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Nothing compares to Lewis Taylor and nobody crafts a "B-Side" quite like him.
Indeed, his long deleted B-Sides are the stuff of legend. So, gathered together for
the first time on one slice of wax, we present The Damn Rest: an album's worth of B-
Sides from the era of the 1996 Lewis Taylor ("Damn") album. More off-the-wall and
abstract than the album proper, these rare, underheard tracks burst with Lewis's
uncompromising genius. A lot more experimental, the music is still drop dead
beautiful. The Damn Rest is the essential bridge between Lewis Taylor and Lewis II.
Lewis Taylor's self-titled masterpiece from 1996 was to be originally called Damn.
You can see the word right there on the front cover. However, concerns over
distribution in the US scuppered this desired title. When thinking about what to call
this collection of essential B-Sides from the era of that first album, we thought The
Damn Rest would be appropriate. But these tracks aren't simply throwaways or
outtakes, as Lewis himself states: "each little group were recorded specifically for the
release of each 'single'." These B-Sides were simply the next thing to happen after
self-titled, and before Lewis II. In other words, you need this!
The collection opens with "Asleep When You Come", the A2 on the original "Lucky"
12". It's a slow-mo string-drenched soul offering, cast in cinematic soft-focus with a
vocal performance from the heavens set against wonky, shuffling drums and delicate
instrumental flourishes. Beautiful. Also from the "Lucky" single, "You Got Me
Thinking" may actually be Lewis' funkiest moment and is definitely one of our
favourites, a great, gently psychedelic funky club track, that's for sure. Next, the
gorgeous, meandering "I Dream The Better Dream" is just sheer, metronomic bliss,
with shades of Stevie Wonder. Just ask D’Angelo, who included the track on his
Feverish Phantasmagoria show for Sonos. Not only a celebrity-fan-favourite, it's
Lewis's, too: "My favourite has always been this track. In my fantasy it’s what early
Soft Machine would’ve sounded like if Marvin Gaye was their lead singer."
Tracklist
A1 : Asleep When You Come (4:16)
A2 : You Got Me Thinking (4:53)
A3 : I Dream The Better Dream (5:11)
A4 : Pie In The Electric Sky / If I Lay Down (4:20)
B1 : Waves (5:48)
B2 : Trip So Heavy (4:46)
B3 : A Little Bit Tasty (6:13)
B4 : Lewis III (4:42)