The Pale Fountains were an English band formed in Liverpool in 1980, and composed of Mick Head, Chris McCaffery, Thomas Whelan, Andy Diagram, Ken Moss and John Head.
Inspired by 1960s music (Love, Burt Bacharach), the band released two much-loved studio albums on Virgin, Pacific Street (1984) and …From Across the Kitchen Table (1985).
This 4-CD box set brings together both albums as well as the B-Sides, mixes, and some previously unreleased material from the Virgin vaults all housed in a sturdy box with extensive sleeve notes by Classic Pop’s John Earls.
The music was mastered by Tony Dixon, with vinyl restoration (presumably for some of the singles) by Andy Pearce. The albums sounded pretty good with their previous CD incarnation, but this new master from Tony Dixon adds more punch and depth to the mixes.
I bought both albums on cassette in the early 80s and also treated my self to the CD reissues a few years ago, but this box-set blows those reissues out of the water. The original two albums have never sounded better and the two discs of single cuts and unreleased demos adds real value to this release.
Pacific Street and beyond
Pacific Street, the bands debut from 1984, is my favourite of the two Virgin studio albums, and is an album I still regularly play to this day. It has a consistent sound – often with bossa-nova rhythms topped by traditional pop / rock arrangements and a smattering of Andy Diagram’s trumpet.
Whilst no doubt influenced by the pure-pop of Burt Bacharach, Arthur Lee’s Love and with a bold 60s swagger, the guitar exhibits a sharp new-wave bite that cuts through, adding a darker side to the songs.
The album was produced by the band and Howard Gray (Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark / Public Image Limited / Simple Minds) and has intelligent and rich arrangements, with delicious harmonies and rapidly changing tempos.
My favourite track arrives early in the album sequence, with the atmospheric Unless. In another universe, this song would have been a top 10 hit. Deep synths take centre-stage, a rarity, and Head’s vocal is spell-binding. When the sequenced synth line kicks on the 3/4 mark, I’m transported to a musical nirvana.
(Don’t Let Your Love) Start A War is a key album track, with chiming guitar lines and a restrained verse that makes the chorus all the more powerful.
Beyond Friday’s Field is the most experimental track on the album, led by Diagram’s trumpet and a sparse 60s spy-thriller backing. The music coming out of Liverpool in the 80s was in such a rich vein of form, and The Pale Fountains were a key component of the wave of classic artists.
Abergele Next Time has a confident swagger, and sits in your mind long after the last note has faded away.
The bonus tracks from the era are solid gold. The “radio-hits” Thank You and Palm of my Hand are absolute classics . I didn’t realise until recently that multi-instrumentalist Alan Rankin, who had recently quit The Associates, produced the Pale Fountains 1983 non-album single Palm Of My Hand. I bought the single when it was released but either didn’t pick up on Rankine’s involvement at the time or simply just forgot, but listening to the song with this knowledge, his influence is clear.
The first disc ends with a couple of extended versions and the non-album track Love Situation, which suggests that Mick Head jumped into a time-machine and invented Primal Scream, bringing back this song on his return to the mid-80s.
The second disc contains rough mixes and demos from around the time of the first album. Given the age of the recordings, the quality is surprisingly good. Highlights from this disc include the light mix of Fight Think Love / Love Situation – Rough Mix Take 1, a song that would not feel out of place as part of a Hollywood film soundtrack in Spanish Tragedy (Beyond Fridays Field) – Rough Instrumental Mix and the Motown infused twisted pop of Take A Little Shelter – Rough Mix Take 2.
A shout-out needs to be given for the second version of Sundrenched Girl (Crazier) – Rough Mix – with contains a full-band performance of this supremely catchy, steel-drum adorned slice of summer pop.
…From Across The Kitchen Table
The second album finds The Pale Fountains in a more strident, confident mood. The urgent Shelter opens the album, whilst a bluesy and more ragged Stole The Love paves the way for my favourite track from the album, the timeless Jean’s Not Happening, with a sublime guitar line from John Head.
