Revolutionary Spirits

The Wild Swans - Incandescent

History will remember the original Wild Swans from 1982 for just one single and a Strange Fruit Peel Session EP,  as these were to be the band's only official releases. Inexplicably, the Revolutionary Spirit single on Zoo Records was released in mono, though a stereo mix was readied for the US college market ...but never released.

This cracking compilation sweeps up from a pile of out-takes and other goodies, including both versions of the single, the 1982 BBC Jensen and Peel sessions, a few previously unheard demos, and then the reformed line-up's 1986 session for Janice Long's radio show. The Bunnymen's Will Sergeant donated a soundboard tape from a 1981 support slot for side four of the album.

We can at last form a picture of how good the pre-Care Wild Swans actually were, but we are still left wondering what if? as these early tracks are exceptionally good. The Wild Swans produced charming and melodic pop fronted up by Paul Simpson's emotive voice, topped off with plenty of jangley post-punk guitars. Clearly, there was enough good material for an album proper but it never happened, and we had to wait for a leaner, more polished Wild Swans in 1988.

Ripped from a vinyl album released on the Vinyl 180 label to high quality lossless flac audio.

A1 The Revolutionary Spirit (Original Mix)
A2 God Forbid (Original Mix)
A3 Flowers Of England
A4 The Iron Bed
A5 Opium
A6 Now You're Perfect
B1 No Bleeding
B2 Enchanted
B3 Thirst
B4 The Revolutionary Spirit (USA Stereo Mix)
B5 God Forbid (USA Stereo Mix)
C1 Northern England
C2 Now And Forever
C3 Crowning Glory
C4 Holy Spear
C5 Broken Home (Demo)
C6 Infidel (Demo)
D1 God Forbid (Live)
D2 Miracle Heart (Live)
D3 Now You're Perfect (Live)
D4 Hour Of Need (Live)
D5 Fruits Of The Earth (Live)
D6 The Revolutionary Spirit (Live)

One Day All This Will Be Yours

The Wild Swans - Bringing Home The Ashes

Following on from my recent Care posts, here is the first album proper by former Teardrop Explodes' Paul Simpson and his Wild Swans. The band's original recordings were from the early eighties before Simpson formed Care with Ian Broudie and were much more post-punk than the late eighties lush indie-pop version of the band on Sire Records. Indie purists will likely struggle with Simpson's more commercial sound, but I really like this record and listening to it after all these years is like finding an old friend again.

Young Manhood and Bible Dreams were singles, but it is the latter which is clearly the stand out track. Think New Order's Regret recorded five years before the argumentative Manc pioneers and you'll be in the right kind of place. It's highly commercial well produced indie-pop-rock let down only by it's song title, surely they could have come up with something better! Melancholy gems Northern England and Worst Year Of My Life were re-recordings of tracks from the ban's earliest incarnations and along with the title track also stand out. I also have the recent early eighties Wild Swans compilation which may or may not find it's way here depending on demand. Good stuff!

Ripped from a vinyl album released on Sire Records (925 697-1) in 1988 to high quality lossless flac audio.

A1 Young Manhood
A2 Bible Dreams
A3 Bitterness
A4 Archangels
A5 Northern England
B1 Whirlpool Heat
B2 Bringing Home The Ashes
B3 Mythical Beast
B4 Now And Forever
B5 The Worst Year Of My Life