track EPs that were being issued by a number of their contemporaries.
THE NEW VINYL VILLAIN 
One of those rare bands who get better and better. The new stuff is fantastic as well
This is kind of what I meant when I wrote the other day that the June Brides drew the C86 blueprint. Just add a trumpet.
LTM did such a fine job reissuing the band’s Sarah years, but there is nothing like the real thing. I have been lucky enough to find a handful of the original Sarah releases from the Orchids, and this is one of them. Such a great single… both sides. FORW got me to buy the more recent albums, and I will back him on his comment.