Part 55 of the series, and I’m offering up something a little different.
I distinctly remember the first time I played Heaven Up Here. The stereo I had at the time was quite basic, but it was all I could afford at the time. Besides, I was still living at home and sharing a room with two brothers and so didn’t have full access to the space at all times, meaning the idea of spending money on a fancy hi-fi rig with separate turntable, speakers and amps would have been the height of lunacy.
Despite all this, I could tell that Show of Strength was something else. The Bunnymen hitting a higher peak than ever before. It had hit single written all over it. But no sooner had I finished shaking my shoulders and doing the jerky dance to the album opener, my ears were exposed to With A Hip.
Good gawd almighty…..it was beyond belief. As powerful and immediate an opening one-two punch as anything I had in my growing collection. Move over The Jam.….there’s a new band in town really vying for my attention.
mp3: Echo & The Bunnymen – Show of Strength/With A Hip
I still think it beggars belief that all involved decided not to release any singles, other than A Promise, from the album.
Another thing to mention….I was very pleasantly surprised that there were so few minor pops and clicks on this piece of vinyl, given how often I played it back in the day and how many different abodes it has accompanied me to – two student flats, four rooms in shared accommodation in Edinburgh, living with the soon-to-be-in-laws in Midlothian, the first marital home in East Lothian, the temporary space in Edinburgh after said marriage broke up, the first flat that myself and Rachel moved into in Glasgow city centre, and finally right here in Villain Towers out on the south side of the city since the summer of 1995.
THE NEW VINYL VILLAIN 
It is always a pleasure to listen to the Bunnymen. Great choice
What a way to start an album. Not sure they ever sounded better.
Their finest hour.
Thanks for supplying such a great start to the week JC. My favourite album from my favourite band, probably. Over The Wall up next as track 3 might even surpass these first two. A Promise was always the weakest track on the album for me (love The Disease – transported to my maudlin teenage self) so wish they’d released another single, although Shine So Hard kind of filled that gap.
An excellent start to the week, JC, thank you!