Section 25:
Alfresco:
Factory Benelux:
LP and CD set:
Out RSD 2016:
This could be a first - a Record Store Day live album recorded on a previous Record Store Day. Alfresco refers to the lively annual musical family day out held in Blackpool, Section 25's hometown - thus this document represents something of a homecoming. The Cassidys are in the house.
As a live entity, Section 25 have improved considerably since the rougher chaotic prog-punkish early days of Factory yore. For a start these days there's keyboards aplenty and a somewhat less experimental progressive onslaught to deal with - it's all about the tunes rather than scowling at the ground.
Lately on stage, there are still variable S25s to confront with every show - mostly pin-sharp, often engaging, occasionally frustrating and rarely deviating from a core base of around fifteen songs. Lead singing lynchpin Larry Cassidy is obviously sadly missed for his bilious growl and charming commandant persona, but for the past few years this generation of Section 25 has carved out a small niche and stayed true to its roots - the family name above the door signifying survival.
Alfresco features some retrofitted versions of New Horizon and Looking For a Hilltop - these might trigger palpitations among the Factory faithful - a few crowd favourites in Wretch (pronounced WWRRREETTCHHHH! by daughter Beth C) and Dirty Disco (written by "my dad") and a string of new and old songs that don't fit anywhere other than at a Section 25 gig out in the open. A Certain Ratio's Simon Topping has, of late, become a fifth member of sorts by lending his alleyway baritone to the 2015 RSD single You Leave Me No Choice and the fizzing rendition of his former band's All Night Party (with drums). He should do this more often.
Some of the sound wavers in places but Hilltop is the highpoint here, a menacing pulsating behemoth of a club track that still ought to be as big as Blue Monday, West End Girls or Voodoo Ray yet still hovers under the radar. By the time you read this, possibly every US rapper will have sampled more S25 tunes in response to a certain Kanye West's borrowing of Always Now focal point, Hit.
Clear or black vinyl, the choice is yours (both in pressings of just 250 copies) - there's a CD included with either, featuring extra tracks.
★★★★★★★★☆☆
Alfresco:
Factory Benelux:
LP and CD set:
Out RSD 2016:
As a live entity, Section 25 have improved considerably since the rougher chaotic prog-punkish early days of Factory yore. For a start these days there's keyboards aplenty and a somewhat less experimental progressive onslaught to deal with - it's all about the tunes rather than scowling at the ground.
Lately on stage, there are still variable S25s to confront with every show - mostly pin-sharp, often engaging, occasionally frustrating and rarely deviating from a core base of around fifteen songs. Lead singing lynchpin Larry Cassidy is obviously sadly missed for his bilious growl and charming commandant persona, but for the past few years this generation of Section 25 has carved out a small niche and stayed true to its roots - the family name above the door signifying survival.
Alfresco features some retrofitted versions of New Horizon and Looking For a Hilltop - these might trigger palpitations among the Factory faithful - a few crowd favourites in Wretch (pronounced WWRRREETTCHHHH! by daughter Beth C) and Dirty Disco (written by "my dad") and a string of new and old songs that don't fit anywhere other than at a Section 25 gig out in the open. A Certain Ratio's Simon Topping has, of late, become a fifth member of sorts by lending his alleyway baritone to the 2015 RSD single You Leave Me No Choice and the fizzing rendition of his former band's All Night Party (with drums). He should do this more often.
Some of the sound wavers in places but Hilltop is the highpoint here, a menacing pulsating behemoth of a club track that still ought to be as big as Blue Monday, West End Girls or Voodoo Ray yet still hovers under the radar. By the time you read this, possibly every US rapper will have sampled more S25 tunes in response to a certain Kanye West's borrowing of Always Now focal point, Hit.
Clear or black vinyl, the choice is yours (both in pressings of just 250 copies) - there's a CD included with either, featuring extra tracks.
★★★★★★★★☆☆