Like Deacon Blue, Love And Money, The Fat Lady Sings, Lies Damned Lies and Del Amitri - in the late Eighties and early Nineties I collected all their CD singles avidly. But it wasn’t for the edited or remixed A's – but the non-album B-sides which were often better than the commercially restricted radio hits. Scotland's wonderful HUE & CRY featuring Soul brothers Patrick and Greg Kane were the same - launching their career on Virgin's Circa Records in 1987 (still going in 2023) - Circa being the home of cool and quality artists like songstress Julia Fordham and Billy MacKenzie of The Associates.
The last CD compilation of any real worth for Hue & Cry was "The Collection" from September 2009 on EMI Gold – a 16-Track Budget Set of Remasters done by EMI in 2008. Although there is no mastering credits on this October 2012 2CD Budget Compilation from Demon’s Music Club Deluxe label imprint – the liner notes clearly show that some of those 2008 Digital Remasters have been used for this new compilation and I’ve noted those below. Unfortunately it looks pretty much like the rest of the Circa Records material from 1986 to 1989 (which make up the bulk of this twofer) remains as is – untouched.
There are a few screw ups with regard to what actual track is what – see list below – but the set is sequenced by Patrick Kane so that’s cool. But bear in mind, this is one of those budget sets that might be cheap folks and largely forgotten, but it rocks in terms of both content and sound (mostly). Here are the details...
UK released 1 October 2012 - "A's & B's" by HUE & CRY on Demon Music Group/Music Club Deluxe MCDLX175 (Barcode 5014797671751) is a 33-Track 2CD Compilation with many rarities unavailable digitally anywhere else.
CD1 (63:26 minutes):
1. Labour Of Love (12" Single Version) - see NOTES
2. Headin' For A Fall (2008 Album Track, "Open Soul")
3. Wide Screen (Non LP B-side to "Labour Of Love")
4. Violently (7" Version)
5. Calamity John
6. I Refuse
7. Ordinary Angel (7" Single Version)
8. Hymn To Hands (Non LP B-side to "Ordinary Angel")
9. I Am John's Heart (Non LP B-side to "Ordinary Angel")
10. Joe And Josephine (Non LP B-side to "I Refuse", Debut 7" Single Issue on Circa YR 2)
11. The Man With The Child In His Eyes (Kate Bush cover, B-side of "Violently")
12. Rolling Home (Non LP B-side of "Ordinary Angel")
13. Peaceful Face
14. Mother Glasgow (Live) - B-side to "Peaceful Face")
15. A Change Is Gonna Come (Sam Cooke cover - B-side to "Peaceful Face")
16. Labour Of Love (Joey Negro Extended 12" - 1993 Version)
NOTES:
Track 1 is uncredited as being the 12" Single Version from June 1987 that runs to 4:25 minutes and not the LP cut or 7" single version at 3:22 minutes
Track 2 is uncredited as the September 2008 "Open Soul" album version on Blairhill Records at just under five minutes (4:57) when there is a 7" Single Edit at 3:33 minutes
Track 6 is the album version re-record and January 1988 UK 7" single on Circa YR 8 and not the 1986 recording orginally issued as their January 1987 debut 7" single on Circa YR 2
Track 13 is the studio/album version and not the live version from "Bitter Suite"
Tracks 5, 7, 11 on CD1 and Track 6 on CD2 are listed as '2008 Digital Remasters'
CD2 (73:08 minutes):
1. Looking For Linda
2. Strength To Strength
3. Sweet Invisibility
4. My Salt Heart
5. Duty To The Debtor
6. He Won't Smile (B-side to "Looking For Linda")
7. Under Neon (Bright Lights, Big City Mix)
8. Seen It All (B-side to "Strength To Strength")
9. White Collar (B-side to "My Salt Heart")
10. Poet's Day (B-side of "My Salt Heart")
11. Long Term Lovers Of Pain
12. She Makes A Sound
13. Stars Crash Down (B-side to "Long Term Lovers Of Pain")
14. Heart Of Saturday Night (Live) - Tom Waits cover, B-side of "Long Term Lovers..."
15. Remembrance And Gold
16. Too Shy To Say (B-side of "She Makes A Sound")
17. Dangerous Wreck (B-side of "She Makes A Sound")
NOTES:
Track 2 is the full-length album version and the not the 7" Single Edit
Track 6 is the full-length version
Track 11 is the album version and not the 7" Single Remix
Track 12 is the album version and not the "Quiet Storm" single version
The 8-leaf foldout inlay has liner notes on the Scottish band by PAUL LESTER that hit all important points up to 2008 – but there is no Mastering Credit. Still, a bit of volume welly on tracks like "I Refuse" and the rare B-side "Joe And Josephine" will show you they have all the sonic muscle anyone would need. To the tunes...
Because Patrick Kane sequenced this compilation - he jumps from the 1987 UK 12" Version of "Labour Of Love" straight into their latest at the time of release - "Headin' For A Fall" from their "Open Soul" album on Blairhill Records in 2008. Perhaps he's trying to show that little has changed - you still get that fantastic white-boys Soul vibe off of "Headin' For A Fall" - which was the lead off single from their then new album. Imagine the Average White Band meets Earth, Wind & Fire meets - well - Hue & Cry - and you get the sonic landscape.
But of course what fans will want and newcomers enjoy are this fab Non LP B-sides that often saw our Scotty Lads slip the chains of their commercial needs and let rip with Soulful abandon. There's also Patrick Kane's lovely vocal delivery when just at a piano - "Wide Screen" being such an example - a June 1987 UK 7" single B-side (Circa Records YR 4).
I still have the 3 x 3" CD singles for "Violently", "Looking For Linda" and "Peaceful Face" as well as the rare "Strength To Strength" CD single on Virgin CDEP 11 in 1987 which only ever made it out in a gatefold white card Promo Sleeve. Most of their fab B-sides are here (a lot of remixes are excluded).
Highlights include the two stunning live cuts off the "Peaceful Face" release – "Mother Glasgow" and an Acapella version of Sam Cooke's "A Change Is Gonna Come" which just slays the audience. And I’ve always thought that "Violently" (despite its title) is one of the loveliest songs they ever did (it’s represented here by the 7" single mix - lyrics above). Their Soulful cover of Kate Bush's "The Man With The Child In His Eyes" was a clever choice and is a truly gorgeous version. "Under Neon" is represented here by the 'Bright Lights Big City Mix' and is as funky as a recording session with Nile Rodgers. The piano and voice of "Wide Screen" is sweetly Soulful Rock too - and like so many of the songs here - touching and moving in a way you can't often explain (like all great music). There’s so much to enjoy on here really - and all of it in spiffing sound quality whilst being dirt cheap into the bargain.
In lieu of ever seeing a Universal 2CD Deluxe Edition of their 1988 nugget "Remote" album or even an Esoteric Recordings Box Set remastering the four/five Circa Records Albums – then this October 2012 Music Club Deluxe twofer "A's & B's" will have to do. But truth – this is one of those doubles I play so often – a winner - and in 2023 available for less than three quid.
It was and is no Labour Of Love re-hearing this cracking band – HUE & CRY deserve to be recognized and acknowledged as great and up there with fellow Soul-thumpers Simply Red and AWB. And what a voice Patrick Kane has still. Dig in and enjoy...
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