For Record store day this year The Higsons in conjunction with Sartorial Records are re-issuing their entire recordings for two Tone Records for the first time in over thirty years on Vinyl to celebrate the 40th anniversary of the Run Me Down. The A-side is produced by Jerry Dammers and the B-side by Warne Livesy. The Higsons are of course Charlie "Switch" Higson, Terry Edwards, Simon Charterton, Stuart McGeachin and Colin Williams.
The a-side opens with Tear The Whole Thing Down an immensely funky affirmation of the need to Tear The Whole Thing Down and start again, to re-build the small town they are marooned in, while dreaming of being in a Philly soul band rather than marooned in East Anglia, as the handclaps keep the beat the brass section goes off on some fantastic runs as Charlie Higson keeps up the invective as the dancefloor goes nuts to this irresistible slice of funky good fun.
Ylang Ylang has furious tribal drumming with the brass over the top making sure you know how wonderful Ylang Ylang is, as all sorts of unlikely figures are namechecked, as they tell us to take their love and run faster than the guitar runs, that add layers of elasticity to this wondrous funky madness, that had they been in New York would be a No Wave classic.
Run Me Down (12" Version) has a loose disco funk sound on a song about road rage that is a dancefloor sensation, so put down the talc an get on down an groove with The Higsons as Switch explains what happened, the extended mix allows them to really get down with it.
Run Me Down the normal mix is just as funky as the 12" mix just tighter and funkier as the assignation gets autopsied, as the bitter regrets become clear no matter how exuberant the music always is.
Put The Punk Back Into Funk Pts I & II is super speedy totally brilliant English take on the sound that August Darnell was helping to perfect with Dr Buzzard’s Original Savannah band and later Kid Creole & the Coconuts, this flies along irresistible to sing along too, if you can sit still while this is playing you have no funk or punk in you whatsoever, so play this loud and go crazy on the dancefloor. It slows down at the breakdown as Part I transitions to Part II as if they have exhausted themselves and are catching their breaths ready to go crazy again.
Run Me Down (Instrumental Mix) isn't totally instrumental as it keeps some of the chorus as well as the magnificent backing singers, making this a great slice of dancefloor disco funk, with a funky tribal middle eight to get on down and throw some shapes too.
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