UMC [Release date 20.10.17]
Punk/Mod Revival band formed in the early 70s and found fame when they signed to Polydor in 1977. That pivotal year saw them release two albums and start their run of a number of hit singles before they split in 1982.
Fronted by vocalist, guitarist and songwriter Paul Weller, the band’s classic line-up also featured bassist Bruce Foxton and drummer Rick Buckler.
This 5 disc box set features that year, 1977, in its entirety, with both original albums, a disc of demos (many previously unreleased), a live set (John Peel sessions and a previously unreleased live show from Nashville).
There’s a strong Pete Townsend and Wilko Johnson influence to Weller’s guitar on the debut album In The City. The title track was a hit single. There’s a high octane pub rock feel mixed with uptempo r’n’b and Mod of The Kinks and The Who There’s teenage angst in the crash bank wallop of I’ve Changed My Address, and the cover of the Batman theme tune shows a punk touch too. The album is full of energy that struck a chord at the time, and the title track hit the singles charts too.
The second album This Is The Modern World was very slightly more polished, just a tad less rough’n’ready, but the roots are there. It is slightly moodier too. Again it was much acclaimed at the time, and a couple of tracks remind me of what Bram Tchaikovsky was doing at the time too. There’s an excellent and very energetic version of In The Midnight Hour, written by Steve Cropper and Wilson Pickett, like the Batman theme of the first album it’s one everyone will recognise and it’s seriously made their own here. A non album single is added as a bonus to boot.
Disc 2 is a selection of (largely previously unreleased) demos; I’m not a Jam collector so it’s hard to comment, I wouldn’t call them essential listening unless you’re the kind of fan this box set is aimed at.
Things get a lot more interesting on disc 4, with a live John Peel session and then a full live show, which covers a love of live material and even more energy, and so much is previously unreleased, it’s the kind of disc that makes a box of a specific period feel all the more complete.
To finish is the live DVD, which includes a TV appearance or two. Again, well worth a watch, even if you only watch it once, it sits next to disc 4 nicely.
The band’s best known chart hits came a year or two later, and if done in the right stages similar catalogue explorations would work well there too, but this is a great set and one for Jam fans and more. ****1/2
Review by Joe Geesin
Featured Artist: JOSH TAERK
Since early 2020 Josh has been entertaining us with exclusive monthly live sessions, streamed via Facebook.
In 2023 he signed a recording deal with Sony in Canada and released a new single on 15 September.
Next session: Sunday 1 December
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David Randall presents a weekly show on Get Ready to ROCK! Radio, Sundays at 22:00 GMT, repeated on Mondays and Fridays), when he invites listeners to ‘Assume The Position’. The show signposts forthcoming gigs and tours and latest additions at getreadytorock.com. First broadcast on 3 November 2024.
UK Blues Broadcaster of the Year (2020 and 2021 Finalist) Pete Feenstra presents his weekly Rock & Blues Show on Tuesday at 19:00 GMT as part of a five hour blues rock marathon “Tuesday is Bluesday at GRTR!”. The show is repeated on Wednesdays at 22:00, Fridays at 20:00). This show was first broadcast 29 October 2024.
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Power Plays w/c 11 November 2024
ARCANE MOON Hello Sun (indie)
S8NT ELEKTRIC XTC (Long Branch Records)
ARCANA KINGS Here We Go (Curtain Call Records)
KLOGR face The Unknown (Zeta Factory)
BEYOND UNBROKEN Dance With The Dead (FiXT)
REVENGIN Decadent Feeling (Wormholedeath)
Featured Albums w/c 11 November 2024
09:00-12:00 The Best of 2003-2023 (Melodic Rock)
12:00-13:00 The Best of 2003-2023 (Melodic Hard Rock)
14:00-16:00 The Best of 2003-2023 (Singer Songwriter)
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