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IQ - Tales from the Lush Attic 2013 Remix CD (album) cover

TALES FROM THE LUSH ATTIC 2013 REMIX

IQ

Neo-Prog


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kev rowland
SPECIAL COLLABORATOR
Honorary Reviewer
5 stars Can it really be 30 years since IQ released their debut vinyl album? I still regret not hearing them back then, and to be honest only came across this album when it was reissued by GEP in '94. By then I had seen them in concert and was wondering why on earth I hadn't been a regular at their gigs in the Eighties. Originally this was just 5 songs long, yet this reissue (excluding the DVD) contains 33! And I loved hearing every one of them! IQ have been at the top of the UK underground prog scene for many years, and the original songs contained here seem like old friends, whether it be the 20 minute plus opener 'The Last Human Gateway', 'Awake and Nervous', the 14 minute 'The Enemy Smacks' or the much shorter 'Through The Corridors' and even Martin's great piano piece 'My Baby Treats Me Right 'Cos I'm A Hard Lovin' Man All Night Long' which makes me think of Spinal Tap every time I play it ('You know, just simple lines intertwining, you know, very much like - I'm really influenced by Mozart and Bach, and it's sort of in between those, really. It's like a Mach piece, really. It's sort of... this piece is called 'Lick My Love Pump'.)

It is important to put this album into context. According to www.progarchives.com this is the third most highly rated album of the year, and the one above it? 'Script for a Jester's Tear'. But while that was getting the full EMI publicity, this album slipped out with little or no publicity (before you ask, the top album is Bacamarte's 'Depois Do Fim' which is well worth hearing but I wouldn't place it above these two). The one thing that let the album down was the production, so thirty years on the band have rectified that issue, and how. I have never heard these songs sound so clear and polished, yet the power and emotion is still there. This is a band that like Marillion, Pallas, Twelfth Night and others were looking back into the Seventies for their inspiration and in fact some of the music on this album was written and performed by the band's predecessor, The Lens as long ago as '76. So while some critics may say that some of this was influenced by Marillion they are way off base, and if you listen to Mike's guitarwork and Martin's keyboards it is obvious that they are coming from different places than Steve and Mark.

What this set brings together is remixes, bonus songs, the original mix of the album, the original mix of 'Seven Stories Into Eight' (which in fairness was also reissued when they revisited and re-recorded the album as 'Seven Stories Into 98'), plus unreleased songs, writing sessions, and an extremely interesting interview which brings that period of the band's history very much to life. Then to cap it all there is a live DVD recorded in 2011 where the band performs the album (minus Martin's piano piece as he is no longer involved) plus a photo gallery etc. If you are a proghead then you are probably already familiar with this album, but even if you already own it in multiple versions you also need to invest in this as this is definitive. As an IQ fan, all I can say is bring on the same for 'The Wake'! You've got two years guys to match that up to this!!!! www.iq-hq.co.uk

Report this review (#900683)
Posted Monday, January 28, 2013 | Review Permalink
rdtprog
SPECIAL COLLABORATOR
Heavy, RPI, Symph, JR/F Canterbury Teams
4 stars Along with Marillion "Script for A Jester's Tear" and Pendragon "The Jewel", this cd of IQ was a giant discovery for me, in a decade where prog rock was trying to relive after the golden age of the 70's. I purchased the vinyl with the nice red color cover and was immediately in love with the band's music. IQ's music was reminiscent of Genesis mainly for the similarity of Nicholls' voice with Gabriel.

Here we have the remix of that album on CD/DVD boxset set with a bunch of alternate versions and a very nice show that we can enjoy in audio and video. The remix is well done, clear and put a smile on your face, when you realize that it was done 30 years ago. I didn't felt any disappointment by listening to the original lp, sound wise, so i was not to be disappointed with the remix, who can only be better.

As for the alternate versions, the sound goes from bad to good, but there is some funny versions that are enjoyable. I imagine that the band wanted to include as many songs as possible just for historical value. The concert on the DVD is what i enjoyed the most, very professional like all their dvds, it is worth the price of the boxset alone .

Report this review (#911465)
Posted Friday, February 8, 2013 | Review Permalink
2 stars If I'd known that this album came from the 1980's, I'd have been more reluctant to try it... But, having said that, 'The Wake' came after, and that's a great album!

What we have on 'Tales' is a band perhaps intent on establishing their own Prog sound, but it doesn't really deliver. This certainly doesn't compare to Marillion's 'Script', which fairly immediately sounded like the Genesis we thought we'd all lost.

