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Classification: Album
Label: Glass
Catalogue: MGLALP011
Date: May1985
Recorded: February 1985, Woodbine Studio, Leamington Spa
A-Groove: boris is digging the potatoes
Big Saturday
Holiday
Red Pets
Only A Rumour
President Reagan's Birthday Present
What's The Matter, Boy?
Walk With The Devil
Down The Drain
Pat Fish
Max Eider
Owen Jones
David J.
Felix Ray
John A. Rivers - producer
Mitch Jenkins - photography
Buffalo Shame - sleeve
For absent friends
Now that the band had done a few dates with decent p.a. systems and stuff, I was beginning to have some sort of a bead on this singing business. Also, having exhausted the initial stick of JB songs (several of the A Scandal In Bohemia tunes had actually been written at the time of Bath Of Bacon, but were rejected back then as needing further development), I was obliged for the first time to write about my life as it was at the time, which was very different to the way I lived when writing the first two records.
Now I was "in a band", had left my day job, had been to Europe... I even started to write songs that were not self-consciously deferential and mocking. Hence, I guess, the arrival of the first recorded "big ballad" in Only A Rumour , where David J. harmonies at the end STILL give me the shivers.
I think that now we had started to learn about actually creating recordings rather than just recording the sound of a bunch of pals fooling around, and the disc does have a nice, unified feel. Credit John A. Rivers for his high-speed mixing job. When I think about it, this l.p. doesn't really have any "great" tunes, in the sense of numbers that people request or whatever, but it has a nice totality, a good, atmospheric vibe. This one I'd actually defend at length if I had to.
Greetings from a longtime fan, starting when the CBCkipp - calgary, canada 30Apr2013 12:27 PM
interviewed Pat circa the Spooky EP. I just
discovered this album ... solid, solid, solid. I
absolutely love the Kinks vibe of "Holiday". Thanks
for this gem.
I love this album more than any other by JB.David, Hong Kong 19Jan2010 7:46 PM
I got this on vinyl in a tiny record shop in Wanchai, Hong Kong in 1986. Now, years later, I particularly like the line in 'Down the Drain' where Pat sings "I wish I'd been born in Selangor" since both my sons were born in Selangor.
I have to agree. this is by far the best JB release! I come back to it again and again over the years. just found a 'backup' cpoy in charlotte last week for only $10!mike b from raleigh 23Aug2008 8:42 PM
this is also my favourite LP from the Glass era. Here's what i think and feel (on french) about it : http://fried2.blogspot.com/jean-philippe, bordeaux, france 6Jan2008 6:46 AM
Jean-Philippe
This is one of my very, very favourite albums out of the seven hundred gazillion in my collection. I wish there were more songs on it, but then... would it be as perfectly perfect?Los Angeles, CA & Guelph, ON 12Nov2005 9:56 PM
I would put this up against any of the greats.
If you don't own this one yet, you need to find a copy.