Description
Plankton: Forty Years – 1978-2018, sub-titled Celebrating the History and Musical Journey of Plankton Records, is a multi-artist double disc box set featuring selected tracks by various Plankton-signed artists, independently released on Plankton Records in November 2018. The 2CD slipcase set includes the 21 track compilation b. 6th May 1978: The First 20 Years originally released by Plankton in 1998 to mark the label’s 20th Anniversary, as well as a new disc entitled b. 6th May 1978: The Second 20 Years featuring 20 tracks from the last 20 years (mostly). The cover artwork reflects Plankton’s original vinyl side labels. (Also available as separate CDs.)
PROMO
This special slipcase set has been created to celebrate our landmark 40th Anniversary by spanning and including music from the whole forty years. It contains the newly released ‘Plankton. b. 6th May 1978. The Second 20 Years’ CD (Cat No: PCDN 174) along with the album released in 1978 to celebrate our 20th Anniversary ‘Plankton. b. 6th May 1978. The First 20 Years’ CD (Cat No: PCDN 153), thus celebrating the full 40 year history and musical journey of Plankton Records in this one music-packed package.
The set includes some previously unreleased tracks as well as some long deleted tracks that are not available elsewhere and a brand new song recently recorded for inclusion on the new release (Simon Law – The Haven). Both of these compilation CDs were hand picked and compiled by the Plankton Records partners – The man who founded the label, Rev Simon Law and Keith Dixon, who has been a partner since 1991 and has effectively been running the label on a day to day basis since 1978.
As a label, our main aim is to support artists who are keen to get out in front of people and communicate about and to the world we live in and the human condition and also songs which may in the past have come under the banner of ‘protest songs’. It’s always been about the message behind the music and not the music’s style or genre. Hence the vast range of musical styles that are featured on this complete celebration of the music of Plankton Records.
41 tracks – Over 2.5 hours of great music from a fantastic collection of artists.
To celebrate a remarkable four decades of existence, long-running UK Christian independent label Plankton Records have released a two disc anthology of output from acts that have featured on its roster over the years. Originally issued half a lifetime ago in 1998, the first volume goes back to where it all began 20 years earlier with a couple of shaky attempts at Christian rock from founding partner Simon Law’s group Sea Stone before various bands and solo acts pop up to briefly say hello in refreshingly eclectic fashion. Evidently keen to sound as mainstream as possible whilst still referencing something of the Christian faith, many of the cuts here reflect musical trends that have gone before with mid-’80s tracks like Solid Air’s «Promises Promises» sounding delightfully like something the Jam would have put out in the late ’70s whilst a live-at-the-BBC version of «Walk On The Water» by Out Of Darkness has Hendrix written all over it. Elsewhere, Pete Ward’s «Shameful Secret» reflects the indie trends of the day and is typical of the raw quality that Plankton has always been able to unearth in their artists. It’s not all solid gold though with the simply dreadful «Jesus Is Ace» – a misfiring attempt at satire courtesy of Marc Catley – and the cheesy «Come And Talk About Jesus» by the Newshounds sounding out of place when positioned next to higher quality acts like the heavily featured Fresh Claim who incidentally provide a fifth of the material on this entire compilation. The second chapter continues to highlight Plankton’s diversity with the likes of Intransit, Ben Okafor and Liz Clarke touching upon new romantic, reggae and folk trends in that order whilst more recent acts like the brass-laden Darn Funk Orchestra and covers band Echo evidence the fact that Plankton – largely thanks to its longstanding partner and driving force Keith Dixon – are still striving to push forward musically and punch above its weight after all this time. Fittingly, Plankton founder Simon Law closes proceedings with a brand new recording called «The Haven» to bring this plucky little label’s first four decades full circle. Well done Plankton and all the grassroots musicians who’ve helped build their legacy – here’s to the next 40 years. [Lins Honeyman, Cross Rhythms, November 2018]
b. 6th May 1978: The Second 20 Years
If you’ve read Cross Rhythms’ recent article on Britain’s longest running independent Christian record label (that’s Plankton), or our review of ‘Plankton b. 6th May 1978 Forty Years 1978-2018’, you’ll know what this compilation is all about. This will be the volume you’ll want if you’ve already got the CD covering the first 20 years. What a fascinatingly eclectic bunch of tracks have been assembled. You’ve got the powerhouse reggae-into-afro sounds of Ben Okafor on two songs; the vintage soul of Echo as they turn The Emotions’ classic «Best Of My Love» into a gospel song; the wistful singer/songwriter Liz Clarke; the short-lived but really rather good Disciplemakers; the Cross Rhythms radio hitmakers Nine Beats Collective (this cut featuring Denmark’s Mikael R Andreasen); and, of course, three cuts from those rock music survivors Fresh Claim (after all, the band’s founder Simon Law is also the founder of Plankton). 19 oldies but goodies, plus a brand-new solo track from Mr Law. As it turns out, Simon’s «The Haven» is a pretty good song. If you’re at all interested in UK Christian music history, this is an album which will give you a large dose of nostalgia and/or demonstrate that you don’t need big recording budgets or expensive studios to make music which passes the test of time. [Tony Cummings, Cross Rhythms, November 2018]
As Plankton Records celebrate their 40th anniversary as an independent UK Christian record label, they have released two albums covering the ‘best of’ their back catalogue. This second volume, called ‘Plankton. The Second Twenty Years’, as the title suggests, features music from their previous 20 years, 1999 – 2018.
