It's only the end of February and I think I've already discovered the possible Boxset of the Year!
Mike Scott of The Waterboys really knows how to put together a set focusing on a particular album in the history of his band. You only have to look at the brilliant Fisherman's Box (2013) - 121 Tracks, 80 of which had never been released before - to see how true that is. This time around the spotlight shines on what I consider to the best album they have ever made, 'This Is The Sea'.
The 6CD set tells the story of the making of their third studio album over the course of a mammoth 95 songs, 64 of which are previously unreleased home recordings, early demos, alternate versions, outtakes, live recordings, and tv/radio sessions and ending with the remastered version of the 'This Is The Sea' album.
I listened to the set on Amazon Music yesterday as I don't have the £70+ pounds for the Limited Edition version and will wait until April for the cheaper version to be released (with only 3000 copies worldwide I doubt I would have got a copy even if I had the money as it's already sold out in a few places I checked).
The 'This Is The Sea' album was the last to feature Karl Wallinger (who departed to form World Party) and the first to include violinist Steve Wickham.Other musicians who played a part in the recording of the album include Pete Thomas (Elvis Costello and The Attractions), Lu Edmonds (who has a fairly diverse musical CV from The Damned, The Edge, The Mekons, Kirsty MacColl and Public Image Ltd, to name but a few), Matthew Seligman (Thompson Twins and Thomas Dolby) and session drummer Chris Whitten (who has played on hits by Edie Brickell and The New Bohemians, Julian Cope and Paul McCartney).
I don't know about you, but I am such a musical nerd that I love discovering the back stories of how an album or a single came to be made, especially if it's a record that I like. This set confirms my utter nerdiness! Little gems arise that you can barely contain yourself, like for instance Tom Verlaine (Television) playing lead guitar on a fast version of "This Is The Sea". My inner geek is strangely warmed! 😀
Some folks over the years have moaned that the 80s totally sucked when it came to music (I've never understood how anyone ever comes to that position as I could name many excellent singles and albums from that decade that have stood the test of time more than forty years later) but I point to "This Is The Sea" as just one of many examples of how untrue that complaint is.
I have included the playlist below for the complete Boxset below (thanks to YouTube) for your listening pleasure.
1985 - The Waterboys
Chrysalis
6CD box with 220-page book Limited Edition of only 3,000 units worldwide.
6CD Clamshell Boxset with 56-page booklet (due for release 5th April 2024).
This Is The Sea - Limited Edition Clear Vinyl LP
Trumpets (Radio Session)
Be My Enemy (Prototype 3)
The Ways Of Men (Session)
The Waves #1
Old England (Demo)
Towers Open Fire
Down Through The Town
Ribbon Of Steel (Live)
Bury My Heart (Live)
The Three Day Man (Live)
Medicine Bow (TV Performance)
This Is The Sea (Live)
A Door For My Soul Home (Demo)
Son Of Rags
In My Bed
The Pan Within (Inst Demo)
Even The Trees Are Dancing (Full Length)
Theme
Fuzz Guitar Vamp
Death Is Not The End
CD 2. The Black Book:
Beverly Penn (Piano Demo)
Don’t Bang The Drum (Piano Demo)
Be My Enemy (Piano Demo)
The Day I Ran Out Of People
Winter Blows
The Mercenary And The Samaritan
Looking For Dickon
Spirit (Piano Demo)
All The Bright Horses
Custer’s Blues (Piano Demo) / The Woman In Me
Paris In The Rain
The Song Of Sitting Bull
Talk About Wings
The Whole of The Moon (Writing of)
The Pan Within (Piano Demo)
No Sun In The Sky
Winter In The Blood
We Belong To The World
The Whole of The Moon (Piano Demo)
CD 3. A Sky Full Of Crows:
Medicine Jack
Medicine Jack Boogie-Woogie
The Sound Of Snow
The Pan Within (Inst)
It Should Have Been You, Guitar Play
Old England (Early Take)
Old Macmichael Had A Band / Sweet Thing
Ruby Don’t Take Your Love To Town
Spirit (Full Length)
Then You Hold Me
Trumpets (Instr #1)
Rain Come Down
This Is The Sea (Drumatix Version)
CD 4. The Ladder:
Medicine Bow (Elemental Rough Mix)
Trumpets (Inst #2)
Be My Enemy (Rough Mix)
Sleek White Schooner
Sweetheart Like You
This Is The Sea (Fast with Mike Lead Guitar Demo)
Adrian And The Piano Storm
Beverly Penn (Synth Version)
This Is The Sea (Fast with Tom Verlaine Lead Guitar Version)
The Waves #2
The Ladder (Demo)
Beverly Penn
Don’t Bang The Drum (Livingston Mix)
Ribbon of Steel Slide Guitar
Paisley Park
CD 5. Mountaintop:
The Whole of The Moon (Livingston Mix)
High Far Soon
This Is The Sea (Livingston Mix)
Medicine Bow (Full Length)
The Pan Within (Wickham’s First Play)
Miracle / World Party (Demo)
I Am Not Here
Born To Be Together (Session)
Higher In Time (Session)
The Whole of The Moon (Video Version)
Meridian West
Don’t Bang The Drum (Session)
Medicine Bow (Session)
Behold The Sea
Beverly Penn 2023
CD 6. This Is The Sea (The Album):
Don’t Bang The Drum
The Whole of The Moon
Spirit
The Pan Within
Medicine Bow
Old England
Be My Enemy
Trumpets
This Is The Sea
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