50/Fifty Coming Up: #12 and #11

Almost into the top 10. But before that, The Chemical Brothers and Secret Knowledge just miss out.

At #12, The Chemical Brothers are another act who had lots of claims for the 50/Fifty. But since there can be only one, this is where the buck stopped. With The Private Pyschadelic Reel from 1997.

Now, I know a number of people would have gone for something like Grammy-award winning Block Rocking Beats or Song To The Siren from 1992 (under their original Dust Brothers name), perhaps even suggesting I should have picked a Weatherall remix of that track.

But there’s something infinitely more complex and rewarding about The Private Psychedelic Reel. From the backwards sounds at the start, to the clattering drums to the use of clarinet. This is a sprawling, neo-Beatles track that just so worked in a live context.

Best bit: the second break at 6.10.

At #11, and just missing out on the top 10, is Secret Knowledge (Kris Needs and Wonder – more here) and their 1993 classic release Sugar Daddy on Weatherall’s Sabres of Paradise label. The version to go for is the Out Of Our Brains On The 5:15 Mix by The disco Evangelists (David Holmes and Ashley Beedle). From the rain at the start, to Wonders sultry vocal and the properly slow build, this is an amazing example of early 90s prog house.

Best bit: Wonder’s breathy “I don’t want to forget what we had; cos you’re my sugar daddy” at 2.30

And here’s the original mix

~ by acidted on January 15, 2013.