Deacon Blue Raintown

Formed in Glasgow in 1985, Deacon Blue recorded this debut album in London in early 1987. The album features some of the band’s best-known songs in “Dignity”, “Chocolate Girl” and “When Will You (Make My Telephone Ring)”. Issued in June 1987, the album reached # 14 and achieved Platinum status in the UK alone (300,000 sales).

In their early days (1988-1990), Ricky Ross and his Deacon Blue bandmates (who all hail from Scotland) were one of the most prolific U.K. bands scaling the top of the European music charts. Early copies of their 1988 debut album Raintown contained Riches and More, a bonus CD featuring an album's worth of B-sides and other tracks that didn't make it on to the mother album. Although their 1989 follow-up, When the World Knows Your Name, did not feature a bonus disc, this 1990 two-disc release more than makes up for it. Containing almost two dozen non-album B-sides, soundtrack recordings and unreleased tracks (and no songs from Riches and More), this may be too much Deacon Blue for the average person, but is an absolute treasure trove for those smitten with the band since the debut album.