Wednesday, November 30, 2016

ABCs of My Vinyl Collection (Letter D, Part 5)

I have always had a thing about music from Scotland. Many more times than not, I have been rewarded for taking a chance and buying records from that part of the world. Occasionally, you lose some. While I haven't quite relegated the first two albums from Deacon Blue to the lose-some pile, I have just given 'Raintown' and 'When the World Knows Your Name' a proper airing for the first time in decades and come away with little inspiration to gush about how I loved these albums in my youth.

I would have been in my final year of high school when the debut hit the shelves. As I'm sitting here listening today, I'm amazed the 17-year-old me got into something with such an adult-contemporary feel. For many reasons, 'Raintown' will always have an important place in the hearts of those that call Glasgow home, and the album cover alone makes this worth picking up at a used shop, but I have a feeling it will be many more years before I give either one of these albums another spin. 'When the World Knows Your Name' feels like a blatant attempt at Hitsville... and it worked! "Real Gone Kid" is what got me to buy it, and I have to admit it got me bobbing my head today.

"When Will You (Make My Telephone Ring)" from 'Raintown'
"Real Gone Kid" from 'When the World Knows Your Name'

10 comments:

Echorich said...

I've always had a soft spot for Deacon Blue. The first two albums are certainly their best. I got to see them touring When The World Knows Your Name play the always intimate, yet raucous Bottom Line in NYC and they were very memorable. I didn't have quite the same reaction to their next few albums, but when they managed to get back together in 2012 and released The Hipsters, I was back on board. The last two albums since their return, A New House and Believers (which is just 2 months old today) are in the same vein and reflect a maturity on primary songwriter and lead, Ricky Ross.

Rol said...

Although they were never among my favourites, I enjoyed much of Deacon Blue's output and have quite a bit of time for Ricky Ross (his first solo album had some very memorable tracks... I must do a post about that soon, you've just reminded me how much I loved it).

Brian said...

Rol and Echorich, Sounds like you both have much on me when it comes to Deacon Blue and Ross' solo work. This is not an exaggeration when I say I have never heard a note beyond the two albums I own. That's a rather large 25-plus year hole to fill on my part, but I respect the tastes of you lads and now know there is work to be done. Thanks for taking the time, fellas.

Anonymous said...

Raintown is in my top 10 , top 5 on a good day.Just never tire of it. When the world hasnt aged half as well mainly due to the production. I have pretty much everything they have recorded and the good outweighs the bad . The recent hipsters and believers are both fantastic , new house a little less so (sounds luke recorded under a duvet in places) . On their day one of the best live bands going

FurryBootsCityBoy said...

"Real Gone Kid" is the greatest ever piece of music in history to bounce up and down to. Anyone who listens to it and doesn't want to start bouncing up and down should just go home and open up a vein. You're dead inside - or you're a giant poseur who only enjoys music by men/women wearing black clothes. I will brook no argument on this matter.

And yes, "Raintown" is a brilliant album.

Brian said...

This love for Deacon Blue is mighty impressive. FORW, For some reason I didn't recall Raintown on that big series of yours when you were concluding CoS. I'll have to go back and see what you had to say. FBCB, I won't argue with you on Real Gone Kid. Listened to it again today. Now I think I should revisit Raintown. Obviously, it was an album I once loved. Maybe I was listening on a bad day earlier this week or something, but I didn't quite have the same reaction as the rest of you.

Charity Chic said...

Not a huge fan but like Dignity and Fergus Sings the Blues
Ricky Ross does a good country show on Radio Scotland - Another Country with Ricky Ross

George said...

I went to school with a current Deacon Blue.

drew said...

Real Gone Kid was written about Maria McKee after Deacon Blue supported them on a UK, or maybe it was just at the QM, I caught the tale end of them. Also saw them early on in Motherwell Civic Centre, I was there to see the Proclaimers, Ingrid was there for them. I seem to remember they did a dreadful cover of Trampoline.

Ricky Ross is pretty good on Radio Scotland, does the Sunday morning show sometimes, a bit gody at times

Anonymous said...

Ricky didn't take too kindly to some criticism offered over at my place a while back:-

https://thenewvinylvillain.wordpress.com/2016/06/28/when-it-all-goes-pear-shaped/