Various Artists – Lost Alternatives Part 2 (The Other Lost Alternatives)

You really know when you are getting on a bit when the music of your youth becomes the subject of box set retrospectives, containing rare tracks, forgotten artists and the odd unreleased song. Between 2019 and 2021, there were three of these looking at the British music scene in the 1990s. These were ‘Steve Lamacq – Lost Alternatives’ (2019), ’Martin Green Presents: Super Sonics – 40 Junkshop Britpop Greats’ (2020), ’Caught Beneath The Landslide (The Other Side Of Britpop And The ‘90s (2021)’. These were jam packed with names I remember but loads that I did not. What I have been surprised about is that there has not been a second volume.

I thought I would see if I could produce my own box set following a similar template laid out by the ‘Lost Alternatives ’ by choosing tracks from the whole decade, but I would not be allowed to use any songs from the three compilations above*. I would also not be allowed to any songs that I have placed on any of the compilation or lost albums that I am posting or already posted this year. I also could not use the same artist more than once (unless guesting with someone else). This did prove to be a bit of a challenge but this is what I came up with. 

Some of the more well known names represented with rare tracks such as B-Sides. I have also looked to include only bands from the British Isles, even though the odd interloper will make an appearance. Steve Lamacq also had nothing to do with this either. 

Disc 1

1. Heavenly Pop Hit – The Chills
2. Rollercoaster – The Jesus & Mary Chain
3. 13th Disciple  – Five Thirty
4. Kinky Love – Pale Saints
5. Inertia – Blur
6. Dogs With No Tails – The Pale
7. Which Way Should I Jump? – Milltown Brothers
8. Twiggy Twiggy – Pizzicato Five
9. Here’s Where The Story Ends – The Sundays
10. Alternative Title – Carter, The Unstoppable Sex Machine
11. Funny How – Airhead
12. Touched By The Hand Of Cicciolina – Pop Will Eat Itself
13. Yr Own World – The Blue Aeroplanes
14. Obscurity Knocks – The Trash Can Sinatra’s
15. Cherry-Coloured Funk – Cocteau Twins
16. Gimmie Some Truth – The Wonder Stuff
17. Flying – The Telescopes
18. Sweetness & Light (Demo) – Lush
19. Leave The All Behind – Ride

Disc 2

1. Unstable – Flamingoes
2. If I Can’t Change Your Mind – Sugar
3. Judy Over The Rainbow – Orange
4. Dream – Pooka
5. Lowdown – Elextrafixation
6. Without Doubt – Mantaray
7. City Sickness – Tindersticks
8. Girl At The Bus Stop – My Drug Hell
9. Kent – Salad
10. Still Hanging Around – AutoPop
11. Every Day – Brianpool
12. Halo – Girl Of The Year
13. What’s What We’ll Do – The Poppies
14. Not Even Starcrossed – Telstar Ponies
15. In The Groove Again – Out Of My Hair
16. Undecided – Shack
17. So Glad (Album Version) – Thrum
18. White Love (Radio Mix) – One Dove
19. Souvlaki Space Station – Slowdrive
20. (Come On, Join) The High Society – These Animal Men
21. Kenuwee Head – Voodoo Queens

Disc 3

1. Who’s That Girl – The Mystics
2. Disco Hell – The Candyskins
3. Go Go Pepper – Tip Top Planets
4. Lewis Brightworth – Thurman
5. Seems You’ve Missed Sunday – The Weekenders
6. Out Of The Void – Grass Show
7. Sucrose – The Delgados
8. Spice Girls (Who Do You Think You Are?) – Period Pains
9. Teenage Girl Crush – Angelica
10. Mail Monarchy – Compulsion
11. Stand Up – Lick
12. Me & Mr Lonely – Pimlico
13. Working On A Beautiful Thing – The Pooh Sticks
14. Fear Of Flying – Ruth
15. The Milkman – Mice
16. Strawberries & Cream – Boutique
17. Sex & Cheques – Jolt
18. Kylie & Jason – Midget
19. Ignoramus (Alternative Version) – Baby Chaos
20. Ecstacy – Deluxor
21. Strength – Comet Gain
22. Loves A Cliché – The Karelia
23. I’m In Love – Taxi Driver
24. Twist – Arnold
25. Alfie – Don
26. Welsh Bands Suck – Teen Anthems

Disc 4

1. Heavens Above – Hillman Minx
2. Say Something – The Smiles
3. I Messiah, Am Jailer – AC Acoustics
4. Overthrown – Labido
5. I Was Starving Hungry (In Tesco’s) – Mogul
6. Hot Topic – Le Tigre
7. Daria – Chicks
8. Girlie Pop – Pop Tarts
9. Super Sexy Razor Happy Girls – Mika Bomb
10. Spyder – Jetsons
11. The Wee Wee Song – Girlfriendo
12. Ray Liotta – Linoleum
13. Jediwannabie – Bellatrix
14. Killing The Bland – Prolapse
15. Dirty Weekend – The Dandys
16. The Hymn For The Cigarettes – Hefner
17. Sweeping The Nation – Spearmint
18. The Book Lovers – Broadcast
19. Looking For Sparks – Seafruit
20. Shirley Wall – Doberman
21. Better Made – Head-swim
22. Baby Come On – Spacemaid
23. Disco 2000 (Original Mix) – The Lance Gambit Trio

The cover is adapted from one used for a Spotify playlist which represented tracks that didn’t quite make the ‘Lost Alternatives’ four CD box set. 

*I suspect that I will have doubled up on at least one song.