Released
1987/1992
Label
Red Rhino Europe/
Epic
Reviewed by
Michael C.Lund
Contact
Transmission 242
BP 1613
B1000 Brussels
Visit
Last Edit/Update
01 February, 1998
Front
242
BACKCATALOGUE
Track Listing
1. U-Men
2. Geography II
3. Kampfbereit
4. Operating Tracks
5. Geography I
6. Take One
7. Controversy Between
8. Sample D.
9. S.FR Nomenklatura I
10. S.FR Nomenklatura II
11. Lovely Day
12. Special Forces
13. Commando Remix
14. No Shuffle
15. Don't Crash
16. Funkahdafi
17. Take One (Live)
18. U-Men (Live)
1-5 from Geography (1982)
6-8 from Endless Riddance (1983)
9-12 from No Comment
(1985)
13-16 from Politics of Pressure (1985)
17-18 from Live in Chicago (limited 7") (1985)
The compilation Backcatalogue brings together a comprehensive selection of Front
242's musical output from the first five years of their existence. The material
is presented chronologically, beginning with some of the more dynamic tracks off Geography, and
ending with two live tracks originally released as a limited 7" that came with early
copies of No Comment.
The two EPs Endless Riddance and Politics of Pressure are presented without
ommisions and, except for one song ("Deceit"), No
Comment too is included in its entirety.
The songs representing Geography do not
differ from their original appearance. From No Comment
"S.FR Nomenklatura" has been slightly reworked and turned into two parts, rather
than one long piece. The version of "Commando" included here is taken from the
EP -- Politics of Pressure -- and therefore sounds a little different than the
original. Otherwise, the songs from No Comment have been
transferred unaltered to Backcatalogue.
Between Geography (1982) and
No Comment
(1985), Front 242 released the 3-song EP -- Endless Riddance. The
sound of this EP bear witness to the state of stylistic transition, the band was in at the
time. While being more dynamic and physical in the vein of No Comment, the
songs nonetheless retain the simple arrangements of Geography.
Politics of Pressure,
released as a follow up to
No Comment, likewise represents a transition
in the style and sound of the band. "No Shuffle" and a remix of
"Commando" appeared on the EP, representing the sound of No Comment, while
the new songs "Don't Crash," and (especially) "Funkhadafi" looked
forward to Front 242's next release -- Official Version,
which was to be a more media conscious album.
Closing Backcatalogue are
the live track(s) "Take One" and "U-Men" (depending on the edition of
the release). The songs are many times more dynamic and intense in their live formats --
the often lauded 'physical' nature of Front 242's live performances is
well preserved on these recordings.
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