"Silhouettes & Statues: A Gothic Revolution 1978-1986" by VARIOUS ARTISTS – Featuring Specimen, Joy Division, Bauhaus, Theatre Of Hate, Dead Can Dance, Flesh For Lulu, The Associates, Balaam And The Angel, The Sisters of Mercy, Public Image Ltd., Southern Death Cult, Fields Of The Nephilim, The Damned, Alien Sex Fiend, The Mission, Ausgang, Nico, The Birthday Party with Nick Cave, Love And Rockets, Penetration, Dali's Car, Tones On Tails, Blood And Roses, Attrition, Cocteau Twins and more (June 2017 UK Cherry Red 5CD DigiBook Set of Nick Watson Remasters) - A Review by Mark Barry...

 <iframe sandbox="allow-popups allow-scripts allow-modals allow-forms allow-same-origin" style="width:120px;height:240px;" marginwidth="0" marginheight="0" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" src="//ws-eu.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?ServiceVersion=20070822&OneJS=1&Operation=GetAdHtml&MarketPlace=GB&source=ss&ref=as_ss_li_til&ad_type=product_link&tracking_id=mabasreofcdbl-21&language=en_GB&marketplace=amazon&region=GB&placement=B06ZZ4D6FD&asins=B06ZZ4D6FD&linkId=d3eac2506b5f54dc246c3a7028ee5b8a&show_border=true&link_opens_in_new_window=true"></iframe>

 

"...Release The Bats..."

 

Not really aimed at your Pot Pourri Laura Ashley marketplace for sustainably sourced Moccasins – there is more disruptive, lurid and rowdy musical noises on this fabulously dark and doomy 83-Track 5CD Digibook of Remasters than you can shake a UK House of Commons Happy Hour stick at (let me at the subsidised bar boys).

 

Compiled with serious gusto by RICHARD ANDERSON whilst phone and e-mail hogging help from Genre knowledge fountains like NATASHA SCARF and JOHN REED - "Silhouettes & Statues: A Gothic Revolution 1978-1986" does what it says it will do on yet another brilliantly compiled Cherry Red Records tin.

 

I know/knew about half of this stuff – but the rest is the kind of bonkers deep dive digital firsts into late Seventies & mid Eighties Punk, Worldwide New Wave, Indie, Goth Rock and Alternative that turns up the collectors volume button to eleven. 45-single A&B-sides, rare stand-alone twelve-inch singles, mini LPs and cassette compilations, unappreciated album cuts (the Hula song "Ghost Rattle" from their 1984 LP "Murmur" is a typically clever choice). All the labels famously associated with Goth and its environs are here – 4AD, Red Rhino, Situation Two, Factory, Jungle, Fiction, Virgin, In Phaze, Statik and of course, oodles of brave Indies. Hair, make-up and double-barrel fangs at the ready...here we go...

 

UK released 30 June 2017 - "Silhouettes & Statues: A Gothic Revolution 1978-1986" by VARIOUS ARTISTS on Cherry Red Records CRCDBOX34 (Barcode 5013929103405) is a 83-Track 5CD Hardback Digibook Set of Remasters that plays out as follows:

 

CD1 (69:16 minutes):

1. Shadowplay – JOY DIVISION (from the June 1979 UK LP "Unknown Pleasures" on Factory Records FACT 10)

2. Release The Bats – THE BIRTHDAY PARTY (September 1981 UK 45-single on 4AD Records AD 111, A-side)

3. Rema-Rema – REMA-REMA (from the April 1980 UK "Wheel In The Roses" 12-inch single EP on 4AD Records BAD 5)

4. Shattered Glass – PARANOIA (from the June 1984 UK LP "Shattered Glass" on Rot Records ASS 11)

5. Charnel Ground – SECTION 25 (October 1980 BELGIUM 45-single on Factory Benelux BN 3-006, A-side)

6. Floorshow – THE SISTERS OF MERCY (November 1982 UK 45-single on Merciful Release MR 015, B-side to "Alice")

7. The Female Mirror – CLOCK DVA (from the 1981 UK LP "Thirst" on Fetish Records FR2002)

8. The Black Cat – UK DECAY (February 1980 UK 45-single "U.K. Decay" on Plastic PLAS 002, Track 1 on Side 2 of a 4-Track EP)

9. Dead And Buried – ALIEN SEX FRIEND (August 1984 UK 45-single on Anagram ANA 23, A-side)

10. Seventh Dream Of Teenage Heaven – LOVE AND ROCKETS (from the October 1985 UK LP "Seventh Dream Of Teenage Heaven" on Beggars Banquet BEGA 66)

11. Q Quarters – THE ASSOCIATES (July 1981 UK 45-single Situation Two SIT 4, A-side)

12. Carnival Of The Gullible – IN EXCELSIS (November 1983 UK 4-Tracks 12-Inch single "Carnival Of Damocles" on Jungle Records JUNG 9, Last Track on Side 2)

13. Feels Like Dancing Wartime – NEVILLUXURY (from the 1984 Mini-LP "Feels Like Dancing Wartime" on Red Rhino Records LP 46)

14. Vaguely Human – FLESH FOR LULU (from the November 1985 UK LP "Big Fun City" on Statik Records STAT LP 28)

15. Crow Baby – THE MARCH VIOLETS (May 1983 UK 45-single on Rebirth Records RB 18, A-side)

16. D For Desire – ALL ABOUT EVE (July 1985 UK 12-Inch Single on Eden Records 1 Den, A-side)

17. Beautiful Monsters – FOLK DEVILS (from the September 2016 UK 2LP set "Beautiful Monsters: Singles And Demo Recordings 1984-1986" on Optic Nerve Recordings OPT 4.022)

 

CD2 (70:03 minutes):

1. Flowers Of Romance – PUBLIC IMAGE LTD (March 1981 UK 45-single on Virgin VS 397, A-side)

2. Bed Caves – DANIELLE DAX (from the April 1983 UK LP "Pop-Eyes" on The Initial Recording Company IRC 009)

3. Moya – SOUTHERN DEATH CULT (December 1982 UK 45-single on Situation Two SIT 19, Double A-side with "Fatman")

4. Caged – 1919 (June 1982 UK 45-single on Red Rhino RED 14, A-side)

5. The Hanging Garden – THE CURE (July 1982 UK 45-single on Fiction FICS 15, A-side)

6. Solitary Habit - S-HATERS (May 1984 UK 45-single on Midnight Music DING 6, A-side)

7. The Arcane – DEAD CAN DANCE (August 1984 UK Debut 4-Track 12-inch Single EP "Garden Of The Arcane Delights" on 4AD Records BAD 408, First Track Side 2)