No, it's unrefined 80's neo-prog, played too fast for my taste. The music isn't allowed to breathe sufficiently. Better production could have dealt with this, but we WERE dealing with a new sound, so maybe it's excusable. I'm hit and miss with IQ, but this one doesn't do much for me.

I can only applaud the fact that there's a live DVD with the package, and the booklet is splendid, though completely unreadable because the type's too small...

Fantastic value overall, though a shame I didn't really get much out of the music!

Report this review (#912923)
Posted Tuesday, February 12, 2013 | Review Permalink
richardh
PROG REVIEWER
5 stars IQ have long been one of my favourite bands going back to the days of Tommy Vance and the Friday Rock Show in the mid eighties. What struck me immediately from the first time I heard them on a BBC session was this was a band that had the 'chops' to be a proper prog band and not a pale representation. The Last Human Gateway and Through The Corridors have splendid amounts energy and complexity that is unlike most neo prog of the time. This was punk clashing head on with punk and vocalist Peter Nicholls was well able to put across all the pent up angst you could possibly want. Dark atmospheric brilliant and complex. What more could you possibly want? Well a better production for starters and that is what this new package is about. Its NOT a remaster but a total remix. AS I learned from the interesting commentary on the bonus DVD Holmes was able to go back and fix many of the issues that existed with the original production. The synths and mellotron now have a much warmer feel altogether and there are some interesting vocal effects from the use of tailored'plug ins' (software devices apparently).

What was a masterpeice with a poor production is now a masterpeice. The bonus DVD gives you a live performance of Gateway and a few other tracks including The Enemy Smacks. Amusing to see 'I Quo' and good to see Tim Esau again (but cheer up a bit please Tim, it may never happen). There is also a good commentary with plenty of interesting info about that period of IQ (Nicholls and Holmes do the commentary). I love the story about them trying to break into the Marquee to see the Garden Wall gig (the rehearsal for the 6 man Genesis reunion at Milton Keynes) and they ended up on the roof ! As they admit this helped bond them together.

In summary this is a really nice package. CAUTION If you don't like the original album then don't buy this package because it won't change your mind and that is not its purpose.

Report this review (#913186)
Posted Wednesday, February 13, 2013 | Review Permalink
5 stars (9/10)

Well, I've been saying for years that all that it would take to push this album up to 5 stars would be a decent re-recording. So I guess my prayers have been partially answered in 2013 when Mike Holmes, took it upon himself to remix (not re-record) "Tales From The Lush Attic", and add a bunch of other goodies to the package.

Those who have been following IQ's progress throughout the years will know that Mike Holmes has been getting steadily better at mixing records throughout his career, and with 2009's "Frequency" he really reached a tremendous sonic high point. Presumably 30 years on from the original, he now felt he was ready (and had the time) to have a go at remixing. He's done a great job here, keeping what made the original such fun whilst brightening and cleaning up a lot of the sound, as well as adding a few new twists here and there.

It's not the first time IQ has revisited old material, the are re-recorded songs from before "Tales" on "Seven Stories Into 98", and even re-written and re-recorded material from The Lens. This is just a remix though. I was blown away seeing IQ live, performing "The Last Human Gateway Live", by how much they improved an already brilliant song, so a re-recording is what I really wanted, but to be honest this is easily good enough. The 'raw' vocals (and a few other instruments) are still present but actually I liked it then and I like it now. This 2013 version still captures the youthful joy of the original and I like that a lot.

The bonus material should please long-time fans of the band, or those interested in the history. My favourite of the lot is probably the 2012 version of "Wintertell", a compact and beautiful little piece that I really enjoy. The demos are fun too, full of Mike Holmes' melodic guitar. It's all of a good standard really. There's so much of it as well! More IQ than you can shake a stick at, they've really tried to give you a lot for your money.

I won't repeat myself on the actual content of the songs, you can read my review of the original if you want to know, but basically I though it was excellent: full of excellent melodies, complex rhythms, ambition and progressive vision, at a time when most of the 'classic' prog bands were giving up (KC excluded). This album (massive package really) cements the place of "Tales From The Lush Attic" as one of the most important Neo-Prog albums of the 80s (sorry Martin!), and should be owned by all IQ fans. I still think some of the definitive versions of these songs are the live recordings though, and that's why the DVD material is probably the most exciting thing about this album. I wonder if we will we get a similar treat for "The Wake"; that would really be fantastic.

