The Albums 1978-1979 is a 38 track 2CD digipack featuring all of the recordings made by TRB for EMI Records between 1977-79.
Disc one features TRB’s debut album, Power In The Darkness, that was originally released in 1978. I still regularly play my original vinyl, that came with a famous stencil (which you can download from Tom’s site), so obviously I am a fan. Up Against The Wall is a powerful opener, and one of the best singles of 1978, whilst the gentler Rhodes driven Too Good To Be True sounds as good today as it did back in ’78.
My two favourite, and most played tracks from the album, sit together in the track list. The searing Long Hot Summer and the anthemic The Winter of ’79 send me back in time to those heady late 70s days. Tom’s powerful lyrics and the late Danny Kustow’s finest guitar performance shines so bright on this classic album track.
“Yes a few of us fought
And a few of us died
In the winter of ’79”
The Man You Never Saw passed me by at the time, but in recent years, now resonates with such power. The extra tracks on the first disc are as strong as the main album. 2-4-6-8 Motorway was a top 5 single in 1977, and was an ever-present on the radio for most of that year. 1978’s live Rising Free EP is included here in it’s entirety, the highlights of which are the Wilko Johnson like frenzied guitar driven Don’t Take No For An Answer and the hugely influential, and as powerful now as it was back in 1978, (Sing If You’re) Glad To Be Gay. It is hard to imagine now, but this was such a brave song to release by Tom and the band, and the album notes have a lovely quote from Tom:
“Middle aged people still come up to me and say, ‘I’m so glad you did that song. It made a real difference to my life.’ That’s a fantastic feeling – having risked sticking my neck out – to find out how much it meant to people at the time.”
The album closes with three live songs not included on the original live EP – Winter Of ’79, I’m All Right Jack and Waiting For My Man.
Disc two is the band’s second and final studio album, TRB TWO from 1979. TRB Two is an underrated rock/pop album, with a sympathetic production from Todd Rundgren. All Right All Night has some sharp classic-rock guitar lines, added to the new wave energy. Let My People Be features warm keyboards from Ian Parker and a powerful performance from former Kate Bush drummer Preston Heyman.
Bully For You (a co-write with Peter Gabriel) is the album’s stand-out track, with a raw and impassioned vocal from Tom. The final track of the original album, Hold Out, points at some of the future directions his music would take.
Highlights of the extra tracks included on the second disc include Our People, that harks back to the first album in its arrangement, the B-side Getting Tighter, with its Steely Dan-esque arrangement and the two versions (7″ and 12″) of the Philly soul single Never Gonna Fall In Love… (Again), that was written with Elton John. I first heard the song on the 1981 Tom Robinson Band compilation, though I’ve long since lost my vinyl copy. Elton released his own version of Never Gonna Fall In Love… (Again) in 1980 on his 21 at 33 album.
This 2 CD collection is the perfect way to collect the music of the Tom Robinson Band, and a great way to escape back to the late 70s, preferably by car with 2-4-6-8 Motorway blasting out of the FM radio.
“2-4-6-8, ain’t never too late
Me and my radio truckin’ on through the night”
DISC ONE
POWER IN THE DARKNESS
Up Against The Wall
Grey Cortina
Too Good To Be True
Ain’t Gonna Take It
Long Hot Summer
The Winter Of ’79
Man You Never Saw
Better Decide Which Side You’re On
You Gotta Survive
Power In The Darkness
BONUS TRACKS
2-4-6-8 Motorway
I Shall Be Released
I’m All Right Jack
Don’t Take No For An Answer (live)
(Sing If You’re) Glad To Be Gay (live)
Martin (live)
Right On Sister (live)
Winter Of ’79 (live)
I’m All Right Jack (live)
Waiting For My Man (live)
DISC TWO
TRB TWO
All Right All Night
Why Should I Mind
Black Angel
Let My People Be
Blue Murder
Bully For You
Crossing Over The Road
Sorry Mr. Harris
Law And Order
Days Of Rage
Hold Out
BONUS TRACKS
Our People
Bully For You (Rough Mix)
Suits Me Suits You (LP Demo)
Never Gonna Fall In Love… (Again) (7” version)
Getting Tighter
Never Gonna Fall In Love… (Again) (12” version)
2-4-6-8 Motorway (Original demo)
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