Cherry Red's Esoteric Recordings imprint has continued its definitive Anthony Phillips reissue series with two more deluxe titles by the artist/composer: 1981's concept album 1984 as a 2-CD/DVD-A edition, and Private Parts and Pieces V-VIII in a 5-CD set.

Not counting Phillips' Private Parts releases, 1984 followed his 1979 album Sides.  Whereas Sides was produced by Rupert Hine with the aims of attracting a mainstream audience, 1984 was an instrumental affair containing just four tracks - two short bookends, and the lengthy "1984" Parts One and Two.  Phillips played synthesizers, a drumbox, guitar and percussion.  The only other musicians heard on the album are Richard Scott and Morris Pert, both of whom also contributed percussion and effects.

Phillips immersed himself in the soon-to-be-dominant synth sounds of the 1980s, drawing on his Polymoog and ARP 2600.  Though inspired by George Orwell's famous novel, Phillips' 1984 tells its story entirely via instrumental music.  Phillips' longtime progressive fans would have found much to appreciate in the two compositions at the heart of the album.  Though lacking much in the way of traditional instrumentation, Phillips' sounds throughout these tracks are nonetheless varied and dynamic - the futuristic setting being conveyed effectively with the contemporary, often steely synths.  Moods and tempos shift throughout Parts One and Two, from placid to action-packed.  If the majestic music sometimes recalls a film score, it's likely not a coincidence; Phillips interrupted work on the album to score the ATV television series Rule Brittania.  Part Two even adds some processed vocals, adding to the fullness of the arrangement.  Of the two shorter pieces, the opening "Prelude '84" was conceived under the working title of "Instrumental Single," appropriate given its catchy, melodic nature.  (Indeed, RCA released it as a single.)  "Anthem 1984" began life as "Strings and Drums," and features electronic simulations of both in sweeping fashion.

Cherry Red's deluxe edition features three discs housed in a digipak.  CD One has the original album in a new 2016 stereo mix by Simon Heyworth and Andy Miles, and CD Two replicates the bonus disc from the 2008 reissue on Voiceprint Records featuring "early stage mixes" of all four tracks, a demo of "Poly Piece," and a six-movement suite from Rule Brittania.  The final disc, a DVD-A, has the album in high-resolution stereo and 5.1, both mixed by Heyward and Miles.  The 5.1 surround option is the preferred way to experience 1984, as the sound envelops the listener in immersive fashion.  The Heyworth/Miles team has also remastered all discs.  A foldout poster and 16-page booklet with liner notes by Jonathan Dann and Phillips himself rounds out the package.

1984 has been joined by a clamshell box set of Private Parts and Pieces V-VIII.  Last fall, Esoteric reissued the first four volumes of Private Parts and Pieces, plus bonus material, in a similar collection.  The series began in 1978 drawing on Phillips' instrumental compositions written and recorded as far back as 1972, eventually encompassing both vault material and newly-recorded tracks.  The new box picks up with 1985's Volume Five, consisting of twelve tracks (one named for each month of the year) recorded in 1984 and performed on solo 12-string guitar.  The next volume arrived in 1986, culled from pieces written between 1971 and 1985 and recorded on solo piano in '85.  Volume VI: Ivory Moon introduced a four-part suite, Sea-Dogs Motoring, as well as couple of songs from Phillips' aborted musical version of Kit Williams' book Masquerade.  One of those would-be showtunes, "Moonfall," was written by Phillips in the mold of a big, Shirley Bassey-esque ballad.  A solo version of Genesis' "Let Us Now Make Love" was included on the 1991 CD premiere of the album, and it's been retained here.

Private Parts and Pieces VII: Slow Waves, Soft Stars departed from the previous two sets' single instrumentation.  Phillips played synthesizer, guitar and percussion on the 18-track collection which premiered a five-part suite entitled "Ice Flight" and also drew on his soundtrack to the televised play God's Chosen Car Park for "The Golden Pathway."  Released in 1987, Slow Waves, Soft Stars fit comfortably into the burgeoning New Age genre and earned Phillips a whole new audience.  The next title in the series, Private Parts and Pieces VIII: New England, didn't arrive until 1992.  The album was conceived as a complement to a reissue campaign of his solo work for Virgin Records, and would feature newly-recorded material.  The first album in the series to be recorded on 16 tracks, it featured guest musicians such as Martin Robinson (saxophone and African drums), Simon Morris (cello), Paul Clarvis (percussion) and Joji Hirota (percussion) to create its expansive sound.  Phillips even departed from the strictly-instrumental field to include a couple of vocal tracks, "Sanctuary" and "Unheard Cry."  His imaginative, extended writing led to two more suites premiering, "New England Suite" and "Pieces of Eight."

