This is an example of a really great package; Sub Pop have outdone themselves. The album itself is incredible (more on that later) and I would have bought it had it been just the ten songs, but they've really gone to town here. Most notably there is a second vinyl containing the b-sides to Such Great Heights and The District Sleeps Alone, the first two singles, which is pretty lovely. Usually bonus tracks are tacked on because there's some dead space, but here they pressed a whole second record. On top of that you get a gatefold sleeve, a 9" 16 page booklet (like you'd get with a cd, I often feeling I'm missing out on these by buying the record), a 12"x24" two-sided poster of the artwork from the first two singles and both records are coloured vinyl (mine are transparent red, but a friend has white. No idea about print runs). This is the sort of care you expect from a tenth anniversary reissue, not the original pressing. And for a tenner! Needless to say I was excited when I saw this.
All that excitement aside, the album is truly awesome, but I knew that before I bought it. My friend Vicky had come back from America with a Postal Service song on a sampler cd and she played it to death in her car before eventually buying the album (I forget which song it was). Give Up became a big hit amongst me and my friends and I think it's safe to say we all have a copy somewhere. I'm not very knowledgeable on indie/electronica but these songs all seem to be fantastic examples of that genre. The three singles are all instant classics, but I've always been a big fan of the dark This Place is a Prison and Natural Anthem too. The highlight of the second record in undoubtedly the Iron & Wine cover of Such Great Heights, a song he really makes his own. The Shins' cover is pretty nice too. The two new songs are nice, but you can see why they didn't quite make the cut for the album. Both feel as if they were a little work short of being great; they had potential but were neglected perhaps (but what do I know? I've never written a song). Remixes rarely do much for me, but these two work well enough.
I bought this when visiting some friends in Brighton in Rounder Records. I recently learnt that Rounder is closing down which is very sad, it's never nice when a record shop closes down but especially when it's one you liked. I didn't get to visit it as often as I like, mostly because I don't often get to visit Brighton anymore, but also because when I was there I could never find it - the South Lanes are a maze and this was before the days of Google maps on your phone. Brighton is a very musical town and is (was) spoilt for record stores. Unfortunately it does seem that even the most musical of towns can't support too many independents anymore. I feel a pang of guilt every time I see that a record shop is closing that maybe I didn't do enough to help - not buying enough there, eBaying cheap cds, using play.com - but I suppose this is just the way things are going. I buy as much of my music as I can from Banquet these days. If they closed my life would change dramatically; they wouldn't be putting on great shows in Kingston and putting out great records on their own label. Also, I have no idea where else stocks the records I buy from them. And sadly, on a PhD salary I can't afford to share my financial love around all the great record stores about. It seems selfish at times, but I can't do much more.
Got a bit off-topic there! Anyway, Give Up is a great album and I fully recommend the double vinyl for many reasons. Buy it from an independent record shop and make me feel less guilty.
Format: double 12", gatefold, 9" booklet, 12"x24" double sided poster
Tracks: 16
Cost: £10
Bought: Rounder Records, Brighton
When: 24/01/05
Colour: Transparent red
Etching: none
mp3s: no