8. Saving Face – YEARS ON EARTH (from the 1982 Self-Published Cassette-Only Album "Site" on Years On Earth Records YOE 2)

9. Breach Birth – IN THE NURSERY (October 1985 UK 4-Track 12-Inch single EP "Temper" on Sweatbox SOX 008, Side 1, Track 1)

10. The Tenant – PLAY DEAD (from the April 1983 UK LP "The First Flower" on Jungle Records FREUD 3)

11. Ghost – PART 1 (October 1982 6-Track 45-single EP "Funeral Parade" on Paraworm Records SRTS 82 CUS 1452 (Played at LP Speed))

12. Cuts Of Love – 13th CHIME (1981 UK 45-single on Ellie Jay Records EJSP 9700, A-side)

13. Ice Cold In – THE TEMPEST (from the June 1984 UK LP "5 Against The House" on Anagram Records GRAM 15)

14. Night Creatures – SCREAMING DEAD (September 1983 UK 5-Track 12-Inch single on No Future Records 12 OI 25, Track 1, Side 1)

15. Among The Ruins – BUSHIDO (November 1984 UK 12-Inch single on Third Mind Records TMS 02)

16. Friends – PORTION CONTROL (November 1982 UK LP "I Staggered Mentally" on In Phaze Records CP007)

17. Creation – ACTIFIED (August 1983 UK 12-Inch single "Dawn Of A Legion" on Jungle Records JUNG 7, Track 1 on Side 1)

 

CD3 (76:19 minutes):

1. Tabletalk – ADAM AND THE ANTS (November 1979 UK LP "Dirk Wears White Sox" on Do It Records RIDE 3)

2. The Darklands – BALAAM AND THE ANGEL (March 1986 UK 12-Inch single on Virgin VS 842-12, Track 2 on Side 2)

3. Love Puppets – THE LEGENDARY PINK DOTS (August 1983 UK LP "Curse" on In Phaze Records PHA 2)

4. Into The Garden – ARTERY (September 1982 UK 7-Track Mini-LP "Oceans" on Red Flame RFM 4)

5. Girlsoul – SALVATION (October 1983 UK 45-single on Merciful Release MR 025, A-side)

6. In Shreds – THE CHAMELEONS (February 1985 UK 45-single on Statik Records TAK 29, A-side)

7. Fugitive Kind - SCHLEIMER K (1982 UK 4-Track 12-inch single on Glass Records GLASS 028, Track 1 on Side 1)

8. By The River – THE BOLSHOI (October 1985 UK 5-Track Mini-LP "Giants" on Situation Two SITUM 15)

9. Screaming (For Emmalene) – GENE LOVES JEZEBEL (April 1983 UK 12-inch single on Situation Two SIT 20T)

10. Gallery Of Shame – LOWLIFE (1985 UK Mini-LP "Rain" on Nightshift Records LOLIF 1)

11. Out Of The Moving Life Of Circles – AND ALSO THE TREES (February 1984 UK LP "And Also The Trees" on Reflex Records LEX 1)

12. Is Still – Siiiii (Recorded in 1984 but unreleased at the time, finally issued 2006 on the CD album "Ancient" on King Sol Records KSR001)

13. Heroin (Live) – TABATHAS NIGHTMARE (October 1985 UK 45-single Privately Pressed on Be-wicked Label – First CD on "Silhouettes & Statues..." 5CD Book Set)

14. Angel Of Vengeance – BRIGANDAGE (from the 1986 UK 7-Track Mini LP "Pretty Funny Thing" on Gung Ho GHLP 001)

15. Stone Heroes – PENETRATION (from the October 1978 UK LP "Moving Targets" on Virgin V 2109)

16. L.A. Rain – THE ROSE OF AVALANCHE (1985 UK 12-inch single on Leeds Independent Label 12 LIL 01)

 

CD4 (71:46 minutes):

1. Andante - Legacy – FURYO (October 1984 UK 12-inch single EP "Furioso" on Anagram Records 12 ANA 24, Track 1, Side 1)

2. Stay With Me – THE MISSION (from the December 1986 UK debut album "Gods Own Medicine" on Mercury 830 603-1)

3. Saēta – NICO (September 1981 UK 45-single on Flicknife Records FLS 206, A-side)

4. Fragments Of Fear – IN CAMERA (December 1980 UK 12-inch 4-Track EP "IV Songs" on 4AD Records BAD 19, Track 1, Side 2)

5. Anonymity – DANCE CHAPTER (December 1980 UK 45-single on 4AD Records AD 18, A-side)

6. Sink Into You – AUSGANG (1984 UK 4-Track 12-inch EP "Head On!" on Criminal Damage Records CRI 12-124, Track 1 on Side 1)

7. In Our Angelhood – COCTEAU TWINS (from the October 1983 UK LP "Head Over Heels" on 4AD Records CAD 313)

8. Morbid Silence – SUNGLASSES AFTER DARK (1984 UK 4-Track 12-inch single on Anagram Records 12 ANA 20, Track 1 on Side 1)

9. Trees Come Down – FIELDS OF NEPHILIM (1985 UK 4-Track 12-inch single "Burning The Fields E.P." on Tower Release N1, Track 1 on Side 1)

10. Tracey’s Burning – ANOREXIC DREAD (1984 UK 12-inch single on Criminal Damage Records CRI 12-114, Track 1 on Side 1)

11. Take It All – RED LORRY YELLOW LORRY (April 1983 UK 45-single on Red Rhino Records RED 28, A-side)

12. Burning Skies – TONES ON TAILS (May 1983 UK 4-Track 12-inch single "Burning The Skies EP" on Situation Two SIT 21T, Track 1 on Side 1)

13. Spit Upon Your Grave – BLOOD AND ROSES (from the 1985 UK LP "Enough Is Never Enough" on Audiodrone Records SIN 1)

14. High Cost Of Living – THE THREAT (1980 IRELAND-Only 45-single on One Web Records 001 WEB, B-side of "Lullaby In C")

15. Storm Pause – I’M DEAD (Self-released 1982)

16. Last Year’s Wife – ZERO LE CRECHE (May 1984 UK 45-single on Flicknife Records FLS 029, A-side)

 

CD5 (74:12 minutes):