Bruised Arcade has stood the test of time, and I enjoyed becoming reacquainted on reviewing the album. It’s Only Hard passed me by when I first bought the album, by this slow-paced Dylanesque piece hits more directly now.
The title track incorporates some ‘of the time’ synths in its intro before it develops into an enjoyable, intelligent piece of dark pop. The rockabilly swing of September Sting ends the album on a high.
The 4th and final disc collects mixes and unreleased tracks from this period. An extended mix of the title track works well as does a darker mix of Bicycle Thieves.
The b-side Just A Girl – Remix feels more like an a-side, from the Thank You era, featuring a strong chorus, with a hint of the pop-nous of Pete Wylie / Wah! from around this time. A lost Palies classic.
A warm, full remix of Thank You is a welcome inclusion. A series of well-preserved demos make up the rest of the final disc. Highlights include the drum-machine driven The Outsider, with its excellent bassline, the restraint turns to wild abandon of Summertime (It’s Hard) and the promise that was never fully realised of These Are the Things (Stay).
So even if, like me, you own both of The Pale Fountains first two albums, this expanded box-set is a must-own release from one of Liverpool’s best kept secrets.
As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying Amazon purchases via this website.
Buy The Pale Fountains box-set from Amazon
TRACK LISTING
DISC ONE
Pacific Street
Reach
Something On My Mind
Unless
Southbound Excursion
Natural
Faithful Pillow (Pt 1)
(Don’t Let Your Love) Start A War
Beyond Fridays Field
Abergele Next Time
Crazier
Faithful Pillow (Pt 2)
BONUS TRACKS
Thank You – Single
Meadow Of Love – Single B Side
(There’s Always) Something on My Mind – Remix
Palm Of My Hand – Single
Palm Of My Hand – Instrumental – Single B Side
Love’s A Beautiful Place – Single B Side
Unless – Extended Version 12″ Single
(Don’t Let Your Love) Start A War – Single
(Don’t Let Your Love) Start A War – Extended Version 12″ Single
Love Situation – Single B Side
DISC TWO
Mixes And Unreleased Tracks
Partner Picking Man – Rough Mix with Bass and Drums*
Fight Think Love / Love Situation – Rough Mix Take 1*
Jock’s A String Bean – Rough Mix*
Fight Think Love / Love Situation – Rough Mix Take 2*
Spanish Tragedy (Beyond Fridays Field) – Rough Instrumental Mix*
Take A Little Shelter – Rough Mix Take 2*
Partner Picking Man – Acoustic*
Sun Drenched Girl (Crazier) – Acoustic
Lavinia’s Dream – Rough Mix Take 1
(There’s Always) Something on My Mind – Rough Mix
Hey There Fred – Rough Mix
One By One – Rough Mix Take 2*
Norfolk Broads – Rough Mix Take 1
Untitled Jam / 7 and 7 Is*
Unless – Rough Mix
(There’s Always) Something on My Mind – Rough Mix
Sundrenched Girl (Crazier) – Rough Mix
Southbound Excursion – Rough Mix
DISC THREE
…From Across the Kitchen Table
Shelter
Stole The Love
Jean’s Not Happening
Bicycle Thieves
Limit
27 Ways to Get Back Home
Bruised Arcade
These Are the Things
Its Only Hard
…From Across the Kitchen Table
Hey
September Sting
DISC FOUR
Mixes And Unreleased Tracks
From Across the Kitchen Table – Extended Version 12″ Single
Bicycle Thieves – Remix Single B Side
Just A Girl – Remix Single B Side
Thank You – Remix Single B Side
Silver Bendix – Demo*
The Outsider – Demo*
Detrimentally (Stole the Love) – Demo
27 Ways to Get Back Home – Demo
Summertime (It’s Hard) -Demo
Shelter – Demo
Yeah Eah Eah – Demo*
These Are the Things (Stay) – Demo
Bruised Arcade – Demo
*Previously unreleased
Mr Kinski's Music Shack 