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Product Description
Review
Another of those albums that get dropped into the nether regions of any 'all-time greatest' list, Kilimanjaro also remains an oddity in any era. This band were born out of the same Liverpudlian Zoo records/Eric's/Bill Drummond axis that spawned The Crucial Three which in turn spawned Echo And The Bunnymen, Wah! Heat and the Teardrops. It was also a band that, as anyone who's read Julian Cope's hilarious Head On will know, had some major personality clashes.
By the time Kilimanjaro was to be recorded original keyboardist Paul Simpson had been ousted and replaced with co-founder of Zoo records and producer, David Balfe (who was, with Bill Drummond, the album's co-producer). Not only this but subsequently guitarist Mick Finkler fell victim to Cope's power struggles and was replaced both in the band AND on the record by Alan Gill from another legendary Liverpool band, Dalek I Love You.
Kilimanjaro's peppy horns, sweeping synthetic strings and trebly guitar sound unsettlingly 'wrong' when the whole thing kicks off with 'Ha Ha I'm Drowning'. Cope's lyrics seem both oblique and overly wordy, sung in a strangely English-Scott-Walker way. Yet by the time you get to the third track: the heady, anthemic single, "Treason", you've settled into this surreal mix as if all records should be made this way.
Like the rival Bunnymen, they'd used the neo-psychedelic template but whereas McCulloch's crew used the Velvets and the Doors as their touchstones, Cope was also into Roky Erikson and krautrock. It also wasn't insignificant that the sessions for this album were conducted on large quantities of hallucinogens. Also, whereas the Bunnymen specialised in powerhouse grooves and epic choruses the Teardrops had an innate gift for a poppy hook and beguiling melody. Side two's love songs, 'The Thief Of Baghdad' and 'When I Dream', put you in pure psych pop heaven. With this in mind it's odd that their version of Ian McCulloch's 'Read It In Books' (here rendered as 'Books') is quite brutally minimalist.
Knowing how troubled was the genesis of Kilimanjaro it's amazing that something so perfectly formed emerged. Like Love's Forever Changes it inhabits a strange alternative universe that seems to have little relationship with contemporary sounds. For that reason alone it remains timeless. --Chris Jones
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
14 of 14 people found the following review helpful
Format:Audio CD|Amazon Verified Purchase
Julian has done lots of good solo stuff and his concerts are still worth going to, but for me this album was always the one. If you are thinking of buying this for the extras, do! I have most of these tracks on vinyl through albums like 'To the Shores of Lake Placid' and the singles and the Teardrops always produced great b sides. Really, their whole output sometimes sounds like b sides. Camera Camera, Use Me, All I Am Is Loving You - boppy, poppy minor songs - the ones that remind you of the era, the ones that still live.
The Teardrops always had humour - not like some po-faced, up their bunny bum bands which we won't mention - they had romanticism, but not the grand or pretentious type - just daft, 'scuse me while i screw up type.
Julian is a good solo artist, but the Teardrops were a BAND, and one of the best of their time. This is one of those rare deluxe editions where I actually want the additional tracks as much as the main ones - the quirky versions, the French versions. I always thought the tinny little under produced versions of When I Dream were the best.
When I dream, I remember Teardrop gigs in Manchester. The past is a foreign country they say. Well you cant go back, but here's a good photo album anyway.
The Teardrops always had humour - not like some po-faced, up their bunny bum bands which we won't mention - they had romanticism, but not the grand or pretentious type - just daft, 'scuse me while i screw up type.
Julian is a good solo artist, but the Teardrops were a BAND, and one of the best of their time. This is one of those rare deluxe editions where I actually want the additional tracks as much as the main ones - the quirky versions, the French versions. I always thought the tinny little under produced versions of When I Dream were the best.
When I dream, I remember Teardrop gigs in Manchester. The past is a foreign country they say. Well you cant go back, but here's a good photo album anyway.
9 of 9 people found the following review helpful
Format:Audio CD
to when I was a mere 13 years old and I bought this album on a whim having liked Reward and Treason. It was a wise impulse purchase as I loved it and played it to death. I had it on vinyl and have recently bought the cd, it sounds just as good now as it did then. He really is an unsung/unacknowledged musical and lyrical genius. Btw, has anyone else realised robbie williams stole from him with the line "is there a tumour in your humour?" If you're going to steal then steal from the best I suppose!
