New Wave Outpost Forum

They certainly get a lot of mileage out of recycling these tracks again and again and again. CD 3 is live.

And what is the problem with these sets NEVER including World Domination? Easily the best thing they ever did - it's maddening!

Tracklist
[CD1]
1. Sign Of The Times
2. Ci Ya Ya
3. The Clapping Song
4. Indian Summer
5. Harlem Shuffle
6. The Reason
7. Iko Iko
8. Baby I'm Yours
9. Mockingbird
10. The Snake
11. Burning
12. Needle In A Haystack
13. Hiawatha
14. Big Blonde
15. Slick Trick
16. Take Another Look
17. Another Latin Love Song
18. Miss World
19. Stop Now
20. Having A Good Time
21. Blame
22. Turn Back The Clock
23. Madness
24. Sweet Memory
25. April Fool

[CD2]
1. Sun Sun Sun
2. The Entertainer
3. The Spider
4. 80's Romance
5. It's Me
6. Slick Trick [extended 12" mix]
7. Iko Iko [12" mix]
8. The Clapping Song [extended 12" mix]
9. Mockingbird [extended 12" mix]
10. Sign Of The Times [extended 12" remix]
11. Sweet Memory [extended 12" remix]
12. Indian Summer [extended 12" remix]
13. Sun Sun Sun [extended 12" remix]
14. The Entertainer [extended 12" version]
15. 80's Romance [extended 12" version]
16. Iko Iko [Bonus Beats]

[CD3]
1. Sweet Memory
2. That's Life
3. The Snake
4. Mockingbird
5. Sun Sun Sun
6. Blame
7. April Fool
8. The Entertainer
9. Sign Of The Times
10. Baby I'm Yours
11. Madness
12. Slick Trick
13. Crime Of Passion
14. Ci Ya Ya
15. Indian Summer
16. The Reason
17. Burning
18. The Clapping Song
19. Crime Of Passion
20. Is This The Night?
21. Cool Disguise

[DVD]
1. Hiawatha
2. The Clapping Song
3. Sign Of The Times
4. Sweet Memory
5. Indian Summer
6. The Entertainer
7. 80's Romance

A pointless release. It seems though that they're releasing the band's sole album on vinyl as well since 1983. Maybe there's a chance of a reunion of sorts (who knows?) I have both the Belle-Issima and 80s Romance compilations. It's a shame that several 12" mixes are awful vinyl rips on those cds.

I'm sure with Edsel's amazing quality control of past 80s boxes there will be no issues at all with this...

In terms of audio, aside from the live CD comparing this to the 2010 80's Romance 2 CD compilation this adds the 'The Entertainer' - extended 12" version and two of the 'Iko Iko' mixes done in 1989 (misses the 7" Remix). Amazon UK entry claims it is first time the two Iko Iko mixes are on CD yet all three of the Iko Iko mixes came out in Germany in 1989 on CD single: https://www.discogs.com/The-Belle-Stars ... ase/954639.

Great to hear that the extended version of The Entertainer is finally there after being strangely absent from all previous compilations.
Definitely my favorite track.

The Entertainer (12”) was on the 2004 Belle-issima 2cd set. Unless it’s a different unreleased mix? Does anyone know?

Bummer they couldn't include the "Iko Iko" video on the DVD but I am sure that is nearly impossible to get with parts of the movie clip stuck to it.

Guess nobody has this yet? I’m gonna order it now though I usually wait for you all to tell me why I shouldn’t

I got it and whilst I haven't played all the audio content over all I'm impressed.

Very good booklet and the videos on the DVD look decent. The booklet has comments from 4 of the band, interestingly the three not quoted are those that carried on to make World Domination - SJ, Miranda and Lesley. The discs are listed as being licensed from the Belle Stars, implying they own their own copyrights now, though I've no idea who owns the Belle Stars name these days. The unreleased tracks are nice to have but don't really deviate much from the band's established sound, I'd be interested to hear the whole shelved album. And someone PLEASE sort out the rights with the tracks recorded by the World Domination line up.

Thanks BMR! Just made my order a few minutes ago. Usually when I do it without consulting the NWO experts I come to find I’ve made an awful mistake. “Half the bonus tracks are vinyl rips”, “Track 18 on Disc 2 is the LP version, not the Remix”, “the whole thing is overly compressed”, etc.

This is pretty much a repeat of the 2cd 80s romance compilation from some time back. The remastering is the same, on the loud side. Many of the 12' mixes are awful vinyl rips especially Indian Summer. My own vinyl rip is far better. If you want the best sounding Belle Stars cd get the Belle-Issima! Sweet Memories... from 2004.

omar wrote:This is pretty much a repeat of the 2cd 80s romance compilation from some time back. The remastering is the same, on the loud side. Many of the 12' mixes are awful vinyl rips especially Indian Summer. My own vinyl rip is far better. If you want the best sounding Belle Stars cd get the Belle-Issima! Sweet Memories... from 2004.

Sooooo ... basically everything I was afraid of? Just got mine, ripping it to iTunes right now, I'll temper my expectations.

You're right, Omar, it sounds a lot like the Sweet Memories set. Kinda digging the live disc - it's raw but I like warts-and-all performances - can't stand "live" albums with overdubs.