Echo & The Bunnymen | ||
| Allmusic Biography : Echo & the Bunnymens dark, swirling fusion of gloomy post-punk and Doors-inspired psychedelia brought the group a handful of British hits in the early 80s, while attracting a cult following in the United States. Driven by the majestic voice and outsized persona of singer Ian McCulloch and the frequently brilliant guitar work of Will Sergeant, the band started off as an angular post-punk group on their first album, 1980s Crocodiles, but by the time of 1984s Ocean Rain they had become cinematically baroque. After stripping their sound down to basics for 1987s self-titled album, which produced the deathless hit "Lips Like Sugar," the band ran into problems and experienced tragedy (like the death of drummer Pete de Freitas), but eventually McCulloch and Sergeant cemented a musical bond that cracked but never shattered over the course of two decades of albums -- some introspective gems like 1999s What Are You Going to Do with Your Life?, some like 2014s Meteorites that recaptured their dramatic spark -- and live dates. The Bunnymen grew out of the Crucial Three, a late-70s trio featuring vocalist Ian McCulloch, Pete Wylie, and Julian Cope. Cope and Wylie left the group by the end of 1977, forming the Teardrop Explodes and Wah!, respectively. McCulloch met guitarist Will Sergeant in the summer of 1978 and the pair began recording demos with a drum machine that the duo called "Echo." Adding bassist Les Pattinson, the band made its live debut at the Liverpool club Erics at the end of 1978, calling itself Echo & the Bunnymen. In March of 1979, the group released its first single, "Pictures on My Wall"/"Read It in Books," on the local Zoo record label. The single and their popular live performances led to a contract with Korova. After signing the contract, the group discarded the drum machine, adding drummer Pete de Freitas. Released in the summer of 1980, their debut album, Crocodiles, reached number 17 on the U.K. charts. Shine So Hard, an EP released in the fall, became their first record to crack the U.K. Top 40. With the more ambitious and atmospheric Heaven Up Here (1981), the group began to gain momentum, thanks to positive reviews; it became their first U.K. Top Ten album. Two years later, Porcupine appeared, becoming the bands biggest hit (peaking at number two on the U.K. charts) and launching the Top Ten single "The Cutter." "The Killing Moon" became the groups second Top Ten hit at the beginning of 1984 and the album that followed in May, Ocean Rain, was released to great critical acclaim; peaking at number four in Britain, the record became the Bunnymens first album to chart in the U.S. Top 100. The following year was a quiet one for the band as they released only one new song, "Bring on the Dancing Horses," which was included on the compilation Songs to Learn & Sing. De Freitas left the band at the start of 1986 and was replaced by former Haircut 100 drummer Mark Fox; by September, de Freitas rejoined the group. Echo & the Bunnymen returned with new material in the summer of 1987, releasing the single "The Game" and a self-titled album. Echo & the Bunnymen became their biggest American hit, peaking at number 51; it was a success in England as well, reaching number four. However, the album indicated that the group was in a musical holding pattern. At the end of 1988, McCulloch left the band to pursue a solo career; the rest of the band decided to continue without the singer. Tragedy hit the band in the summer of 1989 when de Freitas was killed in an auto accident. McCulloch released his first solo album, Candleland, in the fall of 1989; it peaked at number 18 in the U.K. and number 159 in the U.S. Echo & the Bunnymen released Reverberation, their first album recorded without McCulloch, in 1990; it failed to make the charts. McCulloch released his second solo album, Mysterio, in 1992. Two years later, McCulloch and Sergeant formed Electrafixion, releasing their first album in 1995. In 1997, the duo re-teamed with Pattinson to re-form Echo & the Bunnymen, issuing the LP Evergreen. Two years later, they returned with What Are You Going to Do with Your Life? The new millennium brought Echo & the Bunnymen back to the basics. The British press touted the bands storybook flair found on 1983s Ocean Rain and figured such spark would be found on their ninth album, Flowers. Issued in spring 2001, it reflected McCullochs dark vocals and Sergeants signature hooks. Live in Liverpool, a concert disc capturing the bands two gigs at the Liverpool Institute for Performing Arts while on tour in support of Flowers, followed a year later. For 2005s Siberia, McCulloch and Sergeant joined producer Hugh Jones for the bands most classic effort since their 1997 comeback. A second proper live album, 2006s Me, Im All Smiles, captured the Bunnymens gig at Shepherds Bush Empire while on tour in support of Siberia. In early 2008, the band announced that they would be releasing their next album, The Fountain, as well as playing a show at Radio City Music Hall to celebrate their 30th anniversary. Late 2010 also brought a short run of equally interesting U.K. shows, when the band played both Crocodiles and Heaven Up Here live in their entirety. For the next few years they continued to remain active on the live circuit, most notably playing as the touring support act for a re-formed James in 2013. They werent strangers to the studio either, working with producer Youth on their 12th album, Meteorites. The record recaptured the majesty and mystery of much earlier Echo albums and was released in 2014 by 429 Records. It was the first album by the band in many years to crack the U.K. Top 40 album chart, peaking at number 37. The band continued to tour and their success caught the attention of BMG, who offered the band a contract. The first fruit of the partnership was 2018s The Stars, the Oceans & the Moon, an album of old classics redone, some with orchestras, some in stripped-down fashion. It also featured two new songs written by McCulloch and Sergeant. | ||
 | Album: 1 of 42 Title: Crocodiles Released: 1980-06-18 Tracks: 10 Duration: 32:54 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Allmusic Wikipedia AlbumCover | 1 Going Up (03:59) 2 Stars Are Stars (02:47) 3 Pride (02:41) 4 Monkeys (02:49) 5 Crocodiles (02:40) 6 Rescue (04:28) 7 Villiers Terrace (02:46) 8 Pictures on My Wall (02:53) 9 All That Jazz (02:48) 10 Happy Death Men (04:57) |
| Crocodiles : Allmusic album Review : Inspired by psychedelia, sure. Bit of Jim Morrison in the vocals? OK, its there. But for all the references and connections that can be drawn (and they can), one listen to Echos brilliant, often harrowing debut album and its clear when a unique, special band presents itself. Beginning with the dramatic, building climb of "Going Up," Crocodiles at once showcases four individual players sure of their own gifts and their ability to bring it all together to make things more than the sum of their parts. Will Sergeant in particular is a revelation -- arguably only Johnny Marr and Vini Reilly were better English guitarists from the 80s, eschewing typical guitar-wank overload showboating in favor of delicacy, shades, and inventive, unexpected melodies. More than many before or since, he plays the electric guitar as just that, electric not acoustic, dedicated to finding out what can be done with it while never using it as an excuse to bend frets. His highlights are legion, whether its the hooky opening chime of "Rescue" or the exchanges of sound and silence in "Happy Death Men." Meanwhile, the Pattinson/De Freitas rhythm section stakes its own claim for greatness, the formers bass driving yet almost seductive, the latters percussion constantly shifting rhythms and styles while never leaving the central beat of the song to die. "Pride" is one standout moment of many, Pattinsons high notes and De Freitas interjections on what sound like chimes or blocks are inspired touches. Then theres McCulloch himself, and while the imagery can be cryptic, the delivery soars, even while his semi-wail conjures up, as on the nervy, edgy picture of addiction "Villiers Terrace," "People rolling round on the carpet/Mixing up the medicine." Brisk, wasting not a note, and burning with barely controlled energy, Crocodiles remains a deserved classic. | ||