1. Stigmata Martyr – BAUHAUS (from the November 1980 UK debut LP "In The Flat Field" on 4AD Records CAD 13)

2. Patrol – THE WAKE (from the October 1982 UK LP "Harmony" on Factory Records Fact. 60)

3. Returning (From A Journey) – SPECIMEN (1983 UK 45-single on London Records LON 24, A-side)

4. Original Sin – THEATRE OF HATE (November 1980 UK 45-single on SS Label SS3, Double A-side with "Legion")

5. Birthrite – ATTRITION (from the 1982 Various Artists UK Cassette-Only Compilation "Ruptured Gut" on Twisted Tapes TWISTED 1)

6. Things We Never Did – SAD LOVERS AND GIANTS (October 1981 UK 45-single on Last Movement LM005, B-side of "Colourless Dream")

7. Dr. Jekyll And Mr. Hyde – THE DAMNED (from the November 1980 UK 2LP set "The Black Album" on Chiswick Records CWK 3015)

8. The Hill – GLORIA MUNDI (from the February 1980 UK LP "The Word Is Out" on RCA Victor PL 25244)

9. His Box – DALI’S CAR (from the November 1984 European LP "The Waking Hour" on Paradox Records 206 709 – featuring Mick Karn of Japan and Peter Murphy of Bauhaus)

10. The Diseased Stranger's Waltz – INCA BABIES (from the January 1985 UK Debut LP "Rumble" on Black Lagoon Records INC LP005)

11.Ghost Dance – DEATH CULT (July 1983 UK 4-Track 12-inch single "Death Cult" on Situation Two Records SIT 23T, Track 2 on Side 1)

12. Euthenics – MODERN EON (March 1981 UK 45-single on Dindisc DIN 30, A-side)

13. Mind Disease – RITUAL (October 1982 UK 45-single on Red Flame RF 712, A-side)

14. She Cries Alone – SKELETAL FAMILY (January 1984 UK 45-single on Red Rhino RED 41, A-side)

15. Jack – BONE ORCHBARD (September 1984 UK 45-single on Jungle JUNG 18, A-side)

16. Ghost Rattle – HULA (from the November 1984 UK LP "Murmur" on Red Rhino RED LP 53)

17. Twister – RUBELLA BALLET (from the 1985 UK LP "At Last It's Playtime" on Ubiquitous Records DAYGLOW 2)

 

In its Hardback Digibook stood-tall presentation, the front and rear glossy artwork makes this superb Cherry Red outing something of a looker. After two pages of introduction on the genre entitled "Stepping Out Of The Shadows" by NATASHA SCARF (she tries to go past the clichés of black clothing, vampirism lore and I-like-my-head-in-the-oven landscapes) – the first two CDs are slid into attached hard card pages with lipped entries – the final three at the rear.

 

From Page 4 to the final credits list on Page 48 – Natasha pours on the factoids. And scouring the attached 48-page booklet for the historical lowdown, a very cool thing happens as you read the liner notes to each song – you begin to notice that without too much ballyhoo, some of the entries have blurbs from the band themselves or the song’s principal writer. Included are Danielle Dax (all hair and glorious make-up), Years On Earth, Balaam And The Angel, Gene Loves Jezebel, Attrition, Penetration, Into the Garden and The Mission, Ausgang, Blood And Roses, Anorexic Dread, Inca Babies and more. Those entries are high on personal reminiscences and are fascinating – the others ramp up the Discography facts as they set out their place in Goth history. Either the rare 45 or twelve-inch single or mini LP is pictured alongside Promo photos of these lesser-seen artists – and as you can imagine – the music is by its very nature both rare and an acquired taste.

 

NICK WATSON at Fluid did the Mastering (he has done loads of work for Universal, Ace Records and others) and given the topic involved that practically screams DIY Punk Attitude, as you can imagine the Audio Quality rambles from good production values to Indie lo-fi. But I must admit, at least 80 to 90% of this stuff is kicking anyway (jam-packed CD paying times too) – hammering at your speaker stack like a demented banshee outside the suddenly foggy window on a sea-view cottage off the coast of Cornwall (the less populated part). To the music...

 

I have to admit that listening to Nick Cave pre solo material in The Birthday Party (over 42 years old now in 2023) - "Release The Bats" on CD1 – is not exactly a joyful dip into the soothing waves of a Third Eye Oasis of Zen Wonderment. But then that is the point (or was) – a lot of the time. Super smart choice in The Sisters Of Mercy B-side "Floorshow" (brilliant) while I have to don a cap at Love And Rockets – a group I kind of ignored – and their edgy "Seventh Dream Of Teenage Heaven" is a forgotten wunderbar. Great production values for The Associates spacy "Q Quarters" – cuckoo never sounded so good. In Excelsis give it some Siouxsie in the shouted sneer of "Carnival Of The Gullible" – such a cool guitar break too – almost King Crimson dare we say it. Tremendous choice in terms of Goth and Cult-type-rocker with the Flesh For Lulu cut "Vaguely Human" – someone absorbed a lot of the Velvet Underground. We cruise to a manageable ending on CD1 with a cool trio - "Crow Baby", "D For Desire" and "Beautiful Monster" by The March Violets, All About Eve and Folk Devils – the shadow of Joy Division looming so large (love those phasing guitars complimenting singer Julianne Regan in the All About Eve angst ridden cut).

 

For CD2 we bring on the public menace in the Public Image Ltd. – don’t you just love their sound - "Flowers Of Romance" – and again I have not listened to it in decades and wish I had (give us a wobbly vocal John). Darling Danielle Dax gets all Buzz Bass and Ants In My Pants drum patterns with the truly excellent "Red Caves" – bring your spitting camel to the Morris Dance dear. Would not be a Goth set without some Death Cult – Southern or otherwise – and their "Moya" has all those sonic culprits – off-kilter guitar and that huge build-up to even bigger drum whacks and cavernous vocals. Speaking of genre defining spectres – The Cure give us "The Hanging Garden" – caged and trashing – how many teens did their bedroom carpet some damage pogoing around to this. Have always held a candle for the magnificent Dead Can Dance – Brendan Perry and Lisa Gerrard dreaming of Gladiators and W.B. Yeats flaying sinners with sustainably sourced whips oh shiny black leather. Both Years On Earth and In The Nursery are new to me – spooky floating synth notes punctuated by treated guitars, an unyielding echoed bass drum and a singer who seems to be channelling Latin at an all-are-welcome-to-try-the-dips witch-hunt. Fantastic rapido-rhythms audio on the Screaming Dead contribution "Night Creatures" – little fuzzy though on the strangely beautiful piano-plink of Bushido and their "Among The Ruins" (where we first made love)...and on to the hard-to-like Portion Control cut...

