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Undertones

Undertones - Undertones Audio CD

A fair review of the Undertones "Undertones" Audio CD. Please note that the below review is the views of the authors, and authors only. You can get a complete list of all Undertones reviews here, or go back to the Undertones tabs.

Band: Undertones
Title: Undertones
Rating:

Release Date: 2009-03-10
Media: Audio CD

Tracks: 1: Family Entertainment 2: Girls Don't Like It 3: Male Model 4: I Gotta Get 5: Wrong Way 6: Jump Boys 7: Here Comes The Summer 8: Billy's Third 9: Jimmy Jimmy 10: True Confessions 11: (She's A) Runaround 12: I Know A Girl 13: Listening In 14: Casbah Rock 15: Teenage Kicks (Single) 16: True Confessions (B side Teenage Kicks EP) 17: Emergency Cases (B side Teenage Kicks EP) 18: Smarter Than You (B side Teenage Kicks EP) 19: Get Over You (Single) 20: Really Really (B side Get Over You single) 21: She Can Only Say No (B side Get Over You single) 22: Here Comes The Summer (Single Version) 23: One Way Love (B side Here Comes The Summer) 24: Top Twenty (B side Here Comes The Summer) 25: Mars Bars (B side Jimmy Jimmy) 26: You've Got My Number (Why Don't You Use It!) (Single) 27: Let's Talk About Girls (B side You've Got My Number) 28: Top Twenty (Sessions for John Peel, 07/05/1979) 29: Nine Times Out Of Ten (Phoenix Studio Sessions for John Peel, 07/05/1979) 30: The Way Girls Talk (Phoenix Studio Sessions for John Peel, 07/05/1979) 31: Whiz Kids (Phoenix Studio Sessions for John Peel, 07/05/1979 32: Teenage Kicks - VIDEO (Directed by Derek Burbridge for Zoetrope, in a warehouse in Primrose Hill

Simply one the best Post-Punk Albums.
We fans may disagree on the best of the best (I personally prefer Jump Boys, Jimmy Jimmy, and I Gotta Getta to Teenage Kicks) but what sets these guys really apart is Feargal Sharkey's incredible vocal. The Undertones is probably one of the best post punk albums ever recorded (right up there with Entertainment! by Gang of Four, though musically different and The U's are totally a-political). He has the uniqueness of a Colin Blunstone but with a range of a Graham Parker. Every song has an infectious hook. I have been listening to this album and Hypnotised for 30 years. Based on the first reviewer I will probably spring for the few bucks to get these new versions and keep my Rykodiscs as back-ups. As I like to tell my 30-something friends, U2 are the second best Irish band starting with the letter "U".

"Let's Talk About Girls..."

Here's a detailed breakdown (67:38 minutes - it's a single disc and not 2):

Tracks 1 to 14 make up the 1st pressing of their debut LP "The Undertones" on Sire Records SRK 6071 initially released in May 1979 in the UK - January 1980 on Sire Records SRK-6081 in the USA. Salvo's 2009 enhanced CD reissue of The Undertones wonderful debut album (30th Anniversary) differs from last year's Sanctuary reissue of the same in a few ways worth pointing out. (The 14th track, the 50-second long "Casbah Rock" at the end of Side 2 is listed on the label, but not on the album sleeve). The original sleeve was a black and white photo (as shown above) with a distinctive red die-cut inner sleeve - the reissue (explained below) had colour artwork with a black inner sleeve (the USA original used the colour artwork version). The album was recorded at Eden Studios in Acton in London in January 1979 and produced by ROGER BECHIRIAN.

Cashing in on the huge renewed response to their anthem "Teenage Kicks" - the album was reissued a second time in the UK as Sire Records SRK 6081 in November 1979 with a different front and inner sleeve and 2 added singles. "Teenage Kicks" was slipped in as Track 5 on Side 1 inbetween "I Gotta Get" and "Wrong Way", while the 2nd single "Get Over You" was added on as the 1st Track on Side 2 - making a 16-song version of the LP. The Sanctuary issue of 2008 uses the 16-track line-up rather than the original 14. Of course with a little bit of number programming, the new Salvo issue allows you to program either.

Tracks 15 to 18 are the full 4 songs of their debut "Teenage Kicks" EP issued on the privately pressed Good Vibrations Label (GOT 4) in September 1978 - produced by the band themselves. None of the songs turned up on the debut LP and it has remained a highly sought-after and collectable vinyl piece ever since. (This CD actually mistakes the track order - it should read - A1 is "Teenage Kicks", A2 is "Smarter Than You', B1 is "True Confessions", B2 is "Emergency Cases")

Tracks 19 to 21 are the 3 tracks of their 2nd maxi single "Get Over You" issued on Sire Records SIR 4010 in January 1979 in the UK. "Really Really" and "She Can Only Say No" are the B-sides and again all 3 songs were non-album.

Tracks 22 to 24 are their 4th UK single "Here Comes The Summer" b/w "One Way Love" and "Top Twenty". It was another maxi release, however, the 'single version' on the A-side differs to the version than ended Side 1 of the LP while the 2 B-sides were again non-album.

Track 25, "Mars Bars", is the non-album B-side to their 3rd UK 7" single "Jimmy Jimmy" issued on Sire Records SIR 4015 in April 1979 (on lime green vinyl).

Tracks 26 and 27, "You've Got My Number (Why Don't You Use It)" b/w "Let's Talk About Girls", are also non-album tracks - their 5th UK 7" single on Sire Records SIR 4024 issued in September 1979 in the UK.

Tracks 29 to 31 are live John Peel Sessions recorded for the BBC at the Phoenix Studios on 7 May 1979

Track 32 is a video track from 1978 of "Teenage Kicks" (filmed in Primrose Hill in London)

As you can see, this new Salvo issue (SalvoCD017) has 31 audio tracks plus 1 video track tagged on at the end - the 2008 Sanctuary issue of last year has only 26 audio tracks. There's also a new card wrap outside the jewel case using the original LP artwork, a 20-page booklet which pictures ticket stubs, buttons, 7" sleeves and band photos - and there's detailed and witty liner notes by their bass player MICHAEL BRADLEY. The remastering has been done by ANDY PIERCE at Masterpiece and is fantastically clear, really clean and in your face. As a downside, it would have been nice to hear more from either their great frontman and singer FEARGAL SHARKEY or especially JOHN O'NEILL - the band's principal songwriter.

While the album itself is a blast, what puts this issue into the stellar is the truly brilliant 17 extra tracks - stunning power-pop B-sides like "One Way Love" and "Let's Talk About Girls". And the four Peel Sessions tracks allow you to hear just how piss'n'vinegar they really were as a live act (I wish I'd seen them).

And then of course there's 'that' song - every time I hear The Undertones blistering debut 45 "Teenage Kicks", I can't help but think of the much-loved and sadly missed champion of Punk and New Wave music - the British DJ and Presenter JOHN PEEL. He adored the band with a passion and the hand-written lyrics to "Teenage Kicks" are framed in his home and literally etched above his final resting place (he was the first to air the song in September 1978). Ten seconds into its thrashing riff it's easy to know why - it's thrilling - it's ballsy - it's life itself - and it's as fresh now as is was back then - a full 30 years ago.

Derry's finest are held in huge affection by so many music lovers and not without reason. I loved returning to this album, I really did.

"I wanna hold her, wanna hold her tight. . . get teenage kicks right through the night. . . " Too Goddamn right!.

You can see a complete list of all Undertones discography, or go back to the Undertones tabs. There is also a good guide on how to read guitar tabs here.