In 1981 the Liverpool based band A Better Mousetrap was formed. The band performed in venues around the North West of England before disbanding in 1985 and they were never heard of again, until now. In 2020, three original members got together to work on the music they created in the 1980s. Calling themselves The Mousetrap Factory, over the next two years they recorded updated versions of old songs, along with some new ones. These form the album The Beauty of Routine which will be released in 2023 and is available on-line via Burning Shed.
The Beauty of Routine features nine songs, including a cover of Humdrum by Peter Gabriel. Tim Bowness has written the sleeve notes.
The album starts with Trivia, and an old telephone dial tone, with a disembodied “hello”, maybe referencing the future calling the past? This is not the album the band would have made in the early 80s, and Trivia feels like a 21st Century song and production, whilst clearly drawing from the bands musical past. References to modern day living provide lyrical updates to the song that was originally conceived in 1981. I love the proggy keyboards from Brian Hulse, and as always with Hulse recordings, the drum programming is a highlight.
Distant Man was written in 1980, a slow building piece, with a wonderful post-punk bassline from David K Jones, and an emotive performance from vocalist Peter Goddard.
“The letters fade, I loose my hands And they must never know what I feel for you”
Space is the first “new” on the album. Set to a laid-back, loping beat that is underpinned by deep bass, minimal synths and percussive guitar lines, the reflective, at time spoken, lyrics suit the music perfectly. This song makes me want to jump into my (imaginary) time-machine and visit the long-lost London Planetarium to listen to this song, lying back with headphones on whilst experiencing the laser lightshow.
“Infinite, vast, formless, nothingness”
A Contradiction, originally written in 1981, changes direction mid-way through the song, with a very clever dialling down of the speed and pace, with the end section reminding me a little of The Garden era John Foxx. Not in the sound of the vocals or the instrumentation, but the highly emotional, gentle and almost choral arrangement.
A Contradiction is an epic track, with the band pouring more ideas into this single track than some bands put into the mix for a whole EP. Talk about value for money!
Humdrum is a cover of the Peter Gabriel song from his 1977 debut. The Mousetrap Factory add more jittery electronics to their updating of this classic late 70s original. The reimagining is respectful, whilst taking the song into new directions so many years later. Peter Goddard adds his own vocal stylings, instead of providing a more obvious, deeper delivery of the lyrics.
Waiting/Monologue was originally written in 1982, and has some early Simple Mind’s referencing drum and bass interplay, giving the song a potent urgency. Stripped back lyrics and heavily processed vocals make this one of the most interesting arrangements on the album.
I Stand Aside is the second and final new song on the album. Its also my favourite song on The Beauty of Routine. It has a freshness and lightness of touch, to make it stand aside (sorry, not sorry) from the other songs on the album. A stunning vocal performance and arrangement from Peter Goddard, with sympathetic and unobtrusive backing from band colleagues Hulse & Jones, delivers one of the albums key tracks.
“I stand aside I only came here to enjoy the ride But if you’re planning something more beside I stand aside”
The final two songs were both written in 1980. Mrs. Green reminds me a little of The Teardrop Explodes, which is always a good thing. The nursery rhyme-like lyrics, and the unexpected break-down at the half-way mark, gives this track its unique charm.
The Beauty of Routine ends with the slow-paced and atmospheric The Nineteenth Day, featuring deep-cut synths and a melodic bass-line that works so well alongside a very theatrical, expressive vocal from Peter Goddard.
“I hold the future…”
The Beauty of Routine brings together the bands past and transports their music into the here and now, in a way that hints at a possible future.
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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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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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
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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 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.
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.
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.
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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)
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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.
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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
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Cherry Red are releasing a 3CD/Blu-Ray Remastered & Expanded version of Barclay James Harvest’s second album, Once Again on 27 January 2023.
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.
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.
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.
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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)
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The much-loved 1981 album from Liverpool’s influential band Modern Eon gets its first release on CD from Cherry Red.
