Immaculate Fools - Searching For Sparks, The Albums 1985-1996 [2020] (7 x CDs)

IMMACULATE FOOLS

Immaculate Fools - Searching For Sparks, The Albums 1985-1996 [2020] (7 x CDs)

If you are looking for a band that defied the conventions of the 1980s and created timeless music, you might want to check out Immaculate Fools. They were a British indie pop group that formed in 1984 in Kent, England, by two sets of brothers: Kevin Weatherill (vocals, guitar) and Paul Weatherill (bass, vocals), and Andy Ross (guitar) and Peter Ross (drums). The latter two were the sons of renowned saxophonist Ronnie Ross. The band had a unique sound that combined melodic hooks, clever lyrics, and a distinctive vocal delivery by Kevin Weatherill. They also had a knack for writing catchy pop-rock songs that appealed to a wide audience.

The band’s debut single, “Immaculate Fools”, was a huge hit in 1985, reaching the top 10 in several European countries. It was followed by other successful singles such as ‘Tragic Comedy’, ‘Wish You Were Here’, ‘The Prince’ and ‘Stand Down’. The band also released six albums between 1985 and 1997, each one showcasing their musical evolution and diversity. They experimented with different genres, instruments, and influences, ranging from folk to funk, from acoustic to electric, from Beatles to Bowie. They also collaborated with other artists.

The band’s career was not without challenges, however. They faced difficulties with their record label, A&M, which they joined in 1984 thanks to Derek Green, the same man who signed and dropped the Sex Pistols in a week in 1977. They also struggled to break into the US market, despite having a loyal fan base in Europe and Latin America. They eventually parted ways with A&M in 1990 and formed their own label, The Big IF. They continued to make music until 1997, when they decided to call it quits.

But that was not the end of Immaculate Fools. In 2015, Kevin Weatherill reformed the band with new members from Spain, where he had relocated. They released a new album, Turn The Whole World Down, in 2016, and toured extensively until 2019.

Now, fans of Immaculate Fools can enjoy their entire discography in a new box set from Cherry Red. It includes all six albums they released from the '80s and '90s: Hearts Of Fortune, Dumb Poet, Another Man’s World, The Toy Shop, Woodhouse and Kiss And Punch. It also features a bonus live disc that contains rare BBC sessions and previously unreleased recordings from various concerts. Moreover, it offers a wealth of B-sides and alternate versions of some of their songs. The box set has 107 songs in total and has a running time of 8 hours and 3 minutes. It is a comprehensive and definitive collection of the band’s work, from their pop-rock beginnings to their more experimental and eclectic later years.

This is a must-have for any fan of Immaculate Fools or anyone who appreciates good music.  This is a great collection from one of the most underrated bands of the 80s. I love it! You will not regret picking this up. (B)

