Boxset

The Bolshoi’s relatively short career seemed filled with constant change. The recordings in this box set will appeal to all fans in one way or another, though I doubt will be a wholly satisfying experience for anyone, mainly because the band The Bolshoi were upon their first release was very different to the band you hear on the previously unreleased final album, Country Life. This collection is a completely remastered set of almost all of their recordings, with the most obvious things missing being never-on-CD 12” mixes of what may be their most famous song, ‘A Way’ and the re-released ‘A Way II’. Also absent are many single edits, though most of those can be had on a previously released compilation CD, as well as the original mix of the Giants EP, most versions of which have never been on CD.The remastering has been done by Andy Pearce, who usually does very well at maintaining a good balance between loudness while retaining a good portion of dynamic range. The albums are presented in mini LP replica sleeves with nothing fancy. A tri-fold insert is included with some liner notes, though sadly not by Tanner, and includes basic track information. I would have loved to see lyrics included, but since they weren’t part of any of the original releases, I guess I can’t complain.The Bolshoi’s 1985 debut mini LP, Giants, was a striking gothic masterpiece. The music is very dark and sinister, despite that it’s sometimes catchy. The classic single ‘Happy Boy’ is about a murderous child delivered with Trevor Tanner’s sarcastic wit and a darkly catchy chorus. ‘Fly’ and ‘Sliding Seagulls’ are both highlights, as well as the chaotic and riotous ‘Hail Mary’. But the pinnacle for me is the frightening ‘By the River’. The song is a perfect blend of echo effects, menacing vocals and music that create a tremendously eerie soundscape that is beyond creepy. It gives me chills and I’ve always felt this song could be translated into a fascinating horror movie with this song playing throughout. It should be noted that the versions included in this set are the remixed versions that appeared on the Bigger Giants compilation, as well as on the U.S. edition of the mini LP.The plethora of bonus material on the Giants CD includes another of my absolute favorites with another bit of insanity in form of the aggressive ‘Sob Story’, as well as that single’s B sides. A true bonus comes in the form of the hook-filled outtake ‘Billy’s New Boots’. The CD closes out with early takes of what would eventually become some of their signature singles, ‘A Way’, ‘Sunday Morning’ and ‘Books on the Bonfire’. The remastering is strong and definitely sounds better than the previous CD release, though is a little louder on a few tracks than I would prefer.For this package, the decision was made to use the U.S. EP cover, which is a more traditional band photo instead of the multi-colored and obscured walrus cover of the UK edition, though that is pictured on the disc itself. The track listing on the back of the CD is also the rearranged U.S. running order but the tracks still run in the original UK order. Also, the single version of ‘Happy Boy’ has been replaced with the longer 12” single version, which is the way it was on the original UK 6 track version. Correct track listings are only on the back of the clamshell box.The band’s first full length album, F(r)iends, was released in 1986 and displayed a more cheerful band, though still with an underlying defiance. Despite the change, it does work to good effect. ‘A Way’ is more radio friendly with a catchy guitar riff and slightly pop feel. ‘Modern Man’ is their first super-catchy head-bopping song, and it’s lots of fun. ‘Someone’s Daughter’ is another poppy song that was prepared for a single, though never released. ‘Sunday Morning’ is more akin to The Bolshoi I loved on Giants. Darkly catchy with a potentially controversial anti-religion sentiment. Now that’s my kind of subject matter. ‘Looking for a Life’ is the only real aggressive song, though still shiny and catchy. ‘Romeo in Clover (Call Girls)’ has a great hook, though could have benefited from being edited down a little. ‘Books on the Bonfire’ has a sort of schizo-waltz tempo with some interesting guitar work.The bonus material is pretty good. ‘Razzle Dazzle’ is a very dark and moody piece, and one of my favorites. This was originally the B side of the ‘A Way’ single. Unfortunately, this remastered track does not sound so hot. My vinyl is clean and clear, the CD transfer shows excessive tape hiss and overdone high end. It may just be due to a master tape that’s been in storage for the past 30 years not being fully revived to its former glory. The album tracks are a definite improvement on the previous CD releases. The unreleased ‘Toys Xmas Party’ is more of a novelty and seems to be clearly influenced by The Stranglers’ well known B side story about Vladimir, at least in structure.The third release, Lindy’s Party, is starting to show a band running a little lower on ideas, and even moving a little towards the dance floor, but still with some of their eccentricities. ‘Auntie Jean’ is a pleasant album opener, though not particularly stunning or original. Definitely more dance oriented. Adding further to that is the single ‘Please’. Of the various versions of this song, the album version is my favorite. It’s got a very thunderous sound that is tempered on the single release. ‘Crack in Smile’ is where things get really boring for me. Things pick up again with the listener friendly ‘Swings and Roundabouts’. ‘She Don’t Know’ is a bit bland and repetitious. The single ‘TV Man’ has a more pleasantly familiar Bolshoi feel. The album drops off again until the sinister circus that is ‘Barrowlands’. The album highlight is a title track ‘Lindy’s Party’. This longer song starts very soft and quiet but gradually builds to and enthusiastic climax. A great way to end a so-so album. The remastering on this CD is very strong and far surpasses previous editions.But then The Bolshoi were gone, though news of a shelved fourth release, titled Country Life, circled for years. Was this myth or truth? Well, maybe a little of both. I was always under the impression that Country Life was a fully mixed master tape that just didn’t get sent to production, but what comprises the unreleased album, now represented for the first time in this box set, is a collection primarily of demos from various sources, including master tapes and cassette tapes, complete with heavy tape hiss and the occasional fluctuation and drop out. But at least the mystery is finally solved.Although, for this listener the revelation is a bit anti-climactic. Country Life shows that the band who started as a powerful and original Gothic force continued their trend towards the bland. I’m sorry to say that out of over 20 tracks from what could have been the official Country Life album back in the late 80s, I only found 7 tracks worthwhile. Two tracks are great but the others are just good.‘World in Action’ is a great, though misleading way to open the album. It’s a drum heavy, hook filled classic. ‘Country Life’ is a pleasant enough song, though the keyboards definitely give it a dated sound, though I do like it. ‘Too Late’ sounds like a Lindy’s Party outtake, and it’s the other track that really stood out as one of the best. I also don’t mind ‘Delores Jones’, ‘Madame Hecate’, ‘Singing the Blues’ and ‘Rockin’ Bird’, but other than that I found the rest of the tracks devoid of any sort of hook. There was a lot of bland meandering that gives the impression that maybe the band called it a day for a reason.I’m very happy that Beggars Banquet finally decided to pillage the vaults to bring us what will likely be most comprehensive representation of The Bolshoi material ever to be released. Despite what era of the band that any fan enjoys the most, you will find plenty to enjoy with the wealth of material represented here. Well done.

