News: NOW Yearbook 1978

23 03 2023

NOW Yearbook ’78 is a new 4CD or 3LP collection that covers one of the greatest years for UK pop singles. The compilation is available on vinyl – with a 3LP limited pink vinyl release featuring 46 tracks, and two versions of the CD release: the limited hardback 4CD version (including a 28-page booklet featuring a summary of the year, a track-by-track guide, a quiz, and original singles artwork) and a standard 4CD version, both featuring the same 85 tracks.

Now Yearbook 78 vinyl cover

It is worth noting that the limited editions (vinyl and hardback) usually sell-out, and if you don’t want to pay a premium tracking down more expensive copies on Discogs or eBay, if you are interested, get your pre-order in.

1978 was a great year for so many genres. Look at the new wave hits (mostly congregating on LP 2 side B and CD disc 2). Siouxsie and The Banshees debut single Hong Kong Garden jostles for attention with The Clash’s (White Man) In Hammersmith Palais, an early classic from The Jam with the chilling Down In The Tube Station At Midnight, alongside one of Ian Dury and The Blockheads finest singles What A Waste. The Bruce Springsteen / Patti Smith song Because The Night is a track that sounds as powerful today as it did back in 1978. Great music is timeless.

The rock and roll revival of the late 70s is represented by Darts with The Boy From New York City, and one of the biggest films of the year in Grease features with two of the soundtracks ballads, Olivia Newton-John’s Hopelessly Devoted To You and John Travolta’s Sandy.

Disco was one of the most popular genres in 1978, and some absolute classic are featured on NOW Yearbook 1978. Donna Summer features twice with MacArthur Park and the classic pop of I Love You. Instant Replay from Dan Hartman and the Michael Zager Band’s Let’s All Chant will get you on your feet as well as singing along. Eruption’s I Can’t Stand The Rain was all over the airwaves in 1978 and is deservedly included here, as is Earth, Wind and Fire’s Fantasy along with a couple of soul ballads in Heatwave’s Always And Forever and Love Don’t Live Here Anymore from Rose Royce.

Classic Rock and progressive pop also features strongly. An often overlooked band from this era, City Boy, contribute 5.7.0.5., their only hit single. One of the last great singles from The Who (Who Are You) is well-sequenced in this compilation next to Cold As Ice by Foreigner, a staple of FM radio in Life’s Been Good by Joe Walsh and the finest Blue Oyster Cult single, (Don’t Fear) The Reaper, a song used to wonderful effect in the TV adaptation of Steven King’s The Stand from 1994.

Jeff Wayne’s Musical Version of The War of the Worlds was a massive selling album in the late 70s, and one of the key songs in Justin Hayward’s Forever Autumn features in NOW Yearbook ’78. Renaissance and their top 10 hit single Northern Lights is rarely played on oldies stations these days, but its a fine single. A Taste Of Honey with Boogie Oogie Oogie was another that was a much-played song on the radio and yet seems to have been forgotten as the years have passed.

Now Yearbook 78 CD set

Some songs that do still feature on 70s themed stations make a welcome appearance. Gerry Rafferty and Baker Street with one of the most iconic sax solos in pop and Mr. Blue Sky, a signature song from Electric Light Orchestra, are well-known, yet some less celebrated singles such as Love Is In The Air by John Paul Young and the late Andrew Gold with the pop nugget that is Never Let Her Slip Away are just as rewarding.

The only mis-step is the inclusion of Father Abraham’s Smurf Song. I know it was a hit but does anyone really want to hear this novelty song in 2023? The CD will be switched off before the song comes on, and I’m sure I won’t be alone in doing this. It was wisely programmed as the final track on the CD set.

NOW Yearbook 1978 will be released on 28 April 2023.

3LP pink vinyl (limited)
Deluxe hardback 4CD (limited)
Standard 4CD

3 LP Vinyl Track listing

Tracklist

LP 1 Side A

Electric Light Orchestra – Mr. Blue Sky
Gerry Rafferty – Baker Street
Rod Stewart – Da Ya Think I’m Sexy?
10cc – Dreadlock Holiday
Justin Hayward – Forever Autumn
Wings – With A Little Luck
Kate Bush – The Man With The Child In His Eyes

LP 1 Side B

Bonnie Tyler – It’s A Heartache
Suzi Quatro – If You Can’t Give Me Love
Clout – Substitute
Crystal Gayle – Don’t It Make My Brown Eyes Blue
Elton John – Part-Time Love
Billy Joel – Movin’ Out (Anthony’s Song)
Joe Walsh – Life’s Been Good
Blue Öyster Cult – (Don’t Fear) The Reaper

LP 2 Side A

Donna Summer – MacArthur Park
Chic – Le Freak
A Taste Of Honey – Boogie Oogie Oogie
The Three Degrees – Givin’ Up Givin’ In
Chaka Khan – I’m Every Woman
Yvonne Elliman – If I Can’t Have You
Odyssey – Native New Yorker
Earth, Wind & Fire – Fantasy

LP 2 Side B

The Boomtown Rats – Rat Trap
The Undertones – Teenage Kicks
Buzzcocks – Ever Fallen In Love (With Someone You Shouldn’t’ve)
Siouxsie And The Banshees – Hong Kong Garden
The Rezillos – Top Of The Pops
Elvis Costello & The Attractions – (I Don’t Want To Go To) Chelsea
The Jam – Down In The Tube Station At Midnight
Patti Smith – Because The Night

LP 3 Side A

ABBA – Take A Chance On Me
Baccara – Sorry, I’m A Lady
Boney M. – Rivers Of Babylon
Althea & Donna – Uptown Top Ranking
Blondie – Denis
Olivia Newton-John – Hopelessly Devoted To You
Renaissance – Northern Lights
Dean Friedman w/ Denise Marsa – Lucky Stars

LP 3 Side B

Marshall Hain – Dancing In The City
Eruption – I Can’t Stand The Rain
Dee D. Jackson – Automatic Lover
Sarah Brightman & Hot Gossip – I Lost My Heart To A Starship Trooper
Hot Chocolate – Every 1’s a Winner
Commodores – Three Times A Lady
Rose Royce – Wishing On A Star

4CD Track listing

Disc: 1

Electric Light Orchestra – Mr. Blue Sky
Gerry Rafferty – Baker Street
Rod Stewart – Da Ya Think I’m Sexy?
ABBA – Take A Chance On Me
Boney M. – Rivers Of Babylon
10cc – Dreadlock Holiday
Althea and Donna – Uptown Top Ranking
Donna Summer – MacArthur Park
Chaka Khan – I’m Every Woman
Yvonne Elliman – If I Can’t Have You
Chic – Everybody Dance
Odyssey – Native New Yorker
Rose Royce – Wishing On A Star
Commodores – Three Times A Lady
Marshall Hain – Dancing In The City
Clout – Substitute
Bonnie Tyler – It’s A Heartache
Suzi Quatro – If You Can’t Give Me Love
Wings – With A Little Luck
Kate Bush - The Man With The Child In His Eyes

Disc: 2

The Boomtown Rats – Rat Trap
The Undertones – Teenage Kicks
Buzzcocks – Ever Fallen In Love (With Someone You Shouldn’t’ve)
Siouxsie and The Banshees – Hong Kong Garden
The Rezillos – Top Of The Pops
Blondie – Hanging On The Telephone
Elvis Costello and The Attractions – (I Don’t Want To Go To) Chelsea
The Clash – (White Man) In Hammersmith Palais
The Jam – Down In The Tube Station At Midnight
Ian Dury and The Blockheads – What A Waste
Patti Smith – Because The Night
The Cars – My Best Friend’s Girl
The Motors – Airport
City Boy – 5.7.0.5.
Sweet – Love Is Like Oxygen
Elton John – Part-Time Love
Billy Joel – Movin’ Out (Anthony’s Song)
The Who – Who Are You
Foreigner – Cold As Ice
Joe Walsh – Life’s Been Good
Blue Oyster Cult – (Don’t Fear) The Reaper
Justin Hayward – Forever Autumn

Disc: 3

Chic – Le Freak
A Taste Of Honey – Boogie Oogie Oogie
Tavares – More Than A Woman
Alicia Bridges – I Love The Nightlife (Disco ‘Round)
Dan Hartman – Instant Replay
Michael Zager Band – Let’s All Chant
Raffaella Carrà – Do It Do It Again (A Far L’Amore Comincia Tu)
Baccara – Sorry, I’m A Lady
Sheila and B Devotion – Singin’ In The Rain
Voyage – From East To West
Donna Summer – I Love You
The Three Degrees – Givin’ Up Givin’ In
Eruption – I Can’t Stand The Rain
Dee D. Jackson – Automatic Lover
Sarah Brightman and Hot Gossip – I Lost My Heart To A Starship Trooper
Crown Heights Affair – Galaxy Of Love
Gladys Knight and The Pips – Come Back And Finish What You Started
Hot Chocolate – Every 1’s A Winner
Earth, Wind and Fire – Fantasy
Heatwave – Always And Forever
Rose Royce – Love Don’t Live Here Anymore