 | Album: 2 of 42 Title: Shine So Hard Released: 1981-04-10 Tracks: 4 Duration: 16:48 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% AlbumCover | 1 Crocodiles (05:05) 2 Zimbo (03:29) 3 All That Jazz (02:51) 4 Over the Wall (05:23) |
 | Album: 3 of 42 Title: Heaven Up Here Released: 1981-05-30 Tracks: 11 Duration: 44:07 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Allmusic Wikipedia AlbumCover | 1 Show of Strength (04:50) 2 With a Hip (03:15) 3 Over the Wall (05:59) 4 It Was a Pleasure (03:14) 5 A Promise (04:06) 6 Heaven Up Here (03:44) 7 The Disease (02:27) 8 All My Colours (04:04) 9 No Dark Things (04:27) 10 Turquoise Days (03:51) 11 All I Want (04:05) |
| Heaven Up Here : Allmusic album Review : Following their more psychedelia-based debut, Crocodiles, and subsequent "Puppet" single, Echo & the Bunnymen returned in 1981 with the darkest and perhaps most experimental album of their career. Heaven Up Here lacks the signature hooks and melodies that would make the Bunnymen famous, showcasing instead a dirge-like songwriting approach built around the circular rhythms of bassist Les Pattinson and drummer Pete DeFreitas. In this setting, the band remarkably flourishes, although they would go on to greater heights by scaling back the albums extremism. Heaven Up Heres strength is the way in which the Bunnymen seamlessly work together to shape each songs dynamics (the tension underlying the crescendo of "Turquoise Days" being a prime example). Ian McCulloch, having found his trademark confidence, sings with soaring abandon and passion throughout the album. Similarly, Will Sergeants guitar playing, notably freed from verse-chorus structure and pop riffs, is at its angular finest; his playing on "No Dark Things" is pure Andy Gill-esque skronk. The albums opening troika of "Show of Strength," "With a Hip," and "Over the Wall" (the latter with its jarring, direct invocation of Del Shannons "Runaway") are particularly effective, establishing the theme of distrust and restlessness which continues throughout the album. Indeed, even the albums lone single, "A Promise," is hardly light, pop material. But the message underneath that darkness, especially in McCullochs lyrics, is a call to overcome rather than wallow, as the album ends with the relatively euphoric "All I Want." Sitting comfortably next to the pioneering work of contemporaries like Joy Division/New Order, and early Public Image Ltd. and Cure, this is a rather fine -- and in the end, influential -- example of atmospheric post-punk. Having reached the British Top Ten, Heaven Up Here is highly regarded among Echo & the Bunnymens fans precisely for the reasons which, on the surface, make it one of the least accessible albums in the bands catalog. | ||
 | Album: 4 of 42 Title: Porcupine Released: 1983-02-04 Tracks: 17 Duration: 1:17:56 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Allmusic Wikipedia AlbumCover | 1 The Cutter (03:54) 2 The Back of Love (03:14) 3 My White Devil (04:40) 4 Clay (04:16) 5 Porcupine (05:59) 6 Heads Will Roll (03:33) 7 Ripeness (04:50) 8 Higher Hell (05:02) 9 Gods Will Be Gods (05:26) 10 In Bluer Skies (04:37) 11 Fuel (04:05) 12 The Cutter (alternate) (04:08) 13 My White Devil (alternate) (05:03) 14 Porcupine (alternate) (04:04) 15 Ripeness (alternate) (04:42) 16 Gods Will Be Gods (alternate) (05:31) 17 Never Stop (Discotheque) (04:45) |
| Porcupine : Allmusic album Review : The groups third album is a solid outing, a noticeably better listen than its predecessor, Heaven Up Here. Songs are intriguing and elaborate, often featuring swooping, howling melodic lines. Arrangements here owe a lot to 1960s psychedelia and feature lots of reverb, washed textures, intricate production touches, and altered guitar sounds. Ian McCullochs vocals are yearning, soaring, and hyper-expressive here, almost to the point of being histrionic, most notably on "Clay," "Ripeness," and the title track. Driving bass and drums lend the songs urgency and keep the music from collapsing into self-indulgence. Parallels between the groups U.S. contemporaries such as Translator, Wire Train, and R.E.M. can be drawn, though all seem to have developed aspects of this style at about the same time -- and none utilize it as flamboyantly as the Bunnymen do. Highlights here include "Back of Love" (with its galloping drumbeat and fragmented yet ardent vocal line) and "Gods Will Be Gods" (which gradually speeds up from beginning to end, working itself into a swirling frenzy). This album is well worth hearing. | ||
 | Album: 5 of 42 Title: Echo and The Bunnymen Released: 1984-02 Tracks: 5 Duration: 21:57 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% AlbumCover | 1 Never Stop (04:44) 2 Rescue (04:28) 3 The Cutter (03:53) 4 The Back of Love (03:14) 5 Do It Clean (live) (05:36) |
 | Album: 6 of 42 Title: Ocean Rain Released: 1984-05-04 Tracks: 9 Duration: 37:10 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Wikipedia Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 Silver (03:20) 2 Nocturnal Me (04:57) 3 Crystal Days (02:25) 4 The Yo Yo Man (03:11) 5 Thorn of Crowns (04:52) 6 The Killing Moon (05:46) 7 Seven Seas (03:20) 8 My Kingdom (04:05) 9 Ocean Rain (05:10) |
| Ocean Rain : Allmusic album Review : Channeling the lessons of the experimental Porcupine into more conventional and simple structural parameters, Ocean Rain emerges as Echo & the Bunnymens most beautiful and memorable effort. Ornamenting Ian McCullochs most consistently strong collection of songs to date with subdued guitar textures, sweeping string arrangements, and hauntingly evocative production, the album is dramatic and majestic; "The Killing Moon," Ocean Rains emotional centerpiece, remains the groups unrivalled pinnacle. | ||
 | Album: 7 of 42 Title: Songs to Learn & Sing Released: 1985-11-15 Tracks: 11 Duration: 40:25 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Wikipedia AlbumCover | 1 Rescue (03:46) 2 The Puppet (03:05) 3 Do It Clean (02:47) 4 A Promise (03:41) 5 The Back of Love (03:14) 6 The Cutter (03:54) 7 Never Stop (03:31) 8 The Killing Moon (05:46) 9 Silver (03:20) 10 Seven Seas (03:20) 11 Bring On the Dancing Horses (03:58) |
 | Album: 8 of 42 Title: Echo & The Bunnymen Released: 1987-07-06 Tracks: 11 Duration: 45:52 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 The Game (03:48) 2 Over You (04:02) 3 Bedbugs & Ballyhoo (03:28) 4 All in Your Mind (04:33) 5 Bombers Bay (04:22) 6 Lips Like Sugar (04:52) 7 Lost and Found (03:37) 8 New Direction (04:45) 9 Blue Blue Ocean (05:09) 10 Satellite (03:04) 11 All My Life (04:09) |
| Echo & The Bunnymen : Allmusic album Review : Echo & the Bunnymen caught the group at a fortuitous career juncture; the clutch of songs here were among the hookiest and most memorable the band would ever write, while the arrangements are noticeably clean and punchy, mostly eliminating strings and similar clutter to focus almost exclusively on guitars, keyboards, drums, and occasional percussion touches. The warmly expressive "All My Life," which might perhaps have received an overheated arrangement on prior albums, benefited especially from this approach. The band rocked out convincingly on other selections, such as "Satellite" and "All in Your Mind." Pete DeFreitas solid drumming at times veered toward the danceable on tracks like "Lost and Found," "Lips Like Sugar," and the overtly Doors-influenced "Bedbugs and Ballyhoo." Surprisingly, vocalist Ian MuCulloch appeared to have rediscovered the maxim "less is more"; his singing was comparatively restrained and tasteful, resulting in a more natural, unforced emotiveness that was extremely effective. The production values were excellent, with many subtle touches that do not detract from the albums overall directness. In short, doing it clean really paid off here. | ||
