Sunburst Deluxe be Bop

Esoteric Recordings is proud to announce the release of a new re-mastered and expanded 2 CD edition of SUNBURST FINISH the legendary 1976 album by BE BOP DELUXE.

Be Bop Deluxe - Modern Music (1976) {2008 Harvest Japan Mini LP TOCP-70361}
EAC rip (secure mode) | FLAC (tracks)+CUE+LOG -> 370 Mb | MP3 @320 -> 135 Mb
Full Artwork @ 600 dpi (png) -> 26 Mb | 5% repair rar
© 1976, 2008 Harvest / EMI Music Japan / Toshiba | TOCP-70361 | Mini LP
Rock / Art Rock / Contemporary Pop / Prog Rock / Glam Rock

Things had changed for Be Bop Deluxe by the time of the group's fourth album. The band that turned up in glam rock regalia on its 1974 debut, Axe Victim, was in suit and tie on the cover of Modern Music in 1976. Inside, the band's transformation into a sophisticated pop group seemed complete. Arrangements were still ornate, but the songs were dominated by their highly imagistic lyrics, and as often as not, Nelson was borrowing ideas from the Beatles. It didn't quite work, despite pleasant numbers such as "Orphans of Babylon" and "Kiss of Light," perhaps because a true pop sensibility requires a gift for simplicity that Nelson has never exhibited. The album charted high in England and made the Top 100 in the U.S., but it was Be Bop's peak, not its breakthrough.

Be Bop Deluxe - Live! In The Air Age (1977) {2008 Harvest Japan Mini LP TOCP-70362}
EAC rip (secure mode) | FLAC (tracks)+CUE+LOG -> 317 Mb | MP3 @320 -> 125 Mb
Full Artwork @ 600 dpi (png) -> 117 Mb | 5% repair rar
© 1977, 2008 Harvest / EMI Music Japan / Toshiba | TOCP-70362 | Mini LP
Rock / Art Rock / Contemporary Pop / Prog Rock / Glam Rock

Originally released on white vinyl as a double set in which one disc was an LP while the other was a 12" EP, Live! In the Air Age is an impressive testament to one of prog rock's more interesting results. Bandleader Bill Nelson is better known for his solo work of the '80s and on, but prior to that he was a burgeoning guitar hero with a blazing style and a talented bunch of players backing him up.

Be Bop Deluxe - Futurist Manifesto: The Harvest Years 1974 - 1978 (2011) {5CD Set Harvest 5099964630823}
EAC rip (secure mode) | FLAC (tracks)+CUE+LOG -> 2.07 Gb | MP3 @320 -> 783 Mb
Full Artwork @ 300 dpi (jpg) -> 22 Mb | 5% repair rar
© 1974-78, 2011 Harvest / EMI Records | 5099964630823
Rock / Art Rock / Pop

This release includes all five of Be Bop Deluxe's studio albums, with additional bonus tracks, plus an additional disc of previously unreleased home demos, rough studio mixes and live recordings. The recordings have all been freshly remastered and the project over-seen by Bill Nelson. All bonus tracks added to the 1990 CD releases have been remastered and added to this release too, except for the bonus live tracks on the 'Axe Victim' release. This remaster is an improvement upon the 1990 releases, and has thankfully avoided being 'brick-walled'. I would suggest this is the last word on digital 16-bit releases of these studio albums.

This is the second in a series of albums by singer/keyboard player Antony Kalugin, but while the first 'Messages From Afar: First Contact' was by Karfagen (their ninth studio album in all), 'Messages From Afar: The Division and Illusion of Time' is by Sunchild (their eighth). Kalugin writes a lot of material, and he uses his more song-based with Sunchild, and the rest with Karfagen. But, if that isn't confusing enough, apart from saxophonist Michail Sidorenko, all of Karfagen who played on the first 'Messages' album are also involved with this one, along with a few additional musicians. Although one may guess this album began life in Eastern Europe due to the slightly accented vocals, for the most part this feels like a very British album indeed. Camel and Pink Floyd are obvious influences…