Disc: 4

Blondie – Denis
Olivia Newton-John – Hopelessly Devoted To You
John Travolta – Sandy
Darts – The Boy From New York City
Bill Withers – Lovely Day
John Paul Young – Love Is In The Air
Barry Manilow – Copacabana
Renaissance – Northern Lights
Scott Fitzgerald and Yvonne Keeley – If I Had Words
Boney M. – Brown Girl In The Ring
Brotherhood Of Man – Figaro
Co-Co – Bad Old Days
Dollar – Shooting Star
Andrew Gold – Never Let Her Slip Away
Dean Friedman w/ Denise Marsa – Lucky Stars
The Manhattan Transfer – Walk In Love
David Soul – Let’s Have A Quiet Night In
Crystal Gayle – Don’t It Make My Brown Eyes Blue
Elkie Brooks – Don’t Cry Out Loud
David Essex – Oh What A Circus
Brian and Michael – Matchstalk Men And Matchstalk Cats And Dogs
Father Abraham – Smurf Song


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New Musik – From A To B – The Sony Years review

8 03 2023

Cherry Red are releasing a 4CD box set bringing together all of New Musik’s three studio albums along with a disc of B-sides, single edits and remixes.

New Musik - From A To B – The Sony Years cover

The From A To B – The Sony Years box-set includes a booklet featuring fascinating, scene setting notes from Record Collector’s Daryl Easlea, that includes quotes from Tony Mansfield.

Formed in 1977 by Tony Mansfield, a former member of The Nick Straker Band (A Walk In The Park) with bassist Tony Hibbert and drummer Phil Towner, New Musik’s first single Straight Lines was released in 1979, and their debut album, From A to B, followed in April 1980.

Living by Numbers was the band’s most successful single and the album, which entered the Top 40 in the UK Albums Chart, featured two further hit singles with This World of Water and Sanctuary.

New Musik’s first album came at the beginning of the 80s synth driven explosion that was to shape the decade, sharing a similar electronic soundscape to The Buggles, but also including guitars and bass. Straight Lines is a powerful opener and is followed by the equally commercial Sanctuary, a bright shining pop gem.

From A to B is primarily an extremely commercial electronic pop album, but with a variety of moods and textures. Slower paced songs such as A Map Of You and the fretless bass driven, shifting The Safe Side hint at the further experimentation that was to seep into the music on the later albums.

New Musik - From A To B cover

Its the singles that stay with you on the debut album. This World Of Water has dark lyrics that are disguised in the upbeat music.

“These waters have frozen
Can’t break the ice no more
It’s raining so hard now
Can’t seem to find a shore”

My favourite New Musik single from the album is Living By Numbers, a song that reached No13 in the UK singles chart, and instantly takes me back to 1979 whenever I hear it.

“They don’t want your name
Just your number…”

The band’s second album Anywhere was released in 1981 and and was the last album to feature band members Towner and Hibbert. At this point, its time to strap yourself in, as the music takes a slightly more left-field turn. The warm pop sound remains but is peppered with a darker, more experimental side.

Anywhere‘s opening track, They All Run After the Carving Knife, was chosen by Steven Wilson to be included on his curated Steven Wilson Presents: Intrigue – Progressive Sounds In UK Alternative Music 1979–89 compilation from early 2023, so is likely to have turned some new fans onto New Musik.

New Musik - Anywhere cover

Areas is one of the highlights in the New Musik back catalogue, and this is referenced by the faithful 2013 cover version by Dutch rock band The Gathering from their Afterwords album. The mood of the New Musik original is hazy and evocative, and it may have been a missed opportunity not releasing this song as a single. Churches is an evolution in the bands sound, with a more dynamic bass line, and a more natural arrangement.

This World of Walter is an obvious play on words on the single from the first album. CR-78 percussion drives this charming, short album track.

“And Walter’s sure that his world’s no more
Than just a fading dream”

In the sleeve-notes, Tony Mansfield describes this period of New Musik as his favourite, and its easy to see why. There is a playfulness and warmth to songs such as Luxury, and more experimentation with reversed vocals along with sharp tangents cutting into some of the arrangements.

Peace sees a clever use of tribal drumming, a tool often used in post-punk recordings, but here used as a tight, mechanical mechanism buried quite deep in the mix, as a way to drive the song and add a degree of tension.

Traps adds some progressive / Tony Bank’s like keyboards to the palette, and is one of the most electronic songs on the album, topped by wonderful production touches such as Mansfield’s trademark twisted, processed vocal lines.

Anywhere ends with the uplifting Back To Room One. A haunting song, crammed full of aching, emotional nostalgia and the perfect way to end an album. This track is pure pop, shorn of most of the production touches, relying on the honesty and vulnerability of the song to hit you hard.

“Take me back to my old room
It’s not there any more”

The third and final New Musik album was Mansfield with studio musicians. Warp was released on Epic in March of 1982. Digital samplers and sequencers were utilised for this album. Here Come The People features some lovely funk guitar lines and percussion that is very much of its time. A Train On Twisted Tracks includes a Wasp synth sequence similar to The Stranglers Just Like Nothing On Earth, bubbling away in the background. The use of disembodied sampled voices adds to the slightly sinister feel of this track.

New Musik - Warp cover

All You Need Is Love features twice, with the first being a New Musik original inspired by The Beatles classic, with New Musiks version coming next, topped up by a taste of Greensleeves for good measure.

Hunting features some deep synth bass and heavily processed vocals that add a layer of strangeness to this key experimental album track. The quality dips a little for the remainder of the album, with the seemingly Kraftwerk influenced The Planet Doesn’t Mind offering one of my least favourite New Musik songs.

The final song on the final New Musik album is the title track Warp. A more robotic percussion lets the synths and powerful vocal take centre stage as the band comes to its natural end, with the track slowly decaying into a series of audio errors. Warped to the final note.

Disc four features B-sides / edits and extended versions. The Planet Doesn’t Mind (single edit) works better than the Warp album version. Single B-side Sad Films (from 1979/1980) is one of the most “band” sounding tracks from New Musik, and features some late 70s harmonies and a traditional arrangement, making it quite unique in the bands catalogue.

Missing Persons/Tell Me Something New is notable for a New Musik guitar solo! Again, quite a traditional arrangement, with a killer chorus, and an abrupt ending leading into a haunting soundscape of reversed and mutated sounds to end the track.

She’s A Magazine could easily have been included as an album track. Chik Musik sounds exactly how you would imagine it to sound, and this short instrumental jam is followed by another instrumental, the short burst of Magazine Musik (aka She’s A Magazine).

From The Village was inspired by the cult tv show The Prisoner. While You Wait (extended version) is a longer take of the Anywhere era single, and the extras disc ends with an extended mix of the Warp opening track, Here Come the People – Remix.

Mansfield went on to achieve success as a producer with After The Fire, a-ha, Aztec Camera, The B-52’s, The Damned, Captain Sensible, Naked Eyes, and Mari Wilson. From A To B – The Sony Years pulls together the studio albums and the majority of the key non-album tracks, and is a perfect collection for fans of the band who don’t already own the CD reissues from a few years ago. The box-set will also appeal to the more casual fans of early 80s electronic pop.

