Yesterday we were citing hot music tips from another blogger. Often it’s the commenters and readers of PPM that set me straight with the contact form in the top menu. Fred from the Netherlands asked if I was aware of a new Peter Godwin recording and no, sir. I certainly wasn’t but being attuned to all things Godwin I was able to follow his link and saw that there was a new compilation of New Wave and 80s club hits as re-imagined by a mixture of old and new bands working in the 80s club style. The album was a DL project to benefit a Houston nightclub [open since 1980] called Numbers. Fan Robert Ehlinger had wanted to do something to lend aid to this club that had built and sustained a scene over 40 years of Houston progressive nightlife, and the album grew [and grew] until there were 40 club classics of the 80s on board. With a couple of bonus mixes on the DL version. See the full list below.

1. Moev – Imagination 05:08
2. P. Codenys Of Front 242 Vs. Machine X – New York 2.0 05:07
3. Machine in Motion – Have In Mind (Machine X Mix) 06:09
4. Except Europa Feat. Frank Schendler of CCCP – American Soviets 06:27
5. Christopher Anton & Nick James – Russian Radio 03:35
6. Dissonance Feat. Kurt Larson of Information Society – Running Up That Hill 04:48
7. Lesson Seven 2.0 – Hallucination Generation 04:14
8. DJ Culture Gang – 8:15 To Nowhere 03:44
9. Pleasure Crisis – Cccan’t You See 04:42
10. Psyche – Over The Shoulder 05:06
11. U-N-I – Push! 04:47
12. Program 88 – Revenge 04:01
13. Nick James & Donna Jean – Looking From A Hilltop 08:39
14. T-4-2 Feat. Peter Godwin – Images Of Heaven 03:31
15. P. Codenys Of Front 242 Vs. Machine X – Houseman 06:35
16. Moev – P Machinery 04:43
17. Provision – Pity For The Self 04:20
18. Eloquent – White Rabbit 03:32
19. Microchip League 2.0 – Headhunter 03:48
20. Channel 69 Feat. Dania Morales of Anything Box – Boy (Radio) 03:45
21. Anything Box – Love Will Tear Us Apart 04:19
22. Leæther Strip – Don’t Crash 04:57
23. Devotional – Sea Of Sin 04:22
24. T-4-2 – Cars 04:31
25. Machine X – Welcome To Paradise 05:06
26. Machine in Motion – The Different Story 05:09
27. Moev – Blue Monday 07:35
28. IIOIOIOII – Crucify Me 04:51
29. IIOIOIOII – That Smiling Face 04:53
30. Storr – Be My Power Station 03:50
31. Devotional – Never Let Me Down (Live) 05:24
32. The Hunger – Hearts And Minds 05:23
33. Skatenigs – Beers, Steers And Queers 05:48
34. Christopher Anton & Nick James – Fade To Grey 03:59
35. Boys Don’t Cry – Friday I’m In Love 03:36
36. P. Codenys Of Front 242 Vs. Machine X – New York 2.0 (Razormaid Mix) 2020 05:59
37. Microchip League 2.0 – Radiation 06:57
38. T-4-2 – Down In The Park 04:32
39. Machine In Motion – Have In Mind (Radio) 04:30
40. Except Europa – Pop Density (Beat Boy Cover Dub) 03:10
41. The Hunger – Warm Leatherette 03:43
42. SPY – The Metro 04:26

I recognize at least half of the bands and songs the participants from the synthpop/darkwave/industrial/EBM roll call of fame from my clubbing days. Bands like Front 242, Moev, Microchip League [2.0] and linchpins like Kurt Larson of Information Society and Patrick Codenys of Front 242. And then there’s Peter Godwin; linking up with Dallas-based T42, who in the 90s, when they were signed to Columbia Records, I used to get confused with the Euro techno band T42 as they were concurrent phenomena with exactly the same name. Looking more closely at T42 revealed that their Columbia album had the good taste to include a cover of Heaven 17’s magnifico “Let Me Go.” Was it any wonder that they duetted with Godwin on his signature song?

Given that the “Numbers Covered” album was for sale of Bandcamp, I was going to immediately purchase the T42/Godwin track but I looked at the page more closely and discovered that the “Images Of Heaven” track was also available in a Razormaid extended remix, separate from the album itself. So without any delay I went for the Razormaid remix; only $1.00 for the usual array of lovely Bandcamp lossy/lossless formats of my choice. It’s usually my policy to tip up the minor costs involved to at least double, but since this was fund raising project, I paid triple. After all, it’s Peter Godwin and a major club’s legacy at stake.

The extended cut was surprisingly close to the original mix, with many elements sounding like they were perhaps sampled from the original multitrack. As with digital/soft synths, the new elements sounded brighter and shinier than the vintage version. Vocalist Will Loconto took lead on the first verse and chorus; his voice belying his geographic origins as he sounded a bit like Murray Attaway with his slight twang. Then we had Peter Godwin enter on the second verse and chorus to trade leads with Loconto. The arpeggios of god were still in evidence in the song so all was well with the world. The middle eight solo this time was not Colin Wight on guitar synth but Loconto was giving his rig all of the portamento it could take to give the distinctive solo the requisite high energy sound all the same. Then Loconto and Godwin traded lines together in the final verse through the coda; which still ended much sooner than it should have. Some things never change. Have a listen or flat out buy it below.

As for Godwin, his involvement is probably down to his playing a US show in Texas in the last decade, and I’m guessing that Numbers was the venue to make it happen. What does it say about a club that they can make a one off concert with someone like Peter Godwin [all the way from France] occur? When asked, he offered that he was proud to lend his support to Numbers, citing their impressive 40 year legacy. As big fan of the original Razormaid remix of “Images Of Heaven,” I was amazed that Joseph Watt was enlisted once more for this remix, as well as the several others he’s crafted of extended Razormaid mixes for several other tracks from this collection. All of the bands involved were very much in the Razormaid artist wheelhouse, and Watt’s involvement here made perfect sense.

When I bought the single last weekend, the only option for the full “Numbers Covered” album was a DL only [and it’s also available at the other digital outlets in lossy formats] but as of today, it’s now on a 3xCD set for those hard copy mavens among us. The Bandcamp store is only $30 for CD or DL but as it’s a fund raiser, be sure to top your purchase up if you’re opting for the whole thing. Another benefit to the Bandcamp store. Just saying! So this makes the second pair of songs with remixes that Godwin’s released in the last 12 months. It looks like he’s on a roll again so let’s hope that it continues for a while longer. You can surgically strike the DLs [I would be interested in at least half of this up front from what I see and recognize in terms of talent and material] or go for the 3xCD Full monty at the Bandcamp store at the button below.

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