Home (Sheer Joy, 1990)

Review
100 Burton Road is an imposing red brick house located in Manchester’s West Didsbury. Flat 3 is where the Sheer Joy record label grew out of while the understated Home became its first ever release, a memorable snapshot of a baggy and optimistic time, or the future.

Swirl’s Burst would later get a 7″ release on Playtime in 1992. It starts Home, a hesitant and heartfelt slice of voyeuristic longing from the people would go on to form Bandit Queen. From indie to dance: New Fast Automatic Daffodils and the motoring funk of Jaggerbog – which they totally nailed on a Peel session the following year. Dtox – Make It Real follows, beginning like The Shamen before unveiling itself to be an early M People prototype. +The Rainkings formed in 1989, by original Inspiral Carpets members Stephen Holt and David Swift. Take is a plaintive tune, sounding like The Wild Swans. Taking baby steps are the Paris Angels with the nagging, grow-on-you shuffle of Stay.

World Of Twist formed in 1985 and underwent a number of changes before Tony Ogden moved from behind the drums to front of house. A demo tape circulating released in early 1990 saw waves being made and a recording contract with Circa Records followed. First single, The Storm is marvelous, a trippy psychedelic excursion that’s certainly one of the era’s craziest diamonds. A cover of The Rolling Stones’ She’s A Rainbow, originally issued as the B-side of The Storm would become a hit in its own right during 1992. Yet another strong tune is Inkwell, a brooding early effort from the Milltown Brothers while the very mysterious Rig’s Thud cuts like a moody Gang Of Four fronted by Shaun Ryder.

Most people’s exposure to Theme From Error-Orrori was on The Fall’s 2001 compilation A World Bewitched. It was recorded in Martin Bramah’s flat. According to Bramah in an interview with The Biggest Library Yet, about seven versions of the song were recorded onto tape, and it had been MES who suggested giving the song to Sheer Joy. The track was frequently used as an opener for concerts c.1990. Elsewhere Peter Hook’s mob Revenge drop the dramatic instrumental Wende. Lizardly, we bow out with What? Noise and the jagged Waiter. They were sound engineers (Tim Harris, Julia Adamson and Chris Nagle) working at Strawberry Studios in Stockport where many Home’s tracks were recorded.

Favourite tracks
World Of Twist – The Storm

New Fast Automatic Daffodils – Jaggerbog

Lest we forget
Mark E Smith, M Beddington, S Hanley, S Wolstencroft – Theme From Error-Orrori