Oh, how I have waited for this one. It seems this album has haunted me for many years. One of the longest running jokes in my life. Back sometime in ’84-’85 one of my best friends gave me his new vinyl Lp to record to tape so we didn’t ruin the precious, virginal, vinyl copy. Having never heard the new project I proceeded to record the entire album at the speed of 45. When we so joyously inserted the cassette into my car stereo he almost died with hysteria as we proceeded to listen to the entire “Blue Sunshine” at the ridiculous speed. Yes, drugs were involved and oh what a time it was. Thus the Glove on 45 was born, but I digress.
This is a very special double disc for those Cure/Siouxsie fans that loved this one off from Robert Smith, Cure front man and Steve Severin, original Banshee. Sounding nothing like the Cure or Siouxsie a melting pot of sound and emotion. Never before or since has there been such an animated project beginning with the project name taken from the glove in the Beatles “Yellow Submarine” movie. The title, “Blue Sunshine”, lifted from a drug addled cult movie referring to a type of LSD. The lyrics written by both Severin and Smith create fun, hallucinogenic, little stories that paint pictures of psychotic trips, lunatic girls and characters of great imagination. The music flows and ebbs using atypical instruments, like sitars, dulcimers, strings and percussions of all sorts mixed with vocals of the relatively unknown Jeanette Landray. The original has Robert singing only two of the ten songs. Ms. Landray was called in after legal issues arouse and Fiction Records reminded Mr. Smith he could not sing on any other project than the Cure. Of note as well are the instrumental interludes from “A Man from Nowhere”, these add to the carnival sensations that crash like aural waves.
This new package includes the original 10 song version re-mastered along with 5 bonus re-mixes. The classic B-side “Mouth to Mouth” and “Like an Animal” club mix are included. Also a bonus CD that includes the original songs with Robert Smith singing vocals on each track and the tasty treat of 6 extra tracks with more of Mr. Smith doing his thing, quite a delight indeed. Be warned that it says “demos” on the package but these are not the Robert of the 80’s. This is Robert of the present. Re-mastered they continue to be amazing songs with Mr. Smith’s vocals and slightly different arrangements creating a new twist. The 2nd disc does sound much more like a Cure record than the original. I still prefer Ms. Landray’s version’s of “Punish Me with Kisses” and “Mouth to Mouth”. Some are bitter that these are not the “original” demos from the Robert of the 80’s; I say get over it and enjoy. If you don’t appreciate it at first give it a few listens, it does tend to grow on you. |