Taylor, Lewis: The Damn Rest
Taylor, Lewis: The Damn Rest
Format: VINYL LP
Wanting to order from us over the holiday period but need some more information. We are here to help! Please see our Christmas Shipping page for more information.
On average, orders containing available-to-ship items are processed and dispatched within 1-2 business days, although this is not guaranteed.
Orders containing preorder items will ship as 1 fulfillment once all items in the order are available to ship.
Please note, Tower Records Merchandise and Exclusives are dispatched separately. On average, these items take 3-4 business days to dispatch, although this is not guaranteed.
The estimated shipping times that are displayed at checkout are from the point of dispatch.
See our shipping policy for more information.
We have a 30-day return policy, which means you have 30 days after receiving your item(s) to make a return.
For orders created between November 20th 2024 and December 31st 2024, we have extended our normal return period. For orders made between this period, customers have up to 60 days from the receipt of goods to return an item. Please see our Christmas Returns page for more information.
To be eligible for a return of an unwanted item, your item must be in the same condition that you received it and in its original packaging.
In the unfortunate situation that a product is damaged/faulty/incorrect, let us know and we will endeavor to correct any issue as soon as possible.
Please see our refund policy for more information.
Artist: Taylor, Lewis
Label: Be with Records
Product Type: VINYL LP
UPC: 4251804138529
Genre: Rock
Nothing compares to Lewis Taylor and nobody crafts a 'B-Side' quite like him. Indeed, his long deleted B-Sides are the stuff of legend. So, gathered together for the first time on one slice of wax, we present The Damn Rest: an album's worth of B-Sides from the era of the 1996 Lewis Taylor ('Damn') album. More off-the-wall and abstract than the album proper, these rare, underheard tracks burst with Lewis's uncompromising genius. A lot more experimental, the music is still drop dead beautiful. The Damn Rest is the essential bridge between Lewis Taylor and Lewis II. Lewis Taylor's self-titled masterpiece from 1996 was to be originally called Damn. You can see the word right there on the from cover. However, concerns over distribution in the US scuppered this desired title. When thinking about what to call this collection of essential B-Sides from the era of that first album, we thought The Damn Rest would be appropriate. But these tracks aren't simply throwaways or outtakes, as Lewis himself states: 'each little group were recorded specifically for the release of each 'single'.' These B-Sides were simply the next thing to happen after self-titled, and before Lewis II. In other words, you need this! The collection opens with 'Asleep When You Come', the A2 on the original 'Lucky' 12'. It's a slow-mo string-drenched soul offering, cast in cinematic soft-focus with a vocal performance from the heavens set against wonky, shuffling drums and delicate instrumental flourishes. Beautiful. Also from the 'Lucky' single, 'You Got Me Thinking' may actually be Lewis' funkiest moment and is definitely one of our favourites, a great, gently psychedelic funky club track, that's for sure. Next, the gorgeous, meandering 'I Dream The Better Dream' is just sheer, metronomic bliss, with shades of Stevie Wonder. Just ask D'Angelo, who included the track on his Feverish Phantasmagoria show for Sonos. Not only a celebrity-fan-favourite, it's Lewis's, too: 'My favourite has always been this track. In my fantasy it's what early Soft Machine would've sounded like if Marvin Gaye was their lead singer.' As we move to the B-sides from the 'Whoever' single, the first to feature is 'Pie In The Electric Sky / If I Lay Down'. It's a brilliantly sprawling classic. A head-nod funk workout in two parts; part psychedelic heavy soul jam, part breezy Marvin-esque near-instrumental of the deeply lush variety. It needs to be heard to be believed. Astonishing! Flip over for 'Waves', a shimmering, dramatic, sweeping string-led fan favourite. The climax of the song is just too stunning for words. It's followed by the deep wyrd-soul of 'Trip So Heavy' the final, dizzying track from the 'Whoever' single and another celestial funk delight featuring strings, organ, twisted bass and heavy drums. From the 'Bittersweet' 12', 'A Little Bit Tasty' is a building, schizophrenic soul-jazz epic that starts out with Lewis performing a call and (distant) response with himself over a gentle mid-90s drum loop before snatches of heavy, crunching metal guitars blast apart the otherwise neat song structure. Ultimately, it's unarguable that The Damn Rest is worth it for the inclusion of the jaw-dropping 'Lewis III' alone. A dazzlingly lush and stunningly sophisticated prog/soul hybrid that owes as much to 'Pet Sounds' as 'What's Going On' with arrangements that grow and unfold in layers. Just sparkling. A compilation like this feels like one of those promo-only rarities they used to give out to a select few back in the good old days, so when it came to the artwork it only made sense to follow what Cally Callomon (head of Island's art department) had done for the singles and promos back in the 90s. He even did us some fresh scribbles of "The Damn Rest" to match his handwriting that's all over the first album and it's singles. We hope you like it as much as the music contained within. Simon Francis's vinyl mastering ensures these classic recordings sound as great as they deserve to. The record has been cut by Cicely Balston at Air Studios and pressed at Record Industry. We've lost Prince. We still have Lewis.
Tracks:
