NEW RELEASE: Aztec Camera The WEA Recordings 1984-1995

Back in the early 80’s it was hard to find a singer / songwriter who didn’t have a brightly coloured electric keyboard strapped to their midrift, the art of playing the guitar in the good old fashioned way, even those that had played the 6 and 12 string had put their wooden instruments to one side in favour of the electric modern age. One of the exceptions was the black haired slick quifed front man of Aztec Camera Roddy Frame. With their sparkling, bouncy, impassioned new material including the timeless Somewhere In My Heart, Oblivious, Walk Out To Winter and Good Morning Britain.

It is these hits and many more including rare material that has been unleashed on 27^th August by those cool cats at Cherry Red Records via a mammoth 9 CD collection entitled Backwards and Forwards: The WEA Recordings 1984-1995. Included is a booklet with rare photos, the CD’s contain 5 albums , b sides, live recordings, remixes, compilation appearances and previously vinyl only rarities, making the release an absolute for anyone with a liking towards the highest caliber of original material from the period from one of Scotland’s greatest exports.

Of the discs featured each will no doubt be a favourite to the listener, the debut Knife has a cover of the well known Jump stripped back to acoustic beauty, there’s a live In Concert disc featuring tracks from 2 gigs in Glasgow and London, Walk Out To Winter and Oblivious get roars from the crowd whilst lesser known tracks in The Bugle Sounds Again and The Wonders get as equal shouts of approval from the baying crowd, the Live At Ronnie Scotts a slightly more subdued affair but with nonetheless greatest being shared via the likes of Killermont Street, Good Morning Britain (there is another exciting electric live version of this track featuring The Clash guitarist Mick Jones) whilst Let Your Love Decide brings beauty and a killer chord structure to proceedings, its all just so good.

For me personally the pick of the albums on show it the classic Love. Originally released in 1987 the album should be ranked higher on peoples radars of great albums of the 80’s, if you like the likes of Our Favourite Shop, The Lexicon Of Love and Power, Corruption & Lies, Love should be right up you street. Opening with Deep & Wide & Tall this emotive number breaks the mold of the also rans, Frames visionary song crafting is to only be applauded here. Similar classic tracks How Men Are, Working In A Goldmine and the sparkling pop of Paradise are quite simply joyous to behold. The FM radio favourite Somewhere In My Heart does not overshadow any of the other tracks, the album has a equal amount of guitar pop brilliance with stone cold classic ballads with abit of 80’s electric drumming for good measure. Take me to a desert island with this album and I’d be more than happy.

There’s loads more material that I’ve not mentioned here which the listener will no doubt happily lap up, the £40 price tag is not to be sniffed at, you’ll be getting value for money, what feels like an eternity of material to listen to and what is probably the greatest collection of Aztec Camera music currently on offer.

Backwards and Forwards: The WEA Recordings 1984-1995 can be purchased here