New Slowdive Comp: The Shining Breeze

I was perusing Amazon earlier today when I came across a listing for The Shining Breeze, a two-disc Slowdive compilation that will be released later this month on Cherry Red Records (who will apparently be releasing several Slowdive-related titles).

Here’s the complete tracklisting:

Disc 1

1. Slowdive
2. Avalyn I
3. Morningrise
4. She Calls
5. Catch The Breeze
6. Golden Hair
7. Shine
8. Spanish Air
9. Erik’s Song
10. Waves
11. Primal
12. Alison
13. So Tired
14. Moussaka Chaos

Disc 2

1. Souvlaki Space Station
2. Machine Gun
3. Sing
4. Here She Comes
5. Altogether
6. Dagger
7. Some Velvet Morning
8. In Mind
9. Good Day Sunshine
10. Country Rain
11. Rutti
12. Miranda
13. Trellisaze
14. Cello
15. Visions Of La
16. Blue Skied An’ Clear
17. All Of Us

About half of the songs on The Shining Breeze also appeared on 2004’s Catch The Breeze compilation. However, The Shining Breeze does feature several EP/B-side tracks, including some pre-Pygmalion electronic excursions (“In Mind,” “Good Day Sunshine”).

While I do feel a certain obligation to purchase anything Slowdive-related, I’m probably going to pass on The Shining Breeze. I’ve already got all of these tracks in my collection, and as far as I know, nothing has been remastered here, just recompiled. However, given that Catch The Breeze is now out of print, this might be just the thing for any Slowdive newbies out there — for anyone who has heard enough of my raving and wants to check out the band for themselves.

That being said, if anyone from Cherry Red Records happens to read this, I’d love to see a compilation of true Slowdive rarities, such as the Pygmalion demos or the band’s work on the I am the Elephant, You are the Mouse soundtrack. Both of these, as well as other Slowdive ephemera, can be downloaded from numerous MP3 blogs, but it’d be nice to have an official release or two.

The Shining Breeze was compiled by Kieron Tyler and will be released on April 29.