I’ve known about this for some time as a Pledge Music user, but circumstances conspire to make me take a pass on preordering the new batch of DLX RMs from The Associates; my favorite band of Scot Post-Punk practitioners. I’m in a period of much travel happening right now and the budget has to go elsewhere. I’m certain that these are also available outside of the Pledge Music ecosphere. For those with the cash in hand, the deal for pre-order on Pledge Music is pretty good. All three of their first albums in 2xCD bundles can be had for £32/$46 including shipping [nods head in approval]. I am sort of obsessive over this band and would not look askance at owning everything though that’s probably not in the cards in this lifetime. Of course, they’ve salted the deal with a few more unreleased tracks that supersede the long OOP 2000 DLX RMs [single disc only] on V2 sixteen years ago. What’s on the new ones due out on May 23rd?

Union Square | UK | 2xCD | 2016

The Associates: The Affectionate Punch UK 2xCD [2016]

disc 1

1. The Affectionate Punch
2. Amused As Always
3. Logan Time
4. Paper House
5. Transport To Central
6. A Matter Of Gender
7. Even Dogs In The Wild
8. Would I…Bounce Back
9. Deeply Concerned
10. A

disc 2

1. Boys Keep Swinging
2. Mona Property Girl
3. Schmoltz
4. Green For Grief
5. Geese
6. Saline Drips
7. Galaxy Of Memories
8. Double Hipness
9. Big Waltz (aka Paper House)
10. Janice (aka Deeply Concerned)
11. You Were Young
12. Bounce Back – Remix
13. A – Remix
14. Amused As Always – Remix
15. The Affectionate Punch – Remix
16. The End

There is but a single cut here not previously released somewhere else. “Schmoltz” is the bait here. All of the rest of these tracks have been previously released before. There seem to be a handful of remixes from the 1982 remix LP of “The Affectionate Punch.” They at least picked the most interesting variations. Others were single tracks or archival material originally released on the “Double Hipness” 2xCD from the V2 reissues. We’ll assume that the first disc is the original mix of the album.

Union Square | UK | 2xCD | 2016

The Associates: Fourth Drawer Down UK 2xCD [2016]

disc 1

1. White Car In Germany
2. A Girl Named Property
3. Kitchen Person
4. Q Quarters
5. Tell Me Easter’s On Friday
6. The Associate
7. Message Oblique Speech
8. An Even Whiter Car

disc 2

1. Straw Towels
2. Kissed
3. Fearless (It Takes A Full Moon)
4. Point Si
5. Blue Soap
6. The Tree That Never Sang
7. Straw Towels (Demo)
8. Q Quarters (Demo)

The band’s berserk and thrilling singles compilation from their 1981 Beggars Banquet period is my favorite of their albums. The same tracks from the 2000 remaster were abetted here with three previously unheard cuts. Two demos and “The Tree That Never Sang.” Ordinarily, demos can be somewhat boring except to überfans, but Billy MacKenzie was such an inventive vocalist, he rarely sang a song the same way twice, so I’d be up for a service of Associates demos. I’d bet it would be worth my time.

Union Square | UK | 2xCD | 2016

The Associates: Sulk UK 2xCD [2016]

disc 1

1. Arrogance Gave Him Up
2. No
3. Bap De La Bap
4. Gloomy Sunday
5. Nude Spoons
6. Skipping
7. It’s Better This Way
8. Party Fears Two
9. Club Country
10. Nothinginsomethingparticular

disc 2

1. 18 Carat Love Affair
2. Love Hangover
3. Club Country 12”
4. Party Fears Two (Instrumental)
5. It’s Better This Way (Alt Version)
6. And Then I Read A Book
7. Ulcragyceptimol
8. Skipping (Alt Version)
9. Australia
10. Me, Myself And The Tragic Story
11. I Never Will (demo)
12. Club Country (Demo)
13. Grecian 2000

Finally, the album “Sulk” which took them over the edge into stardom with its ideal neutron bomb of New Pop aesthetics and Post-Punk perfection, got a serious rewiring. Just two previously unheard tracks appear here. An instrumental version of their breakthrough hit “Party Fears Two” and an alternate take of “Skipping.” To be fair, two cuts previously on vinyl only appear here on CD for the first time. The “Club Country” 12″ has almost made it to CD but not quite. The last CD of this title in 2000 had a unique edit of the 12″ mix on the album proper in place of the original album track. The excellent alternate version of It’s Better This Way” hailed from the “Party Feats Two” single. This title only is also making the leap to vinyl in one of those excessive and spotty 180g pressings. US fans on Pledge Music cannot buy this for rights management reasons, but it’s a solid £20.

Union Square | UK | 2xCD | 2016 | METRSL 123

The Associates: The Best Of The Associates UK 2xCD [2016]

disc 1

1. Boys Keep Swinging
2. The Affectionate Punch
3. Tell Me Easter’s On Friday
4. Q Quarters
5. Kitchen Person
6. A
7. Message Oblique Speech
8. White Car In Germany
9. Kites
10. Party Fears Two
11. Club Country
12. 18 Carat Love Affair
13. Love Hangover

disc 2

1. Eloise
2. Jukebox Bucharest
3. Window Shopping (Instrumental)
4. Double Hipness
5. The Affectionate Punch (Demo)
6. The Room We Sat In Before
7. Galaxy Of Memories
8. Gloomy Sunday (Live – ICA 1980)
9. Waiting For The Loveboat (Instrumental)
10. Stephen, You’re Really Something
11. Fear Is My Bride
12. International Loner
13. Edge Of The World

Finally for beginners there is also a 2xCD, already released as of last month but also available on Pledge Music for £8/$12. It’s an eclectic blend of historical singles and rarities already out in the wilds… with the exception of “Eloise” and “Jukebox Bucharest,” which have only appeared here.

Will I bite? Hmm. That’s about $57 for seven tracks I don’t already have in a new package. I’m betting I can perhaps invest in surgical DLs of these tracks. Besides, I’ve already seen some expert opinion on the mastering flaws on the already released “Best Of” CD. For anyone not already owning these albums in one or more forms, then this is your chance. Get ready to have the instrumental prowess of Alan Rankine and the vocal hyperkinetics of Mr. Billy MacKenzie blow your little mind. These albums are peerless in the time period in which they were made; full of inventive strategies and a fearless strength of character to go wherever their muse takes them.

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