NewsJulia Fordham / Porcelain and Swept deluxe editions on the way
Julia Fordham‘s second album, 1989’s Porcelain, and its follow-up Swept, from 1991, are both to be reissued by Cherry Red Records as two-CD deluxe editions in May 2013.
The British singer-songwriter is probably best-known for her 1988 UK single Happy Ever After, a memorable, but modest hit, taken from her self-titled debut (planned for reissue later in 2013).
Her second album Porcelain was issued in 1989 and actually outperformed its predecessor in the UK, a situation echoed in the US where it remains Julia Fordham’s most successful album. There were some variations of track listings with this record, notably Manhattan Skyline was not present on the UK issue.
It has to be said that in terms of singles, Fordham was only an occasional botherer of the UK top 40, but (Love Moves In) Mysterious Ways from third album Swept did reach no. 19 in 1991. The success of this song, led to the reissue of the previous single I Thought It Was You.
Between them, these deluxe reissues blow the dust off a generous selection of seven-inch mixes, B-sides, promo edits and extended remixes, looking to provide a comprehensive overview of the period in question. It is also worth noting that the original master tapes are being used for this reissue.
Full track listings for Porcelain Deluxe and Swept Deluxe below:
PORCELAIN (Deluxe Edition)
CD 1
Original Album
- 1. Lock And Key 4:37
- 2. Porcelain 5:37
- 3. Girlfriend 4:38
- 4. For You And Only You 3:53
- 5. Genius 6.19
- 6. Did I Happen To Mention? 4:13
- 7. Towerblock 3:50
- 8. Island 4:40
- 9. Your Lovely Face 4:28
- 10. China Blue 3.16
- 11. Prince Of Peace 3.53
US Bonus track
- 12. Manhattan Skyline 4:49
CD 2
7” Singles and B-sides
- 1. Lock And Key (Radio Edit) (4.19 ) (from YRCD 36 – CD single and YRCD 39 – CD single)
- 2. Home (from YRCD 36 – CD single)
- 3. Island (Alternate Version)
- 4. Genius (Radio Edit) (4.10) (from YRCD 39 – CD single)
- 5. Porcelain (Radio Edit) (4.08) (from YRCD 39 – CD single)
- 6. Manhattan Skyline (7” Version) (4.07) (from YRCD 48 – CD single)
Alternate versions
- 7. Genius (Extended Version) (7.13) (from YRT 39 – 12”)
- 8. Manhattan Skyline (Edit) (3.35) (from PRCD JULIA – promo CD)
SWEPT (Deluxe Edition)
CD 1
Original Album
- 1. I Thought It Was You (5.07)
- 2. Patches Of Happiness (3.47)
- 3. Swept (4.55)
- 4. Rainbow Heart (4.53)
- 5. Betrayed (4.11)
- 6. Talk Walk Drive (4.11)
- 7. Shame (3.52)
- 8. (Love Moves In) Mysterious Ways (4.35)
- 9. As She Whispers (4.48)
- 10. Scare Me (5.57)
- 11. Tied (3.01)
CD 2
7” Singles and B-sides
- 1. I Thought It Was You (Single Version) (4.01) (from YRCD 69 – CD single)
- 2. Lovin’ You (2.53) (from YRCD 69 – CD single)
- 3. Winds Of Fortune (4.58) (from YRCD 69 – CD single)
- 4. And I See (3.43) (from YRCD 69 – CD single)
- 5. Antarctica (from YRC 69 – cassette single)
- 6. I Thought It Was You (Swain And Jolley 7″ Mix)
- 7. Sweet Little Mystery (4.30) (from YRCD 90 – CD single)
- 8. Melt (5.41) (from YRCDG 90 – CD single)
- 9. The Naked Truth (3.51) (from Virgin Japan – VJCP -10190)
- 10. One Of The Boys (4.59) (from YRCD 73 – CD single)
- 11. If I Only (3.47) (from Virgin Japan VJDP-10171)
- 12. Talk, Walk, Drive (Edit) (4.00) (from US Virgin PRCD 4379 – promo CD single)
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A Deluxe Edition of Julia’s “Falling Forward” album is out towards the end of this month. Surprised this hasn’t been covered on SDE Paul. It’s a 2 CD version and again, as with the Deluxe Editions of “Julia Fordham”, “Porcelain” and “Swept”, the track listing is just as comprehensive.
