Orchids - Peel Sessions 08.05.1990 and 09.04.1994

  by Dixie Ernill

published: 3 / 7 / 2023

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intro

Dixie Ernill examines the release on 10” vinyl of two Peel Sessions from 1990 and 1994 by Glasgow indiepop band The Orchids.

Back in the 1980’s and 90’s indie kids up and down the land would be tuned to their radio cassette players two or three nights a week to listen to the John Peel show with fingers hovering over the record button to get a taped copy of their favourite bands in session. With the popularity of Sarah Records growing by the day, no doubt these two sessions by The Orchids would have received the same treatment then. Now, thirty years on, with Sarah Records being afforded near mythical reverence in some quarters these two wonderful slices of ten inch vinyl will be welcomed with open arms. Indeed, The Orchids are one of the most beloved ‘Sarah bands’, along side The Field Mice, Heavenly and Blueboy, and are still releasing first rate melodic pop and playing sublime gigs to this day. As for the songs, the 1990 session captures the band still in their relatively formative years and ‘Caveman’ originally released on mini-LP ‘Lyceum’ is particularly good. Two of the tracks would be re-recorded for 1991 ‘Unholy Soul’ album, while ‘And When I Wake Up’ was at the time exclusive to the session. The 1994 session has a more dance vibe in keeping with their album of the same year – ‘Striving For The Lazy Perfection’, which two of the tracks appeared on , but is essential for the other two unreleased tracks, the impressive ‘Patience is Mine’ being the highlight. The band would disappear off the scene for circa twelve years not long after the second session, but thankfully would return permanently in 2007 and the music world is far better for it.

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