Sunday 15 December 2013

The World EP

If you're asking what's the best record to be reissued this year, then it's Vehicle by The Clean. But if you're asking which reissue matched quality with the unknown - a real archival treat - then The World's eponymous EP recorded for Flying Nun in 1983 would right up there.

This concoction of folk-revival mystery, Josef K agitation and 4AD atmospherics wasn't a victim of the Flying Nun quality control department. How could it be? It's a wonderful record. Simply, The World broke up.

5 of this EP's 6 songs were released on a 7-song tape on Robert Scott's Every Secret Thing label in 1984. I wonder if The World's violin-led folk was on Robert's mind when he was writing The Magick Heads' material.

It's a shame that Unwucht didn't include the extra 2 songs from the tape; some liner notes wouldn't have hurt and I'm sure a more ambitious edition than 250 copies would have found warm homes. Still, in a year of great New Zealand reissues - you should have a listen to another Every Secret Thing act, Robert Scott's own Gordon Wallace, exceptionally good 1987 demos - The World stands out.

You'll need to play this video on the loud side:



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