Ultrasound
Deluxe reissue album ‘Everything Picture’ released September 24th via One Little Independent Records
Stream single and watch never-before-seen video for ‘Aire & Calder’
“*The* greatest album of the nineties – a bombastic post-prog double LP of magnificently overreaching proportions and ambitions”
– NME
“All the force of Definitely Maybe, all the smeared eyeliner of Generation Terrorists, a lot of the grandeur of Dog Man Star, and all the vulnerability of... well, no one was really doing vulnerable, but it had vulnerability too”
– Drowned In Sound
On September 24th Ultrasound will reissue their ambitious debut album ‘Everything Picture’ via One Little Independent Records. The reissue boxset will feature ‘Everything Picture’ the double album, an extra two records featuring a variety of B-sides and singles and a CD of live and session tracks. As well, a 26-page booklet and poster will be included.
The announcement comes alongside a never-before-seen video for ‘Aire & Calder’. “Finally it's here” says frontman Andrew “Tiny” Wood, “The single that was due to be released in 1999 before the band unwisely split up. The song that may well have spiralled up the charts and confirmed the status of the band as living legends, or more likely a few collectors would have bought to complete their collection. They had even done a video with legendary director Gerald McMorrow ("I'll Show You Mine" and Catatonia's "Road Rage" amongst many others) which has been unearthed after 20 years. One Little Independent now presents to you the song and the video, remastered and spruced up for the new millennium for your ears and eyes to hear and see. Be enthralled. Be entertained. Be excited. They're back.”
Forming in 1996, British quartet Ultrasound gained quick notoriety, were eagerly courted by major labels and began making waves with their grandiose glam-meets-prog live performances. In 1999 they released their anticipated, monolithic and wildly creative ‘Everything Picture’ with Nude Records, a feat of considerable scale which may have failed to fulfil expectations they might be the next Oasis but ultimately earned them a dedicated cult following and the long-term critical acclaim they always hoped it would.
“Everything Picture was made with future generations in mind”, continues Wood, “so it is so appropriate that it should be re-issued, in a more complete form, to be discovered and re-discovered in future times. We were aware that the post Britpop present of the early millennium might not "get" it. Many did, and many more grew and developed with it as it grew and developed a life of its own”.
The uncompromising ‘Everything Picture’ soars from cinematic, layered textures to audacious rock n roll, with its raucously distorted guitars that sweep abrasively over anthemic choruses and a kinetic rhythm section. From the scopious opening of ‘Cross My Heart’ that makes the bands intentions perfectly clear from the offset, to the dynamic attack of blistering riffs and euphoric vocal harmonies of ‘Stay Young’, the vice-tight bass and darkly joyous ‘Fame Thing’, the pulsating electronics and searing lead of disc 2 opener ‘Aire & Calder’ and ahead, the LP is a far-reaching onslaught of powerful production, bristling with ideas and invention.
Alongside chart recognition for a number of their singles including ‘Best Wishes’, ‘Stay Young’ and ‘Floodlit World’, Ultrasound are also remembered for a renowned performance at Glastonbury Festival in 1998 during a torrential downpour, a live recording of which is also included in this deluxe reissue.
Quickly following the release of ‘Everything Picture’, and amidst a myriad of press attention, the band broke-up. Now, we’re given the opportunity to revisit this semi-forgotten, extensive classic alongside even more of their experimental catalogue.
Bassist Vanessa Best reflects; “Above my fireplace is the last remaining original canvas of the Everything Picture artwork. Painted by us all in Jane Savidge and John Bests (no relation) office in Camden. I have carried it around for nearly 25 years from storage lock up to garage, to every flat I have lived in and now it is in pride of place in my house by the sea. I suppose it is a kind of historical rock and roll cave painting, with pieces of our energy in it. I forgive all of its awkwardness, in favour of celebrating a truly heart stopping, courageous piece of work. Standing tall; exposed, vulnerable, defiant, proud and desperately trying to say… everything. Oh, my aching heart!”
Ultrasound were Andrew Wood, Richard Green, Vanessa Best, Andy Peace and Matt Jones.
Art credit: Ultrasound & Ellis Parrinder
Tour dates
14.07 – Deaf Institute, Manchester
15.07 – Bush Hall, London
Track listing
- Cross My Heart
- Same Band
- Stay Young
- Suckle
- Fame Thing
- Happy Times (Are Coming)
- Aire & Calder
- Sentimental Song
- Floodlit World
- My Impossible Dream
- Everything Picture
- Best Wishes
- Kurt Russell, Eastwood & Me
- Black Hole
- Over There
- Football Meat
- I'll Show You Mine
- One Plus One
- Lovesick
- We Will Find Love (Demo)
- Underwater Love Story
- Can't Say No
- Death Of A Drag Racer
- Valencia
- Goodbye 25
- Everything Picture (Demo)
- Same Band (Evening Session)
- Floodlit World (Acoustic)
- Suckle (Acoustic)
- Over There (Live At Reading Festival '98)
- Football Meat (Live At Reading Festival '98)
- I'll Show You Mine (Live At Manchester Academy '98)
- Floodlit World (Live At Glastonbury Festival '98)
- Sentimental Song (Live In Newcastle '98)
- Suckle (Live At Glastonbury Festival '98)
- Stay Young (Live At Glastonbury Festival '98)
- Everything Picture (Live At Oxford Sound City '98)
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