 | Album: 9 of 42 Title: The Peel Sessions Released: 1988 Tracks: 4 Duration: 12:45 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Wikipedia AlbumCover | 1 Read It in Books (02:32) 2 Stars Are Stars (03:07) 3 Bagsy Yours (02:54) 4 Villiers Terrace (04:11) |
 | Album: 10 of 42 Title: New Live and Rare Released: 1988 Tracks: 7 Duration: 40:54 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Wikipedia AlbumCover | 1 People Are Strange (03:38) 2 The Killing Moon (All Night version) (09:11) 3 All You Need Is Love (06:43) 4 Paint It Black (live) (03:15) 5 Run, Run, Run (live) (03:45) 6 Friction (live) (04:41) 7 Do It Clean (live) (09:39) |
 | Album: 11 of 42 Title: Reverberation Released: 1990-12-08 Tracks: 10 Duration: 46:40 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 Gone, Gone, Gone (04:13) 2 Enlighten Me (05:01) 3 Cut & Dried (03:47) 4 King of Your Castle (04:36) 5 Devilment (04:44) 6 Thick Skinned World (04:18) 7 Freaks Dwell (03:51) 8 Senseless (04:55) 9 Flaming Red (05:33) 10 False Goodbyes (05:40) |
| Reverberation : Allmusic album Review : Whats that echo you hear? One of the Bunnymen has decided to sit things out, and its none other than the frontman himself. Reverberation is really an Echo & the Bunnymen album in title only. Ian McCulloch is out to pasture on this one, embarking on a solo career, and in his place is Noel Burke. Somehow, newcomer Burke is a great fit with the remaining Bunnymen, and the result is a true delight, even if it makes little sense in the bands discography. Realistically, Burke sounds nothing like McCulloch, as his vocals are far higher than McCullochs deep croon. Will Sergeant could have easily gone the route that Peter Hook would go years later, when he found a Bernard Sumner sound-alike for New Order offshoot Monaco, so Sergeant is certainly a risk-taker in this sense. When Burke does affect McCullochs tones, he sounds more like Mark Burgess of the Chameleons, and thats an interesting proposition in itself. The Burke and Sergeant team cracks out their own share of would-be classics. "Gone, Gone, Gone" and "Enlighten Me" throb with catchy glee, and "Flaming Red" paints a picture of beautiful, quiet grace. "King of Your Castle" is perhaps the only occasion where Burke overly extends his range and falters, but the songs optimism is still quite winning. Indeed, the album could qualify as Sergeants brightest and most uplifting creation. "Flaming Red," in particular, would have been far darker with Ian McCulloch at the helm, as its music seems a close cousin to "The Killing Moon," but Burkes vocals lighten the mood into one of delicate grace. It should also be noted that original Bunnymen drummer Peter DeFreitas died in a motorcycle accident shortly before Reverberation was recorded, and future Spiritualized and Lupine Howl drummer Damon Reece ably takes his place behind the drum kit. The liner notes dedicate the album to "Pete and all who loved him." Reverberation would have been a great debut had Sergeant and bassist Les Pattinson decided to operate under a different moniker. Who knows if Sergeant thought McCulloch would someday return to the band, but it would have made more sense for these ten songs to have been released under a new band name, because whether one likes or dislikes this album, Echo & the Bunnymen doesnt exist without the distinctive voice of Ian McCulloch, and it seems rather unfair that Burke had to go up against the enigmatic legacy of McCulloch. Though it confuses the Echo & the Bunnymen catalog, Reverberation is an accomplished, charming album that most Echo & the Bunnymen fans will appreciate, if not cherish. Why Noel Burke wasnt able to hop away from his time with the Bunnymen and make his own name is a reverberating mystery of its own. | ||
 | Album: 12 of 42 Title: BBC Radio 1 Live in Concert Released: 1991 Tracks: 14 Duration: 58:46 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Wikipedia AlbumCover | 1 Rescue (04:03) 2 Heaven Up Here (03:42) 3 With a Hip (03:03) 4 Bombers Bay (04:49) 5 All I Want (04:09) 6 The Back of Love (03:20) 7 Crocodiles (04:22) 8 Zimbo (04:13) 9 Seven Seas (03:04) 10 Bedbugs and Ballyhoo (03:18) 11 The Cutter (03:54) 12 Show of Strength (04:39) 13 Lips Like Sugar (05:19) 14 Thorn of Crowns (06:44) |
 | Album: 13 of 42 Title: The Cutter Released: 1993 Tracks: 12 Duration: 45:45 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Allmusic Wikipedia AlbumCover | 1 The Cutter (03:54) 2 Bombers Bay (04:22) 3 Paint It Black (live) (03:13) 4 All You Need Is Love (live) (06:43) 5 Ashes to Ashes (Stars Are Stars) (02:46) 6 All My Life (04:09) 7 A Promise (03:41) 8 Read It in Books (02:32) 9 Crocodiles (02:40) 10 Crystal Days (02:25) 11 Ocean Rain (05:10) 12 My Kingdom (04:05) |
| The Cutter : Allmusic album Review : The Cutter is a strange compilation with cash-in written all over it. The front sleeve reads 12 classic tracks. Its a lie. Yes, some of the songs are among the best recorded by Liverpools finest post-punk band, but the inclusion of two bizarre covers doesnt help the collection reach any sort of classic status. Perhaps WEA Records thought fans would see The Cutter as a best-of collection, which it isnt; maybe they thought those same fans would clamor for the covers of songs by the Rolling Stones and the Beatles. To start with, the album material isnt necessarily the best of. While the songs are a just-decent sample of some of the finer moments from the bands glory days, Songs to Learn and Sing and Ballyhoo are both better introductions. Albums covered include Crocodiles, Heaven Up Here, Porcupine, Ocean Rain, and Echo & the Bunnymen. There are classics here to be sure: "The Cutter," "A Promise," and "Ocean Rain" are all glorious slices. But there are glaring omissions among these classics, including "Lips Like Sugar," "The Killing Moon," "Bring On the Dancing Horses," and "Never Stop." The Cutter might be a nice find in the used CD bin, if one is looking for one particular track and an assortment of other okay songs. The live covers certainly dont justify the album, as they serve merely to break up an otherwise interesting collection. "Paint It Black" sees Ian McCulloch butchering the classic song like a campy vampire; it actually starts out promising, but McCulloch falls apart about a minute and half in. "All You Need Is Love" just sounds stupid, as if the band had only been rehearsing it for a day; theres no passion in the performance. The Cutter would cut cleaner if its cuts included the classics. | ||
 | Album: 14 of 42 Title: Ballyhoo: The Best Of Released: 1997 Tracks: 18 Duration: 1:07:55 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% AlbumCover | 1 Rescue (04:18) 2 Do It Clean (02:45) 3 Villiers Terrace (03:12) 4 All That Jazz (02:48) 5 Over the Wall (05:50) 6 A Promise (03:41) 7 The Disease (02:23) 8 The Back of Love (03:14) 9 The Cutter (03:54) 10 Never Stop (03:33) 11 The Killing Moon (05:46) 12 Silver (03:20) 13 Seven Seas (03:19) 14 Bring On the Dancing Horses (03:58) 15 People Are Strange (03:38) 16 The Game (03:48) 17 Lips Like Sugar (04:52) 18 Bedbugs & Ballyhoo (03:28) |
 | Album: 15 of 42 Title: Evergreen Released: 1997-06-23 Tracks: 12 Duration: 50:39 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Wikipedia Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 Don’t Let It Get You Down (03:53) 2 In My Time (04:00) 3 I Want to Be There (When You Come) (03:39) 4 Evergreen (04:13) 5 I’ll Fly Tonight (04:25) 6 Nothing Lasts Forever (03:56) 7 Baseball Bill (04:04) 8 Altamont (03:53) 9 Just a Touch Away (05:04) 10 Empire State Halo (03:59) 11 Too Young to Kneel (03:40) 12 Forgiven (05:47) |