Esoteric's box set adds Private Parts and Extra Pieces, a fifth CD of 19 previously unreleased tracks and variations on material heard on these volumes.  All tracks were recorded between 1980 and 1991.  These open a window on the prolific Phillips' creative process via demos, alternate mixes, and outtakes including "Sir Isaac," another track written for the Masquerade musical.  A handsomely-designed 24-page booklet with comprehensive liner notes rounds out this classy package.  James Collins has remastered all discs which are housed in mini-LP replica sleeves.

Two testaments to the musical curiosity and ample imagination of Anthony Phillips, 1984 and Private Parts and Pieces V-VIII are available now from Cherry Red's Esoteric Recordings imprint.  You can order them at the links below!

Anthony Phillips, 1984 (RCA (U.K.) LP 5036, 1981 - reissued Esoteric/Cherry Red ECLEC32550, 2016) (Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada)

CD 1: New Stereo Mix

1. Prelude '84
2. 1984 - Part One
3. 1984 - Part Two
4. Anthem 1984

CD 2 (originally released as part of Voiceprint VP 434CD, 2008)

1. Prelude '84 (Early Stage Mix)
2. Ascension
3. 1984 - Part One (Early Stage Mix)

Rule Brittania Suite

4. Sally Theme
5. Science and Technology
6. Respect
7. Church
8. Military
9. Power in the Land

10. 1984 - Part Two (Early Stage Mix)
11. Anthem 1984 (Early Stage Mix)
12. Poly Piece (Demo)

DVD-Audio (5.1 and Stereo)

1. Prelude '84
2. 1984 - Part One
3. 1984 - Part Two
4. Anthem 1984

Anthony Phillips, Private Parts and Pieces V-VIII (Esoteric/Cherry Red, 2016) (Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada)

CD 1: Private Parts and Pieces V: Twelve (PVC Records 8926, 1985)

1. January
2. February
3. March
4. April
5. May
6. June
7. July
8. August
9. September
10. October
11. November
12. December

CD 2: Private Parts and Pieces VI: Ivory Moon (PVC Records 8946, 1986)

Suite: Sea Dogs Motoring

1. Sunrise Over Sienna
2. Basking Shark
3. Sea Dog's Air
4. Safe Havens

 

5. Tara's Theme (from Masquerade)
6. Winter's Thaw
7. The Old House
8. Moonfall (from Masquerade)
9. Rapids
10. Let Us Now Make Love (Bonus Track) (from Virgin CDOVD 325, 1991)

CD 3: Private Parts and Pieces VII: Slow Waves, Soft Stars (Audion 308, 1987)

Ice Flight

1. Flight of the Snow Petrel: Glacier Bay
2. Flight of the Whale-Birds: Blizzard Mountain
3. Flight of the Albatross: Ice Island
4. White Heaven
5. Cathedral of Ice

 

6. Beachrunner
7. End of the Affair
8. The Golden Pathway
9. Behind the Waterfall
10. Carnival
11. Through the Black Hole
12. Pluto Garden
13. Sospirando
14. Elevenses
15. Goodbye Serenade
16. Bubble and Squeak
17. Vanishing Streets
18. Slow Waves, Soft Stars

CD 4: Private Parts and Pieces VIII: New England (Venture CDVE 913, 1992)

1. Aubade
2. Infra Dig
3. Sanctuary
4. La Dolorosa
5. New England Suite I
6. New England Suite II
7. New England Suite III
8. Last Goodbyes
9. Sunrise and Sea Monsters
10. Iona
11. Cathedral Woods
12. If I Could Tell You
13. Jaunty Roads
14. Spirals
15. Pieces of Eight: Pressgang
16. Pieces of Eight: Sargasso
17. Pieces of Eight: Sea-Shanty
18. In the Maze
19. Unheard Cry
20. Now They''ve All Gone

CD 5: Private Parts and Pieces - Extra Pieces II (all tracks previously unreleased)

1. Cathedral Woods Link
2. Jongleur
3. Sanctuary (Piano Mix)
4. Emerald Forest
5. Unheard Cry Link
6. Skylarks Over the Water
7. Sir Isaac (from Masquerade)
8. Across the Forbidden Horizon
9. End of the Affair II
10. Autumn Falls
11. Beachrunner II
12. Highland Dawn
13. Sanctuary Link
14. Unheard Cry (Guitar Demo)
15. Moonfall (from Masquerade) (Demo)
16. Pluto Garden (Alternate Mix)
17. Cathedral of Ice (Alternate Mix)
18. A Place to Rest
19. The Riddle of the Sands