ALBUM TO HEAR BEFORE YOU LEAVE THIS WORLD: ECHO & THE BUNNYMEN - PORCUPINE (1983)

This album split critical and fan opinion. Maybe, because of the troubled birth of the album and the thinking behind it. The band had found 1981's Heaven Up Here a breeze to write. Their third album was anything but. It was preceded by a period of writer's block.
Porcupine represented vocalist Ian McCulloch's most autobiographical writing and and it shyed many away with it's sharp lyrics, including their label WEA, who deemed it insufficiently commercial. Strangely, the band agreed and went back into the studio to use the first version as the springboard for a second try.
The first single, "The Back of Love" spoke perfectly the feelings of awe and otherness that only Echo & the Bunnymen seemed able to conjure.
Indian violinst Ravi Shankar recorded a sitar led intro and chorus to the second single "The Cutter" though it was against the wishes of the band. Manager Bill Drummond provides a trumpet section into the song. Despite their anger, they agreed that it impoved the song.
There is no easy listening to this album with McCulloch's isolationism and operatic delivery were little softened by the production and the Eastern sounds. But with repeated listens, one is fully rewarded with this truly fantastic album.



Personnel

Ian McCulloch – vocals, guitar
Will Sergeant – lead guitar
Les Pattinson – bass
Pete de Freitas – drums
Shankar – strings
Ian Broudie – producer
Dave Bascombe – engineer
Paul Cobald – engineer
Colin Fairley – engineer
Dave Woolley – engineer
Steve Short – engineer
Steve Presige – engineer
Brian Griffin – photography
Martyn Atkins – cover design

Release Date

February 4, 1983

Tracklisting

1. The Cutter

2. The Back of Love

3. My White Devil

4. Clay

5. Porcupine

6. Heads Will Roll

7. Ripeness

8. Higher Hell

9. Gods Will be Gods

10. In Bluer Skies