Buy New Musik – From A To B – The Sony Years 4 CD box-set

DISC ONE
From A To B
Straight Lines
Sanctuary
A Map of You
Science
On Islands
This World of Walter
Living By Numbers
Dead Fish (Don’t Swim Home)
Adventures
The Safe Side

DISC TWO
Anywhere
They All Run After the Carving Knife
Areas
Churches
This World of Walter
Luxury
While You Wait
Changing Minds
Peace
Design
Traps
Division
Back To Room One

DISC THREE
Warp
Here Come the People
Going Round Again
A Train on Twisted Tracks
I Repeat
All You Need Is Love
All You Need Is Love
Kingdoms For Horses
Hunting
The New Evolutionist (Example ‘A’)
Green And Red (Respectively)
The Planet Doesn’t Mind
Warp

DISC FOUR
B-Sides / Edits / Extended Versions
Straight Lines – Single Edit
While You Wait – Single Edit
The Planet Doesn’t Mind – Single Edit
Sad Films – B-Side Living by Numbers
Missing Persons / Tell Me Something New – B-Side This World of Water
She’s A Magazine – B-Side Sanctuary
Chik Musik – B-Side Sanctuary
Magazine Musik – B-Side Sanctuary
Twelfth House – B-Side All You Need Is Love
From The Village – B-Side While You Wait
Guitars – B-Side While You Wait
The Office – B-Side Luxury
24 Hours from Culture (Part 2) – B-Side The Planet Doesn’t Mind
While You Wait – Extended Version
Here Come the People – Remix

Buy New Musik – From A To B – The Sony Years 4 CD box-set


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The Alan Parsons Project – The Turn Of A Friendly Card (Deluxe box-set) review

17 02 2023

Cherry Red have released a deluxe limited edition box-set of The Turn Of A Friendly Card, the fifth album by The Alan Parsons Project, the brainchild of composer, musician and co-creator Eric Woolfson and celebrated producer and engineer Alan Parsons.

The Alan Parsons Project - The Turn Of A Friendly Card

The album sessions featured contributions from musicians such as Ian Bairnson (guitars), David Paton (bass), Stuart Elliott (drums) with Eric Woolfson playing keyboards and providing lead vocals, along with Elmer Gantry, Chris Rainbow and Lenny Zakatek.

This 2023 3CD / Blu-Ray (region free) limited edition box-set includes an additional 42 tracks drawn from Eric Woolfson’s song-writing diaries, studio session out-takes and a new 5.1 surround sound mix by Alan Parsons and a high resolution remastered original stereo mix, along with the promotional videos of Games People Play, The Gold Bug and The Turn Of A Friendly Card plus a promotional television advertisement. This stunning set also features a lavish illustrated book with a new essay with photos, memorabilia, letters along with personal recollections from Alan Parsons and Sally Woolfson, along with a reproduction poster.

As with previous Alan Parsons Project albums, an array of vocalists was again utilised. Lenny Zakatek had first appeared on I Robot. Future Camel singer Chris Rainbow had made his Alan Parsons Project debut on Pyramid. While for Elmer Gantry, it was his first shot at singing with the Project (he would later go on to feature on 1982’s Eye In The Sky). The Turn Of A Friendly Card also features the very first Eric Woolfson vocal performances for The Alan Parsons Project. Woolfson features on the Nothing Left To Lose section of the album’s title track suite, and also on Time.

The Turn Of A Friendly Card artwork and CDs

There is not a massive upgrade to the sound of the CD’s, which sounded amazing anyway, but this version is the definitive take on the album, and it is the best sounding version of The Turn Of A Friendly Card, so worth replacing your original CD. Spread your love of the music by buying this version and gift your original CD to a friend! Please note that the blu-ray was not provided for this review, so I cannot comment on the content on the final disc prior to release.

The original album sits on the first of the four discs, and its a top quality album that has stood the test of time. Games People Play (with a vocal from Lenny Zakatek) was a top 20 Billboard hit in the USA. The Eric Woolfson sung Time was another US Top 20 hit, with it’s sweeping, luscious strings and Beach Boys referencing vocal melody driving one of the key tracks on the first section of the album.

I Don’t Wanna Go Home is a perfect representation of the late 70s Alan Parsons Project sound, with layers of sharp, rhythmic guitars and crisply produced percussion.

From the old vinyl side two section onwards, the music offers an updating of the Project sound, with the earliest hints of an 80s sensibility creeping into the arrangement and orchestrations. The Gold Bug and The Turn of a Friendly Card suite pushes the album firmly into classic album territory.

Eric Woolfson and Alan Parsons.

From track 11 on the first disc, we get the first batch of extra tracks. Nothing Left to Lose [Chris Rainbow Overdub Vocal Compilation] is a fascinating insight into the multi-layered vocals, here in their glorious, isolated form. As is Games People Play [Rough Mix], which captures the energy in this early, unpolished diamond of an arrangement.

Disc two presents Eric’s Songwriting Diary, and is the disc I return to the least in this collection, but it is a unique way of “being in the room” as the songs were created. The tracks are sourced from Eric’s portable cassette recorder, and is made up of piano and vocal sketches of the ideas that led to the full songs. So lots of hiss and “la la la’s”, but a rare and very personal insight into the creative process, that is rarely heard for classic albums.

Disc three picks up the quality, with alt takes and single mixes. May Be a Price to Pay (Early version with Eric Guide Vocal and Unused Guitar solo) works well, and offers a different flavour to the albums opening track. Most of these tracks have Eric’s guide vocals left quite low in the mix. Its a shame they are buried so deep, as they offer a fascinating insight into the development of the album.

Games People Play (Early version – Eric’s Guide Vocal) shows how well developed the song was from the early sessions, and highlights how much of the vocal arrangement was followed from Eric Woolfson’s early guide vocals. There is plenty of cowbell in this early take, always a welcome bonus!

The Gold Bug (Chris Rainbow backing vocals) is another unique insight into the multi-layered vocals from this key album track. The Turn of a Friendly Card (Part Two) (Eric’s Guide Vocal and Extended Guitar Solo) is the pick of the alt-versions, and rounds of the sessions before the CD ends with three concise single mixes – of Games People Play, The Turn Of A Friendly Card and Snake Eyes.

Buy the box-set from Amazon

Buy the box-set from Burning Shed

Buy the single disc vinyl version (from 2013) from Amazon

TRACKLISTING

DISC ONE
The Turn Of A Friendly Card

May Be A Price To Pay
Games People Play
Time
I Don’t Wanna Go Home
The Gold Bug
The Turn Of A Friendly Card (Part One)
Snake Eyes
The Ace Of Swords
Nothing Left To Lose
The Turn Of A Friendly Card (Part Two)

Bonus Tracks

May Be A Price To Pay (Intro Demo)
Nothing Left To Lose (Basic Backing Track)
Nothing Left To Lose (Chris Rainbow Overdub Vocal Compilation)
Nothing Left to Lose [Early Studio Version with Eric’s Guide Vocal]
Time (Early Studio Attempt)
Games People Play (Rough Mix)
The Gold Bug (Demo)

DISC TWO
Eric Woolfson’s Songwriting Diaries

May Be A Price To Pay
Games People Play
Time
I Don’t Wanna Go Home
The Turn Of A Friendly Card
Snake Eyes
Nothing Left To Lose
Tofc / Snake Eyes / I Don’t Wanna Go Home
La La La Lah
Next Year
Someone Else
Taking It All Away
To Those Of You Out There

DISC THREE
Recording Sessions Bonus Tracks

May Be A Price To Pay (Early Version – Eric Guide Vocal And Unused Guitar Solo)
Games People Play (Early Version – Eric Guide Vocal)
Time (Orchestra And Chris Rainbow Backing Vocals)
The Gold Bug (Early Reference Version)
The Gold Bug (Chris Rainbow Backing Vocals)
The Gold Bug (Clavinet With No Delay)
The Turn Of A Friendly Card – Part One (Early Backing Track)
Snake Eyes (Early Version – Eric Guide Vocal)
The Ace Of Swords (Early Version With Synth Orchestration)
The Ace of Swords (Early Version with Piano on Melody)
The Turn Of A Friendly Card – Part Two (Eric Guide Vocal And Extended Guitar Solo)
Games People Play (Single Edit)
The Turn Of A Friendly Card (Single Edit)
Snake Eyes (single edit)

DISC FOUR – BLU RAY
5.1 Surround Sound Mix (2019) And High- Resolution Original Stereo Mix By Alan Parsons

May Be A Price To Pay
Games People Play
Time
I Don’t Wanna Go Home
The Gold Bug
The Turn Of A Friendly Card (Part One)
Snake Eyes
The Ace Of Swords
Nothing Left To Lose
The Turn Of A Friendly Card (Part Two)

Visual Content
The Turn Of A Friendly Card (Album Ad)
Games People Play (Promotional Video)
The Gold Bug (Promotional Video)
The Turn Of A Friendly Card (Promotional Video)

Buy the box-set from Amazon

Buy the box-set from Burning Shed

Buy the single disc vinyl version (from 2013) from Amazon


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Musik Music Musique 3.0 – 1982 Synth Pop On The Air compilation album review

23 01 2023

Musik Music Musique 3.0 – 1982 Synth Pop On The Air is the third 3CD compilation from Cherry Red, released on 17 February 2023. Featuring more obscure tracks from well-known artists from 1982, including Thomas Dolby, Orchestral Manoeuvres In The Dark, Japan, Ultravox, Soft Cell and Kim Wilde, alongside lesser known acts that give the collection a real taste of the time.

