And so you’ve had the splendour of Window Shopping: How’s-a-bout the delights of Window Dressing – aka What Johnno did next…
Neat, eh?
Yep, Johnno Casson, the NICEST man in Colchester [tough competition] has only gone and organised a remix album of his ACE Window Shopping album from last year.
It’s not as if the originals weren’t half-decent enough. Add in the sprinkling of a little Sunny Colch fairy dust around the edges, and you have enough lovely, loveliness in a single album in which to see you through until spring.
All original twelve tracks from Windows Shopping have been given the touch up and go treatment, plus a couple of extras as well. In the true tradition of PROPER remix albums from back in the day, Window Dressing presents all songs in the original running order as well.
These things MATTER, Comrades.
The Sunny Colch connections are still there. Everybody’s Got Sides contains perhaps the only reference to Prettygate in contemporary music:
“I left my heart in… Prettygate.”
Didn’t we all, Johnno, didn’t we all.
Plus yeah – the Colchester classic This is Essex is also included.
As for those involved in twiddling the knobs?
It’s a diverse bunch, including Colchester based artist Kevin Pearce, as well as Tom Robinson from 6Music. This should tell you something about how much love Johnno is able to extract out of his bulging contact book.
The entire album has been mastered by long-term Johnno collaborator Wim Oudijk, via the magic of the modern interweb.
The music itself can best be described as folk goes a little electric. It’s the reverse ferret of the tired and tested aritsteee formula of recording a fully blown amp ‘n all album, and then taking to a kitchen stool and strumming it out on stage.
The original songs stack up well in their own acoustic setting; the remixes on Window Dressing give them a little more movement.
Phew.
Rock ‘n Roll etc.
Window Dressing is available as a FREE download on 25th February via Rash Records.
No such thing as a free lunch?
You obviously haven’t met Johnno and his inclusive approach to making music around the town.
The full track listing for Window Dressing is:
Battle Scars – Pulco
Everybody’s Got Sides – Pete McPartland (of The Big I Am)
Out of Credit – Orwell
Window Shopping – Wim Oudijk
Love Vibration – Ian Thistlethwaite
Forget it – Pulco
Do You Think of Him Now – Kevin Pearce
So Long Getting It Wrong – Bobby Wotnot
Whatever Happened to the Working Class – Wim Oudijk
Disguised as Dub – Butcher’s Prime Cuts
Truth – Tom Robinson
This is Essex – Oliver Summers
Pinch Me – Dementio 13
Being With Me – Wim Oudijk
Plus: You can buy the original Window Shopping over here.
Plus plus: You can find out more about what Johnno has been doing over recent months via the recent Colchester Circle interview over here.
