‘Deep’ was very much Peter Murphy’s breakthrough solo album and perhaps it was in no small part due to the promotional push of the record company machinery of the era, still some years away from the MP3 meltdown and subsequent diminished times. This cassette is one of those curious promo-only releases of the era picked up along the way, a reminder of those times.
‘Deep’ is an album that I will visit before too long on Version Crazy for a deep dive into the various versions of its tracks that are out there – we already took a look at some unique mixes of ‘A Strange Kind Of Love’ some while back. Until then, a small object of desire in the form if a promo cassette EP to whet the appetite…
On the surface, other than its sleek and stylish design, there’s not a lot going for it in its version crazy appeal – it lifts four tracks from the album in the familiar versions (so, its is Version 1 in the case of ‘A Strange Kind Of Love’). Obviously, the lead-off single, the immaculate ‘Cuts You Up’ is first up (in its full-length album version) – a classic to be, well deserving of its place. It’s followed by ‘Crystal Wrists’, one of the slow-burner album tracks that provide ‘Deep’ with its strength. ‘A Strange Kind Of Love’ follows, Murphy in more reflective, moody form, equally magnificent in its painterly atmosphere. Again, the album mix is what is included (as opposed to either of the other mixes of this track that were also issued). The selection fills out with another moody album cut, ‘Seven Veils’, with its vaguely middle-eastern tinged haze on is extended outro. Murphy toured the album like a trouper and this was one of those album tracks that was well accounted for in its live form, with Murphy’s well-honed band, The Hundred Men, more than able of doing it proud.
Tracklist – track times (and version) added (though not listed on the packaging):
- Cuts You Up (5’23”)
- Crystal Wrists (4’07”)
- Strange Kind Of Love (Version 1) (3’46”)
- Seven Veils (5’57”)
The same tracks play on both sides.