CD one of the collection opens with Thomas Dolby’s third single, a homage to Radio Caroline, the percussive Radio Silence. Manchester’s The Passage deliver the electronic pop of XOYO, with its addictive chorus. Mirror Man has always been one of my favourite early Talk Talk singles, with the band going on to make such a valuable contribution to 80s and early 90s music as their style expanded from these early pop beginnings.

OMD’s She’s Leaving comes in the form of a slightly remixed European single version, and is one of the key tracks on the bands Architecture And Morality album from the previous year. Breakdown (1982 Single Version) from Colourbox features a heady mix of synth, guitar and percussion topped with soulful vocals, hinting at the experimentation that would culminate in the one off M|A|R|R|S collaboration that led to the No1 single for Pump Up The Volume in 1987.

I’ve Seen The Word (a double A side with God’s Kitchen) was one of the slower-paced, more reflective early singles from Blancmange. One of the most influential early 80’s synth bands, Fashion, contribute the Zeus B Held produced slice of pop-Electronica that is Streetplayer (Mechanik), taken from their wonderful Fabrique album.

Japan’s European Son is a David Sylvian song that drips with Giorgio Moroder sounding hard-synth lines, but Moroder actually passed up the opportunity to produce this song, with production duties handled by Simon Napier-Bell, with the song mixed by John Punter. Always one of the bands most commercial songs, it fits well on Musik Music Musique 3.0. Justice is performed by Paul Haig, the former guitarist, vocalist and songwriter for post-punk band Josef K. Justice is a previously hard to find, very commercial single recorded in New York in 1982. Paul worked with former Associates singer Billy Mackenzie in the late 80s and contributed to several much-loved posthumous releases from his former colleague.

The original Mike Howlett produced single version of Tears For Fears Pale Shelter from this compilation highlights the longevity of much of the duo’s work. Last years The Tipping Point added to the bands stellar discography. Arthur Brown (yes, the Fire Arthur Brown) offers a synth based track, with wonderful electronic percussion that is a complete departure from his past work.

Coded World by Faith Global is one of the more interesting lesser-known tracks on this compilation. Vocalist Jason Guy is joined by original Tiger Lily / Ultravox! guitarist Stevie Shears for this confident, well-structured song. The later, more successful version of Ultravox are represented by the instrumental Monument, the B side to the single Hymn.

Disc two kicks off with Dramatis (Gary Numan’s backing band) with their sixth single The Shame. The Fiat Lux b-side This Illness was produced by Bill Nelson, and has touches of Nelson’s sound from around this time. Bill’s brother Ian was a member of this short-lived band. The track is one that Bill Nelson fans will surely love. Tasteful bass and guitar lines are a highlight of Shame, with a real Chimera feel to the keyboards.

The 7″ version of New Order’s early classic single Temptation is a highlight of Musik Music Musique 3.0. Dead Or Alive’s What I Want, here in demo form, is a world away from their massive hit You Spin Me Round (Like A Record) that followed in 1984. What I Want has more new wave leanings, and a harder vocal from the late Pete Burns.

Ieya 1982 is a re-recorded version of the Toyah single that originally featured on 1980’s The Blue Meaning. A smoother, tighter arrangement compared to the original take, it highlights the contributions of the new band line-up.

“Isn’t it nice, sugar and spice
Luring disco dollies to a life of vice”

Sex Dwarf is the lyrically and musically uncompromising side to Soft Cell, taken from late 1981’s debut album Non-Stop Erotic Cabaret, hence why it was able to sneak onto this compilation. Sex Dwarf is the duo of Marc Almond and Dave Ball at their shocking, seediest best, and they still have the power to deliver, have a listen to 2022’s magnificent Happiness Not Included album (available on CD and vinyl).

The slinky bassline of You Remind Me Of Gold is a highlight of the Mirror Man b-side from The Human League. Edinburgh’s Drinking Electricity contribute the Altered Images via The Loco-Motion twisted pop of Good Times, which sounds better than my description of the song.

The third and final disc is launched by one of Heaven 17’s finest singles, of which there were many, with Let Me Go!

An early Thomas Leer song, Mr Nobody, stands up well as a brilliantly arranged and not at all dated track. Thomas formed Act in the late 80s with Claudia Brücken (Propaganda). Their only album Laughter, Tears and Rage included the wonderful Snobbery and Decay, and is worth tracking down.

The compilation has gone for a less obvious Kim Wilde track, the melancholic late 1982 single Child Come Away. Prior to their success on the Top Gun soundtrack, Berlin were delivering songs in the vein of the Giorgio Moroder inspired synth-pop of Sex (I’m A….).

Mikado’s Par Hasard is a sweet, gentle pop song released on Les Disques du Crépuscule. Scotland’s Those French Girls second and final single Sorry Sorry is a Simple Minds meets Ultravox piece of quirky angular pop. The most well-known song by cult artist Nick Nicely is featured, the lysergic widescreen pop of Hilly Fields (1892). If you have never heard this song, you are in for a treat.

Ukraine, featuring former Fischer-Z keyboard player Stephen Skolnik, is a heady mix of early 80s synths, with new wave guitar and Fashion-like percussive bass. The bands Remote Control is a delightful taste of the genre crossovers that fueled a lot of the great music created in 1982.

1-2-3 is an 80s updating of the 1965 Len Barry song, performed by Julie And The Jems, the sole single release from former Tight Fit vocalist Julie Harris.

Thick Pigeon (Miranda Stanton and American film composer Carter Burwell) contribute the delightfully eccentric Subway, a mixture of new wave bass and sugar-sweet electronics, topped by Stanton’s unique spoken vocals. One listen will result in this song becoming lodged in your brain for days.

Sergeant Frog, with the instrumental Profile Dance, is an alias of Phil Harding, who went on to work with Stock Aitken Waterman a couple of years later. Harding’s resume as engineer and producer included The Clash, Toyah, Matt Bianco, ABC and Donna Summer.

The final disc ends with The Buggles infuenced electro-pop of Omega Theatre with their epic Robots, Machines And Silicon Dreams. Omega Theatre was the electronic pop project of 60s songwriter John Shakespeare. Shakespeare and Grammy-winning co-writer Geoff Stephens threw the kitchen sink at Robots, Machines And Silicon Dreams, with multiple shifts and turns throughout this pleasing single.

Buy Musik Music Musique 3.0 on CD from Amazon

DISC ONE
Thomas Dolby – Radio Silence
The Passage – XOYO
Talk Talk – Mirror Man
100% Manmade Fibre – Green For Go
Orchestral Manoeuvres In The Dark – She’s Leaving
Poeme Electronique – V.O.I.C.E.
Colourbox – Breakdown (1982 Single Version)
Blancmange – I’ve Seen The Word
Fashiøn – Streetplayer (Mechanik)
Japan – European Son
Greeting No 4 – Condition
Richard Bone – Digital Days
Paul Haig – Justice
Tears For Fears – Pale Shelter
Arthur Brown – Conversations
Die Krupps – Goldfinger
Planning By Numbers – Lightning Strikes
Faith Global – Coded World
Aerial FX – Instant Feeling
Ultravox – Monument

DISC TWO
Dramatis – The Shame
Fiat Lux – This Illness
New Order – Temptation
Kevin Coyne – Tell The Truth
Dead Or Alive – What I Want (Demo)
Toyah – Ieya 1982
Fad Gadget – Life On The Line
Thirteen At Midnight – Climb Down
Soft Cell – Sex Dwarf
Yello – Heavy Whispers
Zoo Boutique – Happy Families
The Human League – You Remind Me Of Gold
Moebius – Pushing Too Hard
Passion Polka – Juliet
Endgames – First-Last-For Everything (Club Version)
Leisure Process – Love Cascade
Drinking Electricity – Good Times
Section 25 – Hold Me

DISC THREE
Heaven 17 – Let Me Go!
Voice Farm – Beatnik
Telex – Sigmund Freud’s Party
Thomas Leer – Mr Nobody
Kim Wilde – Child Come Away
Communication – Future Shock
Berlin – Sex (I’m A….)
Local Boy Makes Good – Hypnotic Rhythm
Mikado – Par Hasard
Falco – Maschine Brennt
Those French Girls – Sorry Sorry
Nick Nicely – Hilly Fields (1892)
Time In Motion – Quiet Type
Ukraine – Remote Control
Julie And The Jems – 1-2-3
Thick Pigeon – Subway
Sergeant Frog – Profile Dance
Omega Theatre – Robots, Machines And Silicon Dreams

Buy Musik Music Musique 3.0 on CD from Amazon


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Barclay James Harvest – Once Again remastered album box-set review

12 12 2022

Cherry Red are releasing a 3CD/Blu-Ray Remastered & Expanded version of Barclay James Harvest’s second album, Once Again on 27 January 2023.

