Aztec Camera – Backwards and Forwards: The WEA Recordings (1984-1995) boxset review

27 07 2021

Cherry Red Records are releasing Backwards and Forwards: The WEA Recordings (1984-1995) a 9 CD Aztec Camera boxset on 27 August 2021.

The set includes the following studio albums: Knife (1984), Love (1987), Stray (1990), Dreamland (1993) and Frestonia (1995) plus In Concert 1984, Remixes, B-Sides And Live 1986-1988, Remixes, Rarities And Live 1990 and Live At Ronnie Scott’s.

The box set opens with Aztec Camera’s second album, 1984’s Knife, that was produced by Dire Straits Mark Knopfler. The Back Door To Heaven and the title track are my favourites from the album. This version also includes two versions of the Van Halen cover, Jump, that has picked up popularity as the years have passed since its initial release.

The second disc is In Concert, 1984, that includes songs from the band’s debut album, including Walk Out To Winter (two versions), We Could Send Letters and Oblivious.

The Love album from 1987 saw Roddy Frame expanding the band’s sound, working with legendary musicians such as bassist Marcus Miller and Steely Dan drummer Steve Gadd, and including production credits for David Frank (electro band The System) and Michael Jonzun of The Jonzun Crew. Love has a smooth sound that really fits the time of release. Deep & Wide & Tall has some sweet synth and vocal lines, and an 80s staple, timbale breaks! How Men Are is a classic Roddy Frame ballad, but the album will likely be remembered for the singles Somewhere In My Heart and Working in a Goldmine.

Disc Four contains Remixes, B-Sides And Live 1986-1988, that opens with three versions of Somewhere In My Heart, including a 7 minute 12″ remix. Other highlights include a silky version of Working in a Goldmine, recorded live at Pinewood Studios, and a glorious stripped down version of How Men Are from the ITV show that kept me from sleep way into the small hours over the weekend in the late 80s, Night Network.

1990’s Stray is probably the most eclectic Aztec Camera album. Stray still sounds delicious as do the Big Audio Dynamite / The Clash influenced Get Outta London and Good Morning Britain (that features Mick Jones). A bonus on this reissue is a cover of Cyndi Lauper’s True Colors, that is a warm homage to the original.

“Make a promise, break a promise in the same day”

Disc Six is for the completists only, and a disc I will not play again in all likelihood, made up of seven versions of Good Morning Britain and a couple of other tracks from the era.

Live At Ronnie Scott’s works well as it is the majority of the concert at the legendary London Jazz Club from 1991 and is just Roddy Frame and Gary Sanctuary (piano and saxophone), so there is a real continuity in the performances. Spanish Horses and How Men Are work particularly well in this stripped back format.

The final two discs are the final two Aztec Camera studio albums. Dreamland is my favourite Aztec Camera album, and was produced by Ryuichi Sakamoto and Roddy Frame, with mixing duties delivered by Julian Mendelsohn. The Sakamoto influence in the sound is a welcome addition, and the album is worth investigating just for the track Black Lucia, one of Frame’s finest songs.

Spanish Horses is a masterclass and evokes the sound of early America (A Horse With No Name / Ventura Highway) but with a Catalonian twist. The production is widescreen, with lots of space and free from the shackles of the late 80s production. Pianos And Clocks also benefits from the Ryuichi effect, with an interesting keyboard run underpinning the song.

Vertigo is a fine pop song, with a playful arrangement that lifts the song to another level.

“Man, I’m going back
To where I’m captured and caressed
And life’s undressed and left where living belongs”

The Belle Of The Ball is a more traditional arrangement and performance to close the original album running order.

Aztec Camera’s final studio album Frestonia was released in 1995, with a powerful and warm production from Clive Langer and Alan Winstanley. ZTT / ABC percussionist Luís Jardim makes several key contributions to the album, which has more of a full band sound than previous Aztec Camera albums, particularly on the opening track Rainy Season.

On The Avenue has a touch of the magic that constitutes a classic Paul McCartney song in it’s DNA and Imperfectly has a wonderful drum intro and moving organ lines throughout.

Backwards and Forwards: The WEA Recordings (1984-1995) is a great way to collect the majority of the albums from Aztec Camera, but you are still going to have to buy High Land, Hard Rain to complete the collection, trust me!