Nikki Sudden: The Last bandit - The Best Of Nikki Sudden 2001

 

English singer-songwriter and guitarist, born 19 July 1956 in London, England, UK and died 26

March 2006 in New York, USA. His Real Name was Adrian Nicholas Godfrey. Together with his brother, Epic Soundtracks, Nikki Sudden formed what was to become Swell Maps, releasing 4 singles and 2 albums on Rough Trade (UK) between 1977 and their break up in 1980. All these releases hit #1 in the UK Independent Charts. Swell Maps are remembered, particularly by similarly minded US based bands such as Sonic Youth, as pioneering exponents of the 'DIY Punk' school.
                                    

After the post-punk band Swell Maps dissolved in the early '80s, lead singer Nikki Sudden began a

diverse and restless solo career, during which he worked with a number of different bands and side projects. Sudden released his first solo record, Waiting on Egypt, in 1982, followed closely by The Bible Belt in 1983; both records recalled the music he made with Swell Maps. In 1984, Sudden formed the Jacobites with drummer Epic Soundtracks (his brother, who was also a member of Swell Maps) and guitarist/vocalist Dave Kusworth, who co-wrote the material with Sudden.
                          

The band developed a laid-back, wasted, romantic classic rock and pop style with acoustic guitars and a

rolling rhythm section. The Jacobites released four albums and three EPs between 1984 and 1986, when Kusworth left the band. Sudden continued using the Jacobites' name, releasing Texas on the Creation label in 1986. During the late '80s, Sudden ditched the Jacobites moniker and began making music that strongly recalled early Rolling Stones, including Texas and Dead Men Tell No Tales.
                                     

1990 found Sudden in Athens, Georgia, where sessions with Peter Buck, Mike Mills and Bill Berry

from R.E.M. became the album 'The Jewel Thief' — later reissued as 'Liquor, Guns & Ammo'. Kusworth and Sudden reformed The Jacobites in 1993, releasing three albums, 'Howling Good Times', 'Old Scarlett' and 'God Save Us Poor Sinners'.
                           

While none of his albums ever attracted a large audience, Sudden remained a cult favorite throughout his career. High-profile guests began appearing on his albums: Wilco's Jeff Tweedy lent a hand on

1999's Red Brocade, and the Faces' keyboardist Ian McLagan played on the 2004 release Treasure Island. On March 26, 2006, Sudden passed away after a gig in New York City. He was working on a new album, The Truth Doesn't Matter, which was released in October. In the spring of 2011, Easy Action released Playing with Fire, a carefully curated compilation of unreleased songs recorded and left off his last two studio albums; the collection featured liner notes by Sudden's bassist and friend, John Barry.
                          

Sudden's death in New York followed a number of solo performances in the USA after which a short

European tour by The Jacobites had been scheduled. The first of these dates, on 29th March 2006 at London's '12 Bar Club', took place but was transformed into a tribute to Nikki Sudden's memory and featured a number of musicians with whom he had played.
                            

A box set that included his first two solo albums, two Jacobites offerings, Kiss You Kidnapped

Charabanc with Rowland S. Howard, Texas and Dead Men Tell No Tales -- plus a re-press of Sudden's first solo single -- packaged in a deluxe slipcase, were released as a strictly limited, Black Friday exclusive in December of 2014.

Nikki Sudden – The Last Bandit - The Best Of Nikki Sudden
Label: Wagging Dog – WAGG004
Format:    CD, Compilation
Released: 2001
Genre: Rock
Style: Alternative, Folk

                                  

This best-of collection, which draws from various Sudden releases, would work a heck of a lot better for neophytes if there was any indication whatsoever in the liner notes as to where and when these tracks first appeared. He hits home more on the slow and sluggish songs, like "Jangle Town" or the wholly acoustic "When I Cross the Line," although there are exceptions, like "Back to the Start," which has much more riveting riffs than the typical Sudden tune, and the straight-ahead punkish rock of "Bethlehem Castle." As a nice addition, a second disc adds seven previously unreleased solo acoustic tunes, none of which are found in different versions on the first (and primary) CD, adding up to almost a half hour. Again, however, there's no information as to when and why this material was recorded. Sigh.
[By Richie Unterberger]
                         

  

CD1.  ORIGINAL CD

                                                             

01. It's Gonna Be Alright    4:45
02. Jangle Town    4:04
03. I Belong To You    3:27
04. When I Cross The Line    4:20
05. Too Bad For You    2:55
06. Back To The Coast    2:58
07. Countess    2:59
08. Grievous Angel    6:14
09. Captain Kennedy    4:00
10. When I Left You    7:43
11. Behind The Lines    3:48
12. Broken Door    5:53
13. The Road Of Broken Dreams    3:50
14. Back To The Start    2:31
15. Bethlehem Castle    3:40
16. Evangeline    3:09
17. The Last Bandit    3:57
18. Scarred    4:48
19. Curfew Island (The Low Bridge)    1:48

MP3 @ 320 Size: 175 MB
Flac  Size: 526 MB

CD2.  SOLO ACOUSTIC       

                                  

  
01. One More String Of Pearls
02. Still Full Of Shocks
03. Crossroads
04. When Angels Die
05. Hanging Out The Banners
06. Hello Wolf
07. She Never Believes
08. Angels In My Arms
09. In Your Life
10. Kiss At Dawn
11. One Inch Rock
12. Before I Leave You
13. Up There In Heaven
14. Bed Woman Blues

MP3 @ 320 Size: 12 MB
Flac  Size: 284 MB