The Blue Nile: C or D?

yes

also what a great set of records she picked

That's a great read. She says lovely things about Sulk by Associates too. She has excellent taste.

I think I was the only person on ILX who fell head over heels for the first Pure Bathing Culture lp. The second one was not much cop, but now they have decided to cover the whole of Hats! Not sure I want to hear Ben Gibbard singing, but the rest of the album might be good.

https://www.stereogum.com/2000973/pure-bathing-culture-ben-gibbard-saturday-night-the-blue-nile-cover/premiere/

ben gibbard also did a bandwagonesque cover album.

ben gibbard, leave my treasured glasgow/lanarkshire music alone you vandal

By the way: one of the things that justifies file-sharing for all time is that I was finally able to get hold of a copy of their first (?) ever song 'I love this life'. And it's turned out to be my favourite song of theirs.
― Jerry the Nipper (Jerrynipper), Tuesday, March 25, 2003 10:45 AM (fifteen years ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

Fifteen years later I just heard this for the first time and think I agree: it has a vibrancy to it that they never again showed much interest in conveying. Even the Joe Jackson synth bass is excellent.

it's so good

xmas eve so you can listen to family life

Tomorrow will be Christmas
We'll be singing old songs
And light up the tree
God and all the mercy
And say all your prayers
For little old me

a truly soul-crushing song

I really love this one too

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t1MN94bark4

first (?) ever song 'I love this life'. And it's turned out to be my favourite song of theirs.

I honestly don't know if I can think of a single artist/band whose first single (a-side and b-side taken together) is more perfectly fully realized, and totally sui generis. I've never heard pure joy captured more wonderfully and without any mawkishness in music than with "I Love This Life," and the world-weary wisdom and old-soul sadness of "The Second Act" is so moving (and rather shocking coming from a 25-year-old). And to think--they got *better* for the next decade, seems impossible.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vkUl0oeYNLY

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LOw8SS00Pis

*sigh*

always so nice to be reminded how amazing the blue nile is after having forgotten for a month or two.

Wow. Maybe this made the rounds in 2016 and I missed it, but Paul Buchanan does a goosebumps-inducing take on Bowie's "I Can't Give Everything Away" with an orchestral arrangement that's very unusual and well executed. At 58:33:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DRL3QBMBEJ0

(Also does "Ashes to Ashes" earlier)

I adore his solo album and have not heard anything about whether there will be another one. I certainly hope so

i’ve heard a lot about whether there will be another one

almost as much as i’ve heard about whether there’ll be a new scritti politti record lol

xpost i posted about that proms at the time, buchanan's performances are by miles and miles the highlight, completely amazing

i need to try to figure out how to isolate those bits from the one long track I downloaded

A friend of mine took the 2nd half of Rags to Riches and made a balearic / downtempo re-edit.

https://soundcloud.com/marshall_watson/blue-nile-rags-to-riches-marshall-watson-edit

https://thebluenilereissues.com/

1000 copies doesn’t seem like very many? Hats on vinyl is pretty in-demand on Discogs.

They might have a few left over copies of the third one though.

Prohibitively expensive to ship to the states, unfortunately, or else I'd be all over these

Cheaper through Amazon.uk.

Paul, I ordered all three of them on Amazon.co.uk to America. It came to £56.37 in total. I don't like ordering from them in general, but it seemed like the cheapest way and I really didn't want to miss out.

Thanks! That's definitely more reasonable. I'm gonna order 'em (or at least Hats and Rooftops)

this always seems to happen when i'm broke

Amazon.co.uk shows £22.99 for each of the three discs, which'd be £68.97 plus S&H to the U.S. Was there a side deal that dropped it to £56.37?

Looks like they've increased in price slightly since last night. I got them at £20.53 each. I'm not sure how it works exactly but shipping is included in that price. I just put them all in my cart again and the final total is now showing as £62.52 including the shipping. I've ordered this way from them before as it somehow comes out cheaper.

Nice! Maybe they nix the VAT from the price for U.S. folk. Thanks for the tip/reply.

ordered! they're back down to £19 and change btw

Blue Nile fans get to 6 music now (or next 30 days on catch up).

https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m0009b82

^^ Was about to post this. Not really a fan of Guy Garvey, but some really good interviews with Buchanan and Calum Malcolm.

