Liberty Belle and the Black Diamond Express
Encyclopedia
Liberty Belle and the Black Diamond Express, the fourth album by The Go-Betweens
, was released in 1986 in the UK
on Beggars Banquet Records
, the record label
that would release the remainder of the original group's LPs through their breakup in 1989. The album was recorded at Berry Street Studio
s in London, England. The original release consisted of ten songs. In 2004, LO-MAX Records
released an expanded CD
which included a second disc of eleven bonus tracks and music video
s for the songs, "Spring Rain" and "Head Full Of Steam (Single Version)".
All songs written by Grant McLennan and Robert Forster.
Bonus Tracks on 2004 CD Reissue Disc 2:
All songs written by McLennan and Forster, except for Track 11, written by Aaron Schroeder and Sid Wayne
.
with:
The Go-Betweens
The Go-Betweens were an indie rock band formed in Brisbane, Australia in 1977 by singer-songwriters and guitarists, Robert Forster and Grant McLennan. They were later joined by Lindy Morrison on drums, Robert Vickers on bass guitar and Amanda Brown on violin, oboe, guitar, and backing vocals,...
, was released in 1986 in the UK
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
on Beggars Banquet Records
Beggars Banquet Records
Beggars Banquet is an English independent record label that began as a chain of record shops owned by Martin Mills and Nick Austin, and is part of the Beggars Group of labels...
, the record label
Record label
In the music industry, a record label is a brand and a trademark associated with the marketing of music recordings and music videos. Most commonly, a record label is the company that manages such brands and trademarks, coordinates the production, manufacture, distribution, marketing and promotion,...
that would release the remainder of the original group's LPs through their breakup in 1989. The album was recorded at Berry Street Studio
Berry Street Studio
Berry Street Studio is a recording studio in Clerkenwell, Central London. Established in 1970, Berry Street is built along traditional lines, having a large live area, incorporating acoustically live and dead zones, together with isolation booths, and a control room.During its history, Berry Street...
s in London, England. The original release consisted of ten songs. In 2004, LO-MAX Records
LO-MAX Records
LO-MAX Records is a west London based independent record label, founded in 2003 and specialising in rock music.Signings include Simon Lynge, The Wrens, Kevin Ayers, The Go-Betweens and The Court & Spark....
released an expanded CD
Compact Disc
The Compact Disc is an optical disc used to store digital data. It was originally developed to store and playback sound recordings exclusively, but later expanded to encompass data storage , write-once audio and data storage , rewritable media , Video Compact Discs , Super Video Compact Discs ,...
which included a second disc of eleven bonus tracks and music video
Music video
A music video or song video is a short film integrating a song and imagery, produced for promotional or artistic purposes. Modern music videos are primarily made and used as a marketing device intended to promote the sale of music recordings...
s for the songs, "Spring Rain" and "Head Full Of Steam (Single Version)".
Track listing
- "Spring Rain" – 3:10
- "The Ghost and the Black Hat" – 2:36
- "The Wrong Road" – 4:57
- "To Reach Me" – 3:37
- "Twin Layers of Lightning" – 4:25
- "In the Core of the Flame" – 2:57
- "Head Full of Steam" – 3:36
- "Bow Down" – 3:47
- "Palm Sunday (On Board the SS Within)" – 3:19
- "Apology Accepted" – 4:25
- "Spring Rain" (Video on 2004 Expanded CD)
- "Head Full Of Steam" (single version) (Video on 2004 Expanded CD)
All songs written by Grant McLennan and Robert Forster.
Bonus Tracks on 2004 CD Reissue Disc 2:
- Life at Hand – 3:34
- Don't Let Him Come Back [New Version] – 2:39
- Apology Accepted [Radio Session] – 3:48
- I Work in a Health Spa – 3:42
- Bow Down [Early Version] – 4:09
- Casanova's Last Words – 2:39
- Head Full of Steam [Single Version] – 3:38
- Little Joe – 3:28
- Wrong Road [Early Version] – 3:18
- Reunion Dinner – 4:49
- I'm Gonna Knock on Your Door – 1:53
All songs written by McLennan and Forster, except for Track 11, written by Aaron Schroeder and Sid Wayne
Sid Wayne
Sid Wayne was an American songwriter, lyricist and composer, who wrote a number of well-known songs from the 1950s to the 1980s...