OK, if you are reading this you probably already know about the stuff that has been out there for years. Suffice to say it's all here and has been remastered with a deft hand. What I want to review here is the "lost" fourth album, Country Life, because it is easily good enough to justify the purchase of this boxed set.A bit of background. The first thing I heard from The Bolshoi was Sob Story and it remains one of my all-time favourite songs. I loved Giants, I thought F(r)iends was OK but I found Lindy's Party to be a big disappointment. A few years ago I bought a few of Trevor Tanner's solo albums and found a lot of music on them that I really like. There was a lot of other stuff that was OK, too.Country Life seems to me to bridge a gap between The Bolshoi and Tanner's later solo albums and it does it brilliantly. Having read about it, I was worried it would sound more like a collection of out-takes and demos but it hangs together very, very well. Some songs are better than other but even the lesser material is good.It starts with World in Action, a straightforward rocker that get proceedings off to a good start. The songs that follow are all solid and sound just like The Bolshoi should sound. Highlights for me are the title track, What's Your Favourite Colour, Too Late and Out There in the Distance. The tone is a little darker than F(r)iends or Lindy's Party but I like that. What bridges the gap to Tanner's solo work is his sense of humour, which runs right through has later work and is regularly on display here. Yee Hee, for example, takes its name from a high-pitched backing vocal. The first time I listened to the song, I laughed out loud when I heard it. It' snot very Goth, I know, and all the better for it.The production is better than I expected, it all sounds very good, like an album that was made and shelved before manufacture. It isn't that, there are a few times when you can here a bit of tape hiss but it is never intrusive. That same production standard mostly carries through to the fifth disc, full of actual out-takes and demos, although the quality of those original recordings is clearly much lower and things like tape hiss do become intrusive here and there.Overall, this is probably the best Box Set I have ever seen. You get three hard to get original albums with more bonus tracks than ever, a brilliant previously unreleased album and a CD full of previously unheard material. Buying this is an absolute no-brainer for anyone with even a passing interest in 1980s post-punk/proto-goth because it really doesn't get much better than The Bolshoi and this is as good as The Bolshoi get.

The Bolshoi were a staple for me when I was growing up. I was please to have seen them live on a number of occasions and always found the music took me to a better place. I already had the back catalogue, but the extra material (especially the live songs) has brought back lots of good memories.As for Country Life - when can I move.I do not want to stop playing this album. The lyrics, the hooks, the melodies. This is a must for anyone who had a passing knowledge of the Bolshoi. It is just a pity that it is unlikely that this will ever make it to mass market recognition.

Well - If you have to wait 28 years for the lost album and it turns out to be this fantastic, then I guess it is worth it.If you liked the other stuff you will deffo love this.

Until this arrived, I had almost forgotten how good those three albums were.The additional tracks and two new albums worth of material(!) make this an absolute bargain. Friends is still flawless.

Fantastic steal of a 5 CD boxset of pretty much EVERYTHING the band has done. Nicely presented and good sound quality. Very happy!

classic !i miss the booklets.

Wonderful remasters of these albums and the lost album they never released.