| Evergreen : Allmusic album Review : The cover alone is a dead giveaway, echoing as it does the cover of Crocodiles, with what looks like a set of trees and a car in place of De Freitas. But that telling and unavoidable absence alone puts the promise and problem of Echos comeback album in perspective -- McCulloch and Sergeant had been working together again and Pattinson returned to the fold, but without De Freitas something remained unavoidably absent. Replacement drummer Michael Lee fills in adequately but not completely, rendering what was a special group something less so. The remaining core three discharge their duties well enough, but the focus is unavoidably on McCulloch this time around, rendering Sergeant and Pattinson to the status of talented backing players and making Evergreen seem like an extension of McCullochs solo career more than anything. While Sergeant in particular shows many flashes of the brilliance of Echos first phase, his work is more conventional here, perhaps the result of his experimental tendencies with his solo project, Glide. As an album Evergreen is closest to Ocean Rain due to the liberal appearance of the London Symphony Orchestra throughout, sometimes with impressive results, though without achieving the total heights of artistry of that earlier collection. Theres nothing quite like "The Killing Moon" or "Ocean Rain" itself this time around. For all that, when Evergreen shines at its best, its still an attractive piece of work. The albums most successful number, the gently epic "Nothing Lasts Forever," gets an extra boost from an uncredited backing singer, Oasis Liam Gallagher, while "I Want to Be There (When You Come)," the title track, and the moody "Just a Touch Away" kick up some smoke. | ||
 | Album: 16 of 42 Title: World Tour E.P. Released: 1998 Tracks: 5 Duration: 20:14 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Wikipedia AlbumCover | 1 Evergreen (04:11) 2 Don’t Let It Get You Down (03:53) 3 Rescue (live at Glastonbury 1997) (04:04) 4 Altamont (live at Glastonbury 1997) (03:39) 5 Forgiven (live acoustic) (04:27) |
 | Album: 17 of 42 Title: What Are You Going to Do With Your Life? Released: 1999 Tracks: 9 Duration: 38:28 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Allmusic Wikipedia AlbumCover | 1 What Are You Going to Do With Your Life? (05:11) 2 Rust (05:09) 3 Get in the Car (04:21) 4 Baby Rain (04:17) 5 History Chimes (03:26) 6 Lost on You (04:50) 7 Morning Sun (04:12) 8 When It All Blows Over (02:55) 9 Fools Like Us (04:04) |
| What Are You Going to Do With Your Life? : Allmusic album Review : Echo & the Bunnymen made a dignified return in 1997 with Evergreen, but that record displayed some hints of rustiness and a desire to stay hip -- two things notably absent from its superb sequel, What Are You Going to Do With Your Life? Trimmed to just the duo of Ian McCulloch and Will Sergeant, Echo has succeeded where many of their peers have failed -- they have matured without getting stodgy, they have deepened their signature sound without appearing self-conscious. Indeed, What Are You Going to Do With Your Life? feels of a piece with their earlier albums, not only sonically, but in terms of quality. Clocking in at just 38 minutes, the record is concise and dense with detail, finding the precise tone between the floating grandeur of early Echo and the timeless romanticism of classic torch songs. Its melancholy without ever being self-pitying and it never once sounds gloomy or depressing. The key is that McCulloch and Sergeant never push too hard. They never force themselves to play up-tempo, nor do they try to recapture their "edge" -- they settle into a sad groove and find all the possible variations in the sound, both sonically and emotionally. The perfect thing is, this is exactly the kind of record a post-punk band should be making as they reach their 20th anniversary -- it speaks to where they are now, and it speaks to their aging fans. | ||
 | Album: 18 of 42 Title: Avalanche Released: 2000 Tracks: 8 Duration: 29:50 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Wikipedia AlbumCover | 1 Hang On to a Dream (02:26) 2 Avalanche (03:27) 3 All My Colours (Zimbo) (04:12) 4 Silver (03:18) 5 Angels and Devils (03:31) 6 It’s All Over Now (03:35) 7 Baseball Bill (Electrafixion version) (04:43) 8 Baseball Bill (Sgt Fuzz remix) (04:34) |
 | Album: 19 of 42 Title: Flowers Released: 2001-05-01 Tracks: 13 Duration: 45:50 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Allmusic Wikipedia AlbumCover | 1 King of Kings (04:26) 2 SuperMellowMan (04:59) 3 Hide & Seek (04:09) 4 Make Me Shine (03:55) 5 It’s Alright (03:34) 6 Buried Alive (03:57) 7 Flowers (04:17) 8 Everybody Knows (04:42) 9 Life Goes On (04:01) 10 An Eternity Turns (04:04) 11 Burn for Me (03:42) 12 Marble Towers (?) 13 Scratch the Past (?) |
| Flowers : Allmusic album Review : Still clinging to the post-punk snarl that made them cult favorites during the 80s, Echo and the Bunnymens Ian McCulloch and Will Sergeant maintain a stunning inventiveness as they enter into the third decade of the band. Theyre older, but an ignited passion remains central. What Are You Going to Do With Your Life? was more or less a lackluster Ian McCulloch effort, but the mediocrity of that album was twisted into a clear beauty for Echos ninth album, Flowers. After contractual battles with London Records, a deal with SpinArt contributed to the redefined structure of the band, and Flowers solidified McCullochs and Sergeants brotherly musical jaunt, reaching a respectable status. McCulloch isnt an angst-ridden punk -- hes aged with class -- and Sergeants typically moody guitar work has mellowed. The alluring rawness of the band is intact, and songs such as "King of Kings" and "Hide & Seek" are playful cuts with reminiscent production work of 1983s musical prize, Ocean Rain. "Its Alright" rolls with layered guitars, and McCulloch experiments vocally for a rough-edged spiral of psychedelics and 60s pop flair. "Everybody Knows" and "An Eternity Turns" get back to basics, circa Crocodiles, and they are the most consistent set of songs on the new album. Ian McCulloch is at his finest with a lyrical clarity that is typically dark, intelligent and swaggering. Sergeants rippling accompaniment is rightfully complimentary to define that Echo and the Bunnymen have stayed in tune to what makes them an effective unit. Flowers doesnt possess the initial fiery power of the bands first four albums, but the underlying concept that brought McCulloch and Sergeant together in 1978 is what matters, and this album holds true to such a bond. | ||
 | Album: 20 of 42 Title: Crystal Days 1979–1999 Released: 2001-07-17 Tracks: 72 Duration: 5:03:06 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Allmusic Wikipedia AlbumCover | 1 Monkeys (03:04) 2 Pictures on My Wall (02:53) 3 Read It in Books (02:59) 4 Villiers Terrace (04:13) 5 Rescue (04:28) 6 Simple Stuff (02:35) 7 Stars Are Stars (02:47) 8 All That Jazz (02:48) 9 Crocodiles (02:40) 10 The Puppet (03:07) 11 Do It Clean (02:45) 12 Show of Strength (04:50) 13 Over the Wall (06:06) 14 A Promise (04:06) 15 Heaven Up Here (03:44) 16 All My Colours (04:04) 17 Broke My Neck (07:17) 18 No Hands (03:11) 19 Fuel (04:05) 20 The Subject (05:09) 1 The Back of Love (03:14) 2 The Cutter (03:54) 3 Way Out and Up We Go (04:03) 4 Clay (04:16) 5 Heads Will Roll (03:33) 6 Gods Will Be Gods (05:26) 7 Never Stop (Discotheque) (04:45) 8 Watch Out Below (02:50) 9 The Killing Moon (09:13) 10 Silver (Tidal Wave) (05:12) 11 Angels and Devils (04:23) 12 Crystal Days (02:25) 13 Seven Seas (03:20) 14 My Kingdom (04:05) 15 Ocean Rain (05:18) 16 All You Need Is Love (06:43) 1 Bring On the Dancing Horses (04:05) 2 Over Your Shoulder (04:07) 3 Lover I Love You (04:20) 4 Satisfaction (04:11) 5 New Direction (04:23) 6 Ship of Fools (04:04) 7 All My Life (04:09) 8 The Game (03:48) 9 Bedbugs & Ballyhoo (03:28) 10 Lips Like Sugar (04:37) 11 People Are Strange (04:32) 12 Rollercoaster (04:05) 13 Don’t Let It Get You Down (03:53) 14 I Want to Be There (When You Come) (03:39) 15 Nothing Lasts Forever (03:56) 16 Hurracaine (04:21) 17 Rust (05:24) 18 What Are You Going to Do With Your Life? (05:11) 1 In the Midnight Hour (03:30) 2 Start Again (03:26) 3 The Original Cutter (A Drop in the Ocean) (04:00) 4 Heads Will Roll (04:25) 5 Bedbugs and Ballyhoo (03:38) 6 Zimbo (04:57) 7 Angels and Devils (03:04) 8 She Cracked (02:54) 9 Its All Over Now, Baby Blue (03:33) 10 Soul Kitchen (03:50) 11 Action Woman (03:21) 12 Paint It Black (live) (03:15) 13 Run, Run, Run (03:59) 14 Friction (04:44) 15 Crocodiles (06:06) 16 Heroin (05:43) 17 Do It Clean (08:18) 18 The Cutter (04:05) |