 

Perfect sound for the Adam and The Ants "Tabletalk" – his vocals even then barely controlled pirate meets Steve Harley. Balaam And The Angel go channelling Patti Smith, The Velvet Underground and Ennio Morricone driving home for Christmas - "Darklands" being so very Cure let loose in the studio with authentic sleigh bells. Set on their path by the sound of Korg MS-10 synth, The Legendary Pink Dots give us widows-and-wives in "Love Puppets" that also talks of too much therapy. There is almost a slick UK New Wave professionalism permeating the taught Bass lines and Hi-Hats of "Into The Garden" – Artery shuffling towards some sort of more grungy New Order. Despite its rather nonplussed reception at the time by the UK musical press – Salvation and their "Girlsoul" has stood the moody test of time. And what a great debut 45 "In Shreds" is – The Chameleons rocking it out but in a very British Band Goth kind of a way. Other highlights on CD3 include the clever strummed Acoustic Guitars meets treated Electric Guitars of The Bolshoi – their "By The River" sounding not unlike an early Icehouse – the melodious racket made by Lowlife and "Gallery Of Shame" – lyrics only appearing after a long hummed intro. That genre-defining strummed electric guitar opening starts "Angel Of Vengeance" – when a young person has got a gun, and now that she is all grown up, has decided to use it in the defence of waylaid maidens.

 

CDs 4 and 5 continue the river of broken glass moments – The Mission wanting you to lay with me "Stay With Me" – possibly the most commercially applicable sound on here. Always a blast to hear the distinct whine of Nico – obsession with shuffling beats – the line of choice turned into a song (forgotten how good this 45 was). Love that ethereal piano opening to "Anoymity" before it goes (without warning) into the most brilliant guitar flicking riffage and doubled vocals – Dance Chapter doing the business here. There is an early-years-hedonism to the Cocteau Twins entry "In Our Angelhood" that unfortunately drowns out Elizabeth Fraser and her angel voice – and yet you can still so hear the magic is there in this most special of 4AD groups. Love the doomy distorted guitars of "Trees Come Down" – Fields Of The Nephilim feeling their pain – while Red Lorry Yellow Lorry grunge up that sound even further with their cleverly arranged "Take It All" (so many good ideas here). And again the long musical shadow of Robert Fripp and his Frippotronics-guitar-sound haunts "Burning Skies" – Tones On Tails anchoring the doom with a note-sliding Bass before it launches into a full on treated guitars assault.

 

You can actually a tiny Metallic inside Bauhaus as they get all bleeding Stigmata while the genre-defining Specimen up the musicality a huge amount with their brilliant "Returning (From A Journey)" – riffage, catchy chorus, hell – it might even be a hit (say it is not true). Theatre Of Hate re-arrange their hair for "Original Sin" where they sound not unlike a raw U2 circa 1980 – all postures and big produced guitars and Bass. And you have heard (or will hear) the harmonic pings of "Things We Never Did" by Sad Lovers And Giants in a Stranger Things episode coming to you in an Upside Down soon. Amnd on it goes...

 

Late Seventies and mid Eighties GOTH and its lippy musical babies fit into a very specific genre of Alternative Music that will not be for everyone – that's for damn sure. But the converted will drool over "Silhouettes & Statues: A Gothic Revolution 1978-1986" like it's a day pass to the catacombs of Gomorrah. And the doom-curious will finally know why mama warned you about dead-eyed boys with smeared blusher and posters of arachnids that eat their partners after making love by a grave-digger's shovel...

"Pretenders 1979–1999" by PRETENDERS - Covering Eight Albums from Their Debut "Pretenders" (January 1980) to "Viva El Amor!" (May 1999) – All Eight Are Deluxe Special Edition Digipaks with Remastered Albums, B-sides, Previously Unreleased Tracks, Live Versions and Promo Videos plus BBV TV Appearances (February 2015 UK Demon Music Group/Edsel/Rhino 22-Disc Limited Edition Box Set with 14CDs (189 Audio) and 8DVDS (68 Visuals with No Regional Restrictions) in a Hard Card Slipcase Presentation Box) - A Review by Mark Barry...

 

<iframe sandbox="allow-popups allow-scripts allow-modals allow-forms allow-same-origin" style="width:120px;height:240px;" marginwidth="0" marginheight="0" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" src="//ws-eu.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?ServiceVersion=20070822&OneJS=1&Operation=GetAdHtml&MarketPlace=GB&source=ss&ref=as_ss_li_til&ad_type=product_link&tracking_id=mabasreofcdbl-21&language=en_GB&marketplace=amazon&region=GB&placement=B00R8J9XUY&asins=B00R8J9XUY&linkId=918f31d893c947caff9947a845e2c3ed&show_border=true&link_opens_in_new_window=true"></iframe>
 

"...Hymn To Her..."

 

I have always loved Chrissie Hynde and her fantastic Pretenders band – they rocked then and they still do now. I was lucky enough therefore to have a few squid at the February 2015 time and get this bad-boy onto my shelves with a frankly naughty look of glee. Huge amounts of Tattooed Love Boys, Room Full of Mirrors and Last Of The Independents to wade through – here is the detail dirt...

 

UK released 16 February 2015 "Pretenders 1979–1999" by PRETENDERS on Demon/Edsel/Rhino PRETBOX01 (Barcode 5014797892620) is a 22-Disc Limited Edition Hard Card Slipcase Presentation Box Set featuring 8 Digipaks with 14 Remastered CDs of Albums, Rare B-sides, Live Tracks, Previously Unreleased Songs (189 Audio Tracks) - Accompanied by 68 Promo Videos and BBC TV Appearances across 8 Non-Region Coded DVDS. It plays out as follows:

 

1. "Pretenders: 2CD + DVD Deluxe Special Edition"

Original album released January 1980 in the UK on Real Records RAL 3 and in the USA on Sire Records SRK 6083

CD1 "Pretenders Album & B-sides" (67:46 minutes, 18-Tracks)

CD2 "Demos & LIVE" (48:26 minutes, 13 Tracks)

DVD Promo Videos + BBC TV Appearances (9 Tracks, NTSC Regions Exempt)

 

2. "Pretenders II: 2CD + DVD Deluxe Special Edition"

Original album released August 1981 in the UK on Real Records SRK 3572 and in the USA on Sire Records SRK 3572

CD1 "Pretenders II Album" (46:24 minutes, 12 Tracks)

CD2 "Bonus Tracks & Live At The Santa Monica Civic, 1981" (77:37 minutes, 20 Tracks)

DVD "Promo Videos + BBC TV Appearances" (6 Tracks, NTSC Regions Exempt)

