News

U.K. sophisti-pop act Swing Out Sister is getting a new box set from Cherry Red in July – and it’s a good excuse for us to shine a light on both collections the label has recently planned for the group.

Known for their international 1987 hit “Breakout,” the group – primarily consisting of singer Corinne Drewery and keyboardist Andy Connell, along with the talents of producer Paul Staveley O’Duffy, who’s produced nearly all the group’s albums – have released decades’ worth of jazzy originals and covers across some 10 studio albums and counting. In 2022, the first portion of their career was chronicled with the box set Blue Mood, Breakout & Beyond – The Early Years Part 1. This 8CD set offered their first three studio albums – 1987’s It’s Better to Travel (their only album as a trio, with drummer Martin Jackson), 1989’s Kaleidoscope World and 1992’s Get in Touch with Yourself – along with the rare 1993 Japan-only Live At The Jazz Cafe and four(!) discs of B-sides and remixes from the same period. The set featured full annotations and liner notes by writer Paul Sinclair and even illustrations by Drewery.

As Blue Mood, Breakout & Beyond’s subtitle indicates, the plan was to continue the Swing Out Sister review in additional sets. The next one, Certain Shades of Limelight, arrives July 18 and chronicles another decade’s worth of material from 1994 to 2004. While the group wouldn’t often trouble the charts in their native U.K. from this point forward – a cover of The Delfonics’ “La La (Means I Love You)” was a modest Top 40 hit in 1994 – the group remained considerably popular in Japan, and several of these releases, including the mega-dance EP The Big Elsewhere (offering a baker’s dozen remixes of the 1996 single “Now You’re Not Here”) and studio album Filth and Dreams (1999), were only ever released overseas before this set. Additional offerings include the studio albums The Living Return (1994), Shapes and Patterns (1997), Somewhere Deep in the Night (2002) and Where Our Love Grows (2004) plus a 2CD Excursions & Versions collection offering non-LP material. It’s packaged in a deluxe hardshell box with a lift-off lid, with every album in an individual custom wallet (each one in a different color).  John Earls of Classic Pop handles liner notes here in the 40-page booklet, presenting new interviews with Drewery and Connell for each album plus commentary on the assorted remixes and bonus tracks.  Mastering credits are absent from the collection.

With both boxes, Cherry Red’s overview of Swing Out Sister’s material for the Fontana/Mercury and Liberty/EMI family of labels is complete. The duo, said to be recording a big band album for future release, will team with the U.K. label for a third collection of material in the future. In the meantime, Blue Mood, Breakout & Beyond is available now and Certain Shades of Limelight hits U.K. record stores on July 18. You can find the full track lists and order your copies at the links below. (As an Amazon affiliate, we earn from qualifying purchases.)

Blue Mood, Breakout & Beyond – The Early Years Part 1 (Cherry Pop CRPOPBOX259 (U.K.), 2022) (Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada)

Disc 1: It’s Better to Travel (Mercury OUT LP 1 (U.K.), 1987)

1. Breakout
2. Twilight World (Superb, Superb, Mix)
3. After Hours
4. Blue Mood
5. Surrender
6. Fooled by a Smile
7. Communion
8. It’s Not Enough
9. Theme (From – ‘It’s Better to Travel’)

Disc 2: Kaleidoscope World (Fontana 838 293-2 (U.K.), 1989)

1. You on My Mind
2. Where in the World?
3. Forever Blue
4. Heart for Hire
5. Tainted
6. Waiting Game
7. Precious Words
8. Masquerade
9. Between Strangers
10. The Kaleidoscope Affair
11. Precious Words (Instrumental)
12. Forever Blue (String Mix)
13. Masquerade (Instrumental)

Disc 3: Get in Touch with Yourself (Fontana 512 241-2 (U.K.), 1992)

1. Get in Touch with Yourself
2. Am I the Same Girl?
3. Incomplete Without You
4. Everyday Crime
5. Circulate
6. Who Let the Love Out?
7. Understand
8. Notgonnachange
9. Don’t Say the Word
10. Love Child
11. I Can Hear You But I Can’t See You
12. Am I the Same Girl? (Instrumental)
13. Everyday Crime (Instrumental)

Disc 4: Live At The Jazz Cafe (Fontana PHCR-1192 (JP), 1993)