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.
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.
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.
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Fiction Tales album released June 1981, Din Disc (DID 11)
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
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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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 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.
“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.
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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
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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.
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
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.
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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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Rupert Hine – Surface Tension – The Recordings 1981-1983 is a 3CD Box Set containing the albums Immunity (1981), Waving Not Drowning (1982) and The Wildest Wish To Fly (1983). The three early 80s albums have been newly remastered by original engineer / co-producer Stephen W Tayler. The boxset also includes an illustrated booklet featuring an essay and interviews.
The three albums were a partnership – with music written by Rupert Hine and lyrics written by Jeannette Obstoj. Hine had success as a member of Quantum Jump and also had an amazing career as a songwriter and producer, going on to produce more than 160 albums, including collaborations with Tina Turner, The Fixx, Howard Jones, The Members, Chris de Burgh, Jona Lewie, Rush, Bob Geldof, Stevie Nicks, Thomson Twins, The Waterboys, Kate Bush, Suzanne Vega, Underworld, Kevin Godley and Duncan Sheik.
The first album in the collection is 1981’s Immunity. Guests on the album include an appearance by Marianne Faithfull on Misplaced Love, and Immunity includes performances from renowned guitarist Phil Palmer, drums and percussion from Trevor Morais, along with Phil Collins contributing percussion on two key tracks.
I Hang On to My Vertigo sets the scene for this trilogy. Immunity is driven by early 80s suspended piano and deep synths, expertly processed (I love the decay effects and the use of the Eventide harmoniser on the album) topped with a mixture of acoustic and electronic percussion. The songs mostly have a sombre, dark feeling with a heavy reliance on mood and atmospherics, giving the albums a timeless feel.
Samsara is a haunting piece, with heavily processed synth percussion, and layered choral vocals from Hine. Hine is often rightly praised for his production work, but was not given enough credit for his solo recording career. He had a unique, instantly recognisable vocal style that perfectly suited the material he released in the 80s, and it is easy to see how these three albums influenced other musicians of the time.
Credit must also go to lyricist Jeannette Obstoj, whose often dystopian, and always interesting lyrics clearly fed and inspired Hine’s imagination.
The album reaches a peak of darkness with I Think A Man Will Hang Soon. An initially sparse arrangement, with sharp peaks and troughs, and the album’s first appearance of live percussion and heavy guitar, adding to the feeling of fearful apprehension.
“I think a man will hang soon He’s hiding in a back room His morals are confused now Like walls they’re bound to crack soon”
The title track and Another Stranger feature Phil Collins on percussion. Marimbas pepper Immunity throughout the verses, for one of the lighter, more uplifting songs on the album. Another Stranger has a heady mix of electronic with acoustic instrumentation. Phil Palmer adds some delicious heavily chorused guitar, and Collins contributions are understated, serving the song well.
I always wondered if the “Boredom–boredom–boredom” from the chorus of Psycho Surrender was a lyrical nod to the Buzzcocks track from three years earlier? Psycho Surrender includes some of the techniques that came to the fore in electronic music a few years further down the line, when sampling technology arrived, although in this case, the “samples” are bottles being smashed and recorded in real time.
Make a Wish is once again driven by synth percussion and multi-tracked vocals, amongst the fractured mechanical arrangement, that has the feel of an old AM radio tuning in and out of the static. The moment the noise is tuned out and Hines vocals and synths cut through, offers up one of the most powerful moments on the album.
Immunity ends with two bonus tracks, the dark Scratching At Success and the brutal minimalism of Introduction To The Menace.
“He’s scratching at success Like some poor dog locked in a room”
Waving Not Drowning from 1982 was my introduction to Rupert’s work, and remains one of my favourite albums from the early 80s. I first heard the album on one side of a cassette lent to my by a flat-mate, and along with the album on the other side of the tape (Talking Heads More Songs About Buildings and Food from 1978), Waving Not Drowning was a constant companion for my Walkman accompanied early morning commutes to the NHS hospital where I worked at the time. I lost track of the album (when I eventually gave the tape back!) and did not hear it again until buying a CD reissue (from Voiceprint in 2001) and then tracking down an original vinyl copy from Discogs.
