There They Go Again

Thanks to the ICE boards (where I’d read this a bit ago but foolishly forgot to post here) for pointing out the upcoming release of Callin’ All, an enormous 4-disc box set from indie-pop favorites The La’s. Despite recording only one LP and a handful of singles in the late 1980s and early 1990s, the band has earned cult immortality thanks to the irresistible “There She Goes.” Their other material is pretty neat too, and even though they’ve had their share of reissues and repackagings over the years, this set uncovers a lot of unreleased or hard-to-find gems.

There’s no artwork or pricing info for this set (I’m hearing a May 3 release in the U.K.), but there’s at least a press release and track list direct from Universal (I’ve made what I believe are a few corrections – the track list was a bit oddly formatted), which you can read after the jump.

A 4 CD box set that gathers together all of the band’s remaining unreleased recordings, which are being officially released for the first time on one comprehensive set that captures the band’s myriad attempts to capture the feeling that Lee Maver attempted to harness in their sound.

Disc One collects the handful of superb singles the band released, including their fresh, spirited debut “Way Out” (1987), an unreleased version of the glorious “Timeless Melody” (1989), and of course “There She Goes” (1988/1990), the band’s one real hit and a much-covered classic that has sound-tracked the sweet moments to countless Hollywood movies, as well as other well loved favourites.

Disc Two features the best of the many out-takes the band produced as they worked through one highly respected producer after another such as John Porter (The Smiths, Billy Bragg), John Leckie (The Stone Roses, Radiohead) Mike Hedges (The Cure, Siouxsie And The Banshees), and Steve Lillywhite (Simple Minds and U2) as well as sessions by Bob Andrews, Dave Allen and Jeremy Allom.

Discs Three and Four give evidence of what a great live band The La’s were and possibly are: the force that comes through in the capturing of two never heard before live concerts, at London’s Town And Country Club in 1989 and at The Marquee in 1991, which help to explain why a band that only released one album over 20 years ago continues to fascinate.

This definitive set is presented in a beautifully packaged hardback box with a 60 page booklet. The striking artwork has been designed by the band’s original designer, Simon Ryan. Also included is a detailed essay by acclaimed journalist and author Will Hodgkinson as well as never seen before photos of the band by Paul Cox.

Disc 1

1. Way Out
2. Knock Me Down
3. Endless
4. Liberty Ship (4-Track Demo)
5. Freedom Song (4-Track Demo)
6. There She Goes (Original Single Version)
7. Who Knows?
8. Come In, Come Out
9. Man I’m Only Human
10. Way Out (New Version)
11. Timeless Melody (Single Version)
12. Clean Prophet (Single Version)
13. Ride Yer Camel
14. Over
15. Clean Prophet
16. All By Myself
17. I.O.U. (Alternative Version)
18. Timeless Melody (Live at Chicago Metro)
19. I Can’t Sleep (Live at Chicago Metro)
20. Callin’ All (Live)
21. Timeless Melody (Sound Sampler Version)

Disc 2

1. Son of a Gun (John Porter Version Take 2 – 1987)
2. Failure (John Porter Version – 1987)
3. Timeless Melody (John Porter Rehearsal Version)
4. Way Out (1987 Rehearsal)
5. Doledrum (Dave Allen Version – 1987)
6. Feelin’ (Alternate Version)
7. There She Goes (John Leckie “Busker” Version – 1988)
8. Come In Come Out (John Leckie Version – 1988)
9. Callin’ All (Bob Andrews Version – 1988)
10. I Can’t Sleep (Bob Andrews Version – 1988)
11. Son of a Gun (Rehearsal – 1988)
12. Looking Glass (Bob Andrews Rehearsal Version)
13. Failure (Jeremy Allom Version – 1989)
14. Callin’ All (Jeremy Allom Acoustic Version)
15. Son of a Gun (Jeremy Allom Version Take 2 – 1989)
16. Freedom Song (Mike Hedges Version – 1989)
17. There She Goes (Steve Lillywhite Acoustic Version)
18. Knock Me Down (Steve Lillywhite Version)
19. Callin’ All (Steve Lillywhite Version)
20. Come In Come Out (Steve Ripley Rehearsal Version)
21. I Can’t Sleep (Instrumental Outtake)