1. Get in Touch with Yourself
2. You on My Mind
3. Surrender
4. Everyday Crime
5. Twilight World
6. Circulate
7. Am I the Same Girl?
8. Breakout
9. Notgonnachange
10. Who Let the Love Out?/Expansions/Coney Island Man/Wives & Lovers

All tracks recorded live at the Jazz Cafe, London, England – 12/15-16/1992

Disc 5: Mixes

1. Blue Mood (Dubbed-Up Version)
2. Blue Mood (Growler Mix)
3. Breakout (A New Rockin’ Version)
4. Breakout (NAD Mix)
5. Breakout (Horny Version)
6. Breakout (Carnival Mix)
7. Fooled by a Smile (Ralph Mix)
8. Fooled by a Smile (TV Mix)
9. Breakout (American Instrumental Mix)
10. Communion (Instrumental)
11. Fooled by a Smile (Phi Phi Mix)
12. Twilight World (Remix)

Disc 5, Track 1 from Mercury U.K. 12″ MERX 207, 1986
Disc 5, Track 2 from Mercury U.K. 12″ MERXR 207, 1986
Disc 5, Track 3 from Mercury U.K. 12″ SWING 212, 1986
Disc 5, Tracks 4-5 from Mercury U.K. 12″ SWING 2212, 1986
Disc 5, Track 6 from Mercury U.S. 12″ 888 836-1, 1987
Disc 5, Track 7 from Mercury U.K. 12″ SWING 512, 1987
Disc 5, Track 8 from Mercury U.K. 12″ promo SWING 512DJ, 1987
Disc 5, Tracks 9-10 from Mercury U.K. 12″ SWING 522, 1987
Disc 5, Track 11 from Mercury Japanese single 7PP-267, 1988
Disc 5, Track 12 from Mercury U.K. 12″ SWING 422, 1987

Disc 6: More Mixes

1. Twilight World (The World Travel Mix)
2. Twilight World (Vocal Dub)
3. Twilight World (Classical Dub)
4. Twilight World (Instrumental Dub)
5. Twilight World (Beat Your Sister Dub)
6. Surrender (Stuff Gun Mix)
7. Surrender (Pop Stand Remix)
8. Surrender (Roadrunner Mix)
9. Precious Words (Orchestral Mix)
10. Waiting Game (Extended Version)
11. Waiting Game (Remix Edit)
12. Waiting Game (Ultimix)
13. Waiting Game (Dub)

Disc 6, Track 1 from Mercury U.S. 12″ 870 015-1, 1987
Disc 6, Tracks 2-5 from Mercury U.S. 12″ promo PRO 560-1, 1987
Disc 6, Track 6 from Mercury U.K. 12″ SWING 312, 1987
Disc 6, Track 7 from Mercury U.S. 12″ 870 270-1, 1987
Disc 6, Track 8 from Mercury U.K. 12″ SWING 3312, 1987
Disc 6, Track 9 from “Forever Blue” U.K. 12″ – Fontana SWING 812, 1989
Disc 6, Tracks 10-13 from Mercury U.S. 12″ 874 191-1, 1989

Disc 7: Even More Mixes

1. Where in the World? (Bongo Fury Mix)
2. Where in the World? (Radical Mix)
3. You on My Mind (Extended Version)
4. Precious Words (Earth Bound Mix)
5. Am I the Same Girl (Bubba’s Version)
6. Notgonnachange (Classic Club Version Mix)
7. Notgonnachange (Classic Song Mix)
8. Notgonnachange (Mix of Drama)
9. Notgonnachange (Dashi I Mix)
10. Notgonnachange (O’Duffy’s 7″ Mix)
11. Notgonnachange (New Jack Swing Out Mix)
12. Am I the Same Girl (Instrumental)

Disc 7, Track 1 from Fontana U.K. 10″ SWING 710, 1989
Disc 7, Track 2 from Fontana U.K. 12″ SWING 712, 1989
Disc 7, Track 3 from Fontana U.K. 12″ SWING 612, 1989
Disc 7, Track 4 from Fontana U.K. CD single SWICD 6, 1989
Disc 7, Track 5 from “Notgonnachange” single – Fontana SWING 10, 1992
Disc 7, Tracks 6-9 from Fontana U.K. 12″ SWING 1012, 1992
Disc 7, Tracks 10-11 from Fontana U.S. CD single 866 855-2, 1992
Disc 7, Track 12 from Fontana U.K. 12″ promo SOS 1, 1992

