sound of the suburbs

One of the problems with my illness, compulsive record buying and collecting, is that I have If I am to be honest I have got far too many and not really enough time to appreciate them all, I'm sure that many have been listened to only once. This is certainly not the case with the Boo Radleys 1993 classic album, and I do not use that word lightly, 'Giant Steps', an album that spent long periods being listened to and explored with my listeners on the airwaves during the ninties. These days I would be lying to say that I listen to it on a regular basis, sorry Martin, but from time time it is always a pleasure to dig this little jewel up and give it a spin again. That is exactly what I did the other day as was a smitten as ever with it. An observation that I made was the richness of the album, there really is so much there to explore, having been named after a John Coltrane number the bar was set high and the general concensus is that it was a huge success. These four youngsters from Liverpool, friends from their school days, dreaming about being the next Beatles and for many of us in critical terms this they did achieve. This album was where their early promise was realised. Who can remember the taster single released before the album, 'Lazarus'? For me this is one of the most majestic pieces of music ever put down on tape. From its drawn out intro, its dub bass line, its shimering echo heavy gutars, Steve Kitchen's soaring trumpet to Sice's angelic vocals, I loved ever second of it and it is still one of those songs that sends a shiver down my spine whenever I hear it, and I would like to add that it must be listened to LOUD. When the record hit the racks it did not dissapoint, its sixties influences, Beatles, Kinks and Beach Boys were more than evident but who cared with music of this quality. To talk about stand out tacks would be stupid as there were 17 of them though my personal favorites are the baroque 'Best Lose The Fear', the full on pop attack of 'Barney and Me' and the previously mentioned colossal 'Lazarus'. Who would ever have thought that Four scousers, Martin Carr, Sice, Tim Brown and Rob Cieka could make such a beautiful noise!

I thought long about the songs to post and decided to go for B-side and remixes from this period, it must be said that Martin Carr was so prolific that their B-sides were often better than other bands A-sides. So good were their throw a way songs that at one stage I felt obliged to compile by own compilation 'Boo Bees' on a CDR.

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1. 'Lazarus' Kris Needs remix.

2. 'Petroleum' originally to be found on the 'Lazarus' single

3. 'Peachy Keen' originaly to be found on the 'I Wish I Was Skinny' singles

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The album itself is still on catalog, and for the tourists looking for a one stop compilation there is 'Find The Way Out' a two CD set from 2005. Happy Listening, and turn the volume up!

By way of a post script if you never got the chance to see them live you really did miss something as they were very special on stage and amazing party creatures after the gig but that's another story.