Box Set Watch: Edsel Collects The Sound, Suede, The (English) Beat

Demon Music Group’s Edsel Records has a packed release slate this week from a number of artists returning to the label’s roster.

From Britpop heroes Suede (a.k.a. The London Suede), the label has Royal Albert Hall, 24 March 2010, a 2-CD/1-DVD set preserving the band’s reunion concert (with Brett Anderson, Neil Codling, Simon Gilbert, Richard Oakes and Mat Osman) benefiting Teenage Cancer Trust; and Sci-Fi Lullabies, a reissue of the original 2-CD anthology of the group’s B-sides released between 1992 and 1997. Edsel’s reissue adds a new booklet with full lyrics. Both of these titles anticipate the May 26 arrival of the 8-CD box set The Albums Collection with seven albums (including Lullabies) in mini-LP replica sleeves and an 80-page book featuring band comments on every song.

In 2011, Edsel overhauled Suede’s catalogue in deluxe editions; in 2012, the label gave its most lavish treatment to the albums from Birmingham ska-pop legends The (English) Beat.   This week, the 4-CD set The Complete Studio Recordings arrives from The Beat, a.k.a. Dave Wakeling and Ranking Roger Charlery on lead vocals, Andy Cox on guitar, bassist David Steele, drummer Roger Morton and Lionel “Saxa” Martin on saxophone. The box, the latest in a string of Beat catalogue projects from labels on both sides of the Atlantic, presents the original configurations of the band’s three original albums on three CDs and adds a bonus disc of singles and seven dub versions plus a new booklet.

We’ll soon be detailing Edsel’s future expansions of titles from more returning artists – Todd Rundgren, Belinda Carlisle and Jim Croce – but this week also sees the U.S. arrival of a new 3-CD/1-DVD box set from British post-punk rockers The Sound.  The group, formed in South London in 1979 by Adrian Borland (vocals/guitar), Graham Bailey (bass), Mike Dudley (drums) and Benita “Bi” Marshall (keyboard/saxophone/clarinet), disbanded in 1988, leaving behind just a handful of album. Their first three, from 1980-1982, are collected here: Jeopardy, From the Lion’s Mouth and All Fall Down. These three seminal recordings on the Korova and WEA labels are joined by the DVD BBC Live in Concert featuring performances at the Beeb from 1981 and 1985.

Edsel intends this box set as “the perfect opportunity to reappraise the career of The Sound,” noting that the band “should have had an impact on the post-punk era on the level achieved by the likes of Joy Division, Echo and the Bunnymen, or The Cure.” Each disc features copious bonus material. Jeopardy adds four live recordings from October 1980 at the BBC as well as the Live Instinct EP, “Physical World” from the Physical World EP, and “Brute Force,” the non-LP B-side of “Heyday.” From the Lion’s Mouth adds another four live tracks from a November 1981 BBC performance plus four non-LP flips. All Fall Down adds four session outtakes and the 1983 EP This Cover Keeps Reality Unreal from singer-songwriter Kevin Hewick and The Sound.

All of the discs are housed in mini-LP replica sleeves and have been remastered by Phil Kinrade at Alchemy Mastering. A 36-page booklet is also included, with eight pages of detailed liner notes from Record Collector contributor Tim Peacock and full lyrics for all three albums. It’s all housed in a sturdy clamshell case.

Take a closer look at these titles after the jump! You’ll find order links and track listings for all of Edsel’s titles mentioned above!

Suede, Royal Albert Hall, 24 March 2010 (Edsel EDSG 8040, 2014) (Amazon U.S. Link TBD / Amazon U.K.  )

CD 1

1. Intro
2. She
3. Trash
4. Filmstar
5. Animal Nitrate
6. Heroine
7. Pantomime Horse
8. The Drowners
9. Killing of a Flashboy
10. Can’t Get Enough
11. Everything Will Flow
12. He’s Gone
13. The Next Life

CD 2

1. The Asphalt World
2. So Young
3. Metal Mickey
4. The Wild Ones
5. New Generation
6. Beautiful Ones
7. The Living Dead
8. The 2 of Us
9. Saturday Night

DVD

1. Intro/She
2. Trash
3. Filmstar
4. Animal Nitrate
5. Heroine
6. Pantomime Horse
7. The Drowners
8. Killing of a Flashboy
9. Can’t Get Enough
10. Everything Will Flow
11. He’s Gone
12. The Next Life
13. The Asphalt World
14. So Young
15. Metal Mickey/Ovation
16. The Wild Ones
17. New Generation
18. Beautiful Ones/Offstage
19. The Living Dead
20. The 2 of Us/Speech
21. Saturday Night

Suede, Sci-Fi Lullabies (Nude NUDE9CD/Columbia (U.S.) C2K 68857, 1997 – reissued Edsel, 2014) (Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K.)

