by Ben Hogwood

What’s the story?

A generous 4-CD compilation from Cherry Red, billed as a celebration of the Madchester / baggy scene and the Indie-dance crossover.

If you were anywhere near Radio 1 or even Radio 5 in the early 1990s you will have known about the influence this scene had on the singles charts, but Cherry Red are looking at it from the perspective of the clubs. With that in mind the tracks here are presented unmixed and mostly in 12″ form.

What’s the music like?

This is a buoyant collection to raise many smiles among listeners who were there at the time…but will surely serve as the ideal way in to the curious first-timers.

The big hits take care of themselves – Happy Mondays‘ Step On, The Charlatans‘ Indian Rope and Stone Roses‘ Fools Gold are pure Manchester gold. That’s before you consider Inspiral Carpets, James (via the mixing desk of Andrew Weatherall) and Primal Scream (via Terry Farley)

That the scene crossed over to Ibiza is clear from the inclusion of 808 State‘s Pacific State and The Beloved’s The Sun Rising. Shoegaze classics abound too, from Chapterhouse and Spacemen 3 – or leaner, more direct efforts from the likes of Carter USM and Pop Will Eat Itself.

While it’s great to have the well known classics, the bubbles from beneath the surface are even more valuable. Lesser known names such as Paris Angels, The Wendys, Sinister Groove and New Fast Automatic Daffodils prove their worth too.

Does it all work?

It does – and the breadth of styles means that this is a collection to dip into over and over again. It also has the added value of putting overplayed radio hits back in their best context. The Mock Turtles‘ Can You Dig It? is a prime example!

Is it recommended?

Wholeheartedly. As a snapshot of a euphoric time in British music history, Come Together works an absolute treat.