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THE EARLIES
Names Records in conjunction with Two Piers Editions are delighted to announce the long awaited 21st Anniversary reissue of the debut album from The Earlies. 'These Were the Earlies' was released on Names Records / 679 Recordings in July of 2004 and quickly became one of that summer’s essential albums.
Here's what we said about it on it's original release, and it still stands up today as an absolute Piccadilly Records all time favourite:
This is Music! No room for their romantic, cross-continental story (oh, ok: Texan / Manc. 4-piece combine on either side of the Atlantic and release a handful of 7" and 10" EP's which stun and awe those of us with record players) because this isn't 'lifestyle' or 'personality' fixated rock, this is pure music-loving artistry. If you like Mercury Rev or Spiritualized for scope, ambition and magic, then prepare yourselves to be blown away. The Earlies' sound is more a blend of folk and electronica than those two, but it shares a similar woozy, other-worldly, baroque, chamber-pop landscape. It's an enchanted place. They also pull in proggy, Krautrock directions (see Neu! for grooves and Stereolab for a love of melody) with long instrumental passages, cinematic and roving, stretching between the gorgeous lullabies which make up most of the songs on this album. All the singles are here, and they most certainly are Pop, but how many bands do you know that are capable of furnishing their songs with mellotron, melodica, flutes, oboes, sax, cellos, accordians, Hammond and mini-choirs? And no other band this year could even come close to the melancholic majesty of "One of Us Is Dead" or the insistent, pulsating groove and splendour of "Morning Wonder". The whole record really flows together; this is a proper album to be listened to all the way through, and with beautiful packaging and evocative lyrics (included) embellishing the lush widescreen soundscapes, you'll be going on a journey. You'll absolutely love it!
It's a glorious mix of folk, pop, gospel and electronica, that still sounds fresh and relevant today.
Here's what we said about it on it's original release, and it still stands up today as an absolute Piccadilly Records all time favourite:
This is Music! No room for their romantic, cross-continental story (oh, ok: Texan / Manc. 4-piece combine on either side of the Atlantic and release a handful of 7" and 10" EP's which stun and awe those of us with record players) because this isn't 'lifestyle' or 'personality' fixated rock, this is pure music-loving artistry. If you like Mercury Rev or Spiritualized for scope, ambition and magic, then prepare yourselves to be blown away. The Earlies' sound is more a blend of folk and electronica than those two, but it shares a similar woozy, other-worldly, baroque, chamber-pop landscape. It's an enchanted place. They also pull in proggy, Krautrock directions (see Neu! for grooves and Stereolab for a love of melody) with long instrumental passages, cinematic and roving, stretching between the gorgeous lullabies which make up most of the songs on this album. All the singles are here, and they most certainly are Pop, but how many bands do you know that are capable of furnishing their songs with mellotron, melodica, flutes, oboes, sax, cellos, accordians, Hammond and mini-choirs? And no other band this year could even come close to the melancholic majesty of "One of Us Is Dead" or the insistent, pulsating groove and splendour of "Morning Wonder". The whole record really flows together; this is a proper album to be listened to all the way through, and with beautiful packaging and evocative lyrics (included) embellishing the lush widescreen soundscapes, you'll be going on a journey. You'll absolutely love it!
STAFF COMMENTS
Laura says: This is still one of my favourite records. It was my album of the year in 2004 and only narrowly missed out on the coveted top spot in the shop, with the mighty Sufjan Stevens' "Seven Swans' just edging it.It's a glorious mix of folk, pop, gospel and electronica, that still sounds fresh and relevant today.
TRACK LISTING
1. In The Beginning...
2. One Of Us Is Dead
3. Wayward Song
4. Slow Man's Dream
5. 25 Easy Pieces
6. Morning Wonder
7. The Devil's Country
8. Song For #3
9. Lows
10. Bring It Back Again
11. Dead Birds
The Visitors, formed by Factory Records' Karl Walsh (To Hell with Burgundy) release their debut album “Above You”. Original material engineered by Dan Broad (Happy Mondays) and Mixed by Paul Mortlock (Jessica Hoop). Think Bowie, Bolan and Dylan’s fresh, melodic song writing and harmonies. A wider range of influences have created a punchy guitar based sound that builds up to panoramic effect.
The Earlies follow their critically adored 2004 debut "These Were The Earlies", with the release of their second album, "The Enemy Chorus". Produced by The Earlies and Tom Knott and recorded in Texas, Manchester and Burnley, "The Enemy Chorus" builds on the approach of "These Were The Earlies" with a rich and expansive sound, textured with an original progressive edge. Standout tracks such as "Burn The Liars", "Foundation And Earth", "Enemy Chorus" and "When The Wind Blows" evoke elements of The Flaming Lips, Spiritualized, Brian Wilson and Sigur Ros, yet the Texan/Mancunian quartet remain resolutely individual. The sound here is deep, lush and with a tasty, more electronic bottom-end (Warp Records?) this feels like a more modern record than their debut. The layers and attention to detail are staggering; it's shaping up to be a proper headphone masterpiece, an album to go on a journey with and another mysterious chapter for one of our most trusted bands. They're magicians!