On this 30th anniversary of 'Hats,' if you're needing more of the Blue Nile feeling, here's a mix I made a few years back that's a de facto tribute to them (and had a couple sequels):

https://musicophilia.wordpress.com/2015/11/15/post-post-punk-the-dawning-1981-1989/

https://musicophilia.files.wordpress.com/2015/11/musicophilia_00_various_-_the-dawning_1981-1989_cover.jpg?w=1024

Various – ‘The Dawning’
(1981-1989)

Part I

01 [00:00] The Blue Nile – “Over the Hillside” (Hats, 1989)
02 [05:00] Heaven 17 – “Let Me Go” (The Luxury Gap, 1983)
03 [09:16] Hot Gossip – “Morale” (Geisha Boys and Temple Girls, 1981)
04 [12:18] Dif Juz – “The Last Day” (Extractions, 1985)
05 [16:13] Tears for Fears – “Start of the Breakdown” (The Hurting, 1983)
06 [21:03] Mick Karn – “Tribal Dawn” (Titles, 1982)
07 [25:12] Thomas Dolby – “The Flat Earth” (The Flat Earth, 1984)
08 [31:34] Peter Gabriel – “Zaar” (Passions, 1989)
09 [35:56] Nona Hendryx – “Off the Coast of Love” (Skin Diver, 1989)
10 [40:23] Cocteau Twins – “Lazy Calm” (Victorialand, 1986)
11 [44:34] Talk Talk – “I Believe In You” (Spirit of Eden, 1988)

Part II

12 [50:40] Comsat Angels – “After the Rain” (Fiction, 1982)
13 [54:31] King Crimson – “Two Hands” (Beat, 1982)
14 [57:48] Bel Canto – “Without You” (White Out Conditions, 1987)
15 [61:43] Scott Walker – “Dealer” (Climate of Hunter, 1984)
16 [66:33] Scritti Politti – “Absolute” (Cupid & Psyche ’85, 1985)
17 [70:53] Arthur Russell – “This Is How We Walk On the Moon” (Another Thought, 1984)
18 [75:34] David Sylvian – “Orpheus” (Secrets of the Beehive, 1987)
19 [80:20] Durutti Column – “Love No More” (Vini Reilly, 1989)
20 [83:06] Kate Bush – “Never Be Mine” (The Sensual World, 1989)
21 [86:42] David Byrne – “Ghosts” (The Knee Plays, 1985)
22 [89:54] Colin Newman – “I Can Hear You” (Commercial Suicide, 1986)
23 [94:16] This Mortal Coil – “Ivy and Neet” (Filigree & Shadow, 1986)
24 [99:04] Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark – “Of All The Things We’ve Made” (Dazzle Ships, 1983)

[Total Time: 1:42:27]

Even that tracklist is great - and nice use of both Comsat Angels and (in particular) Bel Canto, neither of whom I think would occur to many people as points of comparison.

poo, your mediafire link no longer works

Still seems to work when I try it. . . Often when Mediafire links, if you just close the tab and click again, it works the next time. . .

"Family Life". Gets me every time.

Just finished AWAtR, now on PAL. Some bands are pilsners, The Blue Nile is a stout.

just gave the vinyl reissue of Hats a spin and fuck me if it's not the best sounding record I own; I mean it's always been reference quality but this pressing sounds even better than the CD I had by a mile. Kicking myself for not getting the other two now even though I'm not a big fan of Peace at Last and I have an original Walk Across the Rooftops. Unfortunately the severely limited run of these seems to have made them hard to locate.

I ordered all three from Amazon UK and all three arrived in the USA mangled. One wasn't even in a box, just a plastic sleeve. Thankfully the vinyl is in good shape, but the covers are trashed. This was my first time listening to them, I bought 'em based on all of the praise on this thread. Indeed, they are lovely. Thanks ILX! I howled at Amazon and they refunded me and let me keep the records. Still pissed about it tho.

does anyone know if that radio 6 hats special is available anywhere now? I wasn’t able to listen to the whole thing before it disappeared :(

Lovers walking down the highway
In the hope of crying to the streetlights, yeah

My favorite performance by Mr. Wossname who is the singer is actually his turn on the version of "Let's Go Out Tonight" -- I think that's the song -- on Craig Armstrong's first album.

― Ned Raggett, Thursday, January 17, 2002 2:00 AM (eighteen years ago) bookmarkflaglink

oh it is lovely, and the next song, "Childhood", plays as an extended outro. I can barely stand the beauty.

"the most shocking mid-performance weeping I've ever heard." what was this regarding?

May as well post the sequel to the above-linked mix that's heavily inspired by/in the vibe of the Blue Nile:

https://musicophilia.wordpress.com/2017/06/29/post-post-punk-evensong-1985-1995/

https://musicophilia.files.wordpress.com/2017/06/musicophilia_00_various_-_evensong_1985-1995_2017_cover.jpg?w=1024

Various – ‘Evensong’
(1985-1995)

Part I

01 [00:00] It’s Immaterial – New Brighton” (Song, 1990)
02 [05:31] Tears for Fears – “The Working Hour” (Songs From the Big Chair, 1985)
03 [12:06] Tortoise – “His Second Story Island” (Tortoise, 1994)
04 [14:14] Michael Brook & Pieter Nooten – “Searching” (Sleeps With the Fishes, 1987)
05 [17:07] Shelleyan Orphan – “One Hundred Hands” (Helleborine, 1987)
06 [21:29] Stina Nordenstam – “A Walk In the Park” (Memories of a Color, 1991)
07 [24:54] Sade – “Pearls” (Love Deluxe, 1992)
08 [29:38] Massive Attack – “Protection” (Protection, 1994)
09 [37:26] The Cure – “The Same Deep Water As You” (Disintegration, 1989)
10 [46:19] Depche Mode- “Waiting For the Night” (Violator, 1990)

