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Ground Breaking Compact Discs
©2012 by Quake Records® - A division of Punk Hart Productions.
THE AMERICAN EDITION
If you are a fan of the late ‘70s/early ‘80s New Wave genre, you are probably familiar with The Rumour - most likely through Graham Parker, with whom they recorded five classic albums from 1976 to 1980, but The Rumour were a fine band in their own right and recorded three great albums on their own. This was their third and final album. But even if you are familiar with the album known as “Purity Of Essence”, you may be asking yourself “why do I need to have this?” After all, Gadfly Records already released it some years back on CD, right? Yes and no. Gadfly released the UK version (using the American cover, for some odd reason), but the American edition was an entirely different version of the album; not just a remix or reconfiguration using different songs, it was recorded at a different time and place with different producers and engineers. As such, it has a different sound and a simplified approach. It has a more “live” sound and is brighter and filled with more energy. There is a less “produced” feel, with less echo and fewer overdubs, and a greater emphasis on the guitars. Much more so than the original UK version, this is a guitar album. Just compare the lead-off track (“Tula”) on the American version with the same song on the original UK version. The American version features a lot of guitar which is almost entirely missing from the UK version. Also compare the two “I Think It’s Gonna Work Out Fine” renditions. The original has a less R&B feel to it, whereas the remake features a smooth blend of guitars which is not evident on the original. There are other comparisons throughout, and if you already own the UK version on Gadfly, but have never heard the American version, you’ll have a lot of fun picking out the differences. In our opinion, the American edition is the better of the two.
This is the first time this album has appeared on CD. We hope you enjoy it!
Presenting one of the great lost albums of the 1980s
Price: $7.95
