Blancmange - First 3cds Boxsets - Happy families, mangetout, believe you me

3 boxsets of their first 3 albums, and an exclusive boxset on amazon (SOLD OUT):

Coming out on august 4th.
===


Happy Families: Amazon.co.uk: Music

Happy Families

CD 1

1. I Can’t Explain
2. Feel Me
3. I’ve Seen the Word
4. Wasted
5. Living On The Ceiling
6. Waves
7. Kind
8. Sad Day
9. Cruel
10. God’s Kitchen
11. Living On The Ceiling [extended version]
12. God’s Kitchen [12″ mix]
13. Feel Me [12″ instrumental]
14. Waves [original version – no strings]

CD 2

1. Sad Day [original version]
2. Feel Me [extended 12″ version]
3. Business Steps
4. Black Bell [demo]
5. Melodic Piece [demo]
6. Your Hills [rehearsal]
7. I Can’t Explain [demo]
8. Waves [demo]
9. I’ve Seen The Word [1979 demo]
10. Holland [demo]
11. I’ve Seen The Word [demo]
12. Feel Me [Mike Howlett dub version]

CD 3: At The BBC

RADIO 1 SESSION [13.2.82]

1. I Would
2. Living On The Ceiling
3. Waves
4. Running Thin

RADIO 1 SESSION [5.6.82]

5. God’s Kitchen
6. Feel Me
7. Kind
8. Cruel

IN CONCERT, PARIS THEATRE [13.11.82]

9. God’s Kitchen
10. Living On The Ceiling
11. I’ve Seen The Word
12. I Can’t Explain
13. Waves
14. Feel Me

Mange Tout: Amazon.co.uk: Music



Mange Tout

CD 4

1. Don’t Tell Me
2. Game Above My Head
3. Blind Vision
4. Time Became The Tide
5. That’s Love, That It Is
6. Murder
7. See The Train
8. All Things Are Nice
9. My Baby
10. The Day Before You Came
11. Game Above My Head [long version]
12. Blind Vision [long version]
13. Don’t Tell Me [extended]
14. Vishnu [short version]
15. Blind Vision [Martyn Ware demo]

CD 5

1. Time Became The Tide [demo]
2. If You Want To Be Hip
3. It Never Rains [demo]
4. Murder [demo]
5. Heaven Knows Where Heaven Is
6. On Our Way To?
7. That’s Love, That It Is [extended]
8. Vishnu [full length]
9. Get Out Of That
10. All Things Are Nice [version]
11. The Day Before You Came [extended]
12. Don’t Tell Me [remix]
13. That’s Love, That It Is [remix]
14. Blind Vision [instrumental/dub version]

CD 6: At The BBC

RADIO 1 SESSION [17.3.83]

1. Time Became The Tide
2. Murder
3. Blind Vision
4. Vishnu

IN CONCERT, HAMMERSMITH PALAIS [24.5.84]

5. Living On The Ceiling
6. Game Above My Head
7. I Can’t Explain
8. My Baby
9. Blind Vision
10. Don’t Tell Me
11. God’s Kitchen
12. Murder
13. The Day Before You Came
14. That’s Love, That It Is
15. Kind
16. Feel Me

Believe You Me: Amazon.co.uk: Music



Believe You Me

CD 7

1. Lose Your Love
2. What’s Your Problem?
3. Paradise Is
4. Why Don’t They Leave Things Alone?
5. 22339
6. Don’t You Love It All
7. Believe
8. Lorraine’s My Nurse
9. Other Animals
10. No Wonder They Never Made It Back!
11. John
12. Lose Your Love [7″ single version]
13. I Can See It [extended]
14. Lose Your Love (This Club Mix)
15. Mixing On The Ceiling [Megamix]

CD 8

1. Side Two
2. A Remedial Course [demo]
3. Believe [demo]
4. Scream Down The House
5. Gentle On My Mind [demo]
6. M Diver (Alternate Dream) [demo]
7. River Of Life [demo]
8. Lose Your Love [extended]
9. What’s Your Problem [extended]
10. Don’t You Love It All [demo]
11. Lose Your Love With Helen [demo]
12. Reaching Out [demo]
13. I Can See It [7″ single version]
14. Lose Your Love In London [unreleased mix]

CD 9: At The BBC

RADIO 1 SESSION [29.9.85]

