Intial thoughts are what’s the point? A bunch of old demo’s from a band that doesn’t exist anymore. However there’s a bunch of tunes on this that never saw the light of day & are never likely to given the band is finished. There are some very raw versions of songs they never released but all have a vitality & some bangin’ hooks. I for one am never going to be sorry to hear Merchant’s voice, probably one of the best voices to come out of Manchester in the last 30 years.
Some of these songs were released as the ‘That Was Then, This is Now’ EP but there’s a bunch that have been criminally buried. Apparently these songs were demo’d by Merchant & bass player Collier before they put the band together. We’ve heard ‘Promised Land’ before but not with a Martin Luther King sample. The epic ‘Border’ is very raw with one mighty fat ass groove with Merchant spitting out the vitriol. I for one would be giving that guy some space! However there are lighter moments, moods that we never got to see with this band, ‘God Loves the Man’ is a gentle melodic, dare I say indie tune where merchant chats lightly. There is another version on the download, bonus track where he sings it. There’s also New Sound & Cry, sounds to me like there was a strategy metting at some point where the band buried their mellow side. Not so with the other bonus track, you have to go for the free download for this but I promise it’s worth it, there’s the full on powerhouse & highly potty mouthed ‘SupaJamm ‘SupaJamma’, why did this never get released? Afraid of what people might think guys? Definitely makes this listener want to kick in the bus shelter.
Anyhow, pointless in one sense but for any fans of the band, any fans of Merchant’s work with Audioweb or Saxon sound System there maybe a lost gem that you kind find & love. What this recording lacks in recording finesse is made up for in vitality & energy. Check it out it’s a free download on bandcamp.
Sammy D.
thekaboomroom 