The Affectionate Punch [Original recording remastered] [Import]

Product Description
25th Anniversary Edition of the classic Associates debut album from 1980. The Affectionate Punch was released on Chris Parry's Fiction Records in October 1980. Originally produced by the Associates and Mike Hedges, The Affectionate Punch features backing vocals by Robert Smith of The Cure. Digitally remastered with 4 bonus tracks: 'You Were Young', 'Janice', 'Boys Keep Swinging' and 'Mona Property Girl'. First Time Ever On CD! New artwork and sleeve notes included. Polydor. 2005.

The Affectionate Punch,The Associates,Universal Int'l,Alternative Dance,Dance-Pop,New Romantic,New Wave,Pop,Pop/Rock,Post-Punk,Rock,Rock/Pop

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The Affectionate Punch [Original recording remastered] [Import]

Average customer rating: Like they said ... On An Island Called Scotland Exceptional...still 10 stars... 25 years and still fresh.

The Affectionate Punch The Associates Manufacturer: Umvd Import ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD General | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music Hardcore & Punk | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music | Vinyl Records | American Punk | British Punk | Emo | Garage Punk | Hardcore | Post Hardcore | Proto Punk | Punk | Punk Revival | Punk-Pop | Riot Grrl | Ska Punk | Straight Edge New Wave | New Wave & Post-Punk | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music Post-Punk | New Wave & Post-Punk | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music Alternative Dance | Alternative Styles | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music General | Pop | Styles | Music Pop Rock | Pop | Styles | Music General | Rock | Styles | Music General | Dance Pop | Dance & DJ | Styles | Music Rock | Imports | Stores | Music Similar Items: Sulk Fourth Drawer Down The Glamour Chase/Perhaps Sleep No More Waiting for a Miracle ASIN: B0002W195Q Release Date: 2005-08-22

Tracks:

1. Affectionate Punch
2. Amused as Always
3. Logan Time
4. Paper House
5. Transport to Central
6. Matter of Gender
7. Even Dogs in the Wild
8. Would I... Bounce Back
9. Deeply Concerned
10. A
11. You Were Young [#][*]
12. Janice [#][*]
13. Boys Keep Swinging [Mono Version][#][*]
14. Mona Property Girl [#][*]

Album Description

25th Anniversary Edition of the classic Associates debut album from 1980. The Affectionate Punch was released on Chris Parry's Fiction Records in October 1980. Originally produced by the Associates and Mike Hedges, The Affectionate Punch features backing vocals by Robert Smith of The Cure. Digitally remastered with 4 bonus tracks: 'You Were Young', 'Janice', 'Boys Keep Swinging' and 'Mona Property Girl'. First Time Ever On CD! New artwork and sleeve notes included. Polydor. 2005.

Album Details

25th Anniversary Edition of the Classic Associates Debut Album from 1980. Digitally Remastered with Four Bonus Tracks, "You were Young", "Janice", "Boys Keep Swinging" and "Mona Property Girl". First Time Ever on CD.

Customer Reviews:

Like they said ..........2006-09-18

I bought this on spec many years ago, having read a review in a magazine I trusted that said what all the other reviewers here have said. I just digitised my LP, but I'm tempted to buy the CD.
I recall Billy taking over Top of the Pops when Club Country was a hit. He looked like a god in a Bogart coat. Wonderful.

On An Island Called Scotland.......2006-01-06

Where on earth did this come from?

Spring, 1981. I read a review of this that referenced Foxx-era Ultravox, Joy Division, Bowie, Roxy, whatever. Intrigued I searched and found it.

There is still to this day nothing I have ever heard so wonderfully inspired, amateur, unique, soaked in its influences as this LP and I have listened to A LOT of music. Billy's voice is so... committed, inspired, passionate, dispassioante, but mostly so amazing that it has always sent chills down the spine.

OK, to the reissue: The mix is great, and mostly elevates the simple bass lines as the key elements in defining the melody. It shows Alan's guitar work to be sublime embellishments rather than the driving force of the tunes. Mostly it brings elements formerly buried to the fore. There is even a moment in "Boys Keep Swinging" (nice addition) when the music goes all quiet that you can even hear the germination of the soft "outro" guitar chords from the latter era "Take Me to the Girl" (I realize Alan was not on this one of course).

I remember the Spring of '81 and playing this for my brother who was more into playing in R&B and Rn'R bands. I played a bunch of current "new wave" LPs and he was not impressed. When I put this on he stopped dead and said "Now that's unique. who is this?"

I've felt the same way ever since. Sure "Sulk" is a masterpiece in many ways, and I now skip over "Logan Time" and "Transport to Central," but things like "A Matter of Gender," "Deeply Concerned," and "Amused As Always" still sound like no other hyper-excited musicians inthralled with their joyous music that I have never heard.

You should too. Don't deprive yourself of one ofthe all time creative milestones.

Exceptional...still.......2005-11-04

to cut a long story short, by the time i sought out a new copy of this record, it had already been discontinued in favour of the (bleurgh) remixed version. so 20 odd years later, i finally get to hear this record again.

it stuns me. while some of the heavily phased and chorused guitars do sound dated, they cannot quash or distract from what lies beneath. the songcraft is astonishing. Billy Mackenzie's voice is fresh and clear as ever. i remember seeing the band on several occasions, and live they stood out as something very unique and incredibly special. it was that live sound that made this such a standout record and made the remix such an insult to my ears. live, the guitars screeched and the voice soared. and this version captured that acerbic tonality perfectly.

i think that who ever remastered this record did a superb job - i can't imagine it sounded as full (especially in the low end) back when i first heard it, so to hear one of my all time favorite, legendary records so wonderfully realized is a treat indeed

a few times on listening, i was trying to come up with an idea of who could cover this album and do it justice...Radiohead? Wilco? nope, not even their supreme talents could capture this extraordinary moment of recording. kudos to the reissue department, and my thanks.

