In From The Cold – The Prisoners (CD and limited edition red vinyl)

The Countdown label has been reactivated by Acid Jazz records. To follow, I’m reliably informed, will be many long-awaited reissues, including this, the first release on the revived imprint, The Prisoners’ fourth and final album from ’86. As part of the prolific and productive Medway scene of the early 80s, The Prisoners were innovative, inspirational and influential, releasing a total of four albums, including this one, as well as an EP, all of which are highly sought after on first issue releases by vinyl collectors. Pretty much all the members of The Prisoners, namely James Taylor, Allan Crockford, Graham Day and Johnny Symons would go on to find degrees of success in other bands after The Prisoners split in ’86. The Prisoners’ sound was drawn from cool 60s bands and soul with an element of punk in the blend. Following the recording of In From The Cold, produced by Troy Tate, whose CV included The Smiths and Teardrop Explodes, the band emerged not at all happy with the end result. It was supposed to be the album that propelled them from being a cult underground band into the mainstream. The band members went so far as to advise their fans not to buy the album, albeit that wasn’t anything new for them, as they said similar disparaging comments about some of their previous albums. It’s one of those albums that, like a good wine, has improved with age. It opens with the powerful and infectious All You Gotta Do Is Say, before touching all bases of The Prisoners’ musical arsenal over the following 11 tracks, such as the whimsically reflective soulful groove of Wish The Rain as well as the similar vibe on Mourn My Health, contrasting with the upbeat Be On Your Way, the spiritedly energetic Deceiving Eye along with the powerfully lively The More That I Teach You. Until now, In From The Cold has remained unavailable in vinyl format. A long-overdue reissue (on vinyl), 34 years have passed since its initial launch, since which In From The Cold has rightly been elevated to cult classic status. Their influence in UK music to follow is more than impressive, with a multitude of big-name acts and artists citing The Prisoners as major ‘players’ in their own output. Broadcaster Steve Lamacq devoted an entire chapter to them in his autobiography and even the subjective NME named them, during the peak of Britpop, as one of the greatest unknown bands ever. If you missed them the first time around or were too young when The Prisoners were at their peak, do yourself a favour and treat yourself to this reissue.

Sarge