Glass Arcade (Sarah)

Sometimes a rummage in bargain bins can totally change your life. Lets go back to late 1992, in my favourite indie record shop i was rummaging through the "bargain" CDs and came across Glass Arcade and Air Balloon Road, two compilations from Sarah Records. Well of course i knew of Sarah bands, the Melody Maker said they were shit. But i hadn't actually ever heard any Sarah songs... so i bought both and decided to see if the respected weekly music paper was right. It was wrong as usual...

My life changed. My tastes in music changed. Whereas before i pretended to like "cool" bands now i discovered bands like The Field Mice and The Orchids who i really liked. So this compilation, one of a regular series collecting together songs previously released on 7" singles, is so chock full of great songs. Including Eternal of course, this is the only place you can get their songs off their unmatched sole single on CD.  One of the best shoegaze noise singles ever released, pop glory bursting through glorious noise. Oddly enough though their best song "Take me down" isn't on Glass Arcade which is a shame, so here it is instead.
What is on here? Several superb Field Mice songs such as "Quicksilver" which i think is one of their finest. The Sea Urchins' "a morning odyssey" has one of the most heart felt choruses you'll ever here. The Orchids are of course a highlight with their "Something for the longing". There are indeed very few bad songs on here. Heavenly's song perhaps but then again i never could get into them...