The excellent White Spirit have issued a special edition of their Right or Wrong album – the original of which was of course their triumphant return after some four decades following their self-titled debut all the back in the New Wave of British Heavy Metal days.
Right or Wrong being the “lost album the band were working on back then as a follow-up to the debut with Brian Howe on vocals before they split.
Mick Tucker and Mal Pearson re-recording the songs (including some with Howe’s vocals intact on the original tapes) assisted by a line-up of guests including Lee Small, Russell Gilbrook and Neil Murray.
I reviewed Right or Wrong in this post July last year on issue. A fine album it is too. Proper classic rock with bite. To lift a couple of paras my original review:
“The result is an excellent album of 1980s sounding classic rock with a fresh feel and a fine listen from start to finish. Different in style to the debut probably because Howe’s vocal style is much different to original vocalist Bruce Ruff. Had Right or Wrong been released back in the day it would surely have gone down well – as it surely will now.
Ten beefy rockers full of crisp riffs and leads from Tucker, Pearson’s keys are nicely up in the mix to pomp and prog things up particularly on Don’t Say No.”
Now about a year later, Mick and Mal have put out this special edition of Right or Wrong. The booklet notes give a hint that perhaps all was not well with various circumstances leading to this special edition, which to quote from the booklet:
“Following the album release in July of 2022…..certain facts came to light some of which were as unbelievable as the story of the recording itself. This led to myself (Mal) and Mick to release this special edition which includes re-written tracks from our back catalogue and some tracks which were to be included on the original but did not make it at the time.”
It was planned to be an EP of four tracks. Instead the band have over-delivered with eleven tracks making it a full blown album length.
All the good stuff which made the original so good still here with the exception of the cover of Holy Water and Rock ‘n’ Roll becomes a bouncy instrumental. Added are re-recorded and updated versions of Back to the Grind (White Spirit’s first single from the New Wave of British Heavy Metal days in 1980) and Midnight Chaser (the opening track from the debut album).
Both the new oldies sound fresh and feature new vocalist Alex Stahl. Have a listen to the new Midnight Chaser:
Mal and Mick have put together a new line of with White Spirit now being Mal, Mick, Alex, Micky Crystal, Steve Ireland and Marc Jackson. They are working on a new album which is tentatively scheduled for early 2024. Good news indeed.
Until then – bag yourself either the original or special edition of Right or Wrong either CD or digital:
Original (Amazon):
https://amzn.to/3OQ0C7M
Special Edition (White Spirit web shop):
https://white-spirit-worldwide.sumupstore.com/product/cd-white-spirit-right-or-wrong-special-edition-album