How THE DARKNESS became so popular remains a mystery to this scribe who watched the British band, two weeks prior to the release of their debut, at Wembley, struggling, and failing, to deliver swagger they wanted to show when opening for LYNYRD SKYNYRD and DEEP PURPLE. Still, it’s easy to see the young group’s appeal, and there should be great interest for the 20th Anniversary Edition of their sophomore album, the Roy Thomas Baker-produced “One Way Ticket To Hell… And Back”: an expanded variant of it that takes four CDs now.
To be issued on November 28th, the set doesn’t include a DVD as a similar package of “Permission To Land” did; there’s only one live show too. Instead, two discs are dedicated to demos and rough mixes which hold less allure for a regular fan. Still, as a way to build the ensemble’s legacy, it’s as good as it gets.
One Way Ticket To Hell… And Back
CD 1 – One Way Ticket To Hell… And Back:
1. One Way Ticket
2. Knockers
3. Is It Just Me?
4. Dinner Lady Arms
5. Seemed Like A Good Idea At The Time
6. Hazel Eyes
7. Bald
8. Girlfriend
9. English Country Garden
10. Blind Man
Bonus Tracks B-Sides, Remixes & Singles:
11. Wanker (B-Side)
12. Grief Hammer (B-Side)
13. Shake Like A Lettuce Leaf (B-Side)
14. Shit Ghost (B-Side)
15. Girlfriend (British Whale Remix)
16. Girlfriend (The Richie Edwards Remix feat. DJ Tidy Brine)
17. One Way Ticket (Cleaner Version)
CD 2 – Live At The Birmingham NEC, February 19, 2006:
1. Knockers
2. One Way Ticket
3. Is It Just Me
4. Growing On Me
5. Dinner Lady Arms
6. Givin’ Up
7. Black Shuck
8. Love On The Rocks
9. Love Is Only A Feeling
10. Seemed Like A Good Idea At The Time
11. Blind Man
12. Hazel Eyes
13. Friday Night
14. Girlfriend
15. I Believe In A Thing Called Love
16. English Country Garden
17. Bald
One Way Ticket To Hell… And Back:
20th Anniversary Deluxe Edition
CD 3 – Demos & Rough Mixes
Demos:
1. As The Crow Flies
2. Bald
3. English Country Garden
4. Hazel Eyes
5. Girlfriend
6. Grief Hammer
7. IOU
8. Is It Just Me?
9. One Way Ticket
10. Seemed Like A Good Idea At The Time
11. Wanker
12. Waste Of Space
Rough Mixes:
13. As The Crow Flies
14. Blind Man
15. Girlfriend
16. Seemed Like A Good Idea At The Time
17. Wanker
CD 4 – Whitfield Street Rough Mixes:
1. Girlfriend
2. Knockers
3. Bald
4. English Country Garden
5. Hazel Eyes
6. Good Idea
7. One Way Ticket
8. Blind Man
9. Dinner Lady Arms
10. Wanker
11. Grief Hammer
12. Is It Just Me?
13. As The Crow Flies
14. Waste Of Space
