Original Sin

The Mekons | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (October 28, 1992)
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Twintone
• ASIN: B0000018VK
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #340,666 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Track Listings

1. Chivalry

2. Trouble Down South

3. Hard To Be Human Again

4. Darkness And Doubt

5. Psycho Cupid

6. Flitcraft

7. Country

8. Abernant 1984/85

9. Last Dance

10. Lost Highway

11. Mr. Confess

12. Beaten And Broken

13. Chop That Child In Half

14. Hey! Susan

15. Garage D'Or

16. Slightly South Of The Border

17. Coal Hole

18. $1,000 Dollar Wedding

19. Rescue Mission

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com

In 1985 a shambling, lovable British postpunk act called the Mekons returned from a lengthy hiatus (most thought they were long gone) to release Fear and Whiskey. Originally issued on the band's own label, Fear and Whiskey brazenly married drunken, anthemic punk rock ("Beaten and Broken"), a DIY ethos ("Garage D'Or"), existentialist humor (practically every song), and country & western music ("Lost Highway," "$1,000 Wedding"). It's one of those rock clichés to say that a record sounds as startling and fresh today as it did when it was released, but this record really sounds as astonishing and novel as ever. The Mekons have always been aces at reenergizing clichéd musical forms (except for their few stabs at reggae in the '80s), and this is likely the only "cowpunk" record you'll need. The retitled CD reissue adds selections from EPs released shortly after Fear and Whiskey; it is the first record to own by this ridiculously brilliant band. --Mike McGonigal

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars How Do You Make a Perfect Record Better?, September 15, 1999

By 

Paul Howe (Maple Shade, NJ United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Original Sin (Audio CD)

An instant classic in 1985 ansd sounding better with each passing year, Fear and Whiskey is improved in this CD reissue by the dynamite EPs which followed it. However, one imperfection: a ludicrous cut called "Mr. Confess" by a different edition of the band than that which appears on all the other cuts. And they dropped a killer of cover of Merle Haggard's "I Can't Hold Myself in Line" for that? Oh, well, call it an imperfect reissue of a perfect album. But buy it!!

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The greatest unknown band in the world, November 17, 1998

By 

Robert Moore (Chicago, IL USA) - See all my reviews
(HALL OF FAME REVIEWER)    (VINE VOICE)    (TOP 100 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Original Sin (Audio CD)

Robert Christgau in the early nineties wrote an aritcle in which he claimed that the Mekons were the greatest band in the world. Not greatest unknown band, just the best. I wouldn't go quite that far, but having seen them around 10 times (I live in their unofficial second hometown, Chicago, where leader Jon Langford now resides--Leeds, England is their official home) and owning nearly all their albums, I can attest that they are an unjustly neglected treasure. ORIGINAL SIN contains the entirety of their classic album FEAR AND WHISKY, as well as a couple of other EPs. It is absolutely essential for any serious rock and roll collection (though that is redundant, since if you have a serious rock and roll collection, you already own this album).

I must add that one of the great tragedies in music at the moment is that their greatest album, ROCK 'N' ROLL is available only as a hard-to-find German import. If my memory serves me correctly, Christgau named this his album of the year when it came out. And this time he was correct.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars For anyone interested how good music can be, December 30, 1998

By A Customer

This review is from: Original Sin (Audio CD)

The album Fear and Whiskey goes down easy. It rolls along etching melodies in your brain that seem like they were a part of you your whole life. The music is filled with melancholy, but is also invigorating like an old southern hymn. This album alone is plenty, but you also get two EP's of added material, which also contains great songs from the high point of the Mekons career. This CD is a treasure.