Category: Side by side

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Side by side: Brian Eno ‘Ambient 4: On Land’

First released on LP and cassette formats only in 1982, Brian Eno’s ‘Ambient 4: On Land’ arrived with some modesty compared to the esteem with which its influence in ‘dark ambient’ circles would grow in subsequent years. Originally just the fourth (and final) in the ‘Ambient’ series of releases first started with Brian Eno’s 1979 album release ‘Ambient 1: Music for Airports’, the accompanying press coverage would make it clear to anyone still optimistically hankering after a return to song-based vocals pieces, which Eno had been most well-known for since his departure from Roxy Music, that he was done with that for good (or so it seemed…)

1982 UK LP

Brian Eno - 'Ambient 4: On Land' - 1982 UK LP front cover design
^ Brian Eno – ‘Ambient 4: On Land’ – 1982 UK LP front cover design

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Year by Year: Cocteau Twins – 1991

1990 had by far been an intense yet successful year for the band – following the release of the ‘Heaven or Las Vegas’ album, the final few months of 1990 (October through December) had seen the band tour Europe, North America and Canada, which then continued on into 1991, with the North and South American tour to promote the ‘Heaven Or Las Vegas’ album that kept the band occupied during March and April of 1991. Along the way, the band also parted ways with 4AD records following some degree of acrimony, a move that would be reflected upon at a later date as not necessarily the best of moves. Simon Raymonde’s ‘In One Ear’ book also provides a bleakly dramatic tale of the human toll of the tour to support promotion of ‘Heaven or Las Vegas’ by way of a rather dramatic end to the tour on a personal level. By this point in time the band were now finding that their relationship with their label, 4AD, was being brought to a close. So, its perhaps little surprise to find that 1991 was otherwise a low-activity period other than the intense touring schedule.

Cocteau Twins - 1991 - Singles Box Set - front cover
^ Cocteau Twins – 1991 – Singles Box Set – front cover

Yet, it was not a quiet year for releases, with a box set of their singles and EPs (in enhanced form with complementary bonus tracks added as appropriate) proving to be a very welcome release on CD format. Continue reading “Year by Year: Cocteau Twins – 1991”

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Gary Numan – ‘I Can’t Stop’ Version Craziness

‘I Can’t Stop’ was a welcome return to some modicum of chart success for Gary Numan in the summer of 1986 after a period in the wilderness for his solo releases. A stomping rocker of a number, it’s ostentatious female vocals repeating the title over and over perhaps don’t charm many a Numan fan more accustomed to his moodier work, but this mid-’80s period saw Gary embrace far more mainstream tastes in order to stay afloat in a musical world that was increasingly forgetting his place in it. Well documented in Numan’s autobiographies, this period was one of survival. And as you can see from the selection of releases pictured here, the multi-format ’80s madness was catered for with this release.

Gary Numan 'I Can't Stop' releases assemblage
^ Gary Numan ‘I Can’t Stop’ releases assemblage

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New Order – ‘Temptation’ / ‘Hurt’ UK 12” and 7″ (Factory, FAC63, 1982)

‘Temptation’ was the third (or fourth, depending on whether you count the Factory Benelux 12” variant of ‘Everything’s Gone Green’ as a unique variant) single release by New Order, released May 1982, it was a big deal at the time. The first unique release after the debut ‘Movement’ album, it highlighted that the band had finally parted ways from the influence of Martin Hannett as the producer, and both sides of the single saw the band’s sound build further on the minimal electronic sequencer-driven sound that ‘Everything’s Gone Green’ had first ushered in. Yet, it retained a somewhat delicately ramshackle vibe too, ahead of the polished dance-beat driven sound that would subsequently re-write the band’s DNA for their more electronic-based tracks.

New Order 'Temptation' 1982 UK 12" front cover debossed title detail
^ New Order ‘Temptation’ 1982 UK 12″ front cover debossed title detail

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Scritti Politti ‘The Basics’ Japanese mini album LP and cassette [Virgin, 20VB-1083 / 20VC-1083, 1986]

‘The Basics’ is a curious oddity, a 1986 Japanese-only compilation that gathers together various mixes of five singles that were peeled from the ‘Cupid & Psyche ’85’ album. It comes housed in a design based on the UK 1985 12″/gatefold 7″ single sleeve design. Why the title of ‘The Basics’? I have no idea. And despite being housed in a sleeve filched from the UK 12″ of ‘Perfect Way’, the mix of that song that is included is actually a quite different mix, originally hailing from the US 12″ single! Odd!

Scritti Politti 'The Basics' 1986 mini-album - LP and cassette front cover designs
^ Scritti Politti ‘The Basics’ 1986 mini-album – LP and cassette front cover designs

The sleeve lists various differing mixes that are included – definitely worth a deeper dive to cross/reference… Continue reading “Scritti Politti ‘The Basics’ Japanese mini album LP and cassette [Virgin, 20VB-1083 / 20VC-1083, 1986]”