Sneak review for The Last Bandits In The World COMPLETE.
Long out-of-print folk-punk swooner gets a re-polish.
By good fortune, I've snagged a pre-release copy of Seventeen Records' lush double LP of The Last Bandits In The World (Complete). It's not out until RSD later this month and it's a thing of great beauty, containing music unreleased for three decades. The first LP is the original LBITW album by Simon Carmody, Nikki Sudden & Johnny Fean (a romantic, stripped down acoustic record; showcasing three amazing songwriters playing together... it has the feel of Exile On Main Street's laid-back balladry through its honest, rock n' roll abandon). The second record pulls together the super-rare 12" singles by LBITW, including the stunning Christmas Morning and a polished, sheer version of Sudden's The Angel's Are Calling (perhaps the most heart-rending piece of Celtic rock ever put to wax). I can't recommend this release enough, and it bridges a gap between Nikki Sudden's classic Jacobites LPs and his Creation Records sonic insanity. Chris Coleman and John Purcell have worked on getting this out for four years.... It is beautifully packaged and remastered and was WELL worth the wait.