| Crystal Days 1979–1999 : Allmusic album Review : The answer is a resounding yes -- Echo & the Bunnymens Crystal Days: 1979-1999, a four-disc set boasting a great built-in book with a biography and track-by-track commentary, is worth every penny. Through 71 tracks, it does an excellent job by catering to the longtime fan and merely curious, running through all the hits and selecting standout album tracks, rarities, and unreleased curiosities, all worthwhile. The very fact that compilation producer Andy Zax was driven to put this project into motion after realizing he just had to find a way to get stellar B-sides like the Velvets-meets-Byrds heaven of "Angels and Devils" and the Peel Session version of the experimental "No Hands" into circulation tells you right off that youre in good hands. If this great-sounding box proves anything, its that the Bunnymen dont deserve to be merely regarded as an excellent 80s band; sure, theyve had some bumps along the road, but despite having thrived in a decade known for plasticity and fad crazes, this collection establishes that their legacy exists apart from the negative connotations the "80s band" tag carries. And by carefully selecting songs from their 90s incarnation, they throw a pie in the face of those who believe all reunions are artistic no-nos. The first three discs run chronologically through the bands first 20 years, occasionally throwing surprises into the mix with alternative versions and outtakes. The only gripe one might have is the favoring of the "All Night Version" of "The Killing Moon" over the original, which would be nitpicky. The final disc is chiefly occupied by live covers, including a great set-closing combo of the Velvets "Heroin" and their own "Do It Clean." This is no mere nostalgia kick -- its just solid, ageless rock & roll with attitude and brains. | ||
 | Album: 21 of 42 Title: Live in Liverpool Released: 2002 Tracks: 17 Duration: 1:09:51 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 Rescue (04:24) 2 Lips Like Sugar (04:12) 3 King of Kings (03:52) 4 Never Stop (03:42) 5 Seven Seas (03:01) 6 Buried Alive (03:55) 7 SuperMellowMan (04:00) 8 My Kingdom (03:39) 9 All My Colours (Zimbo) (04:11) 10 All That Jazz (02:58) 11 An Eternity Turns (03:21) 12 Back of Love (03:04) 13 The Killing Moon (04:58) 14 The Cutter (03:51) 15 Over the Wall (06:44) 16 Nothing Lasts Forever (03:52) 17 Ocean Rain (06:00) |
| Live in Liverpool : Allmusic album Review : Ian McCulloch and Will Sergeant shaped Echo & the Bunnymens dreamy post-punk into something timeless. Their 1997 reincarnation sparked new life for the band, and McCulloch and Sergeant have maintained their strong appeal of passionate rock & roll. On a live setting, theyre charming and their first proper live album, Live in Liverpool, proves that. The duo have a weird musical madness together, and theyre comfortable with it. The two night stint captured August 2001 at Paul McCartneys Liverpool of Performing Arts, McCullochs romantic brood and Sergeants riveting guitar work are at its best. Its a merry collection of cult classics ("Seven Seas," "The Killing Moon," "Never Stop") and new material ("SuperMellow Man," "Eternity Turns"), but a homage to the band itself. The psychedelic bombast of "All That Jazz" is slick and savvy. Songs from the Crocodiles album take on that tone, but with a signature lust and a sneaky intensity. "Over the Wall" brings that side of the band to the forefront. In a live setting, its eerie and alluring. "Rescue" and "The Cutter" soar with lush guitar riffs and McCullochs warm vocals illustrate something primitive. "Nothing Lasts Forever," from 1997s Evergreen, is a sweet sign of age, but its also graceful. McCulloch and Sergeant are fond of what Echo & the Bunnymen have become. Two nights churning out fan favorites and band mainstays in their hometown makes it much sweeter. | ||
 | Album: 22 of 42 Title: Seven Seas: The Platinum Collection Released: 2005 Tracks: 15 Duration: 55:41 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 The Back of Love (03:14) 2 Seven Seas (03:20) 3 All That Jazz (02:48) 4 Do It Clean (02:47) 5 Villiers Terrace (02:46) 6 Over the Wall (05:58) 7 A Promise (04:06) 8 Heaven Up Here (03:44) 9 Never Stop (03:32) 10 The Game (03:48) 11 Lips Like Sugar (04:52) 12 Bedbugs & Ballyhoo (03:28) 13 Bring On the Dancing Horses (03:56) 14 Silver (03:20) 15 The Cutter (03:56) |
 | Album: 23 of 42 Title: Siberia Released: 2005-09-19 Tracks: 11 Duration: 51:20 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Allmusic Wikipedia AlbumCover | 1 Stormy Weather (04:24) 2 All Because of You Days (05:44) 3 Parthenon Drive (05:11) 4 In the Margins (05:06) 5 Of a Life (03:43) 6 Make Us Blind (04:00) 7 Everything Kills You (04:17) 8 Siberia (04:56) 9 Sideways Eight (03:16) 10 Scissors in the Sand (05:29) 11 What If We Are? (05:09) |
| Siberia : Allmusic album Review : Since their 1997 comeback, Echo & the Bunnymen have made some genuine attempts to keep the momentum going. Evergreen and What Are You Going to Do with Your Life? were eager, bright, and still a little brash. Flowers was nice with its light canvas; however, most fans still preferred their earlier material. Thats not to say an older Ian McCulloch and Will Sergeant dont make great music together. Its just that the recent material seemed too prosaic. Their sound is so distinctly their own with Sergeants silvery, tight guitar work and McCullochs fashionable, sweet-and-sour kind of vocal charm. Siberia, Echos tenth studio album (including the sans-McCulloch disaster, Reverberation), is the album the two school friends have been trying to make since getting back together to record Evergreen. This 11-song set has every crass beat of Crocodiles and every sparkling thread of Heaven Up Here while the edgy pop moments of the underrated Porcupine are sprinkled throughout. And of course, Ocean Rain will not be forgotten. If anything, Siberia mirrors the passion of that 1984 classic most of all. Sergeants playing has never sounded better, particularly on the playful self-reflections of "Parthenon Drive" and "Of a Life." McCullochs lyrics are exactly on par, and vocally, hes sharper than ever. Call it an age thing, but Siberia makes total sense for where Echo & the Bunnymen stands 20 years on as a band. They couldnt have created this album before now. Songs such as the bittersweet musings of "Stormy Weather" and "All Because of You Days" capture Echo & the Bunnymen at their most confident. Album standout "Scissors in the Sand" finds the bands usual cool and cocky demeanor still intact. Really, Siberia is a beautiful album. All those years ago, Echo & the Bunnymen gave the world some "songs to learn and sing." With Siberia, they do it again. | ||
 | Album: 24 of 42 Title: Breaking the Back of Love Released: 2006 Tracks: 12 Duration: 53:34 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 The Cutter (04:48) 2 The Back of Love (03:29) 3 The Killing Moon (04:48) 4 Never Stop (03:35) 5 Rescue (04:31) 6 Lips Like Sugar (04:53) 7 Stormy Weather (04:17) 8 Nothing Lasts Forever (03:38) 9 Scissors in the Sand (04:13) 10 Bring On the Dancing Horses (04:11) 11 Ocean Rain (06:02) 12 Show of Strength (05:04) |
