Tracklisting:
01. From Five Miles Up
02. Camera Camera
03. Brave Boys Keep Their Promises
04. Nobody Knows This Is Everywhere
05. When I Dream
06. Screaming Secrets
07. Books
08. The Culture Bunker
09. I’m Not The Loving Kind
10. Log Cabin
11. Tiny Children
12. You Disappear From View
13. …and The Fighting Takes Over
14. Sleeping Gas
15. The Tunnel
16. Ritchie Blofeld
17. Columbia Hotel (Bonus Track)

This compilation of demos and unreleased tracks was certainly a long time coming. I’m glad to say it was worth the wait and more. The album shows the time and care Julian took to put this together, ploughing through old tapes of material to pull out the very best.
The album’s first track starts with an introduction from TV presenter Brian Matthew kicking off From Five Miles Up, an unreleased track. This 2 minute instrumental isn’t the most powerful of tracks but it’s a great warm up for what’s to come.
Camera Camera we’ve heard as a Sleeping Gas b‑side, but here it is again, this tripped up version sees Julian singing in a much rawer style with a more noticeable energy to it. You can see how Julian’s vocals have matured in time and how he gets better. The lyrics are the same surreal standard we expect from the Teardrops. This was never one of my favourite tracks but it still remains competent and is an asset to this CD.
Camera Camera finishes up and fades into an earlier rendition of Brave Boys Keep Their Promises. I personally prefer this version to the Kilimanjaro track we all know and love. It has a much stronger force behind it and displays much more gusto.
Nobody Knows This Is Everywhere was a huge surprise to me. One listen and I was hooked, with this being one of my all time favourites by the Teardrops. It’s a crime that this song has never been heard before. It has a psychedelic and ethereal quality to it which wouldn’t look out of place on a Teardrops LP, or at least a B‑Side. This is such a powerful track and seems tuned and polished enough to stand its ground, no adjustment necessary, granted the sleeve notes state this is the fifth attempt at the song. It even has Julian breaking into one of his screams in the fade out, something we’ve seen on plenty of future tracks. This song is a classic Teardrop Explodes song in itself and one that every fan should hear.
Another old favourite, When I Dream, is up next. This song is about half the running time of the Kilimanjaro edition, at 4:10. This song doesn’t have the same energy as the LP version but it still remains a worthy addition as a more popped up version, as opposed to the more trip-heavy Kilimanjaro edition. This track still seems fresh and vibrant, with the same emotion put in. Definitely worth a listen.
Now this next one blew me away. A MUCH earlier recording of Screaming Secrets, as performed by The Teardrops. Having seen them perform it on OGWT I was expecting a similar style to the Saint Julian LP. Well this blows that version out of the water in a second. I’m sure most fans enjoy the Saint Julian version but this really does win out overall. It’s a much slower, drawn out pace but it screams out with sheer power and energy that makes it impossible to resist. The sound quality is a little worse for wear (unless it’s just my sound system) but the feeling is still there in all it’s glory. But to put it in the words of the great man himself “even the SAINT JULIAN version six years later didn’t have the same oomfff as this ‘un” Doesn’t get much better than that.
Next up is Books, one every fan loves. Shame Ian McCulloch’s singing in that desperate little whine he does. Interesting to actually hear A Shallow Madness. I’m not as impressed with this as I am with the later versions, but this version is definitely down on recording quality. I think the winner has to be the Charlotte Anne B‑Side, though the brass section on the Kilimanjaro edition is hard to resist. It’s weird to see how this one two-and-a-half minute track has seen so much development and so many changes over the years. This version is basically a bit of reference material, to see what could have been (and what thankfully wasn’t).
Next up is The Culture Bunker, on of Julian’s bitchier tracks, up there with Bill Drummond Said and Port of Saints. This kicks off in much the same manner as the Wilder edition, but is a great version to listen too. It still has the musical trip-out for the later part of the song, including one of Julian’s live improvisations. This version flows through smoothly and elegantly and makes for great listening.
A cover track now, I’m Not The Loving Kind. Now I must hang my head in shame, I’ve never heard the original John Cale version myself, but this has to have done it justice. Less than 3 minutes and performed solely by Gary Dwyer and Julian. This is a great little soft song with Gary Dwyer’s drumming towards the end still the same energetic standard as we’ve known and loved.
