The traffic to the blog slows up over the Festive period, and it’s therefore something of an opportunity to take a bit of a breather.
Over a period of 26 days, I’ll be posting a single never previously featured on its own before – it might have sneaked in as part of an ICA or within a piece looking at various tracks – with the idea of an edited cut’n’paste from somewhere (most likely wiki) and then all the songs from either the vinyl or CD.
E is for Europe, released by Allo Darlin’ as a single in June 2012.
It’s a much delayed first appearance from Allo Darlin’ on this blog. There’s actually a possibility of an ICA sometime in 2022, but for now here’s the intro for anyone not familiar:-
Allo Darlin’ began as a vehicle for the solo songwriting exploits of Elizabeth Morris.
Australian by birth, Morris moved to London in 2005, where she began making recordings under the name the Darlings. Morris would only release one disc under this name, a three-track affair called The Photo EP, which came out on the U.K.-based indie pop label WeePOP! in late 2007. Morris changed the project’s name to Allo Darlin’ the following year, releasing a Christmas-themed EP, Merry Christmas from Allo Darlin’, shortly before 2008 came to a close.
A few months later the lineup of Allo Darlin’ expanded to become a permanent line-up of guitarist Paul Rains, drummer Michael Collins, and bassist Bill Botting.
The quartet released its first single, Henry Rollins Don’t Dance in the summer of 2009. Fortuna Pop signed the band soon after, and aftertwo more singles, The Polaroid Song and Dreaming, the band’s self-titled debut full-length was released in the summer of 2010. The reception for the album was very favourable, garnering praise from, among others, Robert Forster.
After a fairly quiet 2011 that saw only the self-release of the Darren/The Wu-Tang Clan single, they returned with a new album, Europe, in the spring of 2012, released by Fortuna Pop in the U.K. and Slumberland in the U.S.
The band spent much of the next year on the road, building up a decent sized following among indie-music fans across the world, before a third album, We Come from the Same Place, was released in October of 2014 again via Fortuna Pop and Slumberland.
Two years later, and after one further new single, Allo’ Darlin’ called it a day, in very amicable circumstances….which I might cover if I do that ICA!
The song which gave its name to the title of the second album was the third and last 45 taken from it. It was released only as a 7″, with some copies being on blue vinyl.
Like all the singles, it sold in small quantities, but that was never the point.
mp3: Allo Darlin’ – Europe
mp3: Allo Darlin’ – Some People Say (alternate version)
The original version of the b-side can be found on the album, Europe.
THE NEW VINYL VILLAIN 
Allo Darlin’ never quite quite met the dizzying heights of the fIrst raft of singles and debut LP – this is true of Europe, the single and LP. Had I never heard the debut I would have been more impressed but that is the band curse of the fickle fan, perhaps over familiar with the output to date?
I think it important to say that Elizabeth, erstwhile member of Tender Trap, really knew how to perform live and those early outings were unbelievably memorable: most notably for me as suppport to The School.
As an introduction to the band I’d steer folk in the path of JCs other recommebdations The Polaroid Song and Dreaming.
A band that did deserve to break out with their debut but it was not to be.
Tallulah is the track to get folk hooked, absolutely wonderful, especially live in the basement of the Captain’s Rest
Wonderful band. Agree Tallulah is probably the peak.