From the often neglected area where a relatively small number of 10″ singles are stored.
The Raveonettes, hailing from Copenhagen, had gained a bit of a following in the UK back in 2002/03 thanks to a handful of excellent singles that were accompanied by fairly memorable promo videos – but let’s face it, the visual thing was quite easy to pull off when the two main members of the band, Sune Rose Wagner and Sharin Foo, had such striking looks. The debut album, Chain Gang Of Love, was a moderate success in terms of sales, but there was a feeling that firm foundations had been laid to take them to the next level.
It helped that the band was signed to Columbia Records, meaning that recording and promotional budgets weren’t too much of an issue. The second album, Pretty In Black, was recorded in two studios in New York City in 2004, which made it rather easy for a couple of genuine superstars to drop by and add their touches to what was the selected as the lead-off single:-
mp3: The Raveonettes – Ode To L.A.
The drums are courtesy of Mo Tucker of The Velvet Underground who seemingly came to the studio on her 60th birthday. The backing/co- vocals are from Ronnie Spector. The results are kind of like putting all the different parts of a jigsaw together to make for a very satisfactory outcome. Sadly, nobody paid too much attention to the single, and it limped its way to #78 in the UK singles charts, but then again, it was only actually made available on 10″ vinyl, other than a handful of promotional CDs. My second-hand copy was picked up many years later, and it wasn’t expensive. Even today, you can find it on Discogs for £3.
Here’s the b-side:-
mp3: The Raveonettes – I’m So Lonesome I Could Cry
Yup….the old Hank Williams country classic, done in a very straightforward way with just an acoustic guitar with Sune Rose on lead vocal, but joined in harmony by Sharin. It’s quite a contrast to the sort of production with which the band had made its name, but it’s a take on things that I quite like.
THE NEW VINYL VILLAIN 
Gosh, I’d assumed a song as great as Ode to L.A. would have
charted way higher. I must get more familiar with this band.
Their single Bang!: now that’s a song, and chorus, and a half.
Strangeways
I bought this one at the time and still have it. Sad it’s not worth a bit more, but then I never bought records as an investment so… It’s a fantastic single though, both sides of it. One of my favourite bands of the 21st century.