Barclay James Harvest "Once Again" album cover


Originally released in February 1971, Once Again was recorded at Abbey Road studios and was produced by Norman Smith.

This new expanded edition features three CDs and an all-region blu-ray disc and comprises 44 tracks on the box-set. The set features the original UK stereo mix remastered from the original master tapes and also includes new 5.1 Surround Sound and stereo mixes by Stephen W. Tayler, a new remaster of the 1972 SQ Quad mix of the album and a multi-channel version of the 1972 Quad mix.

In addition, there is also a rare live performance recorded for BBC Radio One’s John Peel show in February 1971, and seven further rare bonus tracks, including an early version of Mockingbird and the full version of the unreleased piece White Sails (A Seascape).

This release includes a lavishly illustrated booklet with a new essay from Barclay James Harvest experts Keith and Monika Domone and a replica of a 1971 promotional poster.

The original album contains a remaster that is faithful to the original mix along with two bonus cuts and three live John Peel Sunday Concert performances. If you already know and love the album, there’s not much to add that you don’t already know, other than this is the album presented in its original form, sounding at it’s best.

Barclay James Harvest "Once Again" advert


Once Again was described by Prog magazine in 2020 as one of the fifty ‘most influential albums in the development of Progressive Rock’. The album includes an early BJH progressive classic in Mockingbird and one of the first recorded appearances from Alan Parsons, before he engineered Pink Floyd’s Dark Side Of The Moon and recorded the hugely successful Alan Parsons Project album series.

The remasters from the original master tapes were carried out by Ben Wiseman at Broadlake Studios in Hertfordshire.

The new Stereo Mixes and 5.1 Surround Sound mixes are by Stephen W Tayler at Chimera Arts, Real World Studios, Box, Wiltshire.

Much like the recent Bill Nelson’s Red Noise box-set, the new stereo mixes by Stephen W. Tayler offer the biggest surprises and rewards. The scene is set with the expanded to 10 minutes opening track. The mixes are very different, whilst keeping the feel and the mood of the original songs. With a wider mix, the album asserts itself further as a progressive classic.

The main difference is the removal of the hard-panning of the original tracks, and more prominent and powerful vocal mixes, meaning that I am drawn to these new stereo mixes. I love that Tayler has totally turned the mixes on their head, whilst avoiding the temptation to move the songs into a more modern setting, so the overall feeling remains faithful to the era.

Barclay James Harvest promotional photograph


Song For Dying, always one of the stronger tracks, uses new instrumentation that gives the song a different pace. Galadriel is more faithful to the original arrangement, but parts of the song, such as the horns, are noticeably more prominent.

Mockingbird is a revelation. With reverb adding to the percussive power, whilst keeping the performance intact, there is an added power to this career highlight from the band. The strings and vocal harmonies lift this new mix to unheard highs, removing the fog of time from the original mix.

Ball and Chain also benefits from the production tools available in 2022, with a widescreen production. The bonus tracks also benefit from the wider technological palette, with this early 70s rocker given more colour and depth.

White Sails (A Seascape) clocks in at just under the 12 minute mark, with aching strings giving the song a timeless feel. This abandoned from the original album piano and strings instrumental acts as a beautiful prelude to the second version of Mockingbird, Stephen W. Tayler’s reimagining of the powerful May 1970 version of the song.

The third disc offers a stereo mix of the quad version, with the 4th disc (not supplied for review) featuring a blu-ray containing the 96 kHz / 24-bit new 5.1 Surround Sound mix / new Stereo mixes /original stereo mix & 1972 Quadrophonic Mix.

The stereo quad mix adds further volume to the vocals and instrumentation, which is at it’s most effective on Mockingbird, with an added potency to the percussion.

The Cherry Red box-set is the definitive version of Once Again, and even if you own the original album, the new Stephen W. Tayler stereo mixes deliver a powerful, welcome additional version of these classic well-loved songs.

Pre-order Barclay James Harvest Once Again box-set from Amazon

Pre-order Barclay James Harvest Once Again box-set from Burning Shed

Tracklisting

DISC ONE

Once Again – The original stereo mix remastered

She Said
Happy Old World
Song for Dying
Galadriel
Mocking Bird
Vanessa Simmons
Ball and Chain
Lady Loves

Bonus tracks

Too Much on Your Plate
Happy Old World (Take One)
She Said (BBC John Peel Concert 1971)
Mockingbird (BBC John Peel Concert 1971)
Dark Now My Sky (BBC John Peel Concert 1971)

DISC TWO

Once Again – The new stereo mixes

She Said (new stereo mix)
Happy Old World (new stereo mix)
Song for Dying (new stereo mix)
Galadriel (new stereo mix)
Mocking Bird (new stereo mix)
Vanessa Simmons (new stereo mix)
Ball and Chain (new stereo mix)
Lady Loves (new stereo mix)

Bonus tracks

Mocking Bird (first version – May 1970)
Too Much on Your Plate (new stereo mix)
White Sails (A Seascape) (complete version)

DISC THREE

Once Again – The 1972 SQ Quadrophonic mix

She Said (1972 SQ Quad mix)
Happy Old World (1972 SQ Quad mix)
Song for Dying (1972 SQ Quad mix)
Galadriel (1972 SQ Quad mix)
Mocking Bird (1972 SQ Quad mix)
Vanessa Simmons (1972 SQ Quad mix)
Ball and Chain (1972 SQ Quad mix)
Lady Loves (1972 SQ Quad mix)

Bonus tracks

Galadriel (non-orchestral version)
Mocking Bird (non-orchestral version)

DISC FOUR (Blu-ray)

Once Again
96 kHz / 24-bit new 5.1 Surround Sound mix / new Stereo mixes /original stereo mix & 1972 Quadrophonic Mix

She Said
Happy Old World
Song for Dying
Galadriel
Mocking Bird
Vanessa Simmons
Ball and Chain
Lady Loves

Bonus tracks

Too Much on Your Plate
White Sails (A Seascape) (complete version)

Pre-order Barclay James Harvest Once Again box-set from Amazon

Pre-order Barclay James Harvest Once Again box-set from Burning Shed


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Modern Eon – Fiction Tales (expanded and remastered edition) track-by-track album review

7 11 2022

The much-loved 1981 album from Liverpool’s influential band Modern Eon gets its first release on CD from Cherry Red.

Modern Eon - Fiction Tales - album cover

This expanded and remastered edition of Fiction Tales features a collection of complementary single versions, B-sides and previously unreleased recordings made in 1982, immediately prior to the band’s untimely demise.

Compiled with input from band members Alix and Danny, and accompanied by excellent detailed sleeve notes by Andrew Keeling, this is a long overdue re-evaluation of a lost post-punk classic.

Forming in Liverpool in 1978, built around the collaborative dynamics of Alix Plain and Danny Hampson, Modern Eon burned brightly but briefly, issuing a run of singles and the remarkable album Fiction Tales before disbanding prior to the recording of a second album.

Modern Eon expanded their following with a support slot on The Stranglers Meninblack tour of 1981, which is where a lot of fans picked up on the band for the first time.

I’ve still got my original vinyl copy of the album, but I am so happy to finally be able to own a CD version. A version of Fiction Tales appeared on streaming platforms a little while ago, that I presume was an un-authorised release, possibly sourced from 192kbps mp3s that were circulating on fan sites years ago.

The original album was produced by the band, with co-production / engineering by Laurence Diana (another Stranglers connection, as Laurence engineered several tracks on The Stranglers The Gospel According To The Meninblack masterpiece).

The transfers and remastering for this 2022 CD edition of Fiction Tales is by Andy Patterson. The original album has never sounded better. The remaster is not a brick-walling effort, and is very sympathetic. There is room to breathe, and key elements, such as the drums on The Grass Still Grows, shine as never before. So if you already own the vinyl, this 2022 reissue is still a must-have if, like me, you have loved this album for over 40 years.

Modern Eon - band promo picture

The album is a time-capsule of the early 80s post-punk and new wave sound. Second Still is a slow-burning but powerful opener. Metronomic drums, percussive synths and spagetti-western guitars and trebley bass are topped by the plaintive vocals of vocalist Alix.

The Grass Still Grows is wonderfully paced, with some Roxy Music-like saxophone and a powerful breakdown section. The album is well sequenced, with individual tracks flowing into each other, so the album feels like one sustained piece of music.