The Phil’s (Palmer and Collins) plus Trevor Morais are joined by Chris Thomson for Waving Not Drowning.
Waving Not Drowning is the album I am most familiar with from this collection, so to me the improvements from Stephen W Tayler’s remaster is at its most pronounced here. The songs on Waving Not Drowning are amongst Hine’s strongest, with a shift to more conventional arrangements whilst keeping most of the quirky, innovative production in place.
Eleven Faces sounds so powerful with this remaster, utilising a Hine signature – the vocal line closely following the keyboard melody.
“Do I remember how he held the woman down His shadow made a pool so deep she had to drown”
It is also noticeable in this remaster how the volume increases slightly at key points in the arrangement of songs.
The Curious Kind has a wonderful, addictive chorus with background vocals from Christopher Thomson.
“The slow recurring point unwinds We always were the curious kind”
The Set Up has one of those chorus’s that sticks like glue. The production is so clever on this track, a metronomic rhythm, with vocal and synths offering an unconventional bassline lurking behind an emotional synth backing.
Jeannette Obstoj provides Hine with wonderful lyrics about conformity and social shaping.
“They did it with kindness They did it with a smile They did it all, with a licence They did it, according to the rules They did it, with good advice They did it, from inside They did it, for some reason They did it Well they tried”
Dark Windows uses stormy weather as a backdrop to introduce the percussion, with swirling organs and drenched in reverb piano serving the perfect mood for the lyrics.
The Sniper details a list of ways in which one can get killed, and features stellar guitar work from Phil Palmer, alongside one of the albums most powerful percussive performances. The end section, with discordant guitars and saxophone from Ollie W. Tayler (aka Stephen W Tayler!), reminds me a little of Bill Nelson’s Red Noise.
“The sniper knows his time has come and the life he takes means nothing more than bullets to the gun”
Innocents in Paradise features Phil Collins on marimba, timbales and tom-toms. House Arrest was dedicated to Donald Woods, a South African anti-Apartheid activist and friend of Stephen Biko.
The Outsider is one of my favourites on the album. A mix of found sounds, utilising Synclavier and PPG Wave synths.
The pre-chorus of
“So to the spider the web is home Now the fly lands The fly must stay”
works so well as a pre-cursor to the bold, crashing section that comes next. The Outsider is very unsettling, and a must listen on headphones to fully appreciate the production touches.
The album proper ends with the mixture of synth-pop and cymbal heavy rock of One Man’s Poison, followed by ‘b’ side Kwok’s Quease, the only track that I always skip!
The Wildest Wish To Fly did not feature two Phil’s this time, but two Palmers. Joining Phil Palmer was Robert Palmer, who added vocals to several tracks. James West-Oram (The Fixx) also features on guitar.
Rupert Hine was working with Robert Palmer around the time of The Wildest Wish To Fly, and the sounds and feel of Palmer’s wonderful Pride album seep through, along with a somewhat more conventional and less challenging set of songs, which is a shame after the landmark of the previous years Waving Not Drowning.
There is still plenty to enjoy though. Palmer guests on album opener Living in Sin, with its infectious chorus. No Yellow Heart retains some of the sonic charm of the previous albums, and the lyrics remain interesting throughout.
The simplicity of Firefly in the Night is a highlight of The Wildest Wish To Fly, reminding me of the use of acoustic instruments alongside electronics used to such great effect by Thomas Dolby and his The Flat Earth album that came out a year later.
