4 stars for the music, 1 star for the mastering/packaging
Tuzzster | el cerrito, ca United States | 04/03/2006
(4 out of 5 stars)
"I don't know what kind of system the previous reviewer was listening on, but with all the pops and crackles, it is obvious that EVERY track is mastered from vinyl. Cherry Red has been re-issuing Red Rhino material for some time now using vinyl as their source (Pulp, Skeletal Family, etc). RLYL fans have had to endure many sub standard re-issues and rehashes of their early material. The shame of it is that their are CD versions of 'smashed hits' and 'paint your wagon' that came out back in the day that could've been used to improve this and the '82-87 singles collection'. The bonus tracks appear to be different vinyl versions than those used on '82-87' with 'take it all' in particular sounding pretty bad. It's missing the rerecording of 'beating my head' from the 'this today' ep, which is far superior to the 1st 7" version used here (this track is also missing from '82-87'. The insides are pretty good replicating the lyric sheet on the inner sleeve of the LP, and yet another eulogy from another fan. The music is brutal. RLYL were the best band to come out of goth ground zero (leeds/bradford area)in the 1980's, and were to say the least, uncompromising. More like the Doors on speed, than anything else. This and 'paint your wagon' should be in your record collection, however you'll gain nothing by buying this on CD, buy the original LP instead. One last gripe the gravestone marker on the front cover ruins the sleeve."
Guitar-Drenched Gloom and Doom
cameron-vale | Seattle, WA | 11/24/2005
(5 out of 5 stars)
"Red Lorry Yellow Lorry's TALK ABOUT THE WEATHER was one of the strongest UK rock debut albums of the mid-1980's. Consisting of eight short, crushing songs, the LP was a throbbing mass of guitar-drenched gloom and doom that seemed at the time to herald a new and audacious band fully capable of going on to do bigger and better things. While the Lorries would in fact release several subsequent singles over the years that were (arguably) better than any of the individual tracks on WEATHER, they never again would release an album so coherent and consistently powerful; it definitely stands as their ultimate statement and serves as the best starting point for anyone remotely interested in the band.
Previously available only on a murky sounding "two-fer" Compact Disc, with the Lorries' second album, PAINT YOUR WAGON, tacked on, this new reissue has been completely remastered and appends several bonus tracks, including the first ever CD appearance of "Russia", one of the band's most bizarre b-sides. The release is part of Anagram's Goth Collector's Series, although its certainly arguable to a considerable extent as to whether the band should really be bound within the extremely rigid perimeters that define the "gothic rock" genre. They were more adventurous than many of the run-of-the-mill goths, often embracing acid rock and danceable rhythms along the way. Vocalist Chris Reed's bleak lyrics tended to be a little more straightforward and intelligent than most of his competitors, at least on this first album. Regardless of how you choose to classify the music, TALK ABOUT THE WEATHER is undeniably an explosive and searing document of its time, and still a powerful experience after all these years."
A Must-have for any RLYL fan.
Anna B. Wilkes | Knoxville, TN | 10/22/2007
(5 out of 5 stars)
"Years of listening to the same droning goth rock over and over again have left a lot of my old favorites buried at the bottom of the pile, lost to the sudden, crushing weight of my untraceable indifference. Red Lorry Yellow Lorry have not suffered such a fate, despite me popping in this CD and listening from start to finish at least twice a week since I bought this album a few years back. What's more, there are some songs, like the title track, that didn't grab me at first and now have the power to give me goosebumps. Yes, you heard me. This is an album that actually gets BETTER when it's overplayed. Imagine! Of course, "Monkeys On Juice" will grab you instantly, as it's unnervingly catchy. But give the whole thing a listen. Do it a few times. Do it a few HUNDRED times. You'll find yourself a bigger Lorries fan each time."
Track Listings (19) - Disc #1