Playwrite features wonderful guitar work from Tim Lever, and great interplay between Cliff Hewitt on drums and bassist Danny Hampson.

Watching The Dancers is an absolutely beautiful piece of music, and a highlight of the album. The arrangement is quite sparse, which gives the song an absolutely brutal power. Watching The Dancers made me sit up and listen when I saw the band live for the first time. Oh to have a time-machine!

“I’m in a crowd
And they all surround me”

Each member of the band stamps their unique personality throughout Fiction Tales. I saw the band live twice supporting The Stranglers, and unless my memory is playing tricks on me I recall the drums were on tape, due to an injury sustained by drummer Cliff Hewitt prior to the tour commencing.

Real Hymn uses guitar harmonics to great effect, along with an intelligent use of space, military drumming and atmospherics to build a unique soundscape, with the song ending abruptly just as it hits its peak, which seems to suit the lyrics.

“Take off the clothes, I’d like to see how much of you I know”

Waiting for the Cavalry has the feel of a controlled wall of noise, with sustained, abstract synth drones adding to a feeling of paranoia and distrust.

“Maybe I saw you on a closed circuit TV in the Underground
Moving from the corners”

High Noon was another live highlight from the two gigs I saw in the early 80s. Synth bursts from the late Bob Wakelin, Tim Lever’s guitar lines that John McGeoch would surely have appreciated along with crowded, one line vocals from Alix set the scene for my favourite Modern Eon track that arrives next, the mighty Child’s Play.

The most commercial piece that the band ever recorded, it was an obvious single, and Child’s Play has really stood the test of time.

From the sombre, haunting keyboard intro, the Phil Spector influenced production to the fairy-tale lyrics, the song stands apart from the feel of the rest of the album, and offers a different perspective and mood that makes it stand apart from the other songs.

“Always, a handsome prince
Well, I’ll be one day
Some call it child’s play”

After the pure-pop of Child’s Play, the mood darkens again for Choreography, a song that would not have sounded out of place on The Comsat Angel’s Sleep No More album that was released a couple of months after Fiction Tales. There was definitely something in the waters of Sheffield and Liverpool in 1981.

Modern Eon - Euthenics / Child's Play & Mechanic single sleeves

Euthenics was Modern Eon’s second single, this time on the Inevitable label, before they moved to Dindisc. The single version from 1980 appears on disc two of this reissue. Euthenics has such a powerful chorus and end section, that the song lingers long after reaching its conclusion.

The final two tracks close the album so well, the sombre, guitarless In A Strange Way leads to the frenetic Mechanic (a shorter version became the band’s final single).

“The face has been exposed to teardrops
The kind you can’t erase”

Fiction Tales works so well as an album to be played and enjoyed in one sitting, and as a classic early 80s post-punk classic, I hope this reissue reaches a wide audience.

Disc two is a treasure-trove for fans of the band. Unfortunately, I presume due to licencing issues, or lack of access to original masters, there are missing tracks – such as radio sessions, but disc two offers up some single versions and previously unreleased material.

I’m not sure of the source for this reissue, whether its been sourced from original masters or not, but even if the early releases are vinyl rips, care and attention has been given to the restoration.

Second Still and Choreography (1979 Versions) are from Modern Eon’s Pieces, their first EP. Second Still is so much better developed on the album version, and although Choreography lacks the widescreen production of the album version, the pieces are already in place for what the band would develop into less than two years down the line.

The same can be said for the 1980 versions of Euthenics and Waiting For The Cavalry. These versions have less in the way of the wonderful keyboard layers of the album versions, but Euthenics has more saxophone, giving the song a different impetus.

The rarely heard b-sides Cardinal Signs and Visionary are welcome additions to the reissue. The single mix of Mechanic adds a new guitar and keyboard line, and feels like a re-recording, rather than a straight remix. Somewhat smoother and slightly less urgent, this is an interesting take on the song, and one I am glad is included on this release.

The b-side Splash! sounds like it was from the same session as Mechanic. Spoken vocal lines weave in and out, with a New Order meets dub bassline from Danny Hampson, and some rare acoustic piano featuring on a Modern Eon song.

The remaining tracks give an indication of where the band could have gone with their second album. Appearing in demo form, as they were not fully realised for commercial release, the songs are fascinating to hear. After The Party (“After the party, there will be quiet”) features some of the ingredients from Fiction Tales, especially with the rythmn section, but a more forceful vocal style and an less claustrophobic arrangement, with more space and some chinks of brighter light in the performances. The dub version explores the arrangement further as does the 2021 mix from Alix (now known as Alex Che Johnson).

The second “new” track is Garland Leaves, which no doubt would have been an key album track, and could have seen the band embraced by the future Goth movement. After The Party and Garland Leaves were restored by Dave Lloyd, who has done a great job in giving us a brief but tantalising glimpse into a future for the band that sadly never materialised.

If you have not heard Modern Eon before, but you are a fan of the early 80s post-punk of Teardrop Explodes, Siouxsie & The Banshees, The Cure, Echo and the Bunnymen, The Comsat Angels, early Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark and Wah! Heat, then you will surely love Fiction Tales.

Buy Fiction Tales from Amazon
Buy Fiction Tales from Burning Shed

Tracklisting

DISC ONE:

Fiction Tales album released June 1981, Din Disc (DID 11)

  1. Second Still
  2. The Grass Still Grows
  3. Playwrite
  4. Watching The Dancers
  5. Real Hymn
  6. Waiting For The Cavalry
  7. High Noon
  8. Child’s Play
  9. Choreography
  10. Euthenics
  11. In A Strange Way
  12. Mechanic

DISC TWO:

  1. Second Still (1979 Version)
  2. Choreography (1979 Version)
  3. Euthenics (1980 Version)
  4. Waiting For The Cavalry (1980 Version)
  5. Cardinal Signs
  6. Visionary
  7. Mechanic (Single Version)
  8. Splash!
  9. After The Party
  10. After The Party (Dub)
  11. After The Party (Dub) (2021 Mix)
  12. Garland Leaves

1 and 2 taken from the Pieces EP, Eon Records, November 1979 (EON 001).
3 and 4 released as a single, Inevitable, November 1980 (INEV 003).
5 released as the B-side to the Euthenics single, Din Disc, March 1981 (DIN 30).
6 released as the B-side to the Child’s Play single, Din Disc, June 1981 (DIN 31).
7 and 8 released as a single, Din Disc, August 1981 (DIN 35).
9 to 12 recorded at The Pink Studio, Ullet Road, Liverpool, May 1982.

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Also available – Andrew Keeling’s book – Musical Guide to Modern Eon


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News: Steven Wilson Presents: Intrigue – Progressive Sounds In UK Alternative Music 1979–89

2 11 2022

Steven Wilson Presents: Intrigue – Progressive Sounds In UK Alternative Music 1979–89 is a CD and vinyl compilation.

Steven Wilson Presents: Intrigue - Progressive Sounds In UK Alternative Music 1979–89 alum cover


The 4 CD version has 58 tracks exploring the creativity and progressive spirit of alternative British music from 1979-1989 featuring Wire, XTC, The Cure, Tears For Fears and Kate Bush. The CD and 7 LP versions include an expanded booklet (80 pages for the CD / 40 pages for the 7 LP) with extensive liner notes by James Nice and an introduction from Steven Wilson. The 2 LP version has a 12 page booklet.

The compilation was mastered by Phil Kinrade at AIR Mastering.

I presume that the idea for this compilation came from Steven Wilson & Tim Bowness’s successful, and always entertaining, The Album Years podcast. Its refreshing to see a compilation digging a little deeper, and avoiding the obvious hit singles.

Personal highlights for me include A Better Home in the Phantom Zone from Bill Nelson’s Red Noise, one of my favourite tracks from The Stranglers (the title track from their 1979 prog-punk masterpiece The Raven), Astradyne from Ultravox (here in its Steven Wilson Stereo Mix version), along with tracks from Tony Mansfield’s New Musik, post-Ultravox John Foxx, and the Associates.

Steven Wilson Presents: Intrigue - Progressive Sounds In UK Alternative Music 1979–89 - 4 CD

Kudos to Mr Wilson for including the extended version of I Travel from Simple Minds and the rarely celebrated Sealand by Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark from their wonderful Architecture & Morality album from 1981.

SW has also chosen a couple of less obvious choices from some of the eras big-hitters – Talking Drum from Japan, Faith by the Cure, Tears for Fears Memories Fade, the sublime Brilliant Trees by David Sylvian, and Waking the Witch from Kate Bush, in its first appearance on a compilation to my knowledge.

