THE WATERBOYS THIS IS THE SEA
As my original pick LF was hijacked by
@stoneblue I’ve decided to move from the 70s the best period of music ,in my opinion to the 80s and a band I love.I could’ve picked any of the first four albums but I think they hit their prime with TITS lol.I’d seen them perform live as the support to U2 on ‘The Unforgettable Fire Tour ‘ at the Manchester Apollo and I was hooked.They are named after a Lou Reed lyric.Bit more trivia MS is self taught on the piano but the piano he learnt on was broken so he could only play the black keys.
The band has had many formations with Mike Scott the main songwriter ,lead singer and multi instrumentalist,it was this album that he finalised the sound of ‘The Big Music.’ a similar production technique to Phil Spector’s Wall of Sound.For the next few albums MS moved to Ireland and the result was the more Irish folky ‘Fisherman’s Blues which I love , but this is my favourite period.
Most of you will instantly recognise the hit single ‘The Whole of the Moon’ probably my least favourite on here as it’s been played to death.This was recorded with what I consider the best version of TWB .Other multi instrumentalists ,Karl Wallinger who went on to form World Party,,Steve Wickham and Anthony Thistlethwaite amongst them.
The album opens with ‘Don’t bang the Drum’ which starts with a heralding trumpet and immediately gives the listener the full effect of The Big Music.Then the big hit a great song that I’m sure your all familiar with.I try not to choose albums with well known singles on, which is probably the reason for my Warren Zevon pick not being Excitable Boy.
Followed by two tracks expressing Mike Scott’s interest in spiritualism and paganism.The Pan within is an epic track with Steve Wickhams violin leading the way.
Medicine bow is an out and out rocker, Old England written about the Thatcher government could easily have been written today.
Be my enemy is MS tribute to Dylan.like Springsteen,,Van Morrison, Lou Reed, MS always been considered as a rock poet.
Trumpets a love song with Anthony Thistlethwaites wailing sax.
The album ends with the title track and what a great closer it is.
It’s a nice short album but the extended version has lots more to explore especially the full version of ‘Spirit’ and of course TWB cover VMs ‘Sweet Thing’I decided to nominate this well before last weeks pick but there are obvious VM influences on this record.
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