“Klark Kent”: that was a self-titled debut album from an unknown entity of an artist that saw the light of day in 1980, and it wouldn’t have attracted much attention if “Don’t Care” didn’t appear on the longplay after being released as as single in 1978 to land in the UK Top 50. However, two years later people seemed to be sure that recognized the manner of the enigmatic singing multi-instrumentalist, because they had recently heard him on “Zenyatta Mondatta” by the POLICE where he served as a drummer, backing vocalist and one of the writers. Indeed, despite initial refusal to admit his alter-ego activity, Stewart Copeland owned up to his authorship.
Perhaps, way back then this pop-rock-focused and new-wave-riding record didn’t deserve such attention, yet more than four decades further down the line it feels quite interesting – even more so in a deluxe version which will be issued on November 17th. The original album’s duration clocked in less than 25 minutes, but now it’s been fleshed out with ’45s’ sides that previously were collected on the “Kollected Works” CD, and is accompanied by a second disc containing demos of most of the pieces the first one is comprised of. Not for everyone, if worth listening to.
Klark Kent
CD 1 – Expanded Album:
1. It’s Gonna Rain
2. Don’t Care
3. Away From Home
4. Rich In A Ditch
5. Grandelinquent
6. Guerilla
7. My Old School
8. Excesses
9. Theme For The Kinetic Ritual
10. Thrills
11. Office Girls
12. Too Kool To Kalypso
13. Stay Ready
14. Strange Things Happen
15. Love Lessons
16. Yo Ho Ho
17. Someone Else
18. Office Talk
CD 2 – Demos:
1. Away From Home
2. Rich In A Ditch
3. Grandelinquent
4. Guerilla
5. My Old School
6. Excesses
7. Theme For Kinetic Ritual
8. Don’t Care
9. Thrills
10. Office Girls
11. Too Kool To Kalypso
12. Strange Things Happen