 

3. "Learning To Crawl: 2CD + DVD Deluxe Special Edition"

Original album released January 1984 in the UK on Real Records WX 2 (923 980-1) and in the USA on Sire Records 9 23980-1

CD1 "Learning To Crawl Album" (40:43 minutes, 10 Tracks)

CD2 "B-sides/Live & Demos" (38:44 minutes, 10 Tracks)

DVD "Promo Videos + BBC TV Appearances" (6 Tracks, NTSC Regions Exempt)

 

4. "Get Close: 2CD + DVD Deluxe Special Edition"

Original album released November 1986 in the UK on Real Records/Warner Brothers Records WX 64 (240 976-1) and in the USA on Sire Records 9 25488-1

CD1 "Get Close Album" (44:54 minutes, 11 Tracks)

CD2 "B-Sides, Bonus Tracks & Songs For Soundtracks...Plus" (77:26 minutes, 16 Tracks)

DVD "Promo Videos + BBC TV Appearances" (5 Tracks, NTSC Regions Exempt)

 

5. "Packed! CD + DVD Deluxe Special Edition"

Original album released May 1990 in the UK on WEA Records WX 346 (9031-71403-1) and in the USA on Sire Records 9 26219-1

CD1 "Packed! Album + B-Sides" (45:02 minutes, 13 Tracks)

DVD "Promo Videos + BBC TV Appearances" (5 Tracks, NTSC Regions Exempt)

 

6. "Last Of The Independents: 2CD + DVD Deluxe Special Edition"

Original album released May 1994 in the UK on WEA Records 4509-95822-1 (LP) and -2 (CD) and in the USA on Sire Records 9 45572-2 (CD)

CD1 "Last Of The Independents Album" (49:13 minutes, 13 Tracks)

CD2 "B-Sides...Plus Bonus Tracks + Songs For Soundtracks" (47:01 minutes, 12 Tracks)

DVD "Promo Videos + BBC TV Appearances" (9 Tracks, NTSC Regions Exempt)

 

7. "The Isle Of View: CD + DVD Deluxe Special Edition"

Original live album (recorded with The Duke Quartet at Jacob Street Studios in London) released October 1995 in the UK on WEA Records 0630-12059-2 (CD) and in the USA on Warner Brothers Records 9 46085-2 (CD)

CD1 "The Isle Of View Album + B-Sides" (74:10 minutes, 19 Tracks)

DVD "Promo Videos + BBC TV Appearances" (21 Tracks, NTSC Regions Exempt)

 

8. "Viva El Amor! 2CD + DVD Deluxe Special Edition"

Original album released May 1999 in the UK on WEA Records 3984271522 (CD) and in the USA on Warner Brothers Records 9 47342-2 (CD)

CD1 "Viva El Amore! Album" (45:04 minutes, 12 Tracks)

CD2 "B-Sides + Bonus Tracks + Songs For Soundtracks" (43:22 minutes, 10 Tracks)

DVD "Promo Videos + BBC TV Appearances" (7 Tracks, NTSC Regions Exempt)

 

As you can see from the above list – I have avoided detailed track lists for space reasons (we could be here for months). So what you get is the eight Deluxe Special Edition Digipaks that were issued February 2015 all wrapped in an outer Hard Card Box Set shell (no extra booklet). With 189 audio tracks and a huge 68 visuals – you are confronted with so much it’s hard to know where to start. First up – the Box Set is Edsel Records of the UK (a part of the Demon Music Group) with a Rhino logo because that’s where the Remasters come from. You can hear the Remastered muscle across the first three especially, whereas thereafter they were not really in need of audio uplift.

 

But if you take say album number five "Packed!" where I would say the public’s interest in the American/English hybrid band started to truly wane. The material is not the greatest – but rehearing her gorgeous cover of the Jimi Hendrix waterfall classic "May This Be Love" – the Remastered audio is lovely – Billy Bremner guitar. The same goes for "No Guarantee" – the big guitars chiming across your speakers – Tchad Blake and Billy Bremner lashing out that trademark Pretenders guitar sound. A co-write with Johnny Marr of The Smiths that features subtle backing vocals from Tim Finn of Crowded House (beside CH and Mart Hart) – "When Will I See You?" is so good. You could call it Soft Rock, but I think it’s beautiful and a typically magical melody from our lady hero – Chrissie. And there is a real sense of a woman-in-love coursing through the pretty warm kisses of "Sense Of Purpose" (Dominic Miller on Guitar). Chrissie feels like an outlaw for loving in "Criminal" – another forgotten melodic gem on a relegated album.

 

For me the first three albums are all great – especially the self-titled debut and the hit-laden "Learning To Crawl" (I have reviewed both in depth separately). Although "Get Close" had just a little too much filler – it also had devastatingly brilliant stuff like "My Baby", "Don't Get Me Wrong", "Hymn To Her" and their kick-ass cover of Jimi's "Room Full Of Mirrors". She came a-roaring back in my books with the 1994 outing "Last Of The Independents" – kicking Rock songs and huge production from courtesy of Ian Stanley. Most songs were co-writes with the duo of Billy Steinberg and Tom Kelly – a different approach for her that really delivered. "Night In My Veins" was always going to a winning lips/hands everywhere dancing single, but it is trashed in my world by the stunning Punk-Angry Rock of "Money Talk" (begging at the feet of the Devil).

 

The late great Andy Rourke of The Smiths plays Bass on Seven tracks of "Last Of The Independents" – one of which is the typically musical "Revolution" (I wanna die for something). You get Ian Stanley on Organ and Adam Seymour of The Katydids on Guitar – her old mucker Martin Chambers on Drums. A lovely kiss-the-world take on "Forever Young" by Bob Dylan ends a great album. And again CH goes to cover versions for TV and Compilation contributions – "Friends" gets the Chip Taylor song "Angel Of The Morning" while the Stone Free Tribute compilation gets Jimi Hendrix in "Bold As Love". There is even a take on the 1975 10cc number 1 "I'm Not in Love" for the Soundtrack to "Indecent Proposal" (give us a mil Rob) and "Every Day Is Like Sunday" by Morrissey for the "Boys On The Side" Soundtrack (Andy Rourke of The Smiths plays Bass on that too).

