Colossal Youth [EXTRA TRACKS]

Young Marble Giants

Product Details

• Audio CD (September 11, 2007)
• Original Release Date: June 4, 2007
• Number of Discs: 3
• Format: Extra tracks
• Label: Domino
• ASIN: B000UGG3OQ
• Also Available in: Vinyl  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.9 out of 5 stars See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #65,837 in Music (See Bestsellers in Music)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description
Young Marble Giants appeared on the British music scene in the early 80s, releasing one perfect album and a handful of tracks. All those songs, as well as album demos, are collected here for the first time. A must-have for fans of The Slits, Pere Ubu, Wire, Suicide, PiL, and the Pop Group. Since 1980, YMG have influenced countless bands as disparate as Belle & Sebastian and Hole (both of whom have covered the group's songs). This deluxe 3xCD package is the definitive collection and includes liner notes from Simon Reynolds, a bonus disc of an unreleased John Peel Session, and a 32-page booklet of unpublished photos, old gig posters, and other publicity memorabilia.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Definitive Version of the Essential Post-Punk Classic., September 19, 2007

By	William J. Walker "Billyjay" (England) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

I have to admit I was completely unfamiliar with this band prior to this reissue and came to it via a recommendation. This is an excellent presentation of the music, as, rather than squeezing all the material on to two CDs as you might expect, we get: Disc 1, the immaculate album: Disc 3, the immaculate Peel session tracks: Disc 2 the variable quality other releases and demos, some essential, some not.

I decided to play Disc 3(Peel session) first as I figured it might be the most likely 'first point of contact' at the time of the original release. By the time its five 'short' tracks had finished I was hooked. The album(disc 1) is even better and is a 'proper' album i.e., good as the tracks are in their own right they are so much more when heard together.

The thing I find the most striking about the music is its deceptive simplicity, the driving force behind the music is the interaction between the Moxham brother's guitar and base, yet even the songs that rely solely on these instruments never feel lacking for it, in fact the spaces between the notes appear to have been chosen with as much care as the notes themselves.
The vocals and synth sounds aren't quite as strikingly unique(which is no criticism)since they have been so widely adopted by others since, but mesh perfectly with the sinuous rhythms to superb effect.

A lot of so-called influential/revolutionary music can seem primitive or to have dated but this really does sound as if it could have been released last week and would still trounce the opposition.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars This is what reissues are all about, January 28, 2008

By	Chris bct "music everyday" (San Diego, CA USA) - See all my reviews

First off, who is aware of YMG? Definitely an under the radar band even in punk rock. When their album came out in 1980 punx I knew were all into it. It wasn't punk. Still isn't. Yet it somehow is part of modern new rock, post rock, punk rock. Not new wave. It's so minimalist. There's a peace to listening to it. I bought the album and the 7" vinyl record and I think there was a 2nd 7" and some compilation album trax. Plus I got to hear the live in studio BBC Peel Session trax. They toured the U.S. once in 80 or 81. Didn't hear about it back then or I'd a gone. With the demos here and all the packaging it's clear that the folks who made this package did it lovingly. They're like a delicate butterfly musically. This package is a must have for those who are into punk, indie, post punk and so forth. There is simply no band out there like them, not even close. There's nothin' artificial about them. It's a delicate sound without being false. Another great reason to shop on [...]. They allow me to continue my habit from the early 70's on of shopping at used record stores. [...] is the Internet equivilent of that. Thanks.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Nostalgia, September 28, 2008

By	Donald J. Harman "sound and vision" (New Zealand) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

I loved the Collosal Youth album back in the early 80's and to now have this collection is vital. A classic album the music haunts my memories past and present. If music were this beautiful then lot's of the over produced stuff today would be better off. Raw and ripe this music bites and allows you to join the taste.