no-man, the duo of Steven Wilson and Tim Bowness, have announced the release of ‘Housekeeping,’ a comprehensive remastered collection of No-Man’s output for the OLI label between 1990-1994.
Featuring the band’s first two albums Loveblows & Lovecries (1993) and Flowermouth (1994), along with the singles compilation Lovesighs (1992), the deluxe 5CD Earbook also contains outtakes, alternate versions and the band’s sessions for BBC radio from the period (which reveal a very different, more visceral, side to the band’s output).
Formed by Tim Bowness and Steven Wilson, the band also included violinist Ben Coleman and the albums featured notable appearances by Mick Karn and Steve Jansen (Japan/Rain Tree Crow), Robert Fripp, Ian Carr, Lisa Gerrard (Dead Can Dance), and soon to be Porcupine Tree members Richard Barbieri, Chris Maitland and Colin Edwin.
Containing driving Electronic Pop music, epic Ambient Rock suites and emotive groove-enhanced ballads, Housekeeping is a lovingly compiled tribute to the creative anomaly that is (and was) No-Man.
Designed by Carl Glover, the hardback book includes essays by Matt Hammers (author of No-Man blog, All The Blue Changes), Tim Bowness and Steven Wilson, alongside rare photos and memorabilia.
Burning Shed is offering an exclusive signed art print with the box set. https://burningshed.com/store/noman/
‘Housekeeping’ is launched simultaneously with ‘Swagger: Lost Not Lost Volume One, 1989/1990’ via Burning Shed.
‘Swagger’ chronicles the in-between period that came after the initial, wildly eclectic Tim Bowness / Steven Wilson studio experiments of 1987 and 1988, and prior to no-man signing its first record deal in 1991. It mostly captures the band making a propulsive electro-rock music and forging a fresh and more flamboyant identity courtesy of new recruit, virtuoso violinist Ben Coleman.
Featuring Steven Wilson’s guitar playing to the fore and Tim Bowness’s “before voice”, the music is notably more aggressive than what was created either side of it and, though it occasionally hints at the smoother ‘Loveblows & Lovecries’ to come and the fragility of what preceded it, it has a unique sound that separates it from everything else the band has ever done.
Containing 45 minutes of music, including 6 unreleased songs and 3 early versions of pieces that ended up on later releases, ‘Swagger’ showcases a hungry band making its alternate universe debut album. ‘Swagger’ is available on CD, LP and limited-edition cassette.
