UPC: 5013929111790
Format: CD (6 disc)
Release Date: Nov 26, 2021
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During the first half of the '80s, there were few artists as prolific as the Times' Edward Ball. He cranked out singles and albums like a one-man mod machine, dishing out witty, sardonic songs with hooks as sharp as winklepickers on a seemingly constant basis. That part of the time he was also a member of the Television Personalities makes one wonder where he got his energy from. Cherry Red's six-disc collection My Picture Gallery: The Artpop! Recordings gathers up all the songs recorded by the Times between 1980 and 1986. The set is made up of the group's six albums and numerous singles, all released on Ball's own Artpop! and the label he shared with Dan Treacy of the TVPs, Whaam! Presented in chronological order, it kicks off with the band's 1985 album Go! With the Times since it was recorded in 1980. A jumpy set of mod revival tracks highlighted by a ripping cover of Jimmy Cliff's "You Can Get It" and the mod-psych gem "Red with Purple Flashes," it could have been one of the cornerstone releases of the mod revival scene if released on time. By 1985, it must have seemed like a weird time capsule. Their actual debut, 1982's Pop Goes Art!, is built around the mod sound, but shows them casting a wider net that brings in Kinks-y pop, new wave, and twangy spy music. The band's next two albums were built around a central character named Frank Summit; through him Ball examines the modern state of England and finds it wanting. The first of the batch, 1983's This Is London, follows the same basic template as earlier releases, but 1984's Hello Europe embraced modern recording techniques like sampled and drm machines, ending up to be a left-field sophisticated pop surprise. From there Ball turned his attention to creating a soundtrack to the script Joe Orton wrote for the Beatles called Up Against It. Ball's music is suitably Beatlesque, but with tin-can production instead of the Fab Four's usual lush Abbey Round sound. The sixth Times album, 1986's Enjoy, combines the mod revival sound with slick modern production techniques and comes across as their most accessible album. It's still weird, though, and still as much fun as their early records. Surrounding the albums are a wealth of alternate takes, different mixes, singles, B-sides, and stray tracks, some of them super poppy, some of them indulging Ball's artier proclivities. The group's signature song "I Helped Patrick McGoohan Escape" turns up a few times, first as a taut mod rocker with snappy vocal harmonies, then as a more new wave-leaning version with keyboards, then finally as a KLF-sounding remix from 1988, and the progression mirrors that of the band. Ball went on to make all sorts of music after this period, some with the Times, some with other groups. All of it was filtered through his wicked sense of humor and inability to make the same record twice. That was certainly the case during the period My Picture Gallery covers, and it makes for a fascinating, sometimes bewildering listen. Any Edward Ball or Times fan willing to take the plunge into this giant collection of their music will be nicely rewarded for their efforts. ~ Tim Sendra
Tracks:
Disc 1:
1 - You Can Get It
2 - I'm With You
3 - Your Generation
4 - Pinstripes
5 - Dressing Up for the Cameras
6 - Red With Purple Flashes
7 - Jokes on Zandra
8 - Nowhere to Run
9 - No Hard Feelings
10 - My Andy Warhol Poster
11 - Man From Uncle
12 - Reflections In An Imperfect Mirror
13 - Red With Purple Flashes [1981 7” Single Version]
14 - Biff! Bang! Pow! [1981 7” Single Version]
15 - My Andy Warhol Poster [JJ Foster Mixes] [Simulated] (Stereo)
16 - Pinstripes [JJ Foster Mixes] [Simulated] (Stereo)
17 - Joke's on Zandra [JJ Foster Mixes] [Simulated] (Stereo)
18 - Nowhere to Run [JJ Foster Mixes] [Simulated] (Stereo)
19 - No Hard Feelings [JJ Foster Mixes] [Simulated] (Stereo)
20 - You Can Get It [JJ Foster Mixes] [Simulated] (Stereo)
21 - Theme From Man From Uncle [JJ Foster Mixes] [Simulated] (Stereo)
22 - Reflections in an Imperfect Mirror [JJ Foster Mixes] [Simulated] (Stereo)
23 - My Andy Warhol Poster [Teenage Filmstars “McGoohan” Sessions]
24 - Spoken Word: “Joe, Dan and Me… Before the Creation Contxt”
Disc 2:
1 - Picture Gallery
2 - Biff! Bang! Pow!
3 - It's Time!
4 - If Now Is the Answer
5 - New Arrangement
6 - Looking at the World Through Dark Shades
7 - I Helped Patrick McGoohan Escape
8 - Pop Goes Art! (Melody in Mono)
9 - Miss London
10 - Sun Never Sets
11 - Easy as Pie
12 - This Is TOMORROW….