There are also several tracks from artists who I hope can receive more attention following this collections release – namely the haunting Airwaves from Thomas Dolby’s debut album, the epic Dream Within a Dream from Propaganda, Ivy and Neet by This Mortal Coil (their trilogy is a highlight from the 80s) and a band that have given me so much pleasure over the years, Steven Wilson and Tim Bowness’s no-man with Night Sky, Sweet Earth.

Steven Wilson Presents: Intrigue - Progressive Sounds In UK Alternative Music 1979–89 - 2 LP

“This is my personally-curated attempt to redress the balance, and to perhaps introduce any ‘80s-sceptics out there to the idea that conceptual thinking and ambition didn’t suddenly evaporate after ’77… ambitious, weird and thrilling music was all around you in the ‘80s —if you looked in the right places.” 

Steven Wilson

Buy the 4 CD version of Steven Wilson Presents: Intrigue on Amazon
Buy the 2 LP vinyl version of Steven Wilson Presents: Intrigue from Amazon
Buy the 7 LP vinyl version of Steven Wilson Presents: Intrigue from Amazon

4 CD Tracklisting

Disc: 1

I Should Have Known Better – Wire
A Better Home in the Phantom Zone – Bill Nelson’s Red Noise
Back to Nature – Magazine
Complicated Game (Steven Wilson 2014 Mix) – XTC
Careering – Public Image Limited
The Raven – the Stranglers
Puppet Life – Punishment of Luxury
Astradyne (Steven Wilson Stereo Mix) – Ultravox
Contract – Gang of Four
I Travel (Extended Version) – Simple Minds
Sketch for Summer – the Durutti Column
Health and Efficiency – This Heat
Burning Car – John Foxx
Cognitive Dissonance (Steven Wilson 2022 Mix) – Robert Fripp and the League of Gentlemen
Fatal Day – In Camera

Disc: 2

I Can’t Escape Myself – The Sound
The Eternal – Joy Division
Big Empty Field – Swell Maps
Enemies – Art Nouveau
The Joy Circuit – Gary Numan
The Gospel Comes to New Guinea – 23 Skidoo
All My Colours – Echo and the Bunnymen
Ghost Town (Extended Version) – The Specials
They All Run After the Carving Knife – New Musik
The Him – New Order
White Car in Germany (Single Edit) – The Associates
Hit – Section 25
Sealand – Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark
Talking Drum – Japan
Faith – the Cure

Disc: 3

Three Dancers (Steven Wilson 2021 Mix) – Twelfth Night
Airwaves – Thomas Dolby
Are You Ready? – Crispy Ambulance
The Outsider – Rupert Hine
Knife Slits Water – A Certain Ratio
Memories Fade – Tears for Fears
Patient – Peter Hammill
Donimo – Cocteau Twins
In a Waiting Room – Mr and Mrs Smith and Mr Drake
Close (To the Edit) – The Art of Noise
Dalis Car – Dalis Car
Rawhide – Scott Walker
Brilliant Trees – David Sylvian
Dream Within a Dream – Propaganda

Disc: 4

Waking the Witch – Kate Bush
Ivy and Neet – This Mortal Coil
Beehead (7″ Version) – Perennial Divide
This Corrosion – The Sisters of Mercy
Ascension – O Yuki Conjugate
No Motion – Dif Juz
Gutter Busting – Slab!
Murderers, the Hope of Women – Momus
The Host of Seraphim – Dead Can Dance
R.E.S. – Cardiacs
Good Morning Beautiful – The The
Omega Amigo – The Shamen
Night Sky, Sweet Earth – No-Man
The 3rd Time We Opened the Capsule – Kitchens of Distinction

Buy the 4 CD version of Steven Wilson Presents: Intrigue on Amazon

2 LP vinyl Tracklisting

Disc: 1

A Better Home in the Phantom Zone – Bill Nelson’s Red Noise
Back to Nature – Magazine
Complicated Game (Steven Wilson 2014 Mix) – XTC
The Raven – The Stranglers
Puppet Life – Punishment of Luxury
Astradyne (Steven Wilson Stereo Mix) – Ultravox
Sketch for Summer – The Durutti Column
Health and Efficiency – This Heat
Cognitive Dissonance (Steven Wilson 2022 Mix) – Robert Fripp and the League of Gentlemen
Three Dancers (Steven Wilson 2021 Mix) – Twelfth Night

Disc: 2

Airwaves – Thomas Dolby
Knife Slits Water – a Certain Ratio
Donimo – Cocteau Twins
Beehead (7″ Version) – Perennial Divide
No Motion – Dif Juz
Gutter Busting – Slab!
The Host of Seraphim – Dead Can Dance
R.E.S. – Cardiacs
Night Sky, Sweet Earth – No-Man

Buy the 2 LP vinyl version of Steven Wilson Presents: Intrigue from Amazon
Buy the 7 LP vinyl version of Steven Wilson Presents: Intrigue from Amazon


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News: Modern Eon – Fiction Tales album reissue

30 10 2022

Cherry Red are reissuing Modern Eon’s influential album Fiction Tales, as an expanded 2CD Edition, on December 16 2022.

Modern Eon - Fiction Tales

Forming in Liverpool in 1978, built around the collaborative dynamics of Alix Plain and Danny Hampson, Modern Eon burned brightly but briefly, issuing a run of singles and the remarkable album Fiction Tales before disbanding prior to the recording of a second long player.

The band expanded their following with a support slot on The Stranglers Meninblack tour of 1981.

Issued on CD for the first time, this expanded and remastered edition of Fiction Tales features a collection of complementary single versions, B-sides and previously unreleased recordings made in 1982, immediately prior to the band’s demise.

Compiled with Modern Eon’s Alix and Danny, and accompanied by detailed sleeve notes by Andrew Keeling, this is a long overdue re-evaluation of an album that still sounds so powerful so many years later.

Pre-order Fiction Tales from Amazon

Track Listing:

Disc One

Second Still
The Grass Still Grows
Playwrite
Watching The Dancers
Real Hymn
Waiting For The Cavalry
High Noon
Child’s Play
Choreography
Euthenics
In A Strange Way
Mechanic

Disc Two

Second Still (1979 Version)
Choreography (1979 Version)
Euthenics (1980 Version)
Waiting For The Cavalry (1980 Version)
Cardinal Signs
Visionary
Mechanic (Single Version)
Splash!
After The Party*
After The Party (Dub)*
After The Party (Dub) (2021 Mix)*
Garland Leaves*
*Previously Unreleased

Pre-order Fiction Tales from Amazon

Also available – Andrew Keeling’s book – Musical Guide to Modern Eon


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Toyah – Live At The Rainbow album review

12 10 2022

Cherry Red are releasing Toyah’s February 1981 concert recorded at London’s Rainbow Theatre as a CD/ DVD and a coloured double vinyl LP on 25 November 2022.

Toyah - Live At The Rainbow cover


Toyah – Live At The Rainbow is released for the first time on CD with seven additional songs, all previously unreleased and restored exclusively for this release.

Previously only available on VHS, the 53-min concert film has been remastered from the original Rolling Stones multitrack reels for the DVD release with improvements to both picture and sound. The newly remixed and remastered audio has been integrated to the concert for an enhanced viewing experience. All audio remastering was approved by Joel Bogen.

Three of the seven unheard songs appear exclusively on the CD as mono-only (originally mixed by Nick Tauber) bonus tracks, where no existing multi-tracks were available to present new stereo remixes. These three tracks do not appear on the 16-song double vinyl LP edition. Toyah provides a brand-new introduction in the 24-page booklet which contains iconic live photography by Barry Plummer and new notes by Craig Astley, Toyah’s official archivist.

I went to this gig, and so was happy to travel back in time, some 41 years later. 41 years, how did that happen? The DVD was not supplied for review, so I will have to wait until I receive my pre-order to fully relive the experience, so I am only reviewing the CD here. There has been some re-jigging of the original concert order for this release, which had to be done because of the issue of three of the tracks only being available in mono, but this release gives a good representation of the original show, and the remaster is of a high standard.

One of the support bands for this gig was Huang Chung, who became Wung Chung and had success later in the 80s. I saw on Jack Hues twitter account a couple of years ago that the bands albums, including Huang Chung’s debut from 1982, are due to be re-released in the near future, so one to watch out for.

Along with founding members Toyah Willcox and Joel Bogen, new band members Nigel Glockler, Phil Spalding and Adrian Lee make up this line-up of the Toyah band. The set opens with the heavily percussive War Boys from the Four from Toyah EP that had recently given the band their first major UK hit single.

