So I was in Valley Village last week looking through some guy’s record collection, and I stumbled across a bunch of private press releases that I immediately added to my pile for purchase, because you never know when those things are suddenly going to become valuable. There were also some really weird micro-label releases that looked appealing (either for artwork purposes or because they just had weird, funny titles). One of those LPs with unusual, intriguing artwork was released by Midnight Music in 1985. That label was a UK post-punk/experimental label who released records by Sad Lovers And Giants, The Field Mice, and Robyn Hitchcock.
The LP I found, which was recorded by a band called Hearts On Fire, is called Dreams Of Leaving. The band consisted of Syn D’Cody on vocals, Billy Finn and Mitch Beam on guitar, Mike Edmonds on bass, and A. F. Tolson on drums. The LP includes an insert with a cartoon depiction of the band’s history called “The Hearts On Fire Story.”
It reads: “Mitch and Mike were school chums…Mitch didn’t know whether to play with his dinky or his fire engine. Mike asked Billy if he played guitar — after all, it was the hope & anchor…and he wore Roger McGuinn sunglasses. They were introduced to Syn at a Brixton rodeo. Even cowgirls sing the blues…They wrote songs in a house full of aardvarks. Mitch didn’t know whether to play with the band. They twisted his arm, but he could still play guitar. They needed a drummer — luckily there was a fresh delivery from Canada — A. F. Tolson was on it. An aardvark introduced them to the midnight rumbler. They made a record in Alaska with Dave. Here it is…”
I can’t figure out where they were from, how long they remained active, or any other details about the history of the band. They apparently released a four-song EP a few months before this record came out in 1985, but that’s all I know. Their sound is super-jangly indie pop with saccharine melodies. If you’re into stuff like Orange Juice, The Wolfhounds, or any of those C86 bands, you’ll probably take great interest in this record.
Hearts On Fire
Dreams Of Leaving
MegaUpload Download Link
Tracklist:
01. (You Promised Me A) Camera
02. Flamingo Affair
03. Hidden Heart
04. Love On Trial
05. This Sultry Day
06. Zero Ours
07. You May Not Know
08. Fire One
09. Everything To Me
10. Shall We Be Dancing?
11. Seasons
