Albums are served back up to a weary public these days on the flimsiest of premises, but here’s some which were reminders of a blinder.
Reissue of the Year Wilco – Yankee Hotel Foxtrot
In 2002 Wilco found themselves label-less and without an outlet for their latest album. They took one of the most radical steps imaginable at the time, making it available to listen to for free before streaming was even a glint in Daniel Ek’s eye. They figured boldly that what they had on their hands in Yankee Hotel Foxtrot was good enough to convince people to part with good money when the time was right, and boy, did their gamble payoff.
The sumptuous anniversary outing had at its core numerous embryonic versions of songs which may already be familiar – and genius+genesis made for an intoxicating package. Read about it here.
The Lemonheads – It’s A Shame About Ray
About to be dispensed with by his major label after 1990’s Lovey flopped, Evan Dando retreated to Australia – England but with sunshine as it was pitched to him – and wrote the finest batch of songs of his career. Rebooting The Lemonheads in the process, It’s A Shame About Ray was Gen-X punk-pop at it’s finest. Just don’t mention Paul Simon.
Read more about it here.
Django Django – Django Django (10th Anniversary Edition)
Part of a group of British groups including Metronomy, Wild Beasts and Everything Everything all obsessed with making highbrow indie pop, Django Django’s infectious first album was upgraded with the addition of some dub-centric remixes courtesy of the Mad Professor, a role he’d also undertaken on Massive Attack’s Protection.
Read more about it here.
Shakespears Sister – Hormonally Yours (30th Anniversary Edition)
Originally a vehicle for ex-Bananarama singer Siobhan Fahey, it was the edition of Marcella Detroit which both made and broke Shakespears Sister. It’s mega-hit Stay With Me framed itself against the surrounding onslaught of grunge, but 100% smart, funky and full of quirk, Hormonally Yours deserves a much kinder fate than just being “The album which contained..”.
Read more about it here.
Voice of the Beehive – Let It Bee Anniversary Edition
Sisters from LA who arrived in Britain vowing the escape the sleaze of it’s record industry vice pit, Tracey and Melissa Belland formed Voice of The Beehive with amongst others Madness drummer Mark Bedford as he took a sabbatical. Their debut was full of diamond-sharp guitar interplay and saccarhine choruses, but what really set it apart were songs written from a strictly female perspective; in your face, Sabrina.
Read more about it here.
Black Lips – Good, Bad, Not Evil 15th Anniversary Edition
Black Lips were in serious danger of being only renowned for their onstage antics when in 2007 they managed to take a tiny advance and self record their fourth album under a fume of weed smoke. The end product was given that stunningly good, mining Lenny Kaye’s 1972 compilation Nuggets for classic R&B and psychedelic goodness. Urine drinking is optional.
Read more about it here.
Idles – Brutalism
You sensed that there was a lot riding on Brutalism for Idles on it’s release and so that proved. Singer Joe Talbot displayed a remarkable amount of steel in singing and writing whilst caring for his mother, who passed away before the album’s release. Dark, raw and funny, it helped take the Bristol quintet from obscurity to a Grammy nomination in five years.
Read more about it here.
The Voice Of Unreason 