Back in 2003, Eugene Kelly, best known as being one-half of The Vaselines, recorded an album called Man Alive. It was issued, on CD, by a Japanese label called P-Vine Records.
A couple of years later, Rev-Ola Records, a reissues and rarities specialist that had originally been an offshoot of Creation Records, gave it a low-key release in the UK, again on CD.
Last month it finally received a very belated release on vinyl, courtesy of Past Night From Glasgow, a label which is an offshoot of Last Night From Glasgow with the purpose of repressing albums that have long been out of print. The blurb on the LNFG website doesn’t waste words:-
Eugene Kelly’s first solo album is a charming, low-key effort full of his trademark wit, humour, and songcraft. The bulk of the album is made up of chiming guitar pop tunes with sweet vocal harmonies.
It’s a great record, one of the best to find its way into Villain Towers this year….and there’s been quite a few albums that I’ll need to draw your attention to before the calendar flips over to 2024 so that you can, if you don’t have them already, put them on a list for posting to Santa at the North Pole.
Anyways, this is its opening track
mp3: Eugene Kelly – I’m Done With Drugs
I’m done with drugs and cigarettes
Pornography and casual sex
I’m done with drink and late night fun
My hedonism’s all been done
Because I have finally found you
And I want to build my world around you
I’m done with noise and all it brings
Sonic Youth, The Rites of Spring
I’ll mend my ways, I’ll cut my hair
I’ll even change the clothes I wear
Because I have finally found you
And I want to build my world around you
Feels like something’s got to change
Please don’t let me turn out strange
Feels like something’s got to change
Please don’t let me down
Because I have finally found you
And I want to build my world around you
Because I have finally found you
And I want to build my world around you
Three minutes of damn-near perfect pop…and maybe the best Teenage Fanclub song that none of Norman, Gerry or Raymond ever wrote.
If you want to get a copy of the album, it can be bought on vinyl from the LNFG shop, and if you combine it with some other purchases, you can save a bit of money!! Click here.
THE NEW VINYL VILLAIN 