The Mission UK - The First Chapter (1987)

Album Review:

Featuring covers and singles from the pre-God's Own Medicine era, The First Chapter can at times reinforce the critics' view that the Mission UK were nothing but a pompous goth band intent on dredging up rock's past. The opener, a shoddy cover of the Beatles' "Tomorrow Never Knows," is a perfect example of that, proving that at times Wayne Hussey and his mates should have left well enough alone. Fortunately, this collection includes some of the Mission's finer moments. Cover versions of Free's "Wishing Well" and Patti Smith's "Dancing Barefoot" manage to merge classic rock tracks with the Mission's glossy and dramatic approach with ease. The best moments of The First Chapter are found in the Mission's own compositions, especially the single "Serpents Kiss" and "The Crystal Ocean," both of which shimmer with Hussey's signature 12-string sound, and one of the best non-drum machine rhythm sections that came out of the English goth rock scene. [The album's German version had a slightly different track listing.] –by Chris True, allmusic.com.


Album Details:

Artist: The Mission UK (aka The Mission, Mission UK)
Album: The First Chapter
Label: Mercury / Phonogram Ltd (London)
Catalogue #: 832 527-2
Matrix: 832 527-2 01
Bar Code: 0 42283 25272 1
Format: CD
Type: Compilation
Country: Europe (CD Made in Germany / Printed in West Germany)
Release Date: 1987
Number of Discs: 1
Language: English
Time: 46:01
Rating: 3.5 stars (allmusic.com)
Genre: Pop/Rock
Styles: Goth Rock, Alternative Rock, College Rock


Tracklist:

1. Like A Hurricane 5:00
2. Over The Hills And Far Away 3:59
3. Naked And Savage 4:46
4. Serpents Kiss 4:14
5. Dancing Barefoot 3:09
6. The Crystal Ocean (Extended) 7:37
7. Garden Of Delight (Extended) 5:04
8. Wake (RSV) 5:04
9. Like A Hurricane (Extended) 7:08


Lineage:

SilverCD -> EAC (Test & Copy Image & Create CUE Sheet > Uncompressed / Secure Mode / Offset Corrected / WAV 1411 Kbit/s / 44100 Hz / 16 Bits / 2 Channels) -> FLAC frontend -> FLAC (compression level 8) -> AvaxHome


Extra info:

- Cuesheet files included (WAV & FLAC).
- EAC extraction LOG file included.
- Codec used for lossless compression: libFLAC 1.2.1 20070917
- Samplerate: 44100 Hz Stereo / Bitrate: 16 bits.
- MD5 checksum included.
- Full artwork, 300 dpi, jpg format in highest quality.
- All tracks accurately ripped.