Disc 8: B-Sides and Edits

1. Wake Me When It’s Over (B-side to “Blue Mood” – Mercury MER 207 (U.K.), 1986)
2. Dirty Money (B-side to “Breakout” – Mercury SWING 2 (U.K.), 1986)
3. Who’s to Blame (B-side to “Surrender” – Mercury SWING 3 (U.K.), 1987)
4. Another Lost Weekend (B-side to “Twilight World” – Mercury SWING 4 (U.K.), 1987)
5. Fever (B-side to “Fooled by a Smile” – Mercury SWING 5 (U.K.), 1987)
6. Coney Island Man (B-Side to “You on My Mind” – Fontana SWING 6 (U.K.), 1989)
7. Taxi Town (B-side to “Where in the World” – Fontana SWING 7 (U.K.), 1989)
8. Windmills of Your Mind (12″ B-side to “Where in the World” – Fontana SWING 712 (U.K.), 1989)
9. Spirit Moves (B-side to “Am I the Same Girl” – Fontana SWING 9 (U.K.), 1992)
10. Alone (B-side to “Notgonnachange” CD single – Fontana CDSWI 10 (U.K.), 1992)
11. Surrender (7″ Version) (single A-side – Mercury SWING 3 (U.K.), 1987)
12. Twilight World (Single Edit) (single A-side – Mercury SWING 4 (U.K.), 1987)
13. Notgonnachange (Edit) (promo CD single A-side – Fontana CDP 820 (U.K.), 1992)
14. Circulate (Live Version (Japanese CD single A-side – Fontana PHDR-120 (JP), 1992)

Certain Shades of Limelight (Cherry Pop CRPOPBOX279 (U.K.), 2024) (Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada)

Disc 1: The Living Return (Mercury 522 650-2 (U.K.), 1994)

1. Better Make It Better
2. Don’t Let Yourself Down
3. Ordinary People
4. Mama Didn’t Raise No Fool
5. Don’t Give Up on a Good Thing
6. Making the Right Move
7. La La (Means I Love You)
8. Feel Free
9. Stop and Think It Over
10. That’s the Way It Goes
11. All in Your Mind
12. O Pesadelo Dos Autores
13. Low Down Dirty Business

Disc 2: Shapes and Patterns (Mercury/Pure 534 741-2 (U.K.), 1997)

1. Somewhere In the World
2. Here and Now
3. We Could Make It Happen
4. Shapes and Patterns
5. Better Make It Better
6. Something Out of This World
7. Joe Meek’s Cat
8. Stoned Soul Picnic
9. You Already Know
10. Always
11. Now You’re Not Here
12. Icy Cold As Winter
13. Shapes and Patterns (Reprise)

Disc 3: Filth and Dreams (Mercury PHCW-1015 (JP), 1999)

1. Who’s Been Sleeping
2. Closer Than the Sun
3. Sugar Free
4. Filth and Dreams
5. Happy When You’re High
6. If I Had the Heart
7. When Morning Comes
8. Invisible
9. World Out of Control
10. Make You Stay

Disc 4: Somewhere Deep in the Night (Universal UICE-1010 (JP), 2001/Liberty EMI 72435 38292 2 3 (U.K.), 2002)

1. Through the Sky
2. Will We Find Love?
3. Somewhere Deep in the Night
4. The Vital Thing
5. What Kind of Fool Are You?
6. Suspended in Time
7. Alpine Crossing
8. Fool Tag
9. Where the Hell Did I Go Wrong?
10. Non E Vero Ma Ci Credo
11. Touch Me Now
12. The Vital Thing (Take B)
13. Where Do I Go?
14. Now Listen to Me

Disc 5: Where Our Love Grows (Liberty EMI 72434 73418 2 3 (U.K.), 2004)

1. Love Won’t Let You Down
2. Where Our Love Grows
3. When the Laughter is Over
4. Certain Shades of Limelight
5. From My Window
6. Caipirinha
7. Where Our Love Grows (A Cappella)
8. Let the Stars Shine
9. We’ll Find a Place
10. Happy Ending
11. La Source
12. Love Won’t Let You Down (More Love)

