Altered Images - The Peel Sessions 1980-81.

I suppose this one is self explanatory.  I can't purport to be a longtime follower of Scotland's colorful Altered Images, as they never graced my sonar during their original inception.  In fact, it wasn't until a friend encouraged me a few years ago that they were worth investigating beyond their bubbly signature piece, "Happy Birthday."  Correct he was, and I really got hooked on their debut, Happy Birthday, in spite of it's ubiquitous title track.  I was delighted to discover some genuinely edgy, post-punk nuggets "Beckoning Strings" and the even more serrated "Midnight," which oddly enough I found reminiscent of early U2.  Those tunes and more made an appearance on a clutch of Altered Images Peel Sessions.  There are three sessions total here, the first two cut around the Happy Birthday era, and the third situated during the time they were prepping material for their sophomore LP, Pinky Blue.  The audio quality is indicative of a two or three generation old tape, as the Images Peel recordings never officially made their way into the marketplace.  On the other hand, expanded versions of the band's three studio albums have recently been boxed up by the good people over at Cherry Red Records on convenient five inch aluminum disks, and is a recommended purchase if you find yourself enamored with any/all of these dozen tunes. 

Peel Session - October 14, 1980
01. Dead Pop Stars
02. Insects
03. Beckoning Strings
04. Legionaire

Peel Session - March 10, 1981 
05. A Day's Wait
06. Idols
07. Midnight
08. Jeepster

Peel Session - September 22,  1981
09. Think That it Might
10. Pinky Blue
11. Little Brown Head
12. Song Sung Blue

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