14

When Mark Dobson (ex Field Mice, Northern Picture Library) the head of Prefect Records found out his 16 year old dog Alfie was dying after a trip to the vets, the pair set about capturing on vinyl a soundtrack of their last Summer / Autumn together. The dog it should be noted has sporadically been sending messages to his friends via the run out grooves on previous releases. 

They asked 14 of their favourite artists to send them tracks not previously released on vinyl, and the resulting compilation is an eclectic mix of Californian bands from what Flood Magazine termed the Janglepop Renaissance (Reds, Pinks and Purples, Massage, Telephone Numbers, Chime School, Semi Trucks ) with some of the Prefect roster ( EggS , Mt Misery, The Natvral).

The album also features the first vinyl appearances for the solo projects of 4 female singer songwriters, including Jess Weiss from Fear of Men and Morgan Stanley from The Umbrellas.

Part DIY pop magic, part love letter to a dying dog, and in a not to be re-pressed limited edition of 250 on turquoise vinyl, it collates a load of bands that are largely overlooked but in 20 years’ time people will falsely claim to “have been all over” at the time. For the record A is the first letter of the alphabet and D is the fourth letter of the alphabet and those are the initials of the dog.