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1984 - 1986: The a & M Years

4.6 4.6 out of 5 stars 23 ratings

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Editorial Reviews

The Swimming Pool Q's made two albums for A&M Records: 1984s The Swimming Pool Qs and 1986s Blue Tomorrow, produced by David Anderle/Ed Stasium and Mike Howlett respectively. These two iconic albums are being made available for the first time ever on CD. Available as 2-CD Limited Edition and 4 disc Deluxe Limited Edition that includes an exclusive disc of rare tracks and a DVD of rare footage. Fans can finally get digital editions of the albums they love, and new audiences can hear these breakthrough albums for the first time.

Product details

  • Package Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 5.6 x 5.1 x 0.7 inches; 2.4 ounces
  • Manufacturer ‏ : ‎ Bar/None Records
  • Date First Available ‏ : ‎ May 5, 2013
  • Label ‏ : ‎ Bar/None Records
  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ B00CMYRTWY
  • Number of discs ‏ : ‎ 2
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.6 4.6 out of 5 stars 23 ratings

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4.6 out of 5 stars
23 global ratings

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Top reviews from the United States

  • Reviewed in the United States on July 3, 2013
    Way back in 1985 or so, I was a teenager having my mind blown by the old WFHS in Maryland.. One night my mom was driving somewhere, and she let me listen to the radio. Two of the DJ's were reading the concert listing. Remember back in the days when they'd take 10 minutes to read the concert list? anyway.. they were chatting and stuff, and the lady DJ made announcement that The Swimming Pool Q's were the greatest band in the universe. It didn't make that much of an impression .. but through the years, I aquired their records, essentially from that one statement from a lady DJ whom I will never remember her name. I thought they were pretty good as an 80's jangle pop band.. but about 3-4 years ago, it REALLY clicked! wow... these two records that are reissued here are freaking great! I just got this set, and am finally hearing the music in digital glory, and not the scratchy records..
    The debut album is PERFECT in every way from the get-go.. flashes of Springsteen, The Talking Heads, New Wave bands.. a literate cut above what else was happening in the fabled New South- Austin/Athen music scene back then.. Their second album is kind of a more difficult listen.. There are times where it sounds like they are trying to get that radio hit they didn't get from their first album.. and, other times, they have that great feel of the first album, and then there is that really over produced 80's sound.. You can tell they are really trying to break out to a higher plateau.. But for all that effort they put in, which didn't pan out in the pop music world, and with repeated listens, a truly great album emerges..
    5 people found this helpful
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  • Reviewed in the United States on January 17, 2015
    Fans of the band can rejoice that the long out of print A&M CDs are available again (albeit as I write this it seems the package has already gone out of print again, hence the ridiculous price. Hopefully this is temporary). I usually find the extra material in similar packages -- "rarities," demos etc.-- are often a waste for me but I actually do like the third disc in this one. I won't go on at any length because other reviewers have already said it all... but... what you get with the Q's is an interesting combination of chiming folk/country rock anthems combined with a dirty southern garage rock, sometimes in separate packages ("Now I'm Talking About Now" versus "Corruption" ) and often intermingled ("Laredo Radio") -- whatever, it is outstanding stuff. Stands up well since the Q's did not resort to the aural gimmicks that make so much 80s music hard to listen to today. Straight ahead great playing and singing by real singer/songwriter/musicians.
    One person found this helpful
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  • Reviewed in the United States on September 15, 2015
    Back in the 80's I picked up these two Swimming Pool Q's albums on cassette. I listened to them over and over again until I was afraid to play them anymore. Finally I recorded the tracks to poor-quality computer files and listened to them that way. I am thrilled that I can finally hear the tracks in their full glory without fear of a ribbon of plastic snapping.
    The songs are an odd mix that really defy categorization. Some are jarring, some are beautiful, and others are just weird. At any rate, this is something I was looking for for a long time.
  • Reviewed in the United States on November 16, 2013
    Just purchased. Have been waiting for this reissue for many years - grateful to the band for staying with it and getting the project up and running through Kickstarter. One of the best works of contemporary rock out there, from a band that never capitulated or compromised. This is a standard that meets and sustains the test of time and is the foundation for the latest new release. Buy it now - one of the best choices you can make. And let the bells ring.
  • Reviewed in the United States on November 10, 2013
    For those who love great lost music from the 80's this band is a good start. The second release on A & M " Blue Tomorrow " is just about flawless. It ranks right there with any of the seminal albums released by R.E.M in this period. And the song "some new highway " might be one of the best songs of the era. A must buy!!
    One person found this helpful
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  • Reviewed in the United States on May 15, 2015
    Basically, the first two albums reissued. Thought I'd never see the day but so glad they got reissued. Blue Tomorrow is easily a top album of the 1980s. Wonderful to hear it again.
  • Reviewed in the United States on July 28, 2013
    Two of the finest albums of the eighties by an incredibly underrated band. The CD mastering is excellent and sounds very close to the original vinyl which was most definitely of audophile quality. 6 stars!
    2 people found this helpful
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  • Reviewed in the United States on July 6, 2013
    One of the worst packages I have ever received. It looks like they just decided to put the 2 extra discs in the same package as the 2 disc version. They were just put in the case where they slid around and got scratched. I haven't checked to see if they'll play okay yet. There are very good extensive liner notes for the 2 discs but the extra discs aren't even mentioned. Not even a track list for them. I realize this was a very cheap set but come on. Would it have cost that much more to have put the extra discs in sleeves and provide a track list ?
    4 people found this helpful
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