13 - Have You Seen the Beautiful People
14 - This Is Tomorrow [Alternative Ending]
15 - Picture Gallery [Teenage Filmstars “McGoohan” Sessions]
16 - Sun Never Sets [Teenage Filmstars “McGoohan” Sessions]
17 - Easy ss Pie [Teenage Filmstars “McGoohan” Sessions]
18 - Theme From “Dangerman”
19 - I Helped Patrick McGoohan Escape [1982 7” Single Version]
20 - Theme From Dangerman [Alternative Session Take]
21 - Goodbye Piccadilly [October 1981 version]
22 - I Helped Patrick McGoohan Escape [A Splash of Colour Version]
23 - Spoken Word: “I Haven't Seen Him… In Anybody Else” Speech: Edward Ball December 1999
Disc 3:
1 - This Is London
2 - Goodbye Piccadilly
3 - Whatever Happened to Thamesbeat
4 - If Only
5 - Big Painting
6 - Goodnight Children Everywhere
7 - Party
8 - Stranger Than Fiction
9 - (There's A) Cloud Over Liverpool
10 - Will Success Spoil Frank Summit?
11 - Chimes of Big Ben
12 - This Green and Pleasant Land
13 - Here Come the Holidays
14 - Three Cheers for the Sun
15 - All Systems Are Go!
16 - Up Against It [Long Version]
17 - Big Painting.[Alternative Session Take]
18 - Whatever Happened to Thamesbeat? [Alternative Session Take]
19 - This Is London [Alternative Session Take]
20 - All Systems Are Go! [Alternative Session Take]
Disc 4:
1 - Radiate
2 - Blue Fire
3 - Victory Drums
4 - Everything Turns to Black and White
5 - Boys Brigade
6 - Where the Blue Begins
7 - Public Reaction Killed This Cat
8 - Faith
9 - Things We've Learnt
10 - Kulturshock
11 - Power Is Forever
12 - Stop in the Name of Love
13 - Tears on a Rainy Sunday
14 - I'll See You in My in My Dreams
15 - Power Is Forever [Alternative Session Take]
16 - Biff Bang Pow [Live in Germany, 1985]
17 - Red With Purple Flashes [Live in Germany, 1985]
Disc 5:
1 - Up Against It
2 - Last Tango for One
3 - Boys About Town
4 - Garden in the Moonlight (Love Theme for McTurk and Rowena)
5 - WPC Boon
6 - Most Modern Woman in the World
7 - Jacks Revolution
8 - Ladies of the Cause
9 - Mutiny in the British Empire
10 - Escape!
11 - She's a Professional
12 - It's Cabaret Time!
13 - War
14 - Wedding Song
15 - David Jones (Is on His Way)
16 - Victim
17 - Song for Joe Orton
18 - London Boys
19 - Dada Europe (I'm So Cut Up About You)
20 - Oranges and Lemons
21 - Dial L for Love
Disc 6:
1 - Britannia Sleeps Tonight
2 - Something Like the Truth
3 - (Where to Go) When the Sun Goes Down
4 - Times TV
5 - Think Big!
6 - Housewives Law
7 - Third Wave
8 - American Way
9 - Winning Hearts and Minds
10 - Cousin Frank Goes to Hollywood
11 - Enjoy
12 - Dream Now (Young America)
13 - Times Radio
14 - When the Talking Had to Stop
15 - Trailer From Enjoy
16 - Polite Force
17 - Aragua
18 - Pick It Up
19 - Times Television Sting
20 - If Only [Live at the 100 Club, 1987]
21 - (There's A) Cloud Over Liverpool [Live at the 100 Club, 1987]
22 - I Helped Patrick McGoohan Escape (Thanks for the Trip Dad)
1 - You Can Get It
2 - I'm With You
3 - Your Generation
4 - Pinstripes
5 - Dressing Up for the Cameras
6 - Red With Purple Flashes
7 - Jokes on Zandra
8 - Nowhere to Run
9 - No Hard Feelings
10 - My Andy Warhol Poster
11 - Man From Uncle
12 - Reflections In An Imperfect Mirror
13 - Red With Purple Flashes [1981 7” Single Version]
14 - Biff! Bang! Pow! [1981 7” Single Version]
15 - My Andy Warhol Poster [JJ Foster Mixes] [Simulated] (Stereo)
16 - Pinstripes [JJ Foster Mixes] [Simulated] (Stereo)
17 - Joke's on Zandra [JJ Foster Mixes] [Simulated] (Stereo)
18 - Nowhere to Run [JJ Foster Mixes] [Simulated] (Stereo)
19 - No Hard Feelings [JJ Foster Mixes] [Simulated] (Stereo)
20 - You Can Get It [JJ Foster Mixes] [Simulated] (Stereo)
21 - Theme From Man From Uncle [JJ Foster Mixes] [Simulated] (Stereo)
22 - Reflections in an Imperfect Mirror [JJ Foster Mixes] [Simulated] (Stereo)
23 - My Andy Warhol Poster [Teenage Filmstars “McGoohan” Sessions]
24 - Spoken Word: “Joe, Dan and Me… Before the Creation Contxt”
Disc 2:
1 - Picture Gallery
2 - Biff! Bang! Pow!