| Breaking the Back of Love : Allmusic album Review : Yet another in an increasingly virulent stream of albums targeted at the final three hermits who do not yet have a copy of The Killing Moon at hand. Echo & the Bunnymen have been peculiarly overlooked in the pantheon of 80s greats, perhaps a consequence of never being quite as good as they said they were. And this set, taken from a live show at Londons Shepherds Bush Empire during their 2005 Siberia tour, does little to remedy that situation. Always better in the studio than live and in the flesh, the album cobbles together a decent selection of the bands greatest hits, including "The Cutter," "The Killing Moon," "Lips Like Sugar," and "The Back of Love," while adding the newer "Stormy Weather" and "Scissors in the Sand" in case you overlooked the point. And yes, the older songs still stand the test of time, to some degree. The lyrics are suitably sappy, the tone still deliciously downbeat, the memories of the band in their early -80s heyday do still linger. They were a vital part of the British musical tapestry, after all, and both Ian MCCulloch and Will Sergeant continue to prove themselves polished and cultivated showmen. Where the album falls down, however, is in the sheer lack of energy and apparent lack of interest from the band that permeates the set. Go back to the first four albums, pick up any number of compilations. Unless youre a completist, its probably better to leave this one by the wayside. There are far better slabs of Echo & the Bunnymen to sample, both live and in the studio, with which to satisfy those necessary shoegazing cravings. | ||
 | Album: 25 of 42 Title: The Very Best Of: More Songs to Learn and Sing Released: 2006-09-11 Tracks: 20 Duration: 1:16:39 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% AlbumCover | 1 The Cutter (03:53) 2 The Back of Love (03:14) 3 The Killing Moon (05:46) 4 Seven Seas (03:20) 5 Never Stop (03:31) 6 Rescue (04:26) 7 I Want to Be There (When You Come) (03:39) 8 Don’t Let It Get You Down (03:50) 9 A Promise (04:06) 10 Silver (03:19) 11 People Are Strange (03:38) 12 Do It Clean (02:44) 13 The Game (03:51) 14 Rust (04:15) 15 Lips Like Sugar (04:52) 16 Nothing Lasts Forever (03:56) 17 Bring On the Dancing Horses (03:58) 18 Hang On to a Dream (02:24) 19 It’s Alright (03:26) 20 Stormy Weather (04:22) |
 | Album: 26 of 42 Title: Me, I’m All Smiles Released: 2006-10-09 Tracks: 19 Duration: 1:16:49 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Allmusic Wikipedia AlbumCover | 1 Going Up (02:40) 2 With a Hip (03:25) 3 Stormy Weather (04:16) 4 Show of Strength (05:05) 5 Bring On the Dancing Horses (04:11) 6 The Disease (02:08) 7 Scissors in the Sand (04:28) 8 All That Jazz (03:05) 9 The Back of Love (03:29) 10 The Killing Moon (04:44) 11 In the Margins (04:56) 12 Never Stop (03:36) 13 Villiers Terrace (02:44) 14 Of a Life (03:50) 15 Rescue (04:31) 16 The Cutter (04:47) 17 Nothing Lasts Forever (03:48) 18 Lips Like Sugar (04:55) 19 Ocean Rain (06:11) |
| Me, I’m All Smiles : Allmusic album Review : Whereas 2002s Live in Liverpool captured a glorious homecoming show for the band, Me, Im All Smiles ends up being more of a celebration of their nearly 30 years together than a fantastic live album. Touring in support of 2005s Siberia, Ian McCulloch and Will Sergeant are spot-on throughout this 19-song set at Shepherds Bush Empire in London. McCullochs signature swagger is a bit more slinky and lazy with age; his vocals are less dramatic, so live rarities such as "Going Up," "Villiers Terrace," and "With a Hip" come off flirty and fun. Newer tracks such as "Stormy Weather," "Of a Life," and "In the Margins" are equally enjoyable, but its the thunderous delivery of "Scissors in the Sand" that proves the Bunnymen have still got it. However, there are few moments of greatness, despite some skilled playing, especially from Sergeant, who steals the spotlight from McCulloch more than a few times. Nine of the songs included here are also featured -- and done better -- on Live in Liverpool. Purists might disagree, but Me, Im All Smiles isnt a must for most fans collections. | ||
 | Album: 27 of 42 Title: Never Stop: Live in Liverpool Released: 2006-12-11 Tracks: 21 Duration: 1:24:08 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 Rescue (04:24) 2 Lips Like Sugar (04:13) 3 King of Kings (03:52) 4 Never Stop (03:39) 5 Bring on the Dancing Horses (03:45) 6 Seven Seas (03:02) 7 Buried Alive (03:53) 8 My Kingdom (03:37) 9 All That Jazz (02:59) 10 An Eternity Turns (03:22) 11 The Back of Love (03:16) 1 The Killing Moon (05:03) 2 The Cutter (03:49) 3 Altamont (03:20) 4 Flowers (04:27) 5 Villiers Village (03:09) 6 Over the Wall (06:44) 7 Nothing Lasts Forever (03:48) 8 Silver (03:28) 9 Angels and Devils (04:07) 10 Ocean Rain (06:01) |
 | Album: 28 of 42 Title: B-Sides & Live (2001–2005) Released: 2007-12-03 Tracks: 16 Duration: 1:17:29 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% AlbumCover | 1 Marble Towers (bonus track from Japanese version of Flowers) (04:06) 2 Scratch the Past (bonus track from Japanese version of Flowers) (04:09) 3 Rescue (Mindwinder’s remix) (06:33) 4 A Promise (Lo Fi Lullabye #1) (05:16) 5 Supermellow Man (instrumental) (05:35) 6 Ticket to Ride (03:21) 7 What If We Are? (vocal & string version) (05:09) 8 Stormy Weather (instrumental version) (04:31) 9 Make Me Shine (acoustic) (03:12) 10 Nothing Lasts Forever (live acoustic, Brazil) (04:11) 11 In the Margins (instrumental) (05:40) 12 Villiers Terrace (live) (05:29) 13 In the Margins (live at Reading Festival 2005) (04:57) 14 Nothing Lasts Forever (live at Reading Festival 2005) (05:57) 15 Killing Moon (live at Reading Festival 2005) (04:44) 16 Lips Like Sugar (live at Reading Festival 2005) (04:31) |
 | Album: 29 of 42 Title: Killing Moon: The Best of Echo and the Bunnymen Released: 2007-12-03 Tracks: 36 Duration: 2:24:39 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Wikipedia AlbumCover | 1 Pictures on My Wall (02:53) 2 The Puppet (03:05) 3 Do It Clean (02:47) 4 Crocodiles (02:40) 5 Rescue (04:28) 6 All That Jazz (02:48) 7 Villiers Terrace (02:46) 8 Show of Strength (04:50) 9 Over the Wall (05:59) 10 A Promise (04:06) 11 With a Hip (03:18) 12 All My Colours (04:04) 13 The Cutter (03:54) 14 The Back of Love (03:14) 15 Higher Hell (05:02) 16 Gods Will Be Gods (05:26) 17 Never Stop (03:31) 18 Heads Will Roll (03:33) 1 The Killing Moon (05:46) 2 Silver (03:20) 3 Angels and Devils (04:23) 4 Ocean Rain (05:13) 5 My Kingdom (04:05) 6 Seven Seas (03:20) 7 Crystal Days (02:25) 8 Bring On the Dancing Horses (03:58) 9 People Are Strange (03:38) 10 Bedbugs & Ballyhoo (03:28) 11 The Game (03:48) 12 Lost and Found (03:37) 13 Thorn of Crowns (04:52) 14 Lips Like Sugar (04:54) 15 Zimbo (live) (03:56) 16 Do It Clean (live) (06:36) 17 Ocean Rain (05:18) 18 The Killing Moon (live) (03:25) |
 | Album: 30 of 42 Title: The Works Released: 2008 Tracks: 45 Duration: 3:00:16 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 Rescue (03:46) 2 A Promise (04:06) 3 Do It Clean (02:45) 4 Villiers Terrace (02:46) 5 All That Jazz (02:48) 6 Over the Wall (05:51) 7 The Disease (02:21) 8 Going Up (03:59) 9 Happy Death Men (04:57) 10 Pride (02:52) 11 The Puppet (03:01) 12 Show of Strength (04:50) 13 Turqoise Days (03:50) 14 No Dark Things (04:22) 15 With a Hip (03:15) 1 The Killing Moon (05:46) 2 The Cutter (03:54) 3 The Back of Love (03:14) 4 Never Stop (03:32) 5 Silver (03:20) 6 Seven Seas (03:20) 7 Bring On the Dancing Horses (03:58) 8 Clay (04:16) 9 Porcupine (05:59) 10 Ripeness (04:50) 11 Gods Will Be Gods (05:26) 12 My Kingdom (04:05) 13 Crystal Days (02:25) 14 Nocturnal Me (04:57) 15 Thorn of Crowns (04:52) 1 Nothing Lasts Forever (03:56) 2 The Game (03:48) 3 Lips Like Sugar (04:52) 4 Bedbugs & Ballyhoo (03:28) 5 People Are Strange (03:38) 6 Rust (05:10) 7 Don’t Let It Get You Down (03:50) 8 I Want to Be There (When You Come) (03:39) 9 All in Your Mind (04:33) 10 Over You (04:02) 11 All My Life (04:09) 12 What Are You Going to Do With Your Life? (05:11) 13 When It All Blows Over (02:55) 14 Get in the Car (radio edit) (03:06) 15 Baby Rain (04:17) |
| The Works : Allmusic album Review : Works collects 45 songs from the legendary English alternative rock outfit Echo and the Bunnymen over the span of three discs. All of the hits are here, as well as numerous deep album cuts and radio edits, landing this fine collection somewhere in between Rhinos four-disc Crystal Days: 1979-1999 and 2006s expanded version of Very Best of Echo & the Bunnymen: More Songs to Learn and Sing. | ||
