OPTIC NERVE, the Preston label which is repressing indie 7″s with love and care in its singles series, version 3.0 of which is with us now, have just added a single by Northumberland indiepoppers The Nivens to its canon.
In recent times, the label has brought us reissues of The House of Love’s “Christine”, Revolving Paint Dream’s “In The Afternoon” and Camper Van Beethoven’s “Take The Skinheads Bowling”, among other absolute gems you could’ve cheerily bet your bottom dollar you’d never see come out again on vinyl – and it’s coloured vinyl, to boot.
You can hear “Yesterday” below; a proper post-C86 nugget of wistful, chiming tweepop, one for Sarah Records and Biff Bang Pow! fans for sure. I missed this at the time so I’m after this, espesh on white vinyl.
The Nivens hailed from Northumberland and issued a trio of singles for Woosh from ’87 to ’89, of which “Yesterday”/”I Hope You’ll Be My Friend” was the second, and made the Indie charts top ten on original release.
The two-track 7″ with postcard and poster is part of Optic Nerve’s excellent Optic Sevens 3.0 series, which also includes the aforementioned House of Love and Camper Van Beethoven gems, with East Village’s “Back Between Places”, Girls at Our Best!’s “Getting Nowhere Fast” and Beat Happening’s “Crashing Through” also among its hallowed annals. Superb.
You can order The Nivens’ “Yesterday”/”I Hope You’ll Be My Friend” white vinyl 7″ direct from Optic Nerve, here; or subscribe to the full set of 12, here.
