SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: KISSING THE PINK – ANTHOLOGY 1982-2024

KISSING THE PINK
ANTHOLOGY 1982-2024
CHERRY RED RECORDS

Kissing The Pink  may have gone down in history as the most underrated band of the 1980s. Thanks to this new box set, Anthology 1982 – 2024, that may not be the destiny of this band. They are still together to this day and continue to make music. But this set has collected their three classic albums together, added in some bonus tracks, and has presented it all in one shop stop. Kissing The Pink produced some of the most original and unique music of the 1980s. Along with bands like Freur, they unkindly never achieved the commercial success they deserved. But that does not take away from their music at all. Anthology 1982 – 2024 does an excellent job in getting some exposure for these treasures.

The band formed in 1980 and in 1981 they released their debut single, “Don’t Hide In The Shadows”, which was produced by the famous Martin Hannett. It was a one-off single, and oddly enough, it is not included in this set. This is a big loss, as it was the blueprint of their future recordings, especially their debut album Naked and it would have been a welcome addition. Colin Thurston (Talk Talk) took over the producer’s reins for Naked and he did a great job getting their ideas on tape. “The Last Film” and “Big Man Restless” were minor hits and sound great in 2024. They have not aged, as the band was not jumping on any trends. But it is their album cuts, such as “Frightened In France” and “All For You”, which gives the album the edge.

Their second album, What Noise was much more experimental and as a result it is their strongest album. Layered sound effects, strong melodies, tape altering and everything else is found on this album. “Radio On”, perhaps the most unlikely single of the 1980s, is a masterpiece with the pleading vocals of Jon Kingsley Hall. It is also, reportedly, the first song to utilize samples. Again, it is the album cuts that set this album head and shoulders of most of the albums released in 1984. “Each Day In Nine” and “The Rain It Never Stops” show more depth in their lyrics and overall arrangement skills.

Their third album, Certain Things Are Likely, makes its debut on CD with this collection. This album was somewhat of a letdown after What Noise. The band worked with producers Peter Walsh (who co-wrote and wrote some of the songs) and Phil Harding (who also had his hand in writing) who were quite well known in 1986 for producing hits. And to a degree, it worked, as the title track became a number one dance hit in the US but failed to dent the singles charts. That doesn’t mean that the album isn’t good, because there are some very strong songs found in the collection, such as “No-One’s On The Same Side” and the great closing track “I Won’t Wait”.

The last two CDs feature remixes, 12-inch singles and B-sides. Interestingly, the band’s fourth album, Sugarland (1993) released under the name KTP, nor their two internet albums from 2105 (Digital People, Fathom) are represented here. Again, that is a shame, as all three have some great songs, but more importantly give a more complete history of this band. Anthology 1982 – 2024 demonstrates how creative bands could be in the 1980s.

Besides the obvious omissions, this box set is still a fantastic collection of very unique and wonderfully produced music that has been overlooked for far too long. Much like Talk Talk or The Blue Nile, Kissing The Pink attempted to do something very different with their music and bring some fresh and interesting ideas to the fold. They succeeded. Within Anthology 1982 – 2024 one hears what can be accomplished within the confines of pop music. It is wonderful to have this compilation available and enjoy the music of Kissing The Pink again.

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