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It's Immaterial has qualities that can't be discerned from one listen, at least on the band's debut LP, Life's Hard and Then You Die. Patience is really needed to let this record's oddball hooks kick in. The opening track, "Driving Away From Home (Jim's Tune)," is its most accessible. "Driving Away From Home" is a moody travelogue wherein John Campbell's half-spoken, half-sung vocals and Jarvis Whitehead's locomotive beat capture both the weariness and sense of wonder of being on a long road trip. Musically, the LP is all over the place -- new wave, country, blues, folk, and synth pop. Somehow the smorgasbord of styles works, because the bandmembers aren't being eclectic just for the sake of it; they simply have a wide canvas, keeping the album fresh from beginning to end. When Campbell talks, it isn't because he can't sing; the man has a lovely voice, especially during the transcendent chorus of "Space." On "Better Idea" and "Hang on Sleepy Town," Campbell creates an air of sadness that is felt more deeply with each listen. It's Immaterial manages to stay focused, never allowing its genre-bending to veer out of control. "Sweet Life" takes a bite out of Echo & the Bunnymen's brittle, psychedelic riffs and provides a Spanish flavor. Like much of Life's Hard and Then You Die, it grows on the listener. When "Festival Time" erupts into total chaos -- pulsating keyboards, brazen horns, samples of horses, operatic voices -- it sounds like a mess at first, but repeated spins reveal how well crafted it is. The CD version of Life's Hard and Then You Die is the one to search for. The CD adds three bonus cuts -- the gripping "Washing the Air" (with ghostly singing from Campbell and reptilian guitars that recall James Bond's instrumental theme) and different versions of "Ed's Funky Diner" and "Driving Away From Home."
© Michael Sutton /TiVo
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John Campbell, ComposerLyricist - Dave Bascombe, Producer - It's Immaterial, MainArtist - Jarvis Whitehead, ComposerLyricist
℗ 1986 Virgin Records Limited
John Whitehead, ComposerLyricist - Dave Bascombe, Producer - Felix Kendal, Engineer, StudioPersonnel - It's Immaterial, MainArtist - John James Campbell, ComposerLyricist
℗ 1986 Virgin Records Limited
John Whitehead, ComposerLyricist - Dave Bascombe, Producer - Felix Kendal, Engineer, StudioPersonnel - It's Immaterial, MainArtist - John James Campbell, ComposerLyricist
℗ 1986 Virgin Records Limited
John Whitehead, ComposerLyricist - Dave Bascombe, Producer - Felix Kendal, Engineer, StudioPersonnel - It's Immaterial, MainArtist - John James Campbell, ComposerLyricist
℗ 1986 Virgin Records Limited
John Whitehead, ComposerLyricist - Dave Bascombe, Producer - Felix Kendal, Engineer, StudioPersonnel - It's Immaterial, MainArtist - John James Campbell, ComposerLyricist
℗ 1986 Virgin Records Limited
John Whitehead, ComposerLyricist - Dave Bascombe, Producer - Felix Kendal, Engineer, StudioPersonnel - It's Immaterial, MainArtist - John James Campbell, ComposerLyricist
℗ 1986 Virgin Records Limited
John Whitehead, ComposerLyricist - Dave Bascombe, Producer - Felix Kendal, Engineer, StudioPersonnel - It's Immaterial, MainArtist - John James Campbell, ComposerLyricist
℗ 1986 Virgin Records Limited
John Whitehead, ComposerLyricist - Dave Bascombe, Producer - Felix Kendal, Engineer, StudioPersonnel - It's Immaterial, MainArtist - John James Campbell, ComposerLyricist
℗ 1986 Virgin Records Limited
John Whitehead, ComposerLyricist - Dave Bascombe, Producer - Felix Kendal, Engineer, StudioPersonnel - It's Immaterial, MainArtist - John James Campbell, ComposerLyricist
℗ 1986 Virgin Records Limited
John Whitehead, ComposerLyricist - Dave Bascombe, Producer - Felix Kendal, Engineer, StudioPersonnel - It's Immaterial, MainArtist - John James Campbell, ComposerLyricist
℗ 1986 Virgin Records Limited
Dave Bascombe, Producer - It's Immaterial, MainArtist - John James Campbell, ComposerLyricist
℗ 1986 Virgin Records Limited
Traditional, ComposerLyricist - Dave Bascombe, Producer - It's Immaterial, MainArtist
℗ 1985 Virgin Records Limited
Dave Bascombe, Producer - Campbell, ComposerLyricist - It's Immaterial, MainArtist - Whitebread, ComposerLyricist
℗ 1986 Virgin Records Limited
It's Immaterial, Producer, MainArtist - John James Campbell, ComposerLyricist - Jarvis Whitehead, ComposerLyricist
℗ 1986 Virgin Records Limited
WHITEHEAD, ComposerLyricist - Dave Bascombe, Producer - Campbell, ComposerLyricist - It's Immaterial, MainArtist
℗ 1986 Virgin Records Limited
Dave Bascombe, Producer - It's Immaterial, MainArtist - John James Campbell, ComposerLyricist - Jarvis Whitehead, ComposerLyricist
