FROM THE VAULTS OF A GLASGOW BASED INDIE-LABEL (2)

There wasn’t too much reaction to the first part of the look back at the output of Bubblegum Records, a Glasgow-based label that was in existence between 2009 and 2011, during which there were just over twenty releases from an incredible range of bands and musicians from all over the world.  Part One looked at Hyperbubble from San Antonio, Texas and at Lean Tales from Glasgow.

Part two looks at the magnificently named Tesco Chainstore Mascara, a duo consisting of David (instruments and vocals) and Katie (vocals), and whose band name is a pun on the 1974 slasher movie.

What else can I tell you?  David writes the tunes while Katie writes the words. I think they are from Burntwood, a former mining town in Staffordshire in the West Midlands of England (and if I’m wrong on that, blame their old myspace page).

In October 2009, their debut album Good Foundations was released on CD by Bubblegum Records.  It has 11 tracks and takes under 33 minutes to listen to.  It’s an album that has much going for it, particularly if your favourite bands have female lead singers with pleasant but not particularly distinctive voices. There are times when it reminds me of Dubstar which isn’t a bad thing, and occasionally I find myself thinking of The Primitives, The Darling Buds, Tracey Ullman, Amelia Fletcher, and, whisper it, Sarah Cracknell. Of the bands who have come along after them, then fans of The Lovely Eggs are likely to enjoy things.

mp3: Tesco Chainstore Mascara – You Lost Me At Hello
mp3: Tesco Chainstore Mascara – Beautiful Life
mp3: Tesco Chainstore Mascara – M62

Oh, and there’s one song where David takes the lead vocal:-

mp3: Tesco Chainstore Mascara – Just The Weight You Are

It’s a CD that won’t change the world – indeed, the fact that it was their only physical release during the time the duo were together, kind of proves that to be the case. But there are far worse and less interesting ways to spend your time listening to music.

JC