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The actual contents of Disc Two of “Swept” differs from the originally published list:
Bonus Tracks – Single Versions And Non-Album B-Sides
1. I Thought It Was You (1991 Single Version) 4:05
2. Lovin’ You 2:55
3. Winds Of Fortune 5:00
4. If Only I 3:45
5. The Naked Truth 3:50
6. Antarctica 4:49
7. One Of The Boys 5:00
8. I Thought It Was You (1992 Single Version) 4:13 [Swain And Jolley 7″ Mix]
9. Melt 5:42
10. Sweet Little Mystery 4:30
11. And I See 4:17
Bonus Tracks – Alternate Versions
12. I Thought It Was You (New Piano/Vocal Mix) 4:06
13. (Love Moves In) Mysterious Ways (Piano/Vocal) 4:35
14. Talk Walk Drive (Edit) 4:01
Tracks 12, and 13 (not kept for “Falling Forward” after all, correctly) have been added and the new track order follows more closely the original order the tracks appeared in. What is still missing though, is the alternate (piano & vocal) version of “swept” which was released on the 1992 reissue of “I Thought It Was You”. This appears to be a simple oversight, as the other exclusive tracks from the single are included – perhaps explained that “Swept” has no mix title on the single. I’m also aware of a U.S. promo edit of “Love Moves” that’s not included.
Addition to my mail above, about the missing piano/vocal mix of “I Thought It Was You”, some background info:
The single was released twice. The first from 1991 (Circa #69) includes the ‘Single Version’ (4.01), which is on the “Swept” bonus disc (CD2#1). This is an edited version of the album version (5.07). It appears Vinny Vero wasn’t aware of all the released formats, as the track list doesn’t specify where “I Thought It Was You (Swain And Jolley 7″ Mix)” comes from – it’s from YRCDG 90, which is the 1st CD of the 2nd release of the single (1992). 2nd release CD2 includes the said piano/vocal mix – and “The Naked Truth”, so we don’t have to as ‘far’ as the Japanese single to find that one.
Also, the piano/vocal mix of “Love Moves (In Mysterious Ways)” should have been included on “Swept” and not kept for “Falling Forward”. It was originally released in 1992 on YRCDG 90 – and then reappeared on the 1994 single of “Different Place And Time” (single off “Falling Forward” album). On both it’s marked as being a 1992 recording.
Most certainly don’t agree with the comment that Julia doesn’t arouse much interest in the UK. Julia had 2 sell out tours in 2013 and is returning to the UK on tour to celebrate ‘Porcelain 25’, I’m sure again this tour will be a sell out. Julia has a very loyal fan base which is why she will no doubt continue to tour in the UK.
In addition to what I say above (or in spite of it), the good thing is that all tracks on “Porcelain” deluxe, including the bonus tracks on CD2, haven’t been compressed at all. I would say all are flat transfers from the 1989-1990 masters. That is still better than sub-par remastering and much better than brickwalled tracks.
I wonder what kind of remastering was done on the “Porcelain” album – because it is practically identical to the 1989 CD… When comparing ripped files from both CD’s in a sound editor, the overall volume (RMS) is identical on each track. No difference in Spectrum Analysis either. But more importantly, ignoring the technicalities, the sound is exactly the same, no added depth to bass, no clarity in treble. I can’t tell the two apart. At least some minor improvement could be expected, from the use of 24 years newer technology, better A/D converters etc – but no. I smell a hoax.
As a sidenote, “The Julia Fordham Collection” from 1998 is ‘digitally remastered’ and there the tracks are only slightly louder, no difference in sound to the originals either.
Finally got Porcelain as a christmas present and despite it being my favourite album of all time, it should be voted most pointless reissue of 2013, it so should have had live stuff (Porcelain live VHS)and demos included and all could have gone on one disc….
Spinning out Porcelain to do a two disc set seems a bit of a stretch, given that the majority of the tracks on disc 2 consist of radio edits. And all that empty space that could have been filled with live cuts and/or demos!
It would appear some bean-counter at the record company figured if they managed to pad it out to two discs they’d be able to charge a couple of quid extra.