℗ 1986 Virgin Records Limited
John Campbell, Producer - It's Immaterial, MainArtist - John James Campbell, ComposerLyricist
℗ 1986 Virgin Records Limited
John Campbell, Vocalist, AssociatedPerformer, ComposerLyricist - Dave Bascombe, Producer - It's Immaterial, MainArtist - Jarvis Whitehead, Keyboards, AssociatedPerformer, ComposerLyricist
℗ 1986 Virgin Records Limited
John Whitehead, ComposerLyricist - Dave Bascombe, Producer - Felix Kendal, Engineer, StudioPersonnel - It's Immaterial, MainArtist - John James Campbell, ComposerLyricist
℗ 1986 Virgin Records Limited
John Whitehead, ComposerLyricist - Dave Bascombe, Producer - Felix Kendal, Engineer, StudioPersonnel - It's Immaterial, MainArtist - John James Campbell, ComposerLyricist
℗ 1986 Virgin Records Limited
Dave Bascombe, Producer - Felix Kendal, Engineer, StudioPersonnel - It's Immaterial, MainArtist - John James Campbell, ComposerLyricist
℗ 1986 Virgin Records Limited
John Whitehead, ComposerLyricist - Dave Bascombe, Producer - It's Immaterial, MainArtist - John James Campbell, ComposerLyricist - Felix Kendall, Engineer, StudioPersonnel
℗ 1986 Virgin Records Limited
John Whitehead, ComposerLyricist - Dave Bascombe, Producer - It's Immaterial, MainArtist - John James Campbell, ComposerLyricist
℗ 1986 Virgin Records Limited
John Campbell, Producer - Traditional, ComposerLyricist - It's Immaterial, MainArtist
℗ 1986 Virgin Records Limited
John Whitehead, ComposerLyricist - Dave Bascombe, Producer, Mixer, StudioPersonnel - It's Immaterial, MainArtist - John James Campbell, ComposerLyricist
℗ 1990 Virgin Records Limited
Dave Bascombe, Producer - It's Immaterial, MainArtist - John James Campbell, ComposerLyricist - Jarvis Whitehead, ComposerLyricist
℗ 1986 Virgin Records Limited
John Whitehead, ComposerLyricist - Dave Bascombe, Producer - Felix Kendal, Engineer, StudioPersonnel - It's Immaterial, MainArtist - John James Campbell, ComposerLyricist
℗ 1986 Virgin Records Limited
John Whitehead, ComposerLyricist - Dave Bascombe, Producer - It's Immaterial, MainArtist - Bert Bevans, Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - John James Campbell, ComposerLyricist
℗ 1986 Virgin Records Limited
Dave Bascombe, Producer - It's Immaterial, MainArtist - Tarrant Bailey Jnr., ComposerLyricist
℗ 1986 Virgin Records Limited
John Whitehead, ComposerLyricist - It's Immaterial, Producer, MainArtist - John James Campbell, ComposerLyricist
℗ 1986 Virgin Records Limited
Album review
It's Immaterial has qualities that can't be discerned from one listen, at least on the band's debut LP, Life's Hard and Then You Die. Patience is really needed to let this record's oddball hooks kick in. The opening track, "Driving Away From Home (Jim's Tune)," is its most accessible. "Driving Away From Home" is a moody travelogue wherein John Campbell's half-spoken, half-sung vocals and Jarvis Whitehead's locomotive beat capture both the weariness and sense of wonder of being on a long road trip. Musically, the LP is all over the place -- new wave, country, blues, folk, and synth pop. Somehow the smorgasbord of styles works, because the bandmembers aren't being eclectic just for the sake of it; they simply have a wide canvas, keeping the album fresh from beginning to end. When Campbell talks, it isn't because he can't sing; the man has a lovely voice, especially during the transcendent chorus of "Space." On "Better Idea" and "Hang on Sleepy Town," Campbell creates an air of sadness that is felt more deeply with each listen. It's Immaterial manages to stay focused, never allowing its genre-bending to veer out of control. "Sweet Life" takes a bite out of Echo & the Bunnymen's brittle, psychedelic riffs and provides a Spanish flavor. Like much of Life's Hard and Then You Die, it grows on the listener. When "Festival Time" erupts into total chaos -- pulsating keyboards, brazen horns, samples of horses, operatic voices -- it sounds like a mess at first, but repeated spins reveal how well crafted it is. The CD version of Life's Hard and Then You Die is the one to search for. The CD adds three bonus cuts -- the gripping "Washing the Air" (with ghostly singing from Campbell and reptilian guitars that recall James Bond's instrumental theme) and different versions of "Ed's Funky Diner" and "Driving Away From Home."
© Michael Sutton /TiVo
About the album
- 1 disc(s) - 34 track(s)
- Total length: 02:37:40
- Main artists: It's Immaterial
- Composer: Various Composers
- Label: Virgin Music UK
- Genre: Pop/Rock Rock
© 2016 Virgin Music UK This Compilation ℗ 2016 Virgin Music UK
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