Kevin Rowland & Dexy's Midnight Runners - Too-Rey-Ay [Remastered Deluxe Edition] (2007)

Artist: Kevin Rowland & Dexy's Midnight Runners
Title Of Album: Too-Rey-Ay
Year Of Release: 2007 [1982]
Label (Catalog#): Mercury/Universal Music Catalogue [9800889]
Genre: New Wave, Blue-eyed Soul, Post-punk, Celtic Folk
Quality: FLAC (tracks +.cue,log,scans)
Bitrate: Lossless
Time: 2:29:25
Full Size: 1.05 gb
Upload: Turbobit / Uploaded

For one brief moment, Dexy's exploded into America's consciousness -- and what a song to do it with! "Come on Eileen" combines ramalama rock & roll, soul delivery, and Celtic/country flavor into a perfect musical fusion and an irresistible U.K. and U.S. number one hit. Both the song and its video were such hits that years later, ska/punk band Save Ferris made a minor splash with its own version of the tune, while Garth Brooks appeared in a Saturday Night Live skit dressed as the capering, bedraggled Rowland. The rest of the album is nearly as successful, with quite a few numbers that should have matched "Come on Eileen"'s fame. Given that song's obvious debt to Van Morrison's similar fusions, it's no surprise that Dexy's tipped their hat with a great cover of Morrison's "Jackie Wilson Said," another big British single. Throughout the album, Rowland's distinct, unique voice takes the fore, but the revamped Dexy's lineup proves it was the original version's equal, if not better. Given that only trombonist Big Jimmy Patterson remained, and even then only for two tracks, recruiting a new band able to create the "Celtic soul" Rowland dreamed about turned out to be exactly the right move. Excellently produced by Rowland and the legendary Clive Langer/Alan Winstanley production team, Too-Rye-Ay sounds like an old soul revue recorded on-stage, no doubt an intentional goal. Other highlights include the opening jaunt "The Celtic Soul Brothers," which just about says it all both in title and delivery; the slow swirl of "All in All," and the vicious ballad "Liars A to E." [Universal's expansive 2007 Deluxe Edition boasted over 25 bonus cuts, including B-sides, BBC concert recordings, and rare tracks.]

TRACKLIST:

Disc: 1 - The Original 1982 Album Remastered
1. The Celtic Soul Brothers (More, Please, Thank You)
2. Let's Make This Precious
3. All In All (This One Last Wild Waltz)
4. Jackie Wilson Said (I'm In Heaven When You Smile)
5. Old
6. Plan B
7. I'll Show You
8. Liars A To E
9. Until I Believe In My Soul
10. Come On Eileen

The B-Sides
11. Love Part 2
12. Dubious
13. T.S.O.P.
14. Let's Get This Straight From The Start
15. Old (Live at the Shaftesbury Theatre, London)
16. Respect (Live at the Shaftesbury Theatre, London)
17. Let's Make This Precious (Original Version)

Disc: 2 - BBC In Concert - Newcastle 26/06/82
18. T.S.O.P. (BBC in Concert)
19. Burn It Down (BBC in Concert)
20. Let's Make This Precious (BBC in Concert)
21. Jackie Wilson Said (BBC in Concert)
22. Come On Eileen (BBC in Concert)
23. Soon (BBC in Concert)
24. Plan B (BBC in Concert)
25. Geno (BBC in Concert)
26. Respect (BBC in Concert)
27. Old (BBC in Concert)
28. The Celtic Soul Brothers (BBC in Concert)
29. There, There My Dear (BBC in Concert)
30. Show Me (BBC in Concert)
31. I'll Show You (BBC in Concert)

BBC Session - David Jensen 04/07/82
32. Let's Make This Precious (BBC Session)
33. Jackie Wilson Said (BBC Session)
34. All In All (BBC Session)
35. Old (BBC Session)
36. Reminisce (Part 1)

The players
Seb Shelton – drums
Giorgio Kilkenny – bass
Kevin "Billy" Adams – banjo, guitar
Mickey Billingham – organ, piano, accordion, keyboards
"Big" Jim Paterson – trombone
Paul Speare – flute, saxophone, tin whistle
Brian Maurice – saxophone
Kevin Rowland – bass, guitar, piano, director, vocals; digital remastering (reissue)
Steve Wynne – bass (not credited on some releases)

"The Emerald Express"
Helen O'Hara – violin
Steve Brennan – violin

Guest musicians

"The Sisters of Scarlet"
Carol Kenyon – vocals
Katie Kissoon – vocals
Sam Brown – vocals