Disc 3

1. Son of a Gun (Live at the Town and Country Club, London, 1989)
2. Freedom Song (Live at the Town and Country Club, London, 1989)
3. Clean Prophet (Live at the Town and Country Club, London, 1989)
4. Way Out (Live at the Town and Country Club, London, 1989)
5. There She Goes (Live at the Town and Country Club, London, 1989)
6. Doledrum (Live at the Town and Country Club, London, 1989)
7. Come In Come Out (Live at the Town and Country Club, London, 1989)
8. Timeless Melody (Live at the Town and Country Club, London, 1989)
9. I Can’t Sleep (Live at the Town and Country Club, London, 1989)
10. Knock Me Down (Live at the Town and Country Club, London, 1989)
11. I.O.U. (Live at the Town and Country Club, London, 1989)
12. Feelin’ (Live at the Town and Country Club, London, 1989)
13. Callin’ All (Live at the Town and Country Club, London, 1989)
14. Liberty Ship (Live at the Town and Country Club, London, 1989)
15. Failure (Live at the Town and Country Club, London, 1989)
16. Looking Glass (Live at the Town and Country Club, London, 1989)
17. I Am the Key (Live at the Town and Country Club, London, 1989)
18. Son of a Gun (Live Acoustic at Key 103, Manchester – January 1989)
19. I Can’t Sleep (Live Acoustic at Key 103, Manchester – January 1989)
20. Timeless Melody (Live at Key 103, Manchester – January 1989)
21. I.O.U. (Live at Key 103, Manchester – May 1989)
22. Feelin (Live at Key 103, Manchester – May 1989)
23. Failure (Live at Key 103,  Manchester – May 1989)

Disc 4

1. Son of a Gun (Live at the Marquee Club, London – 4/23/1991)
2. Freedom Song (Live at the Marquee Club, London – 4/23/1991)
3. Clean Prophet (Live at the Marquee Club, London – 4/23/1991)
4. Come In Come Out (Live at the Marquee Club, London – 4/23/1991)
5. Way Out (Live at the Marquee Club, London – 4/23/1991)
6. Timeless Melody (Live at the Marquee Club, London – 4/23/1991)
7. I.O.U. (Live at the Marquee Club, London – 4/23/1991)
8. I Can’t Sleep (Live at the Marquee Club, London – 4/23/1991)
9. There She Goes (Live at the Marquee Club, London – 4/23/1991)
10. Doledrum (Live at the Marquee Club, London – 4/23/1991)
11. Follow Me Down (Live at the Marquee Club, London – 4/23/1991)
12. Knock Me Down (Live at the Marquee Club, London – 4/23/1991)
13. Feelin’ (Live at the Marquee Club, London – 4/23/1991)
14. Alright (Live at the Marquee Club, London – 4/23/1991)
15. Liberty Ship (Live at the Marquee Club, London – 4/23/1991)
16. Callin’ All (Live at the Marquee Club, London – 4/23/1991)
17. Failure (Live at the Marquee Club, London – 4/23/1991)
18. Looking Glass (Live at the Marquee Club, London – 4/23/1991)
19. Swashbuckler (Live at the Marquee Club, London – 4/23/1991)
20. I Can’t Sleep (Live at the Marquee Club, London – 4/23/1991)
21. Feelin’ (Live at the Marquee Club, London – 4/23/1991)
22. There She Goes (2 Meter Session, 3FM Dutch Radio)
23. Timeless Melody (2 Meter Session, 3FM Dutch Radio)
24. Doledrum (2 Meter Session, 3FM Dutch Radio)
25. Feelin’ (2 Meter Session, 3FM Dutch Radio)
26. Alright (2 Meter Session, 3FM Dutch Radio

All tracks previously unreleased except Disc 1 Tracks 1-10 and 14-21 and Disc 2 Track 6