The Railway Children - Gentle Sound (2003)

An album which highlights the 'Best Of ' The Railway Children as chosen by the fans. These tracks span the life of TRC and include Factory, Virgin and the more recent Ether songs. This time however the recordings are largely acoustic. Recorded in Tokyo, Gary Newby has stripped the songs bare and then rebuilt each song with a new enthusiasm, giving each song a completely different and more contemporary feel. Mainly acoustic, giving the album the kind of warmth you'd expect from an MTV unplugged album. Above all though the album gives space for Gary Newby's true vocal depth, reminiscent at times of a young Scott Walker. In addition to the 13 acoustic tracks, there are 2 new (2002) tracks released for the first time.

The Railway Children were just one of a string of successful independent bands poached and groomed for obscurity by the majors in the second half of the '80s. Anyone jonesing for, ironically, something close to the Postcard sound-sparkling guitars, a melancholy, yearning tenor-will swoon for this quietly gorgeous album of acoustic revamps. Three tracks from their sole album for Factory (Reunion Wilderness, 1987) are obvious highlights, especially the irresistible lilt of "Brighter". You'd think, given the Coldplay/Keane hegemony, there'd be an audience for this superior version: gentle, epic music but, here, with a soul. (UNCUT magazine)

Gentle Sound (Acoustic Compilation Album)
THE RAILWAY CHILDREN
2003
Bit rate: 320kbps

[Track Listing]

1. "A Gentle Sound" - 4:00
2. "Every Beat Of The Heart" - 4:10
3. "Big Hands of Freedom" - 3:54
4. "It Won't Be Long" - 3:29
5. "In The Meantime" - 3:14
6. "Brighter" - 4:17
7. "Collide" - 4:06
8. "I Know Tomorrow" - 3:32
9. "A Pleasure" - 4:05
10. "Over & Over" - 4:03
11. "Somewhere South" - 3:37
12. "Peacenik" - 2:46
13. "Monica's Light" - 3:59
14. "Skinship" - 4:26
15. "The Forgotten" - 4:42

Credits

Written & Produced by Gary Newby Words and music Gary Newby / vocals, instruments & mix: Gary Newby / except songs 14 & 15 drums: makoto sakamoto bass: yasper matsson mix: ken takizawa / executive producer: David Bloom All tracks copyright control Gary Newby / cover photography: hiromi newby / sleeve artwork: Gary Newby

Listen On: The Best Of The Railway Children (1995)

There's always something missing in best-of compilations: a track or two cherished by fans of the specific artist, a sought-after B-side or 12" mix, or a different version of a song heard only on the radio. Listen On: The Best of the Railway Children doesn't include two tracks that are generally considered to be the band's finest moments: the hummable "Brighter" from 1987's Reunion Wilderness and the lovelorn "A Pleasure" from 1988's Recurrence. The number of tunes from 1990's Native Place is surprising given the tepid reaction many listeners and critics had with that album. However, there was really nothing wrong with Native Place; it was just slicker than the Railway Children's previous efforts. Listen On grabs "Every Beat of the Heart," "Music Stop," "Something So Good," "You're Young," and "Collide" from Native Place, and they're all admirable choices. The acoustic strumming that opens "Every Beat of the Heart" conforms with the group's signature sound, but the song's beefed-up guitars and glistening keyboards disappointed the band's hardcore followers when it was originally released. The more commercial production on "Every Beat of the Heart" doesn't hurt it at all; while it doesn't have the intimate feel of "Monica's Light" or "In the Meantime," the warmth in Gary Newby's vocals isn't suppressed by studio gloss. The Byrds-like '60s jangle of "Everybody," originally available on the cassette single of "Every Beat of the Heart," should quell fans upset by the abundance of Native Place tracks. "Monica's Light" and "In the Meantime" echo the Smiths' adolescent melancholy without Morrissey's histrionics or deadpan humor. They're also more downbeat, reflecting the group's pre-Native Place period. Although Listen On isn't truly representative of the Railway Children's most laudable work, best-of collections usually aren't. Listeners who become hooked on the album should look for what wasn't included. ~ Michael Sutton, Rovi

Listen On: The Best Of  The Railway Children (1995)
THE RAILWAY CHILDREN
[Enjoy]

Track Listing:
1. Every Beat Of The Heart
2. Everybody
3. Give It Away
4. Music Stop
5. What She Wants
6. Something So Good
7. Hours Go By
8. After The Rain
9. You're Young
10. Collide
11. Somewhere South
12. Listen On (Original Recording 1986)
13. Over And Over (Full Remix)
14. A Gentle Sound (Original Demo)
15. Monica's Light
16. So Right (Dakeyne Full Length Mix)
17. In The Meantime

Bonus
A Pleasure
Another Town (Original Version)
Brighter

In The Meantime (Tokyo '99)

Every Beat Of The Heart

The Railway Children

Every Beat Of The Heart
Brighter

Formed in wigan in the north England in 1984, The Railway Children fronted by singer/guitarist Gary Newby, started out by taking their "gentle sound" onto the then bouyant music circuit in and around Wigan and Manchester.