CD 1

1. My Insatiable One
2. To The Birds
3. Where Pigs Don’t Fly
4. He’s Dead
5. The Big Time
6. High Rising
7. The Living Dead
8. My Dark Star
9. Killing of a Flashboy
10. Whipsnade
11. Modern Boys
12. Together
13. Bentswood Boys
14. Europe is Our Playground

CD 2

1. Every Monday Morning Comes
2. Have You Ever Been This Low?
3. Another No One
4. Young Men
5. The Sound of the Streets
6. Money
7. W.S.D.
8. This Time
9. Jumble Sale Mums
10. These Are The Sad Songs
11. Sadie
12. Graffiti Women
13. Duchess

Suede, The Albums Collection (Edsel, 2014) (Amazon U.S. Link TBD / Amazon U.K.  )

Box set includes:

1. Suede
2. Dog Man Star (in gatefold wallet)
3. Coming Up
4. Head Music
5. A New Morning
6. Bloodsports (in gatefold wallet)
7. Sci-Fi Lullabies (2 CDs, in gatefold wallet)

Plus Suede Songs 8-page book

The Beat, The Complete Studio Recordings (Edsel, 2014) (Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K.  )

CD 1: I Just Can’t Stop It Original LP (released as Go Feet BEAT-001 (U.K.)/I.R.S. SP-70606 (U.S.), 1980)

1. Mirror in the Bathroom
2. Hands Off…She’s Mine
3. Two Swords
4. Twist & Crawl
5. Rough Rider
6. Click Click
7. Big Shot
8. Whine & Grine/Stand Down Margaret
9. Noise in This World
10. Can’t Get Used to Losing You
11. Best Friend
12. Jackpot

CD 2: Wha’ppen? Original LP (released as Go Feet BEAT-003 (U.K.)/I.R.S. SP-70607 (U.S.), 1981)

1. Doors of Your Heart
2. All Out to Get You
3. Monkey Murders
4. I Am Your Flag
5. French Toast (Soleil Trop Chaud)
6. Drowning
7. Dream Home in NZ
8. Walk Away
9. Over and Over
10. Cheated
11. Get-a-Job
12. The Limits We Set

CD 3: Special Beat Service Original LP (released as Go Feet BEAT-005 (U.K.)/I.R.S. SP-70032 (U.S.), 1982)

1. I Confess
2. Jeanette
3. Sorry
4. Sole Salvation
5. Spar Wid Me
6. Rotating Head
7. Save It for Later
8. She’s Going
9. Pato and Roger A Go Talk
10. Sugar and Stress
11. End of the Party
12. Ackee 1-2-3

CD 4: Bonus material

1. The Tears of a Clown (single A-side – 2 Tone TT6A, 1979)
2. Ranking Full Stop (single A-side – 2 Tone TT6A, 1979)
3. Too Nice to Talk To (single A-side – Go Feet FEET4, 1980)
4. Psychedelic Rockers (single B-side – Go Feet FEET4, 1980)
5. Hit It (single A-side – Go Feet FEET11, 1981)
6. Which Side of the Bed…? (single B-side – Go Feet FEET11, 1981)
7. What’s Your Best Thing? (B-side to “Save It for Later” – Go Feet FEET333, 1982)
8. Cool Entertainer (B-side to “Pat & Roger A Go Talk” – Go Feet FEET 14, 1982)
9. March of the Swivelheads (B-side to “Jeanette” – Go Feet FEET15, 1982)
10. Can’t Get Used to Losing You (1983 Remix) (single A-side – Go Feet FEET 17, 1983)
11. Too Nice to Talk To (Dubweiser) (12″ A-side – Go Feet FEET124, 1980)
12. Psychedelic Rockers (Dubweiser) (12″ B-side – Go Feet FEET124, 1980)
13. Doors of Your Heart (Dub) (12″ A-side – Go Feet FEET129, 1981)
14. Drowning (Dub) (12″ B-side – Go Feet FEET129, 1981)
15. Save It For Later (Extended) (12″ A-side – Go Feet FEET12333, 1982)
16. A Go Talk (Tappy Luppy Dub) (12″ A-side – Go Feet FEET1214, 1982)
17. Stand Down Margaret (Dub) (12″ B-side – Go Feet FEET3, 1980)

