English singer songwriter David Westlake formed indie band the Servants in 1985, and their track “Transparent” was featured on the now well-known cassette C86, the “shambling” guitar-jangling power-pop compilation issued by music magazine NME. After this and two Servants singles (“She’s Always Hiding” and “The Sun, A Small Star”), Westlake was intending to release the band’s debut album, but unable to find a committed rhythm section, he enlisted the help of two members of The Triffids (Martyn Casey, bass; Alsy MacDonald, drums) and together with fellow Servants member Luke Haines (guitar, piano) recorded this 1987 album under his own name for Creation; due to The Triffids involvement, this was considered more of a solo project than a Servants release. Initially though, according to book Whatever Happened to the C86 Kids?: An Indie Odyssey (Nige Tassell, 2022), Westlake had in mind that this would be a Servants record called The Word Around Town (after the song of the same name on the album), but with its unfortunate acronym this title was sensibly avoided.
The original album tracks were recorded in Islington, London in April 1987 and then released as a “mini-album” in November 1987 on vinyl in the UK, a year later on vinyl again in Spain, and then on CD in 1993. It was well received by critics, but has remained out of print since then; as such its cult reputation grew, also enhanced by the evening show session recorded before the album in January 1987 and broadcast the next month on Janice Long’s BBC Radio show. An improvised band made up of certain members of Australian band The Go-Betweens, (Robert Forster, guitar; Robert Vickers, bass; Amanda Brown, violin) joined drummer John Wills and David Westlake to deliver performances of [what were to become] three album tracks plus an extra (“Faithful to 3 Lovers”). The session was billed as being by “David Westlake & The Go-Betweens” and was unofficially released on cassette with a 1986 Peel session from The Servants, BBC Sessions 1986-87. For those still reading, Westlake had first worked with The Go-Betweens when The Servants had supported them on tour.
Finally in 2023 the original studio mini-album was re-issued, backed with the BBC session and two demos, under the new title D87 on both vinyl and CD (not on streaming platforms, as far as we can see). The studio album deserves its fine reputation, a charming and distinctive blast of mostly energetic pop with a sense of young abandon. The joyously frenetic “The Word Around Town” and engaging advice of “Talk Like That” take the listener into a complicit confidence. The literary “She Grew and She Grew” has the wide open feel of The Go-Betweens and “Rings on Her Fingers” an eccentric Dylan’ish vocal. The songs are marked by their striking melodies (the ringing “Dream Come True” and atmospheric ballad “Everlasting”).
The now officially released BBC session is equally impressive. “Faithful to 3 Lovers” twists and turns with enthusiasm. Overall the band excel, including Robert Forster on guitar and some inspired drumming from John Wills. Amanda Brown comes into her own, adding backing vocals on “The Word Around Town”, violin on “Dream Come True” and oboe on “Everlasting”. The demos of “Take Me to Your Heart” and “Never Grow Up”, with drums by Dr Rhythm, are relatively advanced and worthy of addition; they may well leave the listener wanting more – but let’s be thankful for what we have received.
Label: Optic Nerve Recordings
Release Date: 28 AUG 2023
Poetic Justice 