Just South of Heaven
Just South of Heaven is an EP by Crime & the City Solution, released in 1985 through Mute Records.
| Just South of Heaven | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| EP by | ||||
| Released | 1985 | |||
| Recorded | July 1985 | |||
| Studio | Strongroom, London | |||
| Genre | Post-punk, punk blues | |||
| Length | 28:20 | |||
| Label | Mute | |||
| Crime & the City Solution chronology | ||||
| ||||
| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| Allmusic |   [1] |
| NME | favorable[2] |
| Trouser Press | very favorable[3] |
Reception
The EP received quite favorable reviews upon release. Mat Snow, writing for NME, noted similarities of the band's sound to that of The Birthday Party and compared Bonney's vocals to "Tom Waits throwing up into a fried-egg sandwich." He writes however, that "Harvey, Soundtracks and the Howard brothers are developing into something equally commanding [to that of The Birthday Party's music] [...] should Simon Bonney ever outgrow this fetishism, then Crime and the City Solution will achieve the truly distinct greatness promised by this record. They're just a kiss away from the pearly gates."[2] Writing for Trouser Press, David Sheridan called the album "cleaner and more powerful [than The Dangling Man EP]: all six tracks work well. Howard's guitar is as strong as ever, but piano and organ figure just as prominently. A hauntingly beautiful record by a well- integrated band."[3]
Allmusic went on to pick the EP as the highlight of the band's discography, with Robert Gordon writing: "Aussies with a gothic vision of the American South."[1]
Track listing
| No. | Title | Lyrics | Music | Length |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Rose Blue" | Bronwyn Adams, Simon Bonney | Epic Soundtracks | 4:50 |
| 2. | "The Coal Train" | Simon Bonney | Mick Harvey | 5:55 |
| 3. | "Stolen & Stealing" | Bronwyn Adams | Epic Soundtracks | 3:20 |
| No. | Title | Lyrics | Music | Length |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Five Stone Walls" | Simon Bonney | Mick Harvey | 4:15 |
| 2. | "Trouble Come This Morning" | Bronwyn Adams, Simon Bonney | Rowland S. Howard | 4:30 |
| 3. | "The Wailing Wall" | Bronwyn Adams, Simon Bonney | Rowland S. Howard | 5:30 |
Personnel
- Crime & the City Solution
- Simon Bonney – vocals
- Epic Soundtracks – drums, bells, piano, organ
- Mick Harvey – guitar, organ, piano, slide guitar
- Harry Howard – bass guitar, acoustic guitar
- Rowland S. Howard – guitar, slide guitar, feedback, piano, saxophone
- Production and additional personnel
- Bronwyn Adams – painting
- Flood – engineering
Charts
| Chart (1985) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| UK Indie Chart[4] | 3 |
References
- Gordon, Robert. "Just South of Heaven". Allmusic. Retrieved November 13, 2012.
- "Outta The Black & Into The Ether // Articles // NME - September 21, 1985". rowland-s-howard.com.
- "TrouserPress.com :: Crime and the City Solution". www.trouserpress.com.
- Lazell, Barry (1997). Indie Hits 1980-1989. Cherry Red Books. Archived from the original on June 5, 2011. Retrieved September 5, 2014.
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