The marvellous BeBop Deluxe have their final album – Drastic Plastic – given the spruce up and remastering treatment on a double CD remaster including a slew of bonus tracks. It came out only a few days ago and is a “must have”.
The package comprises of the original album from 1978, a new stereo remix, fourteen bonus tracks, a replica tour poster and a booklet with an expansive essay written by Bill Nelson himself covering his recollections of the recording of the album in France.
BeBop Deluxe were one of the first bands I got in to when discovering “proper” music as a teenager in the mid-1970s. I can clearly remember buying Live in the Air Age with the EP as it wasn’t quite a double album – more like an album and a half. And not long after that picking up Drastic Plastic from the local Asda, which had a small record section at the time.
To this day, BeBop remain one of my favourite bands. And in my opinion (and I’m not alone here), Bill Nelson is one the THE underrated guitarists anywhere. Fluid, effortless, powerful, melodic. He’s up there with Donald “Buck Dharma” Roeser and anyone else you care to mention.
True, BeBop’s previous albums had been more guitar-oriented given Bills prowess, but each album saw Bill getting progressively more experimental. That would come more to the fore here on Drastic Plastic with the introduction of the synths and a more electronic style though that superb guitar is always there and it’s a fine, fine album indeed.
Electrical Language a hypnotic opener. New Precision has that bit of an ethereal feel to it yet ricks along nicely with Bills big riff and peeling guitar work.
New Mysteries has some stabbing guitar then Surreal Estate is, er, surreal and quite a switch in style featuring drummer Simon Fox playing pots and pans (yes, really).
Love in Flames has a brutal, fast riff with the song speeding along powerfully. Panic in the World with the nice chugging riff and huge hook found a release as a single (still have that too) then we’re in to Dangerous Stranger. A fine, fine melodic rocker with a fluid riff, big chords and some superbly measured solo work from Bill. Have a listen:
Spuperenigmatix is short with Bills vocals delivered with some venom and rather prophetic lyrically given today’s “internet of things”. Visions of Endless Hopes comes next – a nice acoustically based affair though I’m sure on the version of the album I bought in 1978 Japan was on it and not this song.
Possession another of Bills cutting rockers with a-la Dangerous Stranger before the haunting Island of the Dead closes it out.
Then the nine bonus tracks include Stuff such and Lovers and Mortal and Speed of the Wind which were recorded for an intended EP which never happened.
The second CD being the new stereo remix of the album together with yet more bonus tracks which include single edits of Panic in the World, Electrical Language and Love in Flames together with a couple of unreleased tracks – a different version of Island of the Dead and the Saxophonist.
This in indeed a superb double-CD reissue of a classic album by a classic band.
>> BEBOP DELUXE DRASTIC PLASTIC 2CD EXPANDED EDITION ON AMAZON <<
After Drastic Plastic, Bill disbanded BeBop though would soon resurface with his Red Noise project, which was a one album shot. But what an album it was. I’m hearing that’s going to get the expanded/remastering treatment so will keep an eye out for that.