The album starts with a cheeky little number from Intransit called «Bare Face To Face» with a trumpet joining in, before the fast guitar riff of Pete Ward’s «Unusual Shade» takes us on a journey from rock to pop. There are more splendid rock guitars on «Broken Man» from Fresh Claim, before we land in 2000 with Ben Okafor’s «Palace» with atmospheric keyboard sounds and a vocal that sounds like Seal. The guitars suddenly sound much more modern in «Feel The Power» by The Mohabir Sisters, with a great pop/jazz worship feel like Phatfish were known for, and the same could be said with the Bryan May style guitars of «Changed From Glory Into Glory» by Fresh Claim, who consistently appear on these albums with top notch songs.
There’s more of an acoustic feel to Ben Okafor’s «Love Train», contrastingly the heavy electric guitar opening of «Immanuel» (Inspire Band) is noisy and attention-seekingly-good, emphasising the worship cry of the chorus. And now for something completely different, as they say. A couple of Plankton’s vocalists who I’ve always had a soft spot for are Vivienne Neville and Liz Clarke. They appear back to back on the CD with their gorgeous clear vocals, soothingly delivering stunning ballads, «Veiled In Mystery» accompanied by a piano, and «Paths of Dreams» with a simple moody guitar. Such talented singers.
Echo’s cover of the Motown classic «Best Of My Love» is fabulous with it’s big band sound, Disciplemaker is an all round feel-good worship song, and «Salvation Shoes» by The Darn Funk Orchestra is truly funk/pop at it’s best – Jamiroquai eat your heart out. Matt JR Hurley’s SnowPatrol-esq «Pebbles» is beautiful and Nine Beats Collective are groovy, moody and spooky. There’s time for one more cover from Echo, a cracking rendition of Chaka Khan’s «Ain’t Nobody», before the album ends with Plankton co-founder Simon Law’s new recording, «The Haven». The back story to this song is so touching, and the song has a perky, quirky, enjoyable story-telling feel.
More so than with the ‘The First 20 Years‘ album, this collection of songs covers a vastly diverse set of genres and songs, making for a “something for everyone” kind of album. There are hidden gems here that are just waiting to be uncovered as you move through the past 20 years of musical endeavors. A thoroughly entertaining set of songs demonstrating a wealth of talent. What I particularly liked is the small print on the back of the album, saying “watch out for CD3 in 20 years time”. Let’s hope they’re not joking. [Loader Than The Music, 2018]
> Apple Music (https://music.apple.com/us/album/plankton-b-6th-may-1978-forty-years-1998-2018/1440544191)
2CD tracklist:
Disc One – The First 20 Years
1-01. Sea Stone – Rolling Stone – 3:24
1-02. Sea Stone – All This and a Giro Too – 3:51
1-03. Solid Air – Promises Promises – 3:13
1-04. Intransit – Troubled Vision – 3:33
1-05. Catch 22 – Freeway to Paradise – 4:20
1-06. Pete Ward – Shameful Secret – 4:42
1-07. Fresh Claim – Visions Never Sleep (’92 Remix) – 3:54
1-08. Marc Catley & Geoff Mann – The Calling – 4:01
1-09. Zipcodes – Got My Reasons – 3:25
1-10. Medals – Blue Blood – 3:19
1-11. Trevor Speaks – In My Blood – 2:13
1-12. Fresh Claim – In Times of Rain (Over You) – 3:23
1-13. Marc Catley – Jesus is Ace – 2:17
1-14. Ben Okafor – Living in a Suitcase – 3:20
1-15. Out of Darkness – Walk on the Water – 4:58
1-16. True Addiction – Celebrate – 3:09
1-17. Newshounds – Come and Talk About Jesus (Chattabox Theme) – 1:38
1-18. Fresh Claim – Defiled – 3:04
1-19. Fresh Claim – Kyrie Eleison – 2:45
1-20. Stuart Elwin – Silhouettes & Shadows (Dox Mix) – 3:46
1-21. Fresh Claim – Imagination of Your Heart (This is the End) – 5:12
Disc Two – The Second 20 Years
2-01. Intransit – Bare Face to Face – 3:08
2-02. Pete Ward – Unusual Shade – 3:57
2-03. Really Free Band – Hangin’ – 3:56
2-04. Fresh Claim – Broken Man (There’s Not Much More You Can Do to Me) – 4:30
2-05. Ben Okafor – Palace – 3:54
2-06. The Mohabir Sisters – Feel the Power – 3:30
2-07. Fresh Claim – Changed from Glory into Glory – 5:26
2-08. Ben Okafor – Love Train – 3:04
2-09. Fresh Claim – Change the World Through Us (Hear Us Lord) – 3:36
2-10. Inspire Band – Immanuel – 4:33
2-11. Vivienne Neville – Veiled in Mystery – 4:17
2-12. Liz Clarke – Path of Dreams – 3:32
2-13. Echo – Best of My Love – 3:26
2-14. Vivienne Nevile, Liz Clarke, Jackie Morris Bates & Mary-Kathryn – What a Friend We Have in Jesus – 4:56
2-15. Disciplemakers – Disciplemaker – 3:37
2-16. The Darn Funk Orchestra – Salvation Shoes – 4:24
2-17. Matt JR Hurley – Pebbles – 3:14
2-18. Nine Beats Collective – Nine Beats to the Bar (feat. Mikael R. Andreasen) – 2:48
2-19. Echo – Ain’t Nobody – 4:31
2-20. Simon Law – The Haven – 4:10
Note: Both CDs contained in the slipcase are available as separate CDs as well.
Disc One: b. 6th May 1978: The First 20 Years
Disc Two: b. 6th May 1978: The Second 20 Years
Rev Simon Law & Keith Dixon, the partners of Plankton Records, discuss how the record label was started 40 years ago in 1978
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