Report this review (#921337)
Posted Saturday, March 2, 2013 | Review Permalink
tszirmay
SPECIAL COLLABORATOR
Honorary Collaborator
5 stars Boy, am I glad IQ decided to reissue their debut masterpiece, a recording that has somewhat disappeared from my earshot , even though it is presumably one of the iconic pillars of prog's survival with Marillion's Script and Twelfth Night's Fact and Fiction. These three kept the flickering flame of progressive glowing in the dark night and eventually kick starting a global renaissance which has never been healthier than in 2013. I still have my vinyl copy in storage so when this colossally re-worked, re-mastered and essentially "cleaned up" work was lovingly unleashed by Mister Holmes and Co, I took a leap of faith and hunted this gorgeous package down. Everything is perfect from the lush book-like packaging that includes a DVD and samples, beautiful artwork and most importantly a pristine sound that almost qualifies as a current album! From the opening bars of "The Last Human Gateway", a spectacular progressive epic that sprawls over 20 minutes and remains a fan favorite as well as a prog classic together with the other seminal IQ extravaganza, "The Enemy Smacks". These 2 giants are now less obscure sonically, with clean production and added oomph! Truth is, there will always be an audience for quality music, regardless of trends and fads. When you witness a huge melody as in the mid- section, you just cannot help to feel overwhelmed at their audacious counter-revolution. In 1982, Prog became a rebel with a cause and has not abated since, impervious to the Rolling Stone slight (a lousy elitist pseudo mag anyway, named after a guileless band of profiteers!) and countless other musician wannabees who have given themselves license to spew their jealousy-ridden bile. I prefer bombastic, pompous and overbearing to bloody formulaic anytime!

The boys in the band did not hesitate to begin their recorded journey with barely hidden sarcasm: "You want a long track- OK, a short track, no problem or how about a medium sized one, ey?" Wham-bam thank you, ma'am! So "The Last Human Gateway" straddles a wide musical berth, wishing to immediately express its status as a rebellious middle finger to the punk explosion that ultimately went nowhere, funny that just like with Rock n Roll, the real musicians came to the fore with prog, the two riff punkers were replaced by new wave master musicians who jumped on the fad/bandwagon (Magazine, Thomas Dolby, Ultravox, John Foxx, Depeche Mode etc?)! A sprawling epic opener in a disenchanted world of 3 minute disposable songs with MTV video that was balls, man! Peter Nicholls will never be accused of an owning an original voice, he just took the Gabriel style one step beyond. Occasionally dreamy and pastoral, for the most part the band prefers an organ-driven rollercoaster assault, propelled by solid bass and drums. Orford splashes some sporadic mellotron just to keep the symphonic momentum, while Mike Holmes throws in some inspired guitar work. You can actually feel the hot smoke emanating from the mighty mellotron. Nice trip indeed! So as to prove an imaginary point , "Through the Corridors" is wee tiny at barely 2 minutes and a half but bruising in an almost punkish mode, Holmes stinging guitar licks shoving the keys along, while Peter sings his anger succinctly. "Awake and Nervous" finds a classy middle ground, a boisterous undertaking in sound and fury with discernable rage and fine bluster. There are some stylish sections that verge on metal rampaging, which just provides more "weight" to their vision, like the elegant synth/guitar interplay three quarters in. A short Emersonian piano interlude keeps things in melodic perspective but shows Martin's talent to be a real thing! Love the title though, full of British irony and sarcasm. "The Enemy Smacks" is appropriately explosive, angry yet also playful, a classic track still expected by fans at IQ concerts (I saw this live in Montreal a few years back and was stunned). The piece is just a huge snow plow of sound (especially with all the new fixings) , giving each player a platform to divulge some astonishing inspiration (Holmes, Orford, Esau and Cook) but Nicholls steals the show, taking the 'Foxhead' a step forward in so many ways, his pleading voice keeping things palpably poignant. The acme is reached at the circa seven minute mark, the instrumental brew becoming a storm of brutality and relentless pummeling, boom-boom bass and tectonic drumming , with surly organ and searing guitar blasts exploding all over the speakers, I mean it sounds almost like Deep Purple for a few minutes.

