Frost* 13 Winters artbook / boxset Review

10 11 2020

Frost* are releasing 13 Winters, a Limited Edition Deluxe 8-disc Artbook that contains remastered (and for Experiments In Mass Appeal a remix/remaster) of their three studio albums, plus the previously digital only Others EP, two live albums, the instrumental version of Falling Satellites, a rarities disc along with an artbook.

Frost* were formed in 2004 by Jem Godfrey, who was known for creating chart-topping hits for acts including Atomic Kitten, Shayne Ward and Holly Valance. Godfrey teamed up with John Mitchell (Lonely Robot, Kino, Arena, It Bites…) and other musicians to explore his earlier roots in progressive rock. Whilst modern progressive rock is at the forefront of Frost*, the songs also expose Godfrey’s pop skills, with strong melodies and hooks.

The Milliontown remaster is a subtle upgrade, with better separation and clarity, making the quieter parts more powerful but the heavy patches hit you hard with their renewed energy. This presents the album in its best light, and it is a pleasure rediscovering the band’s debut album. From the slow-building progressive-pop of Hyperventilate, that sets an early blueprint for the breadth of Frost*’s vision, to one of my favourite songs, the warm and nostalgic Snowman.

Black Light Machine highlights the power of this new remaster, and the closing song, the epic Milliontown, sounds stunning.

Whilst not a favourite of Jem Godfrey, I love the band’s second album, 2008’s Experiments In Mass Appeal. It does have more of an alt-rock feel than its predecessor, and is certainly more guitar based, but the pop sensibility remains. The version of Experiments In Mass Appeal in this boxset is a 2020 remix as well as a remaster.

Along with the rock tracks, such as the title track and Pocket Sun, the album delivers some touching slower paced, more melancholic pieces. My favourite of these is Saline. At times reduced to just a solo piano line, this is one of the most stripped back but hard-hitting tracks the band have ever released. When the strings kick in towards the end, you realise that Saline is such a powerful and emotional statement.

“And I don’t know if I can survive the feeling
Losing all that’s mine”

Falling Down is another personal favourite, and has remained so since its release back in 2008. Andy Edwards contributes some great drum patterns on this intelligent arrangement, as it shifts from light to dark moods. Toys reminds me of mid-period Mansun, and is stuffed to the brim with hook after hook. The Secret Song (aka the hidden track on Wonderland) is a fine way to end the album.

“And I’ll be fine
Don’t worry
Remember me…”

2016’s Falling Satellites is available as the full album plus an instrumental version in the 13 Winters boxset. The album features the mighty Craig Blundell on drums, who leaves his mark early on with Numbers and a song that reminds me of The Police in the verses, Signs. There is a strong feeling of consistency throughout Falling Satellites, which comes across as a real band album, and benefits from a subtle and sympathetic remaster.

Towerblock is a song of change and rebuilding, and the loss of the physical places where some of our memories live. A glitchy, stuttering production full of found sounds makes this track unique in the bands catalogue.

“(They’re all gone gone gone gone gone gone)
The height lines on my bedroom door
(They’re all gone gone gone gone gone gone)
My soldiers hiding under the floor”

Lights Out is another quality mid-tempo pop piece, and freshens the palette mid-way through the album.

Closer To The Sun is a late-night chillout track, with mesmerising percussion work, that mutates mid-song, featuring a solo from Joe Satriani as the arrangement becomes more progressive. Mix those genres Frost*! Which is something they do to even more dramatic effect on The Raging Against The Dying Of The Light Blues in 7/8, which starts off like a modern take on the blues genre before shape-shifting into a completely different beast as the song twists and changes.

The album ends with the short and sparse Last Day.

“Handprints in old concrete
Ghosts we leave behind”

Falling Satellive is the Falling Satellites album (minus opening track First Day) in a live performance with the same line-up as the studio album. The live version of Numbers gives off strong Synchronicity 1 (The Police) vibes. The album is a recording of the band’s gig at Dingwalls, London, in November 2017.

Shorn of a lot of the studio production effects, the songs work well live, with a heightened sense of energy and purpose. Lights Out and especially Closer To The Sun work well in a live environment. Be prepared for an interloper at the end of the final track, by the way. Don’t say I didn’t warn you.

The second live album, The Philadelphia Experiment, was recorded in 2009 and features a different line-up, including Dec Burke, Nick D’Virgilio and John Jowitt. It features one of the best humorous uses of intro music I have heard, and a solid set from the first two studio albums, including a live-looping Snowman and an electrifying Milliontown.

13 Winters features the first physical release for the Others EP from earlier in 2020. Featuring a stripped back line up of Jem Godfrey and drummers Craig Blundell / Andy Edwards, Clouda features wonderful harmonies and Exhibit A pushes the tempo to extremes.

Fathom is an orchestral piece, whilst Eat is a sample driven song, like Art of Noise on steroids. Drown pumps up the electronics and I look forward to hearing more songs that deviate from expectations from Frost* in the near future (a new album is being written and recorded at the moment).

The final disc is This And That – B-Sides And Rarities. Opening with one of the most ambitious Frost* songs, The Dividing Line is a 16 minute plus track that alternates between Goldfrapp-esque glamrock, quasi-classical / music-box breakdowns and some of the wildest riffage in the bands catalogue. The song is all over the place stylistically, it doesn’t follow the rules and shouldn’t really work, but the absolutely manic joy in the performance captures your attention and is a highlight of this set. The Dividing Line is certainly not for the faint-hearted!

