Search - Sisters of Mercy :: First Last & Always

First Last & Always
Sisters of Mercy
First Last & Always
Genres: Alternative Rock, Pop, Rock, Metal
 
  •  Track Listings (10) - Disc #1

2006 Issued Digitally Remastered Edition of the 1985 Goth Rock Classic Remains Unequaled in the Genre, Permanently Esconced on Top of a Pedestal from which it Cannot Be Toppled. From the Opening Claustrophobia of "Black Pl...  more »

     
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CD Details

All Artists: Sisters of Mercy
Title: First Last & Always
Members Wishing: 1
Total Copies: 0
Label: Elektra / Wea
Release Date: 10/25/1990
Genres: Alternative Rock, Pop, Rock, Metal
Styles: Goth & Industrial, Dance Pop
Number of Discs: 1
SwapaCD Credits: 1
Other Editions: First & Last & Always
UPCs: 075596040525, 090317737928

Synopsis

Album Details
2006 Issued Digitally Remastered Edition of the 1985 Goth Rock Classic Remains Unequaled in the Genre, Permanently Esconced on Top of a Pedestal from which it Cannot Be Toppled. From the Opening Claustrophobia of "Black Planet" to the Melancholy "no Time to Cry," Eldritch Continually Assured Listeners that "Everything's Gonna Be Alright". Continuing with the Bass-driven Guitar Gem "Possession" and the Closing "Some Kind of Stranger", an Untouchable Epic That, Clocking in at Over Seven Minutes, is the Best of Its Kind. "Some Kind of Stranger" Became a "Love Song" for the Goth Crowd. Copied to Death, Its Brilliance Has Never Been Replicated. This Edition was Remastered from the Original Multitracks and Sounds Better Than Ever Before, Augmented by Six NON-LP B-sides plus "Some Kind of Stranger (Early)", a Previously Unissued Track from the Album Sessions.

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CD Reviews

My Personal Favorite
Caleb | 06/21/2005
(5 out of 5 stars)

"I bought FALAA after I had bought Floodland, and I was suprised when the former was so noticeably different from the latter. This is, in my opinion, the Sisters of Mercy at the top of their form; the album is an absolute treat.



The most striking thing about FALAA is its masterful consistency- this is a testament to what an album should sound like in execution. The songs stand apart well enough to be memorable as individual pieces but are cohesive enough to make the whole satisfying and coherent.



And the songs themselves are all fantastic. In a true display of the original band's talent and skill, they manage to make dreary, brooding lyrical subjects into beautiful pop songs. "Marian [Version]" is a hauntingly immaculate number that can be described as "just plain pretty". It also has one of Eldritch's best vocal performances- he drops his voice to a soft, melodic baritone and croons (or as close to crooning as he's gotten) out the lyrics. In the gorgeously minimal "Nine While Nine" he laments over a love gone sour to a piano tune. "Some Kind Of Stranger" is among the most haunting of the bunch, as Eldritch gradually digresses into a desperate wail as the song moves along. Fast and catchy dance tunes like "Walk Away", "Rock and a Hard Place" and "Logic" inject movement and energy when needed.



The album's title track, and one of my favorites, shows just how excellent a guitarist the musically-underrated Wayne Hussey is. The whole album does. His guitar work is one of the key ingredients into making this such a fantastic listen. His focus isn't on the mindless execution of three chords, but on structure and melody.



This is an example of soild, well-structured pop brilliance. There's not a single track that necessitates skipping over- they're all damn good. This is a true album, not just a collection of bare-bones studio drudgery punctuated by singles. It works best as a whole, and that's how it should be listend to. Dreary? A tad. Brooding? Sure. Overly dramatic? Of course. But that's why this album is a true gem- the fact that it can be all those things and still be beautiful, original and satisfying. An absolute must.



"
Good Reissue of a Great Album
Shared Gum | alexandria, va United States | 01/10/2007
(5 out of 5 stars)

"The Sisters of Mercy have some of the most loyal followings out there. Their fans like to dissect every song to the tiniest level of detail. They go as far as comparing the vinyl version to the single version to the cd to the single, and so on.



So, yes, this cd is different than the original First, Last and Always cd. I own both, and I think that the remaster definitely has a fuller sound, without going into it chord by chord. I think that I can strongly recommend this cd to any Sister fan for the following reasons:



1. If you are new to the band, get this version, as the sound quality is better, and it does contain bonus tracks, some of which are still crowd favorites (On the Wire is very frequently played live). The songs themselves are classics - Some Kind of Stranger is a brooding love song with nice guitar and vocal harmonies. Sisters have played it live in mix with Pink Floyd's Comfortably Numb!? Marian is a haunting tune with nice bass-lines, and Nine While Nine is another gem. This entire cd flows well and will not disappoint.



2. If you're a casual fan and own the first issue, you will want this for the bonus tracks alone.



3. If you're a hardcore fan and own everything that Sisters have ever realeased, I guess that it is automatic to add another one to the collection. :)"
Finally!!!
glen | 01/20/2007
(5 out of 5 stars)

"Wow, finally the end all of this the classic First, Last and Always. Eldritch finally gets it right! (kinda maybe)

Eldritch gave up the "Production was iffy" stance and let the `original' album live. Yes this at times sounds demo'ish but never has this untouched version seen digital. As the story goes, this album was first pressed to vinyl. When the CD came out a year or so later Eldritch added some `Oomph' in the drums and bass of the mix. Thus remixing the album, leaving the vinyl as the `original version'. If you bought the CD then you are kinda sorta not getting the whole picture. What Eldritch did in the remix on the CD was not bad, but again as fans go, not good either. Fans want the original. Finally here it is!

Even as good things are, after listening to this 2006 remaster, I question the approach given to the remaster. Why? Well, some tracks sound much louder than others. Was this an oversight or how the original was, in 85? Eldritch was probably right at the time in feeling that the production was iffy, but now in this day and modern age, when it's a chance to get it right what were the rules in the remastering job? Treat the album as a whole and normalize it as such? Or treat the songs as individual thus normalizing them per their individual peak? I ask because some tracks especially the bonus tracks are much louder than others.

But does it matter? Bottom line is NO! The bonus tracks (some which I never heard) truly are so fricken good and loud it makes this a MUST HAVE!

The liner notes are worthy as well, leaving the story kinda as a cliff hanger for the next Sisters release `Floodland'.

Brilliant all around and a big thanks to Eldritch for letting the original live on, in `original' infamy.

"