That's it for my A-sides round-up.

I have not discussed tracks on 7" e.p.s or double A-sides, or embarrassments like the Airport Girl records I bought thinking they were by a different band who did not suck. One thing I did find when rummaging through my 7" collection for things to talk about was an unplayed e.p. by The Go! Team that I never knew I had. It turns out to be amazingly scratchy sounding, but then isn't everything by them?

Coming soon: B-sides.

Wintergreen 'The Magic Road'

Signed by two of the band! I may know of this band through the Internet, but Wintergreen have nothing of the fey about them. It sounds almost like motorik indie.

Sebadoh 'Not Too Amused'

Wow, this brings me back – remember Sebadoh? They were that kewl US indie band who then disappeared up main guy Lou Barlow's arse when he decided that the band should be all about his whiny songwriting and not crazy lo-fi sounds. This is from when they were still good.

Discordia 'Discordia's Brazilian Ambassador'

You know, I don't think I have ever listened to this before now, despite buying it at an ATP record fair some years ago. It does not really live up to the name or the somewhat bizarre sleeve, being a kind of nicey instrumental track. Oh wait, there is some squawky vocals buried in it, but they are not very discordian.

The Mountain Goats 'See America Right'

Yer man from ILX rants and raves over an insistently rhythmic backing.

Dire Straits 'Twistin' by the Pool'

Look, we all make mistakes.

The Chalets 'Theme From Chalets'

I am almost sick of this song I have heard it so many times – almost.

Sheila B. Devotion 'Spacer'

It is actually Sheila & B. Devotion, but i) Sheila on its own is a rubbish name for a singer and ii) B. Devotion is a rubbish name for a backing band. Anyway, Tom Ewing and/or Alex Thomson persuaded me to buy this for 10p once, on the basis that it is a Chic Organization production. And it is awesome, in its own way as epic as LLPJ, with I suppose the greatest moment being when Nile Rodgers' chopping guitar suddenly switches into this mad wistful solo that never once distracts you from the beat. Once again it reminds me of how I wish there was a compilation of the Chic Organization's greatest hits.

You can download the song from here: Boogie Friday's Greatest Hits. There is also a link from there to a site with the video.

Belle and Sebastian 'Lazy Line Painter Jane'

Many have said that this is the greatest B&S track, although I have heard it suggested that guest vocalist Monica Queen sounds almost like someone you would get singing at a wedding. I do love this track though, it just builds and builds and builds and is completely epic in a way nothing by the band ever was again.

Marxman 'Ship Ahoy'

Irish rappers… Irish political rappers. In this one they explain Third World exploitation to a nautical musical accompaniment (the song is about ships sailing to enslave people during the great age of maritime imperialism). It should not work, but it does. As music, I mean; the actual socioeconomic analysis is a bit simplistic.

The Sugarcubes 'Birthday'

Björk squawks over nice music by the band, back before she went solo and rubbish. They may have better songs (or they may not), but you can see why everyone loves this.

Frankie Goes To Hollywood 'Two Tribes'

I remember planning to put this on if they ever sounded the incoming missiles warning. Young people – this is from when everyone was afraid that the world was about to end in a nuclear war.

The Manic Street Preachers 'Slash 'n' Burn'

This is a good example of how turgid and uninteresting most of the Manics' musical output was. In retrospect, what did people like me see in this band?

The Wedding Present 'The Queen of Outer Space'

This was the eleventh single they released in 1992, and like so many songs by the band it seems to be about how David Gedge is in love with someone who does not love him back. There is some great guitar riffola and screaming action in this one, making this song very different song to everything else the band released.

Shakin' Stevens 'This Ole House'

Shaky is weird, quintessentially 80s despite his pastiching of an earlier rock and roll era. He also invented that whole "cover a song in a completely different style" thing that is so popular with the young people today.

This record is, of course, awesome.

Dinosaur Jr. 'Just Like Heaven'

A cover of the classic track by The Cure. This version is very enjoyable, perhaps more so than the original given Jay Mascis' more pleasant voice, but the abrupt close means you cannot DJ with it without people thinking you cannot DJ.

The Smiths 'This Charming Man'

Another reissue. This was The Smiths' first hit. Great guitar intro, great lines about not having a stitch to wear and so on.

The Kingsmen 'Louie Louie'

This is the greatest single ever released. What I have is a reissue, obviously, but still lots of fun. There are so many great things about this track, but currently it is the drumming mostly rocks my world.

Why am I talking about this song? The latest issue of Frank's APA has a theme: A-sides. So I wrote about a-sides to some random 7" singles I own. And so I will have loads of inconsequential little entries for Inuit Bikini Scarlet Carwash for some time to come.