December 22, 2024

Skylight Webzine

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The Claim re-release ‘Boomy Tella’ LP plus their new single ‘Journey’

British indie rock stalwarts The Claim present their seminal album ‘Boomy Tella’, which is being releasedon vinyl and also CD for the first time via A Turntable Friend Records. The album has been remastered for this limited edition of 300 copies, using the original 1/4 inch tapes. If that weren’t enough, on this same day, they are also releasing‘Journey’, the first single off ‘New Industrial Ballads’, their first new album in 20 years.

As for ‘Boomy Tella’, the green vinyl gatefold offers the original 10 tracks (with download code), while the 14-track CD comes as a 6-page gatefold package. The additional four tracks were unreleased demo tracks from 1988-1990 – ‘Business Boy’, ‘God Cliffe And Me’, ‘Fallen Hero’ and ‘Untitled’.

The gatefold package for both vinyl and CD includes lyrics and rare photos from their archives, as well as liner notes from the band’s guitarist David Arnold, who also played on early releases by The Jasmine Minks, the first band signed to Alan McGee’s Creation Records. The vinyl comes with a download of the 10 album tracks plus 4 bonus tracks.

Hailing from Cliffe in Kent, The Claim were one of the major players in the thriving ‘Medway Scene’, which emerged from the Medway Towns in the 1980’s alongside such bands as The Prisoners, Thee Milkshakes, The Dentists, Wipe Out and more. Theirs was a mod-influenced pop that seriously influenced on the sound of Blur‘s earliest works.

The Claim’s debut album ‘Armstrong’s Revenge and Eleven Other Short Stories’ was released in 1985, following this up the next year with ‘This Pencil Was Obviously Sharpened By a Left-Handed Indian Knife Thrower’. Their work received glowing reviews, including 8 out of 10 by Bob Stanley at the NME, as well as being played numerous times by John Peel.

Aftter signing to Kevin Pearce’s Esurient Communications in 1988, they released ‘Boomy Tella’, followed by singles ‘Wait and See‘, ‘Sunday’ and arguably their finest moment ‘Picking Up The Bitter Little Pieces’. They then released a one-off single on the Caff label, run by Saint Etienne’s Bob Stanley. By 1993, the band had split.

In 2009, Cherry Red Records paid tribute to The Claim’s earlier recordings via their ‘Black Path’ compilation. This long-overdue compilation of the band’s finest work introduced a new generation to their timeless music.

‘Boomy Tella’ can be ordered now on CD and vinyl via A Turntable Friend Recordsat http://aturntablefriendrecords.limitedrun.com/products/635028-the-claim-boomy-tella and digitally via Bandcamp at https://theclaim.bandcamp.com/album/boomy-tella.

The Claim will be celebrating their album launch on March 23 at the 100 Club, with very special guests The Jasmine Minks, Treasures of Mexico (ex Dentists) and DJ Vic Templar. This show is also a curtain raiser for The Claim’s new album, set for release on May 24.

‘BOOOMY TELLA’ TRACK LIST
1) Not So Simple Sharon Says
2) Love Letter
3) Beneath The Reach
4) All About Hope
5) Las Regas El Resoto
6) Down By The Chimney
7) Mrs Shepherd
8) Sanity Starts At Home
9) On My Way
10) Christopher
11) Business Boy (Demo) (CD and download only)
12) God Cliffe and Me (Demo) (CD and download only)
13) Fallen Hero (Demo) (CD and download only)
14) Untitled (Demo) (CD and download only)Article’s Image source: https://www.facebook.com/theclaimpopgroup/

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