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Track lists

CD1

01 Immaculate Fools - Searching For Sparks 4:04

02 Immaculate Fools - Nothing Means Nothing 3:47

03 Immaculate Fools - Save It 4:21

04 Immaculate Fools - Hearts Of Fortune 4:25

05 Immaculate Fools - Immaculate Fools 4:31

06 Immaculate Fools - What About Me 4:24

07 Immaculate Fools - I Fell 4:50

08 Immaculate Fools - Counting On You 5:00

09 Immaculate Fools - Day By Day 3:18

10 Immaculate Fools - Waiting 3:54

11 Immaculate Fools - Little Tickets 3:50

12 Immaculate Fools - Tumbling Down 2:59

13 Immaculate Fools - Save It (Alternate Version) 4:12

14 Immaculate Fools - Hearts Of Fortune (Alternate Version) 4:12

15 Immaculate Fools - In The Palm Of Your Heart 3:58

16 Immaculate Fools - Immaculate Fools (Acoustic Version) 2:33

17 Immaculate Fools - As The Crow Flies 3:53

CD2

01 Immaculate Fools - Never Give Less Than Everything 4:18

02 Immaculate Fools - Tragic Comedy 4:17

03 Immaculate Fools - One Minute 3:21

04 Immaculate Fools - Dumb Poet 6:05

05 Immaculate Fools - So Much Here 2:55

06 Immaculate Fools - Wish You Were Here 4:50

07 Immaculate Fools - Don't Drive Hope From My Heart 4:53

08 Immaculate Fools - She Fools Everyone 4:17

09 Immaculate Fools - Pretty Prize Now 5:17

10 Immaculate Fools - Stay Away 6:52

11 Immaculate Fools - Love Bites 5:17

12 Immaculate Fools - Wish You Were Here (Early Version) 4:13

13 Immaculate Fools - All I Want Is You 4:02

14 Immaculate Fools - Tragic Comedy (Alternate Version) 4:04

15 Immaculate Fools - All Fall Down 4:46

16 Immaculate Fools - Dumb Poet (Live) 6:33

CD3

01 Immaculate Fools - Another Man's World 5:28

02 Immaculate Fools - Sad 4:05

03 Immaculate Fools - The Prince 7:31

04 Immaculate Fools - This Is Not Love 4:02

05 Immaculate Fools - Bad Seed 6:37

06 Immaculate Fools - Falling Apart Together 6:03

07 Immaculate Fools - Come On Jayne 4:24

08 Immaculate Fools - Got Me By The Heart 6:04

09 Immaculate Fools - Stop Now 5:32

10 Immaculate Fools - Fighting Again 5:01

11 Immaculate Fools - Falling Apart Together (Early Version) 4:42

12 Immaculate Fools - Got Me By The Heart (Early Version) 4:37

13 Immaculate Fools - The Prince (Radio Edit) 4:29

14 Immaculate Fools - Will We Rise 4:45

15 Immaculate Fools - Last Time I Surrender 5:07

CD4

01 Immaculate Fools - Stand Down 5:23

02 Immaculate Fools - Heaven Down Here 3:55

03 Immaculate Fools - Political Wish 4:46

04 Immaculate Fools - Cotillas 6:15

05 Immaculate Fools - The Leaving Song 6:10

06 Immaculate Fools - Wonder Of Things 4:57

07 Immaculate Fools - Good Times 3:13

08 Immaculate Fools - Through These Eyes 7:00

09 Immaculate Fools - Bed Of Tears 3:45

10 Immaculate Fools - How The West Was Won 6:56

11 Immaculate Fools - Stand Down (Edit Version) 4:21

12 Immaculate Fools - Thanks, But No Thanks 4:24

13 Immaculate Fools - All In A Day 4:04

CD5

01 Immaculate Fools - Rain 5:00

02 Immaculate Fools - Some Of Us 3:50

03 Immaculate Fools - The Ship Song 4:08

04 Immaculate Fools - Time To Kill 4:37

05 Immaculate Fools - Profits For Prophets 2:01

06 Immaculate Fools - Pass The Jug 2:29

07 Immaculate Fools - Rudy 4:39

08 Immaculate Fools - Home 4:39

09 Immaculate Fools - Bury My Heart 3:41

10 Immaculate Fools - Wish You Were Here (Alternate Version) 5:05

11 Immaculate Fools - If You Go 3:21

CD6

01 Immaculate Fools - Little Bird Sing 4:15

02 Immaculate Fools - Ready For Me 3:18

03 Immaculate Fools - Kiss And Punch 4:06

04 Immaculate Fools - No I Don't Think So 5:36

05 Immaculate Fools - Love Us? 5:47

06 Immaculate Fools - Government Wall 4:06

07 Immaculate Fools - Tinderbox 0:36

08 Immaculate Fools - No Gods, No Masters 4:39

09 Immaculate Fools - Rain Song 4:12

10 Immaculate Fools - Hard Peace 4:00

11 Immaculate Fools - Killing Field 5:31

12 Immaculate Fools - Whole World Down 5:48

13 Immaculate Fools - El Amanacer 2:10

14 Immaculate Fools - No Dancing 4:47

15 Immaculate Fools - Hearts Of Fortune (Live) 4:24

16 Immaculate Fools - What About Me (Live) 4:55

17 Immaculate Fools - Immaculate Fools (Live) 5:21

CD7

01 Immaculate Fools - Little Tickets (Live At The BBC, 12/01/1985) 3:50

02 Immaculate Fools - Tumbling Down (Live At The BBC, 12/01/1985) 3:21

03 Immaculate Fools - Day By Day (Live At The Paris Theatre, London, 29/09/1984) 3:58

04 Immaculate Fools - Save It (Live At The Paris Theatre, London, 29/09/1984) 4:34

05 Immaculate Fools - Hearts Of Fortune (Live At The Paris Theatre, London, 29/09/1984) 4:46

06 Immaculate Fools - Nothing Means Nothing (Live At The Paris Theatre, London, 29/09/1984) 5:10

07 Immaculate Fools - Immaculate Fools (Live At The Paris Theatre, London, 29/09/1984) 6:04

08 Immaculate Fools - Counting On You (Live At The Paris Theatre, London, 29/09/1984) 6:03

09 Immaculate Fools - Immaculate Fools (Live In Salamanca, 28/02/1988 Intro) 1:38

10 Immaculate Fools - All I Want Is You (Live In Salamanca, 28/02/1988) 3:36

11 Immaculate Fools - Dumb Poet (Live In Salamanca, 28/02/1988) 6:18

12 Immaculate Fools - Hearts Of Fortune (Live In Salamanca, 28/02/1988) 3:07

13 Immaculate Fools - Little Tickets (Live In Salamanca, 28/02/1988) 3:43

14 Immaculate Fools - Nothing Means Nothing (Live In Salamanca, 28/02/1988) 4:28

15 Immaculate Fools - One Minute (Live In Salamanca, 28/02/1988) 3:13

16 Immaculate Fools - All Fall Down (Live In Salamanca, 28/02/1988) 4:34

17 Immaculate Fools - Tragic Comedy (Live In Salamanca, 28/02/1988) 5:13

18 Immaculate Fools - Searching For Sparks (Live In Salamanca, 28/02/1988) 4:55

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