Anybody out there enjoying the latest from New Order? Listening to Bernard & Co. always gets me in the mood to listen to all of those Factory bands from the label's heyday, and one of my favorites is the Wake. For Record Store Day 2012, Brooklyn-based Captured Tracks put together a wonderful vinyl box of the Wake's 'Here Comes Everybody,' the Glasgow band's seminal album from 1985. It also included a second LP of period singles "Of The Matter," "Talk About The Past" and "Something That No One Else Could Bring," along with a lovely album-sized booklet and other extras. These works had not been pressed on wax since the '80s, and it remains just about the best RSD exclusive I have ever come across. As expected, they disappeared in no time, and I'm sure there were many kicking the floor of their favorite shops on that Record Store Day. Fortunately, Captured Tracks has heard the cries of the disappointed and reissued it again, calling it the "Gatefold Edition" this time. I don't believe it will come in the fancy box like it did in 2012, but the music will be there, along with that gatefold.
Preorder the two LPs straight from the label for an expected Oct. 30 release. If you don't have it, you need it, as the synth-pop perfection of "Melancholy Man" illustrates.
"Melancholy Man"
After 'Here Comes Everybody,' the Wake left Factory for the friendly confines of Sarah Records. Quite a pedigree, eh? The band went through some personnel paring, and members of fellow label mates the Orchids filled in during this period. There were two albums and two singles before Sarah and the Wake called it a day.
LTM Recordings have planned a November reissue blitz of the Wake's Sarah years. Both albums, 'Make It Loud' (1990) and 'Tidal Wave of Hype' (1994) will be remastered on individual CDs and will include the singles. Liner notes will be written by Caesar too. In 2002, LTM had released the two albums together on one CD, calling it 'Holyheads,' but it didn't have either one of the original covers. Yep, it's time for an upgrade. Here's one from 'Make It Loud' that shows the band's sound had shifted a bit from the Factory days. It's a fine time to wake up to the Wake.
"Holy Head"
The Wake were a band who existed in the shadows. But then most of the Factory signings did after Power Corruption And Lies. I've always had a soft spot for The Wake, maybe not as big as the one I have for A Certain Ratio (shhh...my favorite Factory band by some measure...) and followed through the changes that came as they moved to Sarah.
ReplyDeleteHi Echorich. This is basically my annual plea thinly veiled as a news item. I feel like I'm always trying to convince everyone to buy 'Here Comes Everybody,' but I get the feeling I'm in the minority with this one, present company excluded. Adam said he liked them when I posted "Talk About the Past" on my UK indie singles countdown last year, and that was the first time anyone had ever said anything positive about them on here. Speaking of Adam, I sure am enjoying his Factory series. Stockholm Monsters was new to me, and I bought the singles collection and their one album the same day he wrote about them. Should be in the mail tomorrow. I dig Crispy Ambulance too.
ReplyDeleteI need to listen to much more A Certain Ratio.
The Wake are another of those bands that I knew the name of, but never tuned into for one reason or another. Without wishing to court Beta Band-like controversy, I found that I enjoyed 'Holy Head' a great deal more than 'Melancholy Man'. Theirs is an interesting story though isn't it?
ReplyDeleteImagine being in The Wake or Stockholm Monsters or A Certain Ratio or Section 25 and having to watch Factory put all it's budgetary eggs in one basket with the words New Order - expertly designed by Peter Saville on the side - while you grind away at touring, recording and getting basically no where. There was no democracy at Factory - that's a given. New Order was their best chance at maintaining success, but there really wasn't that much of an Artist Development component to the label. The best chance anyone had was when New Order had some break time and Happy Mondays gladly took advantage of that.
ReplyDeleteBut I guess I am being a bit critical. A Certain Ration and Section 25 were able to release some really amazing music with Factory. The Wake and Stockholm Monsters built strong sounds and were able to carve a niche out with all their hard work. The story of Factory is one with many layers and twists, highs and lows,great successes and terrible failures. It is musical legend.