The Waterboys Album: “Secret Life of the Waterboys 81-85”

This release captures the Waterboys at their big music best. The instrumentation is full and lush when it needs to be, soft and spare when the emotions call for it. Mike Scott's voice is ferocious with passion and I think that's one word that captures this band in this time period: passion. "Bury My Heart", "Out of Control" and "Love That Kills" are all huge songs that pull you right in. The reworkings of some classics renew them and make them a fresh listen. A good number of these songs were only available as B-sides in the '80's. I paid $24 Cdn plus tax when it came out and I consider that money well spent.

Just a quick note on this CD: the original version of "This is the Sea," here titled "That Was the River," with Tom Verlaine (of all people) providing the creepy, fingernails-on-a-chalkboard riff that bears no resemblance whatsoever to the later version is worth the price of admission.