Trying something a little different this week, I am posting singles that don't have corresponding albums to go with them, and expanding them (to whatever degree I can.)
The two "new" songs for Duran2's GH album from 1989, they were never released on the GH album! Ain't that a bitch. And for the longest time, they were near impossible to find on CD. Regardless of the fact that they mixed a lot of songs that weren't really meant to go together, it still came out sounding pretty well, considering the technology of the time. I personally preferred Burning the Ground over Decadance, though. After this single, it was a long slide down for the band to that shithole release Liberty, the worst Duran2 album EVER.
I've always been a huge fan of this single. I have always been disappointed that they never gave us more than this. To me, this was one of the first House singles... maybe? At least, in my eyes. Or should I say "in my ears". All the mixes and a rare b-side. A definite necessity.....
While I'll agree that "Liberty" was D2's most abysmal release ever, I DO think that "Violence of Summer" is a good song. Though other than that, I'm hard-pressed to think of anything on that album I really like.
ReplyDeleteThe big thing missing from the MARRS single is the UK 12" remix (6:28), the one that got them into trouble and led to the US 12" having loads of different samples on it. That's the one we Brits remember.
ReplyDeleteIf you're disappointed that MARRS didn't do more, "Pump Up The Volume" is basically a Colourbox track, so you could try looking for some of their stuff (probably not on CD unless you are very rich, though). There's nothing else as era-defining as "Pump Up The Volume" (and some of it is VERY different to PUTV - they went off into soul and reggae as well), but they'd been building up to it for a few years before the MARRS single came out.
"Serious" and "My Antarctica" are two of the best tracks Duran did and they're on "Liberty". Just unfortunate they couldn't fill the record out with another 8 or 9 great tracks as well.
ReplyDeleteThe Colourbox LP from '85 is one of the best albums of the decade. And "Arena" is one of the best songs of the decade. Says me.
ReplyDeleteI bought the CD single of PUTV before I had a CD player. It replaced Rick Astley at No. 1 in the UK and it would have been there sooner had Stock, Aitken and bloody Waterman had not taken out an injunction because the 12" sampled "Roadblock".
ReplyDelete