Echo & Bunnymen - Songs To Learn & Sing (2021)

Vinyl LP pressing. By the release of Songs To Learn & Sing, Echo & the Bunnymen were a force to be reckoned with, pioneering the post-punk, new wave scene having released four highly acclaimed albums: Crocodiles, Heaven Up Here, Porcupine and Ocean Rain. Originally released in 1985, Songs To Learn & Sing is a comprehensive collection of Echo & the Bunnymen's first four albums, from their second single "Rescue", to "The Cutter" and the anthemic "The Killing Moon". Also included is "Bring On The Dancing Horses", a single launched at the time in conjunction with Songs To Learn & Sing. One of the most acclaimed British rockers from the 1980s, this legendary band formed in Liverpool in 1978 and were forefathers of the neo-psychedelic movement. Their line up consisted of vocalist Ian McCulloch, guitarist Will Sergeant, bass player Les Pattinson and drummer Pete de Freitas, eventually replacing the original drum machine. The band's cult status eventually waned with mainstream success in 1983 after they scored a UK top 10 hit with "The Cutter" and attendant album Porcupine which hit #2 in the UK. 1984's album Ocean Rain is considered a landmark post-punk release, featuring the lead single "The Killing Moon". The band split in 1988 but regrouped in 1997, releasing an album in 2014 that was their first UK Top 40 entry since 1999. The band's popularity never quite made the same impact in the US as it did in Europe so they are ripe for rediscovery for anyone interested in bands such as Suede, Radiohead, Arcade Fire, Blur, Interpol and Oasis.