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Bronski Beat Age of Consent CDs (1984) Top Seller
Neat Neat Neat: The Alternative Anthology buy CD music Bronski Beat's debut album sounds every bit as startling today as it did upon its release in 1984. In a year where the British pop consciousness was dominated by the coy antics and over-the-top production of Frankie Goes To Hollywood, this trio was the anti-Frankie. Over simple, almost minimalistic synths, Glaswegian singer Jimmy Sommerville sings, in a truly scarifying falsetto, blunt, no-nonsense lyrics about the emotional life of gay men in the UK at the dawn of the AIDS era.
The cover art is similarly plainspoken, featuring a prominent pink triangle on the front, and inside, a listing of the legal age of consent in every country in the world. The album's singles, the truly lovely "Smalltown Boy" and the gospel-edged "Why," are among the most potent political rock of the decade, but covers of the Supremes' "Heatwave" and Donna Summer's "I Feel Love" celebrate good times in a climate of fear.
Digitally remastered and expanded edition of the British Synthpop trio's 1984 debut album including bonus b-sides, remixes and more. Bronski Beat was formed in London in 1983 by Steve Bronski, Larry Steinbachek and Jimmy Somerville and signed to London Records. They had immediate success with their first single 'Smalltown Boy' which reached #3 in the UK. This was followed by another Top 10 hit in 'Why', which paved the way for Top 5 album The Age Of Consent. Further hits came with 'It Ain't Necessarily So' and another Top 3 single with a version of Donna Summer's 'I Feel Love' (with Marc Almond on guest vocals), before Jimmy Somerville left to form The Communards in 1985 with Richard Coles. This edition features as many of the non-album single sides and remixes as can be fitted on (including all of the remix album Hundreds And Thousands), selected by Somerville expert Heiko Bollman. Many tracks appear on CD for the first time. Edsel.
Audio Remixer: Harvey Goldberg.
Liner Note Author: Graham Ames.
Recording information: RPM, New Work, NY; Skyline, New York, NY; The Garden, London.
Personnel: Jimmy Somerville (vocals); Mark Shuman, Beverly Lauridsen, Jesse Levy (cello); David Tofani (clarinet); Crispin Cioe, Chris Cioe, Louis Cortelezzi (alto saxophone); Arno Hecht, Jack Baskow (tenor saxophone); Hollywood Paul Litteral (trumpet); Bob Funk (trombone); The Uptown Horns (horns); Larry Steinbachek, Steve Bronski (keyboards, percussion); John Folarin (congas).
Audio Mixer: Harvey Goldberg.
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