THE PALE FOUNTAINS Longshot For Your Love (Marina)

More Mick Head, in the form of a perfectly-timed reissue of his first (recorded) band’s ‘rarities, radio sessions & prev. unreleased cuts’. Lovely, jangly, strummy, folky stuff, in the same vein as Orange Juice, Everything In The Girl or maybe even early Wedding Present, although Head’s songwriting shows only a fraction of the greatness he’d later achieve with Shack and The Strands. Rather gallingly, the sleeve of the vinyl version blares: "also available on compact disc feat. a luxurious 24-page booklet with extensive linernotes, many rare photographs and an introduction by Konishi Yasuharu of Pizzicato Five". I wouldn’t object, but I bet the CD booklet doesn’t read "also available on vinyl for half the price with much better sound"...