The Sound, Jeopardy/From the Lion’s Mouth/All Fall Down…Plus (Edsel EDSB 4012, 2014) (Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K.  )

CD 1: Jeopardy (originally released as Korova KODE 2, 1980)

1. I Can’t Help Myself
2. Heartland
3. Hour of Need
4. Words Fail Me
5. Missiles
6. Heyday
7. Jeopardy
8. Night vs. Day
9. Resistance
10. Unwritten Law
11. Desire
12. Physical World (Tortch TOR 003, 1979)
13. Brute Force (B-side of “Heyday,” Korova KOW 10, 1980)
14. Heartland (from Live Instinct EP, originally a promotional issue in Holland, 1981)
15. Brute Force (from Live Instinct EP, originally a promotional issue in Holland, 1981)
16. Jeopardy (from Live Instinct EP, originally a promotional issue in Holland, 1981)
17. Coldbeat (from Live Instinct EP, originally a promotional issue in Holland, 1981)
18. Heartland (Live at the BBC, recorded September 26, 1980)
19. Unwritten Law (Live at the BBC, recorded September 26, 1980)
20. Jeopardy (Live at the BBC, recorded September 26, 1980)
21. I Can’t Help Myself (Live at the BBC, recorded September 26, 1980)

CD 2: From the Lion’s Mouth (originally released as Korova KODE 5, 1981)

1. Winning
2. Sense of Purpose
3. Contact the Fact
4. Skeletons
5. Judgement
6. Fatal Flaw
7. Possession
8. The Fire
9. Silent Air
10. New Dark Age
11. Point of No Return (B-side of “Sense of Purpose,” KOW 21, 1981)
12. Hot House (A-side of KOW 23, 1981)
13. Coldbeat (B-side of “Sense of Purpose,” KOW 21, 1981)
14. New Dark Age (Live in Holland) (B-side of “Hot House,” KOW 23, 1981)
15. Fatal Flaw (Live at the BBC, recorded November 9, 1981)
16. Skeletons (Live at the BBC, recorded November 9, 1981)
17. Hothouse (Live at the BBC, recorded November 9, 1981)
18. New Dark Age (Live at the BBC, recorded November 9, 1981)

CD 3: All Fall Down (WEA 2 40019-1, 1982)

1. All Fall Down
2. Party of the Mind
3. Monument
4. In Suspense
5. Where the Love Is
6. Song and Dance
7. Calling the New Tune
8. Red Paint
9. Glass and Smoke
10. We Could Go Far
11. The One and a Half Minute Song (Outtake)
12. Sorry (Outtake)
13. As Feeling Dies (Outtake)
14. We Could Go Far (Original Version)
15. Plenty (from This Cover Keeps Reality Unreal, 1983)
16. ‘Neath Dancing Waves (from This Cover Keeps Reality Unreal, 1983)
17. Amber (from This Cover Keeps Reality Unreal, 1983)
18. Scapegoat in a Country Churchyard (from This Cover Keeps Reality Unreal, 1983)

DVD: BBC Live in Concert

1. BBC Intro – Pete Drummond
2. Unwritten Law
3. Skeletons
4. Fatal Flaw
5. Winning
6. Sense of Purpose
7. Heartland
8. New Dark Age
9. BBC Intro – Pete Drummond & Intro Music
10. Golden Soldiers
11. Under You
12. Total Recall
13. Burning Part of Me
14. Whirlpool
15. Missiles

BBC live tracks originally released on CD on The BBC Recordings, Renascent, 2004
DVD, Tracks 1-8 originally broadcast November 21, 1981
DVD, Tracks 9-15 originally broadcast June 15, 1985