Add the bonus tracks "Wintertell" (2012 recording), "The Last Human Gateway" (End section, alternative vocals), "Just Changing Hands" (Unfinished demo) and "Dans Le Parc du Château Noir" (Unfinished demo), plus a DVD , Photo Gallery, samples and interviews and you get a timeless copy of a formative classic, a cornerstone icon of progressive splendor.

5 opulent lofts

Report this review (#984241)
Posted Saturday, June 22, 2013 | Review Permalink
5 stars TALES FROM THE LUSH ATTIC: REINVIGORATED WITH FRESH, CLEAN SOUND!

As a huge fan of IQ, I am so delighted to say that TALES FROM THE LUSH ATTIC has finally got the attention and care it fully deserves. Back in 1983, the original recording of TFTLA was absolutely marred by poor audio and production problems and this was a large reason due to fianancial constraints and deadlines for album production to be met on time; In fact poor PETER NICHOLS, even said that what vocals you hear on the original 1983 release of TFTLA was only either a second or third take for the final vocal cut on the finished recording of the album! Talk about being pressed for time! An injustice indeed, but that has been remedied.'

Now 30 years later we get what TFTLA should have sounded like back in 1983. I should point out though, that this new album edition is no sales gimmick are cheap ploy to re-purchase an already, classic album. Actually, what you are getting my dear Prog- Heads, is an album that is totally re-tooled and remastered. First of all, the mellotron sequences are so much more clearer, warmer and cleaner sound wise. This is highly evident on THE LAST HUMAN GATEWAY. secondly, PETER NICHOLS vocals have been re-worked where he sounds like the far more professional and current NICHOLS of today. Needless to say, he doesn't sound like a kid who was trying to find his voice at the time back in 82-83'. 'Now, you can really hear the strong and confident voice of Nichols on this re-release during THE LAST HUMAN GATEWAY where he has to hold and sustain the chorus line 'I'm stiiiiiil alliiiiiive!!' It's a thing of beauty really, and I always felt that on the original recording he sounded too scratchy and off key. Well.....not any more! Also. Paul Cook's drumming finally sounds crystal clear where before it sounded like his drum parts were recorded inside of a cardboard box. Lastly, Mike Holmes guitar sounds quite different and he himself has added some new licks here and there. Actually, it's kind of a fun game where you can play 'spot the difference' in each tune. Clearly, this is a remix and is not some identical reproduction of the 1983 version while just using quality in studio sound techniques and production to mask the difference. This is not the case. As fans and Prog-Heads alike, we are being delighted to hear what TALES FROM THE LUSH ATTIC should have sounded like all along. This is the true vision from the band and nothing is held back.'

Thus, if having a fully remixed and remastered album wasn't enough, fans can be delighted where a second disc is involved in this edition as well. A DVD that's contains a live video recording from De Boerderji, Zoetermeer Holland of the entire TFTLA album from 2011. You also get Photo galleries, multitrack mixes and a plethora of Mp3 files containing interviews, original recording and mixes of the album and last but not least a 1982 original cassette recording of an album IQ did called 'SEVEN STORIES INTO EIGHT.' How can you ask for more?

Above all, you cannot ask for more for what you are given in this beautiful, re-release of what surely is an album classic. I have to say from a listening stand point, that I prefer the 2013 remix far more than that of the original 1983 recording. The sound and instrument arrangements is far superior. Actually, back when I first reviewed TFTLA I gave it a 3/5 and it was largely for the reason of the disasterpiece audio and production that took place. I can now thankfully say, especially to MIKE HOLMES who spear headed this remix project, that I can now bump TALES FROM THE LUSH ATTIC to a 5. It's so well deserved. Fans of IQ are going to love this album, especially those who can appreciate a good quality studio recording. The extras are educational and terrific too. ;)

5/5'

Report this review (#997008)
Posted Saturday, July 13, 2013 | Review Permalink
5 stars Being a massive IQ fan from the early 80's meant I already had the original version of this album. What a surprise to learn that it had been reissued this year and had been given a total overhaul sound wise. Rob Aubry and Mike holmes have done a fantastic job bringing this album to us sounding like it should have been when it was recorded. Like most albums recorded by progressive rock bands in the 80's, they lacked that certain quality that can now at last be sorted via new computer software mixes. The fact that this album was originally recorded in a very short space of time did not make it a bad album just that the quality was a bit suspect. Peter Nicholls vocals were recorded only a couple of times over the days in the studio and I'm sure he would have loved the backing of a big record company to have given him the time to do them properly. His voice has certainly matured over the years and it goes without saying that he still has one of the best voices in Prog music these days and one who does not sound like anyone else. The tracks on the album are superbly mixed and sound fantastic. i'm not going to do a track by track review as most of them would just lavish well deserved praise. The special edition has a DVD and other little additions such as MP3 files etc making this a very worthwhile purchase. I'd have given the original album 4 stars just for the quality of music but this version is worth 5 stars. Excellent album.
Report this review (#1003297)
Posted Monday, July 22, 2013 | Review Permalink
5 stars I think, as in my case, rating assigned to original of 1983 is mainly due to the low quality and poor sound recording. This remastering enhances the work to another level, similar to what happens with The Wake remastered.

