The Nightingales – In The Good Old Country Way (2 x Vinyl)

Description

The Nightingales‘ last original full-length for two decades stands as the final masterpiece postpunk album released before the C86 era.

Back on vinyl for the first time in over 3 decades, the reissue is updated to include the whole of the 1985’s 7″ single “It’s A Cracker” and “What A Carry On” 12″ EP, plus a clutch of rare tracks never before released on vinyl and a bit of history from Robert Lloyd.

“Lloyd’s cracked it. A fucking good album.” Mark E. Smith, The Fall

The Nightingales’ last original full-length for two decades stands as the final masterpiece postpunk album released before the C86 era. Back on vinyl for the first time in over 3 decades, the reissue is updated to include the whole of the 1985’s 7″ single “It’s A Cracker” and “What A Carry On” 12″ EP, plus a clutch of rare tracks never before released on vinyl and a bit of history from Robert Lloyd.

Despondently anti-Thatcher and with an air of hopelessness, In The Good Old Country Way has the sense that time was allowed for experimentation and reflection during its creation. Expectations were high as The Nightingales released their sole Vindaloo album and possibly the most underrated album of the postpunk era.

The opening number is heavy on the hoedown, not unlike records their pals The Mekons would release around the same time – a rootsy underlayment to songs of wit, energy and observation, adaptable both to lengthy groove-based observation and high-octane rants alike. Maria Smith’s violin weaves in and out of songs, while the rhythm section of Pete Jenner (bass) and Ron Collins (drums) hold what might have been a disjointed mess, but it’s multi-instrumentalist / arranger Pete Byrchmore who shares the spotlight with Lloyd.

“It’s A Cracker” stuns, not stylistically dissimilar to their recent records for the first ninety seconds, though featuring a bridge hinting at new developments in their sound which could be heard on the next Nightingales release, ‘What A Carry On’. A sublime record, it features the powerful title track in two version, one of the band’s best songs, “Comfort And Joy”, and the tenderly alienating “First My Job”.

TRACKLIST

A1 The Headache Collector
A2 Down In The Dumps
A3 Leave It Out
A4 Comfort And Joy
A5 Coincidence

B1 I Spit In Your Gravy
B2 Square Circle
B3 Part Time Moral England
B4 How To Age
B5 No Can Do

C1 It’s A Cracker
C2 Here We Go Now
C3 What A Carry On
C4 Carry On Carrying On
C5 Comfort And Joy (ep version)

D1 First My Job
D2 Let’s Surf
D3 Crafty Fag (live)
D4 Down In The Dumps (version 2)
D5 At The End Of The Day