Echo & the Bunnymen: Songs to Learn & Sing (black & yellow vinyl) [WARNER]

Why you'll love it

This Korova reissue comes on black & yellow vinyl, pressed in Germany. Songs to Learn & Sing reached No. 6 in the UK and went gold, and it debuted the new song "Bring On The Dancing Horses," made for the film Pretty in Pink.

This edition

• Black & yellow vinyl
• Pressed in Germany
• Stereo mix

About the album

By 1985 Echo & the Bunnymen had four albums and a run of hit singles behind them. Songs to Learn & Sing gathers the singles in chronological order, so you hear Ian McCulloch, Will Sergeant, Les Pattinson and Pete de Freitas grow from wiry post-punks into widescreen romantics.

"Rescue" and "Do It Clean" come from Crocodiles, "The Puppet" was a stand-alone single produced with the Chameleons, and "A Promise" is from Heaven Up Here. Porcupine supplies "The Back Of Love" and "The Cutter," with its swooping eastern strings, while "Never Stop" was another stand-alone single. Then come the Ocean Rain trio, the sweeping "The Killing Moon," plus "Silver" and "Seven Seas," before the Laurie Latham-produced "Bring On The Dancing Horses" closes the set. Ian Broudie and Hugh Jones handle much of the rest, and Anton Corbijn took the photos.

AllMusic gave it four and a half stars, and in 1993 it made a list of 45 classic British indie guitar rock albums. It remains the easiest way into the band's golden years. Eleven songs, and a cover that makes everybody look like they've just heard some troubling news about the weather.

Also at Kops: more Echo & the Bunnymen on vinyl · browse Alternative

Tracklist

Listen

On Korova / Warner (cat# KODE 13), a reissue of the 1985 compilation.