 

B-sides include the superb "Talk Of The Town" EP that followed the debut LP right through the guitar-jangle-lovely Meg Keene cover version "Spirit Of Life" that was the Non-LP flipside to the 1990 single for "Sense Of Purpose". But far better is the Soundtrack LP songs like the Timothy Dalton James Bond tracks from "The Living Daylights" – co-writes with the legendary John Barry on "Where Has Everybody Gone" and "If There Was A Man" or her cover of the Bacharach/David classic "Windows Of The World" for the movie "1969". The live tracks are perhaps a tad disappointing in that the passion is there (and how – they play like madmen), but it always appears to be let down by bad Production values where most only rise a bit above acceptable bootleg standard.

 

The 1995 Unplugged Live Set that is "The Isle Of View" seems to be the one that got away in her catalogue. The band consists of Adam Seymour on Guitar, Harmonium and Vocals with Andy Hobson on Bass and Martin Chambers on Drums. Complimenting her on Vocals and Acoustic Guitar is Damon Albarn of Blur on Piano. But the duo real difference is crystal clear muscular top-quality Production from Stephen Street and the softening of every song by the arranged accompaniment from The Duke Quartet – Three Violins from John Metcalfe, Louisa Fuller and Richard Koster with One Cello by Ivan McCready. Every Rock song is taken out of bombast and brought back to basic melody so that stuff like "Chill Factor" is even more haunting and you can literally feel the tingle of the crowd as the band goes into the debut album masterpiece "Private Life" – the other three getting those vocals just right as it acoustic Reggaes its way across your speakers.

 

The addition of the four-piece strings to "Back On The Chain Gang" is a sensation – the loveliness of the melody suddenly swarming around your speakers – a perfect remake that compliments the original. They slow down "Kid" to a sadness that the violins and cello only accentuate. Unusual and clever too to choose the vicious riffage of "I Hurt You" from the third album – the flickering strings brilliantly arranged to underpin the menace. Her voice is just shimmering throughout "Criminal" from the underrated "Packed!" album. Then to a real crowd-pleaser – the one that started it all in late 1979 - "Brass In Pocket" (gonna use my sidestep). Not surprisingly Hynde goes immediately into the seasonal beauty of "2000 Miles" – a song now forever associated with Christmas – and it is just gorgeous. She opens with only a guitar but is soon joined by strings and Tambourines and its Christmas in London. Albarn of Blur puts in a lone funereal organ for the Meg Keene song "Hymn To Her" which Chrissie sings without any other instrumentation. It is a surprise to hear "Lovers Of Today" from the debut suit the Strings/Acoustic format so well. And on it goes to four worthy bonuses - "Creep" by Radiohead with three of her own - "Happy Christmas", "Night In My Veins" and "Tequila" (the DVD has 18 tracks that includes a different arrangement of songs).

 

Produced at three different locations by Stephen Street and Stephen Hague - you may have to turn down the Stereo for album number eight "Viva El Amor!" because it comes out at you with a Rock Rage Energy in the fantastic "Popstar" – wailing Harmonica like a guitar solo – Chrissie on the lyrical assault like a Dave Chappelle gig. "Human" calms a little but in that great commercial Pretenders kind of a way – an obvious single – only human on the inside. Adam Seymour gets to show his guitar chops on the deceptively good "From The Heart Down" – Chrissie reemploying Duke Quartet and their strings to give it gravitas. Riffage abounds with "Nails In The Road" – her patience worn thin and her tires near exploding. But for me the album masterpiece is the truly brilliant gee-tar rawk of "Dragway 42" – a sort of "You Wreck Me" by Tom Petty slice of slow killer riffage that most bands would bump-off a close relative to acquire (dirty deeds done dirt cheap). You feel the dirty streets of a city – bleak artificial light – walking - waiting like a heartache junkie for love to pull up and save the day. The same slow drum menace permeates through the pings of "Biker" – CH pining for her outlaw in a Godless society. For her B-sides she covers the Neil Young "Harvest" classic "The Needle And The Damage Done" and on the Soundtrack front is the Goffin/King written Byrds gem "Goin’ Back" for the football movie "Fever Pitch" and a Steve Earle goody in "Goodbye" for the Demi Moore film "G.I. Jane".

 

To sum up – it looks cool – gives Remasters for albums that needed it and throws in so many great extras in both Audio and Visual that it can only be described as an embarrassment of riches.

 

Pretenders have always been the business for me and this heffalump only marinates their back catalogue even more tenderly. Brilliant...

 

FEBRUARY 2015 PRETENDERS

'Deluxe Special Edition' Reissue Series by Edsel/Rhino

 

1. "Pretenders" (January 1980 debut) - Edsel EDSG 8047 (Barcode 740155804732) - 2CDs + DVD

 

2. "Pretenders II" (August 1981) - Edsel EDSG 8048 (Barcode 740155804831) - 2CDs + DVD

 

3. "Learning To Crawl" (January 1984) - Edsel EDSG 8049 (Barcode 740155804930) - 2CDs + DVD

 

4. "Get Close" (November 1986) - Edsel EDSG 8050 (Barcode 740155805036) - 2CDs + DVD

 

5. "Packed!" (May 1990) - Edsel EDSX 3022 (Barcode 740155302238) - CD + DVD

 

6. "Last Of The Independents" (May 1994) - Edsel EDSG 8051 (Barcode 740155805135) - 2CDs + DVD

 

7. "The Isle Of View" (October 1995) - Edsel EDSX 3023 (Barcode 740155302337) - CD + DVD

 

8. "Viva El Amor!" (May 1999) - Edsel EDSG 8052 (Barcode 740155805234 - 2CDs + DVD

 

9. "Pretenders 1979-1999" (February 2015) - Edsel PRETBOX01 (Barcode 5014797892620) - 22-Disc Hard Card Slipcase Wrap Box Set with all of the 1 to 8 gatefold card digipaks above inside (no extra booklet)

"Wildflowers & All The Rest" by TOM PETTY – 54-Tracks from the November 1994 "Wildflowers" Album Sessions Including 7 Unreleased Songs and 25 Unreleased Studio and Live Versions – featuring Mike Campbell, Benmont Tench, Howie Epstein, Steve Ferrone and Stan Lynch from TP’s band The Heartbreakers with Guests Lenny Castro and Phil Jones (Percussion), Jim Horn (Saxophone), Orchestration by Michael Kamen, Backing Vocals by Carl Wilson of The Beach Boys and Drums by Ringo Starr (October 2020 UK Warner Records 4CD Deluxe Edition Hardback DigiBook Set with Chris Bellman Mastering) - A Review by Mark Barry...