It's hard to choose a stand out track from an album packed with great songs, however, I always loved "Thief of Baghdad" as a kid and still do now: listening to it takes me back instantly to the bedroom I'd painted partly black (I was allowed to do one wall as a concession by my increasingly concerned parents), I'd lie there in the semi-dark writing really bad poetry, listening to Julian and feeling like he somehow knew how I thought! I'm not so likely to be listening to him in these conditions these days - most often in the car driving to sainsburys, I no longer write the bad poetry but at least this is still great music.
Anyway, if you liked him then or are discovering him now, this is one hell of a good album, enjoy!
It's hard to choose a stand out track from an album packed with great songs, however, I always loved "Thief of Baghdad" as a kid and still do now: listening to it takes me back instantly to the bedroom I'd painted partly black (I was allowed to do one wall as a concession by my increasingly concerned parents), I'd lie there in the semi-dark writing really bad poetry, listening to Julian and feeling like he somehow knew how I thought! I'm not so likely to be listening to him in these conditions these days - most often in the car driving to sainsburys, I no longer write the bad poetry but at least this is still great music.
Anyway, if you liked him then or are discovering him now, this is one hell of a good album, enjoy!
17 of 19 people found the following review helpful
Format:Audio CD
Released in 1980, this is one of the most cohesive, timeless and brilliant debut albums in pop history. The madcap musical visions of Julian Cope's world first came to fruition with Liverpool's (now-legendary) Teardrop Explodes. This newly remastered version also contains B-sides that have been unavailable for years.
From "Sleeping Gas" to "Treason" to "Reward" to the stunning "When I Dream", this album was the perfect hybrid of late-60's psychedelia, new wave and big-arrangement POP. The lyrics veer from crytic to whimsical and are memorable even 20 years after the first listening. Using a dazzling array of horns, keyboards and melodies, "Kilimanjaro" is, for any music collection, A MUST.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
I exploded on hearing again
Awesome, ace, excellent stuff. Took me back to my teens. Trumpets, trombones abomb. Commentary of the songs great, makes you think what he was thinking when he wrote them.
Published 4 months ago by cathblue
buyer beware
The lack of transparent slipcase is, already, a common issue with the new "deluxe" editions: the same is happening with The Jam "Sound Affects". Read more
Published 17 months ago by Stefano Galli
Saving a few pennies, Universal?
I just received this today. Due to the picture of the set on Amazon, I expected a cardboard digipak with a clear plastic slipcover, like all my other Deluxe Editions. Read more
Published 22 months ago by Moon Panda
Oh so ethereal
I came across Kilimanjaro back in the early 90's having been vaguely aware of Julian Cope. Imagine my surprise when this glorious racket invaded my ears and took up residence. Read more
Published 22 months ago by Matthew Richardson
AD1
excellent album at underground train speed which I'm sure can put you in a trance, pity title track is naf, but as it is at the end you can eject.
Published 22 months ago by ad1
Ha ha I'm laughing at these reviews!
Second only to Revolver? The guy who wrote that clearly hasn't heard many albums. Only Treason and Reward stand out in this extremely forgettable outing. Read more
Published 22 months ago by CJ Loades
Nearly perfect
Whilst you can't totally rip into this release like some have I do have some problems whith this re-issue. Read more
Published 22 months ago by Kaleef
Great album but again a waste of plastic!
Other reviewers will tell you how good this album is, and make no mistake it IS good.
So why only 4 stars? Read more
So why only 4 stars? Read more
Published 22 months ago by Mark Phillips
Are you Mick Finkler?
I really is beyond belief that this album can only merit a one star review, and like the previous reviewer I feel the need to set the record straight. Read more
Published 23 months ago by M. Oxley
what are you on about ?
I can't believe how the other reviewer trashes this great album.
If Julian disowns it that is his problem, it still is a great album and brightened many of my teenage days... Read more
If Julian disowns it that is his problem, it still is a great album and brightened many of my teenage days... Read more
Published 23 months ago by Bart van Laecke
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