1. Believe
2. Don’t You Love It All
3. Lose Your Love
4. Paradise Is

IN CONCERT, HAMMERSMITH ODEON [8.2.86]

5. Don’t Tell Me
6. What’s Your Problem
7. That’s Love That It Is
8. Don’t You Love It All
9. Why Don’t They Leave Things Alone?
10. God’s Kitchen
11. Lose Your Love
12. Paradise Is
13. Other Animals
14. Game Above My Head
15. Living On The Ceiling
16. I’ve Seen The Word
17. Kind
18. Blind Vision


Exclusive boxset (500 copies):



Blancmange / The Blanc Tapes: limited edition 9CD box set with signed print


later
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Bought "Mange Tout" recently and was surprised how good it is!!!!

 

I bought the Happy Families the day of release, I believe it was a Decca LP with demonstration sound quality. I missed the first CD but have the Edsel reissue that sounds pretty good.

Does anyone comment about the sound quality of "The Very Best Of" compilation CD?

 

Wouldn't have guessed there was a market for super deluxe box sets from Blancmange in 2017, but there you go.

 

Blancmange has been very active in the last several years. They have released more new albums, than they originally had.

They've put out live shows, toured, had side projects, put up youtube clips, and had a much larger social media presence.

They are very active in the UK, and so there has been quite a demand increase since the last set of remasters they had.

later
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i have that one (out the many many many greatest hits they have)... i don't remember what the quality was like, will have to check it.

if it's using the last set of remasters, it should be decent quality.

just note:

Erratum:-
Some mixes are wrongly specified:
- "Wasted" is not an extended version, but the regular album version.
- "The Day Before You Came" is the album version, not the 7" remix.
- "Lose Your Love" is the original album version without the complete intro. The original CD version of "Believe You Me" contained the remix by John Luongo

later
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So Running Thin is a live version and not the studio version? Odd. I think I played it just as much as I played the A-side Living On The Ceiling

 

My comment on the exclusive boxset sellout fiasco:

The official site did mention the boxset, but by then it was too late to order it.
Same with facebook.

The email newsletter alerting fans about the boxset came out a day after it was too late, ironic right.

So much for them trying to let fans know about a release, and having it sell out before people could try to get it.

later
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I wrote a review on Amazon UK years ago, if you are referring to the 2 CD set. Disappointingly, many of the tracks are from MP3 sources. There was a period of time where Warner's inadvertently transferred files to MP3 at some point before providing them to a licensee and no one caught it for a while. Another Warner owned title that suffered this fate was the CD reissue on Cherry Red of The Monochrome Set's album 'The Lost Weekend'. Thankfully, I had the Japan CD issue from years earlier so I was covered. Many of the tracks on the last Blancmange reissues were MP3 and many of those same files were used on The Very Best Of 2 CD set. There were also some vinyl transfers, I seem to recall the 12" mix of God's Kitchen.

 

Same here, but it sold out very quickly.

 

Seeing that Scott, I'm glad I skipped em when released.
Picked up a US Sterling cut of Happy Families a couple years ago, nice sounding album.
Any idea who's doing this set?

 

Edsel is also doing these new sets. I asked them on their Facebook page about the mastering, reminding that the previous sets included a lot of MP3 sources. They have not responded. I say people just need to remember what a train wreck the Dead or Alive set was and set your expectations accordingly because I cannot assume they took extra care on this set. They may have simply recycled the previous mastering on this set and added extras. Until someone gets their copy and can scrutinize it, we may not know. That being said, I'm a part time Blancmange fan so I haven't seriously considered these new sets, but would be curious to know if they were remastered. I would have been more interested had they included the music videos.

 

I'm a huge fan of the band, and will be getting all these, and going over them.

I don't expect the mastering to be any different from the previous remasters.

Also, it's a lot less material to mess up compared to dead or alive.
(although they've messed up tracks on the previous remasters with a lot less).

The videos are fun, and it would be nice to see a good collection of them, as
the previous ones are usually just 3 or 4 tracks on laserdisc, and vhs.

There are some live videos on DVD, but no compilation of their promo videos.

later
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The first album set looks interesting but as soon as I saw it was an Edsel product I figure I will wait until they fix whatever mistakes are made with the first pressing as Edsel QA is seriously lacking and there always seems to be something with them.