3 - It's Time!
4 - If Now Is the Answer
5 - New Arrangement
6 - Looking at the World Through Dark Shades
7 - I Helped Patrick McGoohan Escape
8 - Pop Goes Art! (Melody in Mono)
9 - Miss London
10 - Sun Never Sets
11 - Easy as Pie
12 - This Is TOMORROW….
13 - Have You Seen the Beautiful People
14 - This Is Tomorrow [Alternative Ending]
15 - Picture Gallery [Teenage Filmstars “McGoohan” Sessions]
16 - Sun Never Sets [Teenage Filmstars “McGoohan” Sessions]
17 - Easy ss Pie [Teenage Filmstars “McGoohan” Sessions]
18 - Theme From “Dangerman”
19 - I Helped Patrick McGoohan Escape [1982 7” Single Version]
20 - Theme From Dangerman [Alternative Session Take]
21 - Goodbye Piccadilly [October 1981 version]
22 - I Helped Patrick McGoohan Escape [A Splash of Colour Version]
23 - Spoken Word: “I Haven't Seen Him… In Anybody Else” Speech: Edward Ball December 1999
Disc 3:
1 - This Is London
2 - Goodbye Piccadilly
3 - Whatever Happened to Thamesbeat
4 - If Only
5 - Big Painting
6 - Goodnight Children Everywhere
7 - Party
8 - Stranger Than Fiction
9 - (There's A) Cloud Over Liverpool
10 - Will Success Spoil Frank Summit?
11 - Chimes of Big Ben
12 - This Green and Pleasant Land
13 - Here Come the Holidays
14 - Three Cheers for the Sun
15 - All Systems Are Go!
16 - Up Against It [Long Version]
17 - Big Painting.[Alternative Session Take]
18 - Whatever Happened to Thamesbeat? [Alternative Session Take]
19 - This Is London [Alternative Session Take]
20 - All Systems Are Go! [Alternative Session Take]
Disc 4:
1 - Radiate
2 - Blue Fire
3 - Victory Drums
4 - Everything Turns to Black and White
5 - Boys Brigade
6 - Where the Blue Begins
7 - Public Reaction Killed This Cat
8 - Faith
9 - Things We've Learnt
10 - Kulturshock
11 - Power Is Forever
12 - Stop in the Name of Love
13 - Tears on a Rainy Sunday
14 - I'll See You in My in My Dreams
15 - Power Is Forever [Alternative Session Take]
16 - Biff Bang Pow [Live in Germany, 1985]
17 - Red With Purple Flashes [Live in Germany, 1985]
Disc 5:
1 - Up Against It
2 - Last Tango for One
3 - Boys About Town
4 - Garden in the Moonlight (Love Theme for McTurk and Rowena)
5 - WPC Boon
6 - Most Modern Woman in the World
7 - Jacks Revolution
8 - Ladies of the Cause
9 - Mutiny in the British Empire
10 - Escape!
11 - She's a Professional
12 - It's Cabaret Time!
13 - War
14 - Wedding Song
15 - David Jones (Is on His Way)
16 - Victim
17 - Song for Joe Orton
18 - London Boys
19 - Dada Europe (I'm So Cut Up About You)
20 - Oranges and Lemons
21 - Dial L for Love
Disc 6:
1 - Britannia Sleeps Tonight
2 - Something Like the Truth
3 - (Where to Go) When the Sun Goes Down
4 - Times TV
5 - Think Big!
6 - Housewives Law
7 - Third Wave
8 - American Way
9 - Winning Hearts and Minds
10 - Cousin Frank Goes to Hollywood
11 - Enjoy
12 - Dream Now (Young America)
13 - Times Radio
14 - When the Talking Had to Stop
15 - Trailer From Enjoy
16 - Polite Force
17 - Aragua
18 - Pick It Up
19 - Times Television Sting
20 - If Only [Live at the 100 Club, 1987]
21 - (There's A) Cloud Over Liverpool [Live at the 100 Club, 1987]
22 - I Helped Patrick McGoohan Escape (Thanks for the Trip Dad)