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Originally released to a fan base and music press that were unprepared for the band to move on from the punk fury of “Crossing The Red Sea”, The Adverts “Cast Of Thousands” has since been recognized as a lost classic of the time. TV Smith’s cutting observational lyrics and sharp musical instincts saw his song writing grow and move in unexpected directions. The primal thumping was replaced by dynamic and driving drumming, acoustic guitars and probing solos emerged, and Tim Cross joined to add keyboards and fill out the overall sound. The one constant was the pounding throb of Gaye Advert’s bass. Encouraged to experiment by surprise producer Tom Newman (Mike Oldfield “Tubular Bells”) the band found themselves stretching creatively, both in song writing and recording techniques. They might agonize over the sound of recording a match being lit in the middle of one song, while doing a single take of a vocal via a microphone hung in the bathroom for another. Giant choirs were built meticulously over multiple tracks, while the sound of a rat running through the reverb room would be captured forever. The results wrapped some of TV’s best songs in strange and inventive sounds to compliment his anti-pop smarts and rock and roll heart.
Tracklist
1. Cast Of Thousands
2. The Adverts
3. My Place
4. Male Assault
5. Television's Over
6. Fate Of Criminals
7. Love Songs
8. I Surrender
9. I Looked At The Sun
10. I Will Walk You Home
Bonus Download Tracks
11. Television's Over (single)
12. Back From The Dead
13. One Chord Wonders (radio)
14. Bored Teenagers (radio)
15. Gary Gilmore's Eyes (radio)
16. Newboys (radio)
17. Quickstep (radio)
18. We Who Wait (radio)
19. Ne Church (radio)
20. Safety in Numbers (radio)
21. Great British Mistake (radio)
22. Fate of Criminals (radio)
23. Television's Over (radio)
24. Love Songs (radio)
25. Back From The Dead (radio)
26. I Surrender (radio)
27. The Adverts (radio)
28. I Looked At The Sun (radio)
29. Cast of Thousands (radio)
30. I Will Walk You Home (radio)