Metamatic Forums John Foxx John Foxx and Louis Gordon Shifting City 2009

I’m one of the poor souls who missed out on the original version of this album, so it's almost like a brand new release to me. I say ‘almost’, because I’m already familiar with most of the tracks here. Still, it’s first time listens for Crash , Forgotten Years and Everyone.

No one could accuse John & Louis of over producing any of their albums, but even by their standards this album feels raw and basic. It also feels like a debut album; like they are establishing their style.

I first heard The Noise on Modern Art , and it was one of the main reasons that I got into John’s more recent works. Great to finally hear it in its intended context. One of my favourites on this album.

So strange hearing Crash. A ‘new’ track 12 years late. Very early 90’s techno feel, this one reminds me of John’s Nation 12 work. Great stuff.

Everyone - very haunting and a good contrast to some of the other more manic tracks
Forgotten Years - not a track that has much appeal to me

Shadow Man - I first heard this track on MySpace (I think it was a version done for the Australian tour). I think the tour version was actually better, but this is still a great track - such a relentless feel to it.

Through My Sleeping is a beautiful song, and I’m not surprised that John chose this one to appear on Glimmer. Perhaps the albums biggest highlight.

Some of the tracks have more have more of a psychedelic\blues feel to them. Can this album be most closely compared to Sideways ?

So I finally got Shifting City. A bit like buying your first car: managed okay without one, but now I’ve got it I would never want to be without again

Great post. This album was like a second debut for John. I'm yet to hear the new version, but when I first got it back in 2001, my immediate impression was that it did (by then) sound a bit dated - but I guess the 90s dance/techno influence on Louis shines right through on the album and it firmly planted John back in the electro scene.

I've never been keen on the bluesy elements like "Forgotten Years" but "Everyone" is quite a haunting, Portishead-esque track.

For me, the best two tracks on the album are "An Ocean We Can Breathe" and "Through My Sleeping". The Beatles influence clearly comes across on these songs, especially "Through My Sleeping". This is basically John's version of "Tomorrow Never Knows" - a song which I've only just discovered myself.

I'm glad "Thgough My Sleeping" found a home on this album. It started life as th nation12 track "Leaving", then became "Through My Sleeping" with Blitz. But I guess neither version was finished or to John's satisfaction.

The Omnidelic version of the track is good, but for me, the album version will never be beaten.

I like "Crash" and "Shadow Man". Almost an updated "Burning Car" kind of track, with a repetitive beat and minimal lyrics. There's a real driving energy to it.

I'm getting quite excited just by thinking about it. I reckon one SC remaster will be purchased at some point in the not too distant future!

I've not yet made any move to get SC09 myself, but I have to agree with AlexS, that's a great post there MikeG and a good start to the (hopefully more) reviews to follow in this thread.

Came back from a holiday week today and found all 3 new CD's in my post.

The remastered version of Shifting City sounds great - there are a lot of noises and sound elements which gone lost on the original recording. This CD is one of my favourites of John & Louis stuff and it is wonderful to have it in this great quality now!

The Demo version of Shadow Man is interesting - to me this version would better fit in on The Pleasures of Electricity. It sounds so different to the original but it's nice ; though I prefer the Original.

Great job on this CD. Thanks a lot to all who were involved!!!!

Shadowmandreas

I had this one for years in my collection.
Bought it when it came out in the 90's.
It was an unexpected but glorious retrurn of JF, man I was happy!
With this remaster the sound of the album is proper, at last.
One of my favourite JF albums it was,
and after this remaster this surely will continue to be!

Great additional tracks too. Especially the 'Just For A Moment' live track. It made me shiver ...

Great to hear this one again on a sunny Sunday afternoon. Shadow Man sounds quite significantly remixed in places, especially towards the end, and Through My Sleeping has also been remixed a bit I think. Both sound really good though (as ever) and the early version of Shadow Man is great too.

There is a mention of a 3rd musician, Jackie Leven, for Concrete,Bulletproof, Invisible. There is a mention in the credits of him too. I read a bit on the Net about him and know he is a long time musician since the end of the seventies. But how much had he to do with this track of John & Louis? Was he the inspiration for the track or wrote he some music... Would be nice to know something about it...

Andreas

"C...B...I..." is the name of a band formed by Jackie Leven with Glen Matlock of the Pistols some years ago. I don't hink it has anything to do with John or Louis, but I guess he is credited accordingly as he will no doubt own the IP rights to the name.

Leven was founder of Doll by Doll too, a punk band who supported Ultravox several times at gigs during 1978, so there is a relationship of sorts there too.

Hope this helps.

And well worth checking out some of his solo material...

Sure does.


Thank you Martin.


Andreas

What IS that dialogue on Forgotten Years???

This album is simply stunning. I don't remember it sounding so confident and accomplished before, but with the benefit of knowing what came next its easier to understand.
It sounds like the pivotal moment that it physically represents - a definition of the 'retro-future' concept in every way.

And you really appreciate the track sequence now - the title track is PERFECTLY placed after the ethereal, romantic, smooth melancholy of the previous two tracks, it booms out and grabs you by the throat.
Lumbering? Clumsy? Threatening? Confused? Abrasive? Blurred? Far out?

Of course - one of me still wants to be a machine

Sets you up for the assault that is CBI. Crank it LOUD!!! And then "Ocean" closes the set, to rubber stamp the design concept and contextualize the whole thing.
I thought it was all fixed, but now I know its really liquid. Genius.
Still one of my favourite Foxx albums of them all.

There's a lot of Smoke and Ray1/Ray2 in it too, which I hadn't noticed before, so after this play through I'm going to get back into Crash and Burn