Disc 6: The Big Elsewhere (Mercury PHCR-3051 (JP), 1996)

1. Now You’re Not Here (Vocal Mix)
2. Now You’re Not Here (Daddy Macks Back)
3. Now You’re Not Here (Da-Li-Da)
4. Now You’re Not Here (So Low)
5. Now You’re Not Here (Water and Water)
6. Now You’re Not Here (Desolate Shores)
7. Now You’re Not Here (Deep Siesta)
8. Now You’re Not Here (Instrumental)
9. Now You’re Not Here (TV Mix)
10. Now You’re Not Here (Cool Mix)
11. Now You’re Not Here (Original Karaoke)
12. Now You’re Not Here (Passion Fruit Mix)
13. Now You’re Not Here (Original Single Mix)

Discs 7-8: Excursions and Versions

1. La La (Means I Love You) (Self Anointing Version)
2. La La (Means I Love You) (U.S. Mix with Flute)
3. La La (Means I Love You) (U.K. Edit with Guitar Solo)
4. La La (Means I Love You) (U.S. Mix with Trumpet)
5. Better Make It Better (Eastside Connection)
6. Better Make It Better (Ten Men Mix)
7. Better Make It Better (A Cappella Mix)
8. Heaven Only Knows (Little Piece of Heaven Mix)
9. Heaven Only Knows (Too Much Heaven Mix)
10. Somewhere in the World (Circle & Square Mix)
11. Somewhere in the World (Instrumental)
12. Somewhere in the World (Original Karaoke)
13. We Could Make It Happen (Instrumental)
14. We Could Make It Happen (Original Karaoke)
15. We Could Make It Happen (What’s Happening Mix)

1. Who’s Been Sleeping (Parabolica Mix)
2. Alpine Crossing (Gravallax Mix)
3. Alpine Crossing (A Cappella Mix)
4. Alpine Crossing (Extended Mix)
5. Waters of March (Single Version) – Akiko & Swing Out Sister
6. La La (Means I Love You) (Edit)
7. Better Make It Better (Edit)
8. Better Make It Better (Radio Edit)
9. Better Make It Better (Edit #2)
10. Ordinary People (Edit)
11. Mama Didn’t Raise No Fool (Edit)
12. Making the Right Move (Edit)
13. Stop and Think It Over (Edit)
14. All in Your Mind (Edit)
15. Through the Sky (Single Edit)
16. Somewhere Deep in the Night (Radio Edit)
17. Love Won’t Let You Down (Radio Edit)

Disc 7, Track 1 and Disc 8, Track 6 from Mercury U.K. CD single SWIDD 11, 1994
Disc 7, Tracks 2-4 from Mercury U.S. promo CD single CDP 1308, 1994
Disc 7, Tracks 5-7 and Disc 8, Track 7 from Mercury U.K. CD single 856 519-2, 1994
Disc 7, Tracks 8-9 from Mercury Japanese CD single PHCR-8351, 1996
Disc 7, Tracks 10-11 from Mercury U.K. CD single 574 977-2, 1997
Disc 7, Track 12 from Mercury Japanese CD single PHCR-8394, 1997
Disc 7, Tracks 13-15 from Mercury Japanese CD single PHCR-8404, 1997
Disc 8, Track 1 from Mercury Japanese promo CD single 8DCP-9066, 1999
Disc 8, Tracks 2-4 from U.K. white-label promo 12″ SOSWL 001, 2002
Disc 8, Track 5 from Verve Japanese single UCCJ-5001, 2002. Original version from Hip Pop Bop – Verve UCCJ-2017 (JP), 2002
Disc 8, Track 8 from Mercury U.K. promo CD single SSINT 1, 1994
Disc 8, Tracks 9-14 from The Living Return Edits – Mercury promo CDP 987 (U.S.), 1994
Disc 8, Track 15 from Mercury Japanese CD single UICE-5005, 2001
Disc 8, Track 16 from Liberty EMI Spanish promo CD single PE02029, 2002
Disc 8, Track 17 from Liberty EMI U.K. promo CD single (no cat. #), 2004