10 stars..........2005-09-11

abnormal, amazing, astonishing, astounding, exceptional, fab, fabulous, fantastic, heavy, impressive, marvelous, miraculous, phenomenal, preternatural, remarkable, spectacular, staggering, startling, striking, stupendous, surprising, unreal, unusual, utmost, wonderful

25 years and still fresh........2005-09-10

Like many performers who have tragically passed away before their time, the last twenty five years have seen vocalist Billy MacKenzie elevated to a minor deity by scores of unquestioning Associates devotees.

But this first Associates album was recorded when the equal talents of fellow-Associate Alan Rankine were allowed to showcase themselves. And what talent indeed! It is Rankine's sublime guitar hooks and bass lines that have caused me to replay my old audio cassette until paper-thin these last twenty five years.

The Affectionate Punch was remixed in 1982 and the remix became the official release. The results were disappointing. The remix managed to tone down Rankine's guitars to an almost inaudible level and Billy's helium-high voice takes center stage. It is an over-worked effort and they should have left the original alone.

For many years the masters for the original version were 'lost' (or destroyed by MacKenzie as was rumored), but a second master tape was found in a pressing plant in Europe a few years back and the results are a breath-taking reminder of why this album has been cherished by me these many years.

The Affectionate Punch and Magazine's Real Life changed the face of music then and have since stood the test of time. Buy them both!

Average customer rating: The Terrible Twos Bow Down Before The Associates The Affectionate Punch..Draws Blood

The Affectionate Punch Associates Manufacturer: Polyg ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD Hardcore & Punk | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music | Vinyl Records | American Punk | British Punk | Emo | Garage Punk | Hardcore | Post Hardcore | Proto Punk | Punk | Punk Revival | Punk-Pop | Riot Grrl | Ska Punk | Straight Edge New Wave | New Wave & Post-Punk | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music Post-Punk | New Wave & Post-Punk | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music Alternative Dance | Alternative Styles | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music General | Pop | Styles | Music Pop Rock | Pop | Styles | Music General | Dance Pop | Dance & DJ | Styles | Music ASIN: B000026P00 Release Date: 1999-07-15

Tracks:

1. Amused as Always
2. Affectionate Punch
3. Matter of Gender
4. Would I... Bounce Back
5. A
6. Logan Time
7. Paper House
8. Deeply Concerned
9. Even Dogs in the Wild
10. Transport to Central

Album Description

1997 release on Fiction, the Scottish new wave band's 1982 debut album for the label on CD for the first time. The bandwas comprised of the late Billy McKenzie (who died in January, 1997) & Alan Rankine. Having received accolades such as 'a classy, eerie debut album which earned them comparisons with Joy Division & The Cure', 'The AffectionatePunch' features The Cure's Robert Smith guesting on guitar. 10 tracks, including 'Amused As Always' & the title cut.

Customer Reviews:

The Terrible Twos.......2002-02-18

...as in there were two versions of this album released. They featured radically different mixes and performances of the songs and also the cover artwork. Rankine/Mackenzie were (allegedly) unhappy with the first version (this cover featured the two as runners on the starting blocks) and so remixed and redid it all. It was a crushing disappointment as the first version was so eerie and edgy, and also caught more of the flavor and majesty of them live.
So I still don't know which version of the album this is... I assume the second, so that gets 2 stars. The first version gets 5. (anyone got one they want to sell ????????)

Bow Down Before The Associates.......2000-08-16

You'll only be reading this if you've heard some of the Associates stuff, so I just have to say that this album is just as exotically weird and truely wonderful as anything else they did. Billy Mackenzie's voice is operatic, stirring, and arresting, like Sydney Opera House turned into a cop shop. And he's not let down by the music. The guitars, piano, bagpipes, and whatever else they threw into the mix make a sound just as unique as the singer's. Together, they define songs that could fill dance floors ('The Affectionate Punch', 'Would I... Bounce Back', etc), others ('Logan Time', 'Transport to Central') that could accompany ballet. Five words that describe this album: Uplifting, melodic, timeless, awe-inspiring. Another five words: Just as good as 'Sulk'.

The Affectionate Punch..Draws Blood.......2000-07-26

I first discovered Associates as a college student, when I got a promo CD of the now out of print PopEra, the survey of the Associates' output up to 1989. I must say I never heard anything quite like it--big big over-the-top vocals and chilly synths. For those of you that like the more austere side of early-eighties synth-wave, Affectionate Punch is definitely a disc worth getting--I had to go all the way to London to get my copy--Amazon.com is much more convenient! Affectionate Punch is the first album that Associates released. Early versions of the songs were recorded with The Cure's Robert Smith singing backup. Sparse guitar, cold synths (as on the title track), and wry lyrics comprise the whole here, as on the single A..., which is a makeover of the well-known rhymes on the alphabet. Associates are a group you may not have heard of, but with groups like the Smiths (who composed the Associate tribute song 'William it was Really Nothing') the Cure (Michael Dempsey, Cure Bassist, toured with the live outfit) and Yello (Associates lead singer Billy MacKenzie worked quite often with Boris Blank--the working vocal line of the Rhythm Divine was sung by MacKenzie for Shirley Bassey's benefit), Associates should be more widely known. Affectionate Punch is one of their best.

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