Early (Bonus CD) [Import]

Certain Ratio | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (June 11, 2002)
• Number of Discs: 2
• Format: Import
• Label: Soul Jazz
• ASIN: B0000631RR
• In-Print Editions: Vinyl
• Average Customer Review: 3.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #213,388 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Track Listings

Disc: 1

1. Do the Du

2. Flight

3. Waterline

4. Shack Up

5. The Fox

6. Blown Away

7. Gum

8. Life's a Scream

9. Skipscada

10. Knife Slits Water

See all 13 tracks on this disc

Disc: 2

1. All Night Party

2. Faceless

3. Do the Du [John Peel Session]

4. All Night Party [John Peel Session]

5. Flight [John Peel Session]

6. Choir [John Peel Session]

7. Skipscada [John Peel Session]

8. Felch [Original NYC Mix]

9. Abracadubra

10. Tumba Rumba

See all 12 tracks on this disc

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A Fine Introduction To Their Best Work, August 5, 2003

By 

Thomas Horan (Chapel Hill, NC) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Early (Bonus CD) (Audio CD)

It's a shame that this two-disc set is all the ACR that remains in print. Between 1978 and 1982 they recorded three unique and intriguing albums (The Graveyard and The Ballroom, To Each, and Sextet) plus a slew of fantastic singles all under the direction of vocalist Simon Topping. Topping was often unjustly maligned for sounding too much like Ian Curtis. Yet his departure brought the magic to an abrupt end, and ACR lingered on for years playing increasingly tame, insipid dance music to ever diminishing audiences.

Fortunately, this collection is largely culled from their Topping era stuff, which could best be described as a wonderfully weird amalgamation of funk, salsa, electro, krautrock, and African percussion. ACR daringly emphasized rhythm over melody with brilliantly original results.

Despite its length, "Early" isn't as cohesive or interesting as the shorter and rarer Factory compilation "The Old and The New," which covers the same time period. But there's plenty here to whet your appetite.

Since most longtime fans will already have all of the songs from disc one on CD or vinyl, it's a pity disc two isn't available separately. It's a short but fascinating collection of live broadcasts recorded for John Peel's legendary radio show with a few b-sides tacked on at the end.

Fans of Liquid Liquid, Bush Tetras, ESG, and Talking Heads will really like this.

15 of 17 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars History changes everything . . ., June 17, 2002

By 

aliled "aliled" (Austin, TX, United States) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: Early (Bonus CD) (Audio CD)

Reading the (actually quite excellent) liner notes, you'd think that A Certain Ratio were on the leading lights in postpunk England, rather than the minor figures they actually were. That said, their music has dated pretty well, and their instincts about funk, dance, dub and cross-Atlantic musical hybridization were right on the money. This is a pretty generous package - 13 'hits' on one CD, and 11 obscurities on another, as well as a short film. Sound, presentation, track selection and appropriate liner note contextualization add up to a nifty set - you definitely don't need any more ACR than this, but you sort of do need at least this. If you're on the edge, Soul Jazz (same label that released this) also has a package called "In The Beginning There Was Rhythm" that features two of the tracks contained herein, as well as fine sounds from This Heat, the Slits and others...

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars All respect due, August 27, 2004

By 

P. Dunkley (MK, UK) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Early (Bonus CD) (Audio CD)

Factory Records are the only label where I bought anything they produced without listening first - at least for the first few releases. A Certain Ratio were for me their star band, much though I loved Joy Division. This compilation is worth buying for their version of Shack Up. Or for Flight. Or - especially - for Knife Slits Water. I don't think there has ever been such a dangerous, compelling slice of raw funk/punk as Knife Slits Water. They became a bit more funk mainstream as they went on, but the quality was always there. A great band. Where the hell is Simon Topping now???