About music has already been told enough. Tales from the Lush Attic is a qualified and mature, despite the youth of band here. Highlight the role of Orford, and the great participation of Paul Cook (nothing to do with Sex Pistols drummer) on drums. The rest of the musicians also perform their function perfectly, as always.

Actually, not much to add in terms of bonuses, contributions are good, some better than others. The DVD is very good, highly enjoyable and high quality. Classics like The Last Human Gateway and The Enemy Smacks, can not miss in a respectable collection, at least talking about Neo-Prog.

Report this review (#1112416)
Posted Saturday, January 11, 2014 | Review Permalink
Magnum Vaeltaja
SPECIAL COLLABORATOR
Honorary Collaborator
5 stars I've posted this before on the original release of the album, unaware that this remaster has its own entry on the site, so I'll post it again since it holds even more true here:

In the midst of the 1980's, when the prog giants turned to pop and AOR, IQ stood true to the genre's fundamentals as one of the most talented, competent and creative of neo-prog groups. Although they'd soon go the commercial route, too, with the more new wave and pop-influenced releases that they're churning out even to this day, this debut LP "Tales From The Lush Attic" found the band filling their symphonic shoes and running a marathon. The album spans 5 tracks, ranging from short interludes to grandiose epics and each song is crafted wonderfully and with care and emotion, even the "filler" tracks.

Now, just who is IQ? Well, Genesis, frankly. Or so the accusations are made: "hero worshippers", "plagiarists", "copycats", all of which are titles that this debut has earned IQ. It really is impossible to deny the obvious Genesis influence that defines this album. However, I don't see it as a weakness at all. In fact, the blatant Genesis cloning is what makes this album truly great. Where Genesis was rich in inspiration, they were pretty down lousy at making flawless albums. For all of their greatest highs, they had equally magnitudinal lows. Whether it was the unnecessary and unfunny attempts at comedy like "Harold the Barrel" or "Epping Forest", soulless and mechanical material like "Watcher of the Skies", or putting awkward verses into what would have been a perfect instrumental (*cough* Firth of Fifth *cough*), Genesis just had a real knack for watering down their best output.

But "Tales From The Lush Attic"? This album is all killer, no filler, baby. Each track is a substantial, developed, well-paced, and well-placed musical experience. As well, frontman Peter Nicholls, while sounding very similar to Peter Gabriel, has much less rasp to his voice, leading to a more refined, less abrasive listening experience, all while retaining the same emotional wealth. The best part, though? IQ has far more instrumental firepower than Genesis ever did. No flaccid Tony Banks tinkling to be heard here, and no dated-sounding Hackett guitar tones. Instead we have the boisterous and confident-sounding attack of four top notch players who have no trouble getting a little untamed when the music calls for it. The only thing that I think might make this album even better would be if they included more acoustic sections, as that was the one thing that classic Genesis did nail consistently. That really is just a minor complaint, though, because this is high calibre symphonic prog through and through.

The best part, though? IQ has found a way to make "Tales From The Lush Attic" even better than when it was first released. This remixed version of this album by Giant Electric Pea is the one that you should seek out. The production is fantastic and it includes several bonus tracks such as the shorter ballad "Wintertell", the dramatic and well-orchestrated "Dans Le Parc Du Chateau Noir" and "Just Changing Hands", a jam-like instrumental that shows off the band's soloing capabilities. And unlike bonus tracks on many other albums, these ones can actually be cut and spliced into the original album and flow very well as a cohesive unit.

So there you have it. This 30th anniversary version of "Tales From The Lush Attic" is truly essential for fans of symphonic prog. Like I said to finish off my review of the original release, I'll say once again: this isn't just Genesis revisited, this is Genesis improved.

Report this review (#1501572)
Posted Sunday, December 20, 2015 | Review Permalink

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