As the title suggests, the songs on the best-of disc are evenly spread across the band's career. The first 13 songs are from the Sarah years, and the disc opens with one song from each of the first three singles. There is little to nitpick about, but choosing "Apologies" over "I've Got a Habit", from Sarah's second-ever release, is the only real head-scratcher. Initially, the same could have been said about using "Defy the Law" rather than "Underneath The Window, Underneath The Sink", but there is a reason for that choice that we'll get to in a bit. The rest of the disc is perfection. If you're a fan that uses the 1992 Sarah compilation 'Epicurean - A Soundtrack' as your go-to Orchids long player, you will want this set too. There are only six songs that overlap, and you get the bonus of seven songs from the band's second life. The three albums that came out between 2007 and 2014 are all must haves for fans of the Orchids. If you haven't heard them, however, the songs chosen for this set are just the taster to get you to pick them up.
Disc two is chock full of the demos, alternative versions and radio sessions that are sure to get the completists off the sofa. The real highlight is the first track. "From This Day" comes from the 1987 split flexi the Orchids did with the Sea Urchins for Sha La La, Matt Haynes' fanzine label that came before Sarah. One release that's missing here is "An Ill Wind That Blows", the 7" Bob Stanley put out on his Caff label in 1990, but many of you may already have it as a bonus track on the 'Lyceum' reissue LTM released in 2005. The disc closes with a 2017 re-recording of "Underneath The Window, Underneath The Sink". Would you rather have the original, or are you curious about this new version?
'Who Needs Tomorrow... A 30 Year Retrospective' is fully remastered and comes with liner notes by ex-BBC radio DJ John Cavanagh and the uber Sarah producer Ian Carmichael. This one comes out Sept. 29, and there are a limited number of signed copies available at the Cherry Red shop. Preorder now. Here's the complete tracklist from Cherry Red. I have added the relevant original release info for disc one because I'm into that sort of thing.
Disc One: The Best Of...
1. APOLOGIES ("I've Got a Habit" 7", Sarah 2)
2. DEFY THE LAW ("Underneath The Window, Underneath The Sink" 7", Sarah 11)
3. WHAT WILL WE DO NEXT? ("What Will We Do Next?" 7", Sarah 23)
4. IT’S ONLY OBVIOUS ('Lyceum' 10" mini album, Sarah 401)
5. CAVEMAN ('Lyceum' 10" mini album, Sarah 401)
6. SOMETHING FOR THE LONGING ("Something for the Longing" 7", Sarah 29)
7. LONG DRAWN SUNDAY NIGHT ('Unholy Soul' LP, Sarah 605)
8. PEACHES ('Unholy Soul' LP, Sarah 605)
9. BEMUSED, CONFUSED AND BEDRAGGLED ("Penetration" 12" EP, Sarah 42)
10. THAUMATURGY ("Thaumaturgy" 7", Sarah 66)
11. OBSESSION N°1 ('Striving For The Lazy Perfection' LP, Sarah 617)
12. A KIND OF EDEN ('Striving For The Lazy Perfection' LP, Sarah 617)
13. STRIVING FOR THE LAZY PERFECTION ('Striving For The Lazy Perfection' LP, Sarah 617)
14. ANOTHER SATURDAY NIGHT ('Good to Be a Stranger' LP, Siesta, 2007)
15. SHE’S MY GIRL ('The Lost Star; LP, Pebble, 2010)
16. THE GIRL AND THE SOLDIER ('The Lost Star' LP, Pebble, 2010)
17. THE WAY THAT YOU MOVE ('The Lost Star' LP, Pebble, 2010)
18. HEY! SOMETIMES ('Beatitude #9' LP, Acuarela Discos, 2014)
19. SOMETHING’S GOING ON ('Beatitude #9' LP, Acuarela Discos, 2014)
20. WE MADE A MESS ('Beatitude #9' LP, Acuarela Discos, 2014)
Disc Two: Rarities
1. FROM THIS DAY
2. MY SACRED HOUR (DEMO)
3. IT’S ONLY OBVIOUS (ACOUSTIC VERSION)
4. WHITLEY BAY (DEMO)
5. AND WHEN I WAKE UP (DEMO)
6. THIS PATIENCE IS MINE (DEMO)
7. WELCOME TO MY CURIOUS HEART (ACOUSTIC VERSION WITH PAULINE HYNDS)
8. YOU COULD DO SOMETHING TO ME (ACOUSTIC VERSION)
9. MAGIC IN HERE
10. THE LOST STAR
11. LES SPECTACLES DE LA FOIRE (DEMO)
12. PLACA SAN SEBASTIÁN
13. I JUST DON'T CARE
14. AND I PAINT A PICTURE (DEMO)
15. ONE LAST CIGARETTE (DEMO)
16. UNDER CLOUDS, UNDER STARS, UNDER A LENS, UNDER CARS (DEMO)
17. OOH WEE!
18. UNDERNEATH THE WINDOW, UNDERNEATH THE SINK (2017 VERSION)
5 comments:
Great band, one of the few that get better with each lp
FORW, You are the one that got me to try those later albums. Thanks you, thank you, thank you.
I've always struggled with the later Orchids too - though 'Lyceum' is an absolute favourite of mine and I had a tape of the Peel Session they did in, I think, 1990 for many years that was a regular listen too. I'm going to pick a copy of this up on Friday and maybe remedy things over the weekend...
MisterPrime,
Was drawn to the early singles and Lyceum from the beginning, but I was late to the rest of the band's discography. One song, Peaches, brought me back into the fold. That was a couple of years after Unholy Soul was released. For quite a while there, I didn't know the Orchids were making music again. I'm pretty sure it was Friend of Rachel Worth at his old blog that awoke me to that fact. The older and wiser version of you might find the newer material right up your alley. In fact, I would be surprised if you didn't.
I'll be honest here. Back in the days, I missed out on The Orchids despite them being right on my doorstep.
I've since made up for it by buying the re-releases of the first 3 albums and while they all have moments that are marvelous, I just can't find myself elevating them to essential listens.
Fantastic stuff that you've, again, have a superstar of guitar indie-pop enjoying what you do.
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