 

Looks like you can get them all as a boxset again, without the signed print now:

The Blanc Tapes: Amazon.co.uk: Music

Good for people that missed out the first time.

later
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Its not really a box set, its just a thick cardboard slipcase covering all the 3 CD sets. Even though its nice that this is happening, I think that most people were after the signed print.

 

true, yes its just a cover, but still a nice collectible for people that are getting all the other boxsets.

later
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While the latter part of your statement is true (about specific tracks on the "Very Best of" 2CD being mp3 sourced), I have no evidence whatsoever that any of the tracks on the 2008 Edsel reissues were lossy, let alone many.

 

Also, in some cases, if you order the set as one package, you will save on postage, instead of ordering 3 items separately.

later
-1

 

Thanks, I'll pass on The Very Best Of. The Warner MP3 fiasco sounds like a good title for a new thread. I'm sure it would be appreciated if you impart your knowledge.

 

Just did a comparison of the upcoming sets to the previous remasters:
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Happy Families

CD 1

1. I Can’t Explain
2. Feel Me
3. I’ve Seen the Word
4. Wasted
5. Living On The Ceiling - 4:12 should be original album
6. Waves - 4:04 should be original album
7. Kind
8. Sad Day
9. Cruel
10. God’s Kitchen
11. Living On The Ceiling [extended version] - on remaster
12. God’s Kitchen [12 mix] - on remaster
13. Feel Me [12 instrumental] - on remaster
14. Waves [original version – no strings]

CD 2

1. Sad Day [original version]
2. Feel Me [extended 12 version] - on remaster
3. Business Steps - on remaster
4. Black Bell [demo]
5. Melodic Piece [demo]
6. Your Hills [rehearsal]
7. I Can’t Explain [demo]
8. Waves [demo]
9. I’ve Seen The Word [1979 demo]
10. Holland [demo]
11. I’ve Seen The Word [demo]
12. Feel Me [Mike Howlett dub version]

CD 3: At The BBC

RADIO 1 SESSION [13.2.82]

1. I Would
2. Living On The Ceiling
3. Waves
4. Running Thin

RADIO 1 SESSION [5.6.82]

5. God’s Kitchen
6. Feel Me
7. Kind
8. Cruel

IN CONCERT, PARIS THEATRE [13.11.82]

9. God’s Kitchen
10. Living On The Ceiling
11. I’ve Seen The Word
12. I Can’t Explain
13. Waves
14. Feel Me


from remasters
x - included
----------------
Bonus Tracks:
x11 Living On The Ceiling (Extended Version) 5:40
x12 God's Kitchen (12" Mix) 4:29
x13 Feel Me (Extended 12" Version) 7:01
x14 Feel Me (7" & 12" Instrumental) 5:10
x15 Business Steps 4:28

16 Feel Me (US 12" Instrumental) 5:22 <- not included
---------------------

Mange Tout

CD 4

1. Don’t Tell Me
2. Game Above My Head
3. Blind Vision - 3:51 should be original album version
4. Time Became The Tide
5. That’s Love, That It Is
6. Murder
7. See The Train
8. All Things Are Nice
9. My Baby
10. The Day Before You Came - 5:57 should be original album version
11. Game Above My Head [long version] - 7:14 on remaster is ext mix
12. Blind Vision [long version] - 9:40 on remaster
13. Don’t Tell Me [extended] - 6:25 on remaster
14. Vishnu [short version]
15. Blind Vision [Martyn Ware demo]

CD 5

1. Time Became The Tide [demo]
2. If You Want To Be Hip
3. It Never Rains [demo]
4. Murder [demo]
5. Heaven Knows Where Heaven Is - 3:25 on remaster
6. On Our Way To? - 5:37 on remaster
7. That’s Love, That It Is [extended] - 6:35 on remaster
8. Vishnu [full length] - 5:21 on remaster
9. Get Out Of That - 4:26 on remaster
10. All Things Are Nice [version] - 4:14 on remaster
11. The Day Before You Came [extended] - 7:59 on remaster
12. Don’t Tell Me [remix]
13. That’s Love, That It Is [remix] - 7:34 on remaster
14. Blind Vision [instrumental/dub version]

CD 6: At The BBC

RADIO 1 SESSION [17.3.83]