Part II

11 [52:41] Evelyn Glennie – “Light in Darkness” (Light In Darkness, 1991)
12 [55:59] R.E.M. – “Sweetness Follows” (Automatic For the People, 1992)
13 [60:21] The Innocence Mission – “Medjugorje” (The Innocence Mission, 1989)
14 [61:53] Disco Inferno – “Second Language” (Second Language EP, 1994)
15 [66:52] Slowdive – “Rutti” (Pygmalion, 1995)
16 [76:53] Rain Tree Crow – “Cries and Whispers” (Rain Tree Crow, 1991)
17 [79:26] Bark Psychosis – “Pendulum Man” (Hex, 1994)
18 [82:37] Peter Gabriel – “Mercy Street” (So, 1986)
19 [88:27] Low – “Sunshine” (I Could Live In Hope, 1994)
20 [91:35] Portishead – “Roads” (Dummy, 1994)
21 [96:44] Hector Zazou & Bjork – “Visur Vatnsenda-Rosu” (Songs From the Cold Seas, 1994)

[Total Time: 1:40:43]

That It's Immaterial track "New Brighton" is the best Blue Nile track that isn't by Blue Nile...

And the last one in the trilogy:

https://musicophilia.wordpress.com/2019/07/20/the-liminal-1985-1992/

https://musicophilia.files.wordpress.com/2019/07/musicophilia_00_various_-_liminal_1985-1992_cover-1.jpg?w=1024

Various – ‘Liminal’
1985-1992
Part I

01 [0:00:00] The Blue Nile – “The Wires Are Down” (‘The Downtown Lights’ Single 1989)
02 [0:05:25] Haruomi Hosono – “Pleocene” (‘Omni Sight Seeing’ 1989)
03 [0:11:30] Massive Attack – “Unfinished Sympathy” (‘Blue Lines’ 1991)
04 [0:16:30] Jansen & Barbieri – “The Night Gives Birth” (‘Stories Across Borders’ 1991)
05 [0:20:00] Bryan Ferry – “Boys and Girls” (‘Boys and Girls’ 1985)
06 [0:25:10] AM 4 – “Streets and Rivers” (‘And She Answered’ 1989)
07 [0:29:20] Bill Nelson – “Contemplation” (‘Getting the Holy Ghost Across’ 1986)
08 [0:38:10] Sinead O’Connor – “I Am Stretched On Your Grave” (‘I Do Not Want What I Haven’t Got’ 1990)
09 [0:43:40] Cocteau Twins – “Blue Bell Knoll” (‘Blue Bell Knoll’ 1988)
10 [0:47:00] Revolutionary Army of the Infant Jesus – “Shadowlands” (‘Mirror’ 1991)
11 [0:51:15] Martin Dupont – “Inside Out” (‘Hot Paradox’ 1987)
12 [0:55:35] David Darling – “In November” (‘Cello’ 1992)
13 [0:59:40] Colin Newman – “But I…” (‘Commercial Suicide’ 1986)

Part II

14 [1:04:20] Icehouse – “Man of Colours” (‘Man of Colours’ 1987)
15 [1:09:25] Brian Eno – “Some Words” (‘My Squelchy Life’ 1991)
16 [1:13:45] Lonely Universe – “Passenger” (‘Lonely Universe’ 1990)
17 [1:18:10] Gigi Masin – “Mother Afrik” (Unreleased ‘Wind’ Track 1988)
18 [1:22:10] A Certain Ratio – “Fever 103” (‘Force’ 1986)
19 [1:27:15] Depeche Mode – “Halo” (‘Violator’ 1990)
20 [1:31:40] Ryuichi Sakamoto – “Asadoya Yunta” (‘Beauty’ 1989)
21 [1:36:10] Hector Zazou – “Tanis a Tunis” (‘Geologies’ 1989)
22 [1:40:40] Midge Ure – “Remembrance Day” (‘Answers to Nothing’ 1988)
23 [1:45:05] O Yuki Conjugate – “Out of Nothing” (‘Into Dark Water’ 1987)
24 [1:49:20] The Cure – “Fear of Ghosts” (‘Lovesong’ Single 1989)
25 [1:55:55] Bel Canto – “Picnic on the Moon” (‘Birds of Passage’ 1989)
26 [2:00:20] Xymox – “Tonight” (‘Twist of Shadows’ 1989)
27 [2:05:40] Warren Sampson – “Sweetly” (‘Traveller’ 1987)

[Total Time: 2:09:30]

looking forward to listening to these. “new brighton” is one of my favorite songs you’ve hipped me to

i really enjoyed listening to hats this week-end. it took about 20 years. guess i am getting old. maybe it was the ricard...

one of us!

but i still haven't gotten into "across the rooftops"!

anyone listen to the new songs yet?

Yes, I thought they were pretty good.

New songs?!?