(2020) Gene - The Albums


Review:
Celebrating the 25th anniversary of their debut album Olympian, Edsel Records presents a deluxe 9CD box set of the much loved and respected Gene. The box set features all four studio albums; ‘Olympian’, ‘Drawn to the Deep End’, ‘Revelations’ and ‘Libertine’. It also features the live album ‘Rising for Sunset’ and the 1996 compilation ‘To See the Lights’. Inspired by the songs of The Smiths, The Jam and The Faces, Martin Rossiter’s literate vocals and Steve Mason’s fluid guitar lines were perfectly complemented by the intuitive rhythm section of Kevin Miles and Matt James. They released four studio albums and a collection of B-sides and radio demos between 1995 and 2001, were named Best New Act at the inaugural NME awards in 1995, and went on to score 10 Top 40 hits. Three bonus discs include; ‘Drawn to the Deep End’ rarities and B-sides, ‘Revelations’ single edits and B-sides, and ‘Libertine’ demos and bonus material.

***

In May 1994, after signing to the Costermonger label, which journalists Keith Cameron and Roy Wilkinson founded specifically to release Gene’s songs, the double A-side ‘For the Dead’ / ‘Child’s Body’ was released. The single was named ‘Single of The Month’ in Select magazine and ‘Single of The Week’ in NME. Further Single of The Weeks followed for Gene’s second single (a triple A-side consisting of ‘Be My Light Be My Guide’, ‘This Is Not My Crime’ and ‘I Can’t Help Myself’). This coincided with the band’s rapid ascent, which saw them acclaimed for their impassioned live performances; winning Best New Act at the NME’s annual Brat Awards; adorning the covers of both NME and Melody Maker, and following singles ‘Sleep Well Tonight’ and ‘Haunted By You’ both entering the Top 40 Singles Chart. In spring 1995 the band released their much-anticipated debut album Olympian. Charting at number 8 in the UK (with the title track entering the Top 20), it was both a commercial and critical success, receiving across the board acclaim. After further winning plaudits for their live shows and extensive touring, in 1997 the band released their second album, Drawn to the Deep End (their first album for Polydor). Another Top 10 album, it was also another critical success with Q Magazine awarding it four stars. The same month the band played with a full orchestra to a sell-out audience at the Royal Albert Hall. Transmitted on Radio 1, the event was commemorated by the release of two live EPs in tandem with the last two singles from Drawn to the Deep End. This was followed in 1999 by Revelations. Recorded in under a month to capture the energy of their live shows, the album was a much rockier affair than it’s predecessor and featured several tracks that were highly critical of New Labour. The band toured the album to rapturous response, selling out many venues as well as making a successful appearance at Reading Festival. After parting ways with label Polydor, Gene spent 2000 touring the world and playing a sell-out US tour. The band then released two new songs – ‘Rising For Sunset’ and ‘Somewhere in the World’ – both which were featured on their final album, 2001’s Libertine. Released on their own Sub Rosa Records label, it was to be the last studio recordings of a much loved and still widely regarded indie band of the era.





Tracklist:

CD 1 - Olympian
01.Haunted By You
02.Your Love, It Lies
03.Truth, Rest Your Head
04.A Car That Sped
05.Left-Handed
06.London, Can You Wait?
07.To The City
08.Still Can't Find The Phone
09.Sleep Well Tonight
10.Olympian
11.We'll Find Our Own Way

CD 2 - To See The Lights
01.Be My Light, Be My Guide
02.Sick, Sober & Sorry
03.Her Fifteen Years
04.Haunted By You (Live - Helter Shelter 6/7/95)
05.I Can't Decide If She Really Loves Me
06.To See The Lights
07.I Can't Help Myself
08.A Car That Sped (Radio 1 Session 1/2/95)
09.For The Dead (Version)
10.Sleep Well Tonight (Live - Forum 31/3/95)
11.How Much For Love
12.London, Can You Wait? (Radio 1 Session 18/5/94)
13.I Can't Help Myself (Radio 1 Session 18/5/94)
14.Child's Body
15.Don't Let Me Down (Radio 1 Session 1/2/95)
16.I Say A Little Prayer (Live - Glastonbury 25/6/95)
17.Do You Want To Hear It From Me
18.This Is Not My Crime
19.Olympian (Live - Forum 31/3/95)
20.Child's Body (Live - Forum 31/3/95)

CD 3 - Drawn To The Deep End
01.New Amusements
02.Fighting Fit
03.Where Are They Now?
04.Speak To Me Someone
05.We Could Be Kings
06.Why I Was Born
07.Long Sleeves For The Summer
08.Save Me, I'm Yours
09.Voice Of The Father
10.The Accidental
11.I Love You, What Are You?
12.Sub Rosa

CD 4 - Drawn To The Deep End - Bonus Tracks
01.Drawn to The Deep End
02.The Autumn Stone
03.Cast Out In The Seventies
04.Nightswimming
05.We Could Be Kings
06.Dolce & Gabbana Or Nowt
07.Wasteland
08.As The Bruises Fade
09.The Ship Song

CD 5 - Revelations
01.As Good As It Gets
02.In Love With Love
03.Love Won't Work
04.The British Disease
05.Fill Her Up
06.Something In The Water
07.Mayday
08.Angel
09.The Looker
10.Little Child
11.Stop
12.The Police Will Never Find You
13.You'll Never Walk Again

CD 6 - Revelations - Single Edits & B Sides
01.Toasting The Union
02.Man On Earth
03.All Night
04.To All Who Sail On Her
05.Pass On To Me
06.Touched By The Hand Of Havoc
07.Common As Air
08.Slice
09.Town Called Malice

CD 7 - Libertine
01.Does He Have A Name?
02.A Simple Request
03.Is It Over?
04.O Lover
05.Let Me Rest
06.We'll Get What We Deserve
07.Walking In The Shallows
08.Yours For The Taking
09.You
10.Spy In The Clubs
11.Somewhere In The World
12.Let Me Move On (Long Version)
13.If I'm A Friend
14.Left For Dust
15.Supermarket Bombscare
16.Little Diamond

CD 8 - Libertine - Bonus Tracks
01.Rising For Sunset (Studio Version)
02.Who Said This Was The End?
03.From Georgia To Osaka
04.With Love In Mind
05.Welcome To Dover
06.Baby I'm Sorry (Studio Track)
07.Man Seeks Life (Demo)
08.6 am (Demo)
09.Skin Parade (Demo)
10.You (Chapel Studio Version)
11.Does He Have A Name (Demo)
12.Simple Request (Demo)
13.Is It Over (Demo)
14.Spy In The Clubs (Demo)
15.Walking In The Shallows (Demo)
16.Let Me Move On (Demo)
17.O Lover (Demo)

CD 9 - Rising For Sunset (Live)
01.Does He Have A Name? (Live)
02.Fill Her Up (Live)
03.The British Disease (Live)
04.Where Are They Now? (Live)
05.London, Can You Wait? (Live)
06.Mayday (Live)
07.As Good As It Gets (Live)
08.Your Love, It Lies (Live)
09.Rising For Sunset (Live)
10.For The Dead (Live)
11.Be My Light, Be My Guide (Live)
12.Speak To Me Someone (Live)
13.Olympian (Live)
14.You'll Never Walk Again (Live)
15.Somewhere In The World (Live)


Media Report:
Genre: indie-pop, indie-rock
Format: FLAC
Format/Info: Free Lossless Audio Codec, 16-bit PCM
Bit rate mode: Variable
Channel(s): 2 channels
Sampling rate: 44.1 KHz
Bit depth: 16 bits