British Wintertime is the strongest song on this disc and one of my favourite Frost* songs – a delicate, emotive goodbye. I never tire of this song, its one I often put on repeat. A beautiful, mesmerising piece of music.

There are four songs in demo form on this disc that offer a preview of how the finished studio tracks developed. The Towerblock demo is mostly found sounds, smashing and crashing over a skeletal arrangement. The demo of Closer To The Sun is interesting to hear, as it is even more electronic than the final version. A short demo take of Last Day is the final vocal track on the This And That – B-Sides And Rarities disc. The instrumental soundscapes of Hyperventilate Hypoventilate Paulstretch Test closes the collection, with its dreamlike waves of stretched sound.

Frost* 13 Winters is a quick and easy way to get hold of the band’s back catalogue, and the albums all sound better than they ever have (not that they originally sounded bad!). The set also includes an artbook containing images from the cover-art shots, an honest / self-critical interview with Jem Godfrey and album notes, including lyrics for the studio albums.

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As well as the limited physical release, the individual albums will be available digitally from the end of November 2020.

Disc 1 – Milliontown (2006) Remaster 2020

Hyperventilate (Remaster 2020) 7:30
No Me No You (Remaster 2020) 6:08
Snowman (Remaster 2020) 3:54
Black Light Machine (Remaster 2020) 10:08
The Other Me (Remaster 2020) 4:48
Milliontown (Remaster 2020) 26:09

Disc 2 – Experiments In Mass Appeal (2008) Remix/Remaster 2020

Experiments In Mass Appeal (Remix/Remaster 2020) 7:54
Welcome To Nowhere (Remix/Remaster 2020) 5:32
Pocket Sun (Remix/Remaster 2020) 4:29
Saline (Remix/Remaster 2020) 6:09
Dear Dead Days (Remix/Remaster 2020) 6:50
Falling Down (Remix/Remaster 2020) 5:50
You/I (Remix/Remaster 2020) 1:05
Toys (Remix/Remaster 2020) 3:05
Wonderland (Remix/Remaster 2020) 5:54
The Secret Song (Remix/Remaster 2020) 8:21

Disc 3 – Falling Satellites (2016) Remaster 2020

First Day (Remaster 2020) 1:39
Numbers (Remaster 2020) 4:21
Towerblock (Remaster 2020) 6:13
Signs (Remaster 2020) 6:35
Lights Out (Remaster 2020) 3:51
Heartstrings (Remaster 2020) 6:20
Closer To The Sun (Remaster 2020) 7:20
The Raging Against The Dying Of The Light Blues In 7/8 (Remaster 2020) 7:49
Nice Day For It (Remaster 2020) 6:37
Hypoventilate (Remaster 2020) 2:00
Last Day (Remaster 2020) 3:25

Disc 4 – Falling Satellites – Instrumentals (2016) Remaster 2020

First Day (Instrumental/Remaster 2020) 1:39
Numbers (Instrumental/Remaster 2020) 4:21
Towerblock (Instrumental/Remaster 2020) 6:13
Signs (Instrumental/Remaster 2020) 6:35
Lights Out (Instrumental/Remaster 2020) 3:51
Heartstrings (Instrumental/Remaster 2020) 6:21
Closer To The Sun (Instrumental/Remaster 2020) 7:20
The Raging Against The Dying Of The Light Blues in 7/8 (Instrumental/Remaster 2020) 7:49
Nice Day For It… (Instrumental/Remaster 2020) 6:37
Hypoventilate (Instrumental/Remaster 2020) 2:00
Last Day (Instrumental/Remaster 2020) 3:24

Disc 5 – Falling Satellive – Live 2017

Numbers (Live at Dingwalls, London, 2017) 4:45
Towerblock (Live at Dingwalls, London, 2017) 7:48
Signs (Live at Dingwalls, London, 2017) 7:18
Lights Out (Live at Dingwalls, London, 2017) 5:40
Heartstrings (Live at Dingwalls, London, 2017) 6:02
Closer To The Sun (Live at Dingwalls, London, 2017) 7:35
The Raging Against The Dying Of The Light Blues In 7/8 (Live at Dingwalls, London, 2017) 7:49
Nice Day For It… (Live at Dingwalls, London, 2017) 6:44
Hypoventilate (Live at Dingwalls, London, 2017) 1:02
Last Day (Live at Dingwalls, London, 2017) 3:45

Disc 6 – Others – EP

Fathers 4:54
Clouda 6:54
Exhibit A 5:35
Fathom 3:58
Eat 4:39
Drown 5:59

Disc 7 – The Philadelphia Experiment – Live 2009

Intro (Live at The Keswick Theatre, Glenside, 2nd May 2009) 2:06
Hyperventilate (Live at The Keswick Theatre, Glenside, 2nd May 2009) 5:55
Wonderland (Live at The Keswick Theatre, Glenside, 2nd May 2009) 4:56
Black Light Machine (Live at The Keswick Theatre, Glenside, 2nd May 2009) 10:29
Snowman (Live at The Keswick Theatre, Glenside, 2nd May 2009) 6:18
Saline (Live at The Keswick Theatre, Glenside, 2nd May 2009) 6:16
Milliontown (Live at The Keswick Theatre, Glenside, 2nd May 2009) 25:58
The Other Me (Live at The Keswick Theatre, Glenside, 2nd May 2009) 7:19