 

 

 

 <iframe sandbox="allow-popups allow-scripts allow-modals allow-forms allow-same-origin" style="width:120px;height:240px;" marginwidth="0" marginheight="0" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" src="//ws-eu.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?ServiceVersion=20070822&OneJS=1&Operation=GetAdHtml&MarketPlace=GB&source=ss&ref=as_ss_li_til&ad_type=product_link&tracking_id=mabasreofcdbl-21&language=en_GB&marketplace=amazon&region=GB&placement=B08G5FLGGW&asins=B08G5FLGGW&linkId=188ee9837275b25b0cfa58d9733d9d4c&show_border=true&link_opens_in_new_window=true"></iframe>

"...Climb That Hill..."

 

Released as a Tom Petty solo album, the original Warner Brothers CD and 2LP set for "Wildflowers" was unleashed 1 November 1994 on an ever so slightly indifferent world. It peaked at a modest No. 8 in the US Billboard album charts (No. 36 in the UK). Melodic, Rocking, Plaintive and straddling everything from Riffage Rock, US Folk, Rockabilly and Alt-Country - it was a typically well-crafted Tom Petty album beautifully produced by Rick Rubin with TP and Mike Campbell. 

 

"Wildflowers" was well received critically too. Featuring Mike Campbell, Benmont Tench, Howie Epstein, Steve Ferrone and Stan Lynch from TP’s band The Heartbreakers - Guests included Percussionists Lenny Castro and Phil Jones, Horn Player Jim Horn with Orchestration by Michael Kamen and Drums by Ringo Starr on "To Find A Friend" with Backing Vocals by Carl Wilson of The Beach Boys on the rocker "Honey Bee" (both Wilson and Starr reappear on this retrospective on CD2 on the track "Hung Up And Overdue").

 

And back in late 1994 with the CD format dominating all in its path, the 2LP variant on Warner Brothers 9362-45759-1 (which did not shift much at the time, it was years before the VINYL resurgence) later became a legendarily hard to find rarity that often commanded price-tags in excess of £100. And after that – and 1994 – it was largely forgotten. But his horrible and untimely passing in 2017 changed all that...

 

There are 3 x CD variants of the reissue "Wildflowers & All The Rest" - all released 16 October 2020 – a 2CD Standard Edition on Warner Records 0936249229284, a 4CD Deluxe Edition on Warner Records 093624899112 and a 5CD (US-only) Super Deluxe Edition on Warner Records 093624893004 that had a Bonus Disc called "Finding Wildflowers (Alternate Versions)". After consumer demand, that fifth CD was issued 16 April 2021 as a stand-alone in the UK and EUROPE on Warner Records 093624884934. There is also extensive VINYL represses of the original double-album and the extended retrospective. This review will deal with the 4CD Deluxe Edition and the Singular "Finding Wildflowers (Alternate Versions)" as an add-on so you get the 'full' picture.

 

History: across 1992 and 1994 and with a splurge of new material and creativity, Petty had wanted a proper double-album, 2CDs and 2LPs (much of it acoustic) - but Warner Brothers balked - so we got the truncated 1CD version in Nov 1994. Time now with posthumous hindsight to rectify that and comply with his original intentions. Compiled with the full co-operation of his Heartbreaker band mates Guitarist Mike Campbell and Keyboard whizz Benmont Tench, Producer and Mixer Ryan Ulyate and especially his family (wife Dana and daughter Adria) – they have collated this massive return – and what a winner it is. To the details...

 

UK and EUROPE released 16 October 2020 - the 4CD Deluxe Edition of "Wildflowers & All The Rest" by TOM PETTY is on Warner Records 093624899112 (Barcode 093624899112) and gives you a Newly Remastered Version of the Album on CD1 with the other 3 being outtakes and alternate versions – all themed. They play out as follows:

 

CD1 "Wildflowers" Remastered (62:57 minutes):

1. Wildflowers

2. You Don't Know How It Feels

3. Time To Move On

4. You Wreck Me

5. It's Good To Be King

6. Only A Broken Heart

7. Honey Bee

8. Don't Fade On Me

9. Hard On Me

10. Cabin Down Below

11. To Find A Friend

12. A Higher Place

13. House In The Woods

14. Crawling Back To You

15. Wake Up Time

Tracks 1 to 15 are the 2LP/1CD album "Wildflowers" – UK released 1 November 1994 on Warner Brother Records 9362-45759-1 (VINYL) 9362-45759-2 (CD).

 

CD2 "All The Rest" (39:27 minutes):

1. Something Could Happen (Recorded 28 July 1993)

2. Leave Virginia Alone (Recorded 26 January 1993)

3. Climb That Hill Blues (Recorded 1993, no specific date)

4. Confusion Wheel (Recorded 11 April 1994)

5. California (Recorded 14 April 1994)

6. Harry Green (Recorded 1994, no specific date)

7. Hope You Never – Alternate Version (Recorded 11 April 1994)

8. Somewhere Under Heaven (Recorded 30 September 1992, first released in 2015 in the film "Entourage")

9. Climb That Hill – Alternate Take (Recorded 30 November 1993)

10. Hung Up And Overdue – Alternate Version (Recorded 3 June 1993)

NOTES:

Tracks 1 to 6 are PREVIOUSLY UNRELEASED

Tracks 1, 3, 4 and 6 are PREVIOUSLY UNRELEASED Songs (see also CD3)

Tracks 7, 9 and 10 are ALTERNATES, appeared in different versions on the "She's The One" Soundtrack album

Track 8 first appeared in the 2015 film "Entourage"

 

CD3 "Home Recordings" (57:54 minutes):

1. There Goes Angela (Dream Away)

2. You Don't Know How It Feels

3. California

4. A Feeling of Peace

5. Leave Virginia Alone

6. Crawling Back To You

7. Don't Fade On Me

8. Confusion Wheel

9. A Higher Place

10. Break In The Rain (Have Love Will Travel)

11. To Find A Friend

12. Only A Broken Heart

13. Wake Up Time

14. Hung Up And Overdue

15. Wildflowers

NOTES:

Tracks 1, 4, 5 and 8 are PREVIOUSLY UNRELEASED Songs

 

CD4 "Wildflowers Live" (74:42 minutes):