 | Album: 31 of 42 Title: Original Album Series Released: 2009 Tracks: 51 Duration: 3:25:33 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 Going Up (03:59) 2 Stars Are Stars (02:47) 3 Pride (02:41) 4 Monkeys (02:49) 5 Crocodiles (02:40) 6 Rescue (04:28) 7 Villiers Terrace (02:46) 8 Pictures on My Wall (02:53) 9 All That Jazz (02:48) 10 Happy Death Men (04:57) 1 Show of Strength (04:50) 2 With a Hip (03:15) 3 Over the Wall (05:59) 4 It Was a Pleasure (03:14) 5 A Promise (04:06) 6 Heaven Up Here (03:44) 7 The Disease (02:27) 8 All My Colours (04:04) 9 No Dark Things (04:27) 10 Turquoise Days (03:51) 11 All I Want (04:05) 1 The Cutter (03:54) 2 The Back of Love (03:14) 3 My White Devil (04:40) 4 Clay (04:16) 5 Porcupine (05:59) 6 Heads Will Roll (03:33) 7 Ripeness (04:50) 8 Higher Hell (05:02) 9 Gods Will Be Gods (05:26) 10 In Bluer Skies (04:32) 1 Silver (03:20) 2 Nocturnal Me (04:57) 3 Crystal Days (02:25) 4 The Yo Yo Man (03:11) 5 Thorn of Crowns (04:52) 6 The Killing Moon (05:46) 7 Seven Seas (03:20) 8 My Kingdom (04:05) 9 Ocean Rain (05:10) 1 The Game (03:48) 2 Over You (04:02) 3 Bedbugs & Ballyhoo (03:28) 4 All in Your Mind (04:33) 5 Bombers Bay (04:22) 6 Lips Like Sugar (04:52) 7 Lost and Found (03:37) 8 New Direction (04:45) 9 Blue Blue Ocean (05:09) 10 Satellite (03:04) 11 All My Life (04:09) |
 | Album: 32 of 42 Title: The Fountain Released: 2009-10-12 Tracks: 10 Duration: 37:08 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Allmusic Wikipedia AlbumCover | 1 Think I Need It Too (03:41) 2 Forgotten Fields (03:46) 3 Do You Know Who I Am? (02:52) 4 Shroud of Turin (04:10) 5 Life of a Thousand Crimes (03:22) 6 The Fountain (04:01) 7 Everlasting Neverendless (03:08) 8 Proxy (03:15) 9 Drivetime (04:11) 10 The Idolness of Gods (04:38) |
| The Fountain : Allmusic album Review : Echo & the Bunnymens latter-day career has become a classic example of the old "live by the sword, die by the sword" adage. If an album like The Fountain was released by a band with no history, or one with an unexceptional track record, it would likely be deemed a promising effort. But the Bunnymen blazed a burning path through the 80s, turning out some of the eras most original, unforgettable sonic statements, a looming legacy that gives them a lot to live up to. The Fountain is the fifth album the band has released since their 90s reunion, and there have been consistently diminishing returns from 1997s Evergreen on out. Theres nothing overtly unpleasant on The Fountain, and its not without its high points, either, like the Jesus & Mary Chain-ish "Proxy" with its sunny 60s pop melodies and churning guitars, the lambent, Richard Hawley-gone-poetic ballad "The Idolness of Gods," or the driving, direct stomp of "Do You Know Who I Am." The trouble is, even these songs seem to have had their edges sanded off -- all the creepiness, grandeur, and left-field eccentricity that made the bands 80s albums classic has been replaced by a play-it-as-it-lays feel that puts the Bunnymen more on a par with the Brit-poppers theyve influenced than anything else. Maybe it would be easier to give The Fountain the benefit of the doubt if it hadnt been preceded by four similar efforts, or if singer Ian McCulloch hadnt spent the bands entire career unabashedly proclaiming their genius and preeminence in the rock world, but thats a lot of "if" to work with. | ||
 | Album: 33 of 42 Title: Live at the Royal Albert Hall Released: 2009-11-10 Tracks: 17 Duration: 1:09:26 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 Going Up (05:14) 2 Villiers Terrace (03:12) 3 All That Jazz (02:47) 4 Heads Will Roll (03:57) 5 Porcupine (04:07) 6 All My Colours (Zimbo) (04:12) 7 Silver (03:20) 8 Simple Stuff (02:38) 9 The Cutter (03:40) 10 The Killing Moon (03:02) 11 Rescue (04:06) 12 Never Stop (04:37) 13 The Back of Love (03:14) 14 No Dark Things (03:35) 15 Heaven Up Here (03:54) 16 Over the Wall (06:51) 17 Crocodiles (07:00) |
 | Album: 34 of 42 Title: Do It Clean Released: 2011-06-13 Tracks: 21 Duration: 1:19:36 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify AlbumCover | 1 Going Up (03:17) 2 Stars Are Stars (02:58) 3 Pride (03:05) 4 Monkeys (03:02) 5 Crocodiles (03:27) 6 Rescue (04:33) 7 Villiers Terrace (04:13) 8 Pictures on My Wall (03:10) 9 All That Jazz (03:08) 10 Happy Death Men (04:13) 11 Show of Strength (05:15) 12 With a Hip (03:29) 13 Over the Wall (06:22) 14 It Was a Pleasure (03:45) 15 A Promise (03:46) 16 Heaven Up Here (03:43) 17 The Disease (02:34) 18 All My Colours (04:54) 19 No Dark Things (04:02) 20 Turquoise Days (03:20) 21 All I Want (03:20) |
 | Album: 35 of 42 Title: Meteorites Released: 2014-05-23 Tracks: 10 Duration: 47:43 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 Meteorites (05:10) 2 Holy Moses (03:43) 3 Constantinople (04:53) 4 Is This a Breakdown? (03:54) 5 Grapes Upon the Vine (03:36) 6 Lovers on the Run (04:47) 7 Burn It Down (03:57) 8 Explosions (04:37) 9 Market Town (07:38) 10 New Horizons (05:26) |
| Meteorites : Allmusic album Review : After they reunited in the mid-90s, Echo & the Bunnymen cranked out album after album of decent-to-good material, spotlighting Ian McCullochs ageless vocals and the bands sure way with a dramatic hook. For 2014s Meteorites, the duo of McCulloch and guitarist Will Sergeant turned to legendary producer Youth to help guide the album, and came up with a record that compares favorably to the best work of their original run in the 80s. Where their previous effort, Fountain, was a big-sounding, very clean modern rock album that reduced the band to its essential core, this one aspires to more epic heights. Teeming with giant string arrangements, widescreen vocal production, and songs that hark back to the glory days of Ocean Rain, the album is a mysterious, murky, impressively nostalgic affair. With Sergeant providing his typically concise and perfectly complementary guitar lines and Mac digging deep to turn in one of his better vocal performances in a while, the duo give Youth a lot to work with and he spins it into some gauzy magic. Tracks like "Lovers on the Run" and "Holy Moses" have a dramatic intensity and sweeping power that their more focused and stripped-back songs of recent years have surely missed. When they go big, it works extremely well, like on the opening title track, a slowly unspooling epic with truly heart-rending string crescendos and some of Macs most broken-sounding singing in a long time, or the huge-sounding "Market Town," which runs seven minutes, features a long Sergeant guitar solo, and doesnt flag at all. Even the simpler, more direct songs, like the quiet ballad "Grapes Upon the Vine," have a big sound, though not so big as to overwhelm the fragile emotions on display. Youth and the group walk the line between grandiose and epic throughout, never falling on the wrong side even once. Between the impressive set of songs, the totally invested performances, and Youths brilliant production, Meteorites ends up as a late-in-the-game triumph for the band and a worthy successor to their finest album, Ocean Rain. It may be too late to really matter, and they may be doomed to be seen as a nostalgia act, but many of the bands in 2014 that are making neo-psychedelic albums would be well served to check with the Bunnymen to see how to go about things the correct way. | ||
 | Album: 36 of 42 Title: Live in London Released: 2014-11 Tracks: 17 Duration: 1:24:55 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify AlbumCover | 1 Meteorites (05:21) 2 Rescue (04:19) 3 Holy Moses (03:21) 4 My Kingdom (04:34) 5 Bedbugs & Ballyhoo (03:45) 6 Seven Seas (03:50) 7 Constantinople (05:10) 8 Never Stop (03:36) 9 New Horizons (05:12) 10 All That Jazz (03:05) 11 Lovers on the Run (03:51) 12 Bring On the Dancing Horses (04:51) 13 The Killing Moon (04:56) 14 The Cutter (04:13) 1 Nothing Lasts Forever / Walk on the Wild Side / In the Midnight Hour (08:28) 2 Lips Like Sugar (09:30) 3 Ocean Rain (06:53) |
