The Jazz Butcher - The Gift Of Music (1988)

The Jazz Butcher was the vehicle of prolific singer/songwriter Pat Fish, an archetypal British eccentric whose sharp observational wit and melodic gifts navigated the group through constant lineup shifts, stylistic mutations that included jangle pop, jazz, punk, cabaret, sophisti-pop, and oddball novelties, and a series of name changes.

Pat Fish died last October at the age of 64. His frequent collaborator and lead guitarist Max Eider, wrote, "Very sad to announce that my old friend Pat Fish died suddenly but peacefully on Tuesday evening. Pat rocked my world in every way and his death leaves a big hole in my life and in my memory, much of which was only stored in his outsized brain. Goodbye mate and thanks for everything. I’m going to miss you."

This album is a stellar collection of pre-1985 singles. Only one song, "Real Men," and is lifted verbatim from a prior album, though. "Southern Mark Smith" is presented in a rushed tempo, organ dominated, psychedelia influenced version markedly different from that on "A Scandal in Bohemia". "Marnie" receives a bouncy, rather rudimentary arrangement that in places suggests a punky version of Santana. "Zombie Love" here is faster and much more professional sounding than the wan version from "In Bath of Bacon". Other worthy tracks here include the R.E.M.-influenced "Rain," a folk-funk hybrid entitled "The Jazz Butcher V the Prime Minister," the Cramps-like "The Jazz Butcher Meets Count Dracula," and a lengthy, hyperactive cover of the Modern Lovers song "Roadrunner." This album holds numerous delights both for Jazz Butcher neophytes and committed fans.

This is a compilation on Glass Records of their first 4 singles, the cd version ncludes five bonus tracks (7 to 8, 12 to 14).

Tracklist:

01 - Southern Mark Smith02 - Marnie
03 - Roadrunner
04 - Real Men
05 - JB Meets Count Dracula
06 - Zombie Love
07 - Goldfish
08 - Sweet Jane
09 - Rain
10 - Jazz Butcher V Prime Minister
11 - Water
12 - Partytime
13 - Lost In France
14 - Drink


The Jazz Butcher - The Gift Of Music (1988)

(320 kbps, cover art included)