Swept looks the more interesting of these re-releases (though I prefer Porcelain as an album).
Isn’t there going to be a re-release of her first album…or have I missed it?
It was re-issued by Circa at the time with a live bonus album (Live In Japan) so that’s the extra cd sorted. Saw her in Bury last Friday and she was superb. Not keen on her latest album though.
You haven’t missed it. Last I heard it was planned for ‘later in the year’. God knows why they haven’t done that one first, but there you go.
I was going to add – she’s on tour now, and has a brand-new album UNDER THE RAINBOW out now. She was on my radio show a few years ago during her collaboration with Paul Riser. Such a pleasant person – and a great musical soul…
And she is amazing on her current uk tour. Still think the reissues could have been better, nearly told her too when she signed the new cd, but thought better of it!!
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Her choice of material in uk live shows is deliberate as uk interest is towards the circa cd’s, the reverse is true in the us, so vice versa. Clever to know your audiences are different!
Not sure whether she was dropped in the UK from Circa, but they did pass on releasing East/West, though she did perform a track from it on a VH-1 show devoted to the 1980’s. I’ll certainly get her 1st and 3rd albums.
I am so thrilled that these re-issues are happening in deluxe versions. Julia deserves recognition for a fantastic back catalogue.
Awesome. Julia’s album’s really deserve the Deluxe treatment. Swept is particularly brilliant. Fantastic b-sides too. Any hope of ‘Falling Forward’ ever being reissued?
and interestingly the lack of reaction to this thread says it all, Julia doesnt arouse much interest these days.. Interesting Cherry red even bothered given you can get the CD’s for 1p off amazon marketplace so hardly OOP.
A number of reasons why she is almost forgotten in the UK now apart from by those like me who have loyally followed her since the beginning. Her commercial heyday came and went in the UK in the late 80s/early 90s (saw her headlining at the Royal Albert Hall in 1992 – those were the days!), re-location to the US, leaving Circa/Virgin (was she dropped? Possibly seen as yesterday’s news) and joining US labels on short-term contracts. When I saw her at the Corn Exchange in Newbury a few years back the set was very much based around the old hits from when she lived over here and it was almost as if she felt the need to tell the audience that she had continued to make records since then – so the later albums were hardly represented in the live show. Nothing from “Concrete Love” or “That’s Life”, and the terrific Paul Reiser-collaboration album 18 months ago “Unusual Suspects” is probably known only to her core following over here. At least she doesn’t turn out on these nostalgia tours with other 80s hitmakers. Shame, but living in the US with a family now I guess she tours and appears over here as and when she wants to. A Graham Norton TV appearance wouldn’t go amiss and maybe a few others could discover her all over again!
Generous?
As a life long Julia fan who first saw her in Fareham in 1988 – these are really quite poor, with the exception of Antartica on CD for the first time – nothing unreleased,live or demo material. 30 minute CD2 for Porcelain!!! Could have put the live video Porcelain Live on audio and got most on.
Porcelain is missing the alternate version of Island from the Ltd Uk CDS.
Swept is missing the Swain & Jolley version of I Thought It Was You from the reissue single and the alternate Mysterious Ways piano/vocal version from the CDS.
Send them back to the drawing board Cherry Red, at least get all the original Circa material on them – half arsed research to not know Island/Thought/Mysterious Ways had different versions on the CDS.
Sorry people rant over.
Mike – apparently we were sent a ‘not quite finalised’ track listing. So you will be pleased to know that “I Thought It Was You (Swain And Jolley 7″ Mix)” and “Island (Alternate)” version are indeed on the respective reissues. The track listings are now updated.
The piano/vocal mix of “Love Moves (In Mysterious Ways)” was from the CD single of “Different Place And Time”, so it will appear on the “Falling Forward” reissue.
Saw her both as a Wilsation and as herself and still have her first three CDs but may well replace them with these.
Finally a post here with a set that I will actually buy. The “Swept” bonus disk actually has a lot of interesting items on it and not a bunch of single edits.
I was fortunate to see her perform here in Madison, WI, at the late Cafe Montmarre. Considering how far into her career the show was (2002-ish) she seemed to have a bit of stage fright but warmed up to the show within a few numbers and providing a charming night of music.