.
Personnel
The Go-Betweens consisted of:- Robert ForsterRobert Forster (musician)Robert Forster is an Australian singer-songwriter, best known for his work with songwriting partner Grant McLennan, with whom he co-founded The Go-Betweens.Forster grew up in Brisbane, Australia attending Brisbane Grammar School...
- vocals, rhythm guitarRhythm guitarRhythm guitar is a technique and rôle that performs a combination of two functions: to provide all or part of the rhythmic pulse in conjunction with singers or other instruments; and to provide all or part of the harmony, ie. the chords, where a chord is a group of notes played together... - Grant McLennanGrant McLennanGrant William McLennan was an Australian singer-songwriter with the alternative rock band The Go-Betweens, which he co-founded with Robert Forster in Brisbane, Australia in 1977...
- vocals, lead guitarLead guitarLead guitar is a guitar part which plays melody lines, instrumental fill passages, guitar solos, and occasionally, some riffs within a song structure...
, loopsMusic loopIn electroacoustic music, a loop is a repeating section of sound material. Short sections of material can be repeated to create ostinato patterns...
, treatments - Lindy MorrisonLindy MorrisonBelinda "Lindy" Morrison is an Australian musician originally from Queensland. She was the drummer in indie rock group The Go-Betweens from 1980 to 1989, appearing on all the band's releases from their first LP in 1981 until the band's first break up on 26 December 1989...
- drumsDrum kitA drum kit is a collection of drums, cymbals and often other percussion instruments, such as cowbells, wood blocks, triangles, chimes, or tambourines, arranged for convenient playing by a single person .... - Robert Vickers - bass guitarBass guitarThe bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
with:
- Dean B. Speedwell - organOrgan (music)The organ , is a keyboard instrument of one or more divisions, each played with its own keyboard operated either with the hands or with the feet. The organ is a relatively old musical instrument in the Western musical tradition, dating from the time of Ctesibius of Alexandria who is credited with...
, pianoPianoThe piano is a musical instrument played by means of a keyboard. It is one of the most popular instruments in the world. Widely used in classical and jazz music for solo performances, ensemble use, chamber music and accompaniment, the piano is also very popular as an aid to composing and rehearsal...
, accordionAccordionThe accordion is a box-shaped musical instrument of the bellows-driven free-reed aerophone family, sometimes referred to as a squeezebox. A person who plays the accordion is called an accordionist....
, vibesVibraphoneThe vibraphone, sometimes called the vibraharp or simply the vibes, is a musical instrument in the struck idiophone subfamily of the percussion family....
, bassoonBassoonThe bassoon is a woodwind instrument in the double reed family that typically plays music written in the bass and tenor registers, and occasionally higher. Appearing in its modern form in the 19th century, the bassoon figures prominently in orchestral, concert band and chamber music literature... - Audrey RileyAudrey RileyAudrey Riley is a cellist and string arranger based in the UK. Riley trained at the Guildhall School of Music with Leonard Stehn and was a cellist for Virginia Astley from 1983 to 1986 and a one-time auxiliary member of The Family Cat. She has been a member of the post-minimalist band Icebreaker...
- celloCelloThe cello is a bowed string instrument with four strings tuned in perfect fifths. It is a member of the violin family of musical instruments, which also includes the violin, viola, and double bass. Old forms of the instrument in the Baroque era are baryton and viol .A person who plays a cello is...
, string arrangements - Chris Tomlin - 1st violinViolinThe violin is a string instrument, usually with four strings tuned in perfect fifths. It is the smallest, highest-pitched member of the violin family of string instruments, which includes the viola and cello....
- Sally Herbert - 2nd violin
- Sue Dench - violaViolaThe viola is a bowed string instrument. It is the middle voice of the violin family, between the violin and the cello.- Form :The viola is similar in material and construction to the violin. A full-size viola's body is between and longer than the body of a full-size violin , with an average...
- Tracey ThornTracey ThornTracey Anne Thorn is an English pop singer and songwriter. She is best known as being one half of the duo Everything but the Girl, which is currently on extended hiatus.-Personal life:...
- backing vocals on "Head Full of Steam" and "Apology Accepted" - Richard Preston - loops, treatments on "Reunion Dinner"