Cover of Hunting High and LowFirst out the gate is expanded reissues of their first two albums 1984's Hunting High and Low and 1986's Scoundrel Days.
While I always viewed Scoundrel Days with indifference (although I loved singles "Manhattan Skyline" and "I've Been Losing You"), I was always a massive fan of Hunting High and Low. I really enjoyed a lot of the material on there, especially the forgotten single - "Train of Thought" - and some of the other album cuts like "The Blue Sky" and "Dream Myself Alive". It was competently produced and well written pop sung in very accent free English.
The reissue of Hunting takes the album's original 10 tracks and bolts on 31 bonus tracks. This spans the musical gamut of remixes, b-sides, demos, early versions, the works. While there's 5 versions of breakout hit "Take on Me" from original pre-album release to the 1982 demo when it was called "Lesson One", there's also an album's worth of unreleased material.
I have to say, a few of these bonus tracks really start to wear at the sheen of the original album. As with most demo material, the curtain is pulled back a bit on the magic of the final released product as you hear wrong chords, incomplete lyrics and other "not for public consumption" out bursts that really make a demo a demo.
Most of the material on the second disc is pretty forgettable and listening to it make me actually question what it was about the original album that I liked in the first place. Probably not the reaction you want as a band OR a record label putting this stuff out.
However, the remixes for the singles as well as the novelty of the original version of "Take On Me" are always worth a listen as is the demo for "The Blue Sky" (and not just because it's one of my favourite songs on the album).
The band have booked into Royal Albert Hall in October to play the album in its entirety as part of their farewell tour. Here's hoping for everyone's bums' sake they stick to the original album and not the 41 tracks that comprise this release... there may need to be a few intermissions otherwise.
Here's the track listing in full:
DISC 1: ALBUM + BONUS TRACKS
1. “Take On Me”
2. “Train Of Thought”
3. “Hunting High And Low”
4. “The Blue Sky”
5. “Living A Boy’s Adventure Tale”
6. “The Sun Always Shines On T.V.”
7. “And You Tell Me”
8. “Love Is Reason”
9. “I Dream Myself Alive”
10. “Here I Stand And Face The Rain”
Bonus Tracks
11. “Take On Me” (Original 7” Version 1984)
12. “The Sun Always Shines On T.V.” (Extended Mix)
13. “Train Of Thought” (U.S. Mix)
14. “Hunting High And Low” (Extended Remix)
DISC 2: DEMOS, B-SIDES & RARITIES
1. “Take On Me” (Demo)
2. “Train Of Thought” (Demo)*
3. “Hunting High And Low (Demo)*
4. “The Blue Sky” (Demo)
5. “Living A Boy’s Adventure Tale” (Early Version)*
6. “The Sun Always Shines on T.V.” (Demo)*
7. “And You Tell Me” (Demo)
8. “Love Is Reason” (Demo)*
9. “I Dream Myself Alive” (Demo)*
10. “Here I Stand And Face The Rain” (Demo)*
11. “Stop And Make Your Mind Up”
12. “Driftwood”
13. “Dot The I”*
14. “The Love Goodbye”
15. “Nothing To It”*
16. “Go To Sleep”
17. “Monday Mourning”
18. “All The Planes That Come In On The Quiet” *
19. “Never Never”
20. “What’s That You’re Doing To Yourself”*
21. “You Have Grown Thoughtful Again”*
22. “Lesson One” (Autumn 1982 “Take On Me” Demo)*
23. “Presenting Lily Mars”
Here's the Scoundrel Days track listing:
DISC 1: ALBUM + BONUS TRACKS
1. “Scoundrel Days”
2. “The Swing Of Things”
3. “I’ve Been Losing You”
4. “October”
5. “Manhattan Skyline”
6. “Cry Wolf”
7. “We’re Looking For The Whales”
8. “The Weight Of The Wind”
9. “Maybe, Maybe”
10. “Soft Rains Of April”
Bonus Tracks
11. “I’ve Been Losing You” (Extended Version)
12. “Cry Wolf” (Extended Version)
13. “Manhattan Skyline” (Extended Version)
DISC 2: DEMOS, B-SIDES & RARITIES
1. “Scoundrel Days” (Demo)*
2. “The Swing Of Things” (Demo #3)*
3. “I’ve Been Losing You” (Octocon Studio Demo)*
4. “October” (Demo)*
5. “Manhattan Skyline” (Demo)*
6. “Cry Wolf” (Demo)*
7. “We’re Looking For The Whales” (Demo)*
8. “The Weight Of The Wind” (Demo)*
9. “Maybe, Maybe” (Demo)*
10. “Soft Rains Of April” (Guitar Version)*
11. “Scoundrel Days” (Octocon Studio Demo)*
12. “This Alone Is Love” (Original Version)
13. “Days On End” (Demo)
14. “Train of Thought” (Live In Croydon)*
15. “I’ve Been Losing You” (Live In Croydon)*
16. “The Blue Sky” (Live In Croydon)*
17. “Looking for The Whales” (Live In Croydon)
18. “Cry Wolf” (Live In Croydon)*
Tracks marked with * are previously unreleased.
