The complete studio recordings Remastered from the original master tapes sees 31 tracks spread nicely over a double CD of all of their vinyl releases plus unreleased recordings. includes their critically acclaimed and highly sought after debut album ‘Glasshouse’ from 1985 and the 1986 follow up ‘Simplicity’. The lavish booklet is adorned with the artwork from the Glasshouse EP, which features in the Prints & Drawings collection at the Victoria & Albert Museum. Formed in 1981. Party Day, with their bass led rhythms and punchy drums along the lines of early Cure who must have been a big influence the band gigged extensively and released their debut single ‘Row The Boat Ashore’ in ’83.
So referencing the Cure is a bit of a give away as the bands Indie Rock with lashings of Gothic overtones will give comparisons to the likes of The Mission or more appropriately Gene Love Jezebel the band grabbed DJ John Peels attention which is never a bad thing and regularly featured in Sounds got tongues wagging.
The follow-up single ‘Spider’ from 1984 again received airplay from John Peel on the BBC and was well received by the national music press with the likes of the NME and Sounds stating – “Mouthy pellets of malevolence” NME “Excellent punk junk howl” Sounds.
The debut album ‘Glasshouse’ was released in 1985 with impressive reviews and has gained the band a decent audience with the indie and post-punk scene. Vinyl copies became collectible, it exchanges hands for decent sums on the second-hand market.
The Glasshouse EP followed later in 85 heralding a more commercial approach and widening appeal.
They followed up ‘Glasshouse’ with their second album ‘Simplicity’ which was released in 1986 and with much the same sound they were clearly more proficient musicians and the live shows had tightened any loose edges. It opened with a more solid rocker ‘She May Be Blind’ which sounds more like Skids meets Joy Division if that makes any sense? With the bass being more in the mix than the previous album where it sat proudly on top.
The band consisted of; Martin Steele (gtr / vocals), Carl Firth (bass/vocals) Mick Baker (drums), Greg Firth (gtr) [who left in 1982]. The vocal were shared between Martin and Carl. This double CD is a very nice package with an extensive booklet that helps capture a time in the heady mid-eighties and pulls not just the bands two albums but the singles as well. Martin left due to ill-health and was replaced by Dean Peckett. Towards the latter half of the eighties just before the band called time on their existence, Carl left and, Paul Nash (of The Danse Society) (gtr / vocals), and Shaun Crowcroft (bass) joined. They recorded two sessions, but these songs were later abandoned and not released. Shortly afterwards the band folded.
Sadly Dean Peckett died in 2016, as the band began putting the collection ‘Sorted!’ together.
The 2006 release was in response to the resurgence of interest in Party Day through their song ‘Atoms’, which continued to be played at clubs throughout Europe. Since then, there has been further interest in their songs, with more airplay and Livestream shows. Leads us to the here and now and some Forty Years on from their beginning…mid pandemic 2021 sees the release of ‘Sorted!’ (Optic Nerve Recordings). More than a nostalgic look back to a band who probably deserved more of a profile on the post-punk Goth scene who wrote some really decent songs of which you’ll hear when playing these loving constructed discs particular highlights for me are ‘Career’ from the second album and the Banshee like twist of the rhythmic ‘Carousel’ from the debut album and the darkness and venom displayed on ‘Row The Boat Ashore’ top tunes even now. Enjoy
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Author: Dom Daley
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