I can’t see anyone being able to resist Log Cabin. I’ve waited for this track for so long, and this is a brilliant recording of it with Julian in top form. Very reminiscent of Suffocate, but probably a bit better. Why this hasn’t been recorded before I’ll never know, but its here in all it’s beautiful glory. If you’ve never had the fortune to hear it, well, now’s your only chance!
Strangely enough Tiny Children never did a whole lot for more, unless I was in a low mood, but whatever mood I’m in I can listen to this and dig it. Another track made solely by Gary Dwyer and Julian, showing what talent these two had. Apparently recorded whilst Gary, Julian and Joss were tripping on LSD. Fairy nuff, it doesn’t impair the quality of the track. I can safely say I much prefer this to the Wilder edition. Otherwise it’s the same song, simply a different recording. Definitely another belter from this album.
Now, here’s one we’ve all been waiting for. For anyone that’s heard You Disappear From View, or even read the later chapters of Head-On, we’ve all been wondering what this track sounded like before becoming funked-up and synthed-up. First thing to note is that this track would have needed some finer tuning before seeing release, but it is a major improvement over the release seen. The lyrics are the same but it is another drawn out, trippy rendition. Julian’s brother Joss (of Something Pretty Beautiful fame) actually plays a Prophet 5 synth on this, giving it a stronger backing to it. Comparing this to the final version, it highlights problems with the group’s direction, mainly Balfe and his crazy love for all things synth. Weighing things up the split was probably for the best, you only have to compare Everybody Wants To Shag with World Shut Your Mouth to see that. But anyway, back to the song: Forget the single release; this is the real You Disappear From View.
Another one of my favourites from Wilder, …And The Fighting Takes Over. Melancholy and wistful, this version lives up to its final recording. Again the difference here is similar to that of Tiny Children. An extra on this is the little trumpet-heavy outro that wasn’t seen later. Doesn’t add a whole lot but the track itself is still a brilliant demo of a brilliant song.
A live rendition of Sleeping Gas next. Now when you think of this track and with every other version we’ve heard, you imagine a psychedelic head trip of a song. This, however, storms on with much more aggression and ferocity, even starting with that old chestnut “Hey, hey! What’s that sound?” There’s no trippy fade out at the end, but there is another one of Julian’s weird-outs ending in manic screaming. Also we have Gary Dwyer’s oft described “wrecking-ball drums” and a much more heated piano arrangement (coming from Jeff Hammer, believe it or not). As with most versions, the lyrics have been completely stirred up (with a return of the Kwalo Klobinsky line)
Next up is The Tunnel, a three minute instrumental. Nothing too inspiring and no lyrics (which Julian explains was because “they were crap”) but it’s still a neat repetitive little track bring the album to a wind-down.
Finally is Ritchie Blofeld. Well this is different. Recorded in 1978, an extremely early track. The obvious notation is that this is the same music as Search Party from Fried. Well this doesn’t quite measure up and it’s a bit all over the show, but it’s still a mad, hilarious and wonderful track. The lyrics and even more importantly the vocals are just surreal. The lines are spat out and sometimes aren’t even right: “Let’s hear it for originality!” But it’s great for a little fun.
After all this there’s a bonus track about the Columbia Hotel with words from the staff and Julian about its history and what’s going on with it now. Nice little extra.
Well, time to round this up. Forget Piano, forget Everybody Wants To Shag, this is THE definitive third LP. The missing link that finally completes The Teardrop Explodes library. Despite being ruled under the iron fist of the synth, I did have a place for Everybody Wants To Shag, but even the finest songs from that LP are sent packing by this CD. Piano was just a basic rehash of singles, so there wasn’t much point there. Some of these new tracks are simply amazing, while most of the demos and live versions have a quality that puts them higher than even the finished version seen on later LPs. In a way it’s even frustrating that we’ve missed out on this stuff for so long. Definitely, definitely worth the wait, Balfey and Bill could never have pulled this off this well. Big hats off to Julian for all his hard work! The straight and narrow is, buy it, and buy it now!