December 27, 2008

This Heat - Made Available : John Peel Sessions (ReR, 2006)...


In 1996, This Heat's 1977 Peel Sessions were finally released and demonstrated once again that This Heat were untouchable, effortlessly unfurling a sound equal parts avant pop, krautrock, progrock, musique concrete and a handful of parts that defied easy classification. Every track here a jaw dropping, mind blowing performance. Especially the new version of "Horizontal Hold", one of This Heat's finest moments already, played here with much more verve and vigor and with a sound quality so much clearer, a recording so incredibly hot, that the song is reborn and completely confounds and amazes. The whole session is rhythmically dense, rife with bastardized pop, incredibly complex arrangements all rendered again in such a way that they are emotional and moving, instead of just intellectual musical exercises. And the sound is so crystal clear, that you can hear a band at the top of their game, taking over the BBC studio and using it like they would a second guitar or another drummer. The Peel Sessions also include a handful of songs that never made it onto records proper. All as good as anything on their official releases. (Aquarius Records)

Recorded in 1977 for the John Peel Show at BBC Maida Vale Studios, London.
Originally released in 1996 on These Records as These 10 CD.
Remastered by Charles Bullen, Charles Hayward & un autre clampin qui s'appelle Dominique Brethes at Wolf Studios, Brixton, February 2006.
Studio Album, released in 1996

Track Listings

1. Horizontal Hold (8:28)
2. Not Waving (8:11)
3. The Fall Of Saigon (6:08)
4. Rimp Romp Ramp (6:43)
5. Makeshift (6:18)
6. Sitting (2:22)
7. Basement Boy (2:16)
8. Slither (2:16)

Total Time: 42:42

HERE

4 comments:

  1. This blog is really great!!
    If you have the HAIL MARY "All Aboard The Sinking Ship" LP or any of the 7" please posted.

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  2. holy shit! holy everything!!!

    thank! thank!

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  3. this post just cued me to listen to this album again. and to seek out the switch on war. found this recently this heat related

    http://waxidermy.com/2006/03/30/lifetones-for-a-reason/
    "...Bullen immerses himself deep in zoned dub territory..." "At times it sounds like the more accessible points of This Heat’s masterwork “Deceit” remixed 80’s dubstyle ala Mad Professor, using the same unique vocal style of group harmonies (multitracked here) that layer from the melody down to create a brooding and chant-like effect, as well as their kraut-informed approach to rhythmic repetition."

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  4. Many people I know have ambivalent feelings about the Peel Sessions. I personally like the material despite the fact that some of the renditions of the material are somewhat "cleaner" in terms of sound (performance-wise it is all there though).

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