1. You Don't Know How It Feels (14 December 2002, Fleet Center, Boston)

2. Honey Bee (17 March 1996, Maple Leaf Gardens, Toronto)

3. To Find A Friend (28 December 2000, Bridge School Benefit, Shoreline Amphitheatre, Mountainview, California)

4. Walls (6 February 1997, The Fillmore, San Francisco, California)

5. Crawling Back To You (27 July 2017, Forest Hills Stadium, New York)

6. Cabin Down Below (14 June 2009, Tweeter Center, Mansfield, MA)

7. Drivin' Down To Georgia (11 August 2010, Phillips Arena, Atlanta, GA, first released to the TP Fan Club in 2010)

8. House In The Woods (23 May 2013, Beacon Theater, New York)

9. Girl On LSD (6 June 2008, Wachovia Center, Philadelphia, PA)

10. Time To Move On (17 August 2002, UMB Bank Pavilion, St. Louis, MO)

11. Wake Up Time (17 April 2003, Vic Theatre, Chicago, Illinois)

12. It's Good To Be King (31 January 1997, The Fillmore, San Francisco, LA)

13. You Wreck Me (30 August 2014, Fenway Park, Boston, MA)

14. Wildflowers (28 June 2005, Van Andel Arena, Grand Rapids, MI)

 

CD5 "Finding Wildflowers (Alternate Versions)" 69:21 minutes:

1. A Higher Place

2. Hard On Me

3. Cabin Down Below

4. Crawling Back To You

5. Only A Broken Heart

6. Drivin' Down To Georgia

7. You Wreck Me

8. It's Good To Be King

9. House In The Woods

10. Honey Bee

11. Girl On LSD

12. Cabin Down Below (Acoustic Version)

13. Wildflowers

14. Don't Fade On Me

15. Wake Up Time

16. You Saw Me Comin'

Tracks 1 to 16 originally released 16 October 2020 as part of the 5CD Super Deluxe Edition of "Wildflowers & All The Rest" (CD5). Released 16 April 2021 as "Finding Wildflowers (Alternate Versions)", an individually released CD on Warner Records 093624884934 (Barcode 093624884934).

 

Ace Engineer CHRIS BELLMAN (at Bernie Grundman Mastering) has beautifully mastered this release. I can't emphasise enough the gorgeous audio quality on this package - it's astonishingly good. And it looks gorgeous too – each card slip wallet inside featuring hand-tinted artwork that reflects the songs – released or otherwise. The attached photo-packed booklet gives song-by-song notes with contributions from Lead Guitarist Mike Campbell, Keyboardist Benmont Tench, Producer Rick Rubin and Reissue Co-ordinator and Archivist Ryan Ulyate – often more frank than you would think they should be. It feels and is substantial – and across five discs, there is an abundance to savour.

 

The initial album had four singles on it – the hugely Radio-friendly "You Don't Know How It Feels" (December 1994), the live showstopping Rocker "You Wreck Me" in February 1995 with "It's Good To Be King" and "A Higher Place" later into 1995. I have to say I can dig either version of the hooky melody "Crawling Back To You" – the one on the album with the stunning Michael Kamen strings that so work (unusual for a TP song) or the unadorned more Ryan Adams Country Rock version on CD5 that is frankly just as cool. And again the Alternate high-voiced whisper of "Only A Broken Heart" on CD5 is just as good as the official album cut.

 

But I am amazed they left such a great rocker like "Drivin' Down To Georgia" with its clever piano middle eight off the album (see CD5) and instead opted for the more ham-Rockabilly "Honey Bee" – a mistake I feel. The difference between the absolute balls-to-the-wall Rock hit that is the album version of "You Wreck Me" as opposed to the 12-String Acoustic Guitar and Drums of the Alternate on CD5 could not be more pronounced (they were right to chose the Rock cut). The live version too is enormous. The lazy tempo of the Alternate for "It's Good To Be King" is great – so incredibly musical – but I can hear why they chose the final released version.

 

Over on CD2, the seven unreleased songs are all fully formed and as beautifully produced as the album cuts – so when you play bloody good acoustic/electric jangle melodies like "Something Could Happen" or "Confusion Wheel" – it seems inconceivable that they stayed in a can somewhere and were not at least considered as flipsides for the four singles the album eventually produced. Disc 2 may be short on playing time folks, but it is big on surprises and fan-wins. You get TP protecting the vulnerable girl from the big bad world in "Leave Virginia Alone" – another shuffle and jangle that could easily have been on either of The Traveling Wilbury albums (fabulous slide guitar solo from Mike Campbell towards the end of the song).

 

"Climb That Hill Blues" is essentially an Acoustic Demo done at the TP home studio that they tried to turn into a Rock song but felt they had failed (see Track 9 on CD2 for Rock version called "Climb That Hill"). Torn apart – afraid – don’t know who to trust - "Confusion Blues" is brill and benefits hugely from Campbell guitar where the lonesome feels like the Byrds meets Irish Folk Music (if you can imagine such a thing). The Alternate Version of "California" loses the doubled-vocal harmonies at the end of the track – the Harmonica ala Dylan solo is still there – but it is just tighter. A genuine find is the Acoustic and Harmonica only Murder/Vehicle Suicide Ballad "Harry Green" – a fantastic tale from his teenage years after a brave man who saved TP from a redneck trashing. A rare case of TPO using an actual name – it so Dylan – but so moving too and just a little sad...

 

The Home Recordings and Live versions offer wildly differing approaches – the first all meek and sedate and incredibly intimate – the second being with the band and the numbers worked out – so they ROCK. You also get those outtakes in a live environment that in some respects often worked better in. There is beautiful audio to the 16^th Avenue song "There Goes Angela (Dream Away)" – the opening cut on CD3 – all strummed acoustics and Dylanesque Harmonica. Even in simple acoustic and doubled vocals, hearing new tunes like "California" and the full-band-feel "A Feeling of Peace" is a thrill. CD3 cements the Acoustic Album theory - "Leave Virginia Alone", "Don't Fade On Me" split up by the jangle of "A Higher Place". In fact if you compare the merely good Home Recording of "A Higher Place" to the brilliant band-rehearsed version of it that opens CD5 – it's astonishing how much The Heartbreakers brought to his initial great ideas – they were and are the glue that cemented everything. And how witty is that "Girl On LSD" tale he tells on the Live CD that has the crowd in stitches. Five whole CDs and not a bad un – wow!

 

Like so many guys of my age, I was taken aback my Tom Petty's untimely passing in October 2017. It hurt me way more than I knew how to deal with. After Prince and Bowie – he was another hero of my musical life gone too soon (Stevie Ray Vaughan, Amy Winehouse and Jeff Buckley – other diamonds taken too damn quick as well)

 

But with the September 2018 4CD 'Deluxe Edition' of "An American Treasure", this October 2020 return to an oldie "Wildflowers" and the November 2022 extravaganza that is "Live At The Fillmore 1997" (another 4CD set in Deluxe Edition form) – the Petty family and his band mates The Heartbreakers have kept Tom's legacy fresh, amazing and frankly formidable. Yet another top job done...