1. Time Became The Tide
2. Murder
3. Blind Vision
4. Vishnu

IN CONCERT, HAMMERSMITH PALAIS [24.5.84] <- previously laserdisc, DVD (missing waves)

5. Living On The Ceiling
6. Game Above My Head
7. I Can’t Explain
8. My Baby
9. Blind Vision
10. Don’t Tell Me
11. God’s Kitchen
12. Murder
13. The Day Before You Came
14. That’s Love, That It Is
15. Kind
16. Feel Me


remaster
x-included
============

Bonus Track:
x1-11 Game Above My Head (Long Version) 7:14

The B-Sides And Remixes
x2-1 Blind Vision (Long Version) 9:40
x2-2 Heaven Knows Where Heaven Is 3:25
x2-3 On Our Way To? 5:37
x2-4 That's Love That It Is (Extended) 6:35

2-5 Vishnu (Full Length) 5:21

x2-6 That's Love That It Is (Remix) 7:34

2-7 Vishnu (Instrumental) 4:53

x2-8 Don't Tell Me (Extended) 6:25
x2-9 Get Out Of That 4:26

2-10 Feel Me (Live Version) 6:25
2-11 All Things Are Nice (Version) 4:14

x2-12 The Day Before You Came (Extended) 7:59
============================================

Believe You Me

CD 7

1. Lose Your Love New original album
2. What’s Your Problem?
3. Paradise Is
4. Why Don’t They Leave Things Alone?
5. 22339 Should be 5:17
6. Don’t You Love It All
7. Believe
8. Lorraine’s My Nurse
9. Other Animals
10. No Wonder They Never Made It Back!
11. John
12. Lose Your Love [7? single version]
13. I Can See It [extended] - on previous release
14. Lose Your Love (This Club Mix)
15. Mixing On The Ceiling [Megamix]

CD 8

1. Side Two - on previous release
2. A Remedial Course [demo]
3. Believe [demo]
4. Scream Down The House - on previous release
5. Gentle On My Mind [demo]
6. M Diver (Alternate Dream) [demo]
7. River Of Life [demo]
8. Lose Your Love [extended]
9. What’s Your Problem [extended]
10. Don’t You Love It All [demo]
11. Lose Your Love With Helen [demo]
12. Reaching Out [demo]
13. I Can See It [7? single version]
14. Lose Your Love In London [unreleased mix]

CD 9: At The BBC

RADIO 1 SESSION [29.9.85]

1. Believe
2. Don’t You Love It All
3. Lose Your Love
4. Paradise Is

IN CONCERT, HAMMERSMITH ODEON [8.2.86]

5. Don’t Tell Me
6. What’s Your Problem
7. That’s Love That It Is
8. Don’t You Love It All
9. Why Don’t They Leave Things Alone?
10. God’s Kitchen
11. Lose Your Love
12. Paradise Is
13. Other Animals
14. Game Above My Head
15. Living On The Ceiling
16. I’ve Seen The Word
17. Kind
18. Blind Vision

===========================
previous remaster
x - included
-----
Bonus Tracks:
x12 Side Two 7:35
13 Living On The Ceiling (new mix) 7:11
x14 I Can See It (Why Don't They Leave Things Alone?) (Extended) 7:57
x15 Scream Down The House 4:10
=====================================================================

So overall, these tracks are not included on the new sets:
===========================================

16 Feel Me (US 12" Instrumental) 5:22
-----------
2-5 Vishnu (Full Length) 5:21
2-7 Vishnu (Instrumental) 4:53
2-10 Feel Me (Live Version) 6:25
2-11 All Things Are Nice (Version) 4:14
------------
13 Living On The Ceiling (new mix) 7:11

later
-1

 

Looks like this has been pushed back a week, at least in the states.

These guys completely passed me by back in the day, so I'm looking forward to hearing about this set.

 

It's great to see so many 80s bands get their due here recently, but why did it have to wait til I got so darn old?

 

Wow! This is one of those childhood bands that I listened to incessantly when I was a kid, but have completely neglected as an adult.
If it wasn't for this thread, I never would've given them another though.
Not sure I'd need all these bonus tracks (or even regular albums), but I might just pick up a best-of CD or something just to scratch my nostalgia bug.

 

There are various reviews of the releases out on the net now.
No tracklistings times though.

I will review it in awhile.

later
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