 | Album: 37 of 42 Title: Do It Clean: An Anthology 1979–1987 Released: 2015 Tracks: 38 Duration: 2:31:37 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 Pictures on My Wall (02:53) 2 Read It in Books (02:34) 3 Rescue (04:28) 4 Crocodiles (02:40) 5 Pride (02:41) 6 Villiers Terrace (02:46) 7 The Puppet (03:05) 8 Do It Clean (02:43) 9 Show of Strength (04:50) 10 With a Hip (03:15) 11 Over the Wall (05:59) 12 A Promise (04:06) 13 Turquoise Days (03:51) 14 All I Want (04:05) 15 The Cutter (03:54) 16 The Back of Love (03:14) 17 Porcupine (05:59) 18 Heads Will Roll (03:33) 19 Gods Will Be Gods (05:26) 20 Never Stop (Discotheque) (12″ remix) (04:46) 1 Silver (03:20) 2 Crystal Days (02:25) 3 Thorn of Crowns (04:52) 4 The Killing Moon (05:46) 5 Seven Seas (03:20) 6 Ocean Rain (05:10) 7 Bring On the Dancing Horses (03:55) 8 The Game (03:48) 9 Bedbugs and Ballyhoo (single version) (03:26) 10 All in Your Mind (04:33) 11 Lips Like Sugar (single mix) (04:52) 12 New Direction (04:45) 13 Satellite (03:04) 14 People Are Strange (03:37) 15 Never Stop (7″ version) (03:32) 16 Bedbugs and Ballyhoo (club remix) (06:09) 17 Rollercoaster (04:05) 18 The Original Cutter – A Drop in the Ocean (04:00) |
 | Album: 38 of 42 Title: Nothing Lasts Forever Released: 2016 Tracks: 19 Duration: 1:17:04 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 Going Up (02:41) 2 With a Hip (03:26) 3 Stormy Weather (04:17) 4 Show of Strength (05:06) 5 Bring On the Dancing Horses (04:12) 6 The Disease (02:09) 7 Scissors in the Sand (04:29) 8 All That Jazz (03:06) 9 The Back of Love (03:29) 10 The Killing Moon (04:44) 11 In the Margins (04:57) 12 Never Stop (03:37) 13 Villiers Terrace (02:45) 14 Of a Life (03:51) 15 Rescue (04:32) 16 The Cutter (04:48) 17 Nothing Lasts Forever (03:48) 18 Lips Like Sugar (04:56) 19 Ocean Rain (06:11) |
 | Album: 39 of 42 Title: It’s All Live Now Released: 2017-06-06 Tracks: 10 Duration: 00:00 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 She Cracked (live April 1985) (?) 2 It’s All Over Now Baby Blue (live April 1985) (?) 3 Soul Kitchen (live April 1985) (?) 4 Action Woman (live April 1985) (?) 5 Paint It Black (live April 1985) (?) 6 Run, Run, Run (live April 1985) (?) 7 Friction (live April 1985) (?) 8 Crocodiles (live April 1985) (?) 9 Heroin (live July 1983) (?) 10 Do It Clean (live July 1983) (?) |
| It’s All Live Now : Allmusic album Review : Along with being one of the best bands of the 1980s, able to conjure up swirling dark clouds of moody psychedelic music built around Ian McCullochs resonant vocals and songs that sink their hooks deep under the flesh, Echo & the Bunnymen were also a hell of a cover band, especially on a concert stage. Its All Live Now, an album culled from two mid-80s live shows, proves that fact conclusively over the course of eight well-chosen covers the Bunnymen make their own. Seven are taken from a 1985 show in Sweden and find them in fine fighting form as they slash and crash through well-known songs by the Rolling Stones ("Paint It Black"), Television ("Friction"), and the Doors ("Soul Kitchen"), deeper cuts by the Modern Lovers ("She Cracked") and the Velvet Underground ("Run Run Run"), as well as the jangling Dylan classic "Its All Over Now, Baby Blue" and the garage rock nugget "Action Woman" by the Litter. Will Sergeants guitar playing is especially brilliant on these cuts; he sometimes tends to sublimate his skills as a lead player in favor of creating atmosphere within the songs, but here he can really cut loose. Another song from the show, a ripping version of "Crocodiles," is included too. Two more songs are taken from a 1983 show, a slow-burn take on the Velvets "Heroin," which a cheeky Mac introduces as "one of the first songs we ever wrote," and an extended romp through "Do It Clean," which features Mac, in one of his trademark bits of stagecraft, singing snippets of the old chestnut "When I Fall in Love" and James Browns "Sex Machine." All the tracks were included on the 2001 Crystal Days box set, but they sound really good extracted and presented as a live document of a great band operating right close to its peak. | ||
 | Album: 40 of 42 Title: The Killing Moon: The Singles 1980–1990 Released: 2017-07-07 Tracks: 13 Duration: 00:00 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 The Killing Moon (?) 2 The Cutter (?) 3 The Puppet (?) 4 Bring On the Dancing Horses (?) 5 Silver (?) 6 The Back of Love (?) 7 Rescue (?) 8 Enlighten Me (?) 9 People Are Strange (?) 10 Never Stop (?) 11 Over the Wall (?) 12 Seven Seas (?) 13 A Promise (?) |
| The Killing Moon: The Singles 1980–1990 : Allmusic album Review : Liverpools Echo & the Bunnymen famously carved an evocative and moody post-punk path through the 80s. Led by literate, Fraggle-headed baritone Ian McCulloch, the Bunnymen set themselves apart from their similarly kohl-eyed and trenchcoat-wearing contemporaries with a sound that balanced cool goth theatrics with a 60s-style psychedelia and a deliciously grandiose sense for traditionalist pop songcraft. Essentially, they bridged the gap between bands like the Beatles, the Doors, the Cure, and Bauhaus. They also werent afraid of producing a nice hooky tune, as evidenced by the 2017 collection The Killing Moon: The Singles 1980-1990. Buoyed by McCullochs burnished, somewhat cheeky croon and lyrics rife with wit and poetic irony, the Bunnymen landed a handful of memorable hits over their initial ten-year run. Here we get cuts like the orchestral-steeped "The Killing Moon" and sparkling "Silver," both off the groups 1984 landmark Ocean Rain. Similarly compelling are early numbers like the driving "The Cutter" and "Over Wall." These are nervy, kinetically delivered productions showcasing guitarist Will Sergeants warmly acidic lead style and late drummer Pete de Freitas edgy, jazz-informed sound. Elsewhere, we get the bands magisterial flagship "Bring on the Dancing Horses," and an anthemic, Scott Walker-esque "Seven Seas." We also get an inspired cover of the Doors "People Are Strange" featuring organist Ray Manzarek off The Lost Boys soundtrack. Sadly, most likely due to rights issues (or perhaps the fact that the band wasnt happy with the production?), this anthology eschews everything off 1987s self-titled effort, including, most egregiously, "Lips Like Sugar." On the other hand, it does include "Enlighten Me" from 1990s post-McCulloch album, Reverberation, recorded after the singer left the band to be replaced by ex-St. Vitus Dance frontman Noel Burke. For what its worth, fans largely ignored that album, too, and McCulloch eventually returned. Despite some omissions, The Killing Moon: The Singles 1980-1990 works as a useful single-disc summation of the Bunnymens career including 1980s Crocodiles and 1984s Ocean Rain, the latter of which many consider to be the bands grand opus. | ||
 | Album: 41 of 42 Title: Greatest Hits Live in London Released: 2017-09-29 Tracks: 11 Duration: 46:03 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% AlbumCover | 1 With a Hip (Live) (03:25) 2 Bring On the Dancing Horses (Live) (04:11) 3 All That Jazz (Live) (03:05) 4 The Killing Moon (Live) (04:44) 5 Never Stop (Live) (03:36) 6 Villiers Terrace (Live) (02:44) 7 Rescue (Live) (04:31) 8 The_Cutter (Live) (04:47) 9 Nothing Lasts Forever (Live) (03:48) 10 Lips Like Sugar (Live) (04:55) 11 Ocean Rain (Live) (06:11) |
 | Album: 42 of 42 Title: The Stars, the Oceans & the Moon Released: 2018-10-05 Tracks: 15 Duration: 1:03:52 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 Bring On the Dancing Horses (transformed) (04:01) 2 The Somnambulist (03:23) 3 Nothing Lasts Forever (transformed) (04:09) 4 Lips Like Sugar (transformed) (04:26) 5 Rescue (transformed) (04:16) 6 Rust (transformed) (05:02) 7 Angels & Devils (transformed) (03:39) 8 Bedbugs & Ballyhoo (transformed) (03:24) 9 Zimbo (transformed) (04:33) 10 Stars Are Stars (transformed) (03:30) 11 Seven Seas (transformed) (03:42) 12 Ocean Rain (transformed) (05:40) 13 The Cutter (transformed) (04:22) 14 How Far? (04:39) 15 The Killing Moon (transformed) (04:58) |