“Then I thought I saw your face But it was no more than a firefly in the night”
Picture Phone features another appearance from Robert Palmer, and remarkably predicts the rise of our reliance on smartphones and technology. The more commercial single mix appears towards the end of this CD. The Most Dangerous of Men feeds off the chant vocals also used on Palmer’s Pride to good effect. The organ and piano backing, allied with a steady beat, works so well.
The title track is just under a minute shorter than the original release, due to a plethora of remixed and re-edited releases in different territories. It is one of the more experimental pieces in terms of the arrangement, and features some plaintive chorused guitar from Phil Palmer and another vocal appearance from Robert Palmer. A slightly progressive feel seeps into the central section of the song, and it adds a welcome new flavour to the mix.
Four bonus tracks complete this version of the album, the highlight of which is the stripped back An Eagle’s Teaching, which offers some lovely bass work and subtle guitar lines.
The remastering by Stephen W Tayler adds so much to these versions of the classic Rupert Hine early eighties albums, that will appeal to fans of the original releases as well as anyone interested in early 80s synth based music. There is so much to enjoy in this new collection.
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CD1 Immunity I Hang On To My Vertigo Misplaced Love Samsara Surface Tension I Think A Man Will Hang Soon Immunity Another Stranger Psycho Surrender Make A Wish
Bonus tracks: Scratching At Success Introduction To The Menace
CD2 Waving Not Drowning Eleven Faces The Curious Kind The Set Up Dark Windows The Sniper Innocents In Paradise House Arrest The Outsider One Man’s Poison
Bonus track: Kwok’s Quease
CD3 The Wildest Wish To Fly Living in Sin No Yellow Heart The Saturation of the Video Rat Firefly in the Night A Golden Age Picture Phone The Victim of Wanderlust The Most Dangerous of Men The Wildest Wish to Fly
Bonus tracks: Blue Flame (Melt the Ice) An Eagle’s Teaching Picture Phone (remix) No Yellow Heart (later version)
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A Fleeting Glimpse is a mini-album from by Airbag co-founder, songwriter and lead guitarist, Bjorn Riis. With A Fleeting Glimpse, Bjørn Riis has let his love of Pink Floyd run free. The album contains four new songs, with a running time of just under 30 minutes, where you can really hear the Floyd influences soaked into the short album’s DNA.
Dark Shadows (part 1) features guest vocals from Durga McBroom, who sang with Pink Floyd from the late 80s onwards. A gentle paced piece, with some uplifting David Gilmour inspired slide and lead guitar performances, the first take of Dark Shadows perfectly combines the key Floyd sounds of the 70s and 80s.
A Voyage to the Sun touches on the darker, more progressive side of the album’s inspiration. The tempo quickens for this instrumental track, my favourite song on the album. The guitars cut deeper and the percussion pushes the arrangement, with a wonderful mid-section where the instruments rapidly drop away to leave guitar feedback and bass, undercut by a mournful synth line. I love these spacey, progressive vibes that are just made for a headphone listening experience.
Just as you are soaring above the clouds, the High Hopes referencing church bells of Summer Meadows bring you crashing back down to earth. The acoustic and electric guitar intro is so beautifully pristine on this second and final instrumental. I kept expecting some spoken voice on this track, see if you agree with me when you hear the album, if it possibly evokes the same memories for you.
Summer Meadows is over far too soon, and Dark Shadows (part 2) continues to build, with some emotional guitar, both lead and layered background textures, from Riis. Whilst there are four tracks, each offering slightly different emotional responses and moods, the album feels like a complete piece of music, built to be listened to in one sitting, in the order the artist has chosen.
The powerful mix for A Fleeting Glimpse by Vegard Kleftås Sleipnes and the warm mastering by White Willow / The Opium Cartel’s master-mind Jacob Holm-Lupo, lifts this album to the front of my favourite Bjørn Riis solo releases to date. I would love to hear a full length album in this style in the future. With little chance of new music from David Gilmour in this style, it would be great to have new music continuing the 70s and 80s Pink Floyd tradition.
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Mr Kinski's Music Shack 