Next up is the first selection from 1979’s Sheep Farming in Barnet album, with the punky-prog of Neon Womb, Waiting and the pop-thrills of Race Through Space.

An extended version of Four From Toyah‘s Angels & Demons slows the pace, before The Blue Meaning‘s Love Me dials in the post-punk feel again, along with album companions Mummies and Insects.

Toyah - Live At The Rainbow CD / DVD and booklet

“This next one you might have seen on Top of the Pops” introduced It’s A Mystery, which still sounds so fresh after all these years. The bass and drum interplay from Spalding and Glockler is a highlight of this 1981 live incarnation of this landmark Toyah song.

Computers makes a rare return to the set after a long absence, and early single Tribal Look highlights the added keyboard presence of new member Adrian Lee, with some wonderful Rhodes piano. Bird In Flight (the double A Side that accompanied Tribal Look) works so well with this new line-up, and this could turn out to be my favourite version of this early Toyah song.

Two of my favourite Sheep Farming In Barnet tracks follow, with Victims Of The Riddle and Danced. A powerful, just under 8 minutes version of the haunting Ieya ends the main set.

The final three tracks are mono, so lose a little of their sparkle. Revelations from the Four From Toyah EP is bookended by two Sheep Farming In Barnet tracks, Our Movie and Indecision, the latter of which loses some of its power for me, but that could well be the mono mix, with less space for the performances to breathe.

Live At The Rainbow is a great keepsake of one of Toyah’s most loved live performances, and will be welcomed by fans of the band, who have waited a long time for an updated release to replace the previously released VHS version.

Buy Toyah Live At The Rainbow CD/DVD from Amazon

Buy Toyah Live At The Rainbow double vinyl LP from Amazon

Tracklisting

CD/DVD

Disc One – CD

War Boys
Neon Womb
Waiting
Race Through Space
Angels & Demons
Love Me
Mummies
Insects
It’s A Mystery
Computer
Tribal Look
Ghosts
Bird In Flight
Victims Of The Riddle
Danced
Ieya
Our Movie*
Revelations*
Indecision*

* mono

Disc Two – DVD

War Boys
Neon Womb
Waiting
Tribal Look
Ghosts
Victims Of The Riddle
Race Through Space
Angels & Demons
Insects
It’s A Mystery
Danced
Ieya

Double vinyl

Disc: 1

War Boys
Neon Womb
Waiting
Race Through Space
Angels & Demons
Love Me
Mummies
Insects

Disc: 2

It’s a Mystery
Computer
Tribal Look
Ghosts
Bird in Flight
Victims of the Riddle
Danced
Ieya


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Sweet Billy Pilgrim – Somapolis track-by-track album review

9 10 2022

Sweet Billy Pilgrim, now a duo comprising multi-instrumentalists Jana Carpenter and Tim Elsenburg, will release a new album, Somapolis on November 4 2022 via Republic of Music. Their story involves a Mercury Music Prize nomination, the IT Crowd, the Royal Albert Hall, Glastonbury Festival, Late Junction and The Culture Show.

Sweet Billy Pilgrim - Somapolis album cover

Guests on the album include Kate St. John (Dream Academy) with string / horn arrangements and Darren Beckett (Brandon Flowers / Madeleine Peyroux / Bryan Ferry) on drums.

Somapolis opener We Are The Bright Carvers is a real statement of intent. Featuring the deepest bass I have heard for many a year, anchoring a hyper addictive song with powerful drums and a hard-hitting, emotional arrangement. The use of space is highly evident on Somapolis, with real and synthesised strings flitting in and out, alongside scratchy, mournful new wave guitars and delightful tag-team vocals from Jana and Tim.

Jana and Tim’s vocals blend so well together, adding a unique colour and personality to the songs. The production is perfect, adding a warmth and clarity to individual instruments and featuring short sound-designs linking each track, to give the feel of one whole, linked piece. Cities are linked by their transportation systems, which is maybe why all the tracks on this album are linked, often with transport or people interaction found-sounds.

Bliss Maps is initially a rich slice of electronica, evolving as acoustic instruments, including spaghetti western guitar lines, are thrown into the mix. The beautiful vocal arrangement, as Jana and Tim are joined by a collection of other voices, works so well with the trumpet, saxophone and funk bass taking the song home.

“Did I put something in your Chardonnay?
Close your eyes…”

Attacus Atlas continues with the squelchy, Bootsy Collins bass and mellotrons that adorn many of the tracks, in a song referencing the worlds largest moth, whose brief and beautiful emergence lasts for just days before it dies. The chorus seeps into your soul, as Jana takes the lead on one of the albums key songs.

Instrumental lines appear and disappear when you least expect them, keeping you on your toes, and revealing new wonders on repeated listens.

“It’s the light that leads me home”

Attacus Atlas is a story of brief, breathless and fragrant love that undergoes a complete metamorphosis as Pass Muster, with its jittering rhythm (definitely not a dancer!) appears, layered with a honey-sweet vocal topping that transports the track into gospel directions that seemed impossible to imagine from the songs beginning.

The piano waltz of Down I Go (heralded by a tube-station sound-sketch, very clever) is simple but effective, with some of the albums strongest lyrics. When the synth sequence and percussion kicks in, the song hits you hard in your heart. The simplicity and directness of Down I Go‘s arrangement makes this song all the more powerful, following the previous songs rich and often complex arrangements.

“There is a river runs under the city at night, and down I go out of the light”

The arrangement builds for the songs final descent, and then washes away leaving just Tim’s solo vocal and piano. Down I Go quickly established itself as one of my favourite Sweet Billy Pilgrim songs.

Dead Man Dancing is an anthemic beast, featuring a mixture of 70s and 80s referencing synth sounds, with a hint of late 70s Bowie in the chorus. Stress Position returns to the dual vocals and a more widescreen arrangement, and could well be a tale of crime, but going on past Sweet Billy Pilgrim lyrics, the true meaning is probably hidden somewhere below the surface and is always open to the listeners interpretation.

Jana Carpenter and Tim Elsenburg, of Sweet Billy Pilgrim.
Jana Carpenter and Tim Elsenburg

The processed music-box intro of The Night Watch quickly switches to a pure Steely Dan groove. The thoughts I had on first hearing The Night Watch included how on earth did the band afford to hire Donald Fagen to produce the song? It sounds so well-produced that I fully expect to see his name on the album credits. The attention to detail lovingly painted onto every detail of this song, from the shuffling drum pattern to the multiple layered vocal, make this an album highlight that I think will resonate with so many people.

A sweetly nostalgic 1960’s back-beat and organ swells underpin Pilgrim, which like Down I Go, has a feel of simplicity that makes the magical choral sections and more expansive moments all the more powerful. With no synths in sight, Pilgrim feels like a song from a bygone, long-lost era. Along with Big Big Train, Sweet Billy Pilgrim are not afraid to head back to the past and utilise more traditional tools such as brass bands, to convey emotion and help splash colour onto their wide musical canvas. The subtle production touches lift the arrangement, making Pilgrim a song that sticks with you long after the last reverb-drenched vocals fade.

Get Back To Where You Started drops you back into the here and now. After the two lighter songs that preceded it, the mood is buoyed with such a joyous chorus. The band throw everything at the production on this song, nothing is held back. Trumpet solos, big beats and deep Rhodes piano all make a welcome appearance, along with that funky as hell bass sound that is a star of the album. In an alternative universe, when the spirit of the 80s is still strong, this song would be the big hit single.

The album closes with its longest song, Skywriting. Another initially uplifting track, using a similar musical palette to songs earlier in the album, the discordant piano adds a slight feeling of apprehension that feeds into the dual mood that the song delivers. An almost classic rock driven instrumental section is simply delicious, and the synths, strings and deep electronics that see out the last minute or so hint at an ascension as the final part of the journey, with the album having lots of references to travel within the city, whether purely physical movement or through the individual journey’s that make up our lives.

There is so much love, care and a vast array of different styles shared throughout Somapolis, which appears to be the story of a city and tales of how the people who live within interact, travel and are affected by their surroundings. Somapolis is adventurous, rich, uplifting and meditative in equal measures, making it the most fully realised and satisfying release so far from the band.

Enjoy the journey.

Order Sweet Billy Pilgrim – Somapolis CD from Amazon

Order Sweet Billy Pilgrim – Somapolis vinyl from Amazon

Buy Somapolis from the Sweet Billy Pilgrim artist store

We Are The Bright Carvers
Bliss Maps
Attacus Atlas
Pass Muster
Down I Go
Dead Man Dancing
Stress Position
The Night Watch
Pilgrim
Get Back To Where You Started
Skywriting


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