Yesterday we got the news from the mailing list [and bowler off to the band for still using one] that the Blow Monkeys are making their next move following their stellar 40th anniversary album, “Journey To You,” and their 4xCD DLX RM of their “Animal Magic” album earlier this year. I’ve been waiting for the space to review that one for a while now, but it’ll have to wait a bit longer.

The band had five studio albums from ’84-’90 but since their reformation in 2008, the have had a further six. And for my money, the six albums since then have much of their very best material on them. And now they’ve signed to Scot label Last Night From Glasgow, who are new to me but highly intriguing since they are a non-profit record label. They are probably closer to a collective than a business, who have recently signed Countess Of Fife to distribute their new album on LP format.

The new Blow Monkeys album will be happening next year, and the thought occurred that with six albums from 2008 to 2021, by cracky, maybe it was time for a new Blow Monkeys compilation covering this fecund period? The perfect point for those who missed the low profile and often crowd-sourced albums in real time before rejoining the always moving band going forward? Only one of their releases was on another label. Cherry Red released “Feels Like A New Morning” along with DLX RMs of the first three Blow Monkeys albums a decade ago, which might be the only modern Blow Monkeys album anyone might have seen in a store in that time. If so, you’ve missed out on some epic material from the band! Here’s what’s in store for the upcoming release on LP and CD [breathes easier].

Blow Monkeys: Time Storm Greatest Hits Vol. 2 – UK – CD [2023]

1. Said Too Much (New Version)
2. Time Storm
3. Crying For The Moon
4. More Than A Miracle
5. Each And Every One
6. The Wild River
7. One More Time
8. OK! Have It Your Way (Single Mix)
9. Chained (Youth Mix)
10. The Sound Of Your Laughter (Youth Mix)
11. Save Me
12. The World Can Wait
13. Dust At Her Feet
14. Teardrop Rock

The album is produced on yellow or blue vinyl as well as the silver disc. The CD will have the bonus tracks in red as shown above. A new version of “Said Too Much” from “Feels Like A New Morning” was added to the mix as bait for the collectors [raises hand]. Two remixes of the band’s singles by Dr. Robert’s neighbor Youth also were roped into the running here as they were flighty downloads that even I don’t have. I’ve seen “Chained” on iTunes [and have planned to buy it one day] but the T-rexism of “The Sound Of Your Laughter” was nothing I was aware that Youth had ever remixed. A brief search of the internet revealed nothing.

The way that Last Night In Glasgow works is by subscriptions to their issues. As there have only been one or two labels I could honestly want everything from, and since I am nowhere near being fabulously wealthy, this approach doesn’t work for me. Fortunately, any titles may be purchased directly from the label in the old school way. You don’t get the substantial discounts that subscription offers, but it’s the only way I can justify buying at my age where every purchase is an event planned and sweated over in advance. And the purchase prices were not onerous: £24/€28.95/$31 for LP with the CD £12/€14.95/$16. Remembering that shipment from Scotland to wherever you are must be factored into the equation. DJ… hit that button.

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