The buzz created by the extremely youthful band was immediate and resulted in the band signing to the enigmatic Factory records, home of New Order. A mini album 'Reunion Wilderness' was recorded and featured the first single 'A Gentle Sound' and the follow up 'Brighter'. Both singles were an instant hit with the then thriving indie scene and the critically acclaimed album went straight to number one in the independant charts.

A string of tours and radio sessions quickly followed and as the band saw their fan base grow dramatically,inevitably the major labels became very interested. Virgin America was one such label, then owned by Richard Branson, it saw the chart potential of The Railway Children and signed them.

[bxA]
The resultant album 'Recurrence' was as complete an album as you'll hear. A pure and complimentary production produced ten wonderful tracks which flowed effortlessly into each other. This was an album played by a band high on confidence and purpose and it showed. Singles - 'Over and Over' 'Somewhere South' and 'In the Meantime' all managed to skirt around the edges of the top forty, but a hit in the UK national charts remained elusive.

During the following years the band spread the word particularly in the U.S, where tours with The Sugarcubes and The Hearthrobs of college towns saw the band achieve considerable success and play on college radio. A support slot with REM across Europe and a UK tour with Lloyd Cole also followed - now all that was missing was that elusive chart hit.

'Native Place' was released in 1990 with keyboards and programmed percussion to the fore for the first time. The new sound and further tours of the U.S and UK eventually resulted in the bands first UK top 20 hit with the pure pop anthem 'Every Beat of The Heart'.

However at this point the relationship between band and record company deteriorated, as the band became increasinglly unhappy with the overly commercial direction the label were pushing them in. Inevitably the next recording session proved to be much more of a band affair, a kind of reaction to the polished pop sound of 'Native Place'. It was no surprise therefore that the new sessions resulted in the single 'So Right', a raw edgy track and completely different to anything on 'NativePlace', but one which failed to repeat the chart success of 'Every Beat of The Heart'

Around the same time EMI took over Virgin and a number of bands including The Railway Children found themselves without a record label. The band's time at Virgin was later captured on the album 'Listen On - the best of The Railway Children', which contains the singles and various b-sides. Following their departure from Virgin, TRC decided to call it a day with only Gary and Guy deciding to carry on with music. However, none of the original members of TRC would work together again.

After a lengthy hiatus Gary released his next album 'Dream Arcade', on his own Ether Records label in 1997. Far more melodic than the 'So Right' sessions but not as produced as earlier albums,'Dream Arcade' boasts many magnificent moments. From the melancholy of 'Dream Arcade' to the full-on assault of 'Let it Go' this is a must for fans of the band. 'Dream arcade' see's gary reflecting on the past, but moving forward with vigour and purpose.

2000 saw the re-release of 'Reunion Wilderness' on the Ether label and a new single 'Skinship' on March Records in the U.S in 2002. Gary has just finished a new acoustic album 'Gentle Sound' set for release in September 03.

Gary currently resides in Tokyo his wife and daughter and is cultivating a passion for sushi and J-pop - his Japanese is terrible!


Albums

Reunion Wilderness

Another Town
First Notebook
Railroad Side
Careful
Brighter
Big Hands Of Freedom
Listen On
A Gentle Sound
History Burns
Content
Darkness and Colour
Factory

Debut album
1987 Factory Records FAC 185
2001 Ether Records ETH2

Recurrence
Somewhere South
A Pleasure
Swallowed
Merciless
My Word
In The Meantime
Over and Over
Monicas' Light
Chrysalis
No Great Objections

1988 Virgin Records V2525


Native Place
Every Beat Of The Heart
Music Stop
You're Young
Because
Cotton Counting
It's Heaven
Something So Good
Collide
Native Place
Fall On
Harbour Force
Blue Sky

1990 Virgin Records V2627

Radio One Evening Sessions
Another Town
Consider
Listen On
Big Hands Of Freedom
It Wont Be Long
What She Wants
Hours Go By
After The Rain
In The Meantime
Merciless
Monica's Light
Go Ahead
Kinds Of Fuel
Strange Attractor
So Right

1993 Strange Fruit CDNT 002


Music Stop
What She Wants
Something So Good
Hours Go By
After The Rain
You're Young
Collide
Somewhere South
Listen On
Over and Over
A Gentle Sound
Monica's Light
So Right
In The Meantime

Best of compilation
1995 Virgin Records CDOVD451

Dream Arcade
What tomorrow brings
Light the Fuse
Come Around
Dont need
Dream Arcade
Wake the Dreamer
Let it Go
Rising Closer
Understand
These Things She Does

First new album since the band split in 1992
1997 Ether Records ETH1

Gentle Sound
A Gentle Sound
A Pleasure
Big Hands Of Freedom
Brighter
Collide
Every Beat Of The Heart
I Know Tomorrow
In The Meantime
It Wont Be Long
Monica's Light
Over and Over
Peacenik
Somewhere South
Skinship
The Forgotten
Ether Records

Acoustic reworkings and new tracks from Gary.
2002 Ether Records ETH3