Echo & The Bunnymen (1987 | 2003 Remastered and Expanded)

Echo & the Bunnymen is the fifth studio album by the British post-punk band Echo & the Bunnymen, and the last with founder member Ian McCulloch and drummer Pete de Freitas. The album was produced by Laurie Latham who recorded the album in Germany, Belgium, London and Liverpool after an aborted attempted at recording the album without de Freitas and with producer Gil Norton. With Latham being an exacting producer and singer Ian McCulloch receiving star treatment and drinking heavily, the recording of the album was more difficult than the band had initially hoped. The album made more use of keyboards than their previous albums, which had been string heavy.

2003 digitally remastered reissue with 7 extra bonus tracks. Echo & the Bunnymen are one of rock's great contributions. Fronted by Ian McCulloch, the Bunnymen deliver consistently excellent recordings, and this self-named 1987 release is no exception. The lyrics alternate between the surreal and delightfully depressing. Always, though, are they delivered in McCulloch's inimitable, heart-achingly earnest style. For the surreal, try: I dream of my days as a desert farmer, Living my life on the fat of the sand. Or for the delightfully depressing, try: All the ghosts have gathered round me, Come to tell me of a change. In the darkness that surrounds me, I am falling down again. And then there's the Bunnymen's music. It's endearingly complex; the songs sound fresh and new with repeated plays. Will Sergeant's guitar work, in particular, is outstanding. "Lips Like Sugar" is the best of the bunch, but all are good. All in Your Mind is full of good old-fashioned angst (I pray, and nothing happens/Jesus, it's all in my mind), and has a killer tune to boot, as does the somewhat Doorsish Bedbugs and Ballyhoo. Lips like Sugar, Bombers Bay, and Blue Blue Ocean are also standouts. All in all, if you like the Bunnymen you should get this album.

Echo & The Bunnymen (Remastered and Expanded)

ECHO & THE BUNNYMEN
2003

Tracklist

1. "The Game" - 3:50
2. "Over You" - 4:01
3. "Bedbugs and Ballyhoo" - 3:28
4. "All In Your Mind" - 4:32
5. "Bombers Day" - 4:22
6. "Lips Like Sugar" - 4:52
7. "Lost and Found" - 3:37
8. "New Direction" - 4:45
9. "Blue Blue Ocean" - 5:08
10. "Satellite" - 3:04
11. "All My Life" - 4:07

 

Bonus Tracks

12. "Jimmy Brown (Early version of Bring On The Dancing Horses)" - 4:07 *
13. "Hole In The Holy" - 4:44
14. "Soul Kitchen" - 3:56
15. "The Game (Acoustic Demo)" - 3:57
16. "Bedbugs and Ballyhoo (Original Version)" - 3:41
17. "Over Your Shoulder" - 4:10
18. "Bring on The Dancing Horses (Extended Mix)" - 5:50

*previously unreleased

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